Episode 247 with Christina Cooke, Author of Broughtupsy and Creator of Compelling Characters, Relatable Diasporic Plots, and Singular Yet Universal Characters

Notes and Links to Christina Cooke’s Work

 

   For Episode 247, Pete welcomes Christina Cooke, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood love of books, formative and transformative books and writers, contemporaries and fellow debut writers with whom her books are in conversation, the outsized influence of Mamá Lou, and salient themes and issues in her book like diaspora, notions of “home,” queerness and divinity, brotherly and sisterly relationships, and religiosity vs. spirituality.

 

   Christina Cooke’s writing has appeared in or is forthcoming from The Caribbean Writer, PRISM International, Prairie Schooner, Apogee, Epiphany, Michigan Quarterly Review, Lambda Literary Review, and others. A MacDowell Fellow and Journey Prize winner, she holds a Master of Arts from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Christina was born in Jamaica and is now a Canadian citizen who lives and writes in New York City. BROUGHTUPSY is her debut novel.

 

Buy Broughtupsy

 

Christina Cooke’s Website

 

Article in Vogue about Broughtupsy

At about 1:40, Pete and Christina talk about a top-notch fruit mentioned in her book

At about 4:00, Pete highlights an amazing version of the book that he received 

At about 5:15, Christina talks about her rich childhood reading life

At about 8:20, Christina shouts out Mrs. Dooley, an inspiring teacher

At about 11:30, Christina cites books that made a huge impact on how she writes, including Handmaid’s Tale

At about 13:20, Pete wonders which books and writers “are in conversation” with Christina and her work, and she mentions Ruben Reyes, Jr., Santiago José Sánchez, Melissa Mogollon, Emma Copley, Lisa Ko, Annie Liontas, Miss Lou, Zadie Smith, and Erna Brodber

At about 17:00, Christina talks about why she calls Jamaican patois a language, and its distinctive nature, and she tells about a fun difference between #3/#6 mango

At about 18:45, Christina dissects the meanings of the book’s title

At about 19:45, The two discuss a Jamaican original word

At about 20:40, Christina discusses seeds for the book and its iterations 

At about 23:50, The two discuss the book’s epigraph and Christina describes its provenance/significance 

At about 28:00, Pete lays out the book’s exposition and Christina gives background on sickle cell anemia, which is deadly to Bryson

At about 30:30, Christina discusses Bryson’s memories and wise maturity in his last days

At about 33:25, Christina remarks on the “fable” told to reassure Bryson that his sister Tamika would be visiting-she cites “the complicated ways that we love”

At about 35:10, Christina talks about a possibly-doomed relationship

At about 37:20, Christina details how the book complicates religiosity and queerness’ connections

At about 40:35, Christina describes Akua “spiraling” in making a trip back home to Jamaica 

At about 42:30, Akua and her “Americanness” in Jamaica is discussed, and Christina talks about parallels in her own life

At about 45:40, An uncomfortable visit and questions between the sisters is discussed

At about 46:30, Cod liver oil and a scene involving its destruction is recounted by Christina as she discusses its connection to Jamaican parenting in a certain time period

At about 49:10, Christina responds to Pete’s question about why Akua carries her brother’s urn

At about 51:40, Christina talks about Jamaicans being “culturally Anglican” and its complexities

At about 53:20-Lady Saw and her legendaries and an early encounter with Akua and a woman in Kingston is recounted

At about 57:20, Christina talks about “lyme” and its usage in the book and in Jamaica 

At about 1:00:10, Christina charts the importance of The Miss Lou “Happy Birthday Song” in the book and in Jamaica and the Jamaican diaspora

At about 1:01:45, Christina responds to Pete’s questions about the ways in which Akua’s father treats her and her homosexuality-Christina speaks to the idea of “infantilizing” 

At about 1:06:00, Café con Libros, Word Up, and Bookshop.org are shouted out as good places to buy her book and she gives contact information/social media information

At about 1:06:55, Christina shares wonderful feedback from readers

 

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    Please tune in for Episode 248 with Katya Apekina, a novelist, screenwriter and translator; her novel, The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish, was named a Best Book of 2018 by Buzzfeed, LitHub, and more and finalist for the LA Times Book Prize; Mother Doll, was named a Best Book So Far of 2024 by Vogue

   The episode will go live on August 16.

   Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.