The Monkey King and Boy Giant w/ Van Hoang
Explicit content warning
11/09/22 • 49 min
We’re joined by author Van Hoang, who teaches us the story of the Monkey King, how Journey to the West MIGHT have been a romance novel, and how going through puberty turns every kid into a trickster spirit.
Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of trauma, puberty, crude jokes, misogyny, and arranged marriage.
Guest
Van Hoang’s first name is pronounced like the van in minivan. Her last name is pronounced “hah-wawng.” She earned her bachelor’s in English at the University of New Mexico and her master’s in library information science at San Jose State University. She was born in Vietnam, grew up in Orange County, California, and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband, kid, and two dogs. Girl Giant and the Monkey King is her debut novel, and its sequel Girl Giant and the Jade War came out in December, 2021.
Housekeeping
Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Dead End: Paranormal Park on Netflix.
Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books
Call to Action: Check out Exolore: Helping you imagine other worlds, but with facts and science! Every other week, astrophysicist/folklorist Dr. Moiya McTier explores fictional worlds by building them with a panel of expert guests, interviewing professional worldbuilders, or reviewing the merits of worlds that have already been built.
Sponsors
BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits
ThirdLove is on a mission to find a perfect bra for everyone. Get 20% off your first order at thirdlove.com/spirits.
Clockworks Academy offers online courses on literature and popular culture, focusing especially on monster theory and on medieval literature. Go to clockworksacademy.com and use SPIRITS for 10% of any course.
Find Us Online
If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We’re joined by author Van Hoang, who teaches us the story of the Monkey King, how Journey to the West MIGHT have been a romance novel, and how going through puberty turns every kid into a trickster spirit.
Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of trauma, puberty, crude jokes, misogyny, and arranged marriage.
Guest
Van Hoang’s first name is pronounced like the van in minivan. Her last name is pronounced “hah-wawng.” She earned her bachelor’s in English at the University of New Mexico and her master’s in library information science at San Jose State University. She was born in Vietnam, grew up in Orange County, California, and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband, kid, and two dogs. Girl Giant and the Monkey King is her debut novel, and its sequel Girl Giant and the Jade War came out in December, 2021.
Housekeeping
Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Dead End: Paranormal Park on Netflix.
Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books
Call to Action: Check out Exolore: Helping you imagine other worlds, but with facts and science! Every other week, astrophysicist/folklorist Dr. Moiya McTier explores fictional worlds by building them with a panel of expert guests, interviewing professional worldbuilders, or reviewing the merits of worlds that have already been built.
Sponsors
BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits
ThirdLove is on a mission to find a perfect bra for everyone. Get 20% off your first order at thirdlove.com/spirits.
Clockworks Academy offers online courses on literature and popular culture, focusing especially on monster theory and on medieval literature. Go to clockworksacademy.com and use SPIRITS for 10% of any course.
Find Us Online
If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Previous Episode
Best Horror Movie Villain
Halloween might be over but we’re STILL thinking about our favorite horror movies and the best villains from those movies. Join Julia and Eric as they determine via this wild bracket who the best horror movie villain is!
Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of body horror, violence, torture, murder, death, cancer, illness, cannibalism, cultural appropriation, and sex.
Housekeeping
Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon
Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books
Call to Action: Games and Feelings is an advice podcast about games. Join Question Keeper Eric Silver and a revolving cast of guests as they answer your questions at the intersection of fun and humanity. Search for Games and Feelings in your podcast app today!
Sponsors
BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits
Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits.
Ask Iliza Anything is an advice podcast where people submit their burning questions on topics like how to deal with bad co-workers, bridesmaid drama, faking an accent, and so much more. Listen to Ask Iliza Anything wherever you get your podcasts!
Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.
Find Us Online
If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Next Episode
The Tooth Fairy
You checked under your pillow, and what’s that? A new Spirits episode? And it’s all about the Tooth Fairy?! We dig into the origins of this tradition, animals who collect teeth, and the ways we celebrate children’s milestones.
Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of teeth, body horror, surgery, and animal/pet death.
Housekeeping
Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends Wisdom Continuum.
Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books
Call to Action: Check out NEXT STOP: An audio sitcom that explores the turbulent time of your mid-to-late 20s when everyone is changing around you -- and you worry that you might not catch up. Season 1 is out now! Search for NEXT STOP in your podcast app or go to nextstopshow.com
Sponsors
BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits
Brooklinen Brooklinen’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale is only for a limited time, and the deals don’t get better. And if you happen to have missed out — use promo code spirits. Visit Brooklinen.com and get $20 off plus free shipping on orders $100+ with code spirits
Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.
Find Us Online
If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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