Sunburn Up Your Nose

Jenn Northington Mar 9, 2017

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Amanda and Jenn discuss Brazilian fiction, nature stories, urban fantasy, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco and Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfař.

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The show can also be found on Stitcher here.

Questions

1. First off you guys are absolutely amazing and I love everything you do. I am fascinated with Brazil and am looking for books that talk about Brazilian culture, history and/or music. I prefer fiction and historical fiction. I am not opposed to non fiction. I listen to Brazilian music and want to teach myself Portuguese. I have read almost all of Paolo Coelho’s books. My favorite books include One Hundred Years of Solitude, A Fine Balance, and Interpreter of Maladies. Any suggestions you have for me would be much appreciated.
–Rosa

2. Hi Amanda and Jenn,

This question, while it doesn’t have a hard deadline, is one that I would appreciate guidance on sooner rather than later, since I’m so out of my depth. Maybe within a month if you can swing it?

This is going to be long, for which I apologize; edit as you will for the podcast. I’m looking for a type of book that I’m not even sure exists. I volunteer to help refugee families navigate being in a new country with all the cultural, economic, linguistic, etc differences that might entail. The adults (ages 17-23) in the family I’m currently helping speak no English and some of them are completely illiterate, having spent the last 10 years in a refugee camp. They’re taking EFL classes, so they are getting grammars and those sorts of things, but I was wondering if there are any early literacy/picture books aimed towards adults that you could recommend. I’m also open to children’s books, I’ve just had trouble finding ones that don’t end up feeling kind of condescending to give to an adult.

I dropped this question out of the blue on my local librarian, and she came up with the idea of trying graphic novels/comic books, which I had not considered, but I think is genius. I looked at all of the kids’ graphic novels you recommended on previous podcasts, but they all leaned towards sci-fi/fantasy, and I’d like to find ones that are more realistic to help them navigate this whole new culture they’ve been dropped into. They already have enough fish-out-of-water syndrome in their lives.

So, to sum up: I would like recs for early literacy books appropriate for adults, preferably ones that are at my local library (ppld.org) so I can teach my family how to get them for themselves.

Thanks to you and all the contributors on the slack channel for your help!
–Annalisa

3. I’m less than 5 months from my wedding and my fiance and I are going to Ireland for our honeymoon. Neither one of us has ever been. I love reading books, any books, about and set in places that I am planning to visit. I’ve already read Angela’s Ashes and that pretty much exhausts my knowledge of Irish literature. Do you have any recommendations for books about or set in Ireland? Fiction or non-fiction would be welcome. Bonus points for anything wedding, romance, or love related.
–Kayla

4. I have found myself really only enjoying books that blend urban fantasy with mystery, but that still have a decent romance in them as well. I found a new love in William Ritter’s “Jackaby” and “Beastly Bones,” and have since then not really enjoyed reading anything else. I find other books fascinating and intriguing, but they’re just not giving the magic I felt while reading these books and books in general when I was in high-school.

On the flip side, I am about to graduate college now, and would really like to find something that is similar to these books at a more “adult” level.

Thanks so much! 🙂
–LizzyBizzy

5. Today a coworker asked me if we have feminism where I’m from (Canada), and if I think we still need it here (USA). I was not even remotely prepared to do 101 with him. What’s a good, accessible book I can give to a guy who thinks we don’t need feminism anymore? Help me Book Riot, you’re my only hope.
–Lynn

6. When I was young I was always obsessed with Robin Hood. I’d read some children’s books, watched the movies of course, and when I was in middle school really liked the BBC series. Now I’m older but really like the Robin Hood legend and would love to read some books about it but all I can find are children’s books. Nothing against reading children’s lit. but I’d like to read some more mature books on the subject. Thanks in advanced! I love your show.
–Amy

7. Hello,

For the past few years, I have read several books about ill-fated (or nearly ill fated) ocean voyages. My absolute favorite was Hampton Sides’ “In the Kingdom of Ice.” But I have also enjoyed “Endurance,” “The Terror,” “In the Heart of the Sea,” and “Island of the Lost.” I have also read nearly all of Jon Kraukauer’s early works that focused on the outdoor world. Now I am looking for some new reads that focus on the great and terrible beauty of the natural world. Can be set in either warm or cold climates, but the natural world needs to be a major character in the story. Thanks for any suggestions you can send my way.

–EmilyR

Books Discussed

City of God by Paulo Lins, translated by Alison Entrekin

The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Helen R. Lane

Americatown by Bradford Winters and Larry Cohen

Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese, Shadow Hero)

In the Woods by Tana French

Grania by Morgan Llywelyn

The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles

Bone Street Rumba series by Daniel Jose Older (Half-Resurrection Blues)

We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit