Episode · The Book Review · 2019-09-06
Books mentioned on Trump, TV and America
Alexandra Alter discussed The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Gilbert Cruz recommended The Optimist's Telescope by Bina Venkataraman. Parul Sehgal discussed Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann and Our Andromeda by Brenda Shaughnessy. Dwight Garner discussed Human Relations and Other Difficulties by Mary-Kay Wilmers and Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe. Jennifer Szalai criticized Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale is Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel about a totalitarian society where women's rights are stripped away and a select few are forced into reproductive servitude.
Discussed“so one of the most anticipated books I would say not only for this year but maybe for several decades is um the sequel to Margaret Atwoods 1985 classic the handmaid's tale”
Where to get it
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The Optimist's Telescope
The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age by Bina Venkataraman is a non-fiction book that explores how individuals and societies can make better long-term decisions in a culture dominated by short-term thinking.
Recommended“and on your book it's called The Optimist telescope thinking ahead in a reckless age by Bina vataman”
Where to get it
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Ducks, Newburyport
Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann is a massive, highly experimental stream-of-consciousness novel told almost entirely through a single, sprawling sentence spanning roughly one thousand pages.
Discussed“but it's also in the case of this book Ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Elman a deep pleasure”
Where to get it
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Human Relations and Other Difficulties
Discussed“her new collection of essays is called human relations and other difficulties it's essays”
Where to get it
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Love, Nina
Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe is a charming epistolary memoir chronicling the author's experiences as a young nanny in 1980s London while working for Mary-Kay Wilmers.
Discussed“and nah sb's Memoir was called love Nina and it's a very Charming book”
Where to get it
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Talking to Strangers
Talking to Strangers is a nonfiction book by Malcolm Gladwell that explores how people misjudge interactions with unfamiliar individuals.
Critiqued“so this week I reviewed Malcolm gladwell's new book talking to straight ERS”
Where to get it
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Our Andromeda
Our Andromeda by Brenda Shaughnessy is a deeply moving and experimental collection of poetry that confronts the complexities of motherhood, disability, and artistic ambition.
Discussed“it's called Andromeda by Brenda shaunessy and it's it's a book about motherhood”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (11) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Bina vatran will be here to discuss her book The Optimist telescope”
“to feuding with Ed cotch to you know rting the art of the deal”
“this happened of course with George R Martin and Game of Thrones how the authors kind of navigate that”
“her new book is called the optimist's telescope thinking ahead in a reckless age”
“well this is one of the reasons I wanted to write the book I teach undergraduates at MIT”
“so there was a bit of long-term work involved as well but I use it as an example to talk about the fact that this is a difficult thing to do to look ahead”
“and the book has strategies for how we do that”
“every book proposal it was like it's like the Tipping Point meets blah blah blah”
“Dwight you reviewed human relations and other difficulties by Mary Kay Wilmer”
“malcol gladwell's talking to strangers”
“Ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Alman”