The Novel Tea

This week we are so excited to invite Sri Ramesh of Brown Girl Bookshelf to chat with us! Last week, Neha and Shruti got into some of their critiques of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, and this week, Sri is here to tell us what she loved about. Will she change our minds?We also talk more broadly about Sri Lankan literature, the Booker prize, book endings, and our reading idiosyncrasies.LinksWhat Makes a Book a 'Classic'? [The Novel Tea Newsletter archive]BooksA Passage North by Anuk ArudpragasamStory of a Brief Marriage by Anuk ArudpragasamBrotherless Night by V. V. GaneshanathanThe Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev SahotaA Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaGoodbye Vitamin by Rachel KhongBird Milk & Mosquito Bones: A Memoir by Priyanka MattooA Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryThe Message by Ta-Nehisi CoatesThe Luminaries by Eleanor CattonThe Inheritance of Loss by Kiran DesaiThe God of Small Things by Arundhati RoyHomeland Elegies by Ayad AkhtarChai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari ChandranIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, a book that starts with the death of a photographer and follows him in the afterlife as he attempts to find his murderer and his missing photographs. We talk about the nature of death and the afterlife, and share historical context about the Sri Lankan Civil War. We also explore why people might be afraid to critize books, particularly works by marginalized communities.Books mentioned & Shelf DiscoveryHalf of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieThe Luminaries by Eleanor CattonThe Great Indian Novel by Shashi TharoorThe Sympathizer by Viet Thanh NguyenSlaughterhouse Five by Kurt VonnegutIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss Another Country by James Baldwin, a book that follows a group of friends and lovers in New York City in the mid-20th century. We talk about the characters and their relationships, the inaction that fills the novel, and the importance of having 'difficult' conversations with the people you love. We also go on a brief Gossip Girl tangent as we attempt to better understand the characters in this book :)Links:Another Country by Claudia Roth Pierpont [The New Yorker]Jazz by Toni Morrison: violence and ambition [The Novel Tea]Books mentioned & Shelf Discovery:A Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaThe Age of Innocence by Edith WhartonJazz by Toni MorrisonThe Sun Also Rises by Ernest HemingwayIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss Daughters of the Deer, by Danielle Daniel, a work of historical fiction that follows an indigenous woman and her daughter in a 17th century French colony that is now Quebec, Canada. We talk about the historical context of the book, discuss the characters and their journeys, and reflect on the importance of telling these stories.Shelf Discovery:East by Edith PattouFever 1793 by Laurie Halse AndersonHope Leslie; Or Early Times in Massachusetts by Catharine Maria SedgwickIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss The Savage Detectives, the story of two poets and the people and world that surrounds them, as they journey across Mexico. We talk about some of the cultural context of this book, the challenges we faced while reading, and share some strong opinions.Shelf DiscoveryAmerican Gods by Neil GaimanIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Other Americans by Laila Lalami, a novel about an immigrant family that includes a romance, family drama, and a mystery. After a quick discussion of the It Ends With Us drama, we share a quick summary and dive into some themes we noticed in The Other Americans, including memory, regret, and protection. We talk about some of the key relationships and conflicts, major plot points, and Lalami's writing style.Shelf DiscoveryThe Night Watchman by Louise ErdrichThe Namesake by Jhumpa LahiriIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, which follows four characters from different social and financial classes, whose stories are linked through familial relationships and employment. As the book continues, their lives become more intimately intertwined and political unrest starts to reach their homes.We talk about the themes of class and entitlement, the historical landscape of India in the post-independence decades, and discuss how this book is descendant from British literary giants such as PG Wodehouse and Jane Austen.Shelf Discovery:A Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryPachinko by Min Jin LeeHalf of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss The Sympathizer, the 2016 Pulitzer winner for fiction, through the themes of loyalty and duality. This book is a thriller and a satire, following a mixed race narrator who moves to the United States after the fall of Saigon, and must navigate his identity and his role as a communist spy. We talk about the book's historical context, its commentary on race and pop culture, and more.Links:Interview with Viet Thanh Nguyen [NPR]Shelf Discovery:The Great Indian Novel by Shashi TharoorThe Poisonwood Bible by Barbara KingsolverIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Neha and Shruti introduce the theme for Season 4: Beyond Borders! We talk about the books we've selected to read in this theme, and share what we're excited about in the upcoming months.Books Mentioned:The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh NyugenThe Inheritance of Loss by Kiran DesaiThe Other Americans by Laila LalamiThe Savage Detectives by Roberto BolañoDaughters of the Deer by Danielle DanielAnother Country by James BaldwinThe Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan KarunatilakaThe Parisian by Isabella HammadIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for the best, the worst, and everything in-between: in the 2024 Novelties, Shruti and Neha give awards to their favorite reads of 2024 so far. Ranging from classics to new releases, we share our picks for most unexpected, best character, worth the hype, best page-turner, weirdest book, and more! Books Mentioned:Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Belleza and Emily HardingMy Death by Lisa TuttleMy Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth RussellPiranesi by Susanna ClarkeThe Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor HugoThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar WildeSea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelThe Illness Lesson by Clare BeamsJames by Percival EverettBirnam Wood by Eleanor CattonThe Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBrideThe Women by Kristin HannahThe Little Stranger by Sarah WatersThe Membranes by Ta-Wei Chi weiTomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle ZevinDial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. SutantoThe Villa by Rachel HawkinsThe Secret History by Donna TarttCuckold by Kiran NagarkarIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.