This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. How did a debut short story collection by an unknown writer become one of the most significant publishing successes of the 20th century? On this week’s episode of Zero to Well-Read , Jeff and Rebecca are joined by literary historian and data scientist Dr. Laura McGrath for a conversation about Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies . They explore what makes Lahiri’s stories so meaningful and memorable, chart the book’s path from paperback original to Pulitzer Prize winner, and marvel at the word-of-mouth magic that turned a book that began with the most modest of prospects into a bestseller with more than 15 million copies in print. I’m delighted to report that this episode manages to mention Spock, Mary Oliver, The March of the Peguins , and Dharma and Greg , all in deep appreciation for one of the best and most important short story collections of our time.…