S9 Ep. 37 Soman Chainani on the Dream of a Young President

Young adult novelist Soman Chainani joins co-hosts Christian Barter and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss the impact of age on politics. Chainani, the author of a new novel called Young World that features a teenage everyman’s unlikely rise to the presidency, explains trying to make his premise as plausible as possible using devices like a Supreme Court decision, a split Electoral College, and realistic images. He talks about smuggling civics lessons into the plot, getting young people excited to vote and run for office, and taking his story beyond the U.S. to imagine a global youth revolution and a fictional G-8 of teen leaders. Chainani also reflects on the impact of aging politicians’ unwillingness to relinquish power, particularly as life expectancies continue to rise. He reads from Young World.To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/This podcast is produced by V.V. Ganeshananthan and Christian Barter.Soman ChainaniYoung WorldCovenThe School for Good and Evil seriesOthersThe President’s Daughter by Ellen Emerson WhiteFiction/Non/Fiction Season 7, Episode 51: Ellen Emerson White on the First Woman President, Real and Imagined1776Richie RichScandalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.