Literature & Geopolitics Podcast

Robert Fay
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Literature & Geopolitics focuses on long-form conversations with important writers from around the world, with a particular emphasis on authors who deserve a wider audience in North America and more broadly, among English-language readers. Hosted by Robert Fay, this podcast is an extension of the Literature & Geopolitics newsletter on Substack. https://literaturegeopolitics.substack.com/

Episodes

  1. Sep 29

    Michal Ben-Naftali on Literature, Holocaust Memory and the Silence of the Past

    Israeli novelist and French translator Michal Ben-Naftali argues that we may be witnessing what she calls “the death of the reader”, in reference to Roland Barthes’ 1967 famous “death of the author.” For Ben-Naftali, literature asks readers to imagine experiences beyond the limits of their own lives, a capacity she worries is increasingly being lost. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss the place of fiction and translation in Israeli culture; Ben-Naftali’s translations and personal impressions of French philosopher Jacques Derrida; the significance of S. Yizhar and his famed novel Days of Ziklag; and her own novel The Teacher, translated into English by Daniella Zamir. The Teacher’s central character is Elsa Weiss, a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivor whose survival is connected to Rudolf Kastner and the so-called “Kastner Train”. We discuss Holocaust memory, silence, survival and moral ambiguity, and Ben-Naftali’s belief that new generations must find ways to “bear witness to the witness.” Her forthcoming English-language book of novellas, A Dress of Fire, is expected from Open Letter Books in 2027. Literature & Geopolitics features long-form conversations with important writers from around the world, with a particular emphasis on authors who deserve a wider audience among English-language readers. Sign up for the free Literature & Geopolitics newsletter focused on literary taste, current affairs, and history’s curious turns. And to help support my work, do consider making a pledge when you sign up. https://literaturegeopolitics.substac... Music: Used under a valid PremiumBeat license purchased by the channel owner for use in this podcast.

  2. Sep 8

    Why Oman Banned This Novelist’s Books | Mohamed Alyahyai

    Omani novelist and journalist Mohamed Alyahyai has had several of his books banned in Oman. In this conversation, we discuss censorship, freedom of expression, exile, the history of Omani literature, and his novel The War. Alyahyai explains what it is like to have a book disappear from bookstores without a clear explanation—and why he believes authorities can sometimes be more afraid of the idea of a book than anything specifically written in it. We also discuss his decision to live and work outside Oman, his belief in journalism and a free press, and the relationship between freedom of expression, human dignity, and the idea of home. We talk extensively about The War, Alyahyai’s novel available in English, including its unusual stories-within-stories structure and its treatment of the Dhofar Rebellion, the Marxist and Arab nationalist movements of the 1960s and 1970s, memory, exile, family, and political violence. We also discuss Naguib Mahfouz and the Arabic literary tradition, the possible influence of The Arabian Nights on Alyahyai’s storytelling, William Faulkner, James Joyce and banned literature, Salman Rushdie, and whether reading novels actually makes us more empathetic or moral. Mohamed Alyahyai is an Omani novelist, journalist, and documentary filmmaker currently based in Doha, Qatar. His novel The War is available in English from Dar Arab Publishing.

  3. Jul 21

    Navtej Sarna on Literature, Reading, and the Writer's Life

    Explore Robert Fay’s interview with Indian novelist and diplomat Navtej Sarna, who talks about his literary childhood in 1960s India, writing historical fiction, meeting with the renowned Indian novelist Khuswant Singh, and how 20th century English novels of the British Raj are now received in India. Ambassador Sarna served in the Indian Foreign Service for 38 years, serving as India’s Ambassador to Isreal, India’s Ambassador to the U.S. under the first Trump Administration, and India’s High Commission to the U.K. He has written 11 books, including novels, short story collections, histories, and translations. His most recent novel is Crimson Spring, which tells the story of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre during the British Raj. Sign up for the free Literature & Geopolitics newsletter focused on literary taste, current affairs, and history’s curious turns. And to help support my work, do consider making a pledge when you sign up: https://literaturegeopolitics.substack.com/ During our interview, we referenced the following books: ·       Alexander, Michael, and Sushila Anand. Queen Victoria’s Maharajah: Duleep Singh, 1838–93. 1980. ·       Byron, Robert. The Road to Oxiana. 1937. ·       Campbell, Christie. The Maharaja's Box. 2000. ·       Dalrymple, William. The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company. 2019. ·       Farrell, J. G. The Siege of Krishnapur. 1973. ·       Forster, E. M. A Passage to India. 1924. ·       Hotchner, A. E. Hemingway in Love. 2015. ·       Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. 1957. ·       Kissinger, Henry. White House Years. 1979. ·       Le Carré, John. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. 1963. ·       Masters, John. Bhowani Junction. 1954. ·       Nabokov, Vladimir. Speak, Memory: An Autobiography Revisited. 1966. ·       Sarna, Mohinder Singh (trans. Navtej Sarna). Savage Harvest. 2013. ·       Sarna, Navtej. Crimson Spring. 2022. ·       Sarna, Navtej. The Exile. 2008. ·       Sarna, Navtej. Second Thoughts. 2015. ·       Sarna, Navtej. We Weren't Lovers Like That. 2003. ·       Sarna, Surjit (trans.). Fire on the Mountain (Punjabi translation), by Anita Desai. 1995. ·       Scott, Paul. The Raj Quartet (Omnibus Edition). 1976. ·       Singh, Khushwant. A History of the Sikhs (Vols. 1 & 2). 1963–1966. ·       Singh, Khushwant. Train to Pakistan. 1956.

  4. Jun 30

    Literature in Exile, Roberto Bolaño, and the Political Novel | Santiago Gamboa

    Explore this interview with Colombian novelist Santiago Gamboa as he talks movingly about his friendship with the Chilean master Roberto Bolaño, his years of exile in Europe, why intellectuals and writers in Latin America are close to political power, and how great novelists handle politics in their work. He also talks about a recent lunch he had with the Chinese Nobel Laureate Mo Yan, who wanted to talk endlessly about Gamboa’s friendship with Bolaño. The interview is also important because it is one of Gamboa’s first major English-language interviews on YouTube. Gamboa left Colombia during its darkest days in the 1980s when he was just 19 years old. He went on to live and publish books while living in Spain, France, and Italy. He finally returned to Colombia after 30 years. Gamboa is the author of 11 novels, plus a collection of short stories and a travel memoir. Some of his key novels translated into English include Necropolis, Night Prayers, and Return to the Dark Valley. Santiago Gamboa’s books are available in English translations from Europa Editions: https://www.europaeditions.com/author... During our interview, we referenced the following works of literature: · Bolaño, Roberto. The Savage Detectives. · Bolaño, Roberto. 2666. · Carpentier, Alejo. Explosion in a Cathedral. · Carpentier, Alejo. The Lost Steps. · Conrad, Joseph. The Heart of Darkness. · Conrad, Joseph. Lord Jim. · Gamboa, Santiago. Colombian Psycho. · García Márquez, Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude. · Greene, Graham. The End of the Affair. · Greene, Graham. The Quiet American. · Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. · Knausgaard, Karl Ove. My Struggle. · Mann, Thomas. Doctor Faustus. · Tolstoy, Leo. War and Peace. · Vergil. The Aeneid. · Vargas Llosa, Mario. Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter. · Zola, Émile. J’Accuse…! Sign up for the free Literature & Geopolitics newsletter focused on literary taste, current affairs, and history’s curious turns. And to help support my work, do consider making a pledge when you sign up: https://literaturegeopolitics.substac ... Music credit: "Afternoon Tea" by Mona Wonderlick — bit.ly/youtube-monawonderlick Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Explore the podcast

  5. Jun 15

    Why Anthony Powell Still Matters Today | Harry Mount of The Oldie

    Discover why English novelist Anthony Powell deserves to be remembered as one of Britain’s great 20th-century novelists. He wrote the 12-volume masterpiece “A Dance to the Music of Time” that explores the lives of a group of British characters from the 1920s, through World War II, and deep into middle age. I talk with Harry Mount, who is the great nephew of Anthony Powell, and the editor of The Oldie Magazine. He is also a distinguished writer in his own right, having written 10 non-fiction books, including a popular guide to learning Latin, called “Carpe Diem: Put a Little Latin in Your Life”. In the interview, we talk about why Powell matters, if he should be considered, “the English Proust,” and whether it is fair to criticize Powell for focusing too much on the upper classes.

  6. May 27

    Why Diplomacy Is the Perfect Job for Writers | India’s Ambassador Abhay K.

    In the first episode of the Literature & Geopolitics podcast, Indian Ambassador and poet Abhay K. discusses diplomacy, poetry, Octavio Paz, Buddhist thought, Nalanda University, and why he chose to write about Africa. We also discuss the long and rich writer-diplomat tradition and why so many writers, including Dante, Chaucer, Pablo Neruda, Sergio Pitol, and many others, have been both writers and diplomats.

  • 6 Episodes

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Literature & Geopolitics focuses on long-form conversations with important writers from around the world, with a particular emphasis on authors who deserve a wider audience in North America and more broadly, among English-language readers. Hosted by Robert Fay, this podcast is an extension of the Literature & Geopolitics newsletter on Substack. https://literaturegeopolitics.substack.com/

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