There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib plays with time and memory, intimacy and vulnerability, going away and coming home — and leaves everything on the court. Abdurraqib joins us to talk about Ohio, bravery in writing, nostalgia and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Th...
Mar 26, 2024•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tessa Hulls’ Feeding Ghosts is a richly woven and visually stunning graphic memoir about three generations of Chinese women exploring themes of grief, trauma and familial love. Hulls joins us to talk about her time as a DJ in Antarctica, her path to art, recording her family’s history and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. Some Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury is a coming of age story grappling with family, friendship and gender. Hansbury joins us to talk about identity and...
Mar 23, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast James by Percival Everett flips the script on an American classic as Huck Finn steps to the side and Jim takes center stage in a powerful and often very funny, story of family, home and freedom. Everett joined us live at The Grove to talk about language and storytelling, his sense of humor (and its origins), philosophy, identity and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays ...
Mar 21, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Morningside by Téa Obreht is a story of mothers and daughters and finding home, set in an unforgettable building and a near-future world. Obreht joins us to talk about writing a dystopian novel, creating deep and memorable characters, finding hope in society and more with Miwa Messer, the host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast ap...
Mar 19, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Piglet by Lottie Hazell is a taut and propulsive novel about women’s ambitions and the quest for fulfillment at any cost. Hazell joins us to talk about the process for writing her lush food scenes, the likeability of female characters, her writing influences and more with guest host, Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Marc and Jamie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (wi...
Mar 16, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sloane Crosley’s Grief Is for People grapples with challenging subjects of friendship and profound loss with humor and empathy. Crosley joined us to talk about the series of events that led her to this book, writing about death and grief in unconventional ways, her memoir process and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favor...
Mar 14, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange is a multigenerational saga of Native American heritage and culture, and a stunning follow up to his previous work, There There. Along with writer Roxane Gay, Orange joins us to talk about identity and writing, representation in literature, unexpected connections to other authors and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional S...
Mar 12, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ I'm not here to tell the story. I'm here to find the story …” Cristina Henríquez’s new novel, The Great Divide is a deeply meaningful, character-driven narrative that brings momentous history to new life. Henríquez joins us to talk about writing historical fiction, her family’s connection to the story, her influences and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Topoff recommendations from Mary and Jamie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and ...
Mar 09, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring is biographer Brad Gooch’s compassionate and comprehensive look at the artist’s work and archives. Gooch joined us to talk about why he chose Haring as a subject, the lasting legacy of his work, his connections to other artists and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcas...
Mar 07, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ The big reveal isn't ' who done it', the big reveal is why and what effects does it have?" Set in an insular small town in the Irish countryside, Tana French’s The Hunter follows a set of vibrant characters as they uncover secrets, plots and mystery among their friends and neighbors. French joins us to talk about writing mysteries that cross genres, writing village politics, the influences of Westerns on the novel and more with guest host, Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by...
Mar 05, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast "I do think it was freeing for me to write about a female character who has been relegated to a corner, but she takes over the whole house." Take What You Need by Idra Novey is a story of home and family, coming of age and making art. Novey joins us to talk about her connection to the setting of the novel, art and identity, her influences and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Producer Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes...
Mar 02, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I think the question has to do with American memory and what , as a nation , we are prioritizing in that memory…” Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo blends history and biography with the story of Ellen and William Craft, two remarkable people who escaped slavery , and through danger and constant challenges would become abolitionists and heroes in American history. Woo joins us to talk about her research process, the importance of preserving our past, the ever-changing notion of history and ...
Feb 29, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ I f my mother and my grandma were in this book , h ow would they be? And what kind of love can I show them as a writer …” The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin brings readers to pre-Civil War New Orleans to meet a cast of strong, fierce women in a hope filled novel of freedom and liberation. Ruffin joins us to talk about the intricacies of writing about his hometown, cultural impacts on identity, building empathy through fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over . This e...
Feb 27, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two historical novels with elements of fantasy and folklore will bring readers from the battlefields of World War One to the last years of the Qing Dynasty in China. Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts shows the terrors of war and the unsettling and fantastical things that can appear in its shadow. Arden joins us to talk about her extensive research, classical allusions in her writing and more with guest host, Jenna Seery. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo bridges the mystical and the familiar...
Feb 24, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I describe this as a love story steeped in loss.” How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica is a heartbreaking yet hopeful debut novel of first love, first loss and how we become ourselves. Ordorica joined us live at B & N Upper West Side to talk about growing into your identity, writing community legacy, his literary influences and more with guest host, Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with...
Feb 22, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ To have freedom you have to give something up, to have love — to experience love as an action — t here has to be something that you're willing to sacrific e…” Ours is the epic and lyrical debut novel by poet Phillip B. Williams , featuring unforgettable characters woven together with folklore and humanity’s search for freedom. Williams joined us to talk about how his characters shaped the story, the influences of poetry on his prose, including myths and legends and more with Miwa Messer, the h...
Feb 20, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast “The peril actually comes from us — our prejudice, our biases, and our conceived threats, not from artificial intelligence, so we need to reconsider what is human and how we're treating other human beings…” Unsettling and chilling, Bora Chung’s Your Utopia is a story collection featuring robot vehicles, sentient elevators and futures both hopeful and terrifying. Chung joins us to talk about the dangers of human influenced A.I., caring for our future robot overlords, adding humor to horror and mo...
Feb 17, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast “You can write all the books you want — they are going to be very pretty, but if they don't tell the truth, comprehensively, it's just not worth the effort.” Lucy Sante’s memoir, I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition , is deeply personal and features expertly crafted pros e that tells the author’s journey to authenticity and freedom in her identity. Sante joins us to talk about the small steps that lead to a change in perspective, creating community, incorporating visual arts and more...
Feb 15, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast “If you write about a person, you're writing about that person because they're special.” The Book of Love by Kelly Link combines fantastical elements, varieties of love and a supernatural bargain — all set in a picturesque seaside town. Link joins us to talk about what led her from short stories to her first novel, how she created her magic system, the influence of music on her writing and more with guest host, Kat Sarfas. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by guest host Kat Sarfas and mixed...
Feb 13, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ I am of the mind that a novel should not leave you with a thesis … I think a novel should reflect the deep parts of human behavior in such an accurate way that a wormhole forms …” With themes of race and class in a college town, Kiley Reid’s Come and Get It balances characters you can’t get enough of with a nonstop plot. Reid joins us to talk about money and marriage, power dynamics in academia , creating her crackling dialogue and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Po...
Feb 08, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I 'm interested in the limitations of the mind — like that your brain really does only go down so many paths , a nd then there's a million paths that for some reason, it never goes down …” Sheila Heti’s Alphabetical Diaries is a memoir in a form all its own. Told in order, sentence by sentence from A to Z, to tell a story of identity and change in a lyrically constructed way. Heti joins us to talk about the inception and writing of this book, intense and purposeful editing, creative process and...
Feb 06, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I feel like these poems tell stories in and of themselves. And perhaps as an entire collection , they tell a greater story. … We're human beings — people laugh, love, hope, dream, dance, smile, live, die, just like everybody else. And Black people need to be reminded of that, and everybody else needs to be reminded of that.” This Is the Honey is the new poetry collection edited by Kwame Alexander featuring carefully curated poems from contemporary Black poets. Alexander joins us on the show to ...
Feb 03, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast What can we do when our storybook romance ends? Good Material lets us laugh our way through the thick of heartbreak with sharp wit, the warmth of friendships and all too relatable moments from the throes of a breakup. Alderton joins us to talk about writing from the male perspective, the things we all do when our hearts get broken, the unspoken grief when relationships don’t work and more with guest host, Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Marc and Mary. T...
Feb 01, 2024•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast “My writing is always trying to open that up and to say — you can start here; you can start now.” Imagination: A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin reminds us that our imaginations already know what a better world looks like. From education to challenging our systems of oppression and more, this insightful work shows a new place for us all to start from. Benjamin joins us to talk about the split between imagination and technology, changing our narratives to tell new stories, the importance of community ...
Jan 30, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Filterworld by Kyle Chayka investigates one of our most prevalent yet often unnoticed influences — the algorithms that shape our online experiences from social media to shopping and more. Chayka joins us to talk about his own internet evolution, the concept of passive consumption and what we lose when the algorithms take over our feeds with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Producer Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesda...
Jan 27, 2024•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I really wanted to find connection with these creatures that I'll never meet … ” Sabrina Imbler’s How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures is as unique and intriguing as the animals it explores. This book combines personal themes of race, gender, and family with reflections from the natural world in a n unforgettable series of essays. Imbler joins us to talk about how they started writing about nature, the incredible and interesting creatures featured in their work, the connection...
Jan 25, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast “ I hope that when there is laughter, it's laughter made wise by having known real grief — a nd when there is grief, it is made wise by having known real joy. ” Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar is the story of a young Iranian American man searching for meaning through art, addiction, and connection. Akbar joins us to talk about writing both poetry and prose, collaboration with other novelists, creating compassion through writing and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over w...
Jan 23, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Marie-Helene Bertino’s Beautyland gives insight in to the human experience through the eyes of a young woman ( who may or may not be an extraterrestrial ) and reflects the joys and heartaches of life in way that will resonate with all readers. Bertino joins us to talk about her unforgettable character, looking at the world from an outsider’s perspective, the mysticism of a fax machine and more. Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky starts with a childhood game ending in the unimaginable and sets off on a...
Jan 20, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill is edited by Jericho Brown and contains diverse and expansive essays and other works on the craft of writing from acclaimed Black authors like Nikki Giovanni, Barry Jenkins, Jacqueline Woodson and more. Brown joins us to talk about identity and language, the necessity of treating yourself like a writer, creating a new form of poetry and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. T his episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Produc...
Jan 18, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Vintage Contemporaries by Dan Kois is a fiction debut that blends a coming-of-age story with the themes of lasting friendship and what it takes to be an artist. Kois joins us to talk about the publisher that inspired the novel’s title, some of the important influences on his work, what he does in his day jobs and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. T his episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Producer Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays ...
Jan 16, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
