In 'Good Talk,' Mira Jacob explores the complexities of race, identity, and family in contemporary America through intimate conversations with her young son. Using a blend of humor and poignant storytelling, she delves into the questions that shape their lives and the world around them. The narrative intertwines personal anecdotes with broader societal themes, making readers reflect on their own experiences and perceptions. As Jacob navigates sensitive topics, she reveals the power and necessity of dialogue in fostering understanding. Will these discussions lead to clarity or deepen the divide? Discover the transformative potential of a good talk.
By Mira Jacob
Published: 2020
""We are all just trying to make sense of the world as it shifts beneath us, one conversation at a time.""
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “beautiful and eye-opening” (Jacqueline Woodson), “hilarious and heart-rending” (Celeste Ng) graphic memoir about American identity, interracial families, and the realities that divide us, from the acclaimed author of The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing. ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Chicago Tribune, The New York Public Library, Publishers Weekly • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Time, BuzzFeed, Esquire, Literary Journal, Kirkus Reviews “How brown is too brown?” “Can Indians be racist?” “What does real love between really different people look like?” Like many six-year-olds, Mira Jacob’s half-Jewish, half-Indian son, Z, has questions about everything. At first they are innocuous enough, but as tensions from the 2016 election spread from the media into his own family, they become much, much more complicated. Trying to answer him honestly, Mira has to think back to where she’s gotten her own answers: her most formative conversations about race, color, sexuality, and, of course, love. Written with humor and vulnerability, this deeply relatable graphic memoir is a love letter to the art of conversation—and to the hope that hovers in our most difficult questions. LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/OPEN BOOK AWARD “Jacob’s earnest recollections are often heartbreaking, but also infused with levity and humor. What stands out most is the fierce compassion with which she parses the complexities of family and love.”—Time “Good Talk uses a masterful mix of pictures and words to speak on life’s most uncomfortable conversations.”—io9 “Mira Jacob just made me toss everything I thought was possible in a book-as-art-object into the garbage. Her new book changes everything.”—Kiese Laymon, New York Times bestselling author of Heavy
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“"We are all just trying to make sense of the world as it shifts beneath us, one conversation at a time."”
Good Talk
By Mira Jacob
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Mira Jacob is an acclaimed author and writer known for her innovative storytelling and deep exploration of identity, culture, and family dynamics. Her notable works include the bestselling memoir 'Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations,' which examines race, identity, and parenting through a series of dialogues with her son. She is also the author of 'The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing,' a novel that weaves together themes of love, loss, and the complexities of immigrant experiences. Jacob's writing is characterized by its candid prose, humor, and emotional depth, inviting readers to engage thoughtfully with contemporary social issues.
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