What Objects Remember: On Storytelling with Michelle Maryk

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About this conversation

What if the objects we lose, keep, or overlook are quietly telling the story of who we are? In this episode of Shelf Care Society: The Podcast , I sit down with Michelle Maryk to explore her debut novel The Found Object Society , a layered and inventive story that moves through time, memory, and the artifacts we leave behind. We talk about the emotional architecture of the novel, the way objects can hold meaning far beyond their material form, and how Michelle approached building a narrative that feels both intimate and expansive. Our conversation moves from craft to curiosity. How do you write a story that spans decades without losing its pulse? What does it mean to preserve a life through fragments? And why are we so drawn to the things people leave behind? We also get into Michelle’s writing process, the research behind the book, and the quiet tension between what is remembered and what is lost. This is a conversation about storytelling, but also about legacy, connection, and the strange comfort of knowing that even the smallest objects can carry something lasting.

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Words worth keeping

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Transcript

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