For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast
Society & Culture:Relationships
As tons of us in the Jen Hatmaker Book Club can agree, a good book is a bit of a refuge at any time of the year, but especially in the swirl of the holidays. It's just stealing away minutes for our mind to not be thinking about planning and gifting and gatherings and shopping and cooking–not to mention expectations and the pressure to reinvent ourselves in the New Year. But getting to bury our nose in a book or even playing an audiobook has a way of transporting us to a different place entirely and giving us a break. This month we had the wonderful book Hamnet for that fleeting mental retreat we all need around this time of year. We’re getting to talk to Maggie O’Farrell, the amazing author of this atmospheric and emotional book. Maggie is an incredible novelist. She's the winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2020 and her memoir, I Am, I Am which was a New York Times number one bestseller. Not only is she highly awarded with her adult fiction titles, she is also a beloved children's book writer. Even this interview was a bit of transport to another place as Maggie spoke to us in person from Edinburgh in Scotland. She and Jen discuss the book, their shared love of reading, started at an early age, and how amazing it is to find new stories to be told from the classic works of Shakespeare. If you’re not already a member of the book club, there’s so much more to discover in the conversations around amazing books we’re reading together. Jump on over to jenhatmakerbookclub.com after this episode to sign up!
* * *
Thank you to our sponsors!
Jen Hatmaker Book Club | Use code READ for $5 off your first month at www.jenhatmakerbookclub.com
Me Course - New Year | Head to mecourse.org to register and start your new year feeling inspired!
Thought-Provoking Quotes
“For me the purpose was to put Hamnet center stage and to say to my readers, this boy was important. His life was short, it was hugely significant. And without this child we would not have Hamlet and we probably wouldn't have Twelfth Night.” - Maggie O’ Farrell
“The biggest drama of Shakespeare's real life happened off stage, and that's back in Stratford-upon-Avon–the death of his son. So I wanted to focus on that life rather than the one in London that we've seen many times and in many other novels, films and TV series.” - Maggie O’ Farrell
“I think we all have our own version of Shakespeare in our heads, don't we? And they're all different, and I think that's fine.I think that's partly why he's of such enduring fascination because he's still open to so many new interpretations.” - Maggie O’ Farrell
Guest’s Links
Maggie’s Website
Maggie’s Facebook
Books & Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Hamnet Book
I Am, I Am Book
The Boy Who Lost His Spark Children’s Book
Connect with Jen!
Jen’s website
Jen’s Instagram
Jen’s Twitter
Jen’s Facebook
Jen’s YouTube
Jen Speaks to Finding Life through a Year of Grief, Sorrow, and Unrelenting Joy
Goodness Triumphs Through Good People: A Year-End Benediction from Bishop Michael Curry
Holiday Hilarity with Deck the Hallmark
[BONUS] Vanessa Lachey’s “Life from Scratch”
Singing in the Holidays with Trisha Yearwood
[BOOK CLUB BONUS] David Sedaris’s “The Best of Me”
Stress Free Holiday Hosting with Abby Turner
YOUR Body Keeps the Score: Unwinding Trauma with Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk
YOU Restored: Healing from Trauma For Everyone with Jimanekia Eborn
[BOOK CLUB BONUS] Lucy Foley’s “The Guest List”
Joyful Eating for YOU and Those YOU Love with Antoni Porowski
Jen's Favorite Things - 5th Annual Holiday Gift Guide
YOU are More Than Beauty with Lexie & Lindsay Kite
The Power Within YOU with Latham Thomas
[BOOK CLUB BONUS] Brene Brown’s “Daring Greatly” ft. Kristen Howerton
Your Body is YOU with Dr. Hillary McBride
YOU and Food with Danielle Walker
Future Star of Broadway: The Lion King’s Vince Ermita
The Lion King’s Brandon McCall on Fulfilling a Life-Long Dream
Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson on Knowing Who You Are—On and Off Broadway
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
We Can Do Hard Things
Let’s Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
Date Yourself Instead
Love Life with Matthew Hussey