The Novel Tea

• White Teeth by Zadie Smith: disappointment and rejecting coexistence

  In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Zadie Smith's debut novel, White Teeth. We talk about themes of religion, inheritance, class, history, and the need for control; we explore what those 'white teeth' in the title might mean; and finally we get into our issues with the book, and discuss the genre of Hysterical Realism.Links:Human, All Too Inhuman by James WoodHow White Teeth transcends its many flawsShelf Discovery:On Beauty by Zadie SmithHome Fire by Kamila ShamsieThe Shadow Lines by Amitav GhoshIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: perception and inadequacy

  Virginia Woolf's incredible novel Mrs. Dalloway turns 100 this year! Shruti and Neha talk about this book and its themes of perception, inadequacy, memory, illness, and death. They discuss the effect of the past on the characters, the book's imperialist and pro-colonialism project, and the disappearance of the narrator.Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:On Being Ill by Virginia WoolfCulture and Imperialism by Edward SaidThe Annotated Mrs. Dalloway edited by Merve EmreA Room of One's Own by Virginia WoolfTo The Lighthouse by Virginia WoolfThe Hours by Michael CunninghamIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín: family and duty

  Neha and Shruti discuss Brooklyn, a historical novel about a young woman who immigrates from Ireland to America in the 1950s, through the themes of family and duty. We discuss the character of Eilis Lacey and her passivity, Tóibín's spare writing style, and the various forces pulling at the characters in this book. We also draw comparisons to Henry James, and share a few thoughts on the movie adaption.Links:The Coldest Place on Earth [London Review of Books]Books Mentioned & Shelf DiscoveryThe Portrait of a Lady by Henry JamesWashington Square by Henry JamesHello Beautiful by Ann NapolitanoAnother Country by James BaldwinGiovanni's Room by James BaldwinA Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty SmithIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad: time and displacement

  In this episode we discuss Bangkok Wakes to Rain, a novel of interconnected stories set in Krung Thep (Bangkok) over several decades. We discuss how the idea of time is explored through the story, and how each character encounters displacement in their own way. We then get into a conversation about aging, beauty trends, and the afterlife, before our final Filter the Chai and Shelf Discovery segments.Sea of Tranquility: wilderness and loneliness - Apple Podcasts | SpotifyShelf Discovery:The Overstory by Richard PowersHuman Acts by Han KangSea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelThere Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif ShafakIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Cities & Urban Literature: Introducing Season 6

  Welcome to a new season! Today we’re talking all about cities in literature – what cities represent, what ‘setting as character’ really means, and books we’ve read that really capture the magic of cities. We then share the seven books we’ll be reading this season, along with context and background, and the themes and elements we’ll be paying attention to as we read.Books Mentioned:Uglies by Scott WesterfeldThe Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyBangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya SudbanthadBrooklyn by Colm ToibinMrs. Dalloway by Virginia WoolfWhite Teeth by Zadie SmithThe City We Became by NK JemisonSuch a Long Journey by Rohinton MistryThe Museum of Innocence by Orhan PamukIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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