Desi Books

Desi Books

News and views about desi books from the world over (host: Jenny Bhatt.) In addition to a roundup of new and notable books, we have writers on to read from or discuss their own books and their desi favorites, chat about craft and the lit biz, and more. Web: https://desibooks.co/ Twitter: @desibooks Instagram: @desi.books Facebook: @desibooksfb Email: desibooks@desibooks.co Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Episodes

January 27, 2023 21 mins

In today’s episode, we have Rhiya Pau in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her poetry collection, Routes. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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In today’s episode, we have Raena Shirali in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her poetry collection, summonings. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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January 6, 2023 14 mins

In today’s episode, we have Dipika Mukherjee in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her poetry collection, Dialect of Distant Harbors. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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December 7, 2022 18 mins

In today’s episode, we have Gaia Rajan in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her poetry collection, Killing It. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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November 18, 2022 21 mins

In today’s episode, we have Sorayya Khan in #FiveDesiFaves. She has a new memoir: We Take Our Cities With Us. Here, she discusses the five desi books to which she owes a substantial debt. Covering multiple genres and generations, these books are by Sara Suleri, Bapsi Sidhwa, Agha Shahid Ali, Urvashi Butalia, and Intizar Husain. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https...

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September 9, 2022 54 mins

In today's #DesiCraftChat, we have N. Kalyan Raman discussing his latest Tamil-to-English translation of Vaasanthi's novel, Breaking Free. We also discuss how he chooses the works to translate, what drew him to translate this novel, how a translator brings all their learning and experiences to their translation work, how he sees literary criticism and translation work as connected, and a lot more. Thank you for listening.

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August 19, 2022 41 mins

In today's #DesiCraftChat, we have Nandita Dinesh discussing her novel, This Place, That Place, and how the hybrid, nonlinear novel form helped her write about the effects of war, how her theater and performance background informed this book, why she wanted to explore nuanced and ethical ways to engage with contexts we may not understand, and much more. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @...

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August 12, 2022 16 mins

In today’s episode, we have Namrata Patel in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her debut novel, The Candid Life of Meena Dave. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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July 8, 2022 57 mins

In today's #DesiCraftChat, we have Devi S. Laskar discussing her novel, Circa, and writing in the second person, how fiction can show a possible path out of grief, embracing how journalism informs her fiction and poetry, using the pendulum method to finish a book, what's changed (or not) for older women writers of color, and much more.. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

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July 1, 2022 48 mins

In today's #DesiCraftChat, we have Vauhini Vara discussing her debut novel, The Immortal King Rao, how she braided multiple storylines together, why she ended with a question about human ambition, how her MFA helped her bring this first book into the world—and much more. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-book...

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June 23, 2022 23 mins

In today’s episode, we have Vaishnavi Patel in #FiveDesiFaves. She has a debut book out this year: Kaikeyi: A Novel. Here, she discusses the five desi books that speak to who she is as a reader and writer. Spanning genres and age groups, these are by Roshani Chokshi, Madhusree Mukerjee, Tasha Suri, Amia Srinivasan, and Tanvi Berwah. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: ...

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June 8, 2022 17 mins

In today’s episode, we have Manini Nayar in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her debut story collection, Being Here. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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In this #DesiBooksDiscourse episode, we have the writers Sonya Singh, Sonya Lalli, and Mansi Shah discussing why South Asian women-centered fiction is important and necessary. They talk about their writing journeys—from refusing to give up while finding an agent and a publisher, to finding support amongst other authors (South Asian or not), to the pros and cons of building a social media presence. Thank you to all of them. This pod...

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In this #DesiBooksDiscourse episode, we have Madhushree Ghosh, Anjali Enjeti, and Aruni Kashyap discussing 'Food/Food Writing as a Social Justice and Resistance Tool', including how South Asian writers continue to highlight social justice and resistance methods through the act of writing about food. This podcast is available as video on Spotify, Anchor, and Youtube, and as audio everywhere else. You can also read more about all thr...

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In our second #DesiBooksDiscourse episode, we have the poets Kashiana Singh, Ralph Nazareth, and Indran Amirthanayagam discussing what it's like to be an editor and a poet and the various dichotomies and communions these two roles enable for them as creatives. This podcast is available as video on Spotify, Anchor, and Youtube and as audio everywhere else. You can also read more about all three poet-editors and a transcript excerpt ...

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In today’s episode, we have Shrayana Bhattacharya and Niyati Bhat in our new #DesiBooksDiscourse channel. We're discussing Shrayana's book, Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh, and what SRK fandom tells us about women in post-liberalized India. This podcast is available as video on Spotify, Anchor, and Youtube and as audio everywhere else. You can also read more about Shrayana, Niyati, the book, and a text excerpt of our conversation at ...

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In today’s episode, we have Buddhisagar and Michael Hutt in the #DesiReads segment. They're reading an excerpt from Buddhisagar's novel Karnali Blues in the original Nepali and then the English translation by Michael Hutt. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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March 25, 2022 13 mins

In today’s episode, we have Shafik Meghji in the #FiveDesiFaves segment. He has a new book out titled Crossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia. Here, he shares his five favorite desi books that have have influenced and inspired his work. Spanning travel, science writing, and fiction, these are by Pico Iyer, Sonia Shah, Monisha Rajesh, Tharik Hussain, and Arundhati Roy. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.bo...

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March 17, 2022 16 mins

In today’s episode, we have Neema Avashia in the #FiveDesiFaves segment. She has a new essay collection out titled Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. Here, she shares her five favorite desi books that have shaped her as a reader, a writer, and as a person. These are works of nonfiction by The Women of South Asian Descent Collective, Vijay Prashad, Mira Jacob, Sejal Shah, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. T...

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March 11, 2022 61 mins

In today’s episode, we have Tanaïs in the #DesiCraftChat segment. They discuss their new memoir titled In Sensorium. Thank you for listening.

Twitter: @DesiBooks

Instagram: @desi.books

Facebook: @desibooksfb

Website: https://desibooks.co

Newsletter: https://desibooks.co/desi-books-newsletter-2/

Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

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