Read it Forward

Latest Episodes:

Episode 43 - Oyinkan Braithwaite and The Swallows Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

Abbe Wright sits down with Nigerian author Oyinkan Braithwaite to discuss her award-winning novel, My Sister, the Serial Killer, about older siblings, and not judging the actions of her characters.

Later, Abbe chats with Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse, about setting his book in the undetermined "Near Future," and what the real impact of two-day shipping is.

Abbe also reviews a recent read, The Swallows by Lisa Lutz and revels in the high school drama within. The novel is perfect for fans of Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, while still touching on some pretty serious subjects.

For more information about the books we discuss in this—and every—episode, visit us at readitforward.com/podcasts.

Episode 42 - Deepak Chopra and The Bluest Eye Oct 15, 2019

Show notes

In the first episode of the fourth season of the Read it Forward podcast, Abbe interviews Deepak Chopra, M.D., about mindfulness and his latest work, Metahuman. Dr. Deepak Chopra is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, the founder of the Chopra Foundation, and co-founder of Jiyo.com and the Chopra Center for Wellbeing.

Abbe reflects on re-reading the late Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison's debut novel, The Bluest Eye.

Finally, she talks with environmental scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Homestead Brooklyn, Summer Rayne Oakes about the benefits of being a plant parent and her book, How to Make a Plant Love You.

For more information about the books we discuss in this—and every—episode, visit us at readitforward.com/podcasts.

Episode 41 - Pop Culture Powerhouses Panel with Emily Nussbaum, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Jia Tolentino, and Linda Holmes Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

In this special episode of the Read it Forward podcast, we invite you to listen to a live-stream of the Pop Culture Powerhouses Panel. This recent event brings together four preeminent voices in cultural journalism as they celebrate their hotly anticipated summer books and discuss the ways in which pop culture — everything from binge-worthy TV to ubiquitous celebrities to the rise of athleisure — influences how we behave as a society.

The women discuss their journalistic career paths, what it’s like to see their writing go viral, the joy and pressure of having readers anticipating their take on any subject, how writing a book compares to their day jobs, and of course, what cultural touchstones we should be paying attention to right now, all moderated by Read it Forward editor, Abbe Wright.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine known for her incisive, must-read features and celebrity profiles. Her book, Fleishman is in Trouble, is a finely observed, timely exploration of marriage, divorce, and the bewildering dynamics of ambition.

Linda Holmes is the beloved host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. Her first novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, is a charming and heartfelt story about the unlikely relationship between a young woman who’s lost her husband and a major league pitcher who’s lost his game.

Emily Nussbaum is The New Yorker’s fiercely original, Pulitzer-Prize winning culture critic. Her book, I Like to Watch, is a provocative collection of essays that argues for a new way of looking at TV.

Jia Tolentino is a breakout writer at The New Yorker. Her book, Trick Mirror, is a collection of original essays that examines the fractures at the center of contemporary culture.

Episode 40 - Beck Dorey-Stein and City of Girls Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Abbe talks about her summer vacation read, City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Then, she sits down for lots of laughs with author Beck Dorey-Stein to talk about her memoir, From the Corner of the Oval, now out in paperback, Obama, and the power of Craigslist.

Finally, Abbe chats with RIF editor Eliza Smith about true stories written by young-ish authors.

For more information about the books we discuss in this—and every—episode, visit us at readitforward.com/podcasts.

Episode 39 - Melissa de la Cruz and Trick Mirror Jul 29, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Abbe tells us about Trick Mirror, New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino's meditation on culture and her place within it.

Then, she sits down with author Melissa de la Cruz about her thriller, The Birthday Girl, and the enduring appeal of the love story between Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler.

Finally, Read it Forward's assistant editor, Jess, interviews author Julie Kibler about her work of historical fiction, Home for Erring and Outcast Girls, and the haunted place that inspired her story.