Today we’re joined by Nancy Johnson, author of the debut novel THE KINDEST LIE. This novel centers Ruth Tuttle, an Ivy league-educated Black engineer, who returns to small town Indiana in search of the baby she left behind, and to uncover the secrets surrounding this painful choice. Set in the early days of the Obama administration, THE KINDEST LIE explores division and the effects of the 2008 recession in a “post-racial society”. The novel is warm, insightful, and explores very real characters with a great deal of nuance.

Nancy speaks to her experiences as a young Black girl, never quite finding literature that reflected her reality. This brought her to Toni Morrison as an adult, specifically Morrison’s debut novel THE BLUEST EYE. This classic features Pecola Breedlove, a young Black girl that observes the poor way she’s treated in a world that prizes beauty and whiteness, and the resulting feelings become a yearning for blue eyes. With exquisite prose, a fascinating framing device, and multidimensional characters, Morrison’s debut established her as one of America’s preeminent writers. In this episode Johnson shares her wisdom on many other topics, such as sharing a birthday with your literary idol, a complicated experience of the 2008 election, how white writers should approach writing characters of color, and so much more. 

All episodes are spoiler free!

Nancy's Website: nancyjohnson.net

Follow the Your Favorite Book podcast on instagram and twitter @yfbpodcast