Episode 12: Shuchi Saraswat (35) - writer / curator of Transnational Literature Series and book buyer at Brookline Booksmith

I can’t imagine a better start to December than talking about BOOKS! If you celebrate Christmas and are looking forward to giving and receiving books this holiday season, you’ll love this bookish episode with my first guest who is a professional book person! Shuchi Saraswat is a writer and a book buyer at the Brookline Booksmith, one of the most beloved independent bookstores in the Boston area, where she curates The Transnational Literature Series which focuses on migration, exile and displacement, particularly books in translation. We talk about immersing Ganesh in the Pacific, Palestine, and yes, even Amazon.

Listen to the episode below or on iTunes here, and don't miss the Shownotes for all the books and other favorites we discussed!

SHOWNOTES FROM EPISODE 12:

• Shuchi’s website where you can find links to her writing and beautiful instagram

• The Brookline Booksmith Transnational Literature Series website which includes their past selections and the WGBH Forum link of recorded author events

• The Wellspring House Writer’s retreat

• A link for word nerds where you can learn all about mondegreens, eggcorns and even the ultimate sin …mumpsimus

  BOOKS and films we discussed:

• Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

• Wajib the fantastic film by Annemarie Jacir (an incredible real life father-son duo star as Christian-Palestinians getting ready for a family wedding in Nazareth) HIGHLY RECOMMEND this - a NYT critic’s pick if you trust some pro over me ;)

• Disoriental by Negar Djavadi

• Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

• American Fictionary by Dubrakva Ugresic

• Poso Wells by Gabriela Aleman

• Sabrina by Nick Drnaso - 1st graphic novel longlisted for the Man Booker!

• Edward Said’s Reflections on Exile and Other Essays

  SHUCHI’S BOOKSTORE PICKS:

• Titcomb’s Bookshop if you’re ever in East Sandwich on Cape Cod

• Educational Bookshop in Jerusalem

• Skylight Books in LA

• City Lights in San Francisco

Special thanks to Mohit Shandilya & Rajat Upadhyay @ Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!