Nerdette

We are unpacking the week that was with Amory Sivertson, host of the WBUR podcastsBeyond All RepairandEndless Thread,and Kristina Lopez, producer ofGlamorous Trash.We discuss the reasons why women need more sleep than men, age gap relationshipsand “Stick Nation.”

Then,Vulturefilm critic Alison Wilmore tells us about why women in action movies all seem to be doing the same particular stunt. She dubs it “killer gams.”

Our April selection is Marie-Helene Bertino’s gorgeous and entrancing novel 'Beautyland.'It’s about Adina, who realizes she is actually an alien disguised as a young girl living in Philadelphia. Her task is to send reports on humanity back to her home planet via fax machine. The novel is tender, full of heart and weird in the best possible way.

Listen to this spoiler-free interview with the author and read along with us! We’ll be back with a spoiler-filled panel discussion on the last Tuesday of the month. You can join the conversation by sending a voice memo tonerdettepodcast@gmail.com.

Our March book club pick is Kaveh Akbar’s debut novel ‘Martyr!’ It’s about Cyrus, who was born in Iran and moved to the midwest as a child after his mom died. She was one of the victims of the real-life event where the United States Navy shot an Iranian passenger-plane out of the sky reportedly by accident. The book picks up when Cyrus is in his 20s in Indiana and he’s struggling in more ways than one.

He finds himself thinking a lot about the idea of martyrdom and what makes life truly worth living. When he learns of an artist in New York whose work explores similar topics, he has to meet her.

We are joined by two expert readers:New York Times Book RevieweditorMJ Franklinand host ofThe Stackspodcast Traci Thomas. We discuss the book in detail, including spoilers! So if you have not read the book yet, go back and listen to our spoiler-free chat with author Kaveh Akbar in the feed first.

This week, two of our favorite guests,City Cast Chicagohost Jacoby Cochran and Not Sorry Productions faculty member Margaret Willison, stop by to play a game of Burden or Delight. We discuss wide-legged jeans, sourdough starters and a few other unhinged topics.

Plus, we are super excited to introduce an upcoming segment with chef and cookbook writer Tamar Adler! She is bringing her expertise toNerdetteto solve all of your culinary quandaries. Tamar is the author of ‘An Everlasting Meal’and ‘The Everlasting Meal Cookbook.’ She is now writing ‘The Kitchen Shrink’column, where she gives advice to home cooks. We’re asking you to send us your cooking questions and mysteries. Then, we’ll get you an answer in an upcoming episode. Send us a voice memo, an email, a DM, whichever method you prefer. We’re atNerdettePodcast@gmail.com.

This week, senior correspondent at VoxAlex Abad-Santosand Bridget Todd, host of the podcasts ‘City Cast DC’ and ‘There Are No Girls on the Internet,’ spill the tea on Kate Middleton’s photoshop debacle, a proposed TikTok ban and the World Banana Forum.

Plus, Noel Fielding stars in the new Apple TV+ comedy series ‘The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.’You may know Noel as the sweet, eccentric host of ‘The Great British Bake Off,’or from the deeply strange sketch show ‘The Mighty Boosh.’ Noel plays Dick Turpin, a historical figure from the 18th century who robbed carriages. In this retelling, however, he trades violence for sparkly blue spandex and faces magical threats. We talk to Noel and executive producer Kenton Allen about comedy, being a middle-aged parent and knitting.

We unpack the week with Ronald Young Jr., host of ‘Weight For It,’ and Arionne Nettles, head of Northwestern’s audio journalism program and author of the upcoming book ‘We Are the Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything.’We chat about the fallacy of airplane mode, tweens at Sephora and the popularity of owl ring bearers.

Plus, author Xochitl Gonzalez tells us about her new book ‘Anita de Monte Laughs Last.’ Xochitl imbued the characters with aspects of her own life story, making it “a nightmare to write.” She tells us why it was also worth it.

Nerdette Book Club’s March selection is ‘Martyr!,’ the first novel from poet Kaveh Akbar. Our team chose it because it is vibrant, incisive and the perfect combination of devastating and funny.

Listen to this spoiler-free conversation and read along with us! Then, send us a voice memo with your thoughts on the book. We’ll be back on the last Tuesday of the month with a spoiler-filled discussion. You can reach us atNerdettePodcast@gmail.com.

This week, we are diving into the world of boarding school, wrongful conviction and true crime podcasts. Yes, we are talking about the bookI Have Some Questions for Youby Rebecca Makkai. It was a Nerdette Book Club pick after it came out in March of last year, and it just came out in paperback.

Nerdette Book Club is keeping things moving in 2024 with Kiley Reid’s sophomore novel, ‘Come and Get It.’It’s a juicy, messy novel that takes place on a college campus and explores issues around class, ambition and constantly-shifting power dynamics.

Our readers this month are the hosts of WBEZ’s ‘The Rundown’ podcast, Erin Allen and Adora Namigadde.

We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you’re not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author Kiley Reid in the feed first.

And in case you want to read ahead, we have the next three months of books chosen! Here they are:

March:Martyr!by Kaveh Akbar

April:Beautylandby Marie-Helene Bertino

May:A Table for Twoby Amor Towles

It’s never too early to send us a voice memo with your thoughts on these books! Reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com

This week, comedian andFake the Nationhost Negin Farsad andTed Talks Dailyhost Elise Hu join us to discuss a week’s worth of litigious news. We learn about the guy who’s suing Powerball for posting the incorrect numbers, the dating app users who say the platforms are too addictive, and the proposed “right to disconnect” law protecting workers in Australia.

Plus, how many exclamation points are too many?!! In her substack newsletter ‘Culture Study,’Anne Helen Petersen recently unpacked why so many women have been told to use fewer exclamation points in the workplace, while others have been told to use more. At its heart, Anne says, it’s all about “policing women's speech!”

This week, Niala Boodhoo, host and editor of the Axios podcast1 big thing, and Aubrey Gordon, subject of the upcoming documentary 'Your Fat Friend'and co-host ofMaintenance Phase, stop by to chat about retailers cracking down on frequent returns and the new dating app for people with good credit scores.

Then, MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow and Pulitzer finalist Kelly Link joins us to talk about her magical and tender first novel, 'The Book of Love.' She is also the author of a number of short story collections, including 'Get In Trouble,' 'Magic for Beginners'and 'White Cat, Black Dog.'

This week, Rhaina Cohen, author of 'The Other Significant Others,' andThe Stackshost Traci Thomas stop by to talk about the sports game happening this Sunday, whether aging Millennials are becoming culturally obsolete, and why algorithm recommendations might feel kind of … off.

Plus, we take a listen to audio Valentines fromNerdettelisteners to their friends! You are refurbishing Coach bags and finding tampons on sunrise hikes and making cups of tea and vetting leftovers for each other, and it’s beautiful!!!!!!

Our February selection is Come and Get It by Kiley Reid! Reid’s debut novel, ‘Such a Fun Age,’ was a salacious, fizzy novel about the messy power dynamics of work and life, and her second book is no different. Set on the campus of the University of Arkansas, the multi-perspective book revolves around Millie, a fifth-year senior saving up to buy a house in town. As an RA on campus, she oversees students in their shared living spaces, and she becomes particularly entangled with the three students living in the rooms right next to her. Speaking of entanglements, there’s also Agatha, a visiting professor who’s come to campus to write a book about students and money. That’s all we’ll say for now because this is a spoiler-free interview!

Read along with us! The book club will be back on the last Tuesday of the month with a spoilery discussion of the book and two fun guest readers. You can get in on the conversation by recording your thoughts on the book in a voice memo and sending the file to NerdettePodcast@gmail.com by Friday, March 23. Happy reading!

This week, we are beating the winter blahs and leaning into coziness. First, we talk to City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran and WBEZ’s Araceli Gómez-Aldana about ads upending streaming services, a $3,000 train trip and cozy rituals.

Then, Bon Appétit food editor Shilpa Uskokovic shares some of her favorite cold weather recipes. Here they are…

Nerdette Book Club is off to an excellent start with our first selection of 2024, ‘Jonathan Abernathy You are Kind’ by Molly McGhee! It’s a deeply strange novel that dabbles in dreamscapes while also being a very real critique of capitalism.

Our readers this month are Maya Lau, the host of the personal finance podcast‘Other Peoples’ Pockets’and Nick Quah,podcast criticfor ‘Vulture.’

We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you’re not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author Molly McGhee in the feed first.

And in case you want to read ahead, we have the next three months of books chosen! Here they are:

February:Come and Get Itby Kiley Reid

March:Martyr!by Kaveh Akbar

April:Beautylandby Marie-Helene Bertino

It’s never too early to send us a voice memo with your thoughts on these books! Reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com

This week, co-hosts of theJust Between Uspodcast, Gabe Dunn and Allison Raskin, stop in to play Burden or Delight. This week’s topics:double dipping,the snow salt chococcino, andgummy vitamins!

Then, Greta andBook Riot’s Liberty Hardy rave about some of the buzziest titles coming out this year. For a full list of the books mentioned in the episode,head to our website!

This week, we are distracting ourselves from the freezing cold weather with a game of Burden or Delight. Our panelists are Adora Namigadde, WBEZ metro reporter and host of the morning episodes of the WBEZ podcastThe Rundown,and Erin Allen, host ofThe Rundownin the afternoons. We discuss theend of certain comedic road signsand the ethics of a husband’shidden trust fund.

Then, we head to a basement bar in Chicago for aSilent Book Club! One Sunday a month, the lesbian barDorothyfills up with book lovers reading alone together. We hear from attendees about what makes Silent Book Club nights so special.

We’re back with our first pop culture panel of 2024! In that spirit, we are talking all about New Year's resolutions and the myth of fresh starts. Our guests are the host of Vox’sThe WeedspodcastJonquilyn Hill and the host of New Hampshire Public Radio’sThe 13th SteppodcastLauren Chooljian. We also get into two recent trends: the rise of closed captioning and the extra trendy, extra large Stanley tumblers.

This week we're sharing an episode we think you'll enjoy. It's from the podcast Missing Pages and it is the first part of their two-part series on book banning. Host and acclaimed literary critic Bethanne Patrick exploresAmerica’s history of banning books.

Missing Pages is produced by The Podglomerate.Listen to more episodes of Missing Pages here:https://link.chtbl.com/M8oj-eXh?sid=NerdetteFeedDrop

NerdetteBook Club is kicking off a new year of reading with Molly McGhee’s debut novelJonathan Abernathy You Are Kind.Our protagonist, Jonathan Abernathy, is completely subsumed by debt. So, he takes a job editing the bad dreams of middle class workers. It’s a searing critique of late-stage capitalism that also manages to be funny and tender.

Read along with us! The book club will be back on the last Tuesday of the month with a spoilery discussion of the book and two fun guest readers. You can get in on the conversation by recording your thoughts on the book in a voice memo and sending the file toNerdettePodcast@gmail.comby Friday, January 26. Happy reading!

Despite two historic writers’ and actors’ strikes, there was a lot of TV to watch this year. We turned to two TV critics to weigh in on their favorites: The New Yorker’s Inkoo Kang and Vulture’s Kathryn VanArendonk

For links, pics and more details, head toour website!

To find the best podcasts of the year, we talked to two veritable experts in the form: Leah-Simone Bowen, host of ‘Podcast Playlist’ from the CBC, and Nick Quah, podcast critic for Vulture. In order to make it on their lists this year, both Leah and Nick said shows had to really push the envelope in format or reporting.

From heavy investigations to a show that Nick calls “cotton candy sprinkled with more cotton candy,” here are the best podcasts of 2023. For links, pics and more info, check outour website!

We are reflecting on a year of reading by tallying up the books that we just can’t stop thinking about. Two professional readers – Miwa Messer, host of Barnes & Noble’s book podcastPoured Over, and Andrew Limbong, host of NPR’sBook of the Daypodcast – join us to share their best of the year lists.

Here are the books mentioned in the episode. For pictures, links and more details, head toour website!

Andrew’s picks:

‘Landscapes’ by Christine Lai

‘Poverty by America’ by Matthew Desmond

‘Roaming’ by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

‘Ringmaster’ by Abraham Josephine Riesman

Miwa’s picks:

‘Loot’ by Tania James

‘Ordinary Notes’ by Christina Sharpe

‘Open Throat’ by Henry Hoke

‘Chain Gang All-Stars’ by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Greta’s picks:

‘The Vaster Wilds’ by Lauren Groff

‘The Country of the Blind’ by Andrew Leland

‘The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi’ by Shannon Chakraborty

‘Same Bed Different Dreams’ by Ed Park

Listener picks:

‘The Fragile Threads of Power’ by V.E. Schwab

‘Shrines of Gaiety’ by Kate Atkinson

‘Land of Milk and Honey’ by C Pam Zhang

‘In the Lives of Puppets’ by TJ Klune

‘Monsters’ by Claire Dederer

‘Black River Orchard’ by Chuck Wendig

It’s that time of year where we sit back, relax and reflect on some of the best stuff that came out this year!

First up, we askedAlex Beggs— freelance food writer, former staffer at ‘Bon Appetit’and all-around friend of the show — to tell us about her favorite cookbooks of 2023.

Here’s Alex’s list. You can find pictures, links and more detailsat our website!

- ‘More is More’by Molly Baz

- ‘Make It Japanese’by Rie McClenny

- ‘More Than Cake’by Natasha Picowicz

- ‘Sweet enough’by Alison Roman

- ‘Snacking Bakes’by Yossy Arefi

- ‘Pulp’by Abra Berens

- ‘Tenderheart’by Hetty Lui McKinnon

This week, we're sharing a podcast from our public radio friends KUOW in Seattle. It's called"Text Me Back"and it's allabout friendship and making your favorite people laugh, even when this dumpster fire of a world gets you down.

Bestselling writer Lindy West and democracy policy expert Meagan Hatcher-Mays are two award-winning best friends from high school. Each week, Lindy and Meagan will hilariously digest what’s going on in the news, their lives and their text threads with their singular combination of political smarts, embarrassing sincerity, and a truly concerning level of investment in pop culture.

This week, we are asking the important questions about 2024. Like, what plant will we fall in love with? And what body part will be in style? Those are some of the ponderings included ina recent storyon next year’s trends inT: The New York Times Style Magazine. We put the co-hosts of ‘Fanti,’ Tre’vell Anderson and Jarrett Hill, to the test. They are also the co-authors of ‘Historically Black Phrases.’Tre’vell’s recent book is titled ‘We See Each Other.’

Then, Omkari Williams tells us about her new book ‘Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World Without a Bullhorn.’ In it, she argues that everyone can be an activist and that working on a small scale can create lasting change.

Nerdette Book Club is back to discuss our November selection, ‘Land of Milk and Honey’by C Pam Zhang! It’s a novel about survival, privilege, and seeking pleasure at the end of the world.

Our readers this month are Aliza Abarbanel, co-founder and co-editor of ‘Cake Zine,’ an independent print publication exploring society through sweets, and co-host of the podcast ‘This is TASTE,’ and Miriam Kramer, news editor at WPLN in Nashville.

We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you’re not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author C Pam Zhang in the feed first.

P.S. We have an exciting announcement in the credits! Listen if you want to get started on your 2024 reading list!

***

Recommendations:

‘The Menu’

‘Triangle of Sadness’

‘The World Without Us’ by Alan Weisman

‘How Much of These Hills Is Gold’by C Pam Zhang

‘Gold Fame Citrus’ by Claire Vaye Watkins

‘Breasts and Eggs’ by Mieko Kawakami

Academy Award winning writer, actor, and director Emerald Fennell tells us about her intoxicating new movie ‘Saltburn,’which is out this week. It’s a British country house thriller about obsession, excess, and desire.

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, so it’s time to get cooking! First, we ask chef Tanya Holland to share some fun, fresh ideas for the big meal. Tanya is the author of three cookbooks, including most recently the gorgeous ‘California Soul.’ You can find the recipes for her stuffed sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts salad atour website!

Since one of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the leftovers, we also talk to Tamar Adler about her cookbook ‘The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A to Z.’

This week, Vocalo hostNudia Hernandezand host of WBEZ’s ‘The Rundown’Erin Allen join us to unwind from the week that was. We chat about Barbra Streisand’s extremely long memoir,The Simpsons’attempts to keep up with the times, and how to cope with shorter days.

Then, we talk to two of the showrunners on the Apple TV+ show ‘For All Mankind,’Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi.The series supposes what might have happened if the Soviet Union had won the race to the moon. As a result, we end up making scientific advancements way faster than we did in our timeline — like going to Mars by the 90s. We talk to the two creators about the season 4 premier.

It is the month of November and our Book Club selection is C Pam Zhang’sLand of Milk and Honey.It takes place in an alarmingly conceivable future where the world is on the brink of ecological collapse. A smog is enveloping the earth, making it difficult for crops to grow. Our narrator is a chef who is straddled with inherited debt and locked out of the United States. She takes a mysterious job cooking for an elite research community in the Italian Alps that is able to grow the food she loves in labs.

In this spoiler-free conversation with C Pam Zhang, we get into the influence of the pandemic on her writing, her loss of religion, and strawberries. Grab a copy and read along with us! We’ll be back with an in-depth, spoilery conversation on the last Tuesday of the month. You can join the conversation by recording a voice memo on your phone and sending it tonerdettepodcast@gmail.com. Happy reading!

This week, we chat about long movie intermissions, the business of Taylor Swift, and the delight of keeping oddball rituals. Our panelists are Lauren Chooljian, senior reporter, producer and host of the NHPR podcastThe 13th Step, and Anisa Khalifa, producer and host of the WUNC podcastThe Broadsideand the indie podcastsDramas Over FlowersandMuslim in Plain Sight.

Then, we talk to one of our favorite chefs, Sohla El-Waylly, about her debut cookbookStart Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook.It’s what she calls, “culinary school–without the student loans.”

Nerdette Book Club is back to discuss our October selection, Lauren Groff’s ‘The Vaster Wilds.’It’s about a girl in early American colonial history who runs away from the Jamestown settlement during a period of starvation. She then struggles to survive in the woods during freezing cold days and nights, armed with only a pewter cup and leather gloves.

We asked long-distance dogsledderBlair Braverman, the author of the novel ‘Small Game,’ andMJ Franklin, an editor for the New York Times Book Review, to dig into the book with us. This conversation does include spoilers. So, if you have yet to crack open a copy, you can listen to our spoiler-free interview with Lauren Groff in the feed.

We are leaning into Halloween this week! Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post columnist and author ofExtremely Online,and Margaret Willison, culture writer and faculty at Not Sorry Productions, dared to join us to discuss the very tall, very viral Halloween decorations named Skelly and Lewis, along with more Halloween nonsense.

Then, comedian Sam Reece tells us about her new bookS****y Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things.

You can find photos of Lewis and Liza Lou’s kitchen atour website.

This week, we talk about Netflix’sreinvention of the video store, the right way toboard a plane, and the art of advice-giving withChicago Sun Times’ new advice columnistIsmael Perezand Brandon Pope, who hosts WBEZ’sMakingpodcast andOn the Blockfrom Block Club Chicago and WCIU.

Then, author V.E. Schwab talks about the latest installment in her “Shades of Magic” fantasy series,The Fragile Threads of Power.This will be her fourth time onNerdette,because her books are just that good. You may know her from her bestselling novelThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRueor one of her other 23 published books.

On this cursed October day, we’re talking about Croc’s new cowboy boots and other outrageous stories from the week. Our panelists are Patrick Hinds, co-host of theTrue Crime Obsessedpodcast and author of the new bookFailure Is Not Not An Option, and Kristen Meinzer, the co-host of theDaily Failpodcast.

Then, author Chuck Wendig tells us about his apple-filled horror novelBlack River Orchard.Chuck is also the author ofWanderers, The Book of Accidents,and more.

This week, we discuss Barbies, bedbugs, and centenarian skydivers with comedian and host of the podcasts 'In The Cards'and 'Dead Eyes'Connor Ratliff and Bridget Todd, host of 'City Cast DC' and 'There are No Girls on the Internet.'

Then, comedian Aparna Nancherla opens up about her struggles with imposter syndrome in her new essay collection 'Unreliable Narrator.'

It is the month of October andNerdetteBook Club’s selection is ‘The Vaster Wilds’ by three-time National Book Award finalist Lauren Groff. This historical novel is about a servant girl who is on the run from her corrupt, smallpox-riddled colonial settlement. She struggles to survive in the unforgiving wilderness. In this spoiler-free interview with the author, we talk about changing the narrative of the American frontier by putting a young girl at its center.

We invite you to read along and participate in the book club! We’ll be back with another episode on the last Tuesday of the month to debrief on what we read. You can contribute your thoughts to the discussion by recording a voice memo. Send your files toNerdettePodcast@gmail.comand you will get the chance to hear your voice in the episode!

This week, R. Eric Thomas, TV writer and author ofCongratulations, The Best Is Over!, andAlex Abad-Santos, senior correspondent forVox,joined us to reflect on the end of the writers’ strike and the 20th anniversary of the pumpkin spice latte.

Then, we revel in the best new books coming out this fall! We called up some of our favorite readers and writers to find out what they’re most excited to read.

Here are the titles in order of when they were mentioned in the episode. For links and full descriptions, head toour website!

‘The Woman in Me’ by Britney Spears

‘Same Bed Different Dreams’ by Ed Park

‘How to Be Multiple: The Philosophy of Twins’ by Helena de Bres

‘Iron Flame’ by Rebecca Yarros

‘Rouge’ by Mona Awad

‘Organ Meats’ by K-Ming Chang

‘A Haunting on the Hill’ by Elizabeth Hand

‘Edith Holler’ By Edward Carey

‘The Reformatory’ by By Tananarive Due

‘The Vaster Wilds’ by Lauren Groff (Nerdette Book Club pick!)

‘Land of Milk and Honey’ by C Pam Zhang (Nerdette Book Club pick!)

‘Roaming’ by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki

‘Vampires of El Norte’ by Isabel Cañas

‘The Iliad’ translated by Emily Wilson

‘The Vulnerables’ by Sigrid Nunez

‘Family Lore’ by Elizabeth Acevedo

‘North Woods’ by Daniel Mason

‘The Unsettled’ by Ayana Mathis

Nerdette Book Club is back to dig into our September pick, Angie Kim’s novel 'Happiness Falls.' During the lockdown era of COVID, college student Mia is stuck at home with her parents and two brothers. Her father, Adam, stays at home to take care of the youngest son Eugene, who has autism and does not speak. One day, Adam and Eugene leave to go on a walk, but only Eugene comes back. The more the family looks for Adam, the more secrets they uncover. It’s a mystery that also grapples with ableism, personal fulfillment, and how much you can really know the people closest to you.

We’re joined by two of our favorite readers,Ted Talks Dailyhost Elise Hu and Northwestern University’s audio journalism directorArionne Nettles. If you have not read the book yet and do not want to hear spoilers, go back and listen to our conversation with Angie Kim in the feed!

This week, comedian and ‘Glamorous Trash’host Chelsea Devantez and podcast producerKristina Lopezstop by to chat about the Senate's extremely chill new dress code, the slow death of paper checks, and the Roman Empire.

Plus, the Nerdette Book Club pick ‘Loot’ by Tania James is one of the top 10 contenders for this year’s National Book Award for fiction! ‘Loot’is historical fiction at its finest. In this spoiler-free interview with the author, we talk about writing a delightful, propulsive plot that also deals with the legacy of colonialism.

In today’s episode, we play our favorite game, Burden or Delight, with Meha Ahmad, senior producer at WBEZ’s 'Reset,'and Niala Boodhoo, host of 'Axios Today!' They decide whether a new Apple charger, a flood of wine, and extended birthday celebrations are delightful or burdensome.

Then, we talk all about periods. Up until now, no one has ever published a study on menstrual products that used actual blood to test them.Dr. Bethany Samuelson Bannow, a clinician and hematologist at Oregon Health and Science University, helped change that. We talked to her about the results ofher team’s studyon the absorbency of period products.

This week,City Cast Chicagohost Jacoby Cochran and WBEZ metro reporterAdora Namigaddestop in to talk about Burning Man, a truly horrific accident on a plane, and whether there’s hope for salvaging New Year’s resolutions 9 months into the year.

Plus, when should we start masking in public again? How long should we isolate for if we get COVID? What’s the deal with a new booster? Is it safe to get married this fall?!? University of Chicago infectious disease specialistEmily Landonanswers your questions about COVID.

Our selection this month is Angie Kim’s sophomore novel, 'Happiness Falls.' It’s narrated by Mia, a whip smart college student who moves back under her parents’ roof during the early days of COVID. This isn’t a pandemic novel, though, as much as lockdown is used as a device to bring everyone together and move the plot forward.

One day, Mia’s younger brother Eugene, a teenager with autism who doesn’t speak, shows up at home after a walk without his dad, Adam. No one knows where Adam went, and no one can believe he’d desert his family. As the family investigates, they learn Adam was keeping a number of secrets, some of which have astounding repercussions for everyone.

We talk to the author about writing a propulsive plot that also deals with big ideas, like disability, ableism, and the immigrant experience. Read along with us and send a voice memo with your thoughts toNerdettePodcast@gmail.com! We’ll be back the last Tuesday of the month for a spoiler-filled conversation with two guest readers.

We’re starting off the weekend with two excellent panelists: Anne Helen Petersen, 'Work Appropriate'podcast host and writer of the newsletter “Culture Study,” andNick Quah, Vulture’s podcast critic. We discuss the late night hosts turneddaytime podcasters, the gender reveal ofcocktail glasses, andMeg Ryan’sreturn to the romcom.

Then, we talk about a brewingreckoning in reality television.Real Housewives of New Yorkalum Bethenny Frankel called out Bravo this month for exploitation of its reality show cast members and a lawsuit may be in the works. Lawyer and pop culture writer Claudia Rosenbaum fills us in.

Our selection this month is Andrew Leland’s memoir ‘The Country of the Blind.’ It’s about Andrew’s constantly shifting world as his vision deteriorates, and it explores the mythology that blindness is a binary. It’s also about how seeing-culture perceives blindness, and the history of blindness in the US.

The wide-ranging discussion includes M. Leona Godin, a self-described “blind punk” who wrote the 2021 book ‘There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness,’ and Chloe Cooper Jones, the author of the memoir ‘Easy Beauty,’ which came out last year.

Today’s episode starts with our friends Araceli Gomez-Aldana of WBEZ and Traci Thomas, host ofThe Stackspodcast. We chat about finding back-to-school vibes in scorching hot weather, why Zoomers arecollecting CDs, and the biggest search for theLoch Ness Monsterin over 50 years.

Then, Houston Chronicle criticJoey Guerracatches us up on some of the biggest stories in the music world, from the allegations against Lizzo to ticket prices.

Plus, we dance it out to the songs of the summer! WXPN’sKristen Kurtisshares some tracks with us that you may not have heard before. We also hear YOUR songs of the summer! Find all of the music mentioned in today’s episode and more in ourSpotify playlist.

This week’s guest is one of Greta’s favorite authors! Ann Patchett is out with her ninth novel, ‘Tom Lake.’ It’s about a family that’s brought together to their northern Michigan cherry orchard during the quarantine days of the pandemic. As the parents and three daughters spend their days picking cherries, the mother tells a story. At first glance, it’s about the play ‘Our Town,’ and acting, and making it in Hollywood. But on the other hand, it’s about magical summers and passion and art and finding beauty in unexpected places.

Greta talks to Ann about how she convinced Meryl Streep to narrate the audiobook, never fully knowing one’s parents, and the titles she’s most excited about this year.

What’s your song of the summer? Tell us in a voice memo for next week’s episode! You can reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com

This week, Dylan Marron, host of the podcastThe Redemption of Jar Jar Binks,and Jo Firestone, comedian and host of the podcastDr. Gameshow,stop by to play one of our favorite games, “Burden or delight.” They evaluate the number of spiders we eat in our sleep and the best time of day to eat dinner.

Then, we check in on what the heck is going on in Hollywood. The writers’ strike hit the 100 day mark this week with no end in sight. Given the huge disruptions in the industry,Variety’sTV business reporter Jennifer Maas says thatpeak TV has peaked. Streaming platforms must cut down on their original series. She tells us why.

This week,Daily Failhosts Maura Currie and Kristen Meinzer join us to unwind from a particularly steamy week! We swap tricks for staying cool, talk about the joy ofeating in front of the TV, and debunk sexist myths abouthunter gatherers.

Plus, in another installment of our ongoing Nerdy Jobs series, we meetJennifer Mundt. She is a sleep psychologist at Northwestern Medicine, where she directs the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Lab and Training Program. She takes us on a trip to the lab and explains why we should accept night owls for who they are.

Nerdette Book Club’s August selection is Andrew Leland’s memoirThe Country of the Blind. Andrew is gradually losing his sight due to a rare degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which he was diagnosed with as a teen.

In this vulnerable, funny conversation, host Greta Johnsen shares her own experience with a degenerative eye disease. The two dig into how blind people have advocated for themselves throughout American history, the intersectionality of blindness, and the importance of getting lost.

We’ll be back with two guest readers on the last Tuesday of the month for an in-depth discussion of the book. You’re invited to read along with us and join the conversation! Record a voice memo on your smartphone and email the file toNerdettePodcast@gmail.comto contribute to the discussion. We can’t wait to hear what you think!

This week, our panelists are the host of the NHPR podcast ‘The 13th Step,’ Lauren Chooljian, and Jonquilyn Hill, who hosts the Vox podcast ‘The Weeds.’ We talk about whether we indulged in Barbenheimer, then recommend some stuff to read, do, and listen to this summer. You can find a list of their recommendationshere, at our website.

Then, Aomawa Shields tells us about her circuitous trajectory from acting to astrophysics! Her new book is called ‘Life on Other Planets.’

Nerdette Book Club is back to discuss our July selection, Tania James’ bookLoot. It’s historical fiction, but the story centers around a real artifact: a life-sized, wooden automaton of a tiger devouring an English soldier known as Tipu’s Tiger. It was built in the late 1700s in Mysore, India, and it resides in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

Our protagonist is Abbas, a young and talented woodworker who’s summoned to the Sultan’s palace to help build that tiger. But the perspective shifts to others who impact the artifact and its trajectory, from the French clockmaker who mentored Abbas to the wealthy English widow who takes the tiger into her antiquities collection.

Our panelists are the authors of two former Nerdette Book Club selections: Rebecca Makkai, author of I Have Some Questions For You, and Sameer Pandya, who wrote Members Only. (This conversation includes spoilers! If you have not read the book yet, you can find our spoiler-free interview with Tania James in our feed.)

This week, we share some of the best things to watch and eat this summer! Our guests are Shilpa Uskokovic, food editor at Bon Appetit, and Shirley Li, staff writer at The Atlantic covering the entertainment industry.

What to watch:

‘How to With John Wilson’ season 3 (July 28)

‘Problemista’ (August 4)

‘Bottoms’ (August 25)

What to eat:

Grilled Corn Tiger Salad

Lemony Zucchini with Sour Cream and Dill

Free Form Kebabs

It’s summer blockbuster season! Northwestern University’sArionne Nettlesand Chalkbeat Chicago’sBecky Veveastop by to get excited about the opening week of both ‘Barbie’and ‘Oppenheimer.’ We also chat about this year’s Emmy nominations and what in the world “girl dinner” is.

Then, Simon Pegg reflects on an extremely nerdy career, his role in the latest‘Mission Impossible’movie, and whether he’s jealous of Tom Cruise’s absolutely deranged stunt skills.

Plus, we have a book club announcement! August’s Book Club pick is ‘The Country of the Blind’ by Andrew Leland. It’s a memoir about the author’s transition from sightedness to blindness. You can send us a voice memo about it or July’s book ‘Loot’ atNerdettePodcast@gmail.com.

This week, we are bringing you a special episode from our friendsWhen Magic Happensfrom WBEZ! The podcast features intergenerational conversations between Black women. And this episode is for the nerds! Hosts Taylor Coward, Cheryle Jackson and Jennifer “Shea Love” Long get into why some nerdy hobbies challenge traditional notions of Blackness. They embrace the idea that the Nerdette team really values – that you can be a nerd about anything, as long as you’re unapologetically enthusiastic about it. Plus, they talk to author, entrepreneur and anime-lover,Jacque Aye.

This week, the hosts of the podcastJust Between Us, Gabe Dunn and Alison Raskin, stop in to talk about the concert-goers who keep throwing objects on stage, why everyone is in Europe right now, and the people who got stuck upside down on a roller coaster.

Then,The New York Times’ Alexandra Alter unpacks her story about howreview-bombing on Goodreadsis impacting the publishing industry. She also shares a few book recommendations of her own.

Plus, we announce our 10th anniversary cake decorating contest winner!!!

July’s Nerdette Book Club pick is the historical novel 'Loot'by Tania James!

The story opens in Mysore, India when a young wood carver named Abbas is summoned to the Sultan’s palace to help make a mechanical tiger. The novel spans continents and decades, but that tiger is at the center of the story. It’s based on the real artifact ‘Tippoo’s Tiger’ in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London that depicts a tiger mauling a British soldier.

In this spoiler-free interview with the author, we talk about writing a delightful, propulsive plot that also deals with the legacy of colonialism.

Throw a copy of 'Loot'in your beach bag and read along with us! We’ll be back the last Tuesday of the month for a spoiler-filled discussion of the book. You can take part in the conversation by sending a voice memo with your thoughts on the book tonerdettepodcast@gmail.com.

ICYMIpodcast hosts Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim,stop by to play our new game, Burden or Delight? We consider the Army’s newtactical bras,location sharing, and Fall Out Boy’supdated versionof Billy Joel’s classic “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

Then, we dive into the Guinness Book of Records. Journalist and authorImogen West-Knightstells about how the company known for the world’s most odd and outrageous titleholders has lasted for over half a century.

Plus, Amy Brady unpacks the surprising history of ice. In her new bookIce:From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks–A Cool History of a Hot Commodity, she argues that the ice industry transformed the United States in ways that might surprise you.

Nerdette Book Club is back to discuss our June pick ‘The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi’ by Shannon Chakraborty. The book weaves together fantasy and history in a propulsive plot set on the high seas of the Indian Ocean in the 12th century.

Our protagonist is Amina al-Sirafi, a retired pirate who is called back to the high seas for one last job. She rallies her old crew and embarks on the treasure hunt of a lifetime, encountering all kinds of creatures and devious characters along the way.

Our panelists are Meha Ahmad, senior producer for WBEZ’s daily talk showReset, and Christina Orlando, writer and books editor atTor.com. This conversation includes spoilers! If you have not read the book yet, you can find our spoiler-free interview with Shannon Chakraborty in our feed.

Aisha Harris, co-host of the NPR show ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour,’ joins us to chat about her new book ‘Wannabe:Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me.’ The book is a testament to the fact that, whether we want to or not, we inevitably learn a lot about the world from TV shows and movies and music videos. In essays on everything from the Spice Girls to film critic Roger Ebert to ‘King Richard,’ Aisha explores her own relationship to pop culture over the past three decades, both as a consumer and a critic.

Then, we dive into the world of cartoons as part of our ongoing Nerdy Jobs series. In this installment, we follow Tyler Washington’s path from her childhood love of shows like 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' to her job as a storyboard artist and revisionist.

In our new game “Burden or delight?,” we ask our panelists to determine if stories from the week’s news are in fact burdensome or delightful. To give it a try, we invited WEBZ metro reporterAdora Namigaddeand 'The Rundown'podcast host Erin Allen to play along with us. We consider a surprise discovery of one million pennies, a new single from The Beatles, and waking up at your own funeral.

Then, we talk to author Jessi Kneeland about their new book 'Body Neutral: A Revolutionary Guide To Overcoming Body Image Issues.'

Way back in the year 2013, “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore was at the top of the charts, President Obama began his second term, and Disney released the blockbusterFrozen.But perhaps most importantly, the podcastNerdettewas born.

In this anniversary episode, co-host emeritus Tricia Bobeda rejoined Greta behind the mic to reflect on ten whole years of the show. They also welcomed back Peter Sagal, host of NPR’sWait Wait Don’t Tell Me,who co-hostedNerdette Recapswith the pair. We also get the chance to hear from two ten-year-olds who discuss what it really means to be ten years old.

As part of the celebration, we are inviting listeners to our long-distance birthday party with a cake decorating contest! The winner will receive a $250 gift card toBookshop.org. Plus, since we believe in participation awards, all entrants will receive a Nerdette bookmark! ClickHEREfor more information.

To mark the occasion, we’re also unveiling a new logo designed by WBEZ’s Laura Vergara!

Here’s to ten more years!!!!

June’s Nerdette Book Club pick isThe Adventures of Amina al-Sirafiby Shannon Chakraborty! It is the first of a new trilogy about pirates, magic, and mystical artifacts. While the book is technically fantasy, it is also deeply grounded in the history of the Crusades.

Author Shannon Chakraborty joined us for this spoiler-free conversation about mixing fantasy and history, middle-aged protagonists, and her pandemic writing process.

We will be back for a panel discussion on the last Tuesday of June! Read along with us, then send us a voice memo with your thoughts. You can send the file to NerdettePodcast@gmail.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!

This week, scholar, author, and organizerEve Ewingjoins forces withX-Ray Visionpodcast co-host Jason Concepcion to talk about Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown and the importance of soft pants.

Then, podcast host and TV writer Jamie Loftus stops by to tell us about her new bookRaw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs. It’s a travelogue with a slice of American history, a squirt of capitalist critique, and a dollop of relish on top!

This month’s book club selection is Idra Novey’sTake What You Need, a novel that centers around Jean, an older woman who welds giant sculptures in her rural Pennsylvania living room, and Leah, her estranged ex-stepdaughter.

We’re joined by two novelists who wrote books that came out in 2022: Cleyvis Natera, the author ofNeruda on the Park, andFellowship Pointauthor Alice Elliott Dark for a reflection on the imperfections of love, the importance of art, and the narrative structure of the novel.

A warning: there are spoilers in this episode! If you have not read the book yet, you can go back and listen toour spoiler-free interview with Idra Noveyfirst!

Nerdette had the great privilege of hosting a live WBEZ event with Samantha Irby to celebrate the release of her newest bookQuietly Hostile.Like her other books, it’s a collection of essays that span a huge variety of topics. She writes about lesbian nun porn fantasies, living with teenage stepkids, why her wife has SO many condiments in their fridge, and chronic illness. (If you’ve read Sam’s work before, you won’t be surprised to hear it includes a lot of diarrhea.)

In addition to her essays, Sam also writes for TV. She wrote forAnd Just Like That…, the newSex and the Cityreboot, along with the cartoonTuca & Bertieand the Hulu adaptation of Lindy West’s bookShrill.

We chatted about her relationship to fans who know intimate details about her life, why she hates New York, and her favorite toilet paper.

This week, Greta is joined by host ofCity Cast ChicagoJacoby Cochran and WBEZ reporter Araceli Gómez-Aldana. We get into the newly announced sequel toFreaky Fridayand whether Martha Stewart’sSports Illustratedswimsuit coveris really breaking down barriers.

Then, NPR host-at-large Elise Hu tells us about her new bookFlawless:Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. It’s about how South Korea is a leading influencer of beauty standards and trends worldwide, from multi-step skincare routines to lipstick colors to plastic surgery. Her book is heavily-reported, but it also offers up her own reflections on the intense pressure around women’s appearances and how Elise wants her own daughters to think about beauty.

Tracie Hunte, correspondent and producer for WNYC studios, and Arionne Nettles, journalism lecturer at Northwestern University, join us to wade through some of the week’s most amusing stories, from the coronation to a study on how to properly call a cat.

Then, Tre’vell Anderson tells us about their beautiful new book We See Each Other: A Black Trans Journey Through TV and Film. It’s a look at the history of trans representation on screen, as well as an exploration of Tre’vell’s own journey of self discovery as a Black, trans entertainment journalist.

Get ready to add a LOT of new titles to your TBR list this summer! Three of the best readers around came on to talk about the book they’re extra excited about: Liberty Hardy, senior contributing editor and podcast host at Book Riot, Lupita Aquino, who is on Instagram and Substack as Lupita Reads, and Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast.

Head to our website for more info on thebooksmentioned in today's episode:https://trib.al/QhoRdF0

Here are the titles in order of appearance: