This is a book recommendation episode. In it, Travis and Amanda will attempt to persuade you, our wonderful listeners, to join us for a literary journey. Expect this episode to be under 30 minutes long, include references to the work but not spoilers, and celebrate what makes it compelling.
This book recommendation is for THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN by Lisa See. From the cover: “Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends that come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook’s mother. As the girls take up their positions as baby divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility but also danger…This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a world turned upside down, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story—one of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them—The Island of Sea Women introduces readers to the fierce and unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.”