You're listening to reading glasses, a show about book culture and literary life designed to help you read better. I'm writer, filmmaker, and book devour, Mallory Omera.

And I'm Bria Grant, actress, filmmaker, and e-reader.

This episode we're decoding the different types of book awards and interviewing writer,

musician and past National Book Award judge Cecil Castellucci.

But first, what are you reading Bria?

Oh man, I'm reading a book that I'm sure all of our listeners have already read

and I'm way behind on the Times but I'm reading the Underground Railroad by

Colson Whitehead. I haven't read it yet. Oh you haven't? No! That shocks shocks me you know what I thought you're going to be like how are you just now reading this book? No no no I totally haven't read it yet. It hits such a zeitgeist but I had one of those library moments where like it kept arriving but I'd be in like the middle of another book and

I couldn't read it and then you miss book connections on Craigslist basically and then

it would leave and then I would be back at the bottom of the list and I'd be like

number 80 of whatever book.

Yeah so me and Coulson finally found each other.

For those who haven't read it it is one like basically every book

award ever in the last year. But is oh good for this episode it's

it's about it takes place during the 1800s the main character is a sort of like strong-willed female slave and it's about her escaping

but in this world that she lives in in this version of history the Underground Railroad is a real railroad system which is so cool

It came out last year. It's one of my favorite books this year so far. That's awesome. I recently read his book the intuitionist

Oh, yeah, I know so I think I've ever read I recently read his book the intuitionist.

Oh yeah I know so I think I've never read of his so this is where I need to go back and read them.

The intuition this was my first Coulson-W-Wai hit and I was just like blown away by his writing.

He's so, so good.

Yeah, he's amazing.

...