Nerdette Book Club: ‘Happiness Falls,’ discussed!
Happy To Be Here
Greta Johnsen
4.8 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 26 September 2023
⏱️ 37 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Nerdette Book Club is back to dig into our September pick, Angie Kim’s novel 'Happiness Falls.' During the lockdown era of COVID, college student Mia is stuck at home with her parents and two brothers. Her father, Adam, stays at home to take care of the youngest son Eugene, who has autism and does not speak. One day, Adam and Eugene leave to go on a walk, but only Eugene comes back. The more the family looks for Adam, the more secrets they uncover. It’s a mystery that also grapples with ableism, personal fulfillment, and how much you can really know the people closest to you.
We’re joined by two of our favorite readers, Ted Talks Daily host Elise Hu and Northwestern University’s audio journalism director Arionne Nettles. If you have not read the book yet and do not want to hear spoilers, go back and listen to our conversation with Angie Kim in the feed!
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | From WBEZ Chicago, I'm Greta Johnson, and this is The Nerd Up Book Club. |
| 0:08.4 | It's just like a regular book club, except you don't have to share your snacks. |
| 0:12.5 | It is the month of September, and our selection this month is Angie Kim's novel Happiness |
| 0:17.1 | Falls. |
| 0:18.1 | It is told from the point of view of Mia, a college student who goes home during the |
| 0:22.0 | lockdown era of COVID. |
| 0:24.0 | She moves back in with her twin-john, her working mom Hannah, and her dad Adam, who stays |
| 0:28.3 | at home to take care of their younger brother Eugene, who is a teenager who's got autism |
| 0:33.6 | and doesn't talk. |
| 0:35.3 | One day, Adam and Eugene leave to go on a walk, but only Eugene comes back. |
| 0:39.8 | He's got blood under his fingernails, and he's unable to tell anyone what happened, and |
| 0:44.1 | the more the family looks for Adam, the more secrets they uncover. |
| 0:47.9 | That is all I am going to say for now because this is your spoiler warning. |
| 0:52.3 | If you have not read the book and you don't want to know what happens, you should go listen |
| 0:56.1 | to our spoiler free author interview with Angie Kim, which is in the feed. |
| 0:59.8 | If you have read the book, or you are just like a spoiler fiend, welcome, we are glad to |
| 1:04.7 | have you. |
| 1:05.7 | I am so excited to introduce you to this month's guests with us. |
| 1:09.8 | We have NPR host Elise Hugh Elise. |
| 1:12.4 | Hello. |
| 1:13.4 | Hello. |
| 1:14.4 | It's so great to be back. |
... |
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