Book and Lounge

In this episode, we discuss what else we have been reading outside the book club. We share our favorite recent reads, from gripping crime fiction to captivating travel narratives. We explore how our reading habits have evolved over time and the impact of societal changes on literature. Whether you are looking for your next great read or simply want to explore the literary landscape with us, this episode is for you. We invite you to share your thoughts and book recommendations with us at [email protected] discussed:London Falling — Patrick Radden Keefe — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238226991-london-fallingA Time of Gifts — Patrick Leigh Fermor — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/253984.A\_Time\_of\_GiftsBetween the Woods and the Water — Patrick Leigh Fermor — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/293207.Between\_the\_Woods\_and\_the\_WaterCrook Manifesto — Colson Whitehead — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61812836-crook-manifestoHarlem Shuffle — Colson Whitehead — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/54626223-harlem-shuffleBroken — Don Winslow — https://www.goodreads.com/work/editions/74667770-brokenWide Sargasso Sea — Jean Rhys — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25622780-wide-sargasso-seaRemarkably Bright Creatures — Shelby Van Pelt — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58733693-remarkably-bright-creaturesMinor Disturbances at Grand Life Apartments — Hema Sukumar — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/113324323-minor-disturbances-at-grand-life-apartmentsDavid Copperfield — Charles Dickens — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58696.David\_CopperfieldJane Eyre — Charlotte Brontë — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/10210.Jane\_EyreAmericanah — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15796700-americanahButter — Asako Yuzuki — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/200776812-butterJust Sayin': My Life in Words — Malorie Blackman — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61849724-just-sayinIntermezzo — Sally Rooney — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/208931300-intermezzoStrangers: A Memoir of Marriage — Belle Burden — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/231108670-strangersYesteryear — Caro Claire Burke — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/238226942-yesteryear#Literature, #ReadingHabits, #BookRecommendations, #BookClub

In this episode we are joined by Concia Alicia to discuss her debut novella Made from This. Made From This is narrated by Simone, a British Caribbean counsellor who has spent twenty years helping other people understand their childhoods while carefully avoiding her own. Set across four generations of a Montserratian family, the book traces the damage and the love that move through families without anyone choosing to pass them on and asks whether any of us can look at that honestly enough to define a different legacy."It is not a sad book. It is not a happy book. It is a book of complications."CONCIA ALICIA BIOConcia Alicia is a Black British author of Montserratian origin, public servant, and elected councillor whose work navigates the intersection of community, legacy, and what it means to build something that lasts.She is also the author of two children's books, Sasha's Special Nose and A Mighty Good Mix. Published in 2025. She lives in London and is working on her next book. CONTACT AND SOCIAL MEDIAWebsite: www.conciaalicia.comInstagram: @conciaalbertTikTok: @findingoutthings1Buy Made From This on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068445521Email: [email protected] invite you to listen in, engage with us and share your thoughts at [email protected].

In this episode, we discuss Hisham Matar's poignant memoir, The Return, which explores the complex themes of grief, exile, and the search for truth against the backdrop of Libya's tumultuous history under Gaddafi. Matar's narrative oscillates between past and present as he recounts his quest to uncover the fate of his father, a political dissident who vanished into the regime's oppressive grasp.We unpack the emotional weight of Matar's experiences and the lyrical beauty of his writing and discuss the implications of identity and belonging in a state of exile, the ethical responsibilities of memoirists in chronicling history, and the intricate dynamics of family relationships shaped by loss and trauma.Tune in to discover how this memoir not only serves as a personal account but also as a powerful commentary on the broader socio-political landscape of Libya.Send your thoughts to us at [email protected]

When two grieving fathers unite to hunt down their sons' killers, the real question isn't whether they will succeed. Can revenge ever truly heal the wounds that grief leaves behind?In this episode we discuss S.A. Cosby's Razorblade Tears. The book follows two fathers from radically different backgrounds, one white and one Black, whose sons were murdered. Their quest for vengeance reveals uncomfortable truths about guilt, unresolved trauma, grief, tolerance and what it means to truly accept someone you love.Listen to the full episode to hear every nuanced thread unpacked.Send comments to [email protected]

What if we have been reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the wrong perspective?In this episode, we discuss Percival Everett's James, a bold reimagining that gives Jim, the enslaved man, his own voice. Everett does not simply retell Twain's narrative. He reveals Jim as a fully realised person with his own motivations, intelligence, and a relationship with Huck that is far more complex than we ever imagined. In this conversation we explore code-switching and what purpose it served and continues to serve, race as a social construct, and how dehumanisation functioned as tools of systemic control. We also explore Everett’s sharp critique of white liberalism and his willingness to challenge persistent stereotypes about Black intellectualism.We discuss how fear and psychological terror were slavery's primary control mechanisms, and how those same systems persist today. Listen Now.