Episode · The Book Review · 2024-07-18
Books mentioned on Siddhartha Mukherjee Talks About ‘The Gene’
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Transcription
Transcription by Kate Atkinson is a historical spy novel that follows a young woman recruited to monitor British fascist sympathizers during the Second World War.
Discussed“would you read a passage from transped to you this is a scene that takes place quite early on in Juliet's career as a spy when she's still a humble typist”
Where to get it
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A god in ruins
A god in ruins by Kate Atkinson is a companion novel and sequel to Life After Life, following the life of Teddy Todd during and after the London World War II Blitz era.
Discussed“this is your third novel in a row that's kind of taken place in this same sort of London World War II Blitz era period the first life after life then a God in Ruins why what was the attraction”
Where to get it
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Life After Life
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson is a celebrated novel that follows protagonist Ursula Todd as she repeatedly dies and is reborn across different eras of the twentieth century, most notably the Second World War.
Discussed“well to go back to Life After Life just for a moment and that question of time and where did you get that idea of having this character constantly”
Where to get it
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Orlando
Orlando by Virginia Woolf is a landmark modernist novel about a poet who changes sex across centuries and lives.
Discussed“I for years I had wanted to write a a novel or even a story called parallel lives in which someone you know it's a bit like Wolf's Orlando but this woman is born as a woman the next time she's born as a man and then she's born as a tree”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing Shrines of Gaiety
“for our second conversation we turn to the novelist Kate Atkinson her new book shrines of gity also out this month is set in London after the first world war”