#127: Katie Kitamura, novelist

<p>Rachel and Simon speak with Katie Kitamura. Born in California to Japanese parents, she wrote her first book, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/550/55070/japanese-for-travellers/9780141901770.html" target="_blank">"Japanese for Travellers: A Journey Through Modern Japan"</a>, in her early 20s. Her debut novel, "The Longshot", about a mixed martial arts fighter, was published in 2009; "Gone to the Forest", a tale of family drama in an unnamed colonial country, followed in 2012. <a href="https://www.katiekitamura.com/a-separation" target="_blank">"A Separation"</a>, published in 2017, was a finalist for the Premio von Rezzori literary prize. <a href="https://www.katiekitamura.com/" target="_blank">"Intimacies"</a>, her latest novel, was longlisted for the National Book Award and <a href="https://twitter.com/barackobama/status/1413576041482932225?lang=en-GB" target="_blank">recommended by Barack Obama</a>. We spoke to Katie about "Intimacies", adapting fiction for the screen and the importance of finding the right register.</p> <p>You can find us online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alwaystakenotes.com/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alwaystakenotes.com</a>, on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/takenotesalways" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@takenotesalways</a>, on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/alwaystakenotes/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@alwaystakenotes,</a>&nbsp;and on Facebook at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/alwaystakenotes" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/alwaystakenotes</a>. Our crowdfunding page is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.patreon.com/alwaystakenotes" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">patreon.com/alwaystakenotes</a>. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Artemis Irvine. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.</p>