Book Dreams

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 79 - Exploding the Classic American Western, with Tom Lin Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

What happens when an author takes a genre that's considered a bedrock of American culture and flips the wagon upside-down? As Tom Lin puts it, “I’m not following the rules of the American Western.” The author of the debut novel The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu, Tom subverts the “old, old notions of what makes an American” and redefines the classic genre by telling his story through the eyes of a Chinese American gunslinger assassin in the 1860s. Tom discusses with Eve and Julie how the American Western evolved into mythology, not only glorifying the westward expansion of the American people but also justifying the violence, colonialism, and genocide used to achieve it. He also shares why, almost 150 years later, Americans continue to return to the Western and the potential connection the genre has to the “consciousness of ourselves.”

Tom Lin is an author based in Davis, California, where he is currently a PhD student in English at the University of California, Davis. The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu has been shortlisted for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.

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Ep. 78 - “This Is You.” Finding Ourselves in Ancient Greek Plays, with Bryan Doerries Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

What if our experience of ancient Greek plays, rather than involving stultifying boredom, could instead evoke powerful emotions? Bryan Doerries–author of many books involving ancient Greek plays and Artistic Director of Theater of War Productions–talks with Julie and Eve about the tragic loss in his life that caused Greek plays to suddenly begin “sp[eaking] directly to me as if they've been written for me.” As a director, he has since sought “audience[s] that have experienced the extremities of life”--he’s performed at hospitals, for the military, in prisons, for addicts, and for the survivors of natural disasters. Bryan discusses what it is about ancient Greek plays that make them resonate all these centuries later. He also details why the audience discussions that follow the play can be more meaningful than the performances themselves. Finally, Bryan explains how the protocols of theatergoing today are a “kind of violence.”

Bryan Doerries is a writer, director, and translator. His theater company presents dramatic readings of seminal plays and texts to frame community conversations about pressing issues of public health and social justice. He has received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Kenyon College. And he was named Public Artist in Residence for the city of New York. Bryan’s most recent book, which offers a contemporary translation of ancient Greek tragedies, is Oedipus Trilogy: New Versions of Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone.

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Ep. 77 - Witchery, Vengeance, and Norman Rockwell: A Conversation with Brom Oct 28, 2021

Show notes

A modern western set in hell. A tale of revenge between Krampus and Santa. One man's determined trek through the brutal landscape of purgatory. These dark stories, and more, all sprang from the imagination of the author and American gothic fantasy artist known simply as Brom.

In this episode, Julie and Eve talk to Brom about what it’s like to both write and illustrate his books, which include his gorgeous, creepy, lush, atmospheric paintings. He describes the relationship between the writer and the visual artist in him--and what happens when they’re in conflict. They talk, too, about the creative challenges raised by Brom’s latest novel, Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery, a horror novel set in colonial America, and why Norman Rockwell is perhaps Brom’s biggest inspiration. They also discuss how Brom’s books have found a devoted audience while defying certain traditional publishing norms. And in a nod to Halloween, Eve shares a story about a psychic experience that was the most frightening night of her life.

At age twenty, Brom began working full-time as a commercial illustrator in Atlanta, Georgia. Three years later he entered the field of fantastic art. He has since lent his distinctive vision to everything from novels and games, to comics and film. Brom is the award-winning author and illustrator of the novels The Plucker; The Devil’s Rose; The Child Thief; Krampus, the Yule Lord; Lost Gods, and Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery.

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Ep. 76 - Why You Shouldn’t Believe a Word, with David Shariatmadari Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is the worth of a word? David Shariatmadari, author of Don't Believe A Word: The Surprising Truth About Language, talks with Julie and Eve about little-known origins of words and how their modern-day usage both reflects and impacts culture. For example, the word “happiness” no longer suggests a fleeting state of mind, as it did before the 18th century; instead, English speakers have come to believe happiness can be a permanent condition. Even the lowly toilet has important cultural connotations! David, Julie, and Eve discuss the evolution of “toilet” as an example of how a word can start out as a euphemism and over time become unsavory and even taboo--and why that phenomenon matters. Julie, Book Dreams’ grammar queen, also investigates whether the rise in texting and decline in the number of words in picture books signify the end of civilization as we know it.

David Shariatmadari is the non-fiction books editor at The Guardian. He studied linguistics at Cambridge University and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

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Ep. 75 - Memoir of a Rogue Ballerina, with Georgina Pazcoguin Oct 14, 2021

Show notes

What’s it like for a professional ballerina to try a sedentary art form like writing? Georgina Pazcoguin, soloist with the New York City Ballet, talks with Eve and Julie about the creation of her debut memoir, Swan Dive: The Making of a Rogue Ballerina,in which she shakes the “stereotype of the uptight ballerina to bits.” Georgina takes Eve and Julie behind the curtain of the ballet and describes her experiences as NYCB’s first Asian American soloist. She also discusses the abuse inflicted by Peter Martins during his time as Artistic Director of NYCB, and its lingering effects on the dancers.

Georgina Pazcoguin joined the New York City Ballet in 2002 and became a soloist in 2013, the first Asian American ever to be promoted to the company's upper tier. In addition to her many appearances at City Ballet, including a celebrated portrayal of Anita in Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite, her credits include the award-winning film NY Export: Opus Jazz, Ivy in the Broadway revival of On the Town, and Victoria in the Broadway revival of CATS. Georgina is a passionate activist for The Orphaned Starfish Foundation, and she’s a co-founder of the globally recognized diversity initiative, Final Bow for Yellowface.

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Ep. 74 - When It’s Exceptional to Be Unexceptional, with Kaitlyn Greenidge Oct 07, 2021

Show notes

Even when history has been overlooked, ignored, or suppressed, that doesn’t mean it’s hidden. Researching and writing her novels, Kaitlyn Greenidge--author of Libertie and We Love You, Charlie Freeman--“approach[es] Black history from a place of abundance, from the idea that Black people have always been multifaceted, have always been fighting for freedom, and have always been coming up with ingenious ways to combat the world around us.” This week on Book Dreams, Kaitlyn discusses with Eve and Julie how society has emphasized exceptionalism in Black history to the detriment of Black people. She searches in unexpected places for evidence of the inner lives of the unexceptional, like Black spirituals. She also examines the difference between Black artists being forgotten and choosing not to be found.

Kaitlyn Greenidge is the recipient of fellowships from The Whiting Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, The Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University, and The Guggenheim Foundation. She's currently the Features Director at Harper's Bazaar as well as a contributing writer for The New York Times. Her writing has also appeared in Vogue, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, Elle, Buzzfeed and The Believer, among many other places. Her debut novel, We Love You, Charlie Freeman, was one of The New York Times critic’s “top 10 books of 2016.” Libertie, her second novel, was named “one of the most anticipated books of 2021” by O the Oprah Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, The Rumpus, Book Page, Harper's Bizarre, News Magazine, and more.

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Ep. 73 - How Magicians Think, with Joshua Jay Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Magic. It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus…or is it? World-renowned magician Joshua Jay--author of the new book How Magicians Think: Misdirection, Deception, and Why Magic Matters--lays his cards on the table for Eve and Julie as they explore the artistry and mastery of the craft. They discuss what draws people to magic and why some devote their entire lives to it; the difference between surprise and wonder--and how a ham sandwich factors in; and how Joshua continues to find joy in his craft as his “doorway to wonder” closes. Joshua also gives Eve and Julie a peek behind the curtain of his mentorship with the mysterious and nocturnal magic artist Juan Tamariz, whom magic scholars consider the greatest living magician of this century.

Joshua Jay is a former world champion in close-up magic and a Guinness record holder for card tricks. He makes frequent appearances on TV shows like Jimmy Fallon and The Late Late Show with James Corden, and he even fooled Penn & Teller on Fool Us. He's performed in lecture halls all over the world and has authored four books on magic in addition to How Magicians Think.

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Ep. 72 - When Every Performance Could Be Their Last, with Megan Abbott Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

Hidden behind an Olympic gymnast’s smile or a classical ballerina’s serene grace is a darker reality, one involving grueling work and, often, physical and emotional pain. Megan Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of the recent novel The Turnout, explores the insular worlds of gymnastics, ballet, and cheerleading and uses them to spotlight the damage that patriarchy can inflict on girls. Megan discusses with Eve and Julie how these microcosms reflect our tortured and damaging treatment of female sexuality generally and girls’ bodies more specifically. They talk, too, about the fleeting nature of beauty, and of our bodies’ strength, and why that adds to the appeal of these worlds. Megan also addresses various responses to actions taken by Simone Biles to protect her mental health during the Olympics, and how those responses highlight how far we have--and haven’t--progressed.

Megan Abbott is the Edgar Award-winning author of the novels Give Me Your Hand, You Will Know Me, The Fever, Dare Me, The End of Everything, Bury Me Deep, Queenpin, The Song Is You, and Die A Little. Megan's writing has appeared in The New York Times, Salon, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and The Believer. Her work has won or been nominated for the CWA Steel Dagger, The International Thriller Writers Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Formerly a staff writer on the HBO series The Deuce, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Megan is now a co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner of the USA Network show Dare Me, which was based upon her novel.

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Ep. 71 - “We Were Outsiders. Now We're Not. What Do We Do With That?” with Sanjena Sathian Sep 16, 2021

Show notes

What does it say about the American Dream if immigrants achieve financial success but their children, and their children’s children, still experience a lack of belonging? What does it mean to be part of groups that are both privileged and treated as outsiders? What are the flaws in the stories we tell ourselves about our parents’ generation, and what are their consequences? What are the forces, internal and external, that shape our ambition? And when might ambition become our downfall? This week on Book Dreams, Sanjena Sathian--using the particular stories of two Indian American families in her debut novel Gold Diggers to access a universal story--shares thoughts on these questions and more.

Sanjena Sathian is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, an alumna of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and a former Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow. She's worked as a journalist in San Francisco and in Mumbai, and she has written nonfiction for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vox, Time, Food & Wine, and more. Her award-winning short fiction appears in Conjunctions, Boulevard, Joyland, Salt Hill, and The Masters Review. Booksellers named Gold Diggers an “Indie Next” pick, and Mindy Kaling's production company is adapting it for a TV series, with Sanjena co-writing the adaptation and Mindy Kaling herself set to executive produce.

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Ep. 70 - Combating Corruption and Generating Change, with Nat Geo’s Bryan Christy Sep 09, 2021

Show notes

Bryan Christy's investigations as a reporter have led to police raids of ivory shops in Vatican City, the defrocking of a pedophile monsignor, the arrest and imprisonment of the “Pablo Escobar of wildlife trafficking,” and the closing of China's ivory market. What strategies did he use to track down criminals? What mistakes did he make? Why were his stories so effective at generating change? And why has he now chosen to use his journalistic crime-fighting experience as the basis for his debut novel, In the Company of Killers, a thriller about the major criminal forces connected to wildlife exploitation? Bryan discusses with Eve and Julie all this and more in this week's episode of Book Dreams.

An investigative reporter and founder of the Special Investigations Unit at National Geographic, Bryan Christy is a National Geographic Society Rolex Explorer of the Year. His criminal investigations have been the subject of two award-winning National Geographic documentaries. He has worked as a mortician's apprentice, an international trade lawyer, a CPA, and NASCAR team consultant, a whitewater kayak instructor, and a television correspondent. His novel In the Company of Killers, was one of The New York Times Book Review’s “eight thrillers to read this summer” and a Crime Reads Editor's Choice. Bryan is also the author of the acclaimed non-fiction book The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World’s Greatest Reptile Smugglers.

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