Poured Over

Latest Episodes:

Jay Ellis on DID EVERYONE HAVE AN IMAGINARY FRIEND (OR JUST ME)? Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)? by Jay Ellis is a collection of essays that chronicle his time growing up in a world he couldn't make sense of. Ellis joined us live at The Grove to talk about growing up in the 80s and 90s, the process of writing about your life, processing heavy moments through creativity and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)? by Jay Ellis

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo

Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Gilbert Cruz on The Best Books of the 21st Century Aug 13, 2024

Show notes

Gilbert Cruz, Books Editor for the New York Times joins us to talk about the 100 Best Books of the 21stCentury list. Cruz talked about the creation of the list, the varied participants, the importance of recent literature and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

Filterworld by Kyle Chayka

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Trust by Hernan Diaz

Stay True by Hua Hsu

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib

Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjeh-Brenyah

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Regina Porter on THE RICH PEOPLE HAVE GONE AWAY Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Regina Porter's The Rich People Have Gone Away is a mystery in the era of lockdown featuring a diverse cast of New York City characters and no shortage of literary intrigue. Porter joins us to talk about writing a novel set during COVID-19, subverting expectations, crafting characters with humor and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter

The Travelers by Regina Porter

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard

James by Percival Everett

Memorial by Bryan Washington

Bret Anthony Johnston on WE BURN DAYLIGHT Aug 06, 2024

Show notes

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston is the story of star-crossed lovers set against a charged social backdrop. Johnston joins us to talk about the complex themes in his work, writing relatable characters and real events, the rewards of all kinds of fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston

Remember Me Like This by Bret Anthony Johnston

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan

Featured Books (TBR Top Off):

Cultish by Amanda Montell

Godshot by Chelsea Bieker

Dinaw Mengestu on SOMEONE LIKE US Aug 03, 2024

Show notes

Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu tells the story of the son of Ethiopian immigrants unraveling family history, connection and memory. Mengestu joins us to talk about the experiences that lead to his writing, diasporic communities, power in storytelling and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu

Lost in the City by Edward P. Jones

Siân Hughes on PEARL Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

Pearl by Siân Hughes is a story of mothers, daughters, an old house, and one haunting poem. Hughes joins us to talk about village life, her writing process for a coming-of-age novel, playfulness in her work and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

Pearl by Siân Hughes

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo translated by J.R.R. Tolkien

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Featured Books (TBR Top Off):

Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry

The Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett

Jessica Anthony on THE MOST Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

The Most by Jessica Anthony is an immersive story about a housewife at her wit's end that is sure to pack a punch. Anthony joined us to talk about writing a novella, 1950s American culture, voice in fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

The Most by Jessica Anthony

Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony

Desperate Characters by Paula Fox

Lev Grossman on THE BRIGHT SWORD Jul 27, 2024

Show notes

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman is a fresh take on a familiar world, complete with legends and honor, our favorite mythical sword and wayward knights, hard truths of a fallen empire and plenty of heart. Grossman joined us live to talk about why he chose to take on King Arthur, his extensive research process, world building and more with Jenna Seery, cohost of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode): The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory

A Distant Mirror by Barbara W. Tuchman

Juliet Grames on The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames is a historical mystery with a literary bent set in an isolated Italian village. Grames joins us to talk about 1960s Europe, power dynamics and patriarchy, writing crime fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames

Sarah Manguso on Liars Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

Liars by Sarah Manguso takes a loving marriage and flips it on its head, one painful revelation at a time. Manguso joins us to talk about artistic expression, the importance of experimentation and instinct in writing, survival through storytelling and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

Liars by Sarah Manguso

Very Cold People by Sarah Manguso

The Two Kinds of Decay by Sarah Manguso

Ongoingness by Sarah Manguso

Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti

Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg