<![CDATA[Transatlantic Bookmarks]]>Welcome to Transatlantic Bookmarks, a weekly literary podcast hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston.

From opposite sides of the Atlantic, we talk about contemporary fiction, classic literature, international books, literary prizes, adaptations, reading culture, and the ways books collide with everyday life.

This is a podcast for readers who want thoughtful conversation without academic stiffness or internet performance. Some episodes focus on major new releases and award shortlists like the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Others explore classics, books in translation, film and television adaptations, literary trends, and the human questions hiding inside fiction.

New episodes every week.

Find show notes, reading lists, and additional writing on Substack: https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/

]]>https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sun, 21 Jun 2026 22:30:03 GMTSun, 10 May 2026 06:32:37 GMT60Ksenija Popović & Sue Graham Johnston<p>Welcome to Transatlantic Bookmarks, a weekly literary podcast hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston.</p><p>From opposite sides of the Atlantic, we talk about contemporary fiction, classic literature, international books, literary prizes, adaptations, reading culture, and the ways books collide with everyday life.</p><p>This is a podcast for readers who want thoughtful conversation without academic stiffness or internet performance. Some episodes focus on major new releases and award shortlists like the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Others explore classics, books in translation, film and television adaptations, literary trends, and the human questions hiding inside fiction.</p><p>New episodes every week.</p><p>Find show notes, reading lists, and additional writing on Substack: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/</a></p>episodicKsenija Popović & Sue Graham Johnstonksenija.popovic@gmail.comno<![CDATA[The War on Books]]>What makes a book dangerous?

In this episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss banned books, censorship, school libraries, Pride Month, LGBTQ literature, free speech, and the role books play in helping us understand lives different from our own. From John Steinbeck and Upton Sinclair to Alice Walker and Andrew Sean Greer, we explore why certain books become cultural battlegrounds and who gets to decide what belongs on the shelf.

We also discuss book bans in the United States, the difference between age-appropriate reading and censorship, the role of librarians, LGBTQ representation in literature, and why societies often seem more comfortable with violence than with sex. At the center of the conversation is a simple question: what do we lose when access to books becomes restricted?

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:
• No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs (with David Roberts)
• Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• Das Kapital by Karl Marx
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
• The Works of Immanuel Kant
• Less by Andrew Sean Greer
• The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
• The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
• The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker

💌 Our Substack & Show Notes:
https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/

📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels:
https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications

📚 Ksenija on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_

🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS

Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.

Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores award-winning fiction, book recommendations, new releases, classics, and the conversations literature inspires.

New episodes are released every week.

👉🏻 CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
02:49 What We’re Reading
05:21 The Fear of a Different Opinion
08:54 The Role of Literature in Critical Thinking
09:20 Pride Month and LGBTQ Representation
16:23 Cultural Divides in America
21:23 Book Banning in the United States
25:55 The Case for Censorship
33:46 The Hypocrisy of Censorship
38:03 Censoring Socialism
43:36 LGBTQIA+ in the Balkans
49:28 Unexpected Events and Personal Stories
51:13 Pride Marches: Corporate Influence vs. Authenticity
52:45 The Role of Librarians in Democracy
56:13 Both Sides Are Banning

]]>ce285d0f-4606-4e73-9621-c53b35e527b5Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT<p>What makes a book dangerous?</p><p></p><p>In this episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss banned books, censorship, school libraries, Pride Month, LGBTQ literature, free speech, and the role books play in helping us understand lives different from our own. From John Steinbeck and Upton Sinclair to Alice Walker and Andrew Sean Greer, we explore why certain books become cultural battlegrounds and who gets to decide what belongs on the shelf.</p><p></p><p>We also discuss book bans in the United States, the difference between age-appropriate reading and censorship, the role of librarians, LGBTQ representation in literature, and why societies often seem more comfortable with violence than with sex. At the center of the conversation is a simple question: what do we lose when access to books becomes restricted?</p><p></p><p>📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:<br />• No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs (with David Roberts)<br />• Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer<br />• White Teeth by Zadie Smith<br />• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck<br />• Das Kapital by Karl Marx<br />• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck<br />• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand<br />• The Works of Immanuel Kant<br />• Less by Andrew Sean Greer<br />• The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer<br />• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare<br />• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell<br />• The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel<br />• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak<br />• The Jungle by Upton Sinclair<br />• The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes<br />• The Color Purple by Alice Walker</p><p></p><p>💌 Our Substack &amp; Show Notes:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Ksenija on Goodreads:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_</a></p><p></p><p>🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS</p><p></p><p>Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.</p><p></p><p>Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores award-winning fiction, book recommendations, new releases, classics, and the conversations literature inspires.</p><p></p><p>New episodes are released every week.</p><p></p><p>👉🏻 CHAPTERS</p><p></p><p>00:00 Intro<br />02:49 What We’re Reading<br />05:21 The Fear of a Different Opinion<br />08:54 The Role of Literature in Critical Thinking<br />09:20 Pride Month and LGBTQ Representation<br />16:23 Cultural Divides in America<br />21:23 Book Banning in the United States<br />25:55 The Case for Censorship<br />33:46 The Hypocrisy of Censorship<br />38:03 Censoring Socialism<br />43:36 LGBTQIA+ in the Balkans<br />49:28 Unexpected Events and Personal Stories<br />51:13 Pride Marches: Corporate Influence vs. Authenticity<br />52:45 The Role of Librarians in Democracy<br />56:13 Both Sides Are Banning</p>no01:02:136The War on Booksfull<![CDATA[Can You Trust a Translation?]]>What happens to a book when it crosses a border?

In this episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss translation, multilingualism, dialects, cultural context, and whether it is ever possible to experience a book exactly as its author intended. Ksenija shares her experience writing a novel in English rather than her native language, the politics of language in the former Yugoslavia, and the disastrous translation that nearly ruined Steinbeck for her forever.

Along the way, we explore translated literature, Asian fiction, letter writing, the global dominance of English, the challenge of translating poetry, and the books that helped us understand cultures far beyond our own.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
• Orbital by Samantha Harvey
• Fathers Before Sons by Ksenija Popović
• Commissario Montalbano by Andrea Camilleri
• Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en
• Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino
• The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano

💌 Our Substack & Show Notes:
https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/

📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels:
https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications

📚 Ksenija on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_

🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS

Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.

Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores award-winning fiction, book recommendations, new releases, classics, and the conversations literature inspires.

New episodes are released every week.

👉🏻 CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
07:57 The Football World Cup
10:49 What We’re Reading
12:32 How Many Languages Do Ksenija (and Melania Trump) Speak?
19:08 The Challenges of Writing in a Foreign Language
24:57 Accents and Dialects
34:15 The Woes of Reading in Translation
41:25 The United States and the Hegemony of English
49:36 Asian Literature
55:48 Why Ksenija Talks (a Lot!)
58:15 Getting a Sense of Place Through Literature
1:03:05 The Translator from Hell
1:06:18 Translating Poetry
1:08:20 Examples of Translation Gems
1:10:07 Book Banning in the United States
1:12:44 Book Recommendations
1:14:29 Setting the Record Straight on Tolstoy

]]>4b6a0dd4-2b3c-4b1f-ada6-1c70116224cfSat, 13 Jun 2026 05:57:27 GMT<p>What happens to a book when it crosses a border?</p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>Transatlantic Bookmarks</i>, we discuss translation, multilingualism, dialects, cultural context, and whether it is ever possible to experience a book exactly as its author intended. Ksenija shares her experience writing a novel in English rather than her native language, the politics of language in the former Yugoslavia, and the disastrous translation that nearly ruined Steinbeck for her forever.</p><p></p><p>Along the way, we explore translated literature, Asian fiction, letter writing, the global dominance of English, the challenge of translating poetry, and the books that helped us understand cultures far beyond our own.</p><p></p><p>📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:<br />• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans<br />• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler<br />• Orbital by Samantha Harvey<br />• Fathers Before Sons by Ksenija Popović<br />• Commissario Montalbano by Andrea Camilleri<br />• Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust<br />• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck<br />• Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en<br />• Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami<br />• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee<br />• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy<br />• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell<br />• The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino<br />• The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano</p><p></p><p>💌 Our Substack &amp; Show Notes:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Ksenija on Goodreads:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_</a></p><p></p><p>🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS</p><p></p><p>Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.</p><p></p><p>Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores award-winning fiction, book recommendations, new releases, classics, and the conversations literature inspires.</p><p></p><p>New episodes are released every week.</p><p></p><p>👉🏻 CHAPTERS</p><p></p><p>00:00 Intro<br />07:57 The Football World Cup<br />10:49 What We’re Reading<br />12:32 How Many Languages Do Ksenija (and Melania Trump) Speak?<br />19:08 The Challenges of Writing in a Foreign Language<br />24:57 Accents and Dialects<br />34:15 The Woes of Reading in Translation<br />41:25 The United States and the Hegemony of English<br />49:36 Asian Literature<br />55:48 Why Ksenija Talks (a Lot!)<br />58:15 Getting a Sense of Place Through Literature<br />1:03:05 The Translator from Hell<br />1:06:18 Translating Poetry<br />1:08:20 Examples of Translation Gems<br />1:10:07 Book Banning in the United States<br />1:12:44 Book Recommendations<br />1:14:29 Setting the Record Straight on Tolstoy</p>no01:16:244Can You Trust a Translation?full<![CDATA[Artists and Tyrants]]>Daniel Kehlmann’s The Director, shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize, tells the story of legendary filmmaker G.W. Pabst and raises a question that extends far beyond one artist or one historical moment: what happens when creative people find themselves face to face with power?

In this episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss the uneasy relationship between artists and tyrants, artistic freedom, censorship, free speech, and the compromises creators make to survive. From Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia to modern publishing, Hollywood, and social media, we explore where the line lies between pragmatism and complicity, whether great art can be separated from its creator, and why these debates remain as relevant today as ever.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:
• The Director by Daniel Kehlmann
• The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
• Isola by Allegra Goodman
• Departure(s) by Julian Barnes
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
• The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
• Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

💌 Our Substack & Show Notes:
https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/

📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels:
https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications

📚 Ksenija on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_

🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS

Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.

Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores award-winning fiction, book recommendations, new releases, classics, and the conversations literature inspires.

New episodes are released every week.

👉🏻 CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:44 What We’re Reading
06:42 The Director by Daniel Kehlmann
11:33 Historical Context of Artists and Power
18:05 Moral Dilemmas in Artistic Integrity
25:15 The Different Standards for Artists, Tech Bros, and Podcast Bros
30:00 Censorship in the Publishing Industry
39:03 The Nuances of Free Speech
41:06 Art, Politics, and the Artist’s Responsibility
49:05 Does Great Art Require Angst?
51:14 The Compromises of Artistic Freedom
1:06:26 Book Recommendation

]]>2d607301-f0d9-4588-a8ed-853e3a64bf68Sat, 06 Jun 2026 09:06:20 GMT<p>Daniel Kehlmann’s <i>The Director</i>, shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize, tells the story of legendary filmmaker G.W. Pabst and raises a question that extends far beyond one artist or one historical moment: what happens when creative people find themselves face to face with power?</p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>Transatlantic Bookmarks</i>, we discuss the uneasy relationship between artists and tyrants, artistic freedom, censorship, free speech, and the compromises creators make to survive. From Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia to modern publishing, Hollywood, and social media, we explore where the line lies between pragmatism and complicity, whether great art can be separated from its creator, and why these debates remain as relevant today as ever.</p><p></p><p>📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:<br />• The Director by Daniel Kehlmann<br />• The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri<br />• Isola by Allegra Goodman<br />• Departure(s) by Julian Barnes<br />• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling<br />• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy<br />• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy<br />• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak<br />• The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli<br />• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl<br />• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez<br />• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand<br />• Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand</p><p></p><p>💌 Our Substack &amp; Show Notes:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Ksenija on Goodreads:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_</a></p><p></p><p>🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS</p><p></p><p>Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.</p><p></p><p>Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores award-winning fiction, book recommendations, new releases, classics, and the conversations literature inspires.</p><p></p><p>New episodes are released every week.</p><p></p><p>👉🏻 CHAPTERS<br />00:00 Intro<br />00:44 What We’re Reading<br />06:42 The Director by Daniel Kehlmann<br />11:33 Historical Context of Artists and Power<br />18:05 Moral Dilemmas in Artistic Integrity<br />25:15 The Different Standards for Artists, Tech Bros, and Podcast Bros<br />30:00 Censorship in the Publishing Industry<br />39:03 The Nuances of Free Speech<br />41:06 Art, Politics, and the Artist’s Responsibility<br />49:05 Does Great Art Require Angst?<br />51:14 The Compromises of Artistic Freedom<br />1:06:26 Book Recommendation</p>no01:14:583Artists and Tyrantsfull<![CDATA[The Wuthering Heights Controversy: Is Hollywood Ruining Books?]]>The 2025 adaptation of Wuthering Heights has reignited debate about race, casting, and fidelity to the source material. But the controversy raises a larger question: why do some books survive adaptation beautifully while others lose everything essential about them?

In this episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss Wuthering Heights, Hollywood’s relationship with literature, the challenges of adapting classic novels, and whether some books should simply be left alone. From Emily Brontë and Milan Kundera to Sally Rooney and Maggie O’Farrell, we explore what happens when stories move from page to screen, why authors often lose control of their work, and whether film can ever truly capture what makes a novel great.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
• Normal People by Sally Rooney
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
• The Favorites by Layne Fargo
• Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
• Butter by Asako Yuzuki

💌 Our Substack & Show Notes: https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/

📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels: https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications

📚 Ksenija on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_

🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS

Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.

Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores literary fiction, award-winning novels, book recommendations, new releases, classics, translated literature, and the conversations literature inspires.

👉🏻 CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
04:39 Wuthering Heights, the 2025 Adaptation
13:45 The Racial Component of Wuthering Heights and the 2011 Adaptation
19:08 Why Charlotte Brontë Renounced Wuthering Heights
22:53 Hollywood’s Relationship with Literature
28:29 An Author’s Perspective on Adaptations
32:11 Why Jacob Elordi’s Heathcliff Disappointed Ksenija
33:18 How Sue Discovered The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
34:16 Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
35:47 Normal People by Sally Rooney and the Masterful Acting of Paul Mescal
38:06 Do Authors Write with a Movie in Mind?
41:59 Life of Pi by Yann Martel
43:22 Books That Shouldn’t Be Adapted
45:52 The Good and Bad of Audiobooks
47:46 Female Authors and Adaptations
50:20 Retellings of Classics: The Favorites by Layne Fargo
51:59 Playful Remakes of Jane Austen and William Shakespeare
53:37 Ksenija’s Favorite Wuthering Heights Adaptation

]]>2af34838-e13f-4af9-b668-4d0ca6bd6c4dSat, 30 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p>The 2025 adaptation of <i>Wuthering Heights</i> has reignited debate about race, casting, and fidelity to the source material. But the controversy raises a larger question: why do some books survive adaptation beautifully while others lose everything essential about them?</p><p>In this episode of <i>Transatlantic Bookmarks</i>, we discuss <i>Wuthering Heights</i>, Hollywood’s relationship with literature, the challenges of adapting classic novels, and whether some books should simply be left alone. From Emily Brontë and Milan Kundera to Sally Rooney and Maggie O’Farrell, we explore what happens when stories move from page to screen, why authors often lose control of their work, and whether film can ever truly capture what makes a novel great.</p><p></p><p>📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:<br />• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans<br />• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë<br />• The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera<br />• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell<br />• Normal People by Sally Rooney<br />• Life of Pi by Yann Martel<br />• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir<br />• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón<br />• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez<br />• The Favorites by Layne Fargo<br />• Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry<br />• Butter by Asako Yuzuki</p><p></p><p>💌 Our Substack &amp; Show Notes: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications</a><br /></p><p>📚 Ksenija on Goodreads: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_</a></p><p></p><p>🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS</p><p>Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.</p><p>Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores literary fiction, award-winning novels, book recommendations, new releases, classics, translated literature, and the conversations literature inspires.</p><p></p><p>👉🏻 CHAPTERS</p><p>00:00 Intro<br />04:39 Wuthering Heights, the 2025 Adaptation<br />13:45 The Racial Component of Wuthering Heights and the 2011 Adaptation<br />19:08 Why Charlotte Brontë Renounced Wuthering Heights<br />22:53 Hollywood’s Relationship with Literature<br />28:29 An Author’s Perspective on Adaptations<br />32:11 Why Jacob Elordi’s Heathcliff Disappointed Ksenija<br />33:18 How Sue Discovered <i>The Unbearable Lightness of Being</i> by Milan Kundera<br />34:16 Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell<br />35:47 Normal People by Sally Rooney and the Masterful Acting of Paul Mescal<br />38:06 Do Authors Write with a Movie in Mind?<br />41:59 Life of Pi by Yann Martel<br />43:22 Books That Shouldn’t Be Adapted<br />45:52 The Good and Bad of Audiobooks<br />47:46 Female Authors and Adaptations<br />50:20 Retellings of Classics: The Favorites by Layne Fargo<br />51:59 Playful Remakes of Jane Austen and William Shakespeare<br />53:37 Ksenija’s Favorite Wuthering Heights Adaptation</p>no01:00:112The Wuthering Heights Controversy: Is Hollywood Ruining Books?full<![CDATA[Is Women's Writing Still Relevant?]]>The shortlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction is out, sparking an important debate: does the term “women’s writing” still make sense today, and do we still need prizes dedicated exclusively to female authors?

In the very first episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss women’s writing, literary prizes, and whether male experience is still treated as the default universal perspective in literature. We also share some of our favorite female authors and talk about the books we love most.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:
• The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
• Heart the Lover by Lily King
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić


💌 Our Substack & Show Notes: https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/

📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels: https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications

📚 Ksenija on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_

🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS
Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.

Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores literary fiction, award-winning novels, book recommendations, new releases, classics, translated literature, and the conversations literature inspires.

New episodes are released every week.

👉🏻 CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:14 The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
04:35 Heart the Lover by Lily King
05:33 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
07:05 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
07:24 Defining Women’s Fiction
12:20 Women Read More
13:06 The Balkan Perspective
15:53 The American Perspective
19:59 The Disparity in Literary Awards
22:42 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and the Opioid Epidemic
33:20 Is Women’s Prize for Fiction DEI?
41:55 Do We Read More Female or Male Authors?
46:04 The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
47:39 Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch and The Secret History
50:00 The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić
53:20 Book Recommendations

]]>393ca595-041e-4625-9701-c0e1687fbde5Sat, 23 May 2026 21:02:18 GMT<p>The shortlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction is out, sparking an important debate: does the term “women’s writing” still make sense today, and do we still need prizes dedicated exclusively to female authors?</p><p></p><p>In the very first episode of Transatlantic Bookmarks, we discuss women’s writing, literary prizes, and whether male experience is still treated as the default universal perspective in literature. We also share some of our favorite female authors and talk about the books we love most.</p><p></p><p>📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:<br />• The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke<br />• Heart the Lover by Lily King<br />• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans<br />• 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff<br />• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver<br />• The Secret History by Donna Tartt<br />• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt<br />• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy<br />• The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić</p><p><br />💌 Our Substack &amp; Show Notes: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>📚 Read Ksenija’s Novels: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications" target="_blank">https://transatlanticbookmarks.substack.com/p/publications</a><br /></p><p>📚 Ksenija on Goodreads: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449766.Ksenija_Popovi_</a></p><p></p><p>🎙️ ABOUT TRANSATLANTIC BOOKMARKS<br />Transatlantic Bookmarks is a weekly literary podcast about books, reading, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, classic literature, literary prizes, translated literature, and the ideas found in great books.</p><p></p><p>Hosted by European novelist Ksenija Popović and American engineer Sue Graham Johnston, the podcast explores literary fiction, award-winning novels, book recommendations, new releases, classics, translated literature, and the conversations literature inspires.</p><p></p><p>New episodes are released every week.</p><p></p><p>👉🏻 CHAPTERS<br />00:00 Intro<br />01:14 The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke<br />04:35 Heart the Lover by Lily King<br />05:33 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans<br />07:05 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff<br />07:24 Defining Women’s Fiction<br />12:20 Women Read More<br />13:06 The Balkan Perspective<br />15:53 The American Perspective<br />19:59 The Disparity in Literary Awards<br />22:42 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and the Opioid Epidemic<br />33:20 Is Women’s Prize for Fiction DEI?<br />41:55 Do We Read More Female or Male Authors?<br />46:04 The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy<br />47:39 Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch and The Secret History<br />50:00 The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić<br />53:20 Book Recommendations</p>no00:55:251Is Women's Writing Still Relevant?full