Episode

Through loss, Jesmyn Ward will always return to the word

Podcast: Fresh Air
Published: May 19, 2026
Duration seconds: 2692
Processing state: not_requested
Canonical source: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/19/nx-s1-5826897/through-loss-jesmyn-ward-will-always-return-to-the-word
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Summary

Jesmyn Ward learned the term "respair" — the recovery of hope after despair — in 2020, shortly after her partner died suddenly. Her new book, ‘On Witness and Respair,’ is an essay collection on grief, motherhood and survival. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about writing through painful things and why she returned to her native Mississippi. Her previous National Book Award-winning novels are ‘Sing, Unburied, Sing’ and ‘Salvage the Bones.’ Also, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews an album from Tomeka Reid. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy