Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books joins me for a special Superlatives episode where we are answering from the fourth bucket of questions submitted for the Ask Me Anything episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live. We give you a little taste of the bonus Monthly Superlative episodes Catherine and I often do for the Patreon community. This format is a favorite of mine, allowing for a bit more candor and a lot of fun. Today we tackle questions about our all-time favorite books, re-reads, auto-buy authors, favorite audiobooks, and more!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Announcements * If you like this episode, consider joining the Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus Monthly Superlative podcast episode series! In these episodes, I feature a continued discussion with every big show episode guest from the current month where they answer 5 bookish “superlative” questions. One of my favorite things I hear from patrons about this series is how much they love listening to the same guests from the big show, but with a laid-back and relaxed vibe. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here!
Highlights * Behind-the-scenes info on the Monthly Superlative podcast episode series for patrons. * Our all-time favorite books * Our auto-buy authors * How Catherine and Sarah feel about re-reading * Books from Sarah’s and Catherine’s childhoods * Immediate bookish turn-offs * What Catherine and Sarah find in a book that makes it easy to read
Superlatives ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOKS [03:15]
Catherine:
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles | Amazon | Bookshop.org [04:01]
- Skeltons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian | Amazon | Bookshop.org [05:27]
- Sophie’s Choice by William Styron | Amazon | Bookshop.org [06:32]
Sarah:
- The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne | Amazon | Bookshop.org [07:33]
- The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [08:15]
- Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed | Amazon | Bookshop.org [09:10]
AUTO-BUY AUTHORS [09:59]
Catherine:
- Anna Quindlen [10:13]
- Alice Hoffman [10:23]
- Kevin Kwan [10:39]
Sarah:
- Ann Patchett [12:12]
- Tayari Jones [12:14]
- Meg Wolitzer [12:58]
- Megan Abbott [13:13]
- Brit Bennett [13:34]
FAVORITE AUDIOBOOKS [14:03]
Catherine:
- Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [14:31]
- Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:04]
- A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:08]
Sarah:
- Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:40]
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:48]
- The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [17:12]
FIRST BOOK THAT SPARKED YOUR JOY OF READING [18:09]
Catherine:
- Laurie and Company by Eleanor Frances Lattimore (currently out of print) [18:21]
Sarah:
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:16]
- The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:38]
- Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:45]
- Jaws by Peter Benchley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:00]
ALL ABOUT RE-READING [21:23]
Catherine:
- Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:45]
- The Longings of Women by Marge Piercy | Amazon [24:05]
Sarah:
- The Great Santini by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:39]
- The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:41]
- The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:44] & [26:07]
- I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:00]
- From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:15]
SIGNIFICANT / IMPACTFUL BOOKS [28:00]
Catherine:
- Inventing the Rest of Our Lives by Suzanne Braun Levine | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:25]
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:04]
Sarah:
- The Mindbody Prescription by John E. Sarno, M.D. | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:20]
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:00]
- Fear Less by Dr. Pippa Grange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:00]
BOOKS THAT MADE YOU FEEL SEEN [33:47]
Catherine:
- Forty Rooms by Olga Grushin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:56]
Sarah:
- Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:41]
SARAH’S FAVORITE LITERARY MYSTERIES & SLOW-BURN SUSPENSE [36:48]
Literary Mysteries: [37:14]
- When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- The Witch Elm by Tana French | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Miracle Creek by Angie Kim | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- The Current by Tim Johnston | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Long Bright River by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Mystic River by Dennis Lehane | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- The Cutting Season by Attica Locke | Amazon | Bookshop.org
Slow-Burn Suspense: [35:41]
- The Push by Ashley Audrain | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Megan Abbott books
- The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- Based on a True Story by Delphine De Vigan | Amazon | Bookshop.org
- The Dinner by Herman Koch | Amazon | Bookshop.org
FAVORITE SPORTS FICTION [38:44]
Catherine:
- The Falconer by Dana Czapnik | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:50]
Sarah:
- Beartown by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:42]
- Trophy Son by Douglas Brunt | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:51]
FAVORITE BOOKS IN LEAST FAVORITE GENRE [41:55]
Catherine (Horror):
- The Road by Cormac McCarthy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:45]
Sarah (Horror & Romance):
- Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:31]
- One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:06]
- Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:09]
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:13]
- American Royals by Katharine McGee | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:17]
- The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:29]
IMMEDIATE TURN-OFFS [46:14]
WHAT MAKES A BOOK EASY TO READ [49:34]
SENIOR MAIN CHARACTERS [51:44]
Catherine:
- Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:16]
- Margreete’s Harbor by Eleanor Morse | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:19]
- The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:23]
Sarah:
- Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:36]
- Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:06]
Other Books Mentioned * The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian [06:17] * The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian [06:20] * The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy [08:29] * Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan [10:39] * A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne [11:38] * A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne [11:54] * Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones [12:44] * An American Marriage by Tayari Jones [12:46] * The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer [13:00] * The Wife by Meg Wolitzer [13:02] * The Mothers by Brit Bennett [13:50] * The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [13:53] * Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown [19:44] * The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard [27:24] * South of Broad by Pat Conroy [27:43] * Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan [36:37] * The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe [40:13] * You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott [41:11] * Lord of the Flies by William Golding [43:52] * Vladimir by Julia May Jonas [47:34] * Honor by Thrity Umrigar [51:22]
Other Links * Glennon Doyle’s podcast: We Can Do Hard Things [16:15]
About Catherine Gilmore Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
