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Cover of Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira JacobGood Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
Modern · Nonfiction, Biography, Comics

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations

by Mira Jacob
2019 · 369 pages · Nonfiction
Critics' pick
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

When her young son starts asking questions about race, Mira Jacob, an Indian American author married to a white Jewish man, begins to reckon with her own story. In this graphic memoir, she tells of growing up, falling in love and becoming a parent in America, through hard, funny and honest conversations.

Why it's worth reading

It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It's funny, heartbreaking and unlike any other memoir.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's a graphic memoir and reads quickly. It covers the 2016 election and its aftermath.

By the numbers

74.2Must-Read Score
  • Readers93 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics21 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller11 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz10 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
NBCC Award (Memoir) finalist (2019)

Reads as

True story, Moving, Funny

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations worth reading?

Yes. It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It ranks #872 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.2 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations about?

When her young son starts asking questions about race, Mira Jacob, an Indian American author married to a white Jewish man, begins to reckon with her own story. In this graphic memoir, she tells of growing up, falling in love and becoming a parent in America, through hard, funny and honest conversations.

How long does it take to read Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations?

About 9 hours (369 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations?

If you liked it, try Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel or Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.