Jesmyn Ward on Pain and Beauty

About this episode

Jesmyn Ward discusses her impactful essays and new book ON WITNESS AND RESPAIR, exploring themes of pain and beauty.

Jesmyn Ward is arguably one of the most important writers of our generation. She has won two National Book Awards before fifty (first woman to do that and first Black woman to do that). And in this, her new essay book, ON WITNESS AND RESPAIR, she writes essays on everything from Faulkner to Hurricane Katrina. This book is in part a look back at some of her most impactful essays, speeches, and book introductions-but this is also a remarkable book full of pain, fascination and joy. Join us in our conversation with one of the generations most thoughtful and talented writers. Find books mentioned on The Book Case: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/shop/story/book-case-podcast-reading-list-118433302 Books mentioned on this week's episode: On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward Let us Descend by Jesmyn Ward Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Heavy by Kiese Laymon In Cold Blood by Truman Capote The Years by Nicholas Delbanco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Hosts: Charlie Gibson, Kate Gibson

Guest: Jesmyn Ward

Topics covered

• writing
• essays
• literature
• pain
• beauty
• Hurricane Katrina
• National Book Awards

Keywords

• Jesmyn Ward
• ON WITNESS AND RESPAIR
• essays
• National Book Awards
• Hurricane Katrina
• literature
• pain
• beauty

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: ON WITNESS AND RESPAIR, Let Us Descend, Sing, Unburied, Sing, Salvage the Bones, Men We Reaped, The Fire This Time, Where the Line Bleeds, Between the World and Me, In Cold Blood, The Years

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