Radio Wolinsky

Helen Benedict, “The Good Deed,” 2024

Helen Benedict, author of the novel “The Good Deed,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.

Helen Benedict is the author of eight novels, including “Wolf Season” and “Sand Queen,” and five books of non-fiction.Her previous book, “Map of Hope and Sorrow,” co-written by Eyad Awwadawnon, is partly an oral history of refugees coming to Greece after escaping from their home countries. Helen Benedict s a Professor at the Columbia University School of Journalism. “The Good Deed” is a novel based on her research, which was later turned into the non-fiction book.

In the interview, she discusses the origins of her book, the research on which the novel was based, and other elements of life among the refugees in Samos prior to the pandemic. She also talks about the recent events at Columbia involving the police raid on the protest encampment, as well as her view of current journalism regarding the upcoming 2024 election.