“The Power of Curiosity”: A Conversation with Mira Jacob

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with WOMEN’S WAY 12th Annual Book Prize winner Mira Jacob for a candid conversation about the why behind her novel and the true power of curiosity as a way to change the world.

What begins as questions from her six year old son transitions into a collection of conversations and stories that explore race, sexuality, motherhood, immigration, family life and more. In her graphic novel Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversation, novelist, memoirist, illustrator, and cultural critic Mira Jacob takes us on a journey through multiple pivotal periods in her life that has shaped her into the woman she is today. Jacob time travels back to her childhood as a first generation Indian American raised by immigrant parents and navigates her early career as a writer in New York City, all while exploring identity, friendship and love as a young adult. She later transitions into the dynamics of marriage and family life as we are taken through intimate conversations with her husband as they raise their mixed-race son as he begins to question race relations and politics erupting throughout the country.

Good Talk is a series of honest dialogue interwoven with witty humor that makes it easy to read, but equally impactful. Through these intimate conversations, we are taken into the vulnerability that lies within inquisition, offering lessons we can all learn from through Jacob’s novel. She explores colorism, Anti-Black narratives, microaggressions and more, leaving no topic uncovered as she unveils the strength in telling your truth, standing in your power, and the art of conversation as a form of healing, mending and opportunity for change.

View full interview here.