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Every book Barbara Kingsolver recommended on podcasts
Barbara Kingsolver is an author whose insights on storytelling, regional identity, and social issues often surface in long-form discussions such as her appearance on The Ezra Klein Show. During the conversation, she reflected on her literary inspirations and highlighted several vital works of journalism and fiction. Kingsolver discussed Bobbie Ann Mason's short story collection Shiloh and Other Stories, explaining how reading it inspired her to embrace her own Kentucky voice. She also credited Charles Dickens and his classic novel David Copperfield as the key template and inspiration for writing her own novel Demon Copperhead. In addition to discussing her creative influences, Kingsolver enthusiastically recommended several books to listeners. She praised Beth Macy's Dopesick for its powerful reporting on the opioid epidemic and recommended Macy's follow-up book, Raising Lazarus, as an essential piece of journalism tracking the ongoing crisis. Finally, she concluded her recommendations with Laline Paull's novel Pod, a compelling piece of fiction set entirely in the ocean.
Books recommended by Barbara Kingsolver
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Dopesick
Dopesick by Beth Macy is a rigorous work of investigative journalism that chronicles the devastating origins and escalation of the American opioid epidemic, focusing heavily on Purdue Pharma, corporate corruption, regulatory failures, and the human toll on affected communities.
Recommended“Purdue Pharma the attorneys and the DEA and all of that big story has broken and it's been told beautifully by a handful of journalists have done a great job of cracking and telling us that story Beth Macy among them with her fantastic book dope sick”
Where to get it
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Pod
Pod by Laline Paull is a novel set entirely within the ocean environment.
Recommended“it's called pod by lalene Paul and it's set entirely in the ocean it's not Science Fiction”
Where to get it
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Raising Lazarus
Raising Lazarus by Beth Macy is a piece of journalism examining the contemporary reality of the American opioid epidemic.
Recommended“I recommend Beth Macy's follow-up to Dope Sick which is called raising Lazarus it's a great piece of Journalism on where we are now with this epidemic”
Where to get it
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David Copperfield
Charles Dickens’s enduring masterpiece, David Copperfield, is a sweeping Victorian bildungsroman that follows the tumultuous life, moral maturation, and professional struggles of its eponymous hero from childhood to adulthood.
Discussed“The ghost in the room here is Charles Dickens because I owe him everything with respect to this book Charles Dickens is the key I finally found to the door of that house of this novel”
Where to get it
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Shiloh
Discussed“someone actually gave me Bobby Ann Mason's short Story collection Shiloh and Other Stories which was a very big book that year in the world she's from Kentucky”
Where to get it
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Shiloh and other stories
Discussed“someone actually gave me Bobby Ann Mason's short Story collection Shiloh and Other Stories which was a very big book that year in the world she's from Kentucky”
Where to get it
Books Barbara Kingsolver wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara Kingsolver Thinks Urban Liberals Have It All Wrong on Appalachia | The Ezra Klein Show | 2023-07-21 | 7 |
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“and she told the story and that was The Bean Trees it was the first fiction I wrote that was successful because I had decided to own myself my Appalachian background”
“and I will say here as the disclaimer I always make you do not have to read David Copperfield before or after you read demon Copperhead”