Poured Over

Latest Episodes:

Isabel Cañas on VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

"I've been asked, why do you blend genres so much? And the simple answer is that it's what I want to read."

Horror meets romance meets historical fiction in Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas. This genre-bending novel will have something for any reader — whether they're looking for spooky, spicy or something in between. Cañas joins us to talk about her research process, the connection between this book and her own family, the importance of genre fiction and more with guest host, Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Madyson and Mary.

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

Featured Books (Episode):

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno Garcia

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Featured Books (TBR Topoff):

Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

Poured Over Double Shot: Angie Kim and John Manuel Arias Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

Angie Kim's Happiness Falls is a family drama with an unconventional cast of characters centered around a missing persons case. Kim joins us to talk about disability awareness in fiction, how she started writing, getting into her narrator's head and more.

Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias is a rich novel of secrets, loss and a government coverup set in Costa Rica. Arias joins us to talk about his own family's connection to the novel, the effects of colonial intervention in Central America, how long it took him to write the book and more.

Listen in as these authors speak separately with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Jamie and Marc.

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

Featured Books (Episode):

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

True Biz by Sara Nović

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

The Art of Death by Edwidge Danticat

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat

La Familia de Pascual Duarte by Camilo Jose Cela

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Featured Books (TBR Topoff):

Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

The Apartment by Ana Menéndez

Alice Carrière on EVERYTHING/NOTHING/SOMEONE Aug 26, 2023

Show notes

"I wrote this very simply to stay alive."

Alice Carrière's beautiful and intense memoir of her unconventional childhood, her mental health journey through the failings of the psychiatric system and more that eventually led her to a life of reconciliation and reconstruction. Carrière joins us to talk about why she wrote the book now, the connectivity of writing and reading, her love of audiobooks and more with guest host Jenna Seery.

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

Featured Books (Episode):

Everything/Nothing/Someone by Alice Carrière

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre

The Passion According to G.H. by Clarice Lispector

Bloodchild by Octavia E. Butler

Jill Lepore on THE DEADLINE Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

"Having that store of memories that history can be, if done well, is a really tremendous form of solace."

Jill Lepore, historian and author of These Truths, returns with The Deadline, a collection of essays ranging from the personal to the political. Lepore joins us to talk about how she came to compile this collection, her connection to Mary Shelley, and the progress to be made in what constitutes the historical record (and who gets to tell it) with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and 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 Deadline by Jill Lepore

These Truths by Jill Lepore

This America by Jill Lepore

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Prachi Gupta on THEY CALLED US EXCEPTIONAL: AND OTHER LIES THAT RAISED US Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

"My book is really an attempt to change that conversation and begin to dismantle some of these pressures so that we don't have to be upheld to these standards."

Prachi Gupta's memoir, They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us, combines meticulous research with the challenging and emotional story of her own family to reveal the truth of the model minority myth and those it affects. Gupta joins us to talk about why she wrote this book, the myth of American Exceptionalism, how it feels to put this kind of work out into the world and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and 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):

They Called Us Exceptional by Prachi Gupta

Adrian McKinty on THE DETECTIVE UP LATE Aug 19, 2023

Show notes

The Detective Up Late is the newest installment in the Sean Duffy series by Adrian McKinty following a detective solving his final case in Northern Ireland in the 90s. This former B&N bookseller joins us to talk about the experience of living through The Troubles, the difference between writing mystery and thriller, the war between vinyl and CDs and more with guest host, Chris Gillespie.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and hosted by Chris Gillespie 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 Detective Up Late by Adrian McKinty

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

The Island by Adrian McKinty

Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

Kai Bird on AMERICAN PROMETHEUS: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

"Dr. Oppenheimer, Dr. Oppenheimer. I've been waiting decades to meet you!"

The inspiration for the new movie Oppenheimer, Kai Bird's incredible biography, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, follows the complicated and consequential life of one of the most influential scientists in human history. Bird joins us to talk about the film, the amount of time it took to write the book, the fluidity of history and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and 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):

American Prometheus by Kai Bird

Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché on PROPHET Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

What happens to reality when nostalgia and memory become weaponized? Part speculative thriller, part queer romance, all page-turning excitement and intrigue, Prophet by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché has something for every reader. The authors join us to talk about how they came to coauthor the novel, writing fun, vibrant and infuriating characters, combining genres and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and 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):

Prophet by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald

Poured Over Double Shot: Esmeralda Santiago and Elizabeth Acevedo Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Las Madres follows a group of mothers and daughters between Puerto Rico and the U.S. as they face challenges of health, natural disaster and family secrets with rich, warm prose and characters. Esmeralda Santiago joins us to talk about her personal connection to her characters, the challenge of writing real events, representing Puerto Rican history and culture and more.

Elizabeth Acevedo's Family Lore brings the secrets of a generational saga and the surprises of magical realism together in her adult debut. Acevedo joins us to talk about writing prose and poetry, the importance of silence and power, the danger women face in the world and more. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Mary and Marc.

Listen in as these authors speak separately with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

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

Featured Books (Episode):

Las Madres by Esmeralda Santiago

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago

When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago

Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Blessing the Boats by Lucille Clifton

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Featured Books (TBR Topoff):

Lotería by Mario Alberto Zambrano

The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

James McBride on THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

"People who love books, we're the last line of reason and discourse…"

National Book Award winner James McBride's newest novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store showcases the complicated and compassionate lives of the inhabitants of a small Pennsylvania town. McBride joins us to discuss the research he does, his personal connections to the book, telling stories that need to be told and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and 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 Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow

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