Welcome to another installment of a collaboration between the Chicago Review of Books and the Your Favorite Book podcast. Malavika Praseed, frequent CHIRB contributor and podcast host, seeks to talk to readers and writers about the books that light a fire inside them. What’s your favorite book and why?
Our guest is Joseph Han, the author of debut novel Nuclear Family and one of the 2022 5 under 35 National Book Foundation honorees. His novel centers the palpable nature of generational trauma and hope by manifesting it literally, the spirit of an ancestor possessing a descendant, all amongst the backdrop of the longstanding Korean War and a Korean restaurant based in Hawaii.
Joseph chose a book reflecting on similar themes for this episode, The Magical Language of Others by EJ Koh. This memoir told through the language of translation defies expectation and feels to the reader like a triumph just for its existence. Joseph also shares his thoughts on all things Guy Fieri, what it means to chose the perfect title, and so much more. As always, there are no spoilers for either book in the episode.
FINALE (for now): My Favorite Books of 2022 – Your Favorite Book
- FINALE (for now): My Favorite Books of 2022
- On Book Podcasting (Again!) with Julie Strauss (Best Book Ever Crossover)
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson with Keenan Norris (Author of Chi Boy)
- I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy with Deeba Zargarpur (Author of House of Yesterday)
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (with Ethan Chatagnier, author of Singer Distance)
Listen to this episode of Your Favorite Book at the link above, and stay tuned for more episodes with other writers in the weeks to come. If you enjoy this episode, check out other episodes of Your Favorite Book on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other major podcast platforms. Reviews on Apple Podcasts and other platforms are also very much appreciated.
