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cover of episode Julia's Book Club - Butter

Julia's Book Club - Butter

2025/4/16
logo of podcast A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard
AI Chapters Transcript
Chapters
The episode begins by acknowledging listener feedback on a previous book club selection and transitions into an introduction of the current book, "Butter." The hosts discuss their summer reading and briefly review some other books before diving into a discussion of "Butter's" unique appeal and cultural context.
  • Listener feedback on "Wild Dark Shore" is acknowledged.
  • Introduction of "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki.
  • Discussion of the hosts' summer reading list and other books.
  • Initial overview of "Butter's" themes and cultural significance.

Shownotes Transcript

In our April Book Club episode, Julia and Kathy unpack Butter, the cult Japanese bestseller by Asako Yuzuki.

Inspired by the real-life case of the “Konkatsu Killer” and translated into English, the book follows journalist Rika Machida as she tries to get inside the mind of convicted serial murderer Manako Kajii.

Kajii, a gourmet cook, is serving time behind bars for the murders of lonely businessmen who she seduced with her delicious home cooking.

What follows is an intimate and unsettling relationship between Rika and Kajii, as Rika recreates Kajii’s recipes and finds her obsession with the inmate beginning to cloud her judgment on the case and impact her relationships with those around her.

Julia and Kathy explore the central themes of feminism, body image and obsession, and how food ties them all together.

Butter is published in Australia by HarperCollins and available at most book stores.

https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780008511692/butter/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy) for more information.