NPR's Books We Love 2024

Summary

All Of It: NPR's Books We Love 2024 – A Comprehensive Summary

Introduction

In the December 3, 2024 episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, the spotlight is on NPR's Books We Love 2024. This episode serves as a guide for listeners looking to discover new literary treasures, whether for personal enjoyment or as thoughtful holiday gifts. Alison Stewart engages with Andrew Limbong, NPR Arts Reporter and host of the Book of the Day podcast, to delve into the year's standout books, explore thematic trends, and provide listeners with curated recommendations.

Exploring 2024’s Literary Themes

At the outset (01:02), Andrew Limbong reflects on the overarching themes prevalent in the books of 2024. He observes a significant focus on the act of reading and writing itself, underscoring the profound power of storytelling. Limbong highlights several key works that embody these themes:

• Percival Everett’s “James” (01:17): A retelling of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved friend of Huck. This National Book Award winner offers a contemplative look at the purpose and impact of writing, using humor to explore why characters engage with literature.

  “It’s a fascinating take on why we read. I think it’s something that we take for granted all the time.” – Andrew Limbong (01:50)

• Salman Rushdie’s “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder” (02:15): Rushdie’s memoir delves into his survival and resilience following an assassination attempt, intertwining personal narrative with broader discussions on freedom of speech and the role of the writer in society.

• Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “The Message” (02:30): Another pivotal work that examines the intricacies of storytelling and its capacity to influence and reflect societal changes.

NPR’s Books We Love 2024: A Curated Literary Treasure Trove

Andrew Limbong introduces NPR’s Books We Love 2024 website, a unique compilation of 351 recommended books curated from the collective preferences of NPR staff and book critics. Unlike typical "best of" lists, this extensive collection aims to cater to a wide array of tastes and interests, ensuring that every reader can find something that resonates with them.

“We’re not giving you like a message from on high... we have a list of 351 books that we recommend.” – Andrew Limbong (03:49)

Key Features of the Books We Love Website:

• Comprehensive Selection: A broad spectrum of genres and styles to suit diverse reading preferences.

• Filter Options: Allows users to narrow down choices based on genre, length, lengthy or short reads, and more. For example, enthusiasts can select filters such as biography, romance, identity and culture, or global tales to find their perfect match (05:04).

• User-Friendly Interface: Despite the vast number of recommendations, the website’s filtering system makes it manageable and user-centric.

Listener Interactions: Favorite Books of 2024

Throughout the episode, Alison Stewart invites listeners to call in with their favorite books of the year, fostering an interactive and community-driven discussion. Andrew Limbong responds to these recommendations with insightful commentary, providing listeners with deeper context and reasons why these books stand out.

1. Andrew Borriga’s “Victim” (05:50):

   • Synopsis: A debut novel about Javi, a young man from the Bronx who navigates the complexities of a challenging childhood while striving for success in the writing world.
   • Highlights: The book offers a humorous critique of the literary elite and publishing culture, blending humor with heartfelt storytelling.

   “It’s a really funny kind of takedown of, for lack of a better term, the literary elite culture.” – Andrew Limbong (06:01)

2. Ken from Park Slope on Rick Parker’s Graphic Memoir (07:19):

   • Recommendation: A graphic memoir detailing Parker’s experiences growing up in Savannah, Georgia, and his time in the Vietnam War era.

3. Jade from Brooklyn on Robert Sullivan’s “Double Exposure” (08:26):

   • Synopsis: An exploration of Timothy O’Sullivan’s 19th-century war photography, intertwined with Sullivan’s personal journey through the landscapes captured in the photographs.
   • Insights: The book delves into the human elements of geography and the enduring legacy of historical narratives.

4. Additional Recommendations:

   • Al Pacino’s “Sunny Boy” (09:58): A memoir reflecting on life post-pandemic, blending personal anecdotes with broader societal observations.
   • Paolo Ramos’ “Defectors: The Rise of Latinos and What it Means for America” (11:17): An eye-opening nonfiction work examining the political and cultural influence of Latino communities in America.
   • Arnie Kantrowitz’s “Song of Myself” (21:47): A novel recounting the experiences of a gay man growing up in mid-20th century America, highlighting historical and social challenges.

Diving Deeper: Notable Book Discussions

Andrew Limbong elaborates on several standout books recommended by listeners, providing comprehensive overviews and personal reflections:

• Morgan Talty’s “Fire Exit” (15:23):

  • Theme: Blood quantum and identity among Indigenous Americans.
  • Plot: Follows a non-native man navigating his identity and familial bonds amidst legal and societal constraints.
  • Commentary: Limbong found the exploration of legal intricacies and personal narratives both eye-opening and compelling.

• Nora Lang’s “Us Fools” (17:26):

  • Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of the 1980s Iowa Farmers crisis, the novel intertwines political turmoil with the personal lives of two young women.
  • Discussion: Limbong praises its ability to merge hefty themes like economics and politics with relatable family dynamics, making it an ideal choice for book clubs (17:26).

• Garth Greenwell’s “Small Reign” (18:57):

  • Description: A poetic narrative about pain and resilience during a hospital stay amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Reception: Alison Stewart shares her personal enjoyment of the audiobook version, highlighting Greenwell’s lyrical prose (18:57).

• Bianca Bosca’s “Get the Picture” (20:00):

  • Focus: An investigative look into the New York art world, addressing perceptions of commercialization and authenticity.
  • Evaluation: Limbong commends Bosca’s immersive reporting style, which provides a balanced and entertaining exploration of the art scene (20:00).

Selecting the Perfect Book for Others

A pivotal part of the episode centers on guidance for choosing books as gifts. Andrew Limbong advises listeners to consider the recipient’s interests and preferences over personal accolades, emphasizing the importance of shared conversations that a good book can foster.

“Be completely egoless. Don’t try to assign homework. Make sure that’s tailored to their interests.” – Andrew Limbong (25:56)

Final Highlights

• Debut Authors: Limbong celebrates Andrew Borriga and Chanel Miller for their impactful works, highlighting the significance of fresh voices in literature.

• Young Adult Literature: Magnolia Wu is recommended as a delightful and heartwarming read for younger audiences, showcasing Limbong’s appreciation for diverse storytelling (24:07).

• Passionate Endorsements: Enthusiastic listeners rave about Kevin Akbar’s “Martyr”, demonstrating the varied and heartfelt connections readers have with their chosen books (25:32).

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a reiteration of NPR’s Books We Love 2024 as an invaluable resource for discovering a vast array of books tailored to diverse tastes. Alison Stewart encourages listeners to explore the extensive list, engage with the community, and utilize the filtering options to find their next great read or the perfect gift for a loved one.

“You could just look up Books We Love or npr.org books. We’re not trying to hide it.” – Andrew Limbong (15:13)

Contact Information

Listeners are invited to share their favorite books and seek recommendations by calling 212-433-9692-21243 or visiting the Books We Love section on NPR’s website.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Andrew Limbong on the Power of Reading:

  “It’s a fascinating take on why we read. I think it’s something that we take for granted all the time.” (01:50)

• Andrew Limbong on NPR’s Curated List:

  “We’re not giving you like a message from on high... we have a list of 351 books that we recommend.” (03:49)

• Andrew Limbong on Selecting Books for Others:

  “Be completely egoless. Don’t try to assign homework. Make sure that’s tailored to their interests.” (25:56)

This episode of All Of It not only celebrates the diverse literary achievements of 2024 but also fosters a sense of community among book enthusiasts, encouraging shared experiences and thoughtful gifting through the rich recommendations provided by NPR’s dedicated team.

Transcript

[WNYC Studios]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. As the year comes to a close, it's fun to look back and think about all the new books you've read this year. Perhaps you heard about many of them from our show. And it's the holiday season, so you may be looking for the right book to gift a certain person. Not to worry, we have you covered. NPR has just released its books we love 2024 app that offers a wide variety of recommendations and staffs picked by genre. Andrew Limbong is the NPR arts reporter who covers books. He also hosts the Book of the Day podcast and is here to give us some selections and to take your calls. Hi, Andrew.

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, Allison. What's up? What's going on?

[Alison Stewart]

It's going forward. Let's talk about 2024 as time must mark on.

[Andrew Limbong]

Yeah, let's go.

[Alison Stewart]

You read a lot for a living. If you're thinking back on 2024, what themes come to mind?

[Andrew Limbong]

What themes come to mind? I think a lot of the books I've been gravitating towards in my reading life have been in some way about the very act of reading and writing. You know, I think a popular book from 2024 is Percival Everett James that just won the National Book Award. It is I'm if I were, you know, to rank them, not that books or art is meant to be ranked. I think it might be my favorite book of the year. Everett has been like on a massive, you know, pretty big come up. For listeners who don't, who aren't familiar, this book is a retelling of Mark Twain's Huck Finn, but from the point of view of Jim, who is Huck's friend, that is escaping slavery. And what it is, it's actually very thoughtful meditation on the power of writing because one of the jokes in the book is that all the black characters in the book speak let's call it like the Queen's English, proper English. I'm putting very heavy quotes over the word proper there. And yet they hide it from all of the white people or else they'll be found out as being well read. And it's such a fascinating take on why we read. Right. I think it's something that we take for granted all the time. And we also take for granted the power of reading. And I think that's it's, it's a theme that I've noticed not just from Everett. We could and you know, we can go into more details about some of these books. But it's a detail I've noted, I noticed in the Salman Rushdie memoir, which is Knife Meditations after an Attempted Murder, which is his memoir after being attacked in, you know, you can find it in that Ta Nehisi Coates book, the Message, similarly about the power of writing and the power of storytelling. And so I just think it's something that writers are really grappling with.

[Alison Stewart]

Hey listeners, we want to get you in on this conversation. What was your favorite new book that you read this year? A book that came out in 2024. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Tell us, what did you like about the book and why? Is it fiction or nonfiction? The number is 212433, 9692. And finally, as we head into the holidays, are you planning to buy a book for a family member or a friend, but you're not sure what they like? We can try to give you a recommendation. Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. And on that tip, Andrew, we want to start with that NPR sets up the Books We Love website. What will we find on the Books we love?

[Andrew Limbong]

Yeah, so we do our year end lists a little differently. I know everyone is coming out with theirs. You know, you're probably being inundated by them. How we differentiate is that we're not giving you like a message from on high going here ye, here ye, Here are the 10 best books of the year. Instead, what we do is around the fall we send an email to all NPR staff and all of our book critics be like, hey, give us like a handful of books that you loved right from this year. And then we compile that into a massive Excel spreadsheet. And you know, we do some editing, we do we do some trimming. And then what we have left for this year is a list of 351 books. Wow. From this year that we recommend. And what it is, it's not like, obviously, you know, you're not going to love every book on this list. Obviously. I mean, like, I haven't read every book on this list. But the philosophy behind it is that like, it's pretty much guaranteed that you will find a book that you love in this big pile. And I know 350 sounds like a big number. There are sort of like filter tabs you can use to narrow down your search and find something special for either you or like you said, if you're shopping for someone or that you love or someone that you just happen to have to buy a book for, you.

[Caller]

Know, what are some of the filter tabs? What are some of the filter tabs? What are some of the filter tabs that you mentioned?

[Andrew Limbong]

Oh, yeah, so you can filter down from like just the staff picks. You can, There are some filter tabs. You can do biography and memoir, love and romance. You know, there is identity and culture, the states we're in, tales from around the world. My favorite filter tab is the rather long or rather short ones. So you can pretty much narrow them down to like, you know, I love, I love a short book. Give me, give me, give me a two hour movie and 150 page book. That's, that's, that's, that's my sweet spot. So if you're just looking for like a quick read, you can like filter down from rather short and find a couple options there. Or if you want something chewy, you can go for rather long.

[Caller]

We've got a list of some of your favorite books, books you just really love this year. Victim by Andrew.

[Andrew Limbong]

Andrew Borriga.

[Caller]

Yeah, thank you. What is the Victim about?

[Andrew Limbong]

So this is a debut novel by Andrew Borriga. It's about a kid named Javi who comes up in the Bronx who kind of fudges how hard his childhood was in order to get ahead in the writing game. And he comes up in this time throughout. Remember when like personal essays were all the rage? Everybody was writing a personal essay. Yeah, he comes up in this time during the, you know, the personal essay. And he's encouraged to like, fudge here, fudge there, you know, you know, and it, and it grows and grows and grows. And then he finds himself becoming deemed as like the voice of a marginalized community, you know, coming out of the Latinx neighborhoods of the Bronx where, you know, he's suffered violence. He's here, like to tell us what's really true. Um, and it's a really funny kind of takedown of, for lack of a better term, let's call it like the literary elite culture or like the publishing industrial complex or whatever. And it's just. Yeah, it's a really enlightening and hilarious read. And it's also like big hearted. It's not mean for the sake of being mean. I think a lot of the characters come, have like a good, come from a good place, but they're just kind of goofy about it and goofy and corny, which I love dunking on corny. People, you know, it's always hilarious to read.

[Caller]

Let's say a call. Ken is calling in from Park Slope. Hi, Ken.

[Ken]

Hey, Allison. How's it going? Very good. Great to great that you're back and in good health and best wishes for the holiday season.

[Caller]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

What are you reading?

[Ken]

My book is my book. My book choice is drafted by cartoonist and artist Rick Parker. It's a it's a graphic memoir of his of his time in the of his of his time growing up in Savannah, Georgia. He's born in the 40s and he and he served during the Vietnam War era and his humorous and not so humorous memories of his time in the army and how it led to the next stages in his career.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much for calling, Ken. Let's talk to Jade in Brooklyn. Hi, Jade. Thanks for calling all of it.

[Jade]

Hi, Allison. Thank you so much for taking my call.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you read? What have you been reading?

[Jade]

So I'd love to recommend a book by the author Robert Sullivan. The book is Double Exposure Resurveying the West with Timothy O'Sullivan, America's most mysterious war photographer. And the book looks at O'Sullivan's photographs, which are some of the iconic 19th century images. And he is known for his pictures of corpse strewn battlefields from the Civil War, but then brings in the warlike aspect of the American west via the geography and topography. So really looking at the human elements of the landscape, what's hidden in the photographs and then additionally brings in his own personal experience of the terrain as a writer as he's resurveying himself, these photographs and these places that O'Sullivan visited in the 19th century.

[Caller]

Love that recommendation. Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Andrew Limbaugh. He's NPR arts reporter and host of the Book of the day podcast from NPR.

[Caller]

He's here to give us his favorite books of 2024.

[Alison Stewart]

We want to know what was your favorite new book that you read this week?

[Caller]

This year? Keyboard, new keyword, I should say new.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you like about that book and why? Fiction or nonfiction?

[Caller]

We want to hear it all.

[Alison Stewart]

2124-339692-21243.

[Caller]

WNYC. Okay, Andrew, I want to get your take texted us Sunny Boy by Al Pacino. And it seemed like after the pandemic, everybody wrote a memoir. Everybody wrote a memoir.

[Andrew Limbong]

Everybody had a lot of time on their hands.

[Caller]

A lot of time on their hands. Are there memoirs that you would recommend from this year?

[Andrew Limbong]

Yes, there are. There is one that I have actually. It's on my to read list. It, you know, I haven't read it yet, but I'm pretty stoked about it. It is the Billy Dee Williams memoir. He is obviously, you know, Lando Calrissian, but he's like so much more. And you know, in putting this list together, by the way, the book is called what have We Here? Portraits of a Life. He's, he's, he's obviously, you know, I'm, I'm a 35 year old man. He means a lot to me. You know what I mean? But he's like so much more than just Lando. And like, you know, in putting this list together, there's always like a couple, like, you know, a couple of books I add on my tbr and that's definitely one of them. The other memoir I think, you know, for people who hadn't read it, you know, I'd mentioned this before, but the Salman Rushdie book Knife.

[Caller]

Oh, I'm just in the middle of it right now. Oh.

[Andrew Limbong]

Oh, yeah. How do you feel? How are you feeling about it?

[Caller]

Oh, it is, it is. It's a lot, but it's good.

[Andrew Limbong]

Yeah, I know. And I think here's. And I won't spoil, not that you can really spoil it for you, but the thing that surprised me most about it is that it is sneakily a love story. It's obviously about like this tragedy and you know, all the attacks and all this like the big picture high minded stuff about freedom of speech. But. And I think you're there by the middle of the book, but there's a lot of stuff about him and his wife and I'm just like, oh, wow. It's like, I don't know why, but it just like took me by surprise. And real talk, I'm like medium on his, on his like big swinging fiction. And I think the love story in the middle of this really like grounded it for me.

[Caller]

Something else that's on your nonfiction book is Defectors the Rise of Latinos and what it Means for America by Paolo Ramos. We had her on the show. What was it about that book that stuck with you?

[Andrew Limbong]

So I think I've been thinking about it a lot after the election for, you know, for whatever reason. And I think there are groups that people can generalize and take for granted. And I think we have that this listed tagged under our eye opening reads, which you just learn a lot about the political movements. Political movements of a demographic that people tend to I think take for granted or just assume a lot of things about without actually knowing anything about them. And so yeah, it's a, for lack of a better term, an eye opening read.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Andrew Limbong, NPR arts reporter and host of the Book of the Day podcast. We'll have more with Andrew and we'll take more of your calls. What favorite book did you read this year? 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. We'll be back after a break.

[Megan Reinks]

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[Andrew Limbong]

Hey everyone.

[Caller]

Join me, Megan Reinks and me, Melissa.

[Andrew Limbong]

D. Monts, for Don't Blame Me, But Am I Wrong.

[Caller]

Each week we deliver four fun filled.

[Andrew Limbong]

Shows and Don't Blame Me. We tackle our listeners dilemmas with hilariously honest advice. Then we have But Am I Wrong?

[Caller]

Which is for the listeners that didn't take our advice. Plus, we share our hot takes on current events.

[Andrew Limbong]

Then tune in to see you next Tuesday for our listener poll results from But Am I Wrong?

[Caller]

And finally, wrap up your week with.

[Andrew Limbong]

Fisting Friday where we catch up and talk all things pop culture. Listen to Don't Blame Me But Am.

[Alison Stewart]

I Wrong On Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Andrew Limbong]

New episodes every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

[Alison Stewart]

You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Andrew Limbong, NPR arts reporter and host of the Book of the Day podcast. We want to know, what new book did you read this year? What did you like about it? Was it fiction? Was it nonfiction? Do you need help buying a book for the loved one in your life? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. So once again, we should point out that you have a list, a list of 350 plus books on this on your site. Yeah, would you give me the website? Somebody called in and wanted it. Exactly.

[Andrew Limbong]

You could just look up Books We Love or npr.org books. We're not trying to hide it.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, you mentioned it had these filters. So let's go through A couple of the filters. You have an eye opening reads filter. What was your most eye opening read?

[Andrew Limbong]

One that's on this list was Fire Exit by Morgan Talty. This is a fiction book about a. From a Penobscot writer named Morgan Talty. And it's is about blood quantum, which is how indigenous Americans sort of assign or decide who is native and who isn't. Right. Just pretty much based on your bloodline. How much of like you know pretty much what your. What your. What your family looks like and family lineage looks like. And in this novel it like is about technically a non native person. A you know, a quote unquote regular deglar white guy. Right. But only by. Because of his like bloodline is so. But let's call it like thinned out that he's not a part of the tribe and yet his child is. And so there's a couple different rules about what they can or can't do or where they can and can't go and like what happens. And it's just as eye opening read like it's Blood quantum is not something I think about on a daily basis. And it was like. And it goes into the sort of nitty gritty of the law, but it maintains a pretty compelling family narrative.

[Alison Stewart]

You also had one filter that was about a good book club read. First of all, what makes an excellent book club read?

[Andrew Limbong]

It's a talkie book, I think any book, and obviously every book club is different and depends on the vibe, depends on the people you got in there. But it's one that can spark. Like when you're done with it, you got like three questions. And what I love about book club picks is that it doesn't even necessarily. You don't even need to like the book. Right. You can, you can hate a book. And that also stirs up a lot of questions and conversations. I think you can have strong reactions. You can have mixed the mixed feelings about a book that's probably even the best. And you just come to the club, be like, ah, I don't know, what are we doing here? What's happening? What's going on? Yeah. And so, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

What's a good example on your. From your list of a good book club read?

[Andrew Limbong]

A good book club list is. I think I'm looking through the list right now. All right, here's a good one. Us Fools. It's by Nora Lang. It's about the Iowa Farmers crisis. Right. And it's about these two girls who grow up. One, they call each other like junk kids. They're sort of like invested in the sort of pop culture of the day. Right. We're talking about like mid-80s, right. So they're invested in the pop culture of the day, but they're also interested in sort of like high minded things like, you know, they're discussing feminism, but also talking about their crushes and stuff like that and how they intersect. I think there's a lot here in this book about politics. You can see the farm crisis of the, of the 80s and, and of the small Midwestern farms and how that completely shattered small communities. You can see ripple effects of that today. Right. And seeing it through the eyes of these, of the, of these two daughters who are trying to pretty much they have a front row seat to what their parents are going through. Right. But you can't do anything about it. You're 13, right? If your dad can't get a bank loan for the farm and they got to sell the farm, you see that, you're aware enough to know that it's happening, but you don't have any agency, right. And so you're in this kind of tricky position. So what else is there to do but to goof off with your, with your sister? I think there's a lot there. Talking about not just family relationships, but like I said, politics and the economy and you know, farms in general and the cultural divides in America. That makes it. For a really good book club pick, here's a text.

[Alison Stewart]

I found Garth Greenwell's Small Reign to be a sweet, poetic story about pain and navigating a hospital stay during COVID Really enjoyed his reading on the audiobook. It led me to discover more of his writing. By the way, we had Garth Greenwell on the show. You can check that out. She also says he, she. They. This is. I am also looking for a book for my Grandma celebrating her 93rd birthday today. Happy birthday, Grandma. She likes historical fiction and non fiction. What would you recommend?

[Andrew Limbong]

That's great. Thank you. I can show off this machine in real time. Nonfiction. Let's do staff picks. Let's also click on some eye opening reads. I've got two here that could be good. One is the Wide Wide Sea, Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Camden Sides. This one was recommended by Steve Inskeep, host of Morning Edition and it's about James Cook who was this explorer who eventually landed on the Polynesian Islands. And you know, and I was actually chatting with Steve about this book and I think what he likes about it is it brings so much of the sea of that time, of what exploring is like to life. Right. There's a, you know, it's not a fuddy duddy, you know, history book. It's. It's a pretty gripping narrative, even though it is pretty chunky. I think it's under our. Yeah, it's under our rather long tab, so feel free to, like, chew on that. And it's also like any good biography, it is. It treats its subject in its entirety. Right? The good and the bad and, like, the great things they did and, like, the darker sides that he did and the complicated history he has with, you know, the Polynesian Islands. Islanders. Another book under nonfiction is by Bianca Bosca. It's called get the Picture. She sort of did some reporting about the New York art world. And, you know, there's this vibe that all of the art world is just like, money laundering or something or, you know what I mean? But she chooses to try to take it seriously. Right. And so she sort of does the reporting. She does the bootstraps reporting to, you know, she starts working as an assistant for an artist and, like, starts working at galleries and starts trying to really understand this world and what it means. And she's also just, like, a really entertaining writer.

[Caller]

Let's see. Plunder Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America. An essential read on an industry that is overtaking American economy from the shadows. Thanks for texting that in. Let's talk to John. Hey, John.

[Ken]

Hi. How are you doing?

[Caller]

Great.

[Ken]

Good. I called in to talk about Song of Myself, a novel by Arnie Kantrowitz.

[Caller]

All right, give me the elevator pitch on the saw on the novel.

[Ken]

Okay. It's a history of what it was like growing up in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s for a gay man in America.

[Caller]

Good pitch. Thank you, John. Let's talk to Mark. Hi, Mark.

[Mark]

Hi.

[Caller]

What did you read?

[Mark]

Yes, I would like to recommend say hello to My Little Friend by Janine Capo, Crusade or Crusade, which I learned about on wnyc. And it is a sprawling. I wouldn't say it's a sprawling novel. It's a novel that somehow manages to tackle many disparate themes. Climate change, identity, family, immigration, all against the backdrop of Miami and, I guess, the future of that city. And it was extraordinary. I heard about it on your station and made a beeline to my local bookstore to see if she could succeed in pulling all of those themes together.

[Alison Stewart]

That sounds like everything right in that sentence. This text says, my mom grew up in the Bronx in the 1950s, and I was thinking of getting her in for Frasier's Paradise Bronx for Hanukkah, but after hearing Frasier on a couple of your shows, I worry the book might be too academic and maybe too much about today's Bronx for her. I love Frasier's writing, but wonder if it's the right choice for my mom. Well, I got an answer for you. Jose wrote I was driving, and he called in to say that he recommends Paradise Bronx by Ian Fraser. He loved reading it and learning more about his home. And we spent an hour on this book. So I think it's okay for your mom. What? Let me ask you this, Andrew.

[Andrew Limbong]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Debut authors. Debut authors. It's a tough world out there. What's a. Who is a debut author who really just hit it out of the park?

[Andrew Limbong]

Oh, that's interesting. I was going to say. So for debut authors, like I mentioned, Andrew Borriga, he's a. He's a debut author that I thought really was really lovely. I did speak with Chanel Miller, who. She's. She had previously written nonfiction. Right. You might know it. She's got some. She was. She had written about her sexual assault. Right. And sort of coming out public like that. She wrote her debut middle. What can we call it? Middle grade or it's like 7 to 11. Whatever you want to call that shot, like kids, like for. For young readers. Right. Show. This book called Magnolia Wu unfolds at all. It's about a little girl, and I know people in New York would love to hear. It's about a little girl who tries to match lost socks. Like, her mom works in a laundromat. She has a lot of, like, you know, friendless socks, and she tries to find its. Its partner. And it's her traversing through the city in such a wholesome and delightful way that I thought for, you know, for. For her first crack at a. At a young kid's book, I thought was really impressive and, you know, as also, like a native New Yorker, I really was charmed by it. And, yeah, I was like, oh, wow, this makes me miss home a lot.

[Caller]

Three people here, including myself, yelled Martyr by Kevin Akbar. Yeah.

[Andrew Limbong]

Did you read it? What'd you think about it?

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, yeah.

[Caller]

It was so good. It was so good. Yeah. That's all I'm gonna say.

[Andrew Limbong]

Wow. That's it. That just leaves you speechless.

[Caller]

If you're looking for a book. If you're looking for a book to recommend to somebody, to think about, what should you think about? What should a person think about when.

[Andrew Limbong]

They'Re picking up a book for someone else.

[Caller]

Yeah. And you got about 30 seconds.

[Andrew Limbong]

Okay. Be completely egoless. Don't try to assign homework. You want to give something, you want to give them a gift. So make sure that's tailored to their interests and not something that you want to impress. And it's also half of the conversation is the book and the other half the conversation of the gift is the conversation itself. So make sure, like, you should also read it too, so that way you guys can have something to talk about.

[Caller]

Andrew Limbong is NPR arts reporter and host of the Book of the Day podcast. Andrew, thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us.

[Andrew Limbong]

Yeah, thank you so much. This is a lot of fun.

[Caller]

And that is all of it for today. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I'll meet you back here next time.

[WNYC Studios]

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