A captivating discussion with Suleika Jaouad, a cancer survivor turned writer, sharing her resilience and creative journey. From navigating cultural identity to musical beginnings, her inspiring story of survival and transformation. Reflecting on journaling through challenges, the liminal space between illness and health, and encouraging support for bone marrow registry. An exploration of life interrupted and the power of storytelling.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Suleika Jaouad's multicultural upbringing shaped her into a keen observer and writer.
Jaouad's unconventional choice of playing the double bass symbolizes her nonconformist spirit.
Facing cancer, Jaouad channeled adversity into storytelling, creating a sense of community.
Deep dives
Discovering Identity Through Movement
At a young age, Celica Jawad moved frequently, attending six different schools on three continents. Her multicultural background forced her into a chameleon-like survival mode, adapting to new environments. She notes that this upbringing translated into becoming an observer of customs and idioms, shaping her into a writer. The experience of being a translator between her family's native language and the school language cultivated a unique awareness.
Passion for Music and Nonconformity
An unexpected choice in music class led Celica Jawad to play the double bass, defying popular instrument choices and inconveniencing her parents. She named the bass 'Charlie Brown,' reveling in its unique sound and the physical embrace required to play it. Jawad's dedication to mastering the bass, despite initial awkwardness, symbolizes her nonconformist spirit and ability to find joy in defying stereotypes.
Navigating Career Ambitions and Overcoming Setbacks
Celica Jawad's journey from aspiring war correspondent to leukemia survivor reflects resilience and determination. Despite rejection from the creative writing program at Princeton, she explored journalism classes focused on war reporting. Facing a severe cancer diagnosis at 22, she transformed her struggle into creative projects, like journaling and launching a blog about cancer experiences, showcasing her ability to channel adversity into storytelling.
Surviving and Sharing the Experience
The speaker recounts her journey of facing a life-threatening illness, consequent infertility, healthcare challenges, and the experience of isolation. Starting a column and video series led to an outpouring of support from others facing life interruptions, providing solace and a sense of community during a turbulent period of treatment and recovery.
Embracing Healing and Living
The speaker reflects on the aftermath of surviving cancer, highlighting the struggle of reentry into normalcy. Amidst grief and physical challenges, she navigates the space between illness and wellness, contemplating Susan Sontag's concept of dual citizenship in the realms of illness and health. By writing candidly about her journey and creating communal projects, she finds ways to move forward and find optimism amidst uncertainty.
New York Times bestselling author and journalist Suleika Jaouad began writing her Emmy Award-winning column, “Life, Interrupted,” from her hospital room, chronicling her experiences as a young adult with cancer. She joins to discuss her remarkable life, career, and bestselling memoir, Between Two Kingdoms.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode