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fiction/non/fiction

fiction/non/fiction

By: fiction/non/fiction
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Hosted by Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan, fiction/non/fiction interprets current events through the lens of literature, and features conversations with writers of all stripes, from novelists and poets to journalists and essayists.

© Whitney Terrell, V.V. Ganeshananthan, 980309
Art Politics & Government
Episodes
  • S9 Ep. 30 Rebecca Lehmann on Anne Boleyn, Trump, and Treason
    May 14 2026

    Writer Rebecca Lehmann joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss her debut novel, The Beheading Game, a work of speculative historical fiction in which King Henry VIII’s second wife, the beheaded Queen of England Anne Boleyn, comes back to life after her wrongful execution, sews her head back on, and seeks revenge. Lehmann considers the contested history of Anne Boleyn, the outlandish accusations against her, and the ways in which her image has been erased and changed over time. She outlines the reasoning behind her portrayal of Anne, explaining how it was born out of a mix of historical fact and modern perspectives. Lehmann discusses Anne’s often forgotten role as mother to Queen Elizabeth I and how that may have shaped her motives as a queen and a politician. Lehmann also talks about similarities between the chaotic courts and allegedly treasonous advisors of Henry VIII and President Trump and the importance of scapegoats in consolidating political power. She reads from The Beheading Game.


    To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/

    This podcast is produced by Jennifer Maritza McCauley, V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell.


    Rebecca Lehmann

    • The Beheading Game
    • The Sweating Sickness
    • Ringer
    • Between the Crackups


    Others

    • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight


    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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    38 mins
  • S9 Ep. 29 Scott Anderson on the Iranian Revolution
    May 7 2026

    Veteran war correspondent and Kirkus Prize winner Scott Anderson joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and Jennifer Maritza McCauley to discuss his new nonfiction book King of Kings, a history of the Iranian Revolution. Anderson examines how rapid modernization, inequality, and U.S. influence destabilized Iran, and traces the rise of Ruhollah Khomeini from exiled cleric to revolutionary leader. The conversation explores key mistakes by the Shah, the failures of U.S. intelligence, and how the revolution unfolded in unpredictable ways. Anderson also connects this history to present-day tensions, discussing Iran’s current power structure under Ali Khamenei and the global rise of religious nationalism. Finally, the hosts consider parallels between the Shah’s rule and contemporary political leadership, as well as the limits of American military strategy in the region. Anderson reads from King of Kings.


    To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/

    This podcast is produced by Jennifer Maritza McCauley, V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell.


    Scott Anderson

    • King of Kings
    • Lawrence in Arabia


    Others

    • Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi
    • Ruhollah Khomeini
    • Ali Khamenei
    • Iran hostage crisis
    • OPEC
    • Strait of Hormuz

    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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    48 mins
  • S9 Ep. 28: Liam Callanan on Trump Vs. the Pope
    Apr 30 2026
    Acclaimed novelist Liam Callanan joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss American-born Pope Leo XIV’s recent conflicts with the Trump administration. Callanan, who is Catholic, contextualizes the pope’s critiques of the Iran war and other political comments within the long history of the Vatican’s outspokenness against social injustices. Callanan also talks about the heroine of his most recent novel, When in Rome, a realtor named Claire who finds herself torn between returning to an old flame and taking the veil. He explains Catholicism’s connections to writing and tells the story of his own surreal encounter with the magnetic Pope Francis, who passed away last year. Callanan previews the role faith plays in his upcoming nonfiction debut, Stone Age Astronaut, the biography of a record-setting aviator who becomes a priest. He reads from When in Rome. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/This podcast is produced by Jennifer Maritza McCauley, V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell.Liam CallananWhen in RomeStone Age Astronaut: The Astonishing Adventures of America's Forgotten FlierParis by the BookListen & Other StoriesAll SaintsThe Cloud AtlasOthersTrump Attacks Pope Leo as Too Liberal and ‘Weak on Crime’ - The New York TimesJD Vance defends Trump amid spat with Pope Leo: ‘Stick to matters of morality’Pope Leo responds to Trump’s attack: ‘I’m not afraid of the Trump administration’Author Liam Callanan’s Work Is Animated by His Catholic FaithThe Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor DostoevskyAudience with participants in the Conference organized by “La Civiltà Cattolica” with Georgetown University, May 27, 2023See 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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    43 mins
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