Palindrome Press

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) talk about two Hulu series: Shōgun (2024) and The Bear (2022-Present). There are some spoilers here, so please be sure you've watched the first season of The Bear and the first three episodes of Shogun before listening. Topics covered briefly include: Seppuku / Harakiri | Feudal Japan | Bushido | Chr...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) talk about the situation in Israel and Palestine. This is not an easy topic, and we are not here to solve any problems. We only hope that anyone with a conscience can speak up about the atrocities they see and realize that human lives are sacred regardless of religion, race, or ethnicity. Speak up if...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) talk about the humanitarian crisis and ethnic cleansing happening to the Armenian population of Artsakh under Azerbaijan's dictatorship. They also talk about two Hrant Dink documentaries. Topics covered in this episode include the following: Artsakh Blockade | Artsakh War | Refugees | Social Media |...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) talk about their Armenia trip. A portion of this episode is in Western Armenia (from 00:29:00-00:37:06). Topics covered in this episode include the following: Yerevan | Yandex | Middle Eastern Restaurants | Cuisine | Hospitality | Turkey | Don't go to Parvana | Things to Do in Armenia | Tours...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) talk about their upcoming Armenia trip. Topics covered in this episode include the following: Grant Applications | Vacations | Armenia Trip | Top Gun | Charlie & Stevie | Flying & Travel | Itineraries | Motorcycles (again!) | Boudica | Women in History | GG App | Khor Virap | St. Gregory...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) discuss three Lebanese movies: Caramel (2007 film directed by Nadine Labaki), Capernaum (2018 film directed by Nadine Labaki), and 1982 (2019 film directed by Oualid Mouaness and starring Nadine Labaki). Topics covered in this episode include the following: Beauty Salon | Women's Lives in Leb...

In recognition of Genocide Awareness Month, and specifically the Armenian Genocide, we are releasing this special episode on April 24. Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) discuss two movies about the Armenian Genocide. The Promise, directed by Terry George, is a historical epic war drama starring Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale, and C...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan @mythologyandbeyond) talk about negotiation, car buying, musicals, and soul searching. This is the last episode for this season. Discussion topics include: Therapy | Psychology | Negotiation Course | Harvard Law School | Budgets/ Taxes | Armenian Groups | Constantinople | The Promise (2016) | Levity | Cultures | His...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about the Rolling Stone list of 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.  Sela goes through all 200 names by asking Greg if he knows them or not. This is the first time he is hearing this entire list, and you will be surprised (or not!) by who he doesn't recognize. Discussion topics include: Rolling Stone | AI |...

The conversation continues ......  Sela has an intimate chat with her older sisters and mom in Armenian (with occasional Arabic, French, English, and Turkish). Make sure to listen to part 1 first before continuing to this episode.  Let us know what you think and thanks for listening! —————————- We've avoided using Spotify advertising so far. To support our work, reach out, subscribe, and let u...

Sela has an intimate chat with her older sisters and mom in Armenian (with occasional Arabic, French, English, and Turkish). We couldn't do a proper intro because of all the laughing for the first 15 minutes which we had to cut out. :)  This is part one of a two-part episode with the women that helped shape Sela.  Let us know what you think and thanks for listening! —————————- We've avoide...

This is a special episode with Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & special guest Judith Saryan. For a short bio on Judy, check http://www.abrilbooks.com/judith-a-saryan Discussion topics for this episode include: Artsakh | Armenia | Zabel Yesayan | Finding Zabel Yesayan (film by Lara Aharonian and Talin Suciyan) | Literature | Gardens of Silihdar | Elif Shafak | The Bastard of Istanb...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about Emily Brontë and money. Discussion topics include: Emily Brontë | Wuthering Heights | Kate Bush | Ghosts | Catherine Earnshaw | Heathcliff | Jane Eyre | Charlotte Brontë | Virginia Woolf | Charlotte Riley | Tom Hardy | Classics | Writers | Poetry | Work | Banking | Home Loans | Car Loans | College Scholar...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) are at it again and talk about so many subjects that your head will spin. Spoiler alert! Make sure to watch the movies/ series mentioned. Discussion topics include: David Beckham | Save Our Squad | Disney+ | Docuseries | Sabrina (1954 & 1995) | Gone With the Wind | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Christian Dior | Fa...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about art, tea, and music. Discussion topics include: High School | Vocational School | Cultural Day | Art Presentation | Teaching | Armenian Mythology | Wheel of Eternity | Pomegranate | Vampire | Emo | Goth | Elf Ears | Painting | Introverts | Interruptions | Armenian Museum | Contemporary Art | Karsh | Arme...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about Madonna's music. We also briefly go into what writing and art means to us, the truth-telling and the release of that part of us that others don’t see. Discussion topics include: Madonna's childhood/ young adulthood & influences | Songwriting / Lyrics | Beauty | Live to Tell | Bad Girl | Deeper...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) & GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) discuss the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+), and ghosting.  Spoiler alert! Make sure you've seen the Dracula movie and She-Hulk (season 1) before listening to this episode.  Is it ever acceptable to ghost someone?  Have a Happy Halloween everyone!  To contact Sela or G...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) discuss the recent attacks on the small democratic nation of Armenia. The first half of this episode is in English, and the second half is in Western Armenian. We recorded this with the hopes that more people become interested in this topic. We need a magnifying glass on this situation as it is critical for the sur...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) start off season 2 with.... Covid!  Discussion topics include: Florida | Florida Weather | Here Comes the Rain Again | Orlando | Disney World | Magic Kingdom | Sword in the Stone | Covid-19 symptoms | Brain fog | Depression | Positive Thinking | Friends episode with Joey and the tailor | Full Body Scans | Active Li...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) have their last conversation for the season.  Discussion topics include: Swearing | Podcasting | Apple / Spotify demographics | Audience Info | Armenian | Western Armenian | Music/ Art/ Poetry | The Power of Language | Salman Rushdie attack | Midnight's Children | Satanic Verses | Freedom of Speech | Writers |...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) have a conversation in Armenian (Western), trying very hard not to mix English or other languages. Discussion topics include: Lebanon | Armenia | Armenian singers | Music | Dances | Rome | Montreal & Laval | Comedy | Comedians | Coffee | Cigarettes on a Platter | Travel | Food | Ice Cream/ Bouza | Restaurants |...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about Egyptian Mythology. Discussion topics include: Isis & Osiris| The Book of the Dead | The Pyramid Texts | Weighing of the Heart | Horus | Set | Afterlife | Hades & Underworld | A'Aru - Field of Reeds | Amduat | Paradise | Ammit | Divine Retribution | Ma'at | Truth, Balance, Harmony, Justic...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about motorcycle shopping, Armenian moms, and more. Discussion topics include: Armenian Museum in Watertown | Armenianness… for lack of a better word | WWI | Museum Collections | Urartu | Armenian History | Contemporary Art | Textiles | Ancient Coins | Bagratuni | Genocide | Motorcycles | Kawasaki | Motorcycle...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about J.R.R. Tolkien. Discussion topics include: Edith Tolkien | C.S. Lewis | Poetry | Reading of Tolkien's poem: Mythopoeia (making of myths) | Philomythus (lover of myths) vs. Misomythus (hater of myths) | Linguistics | Beowulf | Green Great Dragon | Lord of the Rings | The Silmarillion | The Hobbit | Go...

Sela Nazani (writer on IG @palindromepress) &  GP Vahan (artist on IG @gpvahan) talk about Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghilbli.  Discussion topics include: the meaning behind the name Ghibli | Female Protagonists | Joe Hisaishi | Film Scores | Music Composition | Totoro | The Cat Returns | Kiki's Delivery Service | Music | Animation | Manga | Book- The Works of Hayao Miyazaki: The Japanese...