Shows / fiction/non/fiction
fiction/non/fiction
Hosted by Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan, fiction/non/fiction interprets current events through the lens of literature, and features conversations with writers of all stripes, from novelists and poets to journalists and essayists.
Episodes
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 46: Will Bardenwerper on Baseball’s Betrayal of Its Minor League Roots
Journalist Will Bardenwerper joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new book, Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 45: Barbara Kingsolver on Supporting Appalachian Women Recovering from Addiction
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Barbara Kingsolver joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss her support of Higher Ground, a long-term…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 44: Vanity Fair’s Dan Adler on Jeffrey Epstein and What Ghislaine Maxwell Knows
Vanity Fair journalist Dan Adler joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his coverage of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 43: Gary Shteyngart on Vera, or Faith and American Authoritarians
Acclaimed novelist Gary Shteyngart joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new novel, Vera, or Faith, which explores American…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 42: Ed Park on An Oral History of Atlantis
Pulitzer Prize finalist Ed Park joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his debut short story collection, An Oral History of…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 41: Raina Lipsitz on Mamdani, DSA, and the Rise of a New Left
Writer Raina Lipsitz joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss Zohran Mamdani’s surprise win in the Democratic primary for New York…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 40: Dina Nayeri on Iranian Life Under Attack
Prize-winning Iranian American author Dina Nayeri joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss the complicated reality of survival on the…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 39: Ernesto Londoño on the Personal Cost of Minnesota’s Political Killings
New York Times reporter Ernesto Londoño joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss the recent murder of Minnesota state representative…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 38: Geoff Dyer on His New Memoir, Homework
Writer Geoff Dyer joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new memoir Homework, which covers Dyer’s working-class youth in England…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 37: Jess Walter on the American Family Unplugged
Fiction writer Jess Walter joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new novel So Far Gone, in which a former environmental…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 36: Susan Choi on Flashlight
Acclaimed fiction writer Susan Choi joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss her new novel, Flashlight. Choi talks about the opening…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 35: Paul Elie on Art, Faith, and Sex in 1980s America–and the New Pope
Nonfiction writer Paul Elie joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 34: Julia Elliott on Small-Town Voters and Trump’s Tariff Trap
Fiction writer Julia Elliott joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V Ganeshananthan to talk about why President Trump’s tariff policy appeals to voters in small…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 33: Mirza Waheed on India, Pakistan, and the Literature of Partition
Novelist and journalist Mirza Waheed joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V Ganeshananthan to talk about brewing tensions between two nuclear powers: India and…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 32: Hamilton Nolan on DIY Opinion Writing
Writer Hamilton Nolan joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V Ganeshananthan to talk about opinion journalism. Nolan, who writes frequently about labor and…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 31: Rešoketšwe Manenzhe on Trump’s South African Connection
South African writer Rešoketšwe Manenzhe joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about the influence that wealthy South African…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 30: Jodie Hare on the Politics of Neurodiversity
Following Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s widely publicized and false claims about autism, writer Jodie Hare joins co-hosts…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 29: Vauhini Vara on AI, Art, and Memory
Acclaimed novelist and journalist Vauhini Vara joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V Ganeshananthan to discuss her new essay collection, Searches: Selfhood in…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 28: Sheila Sundar on International Scholars
Following ICE’s detention of Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil and the sudden revocation of hundreds of student visas across the country…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 27: Meghan O’Rourke on The End of the University
Essayist, poet, and Yale Review editor Meghan O’Rourke joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about her recent New York Times piece…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 26: Alex Higley on True Failure and Shark Tank
Novelist Alex Higley joins host V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about his new novel, True Failure, in which a man fired from his job decides not to tell his wife…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 25: Edmund White on The Loves of My Life
Novelist, memoirist and biographer Edmund White joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about his recent book, The Loves of My Life: A…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 24: Curtis Sittenfeld on Show Don’t Tell
Bestselling fiction writer Curtis Sittenfeld joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about her new collection of stories, Show Don’t…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 23: Karen Weingarten/Abortion Stories Before Roe v. Wade
Professor Karen Weingarten joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about a new anthology she has edited, Abortion Stories: American…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 22: Novelists Suzette Mayr and Kai Thomas on Canada Versus Trump
Canadian authors Suzette Mayr and Kai Thomas join co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss the repercussions of President Trump’s recent…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 21: Nicholas Fandos on New York Politics, Eric Adams, and Trump
New York Times reporter Nicholas Fandos, author of a recent article titled “An Emboldened Trump Seeks to Bend New York City to His Will,” joins co-hosts…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 20: Journalists Michael Scherer and Ashley Parker on Trump and his Tech Oligarchs.
New Atlantic staff writers Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer, authors of a recent article called “The Tech Oligarchy Arrives,” join host Whitney Terrell to…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 19: Thomas Dai on Mapping, Naming, Borders, and Immigration
Essayist Thomas Dai joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss his new collection, Take My Name But Say It Slow, in which he writes…
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S8 Ep. 18: Lan Samantha Chang on the Risks and Rewards of Literary Personas
Acclaimed novelist and Director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop Lan Samantha Chang joins Fiction/Non/Fiction hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 17: Sarah S. Grossman on the Los Angeles Wildfires
Novelist and former Huffington Post climate reporter Sarah S. Grossman joins Fiction/Non/Fiction co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to talk about…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 16: Charles Baxter on the Dangers of Knowing the Future
Acclaimed novelist Charles Baxter joins Fiction/Non/Fiction hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss his recent novel Blood Test: A Comedy…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 15: Ream Shukairy on Syria After Assad
Following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, novelist Ream Shukairy joins Fiction/Non/Fiction co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 14 REBROADCAST: Jacinda Townsend and James Bernard Short on Percival Everett and American Fiction
Novelist Jacinda Townsend and writer James Bernard Short join co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about the movie American Fiction, which…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 13: Ellie Palmer and Elle Everhart on the Rise of Romance
In this holiday re-broadcast, Romance novelists Elle Everhart and Ellie Palmer join co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to talk about the genre’s…
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S8 Ep. 12: Journalists Tetyana Ogarkova and Volodymyr Yermolenko on Trump and Ukraine
Nearly three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, journalists and podcasters Tetyana Ogarkova and Volodymyr Yermolenko return to Fiction/Non/Fiction to…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 11: Molly Redden on Trump’s Plan to Seize Spending Power
ProPublica reporter Molly Redden joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her recent piece on impoundment, Donald Trump’s strategy to…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 10: Carvell Wallace on Love, Survival, and Endings
Writer and podcaster Carvell Wallace joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss finding his way to the understanding that life is lived…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 9: REBROADCAST: The Best and Worst Dinner Parties in Literature: Mar-A-Lago Edition, Featuring Michael Knight
Following Donald Trump’s dinner at Mar-A-Lago with Ye (formerly Kanye West) and white supremacist Nick Fuentes, novelist Michael Knight joins hosts V.V…
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S8 Ep. 8: Ruben Reyes Jr. on Trump's Plans for Mass Deportation
Writer Ruben Reyes Jr. joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportation. Reyes explains…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 7: Maggie Tokuda-Hall on Project 2025’s Plans For Book Bans
In the wake of the election, writer Maggie Tokuda-Hall joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss what Project 2025 has in store for…
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S8 Ep. 6: Jennifer Maritza McCauley on Puerto Ricans, Trump, and the Election
Writer Jennifer Maritza McCauley joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to analyze the fallout from Tony Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of…
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S8 Ep. 5: Jess Walter on the Election
In the lead-up to the presidential election, novelist Jess Walter returns to the show to revisit his previous comments about former president Donald Trump…
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S8 Ep. 4: Stephen Markley on The Deluge to Come
In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, novelist Stephen Markley joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss his novel The Deluge…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 3: Anne Curzan on Our Changing Language
Linguist, writer, and professor Anne Curzan joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss how language is constantly changing—and how…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 2: Jeff Sharlet on ‘Sanewashing’ and Fascism
Nonfiction writer Jeff Sharlet joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss how mainstream media outlets sanitize Donald Trump’s rhetoric…
fiction/non/fictionS8 Ep. 1: Lola Milholland on the Housing Crisis and Communal Living
As the housing crisis worsens and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris makes lowering housing prices a key part of her agenda, nonfiction writer…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 52: Myriam J.A. Chancy on Haitian American Communities
Following Donald Trump and J.D. Vance’s racist smears against Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, author Myriam J.A. Chancy joins co-hosts V.V…
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S7 Ep. 51: Ellen Emerson White on the First Woman President, Real and Imagined
As Vice President Kamala Harris's historic campaign for the presidency enters its final weeks, writer Ellen Emerson White joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan…
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S7 Ep. 50: Thomas Frank on How the Harris-Walz Ticket Can Win Red State Voters
Political and cultural critic Thomas Frank joins host Whitney Terrell to discuss how Democrats and Republicans courted voters from the Midwest and South at…
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S7 Ep. 49: Alissa Quart on J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy and the Dangerous Lie of American Bootstrap Narratives
Nonfiction writer Alissa Quart joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss how the American obsession with “bootstrap narratives” led to…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 48: Joshua Kaplan on AP3 and the Future of American Militias
ProPublica reporter Joshua Kaplan joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss his recent article on militia group American Patriots Three…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 47: Iris Jamahl Dunkle and Kelly McMasters on Biographical Ethics
Following Elon Musk’s estranged daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson’s accusations of unethical behavior on the part of Musk’s authorized biographer, memoirist Kelly…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 46: Francine Prose on What 1974 Can Teach Us About 2024
Novelist Francine Prose joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her new book, 1974: A Personal History. Prose talks about her…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 45: Jasmin Graham on Understanding Sharks
Marine biologist Jasmin Graham joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her new book, Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 44: Ellie Palmer and Elle Everhart on the Rise of Romance
Romance novelists Elle Everhart and Ellie Palmer join co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to talk about the genre’s increasing popularity…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 43: Harry Siegel on the Supreme Court, Bribery, and Scofflaws
New York Daily News columnist Harry Siegel joins co-host V.V. Ganeshananthan and guest co-host Matt Gallagher to talk about his recent piece about the Supreme…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 42: Sally Franson and Emily Nussbaum on Reality TV
Novelist Sally Franson and critic Emily Nussbaum join host V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about reality television. Franson, a recent reality TV show winner whose…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 41: Phil Elwood on Doing PR for All the Worst Humans
In the wake of the recent Trump-Biden debate, public relations operative Phil Elwood joins co-host V.V. Ganeshananthan and guest co-host Matt Gallagher to talk…
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From the Archives: S1 Ep. 6: Kiki Petrosino and Jess Walter on All the President's Shakespeare
As Literary Hub observes July 4, we return to our archives for a 2017 episode that remains relevant today. We will return with a new episode July 11. In…
fiction/non/fictionS7 Ep. 39: Maxim Loskutoff on the Unabomber and the Myth of the American West
Novelist Maxim Loskutoff joins co-host V.V. Ganeshananthan and guest co-host Matt Gallagher to talk about his new novel, Old King, which is about Unabomber Ted…