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The Hindu
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Interview with Aria Aber, author of Good Girl, shortlisted for Women's Prize for Fiction 2025
Nila, 19, is in all respects a 'bad girl'. She is rebellious, she drinks, engages in substance abuse, and she dates a charismatic American novelist, Marlowe Woods, who is several years her senior. But the ironically titled Good Girl by Aria Aber (published by Bloomsbury), shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025, is much more than a coming-of-age story. Aber explores broader themes such as immigrant experiences, racism, violence, desire, shame, and self-discovery in a powerful debut novel. Over a Zoom call, she speaks about her love for Berlin, and the characters she was forced to keep and kill. Edited excerpts: Q: Like Nila in the book, your parents are from Afghanistan and you were born and brought up in Germany. Is there anything of you in this book? A: Any work of fiction or art is autobiographical. I can give you an example of how I am every character in the book, not just Nila. When I started writing the book in 2020, I lived in North California and was working as a guest lecturer at Oakland University. I didn't have health insurance and I had to move back to Berlin to a small district, which was close to a club. Both these topographies ended up influencing the narrative of the book — specifically the biography of Marlowe Woods. So, there were things I took from my life that ended up in the book in unexpected ways. Q: This book is as much about Nila as it is about Berlin. What do you love about Berlin and what aspects of the city did you want to bring into this book? A: I love Berlin; it's one of the only places in the world, but specifically in Germany, where I have felt at home. It's diverse, alive, chaotic, and beautiful — and also a little rough, which is I think is aesthetically what I'm drawn to. When I was first there in 2012, I noticed that a lot of English-speaking expats were moving into the city. Berlin had already been populated by a new wave of voluntary migrants — not Turkish workers from the 1980s, or refugees from the Arab and Muslim world, but young creatives with degrees. They had come from Italy or Spain or Greece because the economy had collapsed after the financial crisis and Germany was one of the last stable economies. And then suddenly, there was this new influx of creatives, of Americans and British people. Something shifted around that time. I heard for the first time the person behind the counter at a bar not speaking German, but English. I wanted to capture the period before that happened, when expats were still in the city, but they were not as visible. I also really wanted to bring out the idea of parallel societies. Nila is ashamed of her heritage because she grows up in this post 9/11 world. She oscillates between two very intense worlds. One is her refugee community, which is not assimilated into the majority society properly, and the other is the underworld of the club kids, which is also not assimilated into the majority society properly. Both of these worlds are parallel and are being critiqued by common German citizens for not leading their lives according to the production and generation of capital. Q: A lot of your characters have conversations when they are drunk or when they are engaged in substance abuse. How did you research those portions? Did you watch films, read, interact with people? A: Dialogue comes pretty naturally to me, even though I do pay attention to it, probably subconsciously, when I watch films. I remember rewatching Lena Dunham's TV series Girls and just marvelling at how good and funny the dialogues were, and how realistic each character was. There are some writers I'm drawn to, such as Don DeLillo and Sally Rooney, who write great dialogue. So I think I look to other writers for dialogue. But for atmosphere and plot, I draw inspiration from films. Q: Given the age gap between Marlowe and Nila and the occasional violence that occurs within their relationship, this is tricky terrain to write about. It seems predatory at first glance, but when you look at it, Nila does have agency. How do you navigate this relationship without giving the reader the impression that this is okay? A: I wanted to explore the nuances and complications of a young person who believes they have full agency and control and then later on understand that the predatory aspects (of the relationship) that were not witnessed. So, what does that do to a person who is not a victim necessarily, but may have experienced some things within a relationship that were victimising her? Nila was looking for something exciting and she didn't know what it was. She didn't have the language for it, a way to articulate it, or draw a boundary. I wanted to write about juvenile confusion and self-destruction. Often, people who have self-destructive streaks seek them out in their relationships. I tried to go into the depths of that relationship and in order for that to feel human and realistic, I also had to understand Marlowe, so that he's not just a caricature. So I wrote some chapters from his perspective [which did not make it to the book]. Q: You're also a poet but your book doesn't read like a book by a poet, and that's not an insult! Was it a conscious choice to write differently? A: It is fascinating you say that. My intention was to not write a poet's novel. Not because I don't like reading them; I love reading them. I love an experimental plotless book that is linguistically interesting with sentences so delicious that I want to eat them. But I like the concept of a narrative having a beginning, a middle, and an end. A climax where the character experiences change to a point of no return, et cetera. That partly has to do with the fact that in Afghan culture — and this is probably true in Indian culture too — storytelling is very important. When you're in a social gathering, you can entice everyone with a story. Q: My favourite character in the book is Nila's mother. How attached were you to that character? A: She's actually one of my favourite characters too. I had to kill her because she was taking up too much space in the book. I had to kill my darling in order to write what I wanted to write about, which was Nila and Marlowe. My next book will be set in the 1980s in Afghanistan, and it will follow feminist revolutionaries [which Nila's mother was]. radhika.s@
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Not credible' bomb threat at Corewell in Troy, hospital says
TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A non-credible bomb threat was reported at Corewell Health Beaumont in Troy on Tuesday night. Just after 8 p.m., Oakland University sent an alert out that police were informed of a bomb threat at Corewell in Troy and is advising OU students, faculty and staff to evacuate in an orderly fashion. The threat was later deemed not credible by Corewell Health officials. The spokesperson for the hospital said an evacuation did not happen. Corewell released a statement, saying: "Law enforcement and security believe that the threat is not credible. The Troy Hospital and emergency center are open. Security, law enforcement and K9 teams remain onsite in an abundance of caution. Safety is a top priority, and we appreciate the swift actions of our team members and law enforcement." This is the same facility where a disgruntled employee allegedly shot a coworker in the parking garage in March.
CBS News
11-06-2025
- CBS News
Oakland University police warn of reported bomb threat at Beaumont Health Troy
Oakland University police on Tuesday are warning the public of a reported bomb threat at Beaumont Health Troy. Police advise any university students, faculty and staff to evacuate. "Any other campus community members planning to go to the facility are advised to avoid the area until further notice," the university said. This story is developing.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tariff implications may wreak havoc on the housing market, says expert
The Brief Tariffs are impacting the housing market in numerous ways, said Oakland University Professor Michael Greiner. Builders have to be willing to take on a lot of risk without knowing what the future holds, he said. The professor says the implications of tariffs are beyond building costs and also impact interest rates. FOX 2 - Long before tariffs were part of our everyday conversation, the housing market has been struggling to keep up with demand. When you factor in a possible additional tax on building materials from Canada and elsewhere, the real estate market is bracing for impact. Even the threat of a tariff can have long-term ramifications. Dig deeper "Even with interest rates being relatively high right now you would think that people might be backing off on buying as much real estate," said Michael Greiner, assistant professor of management at Oakland University. "But yet houses are turning around, sometimes with multiple bidders within a day. "And a big reason is we do not have enough construction to meet the demand as it is, right now," he said. Professor Greiner says this is a problem that dates back to 2008, when the house lending bubble burst. He says builders today are hesitant to jump back in right now. "They have kind of backed off from getting ahead of themselves as much as they were back then," he said. FOX 2: "They didn't want to set themselves up for the same kind of failure?" "Yes, exactly," he said. And then add in another uncertainty, like tariffs on Canadian wood for example. "They produce something like 85% of the softwood that is used in housing construction," Greiner said. "That is the primary wood that is used for building with the framing going up, that's all softwood. And the fact that would be something that is subject to the tariffs, would be something extremely damaging to home builders." Those builders have to be willing to take on a lot of risk without knowing what the future will hold. Currently, Greiner says Michigan is fairing better than the rest of the country. "They are dealing with wholesale shortages where people are literally homeless because there is not housing for them," he said. "You look at California and the Northeast, and housing has become downright unaffordable." Where there is risk, there is often reward - which is the case for those looking to sell right now. "Even here, you can see where a house goes for sale and within a day, you've got multiple offers," Greiner said. The professor says the implications of tariffs go beyond building costs. "The bigger impact in terms of the buyers is really the interest rates," Greiner said. Interest rates as they are, are relatively high." And predicting when those rates will drop, is tricky. "At the start of this year, basically there was a zero percent chance we were going to have a recession within the next year," Greiner said. "Now the estimates are as high as 60 or 70 percent chance. That is driven almost entirely by this uncertainty and these tariffs." So, what does this all mean for those on the fence, wondering if now is the time to buy or sell? Greiner says it might be time to change the way the view your house. "A home is not an investment, a home is where you live," he said. "If you are talking a second home or a business, but for your home it's where you live. If the home is something that works for you and you can afford the payments on, then stay there." The news isn't much better for those who are currently renting. According to the month of March saw a 20th consecutive year-over-year decline of the renting cost by $20. But economists predict tariffs will limit building and reverse that cycle. The Source Information from various reports and an interview with economic expert Professor Michael Greiner contributed to this story.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Not all celebrities live in Hollywood. We love them for it.
Actor Josh Duhamel made headlines last week when he revealed he and his family left Los Angeles to live off-the-grid, deep in the woods of Minnesota. While it seems like a sequel to his 2004 movie Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, the North Dakota native said the move to the Midwest — "removed from everything" — gives him a sense of stability. "You really get a chance to get back to the basics," he told Parade. "You're not consumed by all these other distractions. When you're out there, it's really about having fun, making sure everybody's warm, everybody's got food and water." Duhamel's goal is that the house stays in the family — and that his kids appreciate the change of pace. 'My son is going to have memories of this place forever,' he said. 'He's not on his iPad when he's out there. He's out there in the boat with me, or he's playing soccer on the beach, or he's out there in the woods doing whatever I'm doing. And then I have a little baby who's going to experience the same thing. Someday I hope to pass this on to them [so] they're able to share it with their kids. It's really important to me that they have this. It's not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It's really about family. It's about legacy.' The story hooked Yahoo readers, with many commenters expressing support and sharing their own stories of "remote" living. "Love it; focus on your Family! He is in a new project, and as good as ever. So, he keeps the balance of career and prioritizing his wife and kids. That is a Real Man," one person wrote. 'Good for them! He has a good head on his shoulders to make this decision. Children need nature and to get away from technology,' another added. 'At least they are [spending] time together 'as a family.' There's not a greater gift he/she could give them!' Duhamel isn't the only famous name to choose somewhere other than Hollywood to call home. Mark Wahlberg relocated his family to Nevada. Glen Powell moved back to Texas. James Van Der Beek packed up his family in 2020 for the Lone Star State. The list goes on. Every time a star leaves L.A. it becomes a national headline, and for the most part, overwhelmingly applauded. There are several reasons why we can't resist these stories. Erin Meyers, a communication professor at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., tells Yahoo Entertainment that where a celebrity lives can influence people's perceptions of authenticity. Especially if said star is going back home. "Seeing people moving out of Hollywood and return home [shows] that you're still who you always were on the inside, even as you have achieved this great fame and fortune," Meyers says, "and that's a story that we have loved from celebrities since the beginning of celebrity." "It's this idea of fame as something that is achievable and that you could have, but it's not going to change this inner core of the good kind of person you are," she continues, saying it makes a star seem like a "down-home kind of person." Joel Penney, an associate professor in the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University, in New Jersey, points out how the "elitist" reputation Hollywood can have may play a role in the perception as well. "Hollywood is ... seen as phony, whereas the countryside relates to this idea of authenticity and relatability," he tells Yahoo. Sure, half the country will see any celebrity exiting California potentially as a political statement. While sometimes it can be, Penney highlights how these types of stories amplify the "culture wars" online. "I think the political angle is part of the story," he says. "A lot of folks more on the right have really defined themselves as kind of anti-Hollywood, [which] ties to the sense of different cultural identities in the United States ... the heartland locations are seen as ... embodying that other American identity." Penney, author of the book Pop Culture, Politics, and the News, says celebrity culture is a way "people express broader ideas about the world." "Celebrities become these symbols for something bigger," he says. Penney believes the fact rural lifestyles tend to be "underrepresented in media and certainly in celebrity media" fuels interest too. "There's a whole bunch of values tied up into these kinds of social settings. I think there's a real desire to see stories about this kind of more country or rural type of American life," he continues. "When a celebrity associated with Hollywood moves ... that fills a certain desire for folks to want to see themselves reflected in a certain way." However, Meyers adds that these stories hit home "no matter what part of the political spectrum you fall on." She believes the narrative coincides with "other trends we're seeing in culture" right now "like tradwives and that kind of thing happening on social media." "Tradwives" is a term that describes a woman who sticks to "traditional" homemaker-type values while her husband acts as the family breadwinner. "This is a kind of a celebrity version of that," she says. Showcasing their traditional or rural lifestyle outside of Hollywood helps stars seem more relatable. In Van Der Beek's case, for example, Meyers says people likely gravitated toward his story in that he and his wife moved their six kids out of a crowded city for greener (and bigger) pastures. "People are interested in that — a big family, living out on the land kind of thing," she says, explaining how that "fits right in" with a star's authenticity. In Wahlberg's case, the Boston actor didn't grow up in the countryside, but his move to Nevada fit in with the family-friendly persona he has cultivated over the past several years. "Maybe you didn't grow up in backwoods Minnesota, but you can relate," Meyers says, "and it's so wonderful there because that's where real people are instead of 'the fakeness of Hollywood.'" Meyers believes stars don't need to fully live an "off-the-grid" lifestyle for their story to resonate with people. As one Yahoo reader aptly wrote, "I like [Josh Duhamel] and the sentiment, but I'm pretty sure there's also a 'I've got a few million in the tank' sort of confidence behind it.'" That's true. And did Duhamel really build his Midwest cabin with his own bare hands? Probably not, but for the most part people don't care. "I'm sure he had big money to spend on the kind of stuff he was building, materials and [labor]. I'm sure he didn't singlehandedly build that entire house," Meyers says. "It's not quite the off-the-grid experience that we might think of for everyday people. But it's certainly something that ties into that authenticity ... it's not Kim Kardashian's all-white and modern house." Are we going to see all celebrities do this? No. "But those that are, are kind of making it a part of their image, and I think are trying to tap more into that certain authentic, ordinary self," Meyers adds.
