/
RSS Feed
Porochista Khakpour is a writer whose debut novel Sons and Other Flammable Objects was a New York Times Editor’s Choice. Her subsequent books have received similar accolades, and her nonfiction work has appeared in many sections of The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Elle, Slate, and many others.
In this episode, Porochista shares her story of chronic illness. We talk about the financial side of being chronically sick, the roadblocks to proper diagnosis, her dislike of "wellness culture," and how it has felt for her to get an eventual diagnosis that is considered controversial and therefore not believable by some folks, and much more.
We also talk about relationships, and Porochista shares the stark truth that there are some people who have chosen not to stick around during her illness relapses over the years. Going deeper into that, she then shares what she calls her "unpopular opinions" about boundaries and putting yourself first, and I found her take on this particular topic to be so refreshing and interesting.
Porochista's disruption of the "first I was sick and now I'm healed!" narrative we commonly see is much needed, and I so enjoyed having this honest conversation with her. I hope you enjoy it (and maybe even feel challenged by it) too!
Connect with Porochista
Website // Instagram // Twitter // Newsletter
Selected Links From This Episode
Books, Resources & People Mentioned
- Pre-order Porochista's next book, Brown Album
- Her essay about Bernie Sanders
- Fleur Jaeggy
- Harmonic Healing, by Linda Lancaster
Support the podcast (+ get exclusive bonus content!)
Join the Real Talk Radio support squad over on Patreon (just $1+ per episode!) and get immediate access to:
- Bonus episodes
- Advance pre-sale access to tickets for live events and retreats
- The chance to be featured in an upcoming podcast outro
- Frequent opportunities to help shape the future of the show
- ... and so much more!
For all of that and more, simply head over to patreon.com/nicoleantoinette to make your pledge.
Thank you so much for your support!!
Join the Conversation