Episode 125 Notes and Links to Jamil Jan Kochai’s Work
On Episode 125 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Jamil Jan Kochai, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early relationship with languages and reading, an early fascination with Harry Potter, his family’s proud histories and storytelling legacies, Jamil’s hoop skills, his book 99 Nights and Logar and its allegory and realism, its connections to contemporary Afghan history, as well as his recent “love letter to his father” in The New Yorker.
Jamil Jan Kochai is the author of 99 Nights in Logar (Viking, 2019), a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. He was born in an Afghan refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, but he originally hails from Logar, Afghanistan. His short stories and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Ploughshares, and The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018. Currently, he is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University.
Jamil Jan Kochai’s Website
Preorder The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories
“Jamil Jan Kochai on Résumés as Stories” from The New Yorker, May 2022
“Occupational Hazards”-Short Story-from May 2022, The New Yorker
At about 1:40, Jamil and Pete discuss NBA loyalties as fellow Sacramentans
At about 2:30, Pete shouts out some unique description from Jamil’s 99 Nights in Logar
At about 4:05, Jamil gives background on his family roots in Logar, Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistán, as well as how amorphous borders have affected loyalties and pride
At about 7:00, Jamil describes his childhood moves and family circumstances that led to his family laying down roots in California, as well as his relationship with language
At about 9:15, Alice Norman Elementary and Mrs. Long are shouted out as huge parts of Jamil learning and loving the English language
At about 10:20, Jamil responds to Pete’s questions about the roles of lore, stories, and storytellers in his life
At about 12:30, Jamil lists books and writers that captivated and inspired him from an early age, as well as ideas of escape and fantasy-entering a “new world”
At about 16:25, Pete wonders about “generations” of Afghan immigrants, Khaled Hosseini’s impact on a younger Jamil, and Jamil’s current view of The Kite Runner
At about 19:30, Jamil compares The Kite Runner to a seminal book in his life, One Hundred Years of Solitude
At about 21:20, Jamil discusses ideas of pressure that may come with being seen as a representative of Afghan/Afghan-American cultures
At about 24:00, Pete asks Jamil about “the white gaze” and feedback and thought process that went along with not translating many words from the book
At about 29:35, Pete and Jamil fanboy about Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jamil details One Hundred Years of Solitude importance to him, in addition to listing 1984 and Native Son and other formative texts
At about 31:40, Jamil does an almost perfect job in recounting the iconic opening line of One Hundred Years of Solitude
At about 34:10-35:50, Pete and Jamil sing the praises of Jess Walter, as both a writer and baller
At about 35:50, Jamil diagnoses his own basketball game in a detailed scouting report
At about 36:50, Pete asks a followup question regarding Jamil’s growth and awareness as a writer and “ ‘Eureka’ moments,” including early work done in high school English classes
At about 41:40, Jamil shouts out some standout Italo Calvino work
At about 43:10, Pete speaks of pitch for a future article
At about 43:40, Pete fanboys over “The Gospel According to Mark” by Borges
At about 45:25, Jamil responds to Pete’s questions about the two epigraphs for 99 Nights in Logar
At about 50:00, Jamil focuses on the Kipling epigraph in describing his objectives and challenges in writing 99 Nights in Logar
At about 51:40, Jamil traces the evolution of Budabash as a character and symbol in
At about 54:00, Jamil responds to Pete’s questions about Marwand as a musafir and the book as charting an ephemeral journey
At about 56:00, Jamil explains his mindset about giving Marwand “agency,” including how his writing training prepared him for writing about agency
At about 59:40, Pete summarizes the moving story of Marwand’s uncle
At about 1:00:50, Jamil provides background on the genesis and role of “The Thief,” an intriguing character from the book
At about 1:06:00, Jamil and Pete discuss the history of Afghanistan that is incorporated into the novel, including how Jamil finessed this history in a way that “benefited the story itself”
At about 1:09:05, Jamil describes the significance and real-world links to a scene from the book involving an uncovering of bones
At about 1:10:40, Pete and Jamil ruminate on praise for his writing from Jesmyn Ward
At about 1:11:10, Pete and Jamil discuss Jamil’s recent publication from The New Yorker, “Occupational Hazards”
At about 1:14:50, Jamil highlights his upcoming collection of short stories and highlights local bookstores as great places to buy his books-Bookshop.org and The Indie Book Store, among others
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
Please tune in for Episode 126 with Kevin Owens, a veteran of overseas professional basketball and a current teacher and basketball coach. He is an entrepreneur and founder of Overseas Famous LLC, a multimedia platform created to give athletes playing abroad a voice. These stories provide a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with overseas sports. His 2021 book is called Overseas Famous. While he had the name first, he is now the second most popular Kevin Owens in the world.
The episode will air on June 7.
Episode 217 with Jeff Sharlet, Author of The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, and Sharp-Eyed Chronicler of Impending Fascism and Previous Fighters in The Movements
Episode 216 with Kate Maruyama: Author of Bleak Houses, Master Worldbuilder, and Skilled Observer and Chronicler of Family Traumas, Class and Privilege, and Psychological Horrors Modern and Timeless
Episode 215 with Nick Fuller Googins, Reflective and Dynamic Worldbuilder, Educator, and Creator of the ”Hopeful” Climate Crisis Novel, The Great Transition
Episode 214 with Leah Myers, Chronicler of the Heartfelt, the Specific, the Universal, and the Myth and Proud History of the Jamestown S’Klallam in the Memoir, Thinning Blood
Episode 213 with Andrew Porter, Reflective and Genius of the Understated and Resonant, Creator of Unforgettable Characters, and Author of the Story Collection, The Disappeared
Episode 212 with Theresa Rundstedtler, Savvy, Reflective, Thorough Researcher on Race and Sport, and Author of Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood and the Generation that Saved the Game
Episode 211 with Chris L. Terry and James Spooner, Passionate Researchers, Veteran Punk Rockers, and Stewards and Proponents of Black Punk Excellence for Future Generations
Episode 210 with Dan Sinykin, Wise, Thorough Chronicler of The Publishing Industry’s Changing Mores, & Author of Big Fiction: How Conglomeration Changed the Publishing Industry and American Literature
Episode 209 with Julie Carrick Dalton, Standout Worldbuilder and Crafter of Plot Twists, Memorable Characters, Salient Storylines, and Author of The Last Beekeeper
Episode 208 with Sowmya Krishnamurthy, Author of Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion, and Keen Chronicler and Thoughtful Observer of Hip Hop, Pop Culture, and Fashion
Episode 207 with Ursula Villarreal-Moura, Master of Flash Fiction, Short, Powerful Stories, and Prose that Explores Intricate Emotions in Clever and Profound Ways
Episode 206 with David Mura, Thoughtful, Thorough, Wise Student and Chronicler of the Ills of White Supremacy and the Ways in Which Racism Works, and Author of The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself
Episode 205 with Josh Riedel, Author of Please Report Your Bug Here, Standout Worldbuilder, and Sage Observer and Chronicler of the Evolution/Devolution of Tech and its Impact on Our Society/Ourselves
Episode 204 with Kara H.L. Chen, Standout YA Writer of Love and Resistance and Crafter of Believable and Relatable and Empathy-Inducing Characters
Episode 203 with V.V. (Sugi) Ganeshananthan, Master Craftswoman of Tender and Gutting Storylines and Characters, and Author of the Modern Classic, Brotherless Night
Episode 202 with Dennis J. Sweeney, Reflective and Persistently Profound Thinker and Craftsman of Poems Both Abstract and Concrete and Author of You’re the Woods Too
Episode 201 with Erica J Berry, Thoughtful and Thorough Writer Who Seamlessly Combines Multiple Disciplines and Genres in Her Enthralling Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear
EPISODE 200 with Adam Vitcavage, Raconteur, Skilled Writer of Literary and Music Criticism, and Charismatic Advocate for Debut Authors Through his Podcast Debutiful: Discover Debut Authors
Episode 199 with Jared Beloff, Reflective Thinker, Painter of Beautiful Imagery and Debut Standout Author of the Climate Change-Themed Poetry Collection, Who Will Cradle Your Head
Episode 198 with Sarah Thankam Mathews, Master of the Visceral and Rational, Beautiful Sentence and Sentiment Creator, and Author of 2022’s National Book Award Shortlisted All This Could Be Different
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
Grimms’ Fairy Tales
Just So Stories
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends