The Perks Of Being A Book Lover Podcast
Education:Language Learning
We’ve talked about many books on this podcast with an Appalachian setting. And in the Trump and post-Trump era, talking heads have been trying to understand Appalachia. After the publishing of Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, a book about Appalachia that many people love to hate, a whole slew of books by diverse Appalachian writers came out that showed other versions of this complicated region of the country. Neema Avashia’s new book of essays, Another Appalachia: Growing Up Indian and Queer in a Mountain Place really demonstrates those contradictions and strong sense of place.
Neema is a middle school teacher who lives in Boston, but she grew up in a small West Virginia town that was built up around the chemical industry that used the state’s coal to power its plants. Her parents migrated from India and Neema had what she felt was a magical childhood. But as much as she loved her hometown and home state, as she became an adult she had to to come to terms with what home means when you are Indian-American, Hindu, vegetarian, and queer growing up in a place that is overwhelming white, meat and potatoes, and Christian. Her essays ask interesting questions about what it means to love a place that doesn’t always love you back.
You can find Neema on instagram at @avashia and at her author website www.neemaavashia.com.
Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover
Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod
For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com.
Books Discussed in this Episode:
1- Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia
2- The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
3- Drowned Town by Jayne Moore Waldrop
4- Death in the Air: The Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson
5- Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
Articles mentioned--
What Does the Image of the Cat Signify in Japanese Literature? by Dee Das
bookriot.com/cats-in-japanese-fiction/
S10:Ep221 - Audiobook Appreciation Month: A Book Rec Episode - 5-8-24
S10:Ep220 - A Traveling Book Club with Guests Marilyn Robbins and Sami Lien - 5/1/24
S10:Ep219 REMIX - Beware The Tall Grass with guest Ellen Birkett Morris - 4/24/24
S10:Ep218 - Books That Live In Our Heads: A Book Rec Episode- 4/17/24
S10:Ep217 - Akmaral and Warrior Women with Guest Judith Lindbergh - 4/10/24
S10:Ep216 - Books Make Environmental Impact: A Book Rec Episode - 3/3/24
S10:Ep215 - Austen is in the Air with guests Melodie Edwards and AH Kim - 3/27/24
S10:Ep214 - Linked Short Story Collections: A Book Rec Episode - 3/20/24
S10: Ep.213 - Notes on the Newbery Awards with Guest Kari Heggen - 3/13/24
S10:Ep. 212 Say Yes to Small Presses - A Book Rec Episode - 3/6/24
S10:Ep211 - Shawntaye's Bookish Life with Guest Shawntaye H. - 2/28/24
S10:Ep 210 - The Gibson Girl Review Podcast with Guest Amy Drown - 2/21/24
S10:Ep209 - The Heartbreak Years with Guest Minda Honey - 2/24/24
S10:Ep208 - Time Warps - A Book Rec Episode - 2/7/24
S10:Ep207 - Tent For Seven with Guests Marty Ohlhaut and Grace Ly - 1/31/24
S10:Ep206- Huda F Cares with Guest Huda Fahmy - 1/24/24
S10:Ep205 - 2023 Year in Review - 1/17/24
S9:Ep204 - Perks REMIX - Library of Lost Time with Mel and David - 10/10/24
S9:Ep203 - Perks REMIX with Books Are My People Podcast - 1/3/24
S9:Ep202 - Perks REMIX - MURDER ENSUES on the Thrillers by the Bookclub Podcast - 12/27/23
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Learn French with Anthony
Explore France with Anthony
All Ears English Podcast
Daily Easy English Expression Podcast
Espresso English Podcast