Made in America

02/03/23 • 58 min

On this episode of Articulate Experience—three writers who grew up with distinct vantage points on American identity.
Gish Jen was raised in the 1960s by Chinese immigrants living in New York. It took decades of learning, reflecting, and writing, for her to embrace the full complexity of her bi-cultural identity—but looking back, she wouldn’t change a thing.
The sci-fi/fantasy writer Tochi Onyebuchi has always been fascinated by other people and their perspectives. But it was only after he started writing about his own experiences as a Nigerian-American in his mid-twenties that his speculative fiction began to take off. Today, he’s earned some of the genre’s highest honors.
Deborah Eisenberg came of age with the so-called, “peace and love generation” —educated young Americans who believed that the world was changing for the better. Over four decades, her short stories have formed a record of her evolving understanding of her native country, and of herself.

Articulate Experience examines stories of humanity, resilience, and wisdom through the words of some of today’s greatest writers.

Articulate Experience is a production of the Articulate Foundation.

More at articulateshow.org

Articulate Experience examines stories of humanity, resilience, and wisdom through the words of some of today’s greatest writers.

Articulate Experience is a production of the Articulate Foundation.

More at articulateshow.org

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Language Artists

On this episode of Articulate Experience—three writers whose love of language propelled their work.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon hasn’t lived in Ireland since he was a teenager. But everywhere he’s gone, his native culture’s obsession with language and storytelling has travelled with him.

A childhood love of words led Kory Stamper to spend nearly twenty years writing and editing dictionary definitions.

Cheryl Boyce-Taylor has found purpose in preserving and promoting her native Trinidadian creole through her dialectic poetry,

Articulate Experience examines stories of humanity, resilience, and wisdom through the words of some of today’s greatest writers.

Articulate Experience is a production of the Articulate Foundation.

More at articulateshow.org

Next Episode

Butterfly Wings

On this episode of Articulate Experience—three writers reflect on pivotal moments that had life-altering consequences.
At 18, Darin Strauss was the driver in a fatal traffic accident. Though he wasn’t at fault, guilt defined his work and worldview for years after.
Sarah Ruhl was on her way to see a production of her first play when she was knocked unconscious in a car crash. She emerged without a concussion, but with a clear sense of her destiny.
When her mother was murdered, Natasha Trethewey looked to poetry to help sooth her unhealable wound.

[01:24 ] Darin Strauss
[13:57 ] Sarah Ruhl
[31:16 ] Natasha Trethewey

Articulate Experience examines stories of humanity, resilience, and wisdom through the words of some of today’s greatest writers.

Articulate Experience is a production of the Articulate Foundation.

More at articulateshow.org

Articulate Experience - Made in America

Transcript

INTRO

VO: Welcome to Articulate Experience — the show that examines stories of humanity, resilience, and wisdom through the words of some of today’s greatest writers. I’m Jim Cotter. On this episode— three authors with radically different takes on what it means to be “Made in America.”

Growing up first generation Chinese in Yonkers, New York provoked Gish Jen to learn, and write, about the the inner workings of the East-West cultural divide.

GISH JEN: In this s