THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW Episode 4 The Moonstone

For Episode 9 of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW, Host Anuja Jaiswal covers Ling Ma’s 2018 dystopian bestseller "Severance."  The novel tells the story of a young millennial living in New York as a global pandemic sweeps across the world and changes life as she knows it (sound familiar?).  Although published two years before the unforeseen actual worldwide pandemic (Effects on NYC are quick and devastating – streets emptied, subways/public transport shut down), "Shen Fever," turns people into shells of themselves – those affected endlessly repeat banal actions from their daily lives, like folding clothes or setting a table.  The novel alternates between two timelines – the months leading up to the protagonist’s departure from the city, and the present, where she travels with a group of survivors trying to make sense of the world. As a globetrotting Manhattan millennial book reviewer, Ma’s prescient tale may hit Anuja a little close to home, but she manages to break it down in her usual style, letting you know why it’s an important and satisfying read.

Listen to previous episodes and SUBSCRIBE to THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW on your favorite podcast platform, and always live & direct (with exclusive site-only “extra” content) on the MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW Page on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network ARTS & CULTURE Channel

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For Episode 8 of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW Host Anuja Jaiswal covers “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” steeped in dramatic irony and satire, and considered a cornerstone of classic American literature.  Since its original release in 1884, Twain’s novel has enjoyed both acclaim and criticism, and Anuja breaks down how the word “racism” and this work, in particular, have a very long history – some argue that Twain’s use of certain language and the runaway slave character are discriminatory, whilst others say that the tenor of the book is inherently an anti-racist one.  As a "person of color" herself, who didn't grow up in the US, Anuja's unique perspective gives her ALOT to talk about regarding the now-controversial views on Twain and this book in particular.

For more information about Host Anuja Jaiswal, follow @ajaiswal1997 on Instagram

Listen to previous episodes and SUBSCRIBE to THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW on your favorite podcast platform, and always  live & direct (with exclusive “extra” content) on the MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW Page on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network ARTS & CULTURE Channel

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Episode 7 of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW, Host Anuja Jaiswal presents an insightful look at Ghanaian-American author Yaa Gyasi's "Homegoing," the 2016 historical novel that took the literary world by storm, where each chapter portrays the life of a different descendant of the Asante woman Maame.  It begins with two half-sisters who had wildly different fates:  the former marries a British governor, whilst the latter was sold into slavery.
  Acclaimed for its ambitious structure, it’s difficult to sustain a novel-length narrative when you meet each character for only a chapter, but Gyasi’s use of specific imagery and motifs in her syntax bolsters her depiction of greater themes, like identity, colonialism, and race.

Anuja breaks it all down and talks about why this book turned out to be such a great birthday gift for her from her friend.

Subscribe, download and check out previous episodes of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW anytime on your favorite podcast platform, and always streaming live & direct (with exclusive extras!) on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network ARTS & CULTURE SHOWS Channel.

For more information about host Anuja Jaiswal check out @ajaiswal1997 on Instagram

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Episode 6 of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW, Host Anuja Jaiswal covers the classic Daphne DuMaurier masterpiece “Rebecca.”  DuMaurier’s carefully paced narration and layered intrigue has inspired several adaptations since it was written in 1938, most notably Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film, a cornerstone of classic Hollywood, and Its most recent iteration, featuring Armie Hammer, Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas, and directed by Ben Wheatley, released in October 2020.  Anuja reveals how the author perfectly blends the combination of mystery and romance to create this classic 20th Century work of fiction, and why the novel has continued to be such a source of inspiration and retelling over the years.

Subscribe, download and check out previous episodes of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW anytime on your favorite podcast platform, and always streaming live & direct (with exclusive extras!) on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network ARTS & CULTURE SHOWS Channel.

For more information about host Anuja Jaiswal check out @ajaiswal1997 on Instagram

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Episode 5 of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW, Host Anuja Jaiswal reviews “Villette,” Charlotte Bronte’s final novel, lesser known than  “Jane Eyre,” but no less powerful. “VILLETTE" follows the life of Lucy Snowe, who leaves England to teach abroad and Anuju digs deep into the Victorian novel’s exploration of classic themes of overbearing employers, romantic misfortune, and the timely idea of the “male gaze…”  Although ”Villette” was written in 1853, Anuja reveals how it remains a relevant and prescient story worthy of a fresh look.

Subscribe and check out previous episodes of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW anytime on your favorite podcast platform, and live and direct (with extras!) on jasoncharles.net podcastnetwork ARTS & CULTURE SHOWS Channel

For more information about host Anuja Jaiswal check out @ajaiswal1997 on Instagram

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Episode 4 of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW, Host Anuja Jaiswal reviews Wilkie Collins’ classic novel “The Moonstone.”  Originally published in 1868, “The Moonstone," considered one of the first detective novels ever written, set the template for stories with multiple narrators and influenced the future of storytelling in writing and eventually film and media for years to come.  Anuja reveals the structure, characters and multiple voices and why they still resonate today with readers of all ages.

Spend 10 minutes with Anuja and go inside "The Moonstone"

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On this episode of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW, Host Anuja Jaiswal reviews Toni Morrison’s classic first novel “The Bluest Eye,” a powerful work about identity and race that still resonates today. 

Anuja goes back to the beginning of the legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s iconic catalogue to reveal the depth of soul, beautiful language, and haunting images of this incredible debut novel.  The setting of "The Bluest Eye" may be a world away, but in this insightful review, Anuja reveals how the themes and ideas presented in this inventively crafted novel still resonate all over the world.  Spend fifteen minutes with Anuja Jaiswal and go inside “The Bluest Eye.”

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On this episode of THE MANHATTAN MILLENNIAL BOOK REVIEW Host Anuja Jaiswal reviews the 1987 modern classic novel/memoir/autobiography "Borderlands" by Gloria E. Anzaldua.  Find out the ins and outs of this fascinating work through the eyes of a millennial reader who herself has crossed many literal and figural borders in her own life.

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