Tommy Orange - Beyond the Pages: Exploring Identity and Inheritance
In this episode, Jennifer sits down at Warwick's Books with Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Tommy Orange. He is the author of There There, and most recently, Wandering Stars. Tommy is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and writes about the contemporary Native American landscape.
Tommy shares insights into his writing practice, the challenges of balancing life as a father with his creative pursuits, and the profound influence music has on his craft. The title, Wandering Stars, was actually inspired by Portishead lyrics.
You'll find his discussion on identity, representation, and the nuanced experience of being a Native American in contemporary society both enlightening and moving.
You'll find his discussion on identity, representation, and the nuanced experience of being a Native American in contemporary society both enlightening and moving.
Tommy also speaks about the future of his writing and hints that an original screenplay and a third novel are in the works. This episode is not just an interview; it's a masterclass in the power that fiction holds in shaping our understanding and empathy. It's a testament to Tommy Orange's unique voice in American literature.
Creators and Guests
Host
Jeniffer Thompson
Writer. Reader. Interviewer. Cohost of The Premise Podcast. I help authors build brands + websites. Cofounder of the San Diego Writers Festival. Chicken-mama.
Guest
Tommy Orange
Tommy Orange is an American novelist and writer from Oakland, California. His first book, There There (2018), was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize[1] and received the 2019 American Book Award.[2] Orange is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. He earned a master's degree in fine arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts.
