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While researching for her novel, author Maaza Mengiste says she came across a New York Times article from 1935 that described a woman leading an army of 2,000 men into victory. She was shocked. Why had she never heard about this female wartime hero?

\u201cIt struck me,\u201d Mengiste tells Nerdette. \u201cIf there\u2019s one, there\u2019s two. If there\u2019s two, there\u2019s five.\u201d

We talk to Mengiste about her novel, The Shadow King, which is the Nerdette Book Club\u2019s September pick. Listen to this spoiler-free convo, then come back later this month for a not-spoiler-free panel discussion.