Happy To Be Here

MJ Franklin, an editor at the New York Times Book Review, and Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast, dive into Kaveh Akbar's poignant debut novel, 'Martyr!'. They explore the protagonist Cyrus's journey through personal loss and his existential struggle with martyrdom. The conversation touches on narrative techniques, the emotional depth of relationships, and the complexities of recovery, showcasing how Cyrus navigates joy and sorrow. Their insights intertwine personal narratives with a broader commentary on memory and identity.

This week, two of our favorite guests, City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran and Not Sorry Productions faculty member Margaret Willison, stop by to play a game of Burden or Delight. We discuss wide-legged jeans, sourdough starters and a few other unhinged topics. Plus, we are super excited to introduce an upcoming segment with chef and cookbook writer Tamar Adler! She is bringing her expertise to Nerdette to solve all of your culinary quandaries. Tamar is the author of ‘An Everlasting Meal’ and ‘The Everlasting Meal Cookbook.’ She is now writing ‘The Kitchen Shrink’ column, where she gives advice to home cooks. We’re asking you to send us your cooking questions and mysteries. Then, we’ll get you an answer in an upcoming episode. Send us a voice memo, an email, a DM, whichever method you prefer. We’re at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, senior correspondent at Vox Alex Abad-Santos and Bridget Todd, host of the podcasts ‘City Cast DC’ and ‘There Are No Girls on the Internet,’ spill the tea on Kate Middleton’s photoshop debacle, a proposed TikTok ban and the World Banana Forum. Plus, Noel Fielding stars in the new Apple TV+ comedy series ‘The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.’ You may know Noel as the sweet, eccentric host of ‘The Great British Bake Off,’ or from the deeply strange sketch show ‘The Mighty Boosh.’ Noel plays Dick Turpin, a historical figure from the 18th century who robbed carriages. In this retelling, however, he trades violence for sparkly blue spandex and faces magical threats. We talk to Noel and executive producer Kenton Allen about comedy, being a middle-aged parent and knitting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We unpack the week with Ronald Young Jr., host of ‘Weight For It,’ and Arionne Nettles, head of Northwestern’s audio journalism program and author of the upcoming book ‘We Are the Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything.’ We chat about the fallacy of airplane mode, tweens at Sephora and the popularity of owl ring bearers. Plus, author Xochitl Gonzalez tells us about her new book ‘Anita de Monte Laughs Last.’ Xochitl imbued the characters with aspects of her own life story, making it “a nightmare to write.” She tells us why it was also worth it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kaveh Akbar, a poet and author known for exploring themes of addiction and Iranian-American identity, discusses his novel 'Martyr!' which follows protagonist Cyrus through challenges related to his heritage and recovery. The conversation highlights the complexities of finding home through empathy and language. Akbar shares how he balances serious themes like martyrdom with humor and dreams, illustrating the depth of his characters. His reflections on the joy of publishing and engaging with the literary community resonate throughout the discussion.

This week, we are diving into the world of boarding school, wrongful conviction and true crime podcasts. Yes, we are talking about the book I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. It was a Nerdette Book Club pick after it came out in March of last year, and it just came out in paperback. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nerdette Book Club is keeping things moving in 2024 with Kiley Reid’s sophomore novel, ‘Come and Get It.’ It’s a juicy, messy novel that takes place on a college campus and explores issues around class, ambition and constantly-shifting power dynamics. Our readers this month are the hosts of WBEZ’s ‘The Rundown’ podcast, Erin Allen and Adora Namigadde. We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you’re not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author Kiley Reid in the feed first. And in case you want to read ahead, we have the next three months of books chosen! Here they are: March: Martyr! by Kaveh AkbarApril: Beautyland by Marie-Helene BertinoMay: A Table for Two by Amor TowlesIt’s never too early to send us a voice memo with your thoughts on these books! Reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian Negin Farsad and Ted Talks Daily host Elise Hu discuss a man suing Powerball for posting wrong numbers, addictive dating apps, and a proposed 'right to disconnect' law in Australia. They explore the use of exclamation points in workplace communication. The podcast also touches on the differences in work benefits between Australia and the United States, and the cultural phenomenon of 'mucking about' in Australia.

This week, Niala Boodhoo, host and editor of the Axios podcast 1 big thing, and Aubrey Gordon, subject of the upcoming documentary 'Your Fat Friend' and co-host of Maintenance Phase, stop by to chat about retailers cracking down on frequent returns and the new dating app for people with good credit scores. Then, MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow and Pulitzer finalist Kelly Link joins us to talk about her magical and tender first novel, 'The Book of Love.' She is also the author of a number of short story collections, including 'Get In Trouble,' 'Magic for Beginners' and 'White Cat, Black Dog.'See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Rhaina Cohen, author of 'The Other Significant Others,' and The Stacks host Traci Thomas stop by to talk about the sports game happening this Sunday, whether aging Millennials are becoming culturally obsolete, and why algorithm recommendations might feel kind of … off. Plus, we take a listen to audio Valentines from Nerdette listeners to their friends! You are refurbishing Coach bags and finding tampons on sunrise hikes and making cups of tea and vetting leftovers for each other, and it’s beautiful!!!!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.