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Every book Masha Gessen recommended on podcasts
Masha Gessen appeared on podcasts to discuss literature, gender, and politics, sharing several impactful book recommendations with listeners. During an appearance on The Ezra Klein Show, Gessen recommended Ernest Benshimol's work Tomorrow's Yesterday, noting that the authors had previously been featured on the show. Gessen also highlighted Omar El Akkad's award-winning book One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This during the final recommendation segment of the episode. In an earlier conversation focused on gender narratives, Gessen expressed a deep fondness for Jan Morris's memoir Conundrum, praising the late British travel writer's transition later in life. Additionally, Gessen recommended Judith Butler's book Who’s Afraid of Gender?, pointing out that many people appear to harbor fears regarding the topic. Alongside these explicit recommendations, Gessen brought up Maggie Nelson's book The Argonauts during the discussion, referencing a passage that fortuitously compares gender transition to the natural aging process and bodily development over time. Through these selections, Gessen directed the audience toward works exploring identity, society, and personal transformation.
Books recommended by Masha Gessen
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Conundrum
Conundrum by Jan Morris is a celebrated memoir that chronicles the author's pioneering journey as a transgender woman and renowned travel writer.
Recommended“um I love Jan Morris's Memoir conundrum Jan Morris was the British travel writer the incredible travel writer who transitioned fairly late in life”
Where to get it
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One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad is a powerful, award-winning book of nonfiction that confronts urgent contemporary political realities, moral compromises, and historical reckonings.
Recommended“The other is a book that after I read it got the national book award which is uh one day everyone will have always been against this.”
Where to get it
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Tomorrow's Yesterday
Tomorrow's Yesterday by Ernest Benshimol is a published work discussed within the context of contemporary political and cultural commentary.
Recommended“One is called Tomorrow's Yesterday. Mhm. Um which I think you've talked about on the podcast. The authors have been on the show if people would like to check that one out.”
Where to get it
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Who’s Afraid of Gender?
Who’s Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler is a critical examination of contemporary political panics and the organized backlashes against gender theory and queer studies.
Recommended“and Judith Butler is coming out with a book called who's afraid of gender turns out a lot of people are afraid of gender”
Where to get it
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The Argonauts
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson is a genre-bending work of autotheory that intertwines memoir, queer theory, and cultural criticism to explore pregnancy, love, identity, and gender transition.
Discussed“and you know there's um there's a lovely passage in Maggie Nelson's the the Argonauts where she kind of accidentally or or coincidentally Compares gender transition to aging”
Where to get it
Books Masha Gessen wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela, Renee Good and Trump’s ‘Assault on Hope’ | The Ezra Klein Show | The Ezra Klein Show | 2026-01-10 | 2 |
| We Need Better Narratives About Gender | The Ezra Klein Show | 2023-10-10 | 3 |