# AI in America, a kidnapping in Corsica, the transformative power of boxing: books by Gary Shteyngart, Darrow Farr, and Lucas Schaefer

An episode of [The Bookshelf](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/499762704), 14 Aug 2025, 55 min.

Audio: https://mediacore-live-production.akamaized.net/audio/02/c9/Z/s4.mp3

Kate and Cassie discuss Vera, or Faith, Gary Shteyngart’s new novel about a ten-year-old Korean-American girl growing up in a dystopian United States. Alongside guest critics, they also look at The Bombshell by Darrow Farr, which traces the radicalisation of a young French woman in Corsica, and The Slip by Lucas Schaefer, the story of a missing teenage boy and the transformative power of boxing. Books: Darrow Farr, The Bombshell, Atlantic Lucas Schaefer, The Slip, Simon & Schuster Gary Shteyngart, Vera, or Faith, Atlantic GUESTS Sarah Gilbert, writer and documentary producer; head of UTS Impact Studios, which makes the literary podcast Fully Lit. Her first book of non-fiction - Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia - came out last year Michael Winkler, critic and novelist. His book, Grimmish, was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2022. His novel Griefdogg will be published next year OTHER BOOKS MENTIONED • Brian Castro, Chinese Postman • Michelle de Krestser, works • Marilynne Robinson, Gilead • Denis Johnson, Train Dreams • Carys Davies, West • Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang • Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall • Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend • O. Henry, The Last Leaf • Loïc Wacquant, Body and Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer • Armistead Maupin, Tales of the City series • Rhett Davis, Arborescence • Raaza Jamshed, What Kept You • Alexis Wright, Carpentaria CREDITS • Presenter, Kate Evans and Cassie McCullagh • Producer, Kate Evans and Sarah Corbett • Sound engineer, John Jacobs and Tegan Nicholls • Executive producer, Rhiannon Brown

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.