On this episode we discuss our July 2023 book club pick The Imaginary Lives of James Poneke by Tina Makereti. A coming-of-age story of a Maori boy, armed with a British education and eager to see the world, who ventures to London to be a living exhibit for a British artist's exhibition. It's an epic tale written in the style of Victorian fiction, but told from the perspective of an indigenous youth growing up under colonization.
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Timecodes:
01:45 - Book jacket description
02:40 - First impressions and David Copperfield vibes
06:50 - Hemi's upbringing
08:42 - Theme of aligning yourself with white majority for survival and privileges
11:00 - Hemi’s adoption into a new Maori tribe
11:36 - Empire’s goal of erasing marginalized cultural identities
13:28 - Hemi agrees to become a living exhibit
16:09 - Being tainted by colonization education
17:45 - Hemi's first impression of Victorian England
18:50 - Victorian England’s class divisions
19:17 - The Angus family
21:42 - Hemi’s introduction to other living exhibits
22:40 - Representation matters
25:10 - Intro to Billy Neptune & Henrietta
27:47 - Hemi's sexuality awakening
30:12-31:30 Trigger of SA
31:33 - What is savage and what is civilized?
32:33 - Women's limited rights in Victorian London
35:00 - Hemi’s time as a sailor and camaraderie with non-white crewmen
39:25-40:15 Trigger of SA
40:20 - Life on the margins outside civilization’s watch
43:17- What is home?
47:22 - Ending
50:57 - Hemi meeting a Black doctor and learning about intersectionality
53:08 - Taika Waititi options book for adaptation
- https://variety.com/2020/film/asia/taika-waititi-piki-films-indigenous-film-tv-colonization-1234691066/
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The Books & Boba August 2023 pick is Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
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Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!
