Reckon True Stories is a celebration of new and classic nonfiction – the essays, journalism, and memoirs that inspire us, that change the world, and help us connect with each other.
Join hosts and acclaimed authors Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Kiese Laymon (Heavy, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, Long Division) for in-depth discussions about the stories we tell and how they impact our culture.
Produced by Ursa Story Company, in partnership with Reckon.
All content for Reckon True Stories is the property of Ursa Story Company and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Reckon True Stories is a celebration of new and classic nonfiction – the essays, journalism, and memoirs that inspire us, that change the world, and help us connect with each other.
Join hosts and acclaimed authors Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Kiese Laymon (Heavy, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, Long Division) for in-depth discussions about the stories we tell and how they impact our culture.
Produced by Ursa Story Company, in partnership with Reckon.
Imani Perry: What Do We Owe of Ourselves as Black Writers?
Reckon True Stories
54 minutes
1 year ago
Imani Perry: What Do We Owe of Ourselves as Black Writers?
On the latest episode of Reckon True Stories, Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon are joined by MacArthur Genius and National Book Award Winner Dr. Imani Perry to discuss genre, personal stories and the ethical commitment to those we write about, the utilization of craft to bring the reader close to the experience and the body, the body as political, Black women and silence, mobility, music, and mothering.
They ask the question of what we owe of ourselves as writers — and particularly Black writers— to our audience, and they explore what it looks like to maintain boundaries, to self-preserve, and to rest. In Kiese’s words, he calls it learning “the art of not just no, but not now.” Kiese praises Dr. Perry on how she has never written the same kind of book twice, and in this episode, she talks about her inspirations, how she chooses what to write towards, and what questions she is consistently leaning into in her work.
Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned
South to America (Imani Perry)
Breathe: A Letter To My Sons (Imani Perry)
Prophets of the Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop (Imani Perry)
Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry (Imani Perry)
May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem (Imani Perry)
Percival Everett
A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain (Imani Perry)
Alice Walker
Nikky Finney
“She Changed Black Literature Forever. Then She Disappeared.” (Imani Perry, New York Times 2021)
“‘Palmares’ Is An Example Of What Grows When Black Women Choose Silence” (Deesha Philyaw, Electric Literature 2021)
Palmares (Gayl Jones)
Robert Stepto
Hazel Carby
Zora Neale Hurston
Katherine Dunham
Moms Mabley
1000 Words (Jami Attenberg)
Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against “The Apocalypse” (Emily Raboteau)
How To Live Free In A Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir (Shayla Lawson)
A Mercy (Toni Morrison)
Listening List:
Nina Simone
Miles Davis
“Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” (Deborah Cox)
More from Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon:
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw)
Heavy (Kiese Laymon)
Long Division (Kiese Laymon)
How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America: Essays (Kiese Laymon)
City Summer, Country Summer (Kiese Laymon & Alexis Franklin)
Ursa Short Fiction podcast (Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton)
Produced by Ursa Story Company in partnership with Reckon.
Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Kiese Laymon
Show Producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong
Associate Producer: Marina Leigh
Episode Editor: Kelly Araja
Reckon Editor In Chief: R.L. Nave
Reckon Deputy Editor: Michelle Zenarosa
Audience Director: Katie Johnston
Creative Strategist: Abbey Crain
Sr. Social Producer: Sid Espinosa
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reckon True Stories
Reckon True Stories is a celebration of new and classic nonfiction – the essays, journalism, and memoirs that inspire us, that change the world, and help us connect with each other.
Join hosts and acclaimed authors Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Kiese Laymon (Heavy, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, Long Division) for in-depth discussions about the stories we tell and how they impact our culture.
Produced by Ursa Story Company, in partnership with Reckon.
