Book and Lounge

the Afro-Caribbean Bookclub
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An engaging monthly books podcast where members of the Afro-Caribbean Book Club discuss books they have read and sometimes talk to authors about their writing✍️.

  1. 4d ago

    Publishing, Piracy, and AI: Are you a writer if you use AI?

    In this episode, we explore whether publishers should be doing more to market their books, and how the publishing industry might better serve writers from the global South and we consider how cost, distribution and access shape who gets to read and whose stories are heard. We also tackle the thorny question of AI and writing: can you call yourself a writer if you use AI to help create a book? We discuss the difference between brainstorming and generating prose, questions of originality and attribution, and the risk that accusations of AI use could unfairly target black writers. Along the way, we share thoughts on the Netflix drama The Polygamist, discuss creative ways to make books more accessible, and how the publishing industry could be disrupted. We would love to hear your thoughts on AI, book piracy and the future of publishing. Get in touch at hello@bookandlounge.com, or find Book and Lounge on BlueSky, LinkedIn and YouTube. Episode References The Polygamist (Netflix series) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt42543947/ Hunger (Netflix film) https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81517155 Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams https://candicecartywilliams.com/books/ The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1x_4dGzUZI&pp=0gcJCSsMAYcqIYzv Malorie Blackman https://www.malorieblackman.co.uk/ Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe https://www.britannica.com/topic/Things-Fall-Apart Heinemann African Writers Series https://www.penguin.co.uk/series/AFW/african-writers-series A Grain of Wheat - Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Grain_of_Wheat Olga Tokarczuk https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2018/tokarczuk/facts/ Brittle Paper https://brittlepaper.com/ OkayAfrica https://www.okayafrica.com/ Masobe Books https://masobebooks.com/ Bound to Violence - Yambo Ouologuem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONnzsFNRXvQ Yambo Ouologuem https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yambo-Ouologuem Commonwealth Short Story Prize https://commonwealthfoundation.com/short-story-prize/

    Publishing, Piracy, and AI: Are you a writer if you use AI?

  2. Sep 1

    From Classics to Contemporary: A Journey Through Our Recent Reads

    In this episode, we discuss what else we have been reading outside the book club. We share our favorite recent reads, from gripping crime fiction to captivating travel narratives. We explore how our reading habits have evolved over time and the impact of societal changes on literature. Whether you are looking for your next great read or simply want to explore the literary landscape with us, this episode is for you. We invite you to share your thoughts and book recommendations with us at hello@bookandlounge.com. Books discussed: London Falling — Patrick Radden Keefe — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238226991-london-falling A Time of Gifts — Patrick Leigh Fermor — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/253984.A\_Time\_of\_Gifts Between the Woods and the Water — Patrick Leigh Fermor — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/293207.Between\_the\_Woods\_and\_the\_Water Crook Manifesto — Colson Whitehead — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61812836-crook-manifesto Harlem Shuffle — Colson Whitehead — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/54626223-harlem-shuffle Broken — Don Winslow — https://www.goodreads.com/work/editions/74667770-broken Wide Sargasso Sea — Jean Rhys — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25622780-wide-sargasso-sea Remarkably Bright Creatures — Shelby Van Pelt — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58733693-remarkably-bright-creatures Minor Disturbances at Grand Life Apartments — Hema Sukumar — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/113324323-minor-disturbances-at-grand-life-apartments David Copperfield — Charles Dickens — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58696.David\_Copperfield Jane Eyre — Charlotte Brontë — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/10210.Jane\_Eyre Americanah — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15796700-americanah Butter — Asako Yuzuki — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/200776812-butter Just Sayin': My Life in Words — Malorie Blackman — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61849724-just-sayin Intermezzo — Sally Rooney — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/208931300-intermezzo Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage — Belle Burden — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/231108670-strangers Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke — https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/238226942-yesteryear #Literature, #ReadingHabits, #BookRecommendations, #BookClub

  3. Aug 1

    In Conversation with Concia Alicia - Made From This

    In this episode we are joined by Concia Alicia to discuss her debut novella Made from This. Made From This is narrated by Simone, a British Caribbean counsellor who has spent twenty years helping other people understand their childhoods while carefully avoiding her own. Set across four generations of a Montserratian family, the book traces the damage and the love that move through families without anyone choosing to pass them on and asks whether any of us can look at that honestly enough to define a different legacy. "It is not a sad book. It is not a happy book. It is a book of complications." CONCIA ALICIA BIO Concia Alicia is a Black British author of Montserratian origin, public servant, and elected councillor whose work navigates the intersection of community, legacy, and what it means to build something that lasts. She is also the author of two children's books, Sasha's Special Nose and A Mighty Good Mix. Published in 2025. She lives in London and is working on her next book. CONTACT AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website: www.conciaalicia.com Instagram: @conciaalbert TikTok: @findingoutthings1 Buy Made From This on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068445521 Email: info@conciaalicia.com We invite you to listen in, engage with us and share your thoughts at hello@bookandlounge.com.

    In Conversation with Concia Alicia - Made From This

  4. Jul 1

    The Return by Hisham Matar: Memoir, Grief, and the Quest for Truth in a Land of Exile

    In this episode, we discuss Hisham Matar's poignant memoir, The Return, which explores the complex themes of grief, exile, and the search for truth against the backdrop of Libya's tumultuous history under Gaddafi. Matar's narrative oscillates between past and present as he recounts his quest to uncover the fate of his father, a political dissident who vanished into the regime's oppressive grasp. We unpack the emotional weight of Matar's experiences and the lyrical beauty of his writing and discuss the implications of identity and belonging in a state of exile, the ethical responsibilities of memoirists in chronicling history, and the intricate dynamics of family relationships shaped by loss and trauma. Tune in to discover how this memoir not only serves as a personal account but also as a powerful commentary on the broader socio-political landscape of Libya. Send your thoughts to us at hello@bookandlounge.com

    The Return by Hisham Matar: Memoir, Grief, and the Quest for Truth in a Land of Exile

  5. Jun 1

    Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby: Revenge, Grief, and the Limits of Vigilante Justice

    When two grieving fathers unite to hunt down their sons' killers, the real question isn't whether they will succeed. Can revenge ever truly heal the wounds that grief leaves behind? In this episode we discuss S.A. Cosby's Razorblade Tears. The book follows two fathers from radically different backgrounds, one white and one Black, whose sons were murdered. Their quest for vengeance reveals uncomfortable truths about guilt, unresolved trauma, grief, tolerance and what it means to truly accept someone you love. Listen to the full episode to hear every nuanced thread unpacked. Send comments to hello@bookandlounge.com

    Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby: Revenge, Grief, and the Limits of Vigilante Justice

  6. Apr 30

    Percival Everett's James: A Bold Reimagining of Huckleberry Finn

    What if we have been reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the wrong perspective? In this episode, we discuss Percival Everett's James, a bold reimagining that gives Jim, the enslaved man, his own voice. Everett does not simply retell Twain's narrative. He reveals Jim as a fully realised person with his own motivations, intelligence, and a relationship with Huck that is far more complex than we ever imagined. In this conversation we explore code-switching and what purpose it served and continues to serve, race as a social construct, and how dehumanisation functioned as tools of systemic control. We also explore Everett’s sharp critique of white liberalism and his willingness to challenge persistent stereotypes about Black intellectualism. We discuss how fear and psychological terror were slavery's primary control mechanisms, and how those same systems persist today. Listen Now.

    Percival Everett's James: A Bold Reimagining of Huckleberry Finn

  7. Mar 31

    The Dream Hotel: Is The Surveillance Dystopia Already Here?

    In this episode we examine how a woman's dream data, collected through an innocent sleep monitoring implant, becomes weaponised by government algorithms to detain her without cause. We unpack the Dream Hotel’s central warning: technology normalised today becomes tomorrow's tool of oppression. We explore how smart glasses, social media monitoring, and surveillance systems operate with minimal accountability. We challenge why tech entrepreneurs hold unquestioned authority over our futures and discuss practical steps to reclaim personal data control.

  8. Mar 1

    Beyond Borders - Exploring the Complexities of Migration in Manchester Happened

    In the latest episode, we discuss themes in the compelling collection of short stories, Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. The stories are a poignant exploration of migration, identity, and the complexities of cultural experiences faced by Ugandans in the diaspora. They are intricately woven, revealing the nuances of life as an immigrant and the challenges of reconciling one's past with their present. If you’ve ever felt caught between two worlds, or you simply love a good story that tells it like it is, hit play. Drop us a comment, share the episode with #ManchesterHappened and keep the conversation rolling because the only thing better than a good book is a good debate.

    Beyond Borders - Exploring the Complexities of Migration in Manchester Happened
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About

An engaging monthly books podcast where members of the Afro-Caribbean Book Club discuss books they have read and sometimes talk to authors about their writing✍️.

Information

  • Creator
    the Afro-Caribbean Bookclub
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © the Afro-Caribbean Bookclub