Josh Cohen and Nussaibah Younis
A sex-comedy, a harrowing drama of family secrets and a novelistic memoir: writers Josh Cohen and Nussaibah Younis bring the books they love to chat about with Harriett Gilbert.
BIG SWISS by Jen Beagin, chosen by Nussaibah Younis
A HEART SO WHITE by Javier MarÃas, chosen by Josh Cohen
THE END OF EDDY by Edouard Louis, chosen by Harriett Gilbert
Big Swiss is a 29-year-old gynecologist who has never had an orgasm. Greta Work is an audio transcriber for a sex therapist who is infatuated by one of his clients. After an encounter at the dog park, they strike up an affair. Nussaibah calls this one of the funniest books she's ever read. What do the others think? A Heart So White, by the Spanish author Javier Marias and recommended by Josh, has a shocking opening page. What unravels after is a harrowing tale of family secrets and their resonances through different generations. First published in 1992. Finally, The End of Eddy, Harriett's pick, was a sensation when it was first published in France in 2014. An autobiographical novel of a violent and mostly difficult childhood, it also can be read as a portrait of a poor, rural community in Northern France.
Josh Cohen is a psychoanalyst and writer, whose many books include Not Working: Why We Have to Stop; How to Live: What to Do and, most recently, All the Rage: Why Anger Drives the World.
Nussaibah Younis is an expert on contemporary Iraq who for several years advised the Iraqi government on de-radicalising women affiliated with ISIS. Nussaibah’s debut novel Fundamentally was shortlisted for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Produced by Eliza Lomas, for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Audio Bristol.
Last on
More episodes
Featured
-
.
Broadcast
- Mon 16 Jun 2025 15:00ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4
Opening Lines
Books
Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.
How many of these 100 Novels have you read?
Podcast
-
A Good Read
Find reading inspiration with favourite books chosen by our guests.