This week on the pod, Angela welcomes her friend Isaac Fitzgerald to talk about his memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts, which recently made its way onto the New York Times Bestseller list. Isaac is known for championing others on the Today Show, but Angie asks him about his life, including why he waited a decade to write this book. Isaac's recent piece on being an uncle for Esquire can be read here. Follow Isaac on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Lit Up on Instagram and Twitter, too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, Angela speaks with Safia Elhillo about her new book of poetry GIRLS THAT NEVER DIE. Safia and Angie talk about poetry (of course!), Safia's amazing fashion sense, and what it means to be a poet in all aspects of her life. Safia's the author of two other books, including Home Is Not A Country and The January Children. You can read more about her work here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fellow books podcast host Christopher Hermelin (So Many Damn Books) joins Angela for a special crossover episode! Angie and Christopher talk about what to do when the magic of reading has temporarily vanished (especially when your day job is in publishing), books that help us make sense of modern life and the near future, and summer reading plans.  You can hear the other half of Christopher and Angie’s chat on the So Many Damn Books podcast feed this week: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-many-damn-books/id931442125 And here are a few of Christopher’s reading recommendations as shared in this episode:  — The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (pub. 1960) — The Car by Gary Paulsen (pub. 1994) — The Shimmering State by by Meredith Westgate (pub. 2021)  — The New Me by Halle Butler (pub. 2019) — Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle by Vladimir Nabokov (pub. 1969) — Either/Or by by Elif Batuman (pub. 2022) See you in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angela loves talking to Lisa Taddeo, who is on Lit Up for the third time this week. Lisa's writing always makes Angie nervous because it's so good at confronting the darker side of longing and attachment. Angie and Lisa talk about Lisa's new short story collection, GHOST LOVER, and why Lisa's writing gives Angie a funny tummy. -- https://donations4abortion.com/ - donate to support abortion funds by state https://secure.actblue.com/donate/supportabortionfunds - donate to the national network of abortion funds (donations split between 80+ abortion funds) https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-policy-absence-roe - abortion policy by state as of June 1, 2022 More in-depth version: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela talks to Abi Morgan, BAFTA and Emmy award-winning playwright and screenwriter best known for The Iron Lady, Shame, The Invisible Woman and Suffragette. Most recently, she's also created the hit series The Split. Now, Abi has released 'This Is Not A Pity Memoir,' and it's all about what happens when the person you love most no longer recognizes you. Angie and Abi talk about the extraordinary, traumatic, and funny moments of her harrowing memoir. They touch upon the glimmers of hope that got Abi through, and how writing this book helped her hold onto her identity, and her relationship with Jacob. Next time: Lisa Taddeo, again! See you in two weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices