Name: Jude
Reading: You Can't Win, Jack Black
Why did you want to read this? Jack Black's book, which chronicles his life as an outlaw, captivated me when I was young and doing my best to walk the path I was “supposed” to. It was sexy and a little terrifying to think that this kind of transgression was a possibility - one that might lead to a more interesting life. I didn’t know until contemplating this podcast that “You Can’t Win” was also a favorite of my wife’s and inspired some of the interesting choices she made in her youth: jumping trains, performing in circuses, and squatting. As governments around the world push trans people into the fringes, the outlaw perspective feels more relevant to me than ever.
How did you record yourself? I recorded this on my third-to-last day in Mexico City on a Saturday night in the quietest corner of an almost empty apartment on a Rode USB mic, reading a public domain edition of the book on my Kindle.
7 Oct 2026
Meenakshi reads Anjana Appachana
Name: Meenakshi
Reading: Fear and Lovely, Anjana Appachana
Why did you want to read this? I don't often seek relatability when I read. But with this I felt that delicious feeling of being entirely seen and understood. I encountered this novel when I, like Mallika, had left New Delhi to embark on a PhD in America. In Mallika I found an articulation of shyness that feels complex and sharp and an affection for the messy entanglements and nosiness that comes with life in a residential colony in Delhi. I enjoy how F&L has an ear for English as it's spoken in Delhi and how I've had wonderful conversations about it with many women in my life.
How did you record yourself? I had made grand plans to sit in my single, yellow mcm accent chair in my living room (which is where I do all my writing.) But it didn't feel right and so I moved all my paraphernalia to my bed and read aloud to the recording app on my laptop, while tucked into my green sheets on a sunny winter afternoon in Amherst having just returned from a lovely winter break in Delhi.
5 Aug 2026
Sejal reads Fauzia Musa
Name: Sejal
Reading: The Strangling Fig, Fauzia Musa
Why did you want to read this? I wanted to read this because Fauzia is a close friend, fellow creative + mother and someone who inspires me deeply. We exchange notes in and around our mutual practices (hers in writing, mine in art) and that dialogue always opens things up, helps me to question and reframe. Ngl I felt a sense of relief when I got into it and quickly felt a senseof all-consumingness that I've been missing. Lately I've felt a sense of urgency to feel moved, not see, hear or read the same thing, I wanted to be pulled completely into a world, and this book delivered that.
How did you record yourself? I'm currently one of the artists in residence at Expertim Art in Barcelona, so I recorded it in our little soundbooth in the library. I really love that it's next to the kitchen and their archive.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
169,344
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
34
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
76
Contact women read
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of women read?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
