Son Of A Fancypants

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Amanda and Jenn discuss international reads, Star Trek readalikes, bisexual characters, and more in this week's episode of Get Booked. This episode is sponsored by As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti and OwlCrate. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS here, or via Apple Podcasts here. The show can also be found on Stitcher here. Enter our Best of 2017 books giveaway! bookriot.com/bookriottop20   Questions 1. Hi girls! I love reading about people from different countries or people currently living in different countries and would love a recommendation! I'm trying to find something that isn’t about war or racism. Maybe something a little more lighthearted- if that exists. I love both fiction and nonfiction and am very open to translated works, poetry, plays, short story collections, etc. None of my book friends have been able to help, but I'm hoping you can :) Thank you! --Bianca   2. Hi Amanda & Jenn, I'm looking for a recommendation for my book club. We're all women ranging in age from mid-twenties to mid-sixties and, as individuals, read everything from literary fiction to romance to science fiction and fantasy. We've only been meeting for the past 6 months so we're still figuring out what types of books work best. Right now, we've read Where'd You Go Bernadette (which everyone really enjoyed), Small Great Things (most people liked), Elsie and Mairi Go to War (awful, didn't even finish), Exit West (another strong pick), When Dimple Met Rishi (good, but not substantial enough), and God: A Human History (haven't discussed yet, but from our group emails, I'm thinking it's a bit too academic). Contemporary fiction with interesting, strong female protagonists seems to be our sweet spot. We have The Mothers on our to-read list as well as A Gentleman in Moscow, My Cousin Rachel and The Summer Before the War. We read diversely, don't shy away from difficult/sensitive subjects, nonfiction is ok but we've read a decent amount lately, and prefer adult to YA. Thanks so much! --Megan   3. Hi there - I'll be moving to the Bay Area soon for a software engineering program, and I'm a little nervous about feeling lonely/missing home. I'd love some recommendations for: escapist/comforting reads and/or fiction with an awesome female lead and/or books set in San Francisco. I've been reading through the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire and have enjoyed them. I'm also planning to take Sourdough by Robin Sloan with me. I enjoy most sci-fi/fantasy and read a lot of literary fiction as well. Some of my favorite authors are Miriam Toews, Mary Doria Russell, Peter Heller and Connie Willis. Thanks for your help and for the show - this podcast has helped me find so many great books! --Rachel   4. What sci-fi books would you recommend to someone who loves Star Trek? I've of course read some of the novelizations, but I'd like to read some novels that are unconnected but have a similar enough feel to Star Trek. I love the space exploration, philosophy, and different alien races working together, but most of all I loved the idealized future. It seems every futuristic novel I read, we all live in a terrible future that is terrible, and OH LOOK AT HOW EVIL TECHNOLOGY IS. There are no words to describe how tired I am of that. Thanks in advanced guys. I can't wait to hear your recs. --Eliza   5. Hi, I recently listened to your podcast about biography recommendations and can't wait to check out Cleopatra. I would love some other great biographies/memoirs about women. I would prefer people of color or/not already widely famous people. For example, I loved Stolen Lives; Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Unbowed by Wangari Maathai, and Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen. Thanks! --Carrie   6. I'm on a search for bisexual characters in literature (who actually call themselves bi- too often authors try to skirt around the word). I'm bisexual myself and I'm craving representation. I find so many gay and lesbian characters, but rarely bi. I don't mind if the character is in a same sex or opposite sex relationship, I would just really like to read about a bi character. Also, while I would love to see some bi women, I encounter bi women much more than I encounter bi men, so I would appreciate it if your suggestions had both genders (if that is at all possible). Thank you so much, and I absolutely adore the show. --Virginia   7. Hi Amanda and Jenn! I love listening to your podcast! Im wondering if you can recommend some books set in the Middle East. I recently read When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi and loved it. I'd particularly like books told from the perspective of a female character(s). Thanks! --Becky   Books Discussed Sunshine by Robin McKinley A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab The Rabbit Back Literature Society by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen, translated by Lola Rogers The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso (rec’d by Rebecca) White Oleander by Janet Fitch Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Wallbanger by Alice Clayton A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold Provenance by Ann Leckie Wild Swans by Jung Chang Mighty Be Our Powers by Leymah Gbowee A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee 100 Must Read Bisexual Books post Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine