Join hosts Angela Ledgerwood and Emily Gould as they discuss books, writers, life, love and all things literary. In conversation with each other and their favorite authors, they explore how what we read reflects how we live.
Re-release: Isaac Fitzgerald on Dirtbag, Massachussets.
Hi everyone!In celebration of the release of Isaac Fitzgerald's DIRTBAG, MASSACHUSETTS in paperback, we are re-releasing our episode with him from last year. We'll be back in two weeks with Bianca Bosker, author of CORK DORK, to talk about wine for the holidays.Enjoy!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
11/28/2023 • 54 minutes, 33 seconds
Re-release: Cody Keenan on Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America.
Angie's got a cold, and it's making her think about hot toddys. And the time she sipped some bourbon and talked with with Cody Keenan, President Obama's speech writer and author of Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America. Grace has just arrived in paperback, so it's a perfect time to revisit this conversation. We hope you enjoy it!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
11/14/2023 • 40 minutes, 26 seconds
Re-release: Esther Perel on rethinking infidelity (from 2018)
This week. we're re-releasing of our best and most popular conversations: Angie's 2018 conversation with Esther Perel.Psychotherapist Esther Perel joins Angie to talk about her latest book "The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity," the provocative follow up to her New York Times best-seller "Mating in Captivity." This conversation, like Esther's book, will no doubt push some buttons and leave you questioning--and perhaps rethinking--the boundaries of your romantic relationships!
10/31/2023 • 54 minutes, 29 seconds
Adriana Trigiani on how she's written over 20 books and why she reinvents herself every seven years.
Angie speaks with Adriana Trigiani, the author of 20 best-selling books of fiction and nonfiction, most recently the novel THE GOOD LEFT UNDONE. She is an award-winning filmmaker who has directed the greats such as Whoopi Goldberg and Ashley Judd and now she’s hosting a new podcast, You Are What You Read, with Book of the Month. Angie and Adriana talk about how her Appalachian and Italian heritage shaped her, why she reinvents herself every seven years, and how her time as a temp on Wall Street in the 80s has shaped how she organizes her days ever since.
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10/17/2023 • 37 minutes, 1 second
Shaina Feinberg and Julia Rothman on How We Got By.
This week Angie is joined by writer and filmmaker Shaina Feinberg and illustrator Julia Rothman to talk about their new book, How We Got By: 111 People Share Stories of Survival, Resilience & Hope through Hardship. The book was inspired by the success of their illustrated column for the business section of The New York Times called Scratch about people’s relationship with money, small businesses, and resilience. They talk about how writing a book can help you find a husband (!), how speaking with strangers has encouraged them to live more fully, and the quirks that define their friendship.
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10/3/2023 • 33 minutes, 50 seconds
Anya Von Bremzen on the national dishes of Japan, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and more.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with the James Beard award-winning food writer Anya von Bremzen about her book National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home. Angie and Anya also talk about what makes a memorable meal, the joy of Neapolitan pizza, and how the ongoing war in Ukraine has irrevocably changed her relationship with Borscht.
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9/19/2023 • 41 minutes, 28 seconds
Angie and Liam wrap up the summer by talking books, movies, and more!
This week, LIT UP producer and podcaster Liam Billingham comes back to chat with Angie about her vacation reading, things to watch, and a whole lot more! A chill end of summer episode for your ears. Enjoy!
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9/5/2023 • 53 minutes, 45 seconds
Prachi Gupta on 'They Called Us Exceptional.'
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with writer Prachi Gupta about her new book They Called Us Exceptional. Angie and Prachi also talk about her work as a reporter during the 2016 election, and her award-winning essay Stories About My Brother.
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8/22/2023 • 38 minutes, 48 seconds
Mattie Kahn on Young and Restless, the Girls Who Sparked America's Revolutions.
This week Angie is joined by award-winning journalist and writer Mattie Kahn. She's written one of the buzziest books of the season: Young and Restless, the Girls Who Sparked America's Revolutions.
This book highlights the gutsy girls and the women whose voices and courageous actions have helped shape American society for the better.
Maddie has made a career of championing women's voices. She was the culture director at Glamor where she specialized in women's issues. She's covered news and politics at l and her journalism has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, the New York Times Vanity Fair, and more.
Angie and Mattie talk about the book, those we choose to highlight through history (and those we don't), and also about the young women making names for themselves in politics today. They also talk about how much Mattie loves BRAVO.
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8/8/2023 • 42 minutes, 51 seconds
Angie and Helen Ellis chat in the Coral Lounge
This week on Lit Up, Angie welcomes back Helen Ellis to chat about her new collection of essays, Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions From A Happy Marriage..
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7/25/2023 • 48 minutes, 35 seconds
LIT UP presents: DIE HARD ON A BLANK!
This week on Lit Up, Angie is putting her feet up and taking a well deserved break. In her place this week is her producer and friend Liam Billingham, who is bringing us an episode of his film podcast, DIE HARD ON A BLANK. On DHOAB, Liam and his co-host, screenwriter Philip Gawthorne explore the influence of Die Hard on action movies, one action movie at time. Today they're tackling CLIFFHANGER (one of Angie's favorites) alongside NYTimes Opinion writer and podcaster Jamelle Bouie. Enjoy the spirited discussion and, if you like it, subscribe to Die Hard On A Blank.
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7/11/2023 • 1 hour, 29 minutes, 16 seconds
Gina Chung joins Angie to talk about 'Sea Change.'
This week, on a sweltering day in New York City, Gina Chung joined Angie to talk about her new book Sea Change. Angie and Gina talk about a lot: professional mourners, Sharktinis (2 parts gin, 1 part mountain dew, hint of jalapeño,) supernatural places, and shitty break ups.
Gina's book Sea Change is available in the US now. Get it wherever you get your books!
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6/27/2023 • 37 minutes, 22 seconds
Max Porter returns to talk about his new novel 'Shy,' how we talk to our children, and Japanese socks.
This week Angie talks to Max Porter about his new novel 'Shy,' the story of a few strange hours in the life of a teenage boy. Max and Angela talk about being young, grief, and loss, but they also make room for lighter topics, like Max's penchant for shower gels and Japanese socks (a bit hipster, he calls them).
We hope you enjoy this conversation with Max Porter!
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6/13/2023 • 52 minutes, 20 seconds
Hannah Goldfield on finding her way into food & restaurant criticism.
This week, we welcome New York City food critic and writer Hannah Goldfield to Lit Up!
Angela and Hannah discuss what makes a restaurant experience special, how Hannah captures New York City's shifting moods through the lens of food for The New Yorker, early influences that inspired Hannah to pursue a career in food criticism, quintessential food writers, and the pleasures of reading non-fiction on topics she doesn't devote her time to thinking and writing about.
Hannah's recommendations:
Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl
Counter Intelligence: Where to Eat in the Real Los Angeles by the late Jonathan Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times restaurant critic
Jeffrey Steingarten's food writing in Vogue
the late writer Laurie Colwin, author of Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen
Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media by Darrell Hartman
Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv
Genius Recipes Cookbook by Kristen Miglore via Food52
See you in two weeks!
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5/30/2023 • 41 minutes, 55 seconds
Samantha Irby on liking what you like without apology.
This week on Lit Up, Samantha Irby—TV writer ("And Just Like That..."), comedian, and best-selling author and essayist—graces us with her singular presence! Angie and Sam discuss what it’s like to write on a TV show that everyone actually watches (and has an opinion about), what to ask before you say ‘I do' (hint: how many jars of mustard are in your partner’s fridge?), her spot-on observations of modern life and the pleasures of unabashedly liking the things you like, and the culture that’s lighting Sam up at the moment.
Samantha’s latest essay collection, Quietly Hostile, is out today (via Vintage), May 16th. She’s also on book tour, and headed on a driving tour this fall with fellow writer Lindy West!
You can purchase your copy of Sam’s new collection via BookShop.
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5/16/2023 • 43 minutes, 43 seconds
Adrienne Westenfeld returns to share what she’s reading (and watching) this spring.
This week, we welcome back repeat Lit Up guest Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire's Books and Fiction Editor! Given Adrienne's role overseeing books coverage, writing about film, TV, & culture, and curating the Esquire Book Club, it's always a treat to get a glimpse into her ever-growing stack and to find out what recent reads and series have stayed with her. Along with sharing many recommendations, we also talk about our shifting relationship to book events, what makes for a good book-to-film/TV adaptation, and the beauty of merging poetry with travel.
Adrienne's recommendations:
-Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
-Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer
-Matrix by Lauren Groff
-Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
-Kindred, 2022 TV series adapted from the novel Kindred, by Hugo Award-winner Octavia E. Butler
-Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023, dir. Kelly Fremon Craig)
-Interview with the Vampire (1976) book by Anne Rice and 2022 series
-the poetry of Jack Gilbert (1925–2012)
Angela's recommendations:
-The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
-It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History by Jennifer Wright
-Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
-Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock by Jenny Odell
-Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022 mini-series), based on the novel of the same name by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
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5/2/2023 • 33 minutes, 22 seconds
Natasha Pickowicz on why she bakes for pleasure and community.
This week, Angie’s joined by pastry chef and writer Natasha Pickowicz for a conversation on why there’s so much more to cake than meets the eye. Her long-anticipated debut book of recipes, More Than Cake: 100 Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community, is out now from Artisan Publishers.
They discuss Natasha’s experiences crafting glorious pastries for places like Flora Bar at the Met Breuer museum and Café Altro Paradiso, the relationship between community organizing and baking, embracing imperfection in the kitchen, collaborating with her mom (a successful contemporary artist for decades!) on artwork for the book, and a preview of her upcoming book tour, featuring plenty of baked goods along the way. Natasha also shares a memorable lesson she learned while attempting to incorporate the natural flora of Wyoming into a mutual friend’s wedding cake…!
All the details on Natasha’s book and tour are available at her website, https://www.natasha-pickowicz.com/
Natasha Pickowicz recommends:
Kitchen Arts and Letters, 1435 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10128
Brooks Headley's Fancy Desserts
Ten Vineyard Lunches by Richard Olney
Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu
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4/18/2023 • 42 minutes, 50 seconds
Lindsey Tramuta shares the new ideas shaping Paris.
This week, we welcome French-English culture & travel journalist, bestselling author, and host of The New Paris podcast, Lindsey Tramuta.
Lindsey talks about what she’s observed over her 16 years in Paris, the illuminating ideas behind her books The New Parisienne (Abrams, pub. 2020) and The New Paris (Abrams, pub. 2017), her ongoing work to challenge Parisian stereotypes and archetypes, and the storied history behind the ‘American in Paris’ in literature. She also shares some of her favorite French books, including Muriel Barbery’s 2006 novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog.
Order your copies of Lindsey’s books via Bookshop or your favorite local indie bookshop.
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4/4/2023 • 37 minutes, 39 seconds
Catherine Lacey on crafting her multilayered fictional Biography of X, unknowability, and the mysterious forces that draw people together.
This week, Angela welcomes back Lit Up’s first-ever (!) guest, author Catherine Lacey, and delve into the making and imagining of her brilliantly textured new book, Biography of X: a multilayered portrait of an inscrutable art and literary star as reported by her widow.
Catherine shares the entry points into her chosen fictional biography form, reimagining American history through the writing process, centering queer people on the page without explanation, the mysterious forces that draw people into each other’s orbits, and the pleasure of reading in bed with coffee first thing in the morning.
Pick up your copy of Biography of X at Bookshop or your favorite local indie bookstore.
Plus, check out Catherine’s friend John Wray’s forthcoming book Gone to the Wolves.
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3/21/2023 • 37 minutes, 47 seconds
Michael Cecchi-Azzolina on collecting a lifetime’s worth of New York City restaurant tales
From La Rousse to Le Coucou, Michael Cecchi-Azzolina—Maitre d’ extraordinaire—has a birds eye view on some of New York City’s most historic, glamorous restaurants. After more than 35 years in the restaurant world, he’s sharing his behind the scenes tales in his delicious new memoir YOUR TABLE IS READY (Dec. 2022, pub: St. Martin's Press). This week, Michael tells Angie all about his early memories of the restaurant business, living through the AIDS epidemic, the singular magic of gathering around a dinner table, and his next exciting chapter: opening an NYC spot of his own. Plus, he shares his go-to comfort dish to cook at home.
YOUR TABLE IS READY is available via Bookshop.org
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3/7/2023 • 42 minutes, 36 seconds
Reid Mitenbuler on getting swept up in explorer Peter Freuchen’s larger-than-life stories.
This week on Lit Up, Angela chats with author Reid Mitenbuler, whose new book, Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, an Epic Journey, a Lost Age (Mariner at HarperCollins) charts the true story of adventurer Peter Freuchen and his larger-than-life escapades. They talk about the origins of Freuchen’s adventurous spirit, the unexpected quirks you uncover when delving into someone’s life story, the importance of historical context, and Mitenbuler’s go-to narrative nonfiction writers.
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2/21/2023 • 33 minutes
Revisiting our conversation with Elizabeth Day!
This week on the podcast, we're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from 2022, when we talked to Elizabeth Day about her book Magpie. Next month, Elizabeth is releasing a new book called Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, and seeing as she and Angie talked about friendship, we couldn't think of a better time to revisit this warm and fun conversation. Enjoy!
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2/7/2023 • 41 minutes, 49 seconds
Kate Baer on ‘And Yet’ speaking truth through poetry.
This week, Angela chats with Kate Baer, the Pennsylvania-based poet and New York Times-bestselling author of the collections WHAT KIND OF WOMAN, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL, & AND YET. They talk about Kate's path to sharing poems about motherhood, in all its complexity, with strangers on the internet; pushing back against misogynistic takes on her work; the poets whose words she keeps returning to; and the wisdom that accompanies getting older and embracing who you are.
Plus, lucky us: Kate reads several of her poems throughout the episode.
We recommend Jessica Bennett's profile on Kate.
What Kind of Woman
I Hope This Finds You Well
And Yet
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1/24/2023 • 34 minutes, 10 seconds
Tarajia Morrell on collaborating with the late chef Fatima Ali and uncovering fascinating characters through food writing.
This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with Tarajia Morrell, writer, born-and-raised New Yorker, and creator of the food and travel blog, The Lovage. They discuss Tarajia’s impactful collaboration with the late boundary-breaking chef Fatima Ali on her 2022 posthumous memoir Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More (Ballantine Books), which features writing from Fatima during her last months and contributions by her mother, Farezeh. They also discuss Tarajia’s path into food writing as a way to talk about memorable characters, favorite cookbooks, and their preferred techniques for roasting a chicken.
Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More
Tarajia’s blog, The Lovage
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1/10/2023 • 37 minutes, 33 seconds
2022 in books (plus a gift guide!) feat. Ruby Smith.
For Lit Up’s final episode of 2022, Angie and Ruby (a brilliant colleague who works on the Sugar23 Books imprint, and spent a past life as a bookseller at New York City’s iconic Three Lives & Company), catch up about their year in great books, titles they’ve loved, what’s topping their list for winter break marathon reading sessions, and recommended book gifts for all the avid readers in your lives this holiday season.
Books we talk about on this ep include:
The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt
The Midcoast by Adam White
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Acne: A Memoir by Laura Chinn
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs by Beth Ann Fennelly
Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
Fly Girl: A Memoir by Ann Hood
Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
The World of Natural Wine: What It Is, Who Makes It, and Why It Matters by Aaron Ayscough
Catch up on any episodes you missed this year at https://www.lituppodcast.com/ (or wherever you like to listen!).
More to come in the shiny new year.
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12/20/2022 • 31 minutes, 23 seconds
The Cut’s Jen Ortiz on honing her editing skills and secret YouTube obsessions.
This week, Angela chats with Jen Ortiz, Deputy Editor of New York Magazine’s The Cut. They talk about Jen’s trajectory through the media world, working with writers, life and abortion resources after Roe, newsletters and books she’s loving of late, and of course, this August’s Meghan Markle cover story.
Jen's recs include:
Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones
Bre Graham’s newsletter Just to Delight and book, Table for Two: Recipes for the Ones You Love
The Old Place by Bobby Finger
Vegan chef and cookbook author Gaz Oakley’s (aka “the Avant-Garde Vegan”) YouTube channel
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12/13/2022 • 41 minutes, 6 seconds
Nimarta Narang, Literary Editor of Brown Girl Magazine, on creating space for a multitude of South Asian stories.
This week, Angela speaks with writer and editor Nimarta Narang, who has worked as a journalist since she was 15 in Thailand and currently oversees Brown Girl Magazine’s literary vertical, commissioning and publishing original fiction from established and emerging South Asian writers.
Brown Girl Magazine, a multimedia company created by and for South Asian womxn, believes in storytelling as a powerful tool for community building. Their team encompasses and welcomes women, femmes, men, gender non-conforming, queer, and transgender individuals living across the diaspora including the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Angela and Nimarta discuss the publication’s anthology “Untold: Defining Moments of the Uprooted,” (edited by Gabrielle Deonath and Kamini Ramdeen) which features over 30 deeply personal stories exploring South Asian experiences with specificity; coming of age and studying in cities around the world; her work to amplify expansive narratives through the BGM platform and advocate for more inclusive media and publishing industries; and a few contemporary writers currently inspiring her.
Nimarta's podcast and book recs include:
The Chaat Room, hosted by Keertana Sastry & Nikitha Menon — in partnership with Brown Girl Magazine — featuring interviews with South Asians in Hollywood, on and off the screen.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Books by Adiba Jaigirdar
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
Missed Translations: Meeting the Immigrant Parents Who Raised Me by Sopan Deb
Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America by Mayukh Sen
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11/29/2022 • 39 minutes, 4 seconds
The Bard Behind Bars: Introducing Where There’s a Will
I’m changing things up a bit today and bringing you a preview of a new podcast I’m enjoying and think you will, too. Where There’s a Will: Finding Shakespeare searches for the surprising places Shakespeare shows up outside the theater. Host Barry Edelstein, artistic director at one of the country’s leading Shakespeare theaters, asks what is it about Shakespeare that’s given him a continuous afterlife in all sorts of unexpected ways? You’ll hear Shakespeare doing rehabilitative work in a maximum security prison, helping kids on the autism spectrum to communicate, in the mouths of U.S. presidents, and even at the center of a deadly riot in New York City. In this preview, Barry takes us into California’s Centinela State Prison for a one-of-a-kind production of Shakespeare’s English history plays performed by incarcerated individuals. Barry asks: What makes Shakespeare a force of transformation and transcendence behind bars? Hear more from Where There’s a Will: https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/wtaw?sid=litup.
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11/22/2022 • 12 minutes, 58 seconds
Susan Orlean on living with animals and following her curiosity.
This week, Angela talks to New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean, the New York Times-bestselling author of Rin Tin Tin, Saturday Night, and The Orchid Thief (the basis for the Academy Award–winning film, Adaptation), among other books.
The conversation begins with On Animals—Susan’s collection of favorites pieces exploring animal-human relationships—and her own experiences of living alongside various creatures. They also talk about honing your instincts as a writer and letting your curiosity lead you to unexpected places.
Read Susan’s latest piece for the New Yorker about Dillie, a whitetail deer from Ohio.
Explore Susan's books below:
The Orchid Thief
Saturday Night
Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend
The Library Book
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11/15/2022 • 34 minutes, 13 seconds
Alyssa Shelasky on 'This Might Be Too Personal.'
This week on the podcast, Angela is joined by Alyssa Shelasky, editor of NY Mag's Sex Diaries (and soon to be the star of the HBO series), writer, and author of 'This Might Be Too Personal,' a collection of essays on relationships, sex, motherhood, and finding yourself.
Angie and Alyssa talk about the 'good old days', but also what it means to grow older in New York City. They also discuss some good advice Alyssa got from a colleague, and what it means to live as an artist.
Angie references Alyssa's conversation with Jenny Mollen, which you can listen to here.
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11/1/2022 • 48 minutes, 57 seconds
Laura Warrell on the 20-year journey to write her new novel Soft, Sweet, Plenty Rhythm.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with teacher and author Laura Warrell. They discuss Laura's new novel, Soft, Sweet, Plenty Rhythm, and the 20-year journey to getting it into the world. Laura's book is about Circus Palmer, a trumpet player and the women in his orbit. They talk about Laura's work to make these characters as rich as the man as at the center of the story. They also talk about Laura's 2019 viral essay, I Gave Up On Love, And It Was One Of The Best Decisions I Ever Made. Seeing as they recorded this in LA, they also complained about traffic.
Laura's essay on Writing While Black can be found here. She also wrote a piece for Lit Hub about her devotion to Jazz.
Angie mentions Lisa Lucas at the beginning of this interview. Here is a NYTimes piece about Lisa.
Laura's book Soft, Sweet, Plenty Rhythm, can be found at your favorite local bookstore, or here.
We'll be back in two weeks!
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10/18/2022 • 37 minutes, 46 seconds
Cody Keenan on his book, Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America
This week on the podcast, Angela welcomes Cody Keenan, author of Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America. This book is a special one for Angela and Sugar23, as we are publishing this book in partnership with Mariner at HarperCollins.
Cody spent years as President Obama's speechwriter, a position he held during some of the greatest moments and darkest days of Obama's presidency. Angie and Cody talk about meeting Obama for the first time, writing speeches for the first Black president, falling in love with a fact checker (his now wife), and how to free yourself when you're stuck as a writer (tip: read Baldwin or listen to Taylor Swift).
Grace is available at the link above or wherever you get your books.
Next week on the podcast: Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm.
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10/4/2022 • 43 minutes, 37 seconds
Belletrist's Karah Preiss stops to talk books, family, making TV , and a lot more.
This week Angela welcomes Karah Preiss, Co-Founder of Bellatrist, to the show. They talk about how Bellatrist came to be, what she's reading right now, and the role books that have changed her life. They also talk about 'the biz,' and how to turn a book into a TV show or movie.
Belletrist celebrates great books and the people who read them. Learn more at belletrist.com
Karah and Emma's new series, Tell Me Lies, is available on HULU.
Karah's recommendations:
Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (her new novel, A Spell of Good Things, comes out next year).
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur
Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer
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9/20/2022 • 53 minutes, 35 seconds
Kal Penn on his memoir You Can't Be Serious.
This week, Angela speaks to the actor and writer Kal Penn about his memoir You Can't Be Serious, now in paperback. Angie talks to Kal about what led him to leave his role as a TV regular on House to work in the Obama administration, and a whole lot more.
Kal's book, You Can't Be Serious, is available now.
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9/6/2022 • 53 minutes, 19 seconds
A Labor Day rerelease: Stanley Tucci
Hello Lit Up listeners!
While you're making summery cocktails and making pasta salad this labor day week/weekend, we thought you'd like to enjoy the dulcet tones of Stanley Tucci. Today we're revisiting Angela's October 2021 conversation with the internet's favorite martini maker. We hope you enjoy, and that you have a lovely, sunny Labor Day weekend.
-Angela, Liam, Olivia, Ruby, and the entire Lit Up team.
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8/30/2022 • 38 minutes, 11 seconds
Natasha Sizlo on All Signs Point to Paris
When Angela first heard Natasha Sizlo's story in 2020, she couldn't believe what she was reading, but she knew she had to be a part of telling it. Now, Natasha joins Angela on Lit Up to talk all about what inspired her to write her new memoir, ALL SIGNS POINT TO PARIS.
We'll be back in two weeks with Kal Penn!
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8/23/2022 • 44 minutes, 50 seconds
Isaac Fitzgerald on his memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts.
This week on the pod, Angela welcomes her friend Isaac Fitzgerald to talk about his memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts, which recently made its way onto the New York Times Bestseller list.
Isaac is known for championing others on the Today Show, but Angie asks him about his life, including why he waited a decade to write this book.
Isaac's recent piece on being an uncle for Esquire can be read here.
Follow Isaac on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Lit Up on Instagram and Twitter, too!
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8/9/2022 • 56 minutes, 18 seconds
Safia Elhillo on her new book of poetry, GIRLS THAT NEVER DIE.
On this week's episode, Angela speaks with Safia Elhillo about her new book of poetry GIRLS THAT NEVER DIE. Safia and Angie talk about poetry (of course!), Safia's amazing fashion sense, and what it means to be a poet in all aspects of her life.
Safia's the author of two other books, including Home Is Not A Country and The January Children. You can read more about her work here.
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7/26/2022 • 39 minutes, 11 seconds
Christopher Hermelin of So Many Damn Books on how to break out of a reading rut.
Fellow books podcast host Christopher Hermelin (So Many Damn Books) joins Angela for a special crossover episode! Angie and Christopher talk about what to do when the magic of reading has temporarily vanished (especially when your day job is in publishing), books that help us make sense of modern life and the near future, and summer reading plans.
You can hear the other half of Christopher and Angie’s chat on the So Many Damn Books podcast feed this week: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-many-damn-books/id931442125
And here are a few of Christopher’s reading recommendations as shared in this episode:
— The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (pub. 1960)
— The Car by Gary Paulsen (pub. 1994)
— The Shimmering State by by Meredith Westgate (pub. 2021)
— The New Me by Halle Butler (pub. 2019)
— Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle by Vladimir Nabokov (pub. 1969)
— Either/Or by by Elif Batuman (pub. 2022)
See you in two weeks!
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7/12/2022 • 21 minutes, 39 seconds
Lisa Taddeo returns to talk GHOST LOVER.
Angela loves talking to Lisa Taddeo, who is on Lit Up for the third time this week. Lisa's writing always makes Angie nervous because it's so good at confronting the darker side of longing and attachment. Angie and Lisa talk about Lisa's new short story collection, GHOST LOVER, and why Lisa's writing gives Angie a funny tummy.
--
https://donations4abortion.com/ - donate to support abortion funds by state
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/supportabortionfunds - donate to the national network of abortion funds (donations split between 80+ abortion funds)
https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-policy-absence-roe - abortion policy by state as of June 1, 2022
More in-depth version: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy
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6/28/2022 • 36 minutes, 8 seconds
Abi Morgan on This Is Not A Pity Memoir.
This week on the podcast, Angela talks to Abi Morgan, BAFTA and Emmy award-winning playwright and screenwriter best known for The Iron Lady, Shame, The Invisible Woman and Suffragette. Most recently, she's also created the hit series The Split.
Now, Abi has released 'This Is Not A Pity Memoir,' and it's all about what happens when the person you love most no longer recognizes you.
Angie and Abi talk about the extraordinary, traumatic, and funny moments of her harrowing memoir. They touch upon the glimmers of hope that got Abi through, and how writing this book helped her hold onto her identity, and her relationship with Jacob.
Next time: Lisa Taddeo, again! See you in two weeks.
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6/14/2022 • 36 minutes, 54 seconds
Elizabeth Day on on the struggles that define us and make us stronger, and her new novel MAGPIE.
Today on the podcast Angela welcomes Elizabeth Day, a journalist, broadcaster, and author of five books, including her latest, the domestic thriller Magpie. Elizabeth also hosts the only podcast Angela listens to religiously, How To Fail with Elizabeth Day.
Angie and Elizabeth talk about Magpie, but they also share their journeys, failures, and how they've come to understand themselves.
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5/31/2022 • 42 minutes, 41 seconds
From Talk Easy: Margaret Atwood’s Burning Questions
This week, we’re sharing a special preview of a podcast we’ve been enjoying, Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, from Pushkin Industries. Talk Easy is a weekly interview podcast, where writer Sam Fragoso invites actors, writers, activists, and musicians to come to the table and speak
from the heart in ways you probably haven't heard from them before. Driven by curiosity and an abundance of research, he’s had revealing conversations with everyone from George Saunders and Cate Blanchett to Ocean Vuong and Gloria Steinem. In this preview,
Sam talks with author Margaret Atwood about her new essay collection, Burning Questions, the lasting impact of The Handmaid’s Tale, her role in the debate around ‘the writer as political agent’, and the power of poetry. You can listen to Talk Easy at
https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/telitup.
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5/22/2022 • 22 minutes, 15 seconds
Zarqa Nawaz on her career and making fun of ISIS in her new book Jameela Green Ruins Everything.
This week, Angela talks to documentarian, writer, and comedian Zarqa Nawaz, whose new book, Jameela Green Ruins Everything, is out now. Angie and Zarqa talk about Zarqa's career, including her documentary Me and The Mosque, her TV show Little Mosque on the Prarie, and how years writing pilots in Hollywood lead her to write a memoir. They also talk about how to make fun of ISIS.
Zarqa talks about textbooks created by America to radicalize children in Afghanistan. Here's the Washington post article about that story.
We'll be back in two weeks with Elizabeth Day.
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5/17/2022 • 34 minutes, 28 seconds
Clemency Burton-Hill on surviving a brain injury and how it changed her relationship to music.
On this week's episode, Angela speaks with musician, author, and broadcaster Clemency Burton-HIll. Clemency wants to make classical music more accessible, and has brought this mission to her work at New York Public Radio, WNYC, and the BBC.
Angie and Clemency talk about her books Year of Wonder and the follow-up Another Year of Wonder, both of which introduce the listener to a new piece of classical music every day. They also talk about Clemency's recovery from a brain hemorrhage in 2020, which only deepened her relationship to music.
We'll be back in two weeks with Zarqa Nawaz. See you then!
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5/3/2022 • 37 minutes, 56 seconds
Re-Release: Max Porter on love through grief.
This week we're revisiting Angela's conversation with Max Porter about his book Grief Is The Thing With Feathers. It's all about messy families, relationships, and we hope it'll encourage you to hug your families tight this Easter weekend.
Follow these links to get Max's newer books, Lanny, and The Death of Francis Bacon.
We'll be back in two weeks with our conversation with Clemency Burton-Hill. See ya then!
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4/19/2022 • 51 minutes, 58 seconds
Pamela Paul on the art of boredom, buying a one-way ticket to Thailand, and what we've lost to the Internet.
This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with Pamela Paul, formerly the editor of The New York Times Book Review and now a Times Opinion Columnist. She's also the author of 8 books, including her latest, 100 Things We've Lost to The Internet. Angie and Pamela talk about the importance of boredom, what the pandemic taught us about our needs in life, and the choice we have over how we use the internet.
Next time: Clemency Burton-Hill.
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4/5/2022 • 39 minutes, 7 seconds
Stephan Lee on the phenomenon that is K-Pop.
This week on the show, Angela talks to Stephan Lee, author of K-Pop Confidential and the upcoming K-Pop Revolution. They talk about K-Pop, his recent move from New York to LA, and his experience of feeling like an outsider in both America and Korea.
You can purchase K-Pop Confidential and pre-order K-Pop Revolution via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast dot com
See you in two weeks!
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3/22/2022 • 35 minutes, 5 seconds
Jason Diamond on suburbs, cardigans, Russian literature, the Martini, and more.
This week on the podcast Angela talks to Jason Diamond, contributor to GQ and author of The Sprawl and Searching For John Hughes. Angie and Jason have a wide-ranging chat about growing up in the suburbs, house cardigans, and his Martini drinking club called The Beardo Crew. Jason also talks about his Polish and Russian heritage, and how that has affected his love of Russian literature.
Jason also writes regularly at his own substack. https://meltedcheeseonwhitefish.substack.com/
Next time: Stephan Lee, author of K-Pop Confidential and the forthcoming K-POP Revolution.
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3/8/2022 • 39 minutes, 31 seconds
Sheila Heti on God's First Draft, social anxiety in the metaverse, and Feldman, the, loyal, snoring dog beside her.
This week on the podcast, Angela is joined once again by Sheila Heti, whose book, Pure Color, is available now. Sheila is also the author of many other books, including How Should a Person Be? and Motherhood.
This episode is about beards, birds, fish, and which one you are. Sheila and Angie also talk about being critical, not wanting to be 18 again, and why looking at your phone may be as important as looking at the sky. Delightfully, they are jointed by Feldman, Sheila's loyal dog who is asleep beside her. You can hear him snoring, softly.
Sheila's serialized diaries are available on The New York Times.
Next time: Jason Diamond.
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2/22/2022 • 39 minutes, 40 seconds
A Valentine's Day Re-release: Alain de Botton on keeping love alive
Valentine's Day has got Angela thinking about an old conversation with philosopher Alain De Botton:
If you've ever been in love, had your heart broken, been in a relationship, or yearned for one, this week's episode is for you -- in other words, if you're a human, you'll benefit from listening to the wise words of world-renowned philosopher and writer Alain de Botton.
Next week: Sheila Heti, and God's first draft.
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2/14/2022 • 36 minutes, 32 seconds
Maeve Higgins on her big family, migration, and making fun of Angie.
This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with comedian, podcaster, actor, and her friend Maeve Higgins. Angie and Maeve talk about her big family, how going back to school to study migration has influenced her comedy, and about the time she accidentally ingested THC. She also unmasks Angie as a loving friend who nevertheless finds any opportunity to give Maeve a hard time.
Maeve's book, Tell Everyone On This Train I Love Them, is available now, and you can purchase it wherever you get your books.
Next Week: Sheila Heti.
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2/8/2022 • 43 minutes, 19 seconds
Wajahat Ali on 9/11, being American, and how his sense of humor landed him love.
This week on the pod, Angela speaks with Wajahat Ali, author of the new book Go Back To Where You Came From and Other Helpful Recommendations On How To Become American.
Angie and Wajahat talk about how it took 3 months (but really forty years) to write the first draft of his book, how his sense of humor landed him love, and what being Muslim in America looks like after 9/11.
Go Back To Where You Came From and Other Helpful Recommendations On How To Become American is available now. Click to purchase it right there!
Next time: Maeve Higgins!
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1/25/2022 • 34 minutes, 47 seconds
Book and TV critic Hillary Kelly on her most anticipated books of 2022, and why she doesn't *get* books about happy people.
It's a new year, and we're so excited to be joined by HIllary Kelly, a book and TV critic at Vulture, The New Yorker, and LA Times. Angela and Hillary talk about the books they missed in 2021, and what to look forward to in 2022. They also talk about the hype machine, talking about books others pretend to like, how doing a profile of Claire Vaye Watkins helped her get over her own fears, and why she doesn't know what books about happy people want from her.
Books discussed in this episode:
Bewilderment by Richard Powers
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins
Night Bitch by Rachel Yoder
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen
Happy All The Time by Laurie Colwin
So Long, See You Tomorrow by Richard Maxwell
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Hillary's favorites from last year:
Night Bitch by Rachel Yoder
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen
Hillary's picks for next year:
The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O'Rourke
Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage by Heather Havrilesky
Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation by Maud Newton
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Thanks so much for listening! In two weeks, we'll be speaking with Wajahat Ali, author of the forthcoming Go Back To Where You Came From.
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1/11/2022 • 36 minutes, 8 seconds
Angela got you a Christmas present! Plus an end-of-year review.
Angela and Liam, our producer, finally met in person this week after over a year of working on the pod together! Angie and Liam jumped on the mics to talk about some of their great memories from a year of podcasting. Then they give you a Christmas present (scroll down in the feed to see what it is!).
All the episodes we talked about are available at lituppodcast.com or wherever you like to listen!
(PS You may occasionally hear an echo of Liam. Technical issue on our end. Blame the eggnog.)
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12/21/2021 • 24 minutes, 42 seconds
Uli Beutter Cohen on subways, stillness, and the next 10 thousand years.
This week on the podcast Angela chats with Uli Beutter Cohen, who spent the last 7 years riding the subway and asking people what they were reading. This led to her acclaimed Instagram account Subway Book Review, and her new book Between The Lines: Stories From The Underground. Angie and Uli discuss their favorite subway stations (obviously), the need for Savasana, and what the next 10 thousand years might look like.
We'll be back in two weeks with a Christmas present for you.
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12/7/2021 • 51 minutes, 20 seconds
Ann Patchett on a remarkable friendship, the importance of Snoopy in her life, and much, much more.
This week Angela talks to Ann Patchett about her book These Precious Days. Angie and Ann discuss her remarkable friendship with Sooki Raphael, whose work graces the cover of Ann's book. They also talk about why writing about happy people seems like a radical thing to do lately.
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11/23/2021 • 47 minutes, 41 seconds
Emily Ratajkowski on why writing feels like a feminist act.
This week Angela talks to model, entrepreneur and writer Emily Ratajkowski. She's written a new book called 'My Body,' that delves into the way Emily's image has been bought and sold, and the way this has impacted her. Angie and Emily talked about what feminism is, the role of mothers in how we see ourselves, and the writers they both love.
You can purchase 'My Body' via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com
Next time on Lit Up: Ann Patchett on These Precious Days.
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11/9/2021 • 29 minutes, 50 seconds
Brendan Borrell on the race to the Covid vacine
It's a big week here at Lit Up. Angie sits down with Brendan Borrell, author of The First Shots, The Epic Rivalries and Heroic Science Behind the Race to the Coronavirus Vaccine, a book she is publishing through her job as Editorial Director at Sugar23 books.
The First Shots bring us inside the world of the vaccine race, and will soon be adapted for HBO by Adam McKay (Succession, The Big Short, Anchorman). You can purchase the book via the link on our website, lituppodcast.com
In two weeks: Emily Ratajkowski on her memoir, My Body.
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10/26/2021 • 46 minutes
Adrienne Westenfeld on Matrix, Harlem Shuffle, My Body, and other books you should read this Fall.
This week on Lit Up, Angela brings on Esquire editor Adrienne Westenfeld to talk about the books you should read this Fall. Adrienne and Angie also talk about TV, Hobbits, the changing ways men are writing about masculinity, and a lot more.
You can read Adrienne's writing in Esquire and on esquire.com
Next week: Brendan Borrell and The First Shots, his book about the COVID vaccine race.
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10/19/2021 • 41 minutes, 1 second
Christine Pride and Jo Piazza on interracial friendship, and their new book, We Are Not Like Them.
This week Angela welcomes Christine Pride and Jo Piazza on Lit Up to talk about their new book, We Are Not Like Them. They talk about their own interracial friendship, how it informed their book, and what it's like to write with another person.
We Are Not Like Them is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com
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10/12/2021 • 48 minutes, 1 second
Stanley Tucci on Taste, life's journeys, and wooing through food.
This week, Angela welcomes actor, director, writer, TV show host, and Instagram’s favorite bartender Stanley Tucci to Lit Up. Angie and Stanley talk about food (of course), living in Italy, and how you should always talk to whoever’s next to you.
Stanley’s book, Taste, is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com
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10/5/2021 • 39 minutes, 9 seconds
Annie Daly on wellness, self-care, and what those words mean all over the world.
This week, Angela welcomes her old friend and colleague Annie Daly on the podcast to chat about her new book Destination Wellness. They talk about the commercialization of wellness, the origin of the term self-care, and that time they crashed a wedding. They also talk about how to be a better traveler.
Annie’s book is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com
Next week: The Tooch.
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9/28/2021 • 42 minutes, 22 seconds
Reeves Wiedeman on his obsessive viral article ‘The Spine Collector.’
For the past 5 years, a mysterious figure has been tricking agents, famous authors, book scouts, and other unwitting participants into sending them their precious manuscripts. New York Magazine writer Reeves Wiedeman began an obsessive, exhaustive to figure out who this person is. Angie and Reeves talk about the exhaustive work (and danger) that went into finding the spine collector, as well as his book Billion Dollar Loser, The Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neuman and Wework.
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9/21/2021 • 37 minutes
Liz Plosser on mornings, routines, and working from home.
With fall here in the US, and much of the world going in and out of lockdown, Angela is feeling like it’s a moment of transition, so she decided to talk to a friend and colleague for guidance. Liz Plosser is the Editor in Chief of Women’s Health, and she’s written a new book called Own Your Morning. Angie and Liz talk about changing routines, how your personal life can bring joy to your work zoom meeting, and how to survive working next to your partner.
Let us know about your moment of transition on Twitter or Instagram @LitUpShow.
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9/14/2021 • 42 minutes, 24 seconds
Parker Posey on her friendship with Nora Ephron, acting with integrity and the past lives of dogs.
Angie misses New York. Yes, she still lives there, but she's missing the beautiful chaos of life before the pandemic in New York. Maybe that's why she decided to share one of her favorite episodes with the quintessential New Yorker Parker Posey. If you're a lucky New Yorker, you saw her walking in the East Village, crossing the street in a turban or with her little dog Gracie.
Back in 2019, before the pandemic, Angie and Parker got together at an energetic New York spot to talk about her memoir, You're on an Airplane, A Self-Mythologizing Memoir. They talk about Parker's upbringing, her artistic process, how she prepares for roles in films like Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show, and a lot more.
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8/31/2021 • 56 minutes, 8 seconds
Min Jin Lee on the history of Korean families in Japan (from 2017).
For the next couple weeks, we’re going into the archives to give you some of our most requested episodes. This week, Angie talks with National Book Award Finalist Min Jin Lee about her smash novel Pachinko. It’s a timely conversation about complicated history and the experience of people who are persecuted where they live and have no choice but to flee.
Next we’ll be revisiting Angela’s conversation with the one-and-only Parker Posey! Please tell your book-loving friends and family all about Lit Up.
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8/24/2021 • 49 minutes, 35 seconds
Katie Kitamura on the charismatic nature of power and her new novel, Intimacies.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with Katie Kitamura, author of the new novel Intimacies. Katie and Angie talk about how novels become different things once they are written, what it’s like being married to a writer, and catching your students on YouTube.
Katie's new novel, Intimacies, is available now and you can purchase via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com.
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8/17/2021 • 42 minutes, 40 seconds
Meredith Westgate on guarding what we share with those we love, and her new book The Shimmering State.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with Meredith Westgate, author of the new novel The Shimmering State. Meredith and Angie talk about the pitfalls of sharing too much with your partner, the power dynamics in Hollywood for young women, and the power of dance.
You can purchase Meredith's debut novel, The Shimmering State, via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com.
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8/10/2021 • 32 minutes, 57 seconds
Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi on how history lives in our bodies and the joy of riding horses.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi, author of Call me Zebra and her new novel Savage Tongues. Azareen tells Angie about traveling with healing in mind, how mothers and daughters speak to one another, and the way riding a horse makes her feel.
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8/3/2021 • 38 minutes, 44 seconds
Stephanie Danler on confronting the past and the value of gentleness.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with Stephanie Danler, author of the best seller Sweetbitter and her new memoir Stray. Stephanie tells Angela about confronting her past, the dangers of magical thinking, and the value of gentleness.
Stray is available now and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com.
Lit Up is a podcast from Sugar23. It's hosted by Angela Ledgerwood and produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. This week's episode was edited by Rebecca Seidel. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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7/27/2021 • 40 minutes
Raven Leilani on art & failure, writing to her past self, and Six Flags.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with Raven Leilani author of the award-winning book Luster. Raven tells Angie about her obsession with painting, writing as the act of speaking to your past self and failure being integral to making art. They also talk about Six Flags as a romantic destination.
Luster is available now and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com
Lit Up is a podcast from Sugar23. It's hosted by Angela Ledgerwood and produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. This week's episode was edited by Rebecca Seidel. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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7/20/2021 • 42 minutes, 19 seconds
Lisa Taddeo on obsessions with mothers and the wisdom of French Actresses
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with Lisa Taddeo, author of the best-selling book Three Women and the new novel Animal. Angie and Lisa chat about being obsessed with their moms, jealousy between women, and the wisdom of French actresses.
Lisa's book, Animal, is available now, and there's a link to purchase via our website, LitUpPodcast.com
Lit Up is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. It's produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovksi.
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7/13/2021 • 39 minutes, 37 seconds
Laura Dave on finding out who someone really is and different ways to be a mother.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with her friend Laura Dave, author of the best-selling book The Last Thing He Told Me. Angie and Laura talk about being the hero of your own story, writing to Bruce Springsteen songs, and how every book is a love letter.
We're off next week, but we'll be back the week after! Have a great holiday weekend.
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6/29/2021 • 41 minutes, 9 seconds
Gabriela Garcia on Cuba, mothers and daughters, and the link between cigars and literature.
This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with writer, poet, and immigrant justice organizer Gabriela Garcia, author of Of Women and Salt. Angie and Gabriela talk about the best intentions of mothers, machismo, and the importance of The Babysitter’s Club in Gabriela’s life.
You can purchase Gabriela's book, Of Woman and Salt, via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com, and read more of her work at gabrielagarciawriter.com.
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6/22/2021 • 34 minutes, 4 seconds
Trent Preszler on the healing power of building a boat with your hands.
This week on the podcast, Angela meets up IN PERSON with her friend Trent Preszler. He’s a winemaker, wooden boat builder, and author of the memoir Little and Often. Angie and Trent discuss what Trent learned about himself in the wake of his father’s passing, and how a beat up wooden toolbox changed his life.
Little and Often is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUp Podcast.com. You can follow him on instagram @preszlerwoodshop.
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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6/15/2021 • 54 minutes, 30 seconds
Hala Alyan on family secrets and the charged history of the Middle East.
This week on Lit Up, Angela welcomes poet, clinical psychologist and author Hala Alyan. Her new novel, The Arsonist’s City, is about a family spread between Lebanon and the US who come together after the death of their family’s patriarch. Angie and Hala talk about messy family dramas, the charged history of the Middle East, and how to cope in times of uncertainty.
The Arsonist's City can be purchased via the link on our (new!) website, lituppodcast.com, and you can learn more about Hala and her writing at her website.
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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6/8/2021 • 38 minutes, 18 seconds
Clint Smith on Reckoning with the History of Slavery in America
This week on the podcast, Angela welcomes Clint Smith, author of How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. Clint shares stories about the places he visited and people he met on his mission to understand the legacy of slavery in the US. Angie and Clint also talk about the gift of poetry, how much we can learn about the past by talking to our elders, and, the best kind of jokes, according to his kids.
How The Word is Passed is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. You can read more of Clint's writing at clintsmithiii.com and at the Atlantic, where is a staff writer.
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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6/1/2021 • 41 minutes, 23 seconds
Lauren Oyler on who we are on the internet.
This week, Angela welcomes Lauren Oyler to the podcast. They talk about dumb ex-boyfriends, apocalyptic mindsets, and why depressing books make them feel in step with the world. They also talk about Lauren’s new book, Fake Accounts.
Fake Accounts is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. You can learn more about Lauren's writing at laurenoyler.com and follow her on twitter @LaurenOyler.
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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5/25/2021 • 39 minutes, 39 seconds
Te-Ping Chen on funeral strippers, and her collection of short stories, Land of Big Numbers.
On this week’s episode, Angie speaks with author and journalist Te-Ping Chen, whose collection of short stories about China, Land of Big Numbers, is available now. They talk about robots cutting your noodles, funeral strippers, and hotline girls.
Te-Ping’s book The Land of Big Numbers is available now, and you can purchase it via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. You can learn more about Te-Ping’s writing at te-pingchen.com and read her work in the Wall Street Journal.
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. This week’s episode was edited by Rebecca Seidel. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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5/18/2021 • 35 minutes, 10 seconds
Nadia Owusu on the healing power of a rocking chair and her new memoir, Aftershocks.
On this week’s episode, Angie speaks with Nadia Owusu, the author of one of 2021’s most anticipated books, Aftershocks. Angie and Nadia talk about growing up all over the world, loving jazz, and the healing power of a rocking chair.
Nadia's memoir, Aftershocks, is available now, and there's a link to purchase it on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. You can find more of her work at https://www.nadiaaowusu.com/
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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5/11/2021 • 41 minutes, 55 seconds
Elizabeth Gilbert on why being honest is better than being good, and her novel CITY OF GIRLS. (From the Archive)
Angie has been dancing in her apartment during covid. And her dancing reminded her of this convo from early 2020, before we were all stuck dancing in our apartments. On this episode, Angie speaks with Elizabeth Gilbert about dancing, becoming interesting, and why being honest is better than being good.
Elizabeth's book, City of Girls, is available now, and there's a link to purchase it on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. You can find more of her work at https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It's hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
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5/4/2021 • 54 minutes, 54 seconds
Jess Walter on the ‘She-Dog of Anarchy’ Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and his new novel The Cold Millions.
On this episode, Angie speaks with award-winning author Jess Walter about his novel, The Cold Millions, inspired by his grandfather’s years crisscrossing the west by train, searching for work. Angie and Jess talk about how to make the best Manhattan, wealth inequality in the Gilded Age, and why the history of organizing in Spokane, Washington resonates today.
Jess' book, The Cold Millions, is available now, and there's a link to purchase it on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. You can find more of his work at JessWalter.com
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It is hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4/27/2021 • 34 minutes, 42 seconds
Jen Silverman on the art of the post-scandal comeback and her novel, We Play Ourselves.
On this episode, Angie speaks with Jen Silverman about her new novel, We Play Ourselves, inspired in-part by her own life as an award-winning playwright—minus the scandals! Angie and Jen talk about the blurred boundaries of a creative life, anger, why Jen draws sad pandas, and what lights her up.
Jen's book, We Play Ourselves, is available now, and there's a link to purchase it on our website, LitUpPodcast.com. Follow Jen on Instagram @this_panda_is_sad.
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It's hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3/31/2021 • 38 minutes, 52 seconds
Kaitlyn Greenidge on what freedom means in 2021 and her novel, Libertie.
On this episode, Angie speaks with Kaitlyn Greenidge about her new novel, Libertie, inspired by the life of one of the first black female doctors in the United States. Angie and Kaitlyn talk about the complexity of mother daughter relationships, what the reconstruction era can teach us about 2021, and what lights Kaitlyn up.
Kaitlyn's book Liberte is available March 30. There's a link to purchase it on our website, LitUpPodcast.com
Lit Up is a Podcast from Sugar23. It's hosted by Angela Ledgerwood. The show is produced by Liam Billingham. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. The theme music is by Andrey Radovsky.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3/29/2021 • 43 minutes, 9 seconds
From Sugar23, this is Lit Up.
Join host Angela Ledgerwood as she chats to the authors she loves most about books, life, and what lights them up. Episodes every Tuesday!
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