Ep 3. Who Am I?

In episode 3 of The Great American Read season 1, titled "Who Am I?", the focus is on the theme of identity and how it is explored in some of America's favorite books. Host Meredith Vieira guides viewers through the episode as she leads discussions with authors, celebrities, and book lovers alike.

The episode explores a range of books that deal with identity, including classics like J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye and Jack Kerouac's On the Road, as well as more contemporary works like The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.

One of the main topics of discussion in this episode is the importance of representation in literature, particularly with regards to race and gender. Vieira and her guests discuss how seeing oneself reflected in literature can be incredibly validating and empowering, and how reading books written by people with different experiences and perspectives can help broaden our own understanding of the world and our place in it.

Throughout the episode, a variety of guests share their thoughts on the books they love and how they relate to them personally. Among the guests are author Walter Mosley, comedian and late-night host Seth Meyers, and actress Diane Guerrero. Vieira also speaks with regular people who have been inspired and moved by the books they've read, including a high school student who organized a book club around Toni Morrison's Beloved and a woman who found solace in the pages of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar during a difficult time in her life.

As always, the episode includes a countdown of the top 10 books in the running for America's favorite novel, with a few surprises along the way. Viewers can follow along and see if their favorite book made the cut, or if they're introduced to a new book they might want to add to their reading list.

Overall, "Who Am I?" is a thought-provoking episode that delves into some of the most fundamental questions we all grapple with as human beings. It offers insights and perspectives from a diverse group of voices and reminds us of the power and importance of literature in shaping our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.