Poured Over

Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks explores what it means to truly grieve — a moving account of what it is to love, to lose and to heal. Brooks joins us to talk about her relationship with her late husband, Tony Horwitz, how writing this book helped process her grief, themes of isolation, growth 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): Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks Horse by Geraldine Brooks Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks Who is Government? by Michael Lewis

Isola by Allegra Goodman is a story of courage and isolation and a sweeping tale of companionship against all odds. Goodman joins us to talk about the real historical events that inspired the novel, her meticulous research process, her unique experience writing this book and more with cohost Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Jamie and Donald.  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):  Isola by Allegra Goodman  Sam by Allegra Goodman  Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe  Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel  Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift  Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson  Featured Books (TBR Top Off):  Burial Rite by Hannah Kent  Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor 

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson takes us from New England to West Africa and France on a quest to uncover the secrets of the past and build a new future. Wilkerson joins us to talk about the history in the novel, the importance of storytelling, balancing heavy tones in her writing and more with guest host Brenda Allison.   This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Brenda Allison and mixed by Harry Liang.                      New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.  Featured Books (Episode):  Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson  Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson  Orbital by Samantha Harvey  James by Percival Everett  The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera  Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Nater

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young is a breathtaking journey of grief, love and history about a woman that loses her twin brother in a freak accident. Young joins us to talk about her descriptive and atmospheric style, what it’s like to write for both adults and young people, creating the connection between twin characters and more with guest host, Allyson Gavaletz. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Allyson Gavaletz and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

In Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People Imani Perry studies the color blue in all its history and hues in this remarkable analysis. From West Africa to the American South, Black in Blues examines the color's relation to Blackness and culture. Perry joins us to talk about the symbolic history of the color blue, her research process, the role of storytelling in identity 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): Black in Blues by Imani Perry South to America by Imani Perry Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib Cannibal by Safiya Sinclair The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Native Son by Richard Wright Black Boy by Richard Wright Looking For Lorraine by Imani Perry

The Nickel Boys, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, is a story of injustice and ultimately hope about two young men at a Florida reform school. We love this interview with Miwa Messer and Whitehead from the novel’s release in 2019.    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 Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead  

How to Sleep at Night is a tender and timely novel telling a heartfelt story about marriage, love and politics. Harris joined us live to talk about writing about people who are challenging their values, how her characters surprised her, the effects of being a journalist on pacing 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): How to Sleep at Night by Elizabeth Harris Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff Middlemarch by George Eliot

The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell takes readers back to dark and gloomy Victorian London with a relentless killer on the loose. O’Donnell joins us to talk about continuing a series, balancing tone with humor, his writing process and more with guest host Chris Gillespie. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Donald and Marc.  This episode of Poured Over was 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 Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell  The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O’Donnell   Featured Books (TBR Top Off):  Things in Jars by Jess Kidd  Case Histories by Kate Atkinson 

Good Girl by Aria Aber is a coming-of-age novel featuring the daughter of Afghan immigrants set against the backdrop of Berlin’s creative scene.  Aber joins us to talk about themes of identity and exile, speaking and reading in multiple languages, her literary influences in prose and poetry 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): Good Girl by Aria Aber Hard Damage by Aria Aber Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Luster by Raven Leilani The Coin by Yasmin Zaher The Girls by Emma Cline

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor is a novel about what it means to be a storyteller, told in an ingenious blend of sci-fi and literary fiction. Okorafor joins us to talk about what freedom means, technology and authenticity, the personal nature of this story 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):  Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor