Summer is the perfect time to dive into a good book, whether you're reading one on the beach or on your lunch break.
At KERA, our friends at Think read and research countless books to prepare for the show. Host Krys Boyd interviews seasoned storytellers and up-and-coming voices in the literary world every week.
So, the team dug into the archives from this year to recommend a few novels for your summer reading list.
"An American Marriage," Tayari Jones
In the novel “An American Marriage,” a newlywed couple is split apart when the husband is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. And when Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, Celestial is confronted by the reality that she’s moved on. On Think, author Tayari Jones talked about writing a love story set against a backdrop of racial injustice.
Listen to her interview at 1 p.m. July 2 on KERA 90.1 or in the audio player below.
"The Night Diary," Veera Hiranandani
In 1947, 12-year-old Nisha finds herself divided between her Hindu and Muslim heritages just as her home country of India is also being split in two. Nisha is the protagonist of Veera Hiranandani’s novel “The Night Diary.” On Think, Hiranandani talked about setting her story against this historical backdrop — and about her own experiences growing up bi-cultural.
Listen to her interview at 1 p.m. July 3 on KERA 90.1 or in the audio player below.
"Alternate Side," Anna Quindlen
In Anna Quindlen’s new novel, “Alternate Side,” life in a quiet New York City neighborhood is upended when the residents squabble over use of the street’s small parking lot. On Think, Quindlen talked about how something so small can divide people — and about how a traumatic event reveals tension among her characters.
Listen to her interview at 1 p.m. July 4 on KERA 90.1 or in the audio player below.
"The Underground Railroad," Colson Whitehead
In “The Underground Railroad,” two slaves escape their Georgia plantation and navigate the country along the secret network. The novel earned Colson Whitehead a National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. On Think, he talked about how he wove the nation’s history into the experiences of his main characters.
Listen to his interview at 1 p.m. July 5 on KERA 90.1 or in the audio player below.
"The Leavers," Lisa Ko
Lisa Ko was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for fiction for her debut novel, "The Leavers." On Think, she talked about her story of a young boy adopted by a pair of white professors after his Chinese immigrant mother mysteriously disappears.
Listen to her interview at 1 p.m. July 6 on KERA 90.1 or in the audio player below.
More
For more interviews with authors, explore the Think archives. To save any of these interviews for later, download them by subscribing to the Think podcast.
