Modern Mrs Darcy: Recent Episodes
None
Today’s guest is a science and medicine-focused librarian who is hoping to see her real-life love of the ocean mirrored in the pages of her books.
Noelle Leong works at a small liberal arts college. She loves getting outside of the library with students on trails and visiting tidepools, because marine science is close to her heart.
While Noelle’s read a bunch of ocean-themed books, she’s always on the hunt for more. Today, we’ll explore stories with an ocean component, whether that means pop science, books where the ocean is setting, or even a character—she’s up for anything. I know so many of us associate the ocean with summer vacations and family trips, so it feels like just the right time to dive in and find titles that will appeal to Noelle’s reading wishes right now.
Please share your recommendations for ocean-inspired books Noelle might love by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Noelle on Instagram and Storygraph.
Join our summer of fun in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book ClubDon’t miss our upcoming events like hosting Summer Reading Guide author Kevin Wilson for our June live author talk! MMD Book Club is a great place to gather with fellow readers and talk all about this summer’s most discussable books. Join the fun at modernmrsdarcy.com/club
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabNOELLE LEONG: Now I have a healthy TBR list that I've managed through, I don't know, I don't know if you call it the Anne method.
ANNE BOGEL: I think you're going to need to say more about that.
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:47] Readers, our summer of literary fun is in full swing over at the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. We had a blast at our Summer Reading Guide unboxing and next week we're hosting Summer Reading Guide author, Kevin Wilson, for our June live author talk on Run for the Hills.
If you love conversations with your favorite authors, we have a whole bunch in our archives that all our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club members enjoy for access anytime. There's a ton of book talk happening in our forums right now, and I'm sure our Summer Reading Guide selections were a topic of conversations at our recent member mixers.
We're looking forward to our upcoming Readers Weekend next month too. Book Club is a great place to gather with fellow readers and all about the summer's most discussable books. Join the fun at modernmrsdarcy.com/club.
[00:01:33] Today I'm talking with a guest who'd love to see her real-life love of the ocean mirrored in the pages of her books. Noelle Leong is a science and medicine-focused librarian at a small liberal arts college. She loves getting outside the library with students on trails and visiting tide pools because marine science is close to her heart.
So it's perhaps unsurprising she'd love my help finding books about the ocean. Whether that means pop science, books where the ocean is setting, even a character, Noelle is up for anything.
While this isn't an exclusively summery theme, I know so many of us associate the ocean with summer vacations and family trips. So now feels like just the right time to dive in and find titles that will appeal to Noelle's reading wishes right now.
Let's get to it.
Noelle, welcome to the show.
NOELLE: Hi Anne. Thanks for having me.
ANNE: Oh my gosh, it's my pleasure. I'm so excited for our conversation today.
NOELLE: I'm really excited. I fear that I may... I feel like I'm not as a long time of a listener, even though time is relative. So I'm extra excited that we have at least a shared timing where our interests are aligning at the same time.
[00:02:38] ANNE: I love today's topic, which we will get to shortly. But first, Noelle, would you tell us a little bit about yourself and give our readers a glimpse of who you are?
NOELLE: I'm a science librarian. It's, I don't know, a funny title, but I mostly do science stuff. We just got a nursing school at the college I work at, but the stuff I studied and the stuff that's really close to me, I think, is marine science and oceanography. So at any point in my career, I've basically been making my way down to the tide pools or the coast at any point in time.
But I did just start a new job. I used to be at a community college for a long time and they don't really have distinct titles. So I was the default science librarian, but now I have the actual capital S Science librarian at a small liberal arts college in Northern California.
[00:03:30] I'm really passionate about open educational resources, accessibility in the library, which I'm sure a lot of listeners and other book lovers care a lot about. My favorite jobs have been, I think, romping around with students on forest trails and getting to the tide pools.
Even in library school I somehow convinced the marine botany professor to let me teach it, because I was like, "Well, I've done seaweed pressing and I used to take biology classes, so can I help TA this class?" I mostly just wanted to go on the field trip, to be honest, to collect seaweed and do the lab with students. So those kinds of jobs or teaching jobs have been my favorite versus the classroom.
ANNE: That sounds amazing. As a middle-of-the-country resident, I mean, we have a river, but the first time I got to go tide pooling, I mean, I had no idea what I was missing out on.
NOELLE: Which ocean did you go to?
ANNE: Pacific in Oregon.
[00:04:32] NOELLE: Oh, everything there is nice and big and chunky compared to... like Northern California is bigger, you know, like sea stars and all that stuff the more north you go, but Oregon and up in Washington, those are some chunky sea stars.
ANNE: It was amazing. I've been wanting to go back ever since.
NOELLE: I think all of the ocean things and tide pooling and visiting the ocean segues pretty well into being a D&D player and a library staff. But I say that because for those listeners who play board games and maybe role-playing games, being a druid is the fun thing to draw on all of the nature and the science to infuse it into the game.
I have a lot of students at all the colleges that I've worked at that I've found that niche of students who really need an advisor. So it's been great to dig into that and have it kind of affect how I play with my own home game friends. But then at home, it's just me and my partner and our little, well, my childhood dog, I guess, since I'm almost 30, and my dog is now the age I was when I got him. He's 16.
ANNE: Oh, wow.
NOELLE: He's quite an ancient little. But he's a little white crusty dog. So he's a puppy, basically, in my eyes, since he doesn't look a day over two.
[00:05:49] But really at home, I think the bulk of what surrounds me is all of my creative ventures. So me with all of my fashion choices, building an outfit, all of the different crafts I've ever tried surrounding me at all times, and even cooking in the kitchen and all the different spices and ingredients to try something new, I feel like.
ANNE: I wonder if that's going to come up more today.
NOELLE: Maybe. That's true.
ANNE: Trying new creative endeavors. Noelle, tell me about your reading life. How does that fit into your life now?
NOELLE: There was a brief time in graduate school that I thought I had officially done it and ended my lifelong love of reading, which was the saddest thing that had ever happened to me. But thankfully, that was not the case.
Reading has been kind of that soft place to land since forever, I think, because my parents were such voracious readers themselves. And so they did a pretty good job, I think, of making sure that they were reading with me. But then that quickly took off far faster than they could keep up with, I think.
[00:06:57] I feel like I went through phases. So ocean stuff and nature and all of that stuff didn't really come until later. I was definitely reading a lot of Little Princess and Secret Garden, British children's literature as a child, and then a mix of science fiction and Tudor historical fiction in middle school and high school.
But after college, and I did do an English major in addition to an environmental science major, so I couldn't pick... I don't know, I kind of branched out from there into the smorgasbord. I always told people that there's nothing I wouldn't read if they were passionate enough to recommend it to me. And I think that helped open up a lot of genres I didn't necessarily know I liked.
And even historical stuff and science fiction and British old literature still makes its way in. But at this point, I'll really read any genre. I mean, some mysteries and horror I'll stay away from because I'm a little bit of a freaky cat, but sometimes I've still dipped in, and I was just too curious not to.
[00:08:03] At this point, though, after graduate school, I kind of... I guess it's hard working in libraries. I guess it's almost inevitable that I would fall back into finding something I was interested in reading and getting back into it. So now I have a healthy TBR list that I've managed through. I don't know. I don't know if you call it the Anne method. The Anne et al.
ANNE: I think you're going to need to say more about that.
NOELLE: Yes, the Anne et al method that's been previously mentioned about the river, not a bucket, that has really helped me let books flow past me. And then also I still have my physical and metaphorical bucket that I've been carrying around from apartment to apartment.
But I think half of that was a practice in DNFing. I had probably twice as many as I have now, and I read the first, I don't know, 60 pages or so of each book. And then if I was like, it's not hitting by then, donating it. So now I have half the size of the bucket.
[00:09:09] ANNE: Wow. I'm impressed both by your thorough exclusion strategy, 60 pages is legit, and also, you got rid of half.
NOELLE: At least for the ones I owned. I'll usually give a new book I pick up more than 60. Usually, if I meh, I'll still let it percolate a little longer. But at least for the ones I was physically shuffling around, it was getting a little too much.
ANNE: Yeah. We'll tell our listeners that Noelle is referring to, really, a Patreon bonus we did, that Shannan and I actually accidentally answered twice because I think it seemed that important. But the crux of your question was, how do I, and also how could you possibly, not get overwhelmed by a TBR list that I think, as you said, probably accumulates from every angle and corner of life?
[00:09:58] NOELLE: Yes, definitely. And yes, that folks in booksellers, podcast hosts who are experts in books, librarians, and so forth, all are encouraged to read at all times. But I think ultimately, how do we pick the ones that stick and actually get all the way through from start to finish?
ANNE: Yes. Well, you come here today with a special request. Do you want to share that before we talk about your books?
NOELLE: Sure.
ANNE: I'm really looking for more books about the ocean because I'm always looking for them. And when I say this, it could really be, you know, pop science fiction where the ocean is a setting or a character. I feel like sometimes the ocean is its own entity in these books. Or even like poetry.
For instance, a good pop science one that I'm thinking of is How Far the Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler. It's an intersection of queerness and marine science that really stuck with me. We could go full academic. This Wild Blue Media by Melody Jue, this academic nonfiction, media studies, fluidity, permeability, water, if you want to get into theory stuff.
[00:11:13] But even I remember a childhood favorite was The Tale of Emily Windsnap. That whole series, which I did not know expanded since I think I gently outgrew it as the books were still coming out. But I went back recently and read them all, and I was like, "This was a nice hop back into memory lane."
And then I know Ruth Ozeki has been on recommendation many times. A Tale for the Time Being is definitely one of my favorites. Kind of time jumpy, good character study, but the ocean seems to be its own character, sort of, in that one, I feel like.
And then maybe, I don't know, non-traditional Mary Oliver poetry, that kind of peaceful reflection, groundedness. I feel like a lot of the things that she... not just ocean stuff, but that kind of tone tends to be the poetry I gravitate toward.
And then, I don't know, animated films, The Song of the Sea. That kind of mythic folkloric, all of those aspects of the ocean are things that I'm looking for. And yes, the ocean is vast. The books about oceans are vast, so I'm excited.
[00:12:21] ANNE: I have two questions. You know that's a lie. I have more than that. But my first is, where is the satisfaction in you as someone who has this deep love of oceans to see how they factor into... gosh, I hate the word "factor" here. We're doing math and science and literature all at the same time. But you want to read about the oceans, where's the satisfaction in that specifically, in seeing this topic you love in books? Is that self-evident to every reader?
NOELLE: I don't know. That's a good question. I've run into a lot of readers who are like, maybe it's the way they read, it's similar to how folks see color or hear sounds or whatever, I don't know. When I'm reading at least some of these books it feels very much like it kind of mentally, physically transports you, I guess.
If it's a summery time, and I don't know, maybe folks in another hemisphere, it's wintry here, I'd like to be in a summery, oceany setting. Or vice versa, a stormy sea feels emotionally correct at that time. I feel like the ocean is, in books at least, with the author that fits, it feels very transportive.
[00:13:32] ANNE: Noelle, I hadn't thought about it like that. That's so fascinating. And it helps to hear that through the pages of a book, you can be, not just learn.
I took for granted, correct me if I'm wrong, that you wanted to learn more and expand your body of knowledge and have the satisfaction of growing mastery about this topic that you love. But also the idea that these works are going to mentally and physically transport you to this place that you love in a way that you can't go on your own. That's really helpful as we're thinking about things today.
NOELLE: I think so. And then, yeah, now that I'm thinking about the books that came to mind when I had this prompt for myself, it was like, Ooh, a lot of them are folklore and time-skippy and a little more mystical or have an element of not necessarily realism, even though I do enjoy the science and nonfiction as well.
[00:14:27] ANNE: Okay. I'm curious to hear what light this does or doesn't shed on our ocean book selections. But we are going to talk about what you love and don't today as well. Are you ready to talk about your books?
NOELLE: I think so.
ANNE: Noelle, you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we will discuss ocean books that you may enjoy reading next. How did you choose these today?
NOELLE: I chose these... To be quite honest, I'm a very forgetful person. I rely on Storygraph. That's not a plug for like... you know, that kind of like a sponcon plug. I love Storygraph because it keeps me in line with my own memory of what I've read and not read. And I have a tag for the most favorite ones.
I feel like I'm pretty stringent, so I only have like 10 over the last couple of years that hit me hard enough that I'm like, "I still think about that regularly. I want to buy a hardcover of that to keep in my library." So this is from that shortlist, I guess.
[00:15:31] ANNE: I love it. What is the first book you love?
NOELLE: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. I feel like the, you know, rich character studies linked in family and time. I don't mind the time skippy. Clearly that's come up from Ghana to America, all the places in between, and like the generational lineage between two sisters over time and space.
I think what really got me was the kind of skill and tenderness that she showed each character. I feel like with ensemble character groups, it's really hard with the short amount of time that each character gets in a full novel. But this was somehow a short novel, but I knew each character so well. And it was still a page turner, but there was still like the gentle reflection that I feel like I'm drawn to because I'm that way. And it was, I don't know, a miracle for all those reasons. So I really love this book.
ANNE: Ooh, drawn to gentle reflection. Was that really powerful to articulate that in your reading life at a certain point?
[00:16:32] NOELLE: I don't know. I feel like that's generally... it's so funny because in meditation, all of those things you should do as a person to reflect and be self-aware, I feel like I'm always thinking, "Maybe I'm overthinking those things." So it's nice to see that in a book.
ANNE: Noelle, what's the second book you love?
NOELLE: A second book I love is a sidestep away from the fiction over time, and it's The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. I grew up with Vlogbrothers 2.0 on YouTube, which is him and his brother sending missives across the internet to each other for I think a year or two.
One, Hank, his brother, is the more science-focused person, and he, John, is a writer and author. But my favorite versions of them both were when they were always waxing a little philosophical or talking about greater world systems, I guess, to better understand humanity.
[00:17:32] This book, I think, really captures that since all the previous books he had written at that time were all angsty young adult novels, fiction. This feels very in line, I guess, with how I hear his voice. Even listening to it on audiobook, I'm actually not a super audio fan, but specific books really hit. This one was a great audiobook to listen to him read his own thoughts and essays. Each chapter is an essay, so it's nonfiction.
I feel like this book hits the niche of realistic but hopeful. Unfortunately, Matt Haig's books tend to be a little too end with a neat bow for me in terms of existential thoughts. But John Green's essays are both non-cynical, realistic, grounded. And I like that about it quite a bit.
ANNE: Are we talking about Matt Haig's nonfiction, like peanut butter toast will save the world?
[00:18:34] NOELLE: Maybe I should read those, because all of the fiction I've read by him, all end, have that, like, you know, what is my life, and then the end of the, like... And I feel good about it at the end, and I... That is not my cup of tea, I think.
ANNE: Okay. So you're thinking about his fiction tied up with a bow?
NOELLE: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Okay. Well, first I read the Comfort book, nonfiction by him, and then I went back to read Reasons to Stay Alive. I'd be curious to hear what you thought about those.
NOELLE: I am curious.
ANNE: I do not know if there are ocean references. It's been too long. I do not remember.
NOELLE: And that's true.
ANNE: I'm sure you would have noticed in a way that I would not have. I will say for the John Green, I was instructed, I think by Donna on our team, to listen to that on audio, and I'm really glad I did.
NOELLE: Yes, definitely.
ANNE: Okay, noted. Realistic but hopeful works for you. Noelle, what's the third book you love?
NOELLE: This one's a very, like, a much more ocean direct, I guess. It's Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I know it's a lot of folks' favorites, but I had to be encouraged to finish reading this one by my partner. He had read it and said, like, "If you get it past the first third, you'll love it. I know you. I know this book. I read it." I don't know how often that happens for you or listeners, but it's…
[00:19:48] ANNE: Oh, yeah. Yes, that is not unfamiliar.
NOELLE: Yes. It's not too long, so I was like, "Okay, I can do this. I read a longer book that I hated more." This one I did not hate at all. It's a favorite now. The atmospheric kind of mystery of the first part, I think I was just impatient, really makes way for that fantastical, weird finish.
And the vibe or tone kind of reminds me... it's not horror, but the kind of unreliable narrator, unknown mystery, and then that, of course, the ocean being its own character and all the different elements that the protagonist encounters. Honestly, it kind of feels like Annihilation, which is like an ego horror by Jeff VanderMeer. But for some reason, it gave me that same feeling of kind of traversing solo through unknown space. And I really liked the way that that one came out.
And then, yes, I was like, "You were right." But he's just glad that I enjoyed it so much.
[00:20:48] ANNE: Funny thing, I enlisted our team member Bailey, who loves that book, to help me talk it through and remember if Piranesi might be a good oceans book for you. I have this visual in my mind of the labyrinth that I constructed based on Clarke's prose. But I wanted validation that, yes, it was prominent enough a feature. And we debated, and she was like, "Yes." And I said, "I think so". And only then did I realize you already love it.
NOELLE: Yes, I think. And that is a great example of that. Ocean is almost its own entity as a part of the book, almost a character. I feel like that hits that for me.
ANNE: All right. That's helpful. Thank you. Noelle, now tell us about a book that was not right for you. And I'd love to hear why. Was the timing wrong? Was it not to your taste? Was it about a topic that you didn't want to cover? What did you choose?
[00:21:44] NOELLE: I think All Fours by Miranda July is something that a lot of people love. And I thought it would be for me too. I didn't jump on it immediately, but it had been recommended to me, mostly because I do like a good, in quotes, weird girl fiction type of book.
And because there's this book Remainder by Tom McCarthy that I liked in the early 2010s a lot-
ANNE: Oh, I don't know that book.
NOELLE: It has the same elements of... I don't know if you've ever watched The Rehearsal by Nathan Fielder.
ANNE: I haven't.
NOELLE: It's kind of an absurdist humor sort of thing, but the... well, the show is. I would say Remainder is not very much a comedy. But they all center around that feeling of that thing on the tip of your tongue that you're trying to recreate the feeling and the aesthetic of.
And so The Rehearsal, that plays with more social rehearsing. But Nathan, the showrunner, creates these elaborate sets that look so real. And Remainder is that.
[00:22:46] But in that case, the protagonist is basically dropped in with no memories. So he's trying to recreate his memory by creating elaborate sets. And so in all fours, when the protagonist is building in the motel room, this elaborate aesthetic, perfect curated space, it feels very much like that.
And I think people who recommended it to me thought that would really fit what I was looking for. But that second half of the book, I guess, the characters just ended up falling a little more flat. And it turns out I was really just interested in the same things that I knew I was interested in, I think.
And I know all tastes are subjective, but the parts that felt like they were supposed to be shock value or perverse or whatever, I guess didn't feel like they were grounded to me in the plot as much. I think maybe we're just at different places in our lives. Maybe you're right, the timing wasn't right.
[00:23:43] But I did really appreciate kind of... I do love a, I don't want to say midlife, because I feel like we have them multiple times over our lives, but like a woman's multiple life crisis, I guess. I do love those sorts of books, like the reckoning of self books. So that's why most of it was good, but then by the end, I wasn't very satisfied.
ANNE: Okay. So you didn't find it satisfying. I haven't read the second half. I read the first half of this when I was vetting books for, I think… was this just last year? Last year Summer Reading Guide and decided it wasn't what I wanted and really need to find the other books in the guide and thought, "I can always come back later." And I haven't yet. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that one.
NOELLE: Thank you.
ANNE: Noelle, what have you been reading lately?
NOELLE: A book that I finished relatively recently, Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang.
ANNE: Oh, I'm so curious. This is on my list.
[00:24:40] NOELLE: She wrote Natural Beauty. I think a lot of people liked that one for the same. That one was more, I think, about beauty augmentation and stuff. But this one was about female friendship and definitions of art and obsessive friendships. It's all, again, in a dystopian system, similar to Natural Beauty, but like where magical realism tows the line. This one definitely tows the line between dystopic and real.
But I loved that it was set in the art space and it was so connected specifically to the protagonist and her best friend to the point where they're sharing consciousness. What a fun, interesting book.
ANNE: Okay, that sounds wild. So this one worked for you?
NOELLE: Yes, this one worked for me. I feel like these, I don't know, settings that point us to ask questions without telling us the answer really do work for me. And I think this does that really well.
ANNE: Noelle, we've talked about this a little bit, but what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
[00:25:45] NOELLE: I think ultimately I'm on the other side of the coin when it comes to the question of culling your TBR list or picking selectively. I'm really looking to pick selectively at this point. So I guess that really just ends up being... I'm still working on being okay with DNFing, not finishing a book that I'm not happy with.
One that was recommended to me that probably lots of folks have read, Remarkably Bright Creatures, the octopus book for shorthand.
ANNE: Because it's in the... well, I mean, is it in the ocean ocean?
NOELLE: It's in the aquarium.
ANNE: It's definitely ocean adjacent.
NOELLE: I've worked in an aquarium. I did befriend an octopus, sort of, while working on Empty Tuesdays. So people were like, "Oh, this is..." But how funny is it that, like, the way the octopus's voice was written, I was like, "That's not how the octopus I know in real life would talk."
ANNE: I love that.
NOELLE: So being okay with DNFing for the most absurd reasons is okay.
[00:26:40] ANNE: I mean, okay, I wish that your octopus had been brought to life. But what a fascinating observation. I didn't have the personal experience myself to have that kind of observation when I was reading that book. Though I did enjoy Michael Urie voicing the octopus in my years.
NOELLE: Oh, how fun.
ANNE: Yeah. I really like him. Okay. So we're looking for ocean books. And also what you're looking for, maybe what you're channeling is just because it has to do with the ocean very, very directly or peripherally doesn't mean it belongs on your TBR right now.
NOELLE: Yes. I think ultimately answering the question the long way by giving books that I like or love has brought forth all of the other things I do like about a book in the ocean. I think it just ends up being that extra thing that makes it from pretty good to like, this is my book.
ANNE: Okay. With that being said, can we talk about ocean books?
NOELLE: Yes. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited.
[00:27:41] ANNE: You said, whether it's pop science, fiction where the ocean is a setting, or a character, or even has a significant presence, that there are lots of options to choose from. Should we start with fiction or non?
NOELLE: Let's start with nonfiction since I didn't really talk that much about nonfiction.
ANNE: Okay. I'm getting the sense that maybe fiction is where you want to spend most of your time. Is that accurate?
NOELLE: I would say, based on my Storygraph stats, it's probably two-thirds. Because I still do really love a good nonfiction book and academic writing is not a stranger to me.
ANNE: Two-thirds. That was precise and I love it. Let's start with The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works by Helen Czerski. Do you know this one?
NOELLE: I've seen it in passing, and it seems like the kind of book that might be for me.
[00:28:37] ANNE: Well, maybe. Here, your call. This just came out in 2023. Czerski is a London-based physicist and oceanographer. And this book really is about the blue machine. Called that for a reason. She's saying that this is her exploration of the engine of the ocean.
When she calls it the blue machine, she's talking about that engine specifically. She's looking at the physics behind the ocean systems and why it matters. In a really obvious way, like how does the ocean stay healthy? But also, how does it impact human lives and culture? And she thinks the answer is in really huge ways that we probably haven't thought about for a second.
She says that this isn't metaphorical at all, but an engine is something that converts other forms of energy, usually heat, into movement. She says the most frustrating thing about this engine, and to her as a physicist and oceanographer who is fascinated with this stuff, is it's hard to watch this engine directly.
[00:29:39] For as much as we feel like, oh, we go to the shore and we look at the ocean or we go out in a boat, she's like, no, this system is massive and it's so, so hard to observe it. This is actually really fascinating.
She talks a lot about how when we went to space, we did it to explore space. But something that happened is we really came to appreciate that the defining feature of earth is not land, but water. And to be able to see the ocean from a distance was really incredible.
I feel like I'm getting really excited about the ocean, but I only have like an eighth of the enthusiasm she does. But here she's following the energy and demonstrating how the ocean moves and what it means for all of us. Like she says, as citizens of the earth, we cannot escape the influence of oceans. She talks about how it's woven deep into human culture.
And she has all these cool charts and maps and illustrations where she's like, "Look, you were told to name four oceans in school, but let me show you how they're all interconnected and feed each other and why and how it all works.
I'm not a super sciencey person, very different from you, Noelle, but talking to our listeners, I thought this was fascinating. How does that fit into your ocean exploration?
NOELLE: Sounds amazing. I mean, first that you noted her enthusiasm. I love an enthusiastic scientist talking about their interest in specific area of study. And I'll be honest, physics was my one, I mean one, many, but one of the weak points I definitely had in my brain science background.
So I'm excited that seeing it in a different way and hearing her talk about it in her own way, that might be the bridge I need to be okay with, you know, thinking about physics in a different way. And that's something that I think is really important to me as a personal goal to overcome a lot of those things that I struggled with previously studying science. So I'm really excited, actually about this one.
[00:31:44] ANNE: I'm excited you're excited. And for something very different, do you know The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger?
NOELLE: Oh, I don't know this one.
ANNE: Okay. He is, oh, probably an author that my husband, Will, found from Outside magazine decades ago. He's a nature and maybe adventure writer. He writes about our culture in really interesting ways. Oh gosh, what is the name of the book I've recommended several times on this podcast? About going into a war zone. I cannot remember. I'm sure listeners are shouting at their phones right now, "Anne, I know what it is."
But this is one of his earlier works. Oh, but let me say about Junger. He sees things from angles that it wouldn't occur to me to even think about. And here he's taking that lens to the storm of the century, the 20th century that took place off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1991.
[00:32:37] He wrote this book in 1997. So it's now lasted for three decades and readers are still going to it. But he weaves together three perspectives about this storm.
The first is the actual storm and the meteorological reporting and forecasts on how they saw it taking shape and gathering speed and going from there. And then he tells the story of the fishing crew aboard the Andrea Gail, their commercial fishermen, which was... I've read more books about commercial fisheries since then, but at the time, this was all new information to me. And also a dramatic rescue of a privately piloted three-person yacht in the Atlantic.
So he's popping you all over the Atlantic Ocean, showing these three different perspectives and how... I mean, this is a man versus nature tale that is compelling and page-turning and impressive. I mean, the storm is impressive and I feel like he captures it.
How does that sound? How does that fit into your schema?
[00:33:46] NOELLE: That was really interesting because it's not something I'm normally studying per se, but it's also funny to think of the 90s as history maybe. And so it just fits right in that niche that might bring me in the right way to have all those different perspectives you mentioned. And also having it be recent enough that feels, technology-wise at least, that feels memorable.
Then I'm really interested also in that. I do like that feeling, that feeling of not just the sandy beach ocean or exploring at a human level, but in a stormy, scary, the ocean is the ocean. And the respect that you automatically feel in the face of something like that also does intrigue me. So I'm excited about that one.
ANNE: Okay. I'm excited you're excited. Now let's go to fiction where the ocean is represented and factors in in a variety of ways. I'm going to start with The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. Have you read this one?
NOELLE: Mm-mm.
[00:34:52] ANNE: Okay. I'm really struggling to remember because I didn't read this through my ocean lens. I really enjoyed the book. But the protagonist, Emma, is a marine biologist and she is renowned. In fact, her worldwide acclaim in her field is important to the plot.
She's been married to her husband for 10 years. Her husband, Leo, is an obituary writer. One of the things that he does is to draft those advanced obituaries for well-known individuals so that they are ready to roll out whenever they should be needed.
So his wife, Emma, ranks an advanced obit. As far as a marine biologist can be known worldwide, she is known. So he's not really supposed to be writing the one for his wife, but he is because that's how the plot is going to work here.
But when he begins researching his wife's life to write her story, he quickly discovers that the truth that he's discovering doesn't match the story she has told him. And he discovers really unsettling things like he doesn't even know her name.
[00:36:03] So we've got a mystery. This isn't really thrillery, but it's got a tinge of like that psychological thriller flavor. We've got a real relational drama. Emma's backstory is, I mean, obviously the key to all this. She had some hard things in her past that she didn't want to share with her husband, but we're going to find out on the page before she knows that her husband is kind onto her. And it's not sinister, but it is propulsive because I wanted to find out what was happening.
So the ocean is tangential. She's going to conferences and giving papers and spouting tidbits. How does that sound to you? Does that appeal?
NOELLE: That appeals to my sense of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, that sort of aspect of do I know my partner and their complementary professions? I'm kind of curious. I mean, I'm always curious how academia and those sorts of things are portrayed in books, especially in this field. So I feel like that might be fun for me to read as a tidbit spouter and conference goer myself.
[00:37:14] ANNE: I think so. I think the rest of the books we're going to talk about are going to be more thoroughly grounded in the actual ocean. Next, I'd love to share Sea Wife by Amity Gaige that came out in 2020. Are you familiar with this one?
NOELLE: I've seen this one swirling around, but I've never read the synopsis or anything. So I'm curious.
ANNE: She has a new book called Heartwood that just came out on April 1st, which has gotten a ton of coverage and readership. And whenever that happens, the backlist surfaces in a big way too. So I'm thrilled for her about that. I mean, I still remember the first line of this: where does a mistake begin?
This story was inspired by a real-life 2014 Coast Guard rescue. And it's about a couple who are in middle-aged, their marriage is not doing well, they're dissatisfied in all the ways, and they decide that the solution to this, well, the husband decides and the wife kind of goes along with it, they're going to sell everything they own and spend a year sailing around the Caribbean.
[00:38:18] When the story begins, we know that Juliet is home, spending a lot of time in her closet. Her husband is gone. We don't know why he's gone, but we know that everything changed on the yacht. And we have to read to find out why. So it goes back and forth in time.
In the present day, we see that the wife, I should probably give her a name, her name is Juliet, she is really struggling to cope with everyday life in the suburbs. And then in our cut with that present-day narrative, we are reading Michael's captain's log from their year at sea, which includes his real-time, real emotional account of the... I mean, they were constantly on the brink of disaster. And we see how dangerous that was, but also the unbearable stress it placed on their already fragile relationship.
So we have a boat in peril and a marriage in crisis. This is definitely thrillery, relational thrillery. How does that sound?
[00:39:16] NOELLE: Oh, that sounds very interesting to me. I also like that these are getting me out of my comfort zone of character study, no mystery. I kind of like this page-turner, edge-of-the-seat aspect to them.
And also I'll be honest, what you said struck something in me about Juliet trying to like get back into the suburbs and figure out what that means. Because I feel like I had the hardest time both in my, I mean, not middle age relationship, but my early relationship when I was living out kind of in a rural area, and I was really just focused on the ocean and the woods and making it back into like what felt like society and remembering like the rules of being around lots of other people. That was so hard for me. So this feels like something I'm interested in reading about.
ANNE: I'm so glad. And I'm glad those vibes are appealing to you, but we are going to shift into something that's more of a gentle reflection.
NOELLE: Okay.
ANNE: We have a 2023, I don't know about weird girl book, weird book called Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. Do you know this one?
[00:40:21] NOELLE: Oh, I saw this one pop up on the arcs, and I've heard it being recommended. I know that's an awesome. I'm like, "Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the final call so that I actually read it." But by all means, please tell me about it.
ANNE: Maybe. Maybe. It's up to you. So this is about... I mean, the relational dynamics here are very real, but the premise is not. We meet this newlywed couple. They're deeply in love. They have a wonderful future together. But then the husband notices something strange.
The bridge of his nose is turning into soft cartilage. And he's like, "Oh, oh, I know what this means." And shortly thereafter, the doctor confirms that yes, you have one of those many possible genetic mutations that mean you are going to transform into an animal. In his case, it's going to be a great white shark. And highly unusual in this landscape where people transform into animals all the time, his is going to happen before the year is over. Some people have decades.
[00:41:21] From this really out there premise, we get a really absorbing and emotionally resonant story of marriage, art, motherhood here, unfulfilled dreams. And one of the big questions is, how do we create meaning in spite of, but also as a result of great tragedy? How does that sound to you?
NOELLE: This is really interesting to me.
ANNE: You know what I didn't tell you? Louis, I mean, at a certain point, he goes to live in the ocean with his new shark friends, but it's hard and lonely sometimes.
NOELLE: I was about to say, will it make me mad if the science stuff is incorrect? Do you think?
ANNE: It might. I can tell you I'm the wrong person to ask if she got it right or not, but you would know.
NOELLE: I also love though, because clearly I love the magical realism and the fantastical. Maybe those things, I feel like if it's so highly recommended that might end up overwhelming any whatever details that don't actually pertain to the plot. Like the cartilage, the nose is made out of or why does he have friends if he's a great white shark or whatever?
[00:42:36] ANNE: It might.
NOELLE: I'm excited.
ANNE: It might.
NOELLE: This might be the call.
ANNE: I know I'll be curious to hear what you decide.
NOELLE: All right.
ANNE: And we are going to end with a book that I forget what you said, but it made me go, Julia Armfield. And the book is Our Wives Under the Sea. Do you know this one?
NOELLE: Mm-mm. No, I don't.
ANNE: Okay. I'm so glad. It wouldn't be like quite the punchy ending if you were like, "Oh, of course, read it, loved it," or "read it, despised it." This came out in 2022. This is the story of a woman who embarked on an expedition to the bottom of the ocean and came back changed because something bad went down.
This is about a married couple. Leah is a marine biologist and she got to go on this amazing, cool, important research trip to the very depths of the Pacific. She was supposed to be gone for three weeks, but something went horribly wrong and she ended up stranded on the ocean floor for months in a tiny submarine with just two other crew members.
[00:43:40] When the story begins, she's back and she is distant. She doesn't talk and she's also obsessed with running all the faucets in their home. Her wife is so worried and so frustrated and doesn't know how to reach Leah. She was so worried about her when she was on the bottom of the ocean and now she's back in their home and she's so worried about her and it still feels like she's gone.
So it goes back and forth. We see the present day, but then we go into these tense flashbacks, both in their relationship and to what happened. And the questions here that are being explored are, because there's like a mystery element, what was the point of the trip, which we find out is sponsored by this organization that has since disappeared. Like that sounds a little suspicious. There's definitely hints of conspiracy here.
There's a turn toward horror at the end of the story. And you mentioned that you've been talking to reading that before because you're a scaredy cat, but that's not your normal place. So I want you to know. But this is another portrait of a marriage in crisis for reasons that have everything to do with the bottom of the ocean.
NOELLE: Oh.
ANNE: How does that sound?
[00:44:51] NOELLE: Very interesting. I love that the beginning, it sounded like annihilation, the scientist spouse goes in and comes back changed. But then this is like a different kind of wildness that I'm really interested in.
ANNE: A different kind of wildness.
NOELLE: Yeah.
ANNE: I like that. I'll also say this is a short book. This is a 200 pager.
NOELLE: Oh no. Now I'm like, "Will I be sad that it's short?" Because this is the one I think I was actually the most excited to read.
ANNE: Okay. Well, let's recap to make sure you've got all your options on the table. We talked about your one-third Nonfiction, The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works by Helen Czerski, The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger, The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh, and Sea Wife by Amity Gaige. And then we ended with Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. And this final one, Our Wives Under the Sea. You want to keep it?
NOELLE: Yes. I'm very excited.
[00:45:44] ANNE: All right. Well, I'm excited to find out what you think. Noelle, thanks for the great prompt and thank you for talking books with me today.
NOELLE: Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to start with the one I said, but I'm equally excited to go in other directions with the books that you gave me too.
ANNE: I can't wait to hear how it goes. And if you're mad about the science, I definitely want to hear about that.
Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Noelle, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Connect with Noelle on Instagram and Storygraph. We've included those links along with the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Follow our show on Instagram @whatshouldireadnext. We'd love to see which titles you are loving this summer reading season. Please tag us in your posts and stories.
[00:46:32] And make sure you're following us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, and more. Following or subscribing on your favorite podcast platform and then downloading our episodes when they come out, it's quick, it's free, and it's easy, and it really supports our show. It encourages our network to promote us, and it helps other listeners discover us. Thank you.
Subscribe to our email list to get updates on the show. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that is it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• How Far the Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler
• Wild Blue Media by Melody Jue
• The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
• A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
• Mary Oliver (Try A Thousand Mornings)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (Audio edition)
• The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
• Reasons to Stay Aliveby Matt Haig
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
▵ All Fours by Miranda July
• Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
• Remainder by Tom McCarthy
• Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang
• Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Audio edition)
• The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works by Helen Czerski
• The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
• The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh
• Sea Wife by Amity Gaige
• Heartwood by Amity Gaige
• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
• Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
Also mentioned:
• Dear Book Therapist: TBR management
• Dear Book Therapist: TBR management Part 2
• Song of the Sea
• The Rehearsal
• Please support our sponsors.
The post Diving into evocative ocean reads appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
We didn’t host Quick Lit in May because of the 2025 MMD Summer Reading Guide release, so today I’m happy to share a few new spring/summer books that fall within the Guide window (April 1 to August) but weren’t included there, along with one captivating little book I’ve been meaning to read since it was published a few years ago.
You may suspect—and you’d be right!—that I love to offer up an eclectic collection of recent reads in Quick Lit, and this roundup certainly delivers on that score: we have elliptical Australian literary fiction, a political/legal/medical thriller in the vein of John Grisham, a contemporary coming of age novel, a thrilling psychological wilderness story reminiscent of Peter Heller, and a focused nonfiction look at a cultural and literary icon. Maybe not something for everyone, but we do cover a lot of ground!
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR here (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us!
Welcome to June Quick Lit Author: Allison Larkin
Larkin’s follow-up to 2021’s The People We Keep opens with 30-year-old Freya tending bar in Maine, where we learn she’s escaped after life back home fell apart. But following a medical emergency, she decides to return to her tiny hometown of Somers, New York to live in the falling-down house she inherited from her abruptly deceased parents. Despite her attempts to keep a low profile, Freya can’t avoid bumping into people who knew her before she left town, and from these interactions we begin to piece together a picture of what compelled her to flee, what she lost when she did, and what wrongs she needs to make right if she is to have any hope of finding healing and forgiveness. While reading I was constantly wondering how much to make of the circus as a potential metaphor for Freya’s life. The setting of Somers (which happens to be Larkin’s hometown) is also the actual birthplace of the American circus, and Larkin weaves little snippets about Halichiah Bailey and his elephant Old Bet into the narrative. More info →Author: Jessica Au
I read this novella from Chinese Australian author Au in just two days (and, at 144 pages, might have needed only one). In it, a mother and daughter pair meet in Tokyo for a short vacation, to see the sights at a leisurely pace but mostly to spend time together. The story itself is leisurely paced; the prose precise and reflective. Neither character seems to say what they really think, or mean, or actually feel; they are quite careful with each other and spend most of the book dancing around each other and any real topics of mutual interest. But I was intrigued to see how this dance would play out, and whether or not they would genuinely connect by book's end. Upon finishing, I was left with a number of questions, the biggest being I'm not entirely sure whether the mother's presence was physical or more like a haunting. Though I haven't done so yet, this strikes me as a book that would reward rereading, and certainly one that a book club could enjoy picking apart together: there is plenty to talk about. More info →Author: Alissa Wilkinson
I've been following Wilkinson's work ever since our team member Ginger introduced me to her book Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women and we subsequently discussed it with the author in MMD Book Club. Since its publication she's also become a movie critic at the New York Times. Perhaps it should then come as no surprise that her new biography of Joan Didion is shot through with film references—not just because of the time Didion spent writing movie reviews and scripts in Hollywood, but as a way of illustrating which movies and motifs were capturing Americans' imaginations at various points in Didion's career. I found this thoughtful and fascinating: Wilkinson's central argument is that yes, Didion did indeed believe and write (first in the opening to The White Album in 1979) that we tell ourselves stories in order to live. But here she intended to point out a tempting coping strategy, not coin an inspirational aphorism: whether on the individual level or as a Hollywood screenwriter, she observed that we naturally want to make sense of the reality we're faced with by shaping it into a meaningful narrative arc. But reality doesn't work that way, and Didion believed we do great harm to ourselves and others when we prioritize our pretty narratives over reality. This wasn't quite the book I expected, as before reading I did not grasp the extent to which Didion was involved in either Hollywood or politics, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and turned the last page (metaphorically speaking, because I listened to the author-narrated audiobook) wanting to read more from Didion, and Wilkinson. More info →Author: Amity Gaige
I actually read this April 2025 release months ago but now that the Summer Reading Guide is out I can tell you about it here. (The book is not in the 2025 Guide, for reasons I discuss in this WSIRN bonus episode.) I loved Gaige’s 2020 novel Sea Wife (included in that year’s SRG) and was excited to read more from her. When Heartwood begins, we know a search is underway for experienced 42-year-old hiker Valerie, who has somehow wandered off the Appalachian Trail. In rotating points of view, we learn where Valerie currently is and the details of her current predicament, the plan for coordinating scores of volunteers to comb the woods to find her, the reasons the authorities consider her ex-husband to be a suspect, and why a seemingly unconnected woman at a nearby retirement community may hold the key to Valerie’s survival. I raced through this gripping tale of survival, isolation, and the deep human need for connection. I think it’s fair to say that the Maine woods are a character in their own right: they are vast, wild, and unforgiving. More info →Author: Robert Bailey
I didn't love this new May 2025 release, but I'm nevertheless impressed that a month or so after reading it I find myself talking about its premise all the time. This political thriller (think John Grisham, but with a medical bent) imagines a world in which a safe, effective, and inexpensive cure for cancer has been found, but the truth has been suppressed because actually curing the disease would destroy the U.S. economy. When the U.S. president's cancer returns, the real powers that be begrudgingly let him in to their circle of trust—and then all hell breaks loose. I was curious enough about what would happen to keep listening (to the audiobook, narrated by Eric Conger), but my favorite parts of the story involved the chief of staff's visits back home to Florida's Gulf Coast to visit family and do a little research on a personal project. Bailey name-checks quite a few Panhandle locations I'm familiar with and it was an unexpected delight to see them in print. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We’re cheering for U of L in the College World Series, planting some gladiolus bulbs (I hope it’s not too late) and generally taking care of household stuff. (There’s a lot that needs tending to; perhaps you can relate?)
I hope you have something good to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
For Abby Jimenez, Being a No. 1 Best Seller Is the Icing on the Cake. (New York Times gift link) It’s been exciting to see Abby’s career take off.
Nicole Kidman to Star in ‘Girls and Their Horses’ TV Series in Development at Amazon, Legendary (EXCLUSIVE). (Variety) Exciting news about this 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick.
This 120-Year-Old NYC Home’s Design Was Inspired by Gertrude Stein’s Paris Apartment. (Apartment Therapy) I love this “space of joyous maximalism” so much!
The Books That Shaped Me: Ginger edition. (MMD) Get to know team member Ginger Horton through the books that influenced her over the years.
Why the French Don’t Obsess Over Purpose. (With Love From Paris) “In France, there’s no guilt in doing a job because it pays the bills. Or because it gives you your evenings. You can be excellent at what you do and still have no desire to talk about it over dinner.”
Ina Garten Is My Summer Icon—11 Ways I’m Channeling Her Vibe. (The Everygirl) An Ina Garten Summer sounds good to me!
Or maybe a “Frazzled English Woman Summer” (Bustle) is more your speed? “The frazzled English woman doesn’t stop to do her hair in the morning, much less pick out a matching outfit. She’s far too busy living life with a delightfully chaotic twist. Think Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones’s Diary.“
Meet Addy: The Story of the First Black American Girl Doll. (Literary Hub) I never tire of hearing stories about American Girl dolls.
A reading life that comes in waves. (What Should I Read Next?) What to recommend to a reader who finds his preferred nonfiction nothing short of life-changing, but gets bored by the fiction he picks up? We get into it.
Why the Fashion Catalog Is Making a Comeback. (Harper’s Bazaar) Unsurprisingly I LOVE a good print catalog and pounced on this piece about how and why some brands are reviving this “retro marketing technique.” This love for print is a big reason our 2025 Summer Reading Guide is available in a hold-in-your-hands magazine edition in our shop.
Issue 123: How poetry is changing the way I read. (A Reading Life) “This is the mystery I’m interested in: how we change without trying to change, how exposure rewrites us in ways we can’t control or fully understand.”
Last weekend I visited the farmer’s market for the first time all season and got stopped in my tracks repeatedly because of two bags: my French basket market tote (mine was a gift from a friend but the linked Etsy bag appears to be remarkably similar) and my string mesh shopping bag. Pretty and practical.
This 99-Year-Old Florida Estate Was Built By A Notable Circus Mogul—And You Can Still Tour It. (Southern Living) Thao Thai on Sarasota’s Ringling Mansion, which I first heard about from her author talk in MMD Book Club about her debut novel Banyan Moon.
The Three Jobs of the Modern Editor, or 36 Plates. (Dear Head of Mine) Insights into why editors are overloaded. “As the axiom goes: the more culturally desirable and interesting a job is the more work it is. A modern editor’s job therefore is the epitome of a pie eating contest where the reward is more pie.”
Don’t miss these posts:15 novels about creating (and maintaining) a found family. Found family has become an even more popular trope in recent years and I’m here for it.
5 summer salad recipes for simple everyday lunches. We keep these on rotation for lunches and side dishes.
20 epistolary novels that will sweep you away. Reading an epistolary novel is like being let in on a good secret.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I suppose reading was almost always a part of my life: my mom read classics like The *Chronicles of Narnia to me before bed each night, my elementary school best friend Beth and I shared both a birthday and a subscription to the The Baby-Sitters Club fan club newsletter,** and my librarian knew me well enough to know when to take me by the literal and figurative hand and lead me from the kid section to the adult stacks. She told me to start with Little Women***, by the way.
But somehow I didn’t realize I was a Reader until much later—one hot summer day in Tennessee, stretched out under the ceiling fan on the old family sofa when Charlotte Bronte addressed me as such: ”gentle reader.” I have searched for that thick, pebbly red library binding copy of Jane Eyre for so long to no avail, but the memory of my brain pinging “oh, that’s me” changed something in me forever. No longer did I select only three books from my English teacher’s suggested summer reading list; I made it my goal to chew through the entire list by the time school started back each fall.
I worked for my college bookstore all four years. I started stacking up hundreds of books and lugging them from house to house every time we moved after I married a Naval officer. I eventually found my way into the work that’s the joy of my life as the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club Community Manager.
Books aren’t part of my life; books practically are my life. My day revolves around books and talking about books. I read almost the first thing every morning, starting my day with philosophical and devotional reading like scripture and poetry. I finish the day reading—usually gentle things like letters and kidlit and more poetry. I take a tea break most afternoons to read a few pages of whatever classic I’m working my way through (25 in 2025), followed by whatever we’re reading next for book club. I check into my favorite bookish community forums throughout the day on the MMD Book Club app on my phone. I follow bookish creators on YouTube and Instagram and TikTok and Substack. I’ve made friends trading books and book recommendations and making pilgrimages to beloved bookstores and author talks in cities far and near.
On those bookstore shelves and library stacks, I’m drawn to classics or books that I suspect might become classics some day, especially literary fiction and narrative nonfiction, anywhere I can find a great story, whether that’s told through the lens of a precocious copper-headed orphan, a rugged mountain climber, a dogged journalist chasing down facts, an Oxbridge professor exploring myths in a new way, or a New England pastor and poet. I know some of you are the same because you are my friends and kindreds here.
The books that shaped GingerSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Hampton Sides
I spent a good portion of my life in and near Memphis, Tennessee, yet had never made the pilgrimage to the Lorraine Motel and the National Civil Rights Museum until I read this nonfiction narrative that reads like a crime thriller. Because it is. The story of the manhunt for Martin Luther King’s killer after his assassination in April of 1968 and its aftermath had my heart in a clutch, even though I knew the ending. I’ve pressed this book into the hands of so many readers and gone on to read many of MLK’s works because of his legacy, despite the terrible fate he met on the Lorraine Motel balcony. I’m thankful for his work, his words, and this book that led me to them. More info →Author: Frederick Buechner
This is the book that made my faith my own. Buechner was a Christian minister, but unlike any spiritual thinker I’ve ever come across. His novels and memoirs and sermons are irreverent reverence. They’re fresh and literary. This slim essay made me “listen to my life” for the echoes of the gospel that are as large in theme as any tragedy, comedy, or fairy tale I’d ever read… and then some. More info →Author: Malcolm Guite
I used to write off poetry as a genre that was not for me. It’s hard sometimes to understand, and … to be honest a little pretentious a lot of the time. But somehow sitting under Malcolm Guite at an arts and literature conference, poetry came alive for me and what I’d perceived as pretension was more mystery, which is the rich gift of poetry with its perfect tension of sparse and florid language. Guite has several books of his own poetry, as well as anthologies that are practically a master class in poetry itself. In this anthology, Guite selects a different poet per day for the advent and Christmas season, then gives two or three short pages analyzing the poem. This is my favorite of his collection, but he has various anthologies for other holidays and seasons of life. More info →Author: Audrey Niffenegger
This was the book that made me need to talk about it. When I read this novel about a time-traveling man who makes friends and falls in love despite his rare genetic condition that makes him jump back and forth throughout time with little control over it, I immediately had to read it again. Then, I had to read it again, to get the deliberately choppy and confusing timeline straight. But this time, I made my husband listen to the audio along with me because I just had to talk about it. Though I wasn’t in a book club at the time, I knew this strange and nonlinear novel would make a great book club read. More info →Author: C. S. Lewis
Someone gave me a piece of advice in my early 30s: they suggested you pick a book to reread every year for the rest of your life. Good advice, except I couldn’t for the life of me think of any book I’d want to read again and again and again. Until I read Lewis’s retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, that is. As soon as I read this cryptic and complicated novel, I knew this was a book that would never finish saying different things to me, no matter how many years I had left to read it—the definition of a true classic. I’ve read it every year since and I’ve only barely begun to understand what Lewis considered his most mature work. More info → What books have shaped you? Have you read any of these? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. Check out our team’s The books that shaped me series.
About the authorGinger Horton is our Book Club Community Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are literary fiction and classics. You can find Ginger on Instagram at @gthorton or the MMD Book Club account @MMDBookClub.
The post The Books That Shaped Me: Ginger edition appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Nonfiction books often change the way that Evan Carlson sees the world, and as you’ll hear today, he’s on the hunt for fiction that packs the same punch as the nonfiction works he loves.
Evan’s joining me from Chicago, where he lives and works as an actor and poet. He’s found that reading poetry and nonfiction helps him challenge his ways of thinking, and he really enjoys this experience. While he has read fiction that’s worked for him before, too often it leaves him feeling bored. Evan’s confident he’s just not finding the right fiction picks, and today we’ll talk about what he’s really looking for and how he might find the titles that will excite and engage him.
Please share the fiction picks you’d recommend for Evan by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Evan at his website.
Stock your summer shelf with our new merch!Our new summer merch is here! Whether or not you ordered the Summer Reading Guide, you are sure to love our new bookish road trip-inspired merch, like our bumper stickers and indie bookstore concert tour tee. Check out our new stickers, tees, hats, and more in our online shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] EVAN CARLSON: I see myself as a reader who is devout and has a practice and who powers through and who doesn't just reread the first 100 pages of War and Peace five times instead of getting through the whole thing.
ANNE BOGEL: That's a very specific example.
EVAN: It's a specific and true example.
ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:53] Readers, our new summer merch is here, and we've already found new favorites to add to our bookish collections. Whether or not you ordered the Summer Reading Guide, you are sure to love our new bookish road trip-inspired merch, like our bumper stickers and indie bookstore concert tour tee.
Personally, I'm loving our new Well Read hats, which I will be wearing all summer long. I've already found it to be a great conversation starter.
This year, for the first time, we're also offering a professionally printed magazine version of the Summer Reading Guide, which you can add to your a la carte order or buy on its own. Check out our new stickers, tees, hats, and more, along with favorites from last year's book camp theme and past year's Summer Reading Guides at ModernMrsDarcy.com/shop. That's ModernMrsDarcy.com/shop.
[00:01:45] Today's guest is a devoted nonfiction reader, actor, and poet from Chicago with a unique reading conundrum. Evan Carlson loves to read books that change the way he sees the world and subvert the way he thinks about something, and he's been able to find these works among the poetry and nonfiction he frequently reads.
But in his guest submission, he told us that he often gets bored by the fiction he turns to, can I help? Evan is confident there are fiction works out there that would actually excite and engage him, but he's not sure how to find them. I have so many questions for Evan and cannot wait to explore his dilemma today.
Let's get to it.
Evan, welcome to the show.
EVAN: Thank you for having me on. This is great.
ANNE: Oh, my gosh. The pleasure is mine. I'm excited to talk books today. Although, as I was just telling you, I have no idea where this conversation is going to lead us, but I'm excited to find out.
Evan, tell us about yourself. We want to give the reader a glimpse of who you are, where you are in the world.
[00:02:46] EVAN: I'm from North Carolina, Durham, North Carolina, and I just graduated last May from Illinois Wesleyan University with a degree in acting. So I moved up here to Chicago to pursue acting and writing and all sorts of things while also having a day job. Right now, I'm in the process of a lot of things.
ANNE: That's relatable to a lot of readers. Can you say a little more?
EVAN: I want to be an actor. I am an actor. I write poetry and screenplays, and all these things. I write them when I actually make time for it. Same with reading.
ANNE: That's relatable.
EVAN: I have this vision of myself as a person who writes and reads every day for lengthy times in the morning, but that never really happens the way it's supposed to.
I love the city of Chicago. It's got its ups and downs, but there's so many great people here that want to support you in everything you do that it's sort of artistically fulfilling just to be alive here.
[00:03:57] ANNE: I feel like you're standing in a long tradition when you say that.
EVAN: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. There's so much great history here of writers and actors and just people.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Evan, you've given us hints, but tell us a little bit about your reading life. What role does that play in your life, or what's your history with it?
EVAN: It often comes in waves. About a month ago, I had a wave of reading where I thought, "The rest of my life was going to go like this, by the way," which it didn't. Any time that I had any free time, I was just reading and reading and reading poetry and nonfiction, even fiction.
Then one day, I just picked up the book because I'd finished all the books that were in my wave. My new wave is a bunch of books that I don't really enjoy reading, so it's hard to push through them. I go through these two waves of a ton of reading and then nothing.
[00:05:06] Frankly, it's the same way with my writing is I'll have a month of not putting a single word down and then a weekend where I write way too much.
I started out because my mom, who is an avid listener of this podcast, so I want to shout her out here.
ANNE: Thanks, Mom. Hi, Mom.
EVAN: Yeah. She read to me Harry Potter, and that completely hooked me into everything reading. So when COVID happened, I hadn't read a book since getting a phone in middle school, essentially. And I thought, "You know what? I need to reset this, and I went back to Harry Potter.
But because of the phone, I couldn't get through a paragraph without checking my phone or stopping it. It took a long time to be able to read a book without being distracted. I still struggle with that today. But that's my process that got me here where I read maybe between 40 and 60 books a year, depending on the year now, for the past four years at least.
[00:06:18] ANNE: Okay. How do you feel about the reading life that comes in waves?
EVAN: You see, it's one of those things. I think I mentioned that I see myself as a reader who is devout and has a practice and who powers through and who doesn't just reread the first 100 pages of War and Peace five times instead of getting through the whole thing.
ANNE: That's a very specific example.
EVAN: It's a specific and true example.
ANNE: Okay. Okay.
EVAN: I see myself as the kind of person who could sit down and read War and Peace in a year, but in practice, it's very sporadic. I still get a lot of reading done but I struggle with it consistently being the thing I reach to. Because when I finish a book that's really inspired me in some way, I find it difficult to get into the next one.
[00:07:10] Like when I reread Harry Potter, it made it harder to pick up another piece of fiction because I was missing that. If I read a book... like there's a memoir by Alan Arkin, who's a great actor. I finished that. After that, I couldn't really read much because I was missing that book. That's sort of what part of the cause is.
I sort of don't like that my vision of myself as a reader doesn't match up with my real-life practice.
ANNE: Interesting. Okay. Instead of asking you a bunch of questions to suss out what I'm curious about, I'll just ask you directly: do you feel like these waves are part of your natural rhythm that you can see and honor, or is this not what you want in your reading life, in your life?
EVAN: I think it's not what I want because often the thing that I noticed that stops me from continuing, and I know a lot of folks struggle with this, is social media and my phone. I try things. Recently, I deleted Instagram and everything from my phone, but then I find that I scroll on my laptop instead.
And so it comes back, and I'm like, "Why couldn't I be reading right now? Why couldn't I be reading right now?" But then, it just keeps you hooked.
[00:08:38] But then, when I am reading a lot, I'm able to sink into it. But it has to be, for some reason, a book that just grips me at the beginning.
ANNE: Okay, that's interesting. What do you typically reach for? What are you looking for out of your books?
EVAN: I'll break it down into three parts because I've got three categories for my reading.
ANNE: Oooh.
EVAN: I'm usually reading three books at once.
ANNE: I like a well-thought-out breakdown.
EVAN: I found it's consistently been true. When I am reading, I usually read about three books at once because of these categories.
One is a book of poetry. I love to have a book of poetry, usually contemporary poetry. Then I have some kind of nonfiction. Usually, that's books about writing or books about theater and acting or books that are memoirs or something. I count that as in the nonfiction bubble.
[00:09:36] Then the third is fiction. This is the category that I maybe love the most, but that I have the most difficulties with. I find that that is the one where I reach for things that I have read before and I know I love, but it's harder for me to reach for new things.
Like in poetry, I'm always picking up a new poet. I'm always reading new poetry and getting excited by it. And part of that is that poems are short. I can pretty easily know if I'm going to like a book of poetry by opening it randomly and pulling something out.
Nonfiction, I often read nonfiction that I already love the thinker or the writer who wrote it, whether it's a great acting teacher or somebody that I admire. That's what usually is the starting point for me, for nonfiction.
For fiction, it's been difficult. It's usually a YA book right now, which I love YA, but I want to branch out into those other many, many other types of fiction books.
[00:10:49] ANNE: Okay. Yeah, I noticed earlier you were describing what you read and you said, "Even fiction".
EVAN: Even fiction, yeah.
ANNE: Yeah. Evan, you mentioned that you are constantly discovering new poets. That's easy for you.
EVAN: Yeah, yeah.
ANNE: How are you finding them?
EVAN: One secret is that I just went to college and I took a poetry class. My poetry professor, Mike Toomey, is just this incredible, incredible teacher. He's got a similar gift that you have for recommending books and poets that work well.
Because before I went to college, I thought of myself as somebody who read poetry and wrote poetry, but I did not. I just wrote a poem in second grade or something, and the label sticked onto me. But I found that it was boring or it was not enjoyable to read.
[00:11:48] That's because I was only seeing the stuff that we were, quote unquote, "supposed to be reading". But Mike, he was able to say, "But have you read this poet or this book?" or "I think you'd like this because it's strange and interesting."
And so slowly I got recommendations from him of poets like Austin Smith and Mark Yakich. And then once you find a poet, you realize they're going to tell you who their favorite poets are, usually in the back of the book or somewhere, or they write a poem about their favorite poet. And then you discover them.
Or in the case of Mark Yakich, he's a poet who also created a poetry anthology that's the opposite of what most anthologies are, because it's filled with just excitement and new poems and poets. And so there's always going to be a million more poets than I could ever know. So it feels like my well is full with poetry options, you know?
[00:12:52] ANNE: Mm-hmm. So those options we get more options and poems are short, so you can taste and see and then move on to more. Okay.
I'm really excited to explore how you might move forward. Although it sounds like I don't know enough about surfing or the ocean to really extend this metaphor. But when you are experiencing a wave in your reading life, it's really working. So you know what that feels like. And I'm hoping to find some ways that will let you extend that experience.
Evan, you know how the show works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we will suss out the directions you can go in next. Are you ready to talk about your books?
EVAN: Absolutely.
ANNE: Okay. How did you choose these today?
EVAN: I went with these three categories. I wanted these to represent sort of larger patterns. These books that I chose are more like the door that opens into the room of all the books like it.
[00:14:00] ANNE: Yes, we can work with that. Tell me about the first book you love.
EVAN: Poetry: A Survivor's Guide by Mark Yakich. And it is not a normal nonfiction book. It's almost like having a conversation with a really smart, witty, incredible poet, mentor, all these things. It's just a great book. It inspired me to enjoy poetry more and not be bored by it and not think that I have to be bored by it.
So I love this book because it made it fun. And it even opens with talking about how you need to dispel the notion that poetry and reading poetry is going to dramatically change your life. Because he says your life is already changing all the time. Poetry just says we need to stop and pay attention for a moment to it.
[00:15:01] ANNE: Evan, what led you to that book?
EVAN: I actually got the opportunity to meet Mark Yakich because he came into my poetry class three years ago, and he talked to us. He's this great guy. And he went to the same university that I went to. We sat in a circle. And I remember asking him a question about, "How do you write about people that you know?" And he said, "Oh, you should read my novel." And he threw his novel across the room at me so I could have it.
That's just sort of the person he is. But his poems are just alive and strange and different than anything you've read. I mean, you sometimes think, "Are you allowed to say that in a poem when you read his stuff?"
Then this past year, I saw that he had written this book about poetry and I already loved his poems, and so I thought, "Well, I'll see what he has to say."
[00:16:02] This book, it's almost written like a book of poetry because it's broken up in these thoughts and sayings almost. So it doesn't feel like just boring academic writing. It's very alive. That's how I discovered that one.
ANNE: So this falls into the first category. Well, I don't know. Is this a book of poetry or a book about writing or a little of each?
EVAN: I would say that this is a book about writing. This is a nonfiction book. And it's the kind of nonfiction book that I especially love because it feels alive. It feels like I'm talking to somebody who has great ideas that I'd never considered before and not in a way that feels academic and like it's pulling you down and making you feel bad about not knowing the words that are in it.
[00:16:52] But it still tackles these huge ideas about poetry. I mean, he gives an example of writer's block, which anybody as a writer has experienced or at least said we experienced. And he said when we look at a blank page, all we have to do is close our eyes and look at the blank page that's always been there and then we can be a little less afraid of the little piece of paper that we've got.
ANNE: Okay. I think that's really interesting that he says less afraid. Thank you for describing that.
Evan, what's the second book you love?
EVAN: The Black Riders by Stephen Crane. This is a book of poetry.
ANNE: Of all the poetry you've read, this is the one you chose to bring today as the second book you love. Why Stephen Crane?
EVAN: This is the one I chose for a lot of reasons. And it's interesting because most of the poetry I read is contemporary, was written in the last 50 years. But this was written in the 1800s. It's by a guy who is most famous for not his poetry, but for The Red Badge of Courage, which a lot of folks have read. But I've actually only read his poetry. So I'm sort of in a different sphere of knowing Stephen Crane.
[00:18:09] But his poems they're very short. They're unnamed. They're little worlds. They're strange. And when I first read them, I got given this book by Mike, my poetry teacher, and he said, "I think you'll like this because it's strange and it's short and it doesn't ramble on. It doesn't feel academic. It doesn't feel like it's boring poetry." And I picked it up and I was shocked.
And I thought it was written like in the 1970s, and he said, "No, this was written over 100 years ago." And so that's why I picked it, because it's a book of poetry that kind of changed my life about what poems could be, because they're not the expected way to write a poem.
[00:19:04] A lot of poetry I read has less accessibility to it. I read it and I say, "I'm not enjoying this. I don't understand this. So how could somebody who just picks up a book of poetry who's never delved into poetry very much understand this at all?"
Because I feel like I'm in the at least some of the top percent of poetry readers out here. And so if I'm not getting it, if I'm not enjoying it, but people are sort of applauding the academic qualities of something, I don't see how somebody who's just, not just, but who is a reader who wants to get into poetry would enjoy that. But Stephen Crane shows you that poems don't have to be boring. They can be strange and exciting and be little worlds in five lines.
ANNE: Okay. I noticed that "strange and short" held big appeal for you.
EVAN: Yeah. Well, because it forces me to look at it. It's the same with nonfiction is I don't really want to read something that confirms anything, I think. And so I don't really want to read poems that are just nice. You know, I like a nice poem, but I like a nice poem that makes me turn back and say, "What did I just read? Wait."
[00:20:19] ANNE: Now I wish I could search everything I've ever read that drew out the reaction "what did I just read?" Because I know I've written that exactly on Modern Mrs Darcy and in My Reading Journal. Okay. Okay. I'm going to put that in my pipe.
Evan, what's the final book you love?
EVAN: The final book here is Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I picked this because it represents sort of all the YA books I've read and loved. But this one specifically, I didn't read when I was in high school or middle school. I actually read this just a couple months ago.
This is a book that I didn't go back to read. It's a book that I discovered, and somebody recommended it to me because they said it tackles some big issues and makes you really think about things. I picked it up, and it's YA, but it really challenged my thinking.
[00:21:19] It was exciting to read and I love it because it opened a door that... just a crack that was a little bit closed for me, which is new books that are fiction that I haven't read before. So that was a great book for me to read.
ANNE: I'd love to hear more about the fiction you read. I think you said was primarily YA?
EVAN: Yeah, primarily.
ANNE: Talk to me about that. I'm interested in hearing, is that what feels good to you right now? Is that most familiar? Is that where you want to stay?
EVAN: Well, it's most familiar in a lot of ways. I mean, Harry Potter was big, The Hunger Games. I just read the newest installment in that. I also loved the Chaos Walking series, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and all these great books.
Right now I think I read it because it's very familiar and it's comforting. You know, I'm going through a lot of changes right now. I moved to a new city. I'm pursuing a career path that maybe can't be described as a path, and these books that I have read before that I know will bring this comfort to me are really easy to go back to.
[00:22:34] That I think is part of why I've stuck with these YA books that have really helped me throughout my life. But now I also want to branch out and read other things because when I have read other books that are, that are not YA, I've loved a lot of them, but for some reason, it's hard for me to break into it and to go into a journey that I don't know the end of.
ANNE: Okay. Is now a good time to say how many theater majors we've had on our Modern Mrs. Darcy/What Should I Read Next team?
EVAN: Sure.
ANNE: Y'all, I love a theater major. And by that, I don't just mean many of the favorite people in my life are theater majors, though that is also true, but you can think, organize, mobilize, communicate. Those are the skills. I'm very optimistic for your future. I know that you hope much of it will be on stage, or at least I imagine, but yeah, you got a path.
[00:23:37] EVAN: Well, thank you. I agree with you. I think that acting is about every single thing in life. It's not about acting, it's about people, and reading lets you learn more about people. So I find that being a reader has drastically helped my acting because I get to experience more people's thoughts and ideas and lives.
ANNE: Evan, tell us about a book that was not right for you. And I'd love to hear why. Not to your taste, was the timing wrong? Topic wasn't the right fit for right now?
EVAN: Yeah. So I put down The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. There's a couple caveats to this selection. The first big one is that I haven't actually read the whole thing.
ANNE: Okay, noted.
EVAN: I struggled with this question because, for better or worse, I don't push through if I'm not enjoying a book. I don't force myself to finish it. That lesson came from a theater maker named Peter Brook, who wrote a great book called The Empty Space, which in that book... and this ties back because now I remember this is what made me start liking Shakespeare was that he said, "If you're at a production of Shakespeare that bores you, it doesn't mean that you're not understanding it. It doesn't mean that it's good for you to continue watching it because somehow watching Shakespeare is good for you, even if it's boring." He said, "Just leave because it's not a good play. It's not a good production."
[00:25:12] And he says that the greatest tool a director has is their capacity for boredom because you don't have to like something that you're bored with. And so now if I start being bored by something, I just put it down because I want to listen to that instinct that I have and really let it grow.
But with The Handmaid's Tale, I think it also represents a category of books that I would say are the ones that I'm supposed to read. And with those, I find that they're the books that I kind of most want to read, like the classic works of literature, like War and Peace. I've got that on my shelf and I want to read it, but the wanting of it and the expectation surrounding it kind of kills it for me.
ANNE: Whether that's personality-wise or time-of-life-wise, that's important to know, like "should" is a real buzzkill.
EVAN: Oh yeah, yeah. But that's why I tell myself so much in my reading life is I really should read this. I really should read that. This is good because I'm becoming more self-aware now. That's sort of what is shutting me down a little.
[00:26:27] ANNE: I will just say, this is not a suggestion, definitely not a should. I finally read that book when I listened to Claire Danes perform it for me, which is very understated, her approach. That format exists. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Evan, what have you been reading lately?
EVAN: Well, this is why I'm so excited to be on this podcast right now because I am in the low tide right now with reading. If you go on my Goodreads, I'm technically reading about 15 books, but most of them I haven't picked up in a little while. So I would say I'm not really reading anything right now to a big degree.
I recently read a couple books that I really loved, one being The Dark Interval by John Dominic Crossan, and then another being Yaguareté White by Diego Báez, who's a great Chicago poet. But those, when I finished them, I sort of was met with nothing else.
[00:27:36] ANNE: All right, we will see what we can do. Evan, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
EVAN: I'm looking to really enjoy fiction again and enjoy new fiction. And be able to read it consistently and pick it up. When I might be reaching for something like my phone, I'd rather be reaching for a great book of fiction, a great novel to take me into another world, to teach me things, to excite me, to do all these great things that reading has done for me over the years. But that I almost am scared to pick up a novel now because I know that it probably isn't going to do that for me right now.
ANNE: I've been a little surprised how much fear has come up in our conversation today. I'm wondering what you feel like you lose if you pick up a novel that ends up not being for you.
[00:28:29] EVAN: Oh, that's interesting. What do I lose? I think time is one thing that I lose. And I've done the math on this before, which actually got me reading a lot more was that I was acting like I didn't have the time to read, and then I would look at my screen time on my phone and it was this unimaginable number of hours that made me realize I actually do have the time to read. I'm just feeling bad about reading and feeling like reading takes up my time, but not feeling bad about being on my phone.
And so when I was reading, I would feel like, oh, I could be doing so many other things. I have laundry to do. I have monologues to learn. I have this and that. But when I was on my phone, I wasn't having those feelings. And so I think it's been a process of trying to take that away from my reading life, that idea that when I'm reading, I could be doing something else, but when I'm on my phone, that's my full attention and focus.
[00:29:30] ANNE: Okay, that's so interesting. I'm imagining what if we could see the Instagram we've scrolled as pages bound.
EVAN: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
ANNE: Okay. I was really captured by what you said about Mark Yakich, how in Poetry: A Survivor's Guide, he talked about being less afraid of the blank page.
EVAN: Yeah.
ANNE: Kind of thinking of your reading life during the fallow seasons, to mix my metaphors, as being like the blank page that you're filling. And I understand all kinds of reasons to feel some trepidation about filling that. And also, I'm really excited about what you could discover feels like really exciting to you to read, maybe if you can connect with different kinds of works.
It sounds like creating a structure that works for you. Maybe "structure" is the wrong word, but I do see you like kinda circling around this idea of time online versus time with books.
EVAN: Yeah. Oh, definitely.
[00:30:31] ANNE: Okay. I believe in you. Evan, one more question and then we'll get into some books I think you may enjoy. I was really intrigued by what you said in your submission, and you've touched on it a little today, but you said the nonfiction you love changes the way you see the world, but you often get bored by the fiction you read. Is there anything else I should know about that before we try to pluck out some books that may be good for you?
EVAN: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, a great example of fiction that changes the way I see things is I just read The Dark Interval by John Dominic Crossan, and in that, he sort of makes the case that our whole lives are story, and that all we have is story and words and all this stuff, and the stories that we tell ourselves can be subverted by other stories.
[00:31:21] He gives the example of one story that we tell in our lives is that you put bad people in prison and good people don't go to prison. But he says that a story that subverts that, sort of a parable of that, would be Martin Luther King being put in jail.
And then you notice that if the story of our lives is that good people go to jail, but this great person, Martin Luther King, is being put in jail, it shows that there's maybe a crack in that story that we've been telling ourselves.
So, that book really changed the way I thought about life in general and stories and the way that we approach them. So, things that challenge me in that way, nonfiction that almost feels like a page turner to me, that presents me with new ideas that force me to look at life differently is what I really love.
[00:32:17] ANNE: All right. That is very helpful and really paints a picture of what you find really satisfying from a good book no matter the genre. I'm also noticing... well, I'm also wondering when it comes to poetry and your love of it, that I imagine you really admire when an author makes the words fall in exactly the right order and really have an appreciation for the ability to do more with less, ambiguity, the reader's responsibility as cocreator and interpreter.
EVAN: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay. All right. Now I'm just procrastinating because, you know, I don't like fiction but recommending me some is kind of daunting. But I'm really thinking about how you like strange and short. You haven't used these words, but compact and concise seems to speak to you. You're looking for books that make you think differently about the world, and you love when stories are subverted. Is it fair that you love to be surprised?
[00:33:19] EVAN: Yeah. I mean, that's one thing that my poetry professor, Mike Toomey, put into words for me, because he wrote a book about the poetic turn, called Structure and Surprise, which is just incredible. Because it says, the thing that is great about poetry is when it turns and when it surprises us. So I love surprise.
ANNE: All right. That's super helpful. Evan, let's recap your books. You loved Poetry: A Survivor's Guide by Mark Yakich, The Black Writers by Stephen Crane, and Unwind by Neal Shusterman. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, not for you. And lately, you've been reading a book changing the way you think about so many things, especially stories, The Dark Interval by John Dominic Crossan, and Diego Báez, the Chicago Poet's work, Yaguareté White.
I'm interested in starting with a book that did indeed make me finish it. And again, me, not you. But I finished it and went, "What did I just read?" It's quite a reading experience packed into just 200, actually small-format 200 pages. And it's about acting and actors and the stage and performances.
[00:34:31] I'm just bearing my lead. I'm thinking about Audition by Katie Kitamura. Is this one you've known or have seen around?
EVAN: I don't think I know this one. No.
ANNE: Okay. Not sad about this. It just came out in April. And readers, if this sounds familiar, we talked about it in our Spring Book Preview back in, oh gosh, January. This was such a page turner, and also, I found it to be such an intellectual delight because you're pushed to not only dissect the story on the page, but also to think really hard about the interplay between artistry and life and how each influences the other, and what is a performance and what is authentic, and is there any such thing as a divide between the two?
I really liked the way the publisher described this. Wait, but first, let me tell you, this book is cut in half. You are presented with a story for the first half of the book and you're reading, you're reading, you're finding out everything you think you know, you're getting one perspective. And then at the halfway point, you shift and the story becomes something else.
[00:35:37] And when that happens, it's jarring and then engages you in a very different way as you figure out what to make of these two competing narratives that go in very different directions. So the publisher says, "This begins when two people meet for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. She's an elegant and accomplished actress in rehearsals for an upcoming premiere. He is attractive, troubling, and young, young enough to be her son. Who is he to her and who is she to him?"
I think critics have called this a Möbius strip of a novel. This is absolutely not for readers who hate ambiguous endings and need to know what happened, like there's a definitive answer.
But Evan, I think it might be interesting for you as they're both like... they. "They" is Katie Kitamura. But the characters in the book also are shining light on the masks we wear and how we perform for the audience, but also the audience of one or two, like the people we love, our best friends. How does this sound to you? I
[00:36:42] EVAN: I'm very interested by this one. That sounds really intriguing. It sounds like it works the way I like books to work, which sometimes feels like it doesn't work, but in a good way. You know? Thank you for that recommendation.
ANNE: Happy to do it. I don't want to recommend you poetry, but I'm curious about going poetry adjacent.
EVAN: Sure.
ANNE: You've probably read it, but we have to talk about Bluets by Maggie Nelson in case you haven't.
EVAN: I have not. No.
ANNE: Okay. Do you know anything about this or her work?
EVAN: No. I actually don't.
ANNE: Okay. This is genre-defying. It's almost structured like a poem, but it's not a poem exactly. Can we call them prose poems? But I haven't told you what "them" is. So this is difficult to categorize in any one genre, and I really like that for you. And it's also brought me great joy to see the real genre benders appealing to readers more and more these days and to see authors create those works more and more.
[00:37:43] But Bluets is 240 numbered prose poems in order, one, two, three, four, five, up to two forty, that are written from the perspective of someone who is deeply in love, like completely obsessed with the color blue. And they are about love and loss and grief.
And she borrows from all these sources like psychology and art and literature, music, philosophy, to write about these themes through the lens of the color blue, but also includes these just deeply personal witnessings about what she's lived and experienced. Although sometimes she makes some questions and not statements exactly. So it almost feels like a list poem, but it's something else entirely. How does this sound?
EVAN: That sounds really interesting. Yeah. And I love that it draws on lots of things, outside of just the world of poetry or writing, but it pulls from psychology and all these other fields and ideas.
[00:38:58] ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. Evan, for your third book, I feel like there's a lot of directions we could go. So there's some great YA novels that I think may hold appeal to you. I mean, you could easily Google novels by poets and see how those sound for you in your reading life right now.
There's some really great nonfiction that explicitly asks big questions and offers competing answers to those questions that I think you may enjoy. I'm thinking of Alan Lightman as an example.
But I'm wondering about this new release out this summer called These Heathens. This might not be for you, but maybe it really, really is. So you talked about how stories can be subverted, and use the example from one of your favorite books about Martin Luther King, Jr, and about good people going to prison.
[00:39:54] It's making me think of this new novel by Mia McKenzie. It's called These Heathens. It's not a YA book, it's an adult novel, but the protagonist is 17 years old. Her name is Doris. She has grown up in small town Alabama, and she loved school and literature and learning, but she had to drop out because her momma needed her at home. And so she's been helping out at home.
But before she did, she was the star student of Mrs. Lucas. So Doris finds herself pregnant and she persuades her favorite teacher to take her to Atlanta for an abortion.
So what happens here is this small town, pious girl who has been raised up at church, every time the doors are open, told, you know, this is who Jesus loves, this is what God wants, this is how long your hem should be and this is why, she goes to spend the weekend mingling with her teachers, queer Black friends, civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. is in the pages of this book, his wife, Coretta Scott King. There are historical celebrities and singers in the pages of this book that Doris knows because she's seen them in Ebony. And she finds their behavior utterly shocking.
[00:41:10] She's finding that her experience with the people she's always told are bad and wrong and terrible is subverting everything she's been told. She's been told that people are cruel and unkind and have no love in them. And she's like, "I don't know. Nobody's been nicer to me than Mrs. Lucas' friends or Coretta Scott King."
So she is torn between thinking, "My mama certainly wouldn't approve, but she can also see they have good hearts and common sense and seem to be looking out for her." So we see her over the course of this weekend telling us her story in the first person. And she has such a distinctive voice. I love the style of this novel and the words she used. I mean, I felt like I was in Doris' head. But she's telling us everything she takes in over the weekend and what she thinks it means to her and how she's constantly having to rethink everything she thought she's ever known.
And then at the very end of the book, we get like a nice little... there's no epilogue here. I know how some readers feel about those. But we get just a little reflection from a distance about what that weekend meant to her.
[00:42:17] Now, I don't know if this is gonna be right for you, but what do you think?
EVAN: Yeah. I like the sound of it because it's somebody going through this journey of discovering that the story they've been told is maybe not the whole story. But it also has sort of a backdrop of politics and religion and all these things that I'm really interested by. Usually, when that kind of content is in something, I'm at least drawn to it in some way. So I like the prospect of this one.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. And I'm so curious what you think about these.
Evan, of the books we talked about today, they are Audition by Katie Kitamura, Bluets by Maggie Nelson, and not out till June 17, so not too long to wait, but you can't go grab it today, These Heathens by Mia McKenzie. Of those books, what do you think you may pick up next?
EVAN: They all really do interest me. So, I do think I will pick up all of them. I appreciate these terrific recommendations. But I think that Audition is the one that I'll pick up first.
[00:43:24] ANNE: I am so curious to hear what you think. Because it's strange. You know, the ambiguity is there. But what were you saying about accessibility and poetry and how you... what I heard was like, you're up for anything, maybe. I'm curious how that may or may not carry over to fiction.
EVAN: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I love that this is also a shorter book, and so it doesn't feel daunting in that way, which takes some of the fear out of it. And it sounds like that's part of what makes it accessible, you know?
ANNE: Well, I'm so curious to hear what you think. Evan, this has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
EVAN: Thank you for having me on. I appreciate it.
ANNE: Hey, readers. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Evan, and I'd love to hear what you think he may enjoy reading next. Find Evan at his website, evancarlsonactor.com, and find the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com.
[00:44:29] Keep up with all our happenings here at What Should I Read Next HQ with our newsletter. We send this out on Tuesday morning, so you're in the know about each week's new episode and get other news from our team. Sign up at whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Follow our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, wherever you like to get your podcasts. It takes just a moment and really makes a big difference for our show. You'll also find us on Instagram @whatshouldireadnext.
Thank you to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that is it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Audio edition)
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (#1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)
• An Improvised Life by Alan Arkin
• Austin Smith (try Flyover Country: Poems)
Poetry: A Survivors Guide by Mark Yakich
The Black Riders by Stephen Crane
• The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
• Sunrise on the Reaping: A Hunger Games Novel by Suzanne Collins
• The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness (#1: The Knife of Never Letting Go)
▵ The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• The Empty Space: A Book About the Theatre: Deadly, Holy, Rough, Immediate by Peter Brook
• The Dark Interval by John Dominic Crossan
• Yaguareté White by Diego Báez
• Auditions by Katie Kitamura
• Bluets by Maggie Nelson
• These Heathens by Mia McKenzie
Also mentioned:
• Please support our sponsors.
The post A reading life that comes in waves appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re deeply invested in the College World Series and I’m excited to watch some baseball! I’ve got my snacks planned and everything. I’m also looking forward to drinking lots of coffee, attending a really great dance recital, and hopefully getting in some quality reading time during the forecasted thunderstorms.
I hope YOU have something good to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
Watch the trailer for Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club! (YouTube) Coming August 28.
And the trailer for The Bear Season 4! (YouTube) The new season wasn’t on my radar and I was pleasantly surprised to learn it’s arriving soon: June 25!
In Praise of Jane Austen’s Least Beloved Novel. (The New Yorker) “‘Northanger Abbey’ is the least beloved of Jane Austen’s six novels. It also appears frequently in university-level literature classes. These two things are related.”
The People Who Clean the Ears of Lincoln (And Other Statues). (Atlantic gift link) Incredible photos. I mean, WOW.
Branching out with escapist, emotionally resonant novels. (What Should I Read Next?) And if some of those novels happen to help Tynisha explore new-to-her sorts of Sci-Fi/Fantasy, so much the better.
This new-to-us recipe for Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts (NYT Cooking gift link) was delicious and easy for dinner this week.
Diabolus Ex Machina. (Everything Is A Wave) “The following is a ‘conversation’ I had with Chat GPT upon asking whether it could help me choose several of my own essays to link in a query letter I intended to send to an agent. What ultimately transpired is the closest thing to a personal episode of Black Mirror I hope to experience in this lifetime.” This is wild and deeply unsettling. It won’t make sense until you get to the end (but it’s a quick read).
R.F. Kuang Is Making Dark Academia Even Darker. (Kirkus Reviews) “Sartre said, ‘Hell is other people.’ In R.F. Kuang’s highly anticipated new novel, Katabasis (Bookshop), Hell is higher education.” This is on my TBR; pub date is August 26.
Many of our team members frequently show up to team meetings in Old Navy graphic tees. I love this Mixed Fruit design (XS–4X) and I wish this boys’ Stay Driven design came in my size because it’s PERFECT for our 2025 Summer Reading Guide road trip theme! (Might the XXL fit me? I might try!) Their great linen-blend pants (XXS–4X) are also on sale: I own neutrals but the thin stripes are sooo cute. Here’s a tip from the Bogel women: find yourself a top in the same fabric and color/print—tank, top, buttondown, it really doesn’t matter—for an effortlessly polished summer outfit.
How to Throw the Best Birthday Party Ever. (Emma Straub’s Newsletter) It’s all about the people, of course, but also: it’s about the books! “I highly encourage all of you to steal this idea. Going through the books this morning and reading all the notes made me feel so (earnest! feeling! ahead!) truly loved and appreciated.”
12 great summer titles for Audiobook Appreciation Month. (MMD) A dozen summer hits I happily declare to be “Awesome on Audio.”
For the past few years I’ve been devoted to the Kosas Brow Pop Nano brow pencil. I just reordered my fourth or fifth one (in soft brown); I haven’t bought any other brow products since this product hit the shelves. (Also available at Sephora.)
Foods from the U.S. That I Crave When I’m There. (David Lebovitz Newsletter) Food writer Lebovitz has lived in Paris for 20+ years and I LOVED seeing what he scoops up on his visits to the States. Peppermint patties! Pepperoni pizza! Cheese (yes, really!)
A Place of Healing: Robin Wall Kimmerer on the Medicinal Plants of the Adirondacks. (Literary Hub) “When I was a little kid, in the wayback of our old red station wagon with a canoe on top, I’d watch as the farm fields disappeared and houses became few, the forest thicker and so fragrant I’d roll down the window to breathe it in.”
21 observations from people watching. (skin contact) “It is easy to tell how happy someone is to see another person enter a conversation. There is happy, and there is polite, and they look very different.”
Don’t miss these posts:15 standout backlist summer novels perfect for seasonal listening. These audiobooks feel entirely right for the summer season!
Add joy to your reading life with these favorite bookish accessories. Marvelous accompaniments to the reading life.
20 favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs. Pick up these favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs during Pride month and all year long.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love to listen to audiobooks all year round, but my reading rhythms are undoubtedly different in the summertime. Maybe it’s the longer days, the slower pace, the hours I spend pulling weeds, or the way a good story pairs perfectly with a road trip to somewhere new (or familiar).
Since 2009, June has been Audiobook Appreciation Month. While audiobook listening has exploded since then, June remains an especially apt time to honor audiobooks as a delightful and accessible way to experience the joy of reading.
Come every summer, we do audiobooks big around here! We kick things off each year in the Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide, where I’ve traditionally carved out a special place for audiobooks that are “Awesome on Audio.” These stellar audiobooks don’t just replace the experience of reading with your eyes, but instead elevate it into something truly special.
The new-for-2025 titles in this year’s Summer Reading Guide are fabulous, if I do say so myself. (I’ve included two of those brand-new releases in my book list below.) But summer is also the perfect time to revisit backlist gems you missed the first time, haven’t gotten to yet, or loved enough to revisit for a re-read. That’s why I’ve chosen ten more Awesome on Audio titles from summers past to draw your attention to today.
My audiobook apps of choice are Libro.fm and Libby, which I use to listen to my library borrows. If you’re new to Libro, use this link to get three audiobooks for the price of one with a new membership. I’m also a sporadic Audible user, as some titles are only available on that platform.
Whether you’re new to audiobooks or a longtime devotee, I hope you enjoy this selection of titles that are truly Awesome on Audio. And along with my fellow readers, I’d be grateful if you’d help us out by sharing some of your favorites in the comments section. For even more ideas, check out our ever-expanding audiobook-specific archives right here.
12 great brand-new and backlist titles that are Awesome on AudioSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: R. Eric Thomas
In his sophomore book of essays, the Here for It author tells hilarious, moving, and deeply insightful tales of love, adult friendship, family, and marriage, and also therapy, Zoom funerals, working alone, COVID isolation, middle age, and his home city of Baltimore. There’s no weak link in this collection: every story feels immediate, intimate, and real. Two years later, I still can’t stop talking about this book. Narrated by the author. 6 hrs 40 mins. More info →Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Over the past few years I got into the habit of listening to the latest Hilderbrand on audio, read by longtime narrator Erin Bennett. This 2022 release is my favorite of recent years. When the story begins the titular hotel’s Gilded Age glory days are long gone: it’s a real dump (and in a fun plot twist—haunted!) when London billionaire Xavier Darling buys it sight unseen. The new owner hires local restaurateur Lizbet Keaton to make his hotel the best property on the island, if not the whole Eastern seaboard. And that means The Hotel Nantucket has to wow Shelly Carpenter, the influencer who’s become a national obsession for her blog Hotel Confidential. The influential critic regularly reviews hotels for her eighteen million followers and awards each property anywhere from one to five keys. The staff is energized by this audacious goal, because no hotel has ever earned five keys from Shelly Carpenter. To earn the coveted fifth key, they’ll have to do everything right. Super fun, and I especially enjoyed the ghost story element! 12 hrs 27 mins. More info →Author: Christina Lauren
I thought The Soulmate Equation was fine but I was surprised to ADORE this standalone follow-up set in the worlds of entertainment and publishing that features a romance writer whose love life is in shambles. After another relationship ends badly, Fizzy realizes she’s in a terrible slump, in love and in writing. Meanwhile, documentary filmmaker Connor gets unwelcome news from his overbearing boss: he won’t get funding for his next nature project until he films a big money-maker… like a reality show. The two reluctantly unite to create a one-of-a-kind dating show that relies heavily on romance tropes, and also requires them to work closely together. This is one of the seasoned writing duo’s best efforts, with palpable chemistry, serious tension, winning humor, and a satisfying resolution. Narrated by Jonathan Cole and Cindy Kay. 10 hrs 52 mins. More info →Author: Renee Watson
Piecing Me Together author Watson wows with her adult debut. Zenzi Williams's moving narration further enhances the reading experience. Things are finally going well for forty-year-old Lena: she has a good job, loving relationships with her parents and daughter, and a handsome fiancé she’s set to marry in just a few weeks. But his shocking confession the morning of her would-be wedding sends her reeling, and destabilizes the once-firm foundation she’s carefully built. Close female friendships and familial relationships feature prominently as Watson unpacks the beliefs surrounding beauty, love, fatness, and faith handed down from each generation to the next. Lyrical and kaleidoscopic, Watson compassionately explores what it means to love yourself, love your body, and love others, while showcasing Portland’s rich Black history. Narrated by Zenzi Williams. 9 hrs 9 mins. More info →Author: Flynn Berry
Edgar Award-winning Berry’s standalone companion to her 2021 bestseller Northern Spy continues to explore the Irish Republican Army’s activity in the post-Brexit era. The story starts with a bang when the IRA kidnaps journalist Tessa on a remote highway outside Dublin and delivers an ultimatum: persuade her MI5 handler to become an informant, or someone she loves will die. Tessa and her sister Marian had become deeply involved with the IRA several years before, but she thought those entanglements were behind them. Now she fears for her and her son’s safety, as she knows the IRA will make good on their threats. Berry delivers a riveting spy thriller and a fascinating exploration of women’s involvement in the IRA and the subsequent impact on families, neighborhoods, and entire communities. Narrated by Katharine Lee McEwan. 8 hrs 45 mins. More info →Author: Kevin Wilson
A 2025 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick! Wilson deftly combines the heavy and the light in this found family story of four scattered half-siblings who meet for the first time and pile into an old PT Cruiser to go find the father who abandoned them long ago. Wilson’s stories often feel larger than life, yet the emotional heart feels real and relatable. Quirky, warm, and bighearted, with a multigenerational cast and road trip hijinks galore. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s no spoiler to say I found this coast-to-coast adventure to be an utter delight. Narrated by Marin Ireland. 7 hrs 22 mins. More info →Author: Bill Bryson
Renowned travel writer Bryson takes to the Appalachian Trail in this laugh-out-loud travel memoir. After returning to America after 20 years in England, Bryson reconnects with his home country by walking 800 of the AT’s 2100 miles, many of them with his cranky companion Katz, who serves as a brilliant foil to Bryson’s scholarly wit. A superb hiking memoir that skillfully combines laugh-out-loud anecdotes with serious discussions about history, ecology, and wilderness trivia. Droll, witty, entertaining. This is one of those rare occasions where I'd recommend listening to the abridged version, because Bryson himself narrates it (5 hrs 58 mins) but the full-length version narrated by Rob McQuay (9 hrs 44 mins) is also excellent. More info →Author: Annie Hartnett
Hartnett’s gift is to nestle genuine humor right alongside life’s most terrible tragedies. In this new-for-2025 SRG selection she again balances joy and tragedy, combining the comedy of a screwball road trip with a serious meditation on loss, grief, healing, and second chances. Along for the ride are a 63-year old named P.J. who has an ailing heart and a drinking problem, his estranged 23-year-old daughter, his brother’s recently orphaned grandkids, and Pancakes, a tabby cat with unusual powers. They’re on a mission to reunite with P.J.’s old flame at Arizona’s Tender Hearts nursing home. This madcap ride manages to feel hopeful and heartwarming despite its sad subject matter. Narrated by Mark Bramhall. 11 hrs 48 mins. More info →Author: Marjan Kamali
In 1953 Tehran, a young man failed to meet his betrothed in a Tehran square. Sixty years later and half a world away, the woman, now grown old, is about to discover why. This sweeping love story spans 60 years and two continents, taking the reader between contemporary New England and 1953 Tehran, thoroughly immersing the reader in the volatile political climate of 1950s Iran. Narrated by Mozhan Marnò. 9 hrs 13 mins. More info →ChirpAuthor: Michelle Zauner
“Ever since my mother died, I cry in H Mart.” So begins Zauner’s poignant story. After her mother received a grim cancer diagnosis, Zauner realized her mother’s death would also mean losing her only tie to her Korean heritage, so she sought to shore up stories while she still had time. Whether she writes about the intricacies of preparing traditional Korean dishes or a hurtful misunderstanding, she explores moments from her tumultuous mother-daughter relationship with tenderness and love, often returning to the idea that our experiences of home, family and culture are viscerally rooted in what we taste, see and hear. An honest, lyrical, and life-affirming memoir about grief, growing up, and making amends. Narrated by the author. 7 hrs 23 mins. More info →Author: Chris Pavone
Fan favorite January LaVoy voices Chris Pavone’s newest mystery, driven by a missing person, a ticking clock, and secrets from an old life. Ariel Pryce wakes up on her honeymoon in a Lisbon hotel room to find her husband missing. Fearing the worst and increasingly frantic, Ariel turns to the Portuguese police and American embassy where her concern is met with skepticism: he’s a grown man and it’s only been a few hours. When they discover the couple both changed their names ten years ago, their skepticism balloons into outright disbelief—even though his kidnappers have surfaced and demanded an outrageous ransom. With the clock ticking and no help from authorities, Ariel seeks help from those she’d long since left behind in her old life—and then things get really interesting. Narrated by January LaVoy. 14 hrs 30 mins. More info →Author: Alison Espach
I don't remember why this May 2022 release originally caught my eye (since I read it before her hit 2024 release The Wedding People, but once I beganI was immediately swept up in the story. Chronologically, this story of two sisters in small-town 1990s Connecticut begins when shy Sally is just thirteen, and her bold and beautiful sister Kathy is sixteen. But on the first page of the story Sally is 28, seemingly telling her absent sister about everything that happened between then and now. ("You disappeared on a school night. Nobody was more surprised by this than me ...") Back then both girls nursed crushes on Billy Barnes, the handsome senior a year older than Kathy; when Kathy and Billy start dating, Sally drinks in all her sister's updates on their relationship. But then a car accident involving the three teenagers kills Kathy. This is the story of what happened after, a haunting portrait of confusion, love, and grief, enhanced by the unusual second person narration. Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky. 12 hrs 17 mins. More info → What are your some of your very favorite audiobooks? Please tell us in comments!
The post 12 great summer titles for Audiobook Appreciation Month appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Feeling more confident about finding the right reads is a common bookish goal, one that I’m exploring in today’s conversation with Tynisha Coleman.
Tynisha is a leadership development coach, university lecturer, and sci-fi and fantasy lover from New Jersey. She doesn’t shy away from books that tackle tough plot points, which often feature in the emotionally resonant books she loves. She just expects these trickier developments to serve a sense of purpose to the plot, and she’d like to avoid reading experiences that send her into the depths of despair.
Right now, Tynisha is looking for titles that offer a sense of escapism, both in her current preferred genres, and while also keeping open to other works she’ll enjoy. I have ideas I can’t wait to share with Tynisha today, and we bet you have suggestions, too: please let us know about those titles by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Tynisha on Instagram and at her website.
Make the most of summer reading seasonWe kicked off summer reading season with our 14th annual Summer Reading Guide and Live Unboxing just a few weeks ago. If you missed the launch, no worries: there’s plenty of summer ahead of us, and so many upcoming releases to look forward to. You can still get your copy of the digital Guide and the video replay from our Unboxing party by visiting modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: I think I understand the assignment.
TYNISHA COLEMAN: This is why they pay you the big bucks, Anne.
ANNE: Or not. You know what, I get paid in books and book talk, and that works for me.
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:46] Readers, if you haven't heard, summer reading season is officially here. We kicked off summer with our 14th annual Summer Reading Guide and Live Unboxing just a few weeks ago. But if you missed the launch, no worries, there is plenty of summer left. And actually, in today's episode, we're talking about a book coming out today. You can still get your copy of the digital guide and the video replay from our unboxing party.
Just like this show, our Summer Reading Guide doesn't get bossy or tell you what you should read this summer. Instead, I share 35 titles that I've personally vetted for summer. And in the unboxing video, I tell you a little more about each one, including who might especially enjoy adding each title to their summer reading list. We also include lots of backlist recs because we know how many of you want books that are available from the library right now.
If that sounds like just what you're looking for this summer, visit modernmrsdarcy.com/srg to get your copy of the guide. That's modernmrsdarcy/srg.
[00:01:47] Today, I'm joined by Tynisha Coleman, a leadership development coach and university lecturer from New Jersey. Tynisha would love to feel more confident finding emotionally resonant books that will engage and distract her without sending her into the depths of despair. She doesn't mind books that tackle tough plot points but need these to serve a sense of purpose in the story.
While Tynisha reads broadly, the escapism offered by sci-fi and fantasy really works for her right now, and she would love to explore these genres more fully while balancing that reading with other works she'll enjoy. I have ideas for Tynisha, and I'm excited to explore both of her reading goals in our conversation. Let's get to it.
Tynisha, welcome to the show.
TYNISHA: Thank you, Anne. It's nice to be here.
ANNE: Oh, I'm delighted to talk today. Tynisha, we'd like to start by giving our readers a glimpse of who you are. Can you tell me a little about yourself?
TYNISHA: Yes. So I live in New Jersey. I'm also, I have to say, I'm going to be 40 next year, which is exciting and terrifying.
ANNE: Congratulations from the other side.
[00:02:50] TYNISHA: Thank you. But I live in New Jersey. I've lived here most of my life. Originally from Philadelphia, but I only spent my early childhood there. I am a mom of a 16-year-old. She just started driving about a month ago. You know, everyone I speak to, I'm like, "Give me your prayers, your positive thoughts, burn sage, whatever you do. I need all of that because it's a little bit nerve-wracking."
Aside from being a mom, I also am a small business owner. I left my full-time job at a university back in July 2024 to focus on my consulting firm, and I've been doing that since then.
Then because I can't stay away from higher education completely, I also teach one class in women and gender studies. So I'm a part-time professor as well.
ANNE: Okay. Congrats on the new driver, as nerve-wracking as that can be, speaking from experience, and also on the upcoming business anniversary.
TYNISHA: Thank you. Thank you.
ANNE: Tynisha, tell us about your reading life.
[00:03:50] TYNISHA: Well, I have always been a reader. I have been reading a bunch since I was a kid. I would always be having my nose buried in a book. My mom was one of those moms who was like, "Go play with the kids," and I'm like, "No, I just want to stay inside and read my book." So I've been what I call a book nerd since forever.
I really enjoyed The Baby-Sitters Club when I was younger. I enjoyed Sweet Valley High when I was younger. And then apparently, I started reading mysteries in high school and I didn't realize I wasn't the target demographic.
So I used to get a lot of my books from my great aunt, who's my grandmother's sister. And I would be reading like James Patterson and like Harlan Coben and not realizing that maybe I wasn't the target audience for that until I showed up at a book signing and realized that the age groups were much older than I was. So that was interesting and funny.
[00:04:51] I was like, "Oh, wow, apparently I read like a lot of older people." And when you're young, you think everybody that's like two years older than you is really old. So that was interesting.
I would like to share one of the nerdiest moments that I had as a kid. I was in elementary school. My mom had all these friends that used to give her all sorts of things. They knew I loved books. This one friend gave her a set of encyclopedias when he replaced his. And I was like walking around in school, my chest puffed out like I was the queen because I got this set of encyclopedias, and I had a strong case of the ["Did You Know?"] and people were quite annoyed with me.
But yeah, that's how I was as a kid. Now I read most of the time and it's really my form of self-care. I know that things aren't going well if I'm not reading. I typically have at least two books in rotation, something on audio, something in print, either an eBook or the hardcover book. And if I'm not doing that, then something's wrong.
[00:06:01] Then like early college, I was mostly mystery thriller. So a lot of like Harlan Coben, a lot of the type of Jane Patterson type stuff. And I spent so many years reading exclusively mystery thrillers. And then after a while, I really figured out that it felt like I was doing too much of the same thing. So there's always, you know, kind of this fast paced thing. And I'm like, "It's page turnery," and I'm like skipping to get to the end. And then there's a twist. And then, you know, either the twist is good or bad. And then that's the end of the book.
I really started to feel like, "Oh, I really want to do something different. I need to explore a little bit more outside of this genre." So I started reading more sci-fi, fantasy, and then also some literary fiction. And now I will read a little bit of everything, mostly.
The genre I read less so is romance. If it's really good and becomes highly recommended, I'll read it. But things that I tend to gravitate towards are like sci-fi, fantasy, a little bit of literary fiction. I enjoy memoirs, things like that.
[00:07:09] I haven't read as many mystery thrillers as I used to because I think I just kind of burned myself out on the genre. Although I did go and read God of the Woods after it was in the reading guide last time, which I really enjoyed.
ANNE: So that worked out for you?
TYNISHA: It did. It did. And I think it was because I think I remember you saying on one of the shows that it was literary-and. So I think that's probably why it worked out. It was not just the mystery thriller, but also this literary thing. I felt a little bit atmospheric with the camp setting and all of that. It went really well for me. I really enjoyed it.
ANNE: I am happy to hear that. Tynisha, we get questions from readers all the time about literary festivals, how to find them, what it's like to go, how to get involved. And I know you have a story here. Would you tell us about your experience volunteering for the Morristown Festival of Books?
[00:08:05] TYNISHA: Yes, I can. And I'm so excited. So I'm still volunteering this year, by the way. I'm on the committee for the Morristown Festival of Books, and I'm specifically on the author's committee. Again, I said I live in New Jersey, and this is the largest book festival in our state.
And because the committee is filled with... it's largely homogenous, I'll say. There's not a lot of people who read sci-fi fantasy on the committee. And so when I joined, they were like, "Hey, Tynisha, you read sci-fi fantasy. Can you select some authors for us and reach out?"
So I got to moderate the panel because, again, typically these things, there's another author or someone on the committee that will moderate the panel, but they didn't feel comfortable doing it and they didn't have another sci-fi fantasy author. So I got to moderate a panel with Helen Phillips to talk about the book Hum, which I know definitely was in the summer reading guide. And then Seanan McGuire was also on that panel, and we were talking about title creatures. I enjoy her work as well.
[00:09:09] But it was really fun. It was like one of those things where you get to scratch your book nerd itch and chat with some authors. They both were really nice, really gracious. I remember meeting Helen Phillips just a couple of minutes before we were going on, and I introduced myself and I said, "I'm just a reader," because I know that a lot of them are used to these panels with other authors and other people of some sort of notoriety interviewing them or leading the panel. And I said, "I'm just a reader." She's like, "Well, we need readers, and you guys are why we're able to do what we do." She's like, "Don't just say you're just a reader. That's important." So it made me feel really, really excited and just less nervous to talk with her and Seanan McGuire.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. You're going to be moderating any panels this summer?
TYNISHA: I'm not sure yet. We are wrapping up our author pool. We have all of our invitations out. Of course, half of them came back, and we're kind of pounding the pavement to get the rest of the authors to say yay or nay, and then we'll talk about who's going to moderate and what the titles of the different sessions are going to be. So that's always exciting to me trying to figure out, what can we title this given the authors that are going to be on the panel and given the titles that they're talking about this time? So I'm excited, and I can't wait.
[00:10:30] ANNE: I love it. I can't wait to hear how that goes for you. Tynisha, I would love to hear what compelling question or itch that needs scratching or what you're looking for that brings you to What Should I Read Next? right now?
TYNISHA: I am really in a space where I want to find things that are emotionally resonant. I'm not necessarily particular about what genre it is, but I really want it to be emotionally resonant, and I really want it to be something that I can escape to, but not send me into what I'm calling the depths of despair.
I've read a lot of books over the years that are really emotionally resonant. And part of the reason that they are is because they make you want to cry your eyes out. I don't exactly want that feeling, but I want something to resonate really, really well emotionally. And just like I want to sink my teeth into it. I want to really get immersed in what's happening. So if that's the characters, if that's the plot, I'm agnostic about that piece of it. But I really just want to get into something.
[00:11:43] You know, for many of us, I mean, especially for me, it feels like the world is just on fire in many ways, and I just want to find a way to escape, have some good emotional resonance, but not have anything gratuitously sad or gratuitously tragic, if that makes sense.
ANNE: I think so. I think so. So you're willing to go hard places, but not for the sake of them being hard.
TYNISHA: Right.
ANNE: I'm going to have more questions. But first, can we talk about your books?
TYNISHA: Yes, we can.
ANNE: Tynisha, I know you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we'll get a feel for what you're looking for and suggest three books you may enjoy reading next. First, how did you choose these today?
TYNISHA: You all said not to overthink, and that is exactly what I went and did when I saw the request for the submission. So because I do track what I read, typically in Goodreads and sometimes with Fable, I was like, "Let me go back and look at what I rated as four and five-star reads."
[00:12:55] That was the first thing I did. The second thing I did was I thought about the book that I read the most. There's one book that I'm going to mention that I read four times. So that was an easy pick. And then I wanted to go with something that was a little bit more recent.
So two of the books I read at least two years ago, but one of them I read at the tail end of 2024. And so I wanted to get something that was more recent, but I also wanted to get something that I read before, but that still sticks with me to this day.
ANNE: I love it. Let's jump in. What's the first book you love?
TYNISHA: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I heard about this many years ago on a book podcast or maybe in a newsletter and I decided to give it a shot because the cover looked really interesting. It's, you know, the red, white and black colors. It looks really interesting.
And I read it and I realized the thing that appealed to me most about this is that people on a journey, either if it's like a physical journey where they're physically moving or if it's an emotional journey or a magical journey, those are things that really draw me in.
[00:14:11] This book is set in this imagined Victorian expired London type area where there's a circus that travels mysteriously. It appears unannounced and it disappears the same way. So no one knows when it's coming, no one knows when it's going away, but it just shows up and the people really enjoy it.
I really love the magic in this book. The magic was really woven into everything. It was in the tents. It was in the other people that were a part of the circus, in the relationships, in the setting.
This one centered around two characters. I mean, there's a lot more characters, but the two that I really followed the most were Celia and Marco. These are two young magicians who've been placed into a mysterious competition.
Celia, her father is called Prospero and he is a magician and Marco has someone who's more of like a mentor to him who also engages in magic.
[00:15:19] These two people, Prospero and Marco's mentor, who is called the man in the grey suit, which I love that he's called the man in the grey suit, by the way. Those two gentlemen have this longstanding competition and they are thrown into this competition, but they are unaware.
And so it's around magic and they don't even know that they're opponents and eventually they meet and things happen. I don't want to give anything away.
The circus cast is really, really, really nice. There's different types of people from different walks of life that have different talents. And my favorite two people in this circus are these twins, they're children, Poppet and Widget. Poppet is the girl, Widget is the boy. They are so adorable. They are so funny. I literally could read a whole book about them. I would read a book about them on their own.
[00:16:15] I want to say what pulled me in initially was the very first sentence. It says, "The circus arrives without warning." That had me instantly. I was like, "Okay, I have to know where this goes. I need to know where this goes."
So it pulled me in right away. And every time I read it again, which this is the book that I mentioned that I read four times, I read it annually for four years in a row. It became this book that I was like, "It's time for my annual rereading of The Night Circus." Because it had a lot of emotional resonance. It had a lot of magic. It had a thread of romance, but it wasn't overdone. It felt so comforting to me.
And even though the stakes are really high in this competition that they have, it really felt like, you know, I had this sense of wonder. I followed this circus. It was like still this very gentle, sort of comforting read, even though the stakes were high with these two magicians in their competition. And so I really, really enjoyed it. As I was reviewing why I love this book, I was like, "I think I need to read it again." So we'll see if that happens in 2025.
[00:17:29] ANNE: I love that for you. Yeah, maybe you can make it the nice round five.
TYNISHA: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay. Tynisha, what's the second book you love?
TYNISHA: This is the first in the series. It's called The Fifth Season and it's written by N.K. Jemisin. I don't really remember where I came across this book, but I do remember how intensely it made me feel.
I was in a period of life back, I think it was like in 2019, where I was in this huge dystopian reading phase. I don't think this book is technically classified as dystopian, but it kind of is to me. And this became one of the most resonant things that I had ever read.
It's set in this broken world that is really experiencing a lot of seismic activity and natural disasters from earthquakes to tsunamis. And then there's this extended winter that's really catastrophic called The Fifth Season that the people in this world experience.
[00:18:28] So there's also this sort of group of, I'm going to call them people, but I don't quite know if that's the way that they're described. They're called the orogenes, and they can control the Earth's energy and the seismic energy that's happened, and they are feared by, I'll just say, the regular humans. And they are, you know, sometimes slaughtered because of that fear.
This story follows three women who are orogenes at different stages of life. Their names are Essun, Damaya, and Syenite. And each of their stories is really, really fantastic. We meet Essun when she comes home and finds that her son has been murdered by her husband. She's pretty sure that the reason this has happened is because the husband figures out that the boy is an orogene.
And so she finds that and her husband's missing and her daughter is also missing. You know, she's grieving and she wants to know what's happened. And we follow her.
[00:19:31] The other person, Damaya, we follow her at a point where her family really is trying to get rid of her because they discover that she is an orogene. And then Syenite, we meet her when she's at this place called the Fulcrum, which is... it's an institution that trains the orogenes on how to use their, I'm not going to call it magic, but how to use their powers. And so she's going through this kind of... anytime something has a school in it, it reminds me of Harry Potter. This school is not like Harry Potter, but it's the thing that comes to mind whenever there's a school for me. So there's this institution that she's in preparing herself to use her powers.
This is high fantasy, really good world-building, but world-building that's so intentional because one of the things that I struggle with as a sci-fi fantasy reader is that sometimes the world-building can feel just like an info dump. The way that N.K. Jemisin did this, it was like every piece of the world-building mattered to the characters and to the plot, and so nothing was just a throwaway. I felt like everything was intentional.
[00:20:45] I sunk my teeth into it. It really grabbed me from the beginning. And I just wanted to spend so much time in this world with these characters to figure out what was happening.
I read this book in about like five or six days, and I feel like I didn't come up for air until after I was done. And then I probably had a book hangover for about a month where I could not read anything else because these characters, this story was just in my head for so long that it took me about a month before I picked something else up.
ANNE: Whoa, that's quite a book hangover.
TYNISHA: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay, that says a lot about your relationship with this title. Tynisha, what's the third book you love?
TYNISHA: Okay, so this third one is a little bit lighter than what I just mentioned. This is called Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes. A friend recommended this to me and she said, "You got to read this. This is really funny. Even though the title is called Murder Your Employer, you got to read this." And so I picked it up from the library.
[00:21:48] The premise is so creative. We meet this guy, Cliff Iverson. He's the main character. He is fed up with work. He's fed up with his boss. His boss is the archetype of this corporate greed type person who will do anything to save a buck. So they're working on a project that is having a lot of corners cut, and Cliff knows that based on these cut corners, people may die, right? Like people may be harmed. And so he's really, really upset by this and tired of his employer.
And then his colleague dies by suicide, and it is directly linked to the supervisor and how he's treated them and the things that he has them doing. And so Cliff decides, "That's it. I'm going to take this guy out." And he tries to take him out and it does not go well. He gets picked up by the cops. And he learns that these cops are actually alumni of the McMaster's Conservatory for the Applied Arts, where they teach students the fine art of deletion because they do not say murder.
[00:22:59] It's dark. It's satire. It's really, really funny. Like they take this dark subject matter and they make it funny. Because it's a school, I told you anytime a school is involved, I think Harry Potter, right? So I feel like this is grown-up Harry Potter meets Dateline, meets whatever comedy you love. I was completely drawn in.
The characters are not all likable. Some of them are morally ambiguous. Some of them are terrible. But I still want to spend time with them and I still want to see what they're going to do next. And I also find myself in a weird position where I'm like, "Am I rooting for this guy to kill his boss?" Which is like an interesting place to be in. It's fiction, so I let myself off the hook morally for that.
But the school setting is bizarre. The way they train people is just really bizarre, but just really awesome. The way that they train these people for something so high stakes, it's like we're preparing you for, I don't know, some type of corporate career, but this corporate career is in deletion.
[00:24:14] You know, the topic is serious, but it's enough levity to keep it weird and funny. It's witty and the pace is really good. It's just a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. So I really enjoyed how funny it was, but that the dark elements were still there because, you know, you're talking about murder. So it has to be a little bit dark. I really enjoyed that read.
ANNE: All right. I appreciate a change of pace. Keeps things interesting.
TYNISHA: Absolutely.
ANNE: Speaking of change of pace, Tynisha, tell me about a book that was not right for you. And I'd love to hear why it didn't hit.
TYNISHA: The book that was not for me was The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. There's a few different reasons why it didn't work for me. The first reason is that I think... so the concept is that there's a woman who, and I forget the character's name, I'm so sorry, but she has husbands coming out of her attic, and every time the door opens or the one husband goes up, a different one comes down and she doesn't know why this is happening.
[00:25:28] I picked it up because it sounded really funny and really interesting. And it was funny. But after like, I don't know, maybe it was like the fifth or sixth husband, maybe it was the 10th, I was like, "Okay, I'm kind of ready for this part of the book to be over," and it just kept going.
There were some interesting things happening in there with one of the husbands she had that she was sort of trying to keep in touch with. And that was a little interesting. But it just felt like the same thing kept happening and I didn't feel like it was going anywhere.
It felt like it would have been better as a short story for me than a full book. And I finished the whole thing. I didn't DNF it, I finished it, but I didn't feel like it was worth the payoff at the end.
It started off really funny, it started off interesting, and then I felt like it was spinning. I felt like it was spinning and not going anywhere for quite a long time. So that's why it wasn't for me.
[00:26:29] ANNE: Tynisha, I'm wondering if you got lost a little bit, not like you didn't know what was happening, but you just didn't care when Lauren is having all these husbands coming down from the attic over and over and we're seeing how that plays out. What I'm thinking of is Save the Cat, where he calls this the fun and games portion, where you see how the premise plays out for your characters. But you weren't really interested in seeing how it played out over and over again.
TYNISHA: Right, right. It was just happening a little bit too much.
ANNE: Like, what's the point?
TYNISHA: Yeah, exactly.
ANNE: That is helpful. Okay, Tynisha, to give me a sense of what you're willing to take a chance on in your reading life, I'd love to hear what you're reading right now or lately.
TYNISHA: There's two books that I read lately that have really stuck with me and have really been interesting. The first one is Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. That book I read it as a part of my book club and it is so good.
[00:27:27] It's a book inside of a book. It's about a disabled woman. She's in a wheelchair and she is really interested in larger things in life. Her family doesn't always treat her very well. They don't always understand her. But she's interested in larger things.
She ends up writing a book. She's also an adjunct professor at a college. And finally, the book that she writes, which is a sci-fi fantasy book, it takes off, it does well, it gets optioned into a movie, and there's a bunch of things that happen as a result.
The piece that was very interesting about this book to me is that you are reading the book that she has written, which was called The Rusted Robot. You're reading that along with the other parts about her life and her experience and everything that's happening to her. So it's like every other chapter or every few chapters, you get a little piece of the book inside of the book.
[00:28:27] I loved it so much that I started to reread it, but just read the parts of The Rusted Robot to get the full story all at once of just the book inside of a book. It is so well done. It takes you into an interesting world when you think about the robots.
The regular world is very normal and typical, but inside of the book she wrote, it's just an interesting, interesting thing about different groups of robots and how they show up and how they interact with one another. So that's one that I've enjoyed.
Then the other book I read recently was called Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng. It was so interesting and so timely. I don't know how I keep finding myself reading books that resonate with the times that we're living in. It really was one that drew me in because of the particular family dynamics and what was happening in society in this book. Those two books that I've read are really, really good.
[00:29:30] There's one I just finished that I can't recall the name of, so I won't go into it. But sometimes I read books and then I forget about them.
ANNE: What? Just kidding. That happens to me too. I'd like to say it happens to everyone, but I won't speak for everyone.
TYNISHA: Yes. My friend says, I read books, I don't remember books. And I'm like, "Yes, sometimes that happens." So if I remember it, that means it was really good.
ANNE: Okay. I have Nnedi Okorafor questions. Have you read her before?
TYNISHA: I have not. I actually have one of her books on my shelf that my boyfriend gifted to me. It's called Binti, but I have not read it. This is the first time I had read any of her work.
ANNE: I was just curious because she seems like a good fit for you. I'm happy for you to know you have another book waiting on the shelf by Okorafor.
TYNISHA: Yeah. I mean, she has so much. Honestly, I don't know that I would have picked this book up if it wasn't suggested by the book club. I saw the advertisements about it, but I was just like, "Oh, okay. That looks pretty cool." But it wasn't something that I was like, "Oh, I'm going to be so into this."
[00:30:35] But when one of the book club members suggested it and I started reading it, I was like, "Oh, my gosh. This is so good."
ANNE: I'm glad you enjoyed it. Tynisha, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
TYNISHA: I am looking for something that I can really dive into heart, soul, and mind. Like I really want to be in this book for a while. I want a book that goes beyond surface-level emotions. I want something that's going to stick with me for a while.
So, earlier, I said that I had taken a break from reading a lot of mystery thrillers because those are what I... this is my language. Those are what I call popcorn books a lot of times. Which just reminds me of a blockbuster that I would see in the summertime in the movies. Like, I don't know, The Meg or something like that. And it's not something that means a whole lot to me, but it's entertaining and I enjoy, you know, reading it or watching it while eating my popcorn.
[00:31:36] I want something deeper than that, but I want it to not be so gut-wrenching and traumatic and traumatic in a way that doesn't serve a purpose. There are a couple of books that I heard that are really traumatic, heard about and I was like, "I don't ever imagine myself reading that book."
I want to make sure it's not something that's too traumatic in terms of what happens to the characters. But I'm willing to go to a certain level of depth. I'm willing to experience some hard things, but just not things that are going to leave me sobbing or pulling over in my car if I'm listening to the audiobook, which I actually had to do once. I can't remember what I was listening to, but I was so like, "Oh my gosh, this is horrible. I need to pull over for a second to do some deep breathing."
ANNE: Tynisha.
TYNISHA: I don't want to go that heavy.
ANNE: Oh my gosh. Okay. You know, we all want to know which book this was.
[00:32:33] TYNISHA: I can't recall. Oh, you know what? It might've been one of the books in The Book of the Unnamed Midwife series. I can't remember which one. I turned it off and I was like, "Okay, I'm just going to listen to music for a while and I will go back to this book later because I may not make it home."
ANNE: I'm glad you made it home. Talk to me about genre. I hear that sci-fi fantasy is one that you really enjoy. You're looking for escapist works. We've also talked about mysteries. I think you mentioned in your submission, being interested in exploring different kinds of sci-fi. What are you feeling right now?
TYNISHA: I have read a lot of sci-fi fantasy that has been kind of dystopian. So, you know, talking about The Fifth Season, which I'm classifying as dystopian, maybe it's not necessarily classified as that, and The Book of the Unnamed Midwife and a bunch of others that are just like, there's this place and things are hard and difficult and people are trying to make do or find some way to fight against something.
[00:33:42] I want to move a little bit away from that to something else. I recently read, I believe, a couple of Becky Chambers books, which was really interesting. It had enough of the fantasy element, enough of the emotional resonance, but it wasn't super hard stuff happening.
I also read there was the one that was called The Teller of Small Fortunes, which I think was in one of the guides you released.
ANNE: It was.
TYNISHA: That was also a really good book. Part of what was good about that is again, the journey aspect of it. I love that they were sort of traveling and, you know, at some point they're traveling to some place at some point they're trying to get away from another place. So that was really good.
So I don't know if what I'm saying is helpful at all-
ANNE: Yeah, yeah.
[00:34:35] TYNISHA: I want to not be necessarily in dystopia, but perhaps in a world, realistic or not, where things happen and the things that happen are important and they resonate emotionally and they're, you know, in their deep things that are important, but not so much that I'm pulling over and sobbing in my car.
ANNE: All right. While you never know what's really going to connect and hit you right in the gut, I think I understand the assignment.
TYNISHA: This is why they pay you the big bucks, Anne.
ANNE: Or not. You know what? I get paid in books and book talk and that works for me.
TYNISHA: Awesome.
ANNE: We were chatting beforehand and you told me you just watched the Summer Reading Guide unboxing. So I'm starting with a book that you will have heard about there, but I want to underline it for you and share with everyone else. And that is The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King. Do you remember this from unboxing?
[00:35:40] TYNISHA: I remember the name, but not what you said about it. And I have to tell you, I'm one of those people that take notes. So I'm taking notes the entire time you're talking, and then I have to go back and read them to make sense of what I've written.
ANNE: We'll do you one better. We'll have a transcript for you.
TYNISHA: Awesome.
ANNE: Okay. So this is a debut from author Allison King and it actually releases today, the day this podcast is airing, June 3rd. So it's ready and waiting for you. This is a debut novel and the origin story is so interesting. It's inspired... We're going to talk with her in book club in July. I don't want to put words in Allison King's mouth, but I'm going to share a little bit of what I've been fascinated to hear her share in interviews and then there's a little letter in the copy of the Advanced Review book I got.
But she says that her grandparents used to own a pencil company back in Shanghai and she always thought that was so fascinating and romantic. There was this tactile thing that she used, but they were making them decades ago in different countries. And in this book, the pencils are magic, but first more about the personal inspiration.
[00:36:42] Allison King said her grandparents didn't talk about their history in Shanghai. And it wasn't until they no longer had the ability to do so that she realized, "Gosh, I wish I knew more about their stories. What a loss!"
And she said in this book, she created this really sweet grandmother-granddaughter relationship. And this granddaughter in her story, the fictional one finds the satisfaction of learning her grandmother's history that Allison King herself never got to experience.
But about these pencils, they are magic because they can be reforged. And that means, one, with the power, the inborn power, but also the knowledge can bring the memories they contain, the words that they have written back to life. Whether that something is prosaic as a grocery list, whether it's a missive sharing state secrets, whether it's a love letter to someone that.. well, whether it's a secret love letter, we'll just say that.
[00:37:40] So these pencils are powerful. And the way the secrets are extracted made me wince every time I read about it.
Something else I love about this book for you, Tynisha, is that you've enjoyed dabbling in various genres. I guess today we really only talked about sci-fi fantasy and history mystery, but this one is a real genre blender. So you have... I called it a blender. Don't we usually say bender?
TYNISHA: Yeah.
ANNE: It does all these things. It's World War II-era historical fiction, the grounded fantasy, like much of it is set very much in the real world. But these pencils, I've never encountered such a thing. We have family drama. We have romance. The characters are compelling and well-drawn. And they're very sympathetic. And the emotions of what's happening to the characters, the relationships between them really matter in this story.
King is really wrestling with some questions that matter to us today, like data privacy. What does user consent look like for technology, and what can happen if we don't realize who we're giving our stories to and how they might be used?
[00:38:46] And that feels like straight out of the headlines, not in a heavy-handed way, but it does feel like very deeply practically and emotionally pertinent to right now. But also we have this close look at Chinese histories, the relationships in the book, the race to keep the powerful pencils out of the wrong hands. There's a lot here. How's this sounding to you?
TYNISHA: It's sounding really good. First of all, when you said keeping the pencils out of the wrong hands, I'm like, Okay. I enjoy a tale when it's like, we have to keep these people from doing this thing or using these things.
But I also really liked the part about the grandmother-granddaughter relationship because I've started to realize that I appreciate those family drama stories more than I thought I would. Historically, like I said, I used to do mystery thriller all the time. So I didn't realize that literary fiction and family drama was something that I would even be interested in.
[00:39:49] But as I've been following more people that talk about books and learning about different genres, I've read quite a few. And I really am always interested in the relationship between the women in the family, just because I come from a family with a lot of women, really, really strong women. And the dynamics between the women in the family and my family are always very interesting. So I love reading other people's stories and how the women in other families interact because it's always just very interesting to me.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. Have you read any Robin Hobb?
TYNISHA: I have not.
ANNE: Okay. So she writes high fantasy, lots of world-building. She writes long books. She could keep you busy for a really long time, or you could just read the first one and see what you think. It is called the Assassin's Apprentice.
[00:40:45] She wrote it, Robin Hobb, in 1995, and she is still writing. She has constructed this whole world called the Realm of the Elderlings. She's written multiple series that all fall under the same universe, the Realm of the Enderlings. We're going to start with the Farseer trilogy. Have I lost you yet? Is that too complicated?
TYNISHA: No, it's not.
ANNE: Okay, amazing. You can tell you belong in the fantasy genre then. We are going to start with the Farseer trilogy with her first novel in the Enderlings universe, and that is called The Assassin's Apprentice.
And oh gosh, I find it really challenging to describe these books that have a lot of world-building, but this story is very much about the characters and about the relationships between them. Our protagonist is Fitz. He is the bastard son of a prince who was abandoned at a young age by the women in his family because they didn't want to raise him.
[00:41:46] So when he's very young, I want to say six or seven, he goes into the care of the royal family. And he grows up, he bops around the royal servants until he is finally apprenticed at the age of like 14, 15 to an assassin. This serves everybody well, because with this job, he's not believed to be a threat to the line of succession, and also it's going to keep him busy. And also because of his power that he possesses, he is well suited to this work.
Let me tell you about the setup of the book, Tynisha. Because what we hear is a whole lot of adventures that Fitz has gone on, which might make you think it's fast-paced. It's really more leisurely. It feels very cinematic. And the tone is a little bit wistful, brooding, melancholy.
[00:42:39] But each chapter starts with Fitz, the old man, where he's either talking about what's happening in his life right now, or he's sharing a snippet from the book he's writing about the history of the kingdom he grew up in. Which I find this really satisfying as a reader, because sometimes when you're reading adventure stories where the character is in peril, you wonder, are they going to make it? Are they going to make it? He's telling us his reflections from where he sits now as an old man, so you know that he is going to make it through.
But in this book, we see lots of courtly intrigue, lots of major, but also minor characters that you come to care about, and this really interesting kind of magic called the Wit and the Skill, which are very powerful, but those who wield them pay a cost for doing so.
This is the first book in a trilogy, but in this wider world of 25 books, as we watch Fitz, the outcast, grow up and find his place. All right, how does this sound to you?
[00:43:48] TYNISHA: This sounds really interesting, because I'm hearing themes of maybe a little bit coming of age in addition to everything that's also happening. We didn't talk about this, but I enjoy coming-of-age books as well. It doesn't have to be YA, but when people are going through a journey.
ANNE: A journey. Oh, and I forgot to say, yes, journey is very much in mind with this story.
TYNISHA: Awesome. I love that. I'm also a sucker for an old man telling a story. And I know that's probably hilarious, but even in movies, if there's an old man who's schooling somebody on something or telling a story, I'm like, "I'm there. Where's the old man telling the story? I'm in there." So I love that.
I also love that you said he's reflecting on this. And so while there may be tension and like what happens, I don't know where this is going, there's also a little bit of safety in knowing that this is a reflection. So, you know, you hope that at least at the end of this he is okay enough to tell the story. So that makes me feel good.
[00:44:55] ANNE: I feel that myself. All right, can we do another journey tale?
TYNISHA: Absolutely.
ANNE: I'm thinking The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley. Have you read this?
TYNISHA: I haven't.
ANNE: This is speculative fiction, which you said you've enjoyed, an alternate history, a time-slip tale, and there's also a romance element. So what Pulley imagines here is, what if Napoleon conquered England in the Battle of Trafalgar? And also, what if there was a stone portal in the dangerous seas that served as a passageway between centuries?
The story begins with a man named Joe getting off a train in the city of, gosh, I hate that I've set myself up to try to pronounce things in French, but he's in the city of Londra, because it's not London, because Napoleon won and France took everything over. But it's Londra, 1898. And he has a postcard in his pocket written in forbidden English. French is the only language that's allowed.
[00:45:57] And the postmark is dated almost 100 years ago in 1805, though he can definitely tell that the postcard has the image on it of a lighthouse that was only recently constructed later in the 19th century. So this is pretty weird to him, because this seems impossible. And the postcard says, it's written to him, "Dearest Joe, come home if you remember," and it's signed M.
I should have told you that there's also a mystery embedded in this. Who is M? How is this impossible postcard possible, and what is Joe going to do about it? So his search sends him on a journey over the sea to the Outer Hebrides, and then back and forth many times through the stone portals on a quest to reunite with his family.
But if this is going to work, he cannot change the course of history, it will all fall apart, nor can he do anything that might erase his own existence in 1898 Londra. How does that sound to you?
[00:46:55] TYNISHA: That sounds really interesting. I can't recall if I've read a lot of time travel adjacent or time slip, which is like the way that's described books, but I definitely have watched a lot of that. And so it really sounds interesting.
I do also like alternative histories. So I read a while back, not related to sci-fi, but I read... Curtis Sittenfeld wrote it, I think. I think it was called Rodham? Like, what if, you know, Hillary Clinton chose a different path?
So I enjoy reading those types of books, where it's like, let's imagine, let's play out what might have happened if this went a different way. So that sounds really interesting.
And I'm all into this mystery element of this postcard. You know, this is in his pocket, who's M or what's happening here? This sounds really interesting.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. All right. I want to leave you with one more if that's okay.
TYNISHA: Absolutely.
[00:47:53] ANNE: We were talking Phoenix Pencil, a, for fans of title I used in the Summer Reading Guide, was Alix E. Harrow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I think that would also be an excellent pick for you. But she wrote these really fun, short, zany escapist books, just two of them.
There's a pair. She calls them fractured fairy tales. And the first is called A Spindle Splintered. It's very short. It's in a cute little hardcover or you can get the eBook. I listened to the audio. It was great.
But when you said coming of age, this is where my brain went. And also we were already incubating the escapist idea. But in this story, we have a soon-to-be 21-year-old named Zinnia Gray. She believes this is going to be her last, I almost said her last 21st birthday, her first and last. But when she was young, she was in an industrial accident and she now has this rare condition that isn't well understood but no one has lived past the age of 21. So she thinks this birthday is going to be the end for her.
[00:48:50] Her best friend's name is Charm and she is determined to make this birthday special. And she's getting the full sleeping beauty treatment. There's a tower and a spinning wheel and the whole shebang.
But then when she pricks her finger as she does in the original fairy tale, something completely unexpected happened, and she falls through worlds and finds another sleeping beauty who also wants to escape her horrible fate.
This is fun. It's a little bit snarky and sassy. When I think delightful escapist read, this is where my brain goes. How does that sound to you?
TYNISHA: That sounds really good. I'm really interested in this coming-of-age piece and this piece of like, you know, her life might be over and what's going to happen for her. I love that.
ANNE: Well, I'm excited that you do. Tynisha, we talked about a lot of books today, including The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King, The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley, and A Spindle Splintered by Alex E. Harrow. Of those books, what do you think you might read next?
[00:50:05] TYNISHA: Mm, I'm thinking I want to go with The Phoenix Pencil Company. That was it, right?
ANNE: That's the one.
TYNISHA: I think I'm going to go with that because I'm really interested in this, first of all, the backstory of why Alison King decided to write this book. Also, because it's a debut. But the premise just sounds really interesting. And I'm really interested in this magical element with the pencils and then the relationship between the grandma and the granddaughter. So I think I'm going to go there.
ANNE: That sounds like there's a lot there for you. I'm excited to hear what you think.
TYNISHA: I'm excited to let you know.
ANNE: All right, Tynisha. This has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
TYNISHA: Great. Thank you so much, Anne.
[00:50:56] ANNE: Hey, readers. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Tynisha, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Tynisha on Instagram and at her website. We have those links, plus the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldiradnextpodcast.com.
Follow our show on Instagram @whatshouldiradnext, and be sure to tag us in your summer reading-related posts.
Make sure to follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, whatever your favorite podcast platform is right now. When you follow or subscribe, you'll get each week's new episode automatically in your downloads, so you can listen from anywhere you may find yourself this summer. Plus, following helps us out by demonstrating to our networks that listeners like you love our show. Thank you for supporting our show in this quick and free way.
Sign up for our email list at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter for straight-to-your-inbox updates about our newest episode and the latest happenings at What Should I Read Next HQ, like our new Summer Reading Guide, seasonal merch, upcoming events, and more.
[00:51:54] Thank you to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that is it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
• Hum by Helen Phillips
• Tidal Creatures by Seanan McGuire
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
▵ The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
• Death of the Authorby Nnedi Okorafor
• Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
• Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
• The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
• Becky Chambers (try The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet)
• The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
• The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King
• Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
• The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
• Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
Also mentioned:• Spring Book Preview
• Summer Reading Guide
• Morristown Festival of Books
• Please support our sponsors.
The post Branching out with escapist, emotionally resonant novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How are you feeling as we turn the corner into June? I’m thrilled that school’s out for summer, the college kids are home, and the weekend ahead has a nice balance of plans and plans to do nothing. (Plus I’m in the middle of a good book and you know that never hurts!)
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
A merch note! All our Summer Reading Guide print orders and merch orders are en route to your mailboxes! If you haven’t placed yours yet, Will Bogel would like nothing better than to send the goods your way this weekend. Place your order for our print Guide or any of our bookish goods right here.
By popular request I posted pics of me wearing our bookstore tour concert tee in these photos right here if you want to check it out! And sorry to make you scroll but I’m wearing our Well Read hat at the end of this video.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
How to Travel Without a Phone. (New York Times gift link) “Remember in moments of stress: Everyone traveled this way just a few decades ago.” Would you, could you?
Kazuo Ishiguro Reflects on Never Let Me Go, 20 Years Later. (Literary Hub) “One such item now readily accessible was a box file on the shelf to my left marked ‘Students Novel.’ It contained handwritten notes, spidery diagrams, and some typed pages deriving from two separate attempts I’d made—in 1990, then in 1995—to write the novel that was to become Never Let Me Go. On each occasion I’d abandoned the project and gone on to write a completely unrelated novel.”
I learned to make a no-recipe dinner akin to this Santa Fe Skillet (Salt and Lavender) at one of my first regular babysitting gigs in high school, but this recipe is even better with its added spices and seasonings. When I have no idea what to make for dinner and the fridge is looking bare, this is likely the answer. (When we already have cooked chicken on hand it comes together even faster.)
How the Most Remote Community in America Gets Its Mail. (Atlantic gift link) “The mule train, which makes the 16-mile, six-hour loop up and down the canyon five days a week, is perhaps the most extreme manifestation of the USPS mandate to ‘render postal services to all communities.’”
Want to cut through small talk? Try asking a ‘magical question.’ (NPR) A great little interview with Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, which I first read five years ago and continue to recommend constantly.
Ten years into my houseplant era I finally got a hygrometer (moisture meter) and it’s been so enlightening to see where my instincts have been on point and where they’ve been a little off (I’m looking at you, Audrey Ficus). I picked mine up at the hardware store but this is an Amazon link to the one I got.
AI Cheating Is So Out of Hand In America’s Schools That the Blue Books Are Coming Back. (Gizmodo) “Citing data from a number of large public universities, the newspaper notes that bulk purchases of the booklets have grown by leaps and bounds since ChatGPT’s launch in late 2022.” AI complications are all we talk about with our teacher friends, especially those in higher ed.
Speaking of analog: Will and I were out shopping this week and—does everybody know this but me?—I was SHOCKED to see cute little recipe binders and print recipe cards in numerous stationery and homeware stores. It appears these are back and I love it.
Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson is our June 2025 selection for MMD Book Club and a Summer Reading Guide minimalist pick. I’m a long-time fan of Wilson’s work and absolutely thrilled he’ll be joining us.
The 50 Most Iconic Beauty Looks of All Time. (Harper’s Bazaar) “Some hairstyles change lives. Others change the course of history.”
Death, divorce and the magic of kitchen objects: how to find hope in loss. (The Guardian) “The magic of things is that they can live more than once, passing faithfully through many pairs of hands, gaining different meanings each time. Our most significant kitchen objects can keep us connected with the dead and the absent.”
Hit the road with these 10 road trip romances. (MMD) Inspired by our Summer Reading Guide road trip theme: 10 reads for romance fans in need of a vicarious vacation.
A Nostalgic Flavor Is Making a Resurgence — Here’s Why You’ll See Creamsicle Everywhere This Summer. (Food & Wine) This was my favorite as a kid; I’m here for this comeback!
Ask me about my pencils. (MMD) Shannan shares about becoming a Blackwing evangelist.
27 Small-Appliance Safety Rules That Every Kitchen Should Follow. (Martha Stewart) A good refresher.
Don’t miss these posts:15 backlist books that feel like summer. These backlist selections hold big summer reading vibes!
Two favorite summer drink recipes for summer reading season. The perfect mocktail and cocktail for this summer!
16 page-turning mysteries that aren’t too dark and gloomy. A list of favorite mysteries that fall squarely within the confines of the genre, yet maintain a hopeful tone throughout.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Let’s continue our Summer Reading Guide theme by taking a look at road trip romances. This year’s Guide includes a handful of fabulous novels (actually the number is six, to be precise) that happen to feature various kinds of road trips, but none of them are romances—so we’re talking about those today! This trope has so much swoon-worthy potential whether characters are traveling with a friend, coworker, rival, ex, stranger … the list goes on! Sometimes forced proximity leads to love and I’m here for it.
A road trip romance has so much to recommend for itself. I love a story with movement, and a road trip romance bakes that into the book from the first mile. The book’s focus might be on experiencing the scenery along the way or how much the main characters are looking forward to or dreading arriving at their final destination. There could be any manner of travel delays from broken down-transportation to unforeseen weather complications.
Then there’s the way the intimacy of the car leads to deeper conversations and a better understanding of one another. Not to mention the bond that emerges after that kind of sustained time together. The conditions are right for love and I’ll never tire of reading these stories.
I hope this list will give you an excuse for a vicarious vacation. There are so many more road trip romances out there and I can’t wait to hear about your favorites in the comments.
10 swoon-worthy road trip romancesSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Ally Carter
Bestselling YA author Ally Carter’s action-packed adult debut features a spy with amnesia, a gruff and handsome co-conspirator, a variety of European settings, and banter galore. The story opens when our spy protagonist wakes up in Paris and realizes she’s in big, big trouble because it seems a whole lot of people want her dead, which is confusing, because she is NOT a spy. She quickly realizes this is an unfortunate case of mistaken identity: the bad guys are confusing her for her identical twin, a spy who's seemingly gone rogue and is certainly nowhere to be found. To stay safe, she has to disappear—and for that she needs the help of a very grumpy, very handsome secret agent. I zoomed through this fun and frothy audiobook, as narrated by Emily Ellet and Andrew Eiden. This would be a great one for fans of Alias Emma. More info →Author: Jessica Joyce
This contemporary romance begins when Noelle’s TikTok about her recently deceased grandmother’s secret first love goes viral, and as a result she unexpectedly reunites with her old high school rival Theo. It turns out that Gram almost married Theo’s grandfather Paul decades ago but never told Noelle, despite how close the two were. Currently unemployed and floundering in her life, Noelle decides to go on the should-have-been honeymoon road trip that never happened, with Paul and Theo joining her for the big adventure. Noelle and Theo have a chance to get to know each other as adults, making for a chemistry-filled, banter-laden good time. Joyce also thoughtfully explores grief and making peace with high school aspirations and expectations. This was such fun to listen to as narrated by Kyla Garcia; I especially enjoyed the intergenerational component of this tender (and sometimes steamy) story. (Open door.) More info →Author: Elia Winters
A fun low angst road trip romance! Megan never planned on staying in Florida after graduation but years have passed without her even leaving the state. A friend’s wedding in Quebec is about to change that. When her ex-friend Scarlett suggests they road trip there, Megan reluctantly agrees. As they grapple with what ended their friendship all those years ago and realize they’re attracted to each other now, they also face a blizzard, Only One Bed, and time to figure out what they want with their jobs and each other. (Open door.) More info →Author: Cat Sebastian
It’s the summer of 1960 and Caleb and Peter have just graduated from college. Caleb is more than ready for a fresh start but first he has to figure out how to get from Boston to Los Angeles for his new job. He would rather do anything but accept a ride from wealthy Peter. Peter, on the other hand, is looking for any excuse to miss appearing at his father’s presidential campaign events. He wastes no time convincing grumpy Caleb to let him drive them across the country. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic makes for a fun, engaging read as they both consider each other and their respective futures in a new light. (Open door.) More info →Author: Kate Clayborn
Hairstylist Jess Greene has focused on two things for the past decade: raising her half-sister Tegan and protecting their privacy at all costs. She doesn’t want anyone, including Tegan, to know her mother abandoned them for con man Lynton Baltimore. A name more people know than ever courtesy of a popular podcast. When Tegan figures out the truth herself and makes an arrangement to talk with the podcast host, Jess has no choice but to join Tegan, host Salem, and producer Adam on the road to search for their mother. She doesn’t know what to make of her feelings for Adam, how to let go of college-bound Tegan, or what they’ll do if they find her mother after all. An insightful exploration of vulnerability, true crime ethics, and what we owe to our family. (Open door.) More info →Author: Kristina Forest
Aspiring ballerina Chloe Pierce dreams of attending a famous dance conservatory, but her protective mom forbids her from applying. When her mom is away on a trip, Chloe creates a secret plan to drive across the country to audition. What she doesn't plan for is her annoying neighbor Eli and his dog Geezer hitching a ride. With an upbeat soundtrack and determination, Chloe and Eli grow closer as they deal with obstacles on the road. The title comes from the famous Jackson 5 song, and Kristina Forest includes a fun playlist at the end of her YA debut. (Chaste.) More info →Author: Emily Henry
Globetrot with Alex and Poppy in this modern twist on When Harry Met Sally. The pair of opposites once shared a ride home from college and their witty banter ignited a decade-long friendship. Now free-spirit Poppy lives in NYC, working as a travel writer for a posh magazine. Strait-laced Alex lives in their small Ohio hometown, longing to start a family and live that picket-fence lifestyle. Connecting once a year for an epic vacation, these besties were always in sync…until they weren’t. Now they haven’t spoken in two painful years, and against all odds, Poppy is hoping one great vacation can save them. This will they/won’t they contemporary romance is every bit as playful as its tangerine cover. (Open door.) Don’t miss WSIRN Episode 332: Beach Reads for Book Lovers to hear about Henry’s writing process and her summer book recommendations. More info →Author: Joya Goffney
Sometimes you need to blow up your whole life to find the pieces that matter most. When type-A high school senior Quinn loses her journal—well, to say she freaks out is an understatement. Her whole life is in it, comprised of lists ranging from Movies with Intense Rewatchability to Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud. But then she gets a message from the blackmailer who tells her she has to complete one of her own lists before she’ll get her journal back—the one called “To Do Before I Graduate.” Thinking she has nothing left to lose, Quinn decides to go for it—and soon discovers that speaking your truth feels good, and maybe blowing up her life was the best thing that ever happened to her. Much road tripping is required as Quinn decides to face and then shape her own reality for the first time in her life. More info →Author: Susannah Nix
Adam and Olivia can’t stand each other and are horrified when they’re tasked to bring a power plant online in Texas. Their business trip quickly goes awry with everything from their plane being rerouted, getting a flat tire, and sheltering from a heavy storm. When they’re stranded at a tiny hotel without cell service, the forced proximity has them looking at each other differently. Frothy, smart, and totally escapist contemporary romance. (Closed door.) More info →Author: Sarah Adler
After a bad breakup, twenty-something, once-upon-a-time child actor Millie found solace in spending time alone in her apartment, and soon became best friends with her elderly neighbor Mrs. Nash. When Mrs. Nash died, she left Millie with a story and a last wish: that Millie travel to Key West with her ashes to reunite her with the true love she hasn't seen in decades. When a cancelled flight wrecks Millie's plans, she hitches a ride south with a handsome grump she once met at a reading for her horrible ex's MFA program. Cue all the romance tropes: grumpy-meets-sunshine, peculiar airbnb with Only One Bed, and more. The sapphic 1940s love story unspooled in alternating chapters lent meaning and perspective to events in the present day timeline. Mara Wilson's cheeky narration of this road trip romance made for fun and easy listening. (Open door.) More info → What are your favorite road trip romances? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 15 breezy romance series for when you need an escape, Take a vicarious trip with these novels set on planes, trains, and automobiles, and 18 fresh and flirty contemporary romance novels for your TBR.
The post Hit the road with these 10 road trip romances appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m really looking forward to visiting my daughter at college, and I also hope to firm up Thanksgiving menu plans plus maybe try a new recipe or two for seasonally appropriate baked goods. And, of course, reading—I hope to finish my current audiobook, which I’m thoroughly enjoying.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
These matchmakers connect teens and elders. The friendships benefit both sides. (NPR) “Let me tell you, when an older adult is five minutes late on their Zoom and the kid chews them [out] saying, ‘I’ve been waiting for you. Where were you?’ they feel seen. They feel like they matter.”
The longlist for the Aspen Words Literary Prize is out, with 5 debut novels, one debut short story collection, and fourteen works of fiction. This prize carries a cash award of $35,000 and honors fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue.
I love and adore this striking striped taffeta skirt (0–20/22) from Boden and can’t wait to wear it everywhere in the coming months. It’s completely darling but also: pockets!
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) November’s new edition of Quick Lit is heavy on audiobooks, memoir, and narrative nonfiction.
A Love Letter to the Greatest Pen Of All Time. (Esquire) “You know when a hotel or restaurant gives you a pen to sign something with, and you’re like, ‘Ooh, this is a good pen—I’m gonna steal it’? That’s the feeling the Pilot G2 leaves you with every time you use it.”
This Fair Isle Fuzzy Mock-Neck Sweater (XXS–XL) is so pretty in person, and you can’t beat the price for this quality. The solid colors for this style are also beautiful. For extended sizing check out Old Navy’s cute Fair Isle Mock-Neck Sweater and this Red Fair Isle Crop Cardigan Sweater, both in XS–4X.
Garth Greenwell: ‘I didn’t read Middlemarch until my late 30s. Why didn’t someone intervene?’ (The Guardian) The headline is the best quote, but read this for ample book talk and recommendations. (I heartily cosign his recommendation of the Juliet Stevenson-narrated edition of Middlemarch.)
My secret to beautifully wrapped presents. (MMD) An ode to double-sided tape.
I was admittedly skeptical of Alison Roman’s cornbread recipe because: mayonnaise? But because I’ve had good luck with her recipes I tried it, and it was great. (I haven’t made the included chili recipe yet but I intend to do so soon.)
Holiday gift recommendations from our team. (What Should I Read Next?) Timely book recommendations for readers of all ages and interests.
My books Don’t Overthink It and My Reading Life: A Book Journal are included in Amazon’s current 3-for-2 sale.
How to have cancer. (Pluralistic) “The title of this piece is ‘how to have cancer,’ but what it really boils down to is, ‘things I learned from my own cancer.'” I appreciate how Cory Doctorow breaks down how to efficiently navigate the logistics of being a patient, which I have not found to be easy even for mundane things (think: ear infection, not Big Scary Diagnosis). While his focus is mostly on securing the right appointments, he also dips into emotional territory, like who to tell and when.
After thinking about it for actual years, we bought this Dyson cordless stick vacuum earlier this month when it was (and still is) half-off for one of Target’s early Black Friday sales. This is part of my ongoing quest to keep the dog hair off the floor: so far, so good.
How Do You Get Kids to Read? Give Them Pizza. (New York Times gift link) Marking 40 years of Pizza Hut’s Book It! literacy program.
Don’t miss these posts:10 delightful cookbooks for reading, cooking, and gifting. Cookbooks you’ll want in your kitchen.
A very bookish Christmas countdown. A favorite family tradition.
15 engaging and inspiring memoirs I keep coming back to.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
It feels to me like our Fall Book Preview just happened—and yet much of my reading time is currently devoted to our Spring Book Preview titles, those publishing between January 1 and mid-April 2025. I’ve also spent many happy hours with Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club reading this month—both for our current selections and as I vet and choose titles we’ll read together in 2025. You’ll see that reflected in my selections below.
Because I do most of my advance reading electronically, I’ve been going with predominantly backlist titles with my audiobooks. Of these selections, regular readers may notice the unusually high percentage of nonfiction in my reading mix this month. I can’t explain how or why that happened: my reading selections are comprised of a heavy dose of both planning and whimsy, and that’s where this past month led me.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to November Quick Lit Author: Deesha Philyaw
This short story collection about love, sex, relationships, regrets, and secrets was one of my favorite books of 2021 and I feel like I've been talking about it ever since. I revisited it for the third time this fall, since we had the pleasure of hosting Deesha Philyaw in MMD Book Club last week to talk about short stories in general and this collection in particular. Some stories in this collection are quick five page reads; others are closer to 40 pages. All of them make you feel like you're right there to witness a key revelation in the main character's life. More info →Author: Stacey Swann
I loved this book when I first read it back in 2021: it anchored the Myths & Monsters category for the Summer Reading Guide that year. What a joy to reread this and talk to Stacey Swann about it in MMD Book Club in October! This spellbinding family saga reimagines Greek myths in a small-town Texas setting. In Swann's telling, Olympus, Texas sits on the Brazos River not terribly far from Houston. It's a place where everyone knows everyone else's business, especially when it comes to the notorious Briscoe family. The clan is “a walking collection of deadly sins,” and due to patriarch Peter’s philandering, his children populate several households in town. When prodigal son March returns home after a years-long exile imposed after sleeping with his sister-in- law, he sets a devastating chain of events in motion. Though the story spans a mere six days, several lifetimes’ worth of secrets are revealed in that time, and the ensuing consequences to the family and their town are irrevocable. I especially appreciated that while the Briscoe family sees more than its share of heartbreak in the pages of this novel, Swann includes hints of hope and redemption as well. More info →Author: Dolly Alderton
I wish I could remember what train of thought led me to Alderton's debut: I downloaded the audiobook on a whim and it felt like the right book at the right time. In this memoir she explores what she knew and understood about love from the time she was young to the time she wrote the book when she was twenty-eight. The book is written in short chapters that take the form of lists, emails, personal vignettes, and satirical situations, which serves to balance the mood between the heavy and the light, the sincere and the silly. While romantic love features prominently, the book's beating heart is platonic friendship, particularly her nearly life-long relationship with her best friend Farly, which anchors both the book and Alderton's entire life. I pulled my car over to the side of the road so I could jot down this quote from the book's final pages: "Nearly everything I know about love, I’ve learned in my long-term friendship with women." I listened to the audio version narrated by the author and thoroughly enjoyed it in this format. More info →Author: Adrienne Brodeur
I've been meaning to read this 2019 memoir ever since I read the author's novel Little Monsters in summer 2023. I love novels about complicated family relationships; this memoir hits the same things albeit in a different genre. The story begins on a summer night in Cape Cod, when the author's mother wakes her up at midnight to tell her she's just kissed her father's best friend. The author was fourteen at the time. So begins a decades-long affair, which the author is complicit in—and an essential accessory to—from the very beginning. This devastating secret would come to wreak havoc in the lives of all involved, and it would take many, many years for the full effects to be felt. This is a story about secrets, of course, about a complex and chaotic mother-daughter relationship, and about the daughter's difficult road to break the cycle of generational trauma. It's also very much a story about food, food writing, and Cape Cod. I listened to the audio version narrated by Julia Whelan, which was excellent. If you opt for this format, don't miss the conversation between author and narrator at the end. More info →Author: Michael Finkel
Multiple readers—including several MMD team members—recommended this truth-is-stranger-than-fiction narrative to me, particularly because I've enjoyed reading fine arts thrillers and books about art crime in the past. This story of French thief Stéphane Breitwieser's unmatched eight-year crime spree almost defies belief. In his meticulously researched tale, Finkel lays out how and why Breitwieser carried out more than 200 thefts of fine art worth over a billion dollars from 1994 to 2001, nabbing works from museums and galleries in France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. This was interesting, if not exactly emotionally resonant. In fact, the bit that intrigued me most was Finkel's almost passing reference to how Breitwieser has more in common with bibliomaniacs than with his fellow art thiefs—I would have loved to have heard more about that! I listened to the audio version, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. More info →Author: Emilia Hart
I'm happy to share this is our January 2025 MMD Book Club selection! I knew it was a great pick when I devoured the audiobook in two days and came away with both a deep feeling of readerly satisfaction and an urge to talk about what happened with my fellow readers. This layered story weaves together the narratives of three different women in the same family, over a timeline that spans five centures. In the 1600s Altha is accused of being a witch for her knowledge of natural remedies and the healing arts. In the 1940s Violet is coming of age during WWII in a home where men are all-powerful and women are feared, though her own mother is absent, having died mysteriously when she was young. And in 2019 Kate is a young professional in London who is feeling increasingly isolated and imperiled due to her increasingly disturbing relationship with her boyfriend. Though living in different eras and facing different circumstances, Hart shows us how these women are fundamentally alike and share a deep spiritual connection that will ultimately save them. Weyward reminds me a little bit of Sarah Addison Allen and a whole lot of Kate Morton, two authors I love. I'm excited to read more from Hart—but first I'm excited to reread Weyward for Book Club and discuss it with the author in January! More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When I was a child, I remember looking longingly at the beautiful packages under Christmas trees. I didn’t care what was in the packages; I loved the wrapping. When I became an adult, Pinterest turned this longing into more of an obsession. I never thought my packages could be that beautiful until I discovered what I now believe is THE secret to how they’re wrapped. What’s the secret? You never see the tape on those packages. How? Double-sided tape!
A few years ago, I was wrapping selections for a Valentine Blind Date Book Exchange for my local indie bookstore The Snail on the Wall. The owner handed me two kinds of tape, the regular Scotch tape (you know the one with the green plaid packaging) that I was used to and then she handed me another kind: Double-sided Scotch tape (this one is a yellow plaid). I had never seen this before. Previously when I went to the store to purchase tape, my eyes just skimmed over all the options looking for that green plaid.
I experimented with the double-sided tape, putting it on the inside of the paper where it wouldn’t show. And it slowly dawned on me that this was maybe a way that I could accomplish my dream of achieving those beautifully wrapped packages. By the time I wrapped those 45+ books, I was sold. The following Christmas, I wrapped all of my Christmas packages using double-sided tape and was never prouder of the presents under my tree. And now, I do not wrap presents without my double-sided tape.
But double-sided tape is not just for wrapping presents. Five years ago, I bought a large number of envelopes, not the press-and-seal kind. Recently, licking envelopes has made me very uncomfortable. Double-sided tape has come in very handy while I work through this batch. (Side note: another option is to dip a small piece of paper towel in a little water to moisten the edge. It works brilliantly.)
I’m constantly finding new ways to use double-sided tape. Every couple of years, I create a physical vision board. Yes, I create one on Pinterest—but I still like the tactile experience of flipping through magazines, finding vibrant images that resonate, cutting them out and organizing them onto a poster board. The easiest way to attach them to the board is with double-sided tape.
I even use double-sided tape to reclose packages. I often get frustrated when the enclosed tabs on certain boxes (bandaids and pasta) don’t hold. The answer: double-sided tape! I even use tape instead of twist ties. I love the cleaner look the tape provides and I don’t have to use those bulky clips. I have re-closed food packages (like bags of chips) and other products (cotton balls) with double-sided tape.
I will never be without double-sided tape. I added it to my Amazon Subscribe and Save in November knowing I will be able to wrap my Christmas presents in the way that I have always wanted—thanks to double-sided tape.
Do you have a favorite kind of tape? Any present-wrapping tips? Please share in the comments.
P.S. Check out our team’s Raving Fans series.
About the authorShannan Malone is the MMD Cohost and Contributor. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
The post My secret to beautifully wrapped presents appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re back today with an annual WSIRN tradition! Today I’m joined by members of our team to answer your requests for gift giving recommendations for the readers on your list. Thanks to the many readers who answered the call that we shared.
We received so many great questions, and today we’ve chosen queries that reflect a broad range of readers, lifestyles, and tastes. Even if you don’t hear your question answered today, this post is a great place to find more recommendations: in the comments section from your fellow listeners, or backlist recommendations in our past recommendations episodes, which we’ve included below.
If you have a recommendations for one of the readers in today’s episode, or you’d like to ask your fellow listeners for ideas, please leave a comment below.
Pair bookish gifts with bookish merchToday’s episode is chock-full of great book ideas for readers of all ages, but if you’re not wanting to gift a book (or you want to enhance a bookish gift), our shop is open! From reading journals and cozy sweatshirts to our fan favorite tote bags and more, check it all out in our shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next?
This week we are continuing a long-standing What Should I Read Next? tradition in devoting our episode to sharing gift-giving recommendations for the readers on your list. Thank you to the many listeners who answered the call that we shared here on the episode and in our newsletter and sent us details on the readers they are shopping for this season. Today, our team members are here with their best recommendations for those readers.
First, I want to tell you today we are talking about book recommendations, like actual titles and authors published in a certain year with a certain skew, but there are many kinds of bookish gifts to give the readers in your life, and our merchandise shop has so much good stuff for the readers in your life.
[00:01:06] If you want gifts that are literary-minded, but not necessarily books or gifts that can accompany a book, we've got you covered with our t-shirts, we have reading journals, cozy sweatshirts. As Brigid just reminded us, tote bags make great gift bags. And we are tote bag snobs. Ours are so good.
You can pair a book with a sticker or a bunch of stickers or a pack of pinback buttons that your readers can enjoy long after they turn the page on that book that they are going to love that you give them based on today's episode. We even have book plates so they can create their own little personalized library and think of you every time they open the cover of one of those books.
To check out all those gifts and the ones I even forgot to tell you about, go to ModernMrsDarcy.com/shop. We are a small business. This is fulfilled out of my home office, so please order early. It would help us so much. ModernMrsDarcy.com/shop.
[00:02:03] Now for today's episode, I'm so happy to be looking at a solid half of our team on Zoom, and I'd love to start with team introductions. Would you each say hello and what you do around here? I feel like I should go first. I'm Anne Bogel, and today I'm the host of this podcast.
DONNA HETCHLER: Hi, I'm Donna Hetchler, and I do some metrics and reporting and a little bit of content creation like today, which I am very excited about.
HOLLY WIELKOSZEWSKI: Hi, I'm Holly Wielkoszewski. I am the media production specialist, so I help get the podcast into your podcast players every week for your listening enjoyment.
BRIGID MISSELHORN: Hi, I'm Brigid Misselhorn. I'm the book club community administrator, and I help run book club and keep track of all the great books coming out each week, and help a lot with email and customer support.
WILL BOGEL: And I'm Will Bogel, your What Should I Read Next? executive producer. So I help schedule the guests and put together episodes like this.
[00:03:04] SHANNAN MALONE: I'm Shannan, and I'm the What Should I Read Next? Patreon community manager.
GINGER HORTON: I am Ginger Horton, Book Club community manager, book enthusiast, of course, holiday enthusiast. I don't show up in the space a whole lot because I hang over in book club, but I am a podcast fan enthusiast.
ANNE: And I am speaking today for Leigh Kramer, our editor and social media manager. Leigh is not joining us. I will be reading the recommendations she brought to this episode.
We received so many great questions from you, and today we've chosen queries that reflect a broad range of readers, lifestyles, and tastes. For even more ideas, I recommend you check out the comment section on this post as it accumulates our eclectic and evergreen roundup of gift-giving episodes since we started this tradition in our very first year of podcasting, all the way back in 2016. Backlist books make wonderful gifts. And to those seeking books that aren’t brand new, those episodes are even more helpful now than they were upon release. We'll share links to those in our show notes today.
For now, let's get to it.
[00:04:14] We are jumping in with gift recommendations for the kids in your life, starting with Kari, who says she's "always looking for ideas for her kids!" For her 5-year-old daughter, she's in search of short chapter books that she can read on her own in a year or two, that she might love as much as her current favorites Mercy Watson, the Oz books, and books about Greek mythology. Like many 5-year-olds, she loves unicorns and mermaids. What might we recommend?
BRIGID: Well, I've got some great recommendations. I have two little ones at home myself, and some that have been a hit at that age are the Rainbow Magic series by Daisy Meadows, which follows different types of fairies in each book. They're perfect little short-chapter books that would be great in the coming year or two for her daughter.
Then I also want to recommend Unicorn Academy. Each one of these follow a different unicorn. These are by Julie Sykes. They were also a very big hit in my home.
[00:05:14] And then last is Greek Myths since she's been interested in those. My daughter absolutely loved the Goddess Girl series by Suzanne Williams. I'll be honest, I don't love the covers of them. The illustrations are not the best, but the Greek Myths that inspire this Goddess Girl series are so well done, and we couldn't check these out of the library fast enough. So I think that would be a perfect fit for her five-year-old.
ANNE: Thank you, Brigid. Now for Kari's son. He is eight, and he loves silly things. That applies to his graphic novel selections as well. Books like Dav Pilkey, Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, Secret Coders, and Wayside School. Wow, that book list takes me back to when my own son was that age. Kari says chapter books that he will love are harder to find - can we help?
BRIGID: Sure thing. Okay, I'm back with some more kid ones. So I love Wayside School myself, and so does my older daughter. So for chapter books that would kind of be in that same humorous vein, I highly recommend the name of this book is Secret Series, and that's by Pseudonymous Bosch. I think that sounds right up his alley. And if he ends up liking them, there's a ton that he can check out.
[00:06:30] But also, as a native Floridian, I cannot resist to recommend Carl Hiassen's kids' chapter books. They are really funny. There's ones like Hoot, Flush, and the latest, Wrecked, which deals not only with smugglers and grave robbers but also pooping iguanas, which are quite humorous.
ANNE: Kari did say silly. Silly is good.
BRIGID: Yes.
ANNE: Liz says: "I would love help finding books for my family. I used this episode from last year to get some books for my now 11-year-old. He loved the Terrible Two series but not the Avengers Assembly. He also liked the New Kid series and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I'm looking for more books like the Terrible Two but could be a little more advanced because he read those each in a day or two." What do we got?
BRIGID: Oh, I am very accustomed to children who can read books very quickly and wanting something a little longer. So since Liz's 11-year-old seems to like series that have action and fun, I thought of a couple you could try giving. That would be the Lemoncello Library series by Chris Grabenstein. They are like a fun cross between Willy Wonka and Night at the Museum. My oldest could not stop reading them. And if he ends up liking them, I think there's even a movie adaptation.
[00:07:46] But another that came to mind, which may be a little different, is Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, and that's by Kwame Mbalia. This is a trilogy that follows Tristan and his many adventures. And it's part of the Rick Riordan Presents, so think Percy Jackson. But instead of Greek gods, it's inspired by West African gods and stories, and they are excellent.
ANNE: Now, Liz's 11-year-old might not care, but Brigid, the last time that I was at Bookmarks with you in Winston-Salem, I got to meet Kwame Mbalia in the lobby of the hotel, and he talked about his work, but also stuff like, I don't know, barbecue and carpool. Such a great guy. It made me want to go buy everything he's ever written for all the kids of my life.
Now, for her 8-year-old, who Liz describes as a voracious reader who likes Eerie Elementary and who just started the Last Kids on Earth series, he also likes the Wings of Fire graphic novels but finds Magic Tree House "too boring". I imagine he's aged out of those, so that makes sense to me. Do we have any ideas?
[00:08:48] BRIGID: Yes, I've been hearing that same thing about Magic Tree House with some of the kids in my life. I was actually just at the school book fair working, volunteering last week, and there were a few books that I saw going like really, really quickly for this age. And that was The Sherlock Society by James Ponti. Now, he's the author of the really popular City Spy series which I think Liz's 11-year-old would also enjoy. The Sherlock Society is the first in a new series that has mysteries and adventure. I just think they would be really fun.
Plus, I was really surprised to see the long-running 39 Clues series, which has many chapter books, but also graphic novels as well, being so, so popular. Now, I also have to mention I asked my children yesterday, "Hey, what are some of your favorite books right now?" and my oldest said Cucumber Quest series. These are really fun graphic novels. They're by Gigi D.G, and they started as a webtoon. We can't get enough of these as well. So highly recommend the Cucumber Quest series if you are looking for a graphic novel one as well.
[00:09:58] ANNE: Thank you for those recommendations. Now, we have Neligh, who is shopping for a 14-year-old who has largely outgrown middle grade, but YA has not felt like a good fit so far. She is looking for something in the vast space between being 12 and being 18.
Books that have worked for this reader — and I'm reading the whole list because, listeners, these may be the gift recommendations that you are seeking for the readers in your life — books that have worked for this 14-year-old include Enola Holmes, The War that Saved my Life, Hatchet, the newer Percy Jacksons, Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching, Moomins, Lumber Janes, and The Number One Ladies Detective Agency.
Some of her favorite authors are Kate Milford, Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Rundell, and Aida Salazar. Neligh says the biggest gem recently was the graphic novel How it All Ends by Emma Hunsinger, about a seventh-grader's fish-out-of-water experience starting high school, having skipped eighth grade.
[00:10:49] All right. Neligh, if you have not listened to Episode 347 of What Should I Read Next? with Noa Hewlett, a young reader navigating this exact situation, I really recommend you go back and listen to it. It's called A reader's guide to tricky transitions, and Noa says, "Hey, I feel like I'm outgrowing middle grade. YA is not feeling like a good fit for me. Where do I turn to find books that I'm going to love?" Which really sounds like the 14-year-old that you are shopping for.
I also want to say that this is not an uncommon request. There's some interesting things happening in publishing these days that I think Neligh's 14-year-old reader in her life that's really impacting her.
So my mind immediately went to older books, which there's nothing superior about reading older books. I just think it's more likely that she's not currently looking in this part of the bookstore. And also I think there's a very good chance that she wouldn't have stumbled upon them in her school library. She won't have read these yet. She won't have them in her collection.
[00:11:49] So I thought immediately of books like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I Capture the Castle. These are both novels that have young protagonists. I wonder a little bit... I mean, I wonder a lot about These Is My Words. That protagonist grows up, gets married, has experiences far beyond your current 14-year-old, still a little looking in and see if that feels like a good fit for this 14-year-old in your life.
And then for more contemporary work, Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir that might feel a little different or maybe a lot different from the books that you've listed that your 14-year-old reader loved, but will be a pleasant find. Maybe it'll feel like it can be a companion on her reading journey.
Now Liz is shopping for her 5-and-a-half-year-old who likes silly or goofy books. She likes the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series and the Hey Crabby series. All right, Brigid, we've established that this is the stage of life that you are living in right now. What do you got?
[00:12:47] BRIGID: Oh my goodness. My just-turned-7-year-old loves these kind of books. I mean, they're her absolute favorite. So one that I had recently found for her was The Super Pancake series by Megan Wagner Lloyd. It's really fun and it's got two out already.
Then another book series that has two out already is the new Cat on the Run Series by Aaron Blabey. He's of Bad Guys fame. It is a really fun new series to check out. Also, The Graphic novel series Pup Detective by Felix Gumpaw is so cute, especially if she likes any sort of little mystery, goofy investigations.
I mentioned these in our last year team gifting episode, which definitely, if you have young children, go check out because there are so many great recommendations. But the first Cat in Space series has a brand new book that just came out and an album. And it is the first Cat in Space ate pizza. But the third one is the first Cat in Space and the Wrath of the Paperclip. And that's by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris.
[00:13:58] SHANNAN: Brigid, I'm always looking to you for recommendations for the Buddyman. Those are awesome. I'll be taking those down. But my son loves The Piggie and Elephant books by Mo Willems. They were a hit with him when he was five and they're still a hit with him now that he's 10. It's incredibly fun to read with him now with him being Piggy and I being the Elephant. Also, I really recommend The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak. It is super silly and super fun.
ANNE: Thank you. Thank you. Now we have a slew of readers shopping for sons, husbands, boyfriends, dads. Mary Ann is going to kick it off. She says, "Hello MMD team! I am looking for a gift for my son. He is in the Air Force and currently deployed to the Middle East. He loves military history and fantasy. Some of his recent favorites have been All Quiet on the Western Front and The Game of Thrones series." Do we have any ideas?
[00:14:58] HOLLY: So the first book that came to mind for me is Babel by R.F. Kuang. This is a fantastic fantasy book. But it's set in a version of our world and it deals with all sorts of themes from colonialism to power to language. And I think it really might be a different twist on what her son enjoys and I think he might really like it.
For military history, one that I haven't seen get as much attention in the book world is The Winter Army: The World War II Odyssey of the 10th Mountain Division, America's Elite Alpine Warriors by Maurice Isserman. I really enjoyed this one and I think he might like it too.
ANNE: Thank you. Leigh says she wonders if Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun — Holly I know you're a huge fan — or Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Kingdom would be a good fit. Or The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden!
Now, Beth is shopping for her avid reader dad, who loves adventure novels from Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy, and Lee Child. She's looking for new-to-him books in that action-packed, adventure genre. She would love to find something fresh and exciting.
[00:16:01] DONNA: Well, I'm hoping that narrative nonfiction might work here because what I want to recommend is In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. This is a survival at sea page-turner and the true life events are what Herman Melville wrote Moby-Dick about. So basically there's a very angry whale and it's pursuing a ship. This is just a thriller and I hope it'll work.
WILL: I love this question. I grew up on Clive Cussler so those sort of action-adventure books are right up my alley. And that's a good list of authors. One that I just started and I started watching Slow Horses the TV show and then I requested the first book by Mick Herron which might be a really good like a new series. He's got about a dozen books in the Slough House series but then also I think he probably has maybe 10 standalones. So if she likes the British spy stuff that could be a long list to jump into.
[00:17:05] Also much quieter than Jack Reacher, not nearly as kind of Rambo-ish, would be Chris Pavone. He's got some great, really intelligent, also sort of Europe-based spy novels that Beth's husband might like.
ANNE: My cousin has been telling us to read the Slow Horses series for five years. Please nobody tell her that we watched the show before we read the books. Although in our defense we're only on like episode two.
Julia says: "I've been listening to What Should I Read Next? for a few years now and just yesterday became a Patreon member!" Thank you, Julia! We really appreciate that. She is looking for a book she and her husband could share because they read aloud together. Although she says as their kids ages 17 and 19 have gotten older and busier they have lately fallen out of this habit. I find that relatable as the parent of teenagers. But they would love to find a book to renew this activity. They've enjoyed O Henry, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie, and more contemporary picks like The DaVinci Code trilogy and The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. The Cartographers and Magpie Murders didn't work for them.
[00:18:11] Julia says, "If it's useful, my husband is a Professor of Music History, and I am a violinist and violin teacher, so while we have enjoyed many mysteries in the past, we would be open to histories and/or books about the arts."
Okay the first thing that popped into my mind for you Julia is a new book out this past August. I almost included it in Fall Book Preview but with that August release date I made myself leave it out. But thank you for letting me recommend I Heard There Was a Secret Chord by Daniel Levitin. The subtitle is Music as Medicine, and it's especially focused on the healing power of music but it's also a little bit detective story, a little bit maybe a whole lot of science, and a whole lot of encouragement to all of us to find the secret chord within us that loves and appreciates music and how that will make our whole lives and beings better. It's definitely one of those books that make you go, Whoa! I didn't know I wanted to read about, in this case, the healing power of music but I am so glad I picked this up.
[00:19:11] There are so many great books set in the world of fine arts that emphasize, in your husband's case, in your case as well, the music but also focus every bit as much on interpersonal dynamics. I think Aja Gabel's The Ensemble is a standout here.
I have that request to read like Clive Cussler, Lee Child, those action-packed adventures fresh in my mind. Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series has a whole lot of fine arts in it, mostly painting, but he has a book called The Cellist that is very much about music as you can imagine.
GINGER: Yes. I've heard good things about those. We read The Ensemble in Book Club as well as Brendan Slocum's musical title. So those would be great picks. My husband and I spent a very pleasant Christmas once listening to Around the World in 80 Days. You mentioned a few classics there, Julia. After devouring the PBS Masterpiece version a few years ago, we really enjoyed that. I think it might be a fun pick for you and then you could pair that with a show like we did.
[00:20:10] I also think it might be fun to take on essays as a couple. There are so many good ones to choose from. I love E.B. White. He is surprisingly witty and a little spicy. Joan Didion is a favorite. James Baldwin. You cannot get better than Baldwin. And M.F.K. Fisher if you guys love food.
But the title that I am particularly thinking of for a gift is This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett. That might make a lovely gift because of the title but there are essays in the collection about marriage, also writing, pets, owning a bookstore, and there is one about Christmas.
And I can't not suggest The Great Passion by James Runcie. This is a story of Bach and his pupil, and that might really appeal to the music history side. Also Every Valley by Charles King. The subtitle is The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel's Messiah. That is on my own Christmas wish list this year. I haven't read it but I've been hearing good things.
ANNE: Next we have Claire who is shopping for her husband. He likes books that are breezy and fun but still have heart. His favorite book of all time is Landline by Rainbow Rowell. He also enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over and Alias Emma by Ava Glass, a book that Donna recommended to me and it made my life better.
[00:21:24] Claire says he read Thursday Murder Club and liked the story but some of the was on the darker side for him. What can we recommend to Claire as she shops for her husband?
BRIGID: I feel so seen in Claire's husband's favorites especially since I love to reread Landline in December and Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite authors. So I was so excited to be able to recommend a few of these for Claire's husband. The first one is the book The Husbands by Holly Gramazio which was one of our recent Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club picks. I think it would be perfect because it has that slight magical realism that he would find in Landline and it just makes you think and it has heart. I loved it and I hope he does as well.
Another one that came to mind is Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis. It's got really fun heists and it's set in space and there's a lot going on and there's a little bit of romance. I just couldn't get enough of it. It is the first in a series and the rest have not released yet, so it does not end on a cliffhanger but keep that in mind while you're gift-giving.
[00:22:42] And then lastly I thought of Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey. It's got a sweet epistolary contemporary love story that also involves a bit of TV making which happens in Landline as well. So I think those would all be really great picks for him.
ANNE: Thank you. I'm wondering if the new Richard Osman would be a better fit. It's called We Solve Murders. It's more playful, less dark. This is a series opener. There are more books on the way coming. I think the next one is out as soon as next year. And I also want to make sure Claire knows that there are two more books available in the Alias Emma series called The Traitor and The Trap. Available now for your reading enjoyment. Well, or maybe your husband's enjoyment.
Angela is shopping for her husband. She is looking to find a new-to-him author with a nice juicy backlist to satisfy his "completist" tendencies. He enjoys both fiction and nonfiction and has read every book by Richard Powers, Gabrielle Zevin, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Rachel Khong, Hanif Abdurraquib, Chuck Klosterman, Questlove, and Jeff Tweedy. That is quite a list.
[00:23:53] Angela says, "I would love to send him down a new-to-him author rabbit hole by gifting him the latest or first or maybe best book by an author who has written at least two or three more he can dig into on his own. Any recommendations for fiction, nonfiction, or both are much appreciated as is a suggested starter book for any particular author." What do we recommend?
BRIGID: Okay, with that author list, this might be too on the nose and he might have already gone down this rabbit hole, but I have to mention Nick Hornby's books. He's got a lot of books. I would start with High Fidelity, especially since Angela's husband enjoyed Chuck Klosterman and Questlove, and Jeff Tweedy. It's set in a record store and if he hasn't already read Nick Hornby, that is a great place to start.
Next, I would say Brendan Slocumb. Now, Brendan only has two books released so far, but there's a third on the way and there's music, there's action and thrilling mystery. I think he'd really like those.
[00:24:58] DONNA: Well, I also picked up on the music thread line there, so I thought maybe the author Rob Sheffield could work. He is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and he's got a nice backlist of books about The Beatles, Duran Duran, David Bowie, and most importantly to me, he has an upcoming Taylor Swift book. It is called Heartbreak. It is a National Anthem. And that will be out November 12th.
ANNE: Emily is shopping for her husband, Mike, who is in a hectic stage of life. Emily says when he does pick up a book, he devours it, but he has a hard time seeking out new books on his own. I would love to give him a stack of books that he can work through this coming year. Emily says he has loved Brandon Sanderson, especially The Wheel of Time series, also Tress of the Emerald Sea and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. He recently loved Redshirts by John Scalzi. He is not afraid of long books, so when making our wrecks, we needn't be scared of a doorstopper.
[00:25:57] HOLLY: All right, Emily, I have some doorstoppers for your husband, Mike. First of all, I have to recommend Samantha Shannon's Priory of the Orange Tree as well as the second book in that universe, A Day of Fallen Night, that just came out recently. This is a tome of a book and it is rich and fantastical and full of incredible world-building and I think it might be right up his alley.
Stepping back a bit more into some backlists but also some newer titles, I would say Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy. This could keep him going for quite a long time. I think it's a bit of an underappreciated fantasy series that would sit very nicely next to The Wheel of Time series on his shelf.
And since he liked Redshirts, which is more in the sci-fi realm of the bookstore, I would have to say Becky Chambers, anything by Becky Chambers, but specifically her Wayfarer series or The Expanse series by James S.A Corey would keep him reading for quite some time. I think any of these would be right up his reading alley.
[00:26:56] SHANNAN: And picking up on those doorstoppers, I don't typically read those, but I have heard only good things about Lev Grossman's The Bright Sword, a novel of King Arthur. That's coming in at a whopping 688 pages. I will be leaving that alone, but since Mike is not afraid of it, hopefully that could work. That's of course if he likes these kinds of retellings about King Arthur and his knights and stuff. Apparently, it does open with a quote from Monty Python, which depending on his preference could be a good thing or a bad thing.
ANNE: Beth is seeking recommendations for her husband, who is an avid nonfiction reader, mostly history and politics, but sometimes nature and science. Beth says he likes to binge a topic. He will read 15 to 20 books about a topic, and when he feels like he's done it, he moves on to another. He's buried himself in the Lewis and Clark expedition, the American and French Revolutions, the French and Indian War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, WWI, — I feel like I'm reading a history curriculum — WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the Russian Revolution, the Space Program, multiple presidential campaigns, and he is currently reading about the polar explorers.
[00:28:12] One, wow. Two, does anybody else really want to see this reader's bookshelves? I really do. Beth says he's given no hints as to what the next topic might be, so perhaps we could suggest a topic or two and books to go along with those suggestions.
GINGER: I will not rest until everyone is as into trees as I am apparently. I love someone who loves to deep dive, but this has been my obsession this year. I think trees could appeal to him because they really do encompass both nature and history once you start looking into them.
The one that I would suggest is The Tree Collectors by Amy Stewart. It is a gorgeous gift book, but it can satisfy an obsession. And if he does really care to go into a deep dive, The Hidden Life of Trees, that was all over the place a few years ago.
The Arbornaut is another fun book that's made it onto my shelves this year. This would really satisfy an obsessive, and I'm here for that. But The Tree Collectors is such a great starting off point because there are so many different collectors in that series. He might find one different species of tree, mission of the tree collectors that he might identify with and go down that deep dive.
[00:29:17] I am also such a fan of Hampton Sides. I imagine that if he's been on a polar ice expedition, deep dive in the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides might also be on his radar. But Hellhound on His Trail is such a page-turner. It's about the manhunt for the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.. It has the distinction of being one of about a handful of titles that actually made me cry. I will not say any more than that, but it was such a page-turner. Is a "heart-moving thriller" a term? I don't think so, but we've just coined it here. But he could really go on a deep dive with that.
So they're famous manhunts. The Civil Rights Movement looks like a piece of history I didn't see on your list, so maybe he's already explored that. There's a Memphis Blues thread in the title in that book. I read this years ago, but I find myself recommending it all the time. This is actually already under my own tree as a gift for a history lover in my life.
[00:30:15] ANNE: Lynn is shopping for her 85-year-old fly fishing obsessed father. He has a library containing hundreds, Lynn says, no, really hundreds of books on fly fishing, and she's looking to branch out in her gifts to him. She's found he will read anything with a nature and or conservation theme that she recommends. A few he has loved that Lynn has passed along recently are Summer Reading Guide picks, Brave the Wild River, and A Walk in the Park. Lynn notes, it feels like perhaps there is some Will Bogel overlap going on here. What can we recommend?
WILL: I would say there is some overlap. That definitely sounds like some stuff I'd be into. The first book that occurred to me was Riverman by Ben McGrath. And I think I talked about this maybe on a Summer Best Books a couple years ago. This is a true story of Dick Conant who was kind of an itinerant canoeist. He just traveled around America's waterways, mostly major rivers, but over a long period of time. And the guy just travels with a canoe packed with stuff and literally a highway map, and he just kind of figures out where the creeks meet up with the rivers and how to manage all that.
[00:31:22] But there's definitely a lot of changes too. You go from sort of Mark Twain, where you could actually take the river someplace, to now and how he's trying to navigate in sort of modern commercial riverways. So there's a little bit of the conservation element to that. Nothing suggesting a called action or anything, but just kind of a look at changes over time.
Another thing, a book that I just absolutely love that is not suggestive of conservation, other than you just feel very impressed and it makes you think of nature differently, is Wild Trees by Richard Preston. This is one of my favorite nonfiction books, one of my favorite books ever but it's the story of the actual hunt for the tallest redwood tree, which is the only way to do that, because of course redwoods grow where the ground elevation changes. The only way to tell is to show up at the tree and climb to the very top and drop a tape measure down. So the guys that do this are just absolutely fascinating. This journalist learns to climb trees and travels with them and they search out the tallest tree.
[00:32:23] DONNA: Well, when I saw that he was obsessed with fly fishing, I just had to mention a nonfiction book called The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. I'm just hoping this is not one of the hundreds of books that he has read about fly fishing, because the fly fishing aspect is sort of on the side. These feathers that are stolen, that is one of the reasons that they are being stolen and sold, is to be used for fly fishing.
HOLLY: Okay. And I know we want less fly fishing, but I just have to make sure that he has read The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman by Dylan Tomine. This is a relatively new title from Patagonia and I think he would love it.
But to go in another direction, I think something that might be a good adjacent read for him is Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb. Ben Goldfarb is one of my favorite nature and conservation writers. He has this in a newer book about traffic and roads and animal migration patterns. But I think Eager, given the overlap of how they affect so much of our environment, but specifically our river and water landscapes, it might be something that feels like an interesting pivot for her father.
[00:33:33] ANNE: I feel like this has turned into recommendations for those seeking fly fishing books. But Will, I'm a little surprised you resisted talking about David Joy and his fly fishing memoir called, I believe, Growing Gills?
WILL: Which I'm going to guess is not on his bookshelf. But she did say she didn't want more fly fishing. But yes, David Joy has a memoir that is written as individual fly fishing stories.
ANNE: Lynn, thank you for giving us fodder to get thinking about the fly fishing books that you don't want. Maybe actually Lynn should be making recommendations to some of the listeners in our audience.
WILL: To the rest of us, yeah.
ANNE: Exactly. All right, now we have requests from listeners giving books to female friends and family members, and co-workers. We're starting with Jen who is shopping for her 38-year-old daughter, an avid reader who loves fantasy and romance with vibrant stories. She recently read Long Live Evil and When the Moon Hatched. She loved Outlander and... I just want to say ACOTAR at this point. She loved A Court of Thorns and Roses. Jen knows that her daughter seeks out books that invite her to escape into another world. The two don't read similarly, and so Jen would appreciate any help we can offer. What do we have, team?
[00:34:45] BRIGID: Okay, immediately when I saw Outlander, I couldn't help but recommend the book Bride by Julie Garwood. Now this is an older historical romance that I feel like truly inspired Claire's journey back to Scotland to meet Jamie. Although this does not have fantasy elements, the setting itself will really truly allow Jen's daughter to escape to another world. While Bride was published quite a few years ago, it still felt really fresh when I read it just a couple of years ago.
ANNE: Leigh recommends Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. This is historical fantasy romance and the first two books are out and ready to read. We have a grumpy sunshine dynamic and a good sense of humor. She also says Entreat Me by Grace Draven. This is an inventive Beauty and the Beast retelling with two pairs of beauties and beasts.
HOLLY: I will co-sign Leigh's Assistant to the Villain recommendation and add on to that The Lost Queen series by Signe Pike, especially since book three comes out in December. This is a really fantastic Arthurian retelling and I think it might scratch a lot of the interests that Jen's daughter has.
[00:36:04] ANNE: Next we have a request from Anne who says, "Hello my friends." And yes we are friends even though we have never met. "I am hoping you can help me with a book suggestion for my newly working 18-year-old daughter who graduated from trade school in June and is working as a plumber's apprentice while living at home. I want to find her something that will help her with budgeting and preparing to be out on her own. She is not much of a reader so it needs to be relatable to an 18-year-old and engaging as well."
Okay, I have to say that Shannan and I had the same thought at the same time and that is Ramit Sethi's I Will Teach You To Be Rich. I'm gonna let Shannan explain that more but I want to add We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers to the list here. My now 17-year-old read this a year or two ago. A friend recommended it to me and I thought, You know who would like this snarky tone of voice paired with smart financial advice is my 16-year-old. And that really worked for her.
[00:37:00] SHANNAN: I really do need to pick up that Rachel Rodgers book. But I just finished Ramit Sethi's, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. I finished reading it last month. People, I wish I had known about this book a long time ago, especially in my early 20s. I am currently working through the six-week plan that he has to get the finances in order. It's very straightforward, very easy to understand. Ramit, yes he and I are on a first name basis now but he does not know that, also has a show on Netflix which is a really good entry point into Ramit's work. So I would recommend watching the show and if you're feeling the vibes then get the book.
He also has a podcast that I have been binging non-stop so that's kind of like if you want to take the book to the next level. So, show, book, podcast. He is excellent.
ANNE: Marsha says she taught English for 30 years and now one of her former students is beginning her PhD studies at Texas A&M. I love the glimpse Marsha gives us into their relationship. She says, "Each Christmas I give her a literature-themed gift because she delights in them. But she does not need books. She is inundated with too many books, research projects, and even lesson plans." So Marsha says, "Do we have any non-book ideas to recommend?"
[00:38:21] My first thought was about this reader's reading experience and what about good stuff to go with the books like snacks. Special snacks. I would love a box of snacks or a really great blanket, a good mug, tea or coffee, DoorDash so she can keep reading instead of making lunch or dinner. There's lots of great stuff on Etsy too for something that plays into her specific niche literary interests or hobbies.
GINGER: I have another idea that's not books. But some really beautiful bookends could keep all of those... they tend to be heavy research books corralled. I know I never have enough bookends. And that would be a keepsake as well as something really really useful.
ANNE: Lynda says: "After being a reluctant reader for years, my 50-year-old sister, Pam, has recently discovered the joy of reading! Although we don't usually read the same types of books, it makes my day to talk "books" with her. Last year I gave her book-themed Christmas gifts (including Anne's reading journal)." Thank you, Lynda. "I would like to play matchmaker again this holiday season and give her a few books she might be excited to read in 2025. She seems to gravitate toward romances: we both really liked Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire and Annabel Monaghan’s Nora Goes Off Script and I know she has read most of Elin Hilderbrand's books." What would we recommend?
[00:39:40] BRIGID: Well as a social reader and a big fan of buddy reading I just loved her request, Lynda. The first one I would recommend is Slow Dance which is a love story told in two time periods, between the characters' high school years and then 16 years later. And then I immediately thought of Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. That one is so much fun especially if either of you enjoy Saturday Night Live because you've got peeks into the world of a late light comedy show.
Then I also thought of Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey. It's a really sweet book that takes place not long after her book Waiting for Tom Hanks. But they are truly standalone novels and if you like one you might really like reading the other together as well.
ANNE: Based on the books that Linda's sister Pam has loved I'm wondering about Sarah Adams. She writes these gently intersecting novels so you feel when you pick up one of her books you're entering a snug little world that feels familiar after you've read the first one.
[00:40:50] I recommend starting with When in Rome which is set in a fictional small town in Kentucky, not that I'm biased or anything maybe a little bit, or The Cheat Sheet that one is set in the world of professional football which I thought was super fun.
I'm also thinking that Pam may enjoy reading about protagonists who are more seasoned than the 20 almost 30-somethings in Sarah Adams' books. Jasmine Guillory has this great holiday romance called Royal Holiday. In this book somebody takes on the role of styling a royal family member which I thought was really fun to read about, and her mom who I don't remember exactly how old she is. Do we want to say 50-ish? I know some of you have read this. Well, she tags along to London to see the sights and she doesn't expect to fall for the Queen's royal secretary which is a cool and interesting job to many Americans, but she's won over by his charm and loyalty. They do fun things like, I don't know, hang out in the stables, go to the Victoria and Albert Museum for special after-hours viewings of the jewels. Like it's love, travel, mistletoe kisses, British accents, royal palaces. Maybe that'll be fun for Pam.
[00:42:09] Katrina says: "I'm looking for something for my 91-year-old grandma who exclusively reads Nora Roberts on repeat, whether that's the standalones, the romantic trilogies, the JD Robb books. She reads all of it. Katrina would love to find her a new author with a decent back catalog that she can feel similarly comfortable with so she doesn't have to keep reading the same books over and over again.
All right, I don't want to yuck anyone's yum but if we want to put new non-Nora Roberts books into rotation here, I'm thinking, Katrina, check out anything Rosamunde Pilcher, Emilia Hart's Weyward, anything Kate Morton. They feel like they have some overlap and yet will take her into different worlds and different stories.
Now we have one that is tagged on our doc as fun and unusual and book clubby and it comes from Michelle who says her gift conundrum is regarding her six-member book club, an at work book club that meets monthly. Michelle is retiring at the end of the year and she'd like to get them each something to thank them for all the book talk they've shared and to remind them not to forget to invite her in the future. I like the way you're thinking Michelle.
[00:43:16] She says the ages range from mid-20s to mid-40s. Michelle says she is the exception there. Huh. Everyone reads fiction, one likes crime, a couple likes fantasy with open-door love scenes, one reads everything, and the fifth is relatively new to reading as a pastime. She thanks us in advance for any ideas for fun gifts.
WILL: I was thinking your reading journal, My Reading Life is a great fun gift, especially with different tastes. It gives them something they can come back to on a regular basis and also keep the book talk going. If Michelle's not going to be a book club all the time and reading the same book as them, it gives a way to connect.
SHANNAN: That's a great suggestion, Will. I'm going to throw in another Anne Bogle product. I'd Rather Be Reading in the hardback edition. Hello? Such a nice gift book.
ANNE: All right, we did it. Thank you everyone for your excellent recommendations. And thank you again readers for trusting us with recommending books to you that you may seek out this holiday season for your loved ones. We would love to hear how those recommendations and gifts are received, what you choose to go with, and how it works out for everyone. I hope that you all enjoyed today's recommendations and heard a title or three or 12 that might fit someone on your gifts list this season.
[00:44:33] As always, we have you covered. You will find the full list of titles we talked about at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, wherever you get your podcasts to get each week's new episode right in your podcast feed. You may not know this, but if you hit subscribe and actually download those episodes when they come out, it helps us so very much as podcasters. It's a small thing, but we really appreciate it.
Make sure you're on our email list for weekly updates on our show and the reading life. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. If you're subscribed, you got, I think, two different reminders that said, send us your gift requests. So if you want to participate in our special little projects, get on that list.
You will also find us on Instagram @Whatshouldireadnext. We would love to connect with you there.
Thanks to the people who made this episode happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogle, Holly Wilkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Productions. And thank you to the team members who are not usually so involved in the episode, but who are very much involved today. So thank you to Donna Hetchler, Brigid Misselhorn, Shannan Malone, Ginger Horton, and Leigh Kramer as well.
[00:45:45] Readers, that is it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:Recommendations for Kari’s five-year-old daughter:• The Rainbow Magic series by Daisy Meadows (#1: Ruby the Red Fairy)
• Unicorn Academy by Julie Sykes (#1: Sophia and Rainbow)
• The Goddess Girls Series by Suzanne Williams (try Artemis the Hero)
Recommendations for Kari’s eight-year-old son:• The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
• Hoot by Carl Hiassen
• Wrecker by Carl Hiassen
Recommendations for Liz’s eleven-year-old son:• The Lemoncello Library series by Chris Grabenstein (#1: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library)
• Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbali
Recommendations for Liz’s eight-year-old son:• The Sherlock Society by James Ponti
• The 39 Clues series by Rick Riordan (#1: The Maze of Bones)
• The Cucumber Quest series Gigi D.G (#1: The Doughnut Kingdom)
Recommendations for Neligh’s fourteen-year-old daughter:• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
• These Is My Words by Nancy Turner
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Recommendations for Liz’s five-year-old daughter:• The Super Pancake series by Megan Wagner Lloyd (#1: Super Pancake)
• Cat on the Run Series by Aaron Blabey (#1: Cat of Death!)
• The Pup Detectives series by Felix Gumpaw
• The First Cat in Space and the Wrath of the Paperclip by Mac Barnett, Shawn Harris
• The Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems (try We Are in a Book!)
• The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak.
Recommendations for Mary Ann’s son:• Babel by R.F. Kuang
• The Winter Army: The World War II Odyssey of the 10th Mountain Division, America’s Elite Alpine Warriors by Maurice Isserman
• Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
• The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
• The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Recommendations for Beth’s dad:• In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
• Slow Horses by Mick Herron
• Chris Pavone (try The Expats)
Recommendations for Julia and her husband to read together:• I Heard There Was a Secret Chord by Daniel Levitin
• The Ensemble by Aja Gabel
• The Cellist by Daniel Silva
• Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
• Essays by Joan Didion (try Slouching Towards Bethlehem)
• Essays by James Baldwin (try Encounter on the Seine)
• Essays by M.F.K. Fisher (try As They Were)
• Essays E.B. White (try Essays of E. B. White)
• This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
• The Great Passion by James Runcie
• Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel’s Messiah by Charles King
Recommendations for Claire’s husband:• The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
• Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis
• Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey
• We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
• The Traitor by Ava Glass
• The Trap by Ava Glass
Recommendations for Angela’s husband:• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
• Brendan Slocumb (try The Violin Conspiracy)
• Rob Sheffield (try Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music)
Recommendations for Emily’s husband:• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
• A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
• The Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb (#1: Assassin’s Apprentice)
• The Wayfarers series Becky Chambers (#1: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet)
• The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey (#1: Leviathan Wakes)
• The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman
Recommendations for Beth’s husband:• The Tree Collectors by Amy Stewart
• The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
• The Aubornaut by Meg Lowman
• Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides
• In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides
Recommendations for Lynn’s father:• Riverman by Ben McGrath
• The Wild Trees by Richard Preston
• The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson
• Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman by Dylan Tomine
• Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb
• Growing Gills by David Joy
Recommendations for Jen’s daughter:• The Bride by Julie Garwood
• Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
• Entreat Me by Grace Draven
• The Lost Queen series by Signe Pike (#1: The Lost Queen)
Recommendations for Anne’s daughter:• I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi
• We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachael Rodgers
Recommendations for Lynda’s sister:• Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
• Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey
• When in Rome by Sarah Adams
• The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
• Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Recommendations for Katrina’s grandma:• Rosamunde Pilcher (try Winter Solstice)
• Weyward by Emilia Hart
• Kate Morton (try The Distant Hours)
Recommendations for Michelle’s book club:• I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
• My Reading Life by Anne Bogel
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 347: A reader’s guide to tricky transitions
• Please support our sponsors.
Previous gift recommendation episodes:• WSIRN Episode 344: Our team’s favorite summer reads
• WSIRN Episode 406: Holiday gift picks from our team
• WSIRN Episode 355: Highly giftable picks for your favorite readers
• WSIRN Episode 352: Bookish gifts to delight kids and teens
• WSIRN Episode 304: Your trusty list of bookish gifts
• WSIRN Episode 212: Book gifts for your hardest-to-buy-for loved ones
• WSIRN Episode 210: Book gifts are the BEST gifts
• WSIRN Episode 161: Books on the Nightstand and on your wishlist
• WSIRN Episode 107: Bookish gifts for everyone on your list
• WSIRN Episode 56: There’s nothing like a bookstore at the holidays
The post Holiday gift recommendations from our team appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This has been an unusual week around here: I took most of the week off work for a cluster of appointments and to attend to personal matters that needed my attention, which happened to coincide with election week here in the U.S. I’m grateful that the relative quiet has given me a little space to process what’s happening personally and on the larger scale this week.
My hope is that for you, these next few days may offer you a bit of whatever it is you happen to need right now. I always say I put together this collection with an eye toward interesting reads and my favorite things: I hope you find something interesting—and maybe perhaps even a future favorite?—here as well.
May your weekend be filled with grace, peace, rest, and good books.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
In Tumultuous Times, Readers Turn to ‘Healing Fiction.’ (New York Times gift link) Think: Before the Coffee Gets Cold. “This is the biggest translation boom we’ve had in a while.”
25 beautiful and engaging jigsaw puzzles for the winter days. (MMD) Favorite puzzles to give as gifts or stock your games cabinet. Bonus: I’m working this one right now.
Once Halloween was over and we turned the clocks back we pulled out all the candles and throw blankets and baked up our first batch of Extra-Bold Chex Mix, with many more to follow this season. (Instead of microwaving, I baked it at 300° for about 45 minutes, stirring regularly. I like it crispy!)
12 funny mysteries to brighten your day. (MMD) A list of whodunits that will make you grin, chuckle, or even laugh out loud.
How to host a cozy reader retreat. (What Should I Read Next?) If you like cozy vibes and/or cozy reads, this one’s for you.
18 mocktails for Thanksgiving. (Town & Country) This would have caught my eye for Thanksgivings past, but even more so now because last winter I stopped drinking. I like how most of these aren’t complicated but they’re still more interesting than seltzer + juice.
10 New Audiobooks for Fall 2024. (The Millions) I’m an AudioFile magazine fan; here their pros recommend ten of fall’s best.
Scot gets dream job as lighthouse keeper on remote Australian island. (BBC) What a gig! Would you love it or hate it? “Landing the lighthouse keeper and island caretaker job means he is now spending six months of the year there – one month on and one month off – with a colony of penguins for company.”
What Is Gothic Fiction? (Publishers Weekly) “The term gothic was first applied to fiction in the mid-18th century, and to this day conjures brooding atmospheres, crumbling mansions, and tormented characters. Beyond the eerie tropes, it’s a genre steeped in secrets that are begging to be uncovered.”
16 Quick Things You Can Do to Beautify Your Bedroom. (Martha Stewart Living) These photos were so soothing to browse through.
Why Close Reading is An Essential Part of Literary Translation. (LitHub) “But while writing as a translator is pretty much the same as writing like anyone else, reading as a translator is different from just reading.” This piece is fascinating and highly recommended for those who often read translated works.
I took a bucket list train ride through the Canadian Rockies and here’s what it was really like. (Time Out) This is a dream trip for Will. (I’d be happy to come along!)
Obsessed with Dolly Alderton? These are the other books to add to your reading list. (Russh) This caught my eye because I just listened to Everything I Know About Love on audio. Alderton “has made a name for herself for her relatable, witty explorations of love, friendship, and the messy beauty of adulthood, capturing the universal nuances of modern life with warmth and humour.”
Don’t miss these posts:Branch out into a new genre with these literary fiction reads. There’s no need to be intimidated by literary fiction!
My kitchen must-haves. The tools that help me create great meals that don’t take all day.
16 recommended reads for those traveling to Aotearoa New Zealand. Whether you’re planning a trip or simply looking for some armchair travel, we’ve got you covered!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It was a dark and stormy night when I fell in love with funny mysteries. My babysitter had put on the VHS of the extremely quotable 1985 classic Clue and I was hooked by the opening credit music and fabulous ensemble cast list. (I am totally listening to the soundtrack while I write this post.) I already loved the classic board game; since that night, I’ve sought out reads that gave me that same feeling of intrigue, excitement, and laughs. After all, what’s better than your favorite movie and game but a treasure trove of books with those same comedic tones and whodunnit vibes?
After devouring acerbic Agatha Christie books and a slew of silly Carl Hiaasen stories, I vividly remember complaining to my brother that I wished there were even more funny mysteries out there to enjoy. That all changed in the fall of 2019 when both the film Knives Out and the book Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts were released. In fact, I loved Tuesday Mooney so much, it ended up being one of my picks for WSIRN #275: How many book clubs is too many book clubs? So just in case they are reading, thank you to Rian Johnson and Kate Racculia for inspiring a recent renaissance of hilarious sleuths and murderous riddles.
I’ve compiled this list of whodunits in the hopes that they will have you grinning, chuckling, and even laughing out loud. Since humor can be very subjective, these mysteries range in style to offer something for every reader, from goofy jokes or clever wit all the way to the darkest of dark comedy. Whether you try to figure out the killer like some of my bookish friends or just go along for the ride like myself, funny mysteries can be the perfect read when life feels heavy or you need an exciting escape.
The cunning delight doesn’t stop there. Please make sure to share in the comments all about your favorite funny mysteries. I can’t wait to hear which titles on this list you have read and what titles you would add. Until then, happy sleuthing!
12 funny mysteries to brighten your daySome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Danielle Arceneaux
The first in a sharply funny new series about Glory Broussard, a quite unique older amateur sleuth. Glory is a church-going, red hat club member who also happens to be a bookie. She runs her gambling business from the local coffee shop and isn’t above a bit of blackmail. Glory is soon sparked into action after news that her oldest friend, a nun at a local Catholic church, has passed and her death is suspiciously ruled a suicide. Luckily, Glory has the help of her daughter, Delphine, a lawyer living in NYC who has come back home with a few troubles of her own. Readers looking for a strong sense of place will appreciate the Lafayette, Louisiana setting that grapples with issues like segregation and racism. The story comes to life on audio fantastically performed by the one and only Bahni Turpin. Since this mix of cozy mystery meets crime novel has a bit of a grit, content warnings apply. More info →Author: Martha Wells
My favorite self-aware, media-loving Security Unit investigates a murder? Sign me up! When Murderbot finds a dead body on the normally peaceful Preservation planet, they are tasked by their companion Dr. Mensah to assist the local security office with the investigation. As usual, Muderbot’s trademark snarky sarcasm is on full display and it's even more entertaining when they are on the trail of a killer. Written as a standalone whodunnit, readers new to the series can feel free to start with this quick paced novella. Highly recommend the wonderful audiobook narrated by Kevin R. Free that perfectly captures Murderbot’s sly humor. More info →Author: Catherine Mack
The cover may look light and breezy but a delightfully layered puzzle of a story lies inside. I was immediately hooked into this creative tale by the witty and cynical footnotes provided by famous author Eleanor Dash. While on the tenth anniversary tour for her popular “Vacation Mystery” series, Eleanor is quickly drawn into mysterious happenings that seem targeted to kill her ex-boyfriend and star of her books, Connor Smith. (It doesn’t help that she was actually thinking of offing him herself.) This first in a series is full of beautiful locations and rollicking twists. Some of the action takes a bit of time to really get going but the ending is worth the slow build. I’m looking forward to reading more of Eleanor’s adventures and hoping she keeps providing her hilarious footnotes. More info →Author: Lucy Score
Readers may recognize Lucy Score’s name from her popular romance novels but she also writes amusingly zany mysteries! Moonlighting meets Psych in this whodunit filled with silly jokes. Riley Thorn is simply trying to put her life back together after a nasty divorce while living in a not-really-legal rental home with a crew of wacky neighbors. But she keeps having pesky psychic visions of a murder and unfortunately, they come true when her neighbor is killed right under her nose. Now Riley has to work with Nick Santiago, an annoying yet handsome P.I., to figure out the case before the bad guy comes back to get her. Fun (and a bit absurd) detective work ensues. (Open door.) More info →Author: Ally Carter
Oh what fun it is to read a fabulous romystery! I told Anne this 2024 Fall Book Preview title was legit created in a lab for me. It has a ton of my favorite things: a locked room setting, smart comedy, intriguing flashbacks, steamy chemistry, and SO. MUCH. BANTER. The story begins with Maggie Chase, cozy mystery writer, and Ethan Wyatt, tough guy thriller author, receiving identical mysterious invites to spend the holidays abroad. They find themselves smack dab in the middle of a real-life whodunnit at the estate of enigmatic best-selling murder author Eleanor Ashley. The clever plot and layered romance had me turning the pages as fast as I could. (Closed door.) More info →Author: C.M. Waggoner
Fans of Murder, She Wrote and Sabrina the Teenage Witch take note. I am so glad I stumbled upon this under-the-radar paranormal cozy mystery. The quirky title really says it all. It ended up being a surprise five star read for me. I absolutely adored Sherry Pinkwhistle, a sixty-three-year-old librarian and local amateur sleuth living in the small town of Winesap. Just when Sherry starts to wonder why there have been so many strange murders lately, her cat Lord Thomas Cromwell starts giving her demon hunting advice. By talking! Thanks to her trusty group of friends and Columbo-inspired investigation style, Sherry is ready to get to the bottom of all the bizarre coincidences. While there are some creepy parts to this tale, the observant humor outweighs the scary bits; I enjoyed it before bed without being worried about nightmares. There were so many hilarious lines, I found myself reading them aloud to my husband Chad often. I will be thinking of this story for a while and I sure hope it gets a sequel! More info →Author: Amy Tintera
A darkly comedic and twisty tale of true crime podcasts and small town murder. It has been five years since Lucy’s best friend Savvy was murdered in their Texas hometown and Lucy was found covered in her blood with no memory of what occurred. After the traumatizing events, Lucy has successfully slipped into anonymity by moving to LA and trying to forget all about her old life. All her hard work is completely ruined when hugely popular Listen for the Lie podcast host Ben Owens starts investigating the unsolved case. The captivating audiobook narrated by real life husband and wife duo, Will Damron and January LaVoy, is a must-listen due to their performances bringing the interspersed podcast episodes to life in a way that is lost in print. It reminded me of an R-rated Only Murders in the Building. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Brandy Schillace
Raise your hand if you also love a gothic house as a character! Jo Jones has come to England from New York after inheriting a crumbling estate and wouldn’t you know it—the groundskeeper is found murdered almost immediately after Jo arrives. Oh and Jo just fired him, so she’s a potential suspect who is also in grave danger from the true killer. I really enjoyed Jo’s sleuthy observations and humor as a neurodivergent divorcée who has moved into a possibly haunted home across the pond. The audiobook performed by Lindsey Dorcus was particularly delightful. With a great cast of interesting characters and detailed atmosphere, this would be a good fit for fans of Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryland books. More info →Author: Gigi Pandian
Indiana Jones meets Bridget Jones’s Diary in this funny and fast-paced cozy adventure. Historian Jaya Jones is shocked when she receives an unexpected package from her ex (mailed on the same day he was in a fatal car accident) containing some seriously blinged out antique jewelry. With the assistance of her magician best friend and a handsome art historian she is quickly thrown into a worldwide treasure hunt with ancient artifacts, Indian royalty, and an archeological dig in the Scottish Highlands. This lighthearted backlist book is great on audio narrated by Allyson Ryan. If this series sounds like your cup of tea, there are five more installments to check out. More info →Author: Maxie Dara
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a grim reaper? Well, for forty-two-year-old and soon-to-be divorced Kathy Vallance, working for S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences) is like being employed by a paranormal version of The Office. She has a boring cubicle, wacky coworkers, awkward work events to attend, and a new assignment that is proving to be somewhat difficult. Kathy finally tracks down her latest soul: Connor Ortiz, a video game loving teenager who curses like a sailor and is convinced someone from her office killed him. She is skeptical at first but quickly stumbles on to some murderous evidence and agrees to work together to find out what truly happened before Connor’s soul becomes a ghost. Full of laughs, characters to root for, and quite a bit of heart, this is a perfect mix of the Finlay Dononvan series and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Adventure. More info →Author: Benjamin Stevenson
An innovative interactive tale with a killer premise and laugh-out-loud moments. Ernest Cunningham is a quick-witted expert on murder mysteries; he even writes books about the genre. All that knowledge soon comes in handy as he finds himself snowed in during a family reunion and learns that everyone has killed someone and there is a killer on the loose. There are lots of meta references like the “10 Commandments of Detective Fiction” and I absolutely adored all the times Ernest breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the readers. Important to note — the plot, deaths, and backstories might be grittier than one expects from the cover and title. In fact, after a particularly upsetting scene, I almost DNF’d the print book around the halfway mark. Luckily, a friend mentioned she tore through the audiobook narrated by Barton Welch, inspiring me to pick it back up in audio to find out whodunnit. I am so glad I did! Especially since the second in the series has the rare honor of being EVEN better than the first and there is a fabulous Christmas novella as well. More info →Author: Emma Rosenblum
Author Emma Rosenblum’s thrilling page-turners with unlikable characters making awful decisions are quickly becoming auto-buy reads for me. They are acerbic and full of sharp observations without being too scary or gory. Her latest is a fascinating look into a tech start-up’s swanky executive retreat. There is an absurd CEO obsessed with Winston Churchill, an anxious head of HR, an overeager assistant, a newcomer to the team, and more on the doomed weekend getaway. Plus, this Floridian reader was entranced by the swanky Miami setting and itinerary jam-packed with real life locales that I have either visited in person or found entertaining to Google. Think Very Bad Things plus The Social Network in South Beach. Content warnings apply. More info → What are your favorite funny mysteries? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 15 funny books for when you need some relief from a heavy world, A baker’s dozen of cozy mysteries, and 16 page-turning mysteries that aren’t too dark and gloomy.
About the authorBrigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
The post 12 funny mysteries to brighten your day appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When today’s guest, Dana Reams, told us about the cozy reader’s gathering she intends to hold later this month, our team instantly wanted to RSVP “yes.”
Since we can’t all gather at Dana’s house this season, we thought we’d do the next best thing and have her on the podcast. Today, I’m chatting with Dana about her delightful concept for this gathering—how she creates richly textured, immersive reading experiences, both for herself in her own reading life and in times like these when she seeks to offer other friends and readers a sense of community and belonging in a season that could use a little boost of coziness. And of course we share some of our favorite books with cozy vibes.
Let us know your suggestions for creating a cozy reading experience or your favorite cozy books in the comments section below.
Connect with Dana on Instagram.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. And I love the way we are doing that today.
Today's guest, Dana Reams, sent us in a submission at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest with a description of the cozy reader's gathering she is hoping to hold, actually, I now know intends to hold later this month, and our team instantly wanted to RSVP "yes".
Since we can't all gather at Dana's house this season, we thought we'd do the next best thing and invite Dana to share all about her delightful concept for this gathering, while discussing books with cozy vibes that her guest may enjoy grabbing to peruse in one of the candle-and-blanket-filled reading nooks with a hot cup of tea or cocoa or something else cozy that Dana intends to set up around her home for this event.
[00:01:18] I can't wait to hear more about how Dana creates richly textured, immersive reading experiences, both for herself in her own reading life and in times like these when she seeks to offer other friends and readers a sense of community and belonging in a season that could use a little boost of coziness.
Let's get to it.
Dana, welcome to the show.
DANA REAMS: Thank you. I'm glad to be here.
ANNE: Oh, well, I'm so excited to talk. Dana, would you tell us a little bit about yourself? We want to give our readers a glimpse of who you are.
DANA: I'm from Southern Indiana. I'm currently a stay-at-home mom. I have a daughter who'll be two in just about a week or so. And then we have another one on the way, another girl expected in March.
So a few things besides reading that I enjoy. I like to do some baking, just going on walks or bike rides, connecting with family. And I also enjoy trying to kind of learn some languages a little bit. I hope to do some traveling in the future if possible.
[00:02:27] ANNE: That's fun. What languages?
DANA: Primarily Spanish. There's a woman who moved here recently who speaks Swahili or Kiswahili, and I always actually kind of wanted to learn that. So I think that would be fun. Maybe some Japanese. We'll see.
ANNE: A sampling.
DANA: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Dana, tell us about your reading life.
DANA: So I have always loved to read for as long as I can remember. I am a third-generation fan of Anna Green Gables. My mom and my grandmom love those books too.
I like all kinds of books from historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, poetry, literary fiction, and just really enjoy a book that kind of just immerses me in the world, and maybe I learn something in a really kind of seamless way.
So one thing that I've really enjoyed in my reading life the last few years is actually being a part of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, which I joined back in 2019 after I saw you interviewing Celeste Ng at a local library event, so we're in the same area.
[00:03:40] ANNE: I remember that. That was such a great night.
DANA: It was a good one.
ANNE: I wish we could have met then. I'm glad that Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club is working for you.
DANA: Yeah. I also recently, this past year, started up my own little in-person book club, and it's with some other moms in the area who like to read. We'll kind of meet up about every other month, sometimes just the moms, sometimes the moms and the now toddlers. That's more of a playdate and a book club. So that's been really fun getting to connect just in person with other readers.
I think because maybe I'm a pretty imaginative person, and so when I'm reading books it really gets my imagination going, and I think I sometimes have a desire to even bring it to life even more.
So maybe there's a certain food mentioned in the book, so it could be fun to pair that. Or even one of the books I think I'm going to talk about later, when I read it, I could just kind of see it as this watercolor image, so I thought it'd be fun, you know, making something like that. Or I've seen those book nooks online, I think, that's really cute, like where you could create a book nook. You know, just something that-
[00:04:58] ANNE: Wait, hang on. I don't know what a book nook is.
DANA: Okay, well there's one woman that I've specifically seen on Instagram, I think it's June's Book Nooks. And so she'll make... they're almost like shoebox size, like they would fit in between your books on your bookshelves. So maybe it's like a little scene from like Harry Potter, or just a cozy reading corner. And so I just really like the whimsy of that.
ANNE: That's so cool. I didn't know that that was a thing that people were doing and sharing online. What caught our eye in your submission that you sent in, in response to our team's request for fall-themed and seasonal ideas, was a plan for a cozy reader gathering. That sounded like such a delight. Would you tell us all about it?
DANA: So my idea for the cozy reader gathering is that I would just invite some other readers over into my home, and hopefully just create a really just welcoming, relaxing atmosphere where people can take some time to focus on their reading interests for a day.
[00:06:07] So for the fall, I'd hope to maybe have some yummy snacks available for everyone, like pumpkin scones, maybe a charcuterie board or some soup, of course, some hot beverages, like tea or cider or hot cocoa, and I'd hope to maybe have some bookish decor.
I actually, from another little party, I had made these little table runners made out of some old book pages, so I could bring those back out.
ANNE: Table runners out of old book pages?
DANA: Yeah. I think it was like a Babysitter's Club Book that I made them out of.
ANNE: Oh my gosh.
DANA: It was kind of sad taking it apart, but then put it back together.
[00:06:49] ANNE: I don't know. I mean, I know that Anna Martin is not the only one who wrote all those books, but I can't imagine that she would be sad to have her works used in that way. Although I can see myself sitting at the table trying to read every bit of the story, like, which one is this? Do I remember?
DANA: Yeah, it got a little disjointed. They don't all go in order, but it makes it extra tricky.
ANNE: I love the picture you painted, how you'd welcome people into your home and you'd invite your reader guests to read in any of the cozy nooks that you'd set up throughout your home or to do bookish crafts, like Harry Potter coloring books or DIY your own sprayed book edges, which are all the rage right now. Say more about that. It never would have occurred to me to do my own. I am aware that there are tutorials online, and yet I'm intimidated, you're not. Say more about this.
[00:07:43] DANA: Oh, well, I've never done it myself, but I do think it sounds really fun and something we could try together and see how it goes as a group. Some people I think I've seen where they almost paint it really finely. Some people could just give that a try if they wanted.
ANNE: I just realized though, is this a bring your own book situation? Do you have a bunch of old ones? Do I need to send you a box?
DANA: I guess if you wanted to DIY it, you'd have to probably bring your own. I don't know if I'd let people experiment from our bookshelves for that or not.
ANNE: That's fair. Books are very personal. I wouldn't write in your book, so I'm not going to spray your book edges either.
DANA: Yeah. Or maybe if people just wanted to make their own bookmarks or book journaling or something like that, just have some supplies set out so they could just do whatever strikes their fancy.
ANNE: I'm picturing you said you'd have the fireplace going and lots of candles lit, plenty of blankets around, a plethora of bookish activities, places to read, an invitation to peruse bookshelves for a new book to borrow. That sounded lovely.
[00:08:52] Would this be with your existing book club or a broader gathering of readers?
DANA: I went ahead and reached out to the other women in the Mama Book Club. We did pick a date for later in November to all get together. So it's going to happen, which is really exciting.
ANNE: Okay, it's going to happen. And today we're going to see about providing some books for this gathering. I would love to hear how you're envisioning people interacting with your space and maybe with each other, if you feel like that applies too.
DANA: Yes, I think it would be kind of spontaneous. I'm imagining probably people would come inside, hopefully make them feel welcomed, could grab some snacks if they wanted. I imagine we'd probably maybe do some kind of craft first.
One girl in the group had mentioned she loved crafting and might have some ideas for making bookmarks. And then I was just thinking I could invite people to bring their own book and find a cozy spot to go read and just have some time to themselves. Or if they want to stay at the table and chat some more with other readers, they could do that.
[00:10:02] ANNE: That sounds lovely. Dana, you mentioned that you were passionate about finding ways to create community and bringing different people together. And also that you found yourself longing for a welcome into someone's home for a comforting reading location where you get to get out of the house, but you're not in public either. And that you thought it'd be so lovely to provide that for others. As a reader who really tracks what you're saying there, I just think this sounds lovely.
So, of course, you need some potentially cozy reads to go with this cozy environment you're setting up. When you think of a cozy read, what does that mean to you? Where does your mind go?
DANA: One of the places my mind goes is if a book has some yummy, really appetizing sounding foods in it, or they're making some hot tea or coffee, that is going to add to the coziness factor for me. And maybe it'll make me want to make something to go along with the reading.
[00:11:03] I think definitely some lovable characters that you enjoy spending time with is going to make it cozier. I think just the writing itself, if you have great sentences and descriptions, that'll help you just feel really present in the reading experience.
I think for the fall especially, I really enjoy an academic setting, you know, maybe some back-to-school vibes, gives you that nostalgia from when you were in school. So I enjoy that.
Also, I think, you know, maybe seasonal or nature or weather imagery, especially if it went along with the fall or maybe the winter season coming up. I would hope that a cozy read would have minimal trigger warnings or like tragic moments, you know. No gratuitous violence, please.
[00:12:01] I think maybe kind of like how I mentioned before, I really enjoy just... if there's a whimsical or playful element, a sense of humor, that's really just going to add to the bringing it alive in your imagination.
One other thing I was thinking, I really enjoy writing where it maybe takes like everyday moments and just really brings those to life, you know, shows you some of the wonder there, helps you slow down and focus on something that maybe you miss and just the rush of everyday life.
ANNE: Okay, that sounds lovely. I'm imagining that not just in the fall, but year-round, it sounds like you're really drawn to lush descriptions where you can really picture things happening and where you feel like many of your senses are engaged because of the words on the page. Does that sound like you?
[00:12:56] DANA: Yeah, I think so. I do have a bit of a, I guess you could call it a problem where, you know, I was trying to do more book journaling this year but I was capturing so many quotes that I just loved or maybe it gave me an idea for something. But then, you know, I had to return these books to the library and so just capturing all those quotes because there's just so many images or descriptions I enjoyed and just wanted to gather them up.
ANNE: Okay, I'm going to ignore the problem part, although I do find that very relatable and just notice that you really enjoy a richly textured experience. And so when you capture those details you feel like you're adding those layers of texture.
DANA: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay. Well, Dana, today we thought it would be fun to try something a little bit different. You mentioned that you may want to put out cozy reads for your guests to choose from. And I love the idea of a thoughtfully curated assortment of books that a reader that I know is putting in front of me and say, "Anne, I chose these with you and your fellow readers in mind. Check them out." That sounds like such a gift and such hospitality.
[00:14:12] But you brought a few cozy reads that you might recommend and share at this gathering and I did the same thing. I'm so excited to hear what you have in mind for your readers.
DANA: Yeah, I'm excited to hear what you'll have to share as well.
ANNE: What are you thinking about laying out in late November?
DANA: The first one I have is called the Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama. This one is actually a middle-grade manga, which I thought that that could be really fun for this reading party, because it's something you could potentially read within just a couple hours or get through most of it. So if you want to take some more of the series home with you.
The main character in the story, her name's Coco, and she has always wanted to learn to use magic. But she didn't think that was going to be possible for her.
[00:15:09] But eventually, she goes to study at this witch atelier, which means kind of like a workshop or studio, with a few other girls, and they're just learning how to put their magic into action. And so I thought that gave it some of those kind of back-to-school vibes a little bit, which was fun.
She has a really genuine and just enthusiastic personality. So it's a joy to just follow her on her adventures. I thought the magic system and this one was really enchanting.
It's primarily based on the art form of drawing. So instead of wands, they have pens, and they have kind of almost like these little pocket-sized sketchbooks that they might use to draw their little symbols on that then creates the magic. There's even at one point where they all go on this field trip to this magical stationery shop, which I thought sounded wonderful.
[00:16:14] And then just like the artwork in the manga itself is really well done and just kind of makes it feel like somewhere you might want to go visit.
ANNE: That sounds like something great that you could slip into a little cozy reading nook in your home and enjoy for a bit. Is this the kind of thing that you could read in one sitting?
DANA: I think so. Yeah, maybe a couple hours.
ANNE: Okay, so maybe not during the whole of your cozy readers gathering.
DANA: Yeah.
ANNE: But you could get a good taste.
DANA: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Well, that sounds lovely. I was so intrigued by some nonfiction that you put on your list.
DANA: I included also Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I really enjoy reading books about writing and just writers talking about their craft. I really especially enjoy this one.
Anne Lamott also emphasizes how writing and working on your writing can also make you a better reader. She talks about how a lot of writers started out as big-time readers. So I enjoyed that aspect of it that she talks about.
[00:17:25] She also discusses how writing can help you kind of pay attention to the world around you maybe in a different way and kind of help slow you down, which I think is just kind of a cozy sort of aspect.
She also just really has a very hospitable kind of voice to how she shares about it. You know, she's very down to earth. She has a great sense of humor, a few times is making me laugh. And she shares kind of some ideas of maybe little assignments, ways you could approach your writing. It's not overwhelming or anything like that. It makes you feel like you can just start wherever you're at and jump into some writing.
ANNE: Is it the reflective, contemplative approach here that makes you feel like it's a good cozy gathering fit?
DANA: I think so. Yeah. She also kind of just talks about life in general a little bit and reflects on some different memories. She draws a lot from memory to draw ideas for writing.
[00:18:37] Another book that I want to share is by Heather Fawcett, who I feel like in general is a pretty cozy author to read. So this one is called Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries. This one's a fantasy.
The main character in this series is a really academic individual and she's out on a research expedition in this remote wintry country. This is the one where I was talking about, I can just kind of see the watercolor imagery, great descriptions of the setting that just really stuck with me and just have that strong sense of place where I felt like I was there.
I guess the format of this one, it's written like it's Emily's journal. And she has all these little footnotes scattered throughout where she's maybe sharing bits of her field where they study the fairies and just little notes for the reader, which felt really playful as well as kind of academic.
[00:19:43] ANNE: That sounds lovely. Now, you did say that you were debating between two different books, but would you please tell me about the Anne of Green Gables fantasy retelling? Because I did not know about this.
DANA: She has a fantasy retelling of Anne of Green Gables. It's called The Grace of Wild Things. This one is also more of a middle-grade book. It's a little similar to the Witch Hat one in which the main character she really wants to do magic, but she's grown up in this orphanage. So people are kind of a little nervous about any unusual things that she brings about.
But eventually, she goes to this witch's home, has a little bit of Hansel and Gretel vibes, and she kind of strikes up a deal with her where she's going to try and complete all these books of spells.
ANNE: How much did your history with Anne of Green Gables play into your reading experience with this one?
[00:20:42] DANA: It's really fun to see she had some of those little details where you can see like, oh, this is alluding to Marilla or... like the raspberry cordial with Anne, like there's something, you know, kind of similar but different. And just how she used more of a fantasy style to bring some of that to life. She definitely makes her kindred spirit friends along the way.
It's set out in the woods where the witch's home is. So there's a lot of that nature imagery and just playing.
The magic system in this one was really cool too, where it was almost kind of poetic the way they would have to try and figure out how to meet the spells. Like getting a drop of moon and she would use some... like the moonlight on the river or something like that.
ANNE: That sounds lovely. Thank you for indulging me. What else do you think you might set out for your readers?
[00:21:41] DANA: I also had a poetry collection by Mary Oliver. It's called Devotions. It draws from some of her different poetry books that she's written over the years.
I think the poems in this one just feel really accessible and approachable. I feel like she really does a great job of taking these little moments out in nature and just really bringing some of the wonder alive.
It seems like she has a really slowed down way of living and she kind of helps you slow down through the poems and it helps you just focus on, you know, maybe just this little singular moment, like watching a snail climbing a trellis in the morning that you didn't expect to see, almost like these little miracles.
And I think she has just really great imagery in her poems. You know, you can kind of see it in your mind's eye. I thought for this one, it could be fun to maybe even read a few of the poems aloud with the other readers as kind of a communal activity.
[00:22:49] And if people wanted, because it's so imagery heavy, if they wanted to maybe try and recreate something that they can kind of see to accompany a poem, you know, maybe paint a little image or something, I thought that could be fun as a bookish craft idea.
ANNE: That sounds so fun. I love those. I had fun imagining what I might set out in such a situation, not that it would have occurred to me to host one. So thank you for the idea where I got to let my imagination run wild.
It was interesting how my brain first went to cozy fantasy, which so often has those elements of the whimsical and the playful. And when you were just talking about how you love food and books that you can actually consume as part of your reading experience or to follow up your reading experience and hot drinks, I was thinking of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. You've probably read this.
[00:23:48] DANA: Yeah. I was thinking about this one as well.
ANNE: Okay, good. That makes me feel like I'm on the same wavelength. It's about an orc who retires from the mercenary life and has time on their hands and decides to open up the very first coffee shop in the area.
And so we have these fantastical characters. I think Baldree describes this as high fantasy and low stakes. We have these fantastical characters who are ironing out their cinnamon roll recipes and wowing each other by introducing their pals to the concept of a latte for the first time.
I haven't read Bookshops & Bonedust, the more recently released prequel yet. Have you, Dana?
DANA: I haven't. We did get a copy of it, but I haven't read it yet.
ANNE: Okay. But I always like to know there's more to come when I really enjoyed a book.
Then for our patrons who were at Fall Book Preview, we talked about a couple cozy fantasies then. One of them was The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong. This is just out. It might actually be a publication at day of this episode, November 5th. But it's a great cozy fantasy for your fall reading.
[00:25:00] It's another low-stakes story with a happy ending. It's got a glimmer of romance. It has cats, which I feel like is often a cozy cue. But it's about this young woman named Tao who's always been a loner. She travels the countryside telling people their fortunes.
But she's learned that when you tell people big fortunes with life-changing implications, that can really bring heartbreak. And she doesn't want to break anybody's heart. So instead, she tells them little things like what you're going to have for dinner next week or who you're going to bump into.
Ooh, and in that way, it reminds me of Sarah Addison Allen a little bit. For those who want a specific North Carolina set kind of coziness, I think that word applies to her. But through her travels, she picks up a few companions that she wants to stick with. So this really becomes a story of found family. And they're unlikely companions.
There's a baker whose products are ugly but delicious, which is how my mom always described her grandmother's cooking. So I always felt right at home. I felt cozy reading that little bit.
[00:26:04] A reformed thief and a naughty cat and decides, you know, maybe the solitary life isn't what it's all about after all. So it's got eclectic characters, a really earnest tone, and just cozy vibes throughout.
Then I was not planning on sharing this one. But when you mentioned that you really love stories in which the author can bring everyday moments to life and inspire a sense of wonder and help you focus on something that you may miss in the daily hustle and bustle, I thought immediately of Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen.
We had him on the podcast a long, long time ago. We are in our mid-400s episode-wise, and I think he was in the mid-100s. So 300 divided by 50 weeks. This was many, many years.
But this is a grown-up kind of fairy tale that does have sad things in it. Characters are brought together because they are grieving terrible things.
[00:27:07] When you're seeking cozy reads, you're looking for books that don't have a lot of content warnings. And the backdrop here is great grief. So I would want readers to know that. But you also get in this story redemption and forgiveness and joy. It's all set amidst the beautiful Pennsylvania forest in the fall and wintertime.
And something I remember Jon Cohen saying about this book is that there's not really true magic in this story because there's nothing here that couldn't actually happen. And yet it feels magical and whimsical and definitely not the stuff of everyday life.
It has the things that just feel so heartwarming. Like there's unlikely friendships, there's intergenerational friendships, which always make me feel just all warm and fuzzy on the inside, a book within a book. There's like a fairy tale that features prominently in the story. There's a battle to save the local library.
[00:28:07] And there's this mysterious Good Samaritan in the story who's traveling the region. He becomes known as the Susquehanna Santa because he's leaving piles of gold outside some Pennsylvania's home. And so there's this air of magic. I don't need to find a better word than magic. This can be sentimental, but there's a strong sense of humor throughout, which I think keeps it from becoming twee.
Then when you said humor, I thought of this book that I would not call cozy, but I would call cozy adjacent. It's by the mystery writer Maureen Johnson, and it's called Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village.
I really like the idea of having something like this for your gathering because it's a little gift book. It's like just a little bit bigger than the size of my hand. It's thin. It's illustrated with really funny, almost but not truly gory illustrations. I mean, like... well, my kids are older now, but I wouldn't be like, "Keep that away from the kids. Oh my gosh, they'll be scared." It's not like that.
[00:29:15] The text is kind of large. It's laid out for display, not for compactness of text. You could probably browse through this in 10 minutes, take it into your book nook, read your book, maybe not even finish your cup of tea in the time that it takes you to read this.
But it's this really fun overview of the common tropes in the cozy mystery genre. It's a stand-up. It's just funny. It's tongue-in-cheek. It kind of walks you into a charming English village and then points out how and why and what to look out for because if you've read cozy mystery, it's like, Yes, it's sweet. It's charming. It feels so hospitable and wonderful. And also people get murdered all the time. So it's really fun.
DANA: Those all sound really great.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Dana, why don't you tell us about one more?
DANA: Okay. It's called Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum.
ANNE: I love that. It's perfect here. I mean, you made the rules of your cozy gathering, and I can see how it totally fits.
[00:30:18] DANA: So this one takes place in South Korea. And as you can imagine, it primarily takes place in this neighborhood bookstore by this woman who's always dreamed of starting one.
A lot of the characters in this book had previously been living in high-pressure, high-stress jobs. It seemed like work culture was pretty intense here and they're all kind of seeking some rest. And a lot of them find that in the bookshop setting that she's creating.
Also in the title, you know, it says "welcome". So it has those welcoming vibes. There's a barista who's really working on his craft, so you got those warm coffee feelings. And there's this woman who comes in to knit for hours, which she's welcome to do.
Also, like you said, the intergenerational friendships. There's this high school kid who's just pretty apathetic about everything, and his mom wants him to go to the bookshop, and it starts to kind of affect him.
[00:31:24] So it's just fun seeing some of the behind-the-scenes of running the bookshop, definitely see the power of books in this story.
There's actually a quote in the author's note that I thought was just really fitting that I'd like to share. She said when she was writing this book, she hoped to create a space that we can escape to, a refuge from the intensity of daily life where we can’t even pause to take a breather. A space to shelter us from the harsh criticisms whipping us to do more, to go faster. A space to snuggle comfortably for a day. A day without something siphoning our energy. A day to replenish what's lost." And I thought that just went perfectly with the atmosphere of the reading party and just some of these other books we're talking about.
ANNE: That is an amazing quote. Well, I can't add to that. We have to leave it with Hwang Bo-Reum's words.
[00:32:26] Although I will say, you mentioned that this book had warm coffee feelings. I feel like I need a new subgenre shelf of books with warm coffee feelings because that is a vibe that I adore. Dana, do you have any parting thoughts on your cozy reader gathering?
DANA: I'm just excited that hopefully it's going to be coming to fruition. I hope everyone has a great time. And I'd be curious to see if anyone else decides to host some reading parties if they pick up any of these books.
ANNE: Oh, please do tell us. Our comments are always open, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com, or you can write us at hello@modernmrsdarcy.com. We would love to hear. And Dana, you know, we'll keep you in the loop.
Thank you so much for a wonderful conversation and wishing all the good things for your cozy reader gathering. Thanks for talking books and book plans with me today.
DANA: Yeah, thanks for having me.
[00:33:27] ANNE: Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Dana, and I'd love to hear what you think she might want to offer her readers at her cozy readers gathering. Find Dana on Instagram @LiteraryGleanings and peruse the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Make sure you're following along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, wherever you get your podcasts.
You may have heard from podcasters or read in the news that the state of the podcast landscape is a little tenuous these days. Following along, subscribing, downloading each episode the week it comes out, those are things that are so helpful to our sustainability as a small, independently produced podcast. Thank you so much for that.
Giving us a five-star rating, especially a review where you say a sentence or two about what you like about the show on your podcast platform, especially Apple Podcasts, is also so very helpful. It's good for morale, and it also practically helps us pay the bills. So thank you in advance for that.
[00:34:29] If you like book email in your inbox, sign up for our weekly newsletter. Do that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
• The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin (#1: Kristy’s Great Idea)
• Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
• The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
• Devotions by Mary Oliver
• Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
• Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
• The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
• Sarah Addison Allen (try Garden Spells)
• Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen
• Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson
• Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
Also mentioned:• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• WSIRN Episode 160: Books that capture the magic of everyday life
• Please support our sponsors.
The post How to host a cozy reader retreat appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
For me puzzles have long been a path to serenity. When my brain is working overtime on a niggling problem I find a good jigsaw puzzle serves as a welcome distraction: my favorite jigsaw puzzles are not easy, but they do demand a different type of meditative attention than the issues that more often require (or wiggle their way into) my focus.
But I’ve learned that not just any puzzle will do! If I’m to focus on a puzzle, I want beautiful colors, an interesting design, and the pieces to fit together just right. Thankfully, there are countless good ones to choose from—and finding those puzzles is a big part of this puzzle fan’s enjoyment of the process.
I always look forward to replenishing my puzzle hoard as the weather cools down. We like to keep a wide variety to choose from during the winter months, which is prime puzzling season around here. Because puzzles make great gifts, we also keep some unopened ones on hand should an unexpected gifting need arise.
A puzzle mat makes a nice add-on for a puzzle present. Another option: A friend gifted us this awesome puzzle board during a hard season when I was doing a huge amount of puzzling and it’s been the best (and most therapeutic) gift. A mat or board makes it easy to move puzzles-in-progress from a prominent surface like a coffee table to somewhere out of the way. It also helps prevent curious pets from stealing or chewing on pieces, not that Daisy would ever dream of doing such a thing (ahem).
This roundup of puzzles is a great way to treat yourself or someone you love. I hope you enjoy perusing them as much as I did!
All puzzles featured here were chosen because we love them. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. More info here.
Holiday puzzlesWhite Mountain Rockefeller New York Christmas, 1000 Piece. A quintessential holiday scene.
Galison Season’s Reading, 500 Piece. I can’t wait to read next to our Christmas tree. Twinkle lights make everything better.
True South Holidays Across the USA, 500 Piece. True South makes some of the best US map puzzles.
Puzzles of Color Twas The Night Before Christmas, 750 Piece. The wonder of seeing Santa!
Cobble Hill Holiday Baking, 1000 Piece. I’ve never seen a design quite like this and I love it—so much nostalgia. (Now I’m hungry!)
Gray Malin The Winter Holiday, 500 Piece Double Sided. Double-sided puzzles mean double the fun.
Bookish puzzlesCobble Hill The Purrfect Bookshelf, 1000 Piece. Cat and bookshelves go together. (I know this even though I’m allergic, and appreciate that with a good puzzle I can enjoy the pairing without sneezing my head off!)
White Mountain Puzzles Bookmarks 2, 1000 Piece. A fun variety of bookmarks—though it’s too bad you can’t reach into the puzzle and grab one to use for your book afterward.
Big Potato Mayhem in The Library, 1000 Piece. This is one chaotic library! There are 101 books hidden in the scene in the form of riddles, I love it.
Laurence King The World of The Brontës, 1000 Piece. Go on a tour of the Brontës sisters’s world and characters with this unique puzzle.
Plants, flowers, and animalsElena Essex Tropical Bliss, 1000 Piece. I love the brightvibrant colors!
Pomegranate Hiroo Isono’s Utopia Falls, 1000 Piece. Hiroo Isono’s striking painting features a waterfall but don’t miss how many birds, animals, and insects are tucked into the scene.
Cobble Hill Beaucoup Bouquet, 1000 Piece. So many beautiful bouquets!
EuroGraphics Feline Felon 500 Piece Puzzle. This made me laugh out loud…and think of Daisy.
Cavallini Citrus, 1000 Piece. A vintage botanical poster of various kinds of citrus. Plus, Cavallini puzzles come with a muslin bag, making it easy to store the puzzle afterward.
Galison Intergalactic Flora, 1000 Piece. The starry sky in the background makes the colors of the flowers really pop.
Destinations puzzlesWhite Mountain Puzzles Niagara Falls, 500 Piece. You can practically feel the mist from the falls.
EuroGraphics Portofino Italy, 1000 Piece. How do I magically transport myself there?
Ravensburger Eibsee Lake, Zugspitze, Germany, 1000 Piece. This looks like a good challenge.
Cavallini & Co. National Parks Map, 1,000 Piece. A vintage map of the US featuring National Parks.
Martin Schwartz Copenhagen, 1000 Piece. We saw this brand all over Europe; I wish I’d been able to pack the whole line in my suitcase. I was thrilled I could track down this rainbow-hued Copenhagen puzzle that ships to the U.S.
Galison Liberty London Tudor Building, 750 Piece Double-Sided. This is so cool in person and double-sided to boot.
Miscellaneous puzzlesTrue South Dolly!, 500 Piece. So happy!
Cobble Hill Hot Air Balloons, 1000 Piece. Anyone else mesmerized by hot air balloons?
Liberty Puzzles Kite-Eating Tree, 419 Piece. LOVE this Liberty x Peanuts collab.
Do you have any recent puzzles you recommend? I’d love to hear about your favorite puzzles in the comments.
P.S. 25 jigsaw puzzles to treat yourself or someone you love, 25 jigsaw puzzles so enticing you might not mind winter weather, plus 20 favorite board games to beat the rainy day (or chilly day) blues.
The post 25 beautiful and engaging jigsaw puzzles for the winter days appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We woke up to a big change in the weather here in Louisville so I’m planning on getting my wool sweaters de-wrinkled and ready to wear, and maybe baking something appropriately fall-like? I also plan to catch up on sleep after a late Halloween night passing out candy, and go vote early with one of my college kids.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
If the Magic from the Movie “Practical Magic” Had Actually Been Practical. (The New Yorker)“Practical Magic: Being able to light a candle without putting a flame to it. Actually Practical Magic: Being able to feed a parking meter without putting money into it or having to download another one of those parking apps.”
Shelf Life: Glory Edim. (Elle) I love this series! Of course I wanted to hear her book picks but I was also delighted by the mention of the U.S. Botanic Garden.
Fabulous and fabulously easy dinner of the week: Paprika Chicken and Potatoes from NYT Cooking (gift link). This was so, so good. We used what we had on hand: Hellman’s, lemon instead of lime, no parsley.
9 books celebrating Diné (Navajo) authors and stories. (MMD) Holly’s relocation to New Mexico inspired this literary project.
After trying eight different pairs earlier this fall I am very happy with these Dimes Kitten-heel boots from Madewell. Mine are black; out of all the pairs I tried these were the prettiest and the best quality for the money (especially given that they’re 25% off at the moment.)
Jeff VanderMeer Finds Comfort Food While Fleeing a Hurricane. (Grub Street) “At lunchtime, I irrationally stock up on books at M. Judson, a wonderful bookstore hidden in a historic stone building that looks like a catafalque…. Lately, I’ve been very much into (1) reading more novels, (2) getting off the internet, and (3) not taking my surroundings for granted, so this selection makes me feel well provisioned to wait out the storm.”
Ruth E. Carter On Her Prestigious Career As A Costume Designer. (Essence) I loved learning more about her life, work, and inspiration.
The Sephora sale starts today (though not for me, I do not have Rouge status) but I may go ahead and order the Sephora Favorites Holiday Lashstash to Go Mini Mascara Set before it inevitably sells out. I’ve purchased this many times in the past for myself and as a gift because it’s fun and a great value: it comes with five decent-sized minis to try, plus a voucher to get a full-sized tube of your favorite mascara. Regardless of your Sephora status all Sephora Collection items are 30% off beginning today.
Elif Shafak on the Power of Literature and Being a Writer in the “Age of Angst.” (Literary Hub) “I’m not claiming that we writers are wise people. Surely, we are not. What I am claiming is, when we write fiction we connect with something bigger than us, older than us, and definitely, wiser than us.”
Billy Crystal Thinks He Accidentally Donated Iconic When Harry Met Sally Sweater: ‘I’ve Racked My Brain.’ (People) He must kick himself every day.
My college-age daughter has a great eye for Target sweaters: this is such a great cozy knit crewneck at such a great price. The red is especially lovely. Despite the low overall star rating she is also very happy with this more textured icy blue crewneck; the color is gorgeous in person. Both available XS–4X.
Costco Has a Magazine and It’s Thriving. (New York Times gift link) I’m fascinated by the resurgence of print. “Costco Connection is now the nation’s third largest magazine by print circulation, behind AARP: The Magazine and The AARP Bulletin. You, perhaps, had no idea. But Oprah did. Ms. Winfrey has no shortage of press opportunities, but she has made time for Costco Connection. So have Tom Hanks and Bruce Springsteen.”
Fashion’s Fall 2024 Color Trends Are Already Going Viral. (Marie Claire) The greens! The reds! Toasted sesame!
I just found out that Anthro has a velvet version of their iconic Somerset Maxi Dress and I am in love. The red makes me nostalgic for a favorite dress of mine that I wore to pieces in the 90s!
What Do a ‘Pinch’ or a ‘Dash’ Actually Mean? Here’s What Chefs Have To Say. (Food & Wine) Helpful tips.
Don’t miss these posts:A baker’s dozen (13) of cozy mysteries. If you’ve stumbled onto a crime scene, you might just be in a cozy mystery.
9 tasty teas to warm up your winter days. We need all the hot beverages.
15 absorbing nonfiction books to inspire your inner scientist. Whether you prefer nonfiction about space, technology, medicine, or the environment—there’s something here for your TBR.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When I think of armchair travel, my mind often turns to far-off destinations. My relocation to New Mexico earlier this year reminded me of the cultural and environmental richness of the Navajo Nation right here and inspired me to seek out additional reading to expand my knowledge and understanding.
If you’ve had the good fortune to travel in the American southwest, you’ve likely driven through or adjacent to the Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in the U.S. Set across northwestern New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, and southeastern Utah, the land spans over 27,000 square miles (which the internet tells me is approximately the size of West Virginia.) One of the most famous vistas is Monument Valley, which you’ve possibly seen on the big (or small) screen, too.
In my search for books by Diné authors—while this community is often called Navajo, this label originated with Spanish missionaries: traditionally they called themselves Diné, which means “the people”—I was excited to discover a range of programs and resources supporting emerging writers and creators.
At the 2024 Santa Fe International Literary Festival, which I was lucky to attend earlier this year, Diné author Ramona Emerson and award-winning novelist Tommy Orange spoke of their positive experiences with the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), whose low residency MFA program “emphasize[s] the importance of Native writers offering voice to the Native experience. The program and the literature we read carries a distinct Native American and First Nations emphasis.” I’ve since used the IAIA website and online literary journal as a starting point to identify new-to-me Native authors. In addition to today’s book list, I’ve also included below a handful of other resources which introduced me to voices writing from the Diné perspective.
Whether you’ve traveled to this part of the country yourself or you’d like to experience it on the page, today’s selection of titles includes everything from memoir to non-fiction, middle grade to mystery. Please tell us about your favorite books by Diné authors or set in the Navajo Nation by leaving a comment below.
Resources for exploring Navajo Nation literary scene:* Navajo Nation Library Instagram account: a great place to discover authors * Torrey House Press – one of my favorite publishes for authors writing in / about the west * Harper Collins Heartdrum Imprint for 8+ readers * Dine Studies Conference + Especially recommend the 2023 program * IAIA in Santa Fe * Emerging Dine Writers Institute
9 books by Diné (Navajo) authorsSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Ramona Emerson
Holly says: I discovered author Emerson, a Diné writer and filmmaker, at the 2024 Santa Fe International Literary Festival, where she moderated a fantastic conversation with Tommy Orange. Shutter, her first novel, tells the story of Rita, a forensic photographer who also sees ghosts—and they often want revenge. It artfully blends flashbacks to Rita’s youth and her current struggle to identify the rotten cops behind recent deaths she’s been assigned to photograph. I recommend a strong stomach as content warnings apply: this book starts with a frank description of a woman’s violent death. However, I really enjoyed Rita’s story and look forward to the sequel, Exposure.
More info →Author: Brian Young
Holly says: This warm-hearted middle grade novel introduced me both to Navajo myth and to publishing imprint Heartdrum, which features intertribal voices and young Native heroes. The story follows Nathan, who spends the summer with his grandma and uncle Jet on the Navajo reservation. When he gets lost in the desert one night, Nathan unexpectedly meets a Water Monster from the Navajo Creation story. Needing the Water Monster’s help to return home, Nathan agrees to help heal the Water Monster in exchange for this assistance. I appreciated how this story wove together Diné myth and legend with modern-day concerns from access to safe drinking water to climate change.
More info →Author: Tony Hillerman
Holly says: It feels impossible to discuss Navajo & New Mexico fiction without referencing Tony Hillerman. His widely known Leaphorn & Chee mystery series follows Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn (introduced in the first title) and Jim Chee (first introduced in book four of the series). The series counted 18 titles at the time of Hillerman’s death, and his daughter Anne has since continued writing it. To be honest, I didn’t love The Blessing Way, and jumped ahead to book seven, Skinwalkers, where Leaphorn & Chee first work together. That book was much more enjoyable, but I did find it helpful to read a few of the earlier books to have a sense of each character before they began to work together. All told, my experience with the Leaphorn & Chee series was similar to Louise Penny’s series, which I found stronger in the later titles. While Hillerman is a white man of European descent, my research indicated that his approach to this series and writing both fiction and nonfiction set in and around the Navajo Nation is regarded as respectful. He's been compared to William Kent Krueger in terms of writing about an indigenous character.
More info →Author: Stacie Shannon Denetsosie
Holly says: This debut collection of stories published by Torrey House Press (one of my favorite publishers for authors writing in and about the west) captured my attention from the first page. Spanning the Navajo Nation and beyond, each story delivers a strong sense of place and sharp writing. I kept finding myself repeating lines aloud and admiring how Denetsosie weaves words together to paint a vibrant picture. Her stories grapple with everything from colonial legacy to fertility, gender fluidity to family and heritage. There’s something here for nearly any reader.
More info →Author: Judy Pasternak
Holly says: I was fascinated by this sobering investigation of how the Diné were impacted by years of exposure to uranium mines, ore, and radioactive dust across the reservation, fueled by the nuclear arms race, the Manhattan Project, and the Cold War. Having grown up in the west and spent quite a bit of time in this corner of the country, I was also shocked at how little I knew about this tragic history that still influences modern day events. While Pasternak’s book was published in 2011, the dialogue about uranium continues: as recently as July 2024, the Navajo Nation planned to block federal highways to prevent the transport of uranium across reservation lands.
More info →Author: Luci Tapahonso
Holly says: While I enjoy poetry, it’s not something I often prioritize in my reading life, so this collection from Tapahonso—which incorporates both poems and short stories—was an unexpected delight. Centered around the cycle of a woman's life, the author invites us to explore traditions passed down, holy and everyday experiences, and experience both the history and myth of the Diné people and how these facets of life are blending with modernity. I especially enjoyed ‘Dust Precedes the Rain’, ‘Above the Canyon Floor’, and ‘Daané’é Diné’. While it’s an entirely different type of book, I think this collection would appeal to fans of Braiding Sweetgrass
More info →Authors: Chester Nez, Judith Schiess Avila
Holly says: I suspect I’m not the only one who first learned of the Navajo Code Talkers from the 2002 Nicolas Cage movie; reading this memoir was a much more enjoyable and educational experience! Chester—not his name by birth, but the English name assigned to him—shares his story of childhood abuse and discrimination. Despite these early struggles, he later joined the military and was one of the pivotal marines who helped the U.S. achieve victory during World War Two in the Pacific. I learned so much not only about the code talkers, but about the history of the Diné people during this tumultuous time in U.S. history. Content warnings apply.
More info →Authors: Alastair Lee Bitsóí, Brooke Larsen
Holly says: So many books I encounter written by and about the Diné people and culture either look back, or are informed by, the wealth of history and mythology of this community and culture. This collection offered a unique and fascinating perspective of what now lies ahead of us and some of the struggles encountered in this moment in time, including the unique experience of the Navajo Nation during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Encompassing both Diné voices and those of other BIPOC writers, I found these essays and poems to be inspiring, confronting, thought-provoking, and unlike anything else I’ve recently read. Content warnings apply.
More info →Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
Holly says: It’s a well-known fact in MMD-land that Rebecca Roanhorse is one of my must-read authors; the book that started it all for me was this fantasy, Roanhorse’s debut. Set in a post-apocalyptic Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation), this story follows Maggie Hoskie, a monster hunter, who is tasked to track down a missing girl. She reluctantly partners up with a medicine man and travels the reservation in pursuit. They encounter more than they expected and find myths and legends have come to life. This title received numerous awards including the 2019 Locus Award for Best First Novel.
More info → Do you have any favorite books by Diné authors? Please share in the comments.
About the authorHolly Wielkoszewski is our What Should I Read Next Media Production Specialist. Her go-to genres are Fantasy and Sci-Fi. You can find Holly on Instagram @hollyfromthebigsky.
The post 9 books celebrating Diné (Navajo) authors and stories appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I’ve been wanting to talk short stories for awhile here on the podcast. When today’s guest wrote in with a readerly conundrum on just this topic, it was the perfect opportunity to explore this literary topic in conversation with a fellow reader.
Jessica Crockett is joining me today from Chicago, where she works as a French-to-English patent translator. When she’s not enjoying board games or ballroom dancing, she’ll often be found reading. And today, she’d love my help in untangling her relationship with short stories.
Jessica really wants to love short stories: she’s read a few collections that really work for her, but she’s also found she keeps buying short story collections that she either never picks up or she’ll wander away from. Jessica’s wondering whether she’s missing something in her short story reading experience, if she needs a change in approach. Today we dive into her situation and talk about what makes short story collections shine.
Tell us about your favorite short story collections by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Jessica on Goodreads.
Join us in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book ClubIn the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, we always say that we are learning to read better together. If you are interested in short stories like today’s guest, this is the perfect time to join, because this November we are reading short stories and talking with Deesha Philyaw about her collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, which you’ll also hear about in today’s episode. Come join our Book Club to enjoy a full year of author talks, classes like Greek mythology for readers, and big events like Fall Book Preview and our upcoming Team Best Books of the Year. Join us this month for short stories! Or gift a membership to your favorite reader so they can join us.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, as we jump in today, I want you to know that conversations like the one we're having today with Jessica make me think about all of the ways that understanding your reading life makes it better. In the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, which I shepherd, we always say that we are learning to read better together. Every season in book club I think it's the best season, but this fall is especially good.
[00:01:00] If you are interested in short stories like today's guest, this is the perfect time to join. Like any book club, we read one book each month and then typically we talk to the author.
In November, we are reading short stories and then we're talking with Deesha Philyaw about her collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.
Our book club members also enjoy regular live events like author talks, classes like Greek mythology for readers that we just did and you can access on replay and big events like Fall Book Preview and our upcoming Team Best Books of the Year.
This is a great time to join a book club or gift a membership to your favorite reader. Join us at ModernMrsDarcy.com/club.
Now here at What Should I Read Next? HQ We've been cooking up a short story episode for some time. So when today's guest wrote in with a readerly conundrum centered around short stories, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to dive into this literary topic in conversation with a fellow reader.
[00:01:57] Jessica Crockett is a French-to-English patent translator who lives in Chicago. When she's not enjoying board games or ballroom dancing, she'll often be found reading. And today, she'd love my help in untangling her relationship with short stories.
She keeps buying short story collections because they appeal to her, but then she either never picks them up or she'll start them and wander away from the collection without completing it, only to realize months later that there's still a bookmark in that book that she hasn't touched in ages.
Jessica's wondering whether she's missing something in her short story reading experience, if she needs a change in approach. Why doesn't she understand? She wants to know. We're going to talk all about it today.
It's a great conversation. Let's get to it.
Jessica, welcome to the show.
JESSICA CROCKETT: Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.
ANNE: Well, thank you for joining me today. And thank you for embarking with me on a... well, not-so-grand literary experiment. Readers, we're doing this episode a little bit differently and you will hear about that shortly.
But first, Jessica, let's get started with hearing more about you. Would you tell us about yourself so we can give the readers a glimpse of who you are?
[00:03:01] JESSICA: Absolutely. I live in Chicago with my husband and our three ragdoll cats. In my career, I am a patent translator. I translate from French into English. I've been doing that for about 20 years now. Patent translation is a little different from book translation. Not as much room for creative license. It's pretty strict. But it's something that I really enjoy doing.
ANNE: How did you come to that? Also, I'm so sorry, this is probably over-romanticizing your very practical work, but I just think that a patent translator sounds like the protagonist in the kind of book I'd love.
JESSICA: You know, I wish that it was that interesting. But it's something that I kind of fell into by accident. I was originally planning to be a high school French teacher, and in my senior year of college, when I switched over from theory classes to more practical classroom management classes, I basically had a giant panic attack and realized that at the age of 20, I was definitely not ready to manage a room full of high schoolers and told my dad that I wanted to drop my education major. And he said, "Okay, but what are you going to do with a French degree?" And I said, "I'm going to translate."
[00:04:43] ANNE: And I'm definitely not making this up as I go.
JESSICA: Definitely not. Definitely not. So that was what I did. I went to graduate school and got a master's degree in translation and interpretation. At this point, I am only doing written translation, I am taking a break from interpretation, the difference being that interpreting is spoken and translation is written. But there was also a big portion of my career where I also worked as a simultaneous interpreter.
ANNE: How do you notice the influence of your day job in your reading life?
JESSICA: It has affected my willingness to read in my foreign language. I used to read in French for fun and now I have a whole bookcase full of French novels that I have not touched in years because they feel like work.
ANNE: Oh, interesting.
[00:05:43] JESSICA: Yeah, it's been an unfortunate side effect. But when I get to the end of the day after working in French all day, my brain sort of sees reading in French as work now and I just don't want to unwind with more of it. And so when I pick up a book at the end of the day, I find that it's really hard for me to choose one of those French novels in French.
Other than that, though, I'm not sure that I see a huge impact of my work on my reading life. Although I would say I do find when I'm reading a book in translation, I enjoy, if it's particularly a book in French, kind of reverse engineering a little bit the translation sometimes.
I like when I can read a book from French that's been translated into English, trying to kind of figure out what it might have said originally. It's sort of a fun puzzle for me.
[00:06:53] I recently read Clara Reads Proust, and it was really fun with that one in places to think, "Oh, I bet this was what it originally said in French."
ANNE: Because you read it in English.
JESSICA: Exactly.
ANNE: Okay. So I can still recommend French favorites if I think they're perfect for you.
JESSICA: Absolutely.
ANNE: In translation?
JESSICA: Absolutely.
ANNE: Okay, wonderful. Jessica, what do you like to do when you're not reading?
JESSICA: I really enjoy ballroom and Latin dance, which is something that I've done for about 10 years. My husband and I play a ton of board games. That's something that he has always loved, and I have gotten more and more into with him over the years, and has become a really regular part of our routine, to the extent that I've been noticing a drop in my reading lately. He and I may have to talk about finding a better balance. But we play a lot of board games.
ANNE: Jessica, how would you describe your reading life?
[00:07:52] JESSICA: I have always been a really big reader. When I was a kid, I would subject my grandparents to me reciting Frog and Toad books out loud while my grandfather played the piano behind me. Yeah, it was, I'm sure, adorable.
I have pretty eclectic taste. I will try pretty close to anything except horror, which is kind of funny given that my husband is a horror filmmaker. I know.
I read a lot, usually somewhere between 150 and 200 books a year every single day, even if it's just a few minutes.
I am very much a mood reader. It can sometimes be tough for me to land on the right book while I walk around our house saying, "I don't know which one I want. Which one am I in the mood for?"
Every year, my husband and I take a, I call it fake camping trip, where we rent a tiny cabin for a couple days out in the woods. I think my favorite thing about that is that we drive out there, which means that I have room in the car for pretty much as many books as I want to take.
[00:09:12] And because I'm such a moody reader, that usually means that I load up the car with 50 to 60 books for a 48-hour stay in the woods. My husband knows this about me, right? He knew who he was marrying, so he's not surprised when I say, "Okay, I'm ready" and I've got one clean shirt and four bags full of books for this trip to the woods. And I'll read three of them because we get there and I don't look up the whole time we're there until he says, "Do you want to make s'mores?" Other than that, I'm just reading the entire time that we're there. But I don't know what I'm going to want while we're there so I have to be prepared.
ANNE: You got to be ready for anything.
JESSICA: Yes. All eventualities.
ANNE: Well, we were so excited to get your submission at What Should I Read Next? HQ because you could not have known this, but I'd been contemplating doing a solo episode focused on short stories for some time. But then when we got your submission that had a very specific plea in it, I thought, "Gosh, wouldn't it be more fun to do it with you?" So thank you for being game to try something new with this plan.
[00:10:29] But I'm very interested in hearing more about your burgeoning interest in short stories. Would you tell us more about what you're looking for in your reading life right now?
JESSICA: Yeah. I am really interested in reading more short story collections. It's something that I have tried to do off and on over the years with kind of mixed results. I like the idea of having a short story collection to read maybe alongside a novel, something that I could potentially dip in and out of that might work like when there's a pocket of time during the day, something like that.
What tends to happen, though, is that I will pick up a short story collection and read one, maybe two stories, and then wander away from it and not come back.
[00:11:27] A lot of the time, I think I feel like I finished a story and it feels like, "Oh, I finished something. I'm done with that now." It is kind of hard for me to return to the book when I've got that sort of feeling of completion already.
Another issue that I think I run into a lot is the collections where I'll finish a story and I feel like, Where's the rest of it? They sometimes don't feel complete to me in a way that makes me feel like I'm looking for the wrong thing in the short story.
Maybe I don't fully understand what to expect from a short story or what not to expect, what I should or should not be looking for in that particular form.
[00:12:27] The ones that have tended to work a little better for me, I think, have been interconnected short stories, whether very, very directly interconnected or sometimes just very slightly. But having that thread between the stories where there's more of a continuous narrative arc of some sort seems to give me something to hold on to in a way that has helped me be a little more successful in reading collections.
It does feel a little bit like cheating to me then more like maybe I'm reading a novel with an unusual structure than a short story collection. But I have had a little more success with those, I think.
ANNE: I would love to hear more about the appeal. You've said that you keep buying them and these short story collections sound great at the time, but then you either don't actually pick them up at all or you start them, and like you said, you finish a story, it feels like a stopping point, you end up not picking it back up. And yet you keep buying them and you want to dive in here. What is the appeal? Are you able to articulate what it is that's pulling you in for the genre?
[00:13:50] JESSICA: I like the idea of something with that shorter commitment, maybe is the right word. It feels like something where I could say, I'm not ready to start a new book quite yet, or I just have 20 minutes and don't want to get into my book right now because I'd like a bigger block of time or something along those lines. That's part of it, I think, something where I might be able to kind of slide it in to those smaller windows.
I also... I don't know. It feels like a challenge I haven't quite met yet, understanding them and what they have to offer as a literary form. I would really like to, I don't know, just understand what they have to offer. They seem so popular.
[00:14:53] When an author I really like has a short story collection, I would like to be able to continue reading what that author is putting out there. But I don't know, right now it's just not working for me when it's in that form.
ANNE: Okay. So it's not working and something in you, in your brain is circling back to figure out the unresolved situation here.
JESSICA: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Okay. Jessica, you said that it felt like cheating to read interconnected short stories, even when you can identify these are working best for you, but it feels like you're reading a novel. I'm imagining you're seeing that an interconnected short story collection isn't meeting the challenge.
But my question here, and we really have to fix the semantics, but is it bad to cheat? Is it bad to use this... gosh, I wonder if I should argue with your premise. But is it insufficient for you to find that you may love an interconnected collection? It sounds like maybe that's not enough. What I'm wondering is if I need to argue with you about like, no, cheating isn't actually bad. Like this is working for you. Like, let's lean in.
[00:16:09] JESSICA: I mean, yeah, I think I could see it as like a gateway maybe, an intermediate step. I'd still like to get all the way there. I would still love to figure out how to appreciate independent non-interlinked short stories, but I could see using those linked short stories as sort of a stepping stone to get there.
ANNE: Okay. I love it. What are some of the interconnected collections that have really worked for you?
JESSICA: I loved No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister. That one worked really well.
ANNE: That legit novel worked great for you.
JESSICA: Was it a novel? It felt like interconnected short stories.
ANNE: It does. It does.
JESSICA: There was a collection called She and Her Cat that was I think just three stories, but that had some interconnection in there. I really liked that one.
[00:17:15] There's another collection by Kate Atkinson called Normal Rules Don't Apply. That was another one that worked really well for me.
ANNE: What has worked less well?
JESSICA: I did not do well with After Parties. That was one that I did not manage to finish. I ended up giving up on that one.
ANNE: Wait, I feel like I've read this. Who's that by?
JESSICA: Anthony Veasna So?
ANNE: No, I have not. Okay. So that's the 2021 collection about Cambodian American life. And a reminder that all these books are listed in the show notes of the episode. So is that one that felt more incomplete to you?
JESSICA: It did. Yeah. That one I had a really hard time I think connecting with the stories. And because they were each their own kind of isolated story, it was pretty easy for me to walk away from that at a certain point where I just felt no need to continue to the next one.
[00:18:23] And then right now I am in the middle of Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. That's one that I started months ago with the intention of reading one story a day. Given that I started it months ago, and there are not 90 plus stories in it, you can kind of guess how well that plan is working out.
ANNE: I'm wondering about pacing and expectations. Something we've done in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club is had a month we've read a poem a day, but we have a short story month about to begin in November. And something we discussed was a short story a day is actually a lot and yet the rhythm of one a day works really well for a lot of people.
I'm wondering how much of a routines person you are if a pace of one a week would feel perhaps more welcoming and sustainable, or if doing something weekly is actually much harder than attempting to do it daily.
[00:19:22] JESSICA: Weekly might work better. I think that having it take up my reading time every single day might actually be part of the issue. I'm in a period right now where I don't have as much daily reading time as I used to. And so giving up that time every single day for the short story collection versus my novel has, I think, maybe made it feel like it's not alongside my novel, it's replacing my novel. And maybe that is part of the resistance to picking it up in the first place.
ANNE: Because you don't want it to replace your novel. One of the reasons that the genre interests you is you like the idea of fitting it into the cracks and using smaller amounts of reading time. Does that sound true to what you're hoping for?
JESSICA: Yes.
[00:20:20] ANNE: Okay. Of course, when it comes to any work, there's being interested in the genre and then finding the particular books that are right for you within it, or reading books that are all wrong for you, but learning about the genre through the experience of trying a variety of different things within it.
We've talked about format and approach. I'm wondering now about the kinds of stories and themes you enjoy.
JESSICA: I generally I'm, like I said, a pretty eclectic reader. I will try pretty close to anything. I do not read a lot of horror or gore. But other than that, I enjoy messy family dramas. I enjoy the thimble full of weird that has been talked about on other episodes. Anything that gives me something to think about or chew on, things that give me a different perspective that I might not have been familiar with or thought about previously.
[00:21:28] ANNE: Do we think that perhaps the lack of stickiness with short stories has to do with finding the right approach or finding the right books? I made that a dichotomy, but it's really not one.
JESSICA: I think it's maybe a combination of the two. When I think about the collections that have really worked for me, I think also most of them have been ones that I read while we were at the tiny cabin for those fake camping trips. So there've also been at times where I had a really dedicated block of time to read them.
But the subject matter, both of the two that I'm looking at that really, really worked for me had some commonalities. They both had some, I guess, magic to them that was really interesting. Some moments of, "Wait, did that really just happen? Was that in someone's head? Was that real? That was really fun." That sort of thing.
[00:22:35] ANNE: Interconnected short stories have worked for you, but there are other ways that collections of short stories are grouped. Sometimes they're just collected short stories. An author who hasn't written a ton of fiction might have their body of work gathered in one volume. Sometimes they're grouped by date. Sometimes they're grouped by theme or location.
I'm thinking of... well, I'm thinking of a lot of books. But for example, many people know and love the Irish writer Claire Keegan for her short works, Foster, which might actually be short story length, I've seen it referred to as a short story in a novella, and Small Things like These. But she had a story collection come out a couple of years ago called So Late in the Day. That was described as being stories of women and men.
And compared to So Late in the Day and Foster, some of these stories... I mean, I think there's just three, but some of them are weird and not what a lot of readers expected. But they were grouped by theme, and the reader knew to read them through the lens of these are stories of women and men. How does that question of themes and grouping land for you?
[00:23:50] JESSICA: I think that sounds really, really interesting. I think if I know going in maybe kind of what that is, that could help. I think that has sometimes been more successful for me than others.
I, last year, read Patricia Engel's The Faraway World, which I think was similarly a collection that had sort of a grouping or a theme that I struggled with a little bit, but ultimately enjoyed. I like the sound of the Claire Keegan collection.
ANNE: Weird. It's weird. It's not what I expected from Claire Keegan. I know that I was not alone there. Not a criticism at all. I hope that sounds intriguing to a lot of readers.
Jessica, there are a couple things that I think would be helpful to know about short stories. One is... gosh, I wish I knew where this came from. I feel like our team member, Ginger, told me that she read the Deesha Philyaw said it, but I can't find it verifiable anywhere online.
[00:25:03] But we're talking to her as we read her short story collection, Secret Lives of Church Ladies, together in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club in November, and we will absolutely be asking her.
But the idea that I think is so helpful here, and whoever coined this is a genius, that a short story is about a revelation, but a novel, a longer story, has a resolution. So you loved No Two Persons, the novel in stories by Erica Bauermeister, which the concept of this book is really cool, y'all, if you don't know about it. It was a Summer Reading Guide selection in 2023. We talked to Erica Bauermeister in book club.
This is the story of how a debut novel written by an author who gets the first story, the first point of view in this collection, how this debut novel changed the lives of 11 people who were touched by it, either because they read the book, they helped conceive the book.
[00:25:59] We hear from the editor's assistant who finds it in the slush pile, and the agent and other people who were involved in the process. Even though we, I don't think, ever return to anyone's point of view once we visit them and say goodbye, but in some, we have a complete narrative arc.
In a short story, you're dropped into a moment. Like you get an epiphany, you get a scene, you get a revelation. But it doesn't necessarily have, in fact, it rarely has a resolution. And so when you say that a short story leaves you with a premature feeling of completion, that it feels like it hasn't been completed, you asked if you were looking for the wrong thing, perhaps. I don't know, what are you thinking? How does that idea of revelation versus resolution sound to you?
JESSICA: That definitely helps. I do think that answers that question of looking for the wrong thing. It reminds me of an English class that I took in college where I complained that nothing was happening in the book that we were reading and the teacher... I know. It was fortunately the kind of college where we could get away with things like that.
[00:27:20] And the teacher very kindly wrote back on my paper that I was looking for the wrong kind of action. I just hadn't really encountered a character-driven book before that. So it really helped refocus my expectations. I think that this feels very similar, just a refocusing of expectations. That I should not really be looking for resolution, but more for revelation.
ANNE: I remember the day I found out that I just misinterpreted the assigned response paper in my freshman seminar. And I was just writing about my feelings. And she's like, "No, I'm looking for an argument." That's not the kind of response I'm looking for.
Just thinking about the revelation, earlier this month, Will and I went to the Kentucky Author Forum, which I feel like I'm constantly giving shout-outs to. If you are near Louisville, Kentucky, the Kentucky Author Forum is a top-notch event where they bring in best-in-their-field authors and interviewers to have great conversations about usually current but not brand, brand-new books.
[00:28:30] And Amor Towles was in town to talk about his short story collection, Table for Two, which he calls his New York stories. That's the thematic grouping there. And I will not try to replicate an Amor Towles story, but if we can find a YouTube clip, friends. We will share it.
But he talked about how we know what a novel is, but a short story is like if you are seated for dinner in a nice restaurant next to a couple who's already in the midst of a heated conversation, and then they get up and leave before they finish the conversation and you're left... First, you couldn't stop listening in. You know you're not supposed to be eavesdropping, but it sounds so interesting. Like, what's happening?
They're talking about a conflict, but what happened? You wish you had more context. Like, who's Tom, and what did he do, and what did she do, and why is he upset? But then their check comes, they pay it, and they leave before you hear the end of the story. And you're like, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Come back. Come back. I have questions."
[00:29:29] He says that's the experience of reading short stories. And it's up for you as a reader to decide if that's a direction that you want to go in your reading life. But there's a lot to appreciate in short stories. I mean, do you know what you're looking for, why you feel like you're drawn back to the genre?
JESSICA: First, I love that explanation. Yeah, I think that part of it is just feeling like the puzzle of it really intrigues me. That feeling of something that I haven't figured out yet.
You know, reading is such a big, big part of my life that for there to be a piece of it that I feel like I just haven't quite figured out how to enjoy has kept me really intrigued and wanting to understand it. It bothers me when I don't understand something. So I think that's been a really big part of it.
[00:30:27] But also, I do think that... I like the idea of something short, of some kind of smaller, shorter form to read. When I was much younger, I remember reading Dubliners and really loving it. And of course, it's been so long now that I don't remember anything specific about it. But it has always stuck with me, the experience of really, really loving Dubliners.
I don't know that I've read any collection since then that has given me that feeling, and I don't know why. But I keep hoping to recapture that feeling with a short story collection, I think. Yeah, I really hope that the sort of clarification of what to expect from them might help with that.
ANNE: Gosh, I haven't read Dubliners since I was in high school.
JESSICA: Yeah, I think it was very early in undergrad for me.
ANNE: Mine was at a nerdy summer program.
JESSICA: That sounds like a fantastic summer program.
[00:31:28] ANNE: And I have fond memories of that reading experience, and I don't believe I'd be able to untangle being a nerdy 17-year-old student spending the summer focused on Irish literature with a group of similarly nerdy students puzzling over Joyce for the first time... from the actual words that James Joyce wrote. Those are inextricably linked, I think, for me. Okay, now I'm tempted to revisit that.
Jessica, I'm curious to hear what you decide to do next after our conversation, but I'd like to give three more reasons to keep pursuing your interest in short stories and see where it takes you. Are you up for it?
JESSICA: Absolutely.
ANNE: First of all, there's the sheer variety on offer from short stories. You can learn so much about your taste in language and prose. You can go to so many different times and places and styles and genres.
I've used short stories as a genre, but you can read short stories that feel like romance or time travel or fantasy, or you are not going to read horror, but you could. I wonder about psychological thrillers for you. But you can dabble in so many different kinds of writing.
[00:32:43] One of the reasons you can do that is because they're bite-sized. You can taste without committing to a full 300 pages. I find many people try to apologize for the brevity of short stories. "No, no, no, no, no. Really, they pack a lot, even though they're so little." But it's a short story for a reason. It's meant to be compact, and really that brevity is its strength. It lets you to sample widely. And that's something that many readers really enjoy doing.
If you want to dabble in lots of different styles, short story is an excellent way to go. Because they are short, many writers are doing their most interesting, their most experimental, their most far-fetched, and their most, you said you like to thimble full of weird. Authors are experimenting and doing really cool stuff in short stories because they don't have to do it for 300 pages. They can do it for 8 or 40 or however long their story needs to be.
[00:33:47] But if you want to see what is possible through the written word and what a really talented, creative writer can come up with... I love reading something where I think, how on earth did this person think to do that on the page?
If you want that experience, you can find it all kinds of places, but you can find it more often in a short story. I almost said collection. Yes. But you can find it more often in short stories because the brevity is its strength for that as well.
And when it comes to the writing, in a short story, every single sentence has to carry its weight. Every sentence, every word has been thought about and labored over. And it's true that sometimes a writer sits down and dashes off a work of genius, but when they re-read it, they thought, yes, this is exactly how it needs to be before it made it anywhere near your hands as a reader.
And just knowing that you're reading something that has been superbly crafted. And again, because of its brevity, that gives a lot of readers confidence to explore.
[00:35:00] JESSICA: I love that. All of that sounds fantastic. As much as I love to hop around between genres and things, I love the idea of the shorter form as a way to do that without having to take on 700 pages of someone's magnum opus in fantasy, for example, being able to pick up something really potentially wild, but also a short taste.
It also sounds like that could be a fun way to explore someone who maybe I haven't read before but with a shorter form.
ANNE: A short taste of a lot of good stuff. That's what an interest in short stories can do.
JESSICA: Yeah. That sounds great. I'm sold.
ANNE: Okay. Now we're going to chit-chat about what exact short story collections might be right for you as you experiment further. And then readers, I will be back with recommendations that I share with Jessica but also think are good starting points for anyone interested in exploring short collections.
[00:36:04] Welcome back. I'm wondering just how many readers find themselves relating to Jessica's essential dilemma here. She describes short stories as a challenge she hasn't quite met yet. She wants to understand them, she wants to appreciate what they have to offer as a literary form, but she's not quite there.
She knows that what she's tried so far hasn't been working, but she doesn't understand why. So the question is, can I help her understand this puzzle? Golly, I hope so.
And now I'd like to offer some tips and concrete ideas to Jessica and anyone who finds themselves in a similar space. And if there is a genre, a format, a something that you don't understand why it's not working in your reading life, some of these tips really apply. So listen up with that in your mind as well.
Jessica indicated that one marker of success, perhaps the marker of success for her would be starting a short story collection and then actually finishing it, instead of getting distracted and losing interest.
[00:37:05] And while she knows that she's had better luck with collections in which all the stories are interconnected, what she really wants, her end goal is to be able to read a collection of independent, not obviously related stories, start to finish. Those are our goals. So if you're that reader, how are you going to get there?
We've already talked about reading routines, about pacing, and expectations. And I suspect that for many readers, those are some of the necessary pieces to this puzzle. Remember that a short story is about a revelation, not a resolution, for example.
Jessica noticed that she didn't experience a sense of momentum when reading a short story collection. That's a great observation because it points to something essential about the short story reading experience. When you're reading a collection, you cannot count on narrative momentum to propel you from one short story to the next.
If that's your expectation, if that's always been the sign of a great novel that you can't wait to find out what happens next, that approach isn't going to serve you in the same way when we're talking short stories.
[00:38:11] That's why establishing a reading rhythm could be so helpful to Jessica. She liked the sound of reading, for example, one short story a week. That approach appealed to her because she wanted to supplement her novel reading with short stories. She didn't want to replace her novel reading with short story sessions.
Also, I want to highlight that while short stories are short enough to read in one sitting, that doesn't mean they have to be read in one sitting. And I wonder if that's tripping Jessica up. If she discovers that it's easy to lose her reading momentum when she completes a story, closes the book, and then doesn't have a reason to come back to it, then she could try not stopping between stories.
You're the boss of your own reading life. Tinker with your approach, see what works for you. Maybe just pausing your reading for the day in a different place could really help.
Audio could be another helpful way to maintain momentum in your short story reading. Look, maybe this is just me, but when I'm listening to an audiobook, I'm listening to the audiobook. I'm not dabbling in several different ones. I only have one audiobook going at a time.
[00:39:15] So if I hit a moment in my day, I'm driving, I'm folding laundry, I'm watering the plants right now on my porch, then I'm going to hit play on my audiobook. And I know I'm not the only reader who does this. If Jessica does this and she's reading her short story collection on audio, she's going to keep coming back to it because it's the audiobook that she happens to be reading right now. Maybe that could help.
Jessica also mentioned that she just didn't know what to pay attention to in her short story reading. Let's do a quick recap.
Revelation, not resolution. You're typically watching a character navigate a predicament, not experience much in the way of growth and change. You're often seeing an author at their experimental best in a short package. And finally, even more so than in a tone matters deeply in the short story format. Readers who pay attention to tone will be rewarded.
Now, let's take a look at some collections that could be a fit for Jessica based on what she loves.
[00:40:16] She says she's looking for ideas to think about and chew on stories that share new perspectives and points of view. And she's always intrigued by a thimble full of weird. I'm focusing on more contemporary stories since that's what we focus on in our conversation.
First, I want to revisit So Late in the Day because we had an interesting supplemental conversation after we hit stop on our recording. To recap what we said earlier, if you know Keegan's work, you know her as the author of Small Things Like These and Foster, longer-form works that are touching and tender, and compassionate. That's not what you're getting in So Late in the Day. These are more grim, more sly, more shocking.
The subtitle of this work and the unifying theme is Stories of Women and Men. In this book, that means those relations between women and men range from tricky to hugely dysfunctional.
Jessica is a French-to-English translator, and so I'm so curious how she will hear, how she will receive this little tidbit I recently discovered since we spoke.
[00:41:20] I was interested to read that when the title story, So Late in the Day, was published as a standalone in France the translator titled it Misogyny.
Since my previous familiarity was only with Foster and Small Things Like These, which I would describe as much more emotionally straightforward, also almost wholesome, these stories in So Late in the Day were not at all what I expected from Keegan. It's more slippery. It feels like a different genre than her other work. And I'm so curious to see how that might work for Jessica.
Also, there are three longish stories in this collection, so if she needs to prove to herself, yes, I can read a short story collection start to finish, there's three here. I think you can do it, Jessica.
Another one I think could be an excellent fit for Jessica is The Souvenir Museum by Elizabeth McCracken. It makes you think. It takes you around the world. It has that thimble of weird, and it has four interconnected stories in it. Of the twelve in the collection, eight of them stand completely alone.
[00:42:23] Jessica wants to work her way from interconnected short stories to stories that aren't explicitly linked, and this book provides a lovely bridge between the two. Although, all these stories share a unifying theme, and that is family ties, with all sorts of different family setups, all sorts of different relationships, and different situations. But if a story is about the situation, we meet all these characters as they're navigating tricky, interpersonal situations in their families.
The two characters we keep coming back to are Jack and Sadie, who we see at four different points in the collection, and four different points in their relationship, four different critical moments. And I wouldn't say that Jack and Sadie get a resolution, but in a short story, when we just said you don't often see much in the way of character growth, well, because we see them at different points in time in this collection, we see them evolve as characters in a way that they wouldn't have been able to in a collection of unrelated short stories. It's just a little twist on the concept. I think Jessica could find it interesting.
[00:43:34] And for Elizabeth McCracken's writing, I don't know if Jessica has read her before, but she has this way of writing very straightforwardly. She feels almost breezy. She's really sharp. She's great with detail. She makes you feel like you're right inside people's minds. You're happy to be there. They're frank. They're telling you how they feel. But then all of a sudden, you realize what is really happening, or how dark or tenuous the situation really is, and she makes you go, Oww, Elizabeth McCracken, what are you doing? What are you telling me? I think this could be fun for Jessica.
Next, we have Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman. Now, Jessica doesn't want to do horror, but she does like that weird. And I do think this crime writing, this more psychological fiction could be great for her.
Laura Lippman is an established crime writer. She's written in dozens of books and a whole lot of short stories. This is her second collection that came out a couple years ago. And she says that as she collected these works, she was surprised to see certain themes, or she says you might even call them obsessions, emerge.
[00:44:39] There are a couple... I mean, there's two stories in this collection that feature her character Tess Monaghan that she's written something like a dozen detective mysteries about. Then she saw that she had stories about girls, and she has stories of infidelity, and she thought, Okay, that'll play.
When she was asked what she likes about writing short stories that's different from writing novels, she said, "Oh gosh, I actually prefer novels." And here, let me read you the quote. Laura Lippman says, "Short stories are so hard, and they feel like such a high-wire act. But I like the challenge of compression, telling a story in less than 20,000 words, or even less than 5,000 in some cases."
I hope that readers like Jessica will be intrigued by hearing an author writing short stories say, Oh gosh, they're such a high-wire act. And that compressing a story into this small space is a challenge. A pleasant challenge, but a challenge.
[00:45:40] So confession, I had Seasonal Work on my shelf for several years. And then I talked to Lauren Groff in Tallahassee for Word of South back in April, we shared that audio with you, and she and I talked about short stories, and I thought, "I'm going to read more, including that Laura Lippman collection that I have been meaning to read for a long time."
Oh, these stories, many of them start in a place that feels completely normal, a day at the park, texting a friend, family photo, and then they go places that are more than a little weird in a way that I think Jessica and many readers will find completely delightful. But as I think back on my reading experience, I got a little bit of a devilish grin. Oh, she takes you places. She, I think, is pulling off the high-wire act here.
[00:46:38] Now we have The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw. I've recommended this book so much since I've read it in 2020. And it's got an interesting publication story as well. It was published by West Virginia University Press and became a word-of-mouth sensation.
And it won, if you care about such things, a slew of prestigious awards like the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Story Prize, the LA Times Book Prize, and it was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Some stories in this collection are quick five-page reads. Others are more like 40 pages. All of them make you feel like you're right there, just airdropped into the main character's life. Every character has a distinct voice.
And unlike so many short stories, these situational stories almost double as character studies. We get to know the characters and understand how they see their world, what they want, what they're scared of, why they do what they do, and feel how they feel.
These stories are about love, sex, relationships, work, mistakes, and successes. I feel like I should include sex twice. Each story explores the unique predicament of one character, but they flow seamlessly from one woman's life to another, thanks to what I think is just beautiful prose, so evocative, richly detailed. For those of you who love interesting settings for your stories, setting is huge in Philyaw's work.
[00:48:00] This collection deserves a note for audiophiles. The audiobook is narrated by Janina Edwards. It is superb. So if you want to try that tip on maintaining momentum by making a short story collection your audiobook and listening whenever you have a pocket of audiobook listening time, this could be a really good one.
Next, I couldn't resist recommending one of my favorite French authors to Jessica, the French-to-English translator. It is Canoes by Maylis de Kerangal. This was a book that I featured in our recent Fall Book Preview. This edition is translated from the French by Jessica Moore. And it just came out in October 2024.
I love her. I know many of you found her work when I included Painting Time in the 2021 Summer Reading Guide. That was the first book I've read by her, and I think I'm caught up on everything available to me in English.
This new one, Canoes, is a collection of short stories plus a novella. The unifying theme is loose, but it's about voices and finding your voice.
[00:49:02] Of course, I like some better than others, but two really stood out, and they were exquisite. The novella is called Mustang. I loved the description of a French woman arriving at the Denver Airport, a place I feel like I know well, and traveling to her new home in Golden, Colorado, where she tries to do French things, like take public transportation to the art museum, and then ends up getting herself into some weird trouble. I think Jessica will enjoy that on several levels.
But my favorite is much shorter. It's completely gorgeous. It's one of the best things I've read all year. It's a short story called A Light Bird, and it revolves around an answering machine message left by the wife, the mom of the family who died five years ago, but her voice is still the one on the outgoing message of the family's answering machine. And the daughter says, "Dad, it's time to change this," and he doesn't want to, and they talk about it.
[00:50:04] It's short and moving, and I think it's perfect. And the last line is exactly what it should be.
Also, there's a really interesting translator's note. Jessica Moore said that Milas was beginning to write these stories about voices just as the first mandates caused mouths to disappear. And I was revising the English version of Canoes in September 2022 when my twins saw their kindergarten teacher's unmasked face for the first time.
She goes on to say, "In the way of literary translators, I have walked through the corridors of her text, listening intently, and have tried to match my temper to hers as closely as two different languages and two separate worlds of reference allow." Now, I'm so curious how those words will land on Jessica, who translates patents, not novel, and yet she knows much more about translation than I do. I'd love her thoughts on those.
[00:50:57] Finally, I suggested a new anthology to Jessica if she did want to sample widely. She really liked the idea of getting a small taste of a lot of good stuff, and she could do that with something like The Best American Short Stories 2024 that just came out in late October. This edition is narrated... Every year there's a guest editor. This year is Lauren Groff, who loves short stories.
Something that Jessica specifically said is that when an author that she loves writes short stories, then she wants to read what that author has written. And if she can't read short stories, then she's going to miss out on stuff. So I think perusing the table of contents for the 2024 edition will stoke her enthusiasm.
She'll get to read Jamel Brinkley, Alexandra Chang, Barbara Kingsolver, Daniel Mason, Paul Yoon. There's lots of good stuff here. She's enjoyed some of their long fiction but hasn't read their short fiction. This is the opportunity.
[00:51:59] Also, if you're a used bookstore fan or if you ever scoop up a daily eBook deal, the backlist editions, Best American Short Stories 2023, 2003, 2012, going back in time, are often available very inexpensively. So if you just want a sampling of what was coming out in a certain year or an interesting curated assortment of short stories or any kind of writing, because you know these Best American fill-in-the-blank on a certain topic, subject, genre are abundant, well, that could be a really good way to go.
I hope these tips and recommendations give Jessica and anyone interested in exploring short stories more deeply a really good starting point. And I would love to hear your tips and which ones that I recommend or that you've come up with on your own or courtesy of other readers, which ones work out for you. Please tell us in our show notes comments. We would love that.
[00:53:00] I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Jessica and these additional tips and recommendations. I would love to hear what you would add to the virtual book stack.
You can connect with Jessica on Goodreads. We have that link and the full list of titles we've talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribing to our show and downloading each weekly episode is such a gift to us, especially in this contemporary podcasting landscape.
We're on Instagram @whatshouldireadnext.
And if you're not already getting our free emails, sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to keep up with all the happenings at What Should I Read Next? HQ, from our weekly episodes to special events and opportunities.
[00:53:51] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
• No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
• She and Her Cat by Naruki Nagakawa and Makoto Shinkai
• Normal Rules Don’t Apply by Kate Atkinson
• Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So
• Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri
• Foster by Claire Keegan
• Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
• So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan
• The Faraway World by Patricia Engel
• Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles
• Dubliners by James Joyce
• The Souvenir Museum by Elizabeth McCracken
• Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman
• Canoes by Maylis De Kerangal
• Painting Time by Maylis De Kerangal
• The Best American Short Stories 2024 edited by Lauren Groff
Also mentioned:• MMD Book Club
• Fall Book Preview
• Kentucky Author Forum
• WSIRN Episode 432: Live from Word of South: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida!
• Please support our sponsors.
The post Get a little taste of a lot of good stuff appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? The weather here promises to be superb, so I’m hoping to get my tulips planted! I forgot about them the past few years but have my bulbs ready and waiting to go in the ground, along with some crocuses we’re trying for the first time. Along with my planting, I’m hoping to read a good book or two, bake fall treats, and take a long walk with a friend.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
As a middle-aged man, I would’ve saved loads on therapy if I’d read Baby-Sitters Club books as a kid. (The Guardian) “There remains a prevailing taboo which prevents boys (and men) from taking too much interest in whatever kinds of culture girls (and women) are interested in. It doesn’t apply in the reverse – for instance, to women who become interested in space and superheroes and dinosaurs.”
I’m not a fan of star ratings for books, but I am highly likely to try 5-star NYT Cooking recipes, especially when they’re written by Melissa Clark. This Pressure Cooker Spicy Pork Shoulder (gift link) was a big hit this week. I used a 7-pound bone-in pork shoulder because that’s what I had, and made the recipe exactly as written. It turned out great; big results for little effort here.
The Halloween of my dreams. (Washington Post) This 2004 essay remains the best thing I’ve ever read about Halloween—but believe me when I say it’s likely to make you weep.
Hero Item: Wardrobe Pieces for the Next Level. (Midimalist) “Hero items … are the pieces that make getting dressed easier. Hero items get you stopped in the store because they are easy to admire. They allow you to put the piece on and it (almost) doesn’t matter what else you are wearing because the Hero is doing all the work.”
The MMD gift guide for Jane Austen fans. (MMD) For the Jane Austen fan in your life. (Maybe that fan is you?)
31 stray copyeditorial thoughts. (A Word About) Strong opinions on Oxford commas, split infinitives, interrobangs, and adverbs, plus a few details even publishing people still get wrong.
Take 40% off sale items at Anthropologie this weekend. Lots of great finds including plenty of good stuff I very nearly purchased earlier this season, but the price seemed a bit high. Not today! Check out the Capri Blue Pumpkin Clove Jar Candle in several sizes, the Maeve Short-Sleeve Textured Popover Blouse, the Somerset Maxi Dress and Shirt Dress, seasonal dish towels, and monogram mugs. (Anthro sizes XS to XL for these items.)
Are We Too Impatient to Be Intelligent? (Behavioral Scientist) “Too often, we optimize for the numerical thing, time and speed. We’re not optimizing for the emotional state.” Fascinating long read on what we lose when we prioritize time efficiency above all else, and the negative consequences we experience when technological options become obligations.
Digging into Nikki May’s delicious Mansfield Park reimagining. (What Should I Read Next?) A smart and fun discussion of all things Austen and May’s new book This Motherless Land, out Tuesday in the U.S.
In Pursuit of Wonder, Ada Limón Goes to Outer Space. (Elle) More accurately: her poem goes. Such an unexpected story!
A friend texted this week to say how happy she is she bought this Chelsea Sweater Blazer in all three colors: they are lovely. (XXS–3X) J.Crew Factory is also 40% off everything this weekend.
The Best Candy to Hand Out to Trick-or-Treaters, According to Kids. (Eater) Tips to up your game.
AI Audiobook Narrators in OverDrive and the Issue of Library AI Circulation Policy. (Smart Bitches Trashy Books) Audiobook listeners, beware. This deep dive is wild!
Don’t miss these posts:7 spooky (not scary) short story collections. These short story collections will get you in the mood for Halloween without keeping you awake all night!
What are your chilly weather go-to meals? The comments are a gold mine of meal inspiration.
MORE extra-long books worth reading. I like big books and I cannot lie.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Sometimes you come across a simple everyday luxury item that truly is noteworthy. Something that makes your home feel like home. The Recyco chenille throw with fringe tassels is one of those special items. It’s my favorite throw blanket of all time.
I discovered this cozy treat in the most bookish of ways. In June 2023, I traveled to Thomasville, GA with a group of dear friends for a fantastic live event at The Bookshelf featuring authors R. Eric Thomas and Kerry Winfrey. We stayed at a gorgeous loft with a window seat straight out of my readerly daydreams. Early the next morning, I grabbed a soft throw blanket and a stack of books to enjoy, instantly feeling calm and relaxed. It was so comfy and tranquil; I remember thinking, “I wish I could recreate this special moment at home.”
Now let me tell you: I am no stranger to trying out a blanket and then buying the same one for myself. That is how I ended up with team member Donna’s favorite blanket as our wonderfully comfortable bed quilt. (Imagine Mike Myers in Wayne’s World saying, “It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine” and you’ll get the vibe.) So it may come as no surprise that I immediately ordered one of the Recyco chenille throws to be shipped to my house that very morning while sitting on the window bench.
Having owned a lot of throw blankets over the years that were good but not great, I was always on the hunt for the perfect one. My previous throws were either too small, too hot for our Florida weather, not durable enough to hold up to the numerous washings needed with our busy little household, or my most dreaded—full of fuzzy threads that shed everywhere.
When I tell you this blanket is my Goldilocks of throws, I am not exaggerating. At 60″ x 80″ it is the perfect size to share or to snuggle up with on your own. The extremely soft chenille is thin and cool but not at all flimsy, making it the perfect weight for coziness during any season and quintessential for fall reading time. I adore its luxurious “hotel” feel and how it helps me unwind at the end of a long day.
After a year of not-so-gentle use, I am also impressed by its durability. I’ve washed the throws plenty of times and they still look and feel great. The tassels have tangled some, most likely from being washed with additional blankets, but that does not bother me in the slightest. Plus, the throw has held up to the many elaborate pillow forts made by my family on rainy afternoons.
Just a month ago in a stroke of belated genius, I finally ordered a dark gray one for the foot of our bed to use when I read my Kindle past my bedtime. I have even started packing it on road trips to use when we arrive at our destination. Since it is perfect for gifting, I plan on buying more for Christmas; just don’t tell my mom, mother-in-law, or siblings.
If you can’t already tell, I LOVE (yes, all caps) this chenille throw for many reasons. The biggest is the sense of calm I feel when I reach for it. I am instantly transported back to that quiet morning spent reading on a window seat and my whole body relaxes. It is, to quote the exceptional Tina Turner, “simply the best.”
Do you have a favorite cozy home item? Please tell us all about it in the comments *section!*
P.S. Check out our team’s whole Raving Fans series.
About the authorBrigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
The post The coziest item in my home appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I have a notoriously difficult time picking favorites, but audiobooks just might be my favorite way to experience a classic novel. I’m grateful for the talented narrators who bring these works to life. When I’m listening to a classic I haven’t read before, I find that hearing the older language often helps me comprehend it better than reading on the page. When I’m listening to a classic with which I’m already familiar, I can relish the nuances of a narrator’s performance and allow myself to get swept up in the story (while I’m probably folding laundry).
Definitions vary but I tend to think of classics as books that were published over 50 years ago and remain in our literary consciousness. Reading a classic won’t earn you a trophy or gold stars or bragging rights (okay, maybe you’ll actually secure that last one) but as someone with an appreciation for good stories, well told from throughout time and around the world, I relish the variety classics bring to my reading life. (Especially because now that my school days are behind me, I’m free to read what I want to, with no tests or quizzes or term papers due at the end of the book.)
Because many classics are in the public domain, multiple excellent audiobook editions abound at a variety of price points, including totally free. Make sure to take advantage of listening to the sample to figure out which narrator(s) will work best for you.
I hope this collection of classics inspires you to listen to a great story, whether that means trying something new to you or reading something you’ve been meaning to pick up for forty years. Happy listening!
12 classics on audiobookSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Maya Angelou
In the first of her six autobiographies, Angelou tells the haunting story of her childhood in the American South of the 1930s. Her poetic prose is incredible, and the story is by turns heartwarming ("I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare") and utterly heartbreaking. Angelou's lilting voice brings her powerful, touching story to life in the audiobook. 10 hrs 10 mins. More info →Author: Zora Neale Hurston
A sweeping novel set in 1920s southern Florida following Janie Crawford as she experiences love and loss and comes of age. Known as Hurston's best work, this story about expectations, marriage, and surprising romance is richly atmospheric. It’s a classic for a reason, with a main character you'll never forget. In fact, echoes of Janie Crawford can be seen in contemporary literature, like Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. This is a book that numerous readers have considered to be even better on audio as they then can fully experience Hurston's talent for writing dialect. Narrated by Ruby Dee; 6 hrs 44 mins. More info →Author: John Steinbeck
Steinbeck's most ambitious novel has it all: love, poverty, wealth, war, betrayal, abandonment, murder. An epic tale of the Trasks and Hamiltons, two families doomed to reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel’s rivalry across generations. Set in California’s dusty Salinas Valley, Steinbeck examines class, identity, and what happens when we are denied love. Narrated by Richard Poe; 25 hrs 23 mins. More info →Author: Charles Dickens
Dickens regarded this novel as his "favourite child" and it’s considered his most autobiographical. As David recounts his experiences from childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist, Dickens draws openly and revealingly on his own life. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters are Rosa Dartle, Dora, Steerforth, and the 'umble Uriah Heep, along with Mr. Micawber, a portrait of Dickens's own father that evokes a mixture of love, nostalgia, and guilt. There are many versions of this audiobook, including an Audible-exclusive narrated by Richard Armitage. 36 hrs 30 mins. More info →Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
I don't like to throw around the word "should" when it comes to reading, but I do hope you'll consider reading this classic-for-a-reason. In this great Russian novel, Raskolnikov wonders whether it’s possible to murder someone without remorse, and reaches the conclusion that yes, it’s possible for an important person to kill someone they deem unimportant. He sets out to do exactly that—but he doesn’t count on a growing conscience or an investigator's subsequent pursuit. You could read this book every year for the rest of your life and discover something new every time. This is the book that first showed me what a talented writer could do with theme, symbolism, and imagery, which may sound dry but was revolutionary—and exciting!—to my young mind. Translations and audiobook narrators abound; my favorite translation (so far) is by David McDuff. 25 hrs 1 min. More info →Author: Alexandre Dumas
Over the years I've been floored by the superlatives readers use to describe this behemoth of a novel: epic, thrilling, the best book they've ever read. WSIRN guest Ahtoosa Dale advised me to read the audiobook narrated by John Lee. Forty-seven hours later, I finally understood why readers love this tale of a man thrown into prison for a crime he didn't commit and his long quest for retribution. This was wonderful on audio, but I did turn to SparkNotes on a half-dozen occasions for clarity on plot details. 46 hrs 56 mins. More info →Author: George Eliot
Eliot’s hefty masterpiece combines her "study of provincial life" with a close look at several young couples who fall (or think they fall) in love. Who will find lasting happiness, and who won't, and why? By focusing on the narrow disappointments and particular joys of this small community, Eliot cuts to the heart of human nature. A novel about love, happiness, and second chances. I personally loved the audiobook version narrated by Juliet Stevenson. 31 hrs 33 mins. More info →Author: Sigrid Undset
Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset tells the epic story of her heroine in 14th century Norway with great love and attention to detail. Kristin is devoted to her father until she meets Erlend at convent school and marries him against her parents’ wishes. Their passionate but tumultuous marriage leads to seven sons and ultimately estrangement. This is a much-beloved story, all the more impressive given its 1000+ pages. The new and much-lauded Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition is translated from the Norwegian by Tiina Nunnally and narrated by Nina Yndis and Stephen Graybill. 47 hrs 11 mins. More info →Author: Betty Smith
If you're new to this novel, brace yourself: Francie Nolan is about to win you over. Her Irish Catholic family is struggling to stay afloat in the Brooklyn slums, in the midst of great change at the turn of the century, while her charismatic but doomed father is literally drinking himself to death. But Francie is young, sensitive, imaginative, and determined to make a life for herself. Smith gently shows us how Francie is like those Brooklyn trees that somehow manage to grow in the city, even in cement, even with no light or water. A moving coming-of-age story of unlikely beauty and resilience. Narrated by Kate Burton; 15 hrs 1 min. More info →Author: Leo Tolstoy
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," begins this classic Russian novel. Anna leaves her husband and son for Count Vronksky but their love is ultimately doomed. Tolstoy’s much-beloved tome is praised for its depiction of Russian life and nuanced portrait of humanity. Numerous translations exist; if I had to choose one, I'd go with Constance Garnett's, if only because it's narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who calls this her favorite novel and said performing it was one of the greatest accomplishments of her work life. 35 hrs 35 mins. More info →Author: Evelyn Waugh
This sweeping novel set in Britain between the world wars chronicles the Flyte family’s unraveling—along with the rest of Britain’s aristocracy—as viewed through the wistful eyes of lieutenant Charles Ryder. It's haunting and melancholy, wistful and reverent. Themes of love, loss, and grace always capture my attention—I'm entranced by the family and the history and simply adore this book. Narrated by Jeremy Irons; 11 hrs 33 mins. More info →Author: Richard Adams
I needed more than a few nudges to finally pick up this 1972 classic about a brave band of rabbits in the English countryside and their quest for survival against the threat of humans. But I’m so glad I finally read it, and opted for the audio when I did. I’ve never read anything else quite like it. This British classic powerfully probes love, courage, loyalty, and human nature, and by turns includes both gorgeous scenes of the idyllic English countryside and encounters of great violence. Narrated by Peter Capaldi; 17 hrs 31 mins. More info → What are your favorite classics on audiobook? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 10 absorbing classics for your autumn audiobook queue, 10 comforting classics to read after you run out of Jane Austen novels, and 6 tips to help you tackle a classic novel.
The post 12 classics on audiobook appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we always love seeing your submissions to be a guest on our show. A recent topic we wanted to hear your stories about was the books that haunt you, and today’s guest had an interpretation of that theme that caught the eye of everyone on our.
Megan Reilly is joining me today from Madison, Wisconsin, where she’s a professional theater designer and a college professor. She loves to travel and spend time outdoors, and reading is both a beloved hobby and a stress management technique.
In addition to dealing with what Megan describes as a reading challenge addiction, she’s also always on the hunt for intelligent thrillers that aren’t afraid to go dark. She especially loves books that get their hooks into you and stay in your brain for years.
Today, we’ll talk all about the books that haunt Megan, what that means, and what titles she may find captivating for her upcoming season of reading. If you have suggestions for Megan, please share those by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Megan at her website and on Goodreads.
Don’t Overthink ItFall is a season full of new beginning energy, and it’s a great time to remember that you can start a new habit or set a new goal any time you want. That also means it’s a great time to pick up Don’t Overthink It. I truly believe there are life-changing ideas in this book, from how to make easier decisions, to stop second-guessing, and bring more joy to your life. Check your library or pick up your own copy at your local independent bookstore or wherever you buy books online, including our Modern Mrs Darcy shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: I will say that one of the secrets of adulthood I think I learned when I was in college is that dorkiness is where the fun is.
MEGAN REILLY: I can definitely agree with that. My whole life is dorky.
ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, today the conversation went a direction I was not expecting, and that was to the pink book's prompt in a previous Popsugar Reading Challenge. As it turns out, Don't Overthink It, my book that was released on March 3rd, 2020 is such a book with an adorable pink cover, if I do say so myself.
[00:01:10] If you're interested in checking out the other potential covers from back in 2019, there's a blog post on Modern Mrs. Darcy where you can do exactly that.
We talk about the fact that the book has a pink cover, but not about the book. But now feels like a great time for reminder that you can start a new habit, or set a new goal any time you want, not just on January 1st.
If you're like me and this fall has not been unfolding the way you expected, you can always start over again. Now could be your time to pick up my book, Don't Overthink It, which is, as you have probably guessed, about overthinking.
If you want to make easier decisions, stop second-guessing and bring more joy to your life for the rest of the season and in the years to come. I hope you'll pick up Don't Overthink It. There are life-changing ideas in here, some of which are small and easily achievable no matter what else is going on in your world in this season.
[00:02:06] You can check your library. If they don't have a copy, you can ask them to purchase one. You can pick up your own copy at your local independent bookstore or wherever you buy books online. You can get a signed copy from our shop and get other stickers and pen back buttons and good stuff while you are at it. Visit our shop at ModernMrsdarcy.com/shop.
Buying books like Don't Overthink It or my Reading Journals, Reading People or I'd Rather Be Reading is a great way to tangibly support the work we do here each week. Thank you so much and happy reading!
Readers, we rely on your submissions for our podcast guests many weeks. When we reopened our submission form at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guests late last summer, we suggested a few fall prompts that we thought would be fun to talk to readers about.
One of those was your stories about the books that haunt you. And in response, today's guest sent in a submission that caught everyone on our team's eye. We loved her interpretation of this theme.
[00:03:08] Megan Reilly is joining me today to talk all about it, the books that haunt you by getting their hooks into you and staying in your brain for years.
Megan is a professional theater designer and a college professor who lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She loves to travel and spend time outdoors, and reading is both a beloved hobby and a stress management technique.
In addition to dealing with what Megan describes as a reading challenge addiction, she's also always on the hunt for intelligent thrillers that aren't afraid to go dark.
Today, we'll talk all about the books that haunt Megan, what that means, and what titles she may find captivating for her upcoming season of reading. Let's get to it.
Megan, welcome to the show.
MEGAN: Thanks. I'm happy to be here.
ANNE: I'm so excited to talk today. Megan, would you start by telling us about yourself? We just want to give our readers a glimpse of who you are.
MEGAN: I'm a college professor at UW Madison in the Department of Theater and Drama, and I'm also a professional lighting and projections designer for theater. I design professionally in addition to teaching, so I was recently designing Into the Woods and also David Henry Hwang's Yellow Face.
[00:04:17] ANNE: That sounds so cool.
MEGAN: Yeah, I really love my job. My job is really stressful. I'm getting close to tenure and dealing with the stress of that with reading.
ANNE: Would you say more about that for those who aren't in academia?
MEGAN: Oh, God. Tenure is when I go from being an assistant to an associate professor, and in order to get tenure, you have to do a certain amount of what others have called bean-counting. So it's like so many articles that you've published, so many books that you've written, or in my case, so many productions that I've designed, or conference presentations.
So there's a real pressure to keep your numbers up every year of everything that you're doing constantly, in addition to maintaining a productive life as a university teacher and colleague. So it can get really stressful because everybody's doing that. Everybody's trying to get their own job and keep their own job.
[00:05:14] ANNE: So it's high pressure and high stakes.
MEGAN: High pressure and high stakes.
ANNE: High volume is what I meant to say.
MEGAN: Yes. And also my tenure case should come up in two years, so I've got only two years left.
ANNE: And so you are dealing with the stress through reading.
MEGAN: Yes, I am.
ANNE: Well, I find that to be a tried and true strategy. Would you say more about what that looks like for you?
MEGAN: Well, on bad days, it's avoiding the work I need to do. Like right now I am writing a book chapter and need to finish it pretty soon. So the days that I just don't feel like doing that, I come home and I just lose myself in a book.
ANNE: And lest anyone not speak theater, you're not talking about writing a novel.
MEGAN: No, I'm not. I'm talking about writing... So it's a book that's going to be about immersive theater, which is one of my research specialties. Immersive theater is when you lose the fourth wall and people can mingle with actors and sometimes interact with them.
ANNE: Oh, I'm so curious if this means things for your reading life, but carry on. We may touch on that later.
MEGAN: A lot of theater-related books, some talk about immersive theater quite a bit. It's so emotionally resonant. It's so, I hate to use the word dramatic, but it is.
[00:06:19] So that's the kind of thing I'm writing right now. It's just one chapter. My chapter is on neurodivergent labor, which is going to sound highly academic, I'm sure.
Days that I am actually doing work, I try to end the day with a half an hour of reading, but frequently I'm even too tired to do that. So I miss books a lot, but I read pretty quickly.
ANNE: So you said in your submission that you want to deal with the stress by losing yourself in books, but also your professional life is so much right now.
MEGAN: It is.
ANNE: You miss reading when you're not escaping into your good books. Tell me more about your reading life.
MEGAN: Oh, I've been obsessed with books since I was a kid. I was the kid who got in trouble in their class by reading Wrinkle in Time under her desk. Literally that did happen several times.
But somewhere along the line, reading kind of stopped being a priority as I was growing my career. And it's only in the past, I want to say five or six years that I started getting really into it again. I read as often as I can now, but especially when I'm traveling. So I love to travel.
[00:07:21] I recently went to Norway and read five books in two weeks. I also saw all of Norway.
ANNE: Oh, I'm so jealous. I would love to see the pictures that go with that declaration. Megan, I'm so curious. I find I read less when I travel simply because I'm so occupied all day long. And then at night I'm often planning the next day. What does it look like to be someone who reads more? How does that work?
MEGAN: When I'm traveling, I usually am traveling solo. And so there's plenty of time, like downtime in between hiking adventures or whatever it is that I'm doing to just kind of regroup and read and enjoy the nature because that's really what I travel for is the nature.
Reading more now in general, it started because I got really into completing the Popsugar Reading Challenge, which I'm almost ashamed to admit.
ANNE: I can hear you kind of laughing as you say that.
MEGAN: Yeah, I mean, it sounds like such a dorky thing. And a lot of my friends are like, "Oh, why don't you just read what you want? Why do you have to read according to this challenge?" And really it got me into reading a lot of different books that I would normally not have touched.
[00:08:26] ANNE: I will say that one of the secrets of adulthood I think I learned when I was in college is that dorkiness is where the fun is.
MEGAN: I can definitely agree with that. My whole life is dorky.
ANNE: Okay. I would love to hear more about that. So tell me about getting into, in your submission, use the all caps, REALLY into completing the Popsugar Reading Challenge.
MEGAN: Well, this will be the first year since 2019 when I started completing them that I have not finished it. And I've sort of given up on this year's.
ANNE: How's that feeling?
MEGAN: It's hard because I like... Oh my God, I'm going to be such a dork. I make spreadsheets.
ANNE: So many people are like, "Oh, Megan, you are my people." Please tell me more about your spreadsheets.
MEGAN: Yeah. I make the spreadsheets for the Popsugar Challenge, but the one this year, the prompts are so specific that it's been really hard to finish them. And I'm just looking at all these books on my shelves that I have not read that I want to read and they don't fit any of the prompts.
[00:09:27] ANNE: Well, I admire that, that you're able to say, "These are the prompts. These are the books I want to read. They're not overlapping to the extent that makes this feel like a good time."
MEGAN: Right.
ANNE: "So let's not." If you needed a gold star or other kinds of affirmation, I hope I can help in that area.
MEGAN: Thank you. I appreciate that.
ANNE: What is it about the Popsugar Reading Challenge that appealed to you in 2019?
MEGAN: Oh, I like to-do lists. I like things I can check off. I like that feeling of like, "I did this. I read all these books." And also that it really pushed me to read things I wouldn't have picked up otherwise. Like, I think I remember there being a prompt back then about reading a book with a bird on a cover. And so I had to go find such a book, right? Instead of looking for just the books I wanted to read, I was now looking for a specific book with a bird.
And I don't remember what I read for that prompt, but I ended up loving it. I loved all the other ones that just pushed me to read either writers from a different demographic than myself or writers who had had different experiences than I had. It was really good to get outside of my comfort zone in reading.
[00:10:37] ANNE: This sounds so mundane and not at all about comfort zones, but I know a lot of people read, or at least tagged me as an author for the Popsugar Reading Challenge back in 2020, because that's when my book Don't Overthink It came out. And one of the Pop Sugar prompts that year was a book that has a pink cover. And Don't Overthink It does.
I was really surprised by the amount of activity I saw as an author, because people were sharing lists of pink books and talking about what they read for that category. So a pink book is maybe not like, Oh, this changed my entire life, but the influence of the Popsugar Challenge on people's reading lives seems to be very real.
MEGAN: Okay, for that prompt, I read The Truth About Melody Browne.
ANNE: I don't know that book.
MEGAN: It's Lisa Jewell. It's an early one of hers.
ANNE: And...
MEGAN: I didn't like it very much.
ANNE: Okay. How was the cover?
MEGAN: Cover's pink.
ANNE: Okay. What I'd really like to hear more about is more about the appeal of challenges to you, and what's that meant in your reading life.
[00:11:45] MEGAN: I can tell you one good thing that it did was it really sparked my reading again. It made me want to read, first of all, 50 books per year, which I hadn't been reading at that point.
ANNE: Okay, I'm putting some pieces together. Megan, I was wondering what happened, I think you said five, six, seven years ago, when you got back into reading. Was this it?
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: Oh, thank you, Popsugar. Can you remember what caught the attention of 2019, Megan, and made her think, "I gotta do this. I haven't been reading, but I gotta do this Popsugar Reading Challenge"?
MEGAN: I know my design career... I was between teaching positions at that point, and my design career just started to kind of take off a little bit. And I was actually traveling for design work, and I remember I was in Arkansas, and designing a show, I was designing Christmas Carol, I needed books to read. I remember I wanted more books to read because I was traveling for these shows.
[00:12:42] I found the Popsugar Reading Challenge in 2019, so I thought it would be a great way to start 2020.
ANNE: Did the structure appeal to you?
MEGAN: Yes, the structure did, as well as just being able to finish something and feeling accomplished with it. Because I wanted to get back into reading, but the stress of my job, my previous teaching position, as well as just the years before, I just hadn't been doing very much of it.
ANNE: You said that you felt like such a dork for talking about your commitment to the Popsugar Reading Challenge, but it's done great things for your reading life.
MEGAN: It has.
ANNE: I'm grateful to it. You said in your submission that you're addicted to challenges.
MEGAN: Yeah, I mean, even non-reading challenges. I found on Facebook a 50-mile hike challenge, and I was like, "Oh, I should do this." And I'm like, "No, you're not going to hike 50 miles this fall. It's just not going to happen."
ANNE: Like 50 miles at once, or 50 miles total?
MEGAN: In the fall, total.
ANNE: Okay, okay. That's...
MEGAN: And I just had to be frank with myself and say, like, "This is not a thing you're going to do because you have too many other things to do that aren't challenges."
[00:13:43] ANNE: Well, Megan, I'm excited to hear more about how this plays out in your reading life, and what kinds of books you're looking for. Megan, you know how this works. You're going to tell us three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately before we turn our attention to books that you may enjoy reading next. And I'd love to hear how you chose these.
MEGAN: Well, the reason why I chose the three books I love is because we were talking about books that haunt, and so I focused specifically on the books that I love that have haunted me.
ANNE: That's right. Thank you for reminding me that we put out a call to our... we let our newsletter subscribers know first. So if you're not on the list, you can sign up, it's free, on whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
And when we reopened our submission form in late summer, we said we're looking for fall themes. And we'd love to talk about, and you're right, that books that haunt you was one potential idea to explore. And I remember really loving your spin on that concept.
[00:14:42] MEGAN: I really jumped at that particular opportunity to talk about books that haunt me because it's one of my favorite kind of reading categories. I even have a shelf on Goodreads devoted to books that haunt. So I chose the books that I'm going to talk about based on that prompt primarily.
ANNE: Tell me about the first book you love.
MEGAN: It's God of the Woods by Liz Moore. This is a book about a summer camp that's kind of run by these rich people, this rich family, and their daughter goes missing while she's at camp.
So I loved this book because the woods surrounding the camp had kind of a character all of their own, and I could just picture them as being like these kind of mist-filled woods. And the idea that this family had previously lost their son, who was never found, I just imagined these woods kind of swallowing him up, just making him disappear, which is how I also imagined the loss of their daughter as well.
ANNE: What was the reading experience like for you?
MEGAN: Oh, I devoured this book in a couple of days. There was so much atmosphere in this book that just really called to me, I guess.
[00:15:49] ANNE: Had you read Liz Moore before?
MEGAN: No, I know I haven't. And so her other book is on my list now.
ANNE: Her other book? Singular?
MEGAN: Does she have more than one?
ANNE: Oh, we're going to talk about that. Okay.
MEGAN: Okay.
ANNE: We'll talk. We'll talk. I'm really glad that one worked for you, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore.
Megan, what's the second book you love?
MEGAN: The second book was All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, which I knew I had to read when everybody started putting it on. Jenna Bush put it as her favorite book of the summer.
ANNE: Oh, I didn't know that.
MEGAN: Even you had recommended it in the Summer Reading Guide.
ANNE: It's in the Summer Reading Guide. And I didn't think I was much for serial killer books, but I loved this one.
MEGAN: Well, that's the funny thing is that you described it as a serial killer book, so I was waiting for this really intense thriller. And it was really a character study of these two children, really. I think one of the things that really affected me about this book, and which is why it's a haunting book to me, is that it shows how this one pivotal incident in a bunch of kids in the town's life really impacted them going forward. And so you see them throughout 20 years of their life or whatever.
[00:16:56] And the choices that they've made all really stem from this one incident. I love books about how things affect people, about how we affect each other. That's why this one was so special and resonant for me.
ANNE: Now, something you mentioned in your submission is that anything that others might think of as dark is right up your alley. Say more about that.
MEGAN: My definition of dark tends to be a lot darker than other people's definitions of dark. So when I say like anything that other people find dark, I'm like, "I'll read that, whatever that is. I'll grab it." But if I recommend something that I think was dark, most people are not going to want to read it.
ANNE: Are you able to put your finger on what it is about dark books that interests you? Or perhaps you just know that you have a track record of really taking to books that carry that descriptor.
MEGAN: It is the atmosphere, most part. I also love things where things are left unknown. We don't get a full explanation of things in the end. I love horror books that just don't explain everything.
[00:18:02] ANNE: So if there are two kinds of readers and one is completely comfortable with ambiguous endings and unexplained occurrences, that's you.
MEGAN: That is me.
ANNE: I have a high tolerance for ambiguity as well. I'm happy to have an author set the table and say, Make of this what you will. But readers, I think it's really important to realize there are definitely plenty of readers, maybe even the majority, I don't know, tell me what you think, Megan, but who feel like their readerly satisfaction depends on a more conclusive resolution.
MEGAN: I have found that most people want closure. They want to have satisfying resolution. They want to know everything. And a lot of the plays that I'm drawn to, television shows I'm drawn to, are movies that, when I think of haunting, this is what I'm talking about. They make me think for hours or days or months or years afterwards, what was actually going on.
[00:19:01] I think specifically of like Battlestar Galactica as a TV show. Nobody liked that ending except me, or that's how it felt anyways, because the characters were left just kind of inambiguous. Like, well, we don't know what really happened to this one character.
And when I think of books that are just... I mean, that really brings me to the third book I love, right? Our Wives Under the Sea.
ANNE: Tell us about that Julia Armfield novel.
MEGAN: It's really difficult for me to talk about ambiguous endings without talking about this book. I think we get like a two-second glimpse of something in the ocean that she might have seen.
This is about the married couple with the wife that has to go on a marine voyage. And she gets like a two-second glimpse of something in the ocean, but she comes back changed. And we never get an explanation beyond that of what she saw, what happened to her, why she changed, what happened to the other people on the sub. But from there, it's just this kind of meditation on grief and letting go. And I just loved it because it felt so natural to leave it unsaid. Does that make sense?
ANNE: To you.
MEGAN: To me.
[00:20:11] ANNE: Well, okay. Because I think that wasn't the point of Julia Armfield's story. This is my theory.
MEGAN: Okay.
ANNE: That she wasn't saying, whoa, listen to what this woman experienced out there on her voyage that she returned from changed. She's saying, whoa, how we must deal with and move forward after we have been changed, regardless of how that happens.
MEGAN: Right.
ANNE: Although, gosh, the way she lays it out, of course, as readers, we have some curiosity about what happened, but also that's not the point. It's only where the characters are right now as they try to move forward. Okay. That's my hypothesis.
MEGAN: Yes. No, I agree with that hypothesis. But I think that a lot of readers are going to want to know what specifically happened, especially after it's just so beautifully described, the changes that she experiences.
ANNE: So many readers loved this book. Also, I heard some readers say, I can see that this is good, but it's not the book I hope she'd write. I hope she'd tell us what happened out there.
MEGAN: Right.
[00:21:16] ANNE: Yeah. But that's not the book Julia Armfield sought out to write. That's not the book she gave us.
Okay, this is so interesting. I didn't connect until you explicitly said how the books that haunt you and stay with you often have these unresolved, open endings. And that makes so much sense.
Okay, more hypotheses, because our brain doesn't like to have open loops. It likes to close those loops to get the resolution. And I can see how in the absence of that, our brain is still just going to town, like trying to close it.
MEGAN: Right.
ANNE: Trying to get that resolution.
MEGAN: Right. I think that's what I love, is I love that, like, I can't let this go feeling. I love staying in that loop, trying to solve things. My brain likes to solve puzzles. And so it looks at ambiguous endings as a puzzle that it has to solve. And so that's why the book stays with me.
ANNE: But is it a puzzle you can ever solve?
MEGAN: No.
[00:22:14] ANNE: And so it's like when you say, gosh, this book was so good, I didn't want it to end. Like, that's kind of what you're getting here.
MEGAN: Kind of, yeah.
ANNE: But I'm wondering how knowing this about yourself influences what you decide to read.
MEGAN: If I hear from somebody that the book didn't explain everything, or that the book really disturbed them, or something along the lines like that, this is really dark, usually some people say, or I liked the book, but it didn't have a satisfying ending or something like that. I tend to lean more towards those, because I want to see if that is why it didn't have a satisfying ending, for example. Or I want to see what it was that disturbed somebody. Because often the things that disturb other people are things that I really love reading.
ANNE: Well, also, I think something that you touched on was, or at least the lines my brain is drawing, the books that are dark and disturbing are often so because they probe elements of human nature that we don't want to look at. And yet, they're present. They're there to puzzle out and to ponder if we're willing to go there.
[00:23:16] MEGAN: Why can't I say things that eloquently? Yes, it is very much about human nature. It's very much about the mundanity of what it is to be human. Like, she's exploring change, and loss, and grief, and readjusting, and how you move forward. But that is a mundane part of life for all of us, almost in an everyday kind of way. So the exploration of something that is mundane and every day, but in such a way that is not, really sticks with me. Really drives what I'm reading.
ANNE: Now, I'm thinking about more books that haunt me. Because I love the way you describe that. Like, it sticks with you. And the unresolved ending is a big one. Because it makes you think, well, what happened? What do I know? You referenced All the Colors of the Dark being a character study.
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: And I'm also thinking about books that might not leave a big stunner of a, wait, what? It's over? No. Ah! What happened? But just drop a nugget or an observation in the book someplace that presents an idea in a new way to me, or makes me think, Oh gosh, is that true? And I'll come back to that part of it.
[00:24:27] So I'm finding for myself there are more than one ways for a book to be haunting. And yet, I really love what you put in front of me here because I never thought about it like that.
Something I've recognized for a long time is a book with an open ending or an ambiguous ending is great for a book club. Because when everyone's not seeking to get the right answer, you're free to discuss possibilities.
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: And opinions in a way that you're not when the teacher's going to be like, No, you're wrong.
MEGAN: Well, I think haunting because it sticks with you. Meaning things that haunt you... like if you had a ghost, for example, they haunt you because they're there all the time. I guess the explanation of it's a ghost isn't satisfying for me.
Something else that sticks with me all the time that just either gives me chills to think about or makes me focus on it during the mundane parts of my day, I love those books.
ANNE: Okay. Heard. I've got ideas. First, tell me about a book that was not a good fit for you.
[00:25:31] MEGAN: The book that was not a good fit for me was The Return of Ellie Black.
ANNE: Always with this question, we're looking for: how did it not align with your taste? Was it the wrong book at the wrong time? Was it about a topic you prefer not to read about? What was it with this book for you, Megan?
MEGAN: I think that lately I've been reading a lot of books that have some sort of violence against women. I was just recently reading I Have Some Questions For You. And to follow that up with this book, this book is much more specific. I mean, talk about something that is not ambiguous. It is unambiguous.
It is descriptions of what happened to her while she was gone and what happened to other girls who were taken with her. It's about a girl who was kidnapped and kept for a period of time, I think two years. I think it was just too much for me and too specific. If they had never described what happened to her, I would have liked it much better. It would have haunted me.
ANNE: Yeah.
MEGAN: But I think that the specificity of it and then also I'm just... I'm real tired of women being the victims all the time in books.
[00:26:35] ANNE: I'm wondering if you're really intrigued by books that say, Let's explore this. Let's think about how this happened and what it meant for people after. This was a different tone here.
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: Okay. Maybe the asking of questions and the exploration wasn't as forward. This is a real plotty book, The Return of Ellie Black.
MEGAN: Yes. I think it was more that it answered questions that I didn't want answered, if that makes sense.
ANNE: So a thoughtful exploration is more important to you than narrative drive.
MEGAN: Yes, I think so.
ANNE: The big questions are what keep you turning the pages? Like you said, you read The God of the Woods, which is a big book, in just a couple of days.
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: Because you were interested in the questions.
MEGAN: I was. But even though there was a satisfying ending to that, there still were a lot of threads that didn't necessarily have full answers to them. Like they didn't directly say, "Oh, that thing that they saw in the woods was this." They gave you an explanation if you wanted to accept that explanation, but it wasn't necessarily the only explanation for the hauntings that the campers would describe in their late-night stories.
[00:27:46] I love that they gave me the resolution, the specific resolution they gave me in that book for why the daughter was missing. But in the meantime, the getting there felt like they were never going to answer it, like she was just going to be another disappeared kid.
ANNE: Megan, what have you been reading lately?
MEGAN: Well, right now I'm reading Unsettled Ground and Love Theoretically.
ANNE: Is that Claire Fuller? I haven't read that one.
MEGAN: Yes, Claire Fuller, yes. And Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood. I started Love Theoretically because the books recently were so... they were depressing. Even Unsettled Ground I know I'm only about a third to half the way through, but I know it's going somewhere dark and I'm excited for that. But also at the same time, I'm like, can I just have a romance or something? What's the palette, please?
ANNE: Tell me about how you fit romances into your reading life.
MEGAN: Oh, they are what I read when I've read too many dark things. And they have to be good and intelligent. I don't pick up just any romance. Allie Hazelwood is good for me sometimes, but I really love is Abby Jimenez.
[00:28:50] ANNE: Yeah, I think in your submission, you said that you really loved Yours Truly.
MEGAN: I loved it. It was so the perfect romance. It was so feel good.
ANNE: I'm glad that worked for you. And yet, those characters had some stuff that they had to work through.
MEGAN: They did, but I identified with them so strongly that I knew their stuff. It was similar to my stuff.
ANNE: Yeah, yeah. I'm just noticing that in a different package, Abby Jimenez, I think, still asks a lot of questions that are the questions you find interesting.
MEGAN: I think in both cases, their characters are neurodivergent in some way. That's another thing I love is exploring that in books.
ANNE: Oh, would you say more about that?
MEGAN: Well, I am autistic myself, which is something that everybody knows about me, and I'm loving just finding characters that are also possibly on the spectrum. I don't think that Abby Jimenez or Allie Hazelwood ever says directly that they are, but there are traits there that are similar.
[00:29:51] And so when they're exploring science or exploring medicine or whatever it is, you can see the love of the subject in them. And I think that the main character, the romantic male character in Yours Truly was really... he really exhibited a lot of similar traits to me, like this kind of dislike of social situations, preferring to be at home with his plants, sort of things like that. And I loved how she cared for him.
ANNE: Yeah. Oh, I just have a big smile on my face now thinking about my experience reading that book and the way you're describing it.
MEGAN: Yeah, she cared for him so well. Like the kind of thing that I think most autistic people wish somebody would see in them, she saw in her as she saw in him.
ANNE: Yeah. Oh, I'm so glad that you connected with that book in that way.
MEGAN: Yeah, I did. So other books that I've read lately, I read Prophet Song. This is another book that haunts me, honestly, maybe not for the same reasons, although there are definitely unanswered questions in it. But there are just images from that book that I will never get out of my head.
[00:30:54] I read it in maybe a day. I just couldn't stop reading it. I was almost like in a trance reading this book. And it was so dark, but so plausible at the same time, that something like this would happen. At the time, I had All the Colors of the Dark on my coffee table, like next to read, and I think that's when I chose to read The Second Chance Year instead.
ANNE: Megan, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
MEGAN: One thing I'm really hoping for is more books that are of the haunting vein, especially this time of year with it being fall and Halloween coming up, that this would be really cool if I could have something that fits in with that, that feeling. But also the term haunting and just wanting it to stay with me, especially throughout the winter, would be fantastic.
I also want to get away from my need for these challenges so I'm not really reading books... so that I am reading books that I love and not books that I have to read, but I'm not really interested in.
ANNE: Okay. So I feel like if we can find books that you're interested in, does that kind of take care of itself? Or am I oversimplifying?
[00:31:58] MEGAN: No, I think so.
ANNE: All right. Let's take a look at what you may find compelling. Megan, I think we were talking about authors setting the table, but you've set a really appetizing table. I'm excited to see where it might lead you next.
Okay, so you loved The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, and Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield.
You know, we didn't directly discuss this, but you mentioned in your submission how much you're drawn to a literary kind of thriller.
MEGAN: Yeah, I am drawn to that. Unfortunately, I don't find too many of them that I feel are... what it means to me... I think the word literary kind of almost doesn't have a meaning when it comes to describing a book. It almost seems like it's supposed to describe the good books, quote unquote.
ANNE: You're not wrong.
MEGAN: I'm not wrong. I like being right.
ANNE: It can be helpful. I often find myself using it myself, but it's hard to have it feel descriptive and not pejorative in its absence.
MEGAN: Right. Right.
[00:33:03] ANNE: And it feels like a marketing phrase as much as anything else, but I think I know... I mean, I think what you're describing is, with that phrase, what you're trying to describe is The God of the Woods, All the Colors of the Dark, Our Wives Under the Sea.
MEGAN: Absolutely. But also, like, I really think going back to Secret History, right?
ANNE: Ooh, yeah.
MEGAN: That is the ultimate literary thriller, in my opinion.
ANNE: Books with that mood, with that tone, with that same kind of like challenge to the reader.
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: Like, you can't watch TV and read me at the same time. You gotta pay attention.
MEGAN: Definitely.
ANNE: Okay, excellent. That's super helpful. Not for you was The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean. And then you've been reading a variety of things lately. I mean, everything from Paul Lynch's Prophet Song to Abby Jimenez's Yours Truly.
And you love more books that haunt you, more books that we tried to describe as literary thrillers. Thank you for your grace, everyone. And you also really enjoy books with neurodivergent characters when you can come by that.
MEGAN: I do.
[00:34:04] ANNE: All right, let's see what we can do. I'm finding that there's a lot in the mystery genre that's coming to mind, but that's not the only place that we could camp out looking for books that ask these big questions and that do have... I mean, I'm in favor of some ambiguous endings for you, because I think that would be a lot of fun. Or also endings that make you go, Whoa, like, what just happened? I think that can perhaps also work.
I'd like to start with The Bee Sting by Paul Murray. Is this one you've read?
MEGAN: It's not. It's definitely on my TBR list.
ANNE: Okay. For good reason, do you remember why you put it there?
MEGAN: I put it there because somebody on the cruise ship recommended it to me.
ANNE: Really? So you were talking about books with people on your Norwegian cruise?
MEGAN: I was, yes. All the time. I got lots of book recommendations.
ANNE: Is that because you were reading? How did those conversations happen? Is this the point of our conversation? Maybe not. But I'm so curious.
MEGAN: Well, yeah. So on the cruise, I met five women who were traveling together, and they sort of adopted me as their sixth person at the table that you ate at every day. And among them, I started talking about books.
[00:35:11] They were talking about books, but because I was reading all the time, they wanted to know what I was reading, what I liked. And so I asked for book recommendations from them. And one in particular gave me this long list, which I loved, and The Bee Sting was on it.
I'd heard about it because it was recent, so I had already kind of had it in the back of my mind when she recommended it to me. So I put it on my list.
ANNE: It sounds up your alley to me.
MEGAN: Okay.
ANNE: What do we say about The Bee Sting? A literary thriller definitely feels true. I think it nestles right in with your favorite books. It's a long book.
We didn't talk about you especially liking that, but The God of the Woods and All the Colors of the Dark were also well over 500 pages, as is The Bee Sting. Julia Armfield went in the opposite direction. She accomplishes a lot. And I think it's 200-something pages in Our Wives Under the Sea. But I can see that the long isn't scary for you.
For those who care, this was shortlisted for the Booker. And it's an Irish novel that I happened to listen to on audio.
[00:36:11] MEGAN: I love Irish novels.
ANNE: I did not know that to be true about myself until I happened to read a big stack of them just coincidentally, serendipitously, all at once last year, and then went, Oh, wait. I'm not great at pattern recognition, but even I can recognize this pattern.
This is a multi-generational family saga about what really feels like the unending, unrelenting troubles and ultimate demise of the Barnes family. The points of view are all done so well and so interesting, and in a way that you'll notice more if you read in the print and not on audio.
Like the mother of the family, Imelda, she comes from a working-class background with a father who wasn't present, and when he was, was present in all the wrong ways to his family. She's the least educated character in the novel. And you can see that on the page in the way her narrative is described. But you get to see the parents and then the children all share their perspective is what is happening.
[00:37:26] So the Barnes family has always been rooted, established, esteemed in their small-town Irish community, but the economic situation in Ireland is historically, when the story is set, not good.
And I read a couple of books at the same time that all focused on the same period of recession, including The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donohue, which I loved. Great resolution to that story. Might not be a book that haunts you, Megan, but maybe one that you will find interesting for other readers.
But like character by character, Paul Murray introduces us to these characters and shows us what they're experiencing, what their troubles are and why, and also how they're making really clearly bad decisions, but also decisions that make sense in the world of the character.
It's so compelling. I mean, like, here's the situation. Why is this character making that choice? Do you see the tension? Do you see why they feel driven to do what they do? And then by showing us these characters like one by one, we can see how their bad decisions are interacting and building on each other.
[00:38:33] The symbolism here is really intense. Pay attention to the squirrels. But we see each character... oh gosh, all kinds of potential analogies here that are all really dark. But we see each character like setting up their own row of disastrous dominoes. And we watch them just like flick them over.
MEGAN: That sounds so fascinating.
ANNE: It almost starts at the end, the story. You don't know what you're reading because you don't know the characters and you don't understand the symbolism and you don't get it. But we almost start at the end. But the end of the book is both completely unresolved and also makes you think, Oh, please no. But the question's not answered.
I have seen this described with phrases like a rollicking good time and funny and warm and I have no idea what those critics and reviewers are talking about. I thought this was utterly compelling. I could not put it down. As terrible as the decisions were the Barnes family were making, I wanted to see where those decisions led to.
[00:39:43] Also, it was fascinating as a reader to see some assumptions I made about other characters in the family based on the perspective of their children, parent, whatever. It was so interesting to see them be proved completely wrong once I got inside that next character's head. Literary thriller, I think this is it. How does that sound?
MEGAN: That sounds fascinating. I definitely want to read that.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. I'm wondering if this book has that creeping sense of dread that our guest Evie described loving in an episode a few weeks back. This next one definitely does. Have you read Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent?
MEGAN: No, but that is on my shelf upstairs.
ANNE: Okay, good reason. Well, first of all, literary thriller, so interesting. Oh, gosh, this is another Irish story.
MEGAN: We're on a roll.
ANNE: You said you liked those, so that's good. And also there are two characters at the center of this story, but Sally Diamond, our protagonist of the title, is neurodivergent. Is that a factor in this landing on your list?
MEGAN: Yes, it was.
[00:40:48] ANNE: Okay. So this book has a really interesting opening. Oh, gosh, I wish I could read it to you. But Sally is in her early 40s. Her father has died of natural causes. He's lived to be a ripe old age. And he has always told her, when he dies, put him out with the bins. So just put him out on trash day.
And Sally trusted her father to tell her what she needed to do. She is very literal in her interpretation of everything. And he told her to put her out with the bins and that's exactly what she does. And very quickly, the authorities are involved and come talk to her.
We understand from the very beginning that the way she sees the world causes problems for her and just baffles the members of her community who think she is a good person, she is kind, she is good, and also, oh, my, what do we do with this?
MEGAN: I can relate to that.
[00:41:52] ANNE: Sally is a very likable protagonist, and we want good things for her in this book. So at the beginning, we know that she is neurodivergent. She doesn't see the world the same way as other people and that she lived with her father, who she doted on and who loved her.
But we slowly find out that there is more going on. Her father was not her biological father, but a psychologist. And he adopted her years back and he had good reasons. And we slowly find out what they are.
And as we find out what those reasons are, we learn more about Sally and her background and her world. And even more reasons that she would see the world differently from others. And we learn more about the road she's been on, which has been loving but also very isolated.
And when her father dies, her world has to open up. And she starts to make a small group of friends, almost family, there in the community.
[00:42:56] This story has two protagonists at its core. Sally carries one point of view, but the other is told by a man whose identity is not really... we don't understand his connection to Sally at first.
The story starts further back in the past. There's a young boy who's being raised, also in isolation, by his father. And something is not right here. And the way he's being raised just feels off. Like early on, the seeds of that creeping sense of dread are being sown.
With Sally, we go back in time to understand her past. But with the boy's timeline, we move forward. And eventually, these two timelines converge, and we see how these two characters' lives come together.
This may sound really innocuous so far, but this is a dark, dark story with so many content warnings. And the tone throughout is emotionally... not universally, but it's light. It's comical, especially in Sally Diamond's storyline. That's not as true in the boy's. It's not as heavy feeling as it could be. But the content is so, so heavy.
[00:44:15] Wait, I should have used the word dark, because you like dark books. Your ears perk up when you hear that description.
MEGAN: Oh, yeah.
ANNE: And it is definitely that. And readers, if you want to know, just give it a Google, and you'll find out more. But something I think you'll find interesting is knowing that Liz Nugent wrote two endings for this book. There's the original Irish ending, which I have not read. I would love to. But it's darker than the ending that she was asked to write for her American audience because her publishers thought that the Americans would not be able to stomach an ending as dark as the one she originally wrote for her Irish edition.
MEGAN: Please tell me that it's somewhere online and I can find it.
ANNE: It's findable. Even if you have to buy the... you know, you have to get online and order a book from out of the country, this information is obtainable. How does that sound to you?
MEGAN: I am so excited to read this book. It's been sitting on my shelf for a long time now, and you just made me want to read it immediately.
ANNE: Oh, it's already sitting on your shelf.
MEGAN: Yes, it is.
[00:45:13] ANNE: Okay, I love it. Have you... I feel like surely you've read Happiness Falls by Angie Kim.
MEGAN: I loved it.
ANNE: Okay.
MEGAN: It's a mystery about what happened to the father. It's really about the family dynamics, I think.
ANNE: Yeah, a mystery about what happens to the father, but also what it's about is why this family is the way it is.
MEGAN: Yes.
ANNE: Yeah. I'm wondering about a different kind of literary thriller, The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok. Is that a book that you've...
MEGAN: No, I've never heard of it.
ANNE: Okay. I wonder about that for you. This is a slow burn, but it really picks up speed. And I think it's more explosive at the end than many of the books that you've loved. Like, it has a couple of big reveals. But she also does some really interesting things of a literary nature. The way she uses doubles in this book is fascinating.
[00:46:09] So what we have here is two women whose lives are on a collision course, and we know they're going to converge. We just don't know when and how. It's a little bit family drama, a little bit... That's not fair. It is equal parts family drama and gripping mystery. I don't know that it's a little bit of anything.
So one of these women is named Jasmine, and she became a mother in China, in her rural Chinese village, and gave birth to a daughter. She was told her daughter died. But then she discovers that her daughter didn't die. Her husband actually gave the baby up for adoption, and she's determined to go find her daughter.
And she has discovered that her child is being raised in New York City, and she knows a little bit about the family, I believe. She knows where she's going. She's not just airdropping into New York and going to find her child. She has some clues.
She ends up going deeply in debt to these frightening men known as Snakeheads, whose work is helping people like her enter the country without documentation. But she's got to find her baby, who is living with her adoptive mother, Rebecca.
[00:47:21] And if you like books set in the world of publishing readers, and Megan, this is one of them, Rebecca is an influential literary editor who doesn't know anything about the fact that her adoption was not conducted through the proper channels. And the circumstances are really pretty sinister.
So Jasmine wants to be reunited with her daughter, and is just trying to make enough money that she can get her daughter and live with her in New York. And that's going to take a lot. Meanwhile, Rebecca is wooing this breakout novelist who's written a new novel on the immigrant experience, and their conversations and the way Rebecca is trying to navigate that is so interesting.
There's a lot of nitty-gritty about publishing in this book. There's a bidding war for the book that's really interesting. This is a slow burn until it really picks up pace in the third act. This feels like a highly structured three-act novel.
[00:48:22] So this is about a woman on a quest to reclaim her daughter but it's also an exploration of what life is like in these individual families, and what it means to be a woman who needs to break herself into parts in order to survive and what it means to be an immigrant who needs to do the same thing in order to survive. And what does it mean to be a foreigner who's moving in a new culture? What does it mean for them?
Oh, and I have to tell you, she and Angie Kim are pals, just knowing that you loved Happiness Falls. I was delighted to see Angie Kim appear in The Acknowledgements of the Leftover Woman.
Jean Kwok said that Angie read every word almost as soon as it was written. And they wrote their books at the same time. They came out about the same time. That feels like a real vote of confidence when I see that an author I love really trusts and respects the input of another author I love, or an author I'm thinking about reading. It's fun to see worlds collide in that way.
[00:49:22] I do think this one is less similar to the ones you've already loved, but how does that sound to you?
MEGAN: It sounds really interesting.
ANNE: I'd be curious to hear how that goes for you. We can't forget The Liz Moore. I imagine the one on your list is Long Bright River, because that book was big.
MEGAN: Yes. Okay. You need to know about The Unseen World.
My husband also loved The God of the Woods, and I tried to gently nudge Will Bogle in the direction of The Unseen World without making him feel like I was being bossy. He can listen to this and tell me if that succeeded or not.
But The Unseen World is a father-daughter story about math, coding, family secrets that have been buried with good intentions, but still have been buried.
It's shocking and disturbing when you find out that in this book, your father, as the protagonist Ada finds out, has been lying about his past for a really long time. He is a brilliant, I'm going to say the word scientist, which might not be officially accurate, who starts experiencing symptoms of dementia before he actually dies and Ada is left behind to solve a mystery that he left her in code about her past.
[00:50:43] I don't know what to say, except if you love The God of the Woods, this is a very different story that still has so many of the elements that you loved in it, because it's Liz Moore. Literary thriller. I wouldn't call this a thriller. I call this a literary mystery that is just as much a family drama.
MEGAN: That sounds great too.
ANNE: Long Bright River is great. It's a different kind of book, and I am excited for you to read it. And also, I don't want you to miss The Unseen World.
She has more books besides. She has Heft, and I think there's one more. I haven't read those two yet, but every time I talk about Liz Moore, so thank you for making that possible this day, Megan. I think I need to get to those.
Okay, we covered some ground today. Of the books we talked about, they were The Bee Sting by Paul Murray, Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent, The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok, and then we slipped in The Unseen World by Liz Moore, of those books, what do you think you might read next?
[00:51:40] MEGAN: I'm really interested in all of them, but I think I'm going to go for Strange Sally Diamond because you just made me fall in love with it again. Why did I put this on my shelf? It must be because of you.
ANNE: That sounds like a really good fit to me. I'm excited to hear what you think.
MEGAN: Yeah.
ANNE: Megan, this has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for talking books with me.
MEGAN: Thank you. Thank you so much.
ANNE: Hey, readers. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Megan, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Megan at her website. That's meganreillydesign.com and on Goodreads.
We'll have those links in the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Make sure you never miss an episode by following us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and more. It really does help us if you download those episodes when they come out, even if you don't listen to them right away.
Stay in the loop by signing up for our email newsletter. We often let our What Should I Read Next? subscribers know what's happening at What Should I Read Next? HQ first. Get on that list at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
[00:52:45] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
• The Truth about Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
▵ The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
• Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller
• Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
• Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
• Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent
• The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
• Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
• Long Bright River by Liz Moore
• The Unseen World by Liz Moore
Also mentioned:• Modern Mrs Darcy Shop
• Guest Submission form
• Pop Sugar Reading Challenge
• WSIRN Newsletter
The post Recommend me a thriller, but make it literary appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re having a strange start to the weekend here: school is out and many businesses are closed because of the pounding hurricane rains that made their way up to Kentucky last night. The deluge and its potential impacts are scary even though we’re hundreds of miles from the center of the storm. I hope this weekend finds you safe, warm, and dry, and that you have something good to read and something to look forward to.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
‘I wanted to write a suburban Reacher’: Richard Osman talks to Lee Child about class, success and the secret to great crime writing. (The Guardian) Fun conversation. (I loved his new book!)
Why is it so hard to make new friends as an adult? (Vox) “So, how can I make more friends? We should act like kids again.” (The 200 hours statistic surprised me.)
My 2024 Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is already here and it’s so good. I’m into trying new high-end beauty and skincare plus grabbing some tried-and-true cult classics at a great value, so I’ve been thrilled with the Liberty calendar these past few years. This will horrify some but when it arrives I open the whole thing at once and start using it right away, so I can confidently report that in addition to the full-size favorites that persuaded me to order (Sunday Riley, La Mer, Augustinus Bader, Trish McEvoy) I LOVE the Skin Rocks moisturizer and Byredo lipstick (mine is Reunion).
More beauty calendars: commenter Alicia put the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar on my radar and mine arrives on Monday. The products are so good, including some pricey-but-worth-it personal favorites that convinced me to take the plunge: the K18 hair mask, Augustinus Bader serum, Olaplex bonding oil, Milk Makeup primer, Supergoop! glow screen, and more. Alicia shared great advice on deciding if a certain beauty calendar is worth it for you: “Before getting a calendar, especially since many of them are pretty expensive, check the products inside and the value of them. Add up the value of the products you know you would use and decide if the price is reasonable for that. I do that for every calendar and rule several out this way every time. It’s great that it’s $300 for $1,500 worth of stuff, but if you would never have paid $300 for those items, then it’s not actually a great deal.” Thanks, Alicia!
5 Changes That Matter From The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition (Writer’s Digest) “Each update in the Manual is significant in some way, but here are five that matter more than most.” I’ve found myself in the middle of a conversation about the preposition update three times this week!
12 quiet novels for those seeking compelling character-driven reads. (MMD) Novels that invite readers to savor the story. For a longer list of quiet reads, browse through the comments.
When it comes to weeknight dinners these days, we’re looking for the trifecta of delicious, easy, and fast—and this Smitten Kitchen soy-glazed chicken nailed it. We took Deb’s recommendation and served it with chili crisp plus the simplest snap pea and cucumber salad.
One House, One Homeowner and More Than 100 Shades of White. (New York Times gift link) “Though real estate is about location, color is about ‘context, context, context.'”As someone who lived in a house with all-white walls for a year, I read this with great interest.
Live a Life You Don’t Need Rescuing From (The Beaty Beat) 40 “practical tips and bits of lady wisdom upon turning 40,” including bookish goodness like “abandon books you can’t get into” and “read a book once a year that you understand maybe 70 percent of.”
New favorite fall jeans: Kut from the Kloth’s Sienna Wide Cuff style. Easy to dress up or dress down and adorable with basically everything. Essential information: in my experience Kut runs large. I typically expect to wear a 6-8 in jeans (or a 28, plus or minus a size) but I wear a 0 in this style. It took me numerous attempts to get the sizing right; I hope that tip saves you the hassle.
Margot Robbie And Jacob Elordi To Star In Emerald Fennell’s Adaptation Of ‘Wuthering Heights’ From MRC And LuckyChap. (Deadline) Wuthering Heights is one of those books I’m glad I read and also never want to read again—yet I’m intrigued by this news and lineup. (Psst—did we all notice that headline is not MLA-approved? Ha!)
This Quince vintage camp shirt is perfect for the summer-to-fall transition: cute, easy to wear, and a steal at $29.90. I wore the terra cotta this week and got lots of compliments. I usually wear a Small in Quince tops but needed an XS for the shoulder seams to hit right. (This shirt is strikingly similar to the pricier—and sold-out—camp shirt I wore in our Summer Reading Guide photos, as pictured here.)
Not Just Fargo: Why Minnesota Makes the Perfect Setting for Crime Fiction. (CrimeReads) “Minnesota’s great writers, among them Louise Erdrich, Marcie Rendon, and William Kent Krueger, manage to convey a deep love of the state’s natural beauty and its peoples while simultaneously exposing the darker sides to its history… They embody the most poignant of the state’s sharp contrasts.”
This is why autumn can make you feel extra sleepy. (Glamour UK) I knew it!
Don’t miss these posts:31 mystery novels avid readers recommend again and again. Calling all mystery readers!
How to create a cozy reading area. Here’s how to establish a dedicated reading area in your home.
7 novels set during class reunions. Would you rather go to your class reunion or read about one?
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’ve been thinking about quiet novels ever since my conversation with author Susan Meissner in WSIRN #423: Quiet, compelling, and wildly popular novels. She wanted to talk about the quiet novel’s place in today’s literary landscape and whether there was still an audience for those kinds of books. To which I and so many listeners said a resounding YES, we want those books! We LOVE those books.
What is a quiet novel exactly? There’s no hard and fast definition. One person’s “devastating loveliness” is another person’s “bored to tears.” It’s incredibly subjective and yet I think we can find some helpful generalizations.
Quiet books aren’t particularly plotty; narrative drive takes a backseat to characterization. Many readers frame this kind of book as unlikely to keep them up reading until three in the morning but it is the one they’ll remember years later as a deeply meaningful reading experience. Quiet books invite the reader to savor the story, getting to know the characters intimately and as they meander wherever they’re going to go.
As a huge fan of emotionally resonant literary fiction, I find deep satisfaction in quiet stories that find emotional depths in quotidian drama. As humans, why do we do what we do? How might our lives or our hearts change in deceptively uneventful everyday moments? I am fascinated by these questions—and thus am drawn to quiet stories.
I’ve gathered this list of twelve quiet novels to share a representative range of what such a book might look like. The oldest book on this list was published in 1989, though the collection is weighted toward more recent releases: one just came out this month (and is featured in our Fall Book Preview) and two appeared in our 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide.
I hope you enjoy perusing this list, and that it helps you reflect on the role that quiet novels do—or don’t—play in your reading life right now. Are you a fan of quiet novels? Please share your favorites in comments. Are you tempted to try a more character-driven story after reading about it here? Please tell us what caught your eye in comments!
Quiet novels Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Susan Meissner
In the spirit of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, this novel centers on the friendship that blooms between two young American girls interned at a Texas camp during World War II, and the force that reconnects them decades later. Fourteen-year-old Elise lived her whole life in Iowa; her parents had been in the States twenty years before the war. Mariko grew up in L.A., but was sent to the camp with her Japanese family. I learned so much about this shameful period of American history from these pages. More info →Author: Fatima Farheen Mirza
Mirza's slow-burning debut about an Indian-American Muslim family skillfully probes themes of identity, culture, family, and generational change. "I am to see to it that I do not lose you," reads the epigraph (Whitman), and the story wonders if, despite our best intentions, one might nevertheless wound someone they love deeply enough to lose them forever. The story opens with the oldest daughter’s wedding: the bride scans the crowd for her beloved yet rebellious brother, hoping he'll appear despite being estranged from the family for years. Through a series of flashbacks, and in rotating points of view, Mirza examines the series of small betrayals that splintered the family, skillfully imbuing quotidian events—a chance meeting at a party, a dinner conversation about a spelling test, a seemingly run-of-the-mill sibling spat—with deep significance, showing how despite their smallness, they irrevocably alter the course of the family’s life. More info →Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
If you crave a road trip through the English countryside or enjoy stories of upstairs-downstairs dynamics, this Booker Prize winner is for you. Stevens, longtime butler of an English country estate, takes a much-needed vacation to drive through the country and visit friends. Over the course of his trip, he reflects on his past, exposing his quiet and unseen role in history. Like many reserved novels, it’s what isn’t said that looms large on these pages. This novel is also fantastic on audiobook, as narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith. More info →Author: Yaa Gyasi
Homegoing author Gyasi delivers another powerful family story about grief, faith, and the power of human connection. Gifty studies neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine, with a focus on depression and addiction. It’s no coincidence that she’s chosen to study illnesses that impact those she loves most: her brother, a gifted student and athlete, died of an overdose after developing an addiction to painkillers following a devastating knee injury; her mother stays in bed, battling depression and grief. As Gifty leans on her work to help her understand her family, she longs for understanding and faith. Quiet, introspective, and piercingly sad, but ultimately hopeful. Heads up for audiophiles: the audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Bahni Turpin. More info →Author: Jackie Polzin
Will and I thought about getting chickens for years but never went for it; it turns out chickens are really hard to keep alive. The nameless main character of this quirky 2021 novel manages to care for her brood of four chickens through a Minnesota winter, a summer tornado, and the random ailments that strike chickens down without explanation or warning. While pouring herself into her new hobby, she's also coping with heavy grief and disappointment due to a recent miscarriage and the possibility of a cross-country move. If you're in the mood for a placid and introspective book that's on the shorter side, this might be right for you. More info →Author: Anne Tyler
In her 24th novel (and 2022 Summer Reading Guide selection), Anne Tyler offers a funny and wise meditation on the enduring imprint of one’s family of origin. The multigenerational story portrays life with the Garrett family of Baltimore over a sixty-year span, beginning with a rare vacation in 1959 and ending in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In vignettes set every ten years, the common thread is the little kindnesses and cruelties that characterize the family, along with their constitutional inability to share their true thoughts and emotions with each other. In the final pages, one character compares the indelible imprint of his family to his daughter’s French braid: “That’s how families work,” he says. “You think you’re free of them, but you’re never really free; the ripples are crimped in forever.” The family may be exasperating, but the book is anything but. I loved this. More info →Author: Michelle Huneven
This book was an unexpected delight. It's a novel, written as a comic memoir (with recipes, even!), that opens with a fake preface to the second edition. The premise is this: successful food journalist and restaurant critic Dana Potowski has attended her progressive Unitarian Universalist church for more than two decades. Now the church needs a new pastor, and Dana is asked to serve on the search committee. She doesn't want to do it because it sounds like a giant pain, plus lately she's been opting for sleeping in over attending service more often than not. But she does need an idea for her next book, and realizes that a memoir about her time on the search committee—including the recipes her readers expect from her—could be perfect. And so she says yes. Whether you're drawn to the possible religious factor here or concerned about it, you should know Dana's church prides itself on being neither religious nor particularly spiritual; more than anything this is a story of finding your path and your people, plus a close-up look at the quotidian and yet delightfully maddening process of an all-too-human committee. More info →Author: Hernan Diaz
This multi-layered Pulitzer Prize winner is told in four distinct parts, each one subtly—or, in the case of the final section, not so subtly—changing the meaning of what came before. Part I is a biographical novel based on the life of an infamous Wall Street trader who flourished after the stock market crash of 1929. Part II, an unfinished draft of the autobiography the trader began writing, with the help of a ghostwriter, to "correct" the novel's portrayal of his life. Part III is from the point of view of that ghostwriter, and Part IV ... no spoilers, but it blows the lid off the whole thing. Structure nerds like myself will find much to appreciate here. More info →Author: David Nicholls
One Day author Nicholls delivers a quiet and unconventional post-pandemic tale in this 2024 Summer Reading Guide selection about two lonely middle-aged people falling in love as they trek through the English countryside. Geography teacher Michael and copyeditor Marnie, both still hurting in the aftermath of unhappy marriages that ended, meet for a group walk across the moors arranged by a bossy mutual friend. No one thinks they have anything in common—and yet when thrown together on the trail, they discover the sort of companionship they never dreamed they’d find again. Grammar nerds and Anglophiles will find a special pleasure in this bittersweet work of contemporary fiction that made me laugh so hard I shook the whole couch. More info →Author: Colm Tóibín
In this wistful literary standalone set in the 1970s and 2024 Summer Reading Guide selection, Tóibín returns to his beloved character Eilis Lacey from his 2009 novel Brooklyn. Now in her forties with two teenage children, Irishwoman Eilis is still married to Tony, and still feels like an outsider amongst—and sometimes a prisoner in—his large Italian family. When a stranger appears at her door with a staggering revelation about her husband’s life and choices, Eilis finds herself at a crossroads in her life and marriage, and escapes from Long Island to her small Irish hometown after a decades-long absence to contemplate her future. The neighborhood dynamics are both utterly prosaic and heavy with meaning: this is the kind of book where a bit of gossip whispered by one neighbor to another makes you gasp aloud. More info →Author: Ann Patchett
The story, loosely based on the 1996-97 Japanese embassy hostage crisis in Peru, opens at a state dinner in an unnamed South American country. The honored guests include a powerful Japanese businessman and an esteemed soprano who's been hired to perform. When militants swarm the dinner, their intention is to kidnap the president and leave within seven minutes. But he is absent, having begged off so he won't miss his soap opera, and his fixation keeps him from being taken hostage along with the 200+ guests. No one could have predicted what happens next. This deceptively quiet novel continues to delight and surprise with its thoughtful exploration of the transcendent nature of music and art, the vitality of translation and communication, and love in its many forms. More info →Author: Garth Greenwell
Talk about a quiet novel! This literary novel, Greenwell's third, just came out on September 3 and is featured in our 2024 Fall Book Preview. The fictional narrative is inspired by a sudden medical crisis the author suffered in the summer of 2020, the onset of which was signaled by debilitating pain that promptly landed him in the ICU wing of an Iowa hospital. In one sense, this is the story of a man who doesn't get out of bed. But it also has an expansiveness to it, because though he is laid flat by his illness, he can travel anywhere at all in his mind, and does. Thanks to a compassionate first person perspective we accompany the narrator as he is bewildered by the transpiring medical events—but, forced to stare the idea of death in the face, he is soon compelled to reflect on his past, his relationships, and the meaning of his small life. Because the narrator is an artist and music lover, he constantly thinks of books, poems, and pieces of music that he loves, and these reflections are a treat for those who share the same affinity. I read this quiet book in a single day, and expect it to land on my best-of-the-year list. A note to the sensitive reader: content warnings abound. More info → Have you read any of these quiet novels? What else would you recommend along these lines? Please share in the comments.
P.S. Literary fiction for beginners and 10 literary fiction audiobooks narrated by their authors, plus 14 introspective literary fiction books that are excellent on audio.
The post 12 quiet novels for those seeking compelling character-driven reads appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We hosted our Fall Book Preview last week, and today I’m sharing a taste of that event with you in a special audio excerpt.
In our Fall Book Preview I tell you about 35 noteworthy fall titles and why they might (or might not) be right for you. In today’s new audio snippet, I sought to give you a taste of what that’s actually like: you’ll hear me describe two books in full and part of a third title, all from our Literary & Contemporary Fiction category.
I love what Amanda said in chat at our live FBP recording, after I described a certain title from my list of 35: “THIS description is why I love these events! I’ve heard so much about this book, but now I feel like I REALLY know what to expect from it (but without any spoilers at the same time).”
If you’re already a member of one of our book communities—our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club or our What Should I Read Next Patreon community—the unboxing replay and digital Fall Book Preview PDF booklet are waiting for you in your inbox. If you are one of the hundreds of readers who bought your a la carte ticket, you’ll also have what you need in your inbox.
If you’re not in any of these three camps, it’s easy to join either of our communities today and get access to the Fall Book Preview, or purchase a ticket for a la carte access. Click here for more information and to get your Fall Book Preview.
I hope you enjoy this taste of the literary season to come.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[000:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?.
We hosted our Fall Book Preview last week, and today I'm sharing a taste of that event with you.
We put out the What Should I Read Next? podcast for free every Tuesday, but my team and I are also, all the time, doing exciting, useful, delightfully nerdy stuff in our paid member communities. That's the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and our What Should I Read Next? Patreon community.
Fall Book Preview is one of those events that we host for our members, and that for two years now, we've made available to anyone who wants to join us through our a la carte ticket option. The Fall Book Preview experience includes our 12-page digital booklet and our live event video.
Now, that is all ready and waiting for you to enjoy immediately. No delayed gratification, no pre-order required. Go to modernmrsdarcy.com/FBP for Fall Book Preview to sign up and get your access.
[00:01:11] If you're not sure which community you want to be a part of, or if you'd rather opt for an a la carte ticket, that page walks you through it. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. What is Fall Book Preview? That's a good question.
First, I hope you want to hear something funny, because I'm going to tell you. It is mid-September now, and last week, my inbox and cultural news channels really started filling up with Fall Book lists, and I started seeing the same commentary everywhere, which is, these lists are everywhere. It's all Fall Books all the time, and all the lists are the same.
So I started clicking on them, going, There is no way our Fall Book Preview list is like these. And I'm happy to say, no, it's really not. But it really made me stop and think, Oh my gosh, how times have changed.
In 2014, 10 years ago, which is both a long time and also really not, I published a blog post on Modern Mrs. Darcy called Let's Make Autumn Reading a Thing. The first words of that blog post were, summer reading lists abound, but one doesn't encounter many reading lists for Fall. We're changing that today.
[00:02:20] And I talk about the kind of vibes I want for my Fall reading and some titles that might suit those vibes for readers who are interested.
In 2018, we updated that post and republished it with new books, but we still kept the same intro text, which said, Not many people are talking about Fall reading, because apparently it still felt accurate in 2018 that Fall reading just wasn't a big deal. But wow, things have changed. And so has our Fall Book Preview.
This is the sixth time we've hosted this event. And the origin story, if you're interested, goes like this. There used to be this event called the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Fall Trade Show. And in 2019, I went for the third time because I had a book coming out the next spring and I was going to promote it.
I was going to meet with publishers and booksellers to talk about my book. And all those readers, booksellers, and industry people were there to hear what is coming out.
[00:03:20] The publishers were pitching their books, the booksellers were seeing what they wanted to buy, read, and really feature in their stores. And I was one of the further out titles being a March 2020 release.
But going, I thought, "Gosh, I bet my readers would love this, just to see what this event is like, to see the books people are talking about, how they're being talked about, to see what publishers are really excited about, and what's really connecting with booksellers. Also, what are booksellers really enjoying that are kind of like sleeper hits, flying below the radar, not the ones with the big publishing budget?"
And I thought, "Well, what if I brought a little dispatch back to the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club? That would be good, nerdy fun." And that's what I did. I brought home all my arcs, I stacked them up next to my computer, I went live on a Zoom event and I said, "Let me just tell you what I experienced and saw there."
Those titles kind of sorted into three unevenly distributed categories. They were the big titles of the season that I could see publishers were putting a lot of resources into.
Books that I had already read and loved, either because I happened to know about them in advance, they'd already been published, or maybe because I read my advance review copy on the plane, on the way home, because I just couldn't wait to dive in. And also the books that I was most excited about after learning about them.
[00:04:33] And this has really evolved over time. That was 2019, this is 2024. And as we can see from that, we don't need to make autumn reading a thing anymore. It is.
The publishing landscape has changed, my interests have changed, my team has changed, and yet the heart of our Fall Book Preview remains the same.
We create this fun, immersive tool in two different mediums in the form of our digital booklet and live book talk event to help you think thoughtfully, also in a really pleasurable way, full of possibility, about what you want from your reading life in the season to come.
Many of you will want some new books, and we talk about those, but we also call you to thoughtfully reflect, and in doing so, learn more about your personal taste, your needs in this season, and what that means for your book choices. You're the boss of your reading life. My job is to give you the information you need to choose your next reads.
[00:05:30] In our Fall Book Preview event, I go in-depth with 35 titles, and the titles this fall are so interesting. I love seeing the themes that emerge in each season.
This year we have so many books set in publishing, books about writers, books about people making all kinds of other art, books featuring protagonists of all ages, lots of satire and autofiction, lots of rural stories, lots of stories that revolve around water as a natural resource. We have a lot of unhappy endings in this season, but also lots of redemption stories and gently hopeful books.
In our live event, which you're about to hear a clip from, I walk you through every title in our fall preview, those 35 books. They all publish between September 3rd and the end of the year.
And I'm not just saying this is great, you should read it. I'm saying, this is what your reading experience may be like. Do you want to have it? And also, this is what my reading experience was like, and I think this is why I did or didn't connect with the book in that way.
[00:06:31] In our digital booklet, I sneak in more titles. I include 12 of the biggest books of fall that you may want to know about, but that I didn't want to linger over in our 35 title descriptions because I wanted to squeeze in more under-the-radar titles and ones that you might not know about otherwise and might not encounter on that new release table in your bookstore.
You'll hear me drop in publishing tidbits along the way, like the significance of a particular publisher or the print runs for some titles.
Our reader Amanda said in last night's chat in the event, and she was talking about the way I described Coco Mellors's Blue Sisters, "This description is why I love these events. I've heard so much about this book, but now I feel like I really know what to expect from it but without any spoilers at the same time."
I'm going to share a little clip from last night's Fall Book Preview to give you a taste. You're about to hear me talk about three books in the first category, which covers literary and contemporary fiction.
[00:07:32] In this clip, I'm actually going to skip over the first book in the category. We're going to hear all of the second book, the third book, and part of the fourth book. I hope you enjoy this little snippet, and I hope it gives you a taste of what to expect from our Fall Book Preview.
Okay, next. We have Colored Television by Danzy Senna out from Riverhead on September 3rd. I tried this a couple of times in print. Switching to the audio was perfect for me. I flew through it.
Many of you are going to ask, what's good on audio? This was great on audio. I think I just needed... I mean, the audio was great, but I didn't understand what it was about. I had a hard time getting oriented when I got started because it starts against the backdrop of a stressful home life.
There's two artist parents trying to make art. There are small kids. One of them has been recently diagnosed with a learning difference. They're trying to figure things out. Nobody's getting everything they need. They're feeling really touchy about it. I couldn't figure out what the book was about. So I'm going to tell you what the book's about.
[00:08:33] It's about two artists trying to make art. One of those artists has kind of had enough of trying to make a living as an artist, they want to sell out. They want to sell out so bad, they just need a chance.
This is another auto-fictitious story. Art imitates life here. Y'all just said you love James. I'm trying to think how delicate to be about this. Danzy Senna is married to Percival Everett. Her spouse does not define her. His spouse does not define him. But I just thought that was so cool.
I'm so interested in what goes into the works I love to read. I love both their works and to realize like, Oh, they could be talking about their books or something else entirely like, I don't know, wallpaper at the dinner table. What a life!
This book is also about a biracial artist with a Black father and a White mother married to a Black artist, and that is Danzy Senna. Her parents, in fact, were well-known artists in their own right.
[00:09:38] This book is very much about making art, making art as part of a couple, and about race.
This protagonist has spent 10 years finishing her second book. It was not supposed to take 10 years. Her first book was a big success, and her agent told her, "Write something quick and dirty. It doesn't have to be good. We're just going to put it out there. Write it, write it, write it."
But she wanted to write something great, and so 10 years later, she turns in this book that she's been thinking of as a mulatto war and peace, but her agent says, "I can't sell this," and that means she's not going to shop it, which means it's not going to get published, which means the protagonist isn't going to get tenure, and she doesn't have any money, and she needs money because her art isn't selling, and her husband's art isn't selling, and they need to make some money because they want to live in L.A., and L.A. is expensive.
So our protagonist decides that she is going to take inspiration from her friend, Brett, who used to be a novelist, but he saw the light and he sold out, and now he makes good money as a screenwriter, and she wants to do the same, but she's not exactly straightforward in her methods.
[00:10:46] She's sneaky about some things. She hides some things from some people she should not have hidden things from, and she does get hired. She does get in. She's working on a show, but it's not quite, it just feels off.
Some of you said you left the sense of building dread that Evie talked about in the podcast yesterday. Oh, you can just see her. You can see her building her house of cards, and you're going, Oh, this is not going to end well. So this is satire. It's so funny. And it's a little bit dark. It's highly comic, very insider-y with the publishing stuff. I really enjoyed it. I specifically enjoyed it on audio.
Okay, mood shift.
Our next book is Small Rain by Garth Greenwell out from FSG on September 3rd. This one has an announced first print of 50,000. I could not resist talking about this early in the episode with Hunter of Shelf by Shelf because it was perfect for him.
[00:11:50] This is a first-person story. It's highly interior, quiet, introspective literary fiction, and also, I could not put it down. Garth is writing about something that happened to him. It begins at the beginning of an illness that he, the author, actually experienced. And when it begins, he is a man on the floor in great pain.
I happened to read this at what ended up being the perfect time for me. I have a friend who's very sick. He was just diagnosed with something scary. His first symptom was great pain. The conversations go like, "I can't even tell you what it felt like." And you think that some things in life, you can't even say what it's like. You just don't have the words. But Garth starts as a man in great pain, and he finds the words. And from the very beginning, I thought, "Oh, right book, right time. I'm so happy to be in this world."
So, in his early 40s, Garth, the author, suffered an infrarenal aortic dissection. That means he had a hole in a chamber of his heart. It wasn't there, and then it tore, and then it was, and it caused him great pain.
[00:12:56] He goes to the hospital in summer 2020, first COVID summer, in Iowa, because Garth, the author, is a teacher at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. And he needs to get help, and he sits in the ER with a bunch of other patients, and then he gets triaged, and then he makes his way back to his room where he's told, "Oh, everybody wants to meet you." And he's like, "What?" "So, you are an interesting case." And he's like, "Well, what does that mean?" And he finds out it means what he's experiencing isn't very common, but it is unheard of for someone his age who's been healthy to experience this.
Garth has said, in some senses, this is a book about a man who doesn't get out of bed until the very end of the story for like a minute, and in another sense, it's about everything, like the entire realm of human experience.
It's completely gorgeous on a sentence level. The sentences wind and meander in a way that feels so true to how we think and talk. It sounds so natural, and yet you know it was such hard work to get it that way because his mental wanderings are so much more interesting than my actual transcribed thoughts would.
[00:14:02] And the narrator, who is an artist, is talking about and thinking about books and poetry and music and so much music. Many of you are going to love that.
This is about a medical emergency, and I am so squeamish. I skip some paragraphs because if I don't have to read about veins and blood, I don't want to. And I skip some because of sex talk. Garth has written about how he really values writing about sex and how in that way, by really exploring that deeply and thoroughly, he can explore parts of the human experience that he couldn't otherwise.
And also that makes me feel kind of squidgy. There's a strong Louisville connection to this story, and as a Louisville reader, I really connected with those parts in that way. But that was a fun bonus. That was not a necessity.
I found it so interesting how he was able to take a scary but also not an experience that sounds like a page-turner and make it a book I couldn't put down. I started this on audio, and I flipped back and forth to the Kindle version just because I wanted to finish it in a single day, which I did. This is going to be one of my best of the year, and I'm happy to share it with you.
[00:15:15] Okay, next, a book from the small press Tin House. We have Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga out September 3rd. This has already been long-listed for the Center for Fiction 2024 First Novel Prize. It reminds me of Katie Kitamura or of Ben Lerner's work specifically Waiting for the Atocha Station. It has that kind of rhythm.
It's set in present-day New York City, and it's about an Albanian interpreter. And let me just tell you some of the things that Becky, who I like working with at Tin House, said that made me think, "I'll take a look at that."
She said, "This is a slippery, suspenseful debut about an Albanian interpreter living in New York City who loses herself in her work, helping vulnerable refugees to the point where she jeopardizes her own mental health and her marriage."
It addresses questions such as, where do we draw the line between saving someone else and our own survival, between community and self, and even between something as fundamental as the importance of what is real and what is not?
[00:16:15] Readers, I hope you enjoyed that little snippet. If you're curious, you just heard from the literary and contemporary fiction category. The other categories are literary fiction, family novels, mysteries and thrillers, sci-fi fantasy and the supernatural, love stories, and poetry and nonfiction.
If you are already a member of one of our book communities, our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, or our Patreon community, the unboxing replay and digital Fall Book Preview booklet is waiting for you in your inbox and on those member sites.
And many of you got an a la carte ticket this year, so you will have that at your fingertips.
If this sounds intriguing, yet you don't have Fall Book Preview access at this time, it is easy to join either of our communities today and get your access to the full Fall Book Preview.
Fall Book Preview is one of our four marquee events for our community members. When you join now, you get your Fall Book Preview, unboxing video, and 12-page digital PDF booklet, and you're ready to join us for our next marquee event.
[00:17:24] This is a member-favorite. It's our team best books of the year. A fun look back at what each member of the Modern Mrs. Darcy and What Should I Read Next? team read this year and really, really loved.
By joining one of these communities, you're doing good things for your reading life, and you are also helping us so much. Your membership or your a la carte purchase provides tangible financial support for our show and our team of readers. And this is one way we love to say thank you, by sharing special events just like the Fall Book Preview.
I hope you'll find your way into one of these spaces while you're waiting for next week's brand-new free episode.
Thank you so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
• Colored Television by Danzy Senna
• Small Rain by Garth Greenwell
• Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga
• James by Percival Everett
• Katie Kitamura (try Intimacies)
• Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner
Also mentioned:• Southern Independent Booksellers Association
• WSIRN Episode 445: Startling beautiful sentences and perfect last lines
• 2024 Fall Book Preview
The post LISTEN: Fall Book Preview excerpt appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re planning on fall things like making our favorite pumpkin bread and raking leaves. I also need to reshelve the enormous pile of books that’s still teetering on my desk after recording our Fall Book Preview unboxing! Thankfully I thoroughly enjoy that particular flavor of tidying up.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps eaes you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book PreviewThe 2024 Fall Book Preview is here! Our full fall reading experience includes our 12-page digital booklet and our live event video: now it’s all ready and waiting for you to enjoy immediately, no delayed gratification required, click here to sign up and get your access.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
When Is It Okay to Not Finish a Book? (The Atlantic gift link) Food for thought for those who struggle with DNFing.
The Most Sought-After Travel Guide Is a Google Doc. (Thrillist) We are big Google Doc compilers and sharers! I loved this. “It’s about getting the right recommendations, and not just from people who share your taste, but who have been to the city enough to have reliable intel.”
How to fix a chronic three-star situation. (What Should I Read Next) I help a perpetually dissatisfied reader troubleshoot her reading life.
This Cable Stitch Short Sleeve Sweater is so cute and versatile for fall and a steal at that price! I have it in two colors. (I’m 5’9″ and a size small.)
How to Write a Recipe. (Cup of Jo) I enjoyed learning about Jenny Rosenstrach’s process and am currently perusing my library copy of The Weekday Vegetarians Get Simple. (I love when I can check a cookbook out from the library first so I can decide if I need it for my own kitchen collection! This one looks like a keeper.)
An extremely practical guide to this year’s cold, flu, and Covid season. (Vox) I wish I didn’t need this, but since I do I’m glad to have it.
Are You Cool Enough for the Latest Sally Rooney Novel? (Esquire) “As influencers and celebrities vie for advance copies, buzzy books like Intermezzo are going viral long before publication. But what does it mean when a book becomes a status symbol?”
This response to the Esquire piece had me nodding along: Why ARCs as Status Symbols Are Bad for Business. (Publishing Confidential) “What about the authors who have written excellent books but are left hanging because there is nothing in the budget for them? Or, what about books from small publishers that deserve attention but are overlooked because influencers and reviewers feel obligated to highlight big titles?” (This truth is constantly in my mind as I curate titles for our Summer Reading Guide and Fall Book Preview.)
These Vionic Newport loafers have been a great addition to my wardrobe, and they’re on a great sale right now.
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) September Quick Lit is heavy on the audiobooks.
If You Feel Like You’ve Lost Your Style, Try The One-Hour Fix. (The Wardrobe Edit) “Here’s a task that will take you around an hour, doesn’t involve buying anything and will give you a handful of outfit formulas that you can deploy throughout the season ahead and leave you feeling prepared and ultimately LOVING what you’re wearing.”
AP photographer finds beauty at the Paralympics by capturing what’s ‘not there.’ (euronews) “Emilio Morenatti, 55, is the AP’s chief photographer for Spain and Portugal, renowned for his powerful and empathetic visual storytelling. Having lost a leg in Afghanistan in 2009, his personal journey has hugely influenced his approach to his art form.”
Don’t miss these posts:20 banned books I find myself recommending all the time. Banned Books Week starts this Sunday.
The favorite mugs I’ll be reaching for during Serious Cozy Drink Season (and all year round). When it comes to great mugs, there’s always room for one more!
10 of my favorite books to read over and over again. There are so many good reasons to revisit a favorite book.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We love how our reading community spans the globe: in today’s conversation, I’m chatting with Evie, who is joining us from northern Greece.
Evie grew up in Boston and after visiting family in Greece over the years, she moved back herself last year. These days she enjoys the slow pace of life and social culture in her Greek community.
Today, Evie would love help reframing her approach to reading and reviewing books, because it’s causing her a lot of angst. Lately, she’s found herself awarding a lot of three and one-star ratings, and this situation isn’t working for her: it makes her feel like she’s hard to please.
But Evie’s not sure exactly what’s going on here: are her standards too high? Is she being pretentious? Does she just not know what she likes? Those are some of the options Evie tossed out, and today, we explore what’s causing this dissatisfaction, and look at solutions.
We also talk about Evie’s reading taste, which often includes books that invite the reader into others’ lived experience, and I offer fresh reading recommendations for Evie.
Share your suggestions for Evie by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Evie on Instagram.
Join us for a Fall Book PreviewThis Wednesday, September 18th is our sixth annual Fall Book Preview! During this 90-minute live unboxing party, I’ll walk you through 35 selections that might be perfect for your fall reading plans. If you’re a member of our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club or What Should I Read Next? Patreon communities, our Fall Book Preview is an included benefit and you’ll find access information within those communities. You can also join us by purchasing our popular a la carte ticket. Find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] EVIE: I love a sense of dread. I love feeling, if not scared, shivering, like you're kind of dreading what's going to happen or you get the chills physically. I love that.
ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, it is a big week at What Should I Read Next? HQ because it is Fall Book Preview time. Our sixth annual Fall Book Preview is happening Wednesday, September 18th.
[00:00:59] Now, what that means is that is the day that we release our 12-page digital PDF Fall Book Preview booklet. If you have pre-ordered our print, we're trying an experiment. We've never done this before, but we are offering a print version of this booklet if you'd like to add one on to your Fall Book Preview experience order.
Our pre-order window is closed. If we have any left, you can also order a printed copy. But those ship on Wednesday, September 18th. That is the day that we are hosting our 90-minute live unboxing party where I walk you through our 35 selections, step by step, book by book, tell you why I chose each, why I'm excited about it, what kind of reader may enjoy it, what it means as its place in the fall season.
What we have here are books I've loved, books that are going to be everywhere this season, books that are definitely going to fly under the radar this season, but I really want you to know about. Also, I know many of us have gifting on our minds right now because that time is coming quickly, so we'll talk about that a little bit, too.
Plus, you won't be surprised to hear I found in a way to work in more books like our Big Books of Fall bonus feature in our PDF digital Fall Book Preview booklet.
[00:02:07] Now, we do this as a big thank you for members of our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and What Should I Read Next? Patreon communities. You don't need any special ticket or access for that. We share the links you need in those communities.
If you're not a member of those communities, we would invite you to join really any time, but now is such a good time because you can get in on the Fall Book Preview experience action.
What we do here is reader-supported, and we so value your enthusiasm, your thank you, and also your tangible financial support. It's the reason we can do what we do. And now's a great time to either purchase the Fall Book Preview a la carte. You're not just funding the Fall Book Preview experience, you're funding all our work, or to sign up for membership in one or both of those communities. About 20% of our community members do belong to both.
As it pertains to Fall Book Preview, there are three ways to participate. Join one of those communities, Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, or our Patreon community, or purchase our popular a la carte ticket. That means that you don't need to sign up for an ongoing subscription or membership or obligation, if that's not where you are in your life or your reading life.
[00:03:13] Just buy the a la carte ticket and you'll have access to our digital PDF Fall Book Preview booklet and our either live unboxing, come live if it hasn't happened yet, it's the evening Eastern time of Wednesday, September 18th. But we make a replay available that you can watch whenever and as many times as you want.
Some people come live and then watch the replay three times, some people only watch the replay. But it is there for you as a tool, I mean a really fun and also really useful tool for your reading life to use how you want. Fall is always a big season for books. Fall 2024 is exceptionally good. Go to modernmrsdarcy.com/FBP, for Fall Book Preview, to join us. We would love to have you.
Readers, I believe we have a What Should I Read Next? first today, as my guest is joining me from a small city in northern Greece. Evie grew up in Boston, but as the child of immigrants, she spent a lot of time visiting family in Greece over the years before moving there herself last year.
[00:04:15] These days she enjoys the slow pace of life and social culture in her Greek community, where she also works as a publisher of English language teaching books.
Evie is here for my help because she is struggling with her approach to reading and reviewing books, and it's causing her a lot of angst. Lately, she's described herself as a frequent three and one-star giver, and she is not happy about the situation, as you will hear. She told me it makes her feel like she's hard to please.
She doesn't like feeling critical, but she's really not sure what's going on. Are her standards too high? Is she being pretentious? Does she just not know what she likes? Those are some of the options Evie tossed out as she's trying to figure out what is happening here with her star rating situation.
Today we're going to unpack all of it and explore what is causing this dissatisfaction, and we'll look at solutions. I will offer Evie several potential ways to move forward. I love getting into the nitty-gritty of reading dilemmas, and getting into this one was a lot of fun and I hope brings Evie a lot of satisfaction.
[00:05:16] We also get into the specifics of Evie's reading taste, discussing the selections she loves and what they have in common. You'll see that often includes books that invite us into others' lived experience. It includes medium and fast-paced books with lots of narrative tension and books with a strong sense of novelty. You'll hear all that and more in today's conversation. Let's get to it.
Evie, welcome to the show.
EVIE: Hi, Anne. I'm so excited to be here.
ANNE: Oh, I'm excited to speak with you this morning. Or this afternoon. I think, Evie, this may be a What Should I Read Next? first. Where are you as we're talking books today?
EVIE: Oh, no way. I'm in northern Greece in a small city right outside of Thessaloniki, which is the second largest city. I'm located, like I said, in the north part of the country, which people don't usually think about when they think of Greece. They have the islands in mind because they're beautiful and the water is so clear and it's all about Santorini and Mykonos and the islands.
[00:06:16] I'm in the northern part, which is the mainland. It's a lot more green and mountainous and a little bit of a different experience, but we do also have really great beaches.
ANNE: Evie, what took you to that part of the world?
EVIE: My family came to the United States when they were younger. My parents were both born here in Greece, actually in the city that I'm living in right now, and spent most of their lives in the Boston area.
I was born and grew up in Boston, but we came back and forth to Greece a lot as a family. I sort of jumped on the opportunity to come back and experience living here in Greece when my mother and my youngest brother decided to come back and move here permanently back in early 2023.
ANNE: Evie, what's it like there? What made you decide to make the move with your family?
EVIE: Because I used to come a lot when I was younger, I honestly feel like this is home in one sense, even though I didn't grow up here, and even though being here as an American I'm still kind of not 100% Greek Greek as if I grew up here. But I still feel like it's my home or my second home.
[00:07:32] So I didn't find it too difficult to decide to up and leave and come here. I felt like I was just going to another place that was mine. In general, I like the feeling of... just the challenge of living here. There's a lot of differences that you would just not expect as an American. I still don't know what I don't know about living here.
It's difficult in a way that is also fun to be in a totally different environment. People think differently, they approach the world differently, kind of don't understand you in a lot of ways that you have to explain yourself and you don't understand them in a way that you ask them to explain themselves. But I feel like that kind of creates a connection with people and it opens you up to really getting to know people on a deep level. It opens your mind a lot and it kind of challenges your worldview.
I kind of think I like that in general. Sometimes I do have my moments where I'm like, "I'm an alien. I don't belong here. I don't know what's happening. It's too different." But those are few and far between. Mostly, I think it's a fun challenge and I'm just having fun.
[00:08:55] ANNE: Oh, I'm listening with a big smile on my face. That sounds amazing. Evie, what has the change meant for you as a reader?
EVIE: So, as a reader, moving here I've found myself reading a lot less just because in general, in the summer, I don't really read that much anyways. And with a big move and everything that goes along with it, the logistics, the life change, my mindset was not really focused on reading.
It's really hot and summery here a lot, even though we're in the north. It's still like summer all the time, sort of. Not as much as the islands in the south, but it is still kind of that feeling of summer. And it can be in the 90s well into September. I think it just kind of didn't make me feel like reading as much, and I have been reading a lot less.
ANNE: I think I remember from your submission that fall is your big reading season.
[00:09:53] EVIE: Yes. I tend to be more in the mood to read when it's fall and winter and it's a little bit cold out or cloudy or drizzly. I'm used to sort of the Boston climate where around four it gets dark in the winter and you're kind of home a lot more in the evening after work and it just feels really restful to me to sit down and read, especially in bed.
I definitely read in bed before going to sleep because it calms my mind down and focuses me internally and just kind of focuses me and distracts me from the world. It's kind of like a good grounding for me to read before bed. So it gets me kind of tired and sleepy, and then I go to sleep easier. In general, just the cozy vibes, I tend to gravitate towards that. And that makes me want to read more.
ANNE: Evie, would you tell me a little more about your work there and your reading life?
[00:10:51] EVIE: I started working at a publisher of English language learning books because here the system is that learning a second language or a third language even is very, very important, and students work really hard at it their whole lives. And so there's a high demand to learn English as well as other languages.
The way that they do that is through books. And so the publisher that I work at creates and publishes books that teach English as a second language. I work there part-time. It's really great. It helped me meet people and kind of get into the system here and fill my day up in a really positive way.
And then when I'm not reading, I also am writing because I really want to be a novelist. I'm working on a novel right now that it will be my first novel when I finish it.
[00:11:50] When I think about what I want to write about, it usually gravitates around the female experience in the world. I like to talk about this genre. I don't know if this is a real genre, but I kind of made it up or maybe it does exist. Existential female horror is what I call it.
Sometimes you see it online as weird girl or sad girl fiction. I think of it as novels that explore the experience of being a woman or the experience of being female and connecting it to the horror or the thriller genre in an attempt to say something about the human experience and specifically the female experience. Just also because I think horror is fun. Some horror.
I think that existential horror is really fun and then tying it back to your experience as a woman, which of course, when you write, you have to write your personal experience. And that would be something that would be my personal experience. So I just think that is really fun and interesting to read about.
And it does kind of give a stepping stone to exploring some more serious issues revolving around women in general-
[00:13:04] ANNE: I thought what you said was really interesting when you said that you pay attention to how a book makes you feel and what it makes you think about.
EVIE: Yes. I definitely tend to remember the feeling. When I was even thinking about which books were my top three favorites that I wanted to talk about, I couldn't even remember the plots of any of them. I didn't even know the plot points. I didn't even know what happened. I forgot all the characters' names. I just remembered this book was amazing and it gave me big feelings.
And then I had to... yes, I had to reread all three right before so that I would know exactly why I liked them or more specifics about them. But it doesn't really matter. The plot does matter, but the plot doesn't matter as much as the feeling or making you think about the world or making you think about the human experience or just making you feel big things.
[00:14:03] ANNE: I love that. And also that's a real pro move. I think I've said this on the podcast before out loud to our listeners, but something I tell our guests all the time when they say, Oh, I can't remember a character's name or exactly what happened, that's not where the interesting part is when it comes to hearing people talk about books that they love or books that they despise. Either one.
Sometimes the premise can be really interesting. Like, here's the question the book poses or here's the setup. But really "how did the book make you feel? What did it make you think about?" those are the things that I advise readers to focus on. So look, you're already there.
EVIE: I love it. The thing is, talking about characters, I realized in revisiting these that I do like books with a lot of characters. I don't remember any of their names-
ANNE: What's that about?
EVIE: Yeah. All of the books that I chose has a large cast of characters, I realized. Even for my first book, I even had to write down as I was reading, keep a list of the characters, and a little note about each of them so I wouldn't forget who they were as I was reading. And I don't mind doing that.
[00:15:12] I kind of like having different characters, especially if each one sort of explores a different theme or is supposed to symbolize a different thing or shows you a different experience that is the subject of the novel. I just kind of like that there's a lot of people doing a lot of things and that it's pretty much exploring something that makes me think and feel in a very broad sense, I guess.
ANNE: That's so interesting. Now, Evie, you mentioned in your submission that you had... oh, what's the word I want? Is it a problem? Is it dilemma? Is it something that's befuddled you in your reading life?
EVIE: Yes.
ANNE: You described it as your chronic three-star situation.
EVIE: Yes. I get made fun of by my friends because I always give either three stars or one star. I don't know. They know me as a chronic low-star giver, which is strange because I have definitely been able to come up with a long list of books that I love that have been four to five stars for this podcast. But I do read a lot, so most of them have ended up being lower-rated and I don't know if that's me not knowing which books to choose or if I'm just a very picky person.
[00:16:30] And I don't want to be a very picky person. I don't want to be like a pretentious, choosy person. I remember when I... You know when you first discover a new genre or when you even think back to when you first started reading and you liked everything, or at least that was my experience.
When something was new, I kind of liked everything. I kind of wanted to read everything in that genre or read broadly. And everything was just interesting because it was new. I wasn't so picky, but then I don't like the feeling of being picky. I don't know why. I just feel like it's annoying.
ANNE: Okay. I'm laughing with you in my heart. Also, I'm taking notes. You missed that feeling when everything was interesting.
EVIE: I guess maybe because I said the word "new". And I do remember saying in my submission that I like when I can't predict what's going to happen or when stuff happens that I never saw coming. But that still makes sense within the world of the book.
[00:17:33] So maybe I do like novelty, like something new going on. And maybe when I'm discovering something for the first time and it's new to me, I'm just like, Oh, wow, this is so interesting just because it's new.
ANNE: Now, even though you did say that you recently decided to stop rating books because you're so distressed by your ratings, we're going to explore them with your permission.
EVIE: Yes, of course. But I did stop. I decided I'm not going to partake in the star ratings. I don't know why. It just makes me feel bad. I don't like giving things three, two, one stars. I just don't want to say this was good or bad. I don't think that's as black and white. I kind of just want to say, Okay, I read it. It wasn't very memorable for me, personally, so I'm going to move on if it was lower-rated. Like I just decided to stop altogether and see how I feel about that moving forward.
[00:18:32] ANNE: Okay. There's two directions we're going to go. We're going to talk about how this doesn't have to be you saying a book is good or bad, but also I want to explore what your star ratings mean. So when you give a book three stars, what does that mean to you?
EVIE: I use Goodreads as my main reading app and my main tracker, my main list maker. Everything to keep track of my reading life is in Goodreads. I used to review on there, but then I was like, no, this is too much time for me. But then I was like, I'm still going to rate things just because it asks you right at the end to rate it. So I was like, okay.
But then I paid attention very specifically to what Goodreads told me the stars meant. And then I was like, Okay, so if three stars means I liked it, then I went with that. I went exactly with what Goodreads told me. And three stars is supposed to mean I liked it, and two stars is supposed to mean it was okay. Personally, I think if I liked it, it's like four stars, and if I loved it, it's five, and if it was three, it was just okay. I know that's not a really big deal. We're talking such specific details-
[00:19:43] ANNE: Yeah, we're talking about you.
EVIE: I feel like we're overthinking it a little bit when you get too into this whole star thing. And maybe that's why I'm kind of over it because I feel like it's overthinking it. I feel like I just want a thumbs up or a thumbs down. That simple.
ANNE: Okay. I hear you and yet I'm going to keep pressing on the star rating.
EVIE: Yeah.
ANNE: So there's a big difference between it was okay and I liked it. So when it comes to you giving a three-star, which is it? If you're reading a ton of books that are just okay, we need to do some investigating. If you're reading a ton of books you like, that's okay. I should use a different word than "okay". It's confusing there.
EVIE: I feel like I'm reading a bunch of books that were not for me. So they were okay in the sense that I wanted to find out what was going to happen so I finished it, but I didn't particularly enjoy the reading experience or I wouldn't have said, this is such an awesome book, which I feel bad saying. I mean, I'm just talking about personally, obviously.
[00:20:46] ANNE: We joke at my house about how the word "fine" has a million connotations, depending on how you pronounce and what your posture is. So it sounds like you're reading a bunch of books that are like, I mean, fine.
EVIE: Yes, exactly. I feel like I'm reading a bunch of books that I was like, That could have been better. And I don't want to be that judgmental. That's, I think, what bothers me. Why am I so judgmental? Why don't I enjoy more things?
I don't know if it's just me or if I just am not picking the right books. Because the way I pick books is I read the premise. And if I like the premise, I'm like, Oh, that has the potential to be amazing. I don't even read people's reviews like in the comments or in Instagram or anywhere. I don't read reviews because I feel like they're all over the place.
I tend to just follow a few different booktalkers or bookstagrammers or podcasters, like people who I kind of trust or I've noticed that they recommend books that I generally think have good premises, and then I just trust them and go ahead and read.
[00:21:56] ANNE: Okay. What does a four-star book mean to you right now?
EVIE: I liked it and it was fun to read and I'm glad I read it and I'm glad that I spent the time reading it.
ANNE: Oooh. Okay.
EVIE: And I would probably recommend it to a friend.
ANNE: So if it takes four stars to say, I am glad I spent my time reading this book, I totally understand how reading three-star books all the time is unsatisfying.
EVIE: Yes. That's what it feels like. It feels unsatisfying.
ANNE: And a five-star?
EVIE: A five-star is like I could talk about this book for weeks and days and months and say that it has layers. It's something that takes up part of my mind for a longer space of time than after I just finished reading it. Like I want to talk to somebody about it because it was so exciting or want to own a physical copy of it and possibly reread it.
[00:22:55] ANNE: I'm just noticing those two questions were real easy to answer.
EVIE: Do I have high standards?
ANNE: I think it's reasonable to want to feel that you are spending your reading time in a satisfying way more often than not. Not 95% of the time... but I think we could get you over 50.
EVIE: Okay.
ANNE: Hopefully more like 70.
EVIE: My friends have definitely said, when we've mentioned a title of a book, they've definitely been like, "Well, Evie gave it three stars." They're like, "Well, I know Evie rated it like three stars or one star." I'm like, "I probably did." It's so bad because right now I'm not at 50% and I don't know why. Maybe you know why better because you can see the bigger picture. But like I said, I don't know if I just have high standards or not, which that sounds pretentious.
ANNE: Having high standards?
EVIE: Yes. That sounds pretentious. It's like, why? Why do you have such high standards? Just read and have fun.
[00:23:54] ANNE: If your standard is, I want to feel good about the way I'm spending the hours of my life, I don't think that's unreasonably high. But we talked about how there's two things you could do. One is evaluate your star ratings and potentially think about what you like in a book. The other is you could tweak your rating system.
Now, Goodreads is not meant for this. It's not designed to work this way. But privately, you could give each book two different ratings. You said that you don't really want to say, is this good or is this bad? You want to say, I liked it or I didn't. And I'm not proposing that exactly but you could divorce the ideas of "I enjoyed this book" from "I think that what the author wrote is good. I respect the craft. I respect the writing."
You could then say, like, "Oh, I can see how this is interesting. I can see how it was written well. And also, I'm finding that I wasn't particularly interested in the topic" or "it wasn't to my taste" or "the character was so unlikable that it wasn't a so-bad-it's-good situation. It was a "I don't want to spend time with them and I want this book to be over situation." So that is something you could do.
[00:25:06] And readers, if you heard me talk about this before, like the My Reading Life book journal that you can buy where you get your books that I designed, it has like this rating system broken down where there are... they are actually diamonds, not stars. So I hope that feels a little less loaded for those you have complicated relationship with star ratings.
But you can say, okay, what was my enjoyment? One to five. But what do I think about the craft of this book? One to five. And then you can give it an overall rating, which many people just average. You could decide in your own heart what you want to do. But I invite you to sit with that idea and consider, is that something that would help me?
EVIE: Yes, definitely. I think I'm on board a hundred percent.
ANNE: Do you find yourself in a situation where you're like, I can see that this is good, but like, Nah, I'd rather spend my time elsewhere?
EVIE: Honestly, I think the more that we're talking about this... Take like Rebecca, for example, it's so good and well-written from a craft perspective. I think it's so, so, so, so good. There came a point in reading it... I think I even rated it like four or five stars, just because I thought the craft of it was really good and the atmosphere was really good and there were a lot of things in it that I loved. So I did rate it high.
[00:26:20] But the experience of reading it, sometimes I did get a little bit bored. I think that the more we're talking about this, the more I'm realizing that it might even be a pacing issue or like I said before, the novelty of what's going on and me feeling like I have no idea what's going to happen might be really important. And I'm kind of just learning this as we're talking.
ANNE: Okay. Well, that's why we're talking.
EVIE: Like maybe it needs to be a medium to fast pace. Also, I do tend to like things that I really feel like I'm thrown into something where it's going to be a total surprise and I'm not predicting. And like I said, it's not stale, I'm just riveted. Like I don't know what's going to happen.
ANNE: Evie, I think you use the phrase "dread" in your submission, that you appreciate a book with a building sense of dread.
EVIE: I love a sense of dread. I love feeling kind of like, if not scared, shivery, like you're kind of dreading what's going to happen or you get the chills, like physically. I love that.
[00:27:33] ANNE: Okay, here's my working theory. And that is that you really enjoy a book with a strong sense of tension in the plot. I think perhaps that you found such affinity with, especially existential female horror, because those books often have a strong sense of tension. But some of your five-star reads are in totally different genres and yet I think they have that tension.
EVIE: I do think they have tension, yes.
ANNE: So I think you could broaden your horizons a little bit if you want to and also refine the choices you're making in your home genres. Maybe to find that ingredient that is sometimes missing, but sometimes it's the reason you love a book. But I think maybe, maybe that's not been as visible an element to you and it's affecting your choices in a way that's leading you in what is often an unsatisfying direction.
[00:28:34] EVIE: Yes. And you know what's also interesting? I sometimes can appreciate that I read a book... like for example, Our Wives Under the Sea, when I was reading it, I thought it was too slow and I was like, "Okay, let's see. What's going to happen? What's going to happen? What's going to happen?"
But after I finished it and digested it for a few days and then read some posts about it... like the reason I bring this up is that would categorize as existential female dread. I also wouldn't because I think it was about grief in general, but just because they were both female characters. There was a sense of dread or a mystery element to that. It was a little bit touching on horror, perhaps. It was like-
ANNE: Yeah, I would say so.
EVIE: Okay.
ANNE: She went to the ocean and came back, uh, changed. Yes.
EVIE: Yes. I thought it was too slow. But then, after the fact, now I'm so glad I read it. Especially since just on an intellectual level, if I'm comparing and contrasting it in my mind with other books in the same genre, I do feel like there's a lot to say in conversation when you take that book.
[00:29:44] So maybe it's just about the experience that I want to have right now. And I think that maybe I do just want books that I'm just truly enjoying the process of reading. Because there's a lot of books that I'm glad I read or a lot of books that I appreciate. But maybe I just want books that are fun to read. But at the same time, I could read thrillers all day long. I mean, not just that are fun to read. Maybe like a blend of both. I hope I'm not being really confusing.
ANNE: What we're doing today is giving you some language and some ideas about your reading life that you can think about and pay attention to and test. And then my hope is that after you think about those things, reflect on what they mean for your reading life, and test them with actual book choices, you will then feel more empowered to trust your gut.
EVIE: Yes. Awesome. That feels perfect.
ANNE: I love it. Let's make some recommendations for you. Evie, you're going to tell me three books you love when you don't and what you've been reading lately and we'll see if we can pick some books with a nice sense of tension, some books that have interesting themes and characters for you. But first I want to hear what has already worked and not in your reading life. How did you choose these?
[00:31:04] EVIE: I chose these by books that I remember left an impression.
ANNE: Books with staying power, as you said.
EVIE: Yeah, staying power. I don't remember exactly what happened in any of them and I had to read them again. But I remember that they were memorable just because they did make me feel and think about a lot of things in general, about life in general.
ANNE: Okay, Evie, what's the first book you love?
EVIE: If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha. This book takes place in modern Seoul, South Korea and it follows four different women who live in Seoul. It alternates between their points of view as they go through life. If you don't mind, I kind of want to read what Frances Cha said herself about why she wrote it.
ANNE: I'd love to hear.
EVIE: Yes, because that kind of describes what I love about it and why I wanted to read it. So in the notes at the end of the eBook, she was interviewed and she said, "I want to write a story where all the characters are Korean women and it is set in Seoul and they are not discussing a man, nothing about love and I want to write a modern story about contemporary issues that are specific to Korea."
[00:32:21] So that appealed to me right away. Something about the fact that it was contemporary issues that these women have to deal with in modern-day present Korea. I love just learning about other people's lives in general, just the lived experience of another place or the lived experience of another time if it's historical. But I was attracted to the fact that this was a modern story.
I don't know why she said there's nothing about love because there is a lot to do with men and love in this story. But I can tell what she meant after reading the book. It's not a romance. It gives you kind of like this window into what it might be like to be a woman in South Korea right now.
I find that extremely interesting. That alone is all I had to hear. But it does have to do a lot with themes of beauty, plastic surgery, which is huge in South Korea, and how that affects women navigating work, navigating relationships, navigating their economic status.
[00:33:42] I mean, it all ties back to this theme of the beauty industry navigating family. It just all ties back to that and I thought that was very interesting. The title makes so much sense, If I Had Your Face, because people change their entire faces sometimes and there's very specific beauty standards.
I like that it made me think about the differences between the beauty standards in the United States and in South Korea and are they really that different? It kind of seems as though or people might have the impression that because plastic surgery is booming over there that the standards are stricter. But plastic surgery is booming in the United States as well. And there's different standards, although they might be just as strict or just as narrow and full of pressure on women. Anyways, it was about their lives navigating all those things.
[00:34:39] I liked that there was a large cast of characters. I actually had to keep track of everyone. I liked that the girls kind of... there was different men involved in their lives and they kind of all had interpersonal relationships with each other. They were all kind of connected loosely, how all their lives intersected.
There was a lot in there just about their daily lives, like just feels like it picked you up and physically plopped you in Seoul and you were living life with them. And I enjoyed that. I thought it was fascinating.
ANNE: Since we've talked star ratings, how many would you give that one?
EVIE: I would give it five stars.
ANNE: Are all your favorites five-star reads?
EVIE: Yes.
ANNE: Okay, great. Evie, what's the second book you love?
EVIE: The second book I love is Ghosts by Dolly Alderton. This is kind of similar because it's in a modern setting. It's set in London at this time and it follows the main character. Again, it's about her navigating life, navigating career, navigating love and friendship and family as she goes about her daily life in London. It's kind of like how to live a millennial life in London right now.
[00:35:59] It was full of different characters. It's really reflective. It has a sense of depth. I wouldn't characterize the tone as vapid or surface level when it talks about emotions or life concepts. I would definitely not say it was breezy or even a rom-com, even though there were romantic elements. But it's not like drama in the sense that you're gonna be bawling reading this book.
I think that the author wanted to explore different themes through the plot and the characters that she chose. So she kind of had a layer in mind when she went into writing it. And I could definitely tell through reading it that she wanted to explore what it felt like to live in this moment and in this place. I just thought it was a fun look into this girl's daily life.
ANNE: Evie, what's the third book you love?
[00:36:58] EVIE: Okay, here's where we get into the creeping sense of dread. This one's a little bit different from the first two in the sense that it touches a little bit more on horror and that creep factor.
So Melmoth by Sarah Perry. It's set in Prague. It follows this woman, Helen, who is being followed by this mysterious figure who is wearing black robes. You do get a larger cast. She does have friends and things around.
Through different manuscripts that she discovers about this character named Melmoth, she finds out a little bit about this mysterious history of this biblical character. It's only biblical in Sarah Perry's world. But you don't know why Melmoth is following her around.
It's very emotive. This novel is, I think, the most emotive of the three. You don't know why Melmoth's following her, but you do know that she follows people who are lonely and that have secrets. And so you're kind of trying to figure out what is this big secret that Helen has that is making Melmoth follow her.
[00:38:09] And I like that there was kind of like this creepy element, this mysterious figure. I like the magical realism element. It does make you feel a lot of things.
ANNE: What did this book call you to think about?
EVIE: Melmoth supposedly follows people around who have done something really, really terrible that is almost unforgivable or they're just in a deep sense of despair. It makes you have this feeling of horror because you're like, that, first of all, is a horrifying image or idea.
And then you also kind of have to figure out, as you're reading, what each of the characters did that kind of merits them having this stalking figure following them around all the time, and then if the stalking figure is going to win.
[00:39:06] So the point of Melmoth is she kind of reaches out to you in your darkest moment and has you take her hand and follow her. And you don't know until the end if Helen is going to take her hand or not. It made me feel just very pensive. It makes you also wonder if Melmoth is actually a hero or a villain because of some of the people that she kind of follows and stalks in the book and what they have done.
I thought it was interesting that she was a woman monster. I just thought it was extremely interesting and I thought the prose was very beautiful. Sarah Perry's writing is really descriptive and really poetic. She writes in a way that you kind of viscerally feel everything that she's talking about.
ANNE: Okay, that's helpful. Evie, tell me about a book that was not right for you.
[00:40:07] EVIE: The book that was not right for me that you would think was perfect for me and I thought it was going to be perfect for me was I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. I had a lot of fun reading this book because the premise was so interesting.
It's about a bunch of women who are stuck in these underground bunkers. And it's very mysterious. You don't really know why at the beginning of the book. I don't really want to say too much because it tends to get very spoilery if you say too much. But you follow this one woman who eventually escapes or they all escape because something happens.
The reason that I didn't like it, and this is not a spoiler because this is just my impression, I just found it extremely bleak. It weighed really heavily on the despair part. Maybe that's a testament to Jacqueline Hartman's writing that she was just so good at creating these feelings. So maybe this negative review is kind of a positive review. She's just such a good writer.
[00:41:16] But I felt like it was just exactly what she wanted. It was extremely bleak but it was a strong sense of despair. Personally, I would prefer not to experience that, not to go there. It was just too much and I wasn't happy about that.
ANNE: Extremely well done and not a fit for you right now.
EVIE: Yes.
ANNE: Okay. Evie, what have you been reading lately?
EVIE: Something that I read lately that I absolutely loved was Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. It is following this girl who doesn't feel like she fits in. It's so weird and wacky and there's a lot going on that you just do not expect. Everything about it from the writing style to every plot point I was just fascinated by. I was dying to know what was going to happen. I love the themes.
This is set in Japan. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I've realized every book I've talked about has been set somewhere in the world that I have personally never been. It was awesome. I love this. This was a five-star for me.
[00:42:18] And I did recently read another book by Sarah Perry because I loved Melmoth so much. But I read The Essex Serpent and it wasn't 100% for me. I love the writing. Again, her writing style is perfect. I absolutely adore it. So that was great as usual.
Something about the plot, I don't know, it just wasn't gripping me. I cannot even tell you more because I didn't even finish it. I tried to watch the series thinking maybe that was going to be better. I think there just wasn't enough dread to be honest. There wasn't enough sense of horror and dread.
ANNE: Well, I hope that was an interesting experience to read an author you love and realize that it was the book not necessarily the author or the writing style.
EVIE: Yeah, it was interesting. I mean, I definitely want to read all the rest of her books. I'm going to keep reading any book she publishes. Not every plot, I guess, or premise is for everyone and that's fine. That's okay.
[00:43:16] ANNE: Well said. Evie, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
EVIE: I think I'm looking for books that are medium to fast-paced and that are a fun reading experience but that are also kind of hefty in the sense that they do describe something about the world or something about what it's like to be here. Something a little bit bigger than themselves. So fun reading experience, a little bit layered if possible, and something where I really will not be able to predict what's going to happen or that has something new and novel going on.
That would be my ideal list. But mostly I'm just looking for anything that you think I would love because I am very excited to hear what your take is on it, Annie. I'm very grateful to be able to get your recommendations.
ANNE: Well, I am happy to have this conversation. Let's see what we can do here. Evie, I realized that we didn't really get into that sense of dread and tension that I hinted at but we didn't really explore it further.
[00:44:24] EVIE: Yeah. I think that the only book I kind of brought with that sense of dread was Melmoth.
ANNE: Oh, I don't know. I think if I had your face and ghosts also have... it's different but it's not absent.
EVIE: I think if you read Earthlings, you would also consider that.
ANNE: I put Earthlings down because I couldn't handle the sense of it because of something that happened in the midpoint of the book.
EVIE: I didn't even feel like there was a sense of dread. The atmospheric sense of a visceral dread never happened for me. I thought it was just really fun and interesting. I just loved that it was really thought-provoking and feeling-provoking.
ANNE: I came to mistrust a character because of something that was done. And I could foresee where that might go and I did not want to go there.
EVIE: Did you read I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid?
ANNE: No.
EVIE: Okay.
[00:45:25] ANNE: No. But that book is always discussed in a conversation about this topic.
EVIE: I would say if I didn't bring Melmoth I would have brought that one. That is one of my all-time favorite books and that was truly like... When you just said, I'm kind of scared that something bad is going to happen, that is my favorite feeling.
Also, The Awakening by Kate Chopin for something more classic, that is kind of started to have a building sense of dread. And I really like that.
ANNE: Okay. So I think that sense of tension makes you pay attention. I think that really holds your interest as a reader.
EVIE: Yes, it does.
ANNE: Okay. So keeping that in mind, all the elements that you enjoy. So we have talked about a strong sense of place, that you like to drop into the lived experience of a character in a story. You also like a large cast of characters in a story, and then medium to fast-paced that have an interestingness to them for you that is born about... We talked about how you like seeing how a character interacts with others, but also that sense that something might happen and you are going to watch for it.
EVIE: Yes.
[00:46:38] ANNE: Also, you like a sense of novelty, things that are weird, things that are interesting, things that surprise you.
EVIE: I do think I have a high tolerance for things that are weird.
ANNE: Since you said you have a high tolerance for things that are weird and since you really loved Earthlings by Sayaka Murata, I'm thinking, tell me if I'm wrong, that you've not found a lot of books that scratch that same itch.
EVIE: Yes, I would say so. I tried to read Convenience Store Woman to get the same, but it wasn't as intense and I was like, No, I need the intense-
ANNE: That's quirky.
EVIE: Yes, it was.
ANNE: But it's not weird.
EVIE: Yes, yes. There's definitely something not like Earthlings. But Earthlings was like perfectly horrifying.
ANNE: There's another Japanese author that I think you may be happy to meet, Hiromi Kawakami. I'm thinking of People from My Neighborhood. This is a short story collection, they're interlinked, that was published in fall 2021. Is this a book you know?
EVIE: No.
[00:47:42] ANNE: Okay. Now, many readers know Kawakami from Strange Weather in Tokyo. And just like Earthlings and Convenience Store Woman are very different books. These two works we're talking about from Kawakami have very different vibes.
Because People from My Neighborhood is weird. There are 36, the author calls them short shorts, like they are very short stories. It almost reminds me of that Beth Ann Fennelly collection that some readers will know called Heating and Cooling, which are 52 micro memoirs that still add up to a very, very slim book.
But these are totally different. They are these linked short shorts that are set in a small Japanese town. I don't want to take away the element of surprise for you, but they have this combination of just the everyday, quotidian, normal, normal, small town life and the magical and mythical.
[00:48:41] And you've mentioned that you liked the book that had magical realism. This I think may go beyond magical realism into the downright strange and weird for sure. But we meet an obnoxious kid who lives under a white cloth all the time. There's a student who keeps the brains of her dolls in a desk drawer. There's a man with two shadows. I'm just interested in you picking this up and seeing what you think.
Lots of characters. We don't spend a lot of time with them, but really well done and I think will deliver on that sense of novelty.
EVIE: You know what's so funny? I just looked at my Goodreads and I did have it as a want to read. I didn't even remember it.
ANNE: What?
EVIE: Yeah. So this is awesome. Right on track.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Now I want to talk about a book that's coming out this fall. In fact, when this airs, our Fall Book Preview will be tomorrow, September 18th, I'm going to talk about it then, but listeners are going to hear about it a day early.
[00:49:43] I'm thinking of a new book that comes out in November called Clean. This is by the Chilean author Alia Trabucco Zerán. It's translated by Sophie Hughes. It's set in Chile. This is the story of a maid. When the story begins, a young girl is dead. We know this and we know that it is the maid. She's also the nanny. It is her fault.
It's told in this really interesting, I think weird first-person point of view. And it's just a little bit off. Like she's telling us this horrible story because we know that her charge has died. Like tragedy has happened. The worst has happened.
And she seems to be... we're not sure if she's been imprisoned or if she's being kept, but we know that she is inside a locked room and she's telling her story just a little bit at a time. And we know it because she'll interrupt herself and be like, "Go away. That's enough for today. You know, I'm tired."
[00:50:41] But we don't know why she's in that locked room, who put her in that locked room, what happened to the child. We don't know any of that. But it's not a mystery. Instead, oh, it's a really creepy look at the family life that she was living in.
This is not a large cast of characters. It's larger than the people in the home, but it's mostly the people in the home. We have the mother, — and her relationship with the mother is very weird— the father, her husband, another very weird relationship, a weird relationship between those two, the spouses as well, and the child who you do not want anything bad to happen to her, but also you are not going to like her.
But this is set in Chile. I was unable to get a read on when is this set exactly. There are some social events going on, there's some political unrest, but I wasn't able to pin it to any specific event.
It's got thriller-ish vibes. There's definitely this ominous sense hanging over the novel because you know that the girl dies. But also the characters just... they creep you out. They do weird things. They want the maid to feel uncomfortable. And as the reader, you're watching this feeling uncomfortable on her behalf.
[00:51:55] But it's also a social critique. So her mother warned her about being a maid and how you can't get out. You always think, "Next week or next week. No, I just need a little more money." But her mother has told her that she will never leave. And even though the maid is unhappy in her work, it is true that she stays and she stays and she stays even though she's underpaid and overworked.
The prose is really taught. The characters are well-drawn, even if there aren't dozens of them. And I think this has that combination of novelty, the ominous sense. It's not fast-paced, but there's enough momentum in the plot, I think, to keep you more than interested in what's going to happen next. How does that sound?
EVIE: That sounds really fascinating. I'm definitely interested in reading it because I'm already like, what's going on?
ANNE: Okay. Have you read Mariana Enríquez? Because I feel like you need to if you haven't.
EVIE: No. I need to look her up.
[00:52:54] ANNE: She is prolific in Spanish. She's an Argentine author. But this is her third or fourth novel. Oh, let me tell you what we're talking about. We're talking about Our Share of Nights. But it is her first novel translated into English. And it's a long novel with a larger cast of characters. I think it's about 600 pages.
So this begins with a young father and son setting out on a road trip. They are mourning the death of the mother and the family, and they are grieving. They're glad to have each other. Things are a little bit off from the very beginning. And that is the sense that pervades this novel. Everything is a little off-kilter.
There's so much symbolism here, even though you might not clock it exactly consciously. But I think subconsciously, you're like, hang on, this is weird. The whole thing just feels off-kilter.
EVIE: I love that.
ANNE: Like the father wakes up his son on the first page who's sleeping under a sheet. Because people sleep under sheets, but they don't sleep under a sheet. First of all, the translator is brilliant. I think it's Megan McDowell. But that imagery is purposeful.
[00:54:05] So a quote from early in the book is, "We have children so we can continue. They are our immortality." Which sounds in one sense, like we're talking about legacy and what we leave behind. But there's another way to interpret that, and that's what's going on in this book.
So what we find out is that things are not quite right with this family. Or at least they're not what we expect, us normies who aren't part of a secret society that uses human sacrifice, including that of our heirs to prolong our lives for immortality.
So this book starts a little off-kilter and gets progressively stranger. Like the father knows because of his position in the order, is what it's called, that just commits these atrocious acts because those acts will earn them eternal life.
[00:55:03] The order has its eyes on the son. The father knows this, the son does not. And so the father is fleeing. And he's not sure what his son knows. But you know, they're just having a normal breakfast, but then we realize shortly thereafter, like wait, the father is seeing spirits everywhere. Like can the son see them too? He's not really sure.
But this book, while on its surface is very much your existential female horror, it's also about these big themes, like legacy and survival, trauma, memory. There's a lot of class in politics. There's queerness. There's a large and complex family.
This book is also very much in the Argentine tradition of literature, specifically Borges. So if any of you literary nerds find that fascinating, there is so much to unpack here, socially and politically.
The title's from Emily Dickinson, which is always fun. I have used the phrase existential female horror several times, so this probably doesn't need explicit content warnings. But there is a lot of body horror here. Some of you are going to do a lot of skimming or want to skip it entirely. But Evie, how does that sound to you?
[00:56:15] EVIE: That sounds really fun. I am definitely interested because I already want to know what's going to happen. Like I definitely am going to read this. I'm going to read all three of these. I think these were really, really good recommendations. Like I love them. I love all of them.
ANNE: Okay, well, I'm happy to hear it. So of the books we talked about today, they were People From My Neighbourhood by Hiromi Kawakami, then we talked about Clean by Alia Trabucco Zerán, and we ended with Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, which I should say has been out several years. I think this is her 2021 novel in the U.S. or thereabouts. Of those books, Evie, what do you think you'll read next?
EVIE: I think I'm going to start in exactly the order you said them. I think I'm going to start with a short story collection and then I'm going to go to Clean and then I'm going to go to Our Share of Night. I'm going to read all of them. I am so excited.
ANNE: Oh, I love that. I'm so excited to hear what you think. And I'm also interested to hear what you settle on as you mull over the things we talked about in terms of star ratings. So keep me posted. I'd love to hear.
[00:57:24] EVIE: I will. Thank you so much. This was so, so fun.
ANNE: I so enjoyed it. Thanks for talking books with me today, Evie.
Hey, readers. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Evie, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. You can find Evie on Instagram @moodreadingonly. We'll have that link to her profile, as well as all the titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Come join us over on Instagram, where you will find our show @WhatShouldIReadNext. Make sure you're on our email list. We send out updates on the show, events like our Fall Book Preview, and more. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Melmoth by Sarah Perry
▵ I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
• Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
• The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
• I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
• People From My Neighborhood by Hiromi Kawakami
• Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
• Heating & Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly
• Clean by Alia Trabucco Zeran
• Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
Also mentioned:• 2024 Fall Book Preview
The post How to fix a chronic three-star situation appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
Our Fall Book Preview is coming up this Wednesday, September 18 (click here to register) and I have been reading up a storm so I can tell you all about what’s publishing this season. There are so many good books coming out and I’m pumped to tell you about the “big” books of fall that I LOVED, the much-lauded books that were just not for me, and my sleeper favorites that I have seen nowhere else.
If you’re a regular reader you know that a mix of old and new is crucial to my reading happiness. While I’ve been reading mostly (but not entirely) new books in print, I’ve been mixing in some older releases on audio. That’s why this month’s edition of Quick Lit is heavy on the audiobooks.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to September Quick Lit Author: Kate Quinn
This new July 2024 release is set during the McCarthy era in 1950 Washington, DC, and takes place almost entirely in the Briarwood House, a women's boardinghouse run by a parsimonious landlord. The structure is interesting: we hear from each of the house's residents in turn, but just once, and learn of her dreams, disappointments, and the secrets she's keeping from her housemates. But the house has its own opinions on what unfolds within its walls: we hear from the house itself repeatedly throughout the story, beginning in the opening chapter when it tells us two people have been murdered there. I thoroughly enjoyed this on audio as narrated by Saskia Maarleveld—she's one of my favorite narrators! More info →Author: Scott Carson
I found out about this March 2024 release from MMD Book Club member Rebecca, who shared it as her best book of summer for our annual event. I was hooked by Rebecca's enthusiastic recommendation and its intriguing premise: in 1999, Bloomington IN teenager Marshall is pulled over for speeding by a cranky police officer within hours of getting his driver's license. During the traffic stop he notices a pretty blonde girl sitting in the back of the police cruiser. Not long after, he discovers the girl is missing—but when he reports what he witnessed to the authorities, they tell him the officer that issued his speeding ticket doesn't exist and chide him for trying to mess up their case. Marshall knows what he saw, and is determined to get to the bottom of it. I was hooked! This turned out be a supernatural thriller in the vein of Stephen King's Fairy Tale that, while plotty, also featured well-developed characters that I loved and rooted hard for. (The Weller! Who's read this and knows what I'm talking about?) For those of us who were teens in the 90s, the nostalgia factor here is incredibly high. More info →Author: Jodi Picoult
Would you believe this is my first Jodi Picoult novel? I was intrigued by the historical angle: the premise is that the Elizabethan poet Emilia Bassano was actually the author of the body of work attributed to William Shakespeare. Meanwhile in our modern era, a contemporary female playwright finds herself embroiled in scandal from complications that ensue after she writes and produces (and lies about) a play asserting that same premise. I very much enjoyed the historical timeline of this novel, and the hours zoomed by as I listened to the audiobook narrated by a full cast including Jayne Entwistle, John Lee, and Simon Vance, with a particularly fascinating author's note read by Jodi Picoult. More info →Author: Fernanda Trías
It was WSIRN alum Michelle Wilson who first put this weird little novel in translation on my radar: Michelle chose it as one of her best books of summer for MMD Book Club; you may have heard me proceed to recommended it to Hunter on WSIRN Ep 445: Startlingly beautiful sentences and perfect last lines.. The novel has since been longlisted for the National Book Award for translated literature. In it, a woman weathers a pandemic in an unnamed South American coastal city. Because of a recent environmental disaster, a dangerous red fog is rolling in off the ocean and endangering those in its path; like many, she's too poor to flee inland to the cities, as the wealthy have done. As a squeamish reader, I did a fair amount of rapid skimming through the gruesome depictions of illness. But the unnamed narrator captured my attention, and there was much to linger on: the curious factoids accumulated in her work as a copywriter that she drops into the narrative, her urgent yet oddly detached navigation of impending doom, and especially her meta observations about narrative and the story she's unspooling here. I listened to the audio version narrated by Frankie Corzo. More info →Author: Nikki May
May's debut has been patiently waiting for me since its January 2022 release on my "sounds good, maybe I'll read it soon" bookshelf. This month it vaulted to the top of my TBR for reasons I'll get to talk about soon. The story revolves around a tight-knit group of three Anglo-Nigerian best friends living in contemporary London—but then a fourth insinuates herself into their group, and though they don't yet know it, her explicit goal is to sow chaos in all their lives. With heaps of secrets, lies, and ultimately, betrayal, this tale of female friendship was a real pageturner. I listened to the audio version narrated by Natalie Simpson. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Greetings from cool and rainy Louisville! Everyone in my family is excited to put on boots and jeans this morning, even though the forecast shows a week of hot summer days ahead. Whatever the weather, this weekend I’m looking forward to finishing the last 20 pages in an edgy fall debut novel, getting together with a visiting friend, and making real dinner now that my kid who got her wisdom teeth out can finally chew again. (Thanks so much for your tips last week; they were helpful!)
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book Preview is in less than a week!Our sixth annual Fall Book Preview is coming up on September 18! We’re ready to put our beautiful and useful 12-page digital Fall Book Preview booklet in your hands, and I’m polishing up my notes so I’m ready to tell you about my most-loved and most-anticipated fall titles.
Details are below: please note the print booklet is an entirely optional add-on; everyone gets the digital booklet as part of their Fall Book Preview experience. (Watch my quick video here for more on that print booklet.)
- Get more details and sign up for Fall Book Preview right here. A la carte purchasers: if you’d like a print booklet, use the dropdown box on the order page to add the print booklet to your order. If you want to order merch as well (as shown in the above video), save on shipping and order that now; everything will ship together.
- MMD Book Club members: order your print booklet through this link. Patreon members: order your print booklet through this link. Thank you!
- Check out our merch here (and in my video above!).
A final note about those print booklets: thank you for your preorders! We ordered a limited number of extra booklets from our printer, so if you haven’t already ordered yours and you want one, I suggest you order right away to make sure you get your print booklet. At this time we do not have plans to reorder 2024 Fall Book Preview printed booklets once these are gone. If the shop shows that they’re out of stock, that means they’re gone. Order yours before that happens!
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
Elizabeth Strout: ‘All ordinary people are extraordinary.’ (The Guardian) Great interview.
Moleskine Mania: How a Notebook Conquered the Digital Era. (The Walrus) This nerdy product history feels perfect for this time of year.
I’m loving this Quince cashmere tee for early fall and so glad we’ve had a few days cool enough to wear it! Obviously they have it in a variety of neutrals but I want to shout out the burgundy—it’s a versatile but interesting shade, perfect for this time of year.
Nobody Was Reading Him. Now He’s the World’s Best Spy Writer. (Wall Street Journal gift link) Fantastic profile of Mick Herron. “For all his obvious talent, the 61-year-old author became a literary sensation because of luck, chance events and the right people believing in him at crucial moments of his career, just like anyone who is successful in any field.” (We’re thinking about watching the series. Have you seen it; would you recommend?)
How Costco Hacked the American Shopping Psyche. (The New York Times gift link) “Ostensibly, Costco is a discount store, a place to save money and stretch your grocery dollar, but it is also an aspirational shopping experience, feeding that most American of appetites: conspicuous consumption.”
More fall colors: I told you in July that I popped into J.Crew Factory for something else entirely and left with the Girlfriend Crewneck Tee in five different colors (that I wear alll the time). I felt so smart this week when a stylist friend complimented the fabulousness of the warm brandy color specifically as perfect for this time of year. I almost didn’t buy it because it’s not my usual palette but it’s turned out to be the one I wear the most. (I also just restocked the longsleeve version for the coming cooler days.)
20 MORE campus novels that will take you back to your school days. (MMD) Channel nostalgia for school days gone by into the pages of a good book.
Would You Show Someone Your Notes App? (The Atlantic gift link) “Like a diary, the app keeps your thoughts in chronological order over a span of time; unlike diary entries, many notes are unmediated by self-reflection. The result is that the app functions like a years-long internal monologue—a lens into what someone is actually thinking.”
My favorite spices and seasoning blends. (MMD) A few longtime family favorites, a few new ones we are raving about. (Thanks for the suggestions in comments!)
Inside the Closets of 15 Stylish People. (The Cut) Seriously fun snooping!
How One Man Has Dedicated Himself to the Art of Apple Trolling. (Bon Appétit) Ignore the headline; you’re probably going to want to bookmark his site for the next time you buy apples. (Although I prefer Cripps Pink to Pink Ladies, is it just me?)
My school days are over, but do Joy the Baker’s Everybody’s After School Cookies still make the perfect snack come 3pm? You know it. (If you’re into dried cranberries, I recommend swapping them in for the raisins.)
I’ve Read Every Elin Hilderbrand Book—Here’s How They Rank. (The Everygirl) Quite the book project! (Without thinking about it for more than two seconds, I told my hair stylist yesterday that The Rumor is the one I’d most like to see adapted—but it’s #14 on this 28-book list!)
Don’t miss these posts:20 Dark Academia novels for moody fall reading. Is Dark Academia a social media trend, aesthetic, literary genre? Yes, yes, and yes.
Why star ratings matter—and when they don’t. My feelings about star ratings have evolved over the years.
20 wonderfully discussable books to spark great conversation in your buddy reads and book clubs. These books will make you say, “I HAVE to talk about this with someone!”
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This past weekend I spent some time restocking our spice drawer, and it made me realize how many of our go-to, “easy weeknight” dinners and breakfasts depend heavily on having a pre-mixed (or pre-purchased) spice blend ready and waiting in the pantry. I thought you might enjoy seeing a few of our family favorites.
1. Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend
I reach for this simple and inexpensive blend often, for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. It’s great on everything from roasted chickpeas to scrambled eggs to grilled meats. It’s a real hero when I use it—as I often do—to turn a can of black beans into an instant side dish. Add to taste, microwave for a minute, and done.
While we all enjoy the flavor around here, sometimes I use it to add a dash of color to pretty up a dish, like I did the other night when we had make-your-own-burrito-bowls for dinner and I added a few shakes to the pile of cooked shredded chicken. That pile of chicken didn’t necessarily need to be pretty, but it took me all of four seconds to do it so why not?
2. Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend
Sara has waxed poetic about this cult classic before: check out her post called A Pinch of perfection, a shower of mess: a love letter to Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. I enjoy this more than anyone else in our family, and use it most often on hardboiled eggs for breakfast and cottage cheese for a snack.
- Family Meal Fish Taco recipe ( NYT Cooking gift link)
We love Sam Sifton’s fish taco recipe (linked above), but now keep this blend on hand and use not only for fish and shrimp tacos but any number of things that might benefit from a blend that’s heavy on chile powder, garlic powder, and paprika. I might use this more often for roasted chickpeas than for fish tacos! (I use Jenny Rosenstrach’s roasted chickpeas as inspiration, but use a lot less olive oil, and the air fryer instead of the stovetop.)
4. Ras al hanout
We use this for just one thing, but it’s one of our very favorites: the Moroccan Spiced Chicken over Couscous from Fresh Off the Grid. That recipe may be from a camping blog, but we make it all the time at home, not just in the great outdoors. I’m sure we could enjoy branching out and putting this blend to use in new ways—if you have ideas, please share in comments!
5. Blackened chicken seasoning (NYT Cooking gift link)
The newest addition to our spice drawer is a winner! All six of us have loved it from the first time we made it and fight (affectionately, of course) over the leftovers. In a recent Links I Love post, I shared how the first night we had this recipe over a creamy lemon-garlic linguine (another NYT Cooking gift link).
Now whenever it’s time to mix up a batch, I double or triple the recipe so we can keep some on hand. The seasoning is interesting on its own, but not so distinctive you can’t use leftover seasoned chicken in a variety of dishes like one of our frequent-of-late dinners in bowls. The recipe shared above is technically for sautéed chicken breasts, but you can make just the spice mix; you can also modify the recipe by grilling the chicken as we’ve been doing all summer long.
What are your go-to spices and seasoning blends? Please tell us in comments!
P.S. 10 delightful cookbooks for reading, cooking, and gifting and 20 interesting recipes to make for dinner with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
The post My favorite spices and seasoning blends appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re not done with 90 degree temps around here, but the mornings have gotten blessedly crisp again … which makes me want to buy school supplies. And read campus novels!
This time of year brings back nostalgia for school days gone by, and thankfully, as a reader, I know exactly how to channel those feelings—and that is into the pages of a good book.
It’s been several years since I last shared about some of my favorite novels with school settings and I’ve come across so many more titles since then, both brand new and backlist. Today’s list includes a little bit of everything, from literary fiction to mystery to historical fantasy. There’s no overlap with the previous lists and even then, it was still hard to narrow down the selections to these 20 titles! I hope you’ll add your favorite campus novels to the comments for even more fall reading enjoyment.
20 MORE Campus NovelsSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Lisa Patton
This 2018 campus novel, focused on Greek life at Ole Miss, is perfect for back-to-school and football seasons. First line: "I work for four hundred and thirty-eight white ladies in a three-story mansion, not a one of them over the age of twenty-two." The beautiful cover promises an intriguing, easy-reading novel about sorority life, and it is that—but many readers have been surprised to discover how serious and timely the story is, and how necessary and overdue the changes advocated for in Rush are. Audiophile alert: Bahni Turpin and Amanda Ronconi narrate the excellent audio version. More info →Author: Caroline O'Donoghue
This reads like a warmer, wittier Sally Rooney, perfect for fans of introspective first-person literary fiction. Rachel is living in London, happily married and pregnant, when she hears the news that one of her long-ago college professors is in a coma. This discovery prompts her to recall a pivotal year in her early twenties, when she met her best friend James working at the bookstore and their lives soon became enmeshed with those of the professor and his wife. A provocative novel with an enticing plot that thoughtfully interrogates themes of power, class, art, and the queer experience. I adored the Irish accents in Tara Flynn's excellent narration. More info →Author: Elif Batuman
If I could tell you about this Pulitzer finalist by quoting the last line, I would! Alas, that might feel spoilery—and so instead I’ll begin at the beginning of this autobiographical novel, in which Selin, the daughter of Turkish immigrants, enters her freshman year at Harvard in 1995 and has to figure out how to use email. As she begins emailing her classmates—and one classmate in particular, a boy named Ivan—she starts to see how the relationships she forms through the written word are markedly different from the ones she creates in the rest of her life. Selin is fascinated by the way language shapes thought, and by the relationship between her actual life and the life lived in books. This may sound quite esoteric, but Selin is warm and funny, as is her first person narrative, and the questions that captivate her will be interesting food for thought for many lovers of literature. More info →Author: Weike Wang
In Wang’s 2017 debut novel, our narrator is a chemistry PhD student who, feeling crushed by her demanding program and exacting Chinese parents, takes a leave of absence. She hopes to use this time to figure out what she really wants to do with her life, and to examine why she can’t just say “yes” when her committed boyfriend keeps pushing the idea of marriage. This literary novel is smartly written, with tight prose and a fascinating structure that serves the story well and makes it feel memoir-esque. I thought the ending was one part abrupt and one part pure brilliance. There’s so much to unpack in a book club setting. (I do want to flag a quick comment about gun violence for the sensitive reader: it caught me off guard, and made me wonder if that topic would have been handled differently were it written now.) More info →Author: Nathan Hill
Long (at 640 pages) and sweeping in scope, this spans decades and unfurls the life stories of several generations of one Midwestern family. The story begins in 2011, when Samuel Andresen-Anderson suddenly finds himself embroiled in a professional scandal at the college where he teaches, and almost simultaneously discovers his long-absent mother, who left the family when he was a child, is headline news for throwing rocks at a presidential candidate. We go on to examine the long road that led to her decision to leave the family, her childhood, even the family's roots back in Norway, where the myth of the Nix—a spirit that follows you for life—originated. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Xochitl Gonzalez
From our 2024 Spring Book Preview, Olga Dies Dreaming author Gonzalez returns with a fiery novel set in the worlds of academia and fine art. In 1985, artist Anita de Monte falls to her death during a nasty fight with her husband, the prominent artist Jack Martin, whose fragile ego is threatened by Anita’s burgeoning success. Jack calls it an accident and carries on like nothing happened, but Anita is determined to make him pay. Flash forward to 1998, when Brown art student Raquel is preparing to launch her senior thesis on Martin, but gets sidetracked when she learns of Anita’s forgotten art—and suspicious death. Raquel admires the work and feels a kinship with its creator, another outsider in the art world. Raquel may hang with the white and rich Art History Girls, but as a first generation Puerto Rican college student, she can’t—and doesn’t want to—be mistaken for one. Plus the ways her own aspiring artist boyfriend’s actions resemble Jack’s are deeply unsettling. Smart and sophisticated (and more than a little sweary), this scintillating sophomore effort was everything I hoped for and more. More info →Author: Sally Rooney
I didn't think Sally Rooney was for me. But because I recorded a What Should I Read Next episode with a guest who called Rooney her favorite author, I sampled this one—and then I didn't want to stop reading! I was captivated by Rooney's skill at portraying the quietly devastating interactions between Connell and Marianne, Irish teenagers who begin an on-again, off-again relationship (though they wouldn't call it that) in high school and whose paths continue to cross when they move on to university in Dublin. Her unusual style suits the story, and the acuity with which she probes friendship, trauma, and mental health is striking. More info →Author: Julie Schumacher
An inside look at the world of academia via letters from the much-leaguered professor of creative writing and literature Jason Fitger. His department faces massive budget cuts, his writing career is on pause, and so is his personal life. We learn it all as Fitger writes abrasive letters of recommendation for students and tells committee members (and everyone else he writes) exactly what he thinks. As entertaining as it is passive-aggressive, which is to say: greatly. More info →Author: Yaa Gyasi
Homegoing author Gyasi delivers another powerful family story about grief, faith, and the power of human connection. Gifty studies neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine, with a focus on depression and addiction. It’s no coincidence that she’s chosen to study illnesses that impact those she loves most: her brother, a gifted student and athlete, died of an overdose after developing an addiction to painkillers following a devastating knee injury; her mother stays in bed, battling depression and grief. As Gifty leans on her work to help her understand her family, she longs for understanding and faith. Quiet, introspective, and piercingly sad, but ultimately hopeful. Heads up for audiophiles: the audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Bahni Turpin. More info →Author: Ben Lerner
This short work of autofiction transports the reader to a European university campus. Adam Gordon is an unhappy young American poet who's living in Madrid for a year on a poetry fellowship. He’s disillusioned with life and himself and often escapes into drugs and alcohol. While this isn’t a book I would have read if I hadn’t been traveling through Spain at the time, I appreciated the way it approached and talked about language, meaning, and translation. Plus, the strong sense of place and mentions of restaurants and neighborhoods had me googling aplenty—and marveling when I realized we were going to some of the same places mentioned in the book! More info →Author: M.L. Rio
This campus mystery, set in the world of the theater and swimming in Shakespeare, begins at the end: Oliver Marks has just been released from jail after serving a ten year sentence, and he's finally ready to tell the truth. But the truth about what? We slowly learn that ten years ago, Oliver was part of a close-knit group of Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, where the offstage rivalries and romances hold just as much drama as their performances. Their final year—the one that lands Oliver in prison—reads more like one of Shakespeare's tragedies. This page-turning suspense novel is packed with Shakespeare references and perfect for fans of Donna Tartt. More info →Author: Kiley Reid
This much-anticipated follow-up to the 2019 sensation Such a Fun Age does NOT disappoint. In this dark campus comedy of manners, Reid tracks the intersecting lives of a University of Arkansas Resident Advisor, the girls on her floor, and a visiting professor working on her next book—all of whom are dealing with a painful recent loss. Don’t expect a tight plot with clear beats: instead, this is a multi-faceted portrait of women and money, power dynamics, race and privilege, the complexities of campus life, and the search for hope and security in the midst of them. Reid excels at maneuvering her characters into precarious situations and watching them squirm. This literary page-turner does not center Greek life, but if you couldn’t look away from #RushTok coverage, add this to your list! Please note content warnings galore. More info →Author: Tracy Deonn
Team member Leigh recommended this on the team WSIRN summer favorites episode. From Leigh: A riveting YA fantasy retelling of the King Arthur legend, this follows Bree, a 16-year-old Black girl, as she goes off to an early college program. Once there, she discovers magic exists, and that someone's messed with her memory of the night her mom died. She wants to get to the bottom of what actually happened, which includes infiltrating a secret society on campus. There are so many great layers and twists to this story, which examines racism, complicated grief, and generational trauma. More info →Author: John Williams
Many people consider this 1965 historical work set at the turn of the twentieth century to be a modern classic. Born to a poor Missouri farming family, William Stoner is caught between two worlds when his father sends him to University of Missouri to study agronomy and discover the future of farming. He becomes an English literature major instead but nothing goes according to plan. He marries the “wrong” woman, he’s not suited for the politics of academia, his parents don’t fit in with his new life, and so on. In many ways, his is an unremarkable life but that is what allows the prose to shine. More info →Author: R. F Kuang
This historical fantasy is a cool 545 pages in hardcover, and WOW does Kuang put every one to good use. Set primarily in 1830s Oxford, the workers at the translation institute Babel literally fuel the British Empire by combining their language skills with precious silver bars. While I loved the academic setting and band of four fast friends, Kuang’s engagement with the complexities of race, power, and privilege are what really ground the novel. There's also a lot of philosophizing about the art of translation and discussion of what the practice actually involves, which I found insightful and fascinating. The publisher calls it “a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”—if that sounds a little cerebral for you, don’t worry; it’s easy to get swept up in the story. More info →Author: Alice Winn
World War I is the backdrop for this historical novel, following classmates Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood. When the book begins, the war is far from their boarding school in the English countryside, aside from learning about the death of deployed friends. Unbeknownst to each other, Gaunt and Ellwood secretly pine for one another, sure their feelings are unrequited. Gaunt, who is half-German, views enlistment as both an escape and a chance to counter the anti-German sentiment his family faces. Unfortunately for him, Ellwood enlists directly after, as do many of their classmates. A gritty, haunting novel that does not shy away from the horrors of war or the joys of first love. More info →Author: Rebecca Makkai
At the opening of this twisty and conflicted campus tale, professional podcaster and erstwhile professor Bodie Kane is summoned back to her New Hampshire boarding school to teach a short course on podcasting for high school students. She tasks them with creating their own podcasts for the course, and—even though she knows she shouldn't—she pushes the students to create a true crime show investigating the long-ago murder of a Granby School student, who happened to be Bodie's roommate back then. Smart, timely, and unputdownable. More info →Author: Sadeqa Johnson
This historical novel centers two young Black women in the 1950s: Ruby is an ambitious high school sophomore in a single-parent family of limited means in Philadelphia; Eleanor is a promising student at Howard University who, despite her working class upbringing, soon finds herself moving in the upper echelon of DC’s Black society. Both women have big hopes and dreams for their futures: they want love and marriage and family, as well as college degrees and satisfying careers. But shortly after each falls in love, big changes happen—and hard choices have to be made. A good story, well-told, with a satisfying ending. Be sure not to miss the author’s note! More info →Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Sittenfeld’s debut is a coming-of-age tale following 14-year-old Lee Fiora as she settles in as a scholarship student at her new tony boarding school in Massachusetts. Her middle-class upbringing in South Bend, Indiana is wholly different from that of her wealthy classmates at Ault School. She becomes an astute observer in order to figure out how and where to fit in. This below-the-radar approach serves her well in her early years at the school, but come senior year everything blows up in her face. A riveting exploration of school politics, crushes, wealth, and friendship. More info →Author: Sara Nović
This campus novel takes place at Ohio's River Valley School for the Deaf, a boarding school where students can count on the cultural richness of the deaf community being celebrated. When Charlie enrolls as a new student, she's never met another deaf student; her parents had kept her in traditional school for far too long, hoping her issues with hearing would simply disappear once they got her cochlear implants dialed in. Charlie knew that would never happen, and quickly makes herself at home in her new school setting, not knowing the school's very existence is actively being threatened. I knew little about deafness and the deaf community prior to reading this book, and ate up all the details about various facets of the deaf experience deaf author Nović wove into the story. More info → Do you have any favorite campus novels? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 10 campus novels that will take you back to your school days and 25 boarding school novels that are better than your class reunion.
The post 20 MORE campus novels that will take you back to your school days appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I know so many of you enjoy a good campus novel for fall, so today I think you’ll really love my conversation with Karen Gold. Karen is the academic dean at the oldest independent boarding school in the country, and she loves a good campus novel—she even teaches a course on them.
Today we’re talking about a broader range of stories. Karen’s especially fond of novels that span generations and highlight both the mundanity and the messiness of the human experience. But Karen’s real dilemma today isn’t finding the titles she’ll want to read next. What she’s really grappling with is a format struggle, which feels incredibly relatable for so many readers.
Karen’s always been committed to print books, but then she got an iPad, and then a Kindle, and she started to enjoy reading on a screen. These days she defaults to the ease of e-reading, despite having shelves full of physical books that she really does want to read. Karen’s not sure what to do about this readerly conundrum, so today we’re going to talk about it and see if we can help her think through how to move forward.
Let us know if you have recommendations for Karen by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Karen on Instagram.
It’s almost Fall Book Preview time!Join us on Wednesday, September 18th for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview. During this live, 90-minute unboxing event, I’ll share 35 titles I’ve hand-picked for fall reading season. I’ll tell you all about the big releases you’ll want to know about this season, and the titles I’ve loved most or can’t wait to enjoy. You’ll also get our 12-page digital PDF Fall Book Preview booklet. Our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and Patreon members enjoy automatic access to this live event: you can join us by becoming a part of either community or purchasing your a la carte ticket at ModernMrsDarcy.com/fbp.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? Every week we talk all things books and reading and give you the information you need to choose your next read.
There are so many books you could be reading, which ones are right for you? This is why we are here. We are here for you in a big way with our upcoming sixth annual Fall Book Preview. That is happening on Wednesday, September 18th. We hope you'll join us.
Our Fall Book Preview experience includes a live 90-minute unboxing event and our 12-page digital PDF Fall Book Preview booklet.
[00:01:00] In these two formats, we lay out our 35 selections for fall reading season. I said "our". They're mine. My 35 selections for fall reading season, plus some extra perks besides in that booklet, like our Big Books of Fall, in which I sneak in a dozen titles that are going to be everywhere this season that we think you are going to want to know about and know about early so you can get in your preorders, your library holds request so you can think about what you want your reading life to look like this season.
At our 90-minute unboxing, I walk you through the titles one by one and tell you a little bit about it, who it's for, help you decide if it might be right for you in the season, or because of the time of year, if it's right for another reader in your life, as gifting season is approaching faster than I'm entirely comfortable with. But we always love to talk about the books any time of year.
To participate, go to ModernMrsDarcy.com/fbp. That's for Fall Book Preview. There are three ways to join us. If you're not a member of one of our communities, go to ModernMrsDarcy.Com/fbp to get our ala carte option. This is a standalone ticket to the event. It gets you the replay, live access if you want it, that digital PDF booklet that's super, super helpful. And no obligation. Nothing else you need to do. No ongoing membership. Easy breezy.
[00:02:17] We haven't always offered this option, but we did so by popular request. And wow, you weren't kidding. This is a super popular option and we're happy to offer it.
Our Fall Book Preview experience is also an included perk for members of our What Should I Read Next? Patreon community and our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. Whether you're already a member, thank you for supporting us in this way, or join for this event and going forward.
This is a free perk that is included with your membership, and it is a steal of a deal. You get Fall Book Preview, Spring Book Preview, our team best books of the year, Summer Reading Guide access. Access to our premier events is just one way we say thank you for supporting us in this way.
So at Fall Book Preview, I'm sharing titles I have read and loved, some titles I can't wait to read, and noteworthy releases for this publishing season. And what a publishing season it is going to be. Fall is always big for books, but 2024 is exceptionally good.
[00:03:14] The timing is a little weird because it's an election year, but the titles themselves, especially September and October, are crammed with good stuff. I will share why I picked these titles and offer tips to help you decide which ones belong on your to-be-read list. This is always a great bookish time. Go to ModernMrsDarcy.com/fbp to join us. We'd love to have you.
And thank you so much for considering patronizing with What Should I Read Next? Patreon or Modern Mrs. Darcy? Book Club. Times are weird in the podcasting landscape, and your direct financial support makes it possible for us to do what we do. So thank you so much. That's ModernMrsDarcy.com/fbp.
Readers, if you enjoy a good campus novel for fall, you are going to love today's conversation. I'm talking books with Karen Gold, the academic dean at the oldest independent boarding school in the country.
Karen loves a good campus novel, of course, and she even teaches a course on them. You know we will talk about that today, along with her other experience in the classroom as an English teacher.
[00:04:19] But she also love stories that span generations and highlight the beauty in the mundane and especially the messiness of the human experience. But Karen's real dilemma today isn't finding the titles she'll want to read next. What she's really grappling with is a format struggle. I think a lot of you are going to relate to this in some capacity.
Karen was always a die-hard "I must hold the book in my hands for it to count," reader, until she got an iPad and then a Kindle, and really got accustomed to reading on a screen. These days she defaults to the ease of reading, despite having shelves full of physical books that she really does want to read.
She's not sure what to do here. She doesn't want to stop reading, but she's found that it presents certain difficulties. Karen has asked around for help with this issue before, and she hasn't really been able to find anything that's helped.
So today, with fear and trembling, going where others have previously failed, I'm going to give it a go and see if we can help her think through how to move forward.
[00:05:21] I love conversations like this and I'm excited to share this conversation with you. Let's get to it!
Karen, welcome to the show.
KAREN GOLD: Thank you, Anne. I'm thrilled to be here.
ANNE: Oh, I'm so excited to talk today. Can we tell our listeners that you sent a good for morale, really ego-boosting reply when we read your submission and emailed you and said, "Would you come on the show?"
KAREN: I was sitting next to my husband and I think my reply to you was, can you hear me screaming from Massachusetts? And I screamed so loud.
ANNE: The caps lock was on.
KAREN: I did that intentionally.
ANNE: Oh, I know. I know you did. I know you did.
KAREN: I'm so excited and so thrilled. I think it took my husband a couple of minutes to recover from my scream. But it's really exciting. You're such a part of my week. People who know me know I love a routine. So I love my Tuesdays when I can listen to the podcast. So it's really a thrill.
[00:06:21] ANNE: Well, that is so kind. Thank you. Our whole team got a kick out of that and we appreciate it. I'm so excited to talk today.
So we got to read your submission at What Should I Read Next? HQ. But tell our listeners about yourself. We want to give them a glimpse of who you are.
KAREN: I am an English teacher and the academic dean at a school north of Boston called the Governor's Academy. It's actually one of the oldest boarding schools in the country. Like 1763. I would like to say I've just been here a long time. Not since 1763, but a long time. Closing in on 30 years. It's a pretty wonderful place to be on North Shore.
I have three young adult sons, one in Nashville, one in Boston, one in Chicago. And of course, I have my beloved black lab, Olive. My husband and I probably treat her with more care and concern, maybe than we even did with our kids, they would suggest. But that's what my life looks like here.
[00:07:21] ANNE: From one lab family to another. Daisy's a yellow lab. Not sure if I've ever said that specifically. She says hi. But we had a chocolate lab before that.
KAREN: Labs are the best. They are the best.
ANNE: Karen, we thought it was so interesting how you described life in your community. You specifically said that it was like living in a village.
KAREN: It really is. We sort of look like a village with the brick buildings and lots of trees and whatnot. But I joke and say sometimes I could go a week without leaving campus because it's like we're a little town. All of our needs are met. I work here. Many of my closest friends are here. We can eat in our wonderful dining room and send our mail.
It's just a wonderful community and a rare opportunity to live with and teach, obviously, your students. Also, my house is attached to a boys' dormitory where I've served as a dorm parent. It's a beautiful place to walk and talk.
[00:08:29] When I think about my relationships here, not only with students but with my colleagues, I think, wow, we've shared a lot of life together. We've raised our children together and attended weddings and supported each other through aging parents and illness and celebrated and comforted, which is not to say this is ideal. We are human beings. February in a boarding school is not to be messed with because everybody's tired of each other. But it's a really rare opportunity, I think, in our culture to live in community. It's something I really value.
We're about to start on a new year. Of course, it's bittersweet because summer is wonderful, but I just love the routine and the rhythm of a school year and getting to know new students and welcome new people to our community.
ANNE: That feels like a really interesting backdrop against which to discuss your reading life. What does that look like at this point in your life?
[00:09:34] KAREN: First, I love to hear stories. Being a teacher and living with people, I love to hear about just the daily victories and defeats of adolescents and watch them grow. I think when I read I love to read about the complexities of life.
I always say to my students, One of the reasons we read Shakespeare is because he understood human nature, that it's messy. We are messy people. Nobody is all good or all bad. We sometimes make bad decisions and there are consequences, but we have meaningful relationships and friendships and daily joys. And I think that's what really informs a lot of what I read.
One of the things I know about myself, and I think this has been true since I was a child with my nose in a book all the time, is that I love reading about little communities or little subcultures.
[00:10:34] And for a while, I loved to read about religious subcultures, about Shakers or Mormons or the Puritans. I love to read about little towns where people are living their lives, but that there's a real flavor to it and an interconnectedness of life and the ups and downs of it. That's something I'm really interested in. That human experience that is a glamorous or isn't perfect, but just really interesting.
One of the classes I will be teaching in the fall is American Studies. It's a class I taught for a long time, where we connect the history of America with the culture and the literature of that time. I love to know the real stories behind just what we read in a book and the human lives that were being led, including the mundane.
[00:11:34] I tried to teach my kids and my students, sometimes life is boring. It's part of the mundane of life is you pay bills, you get up, you clean your house, you do laundry. Sometimes it's wonderful and sometimes it's not. I don't know if I've imparted that to them. But work is called work for a reason, and sometimes relationships are hard.
I love to read about that ebb and flow of life in a family, or in a relationship, or in a friendship. Or I can't believe I'm in the later part of my career. I don't feel like I'm almost 60, but I am. I'm going to become a grandmother this year. It's mind-blowing
But I look back at who I was 10 years ago, 20 years ago, and I think, wow, there are a lot of seasons in life. It hasn't always been pretty or easy, but it's part of that tapestry of our lives that I love to think about.
[00:12:34] I love to hear other people's stories, especially women's stories of being a mother, and then what do you do after that when you're an empty nester, and how careers and work transforms and changes as you go through, and marriages and friendships.
I had wonderful parents, and then I lost them both within two years and that changing role of being their caregiver and whatnot. That was really a profound experience in my life that I had never thought about before. I think all those things inform what I like to read, the messiness, the truth, the mundane of it all.
ANNE: I'm noticing how you've talked about the things that you find interesting, and also you've used the word "mundane" several times. And I am thinking like, Gosh, isn't it true that a great author can make the mundane so interesting?
[00:13:31] Karen, I imagine that we have quite a bit of overlap in what we enjoy reading. I'm not sure that that's true for every reader, but I know it's true for many readers. And it's shedding a little bit of different light on the books you love that you told us that you loved on your submission, so I'm curious to hear more. I would love to hear more about your experience teaching.
KAREN: I was that kid growing up that I would line up my stuffed animals and sometimes kids in the neighborhood and I would have a chalkboard, and I would talk at them and teach them in the backyard. I'm not sure it was as fun for the neighborhood kids as it was for me.
But I love that connection of watching an adolescent say, Oh, I'm not a very good reader, or I don't really like to read, and then helping them find a book that they really love.
[00:14:31] I am a big believer in helping kids become lifelong learners, and so I spend the first 10 minutes of every class that I teach in reading, and I allow them choice. I'm a big believer in choice, right? They're not reading The Tempest by Shakespeare at that time. They're reading something that's really interesting to them.
ANNE: One of my kids read The Tempest for the first time this summer.
KAREN: How did that go?
ANNE: They were not enthused.
KAREN: Nice beach reading, right? I want students to discover that reading is an escape and that it doesn't always have to... I don't mean to beat up Shakespeare. It doesn't always have to be great literature, right? Sometimes I read things that maybe other people would be like, I can't believe you're reading that. And then I read great literature.
It's like food. Sometimes you want a really healthy dinner, and sometimes you have to have some junk food. I want kids to have a good association with reading, and of course... and have it be a daily habit.
[00:15:33] I had one student describe it once... who was a bit of a reluctant reader, said, "I actually really like it, reading for 10 minutes. It's like a meditation." That made me feel so good. Our lives are so busy, and maybe they're not curling up with a book because they have sports and they have their homework and all that, but we also know that good readers become better writers, right?
I think it really helps them read different voices and experiences without feeling like, Oh, I'm reading this because my teacher made me. Obligation removes desire. I find sometimes with teenagers, or maybe even adults, I don't always like to be told what I have to read. That's a big part of my work.
I just love seeing them find something that's interesting or engaging to them. It's a lot of fun. A friend of mine said, "Well, you get to read, write, talk, and laugh every day" because most of the time we really do.
[00:16:32] Last fall, I designed an elective called Boarding Schools, a novel approach. We read-
ANNE: I want to take that class.
KAREN: It was so much fun. Of course, they were able to connect with it because they're at a boarding school. Several of my colleagues came in to talk about their own boarding school experience. I did not go. I went to a public school, so not my experience. But it was just really interesting conversations of coming of age, but also ultimately living in community and the years in high school.
I always say, It's not the end of your story. It feels catastrophic or it feels so profound when you're in high school. God bless them. I don't want to be a teenager now. But then there's more to the story. That was really a lot of fun.
ANNE: Okay, we're going to come back to that. Listeners, if you've never looked at our guest submission form, you might not even know this, but we always ask you about a problem you're having in your reading life or what you would like to be different in your reading life, or is there a special topic you would really like to get into with Anne?
[00:17:41] Karen, we asked you what you would like to be different and I was really intrigued by your answer. I'm excited to get into it. In your own words, what's going on?
KAREN: Okay, so this seems like a very strange problem for an English teacher to have. I've tried to seek counsel from other people with no solution. Here's my problem. Several years-
ANNE: Oh no, now I'm nervous-
KAREN: Anything is better than nothing.
ANNE: ...to go where others have failed.
KAREN: Several years ago, I got an iPad. Of course, I started to read on my iPad and I found that I absolutely loved it. It just felt like I could fly through books. Then I also got a Kindle, and I also really liked that. I liked being able to stick it in my purse. I could be waiting for something or at a doctor's appointment or sitting outside, and I could read my Kindle.
[00:18:39] That's all well and good. But the problem is now I don't really want to read all the books that sit sadly on my bookshelves. Of course, when I'm teaching, I have a text that is probably dog-eared and well-annotated and falling apart sometimes, but my preference has really been to just read on a screen, which seems like not a big deal. I've had people stare at me blankly and be like, "Well, just stop. Just read a book."
I find it hard to pull myself away. And I was always that person maybe 10 years ago, I'd be like, oh, I need to feel the pages in my hand. Well, I don't feel like that anymore, and I'm not really sure what happened. Maybe my eyesight has gotten worse, and so I love being able to adjust that. But there's just something about it.
Of course, there are two problems. One, I can't remember half of the titles that I read. There's a blank. I'm like, "Oh, I have to think for a minute." But also when I'll say to a colleague or a friend, "Oh, I just read the best book," they're like, "Oh, are you finished? Can you give it to me?" And then I have to say, "I'm sorry. It's on my Kindle."
[00:19:52] That is something that I kind of miss about it, but I have a really hard time just picking up a paperback now, and I always feel a little bit sad, and I don't always confess. Like when someone says, "Oh, you're going to love this book," I just can't. I'm just not reading it. So I've never heard this problem before on your show, so I don't know if you have any suggestions.
ANNE: All right. Let's see what we can do. First, thank you for bringing this to the show. This is a safe place to talk about what's troubling you in your reading life. I want to, gosh, I want to say stipulate. My background is in legal, and sometimes it comes out in the therefore, whenceforth, whereas. Everything in me cringes, like, oh, my gosh. That's not what people say.
So I would like to stipulate we're just having a conversation about what works for you and what doesn't, minus the judgments. We can bring judgments and what you wish things were like and what you feel like you should do in your reading life. We can talk about that. But let's just start with the data. What's working for you about reading on a screen?
[00:20:57] And I also want you to know, I said this is a safe place. Now, I don't have to relate to what you're saying to have, I hope, a, like, frank and fruitful conversation about it, but I am somebody who tried to tap a paperback to turn the page just in the past week. So I hear you.
KAREN: I think maybe what works for me is the immediacy of it, right? I mean, if I put my glasses on, I can even read a book on my phone. I don't tend to, but as opposed to lugging around one more thing in my bag or, you know, the... I have a bookshelf of hardbacks, you know, hardcover books that I just can't even fathom hauling around. Now I used to. So I think there's something about that it's so contained.
I think my husband gets mad every time we have to move and he has to pack up books. So there's just something very tidy and contained about it that I really like.
[00:22:02] ANNE: So you always have your book because you always have your screen.
KAREN: I always have something. Exactly.
ANNE: Okay. We're going to step back from the "it's hard to move a bunch of books" because that is a factor for your life... style. I always feel like a schmuck when I use the word lifestyle. But when it comes time to decide what to read next or sit down in the evening, you're not thinking about moving a hundred.
KAREN: Correct.
ANNE: It's fine. Okay. How do you interact with your iPad as a reader? Do you highlight, do you take notes?
KAREN: Honestly, I don't. I sometimes say, "Oh, my iPad is my best friend. There's so much." Because I listen to podcasts. I listen to you. I love listening to things on it. I find my recipes on there. And then I just carry it around my house.
I don't tend to take my iPad to my office or to my classroom, but I do always have a Kindle in my bag. Of course, like most of America, I typically have a phone, but wherever I am... you know, I read first thing in the morning and I often read before I go to bed at night. And there it is. I don't have to search for it. I know where it is.
[00:23:13] ANNE: Yeah. So the highlighting isn't a factor for you. The reason I'm asking is because for a lot of readers and I am becoming one of them, the ability to highlight and then have your highlights for all your books all in one place, or to have a list of your highlights on one page, or honestly, the way I highlight it's on 12 different computer screen pages versus flipping through a book to get to them is a real feature.
KAREN: That's right. Yeah.
ANNE: But there are drawbacks as well for a lot of readers. Like I can remember like, okay, that quote was about 60% into the book at the bottom left of the page and I can turn right to it. Also when I'm reading something that I really like about a physical book is I'm always very rooted in the story and where I am in the story.
On a Kindle, you can see that you're at like 11%, but you don't necessarily... like, does that include the appendix at the end? Does it include the preview for the author's next book? Does it include a book club chat? It's usually on a Kindle, not a print book where I'll turn the page and be like, "Oh, it ended. That was the end." So there are pros and cons to each and I'm trying to tease out what works for you.
[00:24:27] KAREN: I do think that I also like being able to say, Hmm, what am I in the mood for? Because not always, but often I'll have a nonfiction and a fiction going. So instead of having to go and find the book, it's right there. Like, do I feel like reading this novel or am I going to read this nonfiction or this biography that I'm reading?
So it's maybe the efficiency. Again, I keep thinking of the word. It's also contained. You know, it's right there and quickly gratifying to me.
ANNE: Talk to me about decision fatigue. When I say that phrase, what comes to mind?
KAREN: Oh, I have to make a lot of decisions in my work. Not so much as an English teacher in that role, but I'm also the Academic Dean, which means I sort of manage the academic programs and whatnot here.
So sometimes we're trying to figure out schedules and classroom spaces and curricular initiatives. And maybe there's a colleague who's struggling with something that I have to manage. And so I have to make a lot of decisions and I feel a little cluttered probably. By the end of the day, I have cognitive fatigue.
ANNE: Clutter was going to be our next topic.
[00:25:39] KAREN: I have cognitive fatigue, I think. So maybe that's part of it, Anne is I... if it's all in one place, I can say, "Hey, I'm not feeling that book right now," and then I swipe and I go to the next one.
ANNE: I mean, to be clear, you're postponing the decision when you reach for your screen to leave the house and not the specific book, but you do get to postpone the decision in a moment when you're perhaps feeling harried.
KAREN: Exactly.
ANNE: Yeah. Okay. Now, talk to me about clutter more.
KAREN: Well, you know, you would not walk into my house and think I was a minimalist, but I often would say to, especially boys of the dorm, you know, the exterior reflects the interior, you know? What's your exterior, what's your dorm room looks like is maybe how you're feeling inside. So I would always be like, "Why don't we tidy up, and then maybe you're going to feel better and be more, you know, engaged in everything."
[00:26:36] So I do think that clutter is probably a part of it. Like right now I'm thinking about my bookshelf, which is even though I'm not reading most of the books in my... I have a built-in bookshelf downstairs. It does feel a little cluttered to me. And I almost feel like, gosh, I wouldn't even know where to begin.
Again, that's really different than how... there's nothing I loved more, especially growing up, but even I'm going to say 15 years ago of just roaming through the library and being like, "Well, that looks good. I like that cover. That looks interesting." And now I don't really do that. Just go to my library on my Kindle.
ANNE: So you don't need me to tell you this, but this is only a problem if it's a problem for you. It doesn't need to be a problem in the abstract. So these are some of the things I'm noticing.
I'm noticing how I'm remembering the stories we were sharing before we hit record on this episode. Oh, this reminds me we did a Patreon bonus in the month of August where I share what it's like to record an episode. And I tell you more about what we talked about before.
[00:27:41] I have an actual recording with a recent guest who I asked her for permission to record our post-recording chit-chat where I basically give her a bunch of extra book recommendations and share it there. So listeners, if you're interested, that is on Patreon right now.
But Karen, I'm remembering how you were talking about your kids and how you love parenting adult children, that it's just the best. You love the stage. And I was telling you about how my family went to a soccer game the other night and there was a group of cousins in front of us who were so cute.
They were ages four to 10 years old. Like it was a rowdy stadium atmosphere so it was totally fine that they were like playing the, you know, the slap game and tickling each other. And Will and I were like, "Oh, they're so cute and little." And also we're very happy to be here with our 14 and 17-year-old.
We have been through that stage. We really enjoyed it. We like where we are now. This makes sense. And that's what I keep thinking of as you talk about how you miss the experience of reading in paper.
[00:28:44] So there's a version of this conversation where we can talk about leaning into paper and what it might look like to read and how you could enjoy that experience again. But there's also a version of this conversation that goes, "Those were great days that you had with your paper books and this is working for you right now and you are where you are for good reasons and that's okay." And you're the only one who can answer that question.
KAREN: You know, it's so interesting, Anne. I think you're probably right. I think it's the second one, you know. Maybe it's not a problem. I mean, the one kind of unfortunate thing is the inability to share. Like I give lots. People are always asking, "Oh, what are you reading? What are you reading?" Or I'm asking them that.
And if I have the book and if I've read it on my Kindle, I'm not able to give it to my friend. Not the end of the world, but that's maybe the one thing I miss, that passing back and forth of this is really good. But you know, you're right. It's less messy. That's for sure.
[00:29:45] ANNE: Well, your answer to that question, where are you now, like, what format do you want to be reading in now or what formats determines how we go about solving those real problems that you're experiencing reading on the screen. But those are problems to which the solution could be something other than changing the format you're reading in.
You know, something we didn't talk about was eyesight. You mentioned something that a lot of I imagine will hear themselves in and that is just being able to change the font size on the screen means the world in terms of accessibility and it makes it easier to read so they read more. Like, this feels like a win to me.
I just want to say that is a factor. That could be a factor for you. That is definitely a factor for a lot of readers and something that screens are great at.
KAREN: Yeah, I think it is. I mean, it seems like a contradiction because I, of course, I'm on my computer, you know, for my work and different things, and, you know, the fact that, that I go back to a screen. But it has a really different feel.
[00:30:42] Yes, I wear glasses now. I didn't 10, 15 years ago, wear reading glasses. It actually feels less fatiguing than reading a book. So I think that's a really important point.
ANNE: Again, we're just having a neutral conversation about your experience, but you can continue to think about how much that does or doesn't matter.
But let's talk about loaning books. So I can see that this community aspect is important to you. I'm also toying with the idea that you're imagining like a very rosy ideal scenario of what it looks like to loan somebody a book or to borrow a book. Because I know personally, maybe it's just me, but many, many times I have loaned books to people that they have really wanted to read at the time that don't get read before they're returned. I've certainly done the same thing. So that's a possibility.
Also, I'm wondering if the thing that they want is the book itself, packaged text, ready to go, or if you could send a screenshot of a beautiful cover.
KAREN: Oh, I love that idea.
[00:31:47] ANNE: A link to borrow it from the library.
KAREN: Yeah. I really like that. I do love that whole conversation of, oh, what have you been reading lately? And what have you enjoyed? And what's your favorite book of the summer? I'm anticipating I'll have that in the next few days as faculty come back to campus and they all know who the readers are and whatnot.
But I like that as a solution. It feels there's something... and I'm not crying about this, but there is perhaps something isolating about just reading on a screen, but that's a different way to think about it. Maybe a screenshot or something as opposed to that passing the paper back and forth or just saying, Oh, give it to another friend, which I used to often do. So I think that's a really good idea.
ANNE: I do love and appreciate it when I'm talking books with someone I know and they send me a text or a note afterwards that says, Here's that title we were talking about. You seemed interested. You've probably forgotten the title by now, which is probably totally true. And you can still have the book talk without... I'm kind of wondering if this is that dorm parent quality in you that's like, we talked about this book, you liked it, let me make sure you have what you need to move forward as a reader. That's really admirable.
[00:33:04] And also you can enjoy the book talk without giving the thing to the person. Or at least this is something to consider.
KAREN: Yeah, I like that idea. Because of course, we all forget, right? You've had lunch with somebody or gone for a walk, and then an hour and a half later you've completely forgotten whatever they recommended or they're texting me, what was that again? So I like that idea.
ANNE: You also said something that's so true about how it does take something away from the communal aspect of reading when you're reading on a screen. I remember my doctor 20 years ago coming into the room where I was reading a Kindle and he said, "What are you reading?" And then he started musing about how he didn't used to have to ask. Like used to be able to see the cover and go, "Oh, I've seen that" or, "Oh, what's that about?" or "Oh, how's your book?" But on the Kindle you have no idea what anyone is reading. And he missed that.
[00:34:01] KAREN: That's really interesting. That's a very good point.
ANNE: No, he's not talking about his reading life. He's talking about other people. But I am highlighting the communal, community aspect, the extroverted aspect of reading a print book.
KAREN: Yes, absolutely.
ANNE: So there's not as much to be done about that. Now this is a tip that I recommend for your own sake, not for necessarily the greater reading good for us nosy readers. But that might be real.
So Brenna on our team is the one who clued me into the fact that you can pay... I have a Kindle. You can pay Amazon a little extra and enable the feature that shows the cover of the book you're currently reading on your screen instead of an image or instead of... I mean, obviously, instead of an ad, you have to pay extra for this.
But she mentioned that it was really working for her because when her device was laying around, she could see the cover of the book she was reading and it served as a little visual cue like, you could be reading, you could be reading, which she really appreciated.
[00:35:00] KAREN: So interesting. I like that. I did not know about that either.
ANNE: Well, that's a tidbit if anybody needs to know it. But you did mention one other problem that we haven't addressed. And that is you said that you had a hard time remembering, I think titles of what you've been reading.
KAREN: Sure.
ANNE: Do you want to say more about that?
KAREN: It's so intriguing to me how much talk there is sometimes about beautiful covers, that people are really drawn to a cover. And that's not really something that draws me anymore. But even worse, I can picture the page, but sometimes because there's less emphasis on what the cover looks like and visualizing the title and whatnot, I just can't remember what I'm reading.
I'm talking something maybe a little not on the top five New York Times bestseller list, but I'm like, "Oh, I read that book. I think you would like it. But oh, I can't even think of what the title is," which is so strange to me. And I do think that's not the end of the world, but it definitely is a factor in just not even remembering. Or people saying, "Who's the author?" and I'm like, "No idea. I can't remember."
[00:36:11] ANNE: I definitely struggle with the "if I don't see it, it doesn't exist" phenomenon. There are other ways to come at this though. If you miss the experience of a book in your hands, I wonder if a print reading journal would give you some of that tactile experience in your reading life, but you wouldn't need to leave the house with your print reading journal unless you thought, you know what I want to do? I want to go to the coffee shop and spend some time with my reading journal.
But when you're flying out the door, you can grab your device that has all your books on it. Or if you want to lean into the digital aspect, you could keep a very simple or there are very complex reading journals and spreadsheets and all that. But you could have a drive doc with a list of titles you have read that you could refer to anywhere, anytime.
KAREN: That's a really great idea. I'm a Patreon member and at times I'll go back and look at that document that you all share. It's so wonderful. So that's a really good idea. Because I find that I forget. I read so much, especially in the summer or if I'm on a break, I just have a little more luxury to do that.
[00:37:24] ANNE: Karen, do you read more than one book at a time? It sounds like you do.
KAREN: Sometimes. I tend not to read two novels at the same time because it all merges for me. Obviously, different if I'm reading something on my own and I'm teaching The Great Gatsby. I'm going to still be reading Gatsby. I feel like I've probably memorized it at this point. But most of the time it would be a fiction, nonfiction.
ANNE: Fiction, nonfiction. Okay, that's interesting. Well, I wonder how well this may work for you, but to any listener who's thinking they want to read in print more, I'm wondering if you can't think about it like adding another book to your format mix. Lots of readers read more than one book at a time and they'll do it like I have a fiction, I have a nonfiction, I have an audiobook.
I wonder if you could have your book on your device, but also at any one time you have a book you're reading in print. You leave it at home, you leave it on your nightstand, you leave it on the coffee table, wherever you find yourself wanting to read at home, you have a print book going.
[00:38:28] And if you stopped at a really exciting part when you were reading out in the world on your device, then come home and pick up your device and keep reading. That's great. There's nothing wrong with that. But you could know that you have a print option that's been pre-chosen that you could pick up if you want that experience of reading in paperback.
Here's an example of how that could look. I've been making my way slowly through an essay collection that I am really enjoying and also don't necessarily want to pick up when I'm in the middle of something with like big narrative drive.
So in the mornings and the evenings and the occasional afternoon when I'm taking a break, I can sit down, it's by my favorite yellow chair, I've got my beverage, I open it up and it's ready for me to read a single essay. It's the right size for a reading session. I am breaking the spine by using a pen that I love as a bookmark. I could just leave it right beside. That would be a really healthy adult readerly thing to do, but I don't really care about the spine. It's fine. So it's ready and waiting for me to sit down and sink back into the middle of that reading experience.
[00:39:38] It's both a blessing and a curse that you are the only person who can decide what the right path forward is for you. But if you miss the print reading experience enough that you want to have more of it than you have been lately, I wonder if that could be a way to bring that back into your life.
KAREN: I like that idea a lot. I could see how it could lend itself certainly to essays and to short stories or a book of poetry or something like that. Again, I keep going back to the word "contained", right? It's kind of like this neat, tidy experience. I think I could definitely try that.
ANNE: I think it's really helpful in telling that you keep coming back to a couple words like "contained". You can use that as your guide, as you're thinking about this more and deciding how you do want to move forward.
KAREN: Yeah, I think you're right. I think that's right.
ANNE: Okay. We actually unpacked that a lot more thoroughly than I thought we would. What do you think? How are you feeling about that?
[00:40:41] KAREN: I feel pretty good about that. I really do. I'm going to try that.
ANNE: Okay. What's your path forward? How are you feeling about your screen?
KAREN: I love my screen, but I like the idea of maybe shifting a little bit to an essay collection, a short story next to me to just have that snippet of something I'm really interested in. I think that could definitely work.
ANNE: I would love to hear an update after you've had some time to experiment.
KAREN: Sure. Absolutely.
ANNE: Karen, let's get into your books.
KAREN: Okay. Oh yeah, there's that.
ANNE: We are going to see if we can send you on your way with some good books to read next. Now, you have brought books to me to discuss. How did you choose these?
KAREN: Oh gosh, I'm going to tell you, you hear this all the time from your guests, but it's really true. I had such a hard time.
[00:41:41] Maybe the books would be different, but as I look at this, because it was a little bit ago, I realized, Oh yeah, I love those books too. I know people say all the time, perhaps it's like picking your favorite child or your favorite student, but I do really love these books.
I thought about how did they make me feel? What was it that was... I couldn't tell you lines from the book, but I can tell you about how it made me feel, each one of these. That reading experience of understanding and connection with the characters, and again, that kind of messiness, complexity of being human and the stories we live within our own lives. I think each one of these holds that for me.
ANNE: Well, I'm excited to hear more. You chose three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately. What is the first book you love?
KAREN: The first book I loved is a book I think perhaps I heard about it from you, called The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring. This is a lovely novel set in Maine. And not in coastal Maine or the glamorous parts of ideal Maine, but this town and all of the people who are leading their messy lives. There's tragedy in it, but then there's also wonderful compassion and humanity.
[00:43:10] I think part of what I also love about this book is that the author... Of course, I had to go down the rabbit hole and be like, who is this lovely person? I believe this was her debut novel, which sometimes I'm a little skeptical about, but it was so delightful.
I believe Shannon Bowring is a librarian. I loved that story about her, that she probably... I could just envision her surrounded by books and working on her own novel. They're characters that I remember and just the cycle and the routine of a year of living in this town. I really enjoyed it. I believe she has — I don't know if it's out yet — she has a new book coming.
ANNE: Yes, she does. How did this book make you feel?
KAREN: The book made me feel a great deal of, I guess, compassion and understanding toward human failings. There's tragedy in it, but there's also ways that people show up for each other in imperfect ways.
[00:44:19] There are secrets that are kept that maybe people actually in the town know, but they look the other way, and how people can be really petty, but they can also be so open-hearted and open-minded and compassionate when people need help. That's what I loved about it.
Of course, there's something very familiar because it's set in New England. But again, it's not an idealized version, but there's still a wonderful charm and connectiveness that I really love.
ANNE: Ooh, I like that description. Karen, what is the second book you love and how did it make you feel?
KAREN: Oh, gosh. The second book is by Ann Patchett. Again, that's really like trying to pick my favorite child because I'm just such a super fan of almost anything that she writes. But the collection of essays that I selected was This is the Story of a Happy Marriage.
[00:45:13] I so appreciate her authenticity and taking what would seem like a simple event or story and really deepening it. Now, I hope I'm not blurring my books because I also loved her other one. But I think this is the collection where she talks about the nun in her Catholic school who taught her to read and the impact of that on her life and how she reconnected with her when the woman was very elderly and actually in many ways took care of her.
I believe the order closed. And so these nuns had lived kind of isolated in many ways apart from their little world and their school. Then suddenly their order closes. One detail I remember that I totally loved and I think about often is when Ann then had to teach her how to use an ATM card.
For some reason, there's something so wonderful, of course, about the teacher-student relationship, but also how relationships in our lives change, how we go from being a daughter to a caregiver, from a student to a teacher, and sometimes back again.
[00:46:28] She's just so real. I believe so strongly that as I've gotten older, I'm more willing to be really honest about what my struggle is because I think it's a sense of relief to other people like, oh, you have that struggle too, or they're not as shocked as we think that they may be, or I had that feeling too. I love that about Ann Patchett's work, both her fiction, which is incredible and her nonfiction.
ANNE: Okay. Karen, what is the third book and how did it make you feel?
KAREN: So the third book I have a real soft spot for is Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. I remember reading this when it first came out and really enjoying it. But I designed an elective and Prep was one of the novels we read.
It's the story of this young woman who comes from, I believe, the Midwest and goes to a New England boarding school. I know that Curtis Sittenfeld went to a New England boarding school. In some ways, it was a coming-of-age novel. There was so much that stood the test of time.
[00:47:42] One of my students pointed out that even though the book was, as they said, really old, maybe 10, 15 years old, the only thing missing was social media. So many of the experiences were so similar. The feelings of doubt, the feelings of first love and passionate friendship and failing math and all those things that happen in high school. I loved reading it.
Again, the honesty, the messiness, the growth, how people kind of come in and out of her life, the fights with parents. It was such a joy to share it with my students and have them talk about it with me. I really, really enjoyed that.
It felt very familiar to me. Every school has a different sort of sense of community or a different flavor, I say, but there was something that really resonated, I think, with all of us about being in a boarding school, in a Prep school.
[00:48:40] ANNE: I love that you chose that one. That feels perfect for you. Thanks for bringing it to the show.
KAREN: Sure.
ANNE: Karen, what book was not right for you?
KAREN: I think the book that wasn't right for me, and again, I had to teach it and maybe because it was just a bit of an effort for me, is The Alchemist. It's just not for me. That type of hero's journey, that type of allegory just doesn't really resonate with me.
I certainly got through it. It wasn't terrible, but I'm not drawn to books like that. I didn't feel connected to it, nor even to the character. I know that's an experience that's really different for other readers. Some people I know will list it as their favorite, and I just wasn't feeling it. Unfortunately, The Alchemist.
ANNE: What were you feeling? Or perhaps it was the lack that defined it.
[00:49:40] KAREN: I was feeling like, let's get this over with. Is this trip ever going to end? I mean, I appreciate what the author... what he does, but really having to dig for all the symbolism and the meaning just felt like an effort and just not my thing.
ANNE: It's worth saying, everyone, that The Alchemist has been chosen as a favorite on this show as well, because reading is personal.
KAREN: I know. Exactly.
ANNE: Karen, what have you been reading lately?
KAREN: Oh gosh, Anne, I have to say I'm so grateful for your Summer Reading Guide this year. I think you all knocked it out of the park. I really felt inspired by it. But probably my favorite book of the summer was The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. Wow.
I love the Adirondacks, but I just was so immersed in those very messy, imperfect, complex characters. I loved the literary mystery feel to it. I loved that sense of place. I could just feel it and smell it. I really, really enjoyed it.
[00:50:54] Once again, sort of felt like, wow, these people are a hot mess, but they're human. I could understand it for most of them. I loved that book and have recommended that to so many people.
ANNE: If you haven't read more Liz Moore, we were talking pre-recording about how you love books and movies with a strong sense of Boston. Her second novel, The Unseen World, has a lot of the same literary mystery. It's got big family elements and it's also set in Boston and largely takes place on the campus of MIT.
KAREN: No kidding. Wonderful.
ANNE: Check it out. If you all say Will Bogel is your book twin, you want to hear what he's reading, he just finished that one and really enjoyed it after coming to her via God of the Woods like so many this summer.
KAREN: I love it. I love it. I will definitely explore her. I hadn't read... is it Long River?
ANNE: Long Bright River. Mm-hmm.
[00:51:52] KAREN: Long Bright River. I haven't read that yet, but I certainly will. I just was so intrigued with what she did. And of course, I tend to go down the rabbit hole with authors and whatnot and want to read about them and their experience of writing it and what else they've read. I found it just so intriguing. I look forward to reading other Liz Moore books.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it.
KAREN: Again, from the reading guide, I also read... I have not actually been reading Long Bright River, but I believe it's on my Kindle. I also read Sandwich and loved that. Thank you for that recommendation.
You talk about the mundane. I keep picturing the character making the sandwiches in the beach house and just the complexity of being sandwiched in that generation. So I loved that book too.
ANNE: I'm so glad that landed for you. Karen, we have covered a lot of ground, various components of your reading life today, but as we're looking towards recommendations and what we're going to send you on your way with, what are you looking for or perhaps open to is the right version of that right now? What's missing? How can I fill in the gaps?
[00:52:59] KAREN: Well, I'm very mindful that even though I work in the summer, I have more open time to get lost in novels. So something has to really grab me as the school year and the busyness of it and that cognitive fatigue starts to kick in. My days are long and full and I might go from class to going to a personnel meeting to going to another type of meeting to meeting with a family. So it's a lot in one day.
But I think what grabs me or what I'm always interested in is maybe books that have a rhythm of a school year or a rhythm of life in a village or in a community and where people are fully human. They're not perfect, but they're rich in their humanity.
ANNE: Books that have a rhythm of a school year or a cycle. That's very interesting.
[00:54:00] KAREN: For example, I love a book that goes through the span of a year or of an experience or of a trip or something. The Road to Dalton, for example, I think one of the reasons why I loved that was because a tragedy happens and then we saw how the town organizes itself around it.
In the same way that I think I've stayed in education and I enjoy education so much is I understand the pattern. I understand what September and October is going to be like, and I know what February and March feels like in New England. I think Elizabeth Strout does this really well. I think she kind of captures the rhythm and ritual of a year or of a summer or of an experience.
ANNE: Karen, this is fun. So we have had some words come up repeatedly in our conversation today. "Contained" is one of them. Complex, interesting, messiness. You didn't say murkiness, but last week's guest, Hunter, did, and that's still ringing in my ears as we're talking about human nature and what makes it interesting to read about.
[00:55:15] I'm also drawing on some things that you told us in your submission that have... I know we're in the stew for putting together your reader profile in my mind. Like that's where I first heard you love true crime, how you're intrigued by fantasy, supernatural elements. You never go there. Maybe you like them. How would you know if you don't try them?
And you are intrigued by books that have a rhythm or that take place in a contained timeframe, like say a school calendar or a week on vacation, like you chose Sandwich by Catherine Newman. Let's see if we can offer you a little of everything, but not in the same book.
KAREN: Okay.
ANNE: Karen, I'd like to start with Chemistry by Weike Wang. Is this one you've read before?
KAREN: I have not. Okay.
ANNE: This came out in 2017. This is her debut novel and it is messy. It's quirky. It's interior. We're in the mind of our narrator. She's a chemistry PhD student. She's Chinese American. She feels crushed by the demands of her program and her demanding parents who have very high standards for her and expect a certain thing and will be devastated and angry if she doesn't live up to those ideals in every way and more than.
[00:56:37] So she decides to take a leave of absence to figure out what she really wants to do with her life. She has a committed boyfriend. Her parents love him or at least want her to marry him. He wants to get married and she can't say yes, and she's trying to figure out why.
This is a literary novel. You talked about loving literary mysteries. This isn't a mystery. This is a literary dive into someone's mind who is trying to figure things out, who is going through a hard time, who has a really funny self-deprecating sense of humor. It's got really tight prose and the structure is really interesting and serves the story well. It almost feels like a memoir.
It happens in a contained period. I'm trying to remember if it's over the course of a semester or a school year. You're in her mind. Sometimes she's thinking about hard things and for the sensitive reader, you could be like, Whoa, I didn't see that coming. So just know that... Karen, I'm not as concerned about you because of some of the things I know you enjoy. But in general, if you have expectations about a book you're reading about a chemistry PhD student, you might not expect some of the sensitive content. So I want to give a heads-up to some readers.
KAREN: Okay.
[00:57:47] ANNE: This is a quick dip inside the mind of someone who is living her life and trying to navigate circumstances that aren't commonplace by any means and not like yours or mine, but also are feeling to her... it's a quiet kind of crisis. How about that? And I think you may enjoy it. How does that sound to you?
KAREN: I think it sounds amazing. I love to read Asian, Asian American writers. I have many Chinese students. I actually started my career in China many years ago teaching. So I think this sounds really interesting.
ANNE: I am glad to hear that. Okay, next, can we do something a little weird?
KAREN: Sure.
ANNE: A little supernatural?
KAREN: Okay.
ANNE: Great narrative drive.
KAREN: Sure.
ANNE: Firmly grounded in reality. Are we going through a checklist? Will you sign off on this point and this point and this point and this point?
KAREN: Absolutely. I'm open to anything. Yeah.
ANNE: The book I'm interested in seeing how this lands for you is called Lost Man's Lane. It's by Scott Carson. That is a pen name for Michael Koryta.
[00:58:52] This book is set in Bloomington, Indiana, where Indiana University is. The school is very much in the story, even though it doesn't take place on the campus. Like lots of our 17-year-old protagonist and narrator's parents teach at the school or work at the school in other capacities.
One parent says that she works in academia, but she's administration and talks about how some of the other students and definitely some of her colleagues look down on her because she's not a professor. It's got some of that campus town grounding.
He also talks about Bloomington and the relationship between the townies and the university town and also what makes a university town just really freaking cool. Like what it has going on and what it means for the diversity of his friend group and how there's always something happening in town because there's always something happening on campus. The summer is a little sleepy, but even in the summer.
So I'm setting that up in a different way than I would for someone who didn't live in what they describe as their, you know, little educational village and live and work at a boarding school.
[00:59:59] So the story begins with an author's note, which is not coming from Scott Carson. It's coming from our teenage narrator, all grown up, who's telling you that in this book that he has written for you, he is going to tell the truth about everything that happened back then in 1999. So it's your fictional memoir autobiography history component. And you're not going to believe it because some of it is wild, but he has sworn not to tell any lies here, this is what happened.
And then we go back in time and he's 16, it's 1999. And it is very 1999. The music choices, they talk about Columbine. They talk about... oh, you know what? It's not set entirely in 1999 because they end up talking about 9-11.
If you were a teenager or a young adult as I was during that time period, there's a big nostalgia element here. But Marshall's 16, he finally gets his driver's license. He's psyched. This means freedom.
[01:01:03] He's only had it for maybe like 45 minutes when he's driving down the road and he gets pulled over by a cop, and he's mortified. He can't believe this. What is this single mother going to do? He tries so hard not to disappoint her. Will he ever be able to drive again? What's this going to do to their insurance premiums? They get by, but it's hard. He's just completely spinning out.
The cop gives him a ticket. It's not a pleasant interaction. Marshall's never had an adult swear at him before. He's just feeling horrible in all the ways, and he doesn't feel like this cop is making it easy for him. He notices that there's this beautiful blonde girl about his age in the back of the cop car wearing a uniform from the local ice cream shop. And he's like, "I wonder what she did. Poor girl to be in the back of that cop car."
So cop lets him go. He keeps waiting to get the notice in the mail that he owes a bunch of money and ticket and for his mom to hit the roof and all that, it never happens. He wonders if the cop didn't turn in the ticket or what.
[01:01:59] Then several months later, a friend comes to him and says, "Do you remember talking about getting pulled over? Do you remember the blonde girl in the back of the car? Do you remember how she was wearing the ice cream uniform? Is this her?" And it's a picture of a missing sign.
So what he finds out is he was the last to see this girl in the back of the cop car. But he finds out that the cop is not actually with the local police like he said he was. There's nobody by that name. Nobody can turn up anybody by that name or by that description.
He and his mom go to the PI who is searching for this woman because the police don't want to have anything to do with it. She's 18 years old and she's an adult. That's handled differently. That's how they explain it. And he can't find anything on this man and it's weird and it just keeps getting weirder.
[01:02:51] So what I like about this for you with your interest in true crime is Scott Carson is telling the story thoroughly grounded in reality and slowly brings in these supernatural elements. Anyone who's read some of a certain kind of Stephen King novel, especially like a fairy tale before it goes full fantasy will find a lot to like here.
But he takes an internship with the local PI, which is something that Scott Carson, which is Michael Koryta did himself when he was a student at IU. So he's drawing on this like deep knowledge of Bloomington, which is where the author graduated from and experience in the field as a PI. The story goes interesting places.
Karen, if you have a thing about snakes, this might not be the book for you. Friends, there are snakes in this book and they are scary.
KAREN: I'm laughing so much because we don't have a ton of snakes, but I saw one in my garden yesterday and I screamed so loud.
[01:03:51] ANNE: It was an omen that you were going to get a great book.
KAREN: I guess it was so funny. Trust me, it was a garden snake. It was not a big deal, but of course that freaked me out. But anyway, maybe that was an omen. Exactly. That sounds absolutely intriguing and amazing.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. There are a lot of books we could talk about that I think you would enjoy. We found out you already read The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donohue, which I think sounded perfect for you.
I'm wondering about Come and Get It by Kiley Reid, which in some senses is about the mundanity of campus life, but in others is very, very much about money and race and class. And I don't know if those are things that interest you.
KAREN: Is this set in a Southern Universe...? I started it and then I didn't finish.
ANNE: University of Arkansas.
KAREN: Yes. Where she's like a RA and the... Yes. I started it and you know what? I didn't finish it, which doesn't mean that I won't. I might've been distracted by something else, but I found it very intriguing.
[01:04:49] ANNE: Well, I wonder about that for you. The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson could take you back in time to, I think it's the 60s DC area, campus, family, race, class, money, all big there. But I thought maybe we want to do an essay collection. What do you think?
KAREN: Sure. Absolutely.
ANNE: Okay. We were talking about how perhaps, if you're going to go print, this could be a way to go with a great essay collection. And maybe you have plenty, but just in case, I want you to have one that I think will be up your alley. It's by Elisa Gabbert. It just came out this summer. It's called Any Person Is The Only Self. Do you know this book?
KAREN: I do not.
ANNE: Okay. I am still trying to make sense of that title. I believe it comes from Sylvia Plath. I have read and reread and reread and reread and reread, and I think I get what she's saying maybe kind of some days, but this is what you need to know. These are essays on reading. We won't make it complicated. These are essays on reading.
[01:05:50] So she writes an essay about a cart at the front of her library in Denver that is called Recently Returned. The essay might be called Recently Returned. She says how these books are completely random. They are just what people have checked out and returned today to the library. But it's her favorite place to browse because you never know what you're going to find.
And instead of showing up the library going, you know what I want? I want a book set in 1870s Vienna about the painters, instead, you get whatever your neighbor checked out. I would argue that this is not anti-curation exactly. This is what people are actually reading. I kind of want to argue with that, but it's fun to argue with in your head.
But she talks about what it means to be a reader and some of the things she has read that she's wrestled with that have changed her, how she approaches various aspects of the reading life.
[01:06:49] You mentioned Gatsby. She talks about Gatsby. She has some things to say about Gatsby. But there are just all sorts of subjects that all have to do with being a book lover, like going back to when she was a kid, things she's worked on professionally, essays she struggled to write, how reading shapes us as people.
Sometimes she does a deep dive on a certain topic, like she has an extended essay about Sylvia Plath, and sometimes it's like a quicker hit about like, you know what I was thinking recently about what it means to be a reader? It's funny. It's endearing. It's really smart. You're an English teacher. I think this could be fun for you.
KAREN: It sounds really intriguing. And it sounds like it could also solve that problem of... you know, that might be something I get in hardcover or, you know, whatever it's in and have it on my table so that I am reaching for that. It sounds really intriguing.
ANNE: This is a paperback original.
KAREN: Okay.
ANNE: So less expensive. You're not going to be able to find a hardcover though.
[01:07:51] KAREN: Yeah, that's all right.
ANNE: But I think that could be fun for you.
KAREN: I think so too. I think it sounds terrific.
ANNE: And for anyone who just wants to get curious about books with someone who feels like really easy to talk to and also is super-duper nerdy about the reading life.
KAREN: Sounds right up my alley, doesn't it?
ANNE: Well, I hope so.
KAREN: Yeah. Wow.
ANNE: If someone saw this on the Recently Returned shelf, they might use the phrase anti-curation to describe them because they don't seem to have a lot in common. But we talked about Chemistry by Weike Wang, Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson, and Any Person Is the Only Self by Elisa Gabbert. Karen, of those books, or the little ones we tossed off besides, what do you think you'll read next?
KAREN: Good heavens. I can pretty much say I'm going to try to read all of them. But there's something that sounds really immersive about Lost Man's Lane that I might reach for. I think I might have a week to still really get lost in another world. They all sound amazing but I think maybe I'll start with Lost Man's Lane.
[01:08:58] ANNE: I love the sound of that. Karen, this has been a pleasure. Thanks for talking books with me today.
KAREN: Oh, what a pleasure. Thank you so much, Anne.
ANNE: Hey, readers. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Karen, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Karen on Instagram. We have that link along with the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Sign up for our emails and keep up with all things What Should I Read Next?. It's quick and easy and free to subscribe at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. We send you only bookish delight. No spam. Sign up there.
Make sure you're following the show in Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribing and downloading our new episodes every week really mean the world to us as podcasters. They're good for morale and also really good for our visibility in the podcasting space, and they affect our income from our advertisers. Thank you so much.
[01:10:00] Be sure to follow our show on Instagram @whatshouldireadnext.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Tempest by Shakespeare
The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring
This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
▵ The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
• The Unseen World by Liz Moore
• Long Bright River by Liz Moore
• Sandwich by Catherine Newman
• Elizabeth Strout (try Oh William!)
• Chemistry by Weike Wang
• Lost Man’s Lane by Scott Carson
• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
• Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
• The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
• Any Person Is the Only Self by Elissa Gabbert
Also mentioned:• Patreon Bonus Episode: Behind the Scenes: What it’s like to record a WSIRN episode with Anne
• 2024 Summer Reading Guide
The post How to balance print books with screen reading appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We have a kid getting their wisdom teeth out (got any tips?) so I foresee lots of soup and mashed potatoes in our weekend plan. I’m also excited to cheer on another kid at a cross country meet and, inspired by the cooler temps headed our way, get my fall closet into shape. (Thankfully that last activity pairs well with audiobook listening! I’m 30% of the way through this one, recommended by Katherine Center at last week’s MMD Book Club about The Bodyguard.)
I hope YOU have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book PreviewThe countdown is on for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview on September 18! We’ve been hosting this live event since 2019: this is where I get to share book recommendations, industry insights, and interesting commentary on the books coming out this fall. Fall is arguably the biggest literary season of the year and undoubtedly the big season for literary fiction and mystery/thrillers, and this fall’s offerings are particularly robust. We have so much good stuff to talk about!
My team and I are always experimenting with new ways that our work can enhance your reading life. To that end, this season we’re offering a print, hold-in-your-hands, delivered-by-snail-mail version of our Fall Book Preview booklet. All our Fall Book Preview participants will receive our 12-page Fall Book Preview digital PDF booklet, but if you would like a print version in addition to the digital booklet so you can hold it in your hands, take it to the library or bookstore, and scrawl your bookish notes all over it—this season, you have that option! Add your booklet for $10 plus shipping (U.S. delivery is easy and inexpensive; please email support@modernmrsdarcy.com if you’d like it shipped internationally and we can calculate the cost to ship to your location).
If you would like a booklet, great! Please order your booklet now. The lead time on a large print order is substantial, and we need to tell the printer our final quantity today. We will order some extra copies, but we cannot guarantee we will have a booklet for you if you don’t place that order by end of day. All booklets ordered by today will ship on September 18.
I made you this short video to talk a little more about the booklet (and so you can laugh, as I did, at how I apparently always look down and right when thinking about what to say next!). I’m holding up the 2023 booklet in the video, but the 2024 version is similar. Happy viewing!
- Get more details and sign up for Fall Book Preview right here. A la carte purchasers: if you’d like a print booklet, use the dropdown box on the order page to add the print booklet to your order.
- MMD Book Club members: order your print booklet through this link. Patreon members: order your print booklet through this link. Thank you!
- Check out our merch here.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
My Bookshelf, Myself. (NYT gift link) “When I reread a book from my own shelves, I meet my own younger self. Sometimes my younger self underlined a passage that I would have reached for my pencil to underline now. Other times she read right past a line that stuns me with its beauty today.”
The 2024 Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is here! I put my order in the minute I found out it was live. This is my fourth year ordering the calendar: I unquestionably spend many months of my skincare budget all at once with this purchase, but in terms of high-end skincare it’s a great value and tons of (a very specific kind of) fun. I’ve found some favorite brands and products here—everything from lipsticks to serums to candles—and can’t wait to get my hands on the 2024 offerings.
What I’ve been listening to lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) 10 audiobooks I’ve particularly enjoyed lately.
Ina Garten and the Age of Abundance. (The New Yorker) “‘She’s the aunt that everybody wishes they had,” Kerry Diamond, the founder of the food magazine Cherry Bombe, said. ‘She’s funny. She’s rich. She’ll let you eat the chocolate cake your mother said you couldn’t have.'”
Solving Every Travel Problem! (Some Happy Scribbles Substack) A smorgasbord of helpful travel tips.
After enjoying crème brûlée out earlier this summer, we put “make this at home” on our summer bucket list. I’d never tried before, but Mark Bittman’s Vanilla Crème Brûlée (NYT Cooking gift link) was easy enough and a hit with the whole family. I was terrified I was doing it wrong but it turned out great. (With no blowtorch, just the broiler.)
Writing a Different Kind of Crime Novel. (Kirkus Reviews) Great interview with Attica Locke.
Nothing on TV Felt Like My So-Called Life. (Vulture) I loved this show when I was sixteen. A good read for those who have seen it, but also for those interested in the writing process or tv generally. “Every character was in a state of flux. Everyone was trying to figure out who they were. Everyone was trying to figure out their identity. The adults and the children and the kids.”
Startlingly beautiful sentences and perfect last lines. (What Should I Read Next?) This new episode with Hunter of Shelf by Shelf sets a great tone for fall reading and is packed with nerdy goodness: we talk books that are just a little bit weird, writing that’s striking on the sentence level, and the personalities of the major book awards.
“Luften” is the German Fall Ritual You Need to Try ASAP (It Totally Refreshes Your Space!) (Apartment Therapy) Of course there would be a German word for this practice.
I love dresses for the summer-to-fall transition and Target has some great ones right now! I love this Women’s Short Sleeve Belted Midi Shirtdress; I’m a navy dress girl at heart but for some reason am drawn to greens in the fall, as my closet will attest. (Though the yellow is also beautiful.) This Women’s Tiered Maxi A-Line Dress is also available in a beautiful green, and looks fantastic on its own or layered with a denim or leather jacket. And this Women’s Flutter Short Sleeve Maxi A-Line Dress isn’t available in my size but the lemon yellow print is just darling!
The Best Summer Reads for Food-Loving Bookworms. (Bon Appétit) I’ve enjoyed a few of these!
Why I Left the Network. (Pro Publica) “The interviews underscore how the nation’s insurers — quietly, and with minimal pushback from lawmakers and regulators — have assumed an outsize role in mental health care. It is often the insurers, not the therapists, that determine who can get treatment, what kind they can get and for how long.” Reminds me of this two-year-old funny-cause-it’s-true tweet that I still reference all the time in conversation with friends.
Don’t miss these posts:Assigned reading we actually enjoyed. Required reading doesn’t have to be boring!
20 coming-of-age novels for your fall reading. Exactly what I enjoy this time of year: coming-of-age stories feature young protagonists learning big life lessons and finding their place in the world.
15 super short audiobooks you can finish in four hours or less. If you’re testing the audiobook waters or looking for something quick to jazz up your reading life…
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s episode put a ton of titles on my to-be-read list and I’m sure it’ll do the same for many of you. Today I’m talking with Hunter, who lives in Philadelphia with his husband and their dog.
Hunter’s tastes lean to literary fiction, which manifests in his reading life in all kinds of interesting ways. I’ve been looking forward to talking with Hunter on the podcast for ages, and today’s conversation ended up going in both expected and delightfully unexpected directions.
Listen in as we discuss Hunter’s years-long project of reading National Book Award longlisted titles. We talk about other book awards, too, as well as Hunter’s frequent habit of rereading books, especially books he doesn’t like on the first pass.
Hunter loves books that are messy and murky and don’t necessarily offer clear answers. And right now, he’s looking for writing that is striking on a sentence level, perhaps a little bit weird, and unlike the majority of what’s coming out right now. I share suggestions for Hunter today, and I’d love to know what books you’d recommend he read next: share your recommendations in the comments section below.
Connect with Hunter on Instagram and at his Substack.
Shop our new merchFall means new merch, and we have a special collection for you!
Browse our exciting and seasonal collection of stickers, pin-back buttons, sweatshirts, and more. For the first time ever, we’re also sharing the option to buy a printed Fall Book Preview booklet. Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club members and members of our What Should I Read Next Patreon community, we’ve shared a link to buy just the printed booklet since your Fall Book Preview is included in your membership. If you’re joining us for Fall Book Preview on September 18th with an a la carte ticket, you’ll see an option to add on a printed booklet in our shop. Find all of the fall goods at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Before we jump into today's conversation, I want to tell you about what we have been working on for months behind the scenes at What Should I Read Next? HQ. We have a brand new collection of bookish merchandise for you just in time for fall.
Now, of course, we have the good stuff we had from spring. We have our book camp sweatshirts, which Will Bogel is wearing his right now. We have our What Should I Read Next? and I'd Rather Be Reading t-shirts. We have still discounted bookplates. You can buy all my books. They'll be signed for you from the shop.
[00:01:10] We have our stickers you love so much in the spring. And we have an exciting new collection of stickers that are so wonderful and fun, perfect for your book journal, your laptop, your water bottle, wherever you like to stick your stickers. These are so beautiful.
And for the first time, well, the first time since 2017, we have a new collection of pin-back buttons. Y'all, we were going to design six, but we ended up with more designs because they're all so good. I just can't wait for you to check them out. Go to modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. That's where you can see all the designs and order yours.
We are also getting excited for our upcoming Fall Book Preview that is happening on September 18th. This year we are trying an experiment for fall. I don't know if we'll do it again. We'll see how it goes.
But we are offering a printed copy in addition to the digital PDF Fall Book Preview booklet that comes with your Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club or Patreon membership because those members enjoy Fall Book Preview as a perk of belonging to that community. Or when you get your a la carte access, you get that digital PDF.
[00:02:19] Now, for the first time, we are offering the option to order a printed guide in addition to that digital PDF that comes as part of our Fall Book Preview experience.
If you would like to add on a printed Fall Book Preview booklet, it's 12 pages. It's beautiful. It's useful. Many of you like to tuck these in your book journal, take it with you to the library. We hear a lot of you are still looking at your Fall Book Previews from 2021, 2022, even just last year, because those books are available at the library a lot sooner than the fall 2024 new hot releases.
Although I will say a big perk of participating in our Fall Book Preview is you hear about the big books of fall that are going to be high in demand, and you hear about them soon. We're hosting this event on September 18th.
But if you would like our printed booklet in addition, you can go to our shop and order that if you are one of our readers. That's modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
[00:03:19] If you are one of our patrons or Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club members, thank you. We are sharing your link to order your printed Fall Book Preview booklet. If you would like one, this is completely optional, and it is in addition to the digital Fall Book Preview PDF booklet that comes with your Fall Book Preview experience. We have shared those links in each community for you to add on a printed booklet.
If you're not a la carte person, thank you. We make this option available by popular demand because so many of you say you don't have the time or inclination to join a community, but you do not want to miss out on this experience.
Well, you do not need to miss out on the experience or the booklet either. You can sign up at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop for your Fall Book Preview access, and you can add on an extra Fall Book Preview printed booklet if you so choose.
We are mailing these on Fall Book Preview event day. That is September 18th. They will go in the mail that day.
[00:04:17] We're really excited to offer this option. This is an experiment. We're curious to see how it goes. But we always love putting good stuff in your hands in whatever format works best for you.
If you'd like the full lowdown on Fall Book Preview, that is at modernmrsdarcy.com/FBP for Fall Book Preview. Of course, we will include all these links in our show notes, so you don't have to jot them down while driving or folding laundry or whatever you're doing while listening to What Should I Read Next?
Thank you for listening. Thank you for being here. We're happy to be reading with you now and on into the fall.
Readers, today's guest, Hunter, is joining me from Philadelphia, where he recently moved with his husband and their dog.
Hunter's tastes lean to literary fiction, which manifests in his reading life in all kinds of interesting ways, some of which I knew we were going to talk about today, and I was so looking forward to it, some of which totally surprised me. I love this on every level.
[00:05:16] Today, we discuss Hunter's years-long project, reading National Book Award longlisted titles, and we get into the personalities of that award and some of the other big book awards as well, plus his frequent habit of rereading books, especially books he doesn't like on the first pass.
Hunter loves books that are messy and murky and don't necessarily offer clear answers. At this moment in his reading life, when he's feeling like he's in a little bit of a funk, he's looking for writing that is striking on a sentence level, perhaps a little bit weird, and unlike the majority of what's coming out right now.
I've wanted to host Hunter on the show for ages and found this conversation to be well worth waiting for. I piled up my To Be Read list with titles I'm excited to read next because of how Hunter described them. I know I won't be the only one. Let's get to it.
Hunter, welcome to the show.
HUNTER: Thanks so much for having me.
ANNE: Oh, I've been looking forward to this conversation. Thank you for coming on.
HUNTER: Yeah, it's fun. We met in person back in... I think it was like late April when you were interviewing Lauren Groff.
[00:06:17] ANNE: Yes, when I was in the great town of Tallahassee. You know, I just finished a book that had a lot happening in Tallahassee, coincidentally. Good timing this week. Tallahassee on the brain.
HUNTER: Perfect.
ANNE: Yeah. Were you getting ready to leave Tallahassee at that point?
HUNTER: I moved a month later, which is so funny because right before I moved, I was like, "I've been so excited to get out of Florida." And then the second I left, I was like, "Wait, what am I doing?"
ANNE: Well, I hope you're settling in. Tell us where you are now.
HUNTER: Oh, yeah, my husband and I just moved to Philadelphia. Actually, it's very lovely here and it is hot enough that I still feel like I'm in Florida. So it's not that far from my feelings of home.
ANNE: Oh, I don't know that that's a compliment, though, as we record in late summer. But we have a long history of big Philadelphia residents and fans on the podcast. So I hope that very soon we can count you among them. As a fan, not the resident.
HUNTER: Yes.
[00:07:17] ANNE: Okay, good. I'm glad to hear that. Well, tell us more about yourself. We want to give our listeners a glimpse of who you are.
HUNTER: I was raised in South Georgia. I've always referred to it as the buckle of the Bible Belt. It's so funny. Actually, when I was younger, I was not a very good reader. I didn't know I wasn't a good reader until my granny got called in from... My teacher called her in and said, "Hunter can't read."
And I was so stunned because I thought I was a great reader. Then I felt like I had to prove something to her and so then I just kind of became this voracious reader of all types of books. Then I guess I was looking for community, and so I started doing Bookstagram @ShelfbyShelf.
I don't have a life outside of writing and reading, except for I guess... I mean, I eat a lot of fried chicken and cupcakes, and I watch my best friend's wedding, but there's not much more to me besides that.
ANNE: How old were you when your granny got that faded call?
[00:08:12] HUNTER: I was seven. It's so funny, because I'd been reading the Bible with her every morning at 6 a.m. So she was like, "I don't understand how he's having such trouble." But I think I'd memorized the scriptures that she'd read and was just like recounting them verbatim.
ANNE: You fooled your granny, but not your teacher.
HUNTER: No. She was like, "You were struggling with Dr. Seuss. So we need to get on it."
ANNE: Yeah. Well, I would love to hear more, like in practical terms, what's your reading life like? So you're a big reader, a big Bookstagrammer, but how do you implement that in your day-to-day, these days?
HUNTER: Basically, every morning I wake up and before I go to the gym, I read a chapter or two, typically like 20-30 pages of a book. And then I listen to an audiobook while I'm in the car or when I'm walking somewhere, or I'll have an eBook on my phone.
I'm just constantly reading all throughout the day. I used to work for the Board of Veterinary Medicine in Florida, and I would just read in between everything I was... all my paperwork. And then I read for like an hour or two before bed every night. I typically juggle three to four books. I would typically read a novel, a short story collection, an essay collection, and a memoir.
[00:09:25] ANNE: Ooh. In the mix at any given time?
HUNTER: Yeah. I try not to read two novels at once or two memoirs at once, because I don't want to like... In my mind, it's easier to kind of keep things separate if I just read one of each at each time.
ANNE: Something else we noticed from your submission is that you are a devoted re-reader. And that stood out to us at What Should I Read Next? HQ, because we don't hear that a lot. We hear from a lot of people who wish they were re-readers or want to make a plan to revisit books that they've read in the past, but not very often from readers who actually do. Would you say more?
HUNTER: Whenever I re-read a book, it feels very much like entering into a time machine, because I always know where I was mentally and emotionally, especially at the time I first read a book. I've re-read White Oleander by Janet Fitch probably 20 times now.
ANNE: I've never read that.
HUNTER: I don't know if it's great, or if it just resonated so much with me when I first read it that it's just kind of imprinted itself onto me at this point.
[00:10:30] Also, you know, I write a lot. And because of that... It's so funny. I write a lot and so I re-read a lot to kind of study what people are doing. But then I always end up getting sucked back into the same books I love.
I've re-read Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff I think 12 or 13 times. And each time I'm studying it, I'm like, "Oh, yes, I see what she's doing." And then 30 pages later, I completely forgot to observe anything because I'm just invested again in that beautiful language.
ANNE: That's such a compliment to a book though, when you go for research to look something up, and next thing you know you're like 19 chapters later on.
HUNTER: Yeah.
ANNE: Why that one?
HUNTER: I don't know why, but I have an obsession with marriage. And I think it's because almost everyone in my family is a serial marrier. They've all had like four or five, six spouses in their lives.
I've been married for almost 8 years with my husband. We started dating almost 12 years ago, and we have the record for the longest-lasting first marriage in my family. So I think that I just have this weird obsession with what marriage looks like, what it is.
[00:11:33] I think that's also why I love Middlemarch, because Middlemarch also has an obsession with marriage. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I do. I re-read a lot of books about marriage.
I also re-read a lot of books about coming of age with absent mothers, which is like... it probably is so revealing. But like The Goldfinch, Swamplandia!, a lot of Pulitzer Prize winners are books with absent mothers. The Nix by Nathan Hill, I think. Those are things that I've noticed re-occurring patterns of.
ANNE: How did you notice those patterns? Like, did you see it yourself or did someone point it out to you? I just think it's so hard to get a read on our own reading lives, because we're so close to what's happening and we have so many data points.
HUNTER: Honestly, it's so funny. I think that it's doing Instagram and giving book recommendations, I began to notice the patterns just based on what books I was recommending, because I realized that at one point I was recommending books like White Oleander by Janet Fitch, and Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, or Marlena by Julie Buntin, or History of Wolves. I can't remember who wrote that.
[00:12:44] But I noticed a lot of books that had similarities to them as far as books about young girls being raised in these really different environments, and it really kind of captured the landscape. So I would notice these re-occurring things that I was drawn to.
Once I saw what books I was most drawn to, then I started to kind of reflect and ask myself, why am I drawn to those things? And I realized that I'm really obsessed with myself, and I want to figure myself out. So that's why I'm constantly reading these books.
ANNE: And fiction is a great way to do that.
HUNTER: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Okay, that's so interesting. So, Hunter, we've been talking about you coming on the show for a while now. And I was thinking, based on what you read, which I'm not in your head, I don't see your bookshelves, but I perceive you reading mostly literary fiction. Like you're reading the serious stuff.
And we thought that early fall would be a great time to kind of tone shift into... I mean, September and October is when lots of people are thinking about the big literary titles of the year, because that's when they're published, and it's back to school season, and everybody has their campus novel lists.
[00:13:52] And sure, some of those can be fun and fluffy. But a lot of times that's serious literature. So you're saying, Mm-hmm, tell me more about what you enjoy reading.
HUNTER: So when I was 18, I had this idea that I was going to read all of the important books so I could be cultured because all of my friends went off to college, and I did not go. And I was like, "Well, I'll just be cultured." So I read a bunch of Pulitzer Prize winners, and then I read a bunch of National Book Award winners.
Then a couple years ago I set off on this project of reading like every single National Book Award fiction longlister from 1950 to now. I'm almost done with the project, but it's been quite an undertaking. But I guess I love mess. I love how murky the... there's no real clear answers in a lot of literary fiction. Yeah, they challenge you not just on a subject level a lot of the time, but they're also challenging you structurally. I think you find some of the most beautiful sentences in those kind of books.
[00:14:55] ANNE: Not everyone is as interested in beautiful sentences as I imagine you are. Can you say more? I mean, I love a beautiful sentence.
HUNTER: I think I first realized I... So back in 2013, I think, I first read the short story Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx. And there is this beautiful sentence that starts with the two men kissing and there's a quick shift in this little dependent clause in the middle of the sentence where it describes one of the wives noted like looking in and catching them in the moment, but it turns right back to this passion that these two men have. And it's so quick that you almost miss it, but it's so startling.
And I thought the fact that you could create almost an entire novel’s worth of feeling and meaning into one sentence was just so powerful to me. And I just loved that. So I think that things like that and having like a perfect last line for a book that really just...
[00:15:57] I think about Middlemarch's last line all the time. I think that a great line, I don't know, it just imprints itself into your mind and it makes you... There's something about someone articulating a feeling or thought that you've had but could never quite express and doing it better than you ever thought you could ever do. That's really powerful to me.
ANNE: Now I feel like we need to share Middlemarch's last line. It's Dorothea, it's like the effect she has on those around her. Yeah?
HUNTER: Yes. I'm pretty sure that the last line is, "but the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive. For the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life and rested in unvisited tombs."
ANNE: Oooh. Okay, that's a great line and also a very impressive party trick.
[00:16:55] HUNTER: Yeah. Whenever I met Lauren Groff for the first time, I basically quoted half of Fates and Furies to her and I think she was both impressed and afraid.
ANNE: Okay. You know what that makes me think of? I never put these two things together before, but I love Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. It's a book I've read many times and it took me forever to figure out the meaning of the title.
And it comes from a Robert Frost poem that begins: I could give all to Time except – except
What I myself have held. But why declare
The things forbidden that while the Customs slept
I have crossed to Safety with?
They're saying the same thing. Like here are unhistorical acts saved on the page if nowhere else, but then you know like millions of people went on to read this novel. So not so unhistorical after all.
HUNTER: Right. Which is so funny. That's the thing is I think that like... I always think about there... I don't know if you ever read The Fault in Our Stars, but-
[00:17:55] ANNE: Yeah, a long time ago.
HUNTER: Yeah. I think it's been like 12 years since I read it. But I remember the thing I loved the most about that book was that the girl, Hazel, the main character, she didn't really want to be remembered and she had no feel. She didn't find it that important.
And I always feel like the people who kind of step back and who don't really want to be seen as much, I think tend to end up having the most impact because they're like the great observers and they're the ones who kind of tend to want to understand other people better and they reserve judgment more, I've noticed.
So there's little things like that that I think about. And I think a lot of great writers are people who actually don't really care about being noticed or remembered, but they are because they just kind of have that spirit about them.
ANNE: The paradox. And I can see how that really appeals to you because you want to understand. Like you want the observations.
HUNTER: Mm-hm.
ANNE: Okay. All right. I'm so curious to see how that comes up in your picks. I imagine we could talk about this for hours, but would you give me just a few nuggets from your National Book Award project? Hunter, I'm sure you've noticed some things, you've observed some things, you've learned some things.
[00:19:09] HUNTER: So I have this theory that in order for a book to sustain itself, it either has to be so beautifully written, so well written, and so near perfect that writers return to the book time and time again for their own inspiration, or that it deals with such a hot button topic in a non-offensive way that it becomes something that is taught in classrooms year after year. It's typically one of the two things.
Because a lot of the books that people considered great in the 1950s are out of print now. And a lot of the books from the 60s are also out of print. And I think that the only ones that really have withstood the test of time are the war novels, which there was a lot of war novels in the 50s from people who'd served in World War II.
And that's the thing. It's so funny. There's so many books now that remind me of books from that period that were out of print that I read. I think what I most noticed was that a book can be great, but it can still be forgotten if it's not doing one of these two things.
[00:20:15] Like To Kill a Mockingbird was a finalist the year that this book called The Waters of Kronos won. Also in that same long list, there was A Separate Peace, and The Violent Bear It Away. Everyone remembers A Separate Peace, The Violent Bear It Away, and To Kill a Mockingbird, but no one remembers The Waters of Kronos.
And I think it's just because The Waters of Kronos doesn't really tackle any of the subject matter that those other books do. It wouldn't really be taught in a children's class or a high school classroom. Also, it's beautifully written, but it's not one of the all-time great books that stand out among all these others. So I think that that's a big thing I noticed.
Also, that the National Book Award was much more about going against the establishment, whereas the Pulitzer was much more about honoring these revered writers over some lesser, oftentimes lesser known, or more innovative writers, I think, at times.
[00:21:12] I think that people have more respect for the Pulitzer Prize, but I think that the National Book Award was trying to really highlight these people who were doing really interesting new things. Kind of like what the Booker does now, the Booker Prize.
But now I feel like the past couple of years, the National Book Award has kind of leaned more towards... I don't think they always want to highlight the big authors anymore, which is kind of a shame to me, because I think that they want to showcase new voices, but there are other prizes that are meant for that. But I have a lot of opinions about book awards. But those are the biggest things I've noticed.
ANNE: What is the prize of your readerly heart these days? Like what's the one that you find most in sync with your taste, or most likely for you to make new discoveries that you're really glad to have found?
HUNTER: Here's the thing. I spent almost a decade dedicated to the National Book Award. And so I love so much about the National Book Award. I think it is a very great prize. But it is also solely focused on highlighting books by American writers. The Booker Prize has a much wider scope.
[00:22:12] And I found that as my taste has shifted over the past few years, that it tends to end up being the Booker books that I am more drawn to. However, Lauren Groff was a three-time National Book Award finalist, and she's my favorite writer. So I don't know if I would have read her if... that's not true. I bought Fates and Furies before it was on the National Book Award list. But I don't know if I would have prioritized it if it hadn't dropped on the long list the same week I bought it.
ANNE: Interesting. Well, and what I'm also hearing from you is that we definitely think of these literary prizes... some of you are like, I don't think about literary prizes at all. And that is totally fine. But these prizes have their own personalities. And also for a variety of reasons, those evolve and sometimes shift pretty dramatically.
HUNTER: Yeah. Oh, that is one thing that is kind of insane to me is that... well, and here's the thing, too, is people forget, you know, it's not the same judges. You know, they change every year. And also the people who are running these things change every year.
[00:23:10] And while I think that maybe more established prizes like the Pulitzer, the Pulitzer Prize, the thing that's looking for the most is the... it used to be the Great American Novel, but they've changed it to the best-written work that potentially is written about American life. Whereas the National Book Award is meant to be just the best-written book by an American writer.
I think that when you have a slight shift in focus, if you have a slight shift in focus to say, like, we're looking for a book that captures this specific thing, it's a little bit easier to kind of maintain more consistency with what you're looking for.
Whereas the Booker and the National Book Award and a couple of these other prizes, they're not quite so specific. So it really does change each year. And not only do what the books talk about change each year, the styles change each year. So it doesn't really feel as consistent as far as what the books look like, I guess.
Also, the Booker Prize, I will say they are more consistent because they often choose more structurally innovative books. But there are other times too where I feel like they've neglected really great books in favor of highlighting, I guess, lesser-known voices.
[00:24:15] ANNE: That's so interesting. I really appreciate your thoughts there. I admire projects like that. Also, I imagine that was the bulk of your reading for a long time. Or at least a really big chunk of that. When you say real estate, where is that coming from?
HUNTER: Listen, it's so funny too, because my friend and fellow Bookstagrammer, Bernie Lombardi, he was listening to me and like... I wrote a newsletter, a Substack newsletter about this project for a couple of years. I would send my newsletters to him to kind of read because he's an academic. So I was like, well, he'll be able to tell me if it's good or bad.
Something that he actually pointed out was that I had a very American lens and that when I was discussing books, I was only discussing them through an American lens. And that if I wanted to discuss them in a deeper way, I needed to kind of break free of that.
I actually think it really helped me become a better reader. It's also helped me appreciate books that are by writers outside of the US because it helped me understand that my measurement, my metric for what was good or bad was based on a very American style of... like what we've cultivated is the American styles of writing, I think.
[00:25:29] ANNE: Interesting. Okay, where do translated works fit into your reading landscape these days? And I definitely have a need to know reason here as I think about what you may enjoy.
HUNTER: I actually read a lot of translated lit now because my friend Bernie, he reads the International Booker International Prize and I've slowly become more interested in the translated literature section of the National Book Award. So I've just been picking up a lot of those.
But also, I just read Hurricane Season recently, which is translated and [Elena? 00:26:04] knows and I've been trying to read... I cannot say her… Olga Tokarczuk.
ANNE: Yeah, which one did you read?
HUNTER: I started Flight. I haven't finished it yet. But I am enjoying it. But I own three of her books and I'm constantly... It's so funny. I own like 300 or 400 unread books, which is really... I should not admit to that. But I'm constantly collecting.
ANNE: It is what it is, Hunter.
HUNTER: Yeah.
[00:26:29] ANNE: Yeah. All right. We're here for those confessions. Somebody feels seen. Thank you for your service. On the show, we ask you to choose three books you love. That's a tall order. How did you choose them? I mean, aside from Lauren Groff, your favorite writer, favorite living writer, which did you say?
HUNTER: I do think at this point she is my favorite writer, which it's so funny, because sometimes I'll recommend her to people and they're like, "Oh, I don't know." But I tell people all the time, I'm like, "If you like more commercially leaning books, like you know, if you read Monsters of Templeton, that's much more accessible.
But if you like the really challenging things, I think The Vaster Wilds is very... each of her books is so different that I feel like you can be a different reader for each one. So I guess that she is my favorite writer.
ANNE: So, Hunter, I'm guessing that you chose a Lauren Groff title as one of your favorites.
HUNTER: Yes.
ANNE: Okay, let's start there. Which one did you pick?
HUNTER: I picked Fates and Furies, which I now think it may be tied as her best novel alongside The Vaster Wilds, even though they're very different.
[00:27:30] But Fates and Furies is a much more literary, less suspenseful Gone Girl in a way.
ANNE: You know, that is a description I've never heard before. I'm here for it.
HUNTER: No, it's so funny. I've written about those books together a lot and people get very annoyed whenever I do. But they're both books about marriage and they're both books about the ways that you kind of like keep certain things. Like you're a person in your marriage, and then you're a person to yourself. And those are two different things. And they both explore that in very different ways that I find really exciting.
But I think that with Fates and Furies, she's just doing so... and she's also writing about privilege. And she's writing about female rage and all these different things that I find so intriguing. And she's doing it with such beautiful language. It's one of those books that also I think rewards rereading because you just... every sentence is a jewel and each time you discover a different one that resonates.
ANNE: I think you mentioned that you read it 12 or 13 times. I would hope you would feel that way.
HUNTER: Yeah, yeah.
[00:28:28] ANNE: And that is one of those books where the conceit of it is such that you would read the first half very differently than the second. Well, do you want to do the honors? Actually, let's tell the listeners how it's constructed if they don't know.
HUNTER: Yeah. So the first half is titled Fates, and it's focusing on the husband Lotto. It's kind of this coming-of-age story about this guy who's kind of been like anointed, just like this light shines from above on him. And he just assumes that everything just kind of goes his way because that's the way the world works.
And you spend this whole first half understanding their relationship kind of from his point of view. It's third person, but it is kind of from his viewpoint. And then the second half Furies picks up. And it's the wife Matilda's side.
And it's not that you feel deceived in any way, but it is just a very different perspective. It's really just kind of showing how two people can be in the same relationship and have very different takeaways, I guess. And also how you find all these things out about Matilda, about how she struggled when she was younger, she had a really hard life and so her come up was not nearly as easy as his.
[00:29:40] And so you're kind of seeing how their upbringings and their struggles and where they were kind of placed in society really colored how they viewed their lives together.
ANNE: Yeah. And something else that I have been really struck by about that book is so many readers have said that they finished it and felt one way about it and then actually talked to other readers about the experience of reading and have had their minds changed by like book club discussions with a frequency that doesn't happen with a ton of fiction.
HUNTER: Oh, yeah. Let me tell you. There are a lot of people who only read the first half of that book and hated it. And I always tell people, if you hate the first half, you will love the second half. If you love the first half, you may feel some kind of way about the second half. So it really just depends.
ANNE: Yeah. Because they're two very disparate parts of a whole. When I read it the first time, I did not have the idea that the husband was a narcissist on the brain. But then when I heard Lauren Groff discuss in Florida, like a lot of her inspiration for the book, it made me think, "I've only read that book once."
[00:30:43] And that's the kind of book that would benefit from a rereading. And I'm curious what I think now going in knowing so much more than... I mean, I think I read an advanced copy a million years ago. Went in knowing nothing, hadn't talked to anyone who had read it. It's a very different experience to go in after having a good conversation about it and just knowing a lot more hearing from the author's perspective.
HUNTER: I would love to know your thoughts on a reread.
ANNE: Yeah. I'm curious. But I will let you know if/when that happens. Hunter, what's the second book you love?
HUNTER: The second book I chose was Edinburgh by Alexander Chee, which it's about this boy named Fee who suffers from sexual abuse at the hands of the chorus director of this boys' chorus group that he's part of when he's younger.
The first part of the book is about him and these other boys who are all kind of suffering from the same thing. And then the second half is about his adulthood.
[00:31:40] Actually, Hanya Yanagihara almost bought this book for Riverhead, whenever the book was first being shopped around. And the reason why I find that interesting is because Hanya's book A Little Life deals with some very similar subject matter.
But Edinburgh is such a beautiful, tender, open-hearted story about... I think it's so interesting to read a book where a person has suffered such tremendous abuse, but also the book writes with an understanding of where abuse comes from and what it... It never forgives the abuser, but you realize this abuser had a family and it's kind of like exploring some of what the family kind of went through after I think a little bit. Just a little bit.
But I think that the book also writes so much about queer experience in a way that felt very honest. I hadn't really seen it written like that before. I also think it is also a perfect book, I'm convinced. I think that it is as great as Fates and Furies, which I do think of as high praise in my mind. It's beautifully written.
[00:32:43] Once again, there's this one line where he talks about there's a character who dies and because the boy, as a singer, he often thinks in sound. And there's a point where it describes how he'll miss this boy and how like... so sound waves never disappear, but they just expand. And for him to hear this boy's voice again, he'd have to have an ear the size of Jupiter or something like that.
But it's much more beautiful than that whenever he writes it. But I was so moved whenever I read that line. But it's a beautiful book. Just resonated in a lot of ways for me.
ANNE: Okay, almost a perfect novel with a sentence so gorgeous that you're still thinking about just that one little package of words all these years later. I said all these years, when did you read this?
HUNTER: I first read it in 2018.
ANNE: Okay, you said that you can remember where you were and what you were doing when you read a book. And I love how you produce that instantly. Hunter, what's the final book you chose as a favorite?
HUNTER: I chose Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, which there's a blurb about Karen Russell from her... It's on the paperback of her book, Vampires in the Lemon Grove, her short story collection that describes her sentences as backflipping off the page.
[00:33:55] I think that is so accurate, because whereas Fates and Furies in Edinburgh are very serious, I think that Swamplandia! is... Every book has some humor in it. But Karen Russell writes the funniest things.
Swamplandia! is about a family, the Bigtree tribe who live in the Florida Everglades, and they run this swamp theme park. The mother was an alligator wrestler, but she dies of cancer before the book start. It's about this 13-year-old girl, Ava Bigtree, kind of coming of age while her family's life is kind of falling apart.
The theme park is kind of on its last leg and the father, Chief Bigtree, is trying to find ways to keep it going. And there's like a sister Hilola, who is trying to get... She's trying to elope with a ghost and the brother Kiwi is working for the competing world of darkness is the competing theme park and he's trying to get money from them to keep the theirs running.
[00:34:55] It's beautiful sentences, but very funny. But also... I think it's so funny. I said this before, but I love books about absent mothers. I think that Karen Russell does something so great, which is that she never sacrifices the language. Even though she writes from a child's perspective, she never sacrifices the language.
But what she does is she just makes it where they don't have the kind of inside, I guess... Everything's very short-sighted. Everything's very short-sighted in the way that a child's mind can be at times. And that's how she maintains the believability that these are children, even though the language is so elevated. And I think that's just brilliant.
ANNE: I've never read any Karen Russell.
HUNTER: Oh, she's so good. I think there's a story that she has called The New Veterans that is one of my all-time favorite stories in the Vampires in the Lemon Grove. If you read that one, I think you might enjoy her other stuff.
ANNE: I am on the hunt for short stories right now. I appreciate that.
HUNTER: Well, that's perfect. So yeah.
[00:35:51] ANNE: If we had longer, I'd want to hear more about your love of short stories, because I noticed you called that out specifically. Hunter, tell me about a book that was not right for you.
HUNTER: So a book that I read recently that just didn't really work for me was Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I should also clarify, if a book doesn't work for me, I do read it again and again in the hopes that it will work.
And I've read Malibu Rising three times and I just think that it was not what I... maybe it just wasn't what I expected. I don't think I'm a book snob. But I just think that I had different expectations for what it was going to be and do. I don't know.
ANNE: Based on everything you've said, I'm surprised you picked it up. I mean, I loved it. I thought it was a really fun time. Like it's, you know, big splashy story set in the 80s. People were like big hair, thick belts, cans of tab, house on fire. But I read those kinds of books sometimes and I don't see evidence of that in anything we've talked about today. What did you think it was going to be? What did you want it to be?
[00:36:57] HUNTER: Okay, so let me tell you. I read Daisy Jones & The Six first. And I like that one.
ANNE: Okay, that's a good foundation for thinking, Let's try some more.
HUNTER: I like that one. Then somebody had said, "You've got to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." And they said to me, "It's the best-written book since Anna Karenina. And I thought, "Wow, that's really high praise." I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I reread it a couple years after the first reading, and I liked it a lot.
But if you go into that book, thinking it's going to be like a modern classic, I don't know if that's the best mindset to be in.
And then somebody said, "Oh, well, read Malibu Rising." Whenever it came out, they're like, "Read Malibu Rising. If you've liked Daisy Jones, but you weren't really sure about Seven Husbands, check that one out. It's really good."
I think people pitch her books to me as more literary than they are. And there's nothing wrong with what... I love books like... I don't know if you consider... I think Emma Straub is kind of like a literary beach read. I look for books to kind of straddle that line sometimes. And I think that I often assume, based on how people sell Taylor Jenkins Reid to me that she's going to be a little bit more literary than she is. And I think that's what kind of trips me up sometimes.
[00:38:13] ANNE: I hear what you're saying. And it's so interesting to note how everything is relative. As a very specific example, we're putting together a list of quiet novels that we're going to share on Modern Mrs. Darcy in a blog post this fall.
I was just reading through the comments from a podcast conversation actually that happened on What Should I Read Next? with Susan Meissner, where we talked all about quiet novels back in winter of 2024 and it's very clear that a lot of terms are subjective. Quiet is one of them. Literary is another. And people have very different ideas and expectations of what the words mean.
HUNTER: Yeah. It's so funny, right? I think that people sometimes have this misunderstanding that like, Oh, you're a reader, so you will like any book. And that's not true.
ANNE: Or, or... and I love that this is how literature works on an emotional level, and also awareness is extremely helpful when you want to choose a book that you're actually going to enjoy.
[00:39:13] When we have an emotional experience with a book, and when we love it, our expectation is often that that means that is what the reading experience of that book is like, not that's what our experience with that book was like.
HUNTER: I've gotten really good at being able to know like, Okay, I love this book, because it speaks to my experience, speaks to my feelings, it speaks to my heart so much. So I try to include that whenever I do tell somebody about it, because I'm like, "This is not gonna resonate for you for these same reasons that may not have the same emotional impact." But yeah.
ANNE: Yeah. So this one was not for you?
HUNTER: No.
ANNE: Okay. So when we're reading the cards here going, this is a portrait of what Hunter enjoys, that's not on the table, and that's fine. You have 300 or 400 books at home that you haven't read yet. It's okay to eliminate a couple kinds of books from consideration.
Hunter, what have you been reading lately?
HUNTER: Oh, gosh, I recently read Hombrecito, I think, which just came out. It's like a novel in stories about the queer experience and also immigrating all these different things. It was really beautiful.
[00:40:22] I'm trying to think about what else. I've honestly been reading too much lately. I actually just read Wolf Hall, which I liked it, but it was also a lot. I also just read Anyone's Ghost by August Thompson. The Future Was Color by Patrick Nathan, Colored Television by Danzy Senna, which I really liked. But those are kind of the things I've been reading lately.
ANNE: Okay, thank you for those. Hunter, before we jump into recommendations, you mentioned in your submission that you were, and I'm putting words in your mouth a little bit here, but that you have some thoughts about autofiction. That's something that you've been contemplating. Like how we engage with it, how we perceive stories that we know, like you pretty close sometimes to the author's real life. But also, that doesn't mean we should be making assumptions that the author is always drawing on their life to write these fictional tales. I'm passing the baton to you. Would you say more about this?
HUNTER: It's funny. You know, I mentioned Edinburgh by Alexander Chee earlier. He has an essay collection called How to Write an Autobiographical Novel, which the title is kind of a joke, because when he set out to write Edinburgh, he'd already been working on another book and people weren't really as interested, I guess. So he thought, "Okay, well, all of my friends are writing these terrible autobiographical novels. So I guess I'll just write one too."
[00:41:41] It was really interesting because then he talked basically how he set out to initially just write about all of his traumas, and that ended up not... that's not what made a good book. So he kind of had to see where a narrative was in his experiences, and then create a fictional version of that.
But I read that collection and Edinburgh back in 2018, at the same time that I just read The Friend by Sigrid Nunez, which kind of has some autofiction qualities to it. I had also just read Florida by Lauren Groff. And she kind of made these jokes about how there's... you know, it's not her, but it's not not her in the collection.
I think that she was really wanting to play with readers' expectations of, because people had made so many assumptions based on Fates and Furies, which had come out right before. And I guess I've just been thinking a lot about, honestly, if you look at any book, any book, no matter how far from or close to a writer's experience, is going to say a lot about who they are.
[00:42:47] Because Alexander Chee's book, The Queen of the Night, is a very personal book to him. It's about a female opera singer in the 1800s in France. So it's obviously not anywhere close to his experience personally, but he's such a lover of music. And so he's really showing you so much of who he is and his love of music through this.
Also, when writers are writing about questions and ideas they have, I think they're really revealing a lot about themselves, because they're showing you what they're struggling to kind of contemplate. And I guess, you know, there's been a lot of conversation over the past couple of years about how more marginalized writers tend to get thrown this kind of shade of like, Oh, it's just thinly veiled memoir.
But almost every writer is pulling from their personal experience in some way. It's not to say that it's just thinly veiled memoir, but every writer is like writing from something really personal. That's why they're drawn to that. And so I just think that's really just an interesting idea to consider.
[00:43:46] ANNE: Zadie Smith blew my mind. I wish I could give the source for this when she talked about how so much of what she writes is autofiction. But wish fulfillment for her is autofiction. Also, like, what are my fears? What keeps me awake at night? Like, if I start from my experiences and then write how it all goes incredibly horribly wrong, she's still writing out of her personal experience.
Oh, and Ann Patchett talked about how she was inspired by Zadie Smith in The Dutch House, which you would not read and be like, Oh, clearly this is Ann Patchett's thinly veiled life. But she's a stepmother. And she said that the idea of how could the things that keep me awake at three o'clock in the morning, you know, thinking that I've become the wicked stepmother, what could that look like in a story that interests me? And I just never thought about it in either way.
HUNTER: I've been thinking a lot about, sadly, of after [Allison Rowe? 00:44:40] died, we had all these revelations about this reality that was going on with her and her daughter and her husband. And I was thinking a lot about how people said it colored the way that they viewed her stories. And I think that's true.
[00:44:55] But I've been thinking a lot about writers who we have these complicated relationships with, like Junot Díaz, or like Flannery O'Connor. But you know, I think that if you look at these writers, every writer is telling you who they are in some way, and they're telling you what they're struggling with.
Flannery O'Connor, who we later, you know, eventually, in all these letters of hers, we discovered that she was actively racist, but her stories are often really trying to reckon with what racism looks like. And they tend to be more open-hearted than she seems to be in her letters to people. When you look at the stories of Junot Díaz, a lot of his stuff are trying to reckon with misogyny in a way.
And I think that really, every writer, whether they're good or bad people, they're all reckoning with their own personal demons in some way or with just something that has... even if it's not their own demons, I guess, they're reckoning with what the reality of their world is. And so you really begin to understand, yeah, like what keeps them up at night. And I just think that's really interesting.
[00:45:54] ANNE: Yeah. I mean, we don't bat an eye when nonfiction writers say, I'm just writing to figure things out.
HUNTER: Right.
ANNE: But I think that's happening a lot in fiction as well.
HUNTER: Mm-hmm. Absolutely.
ANNE: Just going back to what you said earlier, that you love mess and murkiness.
HUNTER: I do.
ANNE: There are no clear answers. A writer trying to figure some stuff out is going to give you that.
HUNTER: Yeah. I was rereading Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz. Those short stories... they're so messy but in ways that... I think they do make people uncomfortable.
Or even Deesha Philyaw's The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, these are really complicated lives, and there are no answers. But I think that I get really excited by the idea of... I think it's also this, you have this feeling of, oh, yes, I'm not the only person who is dealing with this feeling of just almost gloom and doom sometimes about what you're doing with your life and the people around you. I don't know.
[00:46:59] ANNE: That's so interesting. Okay, our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger, was telling me — I think she might have been quoting Deesha Philyaw recently — how she writes short stories because it's not about the resolution like a novelist, or isn't sometimes, but that's reader's expectations. But a short story is about an individual revelation. And I was like, Ooh, that's good.
HUNTER: Yeah. No, that's the thing. That's another reason why I think I love short stories, is that sometimes it seems like such a minor thing whenever these revelations come, especially there's some short stories... I think Lauren Groff is great at having these quiet revelations kind of happen. And it's almost like the camera just shifts a little to the left, and that's all it takes, but it feels life-changing.
ANNE: Yeah, that's so good. Okay, you loved Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, Edinburgh by Alexander Chee, and Swamplandia! by Karen Russell.
Not for you was Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. And you've been reading some interesting stuff lately, including Hombrecito and Colored Television.
HUNTER: Yes.
[00:48:10] ANNE: Let's talk about what you may enjoy reading next. I would love to start with an autofiction recommendation since we've just been discussing that, and that is Small Rain by Garth Greenwell.
HUNTER: I have been wanting to read this so bad. I loved his first two books.
ANNE: I have not read those, but this is the one where I decided I was going to give it a try. It felt like the right book for right now. And I should say that we have not communicated in many years, but I used to walk to school with Garth a long time ago.
And this is autofiction, so that was really interesting for me because he's writing about a lot of things and people and places that I remember and I know. And it was wild to me how factually real so much of this was. And it's a novel.
So this is a quiet novel, and it's one in which both very little happens and also someone's literal existence is hanging at the balance. And it was inspired by a real medical event that Garth experienced. It can't have been that long ago.
[00:49:09] We're about the same age. This happened in his early 40s. He was suddenly very, very sick. It's discussed medically in the book a little bit, but he experienced a tear in the wall of one of the chambers of his heart, and he almost died.
Well, first, he talks about the searing pain that he experienced at the beginning. Anyone who has suffered such pain or who has witnessed someone in great pain, I think you'll feel really seen and understood. He's capturing something that you wished perhaps that you would have had the words for. Garth puts it on the page. And I always appreciate when an author can do that.
But very quickly, well, he talks about not wanting to inconvenience his partner, who he refers to as L throughout, and that is the first initial of his actual real-life partner.
But very quickly, he ends up in the hospital in Iowa where he teaches in the Writers' Workshop, and he talks about how bewildering it is to be in the early pandemic, in the hospital, with this illness that makes him extremely popular among all the doctors because they all want to see him because his case is interesting, which is you never want to be interesting in a hospital.
[00:50:23] What he's experiencing isn't exceedingly rare, but his age is noteworthy for a young, healthy guy to experience this particular problem is unusual. And people want to get up in his case. And he talks about just what it's like for his whole life to be taken over by this.
And he's in a hospital bed for much of it, and going in and out of sleep, dealing with some nurses who are wonderful, who you just want to like, "Oh, what a wonderful human. I hope I get care like that. I hope my loved one gets care with that if I ever find myself in this horrible situation."
He talks about the experience he has with some of the staff where he feels less than human. He talks about how... I mean, I don't have words to say like how frightened he is watching one of his monitors deliver numbers that are scary, that he thinks he needs help and nobody is coming. And he talks about this feeling of being helpless and trapped.
[00:51:18] But he's walking the reader through this intense medical situation. Also, he's alone on the bed. It's COVID. He can only have visitors two hours a day. He's in the ICU. And he has a lot of time alone with his thoughts. So he's reflecting on some of his childhood, some of his growing up years, on the origins of his relationship with his partner.
Like the nurse says, "Oh, how did you all meet?" And you hear him in the story say, "Well, this is the story that I typically tell. I love to tell this story. These are the parts I leave out of this story. This is what you need to know. This is what I actually tell her."
It's such a close, kind, thoughtful, introspective, fascinating narrative. And there is so much real in this story that it reads like memoir. And yet, he's very clear that it is not memoir. It is autofiction. And I don't know what to say, except I think this is exactly a book for you that has things you love in it. What do you think?
[00:52:18] HUNTER: This sounds honestly perfect. This sounds like the book that I have wanted all year long.
ANNE: The day this episode releases, September 3rd, it's ready and waiting for you. I hope you love it.
HUNTER: Cannot wait.
ANNE: Now, I want you to talk about a book with me that I know that you have already read, because you told me. But I had to see, because if you had not yet read it, you needed to read it, because it's right up your alley, and that is State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg.
This came out this summer. It reminded me so much of... Oh, gosh. Laura, I apologize. I'm sure you've heard this, but I have not read The Bell Jar until this summer, and I happen to read these books completely coincidentally, almost back-to-back. And when autofiction is discussed, Sylvia Plath is often not far behind.
But I read this book not knowing much about Laura van den Berg. You probably read her much-lauded short story collection. I hadn't read that. But I read the book, and then I read a few interviews she gave about how this started more like a journal of what she was experiencing moving back to Florida from Texas early in the pandemic, because that's where her family was.
[00:53:28] And then it started as autofiction. And the way she discusses how she chose to introduce a speculative fiction element was so fascinating. Should I keep going, or do you want to take over?
HUNTER: Well, it's so funny. I was not at all surprised by her leaning speculative, because Jeff VanderMeer and Lauren Groff, Karen Russell and Jeff VanderMeer especially, I think, are people who really kind of lean into more speculative elements or just more fantastical elements in some way. And I think that's a very Florida thing to do.
ANNE: Because it did feel so much like Lauren Groff's Florida as well.
HUNTER: Yes. That's the thing, too. Whenever I first started State of Paradise, the first line in the book is about her husband going for these runs. And the first short story in Florida by Lauren Groff is Ghosts and Empties, and it's about this woman who takes to going for a walk at in the evenings. That immediately made it feel to me.
[00:54:33] ANNE: Wait a second. You asked a question about that.
HUNTER: I did. Yeah.
ANNE: Lauren Groff conversation I moderated.
HUNTER: Yes.
ANNE: But I hadn't read Laura van den Berg at that point. Oh, worlds collide. Thank you for that, Hunter.
HUNTER: Yeah. So I was very excited by that. I think that immediately kind of tied these two books together for me in a lot of ways. And I do think that both of the books explore Florida in really interesting and different ways. And I should clarify for anyone who's read Florida and isn't sure about State of Paradise, State of Paradise is written in a much more clean language, I think. It's less musical and just more straightforward, I guess.
ANNE: It's more concise.
HUNTER: Yes.
ANNE: It's like more direct storytelling. How's that?
HUNTER: Yes. Thank you. State of Paradise I thought that the speculative element made a lot of sense to me. Also, I think that when you're writing so intimately about yourself, it's almost like you get so close to the bone that you almost have to have another element as a safeguard, almost, I think.
[00:55:33] So I think that introducing that... I think that happens a lot, too. I think that Karen Russell always talks about how, you know, you can play fast and loose with your Oz, but you have to still have the grounded Kansas details.
ANNE: I love that.
HUNTER: I think that's so true. I think that's one of the things that I think makes State of Paradise work is that she is writing so intimately about things and feelings that are personal to her, that are her experiences. I almost think that the speculative elements, in a way, feel even more revealing, because they're showing, I think, some of the things that she maybe... it's like what you said this earlier about... I think you said it with Ann Patchett, like the greatest fear kind of thing, element. And I think that happened a little bit with Laura Laura van den Berg's book.
ANNE: Yeah. And I thought it was so interesting what she said in interviews, how she felt like what she experienced was so surreal, and so emotionally head-spinning, and so disorienting, that she felt like she couldn't tell it straight, because you would get the facts, but you would not understand the emotional experience she was trying to convey.
HUNTER: Yeah.
[00:56:45] ANNE: Like, the limits of the autofiction were the truth. She couldn't tell you what it felt like and stick to the facts. There's a point in the book where the narrator says, I've told many versions of this story, just searching for the one that felt like what it was like to actually live it. And I thought it was so interesting that she felt like she needed to include elements of the impossible in order to get it emotionally right.
HUNTER: I mean, I think it goes back to that thing that Mary Karr, when she wrote her third memoir Lit, she threw out 2,000 finished pages, because she realized that even though all of it was actually what happened in her life at the times that she was writing about, none of it actually captured the emotional, mental interiority that she was experiencing at the time. So it's constantly seeking what's going to best represent that.
ANNE: My home bookshelves are a mess. I was reorganizing this weekend, put my hands on that Mary Karr book, and thought, "Wow, I haven't thought about Lit in a long time." That makes me want to reread it immediately.
[00:57:51] HUNTER: You should. It's really good on audio, too. I recently decided to...
ANNE: Oh, I've never listened to her.
HUNTER: Oh, listen, listening to her is even better, honestly, than reading it, because her Texas accent is just such joy.
ANNE: And that's exactly the kind of thing where if she wasn't the one who'd read it, I'd go, I know what Mary Karr sounds like, and this isn't it.
HUNTER: Yeah.
ANNE: Yeah. Okay. Well, I love that. Thank you for talking about State of Paradise with me. I felt like it belonged in this conversation about autofiction.
HUNTER: It did.
ANNE: Yeah. Okay, what you should read next, perhaps. Perhaps. I am wondering about Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson. And I have to tell you, if I really wanted to sell this to you, I would lean into the fact that Lauren Groff says everyone should read this book. And I think she means especially you, Hunter.
HUNTER: Okay. Do you know, I literally bought... I haven't read it, but I bought it from The Lynx, Lauren Groff's bookstore in Gainesville, because I knew that she'd said you should read... So yes. Actually, this is like double confirmation now. This is so funny.
[00:58:55] ANNE: Well, I love that it's an older work. It's 1998. I didn't want to only talk about new books, because I know that you're looking for those. But gosh, I wish I knew how to describe this book to you. Lauren Groff could probably do a better job and probably already has. But it's deadly serious and also super funny.
The conceit itself is really interesting. So she is retelling, in a sense, the story of a figure from Greek mythology, and that is Geryon. He's a monster slain by Herakles as part of one of his labors that he's famous for doing, and they made a Disney movie about.
So this is a novel in verse. It's about abuse in his childhood. It's about the making of art. It's about desire. Anne Carson takes this character from history, and she invents this tragic backstory that sounds very modern.
[00:59:57] He's an abused child who grows up and becomes an artist and also a lover who has been done wrong by the one he loved. I don't know what to say except that it is weird and funny and moving. On a sentence level, I think it has moments where you go, "Whoa." I'm just gonna stop and get a [read here?]."
HUNTER: I knew so little about this book until just now, and now I'm like, "Oh my gosh, this sounds so good." Also, I just have to say, as an aside, listening to you talk about books is just very moving in itself, because you speak with such passion. And I think you speak so beautifully about every book. Just hearing you talk about it alone has sold me.
ANNE: That is very kind. Listeners, you should probably know that I probably started trying to describe it three different times, and we cut that out. So thank you, Hunter. I'm glad you liked the finished version.
[01:00:58] Okay, I want to close with something weird. And I'm hoping that you haven't read one of these novels in translation. Well, they don't have to be weird, exactly. Now, I know it's been a long time since your friend told you you've got an American lens, like, let's branch out a little bit. And you wanted to do that. You have. And also, have you read Pink Slime by Fernanda Trias?
HUNTER: No.
ANNE: Okay. This rec came to me via my friend Michelle Wilson, who I believe is the one that you got to go to Annie's Reader Retreat at The Bookshelf with. She's the one who apparently sold everyone there on Open Throat by Henry Hoke. Okay, so Michelle's got cred. Hi, Michelle.
So I read this because of her. It was either going to be this or another novel in translation that brings her French character to the United States. She has a French lens on America. Maybe we'll talk about that later.
But you have no idea where this story's going to go. I think it's a good kind of unsettling that feels true to the story.
[01:02:01] So this is kind of wild because this novel describes a pandemic. And it just came out not that long ago in the United States. It might actually have been this year. But based on when it was published in Spain, this was written pre-pandemic. And thinking about that is just wild.
There's a great review, and I think the Scotsman, where the reviewer says, "Look, to call this a dystopian novel is selling it short. This is a full-on technicolor apocalypse."
Our unnamed female narrator lives in this coastal city where the waters are always red and swirling from toxic algae and it creates this red wind that's constantly blowing into the coast. Sometimes it gets very foggy, but mostly there's this red wind that is dangerous. People are getting sick.
I listened to the audio of this, and I hit fast-forward a couple times because of the descriptions of how they were getting sick. I didn't need those 15 seconds of description in my ears. And they are living there on the coast because they can't afford to leave.
[01:02:59] All the wealthy have fled inland to their cities where they are feeling relatively safe, but they really don't want the poor masses to leave and come invade them with their disturbing illnesses. Have you read C. Pam Song's The Land and Milk and Honey?
HUNTER: Yes.
ANNE: There were many elements here that felt very similar. Very different stories in how it's enacted. But the unsettling landscape and the environmental and ecological situation felt similar. Similar to Laura van den Berg and a lot of books that I feel like I've been reading lately.
The narrator is a copywriter and she has mostly given up her job, but she has accumulated this to the reader, it feels like a treasure trove of just really weird factoids that she drops into the text occasionally. But we are watching her navigate the impending doom perhaps of all humanity.
[01:03:55] But I have to tell you, the pink slime doesn't have to do with the red and toxic algae. It's not a natural disaster. It is this ultra-processed substance called meat traits that people are eating because that is how they are going to survive. They don't have the mung bean flour that they had in The Land and Milk and Honey. They have meat traits, and that is what they're eating.
So this is a different kind of story for an American reader. It's weird and interesting and unpredictable, but not in a way that feels forced or canned. Also, she has these moments where she steps back and kind of muses. And those sentences are so smart and sometimes so provocative and so thoughtful. I think it's really going to stand out to you for that. Towards the end, she says, "Writing is useless. I should dream it, smash the pieces of the broken urn so that no one, not even me, can put it back together."
[01:04:52] Or she talks about how a story needs to start at the beginning, or at least a story needs a starting point. But she was never any good with the beginning because the beginning is never the beginning. We mistake things for beginning. It's just the moment we realize that something has changed. But that's us. That's not the story.
I think those kind of meta flourishes that are written so well will have a lot of appeal to you. How does that sound?
HUNTER: Honestly, that sounds so good. You have no idea how obsessed I am over this already. I hadn't heard of this book. I am very, very excited. I'm probably going to order it as soon as we're done because this sounds very much like what I want right now.
ANNE: Amazing. I'm not sad about that. Okay, I'm going to ask you to pick. Of the books we talked about, Small Rain by Garth Greenwell, State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg, Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson, and Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías. What do you think you'll read next?
HUNTER: I'm pretty sure it's going to be Pink Slime.
[01:05:52] ANNE: I'm excited to hear it. And I will report back on my theoretical rereads, TBD.
HUNTER: Perfect.
ANNE: Hunter, this has been a delight. Thank you so much for coming on the show and talking books with me today.
HUNTER: Yes, thank you so much for having me.
ANNE: Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Hunter, and I'd love to hear what you think he should read next. Find Hunter on Instagram @ShelfbyShelf, and you can check out his Substack newsletter of the same name, Shelf by Shelf, on that platform.
We've linked both of those in the show notes and included, as we always do, the full list of titles we talked about today. Check that out at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Connect with us on Instagram. We're there @WhatShouldIReadNext? I'm on Instagram @AnnBogel.
Be sure to sign up for our email updates so your What Should I Read Next? news is not algorithm dependent. Do that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
[01:06:54] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Middlemarch by George Eliot
• To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• The Nix by Nathan Hill
• White Oleander by Janet Fitch
• Marlena by Julie Buntin
• History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
• Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Waters of Kronos by Conrad Richter
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles
• The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor
• Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
• Flights by Olga Tokarczuk
• The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
• The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Edinburgh by Alexander Chee
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
▵ Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• Emma Straub (try The Vacationers)
• Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez
• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
• Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson
• The Future was Color by Patrick Nathan
• Colored Television by Danzy Senna
• How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee
• Florida by Lauren Groff
• The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
• Zadie Smith (try The Fraud)
• The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
• Alice Munro (try Dear Life)
• Junot Díaz (try The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao)
• Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz
• The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
• Small Rain by Garth Greenwell
• State of Paradise by Laura Van Den Berg
• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
• Jeff VanderMeer (try Annihilation)
• Lit by Mary Karr (Audio edition)
• Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson
• Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías
• Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang
Also mentioned:• What Should I Read Next Episode 432: Live from Word of South: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida!
• National Book Award
• Booker Prize
• What Should I Read Next Episode 423: Quiet, compelling, and wildly popular novels
• The Lynx Books
The post Startlingly beautiful sentences and perfect last lines appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are your long weekend plans? First off, I’m looking forward to a break in this heat wave. (102 yesterday, no thank you!) We’re looking forward to welcoming college kids home from school and going to our first cross country meet of the season, and enjoying what I hope will be a mix of running around town and lazing around the house. (I am hoping to finish my current print book and audiobook this weekend!)
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
A summer saleBecause summer’s not over—and neither is summer reading! For this weekend only, get your a la carte 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide for just $10 instead of the usual $15.
My team and I take great pride in what we do: we pour a lot of love, knowledge, and expertise into every year’s SRG, but dare I say this year’s book camp-themed edition is particularly fun?
We’ve never discounted our Summer Reading Guide before. Your purchase includes the full SRG experience: our digital 46-page digital PDF Guide and our 90-minute Unboxing video where I walk you through every title, why I chose it, and why I think it might (or might not!) be right for your reading life.
Our guide is brimming with books I’ve read and loved, plus fun and helpful features like our ever-popular Awesome on Audio selections, New in Paperback releases, piles of readalikes, and standout summer selections from our team members.
Click here to get your 2024 Summer Reading Guide now. Our sale is good now through Monday September 2 at midnight EDT. No code or coupon needed—the sale price is already live on our shop site.
GET YOUR GUIDE!
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
The 100 bestselling books of the past 50 years. (The Times) This list is based in the U.K. but there’s overlap with the bestselling titles in the U.S.
The Dynamism of Growth: William Kent Krueger on Milestones and Making the Familiar Fresh Again. (CrimeReads) “Always the challenge with a long-running series is how to keep it fresh. To my mind, the best way to do this is to offer, book by book, a look at the dynamic process of growth for the characters as they age, as events shape and reshape how they view the world, themselves, and their relationship with one another.”
Can This $13 Walmart T-Shirt Save the American Garment Industry? (GQ) “A T-shirt is one of the simplest and most ubiquitous pieces of clothing in the world, but like many apparently simple things, it turns out to be incredibly complicated, especially if you’re set on making it entirely in the United States.”
How Iowa libraries serve communities in the digital age. (Iowa Public Radio) “‘You may be able to get that copy on Amazon or Apple Books for $12, $20. We’re paying $65, we’re paying $85, for audiobooks that can be $125 per copy.'” If you want to understand more about how library finances work, this piece is for you.
After professing my summer love for “food in bowls” in this post, a friend texted me Pinch of Yum’s Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles recipe. I knew I would love it but to my surprise (because not everyone loves rice noodles as much as I do) it was a huge hit with the whole family.
14 recommended reads for those traveling to Japan. (MMD) Holly put together a great list for armchair travel.
Haters came for this ‘disappointing’ national park. It’s fighting back. (Washington Post gift link) This made me laugh so hard!
11 Ways I’m Channeling Back-to-School Vibes as an Adult. (The Everygirl) Love this. “As I transitioned from student to employed adult, however, I started to miss my back-to-school rituals and decided to recreate them for myself. Now, I like to treat the last few weeks of summer like I’m heading back to school and reset everything in my life.”
One of my it’s-hot-as-blazes coping strategies is to get my wardrobe ready for fall. I just ordered Quince’s 100% Organic Cotton Fisherman Crew Sweater in two new colors. Between this cotton sweater and their cashmere version I now own this Quince style in five colors. (I need a small for Quince blouses but prefer a medium for their sweaters.)
10 Garden Reading Nook Ideas for a Backyard Getaway. (Martha Stewart) I’m feeling inspired.
Pumpkin spice lattes — and the backlash, and the backlash to the backlash — explained. (Vox) “When a food trend is as in-your-face as pumpkin spice is — ever been to a Trader Joe’s in October? — it forces us to think about how the free market is essentially designed to create this kind of phenomenon.”
Craftsy just launched their end Of summer deal: use this link to get your Craftsy Premium Membership for only $0.99 for your first full year (normally $123).
The Best US Cities For Book Lovers In 2024. (Explore) Are you as surprised by these results as I was?
Trekking 85 Miles With Grandpa, Scuba Diving With Grandma. (New York Times gift link) “It’s clear that many older adults are enjoying longer “healthspans” — the time they are active, fit and healthy. This shift is adding a new dimension to traditional grandparent-grandchild vacations: adventure.”
I Am Probably Snooping on Your Books (Wallflower Chats) “There’s something about spying a familiar book cover in the wild, in the hands of a stranger, that opens a new door for conversation.”
Don’t miss these posts:20 wonderful books in translation. Expand your literary horizons with these books in translation!
10 campus novels that will take you back to your school days.
30 Jane Austen-inspired books for Janeites of all ages. These titles celebrate the vibrant wit and dependable comfort of Jane Austen.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love (and a weekend sale) appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Japan is a dream destination for so many travelers, due to its incredible food, fascinating history, and unique culture. I was fortunate enough to spend two months traveling in Japan in 2023, and since then I’ve frequently returned to the country via the pages of a book. Today I’m excited to share a selection of my favorite books set in Japan with you!
Japan has a flourishing domestic publishing industry and a growing list of globally recognized authors like Yu Miri (Tokyo Ueno Station), Banana Yoshimoto (Kitchen), and Haruki Murakami (1Q84). If you do find yourself journeying to Japan soon, you’ll want to make sure that Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Book Town is on your itinerary. With everything from rare book collections to a bookshop devoted to cats, it’s a reader’s dream destination. In the meantime, keep an eye out for your closest branch of the global Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya, which has locations across the U.S. and around the world.
Yet despite their love of books, Japan’s literary scene remains less accessible to western readers than that of many other countries, in part due to the challenges of translation. Only a small number of titles are translated from Japanese to English each year: the Publisher’s Weekly Translation Database listed 14 titles from Japan in 2023, although this notably did not include manga (Japanese comics or graphic novels.) Many of the books I discovered while scouring the library and bookstores for Japanese reads that fit my tastes were simply unavailable or much more expensive than I was willing to pay. For example, I hope to read Kayano Shigeru’s Our Land Was A Forest: An Ainu Memoirsomeday but it sells on Bookshop for $207 and is $36 to rent on Kindle!
However, with the growing success of Japanese authors and interest in English translations of their books, I’m excited to see more and more Japanese titles in translation on American bookshelves. This 2022 interview with a publisher in Japan helped me understand some of the more recent trends in publishing and translation.
If your travels don’t take you to Japan anytime soon, you can still immerse yourself in the Japanese experience through the words on the page. Today, I’m sharing two non-fiction picks that are on my all time favorites shelf, along with an assortment of fiction titles from Middle Grade to philosophical thriller and everything in between. I’d love to know your favorite books that are set in Japan or by Japanese authors. Please leave a comment and share your suggestions with me and the rest of your fellow armchair travelers!
Literary Tourism: JapanSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Eiko Kadono
Thirteen-year-old Kiki must follow the tradition of her witch heritage and spend a year on her own in a new city, proving she can support herself and be of service to her community. In this award–winning, sweet middle grade fantasy story, Kiki and her loyal cat Jiji experience a range of misadventures during their trial year. The book was released in Japan in 1985 and translated into English by Emily Balistrieri in 2003. You may also recognize this title from the 1989 Studio Ghibli animated film. More info →Author: Durian Sukegawa
Ex-con Sentaro is trying for a fresh start, but isn’t sure his dead-end job at a tiny confectionery shop will do the trick. After he reluctantly hires an elderly, disfigured woman named Tokue for her culinary skill, things start to change. Sentaro feels hopeful for the first time in ages, until Tokue’s mysterious past comes to light and Sentaro has to grapple with prejudice, regret, and societal expectations. Starting off as a charming story of sweets and redemption, this novel grows into something even more satisfying, balancing a beautiful story of friendship with an honest look at a darker chapter of Japanese history. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Nick Bradley
This story-within-a-story follows two plotlines over the course of a year. Flo is an American translator living in Japan. When she decides not to follow her girlfriend abroad, she’s left feeling adrift, until she discovers a mysterious memoir, and decides it's the perfect choice for her next translation project. Meanwhile, after failing his university exams, nineteen-year-old Kyo is sent from the city to a small village to live with his grandmother Ayako. Kyo is a talented artist who struggles to communicate with his grandmother, a formidable woman who shares a secret grief with Kyo. Much more character-driven than plotty, this story gently paints a picture of modern Japan; I found it a quick read and enjoyed the different layers of culture and society on display. Readers will want to note that this story deals with difficult themes including family trauma, depression, and suicide. More info →Author: Hisashi Kashiwai
So many urban stories in Japan are set in Tokyo, so this delightful cozy set in Kyoto was a nice departure. Reader, beware: reading this book will make you hungry (and likely to start googling all sorts of ingredients and recipes). Unlike cozy detective stories that feature a crime or murder, this collection of mysteries centers on food. When customers come to the Detective Agency in search of long-lost or nearly forgotten meals or recipes, retired police detective Nagare and his daughter Koshi hunt down the missing pieces and present their clients with the meal they’d been searching for. I devoured this sentimental read that speaks to the power of food and drink to evoke memory, and can’t wait to read more books in the series. More info →Author: Shion Miura
Apparently sending young men to the village is a theme in Japanese stories: the start to this delightful coming of age novel felt somewhat similar to Four Seasons in Japan, but with a very different voice. Yuki Hirano has just graduated high school with no real prospects, so his parents send him to the small mountain town of Kamusari and forcibly enroll him in a forestry training program. Yuki doesn’t want to be here and is plotting his escape from the moment he arrives. But with no choice but to stay and make the best of it, Yuki begins to learn the traditional skills of forestry. While he learns how to trim and fell trees, he also develops an appreciation for the rural lifestyle he originally disdained and forms relationships that will leave a lasting mark on his life. I can’t wait to read the sequel, Kamusari Tales Told at Night. Translated from the Japanese by Juliet Winters Carpenter. More info →Author: Riku Onda
This premise is WILD: a prominent family hosts a party where 17 people die from cyanide in their drinks. The only clues to what happened are a mysterious scrap of verse and one survivor: Hisako, the blind daughter of the hosts. This intricate puzzle mystery and psychological thriller jumps around in time, place, and perspective, leaving the reader not entirely certain of what, exactly, happened. I found it fascinating, although ultimately, the resolution was not as satisfying as I prefer in my mysteries. However, the telling of the story is a work of art, giving the reader insight into Japanese culture and an atmospheric setting. Translated from the Japanese by Alison Watts. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Emiko Jean
This young adult contemporary romance follows Izumi “Izzy” Tanaka, a Japanese American girl growing up in a northern California town with her single mother. She’s always felt different in her small community—and then she discovers that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan. Billed as The Princess Diaries meets Crazy Rich Asians, the story really starts when Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she’s never known. But showing up in Japan as a princess isn’t that simple, and Izzy finds herself caught between her American and Japanese identities, all while trying to figure out what to do about her handsome, gruff bodyguard. This was a fun look at one girl’s cross-cultural experience. If you love it as much as I did, you’ll be happy to hear there’s a sequel, Tokyo Dreaming. More info →Author: Lian Hearn
First published in 2002, this series might be considered a young adult romantic fantasy on today’s bookshelves. When sixteen-year-old Takeo’s family is killed, he is rescued and adopted by a warring clan leader and raised as a warrior. Along the way, he is trained in magical skills, falls in love, and seeks to avenge those he’s lost. Set in a fictional world but based on Japan in the Sengoku period, this trilogy expanded to a total of five books as well as a spinoff series in 2020. More info →Author: Emily Itami
In this springtime tale that immerses the reader in Tokyo, affluent Japanese singer-turned-housewife Mizuki struggles with boredom and feels overlooked by her workaholic husband. When she catches the interest of a handsome restaurateur, she is unable to resist his advances. I discovered this book thanks to MMD Book Club, and while it’s not my typical genre, I loved reading it while riding the bullet train in Japan and thinking of all of the places in Tokyo it so vividly calls to mind. More info →Author: James Clavell
This 1975 classic, which became an award-winning streaming series on FX in 2024, follows English sailor John Blackthorne after he is marooned in Japan in 1600. From his original arrival and imprisonment to his eventual alliance with daimyo Toranaga and elevation to the samurai ranks, the story also follows Blackthorne’s love affair with a Japanese woman and his adoption of Japanese culture. Set against the backdrop of the Catholic and Protestant schism and the era of colonial exploration, Clavell’s novel is based on the journals of the first Englishman to reach Japan. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Hannah Kirshner
This nonfiction book by journalist Kirshner, a part-time resident of Japan, is my all-time top recommendation for those interested in the country’s rural culture and traditional handicrafts. Each chapter explores a unique art form, from woodturning to sake brewing, foraging to hunting, and more. Kirshner’s writing is immersive and richly detailed: reading this book inspired several of our off-the-beaten-track detours during our time in Japan last year. It would make a beautiful armchair travel choice for anyone with a curiosity about or passion for this country. More info →Author: Beth Kempton
Readers may know Japanologist Kempton from her previous book, WABI SABI: Japanese wisdom for a perfectly imperfect life. When I heard about her forthcoming book (already released in the UK and out October 1 in the US), the description caught my imagination and I immediately added this title to my preorder list. I’m excited to read about Kempton’s travels in rural Japan and how her observations and experiences supported her during a time of grief. More info →Author: Azby Brown
Brown, an American who has lived in Japan since 1985, compiled this unique and fascinating book that reflects on the lifestyle and traditions of the Edo period of Japanese history and what these traditions teach us about sustainable living. Broken into three sections that consider rural lifestyles, urban design, and societal constructs, this is best read in print due to Azby’s hand-drawn sketches and notes in the margins. This would be a dream gift for anyone broadly interested in the subtitle topics or specifically curious about Japanese history. More info →Author: Annette Marie
Drawn from Japanese mythology, this YA trilogy follows Emi, a young shrine maiden destined to become a living host for a goddess. Emi’s spent her life hiding from the earth spirits who are locked in eternal combat with the gods. But when Emi stumbles upon a life-changing secret, she flees to the woods, where she has an encounter with an earth spirit and ultimately saves his life. Shiro, the spirit Emi rescues, doesn’t realize who Emi is and has baggage of his own. The two begin to develop a relationship that will call everything into question in this slow-burn romantic fantasy. More info → Do you have any favorite books set in or about Japan? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 14 recommended reads for those traveling to South Korea, 11 recommended reads for those traveling to Spain, and more literary tourism.
About the authorHolly Wielkoszewski is our What Should I Read Next Media Production Specialist. Her go-to genres are Fantasy and Sci-Fi. You can find Holly on Instagram @hollyfromthebigsky.
The post 14 recommended reads for those traveling to Japan appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re back with the 2024 installment of our popular summer reading roundup.
Members of our team have paired up to talk about our favorite summer reads, what our summer reading experiences have been like, and the titles we can’t stop talking about. Around here we talk books all year round, but episodes like these always help me add a title or three to my own to-be-read list.
As you’ll hear, we read widely around here, so no matter what you love to read, I imagine you’ll hear a title that catches your attention today. We’d love to hear which of today’s titles are on your TBR, or the titles you can’t stop recommending this summer. Leave a comment below to let us know.
Fall merch is here!A new season is coming up soon, and we’ve just released a fresh and fun collection of merch that’s perfect for fall. We have fun new buttons, new sticker designs, and favorites like our To Be Read tote and our Book Camp sweatshirts, restocked in lots of sizes for fall. See all our merch at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What Should I Read Next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading.
This week we're talking about our summer literary superlatives, and I can't wait for you to listen in. First, we're talking summer books, but today we have fall merch to announce. A new season is coming up soon, and we have been busy here at What Should I Read Next? HQ, cooking up good stuff for your reading life.
[00:00:57] We decided to go with a small collection that is super fun and also not terribly expensive. We have fun new buttons, new sticker designs, plus favorites like our To Be Read tote, which is perfect for adding a button to, and our Book Camp sweatshirts, which were so popular this spring, and we are restocked in lots of sizes for fall.
See all our merch at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. Check it out. Place your orders. We can't wait to put good stuff for the reading life in your hands.
Readers, today's episode has become a summer tradition around here, and I'm so glad to bring back our 2024 installment.
Today I'm joined by many members of our What Should I Read Next? team to talk about our favorite summer reads, also, what our summer reading experiences have been like, and the titles we can't stop talking about.
Our team, as you can imagine, talks books and reading all year round, but I enjoy tuning into episodes like this to hear more about what each team member is enjoying. I usually end up adding a title or three or twelve to my own to-be-read list as a result.
[00:02:00] As you will hear, we read widely around here, so no matter what you love to read, I imagine you'll hear a title that catches your attention today.
We share a lot of titles in today's conversation, but you don't need to take notes. As always, we have the full list over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. Let's get to it.
Donna, you and I have talked a little bit about how your summer reading has been going, and I am so eager for the details. But tell me, tell us all, how is your summer reading going?
DONNA HETCHLER: You know, it's been going really well, but it is definitely different than prior years. This summer, I have really started to get into audiobooks. Usually, I read, I don't know, maybe two or three a year, and I read five in July.
Now, part of that is, it is very hot here, and I'm walking around the house a lot, and I need something to do while I'm walking in circles, and I'm listening to audiobooks. And it's been delightful.
[00:03:01] ANNE: Oh, I gotta tell you, I just passed my 14-year-old in the hallway who was walking in circles with his headphones. Our dew point is 76 degrees right now, and it is so hot. And I gave him kind of a quizzical look, and he said, "Summer reading." He's listening to the Lord of the Flies on audio.
DONNA: That's me.
ANNE: Okay, but where you are in the world, it's hot a lot, and it hasn't tipped you into “five audiobooks a month” territory before. What else is going on?
DONNA: Well, that's a very good question. That is exactly what I have been asking myself, and I realized I found certain categories of audiobooks that are really working for me, and so I'm going to be sharing more about that when I tell you my best books of the summer.
ANNE: I am so intrigued. I can't wait to hear more.
DONNA: And how's your summer reading going?
ANNE: Oh, I mean, it's great. Although, you know what I think about all the time is this documentary about making magazines that I watched when I was a teenager that said, It's so weird. We're always wearing spring clothes in October.
[00:04:04] I kind of feel like that with my reading because it is summer, and I'm doing summer reading. But my summer reading is all fall reading. So it's great. Also, I don't want to tell you all about some of the best books I've read yet.
DONNA: Right?
ANNE: Right, right, right, right, right. But it's been really good. And you know what was so interesting that I didn't even realize is when I just off the top of my head first to see what rose to the top, and then went back through my reading journal to see what books I really read, like what really stood out, I noticed that late June, early July was a particularly good run of books. And I thought, well, isn't that interesting?
That's when we went to the beach where I got to read whatever I want and really get immersed in the story. And that's where I give myself permission to not read with a purpose necessarily, but just read whatever I want to without really evaluating, Does this make sense pragmatically in my reading life right now?
[00:05:06] I caught up on some books that I had been really excited about in the spring, or even from several years before that I hadn't had a reason to read right then when we were in heavy Summer Reading Guide prep. I'm just going to sit with that a little bit.
DONNA: Yeah, I like that. You're kind of giving yourself the freedom to read what you want to alongside all of the fall reading that you're doing.
ANNE: Yeah.
DONNA: Interesting.
ANNE: It was hard to choose what to pick though, because I've read a lot of really good books.
DONNA: Oh, okay. I can't wait to hear.
ANNE: You know, Donna, I'm just realizing that my audiobook listening is way up. Like objectively, I knew that. I think it might be for similar weather-related reasons. And because it's been so hot during the day, I've really made it a point to get out right when or before the sun comes up, and then late in the day. Sometimes I'm going with Will or meeting friends, but sometimes it's just me and my earbuds for 45 minutes.
[00:06:05] You can listen to a lot of audiobooks if you're doing a significant portion of that walking time every single day on audio. I hadn't really put together that was a weather thing though until you were talking about your audiobooks. I don't want to wait any longer.
What are you listening to? What have you loved this summer?
DONNA: Well, my first category of audiobooks that is really working for me is a memoir that's read by the author. Now, usually when I think of that, I think of a celebrity memoir, which I do love. But in this case, I'm going to recommend Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey.
This came out a few years ago. It was on many best-of-the-year lists. I just finally got around to it. And I'm so happy that I did it on audio.
She is a Pulitzer Prize winning poet. So obviously this is very beautifully written. It is a devastating listen, I will say, because it is about her mother's murder at the hands of Natasha's stepfather.
[00:07:10] But what she does is she gives a voice to her mother's words. There are parts where she is basically reading into evidence, the words of her own mother when she was having conversations with the stepfather, and evidence that had been in the police files. And she reads these into the book.
I was just blown away. It's incredibly powerful and moving. I don't think that I would have gotten the full weight of it unless I heard her voice actually speaking it. So that's my first recommendation. Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey. Have you read that one, Anne?
ANNE: I've only read part of it and in print. But I've been thinking a lot because of a blog post we just did about memoirs read, non-celebrity memoirs read by the author. I also really love that specific kind of book.
I've heard you speak about this before when we were talking books together and I'm thinking that I may need to go back and get the full experience in that format.
[00:08:15] DONNA: I think that would be great.
ANNE: And I hear you on prose by poets.
DONNA: Yes, incredible. Well, what's your first pick, Anne?
ANNE: I've read so much good stuff. I want to use my voice to add to something I shared in Quicklit back in July. It's Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad. There's a What Should I Read Next? connection here.
When I was in Grand Rapids for the Festival of Faith & Writing back in April, I met in person with our What Should I Read Next? alum, Allison Matz. And that's something I get to do sometimes is meet these readers that I didn't know until the podcast brought us together and probably hadn't met in person before we talked for the show. But then sometimes I'll be in their town or they'll be in mine and we get to meet up and see each other in person, which was so fun.
But Allison took me to the well-known indie bookstore there, Books & Mortar. And we were just strolling through the store and she saw this book on a display and said, like, "Oh, that was the best book I read last year." Something similar to that. Something like this was a standout read.
[00:09:18] When you're traveling, it can be hard to buy books because you then have to bring them home. But I always like to buy a book or two from the indies I'm visiting. So I just snatched up a copy and took it home with me and decided, you know, I don't think I have time to read this right now because I do need to be diligent in finishing my Summer Reading Guide reading, but I'm going to save it for the beach.
That turned out to be such a good choice because it was beautifully written. And I feel like some readers think that's code for boring. What I mean is all the words fell in exactly the right order. It was smart and reflective. The level of craft just felt so high. Which is no surprise because it won... I first heard about it when it won the Aspen Words Literary Prize, I think. And I have had good luck with books that have ended up on that particular prizes shortlist.
[00:10:15] But there are so many elements that I've long loved or have especially been loving lately in this book. Plus it felt like an interesting moment to be reading this book because it's set in modern-day Palestine.
So this is a story about very complex, naughty family relationships because it begins when a Palestinian actress who's been living in London for almost all her adult life for reasons, she returns home to visit her Palestinian family where her sister has made a different choice. She has stayed there and she has been teaching in a university in Tel Aviv for many years at this point.
And the family splintered in the past, but you don't exactly know why. You're gonna find out why. I love finding out why those kinds of conflicts.
And while she is there, she is persuaded to join an Arabic production of Hamlet because a director with big aspirations has decided, again for reasons, that this is what is needed right now.
This was the kind of book that was satisfying on so many levels because it was a great story with the family dynamics.
[00:11:20] The setting was so interesting and there was so much I didn't even know I didn't know. I was pausing to Google names and places and the region's history because I wanted to make sure I understood all the plot.
But also the story raised these questions or these points of history that I didn't know hardly anything about and I wanted to know. So I was Googling to satisfy my own curiosity. It had so many elements I love.
I love also that I read it in a setting where I could just fully sink into the story and read like a hundred pages at a time, several times a day until I finished it in two days. It was a great reading experience.
DONNA: That sounds amazing. I always feel like when a book makes you Google, that's a good sign.
ANNE: Yes. We've talked about doing a book list like that from Modern Mrs. Darcy because that's exactly one of those things that an algorithm can't turn that up for you.
DONNA: That's right. Oh, I love that. Yes, please do. Please do.
[00:12:20] ANNE: But you gotta take good notes to be able to put together a list like that. Okay, Donna, tell me about another audiobook that you loved.
DONNA: All right. So this category of audiobooks is gonna be a little bit different. Very lovingly, I'm calling it Network TV. Here's what I mean by that. So it's a book that is frankly easy to follow, doesn't have too many characters. There's not a lot of world-building.
ANNE: Network TV. I love it.
DONNA: Like network TV. But it's also very compelling. So it keeps me wanting to read and virtually turning the pages, but it's something that I can easily follow, which as an audiobook, newer person to that type of reading is very helpful.
Anyways, my pick is Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer.
ANNE: I don't know this at all.
DONNA: Oh, wow. I stumped Ann. I can't even remember where I came across it, but it's first in a series of... I think the seventh one comes out this year.
[00:13:30] Basically it is a British law and order. So if this does not fit Network TV category, I don't know what does. So the main character, William Warwick, he is a British police detective, but then his sister and his father are lawyers. So the book kind of has these different pieces. It has the police investigation and then it has the courtroom drama.
I just had so much fun reading this book. I immediately went into the second one, listened to that and I'm about to start the third. So I think it's, again, an easy entry point into audiobooks and I'm just having a lot of fun with it.
ANNE: Wait a second. Okay. Apologies to Jamie Freeman because I'm realizing I have this in my house. She was kind enough to send me a sample of this literary advent calendar thing they've done for the Ink Drinkers podcast for a few years that she does with her friend and sent me this series opener.
[00:14:28] Okay, it's on my "maybe I'll read this when the time is right" shelf. So your description is really enticing, Donna. The blessing and the curse of this episode is my TBR is so long and I'm gonna add 20 books to it listening to our team members share their recommendations.
DONNA: I believe the listeners are in the same boat with you, Ann. Well, what is your second pick then?
ANNE: Ooh, okay. I was really torn, but I'm gonna share another book from that period, Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel. I'm choosing this book for two reasons. One, it was so interesting. This is definitely one of those books that has a thimble full of weird, like Elizabeth Weed said when she came on the podcast to talk about trends and predictions.
The story takes place at... it's something like Bob's Boxing Warehouse. That's not what it's actually called. But it's like that in Reno. Elite junior female boxers from all over the country have come in for this weekend boxing tournament.
[00:15:34] And when you open page one, you see a bracket and then each subsequent chapter is a very close third-person narrative in the head of the two women boxers. Like what they're thinking and what is happening, literal blow-by-blow in the match. And I've never read a book like that.
I love that close internal narrative, what is happening, the way their backstories are woven into the play-by-play of the match. Plus what is happening then, what makes someone a good boxer, what makes them bad, their strategy, how they ended up there, what they're gonna do next, how much this particular match matters to them and why.
There's a little bit of family dynamics because there's a pair of cousins who are boxing in this thing and then everybody has family issues back at home that you hear about to some degree. And it was so delightfully different.
I know lots of readers are finding their way to this book because it was long-listed for The Booker, which... I don't know. I'm just gonna say that as fact because I don't know how I feel about that.
[00:16:37] But it was short. It was interesting. I downloaded the audiobook from my library thinking that I would try it in that format, but I didn't want to put it down. So I got through the print before I even got a chance to sample the audiobook.
DONNA: Wow.
ANNE: But one of the reasons that... It's short. I mean, the audio was less than six hours and I just loved it. But also I chose it because it illuminates one of those strange trends that you don't seek out but sometimes notice in your reading life and that is books about boxing.
Donna, this is the third book with strong boxing connections I have read this summer. Like what in the world? One of them is a complicated family story that I'm gonna talk about in the Fall Book Preview. Not today, but I loved it so much, it would definitely be a contender for my best books this summer that I'm not ready to talk about yet.
Another is State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg that I'm talking about in Patreon in another bonus episode this month where she doesn't talk about boxing except for like a moment in the text. But she's written extensively about her interest and participation in the sport and what it has meant to her. And I just thought, "Boxing? I did not see that coming. But I'm really enjoying it.
[00:17:54] DONNA: I mean, that's the beauty. That's what's so great. One of the many great things about reading is when something comes completely out of left field like that. I mean, even for me, I did not anticipate that I was gonna spend my summer listening to audiobooks. I love when things surprise you in your reading.
ANNE: Yes. I also love, and many of our podcast guests and listeners have said that they love when an author, often they're talking about nonfiction, but when any author can take this topic that they know nothing about and really didn't think they were interested in at all and say, Hey, let me show you how fascinating this can be in a good writer's hands.
DONNA: Right.
ANNE: Yeah, and I'm loving it. Donna, thanks for sharing your favorites.
DONNA: Well, thank you, Anne. I know I added yours to my list. I hope you got some ideas from mine.
ANNE: Oh, I sure did. Thank you.
LEIGH KRAMER: Hi, Holly.
HOLLY WIELKOSZEWSKI: Hey, Leigh. How are you today?
[00:18:53] LEIGH: I'm doing okay. I feel like this is going to be an interesting discussion of summer books with you.
HOLLY: I agree. I'm glad we had the chance to kind of chat a little bit on Slack beforehand so we know where we're coming from today.
LEIGH: Yeah. So just to clue the audience in, we both had a bit of trouble figuring out what our best book of the summer was going to be and ended up pushing the recording back a little bit so we could have some extra time to read.
HOLLY: We did. I know you were hopeful that you might have one coming in over the weekend strong. Did that hope pan out or not?
LEIGH: It actually did. So I'm very relieved. How about you?
HOLLY: You know, sort of, but not quite the way I was expecting. So that's okay. But I've got some good things to share today. It's going to be fun.
LEIGH: How do you feel like your summer of reading has been going overall?
HOLLY: I feel like this summer has been a totally anomalous summer of reading for me. But I don't know if that's actually true or not or if I just feel that way.
[00:19:57] So I feel like I have this expectation versus reality of summer reading. A lot of that's because in my childhood, I would just go to the library and check out stacks full of 30 books high and just tear through them all summer. So I feel like so many people, I think, have this summer reading memory sense.
And then I come to my actual real life where I'm working and we're working on getting our house built ready and I'm running errands all over the place. I just feel like I go to bed every night and I am wiped out. I'm just reading a lot less than I feel like I normally do.
LEIGH: That makes complete sense.
HOLLY: Yeah. But then I looked back in my story graph history and it is somewhat inconsistent. Some summers I have a big peak of reading but I tend to read more in the winter. So now I know that the expectation versus reality there is there's a little bit of a thing there. How about you?
LEIGH: It's been really up and down and I would say more average than anything else. I've read a few anticipated books that were just fine, which I feel like makes it even more disappointing when you're really looking forward to something and then it's like, Eh, that was okay.
[00:21:13] And... I don't know. I feel like I've just had a hard time figuring out what I'm in the mood for. Nothing really feels right. I feel like that's very unusual for me. So I'm not really sure what is going on except maybe it's just the string of highly anticipated books that were a little more lackluster.
But I also feel like I've just had way fewer five-star reads this year overall. That's true of the past couple of years where it's just diminishing returns. I am not a stingy five-star giver. So I don't know if it's just like, this is just a publishing issue or... I don't know.
But it's disappointing. I really want to find some books that sweeten me away and that I fully love without having any kind of nitpicky, why did they do that? I wish this hadn't happened.
[00:22:21] You know, I've read some really good four-star reads, but it's just not the same.
HOLLY: It's not the same, absolutely. No, I feel you there. Especially the sort of the nitpicky where it's almost a five-star read. That's actually one of the books I'm going to mention today is like a 4.5-star read. But that's okay. I'm still going with it.
But I think the other thing that's occurred to me about this summer is there are a few books that I have on my Kindle that I'm really excited about reading. I just feel like I don't have the attention span to... like I want to save them for when I have a little bit more ability to focus on them, if that makes sense.
LEIGH: Oh, totally.
HOLLY: For instance, Mirrored Heavens, which is the third book in Rebecca Roanhorse's trilogy, has been on my Kindle for a while, and I'm really excited about reading it. And every time I go to that page, I'm just like, I just don't think I have the focus to dive into what I know is probably going to be a really, really good read for me.
[00:23:16] LEIGH: It's going to be an intense one. I am also looking forward to that one, and I feel like I just have to kind of pace myself with that kind of book, like really intense fantasy that's grappling with big issues. It's pretty violent, at least the first two books were. And so I can't have a steady diet of that, but I do love to weave it in when I can.
HOLLY: For sure, absolutely. Well, why don't you tell us about one of the books that you do want to share today?
LEIGH: Okay, so I'm not really sure how this trilogy got on my radar, but it's called Marry Me, Juliet. It's a bachelor-inspired contemporary romance series set in Australia. It's by Jodi McAlister.
I've only read the first two books. I super enjoyed them. I feel like this is the kind of book that even though I don't really read seasonally, I'm just... you know, my life just is kind of the same from month to month. So I don't really change how I read in the summer but this does feel like a really great fit for summer.
[00:24:26] So in the first book, it's called Here for the Right Reasons. Cece agrees to be cast as a Juliet on this reality TV series. It's basically because she's in debt. COVID is going on, so I do want to be upfront that this really grapples with the pandemic in a lot of really different and interesting ways.
So she's just lost her job, and she needs a paycheck. She needs to be able to pay her rent. She doesn't want her roommates to be stuck with the difference. So she agrees to go and be a Juliet, even though she is terrified of being on camera.
So it's not a great situation for Cece, but she's like, You know, why not? Why not go on this show that she loves? She and her roommates host parties, like they're very, very into it.
Then she meets Dylan, who is an Olympic gold medalist, and he runs a nonprofit for men's mental health. He is actually the first person of color that has appeared on this reality show. So much like The Bachelor being very slow to diversify its main cohort, this is very similar with Marry Me, Juliet.
[00:25:42] He is mixed race. His mother is Sri Lankan, and his dad is White. So the first night, Cece completely freezes from the cameras and does not make a good impression, and gets eliminated. Normally that would be the end of the story. But because the pandemic is happening, stage four restrictions begin while they are filming and so no one can leave. They have to actually go to a separate house if they are eliminated from the show.
So Cece and Dylan actually get to spend some time together and get to know each other and become friends and he decides that she can film with him as his friend. But we all know they're not just gonna be just friends.
So it really looks at how does a relationship happen when he is dating these women on the show, but then actually developing a real friendship and relationship with Cece outside of all of that.
[00:26:51] There's really high stakes because there's contracts and he wants to raise awareness for his charity. He also doesn't want to let down his community as being the first person of color on the show. And so, you know, there's a lot that can go wrong.
And I just really love how it all kind of came together in the end. There's a really, really great grand gesture. This is closed door for people who are interested in that. Although I am mostly known for loving romances that make me cry, this did not make me cry. So if you're worried about that, don't need to worry about that.
Then the other interesting thing about the series is that they all happen concurrently. So the second book is called, Can I Steal You For A Second? It is about two of the contestants that fall for each other. It's so, so fun.
Then the third one, which I am about to start very shortly, and I will definitely have read by the time this episode airs, it's called Not Here To Make Friends. And it is between one of the villain, like the villain of the show, and a show producer. So I'm very, very excited to read that one and kind of figure out why Lily has behaved the way that she has.
[00:28:06] HOLLY: Nice. That sounds great. I don't read as much romance as you do, but I definitely prefer romances that don't make me cry. So I will put this on my list.
LEIGH: It's so weird, Holly.
HOLLY: I know. So strange. So strange. I read other books that tear on my heartstrings a bit. But this makes me think about a book that I saw on the shelf a lot when I was traveling in Australia. It's totally not related in many, many ways to what you just said, but it's called Life As We Knew It by Aisha Dow and Melissa Cunningham.
It's a nonfiction look at Australia's experience of the pandemic. And so I haven't read it yet. I don't think I've been quite ready to read it yet, but it's definitely one I look forward to reading at some point because I know that their experience of it was very different and unique than ours was.
LEIGH: That would be fascinating. I do really like how this kind of opened up my eyes to more in-depth about what Australia was going through and the different restrictions that they had and also how it impacts each person.
[00:29:08] Dylan, who is the Romeo of the show, he's wealthy. Also, he's getting a ton of money to film. But Cece, even though she's been eliminated, she still needs to be paid. Maybe she can't go home, but she still has rent.
Then in the second book, one of them is a nurse. And so her experience of caring for patients before she starts filming, the other one is a mechanic, and she had a lot fewer hours because people were driving less. And so it's just a really interesting look at how everything went down.
HOLLY: Totally. Well, that's a really interesting kind of transition point to talk about the book that I want to share today because traditionally I've really enjoyed reading dystopian or post-apocalyptic type books. And then I think as many people who maybe share that taste, there were a few years that I couldn't do that. It was just a little too quick.
[00:30:09] But this year, for whatever reason, I seem to be able to step back into those waters. But I've noticed that my interests of what I'm looking for and what I think to be a good story has changed and has shifted into more of this sort of utopian spin or solar punk response to a bad scenario.
LEIGH: Oh, that's fascinating.
HOLLY: Yeah. And finding books that fit into that category is a little bit tricky, but it's becoming less tricky, which I really enjoy.
So the book that I was gonna share, it was actually published in 2019 and this was shared with me by a friend, Tony, who recommended it to me. But it's called The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele. Have you heard about this one?
LEIGH: No, I don't think so.
HOLLY: Okay, I hadn't either until Tony put it on my radar. The story here is that there's a man and a woman who have sort of had this chance meeting and there's a spark, but it hasn't kind of converted over to a full-time relationship yet.
[00:31:10] Like they're seeing each other, they know they're interested, but they're not official. They're not married. They're not kind of at that point yet. But they are separated.
Beatrix, the woman, lives on the West Coast, and Carson, the guy, is on the East Coast. And then all of a sudden some event happens and the electrical grid goes down. So now there's no way for them to communicate. They're stranded on other sides of the country. They're both sort of now struggling with this idea, okay, well, what happens now? What is our life now? What do we do? How do we react to this scenario?
So the story kind of follows both of them in alternating perspectives, alternating chapters, as Carson is making his way across country on foot and what that experience is like. And what I really enjoyed about this is that a lot of people think of the road as sort of this archetypal post-apocalyptic story of this man and his son who are traveling across and there's all sorts of horrible, violent things.
[00:32:09] Carson, his scenario is different. There definitely are people who are violent and people who are trying to take advantage of the scenario, but there's also people who have banded together to travel in community, to try to emerge out of this bad scenario with something positive.
So he's making his way across country and at the same time, Beatrix has sort of faced this dilemma of does she leave or does she stay in her neighborhood? She ends up becoming linked up with some of the other members of the neighborhood.
They put together a bicycle brigade. They have this great relationship with the local dump manager in terms of being able to scavenge and mend and just basically create something positive and come together in this community cooperative association rather than devolving into just chaos and despair.
Again, there's people in both circumstances who are more in that negative space, but overwhelmingly, I just found it to be really hopeful. It was a story of community. I think first and foremost, an interesting thought experiment of how could something negative actually turn into something positive and how can we adapt in a way that feels sustainable?
[00:33:25] So I think that this would shelve really, really well next to the previous Summer Reading Guide pick, Another Life by Sarena Ulibarri, which I also read and loved. But that was a little bit earlier this year, so it's not a summer read for me.
If you haven't read that one, it's a novella, but it's also kind of talking about what are some different ways that we could react to climate change or bad events or civilization changing in ways that we might not want or expect rather than kind of going into this dystopian negative space.
I read it in May. So it's kind of early in the summer reading space, but I'm going to count it. And that's my top pick for this summer.
LEIGH: I feel like the Summer Reading Guide goes out in May, and so things that we read in May can totally count.
HOLLY: Yeah, it counts. Totally. Totally counts.
LEIGH: But I feel like the description of the first book that you were talking about, if I had just heard that in a vacuum, I would be like, "Oh, that's a Holly book. I have to tell Holly about this one."
[00:34:25] HOLLY: Yes, it's on [brand?]. Definitely. I have one more to share. It's kind of a rerun, if you will, because it was actually one of Donna's picks last summer. But I just want to give it a quick shout out because I read it this summer, and it was also on the top of my own list. It's actually one of the few books this summer that I have recommended to friends. So I figure that's enough to get it a mention here.
But that was Going Zero by Anthony McCarten. It's just a really fun thriller. It deals with identity and surveillance state. It's a really fun romp. I'm not going to spend too much time on it because I think listeners have already heard about it. Donna talked about it so beautifully in last summer's Episode 394. But I want to just give that a little bit of a boost because it's a great summer pick too.
LEIGH: And if people want more recommendations from me, I think I talked about at least a couple of books in that episode myself.
HOLLY: Yes, yes. I have noticed that I often will take a couple years to get around to some of the Summer Reading Guide or Teens Best Books recommendations, but they always come through eventually.
LEIGH: Totally.
[00:35:28] HOLLY: Well, it was fun talking books with you today, Leigh. I'm definitely going to put your pick on my TBR. And I'm excited to hear what the rest of the team is sharing today too.
LEIGH: Yeah. And then once we both read the new Rebecca Roanhorse, we'll have to chat about it. Once we're in the right headspace for it.
HOLLY: I would love that. Yes. Let's check back in on that.
GINGER HORTON: Well, hello there. I am Ginger Horton, Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager, summer lover, and aspiring classics evangelist on a quest to convince myself and fellow readers that classics does not need to mean boring.
In fact, my favorite that I'm bringing here today, Baylee, is a book older than myself, which is how I am loosely defining classics these days. I'm going to talk about another title in our Patreon bonus books episode that's a book in translation and it was written 75 years ago, but that was also loads of fun.
[00:36:25] So there are way better definitions for what makes a classic, but a book that is older than me is the one I'm going with as I'm trying to hit a balance this year that keeps modern books and old books in roughly 50-50 percentages for myself this year.
That is not what I aspire to every year, but it's a good stretch goal for me since I've noticed that I've been neglecting this practice the last year or two.
So without further ado, my best book of summer this year is what could firmly be described as a classic by almost anyone, I think, and that is Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck is one of those writers of whom when I read them, I wonder why I haven't read every single other thing they've written before I bother reading anything else.
This has been sitting on my shelves for the longest time and picking it up over the Independence Day weekend was just the right choice for my summer. Though I kind of wish I'd read his laugh-out-loud bits about turkeys around Thanksgiving. I marked that place, so maybe I'll go back and reread those sections later this fall.
[00:37:26] My friend Kari, book club member and Bookstagrammer extraordinaire, Kari Ann Sweeney, has long since raved about this to me. She has read it multiple times herself, and I am so glad that that little extra push from my friend made me pick up this because it was rich and delightful, and poignant.
I am not often particularly patriotic, which is kind of ironic for a naval officer's wife, but this book made me nigh well close to see all the funny differences and then all the deep similarities between American regions and peoples through the eyes of John Steinbeck and his dog Charley, who does play a pivotal role in the story, and to see all the funny differences and also similarities between his day and ours more than 60 years later was just a treasure.
His true gift is writing about this narrow section of the world with such timelessness. I find that he has just this understanding of what makes each area's specific quirks, kind of what makes Americans American.
[00:38:30] This might be your best book of summer, like mine, if you love Bill Bryson and travelogs of any kind. If you are well-traveled across the states, you might appreciate this. And even if you are not, my advice is to read this if you already love Steinbeck's novels or read this if you've never read a word of Steinbeck. This would be a great place to start, a great introduction to him.
You could read this if you love cities. You could read this if you are a country lover, you love the countryside. You could read this if you have a fondness for a particular region of the United States. It's fun to read about, you know, how he describes my state or my area of the country.
Read this if you love to play it safe or if you love adventure, your home body, if you're a traveler. Read this for sure if you are addicted to the news these days. Read this if you love America. Read this if you've lost a good bit of hope in its greatness. You can read this if you are mad. You can read this if you are thankful. Can you just tell? I loved this book. I want to press it into everyone's hands, and I am so glad to share that Travels with Charley is my best book of summer.
[00:39:34] So Baylee, what have you got for us? What's your top favorite?
BAYLEE PENDLETON: I feel like after hearing you describe your book, I actually feel like ours might go maybe well together. I haven't read Travels with Charley, but it sounds like maybe they could be good companion pieces.
Hello, I am Baylee Pendleton, an executive assistant at Chief of Staff. And this is the first time actually that you're hearing my voice on a podcast. So hello, everyone.
I was in the middle of the book I'm going to share about when I got the heads up that Ginger and I would be chatting books for this summer episode. After reading the first half, I read the remainder of it kind of just like with fingers and toes crossed, hoping that the second half would continue to be just as wonderful as the first half was. And I am very glad that it was because I was really banking on this being my pick.
So the book that I want to share is Leif Enger's newest book called I Cheerfully Refuse, which came out earlier this year in the spring. I loved his first novel, Peace Like a River, which I'm sure many of you have heard of and really just devoured this one as well.
[00:40:36] I can't really describe much of the plot without spoiling it. So without giving anything away, this is the story of Rainy, who is our bereaved narrator. In the first third of this novel, he sets sail on Lake Superior seeking really refuge and peace from some heartbreaking tragedies that have just happened at home.
But instead of finding peace on the lake, he encounters this really diverse cast of characters who have encountered, like him, tragedy, and their lives are honestly filled with despair and many of them have succumbed to it.
This is set in a near future America. I have seen this described as a dystopic novel. And I feel like when I hear dystopia, this isn't really what my mind conjures. But I guess it could be described as dystopic.
People are kind of scrounging for fresh food and gasoline, but then there's very rich billionaires who are going to space. So that kind of dichotomy fills people's stories.
[00:41:40] Rainy is carrying grief with him into this kind of unknown future. And he's really just trying to make a new life for himself. But he keeps meeting these people who are succumbing to the despair that has filled this dystopian world.
At one point, Rainy says, As far as enemies go, despair has every ounce of my respect, which I just found to be quite profound and really the defining aspect of this novel. But really this is a story about how he chooses not to give into that despair, but instead, he cheerfully refuses, which is how we got the title.
I can be a harsh critic of literary fiction in particular. I find much of it to be a lot of flash and not a lot of substance, but I loved what Leif Enger did with this novel.
All flash and no substance absolutely is not true with this one. I think what this novel has to say about despair and hopelessness can ring true for all of us, regardless of where we find ourselves.
[00:42:42] This book will make you laugh and cry on the same page. It will make you appreciate the life that you actually have and not someone else's life or the life that you wish that you had, but the one that you actually have, your daily life with all its good parts and its bad parts. And it will make you, I think, think more deeply about your why. Like when you wake up in the morning, why am I here? What am I doing?
But also despite all of that, it's not stuffy or uppity, even though I feel like the words I'm using maybe make it seem that way. There are a lot of layers to dig into. This would be really great for book club.
The characters are richly drawn, but they also feel like someone that you could meet at the gas station or meet at work, or meet at church. The plot is interesting, but very unpredictable. There are these little nuggets in the story that I think bookish people and book lovers will really enjoy. There are a lot of literary allusions. There are bookish people as characters themselves.
[00:43:43] I found myself pausing multiple times in each chapter and sometimes multiple times on a page just to reread a sentence and just like sit back and think about it, which is very atypical for me. I typically am blazing through and want to find out what happens next. This book made me stop and think a lot and I really appreciated that.
This book is written in first person. I found it to be really well done here. Sometimes I can find first person a little bit distracting or sometimes annoying, but I loved Rainy's narration of his own story.
There's a moment where he's about to describe something very sad that happened to him and he says something like, "I'm going to look away now, but I'll keep telling you what happened."
There are so many profound moments like that, but it was profound and evocative without being overly mellow or melodramatic. And I just think that's a very hard balance to find and Leif Enger did a really great job here.
[00:44:40] So to borrow Ginger's format, read this if you like stories about community, about neighbors, about shared grief, read this if you like sailing or sailboats, read this if you like amateur musicians, read this if you like bookshops, read this if you like brave characters, and also read this if you're the person who used to devour the liner notes of CDs in 2004, because you will find a lot of nuggets just like we used to find a lot of little nuggets in the CD liner notes. So that is I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
GINGER: Oh, that was so fun. This is sitting on my shelf, Baylee. I admit you asked me a week or two ago, "Hey, have you read this"? And I said, "No, I have not yet." And you left it at that. And so I had no idea that's what you were bringing today. And now I cannot wait to read this.
I of course bought it the minute he had a new book coming out and I haven't gotten to it yet. So this was a fun push for me to do so. And you're right. I think these went well in conversation together.
BAYLEE: Yay.
[00:45:40] SHANNAN MALONE: Hi, Will, Brigid. How are we? Glad to be here?
WILL BOGEL: Oh, man, so glad.
BRIGID MISSELHORN: So excited to talk summer books with y'all.
SHANNAN: So I'm Shannan. I'm Patreon Community Manager and Book Club co-host and my summer reading was a little sparse, guys. The Olympics, I plan to read less. So I don't have a lot of selections to choose from this summer. But I did read a couple of great books and I'm excited to share them.
My first book is You Are Here by David Nicholls. This was definitely the best book I read this summer. I didn't think I would enjoy the book when Anne talked about it initially in the Summer Reading Guide. But something intrigued me because I tend to like plot-driven books. And you guys know that from my inaugural episode.
This book is about two people who meet on a rather uneventful hike and they walk from one side of England to the other and they fall in love. That's the book. And shockingly, I was here for it.
[00:46:50] David Nicholls wrote One Day, which I hear had a terrible ending. I haven't read it. Brigid.
BRIGID: I'm making a face.
SHANNAN: Really?
BRIGID: I'm like, no, no, no.
WILL: I haven't read it either.
BRIGID: Yeah, I didn't love-
WILL: We watched half the series. I'm kind of going, like, what is going on here?
SHANNAN: But I will say I was very happy with the ending of You Are Here. I do tend to enjoy books with a strong sense of place during the summer as I was doing my summer reflections. And this had that. I googled some of the places that they were mentioning and some of the trails, walked on them via YouTube channels.
BRIGID: Oh, that's such a clever idea.
SHANNAN: It was a really great experience. So I fully immersed myself and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
My second book it released this summer, although I read it in March. Can I still count it as one of my summer books?
BRIGID: Yes, yes. 100%.
WILL: Reaching back.
[00:47:51] SHANNAN: This novel was intensely atmospheric. Intensely. It's a literary murder mystery. It takes place in the Pacific Northwest. Now, I will say that this book released in June. I think it would have been better released in August because it has these early fall, late summer vibes. And it has a very, very strong sense of place as well. And I tend to realize that I'm really enjoying those.
It's Middletide by Sarah Crouch. Sarah happens to be a local author for me, which I was pleased to discover.
WILL: Cool.
SHANNAN: The Snail on the Wall, my local indie, was honored to host her first-ever book launch. And she was absolutely lovely and very personable and almost made me like the book even more than I did.
The story is about a young man who left his small town to pursue a writing career and has returned home a failure. And then he gets embroiled in this murder that has happened in the town and he has to deal with those allegations and all of that.
[00:49:03] This is a slower burn than what I anticipated it would be. I started it and was like, "Hmm." But I kept going and I found that it was well worth it. And it has the most gorgeous cover that I've seen on a book in a very long time.
BRIGID: I was gonna ask you if it was a slow burn, slower mystery or more platter.
SHANNAN: Right, Brigid? I don't know what's up with me this summer. I've really gone against plot-driven stories and into these slower burning, strong sense of place type reads. Maybe the Olympics was enough excitement for me.
If you enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing, which I really did, I enjoyed it, I think you will particularly enjoy this one. It's good.
WILL: Nice.
SHANNAN: Brigid, what about your books?
BRIGID: Oh my gosh. So I had some similar... you know, sometimes in the summer my reading can take a dip. I took a look before we jumped on and I saw that my reading had been a bit slower pace this whole year.
[00:50:11] Summer is usually a lull. I know that because my kiddos were off school and then there's travels, which I actually read less when I travel. I wish for the opposite. I wish I read more when I travel, but that rarely happens.
So seeing that I was reading a little bit less than usual, thanks to probably some really good TV shows that have been on lately, I thought that maybe what I would do is try to search out books that would give me that same feel as binge watching a great TV show.
So where you, Shannan, went the more slower and really dipped into these senses... My books have senses of place as well, but I was really going for entertaining, interesting plots.
The one thing I noticed with my best books of summer is I'm looking for short chapters. Short chapters work for me. If a book has short chapters, no matter what the genre or themes or plot, I'm turning the pages so much quicker.
[00:51:11] So the first one I'm going to talk about is It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier. Now, we had her Girls and Their Horses, which was a Summer Reading Guide pick in 2023. We had her for book club, for the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club in May. And I found that it was the kind of thriller that worked really well for me because it wasn't too gory, too dark, had those short chapters I liked, but had depth to it as well.
It was so fun to have her come and discuss the book with all of us in book club and get to chat with all the book club members about it. So when I saw that she had a new book coming out, It Had To Be You, I was excited. And then I was even more excited when Anne and I were discussing that the premise was very strong Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes.
So going back to TV shows that I've binged, this is one that I really enjoyed. And I thought, okay, I'm going to pick this book up the minute it comes out. So I did. And I got not only the Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes, but also Killing Eve. So anyone who is a fan of Killing Eve would probably really love this book as well.
WILL: Interesting.
[00:52:23] BRIGID: So It Had To Be You, it's about two contract killers who meet on a train and they have a romantic encounter. I'm going to say that the book starts off with a bang in many ways. And then months later, they are hired to kill each other.
So we get exotic locales, exciting adventures. I will mention it is a hard R. Now, you have to be on board for all sorts of swearing and steamy scenes, but I could not put it down.
I think part of it was the quick chapters. It also had the alternating points of view of Ava and Jonathan, the two contract killers. Also, I kept thinking, how is this ever going to work out? I would look at Chad as I was reading it and say, How could this ever work out? We've got two people who have been hired to kill each other.
[00:53:20] Now, recently, a couple of members on our team read The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter and enjoyed it. And I would say, I would recommend it. Well, I was thinking of you, Will. Yeah, because I think you would enjoy this book because it is... if you don't mind more intense scenes and more of a higher language rating, I would highly recommend it.
I couldn't put it down. I passed it immediately to my sister. We were on a beach vacation and I handed it to her and I said, "Read this," and she immediately started picking up. So perfect for summer. And all those exotic locales were so fun to visit from my beach chair.
SHANNAN: I'm waiting for the adaptation.
BRIGID: Yeah, it would make a great adaptation for sure. And you know what? I think you would like the fencing aspects too, Shannan, because there is some of that Olympic sport fencing in it as well. So yeah, very, very, very fun.
[00:54:20] Then sticking on that fun reading, entertaining, one night I had seen on our book club member site people talking about the television show, which was an adaptation, My Lady Jane. And this is adapted from the book by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows.
So I turned it on on Amazon Prime one night, I watched the first episode, I immediately turned it off and downloaded the book. I could not wait to read the rest. I wanted to read the book before I watched the rest of the series. And that rarely happens to me. If I'm watching an adaptation, I'm not going to go back and read the book. But this one was fabulous.
It's an alternate history. It's a YA, first in the series. I don't normally like historical fiction or YA. So this is really an outlier for me. But it's an alternate history of Lady Jane Grey and Gilbert Dudley. And when I say alternate, I mean like really, really alternate because she doesn't lose her head. Okay, that was my question.
[00:55:27] Spoiler alert, she does not lose her head. And people turn... like some people have the ability to turn into animals, which are called ethians at the time. So we get into some fantasy aspects of it as well.
SHANNAN: Interesting.
BRIGID: So I would say it's very akin to, obviously, its own television show. But like something really quirky and clever, like The Princess Bride, right? Where you've got some historical aspects, some fun aspects, and then, you know, these little bit of fantasy aspects as well.
And it's got a witty narrator, which to me is catnip. If something has witty narrators, sign me up. I'm in. Both the show and the book have it. It was just fun and exciting and easy to turn the short pages.
Now, like I said, it's the first in a series, but they are loosely connected, meaning that the next one is actually about Jane Eyre and it's called My Plain Jane. And then the third one's called Calamity Jane. And then these three authors have then started a merry version as well.
[00:56:32] I would say it feels a bit like a retelling, the way that they take stories that we know but kind of subvert them. Retellings usually work for me in the summer or any time of year when I want to get reading quickly because I already kind of have a feel of what I'm supposed to expect. So yeah, those are two really great reads I could not put down this summer.
SHANNAN: Did you finish the adaptation?
BRIGID: No. Now I get to because I finished the book. So I cannot wait to go back and finish the adaptation. I like lined up my television watching with my book reading.
WILL: Very nice.
SHANNAN: I'm wondering if they turn into animals then.
BRIGID: They definitely do. It happens in the first episode. So that was not a surprise as I started reading the book. So they keep those fantasy elements in the television show as well. And it causes a lot of rift in the time period. So it's an added level of conflict.
WILL: Wow.
SHANNAN: Will, you gotta follow that.
[00:57:30] WILL: I know you've got one for Shannan, one for me. Yeah, those are great recommendations. Shannan, I was laughing when you said that you were not real thrilled when Anne described the book, but then you picked it up anyway and got into it and really liked it or whatever.
I listened to the Summer Reading Guide. I'm mostly sort of on the computer doing customer service, like I'm kind of only halfway listening. But the second time through the evening event, I'm like jotting things down. I'm like, Oh, you stand up to me.
And all summer Anne kept looking at me going, "Why are you reading that?" I'm like, "it was in the Summer Reading Guide. You talked about it." Like I bombed on like four Summer Reading Guide books and I was just like, What? She's like, "I don't understand why you're reading these." And I'm like, "I thought they sounded good. You made them sound good." And she's like, "That's not for you. That's not for you." And I'm like, "I don't know. Somebody told me it was good."
I didn't have an amazing summer partly because... I think I actually quit several of those because I was like, "Yeah, you're right. That's not me." So not a great summer. But while we're at the beach, I did read a couple of really good books.
[00:58:36] The first one is Into the Drowning Deep, which I believe you all know, right?
SHANNAN: Mm-hmm.
WILL: I know.
BRIGID: But I have not read it.
WILL: You haven't read it? So Anne's talked about this on the podcast a number of times over the years, and she's talked about how it sort of swept through the team, right?
SHANNAN: It has not swept through me either.
WILL: You guys haven't read it? Oh, I'm so excited to tell you then. Okay. So it swept through our house as well. Last summer, our daughter read it. And so it came up again just earlier this year. Anne recommended it to Corinne Yan. So as the podcast producer, I listen to all the episodes several times and I'm like, Okay, you know what? This is probably the time." So we're heading heading off to the beach. I'm like, I'm going to read it. And I mean, I loved it.
It's very, very science fictiony, but it definitely had a horror element to it. But it reminded me a lot of Michael Crichton. This is like literally a story about scientists on a boat. So there's like lots of egos.
[00:59:31] This is a massive expedition that's brought a bunch of people together and lots of them are like competing universities and kind of doing their own thing. Or they all sort of think that lady's the crackpot with the one theory. The crackpot being the one lady that believes in mermaids.
So the story is about killer mermaids and most of the scientists are like, I can just go out into the ocean and do a bunch of research. And some of them actually think they're going to find mermaids. So I've read probably, I don't know, 25%, 30% before there are any mermaids.
And we're standing there, feet in the water, looking at this beautiful ocean. I was so excited to talk about this book. I told my daughter, I was like, "Yo, I got to the first mermaid." And she just looked at me and she's like, "Do not talk to me about that here." I was like, "Oh yeah, that makes sense. I get it. I haven't gotten that far, but like she knew kind of where this went. She's like, "I don't want to hear about mermaids while I'm standing in the ocean."
It was so well done. It was really fast-paced and like good scientific explanations for sort of like what is happening and taking sort of the mythological information and the science fiction information and sort of putting that all together. I just tore through it.
[01:00:40] And then Mira Grant has been with me all summer. I've gotten ads for Mira Grant books on my Kindle the rest of the summer.
SHANNAN: Oh, how funny is that?
WILL: I don't know what her budget is, but somebody's putting up money for her. I've not read any more, but like I keep seeing different books pop up. And I'm like, "Okay, maybe I should give more of those a chance."
SHANNAN: Have you read anything by Anthony Weir? Is that the right person that wrote-
WILL: The Martian?
SHANNAN: Oh, Andy Weir.
WILL: Andy Weir.
SHANNAN: Andy Weir. Sorry. Yeah. Like, is it like that? Because I think that he's a little bit more like an explanational... that's not a word, but you know what I mean. Like he explains-
BRIGID: The hard sci-fi.
SHANNAN: Yeah, the science and the whatever. Sometimes I got lost a little bit in that. So I'm wondering if I would get a little lost in the sciency part of the one you just described.
WILL: Actually, you know what's funny about Andy Weir is the thing I remember is less about the Martian and more about Artemis. Is that what it's called? His one about the space.
SHANNAN: Mm-hmm.
WILL: They're all space. But the moon and the like economics of that. And he explains like, why in the world is this? I think it was more like that. There is a scientific explanation for why are they out there? And then also basically science saves the day.
[01:01:52] So you do have to understand some of what they're getting at, but it's not... there's no like biology or whatever. You don't have to know anything. She explains it all.
SHANNAN: Okay, good.
WILL: It's all right there in the text.
BRIGID: I've heard of this book so many times and I've never heard anyone say how science fiction is and also equate it to Michael Crichton.
WILL: Really?
BRIGID: So this makes me very excited because I loved a Michael Crichton book.
WILL: Oh yeah.
BRIGID: Right?
WILL: Yeah.
BRIGID: Who did it?
WILL: I'm fascinated. I didn't realize you hadn't. So I can't wait to hear what you guys think. My other book, which, Brigid, this is perfect. I got more contract killers here. This is great. This was the perfect vacation read. I actually have it here with me. It's called Gone Bamboo by Anthony Bourdain.
I picked this up in a little free library and Anne looked at me and went, "I don't think you want to read that." So I've had it a long time. This is a novel by Anthony Bourdain, published in 1997.
SHANNAN: The Anthony Bourdain?
WILL: Yeah.
[01:02:51] BRIGID: And I have bought novels for Chad written by him, but I'd have never heard of Gone Bamboo.
WILL: Really? So there is another one. I know for sure. At least in this book He had already written one. I didn't even bother to look to see if there are more. I should because I really enjoyed this. Great vacation read. You know, was this on the Times 100 books of the centuries, you know? No. You know, that's fine, right?
It was an easy breezy beach bum book in the vein of Jimmy Buffett and like Kinky Friedman. So just this really out there. It doesn't have to be particularly believable, you know, kind of deal, you know, full of mobsters and spies and guns for hire with, you know, lots of beaches and boats and barbecues. He talks a lot about food. I think there is a chef in the book. So like there's lots of descriptions of food that goes along with that.
Also probably, probably R-rated. Fair amount of booze and sex, guns, sand, you know, that kind of thing. But it was for sitting on the beach, like a great just put me in the place. It takes place mostly on an island. So it had a lot of Casablanca vibes with this kind of questionable antihero.
[01:04:07] And you've got the exotic locale. And then there's this all-knowing French diplomat. He's super connected. And he kind of knows everything that's happening on the island and all. It was great. Gone Bamboo.
BRIGID: I'm going to have to pick that one up. I'm going to have to find that one for Chad now because he has pretty much every other book.
WILL: Oh, that's great.
BRIGID: That one sounds so fun.
WILL: Yeah. I've been thinking I need to read more.
ANNE: Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed listening to our team members talk about their favorite reads and summer reading experiences today. Leave a comment to let us know about your favorite summer reads over on our show notes page, where you'll also find the full list of titles we talked about today.
And if you have a recommendation for our listeners or for specific or our collective team, let us know. We would love to hear. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Continue the book conversation by following our show on Instagram @whatshouldireadnext. We would love to hear from you in post comments and story replies. I'm on Instagram too @AnneBogel.
As those who follow me may know, I have not been posting to Instagram terribly frequently, which is why I always recommend subscribing to our weekly email updates to stay in the loop. It is not algorithm dependent. It goes straight to your inbox and we will share all our book news and important updates. Like we have merch and all the details for Fall Book Preview coming up.
Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. It's free. It's easy. You'll be glad you have it.
And be sure to follow us or subscribe on your favorite podcast player. We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocketcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribing and downloading each episode when it comes out each week is such a big help to our show and our team. Thank you in advance.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:Anne & Donna:
• Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir by Natasha Trethewey (Audio edition)
• Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
• Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer (Audio edition)
• Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (Audio edition)
• State of Paradise by Laura Van Den Berg
Leigh & Holly:
• Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Marry Me, Juliet series by Jodi McAlister (#1: Here for the Right Reasons)
• Life As We Knew It: the extraordinary story of Australia’s pandemic by Aisha Dow and Melissa Cunningham
• The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• Another Life by Sarena Ulibarri
• Going Zero by Anthony McCarten
Ginger & Baylee:
• Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
• I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
• Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
Shannan, Brigid, & Will:
• You Are Here by David Nicholls
• One Day by David Nicholls
• Middletide by Sarah Crouch
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
• It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier
• Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier
• The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
• My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• Artemis by Andy Weir
• Gone Bamboo by Anthony Bourdain
Also mentioned:• 7 memoirs read by the author
• WSIRN Episode 287: I want to be where the readers are
• Books & Mortar
• WSIRN Episode 413: Literary trends and publishing predictions for 2024
• WSIRN Episode 394: Our team’s best books of summer (2023 edition)
• Snail on the Wall
The post Our team’s best books of summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are your weekend plans? Will and I are planning on hitting up a local used book sale and visiting the botanical garden for a special event, plus I’m counting on lots of walking and reading time.
I hope you have something good to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book Preview is coming!Our sixth annual Fall Book Preview is coming up on September 18 and it’s gonna be GREAT! I recorded this longish video to tell you all about it: what it is, how to participate, what’s in your included Fall Book Preview digital PDF booklet, how to get the printed Fall Book Preview booklet (delivered in the actual mail!) that we’re offering for the first time this year, plus a peek at our new merch. Here are those links for easy access:
- Get more details and sign up for Fall Book Preview right here. A la carte purchasers: if you’d like a print booklet, use the dropdown box on the order page to add the print booklet to your order.
- MMD Book Club members: order your print booklet through this link. WSIRN patrons: order your print booklet through this link. Thank you!
- Check out our merch here.
My favorite finds from around the web:I offer gift links for articles whenever possible; if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
A Literary Road Trip Across America. (Literary Hub) Bookmark this for your future travels.
Everything you need to know about Fall Book Preview and our new merch this fall. (MMD) It’s going to be a great fall!
Welcome to Bama Confidential. (Culture Study Substack) The first of a five-part series on Greek Life at University of Alabama. A must-read for anyone who, like me, has found themselves inexplicably mesmerized by #RushTok videos and is interested in the “why” of things.
We’ve declared an early start to puzzle season: I just finished an unlinkable gem my son brought me from Germany; this citrus beauty is up next.
Stray dog ‘desperate to catch a ride’ chases pup bus, gets adopted. (Washington Post gift link) This is so sweet and heartwarming!
Novels featuring seasoned protagonists for every reading mood. (MMD) Plus so many more good ones in the comments section!
Meet the Granfluencers. (The Walrus) Love, love, love. “Social media has long existed in silos: Gen Z tends toward TikTok; millennials, Instagram; and Facebook is for the boomers. But Droniak has joined a clan of “granfluencers” who are blurring lines and defying stereotypes.”
Shelf Life: Abi Daré. (Elle) What a fascinating profile of a 2024 MMD SRG author! This ongoing series interviews authors about the books that made them miss a train stop, weep uncontrollably, laugh out loud, shaped their worldview, etc.
Why I Finally Quit Spotify. (The New Yorker) “Software-interface design quietly dictates so many of our online experiences today; it determines not just how we consume culture but what we consume as well.”
The 20 Best Memoirs by Olympians to Feel Inspired. (Town & Country) Keep your Olympic spirit alive with these memoirs. And then tune into the Paralympics, starting August 28.
I have a fantastic faux leather jacket that I impulse bought years ago at a local shop and have worn often ever since. I’ve never been able to track down the brand but this new style from Anthropologie comes very, very close.
No Joke: The Onion Thinks Print Is the Future of Media. (New York Times gift link) As someone who finds myself longing for periodicals in print (see: our new Fall Book Preview printed booklet option!), I found this fascinating.
What inspired me to open a bookshop in Italy. (Escape to the Bookshop) “On some unconscious level, I think I’ve always wanted to open a bookshop. Haven’t you? Doesn’t everyone?”
Don’t miss these posts:22 atmospheric gothic novels for a darker reading mood. If you’re looking for a spooky-but-not-scary read, try a gothic novel!
Get ready to set the mood for a cozy season. It’s time to replenish my candle stash.
Get a taste of Southern literature with these 15 sensational novels. A sampling of what Southern literature has to offer.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When it comes to the publishing industry, it might seem like most authors are preoccupied with writing coming-of-age tales, twenty-something dramas, or characters experiencing midlife crises. There’s nothing wrong with those stories but we’re missing out on a large swathe of the population. Thankfully the tide has been turning in recent years with increasing numbers of books featuring what I like to call seasoned protagonists. This is a relief because while we do hear from younger readers who want to read about fictional characters who are their parents’—or grandparents’—ages, we have REALLY heard from readers in their fifties, sixties, seventies, and beyond who would like to see themselves represented in the pages of a good book.
Our phrase “seasoned protagonists” is by no means an official designation, but know that today we’ve gathered books of all genres that feature protagonists aged sixty and up.
Our seasoned protagonist book list features titles from a variety of genres ranging from historical fiction to fantasy to mystery. While characters in their 60s are most represented here, you’ll also see characters in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. There were so many more titles we could have included, and that’s where you come in: I hope you’ll add your favorites (please include the character’s age, if you know it!) in the comments along with your book recommendations featuring older characters in literature.
20 novels featuring seasoned protagonists Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Richard Russo
In this short novel, three sixty-six-year-old college friends come back together for the first time in years, reunited in Martha's Vineyard, where they spent a life-changing Memorial Day weekend together nearly forty years before. That was the weekend that one of their friends—a friend they were all at least a little bit in love with—disappeared, and they've been thinking about her ever since. Surprisingly suspenseful but full of tenderness, too. Russo crafts a story of male friendship, family tragedy, and how the past is never really past. More info →Author: Sofia Lundberg
An address book provides a window to the past in this touching novel. Doris is a 96-year-old woman still living on her own in her Stockholm apartment. Aside from her caregivers, her primary source of socialization is her weekly Skype calls with her grandniece Jenny. With the help of the address book where she’s faithfully documented memories of her loved ones over the years, Doris reminisces about her time working as a maid in Sweden, modeling in Paris, and moving to the US before WWII. Translated from the Swedish by Alice Menzies. More info →Author: James McBride
In the jolting opening of this historical novel set in 1969, a beloved 71-year-old drunk deacon named Sportcoat wanders into the courtyard of his south Brooklyn housing project and shoots the drug dealer he'd once treated like a son point-blank, in front of everyone. McBride then zooms out to show the reader how this violent act came to take place, exploring the lives of the shooter and the victim, the victim's bumbling friends, the residents who witnessed it, the neighbors who heard about it, the cops assigned to investigate, the members of the church where Sportcoat was a deacon, and the neighborhood's mobsters (and their families). The story itself is compelling, but it's McBride's warmth and humor that really captures readers as he gently teases out these characters and their unlikely connections. The audiobook, narrated by Dominic Hoffman, was impossible to put down. More info →Author: Matt Cain
In this contemporary novel, a 64-year-old closeted gay postman goes on a journey of acceptance. Albert Entwistle is content with his life—he has his elderly cat Gracie and his work as a postman—until he receives a letter informing him he’ll be retiring at 65. Albert can’t make sense of how he’ll fill his days without work and this spurs him to finally look beyond himself and seek connection with his community. And perhaps reconnect with his secret first love along the way. More info →Author: Sue Miller
This wistful and often sad story about marriage, happiness, and family centers around the thirty-year marriage between Graham and Annie. Graham owns a bookstore, and much of the couples' life revolves around bookstore events (they meet at an author event!). Early in the book—this is not a spoiler—Graham suddenly dies. During the following year, a grieving Annie reflects on their life together, in the process tripping over new information about him and their marriage, causing her to question the very foundations of their relationship. More info →Author: Deanna Raybourn
No one would ever suspect 60-somethings Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie are professional assassins. And that’s the point! They’re great at their job for the Museum, a top-secret network of elite assassins. But in this rollicking thriller, it’s killed or be killed as the women realize their impending retirement might be more permanent than they want. It looks like their employer is trying to take them out with their final job. Fun and funny, I had a hard time putting this one down. More info →Author: Alice Elliott Dark
This sprawling saga and 2022 MMD Summer Reading Guide selection featuring two octogenarian protagonists reads like a 19th century novel. Agnes Lee and Polly Wister have been friends their whole lives, growing up alongside each other in Philadelphia Quaker families and summering together in Maine. Agnes is beloved by the world as a bestselling children’s author, but not a living soul—including Polly—knows she also pens the popular and critically praised Franklin Square series. Polly knows Agnes sees her as a pushover, especially when it comes to her family, but Polly never lets on that she's wiser than her friend gives her credit for. When an enterprising (and nosy) young editor begins pestering Agnes to write a memoir, she sets in motion a chain of events that tests the women’s lifelong friendship, and threatens to expose the long-buried secrets each has so carefully kept from the other. More info →ChirpAuthor: Simon van Booy
Eighty-three-year-old Helen Cartwright moves back to her English village hometown after sixty years in Australia. Her husband and adult son have both died and she doesn’t feel the need to seek out new friends. The quiet solitude is enough as she lives out the remainder of her life. When she finds and rescues an abandoned pet mouse whom she names Sipsworth, she has no idea just how much her life is about to change. A moving exploration of grief, loneliness, community, and second chances. More info →Author: Robert Thorogood
78-year-old Judith Potts is a crossword puzzle author and a member of the Marlow Murder Club. She and her friends Suzie and Becks are looking forward to attending a lavish wedding at the Marlow mansion when the groom is found crushed to death in his locked study. The police rule it as an accident but Judith is convinced Sir Peter was murdered. The women’s friendship made this one enjoyable mystery. While this is the second book in the series, it stands on its own just fine. (This was Donna’s addition to the 2023 Summer Reading Guide.) More info →Author: Alina Bronsky
In this tragicomic tale, Herr Schmidt wakes one morning to discover nobody has made the coffee yet—and his immediate thought is that his wife must have died in the night, because what other explanation could there be? Barbara is in fact alive, but unwell. As the story progresses, we see this curmudgeonly 70-something husband learn to do things he's never considered doing for himself, let alone someone else, in all his long decades of married life: purchase ground coffee, cook a potato, run the vacuum. And that's just the beginning of the adaptations this couple will have to make to their relationship as they enter a challenging new stage. Bronsky covers a lot of emotional ground in just 182 pages; I recommend Fredrik Backman fans take a look. Translated from the German by Tim Mohr. More info →Author: Wendell Berry
No matter how many times I re-read this contemplative and wistful novel, I'm always ready to turn around and discuss it with a friend. Hannah's second husband Nathan Coulter (her first died in the war) was reticent to talk about his experience in the Battle of Okinawa. "Ignorant boys, killing each other," is all he would say. In this atmospheric novel, 80-year-old Hannah looks back on her life and reflects on what she has lost, and those she has loved. Her recollections paint a vivid portrait of a complicated, loving family. I adore Berry’s work: he writes gorgeous, thoughtful, piercing novels, and this is one of his finest. More info →Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
This was a fun romp! This adorable tea shop murder mystery has serious Only Murders in the Building vibes and boasts a pleasantly large cast of (mostly) likable characters. When the titular 60-year-old widow awakes one morning to find a dead body clutching a flash drive on the floor of her tea shop, she calls in the authorities. (She doesn't want to, but her son convinces her she has to). But, unimpressed by their approach to the case and unconvinced they can get to the truth of what happened, she takes matters into her own hands, with delightful and chaotic results and a feel-good ending I didn't expect. More info →Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Ishiguro tries his hand at fantasy, following an elderly couple in post-Arthurian Britain after the wars between the Saxons and the Britons have ended. Axl and Beatrice set out to visit their son whom they haven’t seen in many years. And, it must be noted, who they barely remember courtesy of a mist that’s caused amnesia across the land. As they journey, they’re joined by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and a knight, and their memories slowly start to return. A moving meditation on the way war impacts memory. More info →Author: Olga Tokarczuk
A quirky noir/murder mystery with a sprinkling of fairytale vibes set in the rural mountains of Poland. Janina is a woman in her 60s who prefers animals to humans and spends her days translating poetry, studying astrology, and looking after the summer homes belonging to rich people. Then a neighbor dies unexpectedly. And another one. And another one. Soon Janina begins investigating herself, certain mistreated animals are enacting their revenge. (She wouldn’t blame them if they were.) Now if she could just get the police to listen to her. This novel from the Nobel-winning Tokarczuk was shortlisted for the Booker; the U.S. edition was translated from the Polish by Antonia Lloyd-Jones. More info →Author: Ann Patchett
This is one of my favorite Patchett novels. In this tense adventure story, Dr. Marina Singh, a staid Minnesota researcher, travels into the heart of the Amazon to find out how her colleague died. She’s also tasked with checking in on Dr. Annick Swenson, who is pregnant at the age of 73 and overseeing their pharmaceutical company's top secret research project in the jungle. Patchett combines big business, fertility, conspiracy, and anacondas to fascinating ends. More info →Author: Helene Tursten
An entertainingly dark short story collection, translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy, following 88-year-old Maud whose solution to most of life’s problems is murder. She’s gotten away with it so far because, well, who would ever suspect an elderly lady of such crimes? Without friends or family and no rent thanks to a fortunate clause in her lease, Maud is free to travel and do basically whatever she wants. That is, until cops arrive to investigate a murder in her apartment building. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Rabih Alameddine
A heart-wrenching novel for bibliophiles. Aaliya Sohbi is a 72-year-old introverted child-free divorcée living alone in her Beirut apartment with books as her closest companions. Her family doesn’t know what to do with her, nor do her neighbors. Aaliya’s favorite pastime is translating books into Arabic, which she never shows to anyone. Filled with musings on literature, art, aging, and Aaliya’s past, Alameddine celebrates the way books show us who we are and the beauty found in a small life. More info →Author: Spencer Quinn
Loretta Plansky, a recently widowed 70-something, is living in a Florida retirement community, staying busy, and focused on the neighbors’ gardens and her tennis game. Accustomed to getting phone calls from family members asking for money, she’s not surprised when her grandson Will calls and asks for $10,000 to get out of a jam. Except the caller isn’t actually Will and by morning, they’ve absconded with Loretta’s life savings. When law enforcement claims they’ll have no luck finding the scammers, Loretta takes things into her own hands. Her journey takes her to Romania and leads to so much more. I so enjoyed Mrs Plansky's sense of humor, as well as the frequent jokes about American grammar. More info →Author: Rachel Kadish
In this historical fiction, 64-year-old historian Helen Watt is asked to look at seventeenth-century letters signed by an unknown rabbi, which were found in the stairwell of an old house in London. These letters have great historical significance and, with the help of American graduate student Aaron Levy, she’s quickly drawn into the mystery of who Aleph was. The letters drive the story forward as academics debate their provenance in the present, while the past storyline introduces us to Ester Velasquez in the 1660s while she works as a scribe for a blind rabbi and a plague looms in the horizon. The characters are well-drawn and demand you feel empathy for them. A great choice for readers who enjoyed A.S. Byatt’s Possession. More info →Author: Monica Wood
Eight years after The One-in-a-Million Boy, Wood returns with another poignant Maine novel centering three lonely people, two of whom are in their 60s, who are connected by a terrible tragedy. Violet was just nineteen when, drunk and high, she caused the death of a beloved local teacher and was sentenced to twenty-eight months in prison. Harriet runs the book group at the women’s prison, where the inmates spend one precious hour a month finding comfort in tearing apart the classics. And Frank is the victim’s widower, who fills his time by volunteering his handyman services at the local bookstore. This 2024 Summer Reading Guide selection is a deeply moving tale of redemption, second chances, and the power of books. More info → What books with seasoned protagonists do you recommend? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 20 books featuring seasoned female protagonists and 25 family sagas that will sweep you away.
The post Novels featuring seasoned protagonists for every reading mood appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s that time of year when the heat and humidity make me despair fall will ever arrive … but it sure helps to have autumnal events to look forward to. They remind me cooler temperatures and fall leaves are on their way, along with other means of seasonal delight.
And we have so many delightful things in store for you these next few months! I hope you’ll mark your calendars, prep your To Be Read lists, and join us for any or all of the following festivities.
Fall Book Preview: coming September 18!Join us for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview, where I’ll share a curated selection of both the season’s hottest new titles and amazing niche titles with much smaller marketing budgets, plus the info you need to decide which belong on your TBR.
This year’s Fall Book Preview is set for September 18 at 8:30 pm EDT. In this 90+ minute live event, I’ll share 35 titles including books I’ve read and loved, the much-anticipated titles I’m most looking forward to reading, and noteworthy fall titles the industry is buzzing about, all publishing between September 3 and year’s end. (This event is very much in the style of our Summer Reading Guide Unboxing party.)
Publication timing for these titles is weird this year: because it’s a presidential election year, book release are distributed throughout the fall calendar in an atypical way. Also atypical: the sheer number of excellent titles publishing this fall. Fall is usually a BIG season in the world of book publishing, but this fall’s crop of new releases is exceptionally good. At Fall Book Preview I’ll walk you through the options and help you get clear on how you want to approach your reading life this fall.
Fall Book Preview includes event access and an accompanying 12-page digital PDF booklet that lays out every title in our preview, 6 spotlight titles, and more features to help you make the most of your fall reading life.
Our Fall Book Preview event is an included perk for members of our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community and What Should I Read Next Patreon “Book Lover” supporters. It’s a steal of a deal! For those who don’t have the time or inclination to join a community, we’ve got you covered with our ever-popular a la carte access.
CLICK HERE TO GET IN ON FALL BOOK PREVIEW
We hope you’ll join us to get more out of your reading life this fall.
More about that Fall Book Preview bookletOur members and a la carte purchasers receive a digital PDF of our beautiful Fall Book Preview booklet to thoughtfully peruse and hang onto for reference throughout the season (and in the seasons to come). We love hearing how you like to keep your digital booklet handy, referring to it again and again.
Our Fall Book Preview booklet is beautiful, it’s useful, it’s the best email day ever when it arrives—or, perhaps, best mail day as well? Because for the first time, we’re trying a little experiment and also offering a printed version of our Fall Book Preview booklet! If you would like to add a printed booklet to your Fall Book Preview experience, preorder your printed booklet and we’ll ship it out on September 18th.
The details: MMD Book Clubbers and WSIRN patrons: if you would like a printed booklet, hurray! Because your Fall Book Preview access is an included perk of your membership, we shared a different purchase link for the printed booklet add-on in your communities. Please use that link. Thank you!
New merch!We have new merch for this fall! Our Book Club sweatshirts and t-shirts are back, as are our What Should I Read Next and I’d Rather Be Reading tees, bookplates, our ever-popular and completely awesome To Be Read totes.
Plus we wanted to bring you some super fun, extremely bookish goodies for fall so we designed new stickers and—for the first time in seven or so years we have pinback buttons! The designs are so great: I can’t wait for you to check them out! (Some, but not all of them, are pictured above. Check out all our designs in the shop.)
SHOP FOR MERCH
The details: FBP booklets will ship on September 18 (because we do not want to spill the titles before FBP Day!). If you purchase merch AND a booklet, we will ship your entire order on September 18.
This fall in Modern Mrs Darcy Book ClubWe’re reading books that will provide ample fodder for discussion, insight, and readerly growth. We’ll also talk with authors Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel, Stacey Swann, and Deesha Philyaw about their books, their research and writing experiences, and what they love to read.
September
Dayswork by Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel
Flight pick: A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa (Click here for an explanation of our flight pick terminology.)
October
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
No flight pick. Join us for a class on Greek mythology!
November
The Modern Mrs Darcy Short Story Collection, curated by Anne and Ginger
What’s the difference between Book Club and Patreon?Great question! If you’d like to listen to MMD community manager Ginger Horton and I talk about the difference, we made this patreon bonus episode publicly available to all: By popular request: Anne and Ginger talk Patreon vs Book Club. It’s a fun and information conversation.
Our communities have different scope and emphases: we think of our Patreon offerings as being bite-sized, while MMD Book Club is more like a buffet. We encourage you to choose the one that best works for you and your reading life. (20% of our readers are members of both communities.)
Our WSIRN Patreon community is an extension of the What Should I Read Next podcast, and offers Friday bonus episodes (e.g., One Great Book, Mini Matchmaking, Industry Insights), peeks behind the scenes, and additional curated book recommendations to our readers in that space. Patreon is audio-first, which means you can mostly participate when it’s convenient for you. Our patrons also influence the show by offering input on future episode themes and guests and voting on our episode titles.
Our slate of MMD Book Club offerings is more robust, which is why we call it a buffet: we seek to offer lots of great literary content in this space, and don’t expect you to put everything on your plate! We host many live events in this space, including monthly book and author discussions, regular classes on literature and the reading life, and community events like our Readers’ Weekend, Best Book of Summer, Reading Life Rehab, Readalongs, Join Us for Journaling, and more. Our live events are video-driven, but you don’t need to attend live to participate: we record our events so you can watch on your schedule. Our custom-built member site also sets Book Club apart: our 24/7 forums makes it easy to enjoy all the book talk your heart desires, and connect with other readers who love books as much as you do.
Prefer a la carte access? Get your ticket right here.
I can’t wait to read with you this season. Happy reading, friends!
Anne
The post Everything you need to know about Fall Book Preview and our new merch this fall appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today I’m in conversation with Rachel Elaine Martens, who loves tapping into the random delights of what’s available at her local library.
Rachel Elaine and her family recently lived in Budapest for a year, where Rachel Elaine discovered the surprisingly delightful serendipity of dealing with a limited reading selection. During this time, Rachel Elaine had access to her U.S. library’s virtual collection, but she also made use of a small shelf of left-behind books in the house she was staying in. Now that she’s back home in Missouri, she’d like to keep that serendipitous flair while also inviting more of an intentional flow into her book selections.
Rachel Elaine reads broadly and enjoys picking up her latest library discovery, but she’d love to discern a clearer arc to her reading selections and feel less whiplash from constantly jumping between genres that feel like they have nothing in common other than coming up on her library holds list. Rachel Elaine has a definite preference for backlist books, too, which we’ll discuss today, and I’ll suggest titles to create the intentional reading experience Rachel Elaine’s seeking.
Let us know which titles you’d recommend for Rachel Elaine in the comments section below.
Connect with Rachel on Goodreads.
Join us for our Fall Book PreviewMark your calendars: our sixth annual Fall Book Preview is happening on Wednesday, September 18th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
During this live event, we will walk through some of the most anticipated titles of the fall season, including the books I’ve read and loved, and the titles I can’t wait to read in the months to come. Keep track of what’s on your TBR with our 2024 Fall Book Preview digital booklet.
Members of our Patreon community and our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club are invited to join us: this event is a perk of membership in those communities. Our Fall Book Preview is also available a la carte if you just want to join us for this event. Find out more and sign up at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] RACHEL ELAINE MARTENS: I think this is a five-star gold medal recommendation. I cannot wait. I'm really tickled that that's one of the books that you recommended to me, and it's so close to where I am.
ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, speaking of the information you need to choose your next read for the season to come, our sixth annual Fall Book Preview is happening on Wednesday, September 18th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
[00:01:00] This is a really, really great reading season. Talk about an embarrassment of riches. There are so many wonderful titles to choose from, and you need a plan. Let me help.
Join us for our Fall Book Preview event where we will walk through some of the most anticipated titles of the fall season and some of the books I've read and loved, some of the ones I can't wait to read. I've read so many wonderful books getting ready for this event, and I know I will continue to read so many good ones. I've also read some I haven't loved. We can talk about that too.
I'll share why I picked these titles and also offer tips to help you craft a reading life you love in the season to come. You will also get our 2024 Fall Book Preview, beautiful little digital booklet. We have more news on that front coming soon.
Members of our Patreon community and our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club are invited to join us. That is a perk of membership in those communities. It's a steal of a deal if I do say so myself. We are also offering our ever-popular A La Carte option.
[00:02:04] To get in on the action, which is such a good investment/pleasure for your reading life, visit modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp. That is for Fall Book Preview. Modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp.
Today, I'm talking bookish serendipity with Rachel Elaine Martens, who loves tapping into random delights of what's available at her local library. Rachel and her family recently spent a year in Budapest, where Rachel relied on her U.S. library's virtual collection plus a small shelf of left-behind books to source her reading selections. This limited selection led to some interesting discoveries in Rachel's reading life.
Now that she's back home in Missouri, she'd like to keep that serendipitous flair while also inviting more of an intentional flow into her book selections.
Rachel reads broadly and enjoys picking up her latest library discovery, but these picks can feel scattershot. She'd love to discern a clearer arc to her reading selections and feel less whiplash from constantly jumping between genres that feel like they have nothing in common.
[00:03:10] As you'll hear, Rachel isn't into the buzzy books splashed all over social media and the new release tables. Instead, she says she enjoys being late to the party instead of chasing down those new releases with abandon, because once the buzz dies down, she says she can read in peace.
She also prefers to read backlist books in a physical format because of the instant library hold gratification those books provide. I love this approach. Let's get to it.
Rachel, welcome to the show.
RACHEL ELAINE: Thank you so much, Anne. I am delighted to be here.
ANNE: Oh, well, the pleasure is mine. I'm really looking forward to our conversation. Our team was really excited about the questions you raised in your submission, so thank you for completing that.
RACHEL ELAINE: Thank you. This is really a dream come true.
ANNE: Oh, that's so kind of you. Rachel, we want to introduce you to our audience. Would you tell us a little about yourself and give our readers a glimpse of who you are?
RACHEL ELAINE: Sure. Well, I am currently living in Chesterfield, Missouri, which is a western suburb of St. Louis. My husband and son and I live our life here. I work as a freelance editor. I copy, edit, and proofread manuscripts for various presses, and I love to run and bake in my free time.
[00:04:26] ANNE: Lovely. Okay, I imagine we might be getting a little bit more into what it's like having an editor brain as a reader, but I'm going to let that lie for now. Rachel, tell me a little bit about your reading life.
RACHEL ELAINE: I love reading books. I always have multiple books going because I like to read physical books, and I listen to audiobooks when I run, and then there's usually an eBook on the Kindle app on my iPad just in case. I have a book with me at pretty much all times.
ANNE: I used the phrase security Kindle to my family when we were going someplace last week. They were like, "You don't need to go find your Kindle to make sure it's in your bag. You're not going to have time to read." I'm like, "But it's my security Kindle." I wanted to have a book with me. I could have read something on my phone, but that's the worst.
RACHEL ELAINE: I will do almost anything other than read on my phone. No. I would rather just sit and stare at a wall than try to read a book on my phone.
[00:05:30] ANNE: I hear that. Tell me about your love for the library, which came through loud and clear in what we've already read from you.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Shout out to the St. Louis County Public Library System, which has been a huge, huge lifesaver over the years. I'm just about to the point where I have to declare library bankruptcy because all the books I have checked out are coming due before we have our summer road trip, and so we'll be making a big return of books. But they have an excellent online system as well with the Libby app and the Hoopla app, so I try to work all angles of library accessibility.
ANNE: My impression is that it's an amazing library system, and this is based just on talking with St. Louis area readers and also the caliber of events that they consistently host and that people show up for. It's all just really impressive from a distance.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Yes. Now they've connected even more directly with the St. Louis City Public Library System, and so that has increased the number of books that I can pull from at any given time even more.
[00:06:34] ANNE: I just realized I'm conflating those. Okay, so you have two amazing library systems in the area.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, there's a city-county divide of sorts, which can be contentious. But on the positive front, having two full library systems is only a benefit for me as a reader.
ANNE: Rachel, you mentioned that this was extraordinarily helpful when you were physically removed from your library for a time in recent memory.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. So from August 2022 through July 2023, my little family relocated to Budapest, Hungary for the year. My husband is a professor and he had a research fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. And since my work is freelance and portable and we have one wonderful son who was up for an adventure year, we moved our family just for that year overseas.
[00:07:30] We committed to not overpacking, not bringing a lot of books along with us. We said we will find books there. We had sort of assumed that we would find physical libraries there with English books. That did not happen. So I leaned very heavily on the St. Louis Library system to check out eBooks and audiobooks and that really was a lifeline while we were there.
ANNE: Rachel, that's amazing. I am so jealous. Where did you all live in Budapest?
RACHEL ELAINE: We lived in the Raoul Wallenberg Guest House, which is connected to Central European University and it's a quaint guest house in the Buda Castle District, which is a very historic district. It's actually a World Heritage Area. We could not have had better housing if we had tried.
From one side of the apartment, we could look out and see the Danube River and in the distance we could see St. Stephen's Basilica. You heard church bells every day. And then the other side you look out and you could see Matthias Church or Matthias Templum as they would say. It's a gorgeous old historic church with incredibly colorful roof tiles. And so it really was like living in a fairy tale for the year.
[00:08:49] But one of the coolest parts about the guest house is that they had a bookshelf full of left-behind books. So they were books in German and English and French and basically scholars and visitors over the years who had brought books and couldn't take them home or maybe they bought books while they were visiting, they would leave them behind.
So that created a little mini library situation where I could go to those shelves and see, Mm, what's here. There were lots of very unusual backlist titles. There was no curation happening. This is just somebody had this book along and they left it behind, or somebody wanted to read this great classic and they read it and left it behind. Children's books, really international flair.
ANNE: I'm so curious as to what this meant for your reading life. Now, I wonder what you would have felt about such a shelf had you encountered it in St. Louis. But you weren't in St. Louis. You were an American reader with no easy access to physical books.
[00:10:00] You're someone who loves physical books. I'm imagining this could have led to some experimentation. But I don't need to imagine. Rachel, tell me about this physical bookshelf and what it meant for your reading life then.
RACHEL ELAINE: I really had assumed that we would have access to more English books while we were there and we just didn't. So this bookshelf became the lifeline and it was, well, okay what books have I always wanted to read but never taken the time to read?
One of those books was My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. That unfortunately was a miss. I took it with us when we went to Italy to visit thinking, Oh, this will just sort of be the pinnacle of reading experiences. And instead, I just didn't have the emotional energy to really fall in love with the book in front of me.
But I would usually scan the shelves and try to see is there an author I recognize, a title I recognize or is there just a pretty book cover, and maybe I'll give it a whirl. So there was much more of a sense of fun and adventure than I think I would normally lean into here where I'm normally requesting books from the library, picking up exactly what I want, when I want. So I was at the mercy of the mystery bookshelf.
[00:11:13] Anne, I should say that we had access to a wonderful selection of books at the CEU library. The building itself is spectacular. I would work there from time to time just because it was a wonderful environment to sit in the quiet with all the books.
However, they had a short checkout window and I, as the spouse of someone connected to the university, did not have access to checkout. My husband was more than willing to check out for me, but I don't know, there's something about having to add an extra layer of difficulty that discouraged me from using the university's library system there. But they had a wonderful selection of Agatha Christie novels and other great books too.
ANNE: It sounds like you just took the opportunity to dabble in things you might not have otherwise.
RACHEL ELAINE: That's exactly right.
ANNE: Okay. What'd you find out?
[00:12:11] RACHEL ELAINE: I found out that I can enjoy reading all different kinds of books that I would not have expected. I think I also found out that I really like the library access I have here in the US. I think it confirmed a lot of my suspicions that I'm a very spoiled reader who would not do well in a desert island situation without access to books.
ANNE: Well, I think coming back with some lessons learned and a renewed appreciation, I mean, that sounds pretty nice.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, definitely. I will always be thankful for that year. I think many of the books that I read will stick with me longer simply because we were in such an unusual setting. So, for that, I'm grateful.
ANNE: I'm so excited to hear more about those books. And I love the way that you approached your favorites. Are you ready to talk about your books?
RACHEL ELAINE: I am.
[00:13:10] ANNE: I think you hinted at the answer, but would you say how you chose these books to discuss today?
RACHEL ELAINE: I decided to choose three standout books from that year that we were living in Budapest. It would be impossible to pick three-lifetime favorites. And I hear guests on your podcast all the time say the same thing, that it's so hard to narrow it down. So for me is saying, Okay, I'm looking at this 11-month window of time, I picked three books from our time in Budapest.
ANNE: I can't wait to hear more. I'm curious if any of them are on the physical shelf. You can tell me as we go. Rachel, what is the first book you love?
RACHEL ELAINE: The first book I love is Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher. I found this book to be really witty. My husband actually had checked it out from Central European University's library, he brought it home. He was cackling reading it at night, and I said, "Okay, what are you reading?" And he said, "You can look at it next." And I did.
[00:14:08] It is an epistolary novel. So it's a collection of letters written by a frustrated professor. And because I'm married to a professor, I've had an inside glimpse into the world of academia. And going through this book, reading the letters, reading the intensifying disdain and despair that come across in the letters, that resonated quite a bit.
It was just such a fun, fun read. It was fun to laugh. It was also a rare shared book win where both my husband and I enjoyed the same book. And I thought, Schumacher was really clever with her language without being smug. So that's what I really appreciated about that book.
ANNE: It's tickling my funny bone that you laughed as you said disdain and despair. Do you often enjoy these snarky, cathartic kind of reads?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, I do. And I also appreciated that, you know, a collection of letters might seem random, except there still was an arc to the story. You followed the writer as his world unraveled. And so there was a sense of story even in just a collection of really hilarious and snarky written words.
[00:15:25] ANNE: Okay. What is the second book you love?
RACHEL ELAINE: Art and Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto Fujimura. This book was extra special to me because while we lived in Hungary, we would sometimes receive physical mail, but we did not have access to Amazon within Hungary. However, one family member went the extra mile and ordered from Amazon Germany to send me this book for my birthday. So it was such a treat to have book mail in another country where we didn't normally get almost any mail.
This book, Art and Faith: A Theology of Making, is a book by an artist who is sharing reflections on his life as a creator and also his faith. He talks about art as a form of creation. And really, he talks about how our creations are visible markers of God's love and grace. And as a person of faith who also really appreciates creative works, I really thought that his reflections were profound and moving.
[00:16:32] And as a fun fact, I read this book on the weekend that the Pope visited Budapest. We had gone out early in the morning to join thousands of other people just to see Pope Francis visit the city. So that memory will be forever tied with this book as well.
ANNE: Was that a planned coincidence or just a coincidence?
RACHEL ELAINE: No, not at all. Just a coincidence. It was just a happy coincidence. But now when I think about that book, I'm picturing us standing in a throng of other people eating our little grocery store pastries, waiting for the Pope to arrive on his little golf cart Popemobile in a square.
ANNE: Oh, I remember eating really good grocery store pastries in Budapest. Is that because they're amazing or because... is there another explanation? Please tell me they really are amazing. I remember some kind of sweet raspberry thing.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Actually, I would say there are a lot of cherry pastries as well. So cherry pastries. I think some of it is the whole... just the vibe. You're standing in an ancient square, it's open air, there are pigeons flying around, you could hear church bells. It's the atmosphere. It's the ambience. It's all things pulled together.
[00:17:46] ANNE: I buy that. Rachel, how are you going to close out your favorites?
RACHEL ELAINE: The third book I chose from that year is A Patchwork Planet by Ann Tyler. This book was from that wonderful bookshelf in the guest house. The cover had caught my eye early on. The edition that was there had this gorgeous dark purpley maroon cover with a giant clock on it. And so in my mind, I had sort of saved it as, "Oh, I'll wait and read that later in the year. I know Ann Tyler. That's a famous author. I bet that'll be really good." And it did not disappoint.
I inhaled that book over the course of a weekend, which I'm a fast reader, but it's very unusual that I would pick a book and then sit there and read it right away. I appreciated Ann Tyler's really unusual characters. I felt like she had sort of a lovable underdog in Barnaby, who is the main character.
[00:18:49] There was an overall sweetness to the story because he was a rascally underachiever who is trying to reform. Or was he? Who knows? No spoilers. But I just remember feeling like I'd been transported to another world reading this book.
And because it was a lovely hardback with a beautiful cover, I could really enjoy the experience. It wasn't sitting there trying to stare at my iPad with a new release that the library had sent to me as an eBook. Not the same experience as sitting there with the nice hardback edition.
ANNE: I'm so happy that you had this book waiting for you on that physical shelf.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, me too. There were a few books we left behind. And so I hope that future guests can feel the same kind of joy when they discover... Oh, I think I left behind the most recent Cormoran Strike novel that had been released because I had to buy that. I read the British edition and then left it behind for a future reader because you can't bring back a thousand-page book in a suitcase.
[00:19:52] ANNE: I was wondering if page count might have had something to do with that.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes.
ANNE: Any other titles that you were happily paying forward to fellow readers, future readers?
RACHEL ELAINE: Actually, the other strategy we had is we sent books home with my parents when they visited because we did purchase a few books for my son while we were there and did not want to have to leave those behind. He wants to keep building his library here at home.
We were super disciplined. We really tried not to buy books while we were there that we couldn't keep or leave behind in good conscience.
ANNE: As an adult reader, I understand that. And also I love that your child will look at his bookshelves and have those memories associated with that standout year.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. I mean, one of the books that came back with my parents was the most recent illustrated Harry Potter. I want to say it was The Order of the Phoenix. So he has the official British Order of the Phoenix illustrated edition as a memento from that year.
[00:20:54] ANNE: I hope you have some mementos as well, even if they're not literary in kind.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, we do. I'm kind of ashamed to say I still have some packs of paprika that I have not used up that we brought back with us, but we do have other mementos to remember our year abroad.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. Rachel, tell me about a book that was not right for you.
RACHEL ELAINE: This was a big disappointment because I had assumed that it would be an easy win. So I chose The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. The cover was bright and fun. I have read other books by Sue Monk Kidd that held my interest and were really enjoyable. Unfortunately, for me, the story lacked any characters that I could really root for.
It's set on an island off of South Carolina. So a little bit of an unusual setting. There's this ornate chair and a monastery. You have a mother-daughter element to the story. But there was a thread of romance that felt extremely self-indulgent to me.
[00:22:04] I found myself really dissatisfied by the ending. I can handle tough storylines, but if the characters are unlikable and nobody feels redeemable and everybody just does what they want instead of thinking about others, I tend to lose interest.
But I finished it. I kept thinking, "Well, surely now we'll take a turn for the better, and surely someone will do something that is honorable and worthwhile." And instead, nope, that one, I tucked that in the bottom corner. I didn't go so far as to eliminate it as a reading option for others, but I thought, I won't highlight this book as one that a future guest should pull off the shelf.
ANNE: I think one review that made me laugh described this book as the plot basically being like, there's nothing like a little soulful adultery to get an intimate marriage back on track. And I imagine, from what you're saying, that that's not your vibe.
[00:22:58] RACHEL ELAINE: Correct. Yes. I think that review completely nailed it because I was just... I was very irritated for those characters. I tend to become fairly wrapped up in whatever book I'm reading. And so if I can't root for the characters, then I'm just frustrated.
ANNE: Rachel, you are actually answering a question that I've been wondering about as you've been describing your books, because Dear Committee Members, you called out how relatable it was because of the academic world that it's set in and your personal experience with that world.
In the Makoto Fujimura book, you really related to that because of who you are and the things that you care deeply about. You didn't call that out explicitly on Ann Tyler, but my question is, tell me more about the relatability factor. Is that a make-it-or-break-it or is that a might be nice? What do you think?
[00:23:54] RACHEL ELAINE: I think that's probably a make-it-or-break-it for me because the books that stick with me the longest are the ones where I feel very connected, whether it's to characters and fiction. Or if it's nonfiction, if I feel connected to the author, how they see the world, maybe an experience they've had. There has to be a tether in there somewhere for me.
ANNE: So I'm understanding even if you're not like, yes, I condone those choices, you are blazing a trail that I'd like to follow, as in the case of Dear Committee Members. Still, the world they're in makes sense to you and the choices they're making to a point, and then you can forgive some creative license, some cathartic larger-than-lifeness. But I think you want to be along beside them in a sense?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes.
ANNE: You didn't want to go along beside the characters in The Mermaid Chair.
RACHEL ELAINE: Correct. In fact, I really wanted to have a stern discussion with several characters in The Mermaid Chair.
ANNE: You tell me you're Rachel Elaine when you get in trouble.
[00:24:54] RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, exactly. That would have been a Rachel Elaine moment for sure. Yes. But in Dear Committee Members, I think the author was allowing her character to say the things out loud that anyone who's been connected to academia for a long time would say they've at least thought in one moment or another. So that was a good connection for me.
ANNE: All right. We will take that under consideration. I feel like I'm writing a letter. Rachel, what have you been reading lately?
RACHEL ELAINE: Two books I've read lately that really stayed with me are Blessed Are the Rest of Us: How Limits and Longing Make Us Whole. That's by Micha Boyett. It is a memoir of sorts, personal essays that are structured around the passage in scripture called the Beatitudes.
She's a mom who writes with hard-earned wisdom about limits and longing. She is a parent of three boys and the youngest, Ace, has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism. And she shares with a lot of vulnerability and reflection about what it's like to love and parent a child who teaches us about our own limits and longing in this world. So that book has really stayed with me this spring.
[00:26:15] Then the other book that I've been reading lately, it was an audiobook I listened to on my runs called Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. She weaves together three fictional stories. There's also sort of a larger narrative that's being woven together.
But these three stories are set roughly around the time of the Civil War. Two, take place in America, one takes place in Europe. And because it's a middle-grade novel, you have children who are the protagonists. I really appreciated the way that music was woven into the audio experience. So you were hearing about this magical harmonica and you actually heard magical harmonica music as the chapters changed over and at different points of the story.
So that was just an overall fantastic experience for me. Even though at times I can be a little wary, you know, there's so much fiction that's set during the time of World War II, and I think sometimes I think, well, have we not turned over every leaf? Actually, we hadn't because I learned new things listening to this novel that I didn't realize had been taking place around the world.
[00:27:27] ANNE: Okay. That's very helpful. Rachel, let's recap, and then we'll talk about what books we can send you on your way with today. So you loved, Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher, Art and Faith by Makoto Fujimura, and A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler.
Not for you was The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. We talked about how that relatability factor can really make it or break it for you with the books that you love, and in this case, don't. Then lately you've been reading Blessed Are the Rest of Us by Micha Boyett and Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
You've said some really interesting things in your submission, Rachel, about what you are looking for in your reading life. And what especially jumped out at me is how you feel like you have a little bit of whiplash. You don't have a kind of flow that you wish you did. That it feels, and I think these are my words, not yours, kind of like a jumble. Would you say more about that and what you're hoping for today?
[00:28:24] RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Well, I think jumble is fairly accurate because if you look at my nightstand at any given time, you'll find nonfiction books, and there's usually a poetry volume slipped in there, but there's also middle-grade fiction and maybe a thriller.
I think for me, sometimes it really can feel like emotional whiplash going from a very compelling, thoughtful story to then perhaps like a comedian's memoir or something, just a totally different set of emotional connections for me as a reader.
So I would love for the arc of my reading to be a little bit more understandable. As I look back on a year of books, a great year in books, can I see how one book flowed into the next one instead of feeling like I just scratched open the next random to be read?
[00:29:24] I was thinking of those scratch-off calendars, which is not how books work, but-
ANNE: Where you never know what you're going to get.
RACHEL ELAINE: Exactly. Exactly.
ANNE: Rachel, there's not anything necessarily well or inherently bad about pinging from one set of emotions to another one, except that I hear you saying that feels discordant for you. And I just want to take a pause for you to ask yourself, is this something that you do want to change?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. I think I do. At least for a period of time. I mean, even if it was six months with sort of a reading focus or a thread that's pulling me through a reading experience so that I don't feel like it's, you know, gruesome thriller right into pastoral novel. There has to be a little bit of a better transition.
ANNE: In a sense, I'm reminded of my friends who care deeply about making playlists.
RACHEL ELAINE: Oh, yes.
[00:30:25] ANNE: I mean, back in the day, I think I really excelled at a mixtape. It's not necessarily... Okay, to a point. You can understand what I mean by "to a point". It's not necessarily the songs you have, but the order that you choose to put them in that makes a mixtape work.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, that is true bookish wisdom because-
ANNE: [inaudible 00:30:48]
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, yes. No. But that's exactly what I do.
ANNE: It was on Spotify too.
RACHEL ELAINE: It does because you can't have a groovy dance beat that goes right into a slow dance song. You have to have a little bit of a shift.
ANNE: Yeah, it's probably Brandi Carlile in my experience, but yeah, you do. I also want to point out as I was puzzling through like what feels discordant for you is that I think you have a lot of similarities in theme. And I wonder if there's a way where recognizing the similarities in theme would make it feel like a smoother transition for you, or if this is and needs to be a tone question for you, and that's the thing to focus on. There's no good or bad, there's no right or wrong, it's just a question of what you wish to cultivate.
[00:31:34] But if you know what to look for, you will be able to find it. I think you're reading lots of books you really enjoy, you're finding them. It's just a question of how and when you're digging in and what you feel like you're ready for at the time. Because, okay, hypothesis, you often feel like you're not ready for the book you're reading even though you really enjoy it because you were coming off of something else and you wanted to kind of stay in that neighborhood or transition more gently away from it than you feel like you're doing now.
RACHEL ELAINE: I think you've hit on something there. Yes, the theme or the content in the book versus the tone of the book.
ANNE: Yeah. Dear Committee Members is a sharp but also gently silly satire written from the perspective of a disgruntled academic.
RACHEL ELAINE: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: George Saunders has written a lot of books along those lines, but so has Barbara Kingsolver. And Barbara Kingsolver doesn't do snark. Like, she writes like soulful, emotional, earnest... Like, those books are talking about the same things, but they feel different.
[00:32:49] So if you were thinking, Theme is enough to make me feel connected, then you could move from Julie Schumacher to Barbara Kingsolver, and it would feel fine. But if you're also looking for tone, then that's going to potentially feel jarring, even though the theme is very much the same. Not that those are the only things that Julie Schumacher's book and Barbara Kingsolver's book are about.
So I'm simplifying this, for sure, to highlight my point, but that's the difference between theme and tone as you're thinking about, how can what I read next feel like the next right step and not, "Whoa, where am I now? This is different."
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Okay, that's really helpful. I'm tucking that away for future book selections.
ANNE: And you might not know the answer right away, but I love what you immediately volunteered which was, For six months, what if I did this? How would it feel? I love that question.
RACHEL ELAINE: I can always go back to my random book roulette if need be. It's a good time frame to see what happens. I think six months is enough time to say, Okay, I rebel a little bit against a reading plan because I plan a lot of areas of my life and I want the reading to feel a little bit more serendipitous. But having some sort of through line I think would be good.
[00:34:07] ANNE: You referred to your love for gruesome thrillers. I'm imagining that at any given moment, like you might have a gruesome thriller on the horizon, but it's not the only book on the horizon. I'm imagining that you also have a handful of titles in mind or that there's a short list somewhere. So it's not like this is my next book or bust, but that you can look at what you want to read right now or what's waiting for you in Libby or what's going to be coming available soon and choose from an assortment of what fits best.
It doesn't have to be perfect. You're experimenting. Just like, what if I prioritized a book that felt similar in theme or tone, as opposed to the one that's... I don't know. How do you want to finish the sentence? The one that's due first? The one that's the longest, shortest medium?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Yeah, no, I think the sense of, oh, this is due first, that can be a lot of pressure as a reader to say, "I should read this quickly before it has to go back to the library. Otherwise, it was a waste having it on my nightstand." But it's not really a waste, it just had a little vacation in my home and it can go to somebody else's home and then maybe return to mine at a future date if I still want to read it then.
[00:35:14] ANNE: I like that for you. As you're deciding, like I'm noticing from the limited number of data points we've discussed today that you like stories. I mean you like to try things. Like you very quickly were like, "Six-month experiment, let's go."
But you like stories of people trying new things based on revelations they've had. And you like stories of people interrogating important questions and stories of people embarking on experiments.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, yes, I think that's all true.
ANNE: In ways that you can be like, Hmm, what... okay, now I'm really pushing it. But hmm, like, what might that be like for me? And if they're going down a road that you do not want to be on yourself, then that's maybe not a book for you.
RACHEL ELAINE: Definitely. Yes.
ANNE: I don't know where the gruesome murders fit in to that actually. You want to tell me?
RACHEL ELAINE: I think solving crimes and a sense of justice definitely. A recent development in my life is that I've become a court-appointed special advocate for children in foster care and that means that my job is to advocate... Right now I have a one-child assignment and I advocate for her in the court setting, in the family setting, in the medical setting.
[00:36:30] So I think the connection to gruesome thrillers is if there's a detective who's determined to set things right and solve a mystery, I'm on board. And I'm glad that I'm not actually living that detective experience, but that the case is being solved, the fictional case is being solved.
So I would not be as interested in thrillers where... something like, okay, The Trap, I listened to that on audio that was grittier than I would normally prefer and I hated the ending.
ANNE: I don't know what The Trap is.
RACHEL ELAINE: Okay.
ANNE: Should I know this?
RACHEL ELAINE: No, I don't think so. I want to say it was a story where there was a reveal within a reveal within a reveal about a missing person in the beginning. You start with a sister who is trying to see if she can lure her sister's kidnapper to kidnap her as well. Like it's very sick and twisted.
ANNE: Is this Catherine Ryan Howard?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, that's it.
[00:37:32] ANNE: Okay, I haven't read this but my hairstylist reads a lot of books that make her mad and-
RACHEL ELAINE: Did this make her mad?
ANNE: We might have talked about this one.
RACHEL ELAINE: Okay, well I can understand why because I kept listening, kept listening and the very last twist was just infuriating. I won't spoil it for you, but I also would say don't waste your time.
ANNE: Okay. That's really insightful to recognize. I have a strong sense of justice that matters in what I read. That is good to know. I'm glad you have that as a filter.
All right. So let's take a look at what this all means. I mean, I feel like you do a pretty good job picking for yourself. Is that true?
RACHEL ELAINE: I have gotten better over the years. And I will give you a lot of credit because I'm a completist. I've listened to every episode except the two most recent. But I've thought a lot about my own reading life and about what works for me and what doesn't and I've become less averse to putting down or stopping a book if I don't enjoy it. So that has helped tremendously.
[00:38:37] I also tend to enjoy going and reading an author's backlist. So if I find an author that I like, it's easier for me to say, Okay, I'll read all of their works over the course of a year and just slowly savor that collection whether or not it's a series.
ANNE: Okay, that's good to know. Oh, and Rachel, I just realized we didn't hit on something important. You specifically said in your submission that you would really appreciate backlist selections that you can read in physical form. You said those were preferable for that immediate library hold gratification — Love that phrase. Totally get it — and that you enjoy being late to the party instead of chasing new releases.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, I do. I like the buzz to die down and then I feel like I could read the book in peace without anybody influencing how I feel about it. There's also a little contrarian streak in me, which I'm sure is part of it just because everybody else is reading it. I will wait. I think that's part of the equation as well.
[00:39:39] ANNE: Oh my gosh, you want the buzz to die down so you can read in peace.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes.
ANNE: I love that way of putting it. Okay, so the books that you've chosen are 2014, 2020, 1998. They're all 10 years old. I mean 10 years plus. Not a coincidence?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. I think not a coincidence. And that's also true because you had books that were physically left on a bookshelf, who knows when, at the guest house.
ANNE: But they could have been left there in 2022.
RACHEL ELAINE: True, true.
ANNE: Okay. All right. So we can go newer, but older isn't bad?
RACHEL ELAINE: Correct. Yes. There is a very distinct thrill when I go to the library and see, "Aha, they have four copies. Nobody has checked them out. I can pick this up tomorrow."
ANNE: I love that. Rachel, I want to start kind of silly and then maybe get more earnest and on the nose. But because of your love for Dear Committee Members... shoot, you just said that you want the buzz to die down.
RACHEL ELAINE: That's the thing.
[00:40:38] ANNE: But I don't feel like I've seen this anywhere. There's a May release. It's a quirky office comedy. It's called I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue.
RACHEL ELAINE: Ooh, sounds promising.
ANNE: The reason I'm thinking about this is because of a strong similarity to Dear Committee Members. It's not the same. This is about a 30-something admin who works in a Canadian company's regional office. And she has a lot of inner anger that it would be inappropriate to express in the workplace.
So the way that she has found a release valve is that she writes what she really thinks directed at the people she's emailing, just, you know, very... placid work emails too. You know, the title comes from "I hope this email finds you well." You know, just like blasé, blasé, polite, fine wrote. But in white on her white background at the bottom of her email, she says things like, deep in my core, I despise working with you and find you insufferable.
[00:41:41] But then once she forgets to white out one of her nasty notes and it goes out in visible text, not invisible text, and her emails have to get monitored. But instead of following through on that monitoring, what happens is the guy in HR accidentally makes it possible for this employee to see all her coworkers' emails and IMs.
RACHEL ELAINE: Oh, wow.
ANNE: So you might have fun with that.
RACHEL ELAINE: I think so. The ultimate awkward experience. Oh, wow. Unfiltered.
ANNE: But do you want to go there? There's no academia obviously. I think the thing that many of us might be able to relate to is just that simmering frustration that needs an outlet.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Oh, yes. No, I think it could be really hilarious, a perfect little release valve after a stressful week.
[00:42:41] ANNE: It goes horribly wrong.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yeah.
ANNE: Yeah. Reliefs that have gone wrong. I already mentioned Tenth of December by George Saunders. Do you currently have a literary relationship with George Saunders?
RACHEL ELAINE: I do not. I think this would be a new experience for me.
ANNE: Okay, I would not begin with Lincoln in the Bardo. I would start with Tenth of December. George Saunders was originally known for writing short stories. Tenth of December is a collection that has several stories set in the world of academia that are so snarky and humorous intake situations that I think you will find completely relatable.
And just as happens in Dear Committee Members, makes them larger than life and like takes you inside the mind of the people experiencing extreme discomfort in say like committee meetings. He just really highlights the absurd in these specific academic stories in a way that I think you would find really fun.
[00:43:40] And the reason I was talking about the classics is he also wrote more recently a collection called A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, which we have talked about on the podcast. This is where he highlights stories from the Russian masters, and they are included in their entirety because they're now public domain in the book. And then he breaks them down and he says the way he's approaching this is as if we the readers were students in his seminars at Syracuse University that he teaches to writers developing their craft.
So there's a little bit of like that scratching that English major itch like, let me talk about literature in a super nerdy fun in-depth way that I probably don't get to do in my everyday life. We're not all book editors, but this maybe will be a pleasant change for you that it's not that different from what you do on your day job, or... I don't know. You can be the judge here. But I would start with Tenth of December.
Then if you enjoy that, move to A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, which is a short story. It's very different from the ones he's writing himself, but also interrogating those and learning to be a better reader, better writer, if you're into that, but also just really having a lot of fun with words and what's going on here and why does it matter all these years later.
[00:44:53] RACHEL ELAINE: Yes. Oh, I think that's fantastic. That's a great suggestion.
ANNE: Next I want to make sure you know about the 19... I think it's 1980 Madeleine L'Engle work, Walking on Water. Is this a book you're familiar with?
RACHEL ELAINE: I am stretching because it is less than three feet from me on top of a piece of furniture in my office. Okay, Walking on Water is very close proximity right now because it is a book I've been longing to read. I have a secret goal.
ANNE: I was wondering if it was too old that the library would actually have it available, but it's within arm's reach.
RACHEL ELAINE: It's within arm's reach. I bought a secondhand copy. I have a secret goal to be a Madeleine L'Engle completist and I'm a long ways away from reaching that goal, but I have been wanting to read this. If you don't mind, tell me why you think this would be a good fit for me. I'm curious how this connects to the books I shared.
[00:45:51] ANNE: Well, it absolutely pivots off the Fujimura. It is a slim conversational memoir that many readers and artists have found articulates a lot of swirling ideas that they have about art and craft and creativity. And as she does in so much of her nonfiction, she's combining insights from her own journey with masterful storytelling to make her case for art is something that is necessary and vital. She is writing here as a person of faith, but really making the case that we are humans. This is something that we need. I think she could get you excited about ideas that I think I hear you saying you're already pretty excited about.
RACHEL ELAINE: I think this is a five-star gold medal recommendation. I cannot wait. I'm really tickled that that's one of the books that you recommended to me and it's so close to where I am.
ANNE: I did not see that coming. I think the fact that you picked that up at a used bookstore thinking, Maybe.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes.
[00:46:49] ANNE: Yeah, I like your instincts there. Also, I would like to add The Supper of the Lamb, that I recently recommended to Caleb Johnson on an episode that aired not too long ago, by Robert Farrar Capon to make a little trio of books that are all their own thing, but just are in a really lovely conversation together about making things as people for others.
RACHEL ELAINE: I love it. This is great.
ANNE: And then I want to go to two books I just realized just in this moment are both about art in a sense. I'm wondering if Mona Awad is a bridge too far or if she is absolutely perfect for you. Her 2021 book All's Well is about Shakespeare and a college professor living with chronic pain, like debilitating life-altering chronic pain.
She is the director of a theater studies department at a university. She doesn't have enough money. The school doesn't have enough money. Her department definitely doesn't have enough money. And she wants to put on a performance of All's Well That Ends Well.
[00:47:58] She ends up in the position of putting on a production of Macbeth, which she does not want to do instead, because nothing is going out of her way. But then one night, she's at a bar, three mystery men approach her and offer her the ability to do things that are a little bit magical to not only ease her own pain but, I don't know, mess with the lives of others.
Awad's work is a little off-kilter, delightfully so for readers who love her. I'm not sure it's for you. I'm not sure it's for you, but I'm not sure it's not. I'd be curious what you thought about this and other books in her collection of work. Maybe one will jump out to you more than the others, but this is definitely in the snarky, not the earnest vein.
First-person narrative, very engaging. The relatability is giving me pause. But I think it's enough off the beaten path that I want you to know about it.
[00:48:59] RACHEL ELAINE: I'm always glad to learn about a new-to-me author. And I think for the times I want to turn up that snark dial in my life, she could be perfect. So thank you for telling me about her.
ANNE: I want to close with Julie Berry's Lovely War. And you know, Rachel, something that we haven't talked about, but I know from your submission is that you are a heavy audiobook user. I think you said that you run marathons or training for a marathon?
RACHEL ELAINE: Yes, I am training for my second marathon this fall, but I've run a lot of half marathons and other shorter races.
ANNE: Okay, congratulations.
RACHEL ELAINE: Thank you.
ANNE: That's a lot of audiobook time.
RACHEL ELAINE: It is. It is. That's my treat time.
ANNE: And as you were describing the audiobook of Echo, I thought, oh, you need to know about Lovely War. Lovely War is a World War I story. But it's not only that. It's a love story. Also, she takes a tale from Greek mythology and makes it the structure for her World War I story about two couples falling in love in terrible times.
[00:50:00] This is a book that has delighted readers of all ages. It's a little strange. The audiobook is great and has lots of the music reference in the text added to it in a way that feels perfect to the story, in my opinion, in many readers opinion.
So the story begins with Aphrodite and Ares walking into an upscale Manhattan hotel during World War I. What happens next is Aphrodite's husband Hephaestus challenges her to show him what love really looks like because he's a cynic and he's like, "I mean, come on, is this real?" And she's like, "Just watch."
She takes him and the reader, us, as we look on, back in time to meet these four young adults in 1917, England. She's showing her fellow gods to prove her point and win her argument, how each of these two couples fell in love and what they mean to each other, and why it matters.
[00:51:01] So this like, I'm sorry, why are we talking about Hephaestus? I understand how that sounds strange. And also, I think you will find it really compelling. It's a strange narrative structure. It totally works. I read this in print the first time, but then after hearing about the full cast audiobook and the music element... because music is big in this story, one of the characters is a musician. And it really matters. And you think, gosh, I wish I could hear something, what that sounds like. And then it like, you know, comes into the narration.
And the full cast is so good. It's Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner, John Lee, and... Dion Graham is one of my favorites. Julie Berry reads her own notes. I think there are more voices as well. I would be really surprised if this was not squarely in your wheelhouse.
RACHEL ELAINE: I will be checking this out ASAP.
ANNE: I'm happy to hear that. Okay, Rachel, we talked about a lot of books today. Let me see if I can recap them. I Hope This Finds You Well, the new office comedy from Natalie Sue. The buzz may need to die down on that one so you can read it in peace. But then again, maybe it's on your Libby right away.
[00:52:07] We talked about George Saunders' Tenth of December, specifically for right now, maybe later, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. We talked about Madeleine L'Engle's Walking on Water and Robert Farrar Capon's The Supper of the Lamb. We talked about the works of Mona Awad, specifically All's Well, and then we ended with Lovely War by Julie Berry. Rachel, of those books, what do you think you may read next?
RACHEL ELAINE: I think it's an easy decision. I will be reading Walking on Water and hopefully checking out Lovely War to listen to on my next run.
ANNE: Well, it's right there, ready and waiting.
RACHEL ELAINE: Yeah, ready and waiting.
ANNE: Thanks so much for talking books with me today. This has been a pleasure.
RACHEL ELAINE: Thank you, Anne. This is truly a delight. So much fun. Very helpful. You have a lot of insight into my personal reading life and I cannot wait to check out your suggestions.
ANNE: I'm so happy to hear it. I can't wait to hear what you read next and what you think.
[00:53:07] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Rachel and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Rachel on Goodreads. We have that link and the full list of books we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Sign up for our emails to get a quick note from me each Tuesday when we release a new episode, as well as other important announcements and updates from What Should I Read Next? land. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Following our show and subscribing or downloading through your favorite podcast platform really makes a difference to us as podcasters, and we would be grateful if you'd take a moment today to check your podcast settings.
You'll find us in Spotify, Overcast, Pocketcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
Art + Faith by Makoto Fujimura
A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
• The Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (#1 The Cuckoo’s Calling)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Illustrated Edition by J. K. Rowling
▵ The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
• Blessed Are the Rest of Us: How Limits and Longing Make Us Whole by Micha Boyett
• Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
• Barbara Kingsolver (try Demon Copperhead)
• The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard
• I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
• Tenth of December by George Saunders
• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
• Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle
• The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon
• All’s Well by Mona Awad
• Lovely War by Julie Berry (Audio edition)
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 426: A fresh outlook for your reading life
The post Backlist picks for immediate library hold gratification appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re focused on getting our college kids back to school (sniff). I won’t deny this is a coping strategy, but I’m also doing some serious rearranging of our library bookshelves and hope to make visible progress this weekend.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Taffy Brodesser-Akner Put Celebrity Profiles Behind Her, and Faced the Impact of Long Island Compromise. (Elle) Fantastic interview. “I think the headline of everybody’s life right now is: What happened to the opportunity I was promised?”
8 U.S. City Libraries Bookworms Shouldn’t Miss. (Daily Passport) Not the usual suspects.
To Save the World, My Mother Abandoned Me. (Atlantic gift link) Arresting piece from Olga Dies Dreaming author Xochitl Gonzalez. “I asked my mother if she had felt overwhelmed by motherhood, and she admitted that she had. Changing the world, for some of us, feels easier than raising a child. They are both, I suppose, expressions of love.”
I’m late to the party but I finally caved and tried the DHC Cleansing Oil my friends have been raving about and now it’s a staple of my nighttime routine.
How Suni Lee Bounced Back. (Bustle) Talk about an inspiration.
Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Sheet Pan Pancakes. (Skinnytaste) I’m not sure I would have tried this unconventional technique had a friend not strongly recommended this recipe, but I cannot overstate what an enormous hit these were with my whole family.
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) August Quick Lit includes both the brand new and very old, in a variety of genres.
I Wasn’t Sure How To Celebrate Turning 70. Then I Sent An Email That Changed My Entire Year. (HuffPost) I love this so much! “A list maker, I landed a plan. I would log 70 experiences during the year with the people I love. Their job: to propose. My job: to say yes.” (Please note: bookstores are involved!) This piece makes a wonderful companion to our new What Should I Read Next episode about celebrating a 50th birthday with friends, books, and beignets.
Louisville City Guide. (MMD) A Louisville native’s guide on where you should eat, drink, stay, and explore.
How a Boston Physician Conquered the Thriller Genre. (New York Times gift link) As ubiquitous as her books have become, the woman who writes them remains a bit of an enigma. McFadden is a pen name; she is careful not to reveal her identity, mainly becauseyears as a practicing physician, she worries her patients might feel weird about being treated by a best-selling thriller writer.”
The Unbranding of Abercrombie. (The Cut) Fascinating! I love a good behind-the-scenes.
It’s almost jean jacket weather! I bought this Paige Aveline Jacket on a stylist’s recommendation and it’s been a staple of my fall and spring wardrobe for years now.
The Man Who Created the Trade Paperback. (Literary Hub) And publishing has never been the same.
Sitcoms Led Me to Believe I’d Be Eating a Lot of Takeout Pizza When I Grew Up. (Food & Wine) “Pizza is the opposite of a fancy or elaborate meal. A pizza isn’t special at all, but that’s what makes it special.”
Don’t miss these posts:Historical fiction that isn’t set during WWII. Go beyond World War II with these terrific historical fiction offerings.
A to-do list trick. A seriously simple tip that might change your life—or at least the way you approach your to-do lists.
12 narrative nonfiction books to satisfy your sense of adventure. Anyone looking for unputdownable nonfiction?
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
It’s been a good and interesting reading month. I realized a few weeks ago that between new summer 2024 releases and all the reading I’m doing for our upcoming Fall Book Preview, the backlist was seriously underrepresented in my reading selections. The fix is easy enough: I made a conscious effort to mix in some older titles. Two of those are reflected here: Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. Other older titles are still in progress, and I look forward to sharing those next month.
In addition to those forthcoming fall titles, I have been reading a fair number of brand-new releases, like Rufaro Faith Mazarura’s Olympics-themed debut Let the Games Begin and Jessica Joyce’s The Ex Vows, which were both published in July 2024. My newest audiobook, Kara Swisher’s Burn Book, was published in February.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to August Quick Lit Author: Sylvia Plath
This year I stumbled upon so many references to The Bell Jar in both the fiction and nonfiction I was reading, and while I knew a little about the book from my literary studies I'd never read it in its entirety. This summer I decided to change that, as I knew those references would keep coming and I'd like to understand the full meaning. WOW, it was not what I expected. Why did no one tell me how gorgeous Plath's sentences could be? And how incredibly difficult the content is at times. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised, for I knew Plath described her work to her mother like this: "What I’ve done is to throw together events from my own life, fictionalising to add colour – it’s a potboiler really, but I think it will show how isolated a person feels when he is suffering a breakdown." I opted for the audio version; it was great in this format, as read by Maggie Gyllenhaal. More info →Author: Rufaro Faith Mazarura
This debut was all about the timing for me: it takes place during the 2024 Olympic summer olympics, though in this fictional version, they take place in Athens. This summer romance features a fan favorite sprinter named Zeke and an ambitious university grad named Olivia who shows up for her summer internship only to discover her position has been eliminated. She's gutted, but when she accepts the offered volunteer position to get the athletes whatever they need, she gets an inside look at what happens in the Olympic Village—and keeps running into the handsome Zeke. The story did not excel on a sentence level, but the setting in the world of the summer Olympics and specifically the Olympic Village was tons of fun for a summer read. More info →Author: Kara Swisher
This was an interesting change of pace from my usual reading; I picked up the audiobook when our resident spreadsheet whisperer Donna mentioned she was enjoying the audio version. The author hosts a popular podcast and is a longtime tech reporter, but I wasn't familiar with her work when I dove in to her tale—part professional memoir, part recent history—of covering U.S. tech companies beginning in the 1990s. Swisher's breezy style and the breadth of material covered here made this entertaining reading for someone who doesn't pay all that much attention to what's happening in Silicon Valley, but would like to better understand the workings of an industry that affects all of us every day. More info →Author: Jessica Joyce
I loved Joyce's 2023 romance You, with a View and was delighted to learn she has a new book, just out July 16. This one centers on Eli and Georgia, a couple who met and fell in love when they were teenagers, but who broke up five years ago under painful circumstances. Now they're back in California to celebrate the wedding of their mutual best friend Adam, and for his sake, they've resolved to pretend that everything is fine and they're both at peace with how things ended. But the truth is they never got over each other, and when they're brought back into each other's lives for a week because of the wedding, sparks fly. This was a delightful, smartly-written read with heart and depth; I flew through it. (What a happy coincidence that I read this the same month as Persuasion.) More info →Author: Jane Austen
I so enjoyed rereading this with the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club this month for Austen in August! (Our official schedule has us reading at a leisurely pace and finishing next week, but I got a little ahead of myself and already finished, oops.) Our community manager Ginger persuaded me to try the annotated edition, and I LOVED that nerdy experience. The editor's notes talked about everything from the significance of a family owning a barouche vs a chaise and four to the geography of Lyme and Bath to the underdeveloped plot points Jane Austen likely would have smoothed in edits had her health not deteriorated. Fascinating! More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
P.S. I took the top photo at Louisville’s newish romance bookstore A Novel Romance (mentioned in the freshly updated Louisville City Guide), which is where I picked up my copy of Let the Games Begin.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Louisville is a pretty darn cool town, y’all. Big enough to have tons of amenities, but small enough that you can get around easily between our interesting inner-ring neighborhoods. Southern enough to be featured in Southern Living, but not Southern enough for sweet tea to be the default. (Indiana is right across the river, after all.)
When I was a teenager, I never imagined I’d be living here as an adult, but here I am. It’s not a perfect city, by any means, and there is much I would change if I could snap my fingers and make it so. But we have a vibrant arts culture, a truly amazing food scene, and walkable, shop-able neighborhoods like Crescent Hill, Nulu, and the Highlands—and because of our size, these great features are incredibly easy to access. (A big factor is also the specific first-ring suburb Will and I have chosen for our family—we can zip in and out of downtown in ten minutes flat.)
It’s been fascinating to watch our city grow and evolve in recent years: bourbon tourism has exploded, which I have mixed feelings about. But I have zero mixed feelings about the increased frequency with which friends and family from all over the country are visiting Louisville because they’re coming for a couples bourbon weekend, or as part of a bachelor party or corporate team-building weekend. Whatever the reason for their visit, I’m grateful that I’m getting to see visitors for coffee more often because they’re tourists in my town.
We’ve also become an increasingly popular destination for art fairs (though the annual St. James Court Art Show has been a huge regional event for my entire life and is well worth a visit) and music festivals. Bourbon and Beyond has EXPLODED in recent years (that 2024 lineup, oh my stars), Forecastle is huge (though didn’t take place this year), and many other smaller festivals are held throughout the year.
Whether you’re building your trip around a specific event or coming for a leisurely weekend, I hope you find some good stuff to explore in my list. I could have gone on forever, but this collection of favorites is a solid start to planning your time in Louisville.
Bookstores and Literary SightsCarmichael’s Bookstore. Louisville’s original independent bookstore (since 1978!). Two locations in two great neighborhoods: Crescent Hill (my typical location) and the Highlands (the one I am happy to visit three times a year). Carmichael’s Kids, a dedicated kids’ store, is two doors down from the Highlands location.
Butcher Cabin Books. This tiny horror bookstore is a newer addition to the Louisville book scene, with a great little highly curated selection of horror, mystery, and related nonfiction.
A Novel Romance. This romance bookstore opened in a teeny tiny location in Middletown two years ago and just moved to a much larger location in J-town this summer. The vibes are so good! And the selection—and merch—are fantastic.
Daisy Buchanan’s house. Historians and lit-lovers disagree on which Highlands home actually served as inspiration for Daisy’s home in The Great Gatsby, but I don’t need an excuse to wander through the gorgeous Cherokee Triangle neighborhood and check out the contenders. Swing by while you’re visiting the Highlands location of Carmichael’s, or go for a stroll in nearby Cherokee Park.
4th & Walnut. A plaque here commemorates the spot where Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, author, and activist, had his noted epiphany.
CoffeeButchertown Grocery Bakery. My favorite! Excellent coffee in a beautiful setting evocative of a European café,
Sunergos Coffee. Sunergos used to be off my beaten path, but in recent years they’ve added locations in the Highlands (on Norris Place) and in St. Matthews (on Willis Ave) and now I’m a frequent customer. Other locations include U of L, Iroquois Park, and downtown.
Quill’s Coffee. Great coffee, beautiful stores. My favorite locations are the gorgeous one on East Main in Nulu, the new one on Frankfort Avenue that serves coffee in cheerful yellow mugs, and the tiny but convenient shop on Brownsboro Road. Other locations include Highlands, U of L, and St Matthews.
Barista Parlor. This was a destination coffee shop for Will and me when they first opened a decade ago in Nashville. Now we’ve got a location in downtown Louisville! As it’s in the wide-open, high-ceilinged main floor of a large office building, the ambiance isn’t exactly cozy, but the coffee makes up for it.
Breakfast and BakeriesBlue Dog Bakery & Café. The best in the city. Their bread is on the tables of nearly every fancy restaurant in town. Don’t miss their sister butcher/restaurant Red Hog down the street. (Crescent Hill)
Butchertown Grocery Bakery. I prefer the coffee to the baked goods, but the atmosphere is top-notch and the breakfast sandwiches are fantastic.
Wild Eggs. Multiple locations including downtown, Middletown, and Westport Village. I always say I’m going to branch out, but then I always get the chilaquiles—and am never disappointed.
Wiltshire Pantry. I’m a Blue Dog devotee, but some argue that Wiltshire has the best croissants in Louisville. They have a rotating collection of daily soups, good sandwiches, and beautiful baked goods. I frequent the Barrett Avenue location; there’s also one downtown.
RestaurantsProof on Main. Smack in the heart of downtown in the 21c Museum Hotel, which is worth a peek inside. (Don’t miss the bathrooms.) Southern influenced cuisine and seasonal cocktails (though recently the house-made tonic has been my go-to nonalcoholic drink of choice). The free museum features national and international art and installations. This is one of the best spots in town and a frequent choice for our celebration dinners. (21c is our most-recommended hotel to visitors for the all-around experience, but if you want a fabulous pool go to the Omni. Fun fact: the Omni is where I finished my edits for Don’t Overthink It.)
Decade. With its neighborhood vibe and elevated cuisine, this is another place we end up visiting for birthdays and anniversaries. Located in Butchertown.
Seviche. This upscale Latin fusion restaurant in the Highlands is a personal favorite.
Nami Restaurant. This Korean steakhouse is the newest restaurant from nationally known chef Edward Lee and it’s such good fun. (I’m sure his best-known restaurant 610 Magnolia belongs on this list—except I haven’t been yet!)
Red Hog. We end up at the sister restaurant to Blue Dog Bakery & Café all the time; it’s the closest thing Louisville has to a European bistro. We especially like the patio dining, open year-round.
Ice CreamGraeter’s. This section used to be longer, but really: Graeter’s is the city’s best, with multiple locations including St Matthews and the Highlands.
NeighborhoodsNulu. My #1 recommendation for local shopping and dining. Don’t miss my favorite plant store Mahonia!
Crescent Hill and Clifton. These abutting neighborhoods just east of the city are also home to a good number of local shopping, dining, and coffee options, plus a Carmichael’s location and a Carnegie library.
Highlands. Nulu and Butchertown are now challenging the Highlands’ long-held status as THE destination for fine dining in Louisville (as well as excellent casual dining), but it still boasts a high concentration of excellent restaurants, plus local shops.
Things to See and DoLouisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC. That’s right: we have both men’s and women’s professional soccer clubs! (Butchertown)
Louisville Bats. The Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. I’m a fair-weather baseball fan but these games are always a good time.
Waterfront Park. A popular hang-out spot and home to frequent events, concerts, fairs, and festivals. Walk the Big Four Bridge. If you’re visiting with kids check out the nearby splash park as well.
Bernheim Forest and Arboretum. Great hiking, 30 minutes south of Louisville.
Cherokee Park. Louisville has a fabulous Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks system; Cherokee is our favorite. (Highlands)
Louisville Loop is a 100-mile trail system that will eventually encircle the city. We often drive out to various Parklands parks on the city’s edge for hiking and biking.
Waterfront Botanical Gardens. Our botanical garden is very much under development: it’s been exciting to watch it get this far! Free and open to the public and worth a quick look. (River Road)
Kentucky Science Center. Now that the kids are older we’re hardly ever here—but this is Kentucky’s largest science museum and a big destination for families. (Downtown)
Louisville Zoo. 134 acres in the Poplar Level neighborhood. A new baby giraffe was just born this week!
Louisville Slugger Museum. Even if you’re only a halfhearted baseball fan, this is a great museum. If you’re in the area be sure to goggle at the 120 foot-high baseball bat out front on Main Street. (Downtown)
Kentucky Museum of Arts and Craft. Don’t let the name mislead you: this is a contemporary art museum with a very cool gift shop. (Downtown)
Mammoth Cave. This national park is only 90 minutes from downtown.
Churchill Downs. Home to the Twin Spires, the Kentucky Derby, and live racing in season. (Near U of L)
The Urban Bourbon Trail and The Bourbon Trail. Bourbon country is just outside Louisville in Central Kentucky. Explore the historic distilleries of Kentucky’s beautiful countryside, on your own or by guided tour.
Do you have any favorite places to visit in Louisville? Please share in the comments. (Please note I published this original city guide in 2017 and while today’s new version reflects massive updates on the original, I’ve kept the original comments. Enjoy!)
The post Louisville City Guide appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we have celebrated birthday milestones here on the podcast before and today I’m talking with a guest who designed the ultimate book party for her recent 50th birthday.
Kelly Davis lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she works for her alma mater and enjoys caring for her garden and listening to audiobooks.
For Kelly’s recent 50th birthday, she planned a big celebration at her local beignet company, and in lieu of other presents, she asked guests to bring a book that they loved. Kelly’s goal was collecting 50 books for 50 years, and her party was a great success. But the fun didn’t stop there. In a project that would speak to many nerdy reader hearts, Kelly created a master document to analyze the books she received, including lots of charts and graphs.
Today, Kelly would love my help in choosing which of these titles to reach for next, and I’m happy to help her craft a plan.
Let us know which titles you’d recommend for Kelly in the comments section below.
Connect with Kelly on Instagram.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] KELLY DAVIS: I went years with no book club at all, and now I have more book clubs than I know what to do with.
ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, we have celebrated birthday milestones here on the podcast before. Last month, we revisited team member Donna's birthday book store road trip and today we're talking with a guest who designed an ultimate book party for her recent 50th birthday.
Kelly Davis lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she works for her alma mater and dedicates much of her free time to caring for her garden and listening to audiobooks.
For Kelly's recent 50th birthday, she planned a big celebration at her local beignet company. Gosh, that sounds delightful. In lieu of other presents, she asked guests to bring a book that they loved. Any book that they loved. Her goal was to gather 50 bucks for 50 years.
[00:03:01] Kelly's party was a great success. A good time was had by all. But the fun didn't stop there. Kelly then went on to create a master document full of nerdy analysis of the book she received and included lots of charts and graphs by genre that I know some of you would really love.
Now, Kelly would like my help in choosing which of these titles to reach for next. She is staring down plenty of intriguing titles chosen by the people who mean the most to her, and that feels a little daunting. What Kelly needs is a plan, and today I'm happy to help her craft one. Let's get to it.
Kelly, welcome to the show.
KELLY: Hi, Anne. I was so thrilled to see your name come in my inbox. I'm such a fan of the show.
ANNE: Oh, well, we were really excited here at team What Should I Read Next? when we saw your submission, because you wrote about how you chose to celebrate a special occasion, and we are going to get into the details, but it reminded us so much of our team member Donna's experience from years ago. We know how that has really inspired so many What Should I Read Next? readers. I said I wasn't going to get into it and look what I did, but the pleasure is mine. Thank you for coming on and making the time.
[00:04:12] Kelly, tell me a little bit about yourself. We want to give our listeners a glimpse of who you are.
KELLY: Well, I'm a lifelong resident of Lancaster County here in Pennsylvania. Folks might know it, it's a frequent tourist destination for people who want to visit Amish country. We're filled with beautiful farms and fields. Then as a result, we have these great farmers markets filled with goodies like jams, jellies, whoopie pies, shoofly pies, and the like.
I currently work for my alma mater. It is a public institution of higher education here in the state, and I've been there for about 16 years. Right now I work in Student affairs.
At home, I would probably describe myself as an introvert who really enjoys a good cup of coffee or tea and a quiet time with a book. Otherwise, you'll find me outside in my garden. I have a lot of native perennial beds and some beautiful English roses. And really, my joy is seeing the birds, the bees, and the butterflies take advantage of that space. But it's also such a great opportunity to listen to audiobooks while I garden.
[00:05:20] ANNE: It's been a bit of a theme this summer.
KELLY: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Kelly, we would love to hear more about your recent birthday and how you chose to celebrate it. Please tell us everything.
KELLY: This was a big birthday for me this year as I got ready to celebrate my 50th birthday. My husband really encouraged me to throw my own birthday party. He took care of paying the bills for it. But in a previous life I was an event planner and I have pretty high standards, so he was very sage in deciding to let me make the plans myself, which honestly, I enjoy the planning just as much as the execution.
So we decided on a little place down in Lancaster City called the Lancaster Beignet Company, which basically serves lovely caffeinated drinks and very sweet beignets. We invited all of our friends.
[00:06:18] We wrote this little poem inviting people to come, and the goal was to have people bring a book. It could be new. It could be used. It could be dog-eared. It didn't matter. It was just a question of give me a book that means something to you.
The goal was 50 books for 50 years. We invited our friends. They just dropped in as they could make it. And it was a joy to see my friends meeting other friends, you know, from different parts of my life. We ended that night… my face hurt so much from laughing and smiling and just spending good time with people.
There was powdered sugar literally everywhere. People sent me pictures from their cars days later with just powdered sugar from the bags they left with. It was super fun.
I ended up with 40 books, actually 41 books, and a bunch of gift cards. My friends chose to purchase books, you know, as we asked them to, but others chose to purchase book gift cards for local indie bookstores. We have a couple great ones here in Lancaster. Pocket Books is my absolute favorite.
[00:07:35] I've got some decent amount of money to spend to purchase those remaining ten-plus books and of course, a few Taylor Swift stickers for my laptop.
ANNE: Kelly, was there ever a question about books being part of this birthday celebration for you?
KELLY: No. Books are such a big part of my life. I mean, it meant a lot to me as a child. I've been a lifelong reader. I think my first memories, really, of childhood are of reading. Actually, one of the things that I would say I did most as a kid... Do you remember the old plastic record players that we might have had as kids?
ANNE: Yes. Yes, I do.
KELLY: I mean, I was probably listening to audiobooks well before the advent of Libby. The story that my mom tells the most often about me is I would listen to Peter Rabbit on that little plastic record player. She would get it started for me because I wasn't allowed to touch it, and then she'd go down to the basement and start working on laundry.
[00:08:42] These are tiny little records. And so just as we're getting to the really important part where Mr. McGregor has found the rabbit in his carrot patch, serious cliffhanger moment, it's time to turn that thing over to the other side. So I had to run downstairs and drag my mother up as though I had not heard this a million times before. You know, we're at a point where I have to know what's going to happen next. Mom would say, you know, "Here we go again. I can hear the little feet coming down the steps. Mom, Mom, Mr. McGregor is in the carrot patch." So I've been listening to audiobooks for a very long time.
ANNE: A very long time.
KELLY: Indeed.
ANNE: Books are very important to you, and I'm wondering if they've always been such a key element in your friendships and your community, or if this was something new that you expanded into for this special occasion.
KELLY: It's always been a big part of my life, but not so much as community. Although I think right now I'm in about four book clubs. So, as I am getting older and building community in different ways, I have found my way into... I mean, I went years with no book club at all and now I have more book clubs than I know what to do with.
[00:10:02] ANNE: I'm reminded of our team member Brigid's episode that we just aired again in July called How Many Book Clubs is Too Many Book Clubs? Four is a lot, but is it too many? I'm hoping you'll say no.
KELLY: It is not. No. They're all different groups of people, and it's just so diverse and varied. One is for work. One is a group of folks that I work with who've always wanted to be in a book club and are... you know, they heard me talking about a different book club.
Then I have another book club that is about five people and just perfect. We sit on someone's front porch every two months and just discuss a book that one of us has chosen. It's so laid back and low-stakes. It's wonderful.
ANNE: That sounds delightful. Kelly, you came away from this experience with 40-something books, physical, tangible books, and I imagine lots of enthusiasm, good intentions. Tell me the current situation and what you're looking for here.
[00:11:09] KELLY: Wow. I did indeed. I came away with 41 books, and they are currently all sitting here looking at me, waiting for me to decide on that very first book. I think as an Enneagram 9, I've kind of become paralyzed by choice. I had this wonderful intention that I was going to send my thank you cards, not all en masse, but send them as I read a book. And yet here I am, many weeks later, and I have not started a single book.
I would say that probably comes from my love of my local library. I have a tendency to visit that institution on a regular basis. Don't usually go in with a real intention of what I'm going to do. I just kind of look through the shelves, check out what's new and shiny, and kind of go from there.
[00:12:06] I do enjoy my library quite a bit, and as a result, my current gifts, which are so tied to the people who gave them to me, I'm kind of in this quandary now that I've not sent a single thank you note, so thank you to my friends for taking the time and putting so much thought into these wonderful gifts. And yet, here I am kind of at this crossroads of which book do I start with.
ANNE: This may not resonate, but I'm also wondering if there's a reluctance to, in a sense, not play favorites by choosing, you know, the book one friend brought you instead of the book that another friend chose.
KELLY: It's absolutely the case. So I'm hoping maybe you'll be able to help me out in just getting that kick-started.
ANNE: Okay, friends, I may make some choices today. It's not personal. I want to say it's not personal. It's reading, which is an attempt at a you've got mail joke. But of course, it's personal because it's reading and I can see how that is so hard.
[00:13:06] We were laughing, I want to almost say commiserating about both being Enneagram 9s earlier. So Kelly, you know, I get the indecision and the wanting to prioritize relationships that has you going, Oh, this is so exciting. I can't touch them.
KELLY: Yes.
ANNE: We will find our way in. And to do so, we need to know more about what you love and what you don't. I assume your intention is to read all these books in good time. Is that accurate?
KELLY: That is true. Yes.
ANNE: Okay, that is good to know. And so I can see that we are talking about timing and also how you are approaching these books, like the framing you're giving yourself for this experience and for the specific titles you're about to enter into. Although some sooner than others.
Kelly, how did you choose your books for today?
KELLY: I am-
[00:14:06] ANNE: I feel like you already told me so much. Do you just feel it out?
KELLY: Honestly, with these I went back to my Goodreads and I looked for four and five-star books because I am a stingy star giver. So I figured if it was a five-star book, I must have really loved it. And as I started to think about those books again, I thought, these are books that have stuck with me in one way or another, a quote, a feeling, something or another.
So I really feel like these books are a good mix of the type of book I listen to or read and also just they've resonated and they've stayed with me all this time. So yeah, they may not be my absolute favorite of all time, but they are ones that continue to run around in my brain.
ANNE: That sounds good to me. Kelly, what's the first book you love?
KELLY: The first book I love is The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. This one is a fast-paced book. I'm a generally slow reader and this is quite a large book for me, but I devoured it in two days. I hadn't remembered that until I looked back and I thought, This is a first for me.
[00:15:26] I tend to take a very long time. I'm usually four weeks to read a book of that size. So two days was a significant amount of time for me. I must have just sat and read straight through.
But it is a murder mystery. It weaves a tale of a man's journey to find a killer. But it's this convoluted romp through time with weaving timelines. He shares his existence in eight different bodies. It's just this crazy mix of things that goes on.
But the premise of the book is every night at 11 p.m. Evelyn is murdered. There are eight days and eight witnesses for this man to inhabit and a house that won't let him escape until he names the killer.
The thing I loved about this book is the mansion is a character in its own right and all of the long cast of characters are so clearly drawn. Like you can see them, you can feel what they're going through because he is inhabiting their bodies and talking about everything he sees and everything he feels in these bodies. So it's really interesting.
[00:16:44] Also, I love this aspect of it. They're in an Old English manor, and there's an upstairs-downstairs kind of quality, so we're talking about class structure, we're talking about the people working in the bowels of the building to make this party that the book centers around go on. You're talking about the aristocracy who... you know, and how they see each other. So there's a really interesting dichotomy going on there.
But I read it the first time, and then probably a month ago I picked it up again as an audiobook, which was really interesting because it was a completely different perspective. For me, it was easier to keep everyone together in my head. Like I had to keep notes, and it was easier to do reading the paper version, but it was really fun to listen to as an audiobook. I'll say that it's still as propulsive.
As I'm pulling into the driveway, I have a pretty short commute, so I was finding reasons, you know, if something really interesting was going on to drive around the neighborhood and listen for a little bit longer.
[00:17:51] ANNE: That's a sign.
KELLY: Absolutely. Absolutely. So, you know, it's a wild ride. I would pull into the driveway and feel like as I got out of the car, it's like coming up for air after being underwater looking at a lot of wonderful things. So it was a great fun. I really enjoyed listening to it again and I enjoyed it just as much the second time.
ANNE: Okay, I'm noticing that you liked it so much that you revisited it for the second time.
KELLY: And that is rare for me.
ANNE: Well, reading time is precious, and so what you choose to spend time with, especially when you already know what you're getting into, that really matters. Kelly, what is the second book you love?
KELLY: This one is Weyward by Emilia Hart. I judge a book by its cover, and this cover just spoke to me. It is filled with toadstools and butterflies and birds and ferns. It was just all the things that I love on the cover of a book. It's super display-worthy. It's one of those books that, like, why don't I own this? And why isn't it on my living room table for everyone to see?
[00:18:59] I will say this book has some sensitive subjects. Talks a lot about abuse and violence towards women, but it is ultimately a story of resilience in women. It examines the lives of three different women across multiple generations. They're all living pretty oppressed lives in their own ways, but they ultimately rebel against those patriarchal systems and structures.
But we meet three different women. One in the 1600s who's accused of being a witch because of her connections with nature and naturopathic healing. There's a 1930s teenage girl who feels trapped in an old English manor during the war. And then our third protagonist is a current-day 20-something professional living in modern-day London.
So those three timelines are all kind of thread together and they wind through similar issues but very different perspectives. I really enjoyed that layered storytelling approach.
[00:20:06] Again, the characters are so beautifully written. Their connections to nature as their stories unfolded and they kind of step into their own power was just such a beautiful story in each one of them, but also kind of how they melded together to tell this cohesive story in the book.
ANNE: Kelly, what is your third book you love?
KELLY: The third book is Wintering by Katherine May. It's called Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. This is a nonfiction book. For this one, timing is everything. What better mood read for the middle of a pandemic!
This book really spoke to me at a time when I needed it to. We were in the throes of starting to work from home. We were spending time outdoors. I had kind of used nature as a salve for this anxiety that we were all going through. I mean, I was downloading apps so that I could distinguish bird calls, if that gives you an idea.
[00:21:14] So this book for me was like light in a dark time. It felt very illuminating. Actually, non-fiction tends to do this for me, where I'll learn about the thing they're talking about in the book, but it'll also send me down rabbit holes to read other books on different topics that are talked about.
I picked up a C.S. Lewis book because of this book, got back into reading about mythology and retellings, interested in trees and hibernation, and just this idea that life isn't linear, it's cyclical. You know, you look at a tree and the cycles that it goes through from winter to spring to summer to fall and just, you know, this too shall pass.
That was a wonderful thing to read in the midst of a pandemic. It's so nice to kind of be in the spring and summer of that now, isn't it? I think I've given that book to more people than I can say.
[00:22:16] ANNE: Interesting. I'm so glad you had that right book at the right time experience with this one. Also, I have it on good authority. You're not the only one downloading that bird call app during these last four, five years.
Kelly, tell me about a book that was not right for you.
KELLY: This one was The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. From the start, this was our inaugural book club choice. We made the decision as a group. We basically looked at award-winning books and chose it kind of sight unseen. We looked at the covers of the books, and I will say this was not a book I would have chosen based on the cover. It was immediately like, Mm, I'm not sure I'm going to like this.
I would have DNF'd this book several times had it not been for the book club, because as in Enneagram 9, we have to have bylaws for the book club. And one of those rules is you must read the entire book. So I couldn't break my own rules.
[00:23:27] But I will say that I can understand why someone might like the book. But for me, I didn't feel kinship with any character. And I tend to like unlikable characters. So that's saying something. I think the only person in the book that I really enjoyed was just this tiny character that was on a few pages. She was a homeless woman with a shopping cart standing outside of a store. That was the extent of the people in this book that I enjoyed.
There just wasn't enough plot for me. It was kind of a story about a person's life and also the story of a dying town, an industrial town that was kind of just now existing without the industry. And while there was some plot and some story, it just really didn't hold my attention the way that I had hoped that it would. So for me, it was not one of my favorites.
[00:24:27] ANNE: I'm wondering what your expectations were going in. Because a lot of readers will find this familiar. I mean, some of you have read it, but also it won the National Book Award for fiction a couple of years ago, the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, which I know a lot of readers pay attention to. What were you expecting to find here?
KELLY: I had actually been in a Barnes & Noble and seen it sitting on a shelf and it said, The Next Great American Novel, and I think I went in with expectations that high. It didn't catch my attention. I think what I expected were really well-drawn characters. In a way, I think that was true, they were well-drawn, but just not to my liking. Not people that I'd want to spend time with. And I spent a bit of time with them.
ANNE: You mentioned before that you chose your favorites because they resonated with you and really stayed with you. And I'm sensing that that's not what you found here.
KELLY: Absolutely. That's very true.
[00:25:30] ANNE: I want to ask you about something that you said in your submission that I'm trying to puzzle out. So, Kelly, you mentioned that you would take plot over character any day if you had to choose, but the book needs to be well-written or it languishes in your maybe-you'll-come-back-later queue. You also mentioned that you really have a lot of patience for long descriptions of things happening in the story. I'm trying to reconcile those two things.
You specifically said A Gentleman in Moscow lost you, despite Amor Towles' gorgeous style. And I'm just trying to get a better sense for where you have patience, and where you put the book aside, where it will languish forever in "maybe I'll get to that one day", which I get the feeling means "I'm done with that book".
KELLY: Yes.
ANNE: Okay. Say more, please.
[00:26:25] KELLY: It's interesting because I really... I don't think you can over-describe something. But it needs to have some plot. It needs to keep pace. My husband and I greatly disagree on "you can't over-describe something". He wants crisp, concise, get-to-the-point stories and I love flowery language and describing the kind of windows and the curtain and what's hanging on the wall. But yet, the plot has to keep moving.
I think it's been described on the show before as maybe "I don't want to just hear about someone living their life. I want to hear about them living their life doing something exciting". I think that might be.
ANNE: Yeah. But also if you're really over-des... okay, here's what I'm wondering. I'm wondering if you were a big setting person.
KELLY: Yes.
[00:27:25] ANNE: You want to know about the place where the action is happening and the plot is unfolding.
KELLY: Yes, that's absolutely true.
ANNE: The details make it real?
KELLY: Yes.
ANNE: Okay, question means theory. Okay, that is very helpful. I'll use that going forward. Kelly, what have you been reading lately?
KELLY: Lately, I've read Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. That is a memoir about a therapist who's exploring her own work, talking about her patients. It's kind of an amalgam of multiple clients just put together so that she could write the book with anonymity, and also talking about her own therapy. It's a good book. It was interesting to kind of get a look inside the walls of a counseling office. It was a fun read.
I'm also reading Bram Stoker's Dracula, but in a really fun way. There is a substack called Dracula Daily, and you can subscribe to that. Because Dracula is written as an epistolary novel, it's made up of diary entries, telegrams, newspaper clippings, and letters. They do it in a really fun way, because every one of those has a date. So, every part of that book is dated.
[00:28:46] What they do... it happens between May 3rd and November 10th. So, on a date that is in the book, you are sent an email with what happened on that day. So there are weeks that you go without hearing anything, and then something will pop up in your email account that says, here's what happened today in Dracula. So it's a really fun way to read it.
I sometimes struggle with classics, but this kind of helps me to read it in the way that it was happening. So I thought that was really interesting. But the thing I do love about a classic is that this has made me break out my dictionary on more than one occasion.
ANNE: That is unsurprising. Kelly, we talked a little bit about what you're looking for in your reading life right now, but what else would you like me to know as we move into choosing books for you?
[00:29:39] KELLY: I think what I'm trying to do now is I'd like a mix of fiction and nonfiction. I'll be honest, I want to start making a dent in my pile of birthday books because I'm really excited about what's there and they're so connected with the people who gave them to me that I want to be able to start sending out these thank you notes, which I may need to just do in lieu of actually reading the books. They can have a second "thank you" once I've actually read the book. Because I think part of the joy of this birthday party is I'm going to be able to now have something in common with my friends that I can talk to them about what they loved about the book too.
So I want to be sure that I am honoring these wonderful gifts but also I have a bit of a problem — I am in love with my local library and the Libby app as well. But I think bookstores and libraries are just magical places, and I visit them quite regularly. My problem, if we can call it that, is I find new and shiny things to read all the time. I can't say that I've left a library without a book in my hand in recent memory.
[00:30:58] So I'm looking to get some recommendations today about not only the books that I've received, but also ones that I can pepper in some shiny new things. I'm not afraid of a backlist book either. I would say I'm open to any genre, which I have certainly gotten in my birthday books. I've gotten everything from cookbooks to poetry, nonfiction, fiction, and just so many genres, so it's going to be lots of fun.
I will certainly not be short on opportunities to try new things. But I'm also looking for... I mean, I love the literary matchmaking. I mean, it's why I'm here. I'd love to know what you think I might love to read next.
And maybe it's because I'm in midlife now at 50 years old. I think it's fair to say that I tend to appreciate characters that are, I think, misunderstood, but sometimes they're labeled as difficult, or strange, or dark, or witches. You know, any number of things like that.
[00:32:07] I've been a fan of main characters from books like Yellowface, Weyward, Circe, and The Push. And I know there are people out there right now saying, "What? Those are not likable people." So I'm hoping for some more maybe women in later or midlife, ones that are maybe not warm and fuzzy, and, you know, wouldn't say no to an old mansion or manor, crystal ball, a witch, you know? I'm open to something a little interesting and intriguing.
ANNE: That's helpful. Thank you for sharing that, Kelly. Let's revisit your books real quick. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton, Weyward by Emilia Hart, and Wintering by Katherine May. That's your nonfiction pick. I suspected you'd want to mix. We'll get that for you.
Not for you was The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty, and lately you've read Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb and Dracula by Bram Stoker via those really interesting email installments from Dracula Daily.
[00:33:16] Your collection of 40-plus new 50th-birthday books is hovering over our conversation here, and I'm wondering if you need a new metaphor for thinking about them. You mentioned that you felt like, and I'm putting some words in your mouth here, but as a reader and as a friend, as a person, you would feel better if you could make a dent in those books. And I appreciate that. And as a reader who reads a lot for all kinds of reasons, I understand that.
Also, I've been flipping through metaphors in my mind, like a cabinet full of good coffee, like a wine cellar, like a bunch of really good, perhaps really expensive chocolate. But I think the metaphor I want to land on is the idea of a cabinet full of just really gorgeous, wonderful, expensive, luxurious candles that you're almost reluctant to burn because you like the collection, and they look good, and you like knowing you could read them anytime, and they'll be there waiting for you, they're not going to go bad, and also you enjoy them so much more when they're burning.
[00:34:25] You don't need to wait to write a thank you note if somebody gives you a luxurious candle. You can write about the anticipation and the happiness it brings you to know what's waiting there for you. Or you could even say like, You lit it just to find out what it smelled like and you're so looking forward to the entire experience.
So those things are there for you, they're not going bad, and yet you enjoy them in a completely different way when you're burning them. Now, they don't quite have the personal... or at least most candles don't have the unique personal connection we have with a book. But I'm wondering how that tweak of language, of imagery, of relationship is landing for you right now.
KELLY: It's perfect. I have been known to keep a beautiful candle until it's almost unburnable. So it's so apt.
ANNE: Where you light it and what it smells like is dust.
KELLY: Exactly.
ANNE: Not that I know that from experience. Okay, I know that from experience.
[00:35:24] KELLY: Maybe my 50s are going to be the era of using the good stuff. Let's not save it, let's use it.
ANNE: We have some weird candles in our cabinet. We have some whose scents are things like road trip or summer barbecue that has a hint of watermelon. I don't know that I want a watermelon candle. But I'm still going to burn at least some of it and try and see the experience and imagine, this is not the case, but imagine why someone chose this for me.
I'm looking at your spreadsheet called Birthday Book Analysis. And listeners, I'm not going to read the whole thing, but a selection here. We have The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. We have Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I'm wondering if you read the other books in the series and that's how you got this one.
[00:36:27] KELLY: I have not.
ANNE: Okay. You could jump in here. I think it would be fine. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. I noticed that you got two books from two different friends. They were Murder in the Stacks by David DeKok, and I'm wondering if some friends know you have a true crime interest.
KELLY: Yeah, there are a few podcasts, so.
ANNE: I suspected as much. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is also a book you got twice. You were given two Brené Brown titles. You have a lot of mysteries here, a fair amount of nonfiction, some fun one-offs like the Taylor Swift coloring and activity book. I'm reminded how you said in your submission that your local bookstore knows you all too well. You told me a few things about that.
Fiction, non-fiction, some how-to books, some... Oh gosh, I almost called this a classic. But I don't think that's going to be unfair at The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. There's also some poetry.
You have a really lovely collection here, and I can see how maybe you're not... There's not an obvious order or way in. There's just your interests and where you are right now and what you think you might want to read and how that slots into the books that you're reading on more of a timeline for your book clubs and in a different sense on more of a timeline because you have library due dates because something new and shiny caught your eye and now you need to read it, not immediately, but soon in a way that these books that you own and are part of your personal collection they don't have that same kind of time demand on them.
[00:37:55] KELLY: That's right.
ANNE: I think I want to start with Braiding Sweetgrass. How does that sound to you?
KELLY: It sounds wonderful.
ANNE: Let me start by saying, actually, that I can make recommendations and you can, in your soul, go, yes. Or you can go, Oh, no, actually, I can see now that I want to (fill in the blank). Both are great. Both give you a path forward. But I plucked Braiding Sweetgrass because, well, it was given to you twice. So I feel like that means something. You could thank two friends, write two "thank you" notes if that is a path forward you're committed to.
And the way that you spoke about nature and stories and how you can't over-describe something and you love flowery language and also books that resonate and stay with you, I think this book could really become a part of your experience as you move through the world as a person and as someone who loves nature and like to spend time in her garden. So this is a really interesting book. It has sold a bazillion copies at this point.
[00:38:59] I was very excited to read earlier this summer that she has another book coming out this fall called... I think it's called The Serviceberry. Many readers will be very excited to hear this.
Kimmerer has an impressive CV. She's a botanist. She's an educator. She's a scholar. She's a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. And in this book, she's showing readers how each plant and animal and ecosystem provides us with lessons and gifts, both obvious and also really not.
When you were speaking of Wintering, you said how life isn't linear, it's cyclical and that you also really enjoy tending to your native plant beds. I think this book has a lot here. Kimmerer said that beauty is medicine. And in this book, she wants to seduce those who don't get that, who don't look at our world and see wonderful, good things. That's maybe before humans put their unique stamp on things.
[00:40:01] And so yes, she's writing to you, and also, I think one of the reasons her book is so compelling is she is trying to woo those that she imagines will be resistant, and so she's got to make it really extra enticing.
She talks about things like beans but she does it using stories and metaphor and symbolism. Like, she tells this almost myth about the three sisters and how they work together and they're stronger when they're not individual and they produce more fruit when they are working in partnership. The three sisters are corn, beans, and squash. I think you're going to be reading this going, I had no idea corns, beans, and squash could be so interesting.
So this has folklore and lots of stories, scientific studies. She's talking a lot about her own journey, and she's giving us a way that we can see the world. And so many readers, and I think you'll be one of them, come away from this book and say, like, Yeah, I see things differently now, just in my everyday life, because of this book. How does that sound?
[00:41:06] KELLY: It sounds amazing. It sounds tailor-made for what I'm looking for.
ANNE: And two of your friends knew that.
KELLY: That's right.
ANNE: I like that. I'm a little afraid I'm going to lose you if we pivot to this next place next. But we're going to do it, okay?
KELLY: Let's give it a shot.
ANNE: I see that there are so many mysteries and thrillers we can choose some and so much other fiction. And then these very specific nonfiction books, you know what they're about. Also, I want to point you, I think, towards The Essential Rumi, the new edition by Coleman Barks. It's also available as an audiobook that is excellent.
The thing about this poetry collection is you can start it... I think it has a lot of themes that will really resonate with you as someone who I really suspect is going to thoroughly enjoy braiding Sweetgrass and as someone who really enjoyed Wintering in that it's lyrical and soul-searching and asking big questions but illustrating those questions with very specific tangible images.
[00:42:06] I like the idea of this being on your nightstand where you could just flip it open. I also really like the idea of you perhaps seeing if you can grab this from your library on Libby for the audiobook, because some people are audio poetry people, some people would rather read the written language. But if it sounds at all appealing to you, I would really recommend giving it a try.
The thing is, though, a poetry collection in print, you can obviously dip in and out of. You can read it in any order. Just see what catches your eye on the table of contents and flip right to it. Audio lends itself more to starting in the beginning and hitting play and just taking it as it comes.
But 13th century poetry and also I think because of the themes and the tone and the mysticism and the questions, I think you'll be surprised to feel how relevant this can feel to right now and how the themes can be so in line with some of the same ones that your books are exploring. How does that sound?
KELLY: It sounds great. I'll tell you that some of my best reading experiences have been when I get the audiobook in companion with the print version. Sometimes you'll hear something and it's like I want to read that, I want to see that in print and does it resonate the same way. So I think that'll be a wonderful opportunity. I'm excited about that.
[00:43:24] ANNE: Okay, good. I'm excited to hear it because I don't want to lose you, Kelly. I want you to be really excited to keep seeing what's here. And I think perhaps some of your friends brought you books that you weren't like, you know what's high on my TBR? And yet, I wonder if they didn't bring them to you for a reason.
Now, you mentioned that you do love intriguing stories that feature perhaps creepy mansions, crystal balls, misunderstood people, older protagonists. I don't have the book that delivers all those things in one tidy package, but there's a couple books running through my brain that I think you may enjoy. One of them came out... I think it was last year. It's by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. It's called The Square of Sevens. Do you know this book?
KELLY: I do not.
ANNE: Okay. I saw an interview with Laura where she was asked to describe her book in five words. These are her words. "Magical, mysterious, epic, immersive, and tricksy." How are we doing so far?
[00:44:24] KELLY: Sounds right.
ANNE: Okay. This is an 18th-century historical mystery. Laura calls this a dive into Georgian England from its glittering balls and assemblies to the rough rivalry of the London fairs. The main character is named Red and she is a young fortune teller who has a special gift that she comes by honestly because her father has taught her.
The title is The Square of Sevens. The book tries to explain this fortune-telling technique, but it involves using a tarot deck and a regular deck of playing cards that are dealt out in a very specific way. That is explained in the book. And there are also three wish cards. That's where that comes from. Also, the book itself is laid out in a way that mirrors that technique with the chapter structure. So if you want to get nerdy about that, you really could.
But Red is this young fortune teller whose father is always on the run. He seems to be hiding from someone. He's very dodgy about the truth of his mother's past. And she wants to figure out, like, what is the deal with my parents? What has happened in the past that I'm trying to figure out?
[00:45:32] Laura herself says that, like, with a nod to Dickens, this young protagonist named Red discovers that her family is feuding in a well-known court case over an inheritance, and maybe it's hers. But that's what everyone is fighting about.
And she is using her fortune-telling skills to spy on her own family and along the way, she finds love. She has run-ins with the law. People get hurt. So this book goes way into granular detail about this 18th-century method of fortune telling. It is central to the plot.
There's a lot of description in the spirit of setting a sense of place and establishing the atmosphere and providing historical detail. Some readers have been like, No, just give me the story, but I think you are going to enjoy those details.
[00:46:30] I can see how if you enjoy this book, which I think you could stumble upon at your library, maybe one of your librarians will catch our wavelength and just put it on an end cap for you, but this could lead you right back into your birthday book collection because one of your friends gave you a Jessica Dore book called Tarot for Change.
And then Casino Royale, if you want to continue the card theme, you could pick up there with that Ian Fleming novel that you also received. How are they sounding? What do you think, Kelly?
KELLY: I think that is a shiny thing that will send me on a path to find some other interesting books. And I love that we can kind of weave our way through a book from my library, and a book from my stack. I think it's wonderful.
ANNE: Oh, there's lots of weaving to be done here, and I look forward to it. I'm going to restrain myself and stop right there. Can we take a recap and see what you want to read next?
KELLY: Absolutely.
[00:47:31] ANNE: Okay. We discussed Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Essential Rumi, edited by Coleman Barks, and The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepard-Robinson that then pivots you neatly back into your birthday book collection. What do you think, Kelly?
KELLY: I think that I'll immediately put Rumi on my nightstand, but I'm so interested in both the other books. I will probably start with Braiding Sweetgrass because it seems to me the universe wants me to read this book for a number of reasons. Two of my dear friends who know me well and Ann Bogel have said this is a book I should read. So I'll start there, but I will certainly make my way through all three of those books. They all sound really great.
ANNE: That sounds wonderful. I look forward to hearing what you think. Thanks so much for talking books with me, Kelly.
[00:48:31] KELLY: Thank you so much. This was like the cherry on top of a beautiful birthday celebration. Thank you, Anne.
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Kelly, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Kelly on Instagram at @hellokellyd and find the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Sign up for our email list to keep up to date with our show and all the happenings here at What Should I Read Next HQ. Sign up to get on that list at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Pocketcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
You may not know this, but when you follow, subscribe, and download each episode from your favorite platform, that is a simple but effective way to support your favorite shows. Thank you from our whole team so much.
Connect with us on Instagram @WhatShouldIReadNext. My personal account is also there @AnneBogel.
[00:49:33] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Weyward by Emilia Hart
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
▵ The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Push by Ashley Audrain
• The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• Murder in the Stacks by David Dekok
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• The Taylor Swift Coloring and Activity Book
• The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
• The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks (Audio edition)
• The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
• Tarot for Change by Jessica Dore
• Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 437: An epic birthday bookstore roadtrip
• Pocket Books
• WSIRN Episode 439: How many book clubs is too many book clubs?
• Merlin birding app
• Dracula Daily
The post Your TBR is not a to-do list appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? The high tomorrow is 79 degrees; almost 20 degrees lower than last weekend’s high so maybe I’ll spend the whole entire weekend outside? I just might. I’m thoroughly enjoying reading Jane Austen’s (annotated) Persuasion with the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club for Austen in August, and I love the idea of reading it on the patio with an iced coffee (or two).
I hope YOU have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:We just published our new meet the team page: go check it out!
Long Bright River Changed Liz Moore’s Life. Can The God of the Woods Do It Again? (ELLE) Such a great profile. (The God of the Woods is a 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection: I loved it.)
Photos: See some of our favorite Olympics pictures, so far. (NPR) What’s your favorite Olympic moment?
We make Melissa Clark’s Gingery Grilled Chicken Thighs with Charred Peaches every summer, and every summer it’s FANTASTIC. 10/10 recommend. (NYT Cooking gift link)
Celebrity Coffee Is the Next Celebrity Tequila. (The New York Times gift link) Tom Hanks, Sofia Vergara, Mick Fleetwood? WHO KNEW. Will could not resist reading most of this out loud to us when he stumbled upon it the other night and we all cracked up at the tasters’ commentary.
7 memoirs read by the author. (MMD) There’s something special about hearing a memoir brought to life in the author’s own voice.
When The Collective Taste Doesn’t Include You. (Big Undies) “I love that people are talking about this because it’s true—very expensive clothes are recommended rather breezily in a lot of fashion writing. But can we also talk about how this inaccessibility intersects and overlaps with anti-fatness?” Laughing as I recall the vast number of links I’ve clicked on in fashion substacks, directing me to a simple blouse that turns out to be, whoops! $1,475.
Announcing The Center for Fiction 2024 First Novel Prize Longlist. (The Center for Fiction)
Our Illustrated Guide to Laundry Symbols Will Help You Decode Your Clothing Care Tags. (Martha Stewart) Bookmarking this.
Preorder Book Sales Are Key. (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency) LOLsob. “Honestly, it’s optimal if you are already selling books before you become an author. This kind of preorder is like a big arrow hanging over your head for publishers that says, ‘Keep an eye on this one: they’re going to write a book one day’ It can be tough to get preorder sales before anyone, including yourself, knows that you’re an author, but you know that the folks you do get to preorder will stick with you for a long while, or at least until you actually write something.”
These 12 Products Will Bring All the Birds to Your Yard. (SELF) If you remember this post about my hummingbird feeder, you know this is my exact kind of content.
Is AI the Bitter End—or the Lucrative Future—of Book Publishing? (Esquire) “The technology has clicked right into the publishing industry’s recent trend toward efficiency, consolidation, and reader service—and seemingly away from sustainability of human labor.”
I finally exhausted my stockpile of longtime favorite face sunscreen Elta MD UV Clear SPF 46 Broad Spectrum Facial Sunscreen and decided to experiment with other options. So far I’m really liking the Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen; it’s different from the Elta but goes on easy and sits nicely under makeup.
Lucy Foley talks secrets, lies, murder, and mystery writing. (What Should I Read Next?) I’m delighted to share the audio from our live Louisville event; we discuss her new revenge thriller The Midnight Feast—and a whole lot more!
3 Reasons Your Neighborhood Should Start Throwing Block Parties. (Strong Towns) Does your neighborhood do this?
Book lists from our archives:14 recommended reads for those traveling to South Korea. Whether you have a trip planned or you’re looking for some armchair travel.
20 notable novels featuring family secrets. Stories built around family secrets make irresistible reads!
16 series to read after you’ve run out of Louise Penny novels. All caught up on Inspector Gamache? Here’s what to read while you’re waiting for the next installment in the series. (The comments section is a goldmine!)
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Every audiobook listener is different. While I typically prefer listening to nonfiction, I’ve discovered that memoir reliably works for me on audio. I love listening to memoir, especially when the author reads their own story. It’s not a guarantee that every memoirist will narrate their own audiobook but it makes sense that so many are. It’s a uniquely personal writing form and there’s something special about hearing it brought to life in the author’s own voice.
When you’re listening to a memoir, you might hear the author laugh or get choked up or even add an aside that wasn’t in the original book. It can feel like you’re having a conversation with a new friend and learning more about their life—and also listening to really great stories. A good memoir makes me feel deeply seen and encouraged, while also giving me a window into someone else’s world and allowing me to contemplate my life from a new vantage point.
I enjoy a good celebrity memoir on audiobook but today’s list features memoirists who are wonderful writers and also who live their lives outside the spotlight. I happened to notice that this list has a strong focus on familial relationships, which is unsurprising for any list featuring my personal favorites because I gravitate so strongly to that theme in my reading.
There were so many more I could have included on this list, and so many more I hope to read in the future—so I hope you’ll share your favorites (NOT by a celebrity) in the comments.
7 memoirs read by the authorSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Saeed Jones
I loved this when I read it the first time in print, but wish I could go back and experience it for the first time on audio! The musicality of Jones’s words makes for excellent listening, especially when he’s reading his own work. Jones is an award-winning poet; this is his remarkable and often bracing coming-of-age memoir about being a Black gay man from the South, told in a series of moments and scenes from his childhood through young adulthood. It’s a searing portrait of race and identity and the struggle to become who we truly are. His stories lingered in my mind long after I turned the last page, particularly those from his final section that unfolds in Barcelona. 5 hrs 34 mins. More info →Author: Ada Calhoun
I read this in print the first time and so enjoyed revisiting it on audio before our conversation with the author in MMD Book Club this spring. Calhoun is the daughter of art critic Peter Schjeldahl, who I've been quoting for years about his approach to works that aren't "immediately hospitable." In this genre-blending book, Calhoun begins by chronicling her father’s failed attempt to write a biography about the poet Frank O’Hara. He seemed to be in an ideal position to write the book, so why couldn’t he do it? Calhoun at first assumes finishing the book itself will be easy—but soon the narrative is taken over both by her own struggles with the work itself and by the story of her complex father-daughter relationship. The audiobook, as narrated by Calhoun, incorporates the actual recorded interviews her father conducted many years ago (as opposed to the transcripts used in the print version). I found this utterly fascinating and definitely worth my rereading time. Please note that content warnings apply that aren’t obvious from the publisher’s description or reviews. 6 hrs 33 mins. More info →Author: R. Eric Thomas
If I wasn’t already an R. Eric Thomas fan for life, this collection would have clinched it. In his sophomore book of essays, the Here for It author tells hilarious, moving, and deeply insightful tales of love, adult friendship, family, and marriage, and also therapy, Zoom funerals, working alone, COVID isolation, middle age, and his home city of Baltimore. There’s no weak link in this collection: every story feels immediate, intimate, and real. I first read this in print and had to re-read it once it came out in audiobook; Eric’s narration is not to be missed. (It was a joy to talk with Eric in WSIRN Episode 392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs, where you can hear him share more about this collection) 6 hrs 40 mins. More info →Author: Safiya Sinclair
This lyrical memoir, beautifully narrated by the author on audio, explores patriarchy, colonialism in Jamaica, and how she discovered her own power. Sinclair grew up in a strict Rastafarian home in Jamaica, where her father, a reggae musician, was obsessed with keeping the corruption of the Western world (that he called Babylon) at bay. Almost everything was forbidden to Safiya and her siblings: she wasn’t allowed to wear pants, make friends, or cut her hair, and any disobedience—perceived or real—was met with violence. In this moving story, she shares how she finds her voice and eventually, her escape, with the help of good books, teachers, and mentors. It took me a few chapters to get oriented in the story but once I did I couldn’t stop listening. 16 hrs 46 mins. More info →Author: Elizabeth Alexander
In Alexander's words: "The story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and is not a tragedy but rather a love story." The author's husband died just four days after his fiftieth birthday. A few years later, Alexander looks back on their life together, their love, and the impact of that loss in her life. She was an American born in Harlem, and he was a refugee of war from Eritrea; when they meet in New Haven, a beautiful story begins. I loved reading about how they built a life together. Both were artists—that’s his painting on the cover of the book—and their home sounds like this amazing, vibrant, multicultural extravaganza with food and friends and music and art. As a poet and poetry professor at Yale, Alexander’s way with words leaves a significant impression, and while sad, it exudes joy. The author’s narration of her own work is magnificent. 3 hrs 45 mins. More info →Author: Dani Shapiro
This is Shapiro’s story about how at age 54, she discovered a life-changing, identity-threatening secret about her family, and how she chooses to move forward. At the moment of discovery, Shapiro has no idea what to do. “I couldn’t imagine what might come next,” she writes. “It turns out that it is possible to live an entire life — even an examined life, to the degree that I had relentlessly examined mine — and still not know the truth of oneself.” If you have any inclination to pick this up, I recommend you avoid the spoiler-laden reviews (that specify what the family secret is) and dive right in. Inheritance reads like a twisty mystery, full of false starts and dead ends, but with a lot of help—some from unlikely places—she solves her case in the end. Shapiro reads her own audiobook. 6 hrs 44 mins. More info →Author: Rick Bragg
Part cookbook, part memoir, this collection is Bragg’s tribute to the south and his family in the form of stories and recipes. His mother cooks from memory; there aren’t any precise measurements or cooking times to be found but she peppers each recipe with tips and wisdom. Bragg’s writing is wistful, funny, and poignant, and his love for his material—both his mother and her cooking—is palpable throughout. His pitch-perfect narration adds even more to the stories. 19 hrs 17 mins. More info → Do you have any favorite memoirs read by the author (who isn’t a celebrity)? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 20 celebrity memoirs read by their authors, 15 MORE celebrity memoirs read by their authors, and 10 literary fiction audiobooks narrated by their authors.
The post 7 memoirs read by the author appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
British author Lucy Foley was recently in the U.S. for a quick tour to promote her new revenge thriller The Midnight Feast. In what turned out to be serendipitous timing (as you’ll hear) my local indie Carmichael’s Bookstore hosted a wonderful event in Louisville, Kentucky for the book’s release and invited me to be a part of it. I said yes, and I’m thankful that Carmichael’s and Lucy said yes when I asked if I could record our conversation to share with you.
Listen in as we discuss the real places and travels that inspired Lucy’s new book and setting, plus her evolving career as an author, her love of writing unlikable characters, and what she delightfully calls the unholy trinity of women authors she can’t get enough of.
Let us know which Lucy Foley book is your favorite or tell us more about a thriller you’ve loved in the comments section below.
Follow along with Lucy Foley on Instagram for book tour news, photos, and more.
Are you our perfect fall guest?We’ve just re-opened our guest submission form and we’re excited to see what you send us! While we’re always open to unique readerly conundrums and would love to read about yours, right now we’re also especially looking for your stories or reading experiences that feature cozying up for a cooler season, reflecting on thankfulness, or books that haunt you (interpret that as you like!) Share your submission right here.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
We have a super fun live episode for you today! I'm so excited for you to listen. Right now at what should I read next HQ, we are sweltering in the summer heat and also we are gearing up for fall. We are looking for fall guests. Do you want to be one of them? Our submission form is now open, if you're interested, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest.
If you've listened to What Should I Read Next? for a while, you know that some of our episodes could run practically any week of the year, but some are very seasonally specific. So this is what we're looking for right now.
[00:01:08] We're looking for your stories or reading experience about cozying up for a cooler season. We're thinking about reflections on thankfulness. We might be interested in hearing about books that haunt you.
Now, we are intentionally leaving this open-ended. Maybe that makes you think of scary books. Maybe they're more like hangover-type books, but books that haunt you. Maybe books or reading experience that evoke a crowded table.
Also, I just did my mid-year check-in. If you've done a mid-year check-in and you now have realized you need a second half of 2024 correction, look, I love to jump in and be your bookish problem solver.
Also, we hear from some of you who say, ah, I'm interested in talking to Anne but I just don't have a big important topic to talk about. Let me tell you, some of my favorite submissions are the very simple ones that raise interesting books that we haven't talked about before, interesting questions.
[00:02:03] I especially love those episodes that say, "This is what I like, or I even can't figure out what I like, but I'm looking for clarity. Help!" If those books are interesting, we will look really hard at your submission.
And here's what I mean by "interesting". Really it's not complicated. We're looking for books that we haven't featured on the show that we think our listeners may enjoy talking about, and that I think I would like to have a great conversation about.
So you are the expert on your reading life. If you would like to bring that expertise to What Should I Read Next?, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest is the place to go. When you fill out that submission, we will ask for three books you love, one book you don't, what you're on the lookout for in your reading life right now, and maybe we'll be talking to you this fall.
Thank you so much for considering being so generous as to share your reading life with me and all of us. It's how we do what we do and we are grateful.
[00:02:58] Now for today's episode. We are having a live conversation with author Lucy Foley, who came to Louisville, Kentucky, my town, in an event hosted by Carmichael's Bookstore to talk about her brand new release, The Midnight Feast.
Now, I talked to Lucy two days after this book came out, and we both just realized, while we were backstage in the green room, wait a second, the big events in this book go down on the summer solstice. And we are having this conversation on the summer solstice, which is a really great coincidence. You'll hear us talk about that at the beginning of the episode.
This new revenge thriller from Lucy Foley is set at the Manor. This is a very lush, very posh luxury resort nestled into the southern British coast. You will hear her talk about the real life inspiration and some of the fascinating research she did in the conversation that is to come.
This is a Lucy Foley story, which means the past is never in the past. It's very present in the pages of this book and at opening night of the Manor. The pages are filled with secrets, lies, and murder, and it is so much fun.
[00:04:04] You'll hear us discuss Lucy's authorial inspiration for this book. She references the unholy trinity of women authors who inspire her.
We discuss the research she did to Soho House in Italy, the cabin she went to for some of her earlier books. We'll also talk about her evolving career as an author and the switch she made several books back from historical to contemporary mystery. It comes down to wanting to write unlikable characters, and you will hear more about that shortly.
This was such a fun evening. I'm grateful to Lucy Foley for a great conversation, to Carmichael's Bookstore for being such an excellent host, and for inviting me to be a part of it. I love doing events like this, so if you or your organization is in need of someone to do exactly that, please keep me in mind. I hope you'll hear that a good time was had by all. And I'm so excited they gave us recording permission so you can hear it today. Let's get to it.
Woman: Please join me in welcoming Lucy Foley and Anne Bogel.
[00:05:13] ANNE: Well, hey, everybody.
LUCY FOLEY: Hi. What a crowd!
ANNE: Welcome to a great conversation, and welcome to Kentucky.
LUCY: Thank you for having me on the solstice.
ANNE: I know. Lucy, your book came out on Tuesday, and I don't know what strings Carmichael's pulled, but I'm impressed, y'all, because we get you on the solstice, which this came out two days ago. Has anybody read it yet? Yeah, you pick it up and you can't put it down, right?
LUCY: Wow.
ANNE: So you may not know yet that the summer solstice is when all the juicy stuff, but also all the bad stuff happens in this book. Tell us more.
LUCY: So the action in the book all takes place at the opening of this very glamorous countryside retreat built on old secrets beside an ancient wood, and they're having this sort of solstice party to celebrate the opening because the opening weekend coincides with Midsummer, and I would say tensions and temperatures are rising and some unexpected guests have come to stay.
[00:06:18] The local community are up in arms and they have some plans to disrupt this glamorous solstice party. So I won't say any more but you know, I feel like we should sort of have some kind of wild solstice bacchanal tonight, no? After this. Anyone up for it?
ANNE: You know, I'm on Eastern time but you came here from London, so if you want to stay up till 8 a.m. your time, you're welcome to.
LUCY: I'm just not speaking to it. You know, it's fine.
ANNE: Now, I really enjoyed reading. I was telling Lucy that we live in the US, and we live in Kentucky, and anything British is automatically sophisticated. I was reading how you described your book to European outlets as, what was it? Soho Farmhouse meets the Wicker Man. And I thought, well, that sounds very interesting. What is the Soho Farmhouse and what is the Wicker Man?
I Googled Soho Farmhouse and went, "Oh, y'all, I can't even see how much a room costs a night because I'm not a member." And I'm already intrigued and I want to know everything.
[00:07:21] The Manor, features prominently in this book, it feels like a character in its own right. Please tell us about the Manor.
LUCY: Yes, absolutely. Well, I'll talk about Soho Farmhouse first of all. It is a very strange place. It's very odd. It's a sort of outpost of Soho House, if you've heard of that. But it's kind of rich city folk get to go and experience the countryside. But it's very clean pigs, you know, and it's very fragrant and they have a florist and they have a nice place where you can get cocktails.
It also feels weirdly kind of post-apocalyptic because they've got these sort of Nissan huts everywhere if you know what they are. They've got kind of corrugated iron roofs and these sort of very groomed paths over it. It's very strange.
I sort of heard about it, I managed to wangle my way in there and it was just brilliant. It was so, so inspiring. We actually... I almost wanted to get this in the book somehow. One very strange thing that happened was we saw they had a children's playground and I had my three-year-old son with me at the time and he was like, "Mommy, Mommy, look there's a slide."
[00:08:25] So I went up and I said, "Oh, could my son use the playground?" And they said, "Is he a member?" I was like, "No." And they were like, "Sorry, he has to be a member of the farmhouse." I was like, "That's a slide."
Anyway, the Manor is very inspired by that. It is a hotel though. It is very much a hotel where paying guests can go and stay. I think hotels are funny in that sense, even luxury hotels, because there is a certain kind of democracy to them in that anyone can stay as long as you can afford the price of the hotel room, which is obviously not easy in itself. But it means that anyone can sort of turn up and pretend to be someone else. And I just think that's quite fascinating. We very much got a character that's doing that in the book.
It was also very inspired by... so my parents live in a little village in the South Downs in the middle of the countryside and the next village over was up in arms because they had this new outpost of a luxury countryside hotel opening there. And it was really vitriolic. People were so angry about it. I think probably that tension was the first spark of the idea for the book and then it all sort of grew from there.
[00:09:38] ANNE: We can really see that in the book because I feel like your character who owns the Manor, she would not let your son go down that slide.
LUCY: She would not. There aren't actually any children. It's a very grown-up place. I sort of didn't want them to get near the mayhem at the end of the book. I didn't really know how to cope with that.
But funny enough, I also want the Manor to feel like somewhere as the reader that you really want to stay, to have that feeling of kind of luxuriating in it, to want to lie by the infinity pool, to want to use the spa, to hang out in these... they have these kind of woodland huts which are... I mean, they are kind of wooden huts. But they have four-poster beds and luxury roll-top baths outside things. I want you to really enjoy all of that until you want to run a hundred miles in the other direction and never look back.
ANNE: I think one of your gifts is creating these books that have this atmosphere that is sinister and brooding and ominous, and also we want to hear all about it. Tell us about creating the moody vibes of the Manor and surrounds. I mean, take this in any direction you want, but I'm especially thinking of the forest and what lurks within.
[00:10:50] LUCY: Oh, absolutely. I mean, so first of all, it was setting for me with this book. And it was this sort of West Country setting that really brought that all to life for me, the sort of atmosphere of the book. So the West Country in the UK is just really rich in sort of ancient history, folkloric tradition. All the druids will have been at Stonehenge today doing their thing.
So you've got Stonehenge, you've got Glastonbury Tor, you've got kind of Neolithic burial mounds, [every age?] can shake a stick. You've also got Arthurian legend, all of that. So it feels like it's literally there, like right beneath the surface. So that was great fun to play with.
And then, yeah, I wanted this kind of beautiful setting. So you've got these very dramatic cliffs in Dorset. It's called the Jurassic Coast. So you get all these wonderful kind of fossils washing up on the beaches and these beautiful kind of cliff formations.
But I wanted to have my cake and eat it because I wanted to also have this kind of deep dark ancient forest behind the hotel that sort of encircles it. So it's almost kind of hemmed in and it's like pressed up against the cliffs and all sorts of weird things are happening in those trees. And I had such fun with that. You for fun.
[00:12:04] ANNE: No spoilers tonight.
LUCY: No, I'll try not to.
ANNE: But I found the way it unfolded very satisfying. We would love to hear about your research. You told us about going to Soho House, perhaps other luxury hotels, but also so much about the history and culture that goes back... centuries?
LUCY: Centuries.
ANNE: Millennia?
LUCY: Maybe even millennia. Neolithic. Yeah, it's so, so, so old.
ANNE: What did you need to find out to write your story and what did you discover along the way that you didn't even know you were looking for?
LUCY: Oh, really great question. I discovered that there is a portal to the underworld underneath Glastonbury Tor. Did you know that? You can go under there and meet like the Fairy King or something. I'm going to try it one day.
ANNE: But do you have to be a member?
LUCY: You probably do. Don't bring your children. No. So research, yes. Did lots of research into all of that wonderful kind of myth and legend and the folklore of the area. And it was so rich and so interesting. I didn't even realize that people like Thomas Hardy wrote folk horror really. He was one of the kind of first people to try it.
[00:13:14] The Victorians were sort of the first folk horror writers in a sense because there was this sort of fear, I think, of the kind of pagan and the rural sort of somehow infecting their civilized world. So there was this real sort of, yeah, thing that they had going on with the countryside.
They were suddenly becoming, I think, industrializing and becoming a bit suspicious of it. So kind of going way back into sort of almost like Victorian history and beyond to kind of ancient pagan history. But then I sort of had to forget all of that and come up with my own brand of kind of folklore. So I wanted to come up with my own folkloric legend.
When I set out to write this book, I thought, "Well, that's just going to be easy. I'll just come up with a nice story, and it'll be fun. It'll create atmosphere." And it was the big challenge of writing this book, to be honest, because it wasn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be. What I realized was that I needed this folklore, this kind of mysterious... I don't know how to talk about them without doing too much of a spoiler.
[00:14:17] ANNE: No, but you are going to have so much fun in your book clubs.
LUCY: Yeah. This presence called the birds, let's just call them, I wanted them to be really rooted in local community and the history of that community and sort of enact justice on behalf of the community in centuries past. So I had to sort of put all of that in. And it was great fun doing it.
But I also had to make sure that they were on the page just the right amount because I want you to be a little bit scared of them. So it's almost like in a horror film where actually things are much more scary if they're just sort of glimpsed from the corner of your eye and they're not kind of fully there in front of you illuminated because your brain does the rest of the work.
So it was about getting that balance right and sort of feeding you little bits of this legend without you also feeling, as the reader, like, Oh, I just had to read this big long thing and it's actually a bit boring. Yeah, that was great fun.
[00:15:14] ANNE: Okay, you just said a horror, and I'm realizing...I think this is the closest you've come in your work, is that right? Did that stretch you as a writer?
LUCY: Yeah. It was just something that kind of grew naturally, I think, out of the setting of the book. And I felt like it was an element I hadn't seen in a sort of murder mystery before. I should very much say it's not horror.
ANNE: No, no, no, no, no.
LUCY: I mean, I'm such a scaredy cat with horror films.
ANNE: But speaking in the, like, where's my beret and my the literary tradition?
LUCY: The literary tradition, absolutely. It was just a kind of thread that was a lot of fun to play with. Probably the closest murder mystery in terms of that kind of folk horror thing that I've read is The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie. She really did go into it with that book.
ANNE: I have not read that one.
[00:15:59] LUCY: She did it so well. So that was kind of very inspiring. But it was great fun kind of watching all those. Having said I'm sort of really a scaredy cat about horror, I hate to kind of slash a movie, that sort of thing. Like, Oh, I can't do it. But give me kind of the Wicker Man or a Midsommar, something with weirdly... it sounds strange, but they've almost got a little bit of humor to them, a kind of playfulness.
ANNE: Well, they have to or we'd quit reading them.
LUCY: Yeah. Oh, totally, totally. But yeah, I had great fun sort of researching those. And also things like Hitchcock's The Birds. There's a kind of big homage to that film in this book.
ANNE: I'm so glad you said justice. Because I think something that's so satisfying about reading this is that there is a strong, prevailing theme of justice and also respect. And the owner of not Soho House, she has no respect for local traditions or local customs, which makes it really easy to dislike her and enjoy disliking her. Like one of the ethos that she's trying to embody in her space is pagan chic. That's just rude, y'all. You can't do that. But she's trying.
[00:17:11] You mentioned justice. I'd love to hear how, as we talk about the privileged few doing whatever they want at the expense of the masses and other ways that you've referenced here, how... did you initially see that as a theme that you wanted to pull through the book?
LUCY: I mean, yeah, I think it was there from the start. Because as I say the sort of initial spark was this sort of local hotel opening in the local kind of rural community. I think there's also very much been this thing since COVID in the UK, which is that sort of wealthy city folk have kind of discovered the countryside, and they're like, Oh, the countryside's kind of great really. You know, it's really nice. It's so green and lovely. There's lots of space.
And you do have these certain pockets of the UK. So you've got the Cotswolds is one example, the West Country it's happening, there's a town called Bruton where, you know, every other house is owned by a rock star or a sort of fashion designer or a supermodel. And what it's doing is it's kind of forcing the local community out of the homes that would traditionally have been theirs.
[00:18:18] So it's very much sort of looking at those tensions. I suppose with these books I'm always kind of interested in looking at that sort of upstairs, downstairs dynamic that you have in a kind of golden age murder mystery, but in like 2024 formulation. Like what does that look like now? And there was just more and more and more there the more I kind of pulled that thread really.
The other thing that I sort of came across was the fact that... so we've got this system of footpaths in the UK. And I thought that was a wonderful thing because you can kind of ramble along a footpath and experience the countryside. But I read this brilliant book called Trespass and it explained that actually 92% of the UK is unknowable to British people because you cannot explore it because it's all really... I mean, so much of it is parceled out to these huge landowners who have owned this land since William the Conqueror's time. It's really feudal.
[00:19:13] So it's sort of playing with a bit of that as well, because we've got this hotel that was an ancestral home. It was Francesca's ancestral home. And she's doing all sorts of terrible things that you're definitely not allowed to do in the UK or you're a very evil person. So she's getting this sort of footpath rerouted through the woods. I mean, she's really kicked the hornet's nest here.
But she was also such fun to write as a character. She was great. I had a lot of fun. Because obviously we talked about the darkness in this book, but I also had great fun in this book, pushing the humor as well, pushing that kind of satire.
And it's almost a humor that comes from the way people try and represent themselves and the slippage between who they think they're kind of coming across as and who they actually are. And that is nowhere more apparent than in Francesca's narrative.
She was just such a fun character to write because she's really sort of extra in the way she speaks, in the way she presents herself to the world, wafting around in white linen, waving her crystals and her sage sticks.
[00:20:23] ANNE: Does the humor come naturally? Is that something you've had to work to develop? I'm asking that as an aspiring funny person?
LUCY: Oh my goodness. No. I mean, I'm so unfunny, I feel like, in my day-to-day life. But it's something that... I don't know. I think it comes from the dialogue for me. And the dialogue is the bit in writing that when I first started writing, I found it really hard and it felt really sort of forced and difficult. I think that's something that's just come out of practice and practice and practice and do more and more and more writing.
Now it's my favorite thing, because it feels like the bit where I can almost sit back as the writer, if that doesn't sound too weird, and kind of let the characters take over and just see what happens, not kind of micromanage it too carefully.
And so much of the humor, I think, comes from dialogue. And it also comes out, I think, particularly in Eddie's thread. I just want an excuse to talk about Eddie, because he was also one of my favorite characters to write.
[00:21:22] He is the kitchen help at this hotel. And if we're talking about this sort of upstairs-downstairs dynamic, he sort of embodies that both in terms of the kind of rural community and the sort of money community of the hotel, but also in the hierarchy of the hotel, because he's kind of the lowest of the low.
He's 19, he's a kitchen help, he aspires to be a bartender, and his parents own the farm just down the road. It's the last building that you get to before you come to the hotel. And he doesn't tell anyone he lives there, because the guests sort of complain about the smell of manure when they're lying by the pool. You know, they like the idea of the countryside, but they wanted it to be very fragrant.
Yeah, he was just such fun to write, because he's kind of your eyes and ears into the story, but he is also this innocent. So some of the things he says I thought were funny, but who knows. Let's see what you think.
ANNE: I enjoyed everyone's inner commentary. Like I remember Eddie saying something like, "Check out my shoes. I didn't pay for them. Francesca did, because they cost three times my weekly salary." But the way he says it is the way that a 19-year-old kid with a good sense of humor would say it.
[00:22:31] We hear from everybody's point of view in the story, and it's a wide net. Tell me about writing all those different perspectives, and knowing how to get it right.
LUCY: Oh my goodness, great question. I think I'm just greedy and nosy. So I want to have the opportunity of trying to get into different people's heads, and people that are very different from me. So writing from the perspective of a 19-year-old boy, not something that's particularly familiar to me, but was a brilliant kind of writing challenge.
I just love writing in this sort of confessional, first-person point of view, because it feels kind of intimate. You've almost got the character, hopefully. It feels like they're kind of whispering in your ear, telling you all their deepest, darkest secrets, but at the same time, trying to be sort of the best version of themselves.
I love an unreliable narrator. I love playing with that. I love the sort of slippages in the ways different people experience the same event. And it's not necessarily that my characters are lying. Sometimes they definitely are lying, or they're concealing things from you. But sometimes they're seeing it through the prism of who they are. And I just think that's fascinating.
[00:23:47] ANNE: As you're describing these, I'm thinking these are the qualities that a writer of thrillers needs. I think it's so interesting that it's not where you got your start. Your first few books were in the historical fiction genre. And I'd love to hear about what you learned then, and especially if there's a story there about your pivot into the thriller space. What prompted that shift?
LUCY: I mean, I love writing the historicals. I have, as a writer, always just tried to write the book that I want to read. And at the time I was reading a lot of historicals and these kind of sweeping epics. And so that was in my head when I sat down to write the book Lost and Found.
I loved writing them. I loved writing them. But then a similar thing happened with The Hunting Party. So I think I'd been going back to a lot of my Agatha Christie's and reading them again. I first read them when I was about nine, which is way too early to read books about murder.
But I think I've heard a lot of people say that because you read them for the puzzle, and they're kind of addictive, and you want to go to the next one, the next one, the next one, and you're trying to guess. That's just so satisfying. I don't think I was aware of the darkness, because there is a lot of darkness there.
[00:24:57] Anyway, I'd been reading a lot of those, and then my husband and I were meant to be going on this holiday. I mean, it was a holiday, we had a lovely time. But we were going on this holiday to this remote spot in the Scottish Highlands. It was much less glamorous than in The Hunting Party. We were just renting a little cottage.
But on the way up, I was reading the instructions, and they said, "In the event of very heavy snowfall, you may find that you're unable to leave the estate that the cottage is on." And I looked up, and through the windscreen, I saw the first flakes of snow start to fall, and it just got heavier and heavier. So I was already thinking even before we got there, This is the perfect place to set a kind of golden age, closed circle murder mystery, but in a kind of modern setting.
So my poor husband... we really did have this heavy snowfall, and I made him basically spend the week kind of tramping around, working out where I could kill someone off, and this could happen there, and you know, there.
[00:25:53] I think at the same time, we'd had this thought that it would be a great place to get a group of old friends for New Year's Eve. And the two ideas sort of converged in this very evil way. But I was meant to be writing another historical at the time. And I think I might still be in my contract with the publisher, but just no one ever talks about it. Just forget it ever happened.
I just couldn't stop thinking about this thriller. And that was the thing that was sort of glimmering at me. I mentioned this to my brilliant literary agent, and she said, "Look, if that's the thing that you're obsessed with, write it, and we'll just work the rest out." And so I did. And kind of the rest is history.
I loved suddenly writing as contemporary voice. I loved writing characters that you might love to hate, or hate to hate, I don't know, or hate to love. But just kind of unlikable characters. Because I think with the historicals, I always wanted my characters to be purely kind of sympathetic. And so suddenly to go to the dark side in more ways than one was... yeah, it was a real thrill.
[00:26:59] ANNE: I love that it was the story that came to you that prompted the switch. I'd love to hear about your love of Agatha Christie. Who are some other authors that have either really inspired you and influenced you as a writer or who you just love to read?
LUCY: In terms of sort of historical writers, I always think my kind of unholy trinity of women's writers is Agatha Christie for plot. I'm going to say Agatha for plot, Daphne du Maurier for setting and atmosphere, and Patricia Highsmith for character. So I sort of always go back to those three.
And there's a lot that's inspired by Daphne du Maurier, actually, in this book in terms of the Manor, this building being like a character itself in the novel in the way that Manderly is in Rebecca. We've also got a bit of the birds. And of course, she wrote the original short story that inspired the film. Yeah, just so great on kind of setting and that kind of seaside setting as well. She's Cornwall, this is Dorset, but there's definitely a sympathy between the two
[00:28:00] And then in terms of modern writers, I mean, I love Lisa Jewell. She's my kind of literary hero. I think what I love about her is that she's just so great on character. She writes characters that you... she's very compassionate to her characters. And they feel so real, and they feel so kind of fully fleshed out.
I talked to her about this once, and she said she thinks it's because she comes actually not perhaps from a crime and thriller background. She comes from a sort of what we call in UK women's fiction. I don't know why we have to call it women's fiction. It's just great fiction. But she comes from that background, which was so kind of character led. And she sort of brought that to her brilliant thrillers, which she does so well. So she's one of them.
Elly Griffiths, I love. I don't know if anyone here has read Elly Griffiths. Someone's nodding. She's really big in the UK. She writes these wonderfully atmospheric books. Again, they're set in Norfolk.
[00:28:56] The series that I really love is the Ruth Galloway Mysteries. Ruth Galloway is a forensic archaeologist. So she kind of works alongside the police. There's always a cold case and a kind of modern case. And sometimes the cold case is like 3,000 years old. And so there are sort of two mysteries running parallel.
They've got this wonderful sense of place. And they've also got these characters that sort of develop across the series, which I think is probably a really hard thing to do. I've never written a series. But you fall in love with them. There's this kind of "will they, won't" they thing between Ruth and the head of police. I'm sort of in love with him. She draws him so well. Yeah, they're brilliant. So those are two of the biggies for me.
ANNE: It's so much fun to hear the writers that we love to read speaking about the writers that they love to read with admiration. So thank you for that.
Feel free to pass on this because we can be really superstitious about the stuff we're working on. But is there a book, a kind of book that you would love to read where you feel like you're not ready yet, it's not the time, but one day you think would be really fun?
[00:30:01] LUCY: Yeah. Oh great question. So literally two days ago on the plane I had an idea for the... not the next book because I'm writing that now, but the book after. But it's so early. It's in that stage where you're like, is that just mad or is it a good idea? I sort of have to sleep on it a bit.
I've had this experience where I've literally woken in the middle of the night to feed the baby or whatever, I've been half asleep, thought I've got a brilliant idea for a book or the book that I'm writing, you know, written it down in the notes on my phone, woken up the next morning and been like, this is the ravings of a mad woman, this doesn't mean anything.
ANNE: A tired woman. They're different things.
LUCY: A tired woman. A tired woman, yeah. So I'm just kind of noodling on that at the moment and rolling it around in my brain, but I am excited about it. But I think often for me for a book to come alive, it's like you have this initial spark. So with The Midnight Feast that was this sort of hotel opening, but then you need like two other things.
[00:31:04] It's like a sort of chemical reaction that happens. You need maybe a character to come to you and then you need one other element and then it sort of sparks to life. So I'm sort of waiting for that at the moment and then it kind of snowballs from there.
ANNE: What are you working on now? Do you hear the hesitance? Oh, you're going to talk about it. Okay.
LUCY: Well no. I have to apparently... so I have to be really mysterious about it because it's a bit different and I'm not allowed to say anything. It is a murder mystery. I can say that much. I'm so excited about it. It's got a lot of the things that I bring to my murder mysteries, but it's definitely a little bit different. So watch this space. I'm so bad at keeping secrets. I just want to tell you all, but I've been told I'm paying to death.
ANNE: But I mean... that's intriguing. Okay, last question before we move to your all's questions. But Lucy, you write these books about terrible things happening at very specific places, but the places sound so good that we want to visit them. Like never mind the murder, clean it up and let us come stay.
[00:32:10] I'd love to hear, what's your dream destination as a person? On vacation, on a research trip, whatever, but also a perhaps intriguing destination for a future book that you may or may not actually write one day.
LUCY: Oh my goodness, great question. I mean, as someone that loves to travel, I sort of get panicky about a question like that. It's a bit like as a book lover when someone says, what's your favorite book? You're like, Oh, what... even what are you reading at the moment? And I can then never remember any book I've ever read.
But I think it's also that if you're a really big reader, sorry going off on a tangent here, but if you're a really big reader, you've perhaps got several books on the go at once. Like I don't know about you, but I have my book on the bedside table that's not too worrying, so I can read it just before I go to bed at night. I couldn't read Lisa Jewell's None of This is True before I went to bed because that book... it just got in my brain and upset me so much. It's so brilliant, but yeah.
[00:33:07] And then I've got my audiobook that I listen to in the car, when I'm cooking. I've got another book downstairs. Anyway. So travel is a bit like that for me. I'm just gonna say it's always Italy because, oh, I mean, why not? Italy's always a good idea.
Would I ever set a book there? I actually have set a book there. I set The Invitation, which was my second historical there, which is all kind of set in the film world of the 1950s and 60s. It was just really a great excuse to travel along the Italian Riviera.
Funny enough, my whole family, this is before I had kids, but both my parents and my husband ended up coming with me. I think when I said, "I want to go on a research trip to Italy," they were all like, Yeah, I'll come too.
They all gave themselves jobs. My dad was like, "I'll be the historian." My mum was like, "Well, I'm a gardener, so I'll talk to you about the local flora and fauna." And my husband was like, "I'll carry the bags."
ANNE: It's good to have support.
LUCY: Yeah. It really was. They were great.
[00:34:08] ANNE: It's time for questions for Lucy.
WOMAN 1: So mine's kind of a two-parter. Did you or do you, with your murder mysteries, do you know before you begin writing who or what the culprit and the cause is? And if you do, like throughout your writing, how do you get the right amount of clues and the frequency of clues to the point where you know that not everyone's going to figure it out right away?
LUCY: Oh, great question. Great kind of two-part question. Okay, the first bit. Do I always know who done it? Do I know? No. I wish I did. I have now seven books in, finally made my peace with the fact that I'm just not a proper author and I don't plot really carefully to begin with in the way that I think you're supposed to.
I love the idea of having that wonderful, almost like in a police investigation where you see in a film, they have like the board up on the wall and they have all the like scraps of paper and they have the strings that go between it just because visually that looks so great. But I've tried doing that and I've tried to have my spreadsheets and all of that. When I do that, the book just feels dead on the page to me and it feels really boring and I just want to start writing. And I think that's because for me, it all comes from character and I have to start writing those characters to get to know them.
[00:35:33] So what I say is I plot as I go along. It's not like I don't have any idea of where I'm going. I have an idea of the sort of set-piece scenes that I want to get to along the way. I have an idea of character and I sort of go from there.
And then, you know, yeah, I have an idea of maybe who done it when I start out but in every single book I've written, that has changed about 30% of the way into writing. And I live for those moments as a writer because they're the really exciting moments where you feel like the book's coming to life for you. But you also feel that hopefully if you're surprised as the writer, the reader will be too. So that's a real thrill.
In terms of the kind of making sure the clues are all in the right place and the red herrings, that for me is part of the kind of drafting process. So that's very much not all there in the first draft. That's a kind of layering across like second draft, third draft, fourth draft, putting things in, taking them out. Maybe they're too obvious. You sort of have to row back. Maybe you haven't got enough in there, you have to put more in.
[00:36:36] Because as a writer, I always want to play fair with the reader. So I would always prefer that you kind of guessed in the first chapter, then you got to the kind of big reveal or some of the twists and you felt like you've been tricked. Because that's a kind of cheap feeling. It's not satisfying. I want you to have that wonderful “of course” moment. Not like, What? Like, no, that doesn't make sense. Rabbit out of a hat. So yeah.
The key thing, actually, is to have innocent readers as well. Because obviously, as the writer, I've lost my innocence from the word go. Even my editor has, you know, when she's read the first draft. So it's about finding people who'll read it and tell you if they're surprised in the right place. It's a great challenge writing these books.
WOMAN 2: During that process of you drafting and trying to figure out and, you know, being fair to the reader, how do you trust yourself and have a balance of, you know, this is what I really want to be in the book, this is where I want to go, but then other people are like, don't do that? How do you trust yourself in that writing and drafting process to know, this is where I want to go, this is what I'm sticking with, or I'm going to listen to somebody else's idea and kind of go off of that?
[00:37:51] LUCY: That's a really great question. I'm lucky in that I've worked with the same editor for years. So we have this wonderful sort of trust, I guess, between us. And so I know she's never going to kind of force me to do anything I don't want to do. But when she does query something, I know that she's a brilliant editor, so I know that she's querying it for a reason.
And what she'll do is she won't say, I think you should do this. She'll kind of say, I think there might be an issue with this. And she'll say, This could be a way of solving it. But I know that that's never necessarily going to be the way I do it. It's a kind of jumping-off point for me to kind of go away and think about it and come up with the answer on my own. And sometimes I just can't think, I can't think. But it always comes to you, your subconscious is kind of working away all the time.
But yeah, there are certain things, actually, that I have also had to kind of stand my ground on. So even the last line in this book, I'm not going to be spoilery, but I really, really wanted that to be the last line. And there was a bit of a debate as to whether it would be. And I was like, No, this is something I'm kind of sticking on. Just to be really mysterious there.
[00:39:00] WOMAN 2: Awesome. Thank you so much.
LUCY: Yeah, great question.
WOMAN 3: Okay. So I recently read a really good book. It's called Everyone on this Train is a Suspect.
LUCY: I've got it. I've got it. I haven't read it yet.
WOMAN 3: It's amazing. It's amazing. And I've gotten obsessed with authors who blurb other authors. I'm sure as your popularity continues to rise, you have a million authors that are wanting you to blurb them. How do you decide who to blurb? Or, you know, is it just total personal preference? How are they sent to you? I'm fascinated.
LUCY: That's a really great question. I don't think I've been asked that. The books I want to read, the books that look really great. Because you know, there are so many books, so little time. So yeah, anything that just really intrigues me.
Woman 3: So I think it really is just like a personal... just if you fell in love with the book, you'll consider blurbing it.
LUCY: Totally.
WOMAN 3: That's helpful.
LUCY: Because I want it to be really authentic. I want to give those quotes with kind of a real sense of like, read this book. I've loved it. You might too. Because personally, I love reading on recommendations. So if someone says… like presses a book into my hands, then that's my favorite way to kind of find stuff.
[00:40:12] But also I choose books depending on who's crazy on the cover. Because I think, oh, well I love, you know, Elly Griffith, so I'll read something she's quoted on. It's kind of organic and authentic, hopefully.
WOMAN 3: Awesome. Good to hear. And then my last question is when you're in the United States, what do you like for fast food? That you can't get in the UK.
LUCY: So today I had a great... it was like a fried chicken, hot burger thing. I think it was called a sandwich, but it was like in a burger bun with cheese and pickles and hot sauce. But I asked her before, I was like, "How hot is the hot sauce?" And she was like, "I think you can handle it." I could handle it, had a kick, but it was great. It was perfect. It was amazing. And these like curly fries.
WOMAN 3: Where was it from?
LUCY: It was called Chef Shack.
WOMAN 3: Chef Shack?
LUCY: Thank you. That was it. It was great.
WOMAN 3: Awesome.
LUCY: My top tip.
WOMAN 3: Good recommendations. Thank you, Lucy.
LUCY: Welcome. Great questions.
[00:41:13] WOMAN 4: I have a question about one of your previous novels, if that's okay.
LUCY: Yeah, totally.
WOMAN 4: So in The Hunting Party, all of the chapters are in first person, except for the chapters from Doug. His are in third person, and I was curious on why you wrote it that way.
LUCY: Really great question, because actually I also have... so I've got five points of view in this book, and I've got one point of view that is in third person, and I really went back and forth on that one. And it was the same with Doug.
I tried writing his in the first person, and it just didn't work. It wasn't Doug for me. He's quite a mysterious character. He's quite kind of closed off. He's very private. And every time I tried to write in the first person, I was like, "Doug wouldn't be telling us his business like this. It's not who he is. He's a very kind of private man. I've got to get to know him in a different way.
That actually was another thing that I had to sort of make my case for editorially, because they were like, why are you writing not in the first person for this one? It feels a bit weird. And I was like, "Sorry, that's just the way Doug has to be."
[00:42:14] And in this book, it's the same. I sort of flirted with a bit of a kind of detective thread in this book. So we have this sort of.. I don't want to say police procedural element, because it's very much not a police procedural, but it's the first time I've actually really had the police in a book before. Again, I went back and forth with, should this be first, should it be third? And it just naturally felt like third. And I think you have to really trust your instincts as a writer on these things. And that was my instinct. So there we go.
WOMAN 5: Hi, I have two questions. The first one is just about... so you mentioned that you went on a research trip to Italy just for a previous book and I was curious if you had a favorite research trip you've been on or a favorite drafting experience, either in a location or just at home?
LUCY: Great question. I did have to research a couple of lovely countryside hotels for this book. And I can't say that was one of the harder parts of writing this book. I did really enjoy it.
[00:43:15] But I also, to be honest, then when I was massively pregnant, trying to finish this book about a year and a month ago, it was just such a wonderful thing to kind of imagine myself in a luxury countryside hotel, sort of very uncomfortable, sweating. We had a heatwave. I mean, nothing like this. Nothing. It was a British heatwave. British heatwave. I was pregnant, and I was just sort of imagining myself in this wonderful luxury, you know, hotel room on my own is my happy place these days, having two small children. So I'm very happy to have one to go back to tonight. So yeah, that was just a dream.
WOMAN 5: Then my second one was, do you have a first reader?
LUCY: Yes. It's my husband. He's an ex-lawyer, so he is brutal. He gets out his red pen. He's much meaner than my editor, but he's just great for that. He's like, "I'm not sure about this. This is a bit cringe." I had a sort of slightly romantic scene in one of my historicals and I literally had the phrase "the boat rocked," because they were getting into a boat rather than because... and he was like, "That's a bit cringe. Don't have that."
[00:44:32] He's also really good at telling me when... you know, because I think it all comes from my imagination. And most of it does. I should say that there's a disclaimer at the beginning of the book. It's all, you know... it's not based on real people or places. But he's really good at telling me when I've accidentally sort of put a little bit too much of someone we know into the book. I'm going to embarrass myself because my editor isn't going to tell me that. So thankful to him for that.
WOMAN 5: Thank you.
WOMAN 6: I was wondering, because you had mentioned Agatha Christie being like an inspiration, do you have one that really sparked some of your mystery writing or do you have a favorite that you go back to often?
LUCY: I mean, yes, totally. This feels like a very easy answer. But And Then There Were None, very much inspired. I would say both The Hunting Party and The Guest List. The Guest List, obviously in the sense that it's set in an island, but it's also in the sense that it's got that kind of cut off by the tide thing.
[00:45:31] But it's just such a brilliant book. It's the book I kind of reach for when anyone says that Agatha Christie is a cozy crime writer, because there is nothing cozy about that book. It's just so great as well. The way it's written, there's like no fat on it. It's just like plop, plop, plop. You just can't turn the pages quickly enough.
But I think I was also inspired by the TV adaptation we had. I don't know if anyone's seen it. It was like a few years ago, Sarah Phelps' TV adaptation. I don't know if it made it over here. Aidan Turner of Pulled-Up fame is in it. And it kind of really just brought out the darkness in that book. I think I watched it sort of when I was writing the historicals, and I think it kind of fed into the thinking around The Hunting Party that sort of fed into the inspiration for that book.
WOMAN 7: One final question before you head out. When you come back to Carmichael's for your next book, hopefully you'll have more time to visit Kentucky. What would you like to do when you're here next? And does it include the Kentucky Derby?
[00:46:29] LUCY: Oh my goodness. What should I do? Apparently I need to drink a lot of bourbon. But I mean, I'm currently doing that this evening, so it's fine. I would love to explore, just walk around the city a bit more and explore the history, because I think there's a lot of history here. And like right back to the kind of French occupation or the French influence onwards. So I'd love to know a bit more of that.
I'd love to get out in the countryside. I was sort of like nose pressed up against the glass on the plane on the way here. Like just looking at sort of this beautiful kind of green rolling countryside you have. So all of that. Yeah. If anyone wants to be a tour guide next time I'm here, I'll take you up on it.
ANNE: Thanks everybody.
WOMAN: Let's give her a round of applause.
LUCY: Thank you.
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed listening in on this live author event that took place in Louisville, Kentucky. Lucy did not have very many stops at all on her American tour of The Midnight Feast, and I'm so honored that my town got to be one of those stops.
[00:47:34] I would love to hear what you think about today's conversation. If you have any experience with her works, if you've read, are reading, or will read The Midnight Feast, what you would recommend to someone who has burned through all the Lucy Foley thrillers? What I really mean is give my daughter some book recs, because that is totally her right now.
Follow us on Instagram @WhatShouldIReadNext, where we share quotes from the show, shelfie shots, and reading inspiration for your scrolling.
But if you really want to know what's happening in our What Should I Read Next? universe, sign up for our email list. You'll get a quick note every Tuesday when we release a new episode, and we'll keep you on the loop about other important stuff happening at What Should I Read Next? HQ, and also in our Modern Mrs. Darcy quarters. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Friends, podcasting is weird these days, and truly following our show and subscribing or downloading through your favorite podcast platform every Tuesday makes such a difference to our morale and our livelihoods. We would be so grateful if you would take a moment today to check your podcast settings. You will find us in Spotify, Overcast, Pockecasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:48:42] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
• The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie
• The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines that Divide Us by Nick Hayes
• Daphne Du Maurier (try Rebecca)
• Patricia Highsmith (try The Talented Mr. Ripley)
• Lisa Jewell (try The Family Upstairs)
• The Ruth Galloway Mystery series by Elly Griffiths (#1: The Crossing Places)
• Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Ep 440: Anne’s midyear reading check-in
• Soho Farmhouse
The post Lucy Foley talks secrets, lies, murder, and mystery writing appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We’re cleaning up from a big storm wave this morning, and then hope to enjoy sunshine and slightly less oppressive temperatures this weekend. I’m looking forward to getting together with old friends, finishing school supply shopping, and seeing how my current mystery novel ends.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Sony TV Acquires Two Novels By ‘Long Bright River’ Author Liz Moore For Series Development. (Deadline) I’m very happy for her.
What my friends and I call “the good underwear” is on sale at Nordstrom right now: the Hanky Panky Signature Lace Boyshorts (I’m 5’9″ and prefer a medium) and Natori Bliss Briefs (I prefer a small, but the medium works). My drawer is full of nudes in these two styles but I’m getting some pretty colors while the price is right.
This year’s longlist for the Booker Prize is here. (NPR)
How the Loss of the Landline Is Changing Family Life. (The Atlantic gift link) “When making a call to another household’s landline, you never knew who would pick up.” I couldn’t click on this piece fast enough because Will talks about this phenomenon all the time.
Your Louise Penny starter kit. (MMD) A beginner’s (or completist’s) guide to the beloved and long-running Inspector Gamache series, in advance of the forthcoming 19th novel The Grey Wolf this fall.
100 of the Greatest Posters of Celebrities Urging You to Read. (Literary Hub) Some of these took me back!
No, You Can’t Beat an Olympic Table Tennis Player. (New York Times gift link) “‘Some people who don’t play table tennis actually think they have a chance to win a single point,’ said Anders Lind, 25, of Denmark, the No. 62-ranked player in the world. ‘It’s cute. But it’s not true.'”
How seeing a ‘book butler’ reignited my love for reading. (Glamour UK) “The book butler sits down with hotel guests so they can ask for recommendations on what to read during their stay.”
6 (mostly) little things I’m loving for summer. (MMD) The small things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness, joy, or satisfaction these days.
These New Adventure Memoirs Lay It All on the Line. (Outside Magazine) These sound great.
Who else is in the mood for dresses that can transition from summer to fall? I’m loving this Old Navy Short-Sleeve Shirt Dress, the cult favorite Somerset Maxi Dress from Anthro, the remarkably similar (and much less expensive) Quince 100% Organic Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress, and the Quince Washable Stretch Silk Tiered Maxi Dress. These are all super easy to wear and super versatile. (I’m a Medium in all these styles.)
Meet One of the Most Prolific People on Yelp. (Eater) This taught me so much about Yelp and its Elite reviewers.
Why you should buy physical copies of your favorite books. (Popular Science) In case you’re looking for validation or an excuse.
Anne’s midyear reading check-in. (What Should I Read Next?) “This is, above all, a call to ask yourself, what do you want from your books right now? Because reading time is precious, and we want to help you feel good about how you are using yours.”
We’re in a New Era of Survey Science. (Slate) “Amidst a sea of surveys, it’s hard to distinguish solid findings from those that dissolve under scrutiny. And that confusion, some experts say, reflects deep-seated problems with new methods in the field — developed in response to a modern era in which a representative sample of the public no longer picks up the phone.”
Don’t miss these posts:Get a taste of the A-list life with these 10 celebrity romances. Celebrity romances make for one fun vicarious escape!
School supplies for grown-ups. I get more excited about back-to-school shopping than my kids—and not for the reason you think.
10 favorite audiobook narrators (plus 30 excellent audiobooks they narrate). Don’t miss the comment section!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Reprinted with permission from Oprah Daily. This has been lightly updated.
We’re in the midst of what may be one of our hottest weeks of summer where I live, yet here at Modern Mrs Darcy HQ I’m dreaming of and planning for fall reading. It’s shaping up to be an excellent season for book lovers, who have many great works to look forward to in the coming months. I know I’m in good company when I say that, like many readers, one of my most anticipated fall reads is book 19 in Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series, the October 29 release The Grey Wolf.
Penny seems to be picking up new readers with every release: some begin at the beginning; some start with the most recently published novel. Regardless of their preferred path, every day thousands of readers worldwide embark on a much-anticipated trip: one that requires no plane, train, or automobile (unless they’re traveling to the bookstore) but is instead powered by the magic of fiction.
With the 2022 publication of Louise Penny’s 18th Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novel, A World of Curiosities, readers were invited to return once again to the fictional village of Three Pines, the setting of the long-running series, and now a TV show available on Prime Video. For many, it’s a place they can’t get to fast enough. I talked to Penny on the What Should I Read Next? podcast about the writing life, the stunning success of her series, and why readers continue to gobble up the Gamache books just as fast as she can write them.
When Penny was initially shopping her debut novel, Still Life, to publishers before its 2005 publication, she was told readers would never be interested in a crime novel set in Québec. How wrong they were: Readers can’t get enough of Three Pines, finding comfort in returning not only to beloved characters book after book but to the village itself, with its snug boulangerie where Sarah bakes crusty loaves fresh each morning, Myrna’s bookshop that smells of tea and flowers, Olivier’s bistro where endearing eccentrics gather to banter (or argue) over mugs of café au lait or glasses of evening scotch. Penny may have drawn inspiration from real places, but Three Pines is fictional, even a touch magical: In the world of the books, it’s a known curiosity that the village doesn’t appear on any maps, and “is only ever found by people who are lost.” That hasn’t stopped scads of devoted readers from flocking to the Eastern villages of Québec to see and experience a version of village life for themselves.
Why is everyone reading Louise Penny? Three Pines holds a magnetic pull for readers, despite the fact that terrible things happen in and around the village—and happen fairly often, given Penny’s publication rate of a book a year. The books are, after all, murder mysteries; by her own description, they are “proudly and specifically crime novels.” The series follows the investigations of the supremely decent, quietly intelligent, startlingly kind Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, head of homicide for the Sûreté du Québec. His job may be to investigate murders, but at their heart, Penny’s books are not primarily focused on crime. Her whodunit plotlines serve as a springboard to explore the mystery of human nature, an approach that grants the stories a satisfying depth and psychological astuteness. Penny’s novels shine a light on the best and worst of humanity, exploring love and friendship, belonging and loneliness, goodness and evil—the stuff of life that matters deeply not only to the Three Pines residents that populate her stories but to readers everywhere. And if she does it in a way that keeps us turning the pages, saying Just one more chapter long after bedtime? So much the better.
A common question with any long-running series is: Where does one begin? In other words, must you begin at book #1 before you can enjoy book #19? Penny told me no; it would be unfair to demand readers read nearly two dozen books to earn the right to read the new one. That’s why every book is intentionally written so it can serve as an entry point into the series.
Good news for Three Pines newcomers wanting to jump in right now: A World of Curiosities is particularly hospitable to those meeting Armand Gamache and his fellow villagers for the first time. In this new release, a brother and sister with a tragic past return to Three Pines after a long absence. Many years ago, their mother was brutally murdered, and Penny reveals that it was this case that brought Gamache and his protegé Jean-Guy Beauvoir together. She takes us back in time to their very first meeting and the ensuing investigation that left both feeling uneasy. Now, more than a decade later, the siblings’ reappearance resurrects painful memories for Gamache and Beauvoir and rattles the community, already on edge because of a series of recent murders in the area. Longtime Gamache readers will appreciate how the newly revealed origin story adds layers to the two’s history; new readers will benefit from meeting the pair at the beginning of their relationship.
Regardless of where you choose to begin, these series highlights will give you a sense of what to look forward to upon entering the world of Three Pines.
Still Life (#1)In the idyllic village of Three Pines, people feel such a sense of safety that they don’t even lock their doors. When a beloved local woman is found in the woods with an arrow shot through her heart, the locals assume it’s a tragic hunting accident—but Three Pines resident and Surêté du Québec Chief Inspector Armand Gamache senses something is off, and probes to discover what really happened in those woods, and why. A stunningly good first novel and a tantalizing series opener, with more of a slow burn than her subsequent works.
A Rule Against Murder (#4)Because a small village can realistically only absorb so much murder, Penny sends Gamache away from Three Pines for his murder investigations roughly every other book. In this installment, Gamache and his wife, Reine-Marie, retreat to the luxurious Manoir Bellechasse to celebrate their anniversary, only to find that the wealthy, cultured, and absolutely unbearable Finney clan has descended upon the place for an ill-tempered family reunion. When somebody turns up murdered, it’s obvious to all that the killer must still be at the manor. If you enjoy mysteries with a closed circle of suspects, you’re going to love this one.
The Brutal Telling (#5)In the opening pages of this installment, a stranger is found murdered on the floor of Olivier’s Bistro. Olivier and his partner, Gabri, claim they don’t know the victim, but it quickly becomes clear to Gamache that that’s not the whole truth. Three Pines residents are forced to confront the unthinkable: Could the murderer really be the man who tends the hearth of the bistro, the symbolic heart of village life? “Thomas Hobbes said that hell is truth seen too late,” Louise Penny wrote on Goodreads. “That’s the vortex around which The Brutal Telling swirls.”
Bury Your Dead (#6)My personal opinion: The series moves to the next level in this sixth installment, in which Penny brings the riveting plotline she’s hinted at in previous books front and center. Plus it’s set during Winter Carnival in startlingly beautiful Québec City (which, upon reading Penny’s lavish descriptions, you will want to visit immediately). Gamache is there not to revel with the celebrants but to grieve an investigation gone horribly wrong, retreating to the city’s snug Literary and Historical Society for rest and research. But then a historian is found murdered in the basement.
How the Light Gets In (#9)A missing celebrity, a fatality at the Champlain Bridge, a Sûreté in turmoil under corrupt leadership: Folks may be feeling festive in Three Pines as Christmas draws near, but Gamache’s world is in chaos. This book, which takes its title from a Leonard Cohen lyric, adroitly balances the baffling murder investigation of an elderly woman with the excruciating drama gutting the Sûreté—and Gamache’s own inner circle—from within.
A Great Reckoning (#12)When an old map showing Three Pines is found in the walls of Olivier’s Bistro, the villagers are at first intrigued by the curiosity—particularly because Three Pines, as a rule, doesn’t appear on maps. But then the map is implicated in the murder of a Sûreté professor, a murder seemingly committed by one of their own. Even Gamache himself is a suspect. The investigation leads the former head of homicide to devastating secrets, ones whose truths he is afraid to uncover.
A Better Man (#15)There’s a lot happening in this 15th book: A pregnant woman goes missing during a record-breaking flood, the Sureté itself is in turmoil, thanks to ongoing corruption and power struggles, and Gamache makes a terrible decision. Readers relish seeing poet Ruth Zardo in her role as fire chief and artist Clara Morrow as she faces a pivotal career decision after critics skewer her new show. By introducing new characters and challenges, Penny deftly sets the stage for a new set of plotlines we’ll see unrolled in later books.
All the Devils Are Here (#16)Louise Penny + Paris sounds like a match made in heaven, but the title smacks of hell. It’s drawn from The Tempest: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” While Gamache’s visit to the City of Lights is tainted by murder most foul, the litany of Parisian landmarks employed in these pages is pure delight for the reader. We visit neighborhood bistros, fancy hotels, patisseries, the Paris Archives, the Eiffel Tower, and the garden of the Musée Rodin.
Good news for readers who are caught up on the series: The Grey Wolf, the 19th installment, releases on October 29, 2024! Do you prefer to read series in order or will you jump into in the middle? Please tell us in the comments section.
P.S. 16 series to read after you’ve run out of Louise Penny novels and, for my fellow compulsively readabale literary fiction fans, 15 propulsive literary mysteries that balance plot and prose.
The post Your Louise Penny starter kit appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
With the year just over half way through, I wanted to step back and see how my reading year is going. So today, Shannan Malone and I are doing a little midyear check-in to see how this year has been going so far reading-wise, and what we are most excited about in the coming months.
We’ll consider whether we’re actually reading what we want to be reading this year, whether we have any intentions to pivot for fall and winter months, and if or how our reading tastes and desires have evolved since we last checked in on this publicly back in December.
Checking in midyear like this is a great practice to make sure you’re aligning your intentions with your actual reading choices, but it doesn’t have to be some formal process. As you’ll hear today, Shannan and I are just talking about our reading lives with a bit of added intention.
We will share reflective practices or questions to help you conduct your own midyear check in, if you are so inclined. But regardless of how you approach your reading life or when you’re listening to this episode, this is, above all, a call to ask yourself, what do you want from your books right now? Because reading time is precious, and we want to help you feel good about how you are using yours.
Tell us about your reading check-in rituals or what’s on your priority TBR by leaving a comment below.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading, and today we are doing a fun and informal midyear reading check-in.
Today I'm talking books with team member Shannan Malone. You heard from Shannan just a few weeks ago when we reshared her very first appearance on the show. But since then, Shannan has become a familiar voice around here and one of my favorite people to talk with about what I've been reading lately.
Today, Shannan and I are checking in on how this year has been going so far reading-wise, and what we are most excited about in the coming months.
[00:01:04] We'll consider whether we're actually reading what we want to be reading this year, whether we have any intentions to pivot for fall and winter months, and if or how our reading tastes and desires have evolved since we last checked in on this publicly back in December.
Checking in midyear like this is a great practice to make sure you're aligning your intentions with your actual reading choices. It doesn't have to be all formal and fuzzy. You'll hear that Shannan and I are just talking today about the reading life.
We will share reflective practices or questions to help you conduct your own midyear check in, if you are so inclined. But regardless of how you approach your reading life or when you're listening to this episode, this is, above all, a call to ask yourself, what do you want from your books right now? Because reading time is precious, and we want to help you feel good about how you are using yours.
Let's get to it.
Hi, Shannan. Welcome to the show.
SHANNAN MALONE: Thank you for having me again.
[00:02:01] ANNE: Oh, my gosh, it's my pleasure. I'm so glad you're here. You and I have talked about this a lot in preparation to get together on this episode, and also because we are both readers who talk books. So we want to set this up for our listeners, like why we're having this midyear check-in, which isn't something that we've had on the podcast really, unless you count Our team's best books summer check-ins that have become a tradition around here since way back in 2020.
So we are really viewing the midyear point as an opportunity to revisit and assess what we are reading and what we want to read. And that episode that I referred to, we hosted that back in 2020 with Cincinnati area reader, Courtney Wallace. Readers, I really recommend going back and listening. It's Episode 246. It's called Does your reading life need a midyear checkup?
[00:02:52] In that episode, Courtney and I talk about her experience in doing a midyear evaluation. Something I realized in talking with Courtney was how often we hear readers who share all their readerly goals and hopes and dreams and resolutions at the beginning of the year, and then they share their recaps and assessments and spreadsheets and critiques and data analyses at the end of the year. But it's much rarer to see readers stepping back and taking stock midyear.
In fact, Shannan, the last time you and I talked about this, when I say publicly, I mean in our What Should I Read Next? Patreon community. But we recorded that in December and we shared it in January. And it's all about reading resolutions.
SHANNAN: Yes.
ANNE: It was great. We'll talk more about that in a moment. But the reason for this midyear check-in is that August Anne and Shannan are not necessarily the same readers that January Anne and Shannan were. And so we got to evaluate, like, are we on a track that is now going the wrong direction? Because other things in our lives and our tastes and realizations, you know, like things change. And we can pivot as readers.
[00:04:01] I don't know about you all, and Shannan, I don't know about you, but sometimes it's such a gift to have some reading decisions pre-made. And sometimes I can be so locked in on what I thought I wanted that I don't always realize that, hey, that's not working for me anymore. So this is a time to stop and consciously say, like, is that still working?
SHANNAN: For sure. I'm known to get thickheaded is the word about trying to stay on a track even though it's going in the wrong direction because that's the track I decided to be on.
ANNE: And you're not a quitter. You wouldn't bail.
SHANNAN: I'm not a quitter. And I put so much thought to getting on that track. I'm like, This has to be right, you know? Then it's like, "No, it's not anymore. You need to get off. You need to get off that train. It's going to run direction."
ANNE: Yeah. Sometimes with the best of intentions, we can make ourselves really miserable. Because I hope you hear me like where I'm like laughing as I reference... Because I use the Q keyword, the quitter word? Sometimes that's exactly what we need in our reading lives in the rest of our lives to be like, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, this is not working. Let's do something different.
[00:05:10] And because we are grown readers who are not reading most of the time for grades or assessment or any kind of external... and it is true that we are accountable to our book clubs. Some of us are still students, or students again, but we have a lot of control over what we're reading. So like, let's use that agency to make some good choices.
SHANNAN: Yes, let's.
ANNE: For today's conversation, we are drawing inspiration from that episode with Courtney Wallace, and she was drawing inspiration from the Midyear Book Freakout Tag on Bookstagram. So hat tip to them, Ely of Earl Grey Books and Chami of Read Like Wildfire. They created this tag way back in 2012.
Courtney did her Midyear Book Freakout reflection after she started her BookTube channel in 2020. So we are drawing loose inspiration from that structure. But we will put the link in show notes if you would like to go down the rabbit hole of all the BookTube videos and conversation around this specific tag.
[00:06:18] SHANNAN: It's so much fun. I've done it regularly I guess, since Courtney's episode. And it's so much fun to do. I'm like, I need to do a quarterly Midyear Freakout. It's so much fun. So yeah, looking forward to it.
ANNE: So said with love and affection, you freak out a lot in the reading life, do you?
SHANNAN: I freak out a lot in real life. It definitely translates into the reading life.
ANNE: I think sometimes the best thing that we can hear as readers is "it's not just us". Like those things we do that we think, like, "Are we doing this wrong? Are we overthinking this? Are we underthinking this? Are we really screwing this up?" it can be so reassuring just to hear we are not alone in that. So Shannan, thank you for owning that.
SHANNAN: Yes.
ANNE: Here's what we're going to do. We're going to start by discussing some big-picture questions about what has unfolded from late December, early January, when we are making plans and then embarking on implementing those plans in our reading life.
[00:07:24] That sounds really lofty, but you're going to hear in just a second that my number one goal was to read a wide variety of books I enjoy. Like there wasn't any strategic plan exactly there. Shannan's is a little different.
SHANNAN: I remember thinking, "Anne wants to read it all." And how do you do that?
ANNE: Listeners, if you can figure out how to make that happen, please let me know. I'll get on that immediately. There will be a strategic plan for that.
But really, I held my intentions very... they're very broad. There were many, many, many, many different roads I could have taken to fulfill the things I thought I wanted. So we're going to talk about those big picture questions, and then we're going to move into more of a lightning round with... you're going to hear a lot of specific book title recommendations there.
SHANNAN: Awesome.
ANNE: All right, let's do it.
SHANNAN: All right. So, Anne, at the beginning of 2024, what did you think you wanted from your reading life? We hinted that it was very broad, but can you define "broad" a little bit?
[00:08:31] ANNE: Can I define "broad"? Okay, Shannan, I know you know, and listeners, I imagine that Shannan really wishes she could convey to you how much this is true, that I like to hold my options open. I like to give myself flexibility. For much of what we do behind the scenes, you can know that it looks like a plan. So we have a path forward that is adaptable and held loosely in many places.
That can be a weakness as well as a strength. It's not always our team members' favorite. Like, Anne, let's just nail this down. But I don't want to nail down what I'm reading for the year in January. So I did go back and listened to that episode we recorded in Patreon, which was so much fun. It's called Our Reading Resolutions for the Year. And it's mostly focused on yours because you are much more specific.
But I wanted to read a wide variety of books I really enjoy. That is, minus the verb tense, a direct quote from back then. But I got a little more specific. I said that I wanted to read mainstream books, like big books that readers are broadly reading. And I cited Babel back then as an example because I love to talk about books with others.
[00:09:43] But I also wanted to read really niche sleeper books that might fly under the radar, but then surface those so I can talk about those with other readers as well.
I said that I wanted to read books that challenged me and made me think in new ways that took me around the globe, I wanted to read some long, sprawling books that I could stay with for a good long time and also some short, quick books that delivered compact reading experience that were… that like... Oh, I'm trying to use a boxing analogy and it's breaking down. Despite the two boxing books I've read. But books that really punched above their weight there. That's what it is.
And also some gently weird stuff. Like Elizabeth Weed came on the podcast and talked about how a thimble full of weird was a whole vibe in the publishing landscape right now, books that just had a thimble full. And I wanted to find some of those. But that's really as specific as I got.
[00:10:43] SHANNAN: I think that's pretty specific.
ANNE: I thank you. Thank you very much.
SHANNAN: So how has that played out? Have you gotten to any of those things or not gotten to any of those things?
ANNE: I mean, in some sense, how could I not? You all know me. You hear me talk about books all the time on the podcast. It was kind of a given. But I know I said that I wanted to be really thoughtful about my choices and very aware that there is no plan to read everything.
Like I could spend the rest of my life and not finish reading all the books that were published yesterday. There's just not that much reading time. But I did want to feel like I'd use my time well, my precious limited reading time.
Also, I wanted to be very conscious about the mix. Because I've learned that a healthy... not balanced necessarily. It doesn't need to be even, but a healthy assortment of old and new and various genres and some books that are just pure escape and some that are... This is me trying not to be pretentious. But just like seriously amazing great works of literature, you know? Like I want all of those things.
[00:12:02] But some of the things I didn't think to ask for have been some of the things that have been such a struggle this year. Like, ooh, I didn't think to hope for just consistent reading time. That was really a struggle for me in the first and second quarters. And I missed it. I missed it.
I feel like I should say why because it's very clear in my head. And it just all comes down to like I am a reader who loves to read and books are my job, and also, I'm a person where books are part of my life. They're only part of my life.
So for personal reasons, my mom died. She got sick and then she died very quickly in early January. I mean, that took over everything for a while.
When my dad had died, I read a book a day as a coping strategy, like a peaceful centering experience in the early weeks after he died. And I kind of thought at first that it might be the same after my mom died, but we were so, so busy with practical stuff.
[00:13:07] And I was reading, but I was reading like family albums. And we were traveling and I wasn't reading. Which was obviously not the main thing in this whole conversation. But this is a conversation about the reading life specifically. So, that is what's driving this conversation, though that clearly didn't drive this type of my life.
But I know that we've all experienced personal tragedies and personal crises. And it's been so interesting to me how sometimes those create abundant reading time because that's the only thing I can do. Like you were just reminding me of when I had lung and airway issues in early 2023 and all I could do was sit on the couch. And I read a lot.
SHANNAN: Right. I remember you saying that.
ANNE: So much. So much. I didn't listen to any audiobooks at all for like six weeks, which was really different because I wasn't allowed to climb stairs to do laundry or stand up for a long time to do dishes. But yeah, I just didn't expect that.
[00:14:07] Then when I got back to reading again, the only thing I wanted to read were family dramas. I branched out a little bit, but I really leaned into that. And you can see that there's a lot of that represented in the Summer Reading Guide because that's what I always love. But also, I didn't branch out as far in January, February, March, as I typically compel myself to do as a reader because of my job.
You entered the year with a very different set of intentions. So tell us, what did you think you wanted from your reading life at the beginning of 2024?
SHANNAN: I get very specific.
ANNE: I love that about you. I mean, we balance each other out.
SHANNAN: That is true. That is true. So I have had a reading project consistently for a long time. Basically, 2024 was a narrowing in, I've noticed, of my reading goals.
[00:15:07] So 2022 I was open to abundance and possibility. And that carried over a little bit into 2023. And then I really felt myself kind of wanting to focus.
2022 was my heck yeah reading year. So if I heard about a book, and my response was, heck yeah, I want to read that, then it went on my list. 2023 was my "Don't wait. Don't save it" reading year because I discovered in 2022 that I was saving a lot of those heck yeah books. So in 2023, if I wanted to read it, I didn't save it. I just jumped right in. So that was a narrowing of my goal.
So in 2024, I wanted to have a more focused approach. I only wanted to read and savor the things that I knew I would enjoy and let the things that I said matter to me to actually let it matter.
[00:16:07] So this year's goal was five-star reads. So I'm aiming, for most of my reads, a good percentage, I'm thinking above 80, need to be four and five-star reads this year. That's the goal.
ANNE: Need to be.
SHANNAN: Yes, need to be. For me. Like, again. I'm trying to hold things more loosely, as you have taught me, but I really do want them, the majority of my reads to be four and five stars.
ANNE: So how's that played out so far?
SHANNAN: In anticipation of this episode, I went ahead and did the numbers, and so far, I am at 86%.
ANNE: Wow. Okay, we've had some really interesting conversations about some things that you have learned thus far in the year about those four and five-star reads. Can you tell all of us a little bit?
[00:17:02] SHANNAN: Well, one of the things that I have noticed is that the five-star reads are what I would call hard books. Meaning they're talking about subjects that could be contemplative, reflective, difficult. There may be some difficult subjects involved. There may be tears. There may be anger. They're definitely reactionary in me, in my spirit. Sometimes I can't handle those. So most of that 86% is four stars. They're not five stars. They're four stars, which means I really liked it.
ANNE: I remember when we were first talking about that, I think you were in a season where you were kind of looking for lighter escapist reads, and they weren't really working for you the way you'd hoped. Am I remembering this right?
SHANNAN: Yes. Those are three stars. Lightest escapist for the most part, those are like your, for me, mysteries, detective series, thrillers. In the past, those have been mostly three-star reads, but they're escapism for me because if it's a detective series, there's going to be a crime and it's going to be solved.
[00:18:21] Five-star reads tend to feel a little bit more ambiguous. You don't know how the ending is going to be. You don't know if it'll be a happy ending. You don't know if it'll be a sad ending. So there's a lot more ambiguity in my five-star reads, I'm noticing. And that feels a little dangerous to me right now.
I have a lot of uncertainty and we don't know what's happening in the world. I kind of retreat in the books where I do know what's happening and I do know that it's going to end in a particular way.
ANNE: Shannan, at this point in the year, is that still what you want?
SHANNAN: Yes, I do. I do. Listeners, this is a little behind-the-scenes look, but in the notes, you mentioned something about squirrels.
ANNE: Here, we'll jump ahead. What do I especially want for my reading life between now and the end of the year? I think I wrote "no nervous squirrel energy".
[00:19:27] SHANNAN: I can relate to that 100%. There's been a lot of nervous squirrel energy, or at least the dog in Up where they're like, squirrel! That has been happening a lot this year. I do want to calm that down a little bit and really focus again on the four and five-star reads that I really do want to read.
ANNE: Okay, this is not a sentence I thought I'd uttered in this hour, but what are your squirrels?
SHANNAN: Squirrels can be so many things. A book with a pretty cover.
ANNE: Yeah, that's a classic.
SHANNAN: Or a book that's on Bookstagram that just keeps showing up all the time, all the time, all the time, and you're like, Oh, well, I guess everyone's reading that. Maybe I should read that."
In our episodes before, I mentioned I'm an enneagram 6. So I'm always looking outward like, Oh, what is everyone else reading? Well, maybe I should read that.
[00:20:33] Squirrels for me... I'm also very not just a reader, I'm a watcher. I love watching movies and shows. And Squirrel is a good television show. Like, oh, and then I'm not reading as much as I had wanted to.
ANNE: So you want to continue on your four and five-star books filter?
SHANNAN: Yes, I do.
ANNE: Is there anything you want to add to your shortlist of what you want for the rest of 2024?
SHANNAN: No, no. I think because again, I'm a planner, I'm pretty solid in what I wanted. My trick is to actually do the things that I say I want to do.
ANNE: Heard.
SHANNAN: What about you? Are you still wanting those things or are you going to shift a little bit?
ANNE: Oh, I mean, a wide variety of books I really enjoy. Mainstream and like niche books that fly under the radar, challenge taken around the globe, long, short, a little bit weird, like, yes, I think. I think that's pretty evergreen. But I can get more specific on some of the things that I say I want.
[00:21:44] This would sound so boring to some people, but I want a steadiness in my reading life now. So by my own nervous squirrel energy, I mean right now I am deep in choosing the books for our Fall Book Preview that's taking place in mid-September for our book lovers and our patrons, and our a la carte community.
And y'all, you got to come. The selections are so good. You need to hear more about them so you can make intelligent, thoughtful choices so you don't have that nervous squirrel energy. I don't know. Some people love them and that's fine.
SHANNAN: I could agree with you there because you gave me one of those titles earlier this week and it was squirrel and I'm in the middle of it and I'm about to finish it.
ANNE: Given the context, I'm not sure whether to be delighted or horrified.
SHANNAN: I'm thinking it's probably definitely gonna be at least four and a half. I'll see how it ends to see if it can go to
five-star status.
[00:22:46] ANNE: Okay, I'll take it. No regrets. Okay. In that case, what I'm looking for is acceptance. I can't read everything. So really thoughtfully, what will help me feel satisfied about how I've spent my limited time? I try to think of it like a menu at a restaurant that I've been wanting to go to for a million years and you're there and you can't eat the whole menu. So you thoughtfully choose. Like it all sounds amazing. You think it would all be wonderful. This is not a perfect analogy with all the books in front of me.
So what do I really want to choose to enjoy? Because if I just plowed through my dinner, that wouldn't do it justice. No chef would be happy to see you devour your entree in three bites. And yet that enthusiasm to want to experience it is real.
I'm just really trying to get curious about like, what are the books? What is right for me? What is right for me right now? What can I bring to our readership that would be interesting and additive to their reading lives? I just want to feel steady.
[00:23:54] I know for me that reading a variety of genres, like if I read a lot of page turners in a row, then that does something to my expectations about pace and how quickly I turn the pages, and it's so fun to fly through like a mystery or a romance.
But if I'm flying through everything, then I need to make different choices. I think about the genres because some books you cannot read quickly. And I want some of those books in my regular mix.
I'm also finding that I need to be deliberate about reading the old stuff. Because if I don't want it on purpose, then when I am in a season of reading for Fall Book Preview or Summer Reading Guide, that's what's really easy to exclude. So I'm keeping my priority TBR list in front of me.
Something that accidentally worked really well for me in the spring and early summer was I was reading new and forthcoming books in print, often but not always on my Kindle and I was listening to backlist books that were sometimes just a few years old, but sometimes really old. And that was really working for me.
[00:25:05] But it just so happened that I listened to a few new releases real quick on audio, and then I started looking for more new releases and realized, whoa, hang on, hang on. If I don't make adjustments in what I'm reading in print, and I'm no longer reading backlist on audio, that means I'm no longer reading backlist. And I'm not as happy with my reading life when that's how it goes for a month or more at a time. So I'm trying to be conscious of that.
I also have a few reading projects that are keeping me exploring into interesting territory and really grounded in my intentions. We're working on short stories for Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club this fall, and I'm currently scanning and reading for collections. And I'm reading essay collections for a different project.
And I'm always on the hunt for Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club selections. And we like to read a mix of old books that are readily available at the library and newer works.
So I like how those two specific timely projects and that one ongoing one, since we've been doing Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club since 2016, are also naturally broadening my selections.
[00:26:12] SHANNAN: Right. That sounds great.
ANNE: What about you? What do you especially want between now and the end of the year?
SHANNAN: Well, I have a book project too that I'm doing with team member Donna called 24 Books in 2024. And that is where we are trying to read 24 books from our shelves that we already own and that we have been saying we have been wanting to read for a very, very long time. Brigid has joined us with this. Or actually, technically, I joined Brigid and Donna. They had planned it and I was like, "Let me in."
So that has been kind of helpful in helping me choose the books that I'm reading and keeping that intention. So if it's not a five-star read as I'm going through the first few pages, or maybe the first few chapters, and I'm like, Okay, I can let this go. And it's also clearing out my TBR shelf, which I really had a goal to do this year.
ANNE: Yeah, 24 books is a lot of books. That's one every other week for the year.
[00:27:19] SHANNAN: What I have been able to do, though, is DNF a lot of books that were on my shelf and say, No, this is not for me. I've done 17 DNFs this year and have sent them back out into the world for other readers to enjoy. So I'm very happy about that. And I've probably read six books that were all four stars and above. So I'm really happy about that.
I want to borrow what you want from your reading year into mine. I think that steadiness that you are talking about and that intention is something that I really need to focus on this year. I need to slow down and savor my reads, especially since I'm well into my goals and probably will meet them.
I feel like the second half of the year is when I do slow down my pace and say, Okay, I'm probably 10 books away from my annual goal. So I can slow down. I can savor. I can enjoy. I can appreciate a good sentence instead of hurling through to get to the next read.
[00:28:28] ANNE: I like that for you. Well, Shannan, the steadiness is yours for the taking. And also I'm loving the visual of you just like banging on the door. Like, Guys, guys, let me in. Let me into the 24 books plan.
SHANNAN: Yeah, I did.
ANNE: I really enjoyed hearing you talk about how you realized that when you're asking for four and five-star reads, you're asking for a certain kind of book in a way you didn't realize. I'm wondering if there were any other pivotal moments, conversations, realizations, even reading experiences that really clarified for you something about yourself as a reader or something about yourself as a reader right now?
SHANNAN: I'm not sure. Do you have any? And maybe as you're talking, I might think of one.
ANNE: A little bit. You know how sometimes someone articulates something sometimes just totally off the cuff and it really sticks in your brain and sometimes in a very purposeful way? When I talked with Lauren Groff at Word of South... and y'all, I'm not actually even sure if this was a green room conversation or if this happened on stage on audio that you could go back and listen to.
[00:29:44] But she talked about the difference between books as entertainment and books as art. And part of me thinks, I don't know how comfortable I am with that distinction. So I thought that was really interesting.
One of the questions I'm always asking myself about the books I'm reading is, what is the author trying to do? What kind of experience are they trying to create for the reader? What kind of story are they trying to tell?
And look, the fact that the author intends that thing doesn't necessarily mean that they achieve that. You know, that that's what the reader experiences on the other end. But the intention is an interesting question.
I'm often asking myself in the context of reviewing something, well what is this work trying to be and is it succeeding? And I'm really uncomfortable in the critical chair if that's not obvious.
Part of me wants to reject that as a dichotomy because I think it can be a false one. But also being able to ask myself, as I'm choosing my next read, do I want something entertaining or do I want something with superb craft? You can hear I just made that an "or". And I don't like that.
[00:30:56] I talk about how I love compulsively readable literary fiction. Like I want artful entertainment and I want entertaining works that are beautifully crafted. And I think those things do exist, but I don't always have to have a blend. And just asking myself like, Do I want a book that will take me away or do I want a different kind of reading experience?
See, now I'm trying to make it a dichotomy. Here's what I'm trying to say. Asking myself, what am I looking for right now? And having those options that Lauren Groff stated in my internal vocabulary to use as I'm looking for books, that's been a useful tool. Those have been useful like two-word combo in the conversations I'm having with myself about books.
SHANNAN: That's interesting. I wonder if I would add a third.
ANNE: Oh, please do.
SHANNAN: Like you have art, entertainment, and edification.
ANNE: Oooh.
[00:31:56] SHANNAN: When you were talking about art, books that are more, you know, well-crafted, I'm thinking New York Times best 100 books list, you know?
Then you have the entertainment more side of things, which is I'm thinking everybody else's list that they created, you know, which is less. I like to use literary and high and lofty.
The best analogy for me with those books is do I want to watch the movie that's going to win the Academy Award or the one that's fun and everyone wins? Because those are two totally different movies, you know?
ANNE: Okay, over the weekend we watched a movie whose title I cannot remember, but it's about Chris Evans, who's a likable guy who can't get a girlfriend. My kids were like, "This isn't real," but whatever. And Ana de Armas, who's a spy... and the reviews were only okay.
[00:32:53] And my daughter was like, "You know what? I'm willing to take a chance on it because I want to be entertained. I want to giggle. I really like those two characters. So, you know, I'm not expecting anything great. I just want to be amused." We ended up being quite happy with our IMDb 5.6 out of 10 rated movie.
SHANNAN: I know. I know. The hubs always says, "Well, the critics hated it." He said, "Let's watch it. It's probably good." So yeah, that's what I'm thinking of when you were talking about that. And I do think that's good.
You know, with my five-star reads, I feel like those would be more artful and edifying category. But then life circumstances happen and you know, I think, nope, just want to be entertained. And that's probably going to be a three-ish star read for me. And I have to be okay with that also.
ANNE: I hear you. And also I keep wanting to say, it's not a binary. Like, I don't think there's books over here that are art and then in a whole different section of the bookstore, the library, or your life, there are these entertaining books.
[00:34:08] SHANNAN: I think being able to entertain is an art form.
ANNE: Yes. Yes. Although we can't leave this topic behind without asking for an example of a book you wouldn't call edifying.
SHANNAN: Oh, those are probably my memoirs and my self-help type of books.
ANNE: The story was good for my soul?
SHANNAN: Yes. And the books that teach me something. There are a lot of those. Some things that I'm learning are more challenging than others, those would be the hard books that I mentioned earlier.
ANNE: Yeah. Now that you've said that, I can think of many that you have passed my way that that word absolutely applies. My hold just came in for someone else in my family to read How to Keep House While Drowning, speaking of. Does that count for you?
SHANNAN: It does.
ANNE: Amazing. Okay, we're going to try to do something really bold here that I have not historically proven to be wonderful at.
SHANNAN: What's that? A lightning round?
ANNE: And that is a lightning round. Yeah. Okay, here's what's going to happen. You are going to ask me questions and I'm going to answer them succinctly. I'm going to give you an answer and then I'm going to stop talking.
[00:35:19] What we're going to do is turn the tables in Patreon. So in Patreon, Shannan and I are going to talk a little bit more about your challenge and give readers an update since they first heard about what you were thinking for 2024 there and then you get to do the lightning round. And I've seen some of your short answers. I don't know that they're so lightning either.
SHANNAN: We'll do our best. All right. Shall we go?
ANNE: Yes. I'm ready.
SHANNAN: Listeners, these are some of the questions from the Midyear Freakout Tag. We've taken some of them, changed a few, but we're using those as our inspiration. Okay, number one. Best book you've read so far.
ANNE: Okay. Well, something we've talked with readers about is that when you identify the books that are really working for you, it can illuminate for you what really interests you and what you're liking right now. And I tell readers I find it helpful to look at their top five selections.
[00:36:26] So I'm going to use some restraint and only share three. Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, and Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad.
SHANNAN: Awesome. Number two: best sequel you've read so far.
ANNE: Oh, okay. I read a sequel at the beach. It was amazing. Better than the original. So good. So fun. So timely. And it's going to be a Fall Book Preview Spotlight title, so I'm not going to tell you about it till then.
SHANNAN: Okay. Number three: new release you haven't read yet but want to.
ANNE: Oh, the Ina Garten memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, coming in October. Give it to me right now. I wish.
SHANNAN: Number four: most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
[00:37:24] ANNE: I have to tell everybody that my notes on this question are a bunch of question marks followed by all caps, YOU SHOULD SEE MY WALL, because that's where I'm planning out Fall Book Preview. Like there's seriously 200 titles written on my wall and I've read so many good ones too. This is such a good season.
But I will go for the maybe not as likely to already be on your radar picks. There's a new book coming from the French author, Maylis de Kerangal called Canoes. It's a short story collection that also includes the novella. I fell in love with her with Painting Time, and I read everything she's written that's been translated. And I am very eager for a new one, especially, it looks like this collection is going in a different direction than the fiction that I've read has.
Also, I don't think this one would be on my radar if I hadn't already read and loved some of her translated works. But Tina Kover has a new translation coming out. It's called The Ogre's Daughter, which that title wouldn't grab me, the cover wouldn't grab me, I wouldn't even be sure of the genre. But it's historical fiction.
[00:38:26] I've loved every book I've read that she's translated. And I don't know if that's her skill as a writer, taking it from French to English, or if it's the kind of works that she tends to translate, but I'm really excited to pick that up as well.
SHANNAN: Number five: biggest disappointment.
ANNE: Oh, okay. I tell readers that evaluating what didn't work is often more informative than looking at what did work.
SHANNAN: Yes, that's been my experience.
ANNE: Yeah. For me, this is often a case of expectations meeting reality. That's not unique to me, obviously. I'm going to obliquely say I read a string of romance novels this spring when I was looking to complete our love story category in the Summer Reading Guide, and I found it incredibly disappointing.
The reason that it really got me, that I took it kind of personally, was the early reviews. And some reader-gushing from readers I knew was so enthusiastic. Like this is a slam dunk. But they didn't mean for me.
[00:39:39] As much as I know better, sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that quite often it can seem like everybody loves a book, but that doesn't mean you're going to love it too. And so I felt like I just want a fun escapist story and I was looking in the wrong place.
I'm going to twist your question. There's a book in the Summer Reading Guide by Monica Wood called How to Read a Book and it's basically the opposite of the downfall of expectations and reality meeting.
This book is about three lonely, hurt people who come together. A bunch of the story takes place inside a women's prison. A book club in that women's prison is incredibly important.
I don't want to go into detail about the plot, but I will say it made me very nervous because I thought this subject matter needs to be handled impeccably or this is either going to be a disaster or just sappy and melodramatic. And it was gorgeous.
[00:40:49] SHANNAN: Number six: biggest surprise.
ANNE: Okay, I'm going to redirect on the lightning round thing. I read a Laura Lippman story collection called Seasonal Work. The stories were quintessentially Laura Lippman and also so short, so punchy, and really effective in that format.
Also, There's Always This Year, that's the Hanif Abdurraqib nonfiction work — that was me struggling to describe it — about basketball, but about so much more than basketball that just made me go like, Wow. Also, I'm not an NBA fan, but I am a fan of this book. That was a great experience.
SHANNAN: All right. Number seven: favorite new author or debut or new to you.
ANNE: Ooh. Hanif, not debut, but new to me. And I did do what I intended to do, which was then go back and explore his backlist. Also, Xochitl Gonzalez, who we just talked to in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club.
[00:41:53] I had been putting off reading Olga Dies Dreaming. I didn't read that when it came out, but I read it at the beginning of the year. No, that's not what happened. I read Anita de Monte Laughs Last first, and I read this... Oh gosh, it might actually have been in late 2023.
But I read it, loved it, was so glad she had another novel. Then I read Olga, loved it. Then I discovered she'd written all these pieces for The Atlantic. So, read all those. Love those.
We just talked with her in book club. She's talking about her third book, which I want to read immediately. It's not ready. It won't be ready for a while. But the way she described it, I thought, "Oh, I'm so glad. I'm so glad that we met. Writer to reader."
SHANNAN: Number eight: newest fictional crush and or favorite character. This question is so fun.
ANNE: Anita de Monte, especially after talking with Xochitl in book club, because she talked about how she went to hang out with the real-life inspiration for Anita de Monte with her ghost at the art museum in Rome. But a badass female artist who gets revenge on her terrible husband from beyond the grave, like, yeah, I was there for it.
[00:43:05] SHANNAN: Number nine: book that made you cry.
ANNE: Oh, well, there were a lot of these this year, in part because I was really emotional and in part because of what I was picking. But Loved and Missed, my favorite — I already said — by Susie Boyt, Sandwich by Catherine Newman, and Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo. Just to give you three. That's just the tip of what we could talk about.
SHANNAN: We're going to end on a happy note with question number 10: book that made you happy.
ANNE: Oh, okay. We might actually end on a frustrating note because I'm not going to tell you the title. But remember how I just said that my biggest disappointment was this string of romance novels that were just not for me that I read this spring?
SHANNAN: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: I read a sports romance just last week that was set in the world of college basketball. It comes out this fall. I loved it so much. It covers some heavy stuff, and yet I loved it so much. It made me so happy. It was a great reading experience.
[00:44:07] Oh, and I read it on my birthday, which just felt really lucky. Like, thank you, universe and the internet, and Publishers Weekly for helping me find a book that I just loved. Extremely entertainment and wonderfully written. It was a debut. I can't wait to talk about it as a fall book preview spotlight title.
But I will say I'm also reading the new Jessica Joyce right now. I have 30% to go. I feel like she's not going to let me down. I loved You, with a View that I read, I think, earlier this year on audio.
Now I'm listening to the audio of her brand new book called The Ex Vows. It's not a title I love because I'm still not exactly sure what it's supposed to mean and I'm 70% of the way through the book. But I'm really happy that her sophomore novel is still fantastic. It just makes me happy. It's fun. It's escapist. It's way spicier than I remember her first book being. Readers, if you want to know that. Yeah, it's lots of fun.
Oh, I want to say, Shannan, tell me about a book that made you happy. But that's for Patreon.
SHANNAN: Yes.
[00:45:10] ANNE: Well, we're gonna have fun talking about that soon.
SHANNAN: Yes, we are. So answering the questions, Anne, what insight did they give you? Do you have direction going from here? Or what do you think?
ANNE: I think it's really lovely to take a minute or 20 and take up purposeful pause and look back at all the good stuff I've read. Because it's not all been good stuff by any means. I feel like if I'm reading all good stuff that I'm not taking chances in my reading life. And I'm really happy when I take chances in my reading life. That's where I find the stuff that ends up being superlative material.
But just to take a pause and see what's working and appreciate the wide variety of amazing books I've gotten to read, and also think about what I can still read between now and the end of the year.
I said I wanted steadiness. And I think just the process of stepping back and looking at the big picture of my reading life right now has steadied me. And I'm grateful for that. Also, it's super fun.
[00:46:18] SHANNAN: It is.
ANNE: What about you?
SHANNAN: Can I say same? You said it so eloquently. I do enjoy looking back. I do enjoy seeing what I've experienced. I'm not naturally a positive person. I would naturally probably go to what I have not done that I wanted to do. But listening to you just now say what you said, it just warmed my heart. And it's like, yeah, I really should be thankful and grateful for what I have done, what I have read, what I have enjoyed, and look forward to what's coming up next.
ANNE: Well, thank you. And thank you for joining me for a wonderful conversation.
SHANNAN: Thank you for having me.
[00:47:20] ANNE: Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Shannan today. If you are conducting your own midyear reading check-in, we would love to hear what you learned and what stood out to you.
You can comment on 0our show notes page to let us know that. That's also where we'll list all the titles we talked about today. You can always find those notes at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Keep up to date with all the happenings here at What Should I Read Next? HQ by subscribing to our email updates. You can do that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Follow us or subscribe on your favorite podcast player. We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocketcasts, wherever you get your podcast.
Subscribing and downloading each new episode is a quick, easy, and free way to show your support for our show. It really does make a difference to us as podcasters. Thank you so much.
[00:48:13] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Thank you to my co-host today, Shannan Malone. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:•Babel by R.F. Kuang
•Loved and Missed Susie Boyt
•The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
•Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
•Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
•Canoes by Maylis De Kerangal, translated by Jessica Moore
•The Ogre’s Daughter by Catherine Bardon, translated by Tina Kover
•How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
•Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman
•There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib
•Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
•Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
•Sandwich by Katherine Newman
•Same as it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
•You with a View by Jessica Joyce
•The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
Also mentioned:•Ep 246: Does your reading life need a midyear checkup?
•Earl Grey Books’ original Midyear Freak Out video
•Patreon bonus: Reading resolutions with Anne and Shannan
•Ep 413: Literary trends and publishing predictions for 2024 (Elisabeth Weed on a thimbleful of weird)
•MMD Book Club
•Ep 432: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida!
•Ghosted with Chris Evans and Ana de Armas
•Fall Book Preview
The post Anne’s midyear reading check-in appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I like to keep a list in my journal of the (mostly) little, everyday things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness right now. I love writing posts like this, and realized it’s been a good long while—much longer than I intended—since I’d written one. I hope you enjoy catching up with me.
1. Food in bowlsIn every season we fall into a few go-to easy dinners, and this summer our easy go-to for our family of six (plus frequent guests) has been “food in bowls.” Burrito bowls, spring roll bowls, salad bowls of many varieties, pork tenderloin stir-fry bowls, pasta bowls, you name it. When dinner is food in bowls, we typically set up the individual components of the meal on the island, and let everyone serve themselves. (I link to recipes we love almost every week in Links I Love; many of these have translated especially well to assemble-your-own bowl dinners.)
On bowl nights we dirty a lot of dishes: we’ll set out substantial components of the meal (sautéed meat, roasted vegetables) in serving dishes and often use these inexpensive little Target dip bowls to hold smaller ingredients and garnishes, so everyone can assemble the bowl that makes them happy. Sometimes prep takes longer than I’d like it to, because I love my garnishes—julienned carrots, sliced green onions, matchstick peppers—but it’s pleasantly mindless and easy to clean up. (It’s also proven to be a great way to clean out the fridge when we have extra grilled meat on hand or vegetables that need to be used pronto.)
Sure, this plan is versatile, but I think the fun factor of dinner in bowls is a big reason we keep repeating them this season. These are the bowls; as you’ll see, ours are colorful but they’re also available in an all-white set if that’s your thing.
2. A simple braided belt and brown flats to matchWhen it’s hot outside (and wow has it been hot outside), I tend to go very simple with my wardrobe. (Maybe even more so than usual?) This summer I’ve been wearing the same tees and tanks over and over again, with shorts for days at home and linen or other cropped pants if I need to go out in the world looking reasonably professional.
I don’t always do belts, and sometimes I do sneakers, but the combo I’m most often reaching for to pull these separates into an outfit is this easy-to-wear, summery J.Crew Plaited Italian leather belt (mine is in raw cashew) and these versatile brown Vionic flats that work great for my wide feet and remain comfortable for miles and miles.
If you remember my go-to apparel from last summer: these breezy navy dresses remain a wardrobe staple if I’m craving variety or the idea of putting on pants is unbearable.
- Reading outside in the early morningsHave I mentioned it has been HOT here? So many 90-degree days, with so much humidity. Yet I can’t bear staying inside all the time, so I’ve been prioritizing early morning walks and patio sitting. An early morning cup of coffee and a few chapters of a good book outside in that precious first hour of daylight has proven to be an excellent way to start the day. (Of course Daisy agrees.)
5. ThermacellDespite our best efforts, the mosquitoes have been intense this year. Many of you recommended this little gadget to keep the mosquitoes at bay, and it’s helping. I’m grateful the Thermacell has made my early morning (and sometimes, evening) patio time possible.
But in case anyone needs a rec: when we inevitably get bitten, it’s Aquaphor Itch Relief Ointment that helps me sleep at night.
6. Essay and short story collectionsThis summer, for reasons both personal and professional, I’ve been reading more short story and essay collections than I have in ages and I’m enjoying the process so much! I’m not ready to talk about my favorites, but if you have favorites I’d love to hear them in comments.
- Repotting houseplantsIt’s now been many, many years since I got over my brown thumb and filled our home with houseplants. Over the years I’ve grown reasonably comfortable with caring for them, but have still felt out of my league with things like repotting and pruning. But this year, it became painfully obvious that I needed to repot some of my plants or they were going to die on me.
And so I’ve spent a few satisfying hours recently playing musical houseplants: consulting YouTube, deciding which plants needed pruning, which ones needed new dirt, and which needed bigger pots, and then—the hardest part—actually doing it. I’m still waiting to see what kind of long-term results I’ll get from the plants that needed hard pruning, but several of the repotted plants looked much happier, immediately.
What (mostly) little things are bringing YOU a disproportionate amount of happy lately? I’d love to hear in comments.
P.S. Previous editions of little things I’m loving: 9 (mostly) little things I’m loving for late summer, 8 little things I’m loving lately: kitchen edition, 9 (mostly) little things I’m loving for late summer, 8 (mostly) little things I’m loving for winter, 9 (mostly) little things I’m loving lately: kitchen edition, 8 (mostly) little things I’m loving for early fall, 9 little things I’m loving this September, 6 things I’m loving for early summer, 5 late fall/early winter favorites, 7 little January favorites, 9 October favorites, and 7 not terribly exciting things making me really happy these days.
The post 7 (mostly) little things I’m loving for summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We don’t have any big plans: I’m looking forward to leisurely mornings, a hike in the woods, dinners of the decidedly non-weeknight variety, and plenty of reading time. Maybe I’ll make time for some yard work: I’ve been working to eradicate some climbing vines that keep trying to make themselves at home in our yard. If you have tips, send ’em!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Beach Reads. (The Cut) What New Yorkers are reading on the beach this summer. Unlike my 2024 beach reading report, this includes photos.
How to Feed the Olympics. (Eater) I can’t wrap my mind around the logistics!
Went shopping with my 14yo last weekend and bought the JCrew Factory girlfriend tee in five different colors. (I wore three of them this week, paired with cute shorts or these these ever-awesome cropped pants.)
When a Book Series Turns the Final Page. (Wall Street Journal gift link) On the emotional punch of a beloved series ending: “Since individual titles in a series are usually published over a long expanse of time, series fiction accompanies its readers through the changes and milestones of their own lives. Simply put: In most series, the characters get older, and we readers get older, too. Perhaps we don’t age in tandem, but we head in the same direction together.”
Your flight was canceled. Now what? (Vox) This 2023 article resurfaced after last Friday’s global debacle. I hope none of your flights were impacted by the Microsoft outage!
On the Simple Prophecy of Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. (Literary Hub) The book opens on July 20, 2024, prompting many readers to start it this month.
6 Ways to Make S’mores, No Campfire Required. (Martha Stewart) YUM.
Not Your Usual Secondhand Book Sale. (New York Times gift link) “Bibliophiles and film fans leafed through hundreds of books that once belonged to the eminent editor Robert Gottlieb.” Whoa!
Retaining flavor while removing caffeine − a chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffee. (The Conversation)
Head to summer camp with these 7 novels. (MMD) Eclectic novels offering a variety of vicarious summer camp adventures.
I just refilled my favorite summer lip gloss, again—golly I love these little “snack”-sized ones from Target. (In any size, it’s the Fenty Gloss Bomb in Glow that I’m reaching for.)
The Entertainmentification of Fashion. (InStyle) On celebrities and fashion: ““You can be in movies. You can make clothes. That’s all amazing. But will it ever be as fun as it was in the ‘90s, when people weren’t getting paid to wear stuff, they just thought it was cool? And nobody needed you to tag them on Instagram?”
One of Ikea’s Most Iconic Products Just Got an Ingenious Add-On. (Gear Patrol) A new desk add-on for the Billy Bookshelf: we might be getting one of these soon.
Don’t miss these posts:12 recommended reads for those traveling to Maine (or who want to). If you’re looking for a book with a strong sense of place, try one of these books set in Maine!
20 terrific tomes to add to your TBR (or teetering to-read tower). Summer is a great time to read big books!
14 books about nature to inspire your next outdoor adventure. Between the fresh air and beautiful scenery, the outdoors can be vital for mental health.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Summer camp is in the air! In recent years we’ve adopted a gentle theme for each year’s Summer Reading Guide. This summer we invited you to join us for summer camp, book lover-style. “Book camp” is the imaginary destination of our dreams where we spend all day reading books, talking about books, and deciding what books to read next—with breaks to eat, make pretty things, stare at the sky, and dip our toes into a beautiful body of water. Wouldn’t that be the life?
With that in mind, we wanted to bring you a short and sweet list of novels set at summer camps. Camp can be a formative time for so many reasons. Plus, there are so many different kinds of camps! Whether outdoorsy or geared toward the theater set, contemporary fiction or YA, this list has a little something for everyone. This list is only scratching the surface so I hope you’ll share your favorite summer camp novels (and memories) in the comments.
7 summer camp novelsSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Elissa Sussman
This 2023 Summer Reading Guide selection is a pitch-perfect second-chance romance with a summer camp backstory. When persona non grata Kathleen Rosenberg is offered the starring role in her best friend’s musical, she can’t say no: this is the best thing to happen to her since her music career went down in flames ten years ago. But there’s a catch: the director is Cal Kirby, and he’s the reason the whole world hates her. Nevertheless, Kathleen says yes, and the story takes us from auditions to workshop to out-of-town tryouts as their musical gets ready for its big debut, and Cal and Kathleen reckon with their past and present. Bold, sassy, and packed with fun gossipy industry details and (fictional) celebrity dirt. More info →Author: Liz Moore
Moore’s latest is a family saga, missing persons tale, and 1970s summer camp story rolled into one. One August morning in 1975, a camper vanishes without a trace. But not just any camper: she’s the daughter of the wealthy family who owns this camp, and fourteen years before, her older brother similarly disappeared. As the family, the campers themselves, and the neighboring blue-collar town residents gather to search for the girl, everyone suspects the two missing children must be linked, but how? The mystery is a driving force, but Moore’s story is complex and carefully layered, with a large cast of believably drawn characters who add texture and nuance. A character-driven, compulsively readable literary mystery and a 2024 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick. More info →Author: Erich Kästner
Did you know the movie The Parent Trap is based on a German children’s book? Shannan shared this fact in a meeting earlier this summer and it blew my mind: how could I not have known? In the 1949 original tale, two 10-year-old girls meet at summer camp and figure out they’re twins, then conspire to get their divorced parents back together. This landed on my TBR after Shannan read it and reported back that it was worth the reading time. (Dare I try it in the original German?) More info →Authors: Brooklyn Allen, Grace Ellis, ND Stevenson, Shannon Watters
This middle grade graphic novel series set at summer camp is an absolute delight. But this is no ordinary summer camp: the five best friends Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley must figure out how to solve puzzles, defeat yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons, and evade the watchful eyes of their counselor. What, like magical quests and supernatural critters weren’t part of your summer camp? (This volume includes Lumberjanes #1-#4.) More info →Author: Meg Wolitzer
This story introduces us to a group of friends who first meet at an artsy summer camp in 1970s upstate New York, and follows them for decades, well into mid-life. For as much as I'd heard about this book, I was still surprised to find how exactly it suited my reading taste; it hits the same notes as Cara Wall's The Dearly Beloved. Major thanks to team member Ginger for raving about this book for years, and on What Should I Read Next #430, where we tell you all about this year's Summer Reading Guide, and she tells us more about The Interestings. It was just the nudge I needed. More info →Authors: Holly Goldberg Sloan, Meg Wolitzer
This collaboration between two successful authors—one who primarily writes for kids, the other for grown-ups—features two twelve-year old girls living on opposite coasts who become something like pen pals after they discover their single fathers fell in love at a building conference and are now dating. This relationship is not good news to either of them, as they make clear in the ensuing emails that comprise the book. Their situation goes from bad to worse when their fathers force them to attend the same summer camp, hoping they’ll become friends. Things go horribly wrong in more ways than one, but there's not a page here that doesn’t feel fresh, funny, charming, and real. A big-hearted story for readers of all ages. More info →Author: Abigail Hing Wen
This fun 2020 series opener features a girl traveling halfway around the world to find herself, and maybe find love, too. Ever Wong is an eighteen-year-old Asian American girl in Ohio, a talented dancer who, unknown to her parents, harbors dreams of pursuing professional dance when she graduates. When her parents find out she's considering abandoning the medical school path they've always dreamt of for their daughter, they promptly put her on a plane to Taiwan to spend the rest of the summer at Chien Tan—an immersive high school program that focuses on language and culture. She does NOT want to go, but when she arrives, she's surprised to discover that far from the scholarly summer she expected. The students themselves call the program "Loveboat," because so many long-term relationships begin here and because leisure time abounds. This trilogy is now complete, so if you enjoy this you have two more books to look forward to. More info → What are your favorite summer camp novels? Do you have a favorite summer camp memory? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 20 novels that will transport you to the shore, 15 backlist books that feel like summer, and 12 middle grade novels that unfold over summer break.
The post Head to summer camp with these 7 novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s episode from the WSIRN vault wraps up our summer rewind series, with my very first podcast conversation with Brigid Misselhorn. Like so many of our guests, Brigid came to the show through our WSIRN guest submission form. These days, she works on our team as our MMD Book Club Community Administrator.
This is a fitting role for Brigid, because as you’ll hear in today’s episode, Brigid is totally addicted to book clubs. When we originally recorded this episode, she was an active member of seven book clubs! Brigid really enjoys how participation in these communal reading groups, along with buddy reads, invites memorable conversation and a structured reading life.
Brigid describes herself as a naturally slow reader, and today she’s sharing a bunch of tips for finishing all those book club picks on time. We also discuss the origins of Brigid’s book club addiction, the benefits of audiobooks, and balancing personal reading with book club reading, before I recommend titles Brigid might enjoy reading next
Throughout the month of July we’ve also been catching up with each team member to hear about their reading life now. That’s all happening over on our Patreon page. Financial support from our patrons is a huge part of what keeps our show on the air each week, and bonus episodes like these team follow-ups are just one way we say thanks. Catch up with Brigid and explore our bonus archives at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
You can follow Brigid on Instagram and Goodreads.
TranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, today I'm sharing our final episode in our Mid-summer Team Rewind series, where we are featuring what, in some instances, was the very first conversation I had with readers who then went on to become people I talk with almost every day, because now they are members of our team.
It's true you can listen to the What Should I Read Next? archives any time. It's also true that I don't typically go back in time and listen to episodes from 2016 or 2017 or 2021, and I have so appreciated the opportunity to do so.
[00:01:08] I loved these episodes when I aired the first time, but now I'm listening in a whole new way because I know these readers in a different way. Whether you are listening for the first time or after several years absence, I hope you enjoy.
What I hope we always share with you is great conversations with people who love books and reading as much as you do. Check out the show notes for links to what our team is up to now because yes, you're hearing these people as podcast guests, but they also participate in our communities and are writing stuff and making stuff and recording stuff that you get to enjoy all the time in various ways.
Also, over on Patreon, we are hosting follow-up episodes to see where are they now in their reading life. And I'm asking fun questions like, what was it like to re-listen after a long hiatus? Also, if you were to come on the show today, what three books you love and one book you don't would you tell me about so I can make recommendations for what you to read next? Join us there. It's at Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext if you're not already a member of that community.
[00:02:07] Podcasting from a business standpoint, and not just us, everybody, is really wonky right now and we are always, but especially now, grateful to our patrons for making it financially possible for us to keep doing what we do. We really appreciate your support there. Those bonus episodes are just one way we say thank you.
I just dropped a fresh bonus episode over on Patreon on Friday that I think many of you will be very interested in. It's all about book advances and royalties. It was inspired by me receiving a royalty statement in the mail last month on my first three books and kind of explaining it to my daughter, and she was like, "Wah, I understand nothing." And I thought, "Mm, you know, what I think I'm hearing is this would make a really great Patreon bonus.
So I walk you through my royalty statement in this episode, but also talk about how book advances work. How is that amount determined? How much do authors typically get? And what does that mean? And what does that mean for royalties? And how much are royalty payments? And when do they come? How does it all work?
[00:03:04] It's part of our Industry Insight series over on Patreon, which is dedicated to exploring questions like, how does it all work, with the underlying idea that knowledge is really empowering. And when you know how different aspects of the publishing industry function, you can make more informed choices as a reader. It's a good one. I hope you listen. Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
On that note, I just read a really thoughtful comment from our patron, Ashley, and she said, I'm quoting, "One thing that held me back from contributing to Patreon for years was thinking that I would have to download another app and keep up with extra things there, which just seemed overwhelming." One more thing, she didn't want to do it. But Ashley says, "When I realized all the bonus episodes would auto-populate in my podcast listening app," for her, that's Apple, "I was all in. I head out for so long, and I wish I would have realized I didn't have to download anything additional."
Ashley, thank you for pointing that out to us and for pointing out that other readers may want to know exactly that.
[00:04:02] If you're not already a member of that community, do that at any time. Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
Now for today's team conversation, I'm sharing my first podcast conversation with Brigid Misselhorn, who I met thanks to the magic of our What Should I Read Next? guest submission form, and who now works on our team as our Modern Mrs. Darcy book club community administrator.
This is so fitting, because as you'll hear in today's episode, Brigid is totally addicted to book clubs. When her story begins, as you will hear, she looked around the readerly community and thought, "Gosh, it would be nice to have a book club." And at the moment in time when we recorded this conversation, she was participating in seven.
Brigid loves participating in all of the book clubs and buddy reads for memorable conversation and a structured reading life. As a naturally slow reader, Brigid has a bunch of tips for finishing all those book club picks on time. We also discussed the origins of her book club addiction, the benefits of audiobooks in her reading life, and how she balances personal reading with book club reading.
[00:05:04] From graphic novels to Gothic mysteries, today's titles are a lot of fun. Let's get to it.
Brigid, welcome to the show.
BRIGID MISSELHORN: Hi, Anne. Thank you so much for having me. I am over the moon to talk books with you today.
ANNE: Well, it's a pleasure. I can't wait to dig in. Brigid, tell us a little bit about your reading life.
BRIGID: So, I have been a bookworm pretty much for as long as I can remember. My very first job growing up was as a children's librarian page. I would put away all the books and I... One of my jobs was literally to read the shelves to make sure everything was in order in the Dewey Decimal System. I would just spend half the time looking at books and adding books to my to-be-read even before I knew what a TBR was.
I've always been an escapist reader. I love books that just take me away or just let me see through someone else's eyes for a little bit. I just find a lot of entertainment and value in reading. And it's probably my favorite hobby.
[00:06:09] For many years, I would kind of read on my own in a vacuum. I'd read books and I wasn't tracking them. Shortly after I met my husband about 10 years ago, he suggested using Goodreads to me. So, I started putting things on my actual TBR and stuff that I'd read. So I was able to start tracking my reading. It was kind of a whole new world for me. I'd never done that before.
I'd always really wanted to be in a book club, but never had been asked. And I'm kind of like a go-getter or, you know, I end up reading projects a lot of times, but this was something that I was hoping, you know, I wouldn't have to do myself.
I had a friend shortly after we had our first daughter, she said, "Would you want to be in a book club with me? I have some other mom friends and we meet and we read two books a month." And I said to her... I was like Corduroy in the children's book. I was like, "This is what I've always wanted. I've always wanted someone to ask me to join one."
[00:07:07] Then flash forward to today, about six years later, and I'm currently in six book clubs and buddy reads. So, it's become a bit of an addiction, but a healthy one, and something that brings so much joy to my reading life. Being able to talk books with friends, whether it's a book that I loved or a book that wasn't for me, makes such a difference in my reading life.
I love being able to get different takes on books from fellow book clubbers. I always walk away at the end with something that I didn't notice, whether or not it's exciting or new, or it's something that, wait, I didn't like that either. So, I think it's made my reading life so much more enjoyable and so much more memorable to be in all these book clubs and buddy reads with friends.
ANNE: When you filled out your submission at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest, and we saw the words "book club addict", we thought, Oh, so many readers are going to relate to this, or so many readers are going to get the nudge they need to do that thing they've been meaning to do for so long, which is find a book club.
[00:08:17] I'd love to hear more about the impact joining these book clubs has had on your reading life.
BRIGID: Oh, goodness. Well, I would say the first thing would be the amount I read, for sure. I went from reading maybe 30 books a year to closer to 50. In this past year, especially with everything, I read over 100 books, which was a first for me.
ANNE: You describe yourself as a slow reader.
BRIGID: Yes.
ANNE: Tell me more about that.
BRIGID: I am a naturally slow reader, especially on the page. I think it has to do with the fact that my comprehension... I'm really taking in almost every detail. But it is not unheard of for me to take a month to read a book.
For example, I'm currently reading Ready Player Two. I absolutely loved Ready Player One. I am savoring it for all it's worth. It's not a book club pick, so I only pick it up here and there. And I'm fine with that. Like, I don't mind being a slow reader.
[00:09:14] But to make sure that I make my reads for book clubs in time, I always have it in my Google Calendar. Okay, make sure you've read this book by this date. But a lot of times it works out fine. I am able to catch snippets of time to read on audio as well.
So what I normally do is have the audiobook. And I'll have it either on page or on my e-reader. So if I'm not listening to it while doing the dishes or walking or exercising or, you know, trying to cook dinner, then I'm reading it when I do have a chance to sit down and read. So that helps me to finish books a lot quicker.
And listening to audio on a little bit faster speed. I can't do like two times the speed. That's way too fast. But, you know, 1.4, 1.5 usually works for me. I think that's actually faster than I can read on a page.
ANNE: Oh, that's interesting.
[00:10:13] BRIGID: Now, if it's like a fast-paced, for example, like Mexican Gothic, which was like a dip into horror for me. I don't normally read super scary stuff. But those last hundred pages I read on the hardback and I just flew through those. So it definitely depends on the book. But I would say I finish about four to eight books a month.
ANNE: Brigid, that's good to hear. The reason that I asked and that we wanted to hear a little more about that is that we do hear from so many readers who say they are slow readers. And they just assume when we talk to guests on What Should I Read Next?, we're talking about so many books they love that they must read differently than our slow readers at home.
It doesn't make a difference how fast you read. And there's not really a lot you can do to read faster. But, I mean, you can have a vibrant reading life no matter how fast or slow you're reading those books. As long as you are reading those books.
BRIGID: Definitely. I make it a priority. Like Wednesday nights are book night at our house. So that makes a difference as well, how much reading you can get in.
[00:11:13] ANNE: What's book night?
BRIGID: Well, it used to be book and beer. My husband and I would sit down, have a beer and each have our reading, whatever we were reading at the time. But lately it's been more like book and tea as we get a little bit older. But, yeah, on Wednesday nights we don't turn the TV on unless we put on some sort of ambient video and we just sit with a beverage and we read.
ANNE: That sounds delightful.
BRIGID: It's lovely. I look forward to it each week.
ANNE: I'd love to hear more about your book club addiction. Take me down the road that went from joining your first book club at your friend's invitation to being a part of a half dozen. Or maybe it's more.
BRIGID: Yeah, it's actually a bit more right now. It's about seven. But, yeah, I'm happy to take you down that road. The first one was The Novel Bunch. That is a group of my local mom friends. We talk books... and we actually discuss two books a month. It's been something that has just grown with me over the years and I have some really wonderful friends.
[00:12:15] We were able to switch it to Zoom lately. So that's been great. Now we do one book at each twice a month. So that one is my original book club that I joined.
Then from there, actually, I read a blog post on Modern Mrs. Darcy about romance books, and it was a genre that I had not picked up before. That was just that little push I needed to kind of get more interested in them. A local bookstore was having a romance bookstore event back last February on Valentine's Day and I went to it and the bookseller, Deborah, who was running it, was so wonderful.
One of the authors they had was Well Met by Jen DeLuca. Jen DeLuca was there. She said, "Well, that's the book we're reading in our book club this month. You should join us." And so I did. I didn't know anyone from the group, but because Jen DeLuca lived a couple hours away from us, we were going to be doing it online.
[00:13:15] I was able to join this group online, read along with them. It was great. We spoke to the author. And so I started joining that book club each month. And Deborah has grown her book club so amazing over these past 10 months. Whereas we do also a romance book club and then a bonus book club. So that one has two books a month as well.
Then almost weekly author chats. She's a longtime bookseller, so she has lots of authors, friends, and buddies come and talk to us. So that's been really wonderful as well. These are all people who live in mostly my area, but I've never actually got to meet in person. That kind of got me thinking then, Okay, well, with everything going on and so many virtual events at our fingertips, maybe there's another book club I'd want to join.
So after following on Instagram and probably from your podcast as well, I ended up joining Bookmark's North Carolina Romance Book Club with one of your past guests, Beth.
[00:14:19] ANNE: Yes, I love them.
BRIGID: She is wonderful. Her and Katie run this wonderful romance book club. So I actually do two romance book clubs a month now from going to have never read romance books and then getting that little push I needed to really falling in love with that genre. And it's different types of books.
Then from there, I'm obviously a member of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. So another two books a month. And that has been really fun. That is a new-to-me book club in the past like four months. A lot of times their books I've either read already or had on my TBR. Your picks are so good. So it's always so exciting to get to chat about those and then see those author events come up. I, in fact, got a six-month membership for Christmas from my sister and brother-in-law to continue on as well. So that's fun.
[00:15:13] ANNE: Oh, that is fun. I'm glad you're enjoying it.
BRIGID: From there I've joined on Instagram through Bookstagram, people I follow there, a couple of buddy reads over the years. Those have been really unique because they're slightly different than a book club, meaning that we talk about the book in segments.
It'll be scheduled, you know, we're reading this book and we'll talk about the first hundred pages on this date and then the next hundred pages. And that is unique because as much as I love reading an entire book and then getting together with everyone at the end to discuss what we thought, it's great to read it in real-time with people. You know, have these, okay, what's going to happen? What do you think this is...? You know, what do you think about this? And it also helps me catch things I might have missed.
So I do a short story buddy read for that. And then I also have done a number of classic buddy reads, including The Count of Monte Cristo last year, which was great because I don't think I would have ever picked that up.
ANNE: Which I've been meaning to read forever.
[00:16:12] BRIGID: It gave me two and it was fabulous. And without this like, okay, bye Friday, have these pages done or these chapters done, I couldn't put it down though. I accidentally started a buddy read of my own, which I didn't mean to do.
I had wanted to read Rebecca, I saw that they were redoing it for Netflix. I posted on my Instagram, "Hey, does anyone want to read with me?" Some friends joined in and we loved it. Before I know it, you know, the end of our buddy read comes up at the end of the month and they're all like, "Well, what are we reading next?" So I said, "I don't know. Let's read another mystery by a woman."
So the next one was Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. And it's become... we call ourselves Murder She Read. We pick one mystery Gothic thriller that is written by a female author and we read it per month. So that has been awesome.
I just run that through group message on Instagram. We just read The Dry by Jane Harper, and that was really awesome. You know, we stopped halfway and then we all make our guesses on what's going to happen.
[00:17:19] Obviously, there's people who can't help but read ahead, but they know just not to spoil it for those who haven't. Some of the fellow readers I met through Modern Mrs. Darcy's book club actually have joined in on that Murder She Read buddy group too.
ANNE: That is wonderful. Also, that is a lot of books. So having all these books that you are committed, I mean, I hope happily committed to on a regular basis, it sounds like that would have a big impact on how you choose what to read next and what you're able to read. Tell me about the mix of titles in your reading life right now.
BRIGID: I am the type of person who always has kind of an audiobook, a hardback, an eBook, and then also a graphic novel going. And I've found that what happens as far as the book clubs is sometimes there's some serendipity where this month both Deborah's book club and Bookmark's North Carolina's Romance Book Club both picked the same book. So I'm only reading one book for them. Or it happens to be a book I've already read, which always is wonderful too. And I maybe just revisit.
[00:18:24] But since I am committed to reading all these books per month or trying my best, sometimes I don't make it. Or if it's a pick that is just outside what I'm interested in or is maybe too gory, I will just skip it. That's the beauty of not running a lot of these book clubs myself — I can pick and choose. But for the most part, I usually try to read all the books that are chosen. That does leave less time for myself.
So I find myself gravitating to books that are either shorter, like a graphic novel or something I can read more quickly, or something that I just can't wait to get my hands on and I'm willing to drop everything else and really focus on that book and maybe read it in a couple of days, which is usually unheard of for me with my slower reading.
ANNE: Well, I'm excited to see what we can find to fit that. It's not exactly in order. You're not being bossy, Brigid. But to fill that need. How's that?
[00:19:25] BRIGID: Yeah. I would love a book that I don't really feel like I have to discuss with everyone else. Something that is just for me. Not that I ever feel pressured for any of these book clubs. It truly is a joy to me and it's something that I wouldn't change in the world. But I do like finding books that are just my own.
For example, the three books that we're going to talk about, when my book club, Novel Bunch, asked, "Well, what books did you pick?" and I told them, they were like, "Brigid, you've never recommended any of those books to us. Come on. Why are you holding out?" So it was kind of funny that I realized, Okay, these are three non-book club picks and yet they're the ones that are three that I absolutely love.
ANNE: They're books that belong to you alone.
BRIGID: Yes.
ANNE: Well, until today. All right, Brigid, you know how this works. We're going to talk about three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and I'll recommend three titles you should read next.
[00:20:29] BRIGID: Oh, that sounds great. I cannot wait.
ANNE: Well, I love the way you pick these. Tell me about your first selection.
BRIGID: My first selection is one that just kind of blew me away when I first picked it up. And that's Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia. This book has pretty much everything I love. It's a super fun puzzle, kind of mystery book, and it's got pop culture and awesome characters, fast-paced, and has like just the teeniest touch.... Well, maybe not teeniest, but touch of the like macabre. Like I find myself recommending it to people all the time because it is lovely. I would say it's Willy Wonka meets Indiana Jones.
ANNE: That's a fun description.
BRIGID: Yeah. Like set in a Westing Game, kind of. One of the wonderful things is the sense of place in this book. It is set in Boston around fall and Halloween time. There's a little bit of sale in Massachusetts also. You really get this feel of Boston.
[00:21:34] The characters too are just so great. Tuesday Mooney herself is one of those characters that has just stuck with me. I feel like so many books that I read, the main characters are flawed and, you know, the anti-hero types. Whereas, yes, she has her flaws, but I couldn't help but just root for her and want to be her. She's like, if you could cast her in a movie like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, you know, just this like awesome, always wearing black, walking Google of a person, you know.
She crosses paths with this eccentric billionaire and his name is literally Vincent Pryce, but with a Y. So it's kind of perfect, you know. And then the real Vincent Price also comes into play. So it's just a really fun book and I can't say enough good stuff about it.
ANNE: That sounds really good. That's been on my radar for forever because I really enjoyed Bellweather Rhapsody, but I've never read Tuesday Mooney.
BRIGID: I've never read Bellweather Rhapsody.
ANNE: Or the Westing Game, if we're confessing things here. Been meaning to read it for... not quite a million years.
[00:22:37] BRIGID: It's something that I picked up recently in the past maybe year, year and a half. A friend had always listed it as one of her favorites growing up and I read it. I mean, there's probably a few things that are a little bit, in today's day and age, off-color, but it really holds up as a fun puzzle, you know, kind of that Knives Out feel or The Inheritance Games, a billionaire, millionaire, eccentric person leaving their will in this puzzle mystery way. It's really fun. I think you would love it, Anne.
ANNE: I was even ecstatic to find a copy in a little free library. Not that I can't just walk into the bookstore and buy it, but sometimes it feels like the universe is saying, Hey Anne, here's that book you've been thinking about.
Brigid, tell us about book two.
BRIGID: So my next book is Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. I wanted to choose a graphic novel to talk about and far and away, this is my favorite graphic novel I have read. It actually helped me really fall in love with the genre. Now I find myself trying to find something like it and never being able to find a book to the same feel that I got when reading Nimona.
[00:23:49] It's fast-paced. It's fun. It's a mashup too. This was Noelle Stevenson's webcomic that was turned into a graphic novel and compiled. They just have a way of writing that is able to mash up this medieval-type adventure, but yet it's set in this kind of futuristic sci-fi fantasy world. So while it's nights and they're having jousts, there's also video screens and laser guns and banks and all these other things that you would not see in normally in a medieval times adventure.
It's about a hilarious little shapeshifter named Nimona. Nimona is on point with her little jabs and jokes. She decides to go work for this, finger quotes, villain, the evil villain, Lord Blackheart. It is just one of those things where I picked it up and I couldn't put it down. You just want to know. It's like fun adventure.
Then there's a little bit of great romance going on, some enemies, lovers, and just a little bit of sad, it's touching, but it's so heartfelt and it has a hopefulness to it as well. I love the backstory that's told within it. I think Nimona is just in a league of its own when it comes to graphic novels.
[00:25:24] Noelle Stevenson is also known as the lead runner for the She-Ra show on Netflix.
ANNE: Oh, I didn't know that.
BRIGID: They ran that show, which I think has had its final season at this point. They ran that show and it has that same kind of quirky humor, but also tinge of heartbreak and redemption. So a great pairing for that.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Brigid, what did you choose for your final favorite?
BRIGID: For my final, I chose Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Rainbow Rowell is one of those auto-read authors for me. This one has my whole heart. It is a wonderful, wonderful... Just a little backstory. Rainbow Rowell wrote a book called Fangirl. Within it, the main character, Kath, writes fan fiction about two characters, Simon Snow and Baz, from a series of fantasy books that she has read and loved.
[00:26:26] After Fangirl's popularity, Rainbow Rowell wrote Carry On as an actual Simon Snow and Baz book. So it's very meta. It's a book written about a book within a book, fan fiction within a book, and yet it is so wonderful of its own regards.
It's a fantasy book. It's set at a magical campus. Love those. Watford School. And it takes place during the final year of Simon Snow, who is, of course, a chosen one. He has a vampire nemesis/roommate named Baz, and they are fighting this evil creature known as the Insidious Humdrum.
Again, it has a lot of things that I love. Pop culture references. The magic they use are sayings like, these aren't the droids you're looking for, would be one of their magical spells. They have power because of normals, you know, knowing, those statements. Just wonderful little nursery rhymes as their magical spells. I just love it.
[00:27:35] It's got mystery, magic, ghosts, and humor. It's a fast piece from multiple perspectives. So each chapter kind of bounces from different characters throughout the book. It is part of a trilogy, and the third one will be coming out later this year. But Carry On by Rainbow Rowell just has my whole heart. I love that book.
ANNE: I like it. Now Brigid, tell me about a book that was not for you.
BRIGID: One book that I didn't like... I don't normally finish books that I dislike, but one that I didn't like and felt wholly ambivalent about was Normal People by Sally Rooney. I mean, I really don't have much to say about it other than I finished it, and I didn't love it, and I didn't hate it.
ANNE: Was this book club or just for you?
BRIGID: This was a friend's recommendation, and it came available on my Kindle, so I picked it up. She wanted to read it together, kind of just the two of us, and I did. I finished it because of that, probably. But honestly, I probably would have put it down otherwise.
[00:28:41] ANNE: Now this is contemporary, realistic literary fiction, which is different than any of the books you've brought up so far. Coincidence, not a coincidence? Because I haven't read Sally Rooney, but I also know the tone of this is different than the books you've mentioned so far as well.
BRIGID: I think there's a connection there. But there are some contemporary that I do enjoy. I don't know if Poet X would be something that would be considered that since it's in verse. But I don't mind if something's contemporary or realist. But this one, I just... the characters didn't pull me. I think it just wasn't right for me.
ANNE: I think I've also heard the word "bleak" applied to this one a lot.
BRIGID: Yeah. I'm not crazy about bleak stuff. I wouldn't say that I hate it, but I do like a little hope at the end, even if the ending isn't all tied in a bow. Only things that I really, really stay away from would be a horror, gore, or serial killer.
ANNE: Duly noted.
BRIGID: I do like thrillers, but I don't like a ton of bloody stuff.
[00:29:44] ANNE: Okay, we can work with that, Brigid.
BRIGID: I know this is not probably popular, but this is a real spicy take, and I'm almost nervous to say. But since I listen to so many audiobooks, I have to say I do not like audiobooks read by Julia Whelan, narrated by her. And that is many audiobooks nowadays. It seems almost like every book you see is read by her. I have to say it's probably a compliment to her because after listening to Educated, I can no longer listen to her narrate a book without thinking of Educated.
ANNE: Oh, that's interesting.
BRIGID: When children are in peril and it's because of a parent's lack of active abuse, I have a difficulty enjoying a book like that. I will read them, they seem to be quite popular in book clubs, but since listening to Educated, whenever I hear her narrate something like Beach Read, I just can't get into it.
[00:30:48] Now, if she's with somebody else, like in Daisy Jones & The Six, where she's the narrator and there's other narrators as well, then it's okay. But honestly, if I see her name, I will force myself to read that book only on page or on my Kindle. I just can't do any more books narrated by her.
ANNE: That's so interesting. Okay. She was too much a cha... I mean, there is no such thing, I think, as being too much the character as an audiobook reader, but that has imprinted on your brain and it has changed the way you approach your audiobooks.
BRIGID: Without a doubt, I cannot get the images from that book that she so expertly narrated out of my head.
ANNE: She's narrated a lot of big titles recently and a lot of big ones coming up.
BRIGID: So many.
ANNE: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
BRIGID: I just picked that up from the library because I saw it was her.
ANNE: Yeah, she has Julie Buxbaum's new one, Kristin Hannah's new one. So no children in peril on the page or by association?
[00:31:49] BRIGID: Yeah. Unless it's a stranger things vibe where they are able to defend themselves in some way, then I'm good for it.
ANNE: Okay. We can work with that. Brigid, what have you been reading lately?
BRIGID: Oh goodness, so for my various... I mentioned earlier that I am reading North and South on a buddy read with at Stephanie Reads, the classic novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. I also just finished How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole for Deborah's Romance Book Club in Bookmark's, North Carolina. And I enjoyed that, but it was a little slow-paced for me. I would say How to Catch a Queen, I would have liked a little more action in that one. And it takes a while to get its speed.
Then I'm also reading for my own The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune.
ANNE: Interesting you should mention that.
BRIGID: I saw it everywhere. I have to say I have not fallen in love with it the way that I thought I would but I'm enjoying it and I want to kind of wait to see where it goes. I feel like it is really in my wheelhouse so I don't know what's quite missing yet but I am enjoying it so far.
[00:33:04] I do love the humor and the situation and the setting and the unconventional romance that's budding. So I do enjoy it.
I'm also reading Ready Player Two, like I mentioned, taking my time with that one, finding the sequel so far to live up to my hopes, because that doesn't always happen right. Lastly, for my Novel Bunch club, I'm listening to The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré.
ANNE: Brigid, what do you want to be different in your reading life?
BRIGID: I would start with what I want more of. I would really love more unique and fun graphic novels. Those are things that I can pick up in between book club reads. So I definitely think that would be something I'd like more of, stuff that I could just read and enjoy and love in a short amount of time.
Then I think different would be a book that could be just my own. Something that I've read, like I said with my three favorites, books that really weren't book club picks that I am able to fall in love with and not feel like I have to have a discussion about. And, you know, being able to squeeze those in between my book club picks is important to me
[00:34:22] ANNE: Well, we will see what we can do. Brigid, the books you loved were Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia, Nimona by Noelle Stevenson, and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Not for you is Normal People by Sally Rooney. And we talked about how maybe "bleak" is not a descriptor you're looking for. And then I'm going to tread carefully and thinking about any kind of realistic contemporary literary fiction.
Currently, you're reading a whole lot of books, largely for book club, and we're looking for graphic novels that are fun and then books that are just for you.
BRIGID: Yeah, I'd love like maybe one graphic novel recommendation, maybe even something that if other people were interested in reading, we could do as a little buddy read on Instagram, and then some books that are just for me.
ANNE: Okay, let's see what we can do. Based on the things you said you enjoyed, have you read Mariko Tamaki? I'm thinking of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me.
BRIGID: I have read that one. And I did love that one.
ANNE: Okay, I'm on the right track.
[00:35:23] BRIGID: You are on the right track. I did love that book. I especially love the illustrations in that one. She kind of uses a limited palette. This is something we didn't really talk about when I said I liked graphic novels, but I did find that one really beautiful to read as well with the images and the color palette.
ANNE: Okay. Since you've already read Laura Dean and I've already got Mariko Tamaki in my head, and Noelle Stevenson, have you read the Lumberjanes series?
BRIGID: I have.
ANNE: All of them?
BRIGID: No, I have read the completed edition of the first three volumes. That one is so perfect as well because it has a little bit of magical and what's going on, fantasy. I do love the friendship between the characters. The setting of a camp is so fun. I worked at summer camps growing up. That was one of my jobs, teaching art at summer camps. So I loved that. But yeah, I have read Lumberjanes.
[00:36:29] ANNE: You know they're like 19 now, right?
BRIGID: Yeah. I need to keep going.
ANNE: And I think you've read the other one I was thinking would be perfect for you, which is Check, Please!.
BRIGID: I'm in the middle of the second one right now. That one is cute.
ANNE: Okay. In that case, I'm thinking about a different direction, which at first I was thinking this might be perfect for you because it's so discussable and you could read it in book club. I'm thinking of the adult graphic memoir, Good Talk by Mira Jacob.
BRIGID: Oh my gosh, this is one that I have on my TBR but have not read yet.
ANNE: So maybe the time is right and maybe the time is here.
BRIGID: Yes.
ANNE: This is her follow-up to her first book, A Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing, which actually I have been meaning to read for a very long time and have not yet.
BRIGID: I've never even heard of that one either.
ANNE: Okay, well, if you like this, there's a nice little trail you could go down afterwards. Good Talk came out last year. Although early in the pandemic, Mira Jacob wrote this really beautiful graphic essay about her family leaving New York City during the early period of the pandemic. Right after I was in New York, actually, which was a little chilling to read.
[00:37:35] But she wrote a graphic essay showing her family debating, do we stay, do we go? They decide to leave. She illustrates their trip out of New York, driving across the country to stay with family that's in the American Southwest.
But the thing I loved about that essay is so many people see that it's illustrated and they think, Oh, I don't read that genre. And it really introduced a lot of people to her work, which is great. So look that up if you want to peek before the book. But we know that you love graphic novels and graphic memoirs, Brigid. So this is a memoir and conversations is how she describes it. And you said that you liked a spare style?
BRIGID: I do.
ANNE: The style of this book is really interesting. There's photographic backgrounds. The illustrations are of the characters, but they're framed in white, almost like they're paper dolls or paper cutouts. So it's really interesting and unusual. She made the things she wanted to make that didn't exist before because it really served the story and her art. I know appreciating the genre that that could be something that really appeals to you.
[00:38:38] But this is a graphic memoir, and it's about race and about family. It unfolds through, as the title promises, a series of conversations. And some are very, very serious, which actually this book was inspired by a piece that she wrote for BuzzFeed that went bananas on the internet. It was called 37 Difficult Questions From My Mixed-Race Son.
Jacob is of Southeast Asian descent, and her husband is white and Jewish, so they have very different backgrounds. So they have a son, the one you would see in the New York essay of them fleeing New York City during the pandemic. And she wrote it in response to him asking when he was age six, are there people who hate brown boys like me?
So there's some very serious conversations, but there's also some that are just silly or heartwarming or even just kind of bizarre because it's in conversations. But something that really works with this book is the kinds of conversations she portrays. Like you see conversations with her son and conversations in her family. But also there's conversations with friends that let her kind of reflect on other conversations that have taken place and just view it through a slightly different lens.
[00:39:49] I like the way one book reviewer put it. I think it was Kirkus that said, "This is a show-stopping memoir about race in America. It's beautifully done." This is the kind of book that people would read and discuss in a book club. It would make a wonderful book club selection, but it could also be just yours. How does that sound?
BRIGID: That sounds perfect. You had me at the conversations range from race to the mundane to, you know, quirky stuff. That sounds wonderful. And especially being able to read about her relationship with her son sounds like it's like a collage that you're looking at. I really like the sounds of that one.
ANNE: Well, that was Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob. Okay, next, you mentioned that you were reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. And I said, "Oh, that's interesting." And it's because when you were describing your experience reading Rainbow Rowell books and also describing Nimona, I thought, you know, there's a T.J. Klune book that could be good for you. But it's not The Cerulean Sea, it's The Extraordinaries, which came out later. Is this one you're familiar with?
[00:40:57] BRIGID: That is so funny. Yeah, I've heard of it, but again, I have not read it yet. I've heard that it has a humor element and... definitely intrigued.
ANNE: Well, this is like Carry On, but it puts a superhero spin on it. It's also very much like The Incredibles, you know, the Pixar movie.
BRIGID: Okay.
ANNE: This is about Nick Bell, and he is not an extraordinary. But something that a lot of people don't know is that he has this alter ego. He is the most popular fan fiction writer in The Extraordinaries fandom, which is a big deal in Nova City where he lives. Okay, Brigid, let me think. What do I want you to know about this book?
BRIGID: Yeah, without spoilers, right?
ANNE: Always. This is a YA novel that reads like a YA novel. Listeners, one of my favorite descriptions of YA novels ever still comes from Preston Yancey, one of our, I think, first 10 What Should I Read Next? guests, where he just says, like, They're big, and they're bold, and the emotions are huge, and it's all like saturated color. That would describe the tone of this book.
[00:41:58] So Nick, he has an unrequited crush. His mom died in sad circumstances a few years back. He's dealing with ADHD and he's suddenly having friend troubles with his longtime best friend. There's a cute boy at school that's also causing him a little bit of woe, which is where it's important to jump in and say that T.J. Klune is a queer author who really writes queer characters. He really believes it's important. He says now more than ever to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories. And that is absolutely here.
Something else that I really noted is that in this book, Nick's father is a police officer. So there's a scene where a police officer handles something, and it's not Nick's dad, but a police officer handles something differently than T.J. Klune said he would have chosen were he writing in 2020 than he did a couple of years ago when he actually wrote the book.
There's a piece online called something like a note about The Extraordinaries where he reflects on his writing process, what he would have changed, what he intends to do differently in the future, and just how current events made him think about his work and how it reads to people.
[00:43:03] For anybody who enjoys the behind-the-scenes of the writing process, and who asks like, what would writers take back if they're writing a certain book today, that's a really interesting piece. This did just come out in July of 2020.
I have to tell you, I listened to the audiobook, which is not narrated by Julia Whelan. This is the first book I listened to narrated by Michael Leslie, and I did really enjoy the book in that format. Honestly, I think the only reason I picked that up is I did really enjoy The House in the Cerulean Sea.
I see what you're saying. I hope as you persevere, you'll get your head around what's happening and who the characters are, and you'll care a little bit. But this one is more action-oriented, and I think it may be faster to grab you.
I think the only reason I picked this up is that I had never read T.J. Klune before The House in the Cerulean Sea, and I really enjoyed it. And I thought, Oh, here's a new audiobook on Libra.fm. I guess I'll give it a try. Even though it's not a typical genre I read, like superhero stories, it's something I was willing to try, but not a go-to of mine by any means. But it was a delightful departure. It's not quite such a departure for you, but I think it might be a delight. How does that sound?
[00:44:09] BRIGID: It does sound delightful. I, especially when you brought up the fact that there was a piece about what he would have changed. I love the idea of, you know, this superhero and struggles. It kind of almost sounds like, like John Hughes meets superhero fanfic. It really does sound up my alley.
I do like things that are great on audio and are going to make me laugh. You know, I get sucked into the adventure as well. I cannot wait to pick that one up.
ANNE: Well, I am happy to hear it. That was The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune. It's the first in a planned trilogy. The next book is set to come out in summer 2021.
BRIGID: Oh, that's great to know. I also really do love being able to read more books by queer authors about queer characters. I find that some of my favorite books are those type of romances and situations.
[00:45:02] ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Finally, this is the one book I feel confident you haven't read yet because it's not out yet.
BRIGID: Oh, yay.
ANNE: You mentioned that you returned or finally read Rebecca recently?
BRIGID: Oh, I just finally read it for the first time and I absolutely loved it. It was a classic that I had been meaning to read for years and for some reason was kind of daunted by. And then I picked it up and it felt so fresh, but yet also really got me sucked into the setting and the time and the place and characters. So, yeah, I loved that one.
ANNE: You mentioned you'd read And Then There Were None for one of your book clubs.
BRIGID: Well, sure. Agatha Christie. Any sort of puzzle like that.
ANNE: Thriller writer J.T. Ellison has a new book coming out in March that has serious Rebecca vibes and also And Then There Were None. It seems like there's a whole slew of books where terrible things happen at parties and gorgeous isolated locations. This is one of them. And I think you might be here for it.
[00:46:09] BRIGID: I am. I am. Especially if it's like Clue, the movie, or Hunting Party.
ANNE: All right. In that case, let me tell you more. This book is called Her Dark Lies. It opens right as the wedding of the year is about to take place at this gorgeous villa off the Italian coast. And you know it's a very exclusive guest list because there's a Nashville artist. Her name is Claire. She's a painter. So she sees things through an artistic lens.
She is marrying Jack. He is the son of a huge computer company's family. They are loaded. They have staff galore and security and notoriety. There's lots of secrecy about what she can and can't tell about the family because she's about to be welcomed into the inner circle. They're all really excited about this wedding.
But as the book begins, nothing is going right. They're approaching the island to get there for the first time to check in and enjoy it, but it turns out that skeletal remains have been found that day, and they think they know who they belong to, and it can't be a good sign. I mean, it can't be a good omen that they're showing up now.
[00:47:13] All the seriously sinister vibes are reminding Claire that she knows very little about her husband to be his first wife, who he was married to briefly, who died on the last day of their honeymoon 10 years before. She doesn't know the whole story there, but she feels like maybe stuff has been swept under the rug. Not like in a legal sense, but just that nobody wants to talk about it. And that's kind of creepy.
But as you get further into the story, and you meet more of the cast of characters, and you see more of what's unfolding, you realize that there are lots of characters with something to hide. Then people start dying in mysterious ways. And when you add that to the mysterious death that happened 10 years ago, and the just oppressive atmosphere, like, Maybe we need to get off this island as soon as possible. This is not going well. And lots of twists and turns. I think this could be fun for you.
BRIGID: Oh my gosh, definitely. As a former art teacher and I have my degree in art, my BFA in art, I always love when a character is a painter or has that artistic feel to it. And as soon as you said like his first wife and that she died on the last day of their honeymoon, I'm hooked. I'm hooked. I want to know what's happening on this island for sure. I want to try to figure it out.
[00:48:29] ANNE: Oh, that makes me so happy. I hope you love it. That is Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison.
BRIGID: Oh my gosh, that sounds really great. Right on the nose with that recommendation.
ANNE: All right, Brigid, we talked about some good stuff today.
BRIGID: We sure did. So many wonderful books.
ANNE: We had Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversation by Mira Jacob. The Extraordinaries, the superhero story from TJ Klune, and Her Dark Lies, the thriller from JT Ellison. Of those books, what do you think you'll read next?
BRIGID: Honestly, Anne, I'll probably pick up all three. I'll probably listen to The Extraordinaries, get my hands on a copy of the graphic novel, Good Talk, and then I will get the hardcover or the eBook for Her Dark Lies.
ANNE: Well, I am happy to hear it. And I can't wait to hear what you think. Brigid, thanks so much for talking books with me today.
BRIGID: You're welcome. It was my pleasure. Such an honor.
[00:49:29] ANNE: Hey Readers! I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Brigid. If you learned you read similarly to Brigid today, we would love to see your recommendations for her in our comment section. Find Brigid on Instagram and Goodreads.
We have those links and the full list of titles we talked about today, plus a roundup of other places you'll find our team members around here. All that is over at WhatShouldIReadNextPodcast.com.
If you'd like to hear more from Brigid and other team members, a great place to do that is at our Patreon page, where we have a collection of team bonus episodes, including this month's follow-up conversations with Leigh, Donna, Shannan, and Brigid.
I loved getting to check in with each of them and hear more about what their reading life is like today. Even though we talk books all the time, I was curious to hear what titles they'd pick today for their three favorites.
Patreon is full of great bonuses like these, plus special events like our seasonal book previews and live unboxing events. Our patrons are a huge part of what lets us do the work we do here at What Should I Read Next? and we are grateful for your support.
[00:50:28] If you'd like to help support the show with a monthly or annual pledge and access our library of bonus book talk, find out more at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Well Met by Jen DeLuca
• Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
• The Dry by Jane Harper
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (if you love the book, watch Knives Out)
• Bellweather Rhapsodyby Kate Racculia
• The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (creator of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
△ Normal People by Sally Rooney
• The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
• Educated by Tara Westover
• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
• Admission by Julie Buxbaum
• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
• North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
• How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole
• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
• The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
• Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki
• The Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, and Brooke A. Allen
• Check Please Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu
• Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
• The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob
• The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
• Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison
Also mentioned:• 10 romance novels that are perfect for summer reading
• Bookmarks, NC’s Romance Book Club
• The Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club
• North and South buddy read with @stephaniereads
• “We Left New York With Clothes, Our Cat and Three Bottles of Disinfectant” by Mira Jacob
• “37 Difficult Questions From My Mixed-Race Son” by Mira Jacob
• “A Message about The Extraordinaries” from TJ Klune
More from Brigid and our team:• 17 recommended reads for those traveling to Florida
• 21 spine-tingling but not TOO scary audiobooks for fall
• All of Brigid’s posts on the Modern Mrs Darcy blog
• Bonus Episode: Marvel, DC, and… L. M. Montgomery?
• Bonus Episode: Preferred reading formats with Leigh, Brigid, and Shannan
• WSIRN Episode 268: Our team’s best books of the year
• WSIRN Episode 316: Books we loved in 2021
• WSIRN Episode 344: Our team’s favorite summer reads
• WSIRN Episode 394: Our team’s best books of summer
This month we’re also sharing “Where are they now?” bonus episodes over on Patreon: find those and other bonuses from Brigid and the rest of our team members in our Patreon community.
The post How many book clubs is too many book clubs? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? It’s not overstating things to say I am giddy about the coming string of sub-90, lower humidity days, plus my 16-year-old is coming home tomorrow after five weeks away, woohoo! Plus I’m in the middle of an interesting nonfiction audiobook, and started an essay collection last night I think I’m going to love. It’s shaping up to be a great weekend!
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Readers’ Weekend:Our virtual Readers’ Weekend is already underway in MMD Book Club! We kicked things off yesterday with a fantastic discussion of Olga Dies Dreaming with author Xochitl Gonzalez, discussing ghosts, humor, turning forty, and more. (The replay is available for all our Book Clubbers who couldn’t join us live.) The nerdy fun continues this weekend with a virtual paperback swap, poll party, readalong time, and more. Get in on the action here.
My favorite finds from around the web:What My Adult Autism Diagnosis Finally Explained. (The Cut) From author Mary HK Choi: “In time, I developed systems to make it through any scenario. Mental folders filled with scripts, permutations of outcomes, things I’d observed friends and colleagues and strangers do. These were for absolutely every occasion and person in my life.”
Your Guide to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. (SELF) It’s right around the corner!
Two exciting literary updates from Kirkus: Unpublished Zora Neale Hurston Book Coming in 2025 and Lost Novel by Margaret Walker Coming in 2025.
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) July Quick Lit: this has been a satisfying and thoroughly “summer” reading month!
The Second Coming of the Sports Novel. (Esquire) “Two approaches to the sports novel: the local and the global. But, in fact, Bullwinkel and O’Neill are responding to the same question: How do you make what was traditionally a genre for preteen boys into something that speaks to contemporary adult lives?” This piece prominently features one of my recent reads in July Quick Lit, above.
My son made this Creamy Macaroni and Cheese over the weekend and to say it was a big hit is a massive understatement. (NYT Cooking gift link) He followed the recipe as written but subbed in cavatappi for elbow macaroni and it turned out great.
Boring Girl Summer. (You’ve Got Lauren) “This year I have an endless reading list, a wonderful husband, and I’m only a few blocks from the ocean. This year the backyard is bursting with peonies and figs—nectarines are right around the corner. Don’t let my empty calendar fool you, my days will be full and rich with pleasures.”
The Kidnapping I Can’t Escape. (NYT Magazine gift link) Incredible longform piece from Taffy Brodesser-Akner. “Happy, well-adjusted people are all different. The traumatized are exactly alike. I’m about to tell you a story that is nothing like a violent kidnapping — almost laughably so — but what I’ve learned over the years is that trauma is trauma.”
The Hottest New Place to Shop Secondhand? Substack. (ELLE) “There is something about shopping in Substack that feels like being at a New York City sample sale.”
I realized this month that my long-loved purple oxalis plant was MISSING … which I think must mean I inadvertently threw it away during a period of dormancy. (Cue tears.) I replaced it immediately with two oxalis plants from Etsy and am very happy with my new little plant babies. Even if I can’t believe I seemingly pitched the old ones.
20 favorite books for Disability Pride Month and all year long. (MMD) Pick up these favorite novels and nonfiction that center and celebrate disability this month—or any time at all.
Stop setting your thermostat at 72. (Vox) “It’s a time-honored American tradition to fight over the thermostat. Winter, summer, spring, and fall, any given home will be too hot or too cold for someone in the family.”
I love a nubby sweater tank for late summer, and the colors on these V-neck beach sweater-tanks are superb. J.Crew Factory also has many tees, tanks, and shorts 60% off right now, including my faves the Girlfriend Tank Top (those stripes!) and the 5″ classic chino short.
Hollywood’s Newest Money-Making Scheme Is… Books. (Inverse) “Increasingly, blockbuster movies aren’t just making an impact at the box office or on streaming. They’re resonating at bookstores, too, many of which prominently displayed the Barbie and Oppenheimer screenplays last year as though they were buzzy new novels.”
Don’t miss these posts:15 MORE celebrity memoirs read by their authors. It’s hard to go wrong with a celebrity memoir.
An ode to an unattractive $9 piece of plastic that brings me oodles of quotidian joy. I love it when someone reveals themselves to be a raving fan of something I haven’t ever given much thought to myself. (Though I have to say the hummingbird sightings this summer have been sparse. What’s up with that?)
20 travel memoirs to take you around the world (from the comfort of your couch). Are you in need of some armchair travel? This list will tide you over while you dream about your next vacation.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
July is Disability Pride Month, a time to focus on people with disabilities and their history, culture, accomplishments, and struggles. This commemorative event began as a Disability Pride Day in Boston in 1990, the year the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. It became Disability Pride Month in 2015, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the ADA.
In honor of Disability Pride Month, I’ve curated this list of my personal favorite books that center or highlight the experience of the disability community. Some of these books are written by authors who draw from their own experience as being disabled; other are written by authors who have significant personal experience with disability, though the disability is not their own. Whether fiction or nonfiction, all these stories center and celebrate the experiences of disabled individuals.
Something I love about an assortment of books compiled by something other than genre is the sheer variety of books on offer, and that is especially true here: we’ve got campus novels, fantasy, romance, coming of age stories, literary fiction, memoir, even a book with elements drawn from the horror genre. What a roundup!
There are so many more books I could have shared here, so please fill up the comments section with your own favorites. I can’t wait to see what you’ve read and loved.
Fiction for Disability Pride MonthSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Talia Hibbert
This rom-com is laugh-out-loud funny and excellent on audio. Chloe Brown is a grump for good reason: her fiance abandoned her after she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. After a near death experience, she comes up with a to-do list to help her "get a life," including things like "ride a motorcycle," "go camping," and "do something bad." When she enlists her landlord Red to help her accomplish the list, their flirtation quickly escalates as they learn more about each other. Charming, delightful, and VERY steamy. Narrator Adjoa Andoh makes the witty banter between Chloe and Red crackle and spark. (Open door.) More info →Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
Roanhorse brings this complex pre-Columbian American fantasy world to life with gritty characters grappling with prophecies and political intrigue. The holy city of Tova prepares for the Convergence, a rare celestial event when the winter solstice and solar eclipse coincide, under Sun Priest Naranpa’s guidance. Disgraced captain Xiala sets her ship for Tova, carrying a young blind passenger named Serapio. She doesn’t know anything about him, other than it’s imperative he arrive on the day of the Convergence. And then there’s Okoa, a member of the ruling family and whose mother has just died creating a power vacuum his sister is ready to fill. No one and nothing is as they seem and by the time these characters collide, their world will be undone. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Blair Fell
When Adah at Main Street Books in Davidson told me back in April 2022 that this book will forever change the way she sees the world, I couldn't start reading fast enough. Arlo is a 23-year-old DeafBlind man whose world opens up when he meets his new interpreter Cyril as he begins courses at the local community college. Arlo's devout Jehovah's Witness guardians disapprove of Cyril because he's agnostic, gay, and inexperienced with DeafBlind clients, but Arlo takes to him immediately; he's never had such a fierce advocate in his corner. Thanks to Cyril, Arlo soon learns that the love of his life, who he never expected to see again, may not be out of reach after all. Fell has been an ASL interpreter for the Deaf for nearly twenty years; his fascinating and enlightening descriptions of the methods and ethics of interpretation absolutely made the story for me. More info →Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A 2023 Summer Reading Guide selection: Movies cast magic spells in this unique and darkly humorous thriller set in 1990s Mexico City. Montserrat and Tristán are childhood friends who once bonded over classic horror films. Now, nearing forty, she’s an under-appreciated disabled sound engineer and he’s a washed-up telenovela star. When they cross paths with a legendary director, he persuades the two to help him complete an unfinished horror film from the 30s, the script for which was written by a Nazi occultist. The director claims that bad luck has plagued everyone who worked on the film, but completing it will break the curse and bring their trio prosperity. But instead of luck, their interference unleashes something dark and deadly in Mexico City. Surprising, sharp, and smart. More info →Author: Sara Nović
This campus novel takes places at Ohio's River Valley School for the Deaf, a boarding school where students can count on the cultural richness of the deaf community being celebrated. When Charlie enrolls as a new student, she's never met another deaf student; her parents had kept her in traditional school for far too long, hoping her issues with hearing would simply disappear once they got her cochlear implants dialed in. Charlie knew that would never happen, and quickly makes herself at home in her new school setting, not knowing the school's very existence is actively being threatened. I knew little about deafness and the deaf community prior to reading this book, and ate up all the details about various facets of the deaf experience deaf author Nović wove into the story. More info →Author: Elizabeth McCracken
In this novel written as a memoir, Elizabeth McCracken, (or perhaps more accurately, the character that we feel is Elizabeth McCracken), shares about her larger-than-life mother, the titular hero of this book. She begins her story in summer 2019, one year after her mother died: she's traveled to London, a place that holds many memories of the trips McCracken and her mother once traveled to together. She interweaves stories from her mother’s life, including her experience of disability, with her present day narrative of experiencing London without her now. Through her insightful anecdotes and introspective reflections, McCracken makes you wish you’d had the chance to know the complicated, charming, occasionally infuriating woman that was her mother. More info →Author: Xiran Jay Zhao
This YA science fiction, described as The Handmaid's Tale meets the Pacific Rim, was loosely inspired by the first and only female emperor in Chinese history, Empress Wu. Young female soon-to-be-warrior Zetian is out to avenge her sister's wrongful death. While few concubine-pilots survive a battle—their life force basically gets sucked dry by the pilot—Zetian not only survives, she kills the pilot who murdered her sister. And she’s not about to stop there. Zetian is feisty and she can be mean in her fight to show her people that women deserve better than having their feet bound and dying as concubine-pilots. Because her feet are bound, she sometimes uses a cane or wheelchair. There’s political intrigue and misogynous advisors who would rather see her dead, on top of fighting battles against Hunduns. And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a polyamorous love triangle with Shimin, the pilot she’s paired with, and Yizhi, her only friend. More info →Author: S. K. Ali
After Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, stands up to her Islamaphobic teacher, she’s suspended from school—and so her family books her ticket to leave Indiana and spend spring break with her expat aunt in Doha, Qatar. While her anger is justified, the way she expresses it isn’t always and she’s resolved to try to be a nicer version of herself in Doha. Zayneb meets Adam on the flight there and neither thinks they’ll see each other again, yet they soon find themselves in the same friend group. Since Adam was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few months prior, he’s kept it a secret from his father and dropped out of college; his family is grieving the death of his mother from MS and he doesn’t want to cause them more pain with his own news. Written in the form of diary entries, we see Zayneb and Adam connect as they discuss their families, religion, and so much more. More info →Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
This WW2 adventure will appeal to fans of historical fiction and underdog stories. Nine-year-old Ada has never been allowed to leave her family’s small apartment. Her foot is twisted and her mother is too ashamed of the physical impairment to let Ada out in public. When the war arrives in London, Ada's little brother is put on a train to safety and Ada makes a daring escape to join him. Out in the countryside, a woman named Susan begrudgingly takes the children into her home. There, Ada learns to read, ride a horse, and wiggle her way into Susan’s heart. Readers will be riveted by the danger, daring, and risks that both Ada and Susan take to discover true belonging and a place to call home. More info →Author: Natalia Sylvester
Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, dreams of being an aquatic performer at the Mermaid Cove in Central Florida. When she’s in the water swimming, she feels healthy, free, and at peace. But her strict parents will never let her audition, much less let her be with her cute new neighbor Alex so Vero decides it’s time to take control of her own life. I appreciated the way the story thoughtfully handled the friction that exists between a disabled teen and her non-disabled siblings. More info →Author: Brigid Kemmerer
This clever twist on Beauty and the Beast features Harper, a modern-day 17-year-old girl who is going through a terrible time when she gets sucked right into a fantasy world. There she encounters Prince Rhen, heir to the throne of Emberfall, who is cursed, turns into a beast, and destroys everything he holds dear. (Sound familiar?). This retelling is delightfully modern, features a character with cerebral palsy, and straddles reality and fantasy in a refreshing way. More info →Author: Kent Haruf
The follow-up to Plainsong returns readers to Holt, Colorado and a cast of familiar characters as well as some new faces. The elderly McPheron brothers, Harold and Raymond, are adjusting to no longer having Victoria and her daughter living with them, as the single mother has left the ranch and started college. Meanwhile, a young boy takes care of his grandfather and a disabled couple struggles to do their best for their kids. Haruf is an excellent choice for readers who love Wallace Stegner, Wendell Berry, and Marilynne Robinson, as I do. More info → Nonfiction for Disability Pride Month Author: Andrew Leland
Leland, now in his 40s, wasn’t diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa until college, despite years of knowing something was wrong with his vision. At some point, he’ll have no vision left and this starts him on a journey of adaptation and exploration. Part memoir, part nonfiction history and cultural examination, Leland’s experience and relationship to his own blindness starts out by mirroring systemic ableism and moves toward acceptance. A thought-provoking and thoughtful read. More info →Author: Meghan O'Rourke
Chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases are on the rise but they remain difficult to diagnose and are often misunderstood, leading to years of pain, discomfort, and even medical abuse for patients. Author Meghan O’Rourke understands this on a personal level, detailing her quest for answers, no matter how many doctors dismissed her symptoms. By talking with doctors, patients, and researchers, she explores how the Western model of medicine impacts those living with invisible illnesses, hitting those who are part of marginalized communities the hardest. She also profiles innovators within the field and discusses how the increasing number of long COVID patients could hopefully lead to better care. More info →Author: Alice Wong
Disabled activist and Founder and Director of the Disability Visibility Project Alice Wong assembled this anthology of essays by disabled writers. Their work highlights the everyday reality of their unique situations, celebrates disability culture, and explores the complexity of being disabled in an ableist society. More info →Author: Samantha Irby
Comedic essayist Samantha Irby’s latest essay collection touches on chronic illness, life during quarantine, new career opportunities, and so much more. I think of this book often, particularly for the essay in which she recounts that she simply replies "I like it!", as many times as necessary, whenever someone is condescending about her taste. More info →Author: Rebekah Taussig
I enjoy following Taussig on Instagram and loved getting to know her better through this memoir-in-essays. She details her life as a wheelchair-user and what it was like growing up paralyzed in the 90s and early 2000s, including the subpar disability rep she saw on-screen. This book is her invitation for us to reconsider the ableism around us, in our lives and in media, and what accessibility really looks like and why it matters. Well-written, vulnerable, and humorous. More info →Author: Harriet McBryde Johnson
Johnson is an author, attorney, and disability rights activist. Due to a congenital neuromuscular disease, she’s always needed assistance with her daily care and uses a motorized wheelchair. Her life defies assumptions about disability. Her memoir details her pursuit of a law career and her activism and also includes profound meditations on death and pleasure. More info →Author: Hannah Gadsby
Like many, I first learned of Hannah Gadsby through her Netflix special Nanette. It was an incredibly personal show in which the comedian took on homophobia, gendered violence, and more. At the time, she said she was quitting comedy but lucky for us, she didn’t. Here she takes us behind the scenes of establishing her comedy career and creating the show, including what it was like being a queer person from Tasmania, where homosexuality was illegal until 1997, and her decision to tell the truth, no matter the cost. She also shares about being diagnosed with autism and ADHD as an adult and how her relationship to comedy evolved. I especially appreciated her insights into family dynamics and storytelling. More info →Author: Chloé Cooper Jones
"I am in a bar in Brooklyn, listening to two men, my friends, discuss whether my life is worth living." So begins Pulitzer finalist Jones's new memoir about living with a disability that is instantly recognizable and "other" to nearly everyone she encounters. Jones employs an interesting circular structure to portray what it's like to move through the world in her particular and unique body. Jones was born with a condition called sacral agenesis which affects her appearance and her ability to easily walk and move; physical pain is a near constant companion. Here she writes of self-consciousness and shame, of believing stories about herself that turned out to be all wrong, of learning to rewrite them. Along the way she tells stories about a a panoply of interesting topics I never expected to encounter here: tons of literary references, Bernini sculptures, Roger Federer, the Cambodian genocide, higher education, the Sundance Film Festival, Beyoncé(!). Content warnings apply, including unexpected violence. More info → What are your favorite disability fiction and nonfiction reads? Please share in the comments.
P.S. What Should I Read Next #349: Canceling Netflix rebooted my reading life with Rachel Seidman.
The post 20 favorite books for Disability Pride Month and all year long appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re excited to continue our mid-summer series featuring our team members!
Whether you’re new around here or you’ve been listening for awhile, we hope these introductions will help you get to know some of our team members. Identifying other readers who share your taste is a great way to discover good books that might not land on your radar otherwise.
Today I’m revisiting my very first conversation with Alabama reader Shannan Malone. Since this episode originally aired, Shannan has joined our team as our co-host and contributor, but in today’s show, Shannan and I go back to where it all began.
Shannan has broad taste and high standards: even authors that she’s loved in the past don’t get a free pass. If you’re like Shannan and enjoy hopping between genres, I think you’ll especially enjoy our conversation today. We discuss the struggle of pinpointing what you dislike about a book that everyone else thinks is amazing, awkward characters that are endearing to introverted readers, and much, much more.
If today’s conversation has you curious about what Shannan’s been reading lately, be sure to join us over on Patreon for our follow-up conversation this month.
This episode originally aired as episode 179 on April 9, 2019.
Connect with Shannon on Goodreads and Instagram.
TranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] SHANNAN MALONE: I was scarred mentally by Little Women when I was able to read that, probably around 11 or 12.
ANNE BOGEL: Everyone is nodding listening right now.
ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers for our mid-summer series, our guests are our very own team members, but with a twist. We are rerunning their episodes from the archives, sometimes deep in the archives from when before they joined our team. And I have enjoyed this stroll down memory lane so much.
[00:01:00] I have relistened to every episode with a giant smile on my face. They were good the first time, but they're even more fun to listen to now than they were the first time.
For most of these team member guests in the time machine, I didn't know them the first time we talked. To listen now with the context of who they are as people, as readers, and what they do on our team, it's really a joy.
I know that many of you listen very closely to a particular team member depending on your literary tastes. You can identify like, Oh, Shannan is my book twin, Leigh is my book twin. And you pay close attention to what they read and recommend. So I hope that you're finding some good books in that way that might not land on your radar otherwise.
We're really grateful to have this opportunity for you to get to know our team members better, and to really highlight everything they're doing throughout our spaces: on What Should I Read Next?, in our Patreon community, in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, on the blog, where most everyone, not quite yet everyone, but most everyone has written guest posts that you can check out any time.
[00:02:01] We are also doing follow-ups over in Patreon with our team members whose voices you are hearing for the month of July, finding out: Where are they now? How do they feel relistening to their episode after all these years? What books would they choose if they were on the show today? Those conversations are a lot of fun. Check out Patreon.com./whatshouldireadnext to get in on that fun.
Today, I'm sharing my very first conversation with Alabama reader, Shannan Malone. When I spoke with Shannan back in 2019, I did not realize it was the beginning of a beautiful book friendship. Shannan has since joined our team as our co-host and contributor in these spaces, and we know that she is the book twin to many listeners.
Today Shannan and I go back to where it all began, or at least where it picked up after we first met in person at Parnassus Books, and I'd Rather Be Reading events in late 2018. Shannan has broad taste and high standards, as you will hear. And when it comes to new releases, even authors that she's loved in the past don't get a free pass, and maybe not even the benefit of the doubt. She says the new book has to earn her love.
[00:03:09] So today's episode goes out to all you eclectic, not scattered as you'll hear, eclectic readers who love hopping between genres. We're covering the struggle of pinpointing what you dislike about a book that everyone else thinks is amazing, awkward characters that are endearing to introverted readers, Shannan's book club that connects moms near and far through literature and continues to do so, in case you are wondering, and of course, we discuss much, much more. I'm so excited for you to listen. Let's get to it.
Shannan, welcome to the show.
SHANNAN: Thank you for having me. It's an honor to be here. I'm totally geeking out right now.
ANNE: Well, I'm so excited to talk to you today and also to get into your books. I'm just rubbing my hands together thinking, Ooh, I have so many questions.
SHANNAN: I will do my best to answer them. I'm hoping you can help me find some books that I would love.
ANNE: Shannan, we could tell from your submission form—that form, listeners, is at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest, and from your history as a reader that you read eclectically.
[00:04:12] SHANNAN: Oh yes. It's horrible. My music is the same way because you would think, oh, the album, Beyoncé, the whole album, you would like that. No. Just two songs. Mark Anthony, oh, the whole album. No, just two songs. Bruno Mars, just the one song. And there's no cohesion about it. I can't tell you what that cohesion is. So with books, I'm hoping that you will tell me what the cohesion is. But I need help because I'm all over the place. I feel scattered.
ANNE: That's probably two ways of looking at it, right? The "eclectic" sounds good and interesting.
SHANNAN: Yes.
ANNE: "Scattered" is perhaps the less positive way.
SHANNAN: I'm an Enneagram six, and we tend to be more on the negative side than the positive. So I'm constantly trying to reframe in my head to be more positive. So thank you for saying eclectic.
ANNE: What's the literary equivalent of only liking two songs on the Beyonce album?
[00:05:12] SHANNAN: Well, you would think that you would like everyone's backlist. For example, the books that I have given you as the three books that I love are books that I want to read more of. But I have a classic-books-that-I-love list. And that classic-books-that-I-love list is all over the place.
One of them, I'll just throw it out there, is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. You would think I would enjoy everything she writes. No, I don't. So it's not like I can say, Ooh, I love this author. Let me read their backlist, and then I will most certainly enjoy it. No, it doesn't work that way.
ANNE: Elizabeth Gilbert, we love you. What didn't work for you from her backlist?
SHANNAN: I couldn't get through The Signature of All Things. And I don't know why. I've been trying to think about all the books that I really couldn't get through, I'm trying to find a unifying theme or reason why and I can't. Mind you, I am going to try to read City of Angels. I think it's City of Angels or City of Girls.
[00:06:18] ANNE: Yes, that's her one coming in June that I'm trying to get my hands on.
SHANNAN: I am too.
ANNE: Help me, Liz Gilbert. Help me.
SHANNAN: I put it on my wish list with NetGalley. They were like, This is not available." I was like, "Okay." Anyway, yeah. But I don't know if I'm going to like it. I don't know if I'm going to love it, even though I loved Eat, Pray, Love.
My other classic all-time favorite is Quiet by Susan Cain. That's nonfiction kind of research-oriented. It seems to be no rhyme or reason to what I like. I just like what I like and I know it when I read it or I know it when I hear it.
ANNE: We are going to mind map this thing, Shannan. We're going to pin it to the wall. We're going to go all beautiful mind on it with our string.
SHANNAN: Oh, awesome.
ANNE: We're going to figure it out.
SHANNAN: You know, Enneagram 6s need gurus to help them. So, you're my guru.
ANNE: For people who don't know the Enneagram, why is that so important for you as an Enneagram 6?
SHANNAN: Well, Enneagram 6s are generally the most insecure Enneagrams that are on the face of the planet. We are the worst when it comes to things like this.
[00:07:21] ANNE: Well, what does that mean for your reading life? Does it make a difference that you can see and feel?
SHANNAN: I am just now becoming more assured of myself and hearing my own voice and knowing what my voice is. For years, I looked to others for direction, obediently followed down the path that was given to me.
Of course, I'm approaching 40, and that is not how you want to live your life now. I'm realizing that in the last 10 years or so. You have to listen to your own inner knowing and your own inner compass, but at the same time, using people who are a little bit more knowledgeable about certain things to help you begin to know your inner knowing.
This has been across all levels for me in the past few years: spiritual, physical, mental. So I'm hoping to use this show and you as a resource to kind of get me on the reading path that feels authentic to me. And I don't feel so scattered, I just feel eclectic.
[00:08:21] ANNE: A reading path that feels more authentic to you. So what I hear you saying is that being able to say, first of all, with confidence, I loved that book, and I really don't care if you did too. But also to be able to say why and to see what that says about you as a person and as a reader.
SHANNAN: That would be lovely.
ANNE: All right. Well, that's just a small, small thing. Okay, sometimes the truth about our reading lives or the rest of our lives comes in big giant gulps and sometimes it comes in baby steps. So I feel confident we can at least take a few baby steps today.
SHANNAN: You know, I feel pretty solid in my nonfiction reading life. I can spot those in an instant.
ANNE: With nonfiction, it's more true, not completely true, but more true, that what you see is what you get. With nonfiction, you pick up a book, it has a promise, and the quality may differ, but more or less, the book is usually about what you expect the book to be about.
SHANNAN: Yes.
ANNE: But fiction, oh, there's so many variables.
[00:09:22] SHANNAN: Yes. Very much so. And they may not end the story the way you wanted the story to end. They will kill characters. I was scarred mentally, I tell everyone this, I was scarred mentally by Little Women when I was able to read that, probably around 11 or 12.
ANNE: Everyone is nodding listening right now.
SHANNAN: I mean, when Beth died, I was done. And I've coped somewhat. And this might be Enneagram 6 again, you know, needing the structure and knowing, planning what you're getting into. Like most books, I'm ashamed to say it, but I read the last chapter first because I want to know who is still alive at the end of the book before I get attached to all of these characters and one of them dies on me.
ANNE: Well, that's how an editor would read. So you're reading like a pro, really. This reminds me of my experience reading Into Thin Air, which is nonfiction. It's Jon Krakauer's story of climbing Everest and what was at the time the most disastrous season on the mountain when the most people died.
[00:10:26] The book is dedicated to the people who died on the mountain in that season. So I read the book flipping back and forth to the dedication, finding out, are they going to be okay? Are they going to be okay? And my husband thought... because I finished it and I said, "You have to read this book." So he thought that was sacrilegious. He just couldn't believe I had done it like that. And he let the story unfold.
SHANNAN: I can't do that. In fact, I'm not going to go see the Avengers Endgame until I've read complete spoilers. I'm just not doing it. I want to know who's alive at the end of this movie. Then I'll go and enjoy the movie. But I'm not going to be able to enjoy it if I'm sitting here going, "Someone's going to die. Someone's going to die. Someone's going to die."
ANNE: No judgment here. Okay, so you said that there were two classics you loved, and they were nonfiction. Eat, Pray, Love, and Quiet. Do you have any fiction that would make that list?
SHANNAN: My all-time fiction classic is Pride and Prejudice. I love Darcy. I loved Darcy before we were supposed to love Darcy. I felt like Jane Austen was trying to get us to hate Darcy. And I was like, "No, Darcy is just shy. He's just socially awkward. Like, he's okay. He's really a good guy." I kept saying that in my mind as I was reading it. Like, "No, Darcy's okay."
[00:11:34] You know, Wickham comes on the scene and does his thing, and I'm like, "I don't trust that guy." And then when Darcy proposed and it all went horribly wrong and he wrote the letter, I was like, "Yes." Because that's what I do. When I have conversations that go awkward, I will write a letter and say... I can express myself better on paper than I can verbally. And I wrote so many letters to my now husband trying to explain myself back when we were dating.
ANNE: Aw.
SHANNAN: So when he did that, I was just like, "Oh, yeah, I love him." I knew I loved him. There's nothing wrong with Darcy. Darcy's awesome. So that's my love of Pride and Prejudice, that character and his awkwardness and how he tries to begin to work out of it for Elizabeth's sake.
ANNE: How old were you when you first read it?
SHANNAN: Probably 12.
ANNE: And you still saw right through Wickham. I am so impressed, Shannan.
SHANNAN: Introverts tend to see things that other people kind of gloss over or don't really see. I think that also helped me with Wickham. "Like, Uh-uh, uh-uh, something's not right with that dude."
ANNE: I'm so proud of your 12-year-old self. Shannan, if those are your all-time favorite classics, how did you arrive at the books that you chose for today?
[00:12:43] SHANNAN: Okay. As I said, I am very good with my nonfiction picks, you know, memoirs and things like that. I pretty much zone in on them and, like you said, I'm real satisfied with them because maybe they follow a particular pattern and they deliver what they promised. Fiction, not so much.
I'm a writer also. I want to be entertained. I want to think about what I'm reading, but not too much. I want to experience new places and new things that I probably would not be able to experience, but that are still in my comfort zone. So I need help finding the books that I want to read more of. So those are the books that I wanted to talk about today.
ANNE: I can't wait to dive in. But first, I'd love to hear about the Rocket City Moms Virtual Book Club.
SHANNAN: Oh, yes. That is an interesting story. My friend is a writer for rocketcitymom.com. It's in Huntsville, Alabama. She was a writer for Rocket City Mom, and she knew I wrote, so she let the editors read some of my material.
[00:13:45] The editor contacted me for lunch and said, "What do you think Rocket City Mom is missing?" And I said, "Well, I love books." And she was like, "Okay, I do, too." And I said, "Maybe we can have a book club for moms." And she said, "Fantastic idea. You read the books and write the review." And I'm like, "Okay." I was quite nervous.
But I'm like in my third year of doing it. We meet on Facebook. It's virtual, so even if you can't meet, you can still participate. You know, I post the questions, people respond, and then we go back in and talk about it. And it doesn't have to be on that same day.
It's a fantastic little club we got going. And we accept everyone. You don't have to be in the Rocket City. We read… some are exclusively about mothers. But some of them are not. Like Everything, Everything-
ANNE: Is that Nicola Yoon?
SHANNAN: Yes, Nicola Yoon. So while that wasn't explicitly about mothers, it had a really good mother element to discuss. So, yeah, we're always on the lookout for great picks. Liane Moriarty was a fave. We read What Alice Forgot, which I love.
[00:14:52] ANNE: Well, I was looking at your favorites list thinking, "You know what would be good for Shannan is What Alice Forgot." Okay, I'm on the right track.
SHANNAN: Yes, yes, I absolutely love that. We read Big Little Lies. I did not love that one as much as What Alice Forgot, but it was a huge, huge favorite of the club. So we're always on the lookout for great books. And like I said, I struggle with my fiction pick, so I'm always looking for suggestions like that.
We are going to discuss Where We Belong by Emily Giffin next month. I try to keep it eclectic, I guess is a good word, you know, diverse. Try to read authors of color. Diversity is important to me. We are always looking for books that will make us think about the motherhood experience, help us learn about the motherhood experience, but don't necessarily drown us in the motherhood experience all the time because, you know, reading is an escape from the, you know, laundry and diapers and all of that thing.
[00:15:53] ANNE: I think I catch your drift. All right. Well, Shannan, I can't wait to dive into your favorites. Ooh, and not so favorites. We can't forget about those.
SHANNAN: I do have those.
ANNE: You know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and I hear you have a long list, and we will talk about what you may enjoy reading next. What's your first favorite?
SHANNAN: I cheated. Two by the same author.
ANNE: I'll allow that.
SHANNAN: Okay. The Book of the Grail and The Bookman's Tale, both by Charlie Lovett. You're the one who helped me find these two.
ANNE: Oh, well, I'm happy to hear that.
SHANNAN: I love these two books. I think I read the Jane Austen one first, and then I read The Bookman's Tale, and I love that title so much because it gave me a word to articulate my passion. Like bookman, I looked it up in the dictionary and I was like, "That's what I am. I am a bookman. I'm a bookman." So if you go on my social media accounts and everything, it says bookman, runner, foodie.
[00:16:53] ANNE: What does it mean to be a bookman?
SHANNAN: It's a person who loves books and reading.
ANNE: Well, there you go.
SHANNAN: I even started a scholarship at my alma mater for people who are studying English and literature and I named it the Bookman Scholarship.
ANNE: Oh, I love that.
SHANNAN: I love his literary adventures. You know, I want to live in Baychester. I mean, I just love everything about what he does in those books. The English Countryside, I want to go. I feel like I'm there when he's talking about it. And how he combines the past about a book into the present about a book. I love everything about it.
ANNE: Shannan, I'm making notes. So literary mystery, you like the way the past connects to the present. There's a little bit of romance in his stories. Do you like that?
SHANNAN: Yes. Yes, yes. I do like it. I think also I like the awkwardness of the book characters.
ANNE: Oh, that's true.
SHANNAN: I forgot the name of the gentleman in the most recent one, The Book of the Grail. I think his name was Alfred. I absolutely loved him as a character. The geeky, kind of awkward book people.
[00:17:57] A.J. Fikry is another one. Kind of awkward and pain, but loves books.
ANNE: And that works for you. Okay.
SHANNAN: Yeah. I also like to see my awkwardness and geekiness and goofiness on the page and know that it's not just me.
ANNE: I like that. Shannan, what did you pick for your next book?
SHANNAN: Almost Sisters.
ANNE: Oh, I love her. Tell me more. How did this one end up on your list?
SHANNAN: Rocket City Mom read it. The book is awesome. Everyone needs to read this book. Everyone. I kid you not. The way she handled a very serious reality of our nation and its past in a very meaningful way. But it was enjoyable. It was so funny. I was laughing all the time. It's the best book. I want more of the characters. I think I actually might have reached out and asked her, "Is there a sequel? Because I want to know more."
ANNE: So you like the way that she gave you serious issues with a hefty serving of snark to go with it.
[00:18:59] SHANNAN: Yeah, it was funny. It was intelligent. I love the fact that the heroine... and her name escapes me. She's a graphic artist, which is just unconventional, but-
ANNE: Leah. It took me a minute.
SHANNAN: Leah.
ANNE: Her name's Leah.
SHANNAN: It was just amazing the way she pulled that book together. I'm still in awe of it. I still think about it.
ANNE: I'm afraid to ask this next question, but you've said that when you read other authors' backlists, they haven't consistently delivered a reading experience that you were glad you participated in.
SHANNAN: Mm-hmm.
ANNE: Do you see the implied question I'm afraid to ask?
SHANNAN: Yes. I read Gods of Alabama, and I live in Alabama. So... let's put it this way. As a writer, I do realize that writers grow over time as writers. And you can tell the beginnings of, shall we say, greatness and where they have honed their craft and developed it. I could see the hints of the brilliance, to me, of Almost Sisters in Gods of Alabama. But it wasn't, to me, as good.
[00:20:07] ANNE: Gotcha.
SHANNAN: But I saw elements of it. I'm like, Oh. I don't know, to me it felt like Almost Sisters was the book that was there. I've only read Gods of Alabama, but was she working up to that brilliance that was displayed there? I did enjoy Gods of Alabama, but in my mind it's nowhere near as good as Almost Sisters.
ANNE: Noted. Well, some readers say that her first, Gods in Alabama, was her best. I really liked both, and I want to think about why. In The Almost Sisters, she has a broader view, I think, of the South, and is explicitly writing about the two Souths.
SHANNAN: Yes.
ANNE: Is that something that really worked for you?
SHANNAN: Oh, yes. You know, I'm an African-American living in Alabama, so I totally got everything that she was saying, including Black church. Like, cracking up laughing. The Southern Church. Yeah, I totally got all of those jokes. Like, mm-hmm. She nailed it on the head.
ANNE: Shannan, what rounds out your eclectic trio of favorites?
[00:21:10] SHANNAN: Circe by Madeline Miller.
ANNE: Tell me more.
SHANNAN: English major. I guess that kind of goes without saying. I had to read The Iliad and The Odyssey. Taylor Jenkins Reid actually said it best, so I'm going to quote her directly. That Madeline Miller has reclaimed Circe's story from the men who told it before. I loved everything about that. Everything.
Of course, study The Odyssey, and here's this, quote-unquote, "witch" turning the men into pigs. You know, the reasoning behind why she was turning them into pigs is like, absolutely, you know? I even mentioned it to,, the hubby. He was like, "That makes a lot of sense." I think we need more women reclaiming and telling these stories. I absolutely love that. The writing is excellent.
I read her other book first... Achilles?
ANNE: The song of Achilles.
SHANNAN: Song of Achilles. I enjoyed that tremendously. So when I saw she had another one coming out, I was like, Yes. And I loved that one even more. I'm anticipating her next book. Like, write something else, please.
[00:22:14] ANNE: I hear you. As a reader, I'm hoping that she continues in this niche. If she doesn't, I'm interested in seeing what she does next.
SHANNAN: But this is awesome. I loved how she took that character from The Odyssey and just explored it and developed it and, you know, told the story from a woman's perspective. I'm also interested in reading the Odyssey that has been translated by a woman, Emily Wilson. That's going to be amazing.
ANNE: I'm curious to read that too. And I haven't listened to it yet, but when I saw that Claire Danes narrates this new translation, I could not click download fast enough. And I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm actually about ready to start a new audiobook, Shannan. So this might be my one. I've got a few waiting for me.
SHANNAN: I helped you pick your next book.
ANNE: Thank you for that. It happens all the time. I leave these episodes with a much longer to-be-read list every time, too. And after nearly 200 episodes, it's kind of a problem. But as problems go, it's a nice one.
[00:23:14] I loved Claire Danes' narration of The Handmaid's Tale, so I know I like her as a reader, and I'm really curious to experience this. And Circe worked so well in audio. That's one of the things that also made me think, Oh, I'll do The Odyssey on audio also.
Shannan, tell me about a book that wasn't for you.
SHANNAN: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It was included in your 20 wonderful books about books and bookstores post that you wrote... maybe... or that was posted a month, maybe?
ANNE: Yes. I know what you're talking about.
SHANNAN: Oh, well, I liked three or four of the list, I think. A. J. Fikry, Penumbra's Bookstore. So I said, Okay, let me try The Shadow of the Wind, it appealed. I guess this is where I need you to tell me why I did not like this book.
ANNE: My first question was going to be, are you able to articulate why? Can you put your finger on it?
SHANNAN: Well, it lagged to me, or there was so much happening, but nothing was resolving. It just kept layer upon layer upon layer of new information and nothing was explained. I was just like, yeah, no.
[00:24:25] I kept trying. I mean, the writing is beautiful. I think it's because it's in translation. But I just could not get through it. I don't know, maybe it was the season of my life that I'm in. And I'm not really a mystery type of person, I don't think. I don't know. I didn't get that one for some reason.
ANNE: First of all, it's long. It's much longer than the other books you've chosen as favorites. Do you think that's coincidence or a reader preference?
SHANNAN: I thought about this when we were talking about the Elizabeth Gilbert book, The Signature of All Things. That's also a longer book. So maybe it's length that I might struggle with on my fiction area.
ANNE: That's just the beginning. The Book of the Grail, The Bookman's Tale, Charlie Lovett writes literary mysteries also, but they are plot-driven. You know what's happening. It happens near the surface. You don't need to read between the lines. You're in the character's brains as they're figuring it out but I think you feel comfortable that a resolution is in fact coming.
[00:25:27] And I think I'm seeing that you really like endings that resolve. None of this, ooh, I don't know, decide for yourself kind of thing that some authors do. That's not for you, I don't think.
SHANNAN: No, I don't think so. I think to some extent, Enneagram 6, again, you have too much of that in your own life. Movies that I watch tend to be superhero movies and action movies.
ANNE: Superhero and action.
SHANNAN: Yes. You know, I don't go there to learn life lessons. And I guess I'm not trying to read nonfiction for life lessons. I do that in my memoir and my nonfiction picks. But in my fiction picks, I really want to be entertained, to have a good experience, for it to be fun.
ANNE: Yes, I can totally see that in your favorites. And yet, superhero movies have a very strong moral construct. That's one of the reasons that they work. That's something that you pointed out in The Almost Sisters.
[00:26:24] SHANNAN: Yes. And also What Alice Forgot. She did a brilliant job telling you not to forget what brought you together in a relationship and not letting things go south just gradually until you find yourself in this place. But it was done in a very entertaining way.
ANNE: I don't think Joshilyn Jackson would have felt like she succeeded if you didn't also say "and it was a bang-up good story."
SHANNAN: Yes. And so was What Alice Forgot.
ANNE: Okay. So you get to experience new places and new things, which Shadow of the Wind has. But I think that that book was strong on atmosphere, but very, very light on plot.
SHANNAN: Yes.
ANNE: So there was a thread of something happening going through the story, but you don't read it because of what happens next. It does not have that element. And I think that's what sets it apart, is where you're going is unclear, and it's murky, and it's supposed to be. And I think murky is not an adjective that describes books you love. Tell me what you're reading now, Shannan.
[00:27:22] SHANNAN: The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman. I have an advanced reader's copy. I love everything about this book. The topic is amazing. Of course, Enneagram 6, decision fatigue. So this is just ringing true on so many levels. When I heard that she was writing the book, I ordered it on Amazon before it had cover art.
ANNE: That says a lot.
SHANNAN: You know, like I said, the podcast is excellent, but it's verbal. You know, it's auditory. I like to read it. So I knew I was going to love the book. And I have. I've absolutely loved it. It's the book I needed when I was a teenager.
ANNE: I'm so glad to hear it.
SHANNAN: I wrote in my book review, it's one of those books that you will read again and again and you will probably read it through once and then go back and read it slowly and ponder it and turn it over in your head.
ANNE: What else are you reading now? This would be a good time to talk about Kondo.
SHANNAN: I am reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo. I'm doing a Enjoy Life project on my blog and it took me three years to face my past and tidy my home. And I'm in the process of doing it. I've done clothes. I've done books.
[00:28:37] I have 198 books. I got rid of six, because, of course, they all spark joy.
ANNE: I can relate to that.
SHANNAN: I did papers and papers was the thing that was scaring me. There were literal tears going through the papers because I was looking at my dreams deferred, things that I had said I wanted to do and hadn't done. Ironically, I found a paper that I had written in 2011 that said, Go through your papers. It was amazing.
But I forced myself to go through the process and to keep going, even though it was getting difficult. And I've pretty much finished. I just had my pending box to go through, as Marie says. It took me about a week and a half to do the papers. I had a lot of papers. That evening, after I finished, Brenna's email to invite me on the show was in my box.
ANNE: Oh, that's so fun.
SHANNAN: I was like, It's magic. It is magic. She was right. It's magic. You tidy up your papers and you get on a podcast you applied for three years ago.
[00:29:45] ANNE: That's amazing.
SHANNAN: Yeah, it really is. It's changing my life. I feel like I've lost 20 pounds. I have not. But it feels like it getting my space together. I'm creating space for new experiences and new things. And she's right.
ANNE: Shannan, what do you want to be different in your reading life? We know you want to be able to see more clearly why you love the books you love and what kinds of books really work for you.
SHANNAN: Yes, you have named it exactly. Life is too short. My TBR list is too long. I want to see that connection between the story The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Ensemble by Aja Gabel and Daisy Jones & The Six, which I'm reading now and I'm enjoying it. It's eclectic, as you said earlier. Yeah, it's confusing.
ANNE: So you think that if you can articulate this better you'll be able to narrow down your massive TBR? I don't know. It sounds convincing. And then I turn around and look at my bookshelves, I'm like, oh, well. At least you can narrow it a little.
[00:30:47] SHANNAN: Yes. You know. Also, if I can see the connection, I think it'll be easier to spot, you know, the ones that are not for me. And it'll be easy for me to get into it and say, nope, this isn't for me. Next. And that would be helpful instead of trudging through and trudging through and trudging through and then going, yeah, that wasn't and I will never get my life back. I will never get those hours back.
ANNE: I'm ready. Are you ready, Shannan?
SHANNAN: Yes, ma'am.
ANNE: First of all, the all-time favorite picks you mentioned, and that was a bonus because I wasn't expecting them, were Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Quiet by Susan Cain, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Then the more recent books that delivered the reading experience you want more of in your life right now were Charlie Lovett's two novels, The Lost Book of the Grail and The Bookman's Tale, The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson, and Circe by Madeline Miller.
Shannan, you love a good story. We see that in Eat, Pray, Love. We see that in Quiet. I wasn't sure if a book about introversion would be boring, honestly. I loved Quiet, but that's what I thought going in. And I know that seems ironic because I am an introvert and I should probably read about it.
[00:31:56] And I did because when I sat down and I opened it, the first thing she does is tell you this story about an experience she had. And you feel like you're right there in the room and you can feel the tension of what's happening. As an introvert, if you're kind of anxious for what she's experiencing, you don't know it's her. But now if you dive in, you'll know it's her.
And it resolves in a way that I didn't expect. I was like, Oh, I did not see that journey you were taking me on, but I just was turning the pages. What happens next? What happens next? And that's what she does in the whole book. You said you liked Laura Vanderkam. Very story-driven, practical, but these authors are illustrating the thing they want to teach you by telling you stories about people's experiences.
When we look at your contemporary favorites, they are good stories well told. The writing doesn't get in the way. The writing is actually really good, but you said that you liked the writing in the shadow of the wind, but that wasn't enough for you.
But what I see here is books that are pretty compact, plot-driven. They don't have lots of beautiful words for the sake of having beautiful words. You want to know what's going to happen next. They resolve conclusively, and they take you on a good ride. There aren't a lot of boring bits, as Kate, our recent Australian guest, said. Do you resonate with those descriptions?
[00:33:12] SHANNAN: Absolutely. I mean, light bulbs have just started going off in my head. This makes so much sense. Especially your first point about even the nonfiction being very story-driven.
ANNE: Good stories. We're looking for good stories. This doesn't mean you can stand in a bookstore and look at the back of the book and recognize necessarily this is a good story, but you can talk to your fellow readers and use this terminology. "Is it like this? If I like this author, do you think I'll like the book you're telling me about right now?" You can do that. "Does it keep moving?" Those are questions I would ask.
SHANNAN: Yeah.
ANNE: All right. Let's do some book recommendations.
SHANNAN: Awesome.
ANNE: I'm going to start with the one that came quickest to me. This is a new release. When it started becoming clear that you like good stories, they're going to keep you turning the pages, you don't want to get bogged down, and you really liked both Liane Moriarty and The Almost Sisters, the serious issues with a side of snark, I thought of The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth. Is she an author you're familiar with?
SHANNAN: No, ma'am.
[00:34:17] ANNE: Okay. I did this on audio, but you certainly don't have to. Ooh, this book would also work for your Rocket City Mom Book Club because it features a mother and a mother figure, depending on the characters, as you can probably guess from the title, The Mother-in-law. But it's not specifically about mothering.
The main relationship in this book is between an Australian Melbourne dweller named Lucy and her mother-in-law. The story is set into gear at the very beginning of the novel when police arrive at the Goodwin family home. Everybody's having dinner, the kids are playing, police knock on the door and they're like, "This is not good. What is happening?"
The officer is there to deliver the news that Lucy's mother-in-law has died unexpectedly, but they didn't just call. They showed up in person and it's because the death is suspicious. So it looks like Diana, the mother-in-law, has committed suicide. But as the police start investigating, things are just not right. There is a note, but it's in the drawer.
There's an empty bottle of something that could have been the cause of death next to her, but she doesn't have any in her system. To make matters more complicated, she told the whole family she had breast cancer, but an autopsy reveals that no, she was fine. So like, what on earth is going on?
[00:35:26] Then the story does that thing you have enjoyed in some of your other reads where it goes back and forth in time. So you get what's happening right now, Diana is dead, the police think it's suspicious. And you go back 10 years when Lucy first meets her mother-in-law, a strong character.
The family is very wealthy. Lucy had always hoped to have the mother she never had or hasn't had for years because her mother died when she was very young. With her mother-in-law, that's something that she really wanted as an adult. And she found her cold relationship with Diana to be completely disappointing.
So then you keep hearing what's happening in the present day. There's some other family members, and there's a business partner, and there are lots of people, it turns out, who could have an interest in Diana no longer being on this earth. But then as we go back in time, the story progresses on that timeline, and we see Lucy's relationship with her mother-in-law develop.
I have to tell you, this is a domestic mystery. I was a little disappointed at the 70% mark because I thought, oh, I never figure these things out. And I figured this out. I guess I like the way the story is being told. So I'm going to stick it out. I won't quit. But I was wrong. So I liked that, that she kept me guessing till the end.
[00:36:34] Something that I especially like for you is that you get Diana's point of view in this story as well. So you find out what's happening in her head and it doesn't match her actions. She's awkward in her actions. She's not awkward in her own mind. She explains why she does what she does.
So what you get to do as a reader is see how Lucy portrays her mother-in-law's actions and how that differs from her mother-in-law's intentions. And as a reader, and I think you as a reader, will find that really interesting.
SHANNAN: And it sounds like a wonderful pick for the Rocket City Mom Book Club.
ANNE: Well, I'll let you be the judge of that, but I do think it sounds promising, especially if you enjoyed Liane Moriarty. Because Hepworth is another Australian writer writing women's fiction that is serious, but a little side of something else. And there's a lot to talk about here. I mean, it's about women and relationships and murder. Plenty to talk about.
All right, that's my confident pick. Now we're branching out into more tenuous territory. I'm wondering about a novel that has been extraordinarily popular with book clubs since it was published more than five years ago, less than 10. It's historical fiction. It goes back and forth in time. This is a sweet story. It's not a snarky story. Are you okay with that, Shannan?
[00:37:49] SHANNAN: Yes, I'm okay with sweet, I think.
ANNE: Okay, let me tell you about it and then we can see what you think. The book I'm thinking of is Calling Me Home. It's by Julie Kibler. She's a Texas author. I like the way it raises issues that you've enjoyed reading about, but it is story, story, story, story, good story. Also it's about 300 pages, which I know to be a good length for you.
In the very beginning pages, there's an 89-year-old woman, her name is Isabel, and she asks the woman who cuts her hair—her name is Dory—to drive her from Texas to a funeral back in the Cincinnati area. Isabel is almost 90. She's white. Dory is a single mom. She's closer to 30. She's Black.
And then as they hit the road, Isabel's story unfolds from her past. You go back in time and you find out what happened back then in this different time and place that was so important that for the first time in 60 years, she has to go back and see. So you find out that in 1930s Kentucky, a much younger Isabel fell in love with a Black man. It is a sweet story, but it's a hard story because of what they experience.
[00:38:54] So she takes you back to what it was like in 1930s Upper South to be Isabel in that position. And there are people that are on their side and people that are not. It does tug at your heartstrings in a way that you might feel is a little bit predictable, but it's a really good story, which is what makes me think it might fit that category for you. But is that fun? That's the question.
SHANNAN: I don't know. We'll have to see.
ANNE: Depends on how you feel about crying over your books.
SHANNAN: I prefer not to cry, but you know, it may be okay.
ANNE: But we're going to go a different direction for the next one.
SHANNAN: Okay.
ANNE: What do you know about Balli Kaur Jaswal, Singaporean novelist? She wrote erotic stories for Punjabi widows, which I have not read yet, but intend to.
SHANNAN: I've seen it everywhere, but I haven't read it.
ANNE: I am holding in my hands her next novel. It's called The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters. This is a story of three sisters. They're on a mission. They're on almost a pilgrimage that their dying mother has sent them on. So they roll their eyes plenty about how like, what a trick for mom to pull? How could we say no? We have to do this. Now we're stuck with each other. Because as they've gotten older, they don't get along.
[00:40:06] I think this book has the right amount of fun and zany while still having concerns that are grounded in reality that you and I can relate to as people that make it not just empty or ridiculous. In this story, three sisters who are all at very different places in life, one has just lost her job in a comical, ridiculous internet meltdown way and is becoming an internet influencer. So that's just silly enough to be fun and lighthearted.
One has gotten married to the perfect man through an arranged marriage online. You can imagine that perfect is not all what it turns out to be. And one is the more diligent housewife in England. But they're come together, they have adventures, it does not go as planned.
They are dealing with serious things, but this is not a serious book. This is fast and fun and keeps you moving. You'll get to experience new places and new things, and I think you'll really enjoy the journey. How does that sound?
[00:41:05] SHANNAN: That sounds good. And what was the title again? I missed it.
ANNE: It's called The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters. But it comes out on April 23rd.
SHANNAN: Okay. This has been great. I kind of have an idea what I am going to look for now, which is great. So thank you.
ANNE: I'm so happy to hear that. Okay. So the books we talked about today are The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth, Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler, and The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal. Shannan, of those three books, what do you think you'll read next?
SHANNAN: I feel like I would want to read The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, and I have placed a hold on it in my local library.
ANNE: You work quick. I can't wait to hear what you think. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
SHANNAN: Thank you so much for having me. This has been amazing.
[00:42:00] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Shannan. Let us know which of Shannan's favorites are yours too, or share suggestions for titles you think Shannan would enjoy by commenting on our show notes page.
We've collected all the links you need to connect with Shannan on Goodreads and Instagram right there, and that's also where we list all the titles we talked about today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
You will hear more from Shannan and our other team member guests over on Patreon at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
This month, I'm checking in with each of our Summer Series team members with some "where are they now?" style bonuses, where we'll hear about what their reading life looks like lately and what has changed since they first joined me on the show.
We are so grateful to our patrons who provide crucial financial support, especially in this weird podcasting landscape we're experiencing right now, and for supporting everything we do here at What Should I Read Next? HQ.
Patrons receive weekly bonus episodes from me and our team, from industry insights, we have a great one coming up next week, and mini matchmaking, to one great book episodes featuring a specific title. So much more is happening there. Find out more and join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext?
[00:43:15] We are podcasters, reviews are our love language. And when you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform, that is a quick but super-appreciated way to help the show. What that does is help other listeners find us. And that is really good for our podcasting and business ecosystem. Thank you so much to everyone who's left a five-star review. Those are so valuable. And if you tune in every week, we would appreciate it if you would take two minutes and leave a review about what you enjoy most.
Also, be sure you're subscribed or following us on your favorite podcast platform. That also really does make a difference.
Join us on Instagram for social book talk. We are there @Whatshouldireadnext.
And make sure you get our emails. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Those are free. Those are quick. And we will keep you in the loop on what is happening around here.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Eat Pray Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia, by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
• Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
• Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
• Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon
• What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty
• Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty
The Lost Book of the Grail, by Charlie Lovett
The Bookman’s Tale: A Novel of Obsession, by Charlie Lovett
The Almost Sisters, by Joshilyn Jackson
• Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson
Circe, by Madeline Miller
• The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller
• The Odyssey, by Homer (translated by Emily Wilson)
▵ The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry, by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions, by Emily P. Freeman
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondō
• Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up, by Marie Kondō
• The Ensemble, by Aja Gabel
• Daisy Jones & the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Mother-in-Law, by Sally Hepworth
• Calling Me Home, by Julie Kibler
• Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, by Balli Kaur Jaswal
• The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, by Balli Kaur Jaswal
More from Shannan and our team:• Science Fiction/Fantasy for beginners
• The books that shaped me: Shannan edition
• All of Shannan’s posts on the Modern Mrs Darcy blog
• Bonus Episode: Six memoirs that changed my life
• Bonus Episode: I’m spectacularly failing my reading challenge… now what?
• Bonus Episode: One Great Book: How to Keep House While Drowning
• Bonus Episode: Tuning into the seasons with Shannan and Holly
• WSIRN Episode 268: Our team’s best books of the year
• WSIRN Episode 316: Books we loved in 2021
• WSIRN Episode 344: Our team’s favorite summer reads
• WSIRN Episode 394: Our team’s best books of summer
This month we’ll be sharing “Where are they now?” bonus episodes over on Patreon: find those and other bonuses from Shannan and the rest of our team members in our Patreon community.
The post Life is short & my TBR is way too long appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
This has been a satisfying and thoroughly “summer” reading month: compared to the hecticness of the end of school, my reading pace has increased significantly and I’m loving it. (It’s not necessarily good or bad to read more books, unless that is what you want—and it’s what I wanted!) We’ve been languishing in this heat dome for a full month now, which has been miserable in many ways but has also been most amenable to indoorsy activities like reading in the air conditioning—and occasionally, when I wake up very early, on the back patio.
In mid-summer I like to read a little old and a little new. This month the “new” looks like books that weren’t yet on my radar or that I wasn’t able to get an advance copy of when I was putting together the 2024 Summer Reading Guide (Joselyn Takac’s Pearce Oysters and John Vercher’s Devil Is Fine), a spring release that sounded interesting-but-not-urgent until events conspired to make it the-book-I-HAD-to-read-next (Rita Bullwinkel’s Headshot), two critically claimed literary novels from the past several years (Colm Tóibín’s The Magician and Isabella Hamad’s Enter Ghost), and a quirky little how-to book (Peter Miller’s How to Wash the Dishes).
I also listened to half the books featured in today’s new edition of Quick Lit on audio: I’ve noted those below. I’m not entirely sure why, but I’ve been listening at a faster clip than I was in the spring and thus have plenty of good stuff to share on the audiobook front!
Of course, not all my reading is reflected here: many of the new books I’m reading publish in the fall, and I’m excited to feature them in our 2024 Fall Book Preview when the time is right. We’ll tell you more about that next month.
But for now, I would never wish summer reading season away: our Summer Reading Guide is available now, and packed with an eclectic mix of standout selections for your summer reading consideration. If you also like to read a mix of old and new, you’ll be happy to discover the many backlist recs included in our special features. Click here to get your Guide.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to July Quick Lit Author: Colm Tóibín
After reading and loving 2024 Summer Reading Guide pick Long Island and its 2009 companion Brooklyn this year, I was eager to read more Tóibín and landed on this 2021 biographical novel based on the life of Thomas Mann. My timing was serendipitous, as I happened to pick this up not long after we returned from our family trip to Germany and it was a delight to see so many of the cities we visited referenced on the page. Despite being a German minor and having read some of his works in school, I knew little about Mann's life and found myself frequently googling and consulting my college texts to compare Tóibín's story with his source material. This was an often challenging and extremely sad work; I came away with it with a deepened appreciation for Tóibín's range. I listened to the audio version, narrated by Gunnar Cauthery. More info →Author: Joselyn Takacs
This late June release was recommended by several readers whose taste I trust; it's a family saga that plays out against the backdrop of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Pearce family business is oyster farming: they've made for living for decades bringing their in-demand product to market. But when the explosion occurs, it brings their long-simmering personal crises to a boiling point, and creates chaos and despair in the broader community. While I was interested in matriarch May and her two grown sons, this story really shone for its detailed portrayal of the oil spill from the perspective of coastal Louisianans and its impact on the local communities. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Xavier Casals. More info →Author: Rita Bullwinkel
After reading a 2024 Fall Book Preview title where boxing played a surprising role, I reached for this March 2024 release that's been waiting patiently on my shelves all year. What an interesting little book (with a thimble full of weird, for sure): the story takes place at and is structured in the form of a weekend boxing tournament in Reno featuring some of the nation's elite junior female boxers. The book opens with a tournament bracket, and each chapter is comprised of a blow-by-blow account of a single match, from the boxers' perspectives. This was unlike anything else I've read in ages and I loved it for that. More info →Author: Isabella Hammad
I featured this in my 2024 beach reading report, but it was such a standout I don't want you to miss it: I bought this Aspen Words Literary Prize winner back in April when I was shopping with WSIRN alum Allison Matz at the Grand Rapids bookstore Books & Mortar. When Allison spotted it on a display and called it her favorite book of the year (or some similar superlative), I snatched up a copy immediately—and saved it for my beach reading. This was an excellent choice, as it proved to be the kind of book I had to read slowly: smart, reflective, and beautifully written. I knew very little about it going in and was surprised to discover it’s a theater book: in the wake of a destabilizing break-up, a Palestinian actress flees London and returns home to visit her Palestinian family in Haifa after a long absence, and while there is persuaded to join an Arabic production of Hamlet. This story demanded a close reading, and on top of that I often paused to google names, places, and the region's history, both for my understanding of the plot and timeline and to satisfy my own curiosity. While not at all the same, in many ways it reminded me of Hala Alyan’s The Arsonist’s City. More info →Author: Peter Miller
A Summer Reading Guide rabbit trail led me to this undeniably earnest yet whimsical instructional volume about how to not only take on the titular task, but to enjoy doing it. Miller’s own enjoyment of the dishwashing process and his love for its many tools is evident here, as he seeks to convince the reader that washing the dishes, in a clean sink, with warm water, is a luxury, that completing this sometimes-dreaded kitchen task can deliver a real sense of accomplishment, and that you would be happier if you set yourself to the work with respect, know-how, and a sense of the greater meaning of the job. Recommended reading for fans of Laundry Love; I liked this little book so much that I devoted a WSIRN One Great Book-style bonus episode to it.) More info →Author: John Vercher
Dion Graham is one of my favorite narrators, so I pounced on this new June release as soon as it was available on audio and was hooked from the first line. The story centers a biracial Black father grieving the recent death of his seventeen-year-old son, whose life is further unmoored when he inherits a plantation from his estranged white grandfather, and remains of both enslavers and enslaved are immediately discovered on the property. The man (whose name we never learn) is a writer and professor, and he thrills his agent by emailing her in the middle of the night with a book proposal based on these real-life events. But when morning comes he has no memory of writing the proposal his agent loves so much. He grows increasingly concerned as he begins hearing voices—and fears he's turning into a jellyfish. Vercher beautifully incorporates these elements of magical realism into his story to portray a man and father wrestling with past wrongs, and grasping at some sort of way forward. A book club could have a great time with this: there is so much to discuss. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
P.S. I visited two bookstores this month for the first time (or the first time in decades) that weren’t terribly far from home: that top photo was taken at Lexington’s Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m celebrating a birthday, which means brunch and family dinner and a long walk with the dog and … hiding from the heat, as per usual lately.
I hope YOU have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Mark your calendars!Join MMD Book Club for our version of Book Camp: a virtual Readers’ Weekend on July 18-20. We’ll kick things off with a conversation with Xochitl Gonzalez, author of our July selection Olga Dies Dreaming. There will be member meetups and more. Plus, we have a Readers’ Weekend digital kit designed just for you that will help dedicate a weekend to reading and the reading life.
My favorite finds from around the web:The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. (NYT gift link) The list itself is interesting but it’s almost been more fun to see and hear what everyone else would put on their ballot.
A short reading list for Manhattanhenge. (MMD) Literary armchair travel for those who can’t see the twice-a-year spectacle in person—or those who want to deepen their context before they see it for themselves.
I live with a Target employee, so Target Circle Week is a big topic of discussion at my house right now! Our picks: the Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale on all my books (er, technically that sale is on select books, games, and movies), this Universal Thread 3/4 Sleeve Midi Shirtdress that looks way more expensive than it is, and this Women’s Best Ever Midi Dress. Please note ALL clothing is 30% off (school uniforms, anyone?). We also stocked up on Nespresso pods while coffee is 20% off; my daughter and her friends need dorm and apartment gear and they are getting it ALL while the sale is on.
The Devil Wears Prada Is Officially Getting a Sequel After 18 Years. (E! News) I will absolutely watch this. I also enjoyed reading all the scoop on the original included here.
It’s Not Just Your Garden: ‘Hydrangea Hysteria’ Blooms in the Northeast. (NYT gift link) Why hydrangeas are having a banner year on the East Coast. Warning: this made me want to stop what I’m doing and go deadhead my hydrangeas immediately!
How Celebrity Book Clubs Actually Work. (Esquire) “Every book club adamantly denies that imprints or agents are a determining factor in the book selection process, but only a publishing rookie in an industry built on connections would take that at face value.”
For those who requested the pasta recipe we combined with the blackened chickened breasts I shared in last week’s Links I Love: here you go!: Ali Slagle’s Lemon-Garlic Linguine from NYT Cooking (gift link).
For tennis’s greatest winners, the slimmest margin makes all the difference. (Washington Post gift link) “Even top-ranked tennis players win barely more than half of the points they play.” I played competitive tennis for years and was still surprised by this stat (though I shouldn’t have been).
When It’s This Hot Out, Eat Like a Toddler. (Eater) Don’t mind if I do. I mean, who doesn’t love a snack plate?
Several of you recommended this little portable mosquito repeller and we are LOVING it.
7 tips for planning your own personal reader’s retreat. (MMD) The hows and whys of dedicating time to reading and the reading life.
How to Suss Out Fake Beauty Products on Amazon. (POPSUGAR) I wish this article wasn’t necessary but here we are.
Decoding Carmy’s Cookbook Shelves on ‘The Bear’. (Food & Wine) This is fun—and thorough.
Don’t miss these posts:20 heart-pounding heist novels. Whether you’re in need of a page-turner or looking to bust out of a reading slump, these heist novels fit the bill!
15 backlist books to enjoy while you wait for this summer’s buzziest new releases. Summer is the perfect time to turn to your favorite author’s backlist.
15 breezy romance series for when you need an escape. Looking for a romance series (or two) that you can devour?
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Thanks to the magic of blogging, I can pinpoint exactly when I discovered the phenomenon that is Manhattanhenge: it was just after the first occurrence of 2016 that took place on May 30 of that year, and in the aftermath the internet generally and my feed in particular was flooded with images from the spectacle and my inner urban planning geek could not get over it.
The term “Manhattanhenge” was coined by Neil DeGrasse Tyson to describe the moment in time when the setting sun perfectly lines up with the Manhattan street grid. (Unlike at Stonehenge, from which Manhattanhenge clearly takes its name, Manhattanhenge does not occur on the summer solstice because Manhattan’s street grid does not lay on a precise north-south axis.) This also means that Manhattanhenge occurs twice a year: once in late May and once in mid-July.
This phenomenon happens in other cities that have a tidy street grid and an unobstructed horizon, like Chicago, Toronto, Baltimore, and Montreal—but it was Manhattanhenge itself that went immediately on my must-see list.
Prepare yourself for an anticlimactic story: when we learned back in the spring that Manhattanhenge 2024 falls on my brithday, Will and I briefly thought of making this the year we see it in person. Our kids are a little older now, so not snag a cheap summer flight up to New York and spend the weekend eating good food, walking twenty miles a day, and watching the sunset?
Well, it turns out we had a lengthy list of reasons why not for this particular birthday weekend timing, but I still intend to vicariously enjoy Manhattanhenge through online photos plus a bit of literary armchair travel.
If you are similarly curious about the Manhattanhenge phenomenon, or simply enjoy a novel in which long walks through New York City feature prominently, I hope one of these jumps out at you. And of course I would LOVE to hear your suggestions in comments. Please share your picks there!
A short reading list for your vicarious Manhattanhenge experience Author: Kathleen Rooney
A friend talked me into reading this 2017 novel after she shared that every member of her diverse book club loved this—the twenty-somethings and the sixty-somethings. The story takes place on New Year's Eve 1984, when 85-year-old Lillian Boxfish takes a purposeful walk in late-night Manhattan. She travels from her Murray Hill apartment to her favorite Italian restaurant, stops at a bodega for gifts, dines at the iconic Delmonico's, pops into a friend's party in Chelsea, and lingers by her old employer R.H. Macy’s in Herald Square, from where, on a different (but clear) night, she could have enjoyed a fantastic view of a Manhattanhenge sunset. Along the way she recounts significant memories from her life, plus a few minor ones, reflecting on what she experienced and what might have been. More info →Author: Lisa Grunwald
If you only read one Manhattanhenge novel, make it this 2019 novel that inventively combines the phenomenon with history, mystery, and love story. On December 5, 1937, Joe first meets Nora, a beautiful woman who seems to have appeared out of nowhere in the concourse of Grand Central Terminal. She seems a little disoriented; her dress is endearingly out of style. But she's witty and warm and fun, and Joe is instantly smitten. There's just one problem: when Joe tries to walk Nora home, she vanishes, seemingly into thin air. When he calls the number she gave him, well, that’s when things get really strange. Don't worry, readers, he’ll see her again, and puzzling out the how, where, and why it's so complicated is half the fun of reading. More info →Author: Teju Cole
Cole's 2011 novel introduces us to Julius, a Nigerian-German man in his last year of psychiatric residency at a New York City hospital. We meet him on his lengthy walks through Manhattan, which serve as a stress release after his long days as a resident, as well as a chance to make sense of a recent breakup and other events in his life. The voice hooked me from the first paragraph when he begins in Morningside Heights and heads south on a long walk, and I was all-in on this engaging and richly textured character study of a contemporary flaneur. More info → There are any number of books you could read to better understand the NYC grid and the Manhattanhenge phenomenon—astronomy, city planning, NYC history, and more! If you enjoy this particular list, I have more promising book recommendations for you, particularly these 130 recommended reads for those traveling to New York City (or who want to) and these 14 books about walking and hiking. Happy reading!
Have you experienced Manhattanhenge in person? What books would you recommend to those who, like me, are seeking to get a taste of Manhattanhenge from their favorite reading chair this year?
The post A short reading list for Manhattanhenge appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome back to our July series brought to you by the What Should I Read Next? time machine.
This month, we’re going back in our archives to share episodes with four of our team members. At the time of recording, none of us knew that these readers would be on our team eventually! Listening through that lens makes it especially fun to re-listen, knowing how much has changed since we first spoke.
Today I’m sharing my conversation with Donna Hetchler in an episode that has become a listener favorite. Donna’s account of her then-developing plans for an epic 50th birthday bookstore road trip has inspired many of you to plan your own book projects for big milestones. Today, you’ll hear Donna share about that trip, why she feels the planning is half the fun, the specific destinations she couldn’t wait to visit, and the books she wanted to buy along the way.
And if you’re curious what Donna and our other team members are reading lately, be sure to check out our corresponding Patreon series, where I’m hosting follow-ups to hear from each team member about how they feel about re-listening to their episode, and what their reading life is like now. Find that and so much more happening over at Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
This episode was originally aired as episode 83 on June 13, 2017.
Connect with Donna on Instagram.
TranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, welcome back to our July series brought to you by the What Should I Read Next? time machine. We are going back, sometimes way back in our archives, to share episodes with four of our team members. But here's the wrinkle. At the time we recorded these conversations, no one involved had any idea that they would be on our team eventually. What you're listening to is often the first conversations I had voice to voice with these individuals who are now such a big part of my life, my reading life, and the work I do.
[00:01:13] I'm really enjoying this blast from the past, not just because I get to listen to these wonderful conversations for the first time, but because now I know everything that happened after and I know how these individuals read today.
And I don't completely know how they read today, and so I'm really excited about what we're doing in Patreon corresponding to these episodes. Go to Patreon.com/whatshouldiread next to sign up, if you're not yet participating in this way and supporting our independent podcast in this way.
But I am hosting follow-ups with these team members, and one of the questions I'm going to be asking them, in addition to what's changed since your episode, how do you feel about it looking back now, like what did you think, what did it feel like to relisten, I'm going to be asking them, if you are on the show today, how would you describe your taste? What are the three books you love and one book you don't? What have you been reading lately? We're going to have those conversations and I'm really excited about it.
We also have so much good stuff happening in Patreon these days. I mean, we always do. This is always true. But let me tell you what it specifically looks like right now.
[00:02:13] This month I am going to share an episode in our Industry Insights series, which is powered by the belief that the more you understand about the literary landscape, the publishing industry in general, the more informed a reader you are, and that impacts the way you see that landscape and also the choices you make as a reader. Plus, it's just good, nerdy fun.
So a month ago, I got my most recent royalty statement in the mail for Don't Overthink It, and I reached a milestone I didn't expect to reach, and I did some math, then that kind of broke my heart. But I thought, "Oh my gosh, this is perfect material for a Patreon Industry Insights episode."
So I'm walking you through that royalty statement and also answering a bunch of patron questions that they've already shared with me — it's not too late to share those if you sign up — about what they want to know about book advances and royalty payments and how it all works.
If that sounds good to you, then Patreon is the place for you. Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. We are an independent podcast. We love making this good stuff for you in that space.
[00:03:18] Also financially it's how we pay our team. Podcasting advertising is weird these days. If you pay attention to media news, the news in general, you may know that. And having this support from you, our listeners, means everything to us. Thank you so much. Also, I'm so excited for the good stuff coming in that channel your way soon.
Now, for today's episode, we are revisiting my conversation, originally Episode 83, with Donna Hetchler. You may have heard Donna's voice on several of our team episodes in recent years. I hope you have. She is now on our What Should I Read Next? team as our resident spreadsheet master. When I need to logically analyze a situation or dig into and interpret data, Donna is the person I turn to.
What you're about to hear now is from June 2017 when we first really got to know each other in this episode of the podcast, which, unsurprisingly, has become a listener favorite.
[00:04:20] Now, this wasn't Donna's first appearance on the show as you will hear. She hopped on Episode 64 and chatted with me about how she tracks what she reads in our special episode devoted to how 15 What Should I Read Next listeners track their books.
You know, we haven't done anything like that in a long time, but that episode was so much fun. It's another of our most downloaded episodes, and I highly recommend that you go back and listen if you haven't or you haven't in a while.
In the episode, you'll hear today Donna and I dive into her then developing plans for the epic 50th birthday bookstore road trip she had in the works. As Donna says, the planning is half the fun. And today you're going to hear all about the specific West Coast bookstore she wants to visit, the books she wants to purchase, and the friends who will join her along the way.
This episode continues to inspire many of you, our listeners, to plan your own book projects for big milestones. You all have cited it to me so many times in our submissions and our conversations. With that in my mind, it was an utter joy to listen to Donna again share about the trip that started it all.
[00:05:25] Last week I told you it was fascinating for me to listen to Episode 9 with my friend and now team member, Leigh Kramer. Just to catch you up if you haven't listened, last week, we aired Leigh's first episode, Episode 9, from very early 2016.
But in my episode with Leigh, it was clear that I hadn't really learned how to be a podcaster yet. So this week I got to listen to myself almost a year and a half after Leigh's episode aired June 2017. I'm curious to hear what you think, but it sounded to me like I had gotten a lot more comfortable behind the mic by this point.
The show didn't sound the same then as it does now. Some of my style choices these days are different, but it sounded like I had found my feet. As I listened, I found myself saying not only things like, Gosh, Anne, that's a lot of ums and likes back then. But also things like, hey, 2017 Anne, good question. So I can't wait for you to listen for yourself. It's so much fun. Let's get to it.
Donna, welcome to the show.
DONNA HETCHLER: Thanks, Anne. I'm really excited to be here.
[00:06:28] ANNE: Oh, well, I'm so happy to talk to you again. Because we first got to chat when we were putting together what is actually maybe possibly our most downloaded episode. It was back in January and we talked with 15 What Should I Read Next? listeners about how they track their reading. And you were one of them.
DONNA: I was. In fact, a lot of my friends were laughing at me about that episode because of course I track my reading on Excel and I'm in finance. So they were like, of course, you're in Excel. You do everything in Excel. But it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed that experience.
ANNE: I'm so glad. We just had a little conversation after we recorded that episode that nobody else got to hear anything about until today. It's coming. But you mentioned that you had a big birthday and a big trip coming up that had me dying of jealousy, but also begging you to come back on the podcast to talk about it with our readers. Do you want to take it from there?
DONNA: Sure, yeah. This summer, I'll be turning 50, and I just wanted to do something different. I think that's a big milestone birthday. So I came up with the idea of doing a bookstore road trip. I'm going to be going from San Diego up to the Bay area. I'll be stopping at ten different bookstores, and I'm going to get five books in each of them. So I'll get 50 books for my 50th birthday, and then I'm going to try and read them over the next year.
[00:07:55] ANNE: That sounds fantastic. And you've been planning this for a long time.
DONNA: I have. I think actually in some ways planning it is half the fun because I keep crossing things off my list and adding things on to my list. It's been fun to see what bookstores are out there. It's actually quite heartening that there are quite a few bookstores out there for me to choose from.
ANNE: Where did the idea for this trip first come from?
DONNA: Honestly, Anne, it did come from you. I never mentioned that to you.
ANNE: What did I say?
DONNA: Well, you were talking about when you would go on vacation somewhere that you would always be stopping in at a local bookstore. I don't know why this never occurred to me to do, but it just planted the seed of an idea. And it's like, "Oh, I think that's such a great idea. I think you can really get the feel of a town by going to the local bookstore."
[00:08:48] So that's where it started. I actually thought, "Well, I'll just go on vacation somewhere, and I'll just stop at a bookstore. Then I just kind of went from there.
ANNE: I feel like I should not just keep repeating "I am so jealous". But that is what keeps rising to the surface. Donna, it sounds like books must be a huge part of your life if this is how you want to mark a milestone occasion.
DONNA: Yeah, it's really true. I really was an avid reader from being very young. And, of course, one of the categories of books that I'll be getting for this collection are books that really started me off reading in a big way, which for me was Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie.
So, yeah, reading has definitely always been a big part of my life. And not to get too philosophical about it, I really feel like reading has made me the person that I am. I feel like it's brought good people into my life and it's something that is really important to me.
[00:09:51] I tend not to buy books that much. I'm more of a library person, so in a way, it was also my way of supporting local independent bookstores as well is also part of why I'm doing it.
ANNE: You mentioned that you were putting together a collection. Is this the birthday collection?
DONNA: It is.
ANNE: So you're not just seeing what strikes your fancy. Are you choosing every book you're purchasing in advance?
DONNA: Probably not every book. By the way, I love this question. I feel like I could just talk about this question for the next hour.
ANNE: I think I'd enjoy that.
DONNA: So I'm picking a lot of them, but I'm trying to keep my mind open to what will strike my fancy. I don't really have any rules to the list. If I had one theme though, I really want to get books that I will reread over time.
I haven't thought about how often I will reread. Maybe every five years or so. My vision is maybe 20, 25 years from now, I will take one of these books off of my shelf and it will remind me of the trip. I have a bunch of different friends who are joining me on the trip as well. So I think it'll remind me of good times of the trip.
[00:11:09] But also I want the books to almost feel like an old friend. You know, "Oh, I know this book. This is a book that really means something to me." Because I don't know, I don't reread a lot. I feel like I read a book, I enjoy it, but then I put it aside, and that's kind of the end of it. So I'm really hoping that these 50 books are different and books that I will really get to know over time.
ANNE: What are some of the titles you know you want to add to your collection?
DONNA: Oh, okay, well, I'm really struggling with this. Okay, here's like bookworm problem number one. I definitely want to get some books from my favorite authors. That's just kind of an obvious one. For example, Barbara Kingsolver. I loved the Poisonwood Bible. I know that that's a book that I would want to reread over time. But I'm wondering, do I get that or do I go with a book that I haven't read before? I'm really intrigued by her book called, I think, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I don't know if you've ever read that book.
ANNE: I have.
[00:12:22] DONNA: So I'm really torn: do I just pick books that I know or do I go with something new from my favorite author? Do you have any thoughts on that?
ANNE: I think that's a really tough question. I don't know. If there's going to be a Donna Hetchler 50th birthday road trip commemorative shelf, I might want Poisonwood Bible on it.
DONNA: I know. I'm definitely leaning towards that.
ANNE: I mean, unless I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and fall in love with it. I can remember wistfully how I picked that up at that bookstore in San Francisco.
DONNA: Definitely will be looking at books from my favorite authors. I really love Kate Atkinson is one of my favorites. I like Erik Larson. Stephen King is a favorite, even though he scares the bejesus out of me. So yeah, I think what I'll end up doing is having a mix of books that I have read that I know that I want to reread, and then some newer books as well.
[00:13:25] The other big category, which I know we'll be talking about today are classics. It just seems a natural fit because they clearly stood the test of time. I feel too like they are books that you could really learn something new each time you reread them. I think that there's a lot of depth to the classics. So there's quite a few of those on my list as well.
ANNE: Donna, how are you choosing the actual bookstores you're visiting on this trip?
DONNA: I basically am starting with the different cities that I'm going to visit, like San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Carmel. Then once I had picked the cities, then I just looked at what bookstores are there. So example, for San Diego, they have a bookstore that's called the Upstart Crow, which is an interesting name. I'll have to figure out where they got that from.
[00:14:24] But it was a bookstore that was a chain up here in the Bay Area where I live. So when I grew up, that was a bookstore that I went to quite a few times. Sadly, the stores up here by me have closed. Actually, that might be the last one that's left in San Diego. They may have one in Los Angeles. So there's a lot of sentimental value in that one.
Then in some cities there's kind of only one bookstore that's there. I'm going to stop at a city called Solvang, which is about an hour north of Santa Barbara. It's cute little city, and they have a bookstore there called The Book Loft and it just looked adorable. So I'll be stopping in there as well.
ANNE: That sounds fantastic. And you mentioned that you would have traveling companions.
DONNA: Yeah. So part of the fun of this is different friends will be coming with me to the different cities. And so whoever is with me, when they come into the bookstore, I'm going to have them choose a book for me as well. Again, it could be anything. It could be a book that they love, a book that they think is good for me. It could be a cookbook. I don't really care. Just whatever they think needs to be in my collection.
[00:15:50] ANNE: No guidelines at all.
DONNA: No guidelines at all. Could be fiction, could be nonfiction. But hopefully with that idea of something that is good to reread over time.
ANNE: Donna, are you memorializing this trip in any way? And it could be anything from creating a detailed scrapbook to snapping photos for Instagram to keeping a spreadsheet, knowing you.
DONNA: Oh, there will definitely be a spreadsheet. No question. I will definitely be taking pictures. I actually started a website of my own earlier this year. So I will be putting pictures and letting people know what books I picked up in each of the bookstores.
I recognize that this is not something that everybody can do. I mean, buying 50 books is... you know, it's a fair amount of money. But I'm really hoping the idea of it inspires people. Even if it's that on your birthday, you go to the library and you pick up a classic. I think that would be amazing if people got that from my trip.
[00:16:58] ANNE: Donna, where can we find you online to read about that?
DONNA: My website is called Iamyourrabbit.com. I came up with the name because I feel like I'm always going down the rabbit internet hole and I really like to do research, I love to learn new things. So the idea is, I go down the internet rabbit hole for you and then I try to bring back some tips and recommendations.
I try to do it in a little bit shorter, summarized way. I feel like... I don't know. I feel like sometimes I go to websites, and it can be really overwhelming. Like, there's just so many words. I mean, I'm a reader, but still, sometimes I open it up and it's like, Oh, my gosh.
Or you know how sometimes you go and they'll list out 10 different things you can do to improve your workout or something like that. And I just think, Oh, my gosh, there's no way I'm going to do 10 things. Anyways, I try to do it in a smaller, actionable way.
[00:18:09] And I'm kind of all over the map. I really love everything entertainment. So I'm always having recommendations of books and music and movies. But I also cover things like personal finance. I'm doing a series on taxes right now that I don't think anybody is reading, but I'm enjoying it.
ANNE: I'm actually reading it because I need the information.
DONNA: Oh, that makes me so happy. Thank you, Anne.
ANNE: You've got at least one.
DONNA: Yay.
ANNE: I like that. Because I agree. I would rather spend... I mean, I do read a lot. We both read a lot. But there's so much information out there and I do not need to be reading at all. I mean, I think it would be truly terrible for my brain to try to read everything that I could read every day. So anything that helps you focus on the good stuff is valuable to me.
DONNA: Thank you. That's what I'm trying. I'm trying to have it be both useful and fun. So hopefully, that's how people are reading it.
ANNE: I hope so. Okay, Donna, you also came to me as a podcast guest with a specific request that believe it or not, we have not really heard before.
[00:19:13] DONNA: Well, when I had talked to you before, you know, I knew that I was going on this bookstore road trip and I was basically asking you if you could give me some recommendations for it, but I really wanted to do it with a theme of classics, which I hadn't really heard you talk about that much before. So that was my hope, is that I could get some specific classic recommendations from you that I could add to my collection.
ANNE: Do you feel like you've read a handful of classics or copious classics or somewhere in the middle?
DONNA: I would say probably a handful, which kind of makes me sad. I think that... I don't know, it's so strange. Because when I do pick up a classic, I find a lot of them to be really accessible and easy to read when... I don't know. Maybe there's still this idea that it's homework and maybe I think I'm going to have to write a book report or something. I don't know.
[00:20:22] But yeah, I find that they, a lot of times, are very easy to read. Either that or sometimes it is a little bit more challenging. But I like that too. Sometimes I do want to challenge my brain a little bit and read something different. So even though I have a good experience when I pick up a classic, for whatever reason, I just don't do it that often.
ANNE: When you think to yourself about classic literature, what are you imagining? Like how many years back are you thinking? I mean, are you thinking only about top-tier authors like Austen and Dickens or do you have a more generous definition for yourself?
DONNA: To be honest, when I think of classics, I think of stuff that I read in school. So, yeah, I would say it's probably the more typical classic authors and books that you've probably heard about.
ANNE: So at least 50 years old?
DONNA: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:24] ANNE: The kind of stuff they design in literature classes.
DONNA: Exactly.
ANNE: Okay. Do you want to stick to that definition or do you want to stretch it a little bit?
DONNA: We can stretch it.
ANNE: Okay. I mean, I don't have specific titles in mind yet, but we got to start somewhere.
DONNA: That's right.
ANNE: Donna, are you ready to talk about your favorites?
DONNA: I am.
ANNE: Okay, tell me three books you love.
DONNA: So the first book is Emma from Jane Austen. That book was published in 1815. which, honestly, completely blows my mind. That just doesn't even seem possible. I just love this book because, to me, it is laugh-out-loud funny. Literally laugh-out-loud. I will just sit here by myself and look like a crazy person laughing.
It's basically about this 21-year-old woman, Emma, who lives with her father. She's definitely... I see her as a very good-hearted and well-intentioned character. She fancies herself to be a really good matchmaker and in reality she's a horrible matchmaker. When she puts her skills to the test, things kind of go awry, but in a very, very funny way.
[00:22:50] ANNE: But you couldn't have a novel if nothing went awry or at least not a Jane Austen novel.
DONNA: That's right.
ANNE: What is it about Emma that lands it on your favorites list?
DONNA: It's interesting because I was torn... I mean, I felt like I had to put Jane Austen on my list because I don't know, there's just something about the way that she writes which really transports me to that time period and that location. I literally feel like I'm sitting in the English countryside when I am reading her books. So I knew I wanted to put something from Jane Austen on there.
Actually, I kind of have a question about that for you, Anne, because I've only read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, and I loved those as well. But that's really it. And do you find... I don't know. It seem like a lot of the people I talk to they've only read a couple of her books. I just wondered, what do you think of the rest of her catalog? Do you think that the ones that are popular are popular for a reason?
[00:23:57] ANNE: I do think so. But I do know a surprising number of Austen fans who love Mansfield Park. It's their favorite. I've read it a few times. I enjoy it. I haven't read it as much as the ones you mentioned. But I can see they have a point.
Northanger Abbey, read it. I mean, it's good. It's short. I do think it qualifies as a major work. Not that I'm a literary critic, but since you're asking. I really love Persuasion myself.
My Austen favorite tends to rotate based on, I don't know, the last one I read, a little bit of whim, maybe the time of year. In the fall, Persuasion is probably likely to be my favorite. It has a little bit of a different tone than especially Pride and Prejudice, Emma. Those feel a little brighter, a little more sparkly.
I've read all her juvenilia, and... people can start throwing rotten tomatoes now. But it's fine. It's interesting because it's an author I love, but I never think, you know what I'm in the mood for?
[00:25:04] When I think I'm in the mood to read Jane Austen, I think of the core six. Or really for me, it's the core four. It's Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and Emma. I would love to hear what you think if you read Persuasion. I would expect it to be worth your time. I mean, I would expect you to think it was worth your time.
DONNA: Right. Well, I will add Persuasion on. I'll just consider that a bonus pick. Thank you.
ANNE: Also, if you are in the market for books for your commemorative bookshelf, there are beautiful copies of all those Jane Austen novels available.
DONNA: Oh, I like the sound of that.
ANNE: And they keep cranking out beautiful new editions. Donna, this is the kind of fun fact that might appeal to you or that probably you already found in your rabbit trailing. So physical books have really rebounded against eBooks. It was looking a little bit depressing for a while if you were a fan of actual paper.
One of the reasons is believed to be how many gorgeous editions of old books and sometimes newish books, but especially the classics. Like now it's no longer unusual for somebody to own 10 copies of Emma, not because they're a devoted collector of first editions or something like that, but because there's just so many gorgeous editions available that you want to have them all if you're a big Emma fan.
[00:26:22] DONNA: I love that. Now I'm going to look for that specifically in the bookstores. I will be taking pictures. You will see them.
ANNE: I think you'll find plenty of good stuff. Donna, what's your second favorite?
DONNA: My second favorite is Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. I hope I'm saying that right.
ANNE: We know who you're talking about either way.
DONNA: That was published in 1945. So I guess more of a modern classic, but... I don't know. There's something about how it's written. The first word that comes to mind when I think about this book is that it's just epic. I feel like there's so many interesting themes to this book about complicated families, which is one of my favorite topics. It also covers class society. It covers religion. It covers the war. I mean, basically there's nothing that does not cover.
[00:27:23] Actually, I first came across it years and years ago. They did a TV miniseries on it. I had watched that on PBS and loved it, then picked up the book after that and loved it just as much, which hardly ever happens for me. I kind of love one or the other, usually the first one that I've come across. But in this case, I loved both of them. So definitely feels like a classic to me. And is definitely a book that I already reread on a regular basis.
ANNE: You know what? I do too.
DONNA: Do you?
ANNE: Yeah. I really like that one. It's got this kind of haunting, wistful tone that really appeals to me as a reader. Like that is something that is not... it's not good or bad, but it's very much to my taste. And I think he does that really well.
[00:28:12] I don't feel that way about any of other... oh, now I'm a little paranoid. [Woes?] was of the author's work. How's that? I've read everything just because I love Brideshead so much. I've never returned to any of his other works, but I bet I've read Brideshead half a dozen times.
Donna, what's your third book?
DONNA: My third book... I'm going on a little bit different tangent here. My third book is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. That was published in 1865. To be honest, I could have picked... I'm not like really married to that particular pick. It could have been... oh gosh, it could have been something like The Wizard of Oz, or it could have been Charlotte's Web or something like that.
But basically a children's classic book that I find when I read it today I really see things so differently. It's actually just interesting to me to think about how I loved it as a kid, but how I see things so differently today.
[00:29:20] Specifically for Alice's Adventures, I think, you know, obviously as a kid, you like the crazy characters, and you just like the fact that it's an adventure story. But when I read it today, I kind of think more about how Alice changes in the story. You know, what does she learn about herself as she goes through her adventure.
Or even just thinking about the different characters... I'm going to try and not get myself in trouble here. But they kind of remind me of people from work. Let's just say it's people I used to work with a long time ago. So, you know, when the queen is running around saying, off with their heads, that kind of reminds me of something that I have encountered in my life. So yeah, it's just interesting.
It makes me think about the author too, right? I mean, obviously, they're writing these books from an adult perspective. It makes me wonder, what did Lewis Carroll have in mind? Was he thinking about people in his society? Was he thinking about politicians? Who knows what was in his mind when he wrote that story? I'm really fascinated by those kinds of books.
[00:30:39] ANNE: Okay. Donna, what's a book that wasn't quite to your taste?
DONNA: A classic book that I really didn't care for was The Old Man in the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.
ANNE: What was it about it that didn't that didn't sit with you?
DONNA: I mean, to me, I know that there are, I'm sure, big metaphors and life meaning, but when I read it, it just seemed like, well, here's a man who is fishing on the sea. The end. I don't know. Maybe I just wasn't deep enough. I just didn't get it basically and was really bored.
I will say though, it was a very short book, so it had that going for it. I don't know. I feel like now I'm going to get all this hate mail from Hemingway... people who love Hemingway are like, how could you say that? But it just wasn't for me.
[00:31:42] ANNE: I hear you. I had a literature professor once who said that this was the best sentence in the English language. Are you ready?
DONNA: Yes.
ANNE: Krebs looked at the bacon fat hardening on his plate. And it is from... oh, what's it called? In Our Time. It's a short story collection. I will say that that was one of the best classroom discussions I've ever sat through. But yeah, I think it's a question... We'll just call it a question of taste. And that is very helpful as I'm choosing books for you.
DONNA: Excellent.
ANNE: Donna, what are you reading right now?
DONNA: Oh, I'm reading a really good book. It's actually from your Summer Reading Guide, of course, which I'm really enjoying. But anyways, it's called The Lost Book of the Grail.
ANNE: Oh, yes.
DONNA: It's by Charlie Lovett, which I never read anything by him before. Had you read anything before this one?
ANNE: Well, he writes literary kind of mysteries that involve old books and sometimes Jane Austen. So yes, yes, I have.
[00:32:43] DONNA: I will definitely check out his other stuff. But yeah, I mean, right there, just say literary mystery, and okay, we're good. I'm done.
ANNE: Yeah, I'm a sucker for those too. Okay, great. Well, I have ideas for you. I'm curious to see if I have ideas you haven't actually read yet. And we will get to them right after the break.
DONNA: Sounds good.
ANNE: Donna, welcome back.
DONNA: Thank you.
ANNE: Okay, now usually this is the part where I get to draw common threads and all that stuff. But what you want is... well, I was gonna say it's straightforward, but by your straightforward definition, maybe Hemingway should be A-Okay with you and it's not. So let me try then.
We want absorbing stories, interesting characters, a little bit of family drama. I guess some of Alice's companions are her surrogate family in a way. And we're looking for interesting... how about a touch of more obvious artistry as opposed to a sparer take like Hemingway has?
[00:33:45] DONNA: I think that's perfect.
ANNE: And if we've got a little wit and whimsy, I think that would probably be appreciated.
DONNA: Definitely a bonus. Yes.
ANNE: Okay. All right. Well, on that note, I'd like to know if you have ever read Middlemarch by George Eliot.
DONNA: I have not.
ANNE: Okay. Do you know much about it?
DONNA: I know nothing.
ANNE: Okay. Well, I'm going to spare you the plot summary because that doesn't make anybody want to read the classics. Although I will say that it was only after I read Middlemarch that so many of Kate Atkinson's illusions, especially in Life After Life, made sense. And it made me realize that I didn't realize I had this cultural gap going on when I was reading today's literature that's informed by the classics, but I was certainly glad to fill it.
Also, this is a very long book. It's 800 plus pages. I did it audio myself, which I really liked. I think my version was read by Juliet Stevenson, who also narrates a lot of Jane Austen, but basically, I'm putting off having to summarize the plot because it's tricky with a book like this.
[00:34:48] But what we have is a close-eye look at a group of families living in a small British town, the messes they get themselves into, the relationships they form for good and ill, and especially... you know, I couldn't tell you because it's been a few years since I've read this if Dorothea is the main character in the book or the one I remember is the main character because I liked her the most.
But very early on, she's earnest. She's really smart. She lacks maturity, but she doesn't see it. She has big ideas, especially for a woman in that time. And then, in very much Jane Austen style, she decides, for the best possible reasons, to marry a man who is no good at all and definitely not good for her. Many years her senior, a scholar, Kate Atkinson lampoons him for his pretensions to scholarliness. Is that the word? He's forever working on this manuscript that's never ever going to be finished, and she comes to see that.
[00:36:04] She's a woman trapped in a marriage. This novel was published in 1872. She really was very much trapped. Of course, she's not the only one with relationship woes in this small British town. We follow her sister, there's a handsome young doctor who comes to town. He might get entrapped in an unsuitable marriage of his own.
George Eliot's descriptions are a little long to the modern ear, but they are witty, they're wry. They're not as bubbly as some of Jane Austen can feel, but they're very readable. It's a word that's really held up over time, although a contemporary editor would certainly cut 200 pages.
I think it's a work that's still very much relevant today, since authors like Kate Atkinson are still referencing it. And also it comes in so many beautiful hardback cloth-bound editions that would look really, really nice on a bookshelf and be worth returning to every five years. How does that sound?
[00:37:07] DONNA: That literally sounds perfect. I really like the tie-in with Kate Atkinson. I had not picked up on that at all when reading that book that she was referring to a classic. So I'm very, very intrigued by that.
ANNE: Okay, I like the sound of that. Okay, book two. What do you know about A Room with a View by E.M. Forster?
DONNA: Oh, I have read that book, but it was ages ago. Actually to me that fits into this category perfectly because I do want books... you know, even if I've read them before I want to reread them. I feel like that book too... sometimes I think that I know it really because I know the movie more than I really know the book. Does that make sense?
ANNE: It does. It's such a good movie.
DONNA: Such a good movie.
ANNE: And really it hews pretty close to the book.
DONNA: Oh, it does. Uh-huh.
ANNE: So do you want to...? All right. Well, you know what? Let's talk about it. So in this novel, this does feel a little bit Austen-ish with a hefty dose of Italy. So... oh, my gosh. I'm just remembering Lucy Honeychurch. The names in this novel are so great.
[00:38:25] Like the wealthy guy who her family wants the young woman to marry, his name is Vyse. I don't know that there's deep meaning in George Emerson. You know what there probably is. That's an American literary reference for sure. But Lucy Honeychurch, it's just so adorable.
DONNA: Perfect. Yes.
ANNE: Played by Helena Bonham Carter and maybe...oh, I don't know if that's my favorite movie performance. I haven't seen A Room with a View and maybe 10 or 15 years but I just remember loving it so much.
So, Lucy Honeychurch is young, she's British, and she is touring the Italian countryside. Well, not just the countryside, but the whole plot turns on a kiss in a poppy field in the countryside. So I think that's the scene I really remember, for better or worse.
She's touring Italy with her older, I believe spinster cousin, who is very strict and proper and is in charge of preserving Lucy's virtue and the appearance thereof. But they're at a hotel in Florence, and they meet this completely like charming and engaging and really free-spirited father and son pair and they're unlike any people that Lucy, very sheltered Lucy, has ever encountered and she's intrigued.
[00:39:45] But the young man is not marriage material and she's supposed to settle down with Cecil Vyse, who Daniel Day-Lewis is just amazing in that role. But she has to make a choice. She never thought she'd have to make. It just feels very, yeah, Jane Austen meets Italy.
DONNA: It could be better than that.
ANNE: Almost a hundred years later.
DONNA: Oh, now see, I have a terrible, terrible memory for books. So this is perfect because I don't really remember that much about it. So it's just the right kind of book for me to reread over time.
ANNE: I love the sound of that. Have you read any Edith Wharton?
DONNA: I feel like I have but nothing is immediately leaping to mind.
ANNE: Okay. I'm gonna throw in a 2.5 since you've already read A Room With A View. I'm thinking the House of Mirth. Young woman, bad choices, money troubles, marriage is salvation, New York City, the Gilded Age, I think really pretty hard covers available. I think it might be worthy of your list.
DONNA: That sounds right up my alley.
[00:40:54] ANNE: Okay. Well, I especially had to give you a book 2.5 because I'm going way out on a limb with number three.
DONNA: Oh I'm intrigued.
ANNE: You can tell me if you hate the sound of this.
DONNA: Okay.
ANNE: It was just published in 1978. So that's only nearly 40 years ago. I heard something about the 30-year rule once. There's a post on Modern Mrs. Darcy about it. I'll find it and I'll link to it. But I remember reading advice once that if you are 18 years old and you're deciding on what school to go to, you want to make sure you go to a school where the majority of works on any literature courses syllabus, unless it's a studies in contemporary, whatever.
But the core material needs to be 30 years old, or you should run for the hills. Because if it hasn't stood the test of time, or if you're not going to examine why it will or will not as in contemporary survey courses, that's not how you're going to... you're not going to get the foundation you need to build your education upon.
[00:42:03] DONNA: I like that idea. I'd never heard of that, but it makes a lot of sense.
ANNE: So this novel passes that test, but it's newer than anything on your list today. The one I have in mind is Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien who is probably best known for The Things They Carried. I'm guessing this is... well, I don't know. Do you know anything about this book, Donna?
DONNA: I know absolutely nothing.
ANNE: Okay. I first encountered this book probably like a lot of readers in Thomas Foster's book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor. If I had not read his book before I read Going After Cacciato, I'd like to think that I would have seen what he pointed out to me that I should be looking for. But I am not 100% sure.
But here's what I like about this. Like The Things They Carried, this is a novel about Vietnam. So it definitely is dark, it's serious, it's brooding. Like he is tackling a really heavy topic. But he plays so much with the literary canon in this novel that it's really a unique reading experience and one that I think you might find to be a whole lot of fun. Like the potentials for rabbit trailing are huge.
[00:43:28] One of those novels that he references... well, here, let me tell you what happens. Cacciato is a soldier in the war. So, the novel's broken up into three parts. You have a war experience, you have a big trip to Paris, which might actually be imaginary, and then there's a long night watch.
But halfway through the middle of the novel, the characters, or a character, falls down a hole in the road. And after they fall down that hole, one of the characters says, Oh, well, to get out, we have to fall back up. So that is a strong reference to Alice in Wonderland.
And all of a sudden, you realize, oh, wait, he's been doing this the whole book. So like Lewis Carroll, you have this alternate reality. That's just the beginning of all the different literary works that he's referencing throughout the book.
So while you're reading, you're reading this story about what's going on with these men in Vietnam with this troop, but all of a sudden, this war book you're reading is playing forwards, backwards, and sideways with all these other novels that either you've read before or you'll want to after googling the references.
[00:44:46] So it is a war novel, and it is violent, but there's so much more going on that just totally transcends what you typically think of when you think about a war novel. And war novels can be pretty darn amazing. So I am definitely not slamming war novels. I think some of the best books I've read have been set in wartime because there's so much material there. But it's also so much more than that. How does that sound?
DONNA: Okay, that's literally the perfect pick for me. Probably about 10 years ago, I went to Vietnam and I was just really interested, from historical perspective, about the war and had gone to some different areas. Like we went through some of the tunnels that they had dug for part of the war. Some of the soldiers had lived underground, and so we were going through some of these tunnels. And it just gives you an amazing perspective about obviously how brutal the war is, but to what lengths people have to go through in war.
[00:45:57] Anyways, I came home from that trip and just started reading a bunch of books about Vietnam and watching a bunch of movies. So it's just kind of a big hot topic for me. So this is literally the perfect pick.
ANNE: Oh, wow. I had no idea That's never one of those places that I assume someone might have been one day.
DONNA: Right.
ANNE: Well, that's amazing. Donna, of these three novels, what do you think you'll read next?
DONNA: Oh, that's tough. I am leaning towards Middlemarch. I think even just because it's such a long book, which I've been wanting to tackle, I feel like I've been reading a lot of, you know, shorter novels that I can just get through quickly and get them crossed off my list. But for this series, I really want something that I can take my time with, and Middlemarch sounds like it'll be perfect for that.
ANNE: All right. I love the sound of that. I can't wait to hear what you think, and I cannot wait to hear about your road trip.
DONNA: Thank you. I'm really excited.
ANNE: Oh, I bet. Donna, it was so good talking books with you today. Thanks for coming on.
DONNA: Oh, thanks, Anne. It's all my pleasure.
[00:47:06] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Donna and getting to know another member of our What Should I Read Next? team a little better.
Share your reading recommendations or hey, share your independent bookstore recommendations for Donna over at our show notes page, where we also have links to Donna's Instagram account and her blog, and the full list of titles we talked about today. That is at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. That page also includes a list of other episodes where you'll hear from Donna and members of our team.
This month we're sharing that series of "Where are they now?" style follow-up bonuses over in Patreon, where I'll be chatting with Donna and each of our Summer Series team members about what their reading life looks like these days, including the books they would pick now for their three loves and one not so much.
Plus, when you join us as a patron, you'll unlock more than 200 bonus episodes from me and our team. Now, you don't have to listen to every one, but if there's a certain one you really wish you could listen to, it's there for you.
[00:48:07] Our patrons are such a big part of supporting our show and allowing us to continue creating this podcast each week. This is one of the ways we say thanks, with our weekly bonus episodes and special events, like our recent Summer Reading Guide unboxing and our upcoming Fall Book Preview. Get more details and get in on the action at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
Follow and subscribe to our show on your favorite podcast platform. Find us on Apple Podcasts, which I call iTunes in the original episode with Donna because it's that old. Follow us on Spotify, Overcast, Pocketcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
Stay in the know with what's happening at What Should I Read Next? HQ by signing up for our newsletter. Do that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter, so you are up to date with what is happening with the show.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Nancy Drew series, by Carolyn Keene
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
• Emma, by Jane Austen
• Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen
• Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen
• Persuasion, by Jane Austen
• Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen
• Jane Austen: The Complete Works (Penguin Classic Hardcovers)
• Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
• Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
• The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum
• Charlotte Webb, by E.B. White
• The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
• The Lost Book of the Grail, by Charlie Lovett
• Author Ernest Hemingway
• Middlemarch, by George Eliot
• Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson
• A Room With a View, by E.M Forster
• The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien
• How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas Foster
• Going After Cacciato, by Tim O’Brien
Also mentioned:• The Upstart Crow Coffeeshop & Bookstore
• The Book Loft bookstore
• What Should I Read Next? is sponsored by BetterHelp.
More from Donna and our team:• WSIRN Episode 64: How 15 WSIRN listeners track their books
• Donna’s Links I Love post
• Bonus Episode: Blame Tom Cruise for my book slump
• Bonus Episode: Book adaptations and the enthusiasm meter game with Donna and Ginger
• WSIRN Episode 268: Our team’s best books of the year
• WSIRN Episode 316: Books we loved in 2021
• WSIRN Episode 344: Our team’s favorite summer reads
• WSIRN Episode 394: Our team’s best books of summer
This month we’ll be sharing “Where are they now?” bonus episodes over on Patreon: find those and other bonuses from Donna and the rest of our team members in our Patreon community.
The post An epic birthday bookstore roadtrip appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I first heard of a reader’s retreat on What Should I Read Next #11, when Meredith mentioned she stayed at a hotel every time a new Louise Penny novel released. I thought to myself, “well, that must be nice.” Then I began to hear about readers’ retreats being hosted in different places, all of which were too expensive for me. The inaugural MMD Book Club retreat in 2019 was the first I attended and I enjoyed it so much. [Editor’s note: Shannan is being modest here: she was instrumental in planning this entire glorious experience!] When COVID began, Book Club pivoted to the Stay at Home Book Club Retreat** and we’ve hosted an annual virtual retreat ever since.
In late 2022, still unable to afford a “real” retreat, I thought, “I can have my own personal reader’s retreat pretty easily.” I have done so over the past couple of years. When I shared this with the MMD team, Brigid had some questions so we recorded our conversation for a Patreon bonus episode. Today I’m sharing my observations and what I have learned over the years.
First, let’s define our terms. What is a reader’s retreat? In my book, it is any significant amount of time devoted to reading or the reading life. Retreats can be as short or as long as you like. My shortest retreat lasted 12 hours, starting on Friday night when I went to bed early through noon on Saturday. The key is a “significant” amount of time, whatever that means for you.
It’s always challenging for me to go on these retreats. It feels selfish—but if I can’t devote a few hours to something I enjoy, am I really enjoying my life?
Here are seven tips to plan a personal reader’s retreat:
-
Complete all your chores prior to the retreat.Do the laundry, clean the house, water your plants; do any chores that you would normally do during the weekend before the retreat begins. This is especially important when you are having a stay-at-home retreat. You do not want those things calling your name incessantly while you are trying to retreat.
-
Factor your circumstances (budget, work and home responsibilities, etc.) into your planning. Retreating alone or with a reader friend: that’s the dream, right? But if you can’t, be realistic about your needs. For example, if your family will be around, decide how you are going to manage the presence of others. Communicate your plans to them. Let them know you are having a special weekend and include them (or not) in your planning.
-
Plan your meals and snacks in advance. What are you going to eat? Make this easy and fun for yourself. Can a partner handle meals? Can you prepare in advance? Perhaps takeout is an option? I love Trader Joe’s frozen meals for quick budget-friendly options. Unless, of course, cooking is your thing, in which case it might be fun to pair your meals with what you’re reading.
-
Decide what you’re going to read. At the very least, narrow your selections down to one or two options. This is the time to pick up that particular book you’ve been saving for a special occasion.
-
Decide where you are going to read. This is particularly important when you are homebound. Maybe you don’t have to clean your entire house before the retreat—but if you plan on reading in a particular space, make sure that space is just the way you like it. Anything within your line of sight when you look up from your book should be in a place you’re comfortable with.
-
Be intentional about your reading breaks.This is a great time to watch an author talk from a bookstore, BookTube, or an event from the MMD Book Club. You could also watch a literary movie or adaptation. Additionally, this might be a good time to visit a local bookstore, your library, or any Little Free Libraries in your area. And of course, you can always catch up on “reading admin”: completing reviews, updating your book journal, etc. Or just take a walk for a nice break.
-
Combine your personal reader’s retreat with other readers’ community activity.This can be particularly helpful if you, like me, tend to struggle with devoting this much time to your wants and needs and/or making that clear to members of your family. You let your family know that your book club is watching a movie together and you want to participate with them. Combining it with other people’s agendas gives you a welcome “appointment” and a great reason to make things happen. This may also keep you from feeling like you are being “selfish.” If you need this type of “excuse,” I hope that you will consider joining the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community for a virtual Readers’ Retreat on July 18-20.
What are your tips for planning a personal reader’s retreat? Please share in the comments! I am always working to make mine a bit better and welcome your ideas and suggestions.
P.S. Book journaling tools for every reader and 7 steps to read “hard” books.
About the authorShannan Malone is the MMD Cohost and Contributor. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
The post 7 tips for planning your own personal reader’s retreat appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here, I’m catching up on my to do list, making lots of good food (okay, Will is the one doing most of the cooking), and reading up a storm. It’s been stormy here and you know what that means: reading weather.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Back in stockI’m also dodging boxes every time I walk down the hall, because my house has once again transformed into MMD/WSIRN Merch Central. When Will placed our most recent order for tshirts and sweatshirts from our local printer, he decided to stock up. That means right now we have tons of apparel, stickers, tote bags, book darts, and bookplates available that you can get right away. We also stock signed copies of my books (ask for personalization if you want—just leave a note in your order comments); scroll down the page to grab your Summer Reading Guide if you haven’t yet. I try on our new apparel and talk about sizing here.
Click here to peruse the merchandise and place your order. Happy browsing!
My favorite finds from around the web:Who Are All These 20-Somethings Buying a Kindle? (Wall Street Journal gift link) “Kindle has become the gadget of choice among TikTok’s community of book lovers.”
I unexpectedly found myself in Lexington, Kentucky last weekend and stumbled into a great Draper James sale. Everything is 30% off sitewide and I picked up this adorable pajama set in my favorite color: the fabric is so happy and feels great on. ((I’m 5′ 9″ and a small; this stripe set is also darling.) I also couldn’t resist a grapefruit-scented Apotheke candle on sale. The 30% off is good through July 7.
The books that shaped me: Brigid edition. (MMD) What our team member Brigid has learned about her literary preferences through many 5-star ratings and just as many DNFs. I love this series!
Care packages aren’t just for kids. (Vanderhacks) We sure tapped into the zeitgeist with our summer camp-themed Summer Reading Guide this year! Summer camp EVERYTHING is all the rage. I love this perspective from Laura: who wouldn’t want to get a care package?
We mapped weather forecast accuracy across the U.S. Look up your city. (Washington Post gift link) Fascinating in many ways—I feel validated that yes, the long-term forecasts for our local weather aren’t great. And I didn’t realize how much weather forecasting had improved in recent years.
This Is What a Mid-40s Face Without Any Work Done Looks Like. (SELF) This series has been fascinating.
These blackened chicken breasts were simple and delicious. (NYT Cooking gift link) We used the spice mix and then grilled our chicken, sliced it up, and served it over a creamy garlic lemon pasta. Delicious! (I used half the cayenne to ensure my kids would eat it, but next time I’ll nudge that amount up toward the called-for amount. I had some spice mix left over and can’t wait to use it again soon.)
Who Am I Without My Voice? (New York Times gift link) “When you can’t talk, only half of you is here.” After losing my voice for a long period in early 2023, I read this with interest.
My go-to products for my current minimalist summer makeup routine. (MMD) The products I find myself consistently reaching for when I want to spend five minutes or less on my face.
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Turn 55. (Kirkus Reviews) So great.
How adorable are these crochet slides my sister-in-law wore to a recent family dinner?
How Diane von Furstenberg’s Wrap Dress Became an Icon. (Town & Country) If you’ve ever worn a wrap dress, you have DVF to thank.
Emily Henry on Writing Best-Sellers Without Tours and TikTok. (New York Times gift link) “I started dreaming of writing before social media existed. I didn’t know what any of my favorite writers looked like. I never would have cared or even thought about going to an event for them.”
Eat Like a Cast Member From ‘The Bear‘ at These 12 Chicago Restaurants. (Food & Wine) One more reason to visit Chicago soon.
Don’t miss these posts:Cool down this summer with these novels set in cold places. Do you need a vicarious escape from the summer heat?
The things that seem to work for everyone else. “When I was growing up, being low-maintenance was a core family value. It’s taken me a long time to accept that there are some areas of my life where I can’t afford to be low-maintenance.”
33 historical fiction books avid readers can’t get enough of. For anyone looking for historical fiction that will transport them to a different time and place.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I fell in love with reading at a very young age thanks to my mom taking us to our local library. Many happy memories were made visiting the wonderfully air conditioned space with my siblings on hot Florida days. We would hunt through the stacks for our favorites: I was always looking for the next installment of Encyclopedia Brown, the latest The Baby-Sitters Club release, and (if I was feeling brave that day) a copy of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Looking back now, I see how influential these family trips to check out books were in shaping me into the avid reader I am today.
Over the years, through many 5-star ratings and just as many DNFs, I have learned quite a bit about my various interests and preferences. For example, my first can’t-put-it-down reads from authors like Mary Higgins Clark, Michael Crichton, and James Patterson made a lasting impression. I truly adore dropping into a fast-paced novel and quickly turning the pages because I can’t wait to find out what happens next. While my days of devouring those “airport novel” paperbacks may be over, my love for propulsive stories remains. (Plus, in all honesty, I will definitely pick up whatever Dan Brown writes next!)
Searching out bookish advice and new ideas has been a significant aspect in my ever-evolving reading life. I long thought romance novels weren’t for me until I read this fabulous post by Anne about five years ago and it opened up a whole new world of reading for me to explore. Romance quickly became one of my favorite genres and I can’t believe I went so many years without it.
Narrowing down the books that have shaped me as a reader to these titles was such a fun walk down memory lane. My list really came together when I started thinking of the experiences that sparked my interest into further reading with similar types of novels, like a giant family tree of my current reading life. As you will see below, if a story has surprises, wit, romance, quirkiness, correspondence between characters, and/or mystery, then that is all the better.
I’ve also learned that it is not just the act of reading that I enjoy, but the social aspect as well. Joining many book clubs and buddy reads made a fantastic impact on my reading life. I delight in chatting with friends about their favorite books and what’s on their nightstands. With that in mind, I would love to hear what titles have made y’all the readers you are today and your thoughts on my list. Please make sure to comment and tell me all about it.
The books that shaped BrigidSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Agatha Christie
In WSIRN #275: How many book clubs is too many book clubs?, Anne and I chatted about my love of murderous whodunits. This intriguing read by the Queen of Mystery is the one I often think back to as influencing my choices in the genre. The short standalone about the Leonides Family made me a fan of puzzling tales that are haunting without being gruesome. Engagingly quick with a surprisingly unique ending, perfect for fans of Knives Out like myself. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Tessa Dare
One of the first romance books I read that made me fall in love with the genre I had long ignored! This charming historical romp is a steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling that enchanted me from the first page when the main character arrives at the Duke's doorstep in a wedding dress. Tessa Dare's swoony stories are always thoughtfully clever and full of witty banter. (Open door.) More info →The first in a series of extraordinary epistolary novels that feel like pop-up books for grown-ups. It is a gripping magical realism story about strangers mysteriously connecting through the mail. Told through the use of illustrated postcards and letters, I never tire of opening each letter and reading their star-crossed tale. Discovering this one-of-a-kind correspondence definitely began my love of epistolary storytelling like 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff and Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. More info →Author: Anne Rice
As a teenager, I watched a plethora of horror-comedies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fright Night, Once Bitten, and The Lost Boys. While I enjoyed the humor and tropes about immortal creatures of the night in movies and shows, this classic novel by Anne Rice was the first vampire novel I read and it opened my eyes to how much more there was to the long-told myths of Dracula and the like. I have vivid memories of devouring (couldn't resist that pun) this book late into the night. I was totally enthralled by the tense and often gruesome, long-spanning saga of Louis and the Vampire Lestat. That captivation has led me to search out and enjoy many more vampire novels over the years. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Nigella Lawson
Reading cookbooks cover-to-cover and baking sweet treats are two of my favorite things to do in my free time. That all began with this scrumptious, beautiful, and quirky delight. Even if I have no intentions of making a recipe like the Steak and Kidney Pudding, since I am a long-time vegetarian, I find so much joy in reading the introductions to the recipes with all the tidbits and back stories. With unique ingredients and Nigella’s trademark sassiness and brilliant humor, this decades old cookbook still feels fresh and fun. More info →Author: Beverly Jenkins
Western romances quickly became my new favorite genre after reading this wonderful book. Spring, an independent and strong Wyoming rancher, stumbles across newcomer Garett in need of help; she decides to nurse him back to health. The steamy result is a surprisingly heartfelt tale with a bit of adventure that made me both laugh and cry. I adored the cowboy vibes that are reminiscent of Joan Wilder’s novels from the movie Romancing the Stone. This happily prompted me to seek out more of these rugged western romances like Done and Dusted by Lila Sage and A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon. Siri, play “Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks. (Open door.) More info →Author: Ernest Cline
This entertaining sci-fi full of 80's pop culture references and easter eggs found me at a slump in my reading life and it was just what I needed to remember how fun an immersive story can be. Without a doubt, it’s one of my favorite reading experiences that instantly reminded me of how I felt reading Ender’s Game in high school and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a child. Plus, this is the book that began my preferred practice of having both a print version and audio version of my current read available so I can switch back and forth in the formats. I was so invested in Wade Watts' quest through the virtual world of the OASIS that I had to download the excellent audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton so I could keep reading while I drove to work. My only criticism is best summed up by a quote from Parks and Recreation’s Leslie Knope, "the female's part is a little underwritten." More info →Author: Rainbow Rowell
I cannot make a list of the books that have shaped my reading without including one of my very favorite authors, Rainbow Rowell. Her lovely novels are some of the only ones I have re-read multiple times and I immediately pre-order her titles as soon as they are announced. Landline’s tale of second chance love between married couple Georgie and Neal is especially noteworthy since it made me notice how much I prefer to read seasonally. Set in December in the time leading up to Christmas, I got such a kick out of reading each chapter on its corresponding day in the calendar. Thanks to this touching story with a magical telephone, I always take a book’s time of year into account since matching up my current read to the exact day or month truly sparks joy for me. (Closed door.) More info →Author: Alexandre Dumas
Buddy reading this hefty classic was a real defining moment in my bookish history. The Count’s adventures sparked my interest in classic literature that still feels timely and reminded me that tackling intimidating books with the help of buddy reads is a great strategy. Plus, as a Scorpio, the revenge plot was my cup of tea! This lush interwoven epic has inspired me to read more of the classics I missed growing up and taught me that using character notes for intricate plots can be very helpful indeed. More info → Have you read any of these? What books shaped you? Please share in the comments.
P.S. The books that shaped Shannan.
About the authorBrigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
The post The books that shaped me: Brigid edition appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we are kicking off a summer series from the What Should I Read Next? archives: we’re sharing the first episodes and sometimes the very first conversations I had with readers that are now members of our team.
Many of you know our team members by name, and you have a good sense of their reading tastes, too. But we also know that many of you are new around here, or haven’t yet had the chance to listen to all 400-plus episodes, so you don’t know our team members as well. Whether you’ve heard these episodes before or you’re hearing them for the first time, we’re certain you’ll enjoy these introductions to some of the people who help make the book magic happen around here.
Let’s get to it.
Today I’m talking with my friend, fellow bookworm, and now Modern Mrs Darcy Editor and Social Media Manager Leigh Kramer.
When Leigh and I first connected, she was living in San Francisco, but these days she calls Chicagoland home. You may already know Leigh from her contributions to the Modern Mrs Darcy blog and her bonus episodes over in our Patreon community, but today we’re going back to the beginning with this bookish introduction.
In addition to being a full-time book nerd, Leigh is a fried pickle connoisseur and lifetime White Sox fan. She has strong opinions about her books, which makes for a delightful conversation.
In this episode Leigh and I discuss the “nearly perfect novel” that she adored and I hated, the book she read at just the right time, how she hates when some readers love a book she loathed, and a variety of very real bookworm problems.
This episode was originally aired as episode nine on March 1, 2016.
Connect with Leigh on Goodreads.
Don’t Overthink ItOur summer beach trip always reminds me of the time in my life when I wrote my book Don’t Overthink It because the opening anecdote has to do with that same highway. Four years later, the tools and lessons in this book still help me out every day—with work, life stuff, and even vacation (because the worst part of vacation for me is all the new decisions you have to make because you were blessedly off-routine, but also definitely off-routine). If you want to Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life, pick up Don’t Overthink It this summer.
TranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
Readers, as I say these words, it is the middle of summer. My own family is back from a recent almost week at the beach, which was wonderful. I wrote about it on my blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, gave you the 2024 beach reading report about what I saw everyone reading on the beach and what I read on my trip during our time away.
We are just back from this vacation, and it puts me in mind of my book Don't Overthink It. Don't Overthink It opens with a story about me driving to Nashville, heading south on I-65. And every time I drive that stretch of highway, I think of that time in my life when I was writing this book.
[00:01:13] It's now been more than four years since it was published on March 3rd, 2020. And I'm so glad I have the tools I talk about in the book. I think about it and the things in these pages all the time. It really helped me during COVID and ever since.
It continues to help me with work, life stuff, even vacation because the worst part of vacation for me is all the new decisions you have to make because you were blessedly off-routine, but also definitely off-routine.
So, taking a moment to say, if you want to make easier decisions, stop second-guessing, and bring more joy to your life, pick up a copy of Don't Overthink It wherever you get your new book. Maybe for you that means the eBook or audiobook. That is also available. But picking up a copy would be a tangible way to support my work here and what we do on the podcast. So thank you very much.
Speaking of summer, we are kicking off a great series for you today that is a little bit something old, well, maybe a lot something old and a little bit something new.
[00:02:15] When one of our team members first suggested during an all-team meeting this spring, what if we ran a summer series that looked like this?" oh, I think we all immediately went, Yes, let's do that. That sounds like fun.
What we're doing is going back in the What Should I Read Next? archives to share the first episodes, sometimes the only episodes, sometimes the very first conversations I had with readers that I now know and love as our team members.
Many of you know our team members by name, and you have a good sense for how they read, who's your book twin, who you look to for recs in a certain genre. But we also know that many of you are new around here, or haven't yet had the chance to listen to all 400-something episodes, so you don't know our team members as well.
Some of these episodes, like today's, go way, way back. We are talking about eight-plus years. Friends, I was there for these initial conversations. I have heard these episodes before, and yet revisiting these conversations with people I know and love.
[00:03:22] But these conversations took time in a place where I didn't know them as well. I wasn't as familiar with their reading tastes. And even if I had been, well y'all, I hope all our reading tastes change and evolve in the period of as many years as we are talking about here.
So we thought it would be so much fun this month to share a series of episodes featuring four of our team members from way back when. Perhaps you haven't listened yet since they are older. Or if you're a What Should I Read Next? completist, it might have been two, three, even eight and a half years ago since you last heard these conversations.
I am betting that you will listen differently today than the first time around if these are re-listens for you. I know my re-listen is almost as different as my re-reading on many occasions. And I hope you'll hear something fresh, something to inspire you today.
I've so enjoyed revisiting these episodes because so much has changed. Most of these conversations happened before the guest actually joined our team, and it is... a delight to listen to our early book talk through the lens of my relationship with each team member now, today.
[00:04:31] Our team is integral to everything we create here, from their contributions to the Summer Reading Guide, to their occasional blog posts on Modern Mrs. Darcy, their behind-the-scenes work that you may not even know precisely what everyone individually is doing, their participation in our membership communities and live events.
As we revisit these conversations over the next few weeks, we will also be sharing links to other places you will find our team. Because so much has changed, these conversations were just begging for corresponding "where are they now?" versions. And we are doing that in Patreon.
I am really excited to hear the latest from our team members. And look, I talk to them all the time, and yet I never stop to ask them, hey, if you were on the show today, what would your books be, what are the three books you love, what is the book that you would say was not right for you and why?
We're going to get into all that, including what they do on the team, what they like to read, favorites lately, all that stuff. It's going to be happening in our Patreon community. That is at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. It's going to be so much fun.
[00:05:36] Now, today we are kicking off this mini summer series with a replay of Episode 9 from all the way back in 2016 as I talk with my friend, and now Modern Mrs. Darcy editor and social media manager, Leigh Kramer.
I gotta tell you, her original intro to the show made me laugh because it's definitely a "the more things change the more they stay the same" situation.
Way back then, I said, in addition to being a full-time book nerd, Leigh is a then-San Francisco, now Chicagoland resident, a fried pickle connoisseur, and lifetime White Sox fan. She has strong opinions about her books, which makes for a delightful conversation.
Yes, that is still totally true and makes our book conversations that we still have every week completely delightful, even now in 2024.
In this episode, Leigh and I discuss the nearly perfect novel that she adored and happened to be all wrong for me. You'll hear about it. You'll hear about the books she read at just the right time, how she strongly dislikes that some readers love a book she loathes, and a variety of very real bookworm problems.
[00:06:44] This episode was a really interesting time capsule because Leigh and I discuss some books that I know she would not choose today nor would I recommend them to her today for those reasons. And I'm really looking forward to getting into that over on Patreon.
But for right now, for our 2016 Leigh Kramer check-in edition, well, let's get to it.
Welcome to the show, Leigh.
LEIGH KRAMER: Thanks. Thanks for having me.
ANNE: Okay. So anyone who knows you at all knows that you don't hesitate to claim your uber book nerd status. Tell us a little bit about why you read and how you became a book nerd.
LEIGH: Oh man, I think I've always been drawn to good stories. My mom read to me and my brother when we were younger, like from a very young age. That's how I first experienced the Chronicles of Narnia and just all kinds of stories.
And so as soon as I could read on my own, it was a natural progression to just tear through as many books as I could. I learned how to speed read in third grade, and I think that unleashed a monster in me. A monster that consumes books.
[00:08:00] ANNE: Okay, here's how this works. You are going to tell me three books you love, one book you hate, and what you've been reading lately, and then we'll talk about what you should read next. And I get book recommendations from you all the time. Like, how many times did you text me last week and say, "I'm reading this now. Get it."? So it'll be fun for the... I'd like to think it goes both ways. So we'll put the shoe on the other foot now.
LEIGH: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay, let's start with your favorites.
LEIGH: Letting everyone eavesdrop on our normal conversation.
ANNE: Yeah, this is pretty normal. Exactly. Okay. Tell me three books you love. What's number one?
LEIGH: Well, I have to give the caveat that I am only talking about books that I read last year.
ANNE: Okay.
LEIGH: Because if I think about books that I love, that is just... I mean, I came up with, I think, 12 books, fiction, 12 novels that I loved last year alone. And then I think I had 15 nonfiction that I loved last year.
ANNE: Bookworm problems, man. They are real.
[00:08:58] LEIGH: So I can't even think about in the scope of my reading life what are the three that I love the most.
ANNE: Exactly.
LEIGH: But from last year, the first one is The Passage by Justin Cronin.
ANNE: Yes, I love that you chose this one. And I think you know why.
LEIGH: Yes, I do. This was not necessarily a normal pick for me. I was a little worried before I started reading it. I was worried that it would be too scary for me, because I'm kind of a wimp. I don't read horror. And I thought that there was maybe a whiff of horror when friends would first talk about this.
But I was at a retreat in Utah with some friends in October and three of them were just talking about this book and raving about it, and I was like, "Oh, okay, I'm going to give it a try." I'm so glad that I did. It completely paid off for me.
I thought that it was really rich and multilayered, really hard to put down, but it also had a ton of literary and religious references. It had this great commentary on a variety of social issues.
[00:10:09] It's really hard to describe because if I-
ANNE: I was just gonna ask you to do that.
LEIGH: ...people are gonna be like, Eeh, not me.
ANNE: Okay. So give it a shot. Tell us a little bit about it.
LEIGH: It starts out with some scientists that are trying to find a cure for mortality. It goes awry and the government gets involved. They are trying to basically harvest this drug that they have nefarious purposes for but in the meantime, the 6-year-old girl is treated with the drug and it turns everyone else into these vampire-like creatures, but does not do that for her.
So this plague ends up kind of wiping out most of society. So then it turns into like an apocalyptic literature. I honestly feel like the less you know about it, the better. Except if you're worried about if it's scary or not, then maybe you need to know that it has some vampiric elements.
[00:11:17] ANNE: Well, my mistake was I usually... Some books are better just not knowing anything. So I didn't know anything about this one. And then I read it when I was sick at your recommendation and I didn't know... If I'd seen the word vampire, I probably would have passed. That's a word that just says to me, "Move along. This isn't for you."
But also I was reading it while I was in bed with a real fever, and that was not a good combination. But I think I made it through like 400 or 600 pages before I decided, "I'm done. That's all." Which is why I love that you chose it.
LEIGH: I still [inaudible 00:11:48] get that far and then had to call it quits.
ANNE: That's unusual. Usually, it's way before the halfway point. But I keep hearing that. So many people say it's in their not just, oh, favorites for what should I read next, but favorites of all-time list.
LEIGH: It is a nearly perfect novel. And I don't say that lightly. Even as someone that has read a ton and has a lot of favorite books, like I could not stop thinking about it. Even as I was getting ready to talk about it today, I was thinking about all of the… not even just the elements of the plot, but the way that it made me think about humanity and the issues that we're facing today, and what does this have to say to my life.
ANNE: Oh, yeah. Oh, it's ambitious and sweeping. You know, it has that feel that it didn't feel self-important, but like he had big ambitions for that thing.
LEIGH: Oh, yeah.
ANNE: Okay, tell me your second favorite.
LEIGH: The second favorite is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
ANNE: Didn't you just read that recently?
[00:12:49] LEIGH: I read it this past summer because it was a pick for the Red Couch Book Club that I'm the editor for, for She Loves Magazine. So that was one of our books. I had never read it before that even though it's been on the New York Times bestseller list for ages and ages.
ANNE: Yes. I just read it the very end of last year for the first time. I'd never read it either.
LEIGH: I don't know if I had read it at a different time in my life if I would have loved it as much as I did. But I had just moved from Nashville to San Francisco. So it was on this big transition, huge journey. And The Alchemist is all about a journey that this boy goes on in search of treasure and so it's all about intuition and looking for the signs. It just really resonated with me with where I was at.
ANNE: What's your third book?
LEIGH: Third book is... this is so book nerdy, but it's called The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon.
ANNE: Tell us more.
[00:13:54] LEIGH: It is kind of futuristic in that everyone is super reliant on these handheld devices called... I think they're called memes. It's kind of what happens to our cell phones but like to the next level.
So they can't anticipate when you're getting sick and they call the doctor for you and then your prescription arrives automatically. So you don't really have to do much because your meme is basically an extension of who you are. Which, you know, there could be some positives to that. But the negatives of that is that there are hardly any libraries left. No one really reads physical books, or books in general.
The main character's father is working on the last edition of the dictionary, and he disappears the night before it's going to be released. And so she and this other... a colleague of his try to figure out what happened to him. At the same time as they're trying to figure out what's happened to him or what's going to happen with the dictionary, this word "flu pandemic" begins and people start losing the ability to speak.
[00:15:11] I don't know, it completely captivated me. There were so many great puns and then things about language and literature and also just this social commentary about technology and social media and the way that it can be bad for us, which I think is something that we would be wise to consider, even as I sit with my cell phone a few feet away.
ANNE: What I noticed about that book... because I read it at the beach this summer after you and like two other people recommended it to me all at the same time. So I took heed. And I read it, I really enjoyed it. And then I noticed how low the average rating was on Goodreads. It's like the very low threes. And I thought-
LEIGH: Really?
ANNE: Yeah. And I think it's that kind... I mean, there's all kinds of different reasons for books to have lower high ratings. But I think for this one, I think the reason is that if that book is for you, that book is for you. And Leigh, that book is for you, and that book is for me.
LEIGH: Totally.
ANNE: But if you're like, I don't know, I'm getting on an airplane and I just need something, anything to read, that book is probably not for you, and you're going to give it two stars. Now tell me one you hate.
[00:16:22] LEIGH: Oh, man. So there were two books that came to mind.
ANNE: Let's hear them.
LEIGH: The first one is the one I read more recently, but One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.
ANNE: Why?
LEIGH: It's just such a slog. It was painful to me. And I love magical realism. But I don't understand why people love it so much.
ANNE: I read eight pages of that last year. I intend to try again. But I stopped at eight pages.
LEIGH: I do have a friend that was familiar with a lot of the history of the country that it takes place in. And so she was able to tell me about specific scenes, like why he included certain references, like that it was actually a commentary on situations going on during that day. So that was interesting to me, but that didn't make it any more enjoyable.
[00:17:18] But the book that I really hated last year is The Rosie Effect.
ANNE: Now, what did you think of The Rosie Project?
LEIGH: I loved The Rosie Project. I was really excited to read the sequel to it.
ANNE: Okay. So The Rosie Project, man with Asperger's falls in love.
LEIGH: Yes.
ANNE: Okay. So then from there, tell us about The Rosie Effect.
LEIGH: So the Rosie effect, we find out that Rosie is pregnant and so it's a lot about how they're preparing to have this baby. Don is the main character and he... I don't know. It was so contrived. I couldn't believe any of the situations that he got himself into.
ANNE: Did you think the premise sounded good? When you found out that they were going to have a baby, were you like, Oh, that sounds like a good idea.
LEIGH: I think that I know a couple people that are married to men who they found out subsequently that these men had Asperger's. Don is different in that he is aware... he doesn't necessarily label himself as being on the autism spectrum, but he's aware that he has some differences.
[00:18:38] And so I feel like it would have been good for them to just figure out what is it like to actually be married and to be sharing the same space all the time. Because they weren't like living together that I can remember by the end of The Rosie Project.
ANNE: I don't think so. I think you're right.
LEIGH: And so I just feel like they could have been interesting just to see what that is like and what kind of stress does that cause him to have someone invading his personal space. And even though he's kind of branched out and he will cook different meals on different days, he doesn't have to have the exact same schedule that he had before. To add a baby into the mix just felt like too much, too soon.
And also I think it... maybe this was unintentional, but Rosie came across as very selfish and flighty to me in the sequel.
ANNE: What are you reading right now?
LEIGH: Well, as usual, I'm reading about six different books, like I do. So I'm reading Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende. I'm reading for a book club. I'm not sure how I feel about it right now. I'm about halfway through and book club is on Thursday, so I've got to figure that out. Tomorrow. It's tomorrow.
[00:19:59] ANNE: It's tomorrow.
LEIGH: Yeah, I've got to finish it. And then I'm reading Hammerhead, which is a memoir about a woman who becomes a carpenter. My dad's a carpenter, so I'm just really intrigued by her whole story.
Then I'm reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, which is about mass incarceration and racism. It's been on my to-read list for a long time, so I'm glad to finally be in the middle of that one. Phenomenal. I'm underlining almost all of it.
And then The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr, who I got to see. I got to see her speak right around the time that the book came out.
ANNE: I'm so jealous.
LEIGH: She's great. I'm getting a lot out of that one as well. And then let's see, Sacred Pauses by April Yamasaki, which is about spiritual practices, like everyday spiritual practices, which is pretty great.
[00:21:00] And then I think the last one would be a book on the Enneagram called The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut. I was in this Enneagram group during the fall for 12 weeks and this was the book that they recommended. But I was reading a different Enneagram book at the time, so I'm finally making my way through it.
ANNE: Leigh, is there anything you want to be different in your reading life?
LEIGH: I have come up with a couple of different goals for this year. I would like to read more spiritual memoirs that are not about Christianity, and I would like to read more books by Latino and Latina authors. So that's another one.
And then there's a couple of different topics that I want to read more about. So I'm just kind of keeping it all in the back of my mind as I make my choices from month to month.
[00:22:01] ANNE: Okay, sounds good. I love your choices here. Let's see what I can do. So what I'm noticing about these is that there's a quest underlying all these stories. They are stories of pursuits. Is that coincidence or do you find yourself drawn to the journey tale right now?
LEIGH: I don't know. I hadn't thought about that. And I don't know that that particular thread is in all of my favorite novels from last year, but definitely in those three. So that's really interesting.
ANNE: Okay. So you're not a one-trick pony. Is that what you're saying?
LEIGH: I try not to be.
ANNE: I knew that. I knew that. Okay. So with that in mind, let's see what you think of these.
LEIGH: Okay.
ANNE: Book one is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Do you know anything about this one?
LEIGH: Well, I remember when I visited last summer… when I visited you, I think it was last summer, you were reading it and you were just raving about it.
ANNE: Then why haven't you read it, Leigh?
LEIGH: I don't know.
[00:23:01] ANNE: Okay. Honestly, I know why you haven't read it. And I'm hesitant to even describe it to you if you don't already know because while we're both total nerds, we're not Cline's brand of nerd. But we're going to go with it.
So it's about a kid, a teenager who's a gamer. He's in the dystopian future, which, you know, hey, you got something there with your dystopian novels. And he's on a quest of his own. He has lots of fellow travelers. I guess he's not on his own.
He's in a fierce competition to win a ton of money. It's a computerized scavenger hunt in which his success depends upon his video game skills and his knowledge of obscure 80s pop culture references. So we're talking his ability to recite every line of dialogue from the John Hughes movie War Games.
Will works at a software company that gets one of those like software geek box subscription things. Like Ready Player One came in the box because really that's the target market. So I didn't think it was for me. And if you saw it, you wouldn't think it was for you.
[00:24:04] But a friend recommended it, who was also well outside the target market of geeks and gamers, and I trusted her. And I started reading it, and I found that it totally didn't matter that I haven't played a video game since I was 10, and it was Super Mari, and it doesn't matter that I've never seen war games. Like it's just a really good story.
It's got that futuristic dystopian thing you like, it's got really great narrative drive, likable characters, and it's surprisingly insightful about things like social media. Because 30 years from now, when the world falls apart, Ernest Cline thinks, or for the sake of this story, he thinks that we're all going to be spending our time in an online alternate reality called the oasis which sounds a lot actually like the memes from The Word Exchange.
LEIGH: Oh, yeah.
ANNE: Does that sound like something you might try if somebody shoved it into your hands at the right moment?
LEIGH: I mean, I definitely trust your recommendations. So I figured when you raved about it that maybe at some point I would finally read it. But-
[00:25:07] ANNE: Maybe at some point. You're gonna get a box on your doorstep. Okay. Book two is more like what you are already reading. This is Still Life by Louise Penny. Have you ever read anything by her?
LEIGH: No.
ANNE: Okay. She's written a lot of novels by now. Number 12 comes out this August and I can't wait. They're all in the same series. And this-
LEIGH: Is it that Inspector whoever?
ANNE: Yes, this is Inspector Gamache. I heard about these books for forever and I have come to realize that if you tell me to read a series based on somebody's name, when I don't know that person, that I just don't... I'm not going to pick it up. But I should because eventually when I'm talked into it I'm glad.
So this journey is into the Canadian forest. and also into the human heart. Does that sound too lofty? She says that her murder mysteries are just really an excuse to probe the human condition and examine people's motives and feelings and why they do what they do. So the plots are set up for that.
[00:26:10] You are actually the one who talked me into finally reading the Robert Galbraith mysteries. And I'm so glad I finally read those. I love them. I don't know why I thought I wouldn't. But as I was reading, it never occurred to me to make comparisons to Harry Potter, but they reminded me so strongly of the Louise Penny novels here. So they weren't one of your favorites today, but it does make me think that they'll be in your wheelhouse.
The writing style is very similar. There are strong prose, they're very psychologically acute, and the series itself is structured along the same lines as that Cormoran Strike series. Like, there's a new mystery at the heart of every novel, but you follow the same detectives and their relationships through the series.
This is a little different from Galbraith series, but you also follow the same townspeople. So a lot of the characters never change. And so you see their story arcs over the series too.
Okay, book three. This is the one I'm most excited about for you. This is Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum. Have you heard of it or her?
[00:27:12] LEIGH: No, I have not.
ANNE: This is her first novel that is explicitly intended for a YA audience. I cannot wait for you to read this. It is so perfect for you. It does a lot with the journey plot. There is a journey through grief. It's a journey of place.
And Leigh, this is crazy. So I just realized that the plot is set in motion when this young girl named Jessie, her mom dies before the action starts. Then her dad meets somebody in an online grief support group, falls in love, and moves the family to California.
LEIGH: Oh, my gosh.
ANNE: She moves from Chicago to California, Leigh, just like you. It's also a quest to unravel a mystery. Okay, so here's what happens. So Jessie moves to California with her dad, and she moves in with her new stepmom and stepbrother. And nobody... she doesn't belong. She's totally out of place.
And she goes to this fancy pants school that her rich stepmother is paying for, and she's completely out of place. So then after her first week at that private school, it's awful, she gets an email from somebody nobody who claims to be a male student in the school and he offers to be her virtual spirit guide to help her navigate what's basically like mean girls. She's in the Lindsay Lohan movie.
[00:28:32] So she's like, "No. That's creepy and weird. Leave me alone." But then she has a really bad week at school.
LEIGH: I would have been like, Sure.
ANNE: That's right. Because you've read enough YA novels to know you always say yes.
LEIGH: Yes.
ANNE: Because they're not creeps.
LEIGH: Well, at least not the YA novels that I read.
ANNE: No, no, no, that's true. There's that whole other genre that I... I don't read those either. But they're probably your soulmate if you're reading this kind of book. So that sets the plot in notion.
Have you ever read anything by Jennifer Smith, the YA author?
LEIGH: Yes, I have.
ANNE: Okay. So this reminded me a lot of her tone and specifically her book This Is What Happy Looks Like, which is totally implausible like male teenage heartthrob film star falls in love with small-town girl because of a misdirected email.
[00:29:17] But it's still a really good book. Like Jennifer Smith makes it work. She's a good writer. And that's how I felt about Julie Buxbaum.
There's one little problem with this one, and that is that it doesn't come out till April 5th. But it's going to be worth your wait. It's going to be worth it. You can pre-order it now. You can get it on the library list. It's going to be worth the wait.
LEIGH: Or you could send me your advance copy, to say it.
ANNE: I won't reveal my sources. Okay, so Leigh, what do you think you will read next?
LEIGH: Well, since the YA novel is not available for a few more months, which is probably the one that I would just immediately go for, I will finally read some Louise Penny.
ANNE: May find a way to smuggle Ready Player One onto your desk. That feels like a stretch, but I think you're going to like it.
LEIGH: I think that I will too. I will say I have read more not complete sci-fi, but I have read more in that direction. And so I think I'm more open to it than I realize.
[00:30:25] ANNE: And sometimes I have the hardest time talking myself into reading books that I... No, this isn't about you. This isn't like passive-aggressive or anything. But sometimes I have the hardest time talking myself into reading books that I suspect I'll love, but just I don't like the cover, or I don't like the title, or, you know, the plot seems a little weird. And I know better by now, but that doesn't mean it changes what I do. And then I read it and I love it and I feel like an idiot, and then I do it again later, even though I should have learned.
LEIGH: Well, but the problem with being a book nerd is that you never run out of options to read. And so it's more about prioritizing. That's where I feel like I need to figure out how to prioritize what I want to read instead of just kind of letting my whims lead me. Because they're usually pretty on target.
But I think it also, as I've learned the last year, of being more intentional in what I read, of actually making a list, like using your reading challenge, and then come in with some other categories of my own, to get me to read some of the things that would linger on my to-read list that I know that I want to read, but maybe just aren't as in my face or as obvious as other choices are. Although, 100 Years of Solitude was on my list for last year, and that was not worth it.
[00:31:47] ANNE: But you are no longer wondering, and you're no longer wishing you were going to read it one day.
LEIGH: Yeah.
ANNE: You put a checkmark next to that thing.
LEIGH: Yes.
ANNE: Exactly. Well, I can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks so much for talking books with me.
Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Leigh today. Check out our show notes at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. That's where we have all the links referenced in the full list of titles we talked about today.
To hear more from Leigh, where she is now, the book she would choose today, and more, go to patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext if you're not already a member, so that you get those Friday episodes coming your way soon. We've got some exciting stuff planned for July. I think you're going to love it.
Join us over on Instagram. Follow the show @whatshouldireadnext. That is the account that Leigh runs for our team, which is such a gift to me and to you.
Follow along in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocketcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribing and downloading new episodes each week is a big help for our show. So if you are able to take a moment and confirm your subscription in your favorite player, we would be so grateful.
[00:33:01] We also maintain an email list to keep you up to date on all things happening at What Should I Read Next? HQ. Make sure you're on the list at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Passage by Justin Cronin
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Márquez
• The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
• Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
• Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter by Nina MacLaughlin
• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
• The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
• Sacred Pauses: Spiritual Practices for Personal Renewal by April Yamasaki
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
• Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny
• Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
• This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Also mentioned: • The Red Couch Book Club
• Loot Crate
More from Leigh and our team:• The joy (and nerdery) of a crossword puzzle routine
• All of Leigh’s posts on the Modern Mrs Darcy blog
• WSIRN Ep 137: Bibliotherapy for the toughest times
• Bonus Episode: Preferred reading formats with Leigh, Brigid, and Shannan
• Bonus Episode: Medical nonfiction recommendations with Leigh
• Bonus Episode: A guided tour of the romance genre
• WSIRN Episode 268: Our team’s best books of the year
• WSIRN Episode 316: Books we loved in 2021
• WSIRN Episode 344: Our team’s favorite summer reads
• WSIRN Episode 394: Our team’s best books of summer
This month we’ll be sharing “Where are they now?” bonus episodes over on Patreon: find those and other bonuses from Leigh and the rest of our team members in our Patreon community.
The post The reality of bookworm problems appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We got back from the beach two weeks ago, and yet the time since we arrived back home (and the heat dome descended) have been such a whirlwind I feel like we just got here. Something I’ve come to accept—and better yet, appreciate—about the beach is my normal beauty routine is so different there. I cleanse like I do at home, but my makeup is a marked departure. I don’t wear a ton in my everyday life, and yet on vacation my entire makeup routine comes down to a little mascara and lip gloss.
I enjoy this nearly-no-makeup routine for a week, but it’s nice to come back to my own bathroom and full makeup drawer. Even in a heat dome, I appreciate spending five minutes with a few products that make me feel like I truly got ready for the day.
These past few years I’ve enjoyed experimenting with makeup more than I have in the past, but I’ve noticed that I tend to go pretty bare-bones in the summertime, even if I’m dressing up for a book event or fancy(ish) social gathering. It’s too hot to put too much makeup on, plus around here summer feels decidedly unfussy.
When I am going minimal, these are the products I find myself consistently reaching for. Getting the color right is often the hardest part and it’s so helpful to hear specific shades from others, even if our skin tone doesn’t match. That’s why I’ve included my shades below.
Foundation and BlushAlong with mascara, I’ve been wearing the following trio on the daily this summer.
I love an oh-so-light application of this e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter Highlighter (I like shade 3 in late summer and shade 2 in the winter and spring) over the parts of my face that see the sun the most. I hear it’s an excellent dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter but I’ve never shelled out for that more expensive product.
I didn’t wear concealer until the past few years, but now it’s part of my routine. I’m fond of this Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica in #14 Light Peach. (This is Lady Gaga’s makeup line!)
To apply the e.l.f. Halo Glow and the concealer, I love and adore the Merit Brush #1. This has easily been a top three makeup-related purchase of the past few years.
I also always reach for a blush: In the winter and spring it was Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Wisdom. (This shade unfortunately isn’t available anymore, but I’ve been happy with a variety of the Rare Beauty liquid blushes I’ve gotten in sampler kits that sadly also aren’t available at the moment.) But this summer I’ve been gravitating toward the Westman Baby Cheeks blush sticks, especially in the shades Petal and Chouchette. These are super versatile: I also use them on my eyes and lips (but not this summer).
Half the time I’ll take an extra minute for the Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder, in light medium.
Eye makeupI keep saying mascara is sometimes the only makeup I reach for in the summer: in 2024 that mascara has been the Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara, in black. Though at our MMD Book Club conversation about The Husbands last week, the chat somehow turned to the difficulty of finding a brown mascara, and Tower 28 also offers this product in brown. Different products work for different people; this one works for me. (I’ve also been dipping into this Sephora mascara sampler pack this month so maybe I’m about to have a new favorite?)
For eye shadow, I am still happily using a Natasha Denona Mini Biba palette that was included in a Sephora Favorites holiday set several years ago. But it’s going to be empty soon, so I’m relieved to see this Natasha Denona Mini Biba Eyeshadow Palette is available when the time comes. (The linked Biba palette has two additional shades compared to the one I have.)
I’m a longtime user of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Eyebrow Pencil in Taupe, but when I ran out last month I finally opened the Kosas Brow Pop Nano Ultra-Fine Detailing + Feathering Eyebrow Pencil I ordered ages ago. (I don’t like to have too many products open at once if I can help it, is that weird?) I LOVE it so far—not because the lines are particularly fine, which seems to be the marketing angle, but because it’s so easy to apply: I can lay it down with a light touch, which means I can easily apply just a tiny bit of product.
LipsThere have been many past summers where I’ve basically only worn lipstick and mascara, but for whatever reason, this summer I’m gravitating toward a very light lip. This Make Up For Ever liner in Whatever Walnut has been living on my bathroom counter, so I often use that as a light liner/base, often with a medium pink or coral like Fenty Gloss Bomb Lip Gloss in Glow (LOVE) or the Kosas Weightless Lip Color Nourishing Satin Lipstick in Daydream. (Up till now the Merit Shade Slick in Sangria has been in regular rotation, but I sent it with my daughter to her summer program! She loves it.)
What makeup have you been loving lately? Please share in the comments.
P.S. How do you find your favorite lipsticks? and Tried and true beauty and skincare products I never want to be without.
The post My go-to products for my current minimalist summer makeup routine appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s happening this weekend? Will and I are looking forward to watching season 3 of The Bear (although the first two episodes … I don’t know, friends), plus visiting with family and finishing a great audiobook. (At least it’s great so far. Fingers crossed!)
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Is Elin Hilderbrand Really Retiring? It’s Complicated. (Elle) Clearing up a frequently asked question about 2024 Summer Reading Guide pick Swan Song.
I Regret What’s In My Camera Roll. (Total Rec) “When I see these photos now, I’m not shocked by the disconnect between the photos and my actual life at that time. After all, I had consciously shaped it that way.”
My closet is filling up with the crochet trend: I’ve worn this crochet sweater to several events lately, and the price is right for this long-sleeved version from Old Navy.
Taika Waititi is taking on Percival Everett’s James. (Literary Hub) Big news!
The Best Way to Rehydrate Quickly When You’re Super Hot and Sweaty. (SELF) ‘Tis the season.
11 recommended reads for those traveling to Spain (or who want to). (MMD) Time for some literary tourism.
You’ve Read Your Last Free Article, Such Is the Nature of Mortality. (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency) Cracking up.
27 Easy Summer Dinner Ideas for When It’s Too Hot for the Stovetop. (Southern Living) Good timing.
Is anybody watching the same TV shows anymore? (Vox) “Making good television is a skill, and so is making alluringly addictive television. The industry hasn’t been set up to nurture either ability for a while.”
Kiese Laymon and Deesha Philyaw Launch New Podcast. (Kirkus Reviews) What a dream team!
The only way to not miss the good stuff. (MMD) On waterfalls, talking to strangers, and those things you just can’t learn without a little help.
I love linen in the summertime: like these cute linen shorts from Target.
A book that’s bigger than you are. (xoxo Dorie) “We need difference and distance, between ourselves and everything we know.”
A Korean Secret to Keeping Friendships Strong: Savings Groups. (New York Times gift link) This is a fascinating idea.
Don’t miss these posts:Unputdownable: MORE books I read in 24 hours or less. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop reading until you’re done.
6 strategies to get out of your reading rut. These really work.
15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio. You can listen to audiobooks year round but the summer is an especially great time, whether you’re gardening, sitting poolside, or on a road trip.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’ve had Spain on the brain around here at my house, and whenever we keep thinking about a certain place or theme that is unfailingly reflected in our reading lives. One of our daughters just got back from a school trip to Spain, which brought back many happy memories of last summer’s family trip to Europe with stops in England, France, and Spain. We read books set in those countries before and during our trip for an extra dose of synchronicity. There’s nothing quite like walking through a plaza you just read about in a novel! This was especially true during our time in Spain.
Spain has a fascinating and harrowing history when it comes to literature. The country had a kaleidoscope of influences during the Medieval Ages due to the mix of cultures, languages, and religions, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. This led to a variety of styles and genres over the centuries until the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Many prominent writers died during that time and all but a handful fled Franco’s dictatorship and went into exile. These losses and the period of intense censorship had a devastating effect on the literary scene and culture at large. Thankfully, things started to turn around in the mid-1950s and then exploded after Franco’s death in 1975.
Authors of note range from Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes to contemporary writers like Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Maria Dueñas. Then there are American writers like Ernest Hemingway who took much inspiration from their time in the country. These days, visitors to Spain will find much there to honor the country’s literary history: if you’re walking through Plaza de España in Madrid, be sure to check out the Monument to Cervantes, which features bronze statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Barcelona offers popular tours based on The Shadow of the Wind. And of course bookstores and libraries abound!
Built in 1712, Biblioteca Nacional de España is the largest public library in Spain. I didn’t make it here last year but I’ve made a note for next time. However, we always make time for bookstores and this trip we visited some great ones in Barcelona and Madrid. The standout was Madrid’s Desperate Literature (Librería Internacional). It’s a small well-curated English language bookstore and we were impressed with the staff and selection.
Today’s list includes a mix of books Will and I read before or during our trip, spanning a range of genres. I hope they provide you with some vicarious travel inspiration.
Literary Tourism: SpainSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Ruta Sepetys
It’s 1957 and fascist dictator Franco is in charge in this YA historical novel from family favorite Ruta Sepetys. Eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of a Texas oil tycoon, arrives in Madrid with his parents, looking forward to exploring the city through the lens of his camera. In the process, he meets Ana, an employee at the hotel. Her family is feeling the repercussions of the Spanish Civil War under Franco’s rule. Daniel’s photographs highlight disparities and lead to uncomfortable questions and danger for all involved. More info →Author: Chanel Cleeton
Cleeton’s story begins in 1964 with eldest sister Isabel traveling from Cuba to Spain on a rescue mission. Her glamorous—and estranged—younger sister Beatriz may be in trouble. But once she arrives in Barcelona, her search expands to involve not just Beatriz but long-buried secrets of her family’s past, which she hunts down with the help of Beatriz’s handsome friend. In satisfying alternate chapters, Cleeton shifts the story to 1936, when the girls’ disappointed mother, Alicia, leaves Cuba to seek solace with her parents in Spain after she makes an unwelcome discovery about her marriage. The storylines brilliantly converge—with a tied-with-a-bow ending. More info →Author: Andrew McCarthy
A real-time nonfiction account of the Brat Pack actor's 500-mile walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago with his 19-year-old son Sam. He details the pair's reasons for embarking on the trip, their long, hot days spent walking 20+ miles a day in the hot summer sun, the fellow walkers they meet along the way, the food they eat, the coffee they drink, the inns they sleep in, what they talk about on the journey. Will and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook on a road trip last summer: the elder McCarthy reads the majority but son Sam frequently adds his own voice, which makes for a wonderful listening experience. More info →Author: Maria Rosa Menocal
Before we left on our European adventure, team member Holly recommended this as a portrait of the vibrant civilization of medieval Spain. A fascinating story about an extraordinary place in time, this offers a great framework for understanding medieval Spain. Muslim, Jewish, and Christian cultures blended together in unexpected ways. We were surprised to learn the Iberian Peninsula actually thrived during the so-called Dark Ages, featuring a time of mostly peace and tolerance where art, literature, and science flourished. It came up again and again on the tours that we took. More info →Author: J. M. Coetzee
Listening to this book, narrated by Colin Mace, felt like an intellectual exercise: the Pole of the title is an aging pianist who visits Barcelona to perform works by Chopin. While there he meets Beatriz, a middle-aged socialite who volunteers with the Concert Circle, the organization that hosts the Pole. (They call him "the Pole" because the Spaniards of the Concert Circle don't even try to correctly pronounce all the consonants in the man's Polish name.) Beatriz and the Pole converse only briefly, and in English—which neither of them speaks fluently—so Beatriz is stunned when, months after his departure, she receives a flirtatious message from the man. And as a reader I was likewise stunned to see the two enter into an affair—though that isn't really what the story is about. I feel like a literature seminar could spend a semester unpacking everything this book has to say about place, language, translation, and love—and Dante and his Beatrice. More info →Author: Ernest Hemingway
A few of Hemingway’s novels were inspired by his time covering the Spanish Civil War in 1937 for the North American Newspaper Alliance, including this one. Robert Jordan is an American dynamiter who joins up with antifascist freedom fighters in the hills of Sierra de Guadarrama. They are tasked to blow up a bridge with the understanding they may not survive. While there, he falls for Maria and sifts through changing alliances during El Sordo's last stand. More info →Author: Ben Lerner
I picked this book up at Desperate Bookstore (where unsurprisingly, it's one of their bestsellers); this was definitely a right-book-at-the-right-time for me. Adam Gordon is an unhappy young American poet who's living in Madrid for a year on a poetry fellowship. He’s disillusioned with his life and himself and often escapes into drugs and alcohol. While this isn’t a book I would have read if not for my trip, I appreciated the way it approached and talked about translation. Plus, the strong sense of place and mentions of restaurants and neighborhoods had me googling aplenty—and marveling when I realized we were going to some of the same places! More info →Author: Almudena Grandes
After Julio Carrion Gonzalez dies, his body is returned to the small town of Torrelodones for burial. As the funeral progresses, his son Alvaro notices a beautiful stranger and wonders why she's there. That’s only the beginning of the mysteries Julio left behind. The family unexpectedly inherits a great deal of money and then Alvaro discovers letters and photographs sent to his father in Russia between 1941 and 1943. Covering the Spanish Civil War and the battlefields of Russia, this is an epic story of family, loyalty, and betrayal. More info →Author: Maria Duenas
Fashion, romance, and … espionage. If you loved Casablanca, try this novel set during the Spanish Civil War. Sira Quiroga works her way from dressmaker's assistant to a premier couturier, putting her in contact with the wealthy and powerful. When the British government asks her to spy for them as World War II gears up, she agrees, stitching secret messages into the hems of dresses. The dialogue is a little bumpy in places, but the story is worth it. Translated from the Spanish by Daniel Hahn. More info →Author: Michael Paterniti
A riveting and convoluted account about a culinary adventure. In 1991, while working at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Paterniti encountered a piece of a famous cheese reputed to be the finest, most expensive in the world. Ten years later, he embarks on a quest to uncover the story behind it. The story artfully weaves itself right into the heart of medieval Castilian village of Guzman ... until the real-life story becomes terribly confusing. From that point forward, this book is as much about the process of writing the book—complete with the details of dead-end research rabbit trails, tense conversations with editors, and several missed submission deadlines—as it is about the cheese itself. More info →Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Often cited as a modern classic in translation, this atmospheric novel is built around a literary mystery: who is Julián Carax, and why is someone systematically burning his books? It's a love letter to literature and a beautifully written masterpiece. I had a hard time getting into this sweeping story at first, but after I got oriented I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I loved the 1940s Barcelona setting, the rich cast of characters, and the surprising twists and turns the story took. Translated from the Spanish by Lucia Graves. More info → What are your favorite books set in Spain? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 12 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Scotland, 15 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Paris, and more literary tourism.
The post 11 recommended reads for those traveling to Spain (or who want to) appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This post is brought to you by my experiences of recent weeks, in which I’ve thought and spoken frequently about both hiking and Colorado. My husband Will is just back from an off-the-grid backpacking trip in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge; I have a surprising number of friends planning trips to Colorado or returning from those trips right now.
Will came home with stories from the trail that got me thinking about a particular hike my own family of six took almost exactly two years ago when we were visiting Rocky Mountain National Park for the first time. I wrote about that experience for my newsletter, but never here on the blog. Today I’m pulling that story from the archive and sharing it with you here (with a light edit for context).
I hope you’ll enjoy my tale from the trail (though of course it’s about more than that), and invite you to share your own thoughts and stories in the comments section.
This is the full text of the original piece, which first ran on July 17, 2022.
My family and I are recently returned from a week in Colorado. We love Colorado, and have visited family there often these past ten years. This time, we traveled to attend a memorial service near Colorado Springs, then headed north to experience new-to-us parts of the state.
This is not (yet!) a travel blog, so I’ll gloss over the details about our stop in Boulder (where I wrote my first yelp review, really), slowly taking in the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, and finally arriving in the small town of Estes Park, where we rented a cabin for a few days near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.
We wanted to spend a lot of time in the park, driving and hiking and taking it all in. Will had pinpointed a promising hike for us: just under six miles, tons to explore, and three(!!) waterfalls along the way—if we made it all the way to Ouzel Falls. We knew it was a stretch: the route is almost six miles, at elevation, and—the kicker—four of the six of us are suffering a foot-related annoyance, injury, or ongoing surgical rehabilitation. It was out and back, so knowing we could turn around at any point would be a comfort. But we were hoping we wouldn’t have to.
We set out on an unspeakably gorgeous July morning. It was crowded—it’s peak season, after all—but not overly so. As we hiked, we exchanged hellos and good mornings with our fellow hikers. I’m typically happy to exchange a friendly hello with someone I pass on the street (or the trail). And besides—I wonder if this changed things, that morning—I’d begun my day by reading an editorial by Anne Lamott in the New York Times. She’d written, “To make eye contact and smile is a kind of prayer, and it changes you.”
I was thinking of that on the trail that morning, and I think those words maybe changed me, at least for that morning, because I did exactly that, with more-than-usual intention.
There are six people in my family; sometimes we spread out on the trail. When the important conversation happened, I’d paused at the top of a long climb to wait for my people, because somehow I’d gotten ahead and out of sight of them all. Another man had paused at the same spot, traversing my route in reverse, waiting for his partner to descend. We exchanged our smiles and hellos and, because I was in a friendly mood, I asked him how far he’d been.
He’d been to Ouzel Falls, he said. What about me, how far was I going?
I don’t know, I told him, which baffled him. Baffled! What do you mean you don’t know?, he said.
I told him that, well, it depends. I told him (briefly, I promise) about our injuries and ailments. I told him I was hopeful but scared. I told him that—as an ailment-free parent to my four (12- to 19-year-old) babies and wife of my injured husband—I felt a duty to guard everyone’s health and happiness.
I told him that we might push for it, if we had reason to believe it would be worth it.
He proceeded to convince me it would definitely be worth it, with details. By then his partner had caught up to him and joined our conversation. They were already walking away when he turned around and called back to me, I almost forgot: you have to go left!
I had no idea what he was talking about, and (very nicely, I hope) told him as much and asked for details.
He told me the trail would take us to the general area of the waterfall, but we wouldn’t be able to really see it from the trail—so he described the exact path we needed to take once we got to our actual intended destination to actually see the thing we were hiking all that way to see.
The stranger and his partner took off, and my family caught up to me. (I do not usually get that far ahead, I promise!) We had a family chat about our hike-in-progress. I told them what he’d said. We agreed that we’d hold it loosely, but that we’d aim to go the whole way.
I’m going to skip over the interlude that is basically tears, on a big rock, after a grueling climb, at a spot that turned out to be four minutes from our destination—but we didn’t know we were that close so it felt pretty grim.
And then … we got there. We saw it from the trail, and it was beautiful, from a distance. So beautiful, in fact, we wouldn’t have realized there was more to see, except that the stranger had told us there was more.
We looked for anything that looked somewhat like a break in the rocks and the trees, and we went left, and got oh-so-close to an enormous waterfall (I’ve never been to Niagara or Victoria or anything close, so cut me some slack here), and the spray covered us, and we took a zillion photos, and sat and rested in the breezy shade.
And when we felt properly refreshed and restored, we started our descent.
When we got back to the proper trail, we crossed paths with a duo that had set down their bags to take pictures of the falls from the less-impressive vantage point. And before I even had a chance my husband Will said to them, I’m probably just being nosy, but do you know to go left for a better view?
They had no idea what he was talking about, and so he told them the same thing the stranger had told us, and they thanked him, saying they never would have known had he not said something, because nobody else had said, and the guidebooks hadn’t mentioned it.
And Will said, I know, because he understood exactly. He wouldn’t have known, either, but for the kindness of strangers.
We were grateful to that stranger, of course we were. I was glad (and more than a little relieved) that the reward at the top of our three-mile climb was something to behold. But also, from the moment we started our descent to right this very second, I’ve been thinking—with a mix of joy and terror—about the other things in this life that you can’t learn on your own or from a book or in a class but only from your fellow journeyers.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget that hike, or what came after.
I don’t want to paint an overly rosy picture for you. Real talk: we made it to our destination and saw something great. But once we were safely back at the bottom one kid said they loved the middle fall best (that’s Calypso Cascades; here’s my video) and Will’s favorite was the first, barely ten minutes into our hike. But my heart will always be with the one we worked for, that we found through stranger’s kindness wrapped in a chance comment, that made me notice something about this life I’ll never forget.
Does this bring to mind something you didn’t learn on your own, but from someone else on the journey? Perhaps you’re thinking of your own experiences on the trails, in Colorado, or Estes Park? How do you feel about talking to strangers? This is your moment to tell us in the comments section.
The post The only way to not miss the good stuff appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m hoping to get some rest (and do some laundry) after a whirlwind week, plus catch up with an old friend in town for the weekend. And I hope to finally finish a book—I’ve read so little this week and am longing for some quality time in my reading chair.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Book girl summer: Why brands are leaning into the literary world. (Vogue Business) Fascinating collaboration.
2024 Beach Reading Report. (MMD) My highly anecdotal, non-authoritative, super-nosy compendium from a week at the beach.
Speaking of the beach: The old and much-loved suit pictured in my Beach Reading Report is the Summersalt Perfect Wrap One-Piece (in sea urchin and white sand); it’s 30% off in some colors right now. (I’m 5′ 9″ and an 8.) This Tulum one piece from Andie Swim is the suit I reached for most last week because I love a low back. (I wear a medium, long torso and have it in basic black, but I’m loving the colors like ceramic and cherry red; Andie “essentials” like this suit are 25% off right now.)
English-Language Books Are Filling Europe’s Bookstores. Mon Dieu! (New York Times gift link) Fascinating! “English sales have accelerated in recent years, in part because books now go viral on social media, especially TikTok.” I love that this piece answers one of my burning questions about European book covers following our trip to Denmark and Germany this spring.
Why Dining Rooms Are Disappearing From American Homes. (Atlantic gift link) “The housing crisis—and the arbitrary regulations that fuel it—is killing off places to eat whether we like it or not, designing loneliness into American floor plans.”
For Elif Shafak, Literature Means Freedom. (Publishers Weekly) Speaking here of the 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide selection There Are Rivers in the Sky: “We tend to assume that when we talk about the River Thames, or the Mississippi River, or the River Tigris, that these are completely separate rivers. But actually, the water that has been circulating inside these rivers is the same. It’s the same water that we cry, it’s the same water that we drink.”
An Emporium of Everything From a Former Pencil-Shop Owner. (Curbed) All about the new Greenwich Village shop The Locavore Variety Store, from former CW Pencil owner (and WSIRN alum!) Caroline Weaver. I can’t wait to visit!
Summer lifesavers: sun protection clothing from Athleta (like this jacket; I’m an 8) and wide-brimmed hats like this one. And I may need to write a Raving Fans post about Trader Joe’s sunscreen: I love it that much.
Authors drive boom in US marketing demand as they seek help to plug books. (The Guardian) Authors arranging and paying for their own book tours and other marketing seems to becoming more and more common.
Travel agents are back. (Business Insider) “Ever since the pandemic-era travel restrictions subsided, travel has boomed…. Money spent on travel and entertainment surged 30% in 2023, fueled largely by young people. We’re all desperate to make up for lost time, but there’s a catch: Many of us 20- and 30-somethings are tired.”
What Can You Read in Prison? (Esquire) A thoughtful examination of the difficulty in accessing books while in prison—and the many benefits of providing books to those who are incarcerated.
Are You Anxious, Disorganized, and Forgetful? It Could Be ADHD. (Oprah Daily) “Girls and women often live with symptoms that are less glaring (disorganization, distraction, forgetfulness) but just as debilitating as the hyperactivity and impulsivity seen in boys.”
The 2024 Lambda Literary Award Winners. (Book Riot)
Don’t miss these posts:20 epistolary novels that will sweep you away. Reading an epistolary novel is like being let in on a good secret.
3 offbeat summer grilling favorites. The grilling recipes my family adores are a little unusual…
15 books to take you on a vicarious vacation. Go on a grand adventure without leaving home at all!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
My family is just back from a week at the beach, our habitual spot where, among other things, I habitually enjoy reading a book a day by the ocean, the pool, and on the balcony. These dedicated doses of quality reading time would be delightful on their own, but one of the highlights of reading in public on our trips is I get to see what other people are reading. I love to snoop other people’s book choices no matter where I am, but because beach and summer reading are near and dear to my heart I especially like to see what people choose to read on vacation.
This oceanfront sampling from Florida’s gulf coast is in no way representative of readers at large, but since we’ve been visiting this beach for nearly twenty years now (I’m shocked it’s been that long) I’ve had the opportunity to see how people’s reading habits have evolved over time in this small stretch of shoreline.
So what’s the beach reading situation in 2024? Just like last year, I spied so many readers reading actual paper books! Nowhere near as many people reading books as iPhones, but still, so many physical books, many more books than Kindles. Interestingly, those reading paper books tended to be older than me (50s, 60s, 70s) or younger than me (teens and 20-somethings); not many people who appeared to be in their 30s or 40s had actual print books this week. (Any theories as to why?)
This beach reading photo is from 2022 but you’d never know it; I had the same suit, hat, Kindle, shades, and fabulous oceanside reading experience in 2024!
In many ways, this year’s beach read sampling resembled what I observed in 2023. To explain, let me first walk you back to 2022, when Colleen Hoover (lots of different titles but especially It Ends With Us) and Carley Fortune’s just-released debut Every Summer After dominated the beach. (Not a judgment, just an observation.) But this year and last are remarkable, compared to previous years in our iPhone-saturated era, not just for the recent increase of physical books but for the the great diversity of reads on display. I’ve never said this before but: this week I never saw two readers with the same book, with one notable (and awesome) exception.
I saw many books I expected to see—those recent and current bestsellers that are statistically likely to show up in crowds of readers—but not in the quantity I expected. Instead of multiples as in past years, I saw single copies of new beach-worthy releases like Abby Jimenez’s Just for the Summer, Emily Henry’s Happy Place paperback and her new Funny Story hardcover, Christina Lauren’s The Paradise Problem, and Carley Fortune’s 2022 hit Every Summer After (but not her new release, the Summer Reading Guide selection This Summer Will Be Different). Our typical beach spot is not terribly close to any bookstores, independent or chain, and I do wonder if we’d see more new releases and bestsellers were we closer.
I saw piles of mysteries and thrillers in the hands of readers of all ages, including Lisa Jackson’s You Don’t Want to Know, Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind (Netflix tie-in edition, in a teenager’s hands), Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, When I saw Gregg Olsen’s If You Tell and Doug Kari’s The Berman Murders in readers’ hands I assumed they were fictional thrillers, but it turns out they’re both nonfiction true crime tales—the former about three children abused by their mother in 1990s-2000s rural Washington state and the latter about a still-unsolved 1986 murder that took place in the Mojave Desert.
Romance and women’s fiction were well-represented: I saw several different titles from Lucy Score and Ana Huang, multiple installments from Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, and a handful of Colleen Hoover titles—but in nothing like past years’ quantities, and no repeats. Over the course of the week I saw a handful of library books and two magazines, which made me wistful for my family of origin’s spring break beach trips in the 80s and 90s: I used to love stocking up on Seventeen and Allure and the like at the grocery store before leaving for vacation. (This week I saw Real Simple and Outside; the Outside was in my husband’s hands.)
A beach read is any book you read on the beach, and plenty of readers had chosen nonfiction books that you probably don’t think of when you hear the phrase “beach reading”: Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s On Death and Dying, C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, Kati Neville and Lindsay Ahrens’s Fix, Freeze, Feast. I saw one man reading Chat GPT Made Simple with James Clear’s Atomic Habits waiting on deck. For a moment I thought The Perfect Marriage was nonfiction because the reader seemed to be journaling about it, but then I noticed the blood splatter on the cover. Turns out it’s a psychological thriller about a successful defense attorney who must defend her own husband when he’s accused of murdering his mistress. My mistake!
As for what I read on the beach: alas, this year the answer was not a book a day, but I am definitely happy with my reading week and the four books I completed in six full days. This is the part you’re not going to like, because I’m about to get vague, but for a good reason: I started the week with two of my personal most-anticipated forthcoming releases that I now know we will feature in our September Fall Book Preview. (Tickets not yet available, but you can check out last year’s edition right here.) Both were mystery/thrillers from authors I already know and love; each was suspenseful and plotty and exactly right for the beach and kept me happily occupied for exactly twenty-four hours.
Then I shifted to Isabella Hamad’s 2023 release, the Aspen Words Literary Prize winner Enter Ghost, which I bought at Books & Mortar in Grand Rapids in April (at the recommendation of WSIRN alum Allison Matz, who didn’t say anything about it beyond it being her favorite book of the year, or some similar superlative). Since then I’ve been saving it for my own summer reading. It was the kind of book that I had to read slowly: smart, reflective, and beautifully written. I knew very little about it going in and was surprised to discover it’s a theater book: in the wake of a destabilizing break-up, a Palestinian actress flees London and returns home to visit her Palestinian family in Haifa after a long absence, and while there is pulled into an Arabic production of Hamlet. This story demanded to be read slowly, and on top of that I did so much googling, both for my understanding of the plot and timeline and out of curiosity about the region’s history and present. While not at all the same, in many ways it reminded me of Hala Alyan’s The Arsonist’s City.
I finished the week with a sexy and intellectual (yes, both!) re-read that was undeniably work reading, as I was revisiting it with fresh eyes to determine if it would make a good fall pick for Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. (I think … yes?) But the book itself was a pleasure, and I discovered it’s the sort of read that is even better on the second pass than the first.
I almost forgot! Now about the only time I saw two readers with the same book: almost every day I saw two women who looked to be my mother’s generation sitting side by side with matching paperback copies of Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. I only saw them reading, never talking—but I do hope they enjoyed good conversation about their reading all week long.
If I’m the only one who wants to eavesdrop on other peoples’ reading choices, I don’t want to know. But if you also like to see what everybody else is reading, or what you’re choosing to read this summer, tell me in the comments section!
The post 2024 beach reading report appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest lives in Paris, but she’s planning an epic summer road trip to the northern Alps of Italy. While the summer Olympics descend upon her city, native Parisian Corinne Yan will be hitting the road, and she is here today to get my help in discovering great audiobooks to pair with this long drive.
But before diving into recommendations, we have to talk about Corinne’s dreamy book job: she works as a book restorer at the oldest French public library, the Bibliothèque Mazarine. Corinne’s work allows her to restore a wide range of documents, from 78 CE papyri to Middle Age religious manuscripts to 19th century Napoleon caricatures.
Corinne also has a hefty to-be-read list, with more than 1,700 titles she’d like to explore. In addition to planning her road trip listening, today we talk about how she might tackle this list, which can feel overwhelming at times, and ideas for how Corinne might balance the occasional reread of beloved books with the intentional pursuit of new-to-her reading experiences.
Share your audiobook suggestions for Corinne by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Corinne on Goodreads.
The Summer Reading Guide is out now!So many of you have already devoured your 2024 Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide. But if you haven’t snagged yours yet, there’s still plenty of summer reading enjoyment to be had. Buy your guide a la carte, or join one of our reading communities, and your guide (as well as all of the archives from past years!) is included. Choose the best option to unlock your summer reading at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, we know so many of you have already devoured your 2024 Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide. We know you placed all your holds and pre-orders. But if you haven't snagged yours yet, well, it's here, it's available, it is ready and waiting for you. Go to modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
Now, anyone can get a copy of our Summer Reading Guide. Our patrons and Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club members enjoy it as a perk of those membership communities. And also, we hear you when you say you want an a la carte option. It is available. Modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
[00:01:16] Now, to financially, sustainably keep us in business during these wild, weird podcasting times, we do greatly appreciate your ongoing patronage, and we help you decide if that's the route you want to go at that page, modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
We also know that many of you just want to get in, get out with your guide. That's what that a la carte option is for. There's so much good stuff in this year's guide. Thank you for your feedback. So many of you say this is the best yet, which makes us feel so good. Also makes me think, ah, what are we going to do for 2025? But it's just 2024. We don't need to get ahead of ourselves.
What we do need to do is stop and appreciate this year's crop of summer books. This year's guide is packed with backlist titles from our team and also 42 amazing new novels for 2024. From thrillers to family dramas, excellent historical fiction, lots of genre-benders, love stories to midlife reckonings, and a whole lot more besides. Get the lowdown, find out how to get your guide, modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm for summer reading and your support.
[00:02:28] Today's guest is a native Parisian. And while many of her neighbors may be excited about the summer's Olympics coming to the city, Corinne Yan has a different kind of Olympic experience in mind. She plans to get out of town and take a road trip to the northern Alps of Italy, as you will hear.
Now, Corinne doesn't love the idea of being stuck in a car, and so she would love great audiobooks to pair with this long drive. We're going to talk today about the titles she might find most suited for this specific trip. We've got lots of options.
But before we do that, we're going to hear about Corinne's dreamy book job. She works as a book restorer at the oldest French public library, the Bibliothèque Mazarine.
Corinne's work allows her to restore a wide range of documents, from 78 CE papyri to Middle Age religious manuscripts to 19th century Napoleon caricatures. And, of course, we need to hear more about all of that today.
Before Corinne and I dive into her summer audiobook selections, we'll also chat about Corinne's To Be Read list, which has more than 1,700 titles on it right now, and how Corinne might be able to balance the occasional reread of beloved books with the intentional pursuit of new-to-her reading experiences.
[00:03:42] This is a good one. Let's get to it.
Corinne, welcome to the show.
CORINNE YAN: Hi, Anne. I'm happy to be here.
ANNE: Oh, the pleasure is mine. Thank you for joining us all the way from Paris to talk books today.
CORINNE: Thank you to welcome me.
ANNE: Corinne, tell us a little bit about yourself. We want to give our readers a glimpse of who you are.
CORINNE: Yes. Well, first of all, I am French, which you can probably tell by my accent. I live in Paris and my day job is that I am a book conservator, which means that I am responsible for the physical care of books and also a little bit of graphic arts.
My current job is at the Bibliothèque Mazarine, which is the oldest public library in France. It is located in the very center of Paris and it's a few meters from the Seine. I can even see the Louvre from my windows, so it's very central.
[00:04:46] By the way, if you plan on going to Paris, I would highly suggest visiting the library because it is gorgeous, it has big wooden tables, it has green lamps and huge shelves full of old books. And it's just like the movies, like the Beauty and the Beast, I think, kind of library.
The documents that I restore come from different periods in our history. For example, I recently worked on fragments of papyrus that were discovered in the ruins of Herculaneum in the 18th century, after they were burned during the Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD, I remember correctly. It's the same eruption as for Pompeii.
I am currently restoring a collection of 19th-century caricatures of Napoleon and I also work on some medieval illuminated manuscripts. So you can see how diverse my work can be. I'm really lucky to be working in such a beautiful place and with such beautiful parts of our history. I never get bored, which is awesome.
[00:06:05] ANNE: Oh, this is giving me pangs because as we were talking before we hit record, I was in Paris last year with my family and we walked right by the Bibliothèque Mazarine, and we didn't know what we were passing up. We'll have to visit next time. The online photos are absolutely gorgeous. What a workplace!
CORINNE: Yes, yes. I discovered that a lot of tourists don't know about our library, which is public. So you can just register and come sit and study. And the visits are free. So it's not like any museums, it's completely free. It's underrated, I think.
ANNE: You have to be in the know to make plans to go. So thank you for enlightening us. Corinne, how did you get into that line of work?
CORINNE: I always loved books as a kid. I wanted to work with books. At the beginning, I wanted to be a librarian. But I also liked doing things with my hands, creating stuff, drawing. One of my hobbies is knitting, for example. So I wanted something that combines the love of books and also arts and also doing stuff with my hands.
[00:07:23] Naturally, I went into an art school where I learned bookbinding. So I'm a bookbinder at first. I know how to build books and also ornate them and gild them. During my studies, I discovered the cultural heritage around and got interested in it because I also love history. So naturally I became a book conservator.
ANNE: Naturally.
CORINNE: Yes. It was very smooth, kind of a natural pathway for my passions and studies.
ANNE: Corinne, what does a typical workday look like? So you go into work on a Tuesday morning.
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: What happens next?
CORINNE: Every day is different. And that's why I love my job so much, it's because in the big picture, I do every day the same kind of things. For example, if a paper is torn, I will repair the tear. But every day is different.
[00:08:29] Sometimes I work for weeks and weeks on one book. Sometimes I have this big project that I do with a lot of coworkers and we restore maybe a hundred papers in one day. I also do a lot of formation. I teach my co-workers how to do certain things, how to repair that kind of materials. So yes, every day is kind of different. I don't know if it's...
ANNE: You said you never get bored.
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: I can see how that could be a reason why. What happens to these manuscripts when you are done restoring them?
CORINNE: I give them back to my co-workers who store them. Sometimes they can be lended to other institutions, for example, museums in France or elsewhere.
[00:09:30] Today I worked on a little drawing that will go to the Netherlands. Yes, it needed a little bit of dust removal because it was a little bit dusty and we will give it a frame because it will be in an exhibition and then it will go to the Netherlands and then come back, hopefully.
ANNE: Thank you for the glimpse, behind the scenes of the Bibliothèque Mazarine. Corinne, as a Parisian, you have a very specific literary dilemma happening this summer, and I'm excited to get into that. But first, would you give me a picture of what your reading life looks like right now?
CORINNE: Right now, I have a good relationship with reading. I searched myself for a few years when I was a teenager. Because when I was a kid, I read a lot. I loved reading growing up. I spent a lot of time in libraries, and that's why I wanted to become a librarian.
[00:10:39] And then as I grew up and I became a teenager, this reading life slowed down a lot because of school, because of social events, and above all because of the internet. I discovered Facebook and Instagram and it went downhill from there.
My love of reading came back when I signed up on Goodreads in 2012. Thanks to the reading challenge because it helped canalize me. Since then I did nothing but reading in my spare time. Now I read whenever I can. During my commute, when waiting in line at the grocery store, between sets at the gym, and while knitting for example.
I am a mood reader, I think, but I am also an INTP so I love planning. For a few years now, each year I select 80 to 90 books and I put them in a spreadsheet and I sort them with different criteria such as fiction, non-fiction, or if I own it or not.
[00:11:54] I always choose a right balance between the genres that I love and different length and pace. This way, when I'm looking for something to read, I can just pick one up from the list, and depending on my mood, I don't feel lost faced to what seems like an endless to-be-read pile.
ANNE: Thank you for that. I'll keep that in mind. And oh gosh, I love the way you described how you enjoy planning. And it sounds like you really do truly enjoy that as part of the process.
CORINNE: Yes, yes. I usually do it in December at the end of the year, and it's my little treat. When I finish the chore, I go to my computer and I work on my list. Day by day, I see it growing up and I search for where I can find it, if my library has it. And I give myself a certain number of horror books, fantasy books. It's like a puzzle game and I love it.
ANNE: It sounds like you do. I hear that. Corinne, our team laughed when they saw your submission about your Parisian dilemma in this season. Actually, would you tell us more about that now? I mean, we laughed because Paris has been in the global spotlight. And reading your submission, I think we all collectively went, Oh, of course, this makes perfect sense. Tell us more.
[00:13:30] CORINNE: So you know that this year, this summer, Paris is welcoming the Olympics. So I think the world is very thrilled to be watching the competition and the sports. Some people may even come from your listeners. Some of them may even come to Paris to see the show.
But I am on the inside of it and very in it, because, as I said, I live and work in Paris. I work in very central Paris and we are directly impacted by it. It will make everything difficult because some areas will be strictly restricted. The access will be controlled by the police, by different security teams. Overall, if you don't come here to see the games, I think you will have a hard time visiting Paris this year.
[00:14:37] So, like many other Parisians, I plan on fleeing the city, even if our Mayor said that, no, don't flee the city during the summer. But I want to go away from the madness of it, from the crowds to search the quietness of the countryside and read in peace.
ANNE: That sounds lovely. Where do you plan to go?
CORINNE: I'm going on a little road trip with my boyfriend. We are going to northeastern Italy where his grandparents live. They have a little house in a charming village in the mountains of Italy. From there we will stay a week and then go to Germany and then go back to France.
ANNE: Oh, that sounds lovely. Corinne, tell me how reading fits in to your summer plan.
[00:15:42] CORINNE: I'm very happy to go on a road trip because I usually travel with trains or plane and every reader know that it's a big dilemma for books, because I own a Kindle and I love it but I also like my paper books so I can't always take all of them with me.
This time I will. I will fill the trunk with books and at the same time I'm not really fond of being in cars. I don't drive. I don't have a driver's license. I also have bad motion sickness. So when I'm in a car, I can't read, I can't do anything and it's boring.
So I was hoping to get suggestions, to get audiobook suggestions for passing the time while on the road because it's long, it will be long. I can't recall how many hours. I think in total it's more than 15 hours of driving. So it can be long.
[00:16:53] ANNE: I relate to that myself. Don't particularly love to be stuck in the car, but a good book sure does help. Let's see what we can do. And I think to find books that we have good reason to suspect that you will truly enjoy, I mean, you know what we do here. We need to hear about what you love and don't.
Corinne, are you ready to share your books with me?
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: You know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we will endeavor to find some audiobooks you can listen to on your upcoming trip. Corinne, how did you choose these today?
CORINNE: I tried to choose books that I would recommend to people and that I have recommended to people. I also wanted to put a French book in the three books I love, just because I think it's one of my favorites, but also for your listeners to have them get a glimpse of French classic literature if they want to.
It wasn't so hard to choose because, yes, it's the books that I always suggest to people.
[00:18:05] ANNE: That sounds like a great way to pick. Corinne, tell me about the first book you love.
CORINNE: The first one would be Stoner by John Williams. Often when people ask what my favorite book is, I want to answer Stoner, but I always struggle to explain exactly why. I don't recall the full story because I've read it a few years back and I have bad memory, but I remember going through all of the feelings while reading it, and it's made its mark on me, in a kind of way.
It's a very simple story. It's the story of William Stoner, who is a humble man with a very simple life. He's a professor. He's married. There is nothing fancy really about his life and even his personality. And it seems a little bit boring when I say it like that, but really it's not. I think if someone described it to me like that, I wouldn't have read it. I don't know why I picked it up in the first place, but I loved it.
[00:19:12] We embark on a journey with him. It's the journey of a life that, yes, may seem boring from the outside, but it was still very worth living. Because even if he experiences disappointment and solitude, there is also a glimpse of love, of hope, a little bit of passion.
I saw that someone spoke about it like it was a perfect book, and I think it is. It was perfect, but it's very hard to describe why. I also read it in French, in translation, and I am curious to read it in English one day because I heard that John Williams' prose was very beautiful, and I am curious to see that.
ANNE: Corinne, I've not read this yet, but your description makes me want to. Thank you for nudging me to bump it on my list. What is the second book you love?
CORINNE: Actually, I cheated for the second one because it is a series. It's the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. This one represents my love for medieval fantasy. The trilogy is engaging, it is fast-paced and epic. I read it on paper the first time and on audio the second time and both times I couldn't put it down or stop it.
[00:20:35] Robin Hobb is very good at creating an immersive setting. You can really feel the life in the world he creates, you can hear the weapons and the soldiers during the battles, you can smell the food in the castle kitchen. It's lively.
There is also great characterization. The cast is interesting and everyone is flawed and often sad. I like to say that the main character is like this fantasy emo kid and they all have nuanced developments. There is romance that is not too romance-y because I'm not into romance, but this one was okay. It's very engaging.
ANNE: This is the kind of cheating I heartily endorse. Thank you for sharing that with us. Corinne, what is the third book you love?
[00:21:31] CORINNE: The third one is The Rougon-Macquart Cycle by Émile Zola. I also cheated for this one because it is a series of 20 novels this time written in the 19th century by a French writer named Émile Zola. It is considered a classic in France and we often study it in high school.
The subtitle of the cycle is A Natural and Social History of a Family under the Second Empire, and it is just as it says. Zola's project was to depict the influence of heredity and how it affects the descendants of one family, the Rougon-Macquart.
His theory was that negative and positive traits are passed down through generations. Each book follows one member of this big family and the setting is different each time.
For example, the most famous one is Germinal and it talks about a coal miner strike in the north of France.
[00:22:37] There is another one named Au Bonheur des Dames, which is about the creation of department stores in Paris, like the Galerie Lafayette, which still exists today.
Another favorite of mine is La Faute de l'Abbé Mouret, which follows a young priest in Provence. So it's very diverse and wide.
Zola did a lot of research for his novels, so they are historically accurate. But they are not boring at all. It's still like the Farseer trilogies, engaging you really in it. His descriptions are harsh and they are so realistic that you can really imagine being in the story and in the time and in the minds, for example.
The tone is overall quite depressing because he says that globally social determinism and family traits drive the character's destiny and they can never or rarely escape it. So it's kind of depressing, but still, I would suggest it to someone who would love to dive into French literature. And I think they are translated in English.
[00:23:57] ANNE: Corinne, have you read this whole series?
CORINNE: Yes. Yes, I finished it last year. It was a life project.
ANNE: Tell me about a book that wasn't right for you.
CORINNE: For this one, I chose a book that I finished because usually when I don't like a book, I have no problem abandoning it. So as you can see, I'm not really into light and fluffy books. I like depressing, gloomy stories with sad characters and tragic fates.
So when I first heard of A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara I was instantly sold. It's about a group of friends, four friends. They grow up and get older together. They live in New York. We follow their ups and downs. I thought it was about friendship, male friendship particularly, and these friends they all revolve around a central character named Jude. So I was very excited to read it and it was a huge disappointment.
[00:25:07] I can say I hated it. I have no problem saying I hated this book. To this day, I don't know why I didn't abandon it, because it was long. Maybe I was waiting to see if there was something interesting hidden at the end, but the answer was no.
Yes, I am not afraid of difficult topics, on the contrary, but this book was just... I felt it was just plain trauma porn, and I'm not interested in this. The characters they only existed to suffer and they were very dull and unidimensional. There was time when I wanted to shake them because they were boring.
The whole story is also implausible to the point that it became ridiculous. The characters all rise smoothly from the bottom to the top. And in some passages, the novel read like a lifestyle magazine. All of this made that I could not suspend my disbelief for one moment in the whole book.
The book was long and repetitive. I felt like there was no subtlety either because everything was told and not shown, so it was... I felt like a waste of time, of my time. So I hated it.
[00:26:39] ANNE: It sounds like it was not a good fit for you.
CORINNE: No, no.
ANNE: Okay. Now we're not giving specific, you know, writerly requests or instructions, but Corinne, what was this book missing that you thought you would find there that would have made it a worthwhile reading experience based on what you tend to enjoy?
CORINNE: I think it lacked cutting. Because if it was a 200, 300 pages book, maybe I could get over the trauma porn and the lifestyle magazine passages, but really it was very long and repetitive and I couldn't get into it.
But I am not a writer, so I can't really judge a book from the writing perspective, but the trauma dumping served no purpose, really, except for a shock value, I think, a shock factor. Maybe if this shocking scenes were written differently, with more compassion and empathy maybe I would have liked it more.
[00:27:56] ANNE: Interesting. So many readers love this book, and they appreciate spending time in this world with these characters. And what I'm wondering is, was this a place that you might have appreciated a brief trip to, but not an extended stay in?
CORINNE: Yes, exactly. I think a glimpse of it would have been enough.
ANNE: Okay. That's what I'm trying to figure out because it has so many qualities you like and yet it wasn't a fit.
CORINNE: Yes, I was first surprised.
ANNE: Okay. I'm going to hold that theory as we move forward. Corinne, what have you been reading lately?
CORINNE: Lately, I read A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon. And this one I found everything I love in it. It has a diverse cast of characters with great storytelling and a great world-building. It's fantasy, and you can't go wrong with fantasy, I think.
ANNE: You mean you can't go wrong with fantasy.
[00:28:59] CORINNE: Yes, I can't go wrong with fantasy. I also read The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. My sister lent it to me and she was praising it so hard that I could not not read it. So I read it and was totally embarked in the story. I loved it because I like multi-generational stories. I am also a big fan of magical realism.
Finally, I recently read Yellow Face. by R. F. Kuang. I was absolutely fascinated by the story, and I read it in almost one sitting. As a Chinese descendant, I related a lot with everything being said, and at the same time I was happy to get to learn more about the publishing world today. I did not suspect it would be like that. It's a very cruel world. Maybe I live in my own bubble, but I thought that being a writer was kind of a dream job, but it appears not.
[00:30:11] ANNE: Well, an ordinary writer's job maybe isn't this tough a fiction.
CORINNE: Yes. And yes, it was really good. I read this one in English and I thought that Kuang's pen was sharp and brutal and also cynical and I loved it.
ANNE: I'm just sitting here smiling. There's so much we could work with here and I'm really excited to dig in. Okay, Corinne, you loved Stoner by John Williams, The Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb, and The Rougon-Macquart Cycle by Émile Zola.
Not for you was A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. And I'm hearing you can't go wrong with fantasy. You like magical realism. Yellow Face wasn't what you expected, but you really, really liked it. And you are looking for really wonderful audiobooks for your future road trip.
Also, you mentioned another little bit of a dilemma you had. Would you tell me about your 1,700 book, TBR?
[00:31:11] CORINNE: Yes. I listen to a lot of book podcasts like yours. And except from romance and young adult, I really like all kinds of books and genres, so I always want to read everything. I also read nonfiction and memoirs.
So when I hear someone speak about a book, there is a 90% chance that I will add it to my want-to-read list. So it became kind of a nightmare because I read one book and I add 10 at the same time and it's... yes, it's too much.
I'm a bit overwhelmed with it. It also stops me from rereading books that I love. I would love to reread books, but every time I'm starting to read a book that I've already read, I feel this guilt when looking at this virtual pile of to-be-read books.
[00:32:09] So, yes, I would love if you could pick books from this endless pile of book that scares me.
ANNE: Do you ever go back and look at it?
CORINNE: Yes, I go back and look at it. I draw my yearly list from it hoping that it would slowly decrease the pile, the pile of shame, I call it.
ANNE: Corinne, we need to find different framing for that.
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: I mean, it could be a pile of possibility.
CORINNE: Yes. I recently saw on the internet that some people call it a wine cellar. It's like a wine cellar when you collect wine bottles and you wait for the right time and the right place to open it. I've seen people comparing it with books. But still, I think 1,700 is a little bit too much.
ANNE: 1,700 is a lot of books.
[00:33:13] CORINNE: Yes, it's a lot. Even if I read 100 books per year, which I don't, it would take me 17 years. And it's a lot of years.
ANNE: It is a lot of years. And that's not counting time that you could set aside for rereading some of your favorites.
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: What makes you think you might enjoy re...? Now, I'm saying this as someone who loves to reread. But what has you thinking that you may enjoy going back to revisit some books you've already read and loved?
CORINNE: It's because I have a very short memory. I read I think kind of a lot. I read about 80 books a year and I think it's too much because I can't recall what I read two months ago. I can recall the beginning plot and maybe the ending but what's in the middle, I don't know.
My friends all know that I love to read, and when they ask me for something to read, I just can say I loved it, but I can't say why, because I can't recall the story. I can't be taken seriously like that.
[00:34:23] So I would like to revisit books that I know I loved but just can't remember what happened. Like Stoner, for example.
ANNE: Well, you do love to plan ahead. And something that you could do for yourself is think about what... you could start small, three to five, maybe even just one book you want to revisit in the future. I don't know if you want to plan for your fall or for your 2025, but you could try this. You could see what happens. You could see how it feels.
CORINNE: Yes, that's a great idea. I've never think of it.
ANNE: It's an obvious one, so I don't know if there's something you've experimented with. I hope it feels doable. It's something that you could just try and see how it goes.
CORINNE: Yes, absolutely. Thank you.
ANNE: All right, well you did send me your TBR and I scrolled through all of Goodreads and I noticed some really interesting things. Can I share them with you?
CORINNE: Yes.
[00:35:23] ANNE: You had so many of the same authors appear repeatedly. You added the same book in different languages multiple times, like the French edition and the English edition, that you would add four years apart, but they're both on your TBR. So that means that you don't actually have 1,700 books. It's only like 1,689.
CORINNE: That's a relief.
ANNE: And the number of authors is much, much smaller because I saw multiple instances where you have four to seven books by the same author.
I noticed also that over time your taste feels remarkably constant. Do you feel like you still enjoy reading in 2024 some of the books that you really loved reading five, seven years ago? Because I think your TBR indicated that you're still consistently adding the same kinds of books, which is both a good and a bad thing.
If your taste had really evolved, then you could maybe cut your TBR in half really quickly. But also, I thought that constancy was really interesting to see in a reader.
[00:36:35] CORINNE: Yes, I think you're right. I think I never really changed my way of reading and the things I love reading since I was maybe 18, so 10 years ago. Yes, yes, you're right.
ANNE: Can I mention one book, just one, that's not on your TBR?
CORINNE: Yes, yes, of course.
ANNE: The one book that is not currently in that 1,700-book TBR that I kept thinking of when I was reviewing your favorites is by Canadian author Carol Shields. It's called The Stone Diaries. This won the Pulitzer in 1995 for those who care about such things.
And, you know, like right down to the name, The Stone Diaries, it reminds me so much, especially of Stoner by John Williams. This book details the life of Daisy Stone Goodwill, like the title also comes from her last name, like is the case for Stoner. And you follow her over the course of 80-ish years of her life from her eventful birth in a small town in an outlying Canadian province to her death in the state of Florida in the U.S. many, many years later.
[00:37:47] This is supposedly a chronicle of what is explicitly called, but you may or may not agree actually is, an ordinary life. I'm not sure what language you may read this in, but the English edition, and it was originally written in English, has been praised by many for its just beautiful, shimmering prose.
I think it has a lot of the qualities that your favorites evidence you really enjoy. Now, I don't know what has some of those other characteristics. It's definitely a little bit dark, a little bit gloomy, but it doesn't have the fantasy or the magical realism.
It's not particularly adventurous or mysterious like some of your favorites are, but just wanted to put that out there. But I do want to choose some books from your TBR because I think you're choosing really well for yourself.
Also, something I noticed is so many of your reads naturally cluster into certain groupings that just have similar themes that might be fun to read like close to each other. So that's another way that maybe your TBR can feel smaller even if it's still quite a few titles.
[00:38:58] Do you have a sense... like if I asked you, what authors do you think are really strongly represented in your Goodreads TBR, would you be able to toss out some names? I'm wondering how much familiarity you have with what's there or if it truly is just your external reading brain.
CORINNE: Yes, I think it's my external reading brain because when you said that you noticed a few authors that came back a lot, I can't... I don't know. I have no idea.
ANNE: Well, I have the gift of not being in your reading brain. So I have a different perspective, an external perspective when I'm reading your TBR. So I'll share my notes with you. Also, let's focus on a few right now. Can we do that?
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: Okay. So let's start with a series. You mentioned that you really love fantasy, you can't go wrong with fantasy. I noticed you only added the first book of the series. Shoot, Corinne, now I'm actually giving you potentially three books.
[00:39:56] But you had the book Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James on your TBR. That is the first book in his Dark Star trilogy that is now complete. All the novels are ready and waiting for you.
These stories are immersive and atmospheric. They all are set in the same world but you get very different points of view in each book from different characters in this story.
These three novels follow three characters. They are the tracker, the moon witch, and the boy. And in each novel we get one of those characters' perspectives on what unfolded in this nine-year period and James' world that he's built is really interesting.
He uses African myths and legends as his foundation. He adds these fantastical creatures into the mix and other really imaginative, epic-feeling developments and plot points.
I think you may really enjoy spending time in this world. I think it has a lot of the elements you love. You don't mind the dark, adventurous, epic, mysterious. You're not afraid of long books. This whole series delivered. How is this sounding to you?
CORINNE: That sounds amazing. I can't recall putting it in my list, so that gives you an idea of how a dump of my brain my list is. But it sounds amazing.
ANNE: Hearing it as if for the first time.
CORINNE: Yes.
[00:41:28] ANNE: Okay. I want to surface the work of Daphné du Maurier. Five of her works are on your want-to-read list. And something I noticed is that you've added her works to your want-to-read list at a steady pace, almost one a year since 2019. With the most recent du Maurier you just added that a few months ago.
I would actually recommend... now you could start anywhere. If you look at the du Maurier books you want to read on your TBR and think, yes, that one is jumping out at me, you could certainly jump in. But if you'd appreciate some guidance, I would say start with Rebecca. It's the first one that you added to your list back in 2019.
It was written in the 1930s. It's a classic novel that's well-known by many of our listeners tuning in right now. Something that's interesting about it is I think it also feels really, really fresh. It's full of spine-tingling tension. It'll make you pay attention. You'll want to know what happens next.
I think this could be really good for someone on a road trip that they're maybe, you know, excited about the destination but not so much about the journey. This could be a nice distraction.
[00:42:36] Her approach here is really interesting. Rebecca, our title character, is dead before the action begins. She is the first wife of Mr. de Winter, I believe. I haven't talked about this book in a long time. And his young second wife is our narrator, and we never find out her name.
She does not understand what's happening in this story. She doesn't have a lot of agency in her life for a long time in the book. And the reader doesn't know either. And you slowly begin to wrap your mind around what is really happening in this house, in this family, in this world. And by the time you discover what really happened, you may find yourself to be one of the many readers who feels almost complicit in what happened.
The story begins with a mansion going up in flames. It ends with the discovery as to why. For those looking for a different kind of summer reading experience, there's so much to discuss here like with your fellow readers or in book club. Marriage, the manor home, oh, just some of the characters who do creepy things.
[00:43:48] The narration for the English edition is done by narrator Anna Massey. It's just superb. You have four more du Maurier books on your TBR that I think you may enjoy reading next. Very different stories, similar to varying degrees vibes. How does that sound to you?
CORINNE: Well, I'm so sorry to say that I've read Rebecca.
ANNE: You have!
CORINNE: I have.
ANNE: Look at you, checking off your books!
CORINNE: I have. But I think it's because I've read it in the French edition, so Goodreads didn't get that I've already read it. And maybe it's still on my TBR list for this reason. But I've read it and I absolutely loved it.
I haven't seen the movie by Hitchcock, but I was told that this was a great adaptation. But I loved du Maurier's work. I've read the other one. It's My Cousin Rachel, I think.
ANNE: Is also on your want-to-read list.
CORINNE: Yes, I've read it. But it's the two only books I've read of her.
ANNE: Okay.
CORINNE: I plan on reading more because I like her writing.
[00:44:57] ANNE: Well, you're crossing these off your list. You also have The Birds and Other Stories, Frenchman's Creek, and The Scapegoat on your want-to-read list.
CORINNE: Yes, I will look into it.
ANNE: Well, I'm delighted to hear it. So another author I saw over and over again on your want-to-read list is Barbara Kingsolver. Now before I go any further, have you read more of her works recently?
CORINNE: No, but I have Demon Copperhead on my 2024 list and they have it at my library so I was planning on reading it maybe this summer. And that's the only one I think. I don't recall putting the others on my list.
ANNE: Corinne, the other books on your want-to-read list are Prodigal Summer, which it is the summertime. Now could be time for that story.
You know, we were just talking about Marlon James. This one also incorporates a group of three. She follows three couples over the course of a life-changing summer in Kingsolver's native southern Appalachia.
[00:46:02] The characters are a wildlife biologist who returns to her home county to work. There's a widowed farmer's wife who is feuding with her husband's family. And then we have a pair of neighbors involved in their own ongoing spat. And this is very lush and vivid writing of the natural world, the same way she did in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, the same way she does in many of her books, actually. So now could be the right time for many readers to dig into that one.
But also on your TBR were Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Unsheltered, and The Poisonwood Bible.
CORINNE: Yes.
ANNE: Are those still waiting to be read?
CORINNE: Yes. I can remember it now that you said it.
ANNE: Okay, that's so interesting. Can we go back to the fantasy event?
CORINNE: Yes, of course.
ANNE: I noticed you had Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. This is the book that our team member Brenna sent zipping through our team and then through the interwebs.
[00:47:02] This is the book about the killer mermaids or sirens in the deep sea. Do you remember adding this book to your TBR?
CORINNE: I think I do. I can see the cover. I think it's bluish.
ANNE: You may have seen a different edition. My U.S. one is black.
CORINNE: Oh, maybe I don't remember.
ANNE: But this is a book about a deep sea expedition gone terribly, horribly wrong with those killer sirens. The story of human hubris. These scientists set out on the expedition to end all expeditions. They're going to make their discoveries and learn the truth once and for all and the sirens get the better of them.
This book jumped out at me because my family's getting ready to go to the beach, and Will's decided that he's going to read Into the Drowning Deep this year. And at dinner last night, we were talking about this, and my 19-year-old said, "Oh my gosh, do you remember when I read that last year? Do you remember me jumping out of my chair? Do you remember how I had to make myself slow down because I was just skimming so fast, because I had to find out what happened next, because I was so tense? And I had to block off the pages with my hands to make myself read every word. It was so good, Dad." That's how that story ended. So I was just thinking about this.
[00:48:19] But I noticed that you had Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield also on your want-to-read list. Do you remember putting this one on there?
CORINNE: Yes, this one I do.
ANNE: Okay. This is another story of a deep sea expedition gone terribly, horribly wrong. This time, one of the women in a married couple is a scientist. She's supposed to go on a three-week deep-sea dive because there's a malfunction. Instead, she's gone six months, and she comes back changed and her wife is not sure for a long time what happened, what is wrong, but she gets the increasing sense that something is.
So this is a very moody story. It has elements of horror but at the same time, it's very much a portrait of an evolving and perhaps disintegrating relationship. I think it has some of those vibes you like. So it's got a bit of horror fantasy. It's definitely mysterious. You don't mind dark and gloomy. How are you liking the sound of this pairing, either individually or together?
[00:49:31] CORINNE: I like the sound of that. One of my phobias is underwater. I don't know how to swim and I hate the idea that it's dark and there is no light in the deepness of the ocean. But I like confronting my phobias into my reading life because you have this sense of safeness.
Reading is my safe place so I can't risk anything while reading. That's why I like dark and gloomy and even horror books because I know I'm safe here. So maybe I will look into that next. I don't know yet, but it's interesting to have these two together.
ANNE: I thought so. Finally, let's end with something a little bit different. I noticed that you had In Memoriam by Alice Winn on your list. This is historical fiction set during World War I. This feels a little bit coming of age. It's a definite love story. This is the debut novel that begins when two young men are in boarding school.
I remember Anne Helen Peterson sharing on the podcast that she loves stories of pining. And this is definitely a love story full of pining. Both young men end up signing up for war. They go to the front. Their relationship evolves from there. I don't want to give anything away. But we do go from the early dynamics at a British boarding school to battlefield conditions and just the brutality of that setting.
[00:51:12] I wonder if as an archivist you would be interested to know about Alice Winn's history writing this story. She read so many World War I histories and novels and primary sources to be able to write the story authentically. She read Memoirs of [Infantry?] Officers, and then some classics like Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves, E.M. Forster's Maurice.
Something else I like about this for you, aside from the like it's longish, it's 400 pages, it has a strong plot, big feelings, you don't mind dark and gloomy, this book is very much about empire and privileged young men, also about forbidden love.
It's told as a narrative, but also much of it unfolds in letters and in articles in the school newspaper, which adds a really interesting component and gives the book a texture that similar books don't have. How does that sound to you?
CORINNE: That sounds great. I love historical books and Forbidden Love.
[00:52:13] ANNE: Well, I'm curious to hear what you think. You gave me so much to work with your TBR. Can I share what else I noticed from your 1,700 books?
CORINNE: Yes, of course.
ANNE: Okay. You had so much Virginie Grimaldi, many titles by Christine Delphy, Katherine Arden, Rebecca Ross. I noticed that you had The City of Brass trilogy. I think you would really enjoy that, along with The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, which I feel like we've talked a lot about on the podcast recently. So it's not on your TBR, but definitely, I think you would be a good fit for that book.
I noticed November Road by Lou Burney, which made me go, Oh, I didn't expect that, but I can kind of see why Corinne might like that. Lots of Agatha Christie-ish mysteries, like those by Ruth Ware. I noticed you had some Greek retellings, like by Jennifer Saint and Pat Parker. Lots of poetry. Christina Rossetti, Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, Bell Hooks.
You have a lot of good stuff waiting for you, Corinne, if that's how you choose your 2025 reads.
[00:53:21] CORINNE: Yes, my plan in 2025 is to dig deeper in the poetry. I recently bought The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson and haven't started yet, but it's one of the books that I will take with me this summer. So thanks for noticing everything.
ANNE: Well, I can see it. I can see it. And I'm so excited for your summer travels and your summer reading. Corinne, we talked about a lot of books today. We scooted in a new tier TBR potential edition that is The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields. We talked about Marlon James' Dark Star trilogy, the works of Daphne du Maurier, some of which you've read, some of which are still waiting for you, Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, and Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. We talked about the works of Barbara Kingsolver and In Memoriam by Alice Winn. Okay, that's several thousand pages of books you could be reading next. What do you think you might?
[00:54:23] CORINNE: I think I will try to find Into the Drowning Deep. I think it's perfect for this summer, something I can dive into, if I may say it. And maybe followed by The Stone Diaries, which was not in my TBR but will soon be in it.
ANNE: Well, I like the sound of that. Corinne, I wish you and your fellow Parisians the best this summer.
CORINNE: Thank you.
ANNE: Whether you be right there at home or in far-flung places escaping the Olympics and all the hubbub and tourists and everything coming to visit this summer. Thanks so much for talking books with me today.
CORINNE: Thank you.
[00:55:07] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Corinne and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Corinne on Goodreads. We've got that link along with the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Follow us on Instagram, we're there @whatshouldireadnext.
Another way to keep up to date with our show that is not algorithm dependent is by subscribing to our email list. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
And make sure you're subscribed and actually downloading the show in Overcast, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode: Stoner by John Williams
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (#1: Assassin’s Apprentice)
The Rougon-Macquart cycle by Emile Zola (try L’Assommoir)
▵ A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
• A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
• The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
• Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
• The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
• The Dark Star Trilogy by Marlon James (#1: Black Leopard, Red Wolf)
• Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
• Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier
• The Scapegoat by Daphne Du Maurier
• Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
• In Memoriam by Alice Winn
• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
• Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
• Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves
• Mauriceby E.M. Forster
• Virginie Grimaldi (try How to Find Love in the Little Things)
• Christine Delphy (try Separate and Dominate: Feminism and Racism After the War on Terror)
• Katherine Arden (try The Bear and the Nightingale)
• Rebecca Ross (try Divine Rivals)
• The City of Brass trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty (#1: The City of Brass)
• The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S. A. Chakraborty
• November Road by Lou Berney
• Ruth Ware (try The It Girl)
• Jennifer Saint (try Atalanta)
• Pat Barker (try The Silence of the Girls)
• Christina Rossetti (try The Goblin Market and Other Poems)
• Adrienne Rich (try Diving Into the Wreck: Poems 1971-1972)
• Audra Lorde (try The Collected Poems of Audre Lorde)
• bell hooks (try All about Love: New Visions)
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 284: I need an irresistible read this summer
The post A deep dive through a massive TBR appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I am a huge proponent of meeting your internet friends in real life. My internet friends-turned-real life friends account for so many of the good things in my life—and that includes my job at MMD. More recently, I went to France with three of my dearest friends. We were Romancelandia Twitter pals who started buddy reading Laura Kinsale’s historical romances (Goodreads) together at the beginning of the pandemic. (My favorite remains For My Lady’s Heart. [Amazon]) A bond quickly formed and soon we were talking about anything and everything in our group chat and long Zooms, which eventually included how we should stay at a French chateau as inspired by one of the books.
Well, it took a few years of planning and saving—and we didn’t stay at a chateau—but we did make this dream trip a reality a couple of weeks ago. I’ve wanted to go to France since I was a kid and I’m still pinching myself that it actually happened. We stayed in Paris for six days and then Blois for three days for chateau purposes. We walked all over and spent hours in cafes in between visiting museums and parks or whatever else caught our eye. We ate the best food, including fresh croissants, pain au chocolat, and baguettes every day. I gasped out loud every single time I saw the Eiffel Tower. It was truly magical. But honestly, the best part was being in person with Charlotte, Hannah, and Vicky. They’re part of my inner circle; it was a treat to have nine whole days with them where we weren’t separated by a Zoom screen. We’re already planning future trips and I can’t wait.
I got home last Monday and I’m still shaking off the last dregs of jet lag (it seems to last longer in my 40s?!). This weekend I’ll be catching up on R&R, buddy reading the second book in a fantastic fantasy series (Bookshop), and working on a sewing project. I hope this weekend holds just the right amount of activity and rest for you too. And if you’ve been thinking about meeting up with an internet friend? I hope this will encourage you to follow through.
My favorite finds from around the web:Tracy Deonn announced the release date for the third book in the Legendborn Cycle and I need it now! Oathbound will be here March 4, 2025. (Instagram, Bookshop)
How to find your personal style. (Unflattering by Dacy Gillespie Substack) I have a strong sense of my personal style. So strong that it can be difficult for me to try new trends or get out of my comfort zone. I love Dacy’s newsletter for the way she helps me think through my wardrobe and what I actually need.
It’s Time We Added Full Credit Pages to Books. (LitHub) I’m in favor of this. There’s a YA imprint that includes a credit page in their titles and Olivia Dade’s recent romance (Bookshop), which I loved, included a list in her Acknowledgements. On the other hand, what about people who are assigned to books they don’t want to otherwise be associated with? It’s tricky.
I hadn’t traveled internationally in several years; these were my top purchases to get me ready:
-This dual glasses and contact case (Amazon) meant I didn’t have to worry about my contact case floating around in my glasses case during my overnight flight. The only downside is it’s heavier than I expected but it was worth it for the peace of mind.
-I have an old universal adaptor but it’s one of those multiple piece sets. Enter the Epicka Universal Travel Power Adapter (Amazon). It’s one piece; you simply choose your country on the side and the correct prongs slide out. Genius!
-The real hero of the trip turned out to be this rain poncho from Target. When my friends and I encountered an unexpected rain shower while at a park, I unsnapped the sides and we used it as a tarp to cover us until the storm passed.
The Best Food to Bring to Every Summer Outing. (Eater) This made me hungry.
Whoopi Goldberg Breaks Out the Old Habit. (Vulture) What a delight! I didn’t know I needed a reunion of the Sister Act 2 cast.
The American Novel Has a Major Problem With Fat People. (The New Republic) Fatphobia is a pernicious issue in our society. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. (If you don’t yet see it, this article includes pertinent examples.) For more on this topic, I recommend the podcast Maintenance Phase and Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole-Smith (Bookshop), which was very helpful for this child-free woman.
7 Ways to Remove Sticker Residue From Every Surface—Including Martha’s Favorite Method. (Martha Stewart) I second the use of hair dryers for removing stickers from books. If there’s any residue left after that, Goo Gone takes care of it.
Coercive Care. (STAT) I worked with patients with sickle cell disease when I was a pediatric hematology/oncology social worker so I read this investigation with great interest and sadness.
Publishers Sue Google over Pirate Sites. (Publishers Weekly) This is specific to textbooks but I hope it’ll pave the way for getting rid of all other book pirate sites.
‘Run Lola Run’ 25 Years Later. (Vanity Fair) I’ve only seen this movie once but I can still picture myself sitting in my friend Brooke’s South Side Chicago living room as we watched, completely rapt.
After Prison, I Went to Miami to Reacquaint Myself With Freedom. (Condé Nast Traveler) “There’s never been a night dark enough that the light of a sunrise cannot defeat.”
I’ve been enjoying not one but two rewatch podcasts: Happy Endings Podcast, hosted by Casey Wilson and Adam Pally (aka Penny and Max), and Dear Felicity, hosted by Juliet Litman, Amanda Foreman (aka Meghan), and Greg Grunberg (aka Sean). I love hearing from all the actors and crew and their recollections about each show. I mean, Jennifer Garner herself appeared on Dear Felicity!
Who killed Google Reader? (The Verge) I will never stop missing Google Reader.
Don’t miss these posts:20 fantastic and flavorful food fiction reads. This might make you hungry. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Things I’ll wear 1000x this summer. The summer wardrobe staples Anne relies on for easy style.
12 middle grade novels that unfold over summer break. A stack of attention-grabbing and emotionally resonant middle grade novels, perfect for summer break or any time of year!
Have a great weekend!
Leigh Kramer is the Editor and Social Media Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are romance, fantasy, and YA. You can follow Leigh on Goodreads.
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Accessories are such joyful fun. I have always adored conversation-starting earrings, interesting shoes, funky bandanas, and colorful handbags. Recently, I noticed my love for accessorizing has spilled over into my reading life. With that in mind, I’m sharing my favorite bookish accessories that make reading time even better.
Perhaps Tim Gunn telling Project Runway contestants to use the accessory wall “wisely” or the years I spent working as a Display Artist for Anthropologie honed my affection for these small items of delight. Since I devote much of my time to reading, it is the perfect place to add those little something extras. I use these clever and cool reading accessories daily and love gifting them to the readers in my life.
Most of these items aren’t absolutely necessary but they sure are marvelous to use while diving into a great book. Think of them as the sprinkles on top of your favorite ice cream, a bonus that makes it even more perfect. Whether your vibe is cozy reading, books on the go, or matching your e-reader to your favorite genre’s aesthetic, I hope you find an exciting new bookish accessory from this list to treat yourself.
Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
The Glocusent LED Neck LightYou may have heard me rave about this neck night light on the Patreon bonus episode about reading formats. Well, the love continues. I have bought quite a few to gift and have on hand after receiving one from my fantastic WSIRN Patreon Holiday gift exchange buddy. (Hi Deanne!) Thanks to this clever book light, I read print books a ton more at night. The ability to change the warmth of the light is key for me and I have only needed to charge it ONCE in 5 months. Plus this hands-free light situation could come in real handy for readers who like to cross stitch or knit while listening to audiobooks.
Glocusent Willow Book LightY’all, I didn’t even realize until I started working on this post that this wonderful rechargeable booklight was made by the same company as the neck light! We have been using these lights for years and every one in our home has their own. (Each in a different color to make it easier to differentiate whose is whose.) We travel everywhere with these easy-to-use book lights and the rechargeable feature has saved us from using so many batteries. They are the perfect little size and have adjustable warmth and brightness. Such a hit for all ages.
Book Beau SleevesSpeaking of traveling, I use my Book Beau Sleeve whenever I leave the house even if just for an afternoon. There are so many great book sleeves out there but these are the ones I reach for time and time again. Not only do they come in a variety of sizes to fit both print books and e-readers, they have zippers. Zippers are the book sleeve equivalent of a dress having pockets. Did I mention they are water-resistant? The neoprene-like fabric is a must for trips to the pool, lake, or beach.
MMD “Happy Reading!” Book DartsThis little tin of book darts truly makes me happy. While they’re a great way to mark your page or a particularly lovely quote, I prefer to use them a different way. As I talked about on What Should I Read Next #275: How many book clubs is too many book clubs?, I enjoy structured buddy reads. These tiny darts mark the sections of a book as stopping points for discussions. Using the darts to set up a new buddy read brings me such nerdy delight.
Zenni Glow-in-the-Dark Eyeglasses and ReadersGive me glow in the dark everything! Seriously, I can’t get enough of the everyday magic I feel when something lights up in the dark. I have a glow in the dark shirt from Beastly Books, George R.R. Martin’s bookstore in Santa Fe, a glow in dark water bottle for Lauren Groff’s new FL bookstore The Lynx, and then there’s my favorite glowing item: my Zenni prescription eyeglasses. They are so easy to find in my bedroom at night and are fully customizable to all eye prescription needs. The eyeglasses can even be made into readers with a variety of magnification to choose from and you can easily add blue filtering. Maybe best of all, I get such a kick out of feeling like Peter Gabriel at the end of the music video for Sledgehammer when I turn off the lights and they glow on my face.
Page Kindle CasesIt is a truth universally acknowledged, that a reader in possession of an ereader, must be in want of a case. Luckily, Page makes the most stylish Kindle cases out there! Their cases are so colorful and unique, they truly make me smile. I keep telling myself I don’t need to buy a new case but with options this adorable, it is hard to resist. As a bonus, each case comes in a clever little zipper pouch with a punny saying printed on it. Just make sure to double check your Kindle’s credentials before ordering the size you need. (Page makes this easy to do with helpful information on their site and Instagram account.)
Clear E-reader CasesAfter seeing readers on Bookstagram use clear cases to hold stickers and a Popsocket to their Kindle, I immediately ordered one for my 11th generation Paperwhite. These cases are lightweight and sleek while protecting the back and edges. The best part is the case is such a clever way to display adorable stickers without having to stick them on permanently, which allows me to use the stickers I have without the internal struggle of deciding where to stick it. (I can’t be the only one with a pile of stickers they are saving for the “perfect” place.) Great news for Kobo users: clear cases are available on both the Kobo site and Amazon.
Bookish StickersSpeaking of stickers, some of my favorite book themed stickers are the unique and cute designs from Bookshelf Tees and our new Book Camp designs in the MMD Store, especially the Read pennant sticker. Since most e-readers are pretty plain looking, adorable stickers are an inexpensive way to decorate and personalize your device. Instant sparks of joy!
PopSocketsI always thought of PopSockets as a cell phone accessory but it turns out they are great for e-readers as well. When you add one to the back of an e-reader, it makes it easier to hold while you dive into a great book. Simply place the PopSocket near where you normally hold your device. (I tested out a few spots before settling on the back bottom left of my Kindle since I normally hold it with my right hand.) If you want to try one out without adhering it to the device, the clear cases above are the perfect place to stick a PopSocket. Any design will do and the one I have works great but I must admit I have had this glittery glow in the dark (!) one I want but don’t need in my Etsy cart for a while.
Gooseneck Tablet Stand HolderWhile a PopSocket is great for making e-readers easier to hold, a gooseneck tablet holder takes care of the job completely. This accessory works with all types of tablets, e-readers, gaming consoles, and phones and can be attached with the clamp to many different kinds of countertops, side tables, and headboards. By placing my Kindle in the gooseneck holder attached to our Ikea bookshelf headboard, I am able to read hands-free. This comes in really handy (pun intended) when it’s late at night and I can’t stop reading or if I have caught germs from my kiddos and am feeling under the weather.
Remote Control Page TurnerSometimes I just want to snuggle under my favorite blanket (discovered thanks to team member Donna) and read. On chilly nights, even if they are few and far between in South Florida, the page turning remote has been a true reading luxury. Paired with the gooseneck tablet holder, this page-turning remote allows me to keep my constantly cold hands under the cuddly blanket and still read my book. It truly feels like the most comfy bookish treat.
What are your favorite bookish accessories? Please share in the comments.
P.S. Elevate your reading experience with these favorite bookish things, Book journaling tools for every reader, and A bounty of beautiful bookmarks: 20 charming place-holders and page-markers for bookworms to gift and enjoy.
About the authorBrigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
The post Add joy to your reading life with these favorite bookish accessories appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Found family has become an even more popular trope in recent years and I’m here for it.
A “found family” forms by choice so this trope is also referred to as “chosen family,” because people who aren’t related choose to love and support one another. But this is different than simply friendship. Found families might celebrate holidays together, take each other to medical appointments, or do any number of the things those related by blood do. Friends might do these things on occasion but there’s a higher commitment level when it comes to a found family.
It might be easy to see the appeal of a chosen family for people who are estranged from their relatives, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community, but that’s not the only way one is formed. This can develop with work crews, apartment building tenants, motorcycle clubs, or even sports teams. There might be a formal vow, a la some motorcycle clubs, but in most cases, time and proximity forges a strong bond and people realize the connection and community they’ve found themselves in.
Today’s list celebrates the beauty and power of the found family. We’ve got a variety of genres from science fiction to dark academia and even a novel in translation to choose from. Found families aren’t perfect so you’ll see characters navigating difficult circumstances, figuring out how to communicate (or accept hard feedback), and so on. It can take effort to maintain and strengthen the bond you have but these novels show that the effort is ultimately worth it.
Found family novels Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Becky Chambers
Come for the space adventure, stay for the memorable found family. This rollicking, big-hearted, constantly surprising story is built on big themes—friendship and love, gender and politics, mortality and prejudice. With an interspecies cast, including a sentient AI, each character brings something unique to the table as they make their way to a distant planet and navigate dynamics amongst the crew. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the series unfolds. More info →Author: Kate Clayborn
With winning characters, a multigenerational found family, and a fun Chicago setting, this romance will make a whole lot of readers happy. Will and Nora live two floors apart from each other, where late night balcony chats bring them closer together—and their clashing plans for the building spark a surprising rivalry. I expected an absorbing plot and engaging characters from this Romeo and Juliet-inspired second-chance love story; I did not expect it to get me right in the feels. (Open door.) More info →Author: Casey McQuiston
A twenty-something overcomes the impossible to find love and the family she longs for in this time-slip romance inspired by Kate & Leopold. Adrift and lonely, 23-year-old August moved to New York City with hopes of leaving the past behind and building a new life. To her great surprise, things start going well. She bumps into Jane (literally) on the Q line, developing a serious crush on the beautiful girl with the retro punk rock look. August is terrified she’ll never see Jane again, but then she does—on the Q line. It turns out Jane has been stuck on the Q line since the 1970s. If August and Jane are to get their happy ending, Jane needs to figure out how to get her unstuck—with the help of her friends, of course. Delightfully frothy and feel-good. More info →Author: Morgan Rogers
Grace’s life has always gone according to her strict driven plans, including finishing her Ph.D in astronomy, until she graduates and her job search goes nowhere. While on a girls' trip to Vegas, her carefully constructed life is upended with one spur-of-the-moment (and intoxicated) mistake, waking up married to a complete stranger. She could rush to reverse it all, but her new wife Yuki takes her by surprise. Needing a reprieve from her father’s expectations and feeling burned out, Grace decides to see where this relationship might go and follows Yuki to New York for the summer. While they navigate their budding romance and their respective pasts, Grace's friends share hard truths with her in a way only people who have known you a long time can. Yuki's roommates are similarly great. More info →Author: Peng Shepherd
A page-turning literary mystery with a dynamite premise and a little bit of magic. Seven years ago, cartographer Nell Young lost everything—her career, her reputation, her fiancé, and her family—because of an argument over a cheap gas station map. After her esteemed cartographer father unexpectedly dies, Nell learns he’d been working on some sort of secret project connected to the map, which isn’t junk at all but an incredibly rare and hotly sought-after artifact—and her knowledge of its existence may put her very life in danger. A sophisticated scavenger hunt ensues, leading Nell to a secretive and powerful band of mapmakers called The Cartographers, and to closely guarded secrets held by her own family. A gripping and inventive story of family secrets, found family, second chances, and cartography, set against the backdrop of the storied New York Public Library. More info →ChirpAuthor: R. F Kuang
This historical fantasy is a cool 545 pages in hardcover, and WOW does Kuang put every one to good use. Set primarily in 1830s Oxford, the workers at the translation institute Babel literally fuel the British Empire by combining their language skills with precious silver bars. While I loved the academic setting and band of four fast friends, Kuang’s engagement with the complexities of race, power, and privilege are what really ground the novel. There's also a lot of philosophizing about the art of translation and discussion of what the practice actually involves, which I found insightful and fascinating. The publisher calls it “a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”—if that sounds a little cerebral for you, don’t worry; it’s easy to get swept up in the story. More info →Author: Leigh Bardugo
In the first book of Bardugo's fantastical duology, a criminal mastermind teams up with an unconventional crew to pull off the heist of the century. They have to break into an extremely secure location and retrieve a scientist and his formula or the world as they know it will be destroyed. With twists and turns aplenty, I enjoyed experiencing another side of Bardugo’s Grishaverse. More info →Author: Vanessa King
Take Austen’s witty banter, social commentary, and beloved main characters and drop them in a crumbling burlesque club in NYC, and you have a fun and inventive reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. Assistant by day, stage kitten by night Bennet loves her burlesque found family (each one representing a different member of the Bennet family). One night, she runs into Will Darcy and his friend there to evaluate a possible investment in the club. Despite their firecracker chemistry, Darcy and Bennet make a poor first impression, and they can’t shake it off when their best friends fall in love. With a diverse cast of side characters and all the Austen references your heart could want, this contemporary romance retelling is a delight. (Open door.) More info →Author: Seanan McGuire
At Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children, children have a habit of stumbling into other worlds. Imagine Alice in Wonderland, but instead of one wonderland, there are hundreds—and once you visit another world, you'll never be the same. After Nancy visits the Underworld, her arrival at the Home marks a change. She and her classmates must band together to solve a spate of murders plaguing the school. Part fantasy, part mystery, part fairy tale (of the dark and creepy variety). More info →Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
This was a fun romp! This adorable tea shop murder mystery has serious Only Murders in the Building vibes and boasts a pleasantly large cast of (mostly) likable characters. When the titular 60-year old widow awakes one morning to find a dead body clutching a flash drive on the floor of her tea shop, she calls in the authorities. (She doesn't want to, but her son convinces her she has to). But, unimpressed by their approach to the case and unconvinced they can get to the truth of what happened, she takes matters into her own hands, with delightful and chaotic results and a feel-good ending I didn't expect. This story proves found families can emerge from the most unexpected of places. More info →Author: Roshani Chokshi
Full of mystery and adventure, this YA historical fantasy set in the glittering world of 1899 Paris is part heist, part treasure hunt. In this world, the Order of Babel rules. Some people are divinely gifted with Forging affinities, allowing them to change or enhance creation. Séverin, the denied heir of House Vanth, delights in reclaiming the items sold off from his House and tracking down Order items for those who will pay him and his crew. As thrilling as it is to read about their adventures, read this for the way the friends look out for one another. More info →Author: Banana Yoshimoto
You may have heard me recommend this book on What Should I Read Next Episode 395: A little touch of magic never hurts". Mikage is raised by her grandmother after her parents pass away. She’s left unmoored after her grandmother dies and subsequently turns to the kitchen, as well as her friend Yoichi and her mother, who takes her in. A lovely exploration of grief, found family, and the ties that bind us. Though Banana Yoshimoto is renowned in Japan, this is her first book to be published in English, translated from the Japanese by Megan Backus. More info →Author: Elinor Lipman
I recommended this 2013 release to Mary Laura Philpott in What Should I Read Next Episode 195: Wanted: book enthusiast at large. Two adult sisters have grown apart, but when they each suffer their own personal and economic tragedies, necessity brings them together again. After Gwen is unexpectedly widowed, her divorced sister Margot asks her to move into her luxurious Greenwich Village penthouse. With the addition of cupcake-baking Anthony, they're soon cobbling together a new found family. Fast and fun. More info →Author: Ryka Aoki
Violin teacher Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil. She’s close to delivering her seventh and final soul when she hears trans runaway Katrina Nguyen playing. Meanwhile, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, who owns a donut shop and happens to be an extraterrestrial refugee. She doesn’t have time for romance when she’s this close to breaking the curse but who can resist fresh-made donuts? All three women’s lives intertwine in this unique sci-fi adventure that illustrates the power of chosen family. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: M.L. Rio
This campus mystery, set in the world of the theater and swimming in Shakespeare, begins at the end: Oliver Marks has just been released from jail after serving a ten year sentence, and he's finally ready to tell the truth. But the truth about what? We slowly learn that ten years ago, Oliver was part of a close-knit group of Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, where the offstage rivalries and romances hold just as much drama as their performances. Their final year—the one that lands Oliver in prison—reads more like one of Shakespeare's tragedies. This page-turning suspense novel is packed with Shakespeare references, and perfect for fans of Donna Tartt. More info → Do you have a favorite found family novel? Please tell us about it in the comments section!
P.S. 20 favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs and 9 nonfiction books that will make you a better friend.
The post 15 novels about creating (and maintaining) a found family appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, when today’s guest wrote in asking for help finding books that felt especially welcoming and hospitable, I knew we wanted to have that conversation here on the podcast.
Adrianne Carnes is a bookseller and marketing director for a local independent bookstore in Texas. She appreciates the practice of creating an inviting space for the readers who frequent her shop, but her passion for hospitality has deep roots. As a child, Adrianne traveled often with her parents, and was so charmed by her experiences with hospitality that she considered making it a career. While her life took her in different professional directions, she still finds hospitality a constant theme in both her life and her reading choices.
These days, Adrianne enjoys finding inviting books as well as stories set in a hotel or restaurant. That said, with so many books to choose from, finding the right titles feels overwhelming. In our conversation today, I help Adrianne navigate the massive availability of interesting books and we discuss how we know we’ve found a title that feels worth spending time on. I wrap up with recommendations of books that offer a sense of hospitality and welcome, as well as titles set in the hospitality venues Adrianne always enjoys.
Let us know which titles you’d recommend for Adrianne by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Adrianne on Instagram.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Today's guest is joining me from Texas, where she works as a bookseller and marketing director for a local independent bookstore.
Adrianne Carnes has a long-standing interest in hospitality that took root when she was just a kid, traveling and staying in hotels with her parents. She once thought she'd make that her career, and while that wasn't to be, she never lost her love for hospitality.
[00:01:03] That love has a big impact on her reading life today. She loves creating an inviting space for the readers who frequent her shop, and she appreciates a similar experience in her own reading life.
She enjoys finding books that offer her as a reader a warm welcome. She also enjoys reading about the field, so a book set in a hotel or restaurant always jumps out at her and frequently makes its way onto her TBR.
Adrianne shares something today that I really relate to, and I think many of you will as well. She says sometimes she feels that when it comes to choosing and enjoying her next read, she feels like she's drinking from a fire hose because of the massive availability of interesting books that she would truly like to read.
Today we discuss how we know we've found a title that feels worth spending time on, one that truly invites us to settle in and enjoy. And throughout our conversation, we're sharing and seeking books that both offer a sense of hospitality and welcome and also explore that world. Let's get to it.
Adrianne, welcome to the show.
ADRIANNE CARNES: Thank you.
[00:02:04] ANNE: I'm so excited to talk books with you today. When our team saw your submission, so thanks for responding to the call, when we saw your take on books and hospitality, everyone said, "Anne, you talk about this all the time. Do you want to talk to Adrianne?" And I said, "Yes, I think I do." So thank you so much.
ADRIANNE: Oh, how fun! You're welcome. I'm thrilled.
ANNE: I've been looking forward to this. Adrianne, tell us a little bit about yourself. We want to give the readers a glimpse of who you are when you're not on What Should I Read Next?.
ADRIANNE: Well, I live in Texas with my family. I'm married. My husband and I have three kids. We have a 26-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter, and a 6-year-old son. So we are doing so many things with the kids. But family is very important to us and our home is very important to us. We spend a lot of time there with everybody.
What I want to tell you about myself regarding what we're doing here is that my very first major in college was hotel and restaurant management, because I was fortunate enough as a young person to travel with my parents and I adore a good hotel.
[00:03:18] When we travel now, my husband wants to go out and do all the things, I want to stay in the hotel and just cover every corner of it. I love traveling. I love hotels. And I think I would actually make an excellent concierge. It's just something fun.
So hospitality is something that I really enjoy and that I have a passion for. I haven't lost that passion, although my career took me in a different direction for about 25 years.
Now, I'm currently a marketing facilitator and bookseller at a local independent bookstore in Birney, Texas. It's so much fun. I feel like, well, it combines my love of reading with my passion for hospitality. Because, you know, while I can recommend books to people and be surrounded by books while I'm at work, I can also offer hospitality to all of our customers as they come in. It's the best of both worlds for me.
ANNE: Ooh, okay. So much to talk about, Adrianne. First, let's go back in time. What is it... Are you even able to say what is it about a good hotel that captures you? Maybe there was a formative experience when you were young and traveling with your parents.
[00:04:32] ADRIANNE: I don't think so. But I think the environment, you know, if it captures all of my senses when I'm walking in, then I'm hooked. If it smells delightful, if it's gorgeous, if I have an exceptional greeting. It's the level of service, I believe, that really makes a good hotel for me, as well as a beautiful setting, of course.
ANNE: Now, as you're talking about hospitality, I have a feeling that when you say level of service that you're not talking about luxury per se.
ADRIANNE: No, not necessarily. But I guess it's the way that the space makes me feel, which is what I want to translate to what we're doing at the bookstore. But the way that the space makes me feel is everything.
ANNE: Something that I don't think I really learned... Now this could be a function of age, but something I don't think I really learned until I went out on book tour for I'd Rather Be Reading in 2018, and it's not something that was unique to the I'd Rather Be Reading tour, I think it was just a function of visiting so many stores in a short period of time. I went to 20 something.
ADRIANNE: Wow.
[00:05:34] ANNE: Which was a joy. But I don't think it was until then that I realized that every bookstore has its own personality. They may have similar merchandise, although some stores differ more than others, and they're generally populated with book lovers, and yet every store feels different. I imagine this is something you understand well.
What kind of personality are you all trying to cultivate in your bookstore?
ADRIANNE: Oh, that's such a great question and I think the answer would differ depending on who you ask in our bookstore.
ANNE: I'm asking you.
ADRIANNE: Well, we want everybody to feel welcome. I believe that what I want to do is have our customers feel like we have curated and presented the most inviting buffet of books, so that when they're selecting what is right for them they feel like we understand them as a reader.
So we have a very wide variety in our store. We have a huge children's section, we've got a lot of nonfiction, lots of fiction, speculative fiction. And I'm just hoping that the readers feel welcome, that we're friendly, we're knowledgeable, and they feel like they're understood as a reader because they're able to find books that they feel like are right for them.
[00:06:50] ANNE: And as someone who can appreciate how a hotel or a business can take a feeling and then engineer how to make that feeling tangible for, in this case, a reader walking through the doors, I'd love to hear a concrete way or two that you all enact this in your space.
ADRIANNE: That's a hard one. I'll try.
ANNE: Also, I think I already have a book for you, but okay, let's see.
ADRIANNE: Oh, yay. So for me, what's really important is what happens when a customer walks into the door immediately. That there's a physical space for them to decompress for just a minute, realize, okay, what's back there is back there, now I'm here.
Everybody comments on the smell which is nothing that we provide but it's just the smell of paper and books. That does something for almost everybody who walks in that everyone says, Oh, I love the smell of a bookstore.
[00:07:50] So as soon as they've walked in, they've already had two sensory experiences as far as the way it smells and a feeling of decompression.
We have classical music that plays in the background, so they're not distracted by a lot of noise. And when you walk in, it's somewhat of a foyer. I mean, it's a commercial space, but we have a big dining room table in front that has the new releases on it. So the visual experience when you walk in is important.
Then the greeting that comes behind the counter I feel like is equally important. So we have, you know, most of the senses covered right when you walk in. And as far as taste, you know, you can grab a chocolate on your way out, and then we've covered all of them.
But I feel like keeping the store tidy, keeping the displays purposeful and easy to navigate is another way that we try to make a tangible, hospitable experience for the customers.
ANNE: Now, Adrianne, tell us about your reading life. What does that look like for you right now?
[00:08:56] ADRIANNE: Well, I spent a lot of time thinking about this question, and what I came up with is that my reading life right now is probably the thing that stimulates my appetite for life. Because it's the one thing with its diverse selection of all the books, it entertains me, it restores me, offers me comfort, and educates me. It just kind of does all the things, like I said, that stimulates my appetite for life.
I feel like when I'm reading a book I want the book to feel like the author has invited me into their space to tell me a story, maybe even offer me a latte, maybe even offer me a cookie. I guess it's a form of social activity for me in a way with an author because when I'm sitting down to read that I literally am picturing myself just listening to what the author has to say.
I read in the morning, throughout the day, before I go to bed, and I actually often feel like I'm drinking from a fire hose because there's so much availability of interesting books that I want to read, and slowing down is a very difficult thing for me to do.
[00:10:11] So I feel like all of these books and I want to read them all and there's so many stories to hear. So it often feels like I'm drinking from a fire hose.
ANNE: I find that relatable. What contributes to the feeling of... I mean, often on the podcast, I find myself using the words of a pleasant abundance versus an oppressive overwhelm.
ADRIANNE: Nice.
ANNE: So where does that sense of excess come from?
ADRIANNE: I think it's a function of everything. I think it is part personality because I can just tend to be in a hurry. That's just the way I am. So I want to know what's next, what's next, what's next.
I do want to read new releases so that I'm able to talk to the customers and let them know what I've read because they all will say, "Have you read this yet? Have you read this yet?" And I want to be knowledgeable and able to discuss the books that are available.
I also have a couple of book clubs that I'm in, so I read books for those. I do have friends that we like to talk about books that aren't necessarily in any of those other categories that I mentioned.
So I want to talk about all the books with all the people, and in order to do that, I have to read all the books. So I do just feel like, okay, I want to get through this one so that I can do the next one so that I can talk about it with the next person, and then this one and talk about it with this person. It's just a social activity.
[00:11:35] ANNE: And yet it's impossible to read all the books. So how do you decide?
ADRIANNE: Impossible. Well, I have to take a minute. I have to be conscious and intentional and realize, Okay, you know, what's coming up next that I want to participate in? I don't participate in things that I don't want to do. But what book organization, what book club, what program am I doing next that I want to read these books for? And then I just lay them out literally like on a calendar, Okay, I need to do this one next this one next this one next.
And I don't get to them all, of course. I don't read all those new releases and I don't read all the books my friends are reading. So I just read what's kind of lined up and scheduled for me next.
Then I think about what I said a minute ago. If I'm imagining an author telling me a story, how rude of me to think, Hurry, hurry, hurry, I want to hear the next guy. So I have to think to myself, "Hey, someone's telling you a story. Settle down, look them in the eye, and listen." And I just sit down and read the books.
ANNE: And how's that going for you?
[00:12:38] ADRIANNE: It's going good. I mean, I get distracted. I just have to remind myself of that often. But when I do that, it goes very well.
ANNE: Okay, I'm just noting that you feel you have an excess already, and yet it's my job today, is it not, to recommend more titles that are not already on your radar?
ADRIANNE: That's so true.
ANNE: I'm looking forward to this, and yet also, should I feel guilty?
ADRIANNE: No, no, because I'm going to plug them in appropriately. And the thing is, when I'm reading the book that works the best for me, it's easier to do. Maybe this is what you're trying to get at. But the thing about historical fiction for me also is sometimes I like historical fiction, but sometimes it is too graphically described. You know, the subject is dark or the people are oppressed or it's just a hard subject.
So I want to rush through that because I'm not enjoying it. So I feel like if I'm enjoying the book, it's a lot easier for me to just settle down. Sure, I want to rush through the pages because I want to know what's going on or I want to just... you know, it enthralls me, but I don't want to move away. So picking the right book is essential to it. So you're going to be perfect at this.
[00:13:49] ANNE: Adrianne, that really resonates with me because also I know that I'm never going to be able to read all the things that I, in theory, wish I could read. And yet, when I'm reading a book and I feel like, Yes, this is a good use of my reading time, I feel like that is what choosing wisely looks like.
ADRIANNE: Exactly.
ANNE: And also, sometimes I chose poorly, and that's very educational. That's not necessarily terrible, unless I persist in doing that over and over and over and over, which means, like, I'm doing something wrong. I'm not accepting the readerly reality I'm living in right now if I keep doing that. But that sense, like, I'm not going to get to it all, but this one I'm glad I got to, that's what I want to find.
ADRIANNE: Yes, that's perfect. And that's why I'm here.
ANNE: Well, I'm so excited to hear the books you chose today. You know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, what you've been reading lately, and we are going to recommend three books, I believe, on a theme. So would you tell me how you chose the books you're bringing to the show today?
[00:14:47] ADRIANNE: I have a bookshelf in my house that are, you know, my forever books. If I read something that I just can't imagine parting with, they go there. So I looked at all of those books because I figured, well, if I'm going to talk about the ones that I love, they're going to be on the shelf.
So anyway I went to that shelf and realized there were several on this topic of hospitality and the ones that I often think about and refer to and haven't left my mind yet are the ones that I picked. Or three of the ones that I picked.
ANNE: Okay well I am excited to hear where this takes us today. Adrianne, tell me about the first book you love.
ADRIANNE: The first book that I love was The Maid by Nita Prose. I love this book because it's set in a hotel, which I love most books set in a hotel.
ANNE: We already know that's a strong start.
ADRIANNE: Exactly. But also, it's about a maid named Molly. She's a hotel maid and she's named Molly. She has an obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette. And she's so cute.
[00:15:53] One of my favorite quotes from the book is "A tissue for your issue". I say it all the time. It's so funny. Because she's so persnickety and it's set in a hotel, I just couldn't stop reading it. But it has a little bit of mystery to it.
Since she struggles with social skills and she misunderstands other people's intentions, she's caught up in a murder situation that happened at the hotel and becomes the lead suspect in the murder investigation.
ANNE: A murder situation.
ADRIANNE: A murder in a hotel with a maid obsessed with cleaning. It's so cute.
ANNE: Okay, so this was tailor-made for you.
ADRIANNE: Yes, it was.
ANNE: Have you read the second book in the series, Molly the Maid Series?
ADRIANNE: Yes. I enjoyed it equally as much. It wasn't as surprising to me as the first time, so I didn't, you know, laugh as much as I did the first time, but it was equally good. I loved it.
ANNE: Okay, you knew the world you were going into.
ADRIANNE: Right.
ANNE: And you wanted to be there.
ADRIANNE: Right, exactly.
[00:16:52] ANNE: Adrianne, you pay attention to hotels, you know a lot about hotels, you studied hospitality. Do authors get the details wrong sometimes? Do they get them right? Is this something that you pay attention to?
ADRIANNE: I do pay a lot of attention to. I couldn't tell you if they get it wrong or they get it right. But what I'm paying attention to, honestly, is what the space looks like, what the characters are eating, what the characters are wearing. And if I'm lucky, the author will talk about a hotel process, you know, kind of take you through a check-in or take you through a cleaning service. That's just an extra bonus. But if I can imagine myself in the space, then I feel like they've gotten it right.
ANNE: Amazing. Okay, thank you. That helps me know what to keep an eye out for as I'm mentally scanning the horizons for what you may enjoy next.
Adrianne, what's the second book you love?
ADRIANNE: This is a nonfiction title. It's called Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. I picked it up because it's called Unreasonable Hospitality. I really didn't know much about it. But he started running the Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York City when he was 26. And within 11 years, it became the best restaurant in the world.
[00:18:09] The book takes you through the process of how that happened, what his setbacks were, and what he overcame. He talks about his leadership style, what he calls unreasonable hospitality.
I feel like what he's teaching goes way beyond the restaurant business and can help with anybody in any industry, honestly, because it's about the extraordinary experiences that anybody can offer to the people that they encounter, especially in either a service industry or a retail industry. I just felt inspired as I was reading it. It was fascinating to me.
ANNE: Could you give us an example of the kinds of stories or insights he shares in the book? Because there's a lot of juicy little nuggets in here.
ADRIANNE: A lot of juicy little nuggets.
ANNE: Also, I was so surprised to get to the end and realize he was married to Christina Tosi. Like I had no idea.
[00:19:05] ADRIANNE: I know. Well, one of the things that's... there's several, but one of the things that stands out kind of the most for me right now is in one of his restaurants, a family had come in and they were on their way to the airport, they were leaving New York City as tourists.
And he came up to them and asked them, "You know, how was your visit to New York City? What did you like?" And the family said that they had a great time and they just wish that they had had a chance to... I think it was go sledding or something of the sort that they didn't have a lot of time to play in the snow.
So while they were eating, he rented them some snow or maybe he bought them some sleds. And quickly finished up their dinner, gave them these sleds, sent them out to the park, had them get to play in the snow on their way to the airport. It was definitely an extraordinary experience for those customers who just came in to grab a bite to eat. Very much above and beyond anything any restaurant would do and certainly nothing that those people expected.
[00:20:07] Also, one of the other stories he said is that when a customer would come into the restaurant, they would often park on the street out front and they would have to feed the meter, obviously, while they're having dinner.
Well, the person at the front of the restaurant would watch those meters and if any of them expired, they would run out and put more money in there so that people didn't have to worry about it and they could enjoy their experience in the restaurant. Those little tiny moments, I think, are so special, and I just love them. The book is filled with those. It's really fun.
ANNE: I remember the story about the hot dog, how Will Guidara runs a fine dining restaurant, and one table was lamenting how they just never got to eat hot dogs on the street like they wanted. But soon enough, they were plated up hot dogs that some staff person had, you know, run out to buy from a cart and made them all fancy, but not too fancy because that would defeat the whole point of the thing.
[00:21:03] I listened to the audio and I thought it was great in that format. Just tossing that in there for readers who want to know about such things. I can absolutely see how this ended up on your radar and it sounds like it really fulfilled what you were looking for.
What called to you about this one? What were your favorite moments?
ADRIANNE: I enjoyed the stories because I feel like when I'm reading the stories, I think, how could we do something like that at the bookstore? What could we do? But I also liked how it talked about what he ran up against. Because obviously, not everybody has this passion and desire to create extraordinary experiences.
There are accountants who think otherwise, there are attorneys who think otherwise, chefs, and just business folks that might not want to spend money in that same way. So I really liked how he talked about what he did to overcome those situations.
ANNE: All right, thank you. Adrianne, tell me about the third book you love.
ADRIANNE: The third book I love is called Love & Saffron by Kim Fay. It's a rather short book, but I picked it up primarily because it's epistolary, which is a style I usually enjoy.
[00:22:09] This book is about a 27-year-old woman who writes a fan letter to a 59-year-old magazine columnist. And in the letter she includes a little bit of saffron. They develop a friendship over several years through the exchange of letters about food and good life. It was so sweet. I adored the structure, the food descriptions, and the relationships in the book. Again, it's rather short. So, it's a quick read, but immensely satisfying.
ANNE: You picked it up primarily because it was epistolary, but I imagine also the food had a strong pull for you.
ADRIANNE: You're right. But I will read almost any epistolary. But when I saw epistolary plus saffron, I was excited.
ANNE: Okay. Tell me about your relationship with restaurant books, because it feels like we have a little bit of an overlap going here.
ADRIANNE: Yes. Well, to me, I feel like it's still the same industry, right? I mean, I love a good restaurant experience as much as I love a good hotel experience. I love food, and so reading about it excites me.
[00:23:14] Again, when you're reading a book, when I'm reading a book about a restaurant, I can just feel the service somebody is providing, the comfort that comes with the food that's plated, and it's just especially enjoyable to me.
ANNE: So as we're thinking hospitality, we don't necessarily have to think of hotel as a synonym for that?
ADRIANNE: Well, honestly, when I'm thinking about hospitality, of course I'm thinking about hotels and restaurants, but I'm also thinking about any environment that feels comfortable, that the people are intentionally working at creating extraordinary experiences.
So I'll read mysteries, I'll read historical fiction, I'll read memoirs, and non-fiction that aren't specifically related to a hotel or a restaurant as long as that feeling is there that the author probably unknowingly created of hospitality throughout the book. Does that make sense?
ANNE: It does. It does. Now Adrianne, tell me about a book that was not right for you.
[00:24:21] ADRIANNE: Well, I read The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden because it's called The Housemaid. It's about a maid. Surely she's going to create a beautiful environment for the people that she works for. Well, I was absolutely wrong. That's not what it's about.
I knew it was a thriller, and I know that when you read a thriller, these are the things that happen. But I felt manipulated. And I felt tortured because the characters behave so stinking badly. The description of the bad behavior, explicit, and they were vivid, and it just made me cringe. I appreciate Freda McFadden for what she does, but I didn't feel like there was any redeeming quality to this story. Sorry.
ANNE: It was not for you.
ADRIANNE: It wasn't for me, even if it's about a maid.
ANNE: Adrianne, what have you been reading lately?
ADRIANNE: Lately, I read Family Family by Laurie Frankel. I am almost obsessed with this book, which is not set in a hotel. Not set in a hotel and not set in a restaurant. However, what it's about is an actress who publicly says, and I'm going to read this short quote, "Now all stories of adoption are stories of pain and regret, not even most of them. Why don't we ever get that movie?"
[00:25:42] So, India, the actress, ends up saying that to the paparazzi or some form of press. She creates a media storm and draws out all types of opinions that she's not interested in. India is an adoptive mom, and she wants everyone to know that there is more to an adoptive family than pain and regret.
What I loved about this book mostly was that the author was able to describe almost all forms of adoption. She talked about teen pregnancy, same-sex marriage, single motherhood, rights being removed, and all of it, she had a positive spin on it and a hopeful spin on it and there wasn't pain in lifelong trauma that led to drugs and other bad behavior. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
Another book that I read recently is a middle grade because I really do enjoy a lot of middle-grade books as well. It's called The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson. I thought it was super cute because it's set in a department store, but a real wonder, a world of wonder kind of department store filled with amusement parks and museums and of course restaurants and stores, and it's super cute.
[00:27:01] But my grandmother worked in a department store all of my life and so the idea of this set inside of a store I just fell in love with.
But it's about two teens on a mission to solve a puzzling mystery in order to save the department store. So it had a little bit of puzzle work to it and I just thought it was really cute.
ANNE: My grandmother worked in a department store.
ADRIANNE: Aw.
ANNE: She had stories.
ADRIANNE: Yeah, I bet.
ANNE: Okay. Adrianne, what are you looking for in your reading life right now? So I know that we are looking for recommendations about books either set in a hotel or restaurant or books that feel especially hospitable. But what else would you like to put into that stew pot?
ADRIANNE: I think what I'm looking for, as you said, it doesn't have to be set in a hotel or a restaurant, but books for you that you felt like felt hospitable, felt like the author was inviting you into a world very graciously with open arms and a glass of tea in order to tell you a story that you completely enjoyed. Just books that feel hospitable, whether set in a hotel or not.
[00:28:09] ANNE: Adrianne. I have ideas for you. Are you ready?
ADRIANNE: Yes.
ANNE: We are gonna take a quick look back. You loved The Maid by Nita Prose, Unreasonable Hospitality, a nonfiction work by Will Guidara, and Love & Saffron by Kim Fay.
Not for you was The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden. Just because a book is about a maid doesn't mean that's the only element that will make you feel like your reading time was well spent.
And lately, you've been reading Family Family by Laurie Frankel, that you are almost obsessed with, and The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson.
And we're looking for books that are about or convey a deep sense of hospitality. How to choose, Adrianne? Let's start with one that I think you are uniquely positioned to appreciate. It doesn't represent the genre we've heard about today, but it is a hotel book. And this is the Beth O'Leary 2023 released The Wake Up Call. Is this a book you're familiar with?
ADRIANNE: No.
[00:29:16] ANNE: Okay. I think all I need to do is tell you about the setting and we could stop there. So this book takes place in contemporary times. It's set at the Forest Manor Hotel, which is a cozy boutique hotel and spa in the south of England.
This is a family-run business that feels more like a family, except this family is broke and the hotel is literally falling apart. So everybody loves their little world and their jobs and being in this... It feels like a world removed.
It's not like in the hustle and bustle of a city. I imagine the characters taking a long scenic drive to get there. But they don't have any money because not as many people are visiting this hotel as would be necessary, and the hotel is in great need of repair and even though the services they're putting out are top-notch, the spa is amazing, you get to know the chef, Arjun, and he talks about his dishes. And we have the staff who's so devoted to the restaurant, and at the same time, they're wondering, are we going to have a job here in a couple months?
[00:30:14] I think this is romance with a bit of women's fiction element to it. But this is an enemies-to-lover setup about two front desk workers who despise each other. Well, she despises him. It's not mutual. There's been a misunderstanding, and Beth O'Leary explains it to you in the beginning of the book. But they are forced to work the front desk together and spend a lot of time together, and she's just human sunshine and he's a little bit gruff-er, but they both really want to wow both their regular guests and newcomers.
And then we've got a little bit of a mystery plot going on with this novel because everyone in the hotel is always trying to wow their guests. And you get the impression that it's because it's their nature and also they really want the world at large to see how great their hotel is so that word will get out and people will come visit and then they will all still have jobs and have the money to fix the plaster that's like falling down from the ceiling because it needs to be repaired.
[00:31:23] So one of the front desk clerks helps reunite a guest with a wedding ring after he loses it behind, and he is so incredibly grateful. And it gets the staff thinking, well, what else could we do to engender that kind of appreciation on the part of our guests? Because we want people to feel seen as guests, but also as people, and cared for, and that we care about their whole selves, and we're looking out for everything they need.
So they hit up the Lost and Found box, and they find four more wedding rings. And Izzy is like, "Okay, here's what we're going to do. We are going to reunite these people with their lost wedding rings." And it becomes a whole thing, and it takes off on social media, and there's a lot of attention to the hotel.
You know, meanwhile, we have these two front desk characters who may not want to, but are definitely, well, engaging in tons of witty banter, and also maybe falling in love just a little bit. How does that sound to you?
ADRIANNE: Anne, not to give you any pressure, but it sounds like perfection. Absolute perfection.
[00:32:25] ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Beth O'Leary said that this story wasn't originally in her publication calendar with her publisher, but it came to her and she wrote it because it brought her so much joy. And it came out in 2023. It was the book that wasn't meant to be that she was really excited to put out into the world.
ADRIANNE: I love it.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Now, I really want to take you in a direction that we're not expecting to go.
ADRIANNE: Okay.
ANNE: I keep thinking of a memoir by Ann Hood called Fly Girl. Have you read this? Do you know this?
ADRIANNE: I know it, but I haven't read it.
ANNE: Okay, well this is a story about people at work. She's a flight attendant. Ann Hood is also a novelist. She has a book that came out in May called The Stolen Child that I've heard good things about but haven't read yet.
Ann Hood knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. And she knew that writers needed material and she was like, Well, what am I going to do? I'm just a girl from Rhode Island. I don't know anything interesting. Nothing interesting happens here."
[00:33:22] So she decided she was going to get that material by getting a cool job that would take her around the world. She wanted to be a flight attendant. Then she was called a stewardess because she worked between 1978 and 1986. These jobs were hard to get at the time.
I don't believe it's easy to be a flight attendant now, but at the time she was hired, the interview process was rigorous. There were a lot of antiquated physical requirements as well. Statistically speaking, it was harder to get into the flight attendant career path than it was to secure admission to Harvard back then.
So, she crisscrossed the country and the world and she took care of planes and especially their passengers. So, in this book, she shares all these anecdotes and she says, like, Hey, I go to cocktail parties and people say, what do you do? And she'll say, I'm a novelist. And they have no idea what to say next to her.
But if she tosses out, like, "Oh, I was a stewardess back in the day," like, oh, people have questions. They want to know which works because she has stories. And these pages are filled with her stories. And she is telling a bit of a history as she outlines really massive changes that happened in the industry during that crucial eight-year period between '78 and '86. But mostly she's telling stories about what she saw in the air.
[00:34:42] And it's not non-stop hospitality. Sometimes it's about staying safe and staying well, but also she's talking about creating the passenger experience and managing people's comfort and their perception of what's happening on the plane, which might be different from what's happening on the plane.
And you see how she's caring for people when they're, you know, really anticipating something great, like people on their honeymoons and going on vacation and traveling to weddings, but also how she sees people often at their most vulnerable. And she shares some really touching stories about that as well. How does this sound to you?
ADRIANNE: Oh, it sounds wonderful. I can't wait.
ANNE: We have to talk about Babette's Feast, but then I need to tell you about more of a shop book as well. Have you read Babette's Feast? Have you seen the movie?
ADRIANNE: No, I don't know this.
ANNE: This is a Danish novella that is perhaps also known as one of those literary works for which the movie upon which it is based outshines the original source material. I'm just saying this is true that it's commonly discussed that way. Readers, you don't have to fight me in comments, but I'm interested in your perception.
[00:35:51] But this is a Danish novella, it was published in 1958, and there is a very well-known and highly regarded movie based on this source material. It's by Isak Dinesen, that is the pen name for a Dane named Karen Blixen, and it's about a woman named Babette.
And what we know is that many years ago, well I believe it's something like 15 in the book's timeline, she traveled from Paris to seek refuge for unnamed reasons with two sisters in a tiny Norwegian village.
The sisters are part of a religious order, they are very strict, they live a very puritanical life, they teach her to make very austere food. And they live a very structured life that doesn't exactly reek of sensuality and pleasure. It's a good life. It's a strict life.
So, 15 years into this life that has largely been the same year after year, Babette wins 10,000 francs in the French lottery. She gets a letter and she finds out she has all this money. And we find out that she used to be a chef in Paris, and now she has 10,000 francs. They think, they fear, the townspeople, that she may use the money to return to Paris. But instead, she begins ordering food and wine. And she hosts this, lavish does not begin to cover it, dinner for 12 of the local villagers.
[00:37:26] She's recreating, though they don't know this until the end, the sort of meal, perhaps the exact meal that she used to serve at her esteemed restaurant in Paris. So these Norwegian villagers have been eating fish and soup and gruel, and suddenly they are feasting on the finest food that a city like Paris could offer.
At the end of the evening... Well, let's talk about the middle of the evening, the experience of being served this lovingly prepared food by Babette and enjoying it together transforms everyone at the table. Rifts and feuds that have been going on for as long as Babette has been there are suddenly overridden with love and warmth and just a totally different atmosphere. It is a magical meal.
And at the end, they say, "What are you going to do with the rest of the money?" And she says, "What rest of the money? I spent it. I spent it. This was it." It's a really beautiful novella. And it is a novella. You could be done with this by lunchtime. How does that sound to you?
ADRIANNE: It sounds like I'll be done with it by lunchtime. I can't wait.
ANNE: I'm not sad about that. Please see the movie after you read the novella.
ADRIANNE: Okay.
[00:38:38] ANNE: Finally, I need to tell you about a new book that, as someone who works in a bookstore, this may already be on your radar. Friends, it was in the Summer Reading Guide that came out in May. It is Shopkeeping by Peter Miller. Do you know this one yet, Adrianne?
ADRIANNE: No. Well, I saw it in your Reading Guide, but I don't know it.
ANNE: Well, I want to highlight it for you. So Peter Miller is a shopkeeper. He owns the architectural bookstore Peter Miller Books in Seattle. And of course, now I want to go having read about it. But he says, Nobody ever hears from a shopkeeper. You know, we talk about all kinds of experiences and we have all sorts of, you know, tales of people at work and instruction manuals. Think of this as my instruction manual of sorts as a shopkeeper.
And I'm sure that his bookstore is not like your bookstore. He sells radios and $300 lamps for once, timepieces, and he's really into Danish housewares. But oh... I kind of like that through line to Babette's Feast. But I love to understand how things work. I think you do, too, as someone who says like, okay, this is the experience I want to create or this is the experience I'm having, how did we get there?
[00:39:45] He talks about his experience of creating a shop and creating the shop experience for his guests and what he notices when he visits shops. And something he says in the beginning is like, "Hey, you probably haven't been to my store, but you've been in a shop? I bet you've been in a shop. Let me tell you some things that you might not have thought to articulate, but you will recognize." And it's so interesting.
He talks, for example, about how if you walk into a shop and it's not ready, you feel it, and it feels weird, and how that's very, very different than a shot feeling perfect. You don't need it to feel perfect. You don't maybe even want it to feel perfect, but you know when something is ready and when something is not. So what makes it feel ready? What is it that draws people in?
He's been doing what he's been doing for 45 years, and he's sharing insights from his own business, but also things he has developed a whole philosophy on by virtue of thinking about his work, learning from others, visiting lots of shops around the entire world.
[00:40:46] This is also very much a book about curation, choosing what to gather, choosing what to present to people when there are so many options. How do you decide what to feature to your guests?
It's also about why public spaces like shops matter. And he has some observations about what makes a shop a shop, how his shop interacts with not just their clientele, but also the people who walk down the street and don't necessarily come in, but who still value the shop for things it offers them.
Like he talks about how for many, many years, they had a clock on the wall inside the shop and they took it down for a time for some reason and people would come in and say, "Where's the clock? I relied on your clock. What happened to your clock? Do you not want me to know what's up? What are you doing? Do you not care about being a good neighbor?" But he shares all these reflections on public spaces.
And something I said in unboxing is I'm a big urban planning nerd. I love to read about sidewalks and intersections and how the invisible to us often way our public spaces are designed impact our experience.
[00:41:51] I really love it when a talented writer like Jeff Speck we hosted on the podcast can describe sidewalks to me in such a way that makes the invisible, untangible aspects of my experience visible and tangible. And I feel like Peter Miller's doing the same thing with shops with this book. How does that sound?
ADRIANNE: That sounds great. I read recently Reading the Room: A Bookseller's Tale by Paul Yamazaki.
ANNE: I don't know this, but I'm going to jot it down.
ADRIANNE: What you just described sounds like what I was hoping Reading the Room would be. It's quite different, but I'm excited about what you described.
ANNE: Interesting. Well, this is a very short book. You can read it very quickly. It's a beautiful little small format hardcover. Also, some of you are going to want to know that there are lots of books mentioned that you will probably want to read next, especially some little Japanese volume that he says he sells to everybody and recommends all the time.
He tells a great story about selling someone who cares about such things very expensive books. But they want the best ones too, and this inexpensive little Japanese novel makes its way into the stack. And the guy says, You can sell me anything. You can make all this money. And this is what you want." And Peter Miller's like, "It's the best. What do you want me to do? It's the best."
[00:43:00] So you're going to want to read that one when you're done. But there's a nice little index with lots of further reading as well.
Adrianne, I hope those were some books that were very much what you were hoping for and some that maybe you were not expecting to go in that direction. But of those books, what do you think? So we have The Wake Up Call by Beth O'Leary, Fly Girl by Ann Hood, Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, and Shopkeeping by Peter Miller. Of those books, what do you think you'll pick up next?
ADRIANNE: I'm excited about all the books, honestly. But I think I'm going to read Shopkeeping. I think I'm going to read that next.
ANNE: I'm excited to hear it. I can't wait to hear what you think.
ADRIANNE: Yeah, me too.
ANNE: Thanks so much for talking books with me today.
ADRIANNE: Thank you, Anne. It's been a lot of fun.
[00:43:44] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Adrianne, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. We share her social media link and the full list of titles we talked about today at WhatShouldIReadNextPodcast.com.
Follow our show on Instagram @WhatShouldIReadNext, and be sure to tag your favorite summer reads with MMDSummerReading so we can see what you are loving lately.
You'll find me on Instagram and my personal account, that's @AnneBogel.
Make sure you're following in Spotify, Overcast, Apple Podcasts, and more.
We, like many podcasters, have been hit and really affected by the new Apple Podcasts update. If you are downloading those episodes consistently, it truly helps us so much. If you could check your settings, we would appreciate it so very much. Thank you in advance.
Sign up for our email list to make sure you are in the know on all things happening at What Should I Read Next? HQ. Make sure you're on the list by signing up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode: The Maid by Nita Prose
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
Love & Saffron by Kim Fay
▵ The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
• Family Family by Laurie Frankel
• The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson
• The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary
• Fly Girl by Ann Hood
• The Stolen Child by Ann Hood
• Babette’s Feast by Isak Dinesen
• Shopkeeping by Peter Miller
• Reading the Room: A Bookseller’s Tale by Paul Yamazaki
Also mentioned:• Summer Reading Guide
• WSIRN Episode 372: Books that change the way you see your city and your world
• What Should I Read Next? is sponsored by BetterHelp.
The post Hospitable books with a strong sense of welcome appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? After a stormy week I hope to get outside and enjoy some sunshine. As far as indoor activities go, I need to plan my TBR for an upcoming trip to the beach! If you have ideas I’d love to hear. I’m also looking forward to my teens’ dance recital: watching them and their talented peers kill it on stage is so much fun.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Why You Should Meet Your Literary Heroes. (The Book Tide) “Don’t do it, they say. You’ll only be disappointed, they say. I am happy to report that “they” are wrong.”
The books that shaped me: Shannan edition. (MMD) We kicked off a new series this week!
I’m a longtime fan of American Giant slub tees; this spring Will got in on the action with their men’s premium slub crew tees. We both wear mediums. The code DARCY still works for 20% off your first order. (I wish American Giant had rolled out their new ringer tee in time for our 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide photo shoots—it would have been the perfect apparel for our summer camp-themed Guide!)
Practical advice for cooking as caregiving. (Keep Calm & Cook On) Great tips.
An Extraordinary Intergenerational Friendship. (Culture Study) I loved this interview with Sara B. Franklin, author of 2024 Summer Reading Guide selection The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America (Bookshop).
The One Place in Airports People Actually Want to Be. (Atlantic gift link) “You could dismiss the amenities arms race as an absurd exercise in flattering wealth’s vanity—it is. But that flattery is so effective because lounges offer a solution to a real set of problems.”
Inspired by a recent trip to Spain, my 16-year-old and her friend made a fabulous Spanish tortilla for dinner last night. So good! (The Mediterranean Dish)
Should I Feel Guilty For Checking Out A Book Instead Of Buying It? (Huffington Post) Short answer: nope!
I’m not afraid of a 50-hour audiobook. (What Should I Read Next) I fill up the To Be Read queue of an avid Georgia gardener and horticulturalist with superb listens that lean literary (and are often in translation). Bonus: Stephanie answered my burning question about European trees.
To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Libro.fm has a month-long Buy One, Get One sale! Such a good audiobook deal.
Costco to stop selling books in surprise blow to publishers: report. (New York Post) “The decision is a blow to the publishing industry given that Costco buys books in bulk — ordering tens of thousands of copies of a book at a minimum — and offers them for sale to shoppers who may not otherwise seek them out.”
9 of the Most Walkable Cities in America. (Apartment Therapy)
This adorable Target straw handbag screams summer. (I have a designer version of this exact style—a gift from a generous friend—and am using it all the time right now. But the price on THIS one is much easier on the wallet.)
Standout audiobooks for summer listening. (MMD) New and recent audiobook releases for your summer listening enjoyment.
What’s a Teenage Summer For? (Slate) “‘How many more years are you going to not have this much fun? As adults, we spend so much time trying to recapture that lightness and joy that we have at camp.’”
Don’t miss these posts:15 standout backlist summer novels perfect for seasonal listening. These audiobooks feel entirely right for the summer season!
5 summer salad recipes for simple everyday lunches. We keep these on rotation for lunches and side dishes.
20 favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs. Pick up these favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs during Pride month and all year long!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love to listen to audiobooks; I’m picky about my audiobooks. Anyone relate? I read more slowly on audio than I do on the page, and I want to make those hours count.
That feels especially true this time of year: we make a big deal of summer reading around here, and while I listen to audiobooks year-round there’s something special about listening to a great read in the summer.
When I’m choosing my next audiobook listen, I’m not looking for a substitute for the print book; the best audiobooks enhance the reading experience, adding layers that the print version can’t replicate. I know many of you deeply value a wonderful summer audiobook, which is why for many years now, each year’s MMD Summer Reading Guide includes an “Awesome on Audio” feature, in which I highlight that season’s standout audiobook selections, as well as draw your attention to amazing backlist audiobooks that feel just right for summer.
June is Audiobook Appreciation Month, which is a good excuse to gather up a collection of audiobooks that I’ve found to be completely perfect for my own summer listening, and might suit yours, as well. You’ll find four categories of titles in this audiobook list: three are from the 2024 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide, one backlist selection has strong ties to one of this year’s Summer Reading Guide selections, one new release was almost in the Guide and feels just right for right now (especially on audio), two have appeared in our Guide’s Awesome on Audio feature. Plus I included several audiobooks I personally happened to enjoy at this time of year, right at the beginning of the summer season.
I hope the audiobooks on this list keep you company all summer long. Please tell us about the ones you’ve loved and continue to look forward to in the comments!
Standout audiobooks for summer listeningSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Renee Watson
A 2024 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection: Piecing Me Together author Watson wows with her adult debut. Zenzi Williams's moving narration further enhances the reading experience. Things are finally going well for forty-year-old Lena: she has a good job, loving relationships with her parents and daughter, and a handsome fiancé she’s set to marry in just a few weeks. But his shocking confession the morning of her would-be wedding sends her reeling, and destabilizes the once-firm foundation she’s carefully built. Close female friendships and familial relationships feature prominently as Watson unpacks the beliefs surrounding beauty, love, fatness, and faith handed down from each generation to the next. Lyrical and kaleidoscopic, Watson compassionately explores what it means to love yourself, love your body, and love others, while showcasing Portland’s rich Black history. 9 hrs 9 mins. More info →Author: Hanif Abdurraqib
A 2024 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection: Basketball isn't really my thing, or so I thought—but in Abdurraqib’s hands, I couldn’t get enough of Columbus, the Cavaliers, and LeBron James. Who knew? And Abdurraqib is a magnificent narrator of his own work. In this inventive, far-reaching collection, the poet and music critic shares riveting anecdotes and fascinating details about the game itself. He also uses the ball as a jumping off point to explore a wide (wide!) variety of topics, including heroes and role models, the passage of time, the fragility of life, and the joy of rooting for the underdog. I can’t begin to capture his stupendous storytelling skills, but know this: this is my first read from the author and I’m hooked. I've already begun my summer project of exploring his backlist. (Just a few chapters left in They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us; I'm loving it.) 8 hrs 40 mins. More info →Author: Emily Henry
I thoroughly enjoyed this new romance and might have included in the Summer Reading Guide, but for its April 24 release date and the fact that you've already seen it everywhere. (I might have gasped when I saw the staggering first-week sales in Publishers Weekly!) Fan favorite narrator Julia Whelan reads Henry's love stories, which makes them extra-enticing to audiophiles. In this emotional latest, two unlikely roommates fall in love. They move in together as a matter of convenience, because their housing and the rest of their lives are upended when their respective soon-to-be-spouses fall in love ... with each other, which results in two cancelled weddings and general chaos. Of course these two new roomies are going to fall in love, but in romance it's the journey that counts and this was a fun one. (Although it's worth noting that reading about self-absorbed parents was sometimes painful.) The lakeside town abutting Lake Michigan has a delightful small town feel; he has a cool job at a winery and she works as a children's librarian, which means lots of library details and story time scenes. Once again Henry manages to be insightful and unputdownable; I would call this one most similar in tone to Happy Place. 11 hrs 23 mins. More info →Author: Colm Tóibín
With this summer's publication of Tóibín's companion book Long Island, many readers are revisiting this 2009 historical fiction—or finding it for the first time. (Read the two in whatever order you'd like.) In this quiet coming-of-age story, set just after the second World War, a young girl from Ireland's County Wexford is offered the opportunity to travel to America to settle in a a Brooklyn neighborhood that's "just like Ireland," with the assurance of an education and a good job. She had no intention of leaving home, but can't say this aloud, and so she goes. A poignant novel with homesickness at its heart, reminiscent of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. This contemplative work is beautiful on audio, as narrated by Kirsten Potter. 7 hrs 38 mins. More info →Author: Alison Espach
I don't remember why this May 2022 release originally caught my eye, but once I began listening to Jesse Vilinksy's excellent narration I was immediately swept up in the story. Since then we've featured it as a backlist title in the Summer Reading Guide's Awesome on Audio section. Chronologically, this story of two sisters in small-town 1990s Connecticut begins when shy Sally is just thirteen, and her bold and beautiful sister Kathy is sixteen. But on the first page of the story Sally is 28, seemingly telling her absent sister about everything that happened between then and now. ("You disappeared on a school night. Nobody was more surprised by this than me ...") Back then both girls nursed crushes on Billy Barnes, the handsome senior a year older than Kathy; when Kathy and Billy start dating, Sally drinks in all her sister's updates on their relationship. But then a car accident involving the three teenagers kills Kathy. This is the story of what happened after, a haunting portrait of confusion, love, and grief, enhanced by the unusual second person narration. Espach's July 2024 release The Wedding People is one of this year's MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selections. 12 hrs 17 mins. More info →Author: Angeline Boulley
I can't gush enough about Isabella Starr LeBlanc's narration for this 2023 Summer Reading Guide pick! Boulley’s much-anticipated (and standalone) sophomore novel, set ten years after the events of Firekeeper’s Daughter. Unlike her studious twin, Perry Firekeeper-Birch wasn’t initially interested in the Ojibwe summer internship program, but when she incurs a big debt, she has no choice but to get to work. Her job assignment centers on her tribe’s struggle to reclaim the remains and sacred objects of her ancestors from disinterested profiteers. The more Perry learns, the more determined she becomes to right this wrong, with a little help from her friends. A heist novel that’s both thrilling and thoughtful, with a winning protagonist you’ll want to root for. 11 hrs 32 mins. More info →Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Over the past few years I got into the habit of listening to the latest Hilderbrand on audio, read by longtime narrator Erin Bennett. This 2022 release is my favorite of recent years. When the story begins the titular hotel’s Gilded Age glory days are long gone: it’s a real dump (and in a fun plot twist—haunted!) when London billionaire Xavier Darling buys it sight unseen. The new owner hires local restaurateur Lizbet Keaton to make his hotel the best property on the island, if not the whole Eastern seaboard. And that means The Hotel Nantucket has to wow Shelly Carpenter, the influencer who’s become a national obsession for her blog Hotel Confidential. The influential critic regularly reviews hotels for her eighteen million followers and awards each property anywhere from one to five keys. The staff is energized by this audacious goal, because no hotel has ever earned five keys from Shelly Carpenter. To earn the coveted fifth key, they’ll have to do everything right. Super fun, and I especially enjoyed the ghost story element! 12 hrs 27 mins. More info →Author: Sarah Dass
A 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide Awesome on Audio selection: This heartfelt YA enemies-to-lovers romance features hugely likable protagonists and unfolds against an equally appealing backdrop: Trinidad’s lauded Carnival celebration—and thanks to Antonevia Ocho-Coultes's narration, you feel like you're right there in the middle of the action. For Beatrice, known as “Tess” to her friends, Carnival is the family business: she’s a talented seamstress who designs costumes for the family masquerade band Grandeur. But after a public incident threatens Grandeur’s future, she’s forced to ask for help from skilled social media influencer Brandon, who also happens to be her nemesis. But the more the two start hanging out, the harder it is for Tess to hate him. A sweet (and chaste) love story, endearing side characters, and a modern riff on Much Ado About Nothing all add up to perfect summer reading. 10 hrs 17 mins. More info →Author: Tan Twan Eng
I read this May 2023 release just days after the release of that year's Summer Reading Guide: in his Booker-longlisted novel, Malaysian writer Eng imagines how British novelist W. Somerset Maugham came to write his short story "The Letter," which was hugely popular in its time (largely because it was adapted into a widely-seen play and then a film starring Bette Davis). Maugham, who was vastly more successful in his day than I had realized, was known to mine real life for material, particularly the relationships of his friends and acquaintances. Here Eng focuses here on Maugham's visit to Penang in 1921 to visit an old British friend and his wife. Shortly upon his arrival, he learns he's lost his life savings to a bad investment, and must quickly write another novel to fund his much-desired further travels. With a novelist's ear for scandal, he quickly suspects one of his hosts has stories to tell that he can then re-tell on the page: of her loveless marriage, her relationship with a Chinese revolutionary, and especially of her friend who will soon stand trial for murder. You don't need to be familiar with Maugham's work to enjoy this lush historical look at colonial Malaysia and the disrupting influence of a famous writer on the hunt for material—but you'll likely want to read "The Letter" because of it. 11 hrs 15 mins. More info →Author: Kaliane Bradley
A 2024 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection, and one of the weirdest, most original books I've read in a long time: Bradley’s gripping debut unfolds in a near future where the British government employs time travel, as administered by a clunky bureaucracy. Our unnamed narrator takes a position as companion to the devastatingly handsome Commander Graham Gore, of the lost 1845 Royal Navy Arctic Expedition. She’s hired largely because her mother was a refugee from Cambodia, as her charge is also a refugee of sorts—not from another country, but from history. At once fast-paced and deeply philosophical, Bradley weaves together a spy plot, a love story, and heaps of droll British humor as her characters converse on race, gender, inherited trauma, and imperial legacy. This is most definitely awesome on audio, as narrated by George Weightman and Katie Leung (who narrates several of summer's fantastic new releases, and who you might remember as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films). 10 hrs 22 mins. More info → Have you listened to any of these yet? What audiobook releases are you looking forward to this summer? Tell us all about them in the comments section!
P.S. 18(!!!) Audiobooks I’ve enjoyed this summer, 7 Ways To Discover Your Audiobook Style, and 15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio. Plus check out our audiobook archives here.
The post Standout audiobooks for summer listening appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re starting a new loose series, conceived by our team member Shannan. Because this whole thing was her idea, I asked her to kick us off. I’m so happy to welcome her to the blog today to tell us about the books that shaped her. Happy reading! – Anne
I have been a reader or pretended to be a reader (before I learned to read) for as long as I can remember. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t remember my mom reading to my sister and I just for the joy of it. We did have a twice-daily Family Worship and my parents would read the Bible or some sort of inspirational story or devotional to us. We were not allowed to read fiction. I read many biographies and, in what I consider a bit of irony as a Black person, could tell you a lot about the lives of Confederate generals, whose stories were in abundance at my local small-town Southern library thanks to the Daughters of the Confederacy.
I grew up in a conservative Christian household which included my being homeschooled over half of my K-12 journey, including all of high school. I was a serious child, an “old soul”, and nurtured to stay that way. I was also prone to low moods; it was probably Seasonal Affective Disorder but no one in my circle was aware of SAD then. I didn’t see anyone around me struggling and I sensed I was not like everyone else. I also got it into my head that happiness was a thing that might elude me for the rest of my life. I escaped into books, dreaming of a different life.
Selecting the books that shaped me into who I am today was a difficult, but an important exercise. It was easy to know which books have had a significant impact in my life; they are what I curate in my personal library. I only need to turn around and look at my shelves. It was, however, impossible to narrow those books down. In the end, I decided to select five books that shaped me prior to my 30th year, the age I’ve felt I actually was my entire life.
While my reading was heavily restricted, some of the books I read cracked some doors into other ways of seeing the world. Even at a young age, I began to catch a glimpse of the power of “who tells the story” and that led to my now-firm stance of the essentialness of appreciating other people, cultures, and their understanding of the world.
The books below impacted the books I have read since. My love for gentle sci-fi/fantasy started when I was nine. A book I read in my early teens set the stage for Quiet by Susan Cain, where I as a human made more sense. (Of course I had to read Reading People when it was released in 2017.) The themes in a favorite novel led me to another all-time favorite, the memoir Eat Pray Love**, where Liz Gilbert sets out to discover herself and live a life of happiness on her terms. And another readstarted an intentional effort to pursue happiness and enjoy my life that continues today.
Here are 5 books that shaped me before I turned 30.
The books that shaped ShannanSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Gretchen Rubin
During a period when I was particularly down in my late 20’s, I went to my sister’s to puppy-sit while she worked during the day. That evening she handed me her copy of this book. Rubin spends a year doing a number of activities in an attempt to be happier. I was hooked from the first line, “I’d always vaguely expected to outgrow my limitations.” The next morning I was the first person at the local bookstore, purchasing my own copy. I realized my left-brain could tackle the enigmatic subject of happiness in a logical and methodical manner. I began my own Happiness Project right away – my copy still contains the notes from it. More info →Author: Zora Neale Hurston
I have read this American classic twice, the second time for MMD Book Club. The first time was for my African American Literature college course, my first real exposure to work by African Americans. It shaped me in two ways. One, it put into words what I was feeling inside my own body, especially in the scene where Janie is lying under a pear tree watching bees pollinate the tree. Two, it planted the tiny mustard seed of an idea that I could live my own life in a way that I wanted to. Janie exemplified that. More info →Author: Helen L. Taylor
My all-time childhood favorite is a children’s adaptation of Bunyan’s classic Pilgrim’s Progress where the protagonists are approximately 12-15 years old. This was one of the only works of fiction I was allowed to read because it was an allegory. Anne pointed out this book probably contributed to my love of gentle fantasy; there are giants, and knights, and a great dragon. Part 2, my favorite part, is the lesser known story of Christian’s close friend Christina and her pilgrimage with her little brothers and sisters. She needs help. Enter Greatheart, a young knight who is so brave and strong and kind that my 12-year-old self fell head-over-heels in love with him. He was my first literary crush. More info →Author: Lois Lenski
I checked this out from the children’s nonfiction section of my local library multiple times. It is about a young white girl who was taken captive by the Senecas during the French and Indian War. It read like fiction; an engaging page-turner even on my third and seventh readings. Originally published in 1941, author and illustrator Lenski dedicated herself to bringing different experiences into American consciousness. During her acceptance speech for the Newbery award in 1946, she said, “We need to know [...] people different from ourselves–people of different races, faiths, cultures and backgrounds…When we know them, understand how they live and why, we will think of them as ‘people–human beings like ourselves.” She did that for me in Indian Captive, for there was a humanity that was not in any of the other works that I had read about Indigenous peoples. At age 10, she began my awareness of an author’s responsibility when portraying minority groups. It planted the seed that we can learn from those different from ourselves, if we choose to. More info →Author: Florence Littauer
This opened the door to a whole world of personality and the tests and measurements that exist to help us understand ourselves. I read it in my early to mid teens. Littauer used the basis of the four humors of the ancient Greeks: sanguine, choleric, melancholy and phlegmatic to divide the population. I was not surprised to learn that I was, and still am, a “Perfect Melancholy”. This book began my getting to know and making sense of myself. And it set me down a path of self-awareness I haven’t gotten off of yet. More info → Have you read any of these books? What books have shaped you? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 7 books that will make you a better human and Science Fiction/Fantasy for beginners.
About the authorShannan Malone is the MMD Cohost and Contributor. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
The post The books that shaped me: Shannan edition appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest has discovered the perfect literary match: since Stephanie Van Parys discovered in 2020 that she could pair audiobooks with working in her beloved garden, she’s never looked back.
Today, Stephanie is joining me from Decatur, Georgia, where, after a career in nonprofit leadership, she’s now putting her horticulture degree to use. These days almost all her reading is done in audio format, and she’s here for my help in cultivating her summer listening list.
Stephanie’s tastes are broad, and she is not intimidated by a 50-hour audiobook. She would also love to discover new-to-her authors from places other than the US or the UK. I have suggestions to keep Stephanie’s summer reading in bloom.
Let us know which titles you’d recommend for Stephanie by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Stephanie on Goodreads, at her website, and on Instagram.
Shop Summer Merch!Our summer merch shop is updated with all kinds of fun bookish items, like our Book Camp shirts (especially designed for our 2024 Summer Reading Guide), an assortment of stickers (we especially love the Read! pennant sticker), links to all of my books, our archive of seasonal reading guides, and more. Enjoy summer shopping at modernmrsdarcy.com.shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] STEPHANIE VAN PARYS: The Norwegian setting for a hot and humid summer in Atlanta will be perfect. Because in my head I'll be in the cold, but you know, physically I'll be in the Atlanta summer.
ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, our summer merch shop is updated with all kinds of fun bookish items. This year's Summer Reading Guide takes us to book camp, and we've got the shirt or sweatshirt to prove it. Check out our new styles, including a much-requested V-neck, and find the one that suits you.
We've also added an assortment of new stickers perfect for your water bottle, e-reader case, laptop, or anywhere else you'd like to proclaim your book nerdery for all to see. The Read Pendant sticker is fast becoming a favorite, but all the designs are so fun!
[00:01:17] You'll also find links to all of my books, which I see when you order them from our shop. Our archive of seasonal reading guides and even gift certificates for book club membership. Check it all out at Modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. That's modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
Today's guest, Stephanie Van Parys, is joining me from Decatur, Georgia, where, after working in nonprofit leadership for the past 19 years, Stephanie now has much more time to spend in her beloved garden, putting her horticulture degree to use, and she has big plans for her summer projects.
Stephanie is also a reader, of course, when she discovered in 2020 that she could pair audiobooks with working in the dirt. She never looked back. These days almost all her reading is done in audio format. She is here for my help to get a queue of recommendations to reach for this summer season.
Stephanie's tastes are broad, and she is not intimidated by a 50-hour audiobook. She would especially love to discover new-to-her authors from places other than the US or the UK, which you will hear more about shortly. I have suggestions to keep Stephanie's summer reading in bloom. Let's get to it.
[00:02:24] Stephanie, welcome to the show.
STEPHANIE: Thank you, Anne. I am so excited to be here.
ANNE: Well, I can't wait to talk about books and gardens and other things. Stephanie, tell us a little bit about yourself. We just want to give our readers a glimpse of who you are when you're not book podcasting.
STEPHANIE: That's right. Thank you. Actually, I have been listening to your podcast for a very long time. I'm a completist. And when I have finished a book or have had a book that I didn't quite care for, I will have a conversation with you in my head or in my garden out loud. I'll talk to you. So I feel like we've had this conversation a few times, but I really appreciate being here. I'm excited to be here.
ANNE: Oh my goodness. What I would give for a hidden camera situation right now.
STEPHANIE: Yes. And my neighbors... who knows who's heard me, talking to you in my garden because my garden is right on the street. So who knows? But I live in Decatur, Georgia, which is right next to Atlanta. I live here with my husband, and I have three children. Two of them are at university, and one of them is about to be a senior, which is very exciting.
[00:03:33] Also in our family, we have two corgis, Winnie and Rico, we have a cat and we have a flock of chickens in our backyard. So I have been living in Decatur since 1998, and for that long I've had a garden. That was one of the reasons why we chose the house that we chose because of the big side yard that we have. That's full sun, which is a requirement for growing vegetables and beautiful perennials.
ANNE: Decatur is also home to an amazing literary festival. Is this one you've experienced?
STEPHANIE: Yes, the Decatur Book Festival, which is a nice big festival that takes over the downtown area. My older son is a big reader, and so going to the festival is a big deal. We like to go to all the booths and look at all the books.
What I love about that festival is the university presses that are there. University of Georgia will be there and other university presses will be there. And I always like looking at the books that they print. You find some unique titles at their tents.
[00:04:42] ANNE: Yes. You discover the books that for sure are not all over Instagram.
STEPHANIE: That's right. To be honest, those are the types of books that I do like to read. I mean, I like to read the popular, you know, the books that are all of us in, but I really don't follow them on Instagram. But I also like finding fun novels or nonfiction at those tents.
ANNE: That's interesting. Look, I'm glad you have the Decatur Book Festival to find those books, because we're going to focus on something else today. You've been listening to a lot of audio recently, and I think your garden has everything to do with this. So with that is context, which I know from your submission, thank you so much for sending it in, tell us about how your reading life has evolved in recent years and what it looks like these days.
STEPHANIE: I have been a reader my entire life. I was heavily influenced by my mother, who was a librarian and a reader, and I've been reading for as long as I... and voraciously. No book was too long for me or too short, and have had a vast appetite for just different types of books.
[00:05:47] And then as I had children, as my work life sped up and took more of my time, I found that I was reading less physical copies of books. In 2021 I made the transition to audiobooks. And I had been hearing about audiobooks, you know, from your podcast and from some other podcasts that I'd listened to. I really didn't know people who listen to audiobooks.
I think there were a couple of things that happened that was a perfect storm. One of them was I had a better phone, I was able to get a set of Bluetooth headphones, and I learned about Libby, the Libby app from my library. Then I listened to a podcast where they were talking about reading classical novels, which is something I've always wanted to do, but I did not have the attention span to read a David Copperfield or even a Jane Austen in its full, beautiful form in book form.
[00:06:45] And they said these books were meant to be read out loud. They were read out loud to family members around the fire, and that listening to them on audio was a perfectly legit way to listen to a classic novel. And that was it. That just set the stage for me.
Also at that time it was 2021, and I was definitely spending more time in my garden. We were still in the thick of the pandemic and working from home and just having more time in my garden. And so I put on my headphones and started reading while I was gardening.
It was the marriage of two perfect worlds for me, because there's two things that you can always say about me is that I'm a gardener and I love to read. I was able to put both of those together in my garden to pull weeds while I was listening to a book, and I haven't stopped. So that was 2021.
I just started blowing through all those classic novels I always wanted to read, and then just picking up other books that I probably would never have read in their physical form because I didn't have the time or the attention span to be able to complete them. But when somebody is reading them to you, you're just a captured audience.
And if you're doing something with your hands, which is something I like to do, I always like to have my hands busy, that was just a perfect reading environment for me. So I went from being no audio to now today I am 99% audiobooks.
[00:08:18] ANNE: Oh wow. Okay, we are definitely going to keep that in mind when we recommend books for you today. Stephanie, as someone who really likes to be busy with your hands and be physically in the world, I wonder if you have this collection of sense memories of like what you listen to when. Because I'm not really a gardener. In fact, Will and I have been talking about like, do we maybe want to, like, become the kind of people who care just a little bit more? Maybe. I may ask for tips with that.
But I do have really powerful memories of remembering which weeds I was pulling when listening to Dominic Hoffman read me James McBride's Deacon King Kong and the other weeds I was pulling out of our heads that you would surely know the name of and I cannot come up with right now when I was finishing You Should See Me in a Crown on a really hot summer morning. Like the book is bound up with the memory of the... I mean, I guess that is gardening. Tell me about your experiences there.
[00:09:15] STEPHANIE: I definitely have sense memories when I am in my garden or what was I doing when I was listening to a book. For example, I listened to Stephen King's writing... the book about writing and publishing. And I know exactly where I was in my garden. I was probably planting onions at that time.
And I always have to weed heavily before I can plant anything because I'm in Georgia and we're not tropical, but boy, my weeds do think that we are. So I was preparing the soil and I was likely planting onions at the time that I listened to his book. But yeah.
When I listened to David Copperfield, I was standing at my potting table. I had hundreds of seedlings to pot up, and that's what I would do. I'd go out in the evening. In the spring you can go out at 7 o'clock, and it's cooler, and it's nice to be outside.
I would pot up a bunch of seedlings that I had grown, and I was listening to David Copperfield, and I would look forward to it. Like, "I'm going to go outside and I'm going to pot up seedlings. And not only that, I get to listen to another hour of the 52-hour-long audiobook of David Copperfield. But what fun that was. So yes, 100% I know where I am or where I've been when I've listened to an audiobook.
[00:10:37] ANNE: I love that. Okay, Stephanie, we do think around here that we want to be more yard people than we have been. So we're working on planting some things. But I will say right at this very moment there are a couple bushes in the front yard that have been sitting there for three weeks since we picked them up. They're going to get in the ground, maybe after this rain passes through, but that's what you have to work with.
So what are just a few tips for those of us who happen to be readers who are interested in... I mean, I would say building their skills, but really I think it's a question of welcoming a slight shift in priorities and how I'm spending my time now.
STEPHANIE: I think, to go back to reading, some of the books that I've read in my life have really influenced my gardening philosophy and approach. So, early on, before I had children and we had just bought our house and I had this fresh yard to interpret the way I wanted to, there were books that I read that really influenced me in the approach that I had to my garden.
[00:11:44] And they weren't necessarily gardening how-to books. It was the theory behind it. So early on, I probably read Michael Pollan. There was another author named Sarah Stein. She was a gardener up in New York. Then there was another author named Joan Dye Gussow, who had a garden on the Hudson River.
So part of gardening is being inspired. You are not only out there working the land, but you're doing something bigger. And when you've read about it, you're inspired to go outside and interpret what you've read. Like, what is your role in the environment? What is your role in the gardening world? What is your role in providing food for birds and pollinators? Is that something that's a priority for you? Do you want to provide a stopping point for butterflies, that they have a resting spot, that your yard is a place that provides food and water and a place for them to raise their young?
[00:12:48] When I read about it, it influences me on what I want to do in my own garden. And that's really most of it is that I'm just interpreting with my hands and with the soil and with the seeds and the flowers that I plant what I've read and that it supports the work that I'm doing outside because I'm making a difference.
If I hadn't read about it, I wouldn't be inspired to do so. I wouldn't know what I was doing. So really simple is, let's say you think, You know, I'd like to do something to support butterflies or see some butterflies. If butterflies are flying through my neighborhood and I want them to have a resting spot, I can provide that right by my mailbox by planting four or five zinnia plants. It's a summer annual. They're very easy. They're drought-resistant. They have beautiful flowers and the butterflies come through. And it's not just the butterflies, it's your bees and your native bees.
So the books I've read are the reason why I garden the way I do. These were books that I read early on that influenced me. I think that's part of it.
[00:14:00] ANNE: Interesting. So reading is not just something that I can do while I garden, perhaps my way in to feeling inspired and motivated to spend more time outdoors. More time outdoors that's not just on the comfortable outdoor sofa reading. Or walking the dog.
STEPHANIE: It is a perfectly legit reason to be outside, you know, relaxing and reading. Doug Tallamy is another writer who-
ANNE: Yes. My friend is very enthusiastic about native plants and has introduced me to his stuff.
STEPHANIE: Yeah. Yeah. So I think I have plants that are sitting on my driveway. Your plants have been sitting there for three weeks. I have plants that have been sitting in my driveway for three years.
ANNE: That does make me feel better.
STEPHANIE: My philosophy is that I should have a place to put that plant before it comes home with me, but sometimes my eyes are bigger than what I have accomplished outside to prepare for them. And sometimes it does take three years.
But this is my year. 2024 is for sure my year to spend more time in my garden. And I already have been, so I have hopes that by the end of the summer, everything that's supposed to be planted has been planted outside in the garden.
[00:15:14] ANNE: I'm noticing that philosophy and practice don't always align. Yeah. That's true for my reading life as well sometimes. Very relatable. Now, Stephanie, you came to What Should I Read Next? with a very specific request that I'm really looking forward to hearing more about and digging into. First, I feel like we need to hear about your books. Are you ready to discuss those?
STEPHANIE: I am.
ANNE: You know how this works. You are going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately and we will talk about what you want in your reading life right now and what you should read next.
STEPHANIE: Yes. I have three books that I'm bringing to the table today. I've already discussed these with you in my garden, so hopefully I will be able to do this in a way that makes sense for the podcast.
The first book that I am bringing today is a book that I've listened to twice. This novel is called Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. When I describe this book to my friends, they'll say, what have you been reading? Or is there a book that you've read lately that you love?
[00:16:25] And I will start describing this book to them and then I just start giggling because their faces are faerie. Like, "You're reading a book about faerie?" And I'm like, "Just hold on, just hold on."
I think it takes place either in Victorian or Edwardian times, which is very important. That is a favorite time period of mine. Very dark, very moody, very sense of place. And it's this academic, her name is Emily, and she travels to Norway to a remote part of Norway where she is going to study the faeries. And she has come from a department at a university in England where there is a legitimate department that studies faerie. And it's not fantasy. I wouldn't describe this book as fantasy.
So she is writing an encyclopedia of fairies and this section of the world in remote Norway has not been studied before. And so she's going there to find the Fae Folk that live there and to write about them. This is usually where I start laughing when I'm telling this to my friends because it is about fairies. And it's real. Like this is reality for them and this is the real world for them.
[00:17:38] But she is joined by her colleague who is a man and he's very funny and charming. And I love that about this novel too, about how funny and wry. He has a very wry sense of humor. The book is written a lot in journal form. So she keeps a diary and she's capturing everything that's happening that she's encountering.
And what I like about it is that it's afterwards. So if you think something scary is going to happen and then she's writing about it, you know she survived. So that was good. But what I liked about this book is the strong sense of place. I liked that it was in Norway in a remote area. There was snow and there was rain and there was wind and it felt like the sun went down early.
The audio was really fun. Most of it was read by one person and then there were two chapters that was read by a man. And those were funny. So I liked that it was funny, it was charming. There was a little bit of love in there. It had a strong fairytale element too, which I really enjoyed. So I was entertained.
[00:18:42] I can say that this is the type of novel... they don't happen often that I find these types of books, where from the first paragraph I know that I'm in good hands and I'm about to have a very good story told to me.
Another experience like that was Ten Thousand Doors of January. That was another one where from the first paragraph I said, "This is it. I am in. I don't need to know anything else." I usually go into these books knowing nothing. Very little. I don't read about them on Goodreads. I just go into them cold, and I allow the story to unfold in front of me. And that is one of my favorite ways to read, knowing very little.
ANNE: I've got a copy of Ten Thousand Doors of January just out of reach. You're making me want to pop open the cover and see how it begins.
STEPHANIE: I know exactly where I was. Now, that one I read in book form and I was on a couch on vacation away from my garden and my house. So I could actually enjoy a book without having to worry about everything I needed to do. But if there was a book flight, I would put those two together.
[00:19:50] ANNE: Ten Thousand Doors has beautiful flowers all over the cover. I'm just noticing that. Okay, thank you. That's Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. Stephanie, what's the second book you love?
STEPHANIE: The second book I chose is very different. It's called O Beautiful by Jung Yun. It is a book that takes place in North Dakota. So no magical realism is happening in North Dakota. It's a book about the oil boom in North Dakota. It is about a woman who grew up in North Dakota, and her mother was Korean, her father was White, and he had been in the service and came back home to North Dakota.
The protagonist, the main character in this novel, her name is Eleanor, and she leaves as soon as she can to go to New York City. She has a career, and then she has a second career. Her second career is writing. She gets this opportunity to go home to North Dakota to write an article about the oil boom that is happening in North Dakota and how it has affected this small town that was very small and now has exploded in population with all the people that are coming and the trials and tribulations that come from this experience, from the oil boom.
[00:21:15] So she goes out there. And from the very moment you meet this character, you think, Huh, she doesn't always make the best decisions. So she's a little bit problematic. And by the end of it, I thought, She was problematic. She wasn't unreliable. She was just somebody who made decisions that weren't always the best and was also very suspicious.
So I finished this book and I thought, "Hmm, that main character was a bit unlikable, and am I alone in thinking this?" Then I listened to an interview with the author and she said it. She said, Yes, the character is unlikable and those are some of my favorite to write. And I thought, "Oh, right. Good. All right." So I got it.
The book is very much like you are reading an article. The author researched this novel over several years. She is from North Dakota. She interviewed people from small-town America who were being affected by the oil boom.
And when you read the book, not only did you read a novel about somebody's internal growth and decisions that she makes, but you also learned something about North Dakota and the situation. And I very much felt like I had just read an article. It was very interesting. It was a strong sense of place. So you very much are in North Dakota.
[00:22:35] There's also a sense of danger, underlying violence. And violence doesn't really ever happen, but there is just this underlying current where you have a small town of people where they were the folks that lived there and then you have all these new people coming in.
So there's this old versus new. There's this level of trust that hasn't been established. There's just a town that's been completely overwhelmed by the people coming in. And then you meet all of these interesting people. People who are working the oil fields but live in their car in a parking lot because there isn't enough housing to house everybody.
So I learned so much. But I also thought that she wrote it so well and then the narrator of the audiobook did a really good job building out the tension and just carefully laying out the words. I thought she interpreted the novel really well.
[00:23:33] I think how it fit me is I loved learning about North Dakota in that way. The writing was really beautiful. I really got into the unlikable character, the situation she put her in, how she interacted with people.
Then she doesn't just talk about how the oil boom has impacted the local town. She also talks about how it's impacted the Native American community that lives in North Dakota.
ANNE: That sounds really interesting. I love Catherine Ho, who voiced that one. She was one of the voices on Banyan Moon, on Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. Those are two of the 2023 Summer Reading Guide selections. She read Counterfeit, a novel with a totally different tone, but a similarly unlikable but intriguing narrator that I listened to in one go on a road trip. Okay, that sounds fascinating.
Stephanie, what's the third book you love?
STEPHANIE: The third book that I have for today is Desertion by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also listened to this on audio. It is a book that came to me through my book club, so I would never ever, I think, have found this book or this author. It was published back in 2005. So that's something I'm not afraid of a backlist title.
[00:24:52] It's about colonialism in Africa, specifically Kenya, Mombasa area. There's two timelines in this novel. It takes place in 1899 and then there's a second part that takes place in the 1950s.
Again, I went into this novel knowing nothing and I just let the story unfold. And so I was a little bit shocked when the first part ended. I said, Wait a second, I thought this was going to be the story of this novel. But no, it goes into a future time point.
But it is connected. The two storylines are connected through one person. It starts with a man who lives in this coastal city, I believe it's in Kenya, and he finds an Englishman almost dead on the steps of a mosque, brings him home, and the story goes from there.
What I liked about this book is that I don't read a lot of novels that are set in Africa, and I certainly not at this time period. And I've read some more by him since then, and I really like his work.
I like the sense of place. I thought his writing was beautiful. It was concise. It was clear. It was a joy to listen to. I learned so much about the different characters. I learned about the culture of the different people who have immigrated to this area and how they've impacted the culture that takes place. Then later, one of the characters goes to England.
[00:26:18] The theme of the book is desertion, so it explores different ways of desertion, you know, leaving the country or a government pulls out of a country or the husband might leave a wife type of desertion. So I like the theme of the novel. But I started listening to it and immediately thought to myself, "Oh, this is going to be good." The author knows his craft. He's very skillful. And I always enjoy a clear and concise story.
The location of the novel was also very interesting to me, both the historical 1899 and then later into the 1950s.
ANNE: I'm so glad your book club put that in your path. Stephanie, tell me about a book that was not a good fit for you.
STEPHANIE: This book I've definitely discussed with you multiple times. So the author is Emily Henry. And I've read three books by her. I've read Beach Read, and I liked it. I read People We Meet on Vacation. That one was okay. Then I read Book Lovers, and that was one that I listened to.
[00:27:27] There was a point in that novel where I just wanted to throw the audiobook across the room. I know a lot of people love her novels and I get why, but I realized that they're not for me. And there's a few reasons why they're not for me.
One of them would be it's very floral. So there's a lot of flowery language. For example, sample sentence would be something, "Her skin was the color of a ripe peach that was just plucked from a tree". It would just be a lot of that happening in the novel where it was just comparing like to the lavender crimson sky and the... there were just too many words.
I like concise, clean writing and it was a little bit too flowery for me. That was one of the reasons. And then the storyline just didn't grab my attention, the love story wasn't strong enough for me. And then miscommunication between two people is not a romantic trope that I enjoy.
[00:28:28] So much can be cleared up if you just clearly communicate with people and you tell them how you feel and then boom, the story's over, but you're in love and you're happy for the rest of your life. But, you know, page after page of that, it was hard for me. So that book was not to my liking.
There's one other important reason why this novel and novels like it are not for me. The sense of place, the setting takes place in people's heads, in their minds. I've learned that the books that I don't enjoy as much are ones where there's a stream of consciousness happening and you're hearing the person thinking through their thoughts.
So something happens and then they spend however many paragraphs working through whatever it was they just experienced. And that is writing that is not for me. I would much rather have it through dialogue or through action. That is a characteristic of a novel that is not for me.
[00:29:32] ANNE: Stephanie, what have you been reading lately?
STEPHANIE: There are two books that I've read recently that I really enjoyed. Slow Horses by Mick Herron was really fun. I do like a mystery or kind of a detective whodunit type novel, and I thought that was done really well. I liked how it wrapped up. It was a good book.
Then the other one that I read recently, and these are both by audio, The Known World by Edward Jones. I had that book on my shelf forever. One of the things I'm doing this year is getting those books off my shelf and listening to them as audio.
The Known World was so interesting. It takes place in Virginia before the Civil War and it addresses issues of slavery, but it's also a very complex story that involves a lot of characters. The story was really rich in detail, and I liked how it resolved itself.
ANNE: You know, that's a Pulitzer winner from 20 years ago that I haven't heard anyone mention in ages.
[00:30:35] STEPHANIE: I can see why it was a Pulitzer winner. It's one of those novels that, again, you don't read very many of those. It was really well done.
ANNE: Okay. Something I think that is really interesting is in your submission you were adamant that you wanted to find a certain kind of book. And that kind of book has not appeared at all in our conversation. So with that in mind, tell me, what are you looking for in your reading life right now? I'm super interested to explore this.
STEPHANIE: I am looking for books that have been translated.
ANNE: Why? You must have read some that we didn't talk about already. What appeals to you about reading books in translation? And look, I'm not questioning the premise at all, but I'm interested in the fact that we haven't talked about them yet.
Are you finding them hard to find? Have you had some memorable experiences in the past? Do you not know where to get started? What are you thinking right now?
STEPHANIE: I have definitely had memorable experiences in the past. I do find them difficult to find. People don't really talk about translated books in the arena where I hear about books.
ANNE: And also there's the... they call it the 3% problem that in the United States a very slender percentage of the books available for purchase are translated novels or available on Libby, which is where you're getting your audiobooks.
[00:31:54] STEPHANIE: I do have subscriptions to other reading apps.
ANNE: Oh, that's good to know.
STEPHANIE: I do tend to go to Libby first. But I have Audible and I also have Libro.fm.
ANNE: It sounds like... this is me rubbing my hands together in anticipation. It sounds like you may be in a position to just want to explore some of the possibilities of translated works.
STEPHANIE: Yes. What I like about them is they write differently. The authors, they just write differently. You know, their language is set up differently than English, and so they tend to write differently. For example, a book that's translated from French, you can tell that the author is a French writer because they phrase things differently. They also set up different scenarios. Things are normal for them that may not be normal in the United States, just cultural or relationship or how they approach a situation. And I like when that comes through.
[00:33:00] The translated novels that I have read, I have enjoyed pretty much all of them, the ones that I've read. Like Water for Flowers was one, The Postcard last year. I've listened to a few that were translated from German. The Eighth Life, that was good.
Oh, and I tend to read a lot of books that come from either they're American authors or they're from the UK. And I would just like to broaden my reach. And I think translated novels would be a really fun way to do that.
ANNE: So I hear what you're saying. You are walking around the world with an American brain, and the opportunity to not do that, to try something different in the pages of fiction, whatever kind of story it may be, is really appealing.
STEPHANIE: Yes.
ANNE: Okay. Also, tell me about the length here.
STEPHANIE: I am not afraid of a long book. Some of those classics are 50 hours and that's okay because I'm listening to them and I'm pulling weeds and planting a lot of plants during that process when I'm in my garden.
[00:34:03] So a lot of the time that I will be listening to these novels is going to be taking place when I'm outside. We're hitting the summer season and during the summer I'm outside in my garden two to three hours a day. So I have the time to wrap my hands or wrap my ears around a longer novel. The length doesn't matter to me. It can be short, it can be long, or it can just be normal medium.
ANNE: Okay. It sounds like you're really at a fun place, Stephanie. I mean, for both of us. I'm going to try to thread a needle here because you love a long audiobook, and I want to give you some of those to try to see what you think, to spend a lot of time with out in your garden.
Also, there are so many wonderful translated works that are very short. There's a preponderance of short fiction that you can try, and you can, like, really go wide with your tasting. But if an audiobook is only four hours long and you're going to get through it really quick...
STEPHANIE: That's okay.
ANNE: Okay.
STEPHANIE: Yeah, it's fine. I've read short ones, long ones, really long ones. Yeah, that's not a... because I don't have to sit still and read it. Somebody's reading it to me. And if it only takes four hours, then that's a short little sweet book that I can read in a day and then I can move on to the next one. And that's exciting too.
[00:35:25] I can spend a long time with an audiobook. At the same time, the Libby app is telling me that five people are waiting for the next book that I have queued up. So if I get through them faster, that's fine as well.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. Something I'm wondering about is if you need to avoid first-person point of view. And that's not something I remember as a reader, necessarily.
STEPHANIE: I don't like... for example, The Desertion was first person, mostly. And Emily Wild she's saying, I, I, I, I. I don't mind a first person. It's just when I am going through their emotions with them, and it's a lot of the book where we are deep diving into everything that just happened, talking it through, that's not where I am right now.
ANNE: You don't want to hear somebody figuring out what they think about something on the page.
STEPHANIE: That's right.
[00:36:26] ANNE: Stephanie, I have to say, knowing what you enjoyed, The Eighth Life is a title that sprung immediately to mind. I'm glad to hear that you have experienced that 41-hour audiobook.
STEPHANIE: That's right.
ANNE: And that it was a hit for you. While we're speaking of incredibly long audiobooks, have you read Kristin Lavransdatter?
STEPHANIE: No, but my mother loved that book when she was a kid.
ANNE: We are going to make this our first recommendation.
STEPHANIE: Okay, I love it.
ANNE: There is a new edition out. It's out from Penguin Classics, I think. They put out these beautiful deluxe editions in print, but they often have corresponding audiobooks. This one is new. It just came out the end of last year. So this is the whole trilogy packaged together, which means it is over 47 hours.
STEPHANIE: Yes!
ANNE: But the things people say about Kristin Lavransdatter are like how no other book in the past, in contemporary times, has portrayed the medieval world in such sparkling rich fashion.
[00:37:36] This is the epic of a young girl, who I believe is a farmer's daughter, growing up in medieval Norway. And you watch her grow up in this period. So her father is doting. Her mother is... This is me thinking if the word "depressed" applies. But her mother is certainly a different kind of presence in their family.
And she's growing up in the structures and expectations of the period she's living in. And it's all written in such detail that in one sense feels exhaustive, but also it feels very rich and colorful. It doesn't feel like, can we get to the point already?
And we watch her grow up. It reminds me of some other epics that I don't want to name-check because they're so different in tone, but ones from other parts of the world where you do see young women grow up and fall in love and navigate romance and marriage and the tensions of having the life you want to pursue and how difficult that is given the realities of the time.
Especially hearing how you have really enjoyed listening to some long classics on audio, like that time you spent potting to David Copperfield, and especially with this new beautiful edition, and one book 47 hours, I think you'd be glad you spent your reading time in this way.
STEPHANIE: I'm so excited. The Norwegian setting for a hot and humid summer in Atlanta will be perfect. Because in my head I'll be in the cold, but physically I'll be in the Atlanta summer.
ANNE: That contrast sounds amazing.
STEPHANIE: Yes.
[00:39:10] ANNE: So the original was written by Sigrid Undset in the Norwegian. The translator here is Tiina Nunnally, and there are two voices on this new deluxe edition. That's Nina Indes and Stephen Graybill.
STEPHANIE: Wonderful.
ANNE: You've liked some of those dual-narrated books, so I hope this one is a win for you. Okay, now you told me perhaps off the record that you really enjoy books written in French originally, and I'd like to surface a quartet for you.
It's the series that begins with A Winter's Promise called The Mirror Visitor Quartet by Christelle Dabos. Is this a series you're familiar with?
STEPHANIE: I am not.
ANNE: This one's translated by Hildegarde Serle, who is one of my favorite translators. There are a few that I know and enjoy, and I keep an eye out for those works that they're translating. Oh, and that's kind of a genius move.
If you're interested in exploring translated fiction, and you really like the way the words fall, the way the sound, that is of course credit to the original author, and also to the translator, who has an eye out for the kind of works they want to translate and also their own skill set writing these books.
So if you like the translator, take note of their name and see what else they have available. That's something I do now with Hildegarde Serle.
[00:40:20] Now something kind of magical about these books is that they are available on Libro.fm and Audible as the quartet. So that means you can get four books that are all substantial on their own for just one credit. It's over 60 hours.
Now, some people will think like, Oh, that would make me feel like I wasn't accomplishing anything if I had to listen for an hour to listen to like 1.5% of the work. But for some of you, you're thinking, wow, that's the best bang for my buck if you're paying for credits that I will get in my entire lifetime.
This whole series is narrated by Emma Fenney. This is an internationally best-selling YA fantasy series. And I want you all to know that and also I want to say that this series has huge adult crossover chops. There are characters of all ages in these books. And many, many adult readers have read these not realizing at all that it is technically a YA series. Many teens have read this, I think, not realizing that either. Don't let that bother you, but also I want you to know. But it's been a big hit with readers of all ages, especially those who enjoy intricate world-building.
STEPHANIE: Okay.
[00:41:29] ANNE: It has unusual settings, really unique characters. It's very original and it's really page-turnery. Several of the books end on big cliffhangers, which made people a little mad, frustrated, or giddily anticipating the next book. But today's lucky readers have the whole quartet ready and waiting for them. So just know when you're like, "What? I can't believe she left..." like you can just pick up right there.
The first book is A Winter's Promise, and it introduces us to a young woman named Ophelia. She has this special gift — she can move through mirrors. She's old enough to become engaged when the series starts, and her family chooses her future husband because that's how things work. And they have political alliance in mind, and yet their choice is puzzling. But she can't really question it because the consequence for rejecting your parents' choice of your betrothed is banishment. That's a big deal.
So she proceeds as though she's going to move forward with the wedding and she's not really liking what she's finding out about the man. But as she begins to try to figure out, because that's her plan, she's going to move forward with it and also she's going to figure out what is going on. And as she does, she enters this world that she didn't know was operating just beneath her of cutthroat politics and dark intrigue with super high stakes. How is this sounding to you?
STEPHANIE: Yeah, it sounds great. It sounds great. I love it.
[00:43:00] ANNE: But it's French. It's French. So you can imagine what this novel might sound like if you, you know, picked up the latest American-written book at Barnes & Noble, and also that's not what this is.
STEPHANIE: Yeah. No, I'm very excited. I like that there's four books, that it's translated from French, and the story sounds wonderful.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Okay, next, I think we're going to go to Poland. You mentioned that you liked books that also had a sense of humor. Even titles like The Eighth Life, which are so hard, also have a sense of humor. There's humor in Christelle Dabos.
I'm curious what you will think about the words of Olga Tokarczuk. She's a Polish writer. She's a Nobel winner, a Man Booker Prize winner. Are you familiar with her works?
STEPHANIE: I just bought a book for my son's birthday and I think that's the author that he chose.
ANNE: Amazing. Okay, maybe you can borrow from him. So I have two in mind for you. The first is Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Is this the one?
[00:44:11] STEPHANIE: No, but I've heard about this book and I'm so excited.
ANNE: Oh, I'm glad to hear it. So this is a little bit difficult to describe, which I think says nice things about the book. It's a mystery, detective story, thriller. It's not not a fairy tale. And it has a quirky protagonist who doesn't like to refer to people by their actual names. Like, she won't call you Stephanie. She'll call you, I don't know, like Bigfoot.
She studies astrology in depth, she knows a lot about that. She spends her Fridays translating William Blake poetry. The plot revolves around a series of deaths in a small Polish village that has everyone all astir, trying to figure out what on earth is happening. But our protagonist is convinced that she can get to the heart of the matter, and she is sure that Animals, capital A, Animals, are responsible, and she launches an investigation to figure out what's going on.
[00:45:09] It is at once like oddball, and eccentric, and profound, and funny, and moving. There's a lot here that's not often packaged together that is in this book, and it's also so good on audio. It's narrated by Beata Poźniak. It's 11-ish hours, so not like it can keep you busy for a month or maybe a week if you're spending all your days gardening. But it's also not going to be gone in an afternoon. Translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones. How does this sound to you?
[00:45:39] STEPHANIE: It's perfect. Lovely.
ANNE: I love it. Okay, we're gonna build on that and say if you enjoy that... I would start with Drive Your Plow.
STEPHANIE: Okay.
ANNE: But she also has a book that was just published in the U.S. in 2022 that is being called like her magnum opus. Critics are saying things like, we'll read this for centuries, and it's over a thousand pages long. So I hope that combination appeals to you.
It has a different translator. This one's translated by Jennifer Croft. This one, I'm sorry to say, goes back further than your beloved Victorian and Edwardian eras. It's set in the middle of the 18th century. This is biographical and historical fiction.
The story revolves around the man from history, Jacob Frank. He was a Jewish merchant. And in the middle of the 1750s, he proclaimed himself to be the Messiah. This is the kind of meaty sweeping saga that I think could keep you really good company in the garden.
[00:46:44] Jacob Frank is the character at the center, but there are a dozen significant characters that you will get to know well in the book and many, many more minor characters, and you will get to know them. I mean, that sounds overwhelming. If we gave you a list at the beginning, you'd go, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. But as the story goes on in a very real way, you get to know everybody, and you get to hear from different voices and their experience in their life, and also with this man.
You know, he proclaims himself to be the Messiah, but one of the reasons he's so popular is he's like, "Oh, the traditional morality that's not a lot of fun. Like, whatever. That doesn't matter now. Let me tell you what you really can do and come follow me and we'll have a ball together."
I mean, I think this is a book that will stick with you for a long time and not just because you're going to spend 36 hours listening to it. How does that sound?
STEPHANIE: That sounds wonderful. And that is the book that I bought for my son for his birthday. So he's going to read it in book form and I'm going to listen to it.
ANNE: Oh. I wish that I had my hidden camera so I could listen in on those conversations. How about this, Stephanie? You can tell me about them by email. That will be significantly less creepy.
[00:47:50] STEPHANIE: Yeah, yeah. That'll be perfect.
ANNE: This one has dual narration again. It's Allen Lewis Rickman, not the actor, and Gilli Messer. And I hope you enjoy it.
STEPHANIE: I will.
ANNE: Okay, of the books we talked about today, let's see how these ones we honed in on at the end sound for you. So we talked about the Norwegian book, Kristin Lavransdatter, the French Quartet by Christelle Dabos, and then the two novels by Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk. Of those books, what might you listen to next?
STEPHANIE: I think I'm going to go for the Kristin Lavransdatter, and then I'm going to follow it with the bones, the wheels of the farm, or the bones of the cow, or whatever that one is.
ANNE: Drive Your Plow.
STEPHANIE: Ride the plow one. But I have been wanting to read Kristin Lavransdatter my entire life.
ANNE: This is your moment.
STEPHANIE: It's my moment.
ANNE: Meant to be.
STEPHANIE: And I love it. Yeah.
ANNE: I love it too. I can't wait to hear what you think. Stephanie, thank you so much for talking books with me today.
STEPHANIE: Thank you, Anne.
[00:48:53] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Stephanie, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Stephanie is on social and has her website. We put all those links, including her Instagram accounts, in our show notes. That's also where you'll find the full titles we talk about today. All that can be found at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Follow What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. If you listen to our show each week, would you please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts? Reviews are absolutely our love language as podcasters.
Here's what Bookishlife62 recently said about our show: "Can I give it more than five stars? My absolute favorite podcast. Anne has contributed mightily to my shelves, both TBR and actual. I can listen to her every day. Thanks, Anne." Well, thank you, Bookishlife62.
Your reviews mean so much to us, and your reviews and five-star ratings really do help other listeners find our show, which is really important to us in our work. So thank you.
[00:50:01] Make sure you're on our email list to get updates on each weekly episode and other news from What Should I Read Next? HQ. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (Audio edition)
• Jane Austen (try Pride and Prejudice) (Audio edition)
• Deacon King Kong by James McBride (Audio edition)
• You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson (Audio edition)
• On Writing by Stephen King (Audio edition)
• Michael Pollan (try Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education) (Audio edition)
• Sara Stein (try Planting Noah’s Garden: Further Adventures in Backyard Ecology)
• Joan Dye Gussow (try This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader)
• Douglas W. Tallamy (try Bringing Nature Home)
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (Audio edition)
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (Audio edition)
O Beautiful by Jung Yun (Audio edition)
• Banyan Moon by Thao Thai (Audio edition)
• Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (Audio edition)
• Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen (Audio edition)
Desertion by Abdulrazak Gurnah (Audio edition)
▵ Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Audio edition)
• Slow Horses by Mick Herron (Audio edition)
• The Known World by Edward P. Jones (Audio edition)
• Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin (Audio edition)
• The Postcard by Anne Berest (Audio edition)
• The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili (Audio edition)
• Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undsett (Audio edition)
• The Mirror Visitor Quartet by Christelle Dabos (#1: A Winter’s Promise) (Audio edition)
• Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk (Audio edition)
• The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk (Audio edition)
Also mentioned:• Libby App
• Decatur Book Festival
The post I’m not afraid of a fifty-hour audiobook appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m hoping to take care of some business I’ve been putting off and I’m definitely signing a stack of books that are going out with your shop orders. We’re also planning a family baseball outing for the first time in years, plus I anticipate some happy reading and puzzling for the rainy days on the way.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Book Tour: At home with Amor Towles. (Washington Post gift link) Old encyclopedias, design books, and the first edition zone—such fun!
Why Does A Simple Summer Dress Cost So Much Now? (The Cut) I feel this. “Today’s fast-fashion brands are faster than ever before. To stay in business, many “normal” brands are cutting back where they can, including fabric and design.” (Psst—I’ve shared some inexpensive favorites from my own shelves in Links I Love this past month.)
I’m loving this inexpensive writing desk from Target. We’ve been very happy with our home furniture from this line.
Your iPhone Can Help You Find Titles on Your Bookshelf. (Mental Floss) If this works with my bookshelves, it’ll be a game-changer!
Funny books for when you need some relief from a heavy world. (MMD) Because we all could use a laugh sometimes.
Looking to Avoid Crowds? These Are America’s Least-Visited National Parks. (Daily Passport) Heavenly. (The scenery and the lack of crowds, that is.)
The Art of Survival. (The Atlantic gift link) A moving profile of Suleika Jaouad, author of Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, whose cancer returned in 2021.
What is chaos gardening and should we all be trying it? (House & Garden UK) “Horticulture with mad abandon is all the rage, and it goes by the name chaos.” I love that there’s a term for this.
Big feet problems: I’ve been meaning to hunt down a decent pair of nude heels for actual years and am very happy with this pair from Naturalizer I finally found.
Judge a book by its cover: inside the world of book cover design. (Euronews) Always fascinating to see what goes into designing a book cover. (Don’t miss these book cover pics from my recent trip to Europe!)
The Haunting of J. Courtney Sullivan. (Publishers Weekly) Great interview with the author of one of my 2024 Summer Reading Guide historical fiction pics.
I really liked this new-to-us chicken marinade we tried for dinner this week, made from pantry staples. (If you need more than one dinner idea, this is gold from the archives: 20 interesting recipes to make for dinner with boneless skinless chicken breasts.)
Is it ever okay to film strangers in public? (Vox) “Ask pretty much anyone in the world if they’d like to have someone film them without their permission and post it on the internet, and it’s difficult to imagine a normal person saying yes. And yet, these videos continue to rack up millions of views, forcing us to reckon with the fact that in 2024, some of the most-viewed content on social media is essentially nonconsensual voyeurism.”
Live from Word of South: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida. (What Should I Read Next) Because you couldn’t make it to Tallahassee yourself, we brought the live event to you. So good!
12 Easy Ways to Make Paper Flowers. (Martha Stewart) WOW.
Don’t miss these posts:12 remarkable YA retellings for readers of all ages. See classics, fairytales, and myths in a brand-new light with these YA retellings!
A trick for when you’re stuck in a reading rut. A simple tip for anyone who’s struggling to read right now.
11 juicy memoirs to toss in your beach bag this summer.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’ve been thinking about funny books a lot lately, and specifically what makes a book funny to me. Humor is subjective and especially so when it comes to funny books. What makes me laugh might not work for you, and vice-versa. That’s the beauty of the reading life—and life in general.
I might have guesses that funny books would be characterized by an absence of hard things, but when I survey the books that have made me laugh the hardest, that is not remotely accurate. In fact, the book I found funniest in this year’s Summer Reading Guide is also the one with the darkest premise, and that is Alison Espach’s forthcoming release The Wedding People. (Read about it in our Minimalist Summer Reading Guide!) The 2024 Guide book I found the second funniest might not seem remotely funny at first look: it’s about two sad people, reflecting on their difficult pasts, and features a wistful tone throughout … but it made me laugh so hard I shook the whole couch, repeatedly, and my family kept saying, What are you reading?
For me, the potential for humor seems to be strongest when the heavy and light nestle up side by side. These days I’m enjoying books in which the protagonist, whether they’re an actual person or a fictional character, faces difficult circumstances with sharp humor and a quick wit. My favorite funny authors say there are other elements they keep in mind when writing humor: Rowley and Poeppel love groups of threes, Sedaris and Greer keep an eye out for absurdity, Ephron strove to be “quirky or perverse or thoughtful enough” to make her reader care—and chuckle.
For more recommendations, and more detailed exploration about what makes something funny, MMD Book Club had an insightful (and hilarious) conversation with author Amy Poeppel about funny books a couple of years ago. We talked about the books she personally finds funny, as well as how she infuses humor into her own work. Some of her reasons seem pretty obvious, but others were not at all what I expected!
I hope you enjoy today’s list of funny books; I’d love to hear your recommendations in comments, along with any insight you may have about the kinds of books you tend to find funny, or the elements that your favorite funny authors use to make us laugh out loud while reading.
Funny booksSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Jonathan Tropper
Shortly after Judd catches his wife having an affair with her boss, he learns his non-observant father’s dying wish was for the family to sit shiva once he was gone. The family is shocked and less than enthused since no one gets along. What could possibly happen when people who hate each other are trapped in a room for seven days? There’s plenty of opportunity for things to go wrong—and they do, in the most ridiculous, understandable ways. Trotter’s wry, sarcastic tone and the flawed but real characters had me eager to find out what would happen next. More info →Author: Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union fearlessly shares stories about race, beauty standards, Hollywood, and her own history of sexual assault. The result is moving in many places and laugh-out-loud funny in others. I haven't yet read this myself but several MMD team members rave about it, including Shannan, who loves it because Gabrielle is so honest (some may say a little TOO honest, she says) about her life: she glosses over nothing. She is also hilarious. True story: Shannan read part of this in a bookstore and kept drawing curious glances from her fellow shoppers because she laughed so hard she snorted! More info →ChirpAuthor: Issa Rae
In her debut collection of essays, Issa Rae discusses how difficult it is to be an awkward introvert—especially when people are constantly expecting her to be "cool" just because she's Black. She's funny, and her tone is lighthearted—yet she also speaks frankly about the stereotypes she faces as a Black woman. More info →Author: Steven Rowley
Grief and the potential for new life and love exist side by side in Rowley’s fan favorite novel (that has a sequel hitting shelves this summer). When Patrick aka Gay Uncle Patrick aka GUP is called in to take care of his nine-year-old niece Maisie and six-year-old nephew Grant after the death of their mother (and his best friend) at his brother’s request, he tries to get out of it. What does a former actor know about raising kids? But needs must and so to Patrick’s Palm Springs home they go. In the process, Patrick has to take stock of his fading career and finally grieve the past loss of his partner, all while shepherding Maisie and Grant through their new normal. While this book contains moments of heartbreak, lighthearted moments abound courtesy of GUP’s constant barrage of both innuendo and dad jokes. More info →Author: Nora Ephron
This is a largely autobiographical novel about the breakup of a marriage; it's way funnier than I might have expected any book on the subject to be. The foodie angle was a pleasant surprise. When a What Should I Read Next? guest raved about this, specifically the audio version read by Meryl Streep, I finally caved and downloaded it. I'm so glad I did. More info →Author: Kira Jane Buxton
A foul-mouthed pet crow is all that stands between humankind and the end of the world as we know it in Buxton’s genre-bending debut. When ST’s owner Big Jim’s eyes suddenly fall out, the crow attempts all of his tried-and-true remedies to no avail. He sets out with Big Jim’s dog Dennis, only to find zombies are afoot and other predators might be lurking in Seattle. ST may not be the hero anyone expected but he is the one we need. I didn’t expect this horror-ish novel to be as big-hearted and entertaining as it feels. More info →Author: Andrew Sean Greer
This book stunned many readers when it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2018, because comic novels never win serious prizes! Until this one. Arthur Less is facing his 50th birthday, his ex-boyfriend of nine year's wedding to another, and his publisher's rejection of his latest manuscript, all at the same time. He decides to hit the road—and on this trip, everything that can go wrong, does. Nonstop puns on the author's name, an arch sense of humor, and an interesting narrative structure keep this book filled with sad things from feeling downcast. Once the narrator was revealed in the book’s final pages I was strongly tempted to immediately begin again. Funny thing: I've noticed that readers tend to enjoy this more on audio than paper; I wonder if it's because Robert Petkoff's narration captures Greer’s intended tone exactly right? More info →Author: Julie Schumacher
An inside look at the world of academia via letters from the much-leaguered professor of creative writing and literature Jason Fitger. His department faces massive budget cuts, his writing career is on pause, and so is his personal life. We learn it all as Fitger writes abrasive letters of recommendation for students and tells committee members (and everyone else he writes) exactly what he thinks. As entertaining as it is passive-aggressive, which is to say: greatly. More info →Author: Abbi Waxman
This debut is tender and laugh-out-loud funny, which you might not expect given the premise. Lilian's husband died in a car accident in front of their house four years ago and she hasn’t felt quite ready to move on. Lili is no longer stuck in her grief, but she is in a rut, and generally okay with it: life with her daughters is enough. But when she's given a special project at work to illustrate a book about vegetables, she's signed up for their six-week garden class, introducing Lili (and the readers!) to a delightful cast of fellow gardeners. An unlikely community forms, and no one is quite the same by the time the class ends. More info →Author: Amy Poeppel
Poeppel’s work inspired this post, though it was hard to choose which novel to feature! We’ll go for this summer favorite: our middle-aged protagonist Bridget planned for the perfect summer ... but then it all went wrong. First her boyfriend breaks up with her, over email (!). Then her two twenty-something children, each dealing with their own crisis, invade her empty nest. Next the classical trio that is her livelihood comes unglued, and her aging father sets his own nearby house on fire. In the course of one short summer everything that can go wrong, does go wrong—and to fix it requires Bridget to fess up to secrets she’s buried for more than twenty years. It’s not the summer Bridget planned for, but it delivers the second chance she needs—and it’s hilarious, with laugh-out-loud dialogue and a pitch-perfect ending. More info →Author: R. Eric Thomas
If you love heartfelt, thoughtful memoirs that also make you laugh, then you must try this collection of essays by pop-culture critic R. Eric Thomas. Eric shares stories from childhood to adulthood, detailing his coming-of-age with bracing candor and hilarious honesty. He writes about discovering his identity as a gay man, feeling like an outsider, and finding his voice, all while injecting hilarious pop culture references, bits of wisdom, and his signature wit. While he relays plenty of difficult experiences, his tone is persistently hopeful. I highly recommend the audiobook version, narrated by the author, for full humorous effect. (I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Eric in What Should I Read Next #392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs after the release of his second memoir Congratulations, The Best Is Over!.) More info →Author: David Sedaris
A master of short-form storytelling, David Sedaris shares his best work in this collection. Though his stories revolve around his personal experiences, Sedaris proves to be keenly aware of the world around him, sharing observations about human nature with humor, wit, and ... a whole lot of sex jokes. Avid Sedaris fans and readers experiencing him for the first time will appreciate this volume of his most memorable work. (Sedaris narrates the audio version himself, as always, and this audiobook includes several outstanding live performances.) More info →Author: Alexis Hall
If you enjoy the "fake dating" trope and British humor, this charming romance is for you. (I particularly enjoyed it on audio, as narrated by Joe Jameson). As the son of big time rockstars, Luc O'Donnell is reluctantly famous-by-association. Known as a "bad boy" in the press, Luc has seen his fair share of trouble—but he's put that lifestyle behind him. Now that his estranged father is making a big musical comeback, Luc is back in the media and needs to clean up his image in order to maintain his career. Enter Oliver, a straight-laced, super responsible (and handsome) barrister, vegetarian, and good guy. Seemingly polar opposites of each other, Luc and Oliver start fake dating...and if you've ever watched a rom-com, you can guess what happens from there. Full of heart, humor, and endearing side characters, this romantic comedy is completely swoon-worthy. (Closed door.) More info →ChirpAuthor: Jenny Lawson
The Bloggess delivers another collection that will make you laugh till the tears flow. By writing about mental health, Lawson has learned how much it benefits readers for her to "go first." Her trademark wit and humor permeates this collection of vulnerable stories about her long-standing experience with depression and anxiety, making readers feel seen and understood in their own struggles. The topics run the gamut from the decidedly light hearted, like "Six Times I've Lost My Shoes While Wearing Them: A List That Shouldn't Exist" to the deadly serious, "An Open Letter to My Insurance Company," in which she details the active harm its policies cause her and others. There aren't enough content warnings to cover the bases here, so consider yourself broadly warned. More info →Author: Julia Claiborne Johnson
If you needed a quick divorce in the 1930s, you’d head to Reno, Nevada, the so-called “divorce capital of the world.” Wealthy women waited out the six weeks at dude ranches to become “residents” so their petition would be granted. Such is the case for heiress and amateur pilot Nina who is on her third divorce and Emily who finally had the gumption to leave her cheating husband. Their lives converge at the Flying Leap in this amusing exploration of marriage, divorce, and friendship. More info → What funny books do you recommend? What makes a book funny to you? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. 12 Feel-good fiction books you can read in an afternoon and 8 calming nonfiction books to read when you’re stressed.
The post 15 funny books for when you need some relief from a heavy world appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today marks our final live episode from my recent travels to the southeastern U.S. I can’t wait for you to listen in to my conversation with listener favorite Lauren Groff, who I joined at the Word of South festival in her home state of Florida.
This conversation happened in the midst of a big moment for Lauren: she was recently recognized on the Time 100 list, and her new bookstore, The Lynx, just opened in Gainesville.
Today we talk more about what led her to open The Lynx and her goals for this new independent bookstore. And, we dive into all kinds of readerly topics, like Lauren’s love for short stories, her writing process, the intersection of music and writing, and exploring stereotypes in real life and on the page. We also touch on the connection between Lauren, Florence Welch, and the Taylor Swift song, Florida!, and Lauren shares the book she’s recommending lately.
Tell us about your favorite short story collection, Lauren Groff title, or other book you’re inspired to share by today’s episode in the comments section.
Visit Lauren’s new bookstore The Lynx and follow Lauren on Instagram.
Explore our Patreon Bonus archivesIf you love being among book people, you’ll love our Patreon community, where we create weekly bonus episodes that keep our patrons close to the pulse of what’s happening in the book world. This month, we’re sharing bonus episodes that augment our Summer Reading Guide, like great books I didn’t include in the guide and why, and a dedicated mini matchmaking session that pairs patrons with their perfect Summer Reading Guide titles. Patrons also have access to our archive of bonus episodes, like Will’s recent bonus featuring his current favorite outdoor and adventure books. The comments section on that post is a treasure trove of reading suggestions from our patrons. We’re so grateful for our patrons and their support of our show. If you’re curious, come and check out our Patreon community.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: I love short stories. I just don't actually read them.
LAUREN GROFF: Okay. Yeah. Well, then you don't love them.
ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week we're sharing our third of three wonderful live events from my recent travels to the southeastern U.S. Today is my conversation with Lauren Groff at Tallahassee's Word of South Festival.
Readers, if you love being among book people, then you are going to love today's episode, and you'll also love our Patreon community. We create weekly bonus episodes that keep our patrons close to the pulse of what's happening in the book world.
[00:01:00] May is Summer Reading Guide Month, and we have tons of bonus bookish goodness related to this year's guide there, like great books I didn't include in the guide and why, and a dedicated mini matchmaking session that pairs patrons with their perfect Summer Reading Guide titles.
When you join Patreon, you also unlock our historic bonus episodes. Lauren and I cover a lot of ground today. If our conversation about writing about the intersection of humans and nature sparks your interest, you might especially enjoy a few of our Patreon bonus episodes from our team's passionate outdoor adventure readers, like my husband Will, and team member Holly.
In fact, Will just shared a bonus episode earlier this month featuring his current favorite outdoor and adventure books. In response, our patrons loaded him up with so many good suggestions for what he may enjoy reading next.
Patrons support our show with monthly or annual subscriptions. You may have heard the podcasting industry is bonkers right now. It's hard for podcasters. And we are so grateful to our patrons for financially supporting the work we do here.
Your subscriptions make it possible to pay our team, and we are so grateful. Thank you for making it possible for us to do what we do through Patreon.
[00:02:05] If you're curious, if you enjoy our show, we invite you to check out our Patreon community at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
Readers, today I'm excited to share my recent live conversation with Lauren Groff at Word of South. Lauren's books are regular favorites on this podcast, and I know many of you were excited to hear about her new bookstore, The Lynx, that she just opened in Gainesville, Florida, which was inspired in part by the increase in book bans in Lauren's home state.
Word of South was uniquely timed to catch Lauren at a big, big moment. She was just back from the Time 100 dinner, her Gainesville bookstore was opening the very next day, the Taylor Swift song, Florida, dropped the week before, and we talk about the Florence Welch connection.
Those milestone events are fascinating to hear about. Plus, we explore a whole host of scintillating readerly topics in our conversation, like the intersection of music and writing, to learning to love art, to exploring stereotypes in real life and on the page.
[00:03:03] We hear Lauren's perspectives on poetry, short stories, and the novel. Then we dig into Lauren's writing process and why she's been so inspired to write stories that investigate our relationships with nature and the feminine.
Of course, we talk more about The Lynx, the book she's recommending lately, and Lauren's goals for her new independent bookstore. I think you'll love listening in. Let's get to it.
LAUREN: Hello! I just have to say before we start, Happy Independent Bookstore Day! [inaudible 00:03:40] reader is fantastic. I want all of you to spend all of your money there. So, we love our independent bookstores. They're the heart of the city. We love them. All right. Sorry. I just hijacked the whole thing. Go for it.
ANNE: You're opening a bookstore. You can't be sorry for Independent Bookstore Day.
LAUREN: You're right. I'm actually not sorry.
ANNE: All right. I feel like we should break out the glitter cannons, except we'd never be invited back. But we are really casting you at a moment.
[00:04:10] So I'm going to quote something profound that you wrote on Instagram. "This week has been fire." Okay, that was a week ago, but seriously, this is a moment.
So we could talk about any number of things, like your brilliant works, we have so many to choose from, your poetry writing, your prestigious posting you just finished in Berlin, like lots of things. But we're going to talk basically about what's happened extremely lately and right now. It's going to be great.
LAUREN: Oh yeah, great. Go ahead.
ANNE: Let's start with the Time 100. So you just did some really fancy stuff. I hope Red, if not, find it later, and packed its introduction of you. Welcome to the Time 100. You just went to New York to do all kinds of fancy things. But now you're back in Florida with your people and we want to know all about it.
LAUREN: Okay, well it's super fun. So Dua Lipa was there and she brushed by my husband's shoulder and he almost fell down. I almost fell down too because I love her.
[00:05:11] ANNE: Just so you know, these are the details for the book.
LAUREN: These are the details. No, I thought so. Yeah, it was a very weird event. I mean, it was kind of great, but it was also very strange. I mean, we were up in Siberia with all the unfamous people, and all the famous people were down next to the stage. So it was great because we were looking down from the gods, right, into the celebrities. The pit of celebrities was amazing.
No, I love being a writer at these things, because you're sitting next to other writers and activists, and you talk amongst yourselves, and you say the most amazing things. It's really fun.
ANNE: What is Time 100 [inaudible 00:05:43]?
LAUREN: Oh, it was really lovely. That's about it. I got to buy a great dress.
ANNE: That's not nothing.
LAUREN: That's not nothing. Who knows? I mean, it's really for the bookstore and so I really felt that I was accepting it on behalf of the whole effort and community that went into making the bookstore. So many people were part of the Indiegogo. And I'm grateful that every single one of them.
[00:06:08] So many people in my community have actually donated their time and expertise to help build this bookstore. I feel like I'm the figurehead of this juggernaut that has very little when they have very little to do with me, and it's there in order to spread the light of tolerance.
We have a mission which is to fight against the spread of authoritarianism by celebrating and uplifting the books that are being challenged and banned in the state of Florida, by loving the people who write these LGBTQI incredible books that are now being squelched, by loving the teachers and the librarians who are being chilled.
One of my greatest friends is this fifth-grade teacher in Gainesville, and she used to teach the Holocaust by teaching the Art Spiegelman book, Maus, which is such an amazing book, and now she's afraid to do it. She's afraid that some Karen is going to come in and make her lose her job.
[00:07:10] So it's not just the books actually actively being challenged, it's the sort of freeze and the spread of terror that's happening and contingent. And we want to push back against that.
ANNE: We're gonna talk more about the full story.
LAUREN: Okay. But first.
ANNE: The great week continues. So we are here at Word of South, which is a really unique event in that it brings together artists and musicians, and there's this interplay between the written word and music that you don't see in a lot of places, which brings us obviously to Florence Welch.
In light of a very popular album that came out last week, there was reason for you, again, here I am quoting Instagram, to write a little ode to Florence Welch on Instagram last week. You told her that she was your personal... No, yeah, yeah, yeah. You said of Florence Welch, "my personal queen, whose music has been my companion for many years."
[00:08:10] So Lauren, we know you as an esteemed writer who champions and celebrates the work of other artists. I just want to invite you to say more about Florence Welch, but also like who are the musicians who inspire you, who are your companions, and what do they mean to your writing life?
LAUREN: So just to contextualize, Taylor Swift had this great album out last week. Some songs are amazing. One of their most amazing songs is called Florida!. Florida, exclamation point. And in it, Florence Welch just blows everyone out of the water with her extraordinary voice. She's Florence the Machine, and she's really the machine.
We have a mutual friend who's given her all of my books. And I knew that he was doing this because I would sign them for her. But I didn't know she actually read them until about last week when that song came out.
ANNE: You didn't know?
LAUREN: I didn't. I didn't really know.
ANNE: Did you die?
LAUREN: Well, let me say it, and then I'll say I died. Yeah. So she put on Instagram that when Taylor asked her to be on this track, she thought of my book. And it's a short story collection, which like, you know, you're told nobody ever reads, and it was so glorious that someone actually read it, and it was her. So I really did that.
[00:09:29] Then it came back to life, and I wrote about it on all social media, which is one of those.
ANNE: That's the only possible option.
LAUREN: Right? I know, yeah. So I do, I love her. This past summer, I listened to her last album, which is called Dance Fever on repeat. It's such an amazing album. It's good to dance to when you're feeling sad. But I listened. So when I'm writing, I can't actually listen to anything with words that I understand, because they make it into the work.
I listen to a lot of Arvo Pärt, who's this incredible Estonian composer. I listen to a lot of Sigur Rós, who are these Icelandic people who sing in this angelic pseudo-language. It's amazing. And I listen to a lot of classical music.
So I really like the formal conventions of classical music because I started as a formal poet. I really enjoy the way that structure happens in classical music. And you can sort of sense it and you can watch it unfolding in a really incredible way. So these are the things that I like to listen to when I'm actually working.
[00:10:30] But art is this extraordinary thing because the more art you take into yourself, the better your own art is going to be. It just enriches even the stuff that you think that you don't like. If you sit long enough with it, if you pay it enough attention, and of course attention it's often love, if you come at it with an open heart and generosity, then it will feed you in ways that you don't even know.
So everywhere I go, when I'm on the floor, I try to go to a museum because I want to take beauty into myself and I want to take ideas into myself, I want to change the way that I think, I want to change the way that I am. Everywhere you go, you can find art. And it can be graffiti. It can be, you know, $8 billion, you know, Monet artwork, right?
It doesn't have to be high art. But as long as you're constantly paying attention to the way that humans are responding to their world and to other people with attention and love and passion, I think that that will feed the work that you do.
[00:11:37] ANNE: I'm reminded of how you were talking about Gainesville's art scene this morning.
LAUREN: Yeah. When I first got there 18 years ago, it was a much smaller town, but I also was a recluse and I never left the house. So I didn't really know how extraordinary Gainesville was and how it's really a punk town, right? It's really iconoclastic, it's really oppositional in the best way. And so there is art everywhere there.
Some of it, I had to learn to love, right? Some of it, I didn't respond to it in an aesthetic way whatsoever. And I probably still don't, but I'm much more open to it, I think.
ANNE: Yeah. Okay, so Florence Welch in your book, Florida. Tell us about Florida.
LAUREN: Wait, Florida the state?
ANNE: You know, that's a good question. I asked it and I wondered. Yeah, tell us about Florida state. Let's back up and say this differently. I mentioned that you just had that position, that posting in Berlin. So you've had the experience recently of being away from your state and coming back to see it perhaps with more perspective. But you tell us.
[00:12:47] LAUREN: Well, yeah. I had this beautiful hosting for six months at the American Academy in Berlin. It was magnificent, and I got to take my family, which is so fun. The only thing that I was required to do was give a lecture, and that was just one lecture, and then I could just gallivant around and go to nightclubs that I was way too old for, which is so much fun.
So we did. We were gone for a while, and we did come back. I would have assumed that Gainesville would have felt much smaller after Berlin, but actually, weirdly it didn't, because I know so many more people. And it's really about the people you know and the universe of the people that you know that matters.
And so I did feel as though I was coming back into maybe a slightly more expanded universe, even though we have one-millionth of the museums and the symphonies and all of the things that one would think culture is. We have a different kind of culture. I was so appreciative in a way that I've never been before.
[00:13:48] Also, as soon as we got back, we started planning for this bookstore, so maybe that's part of it, too. I haven't slept in six months whatsoever.
ANNE: I know that Florida isn't one thing. Florida contains multitudes. And yet I imagine that you can perceive the new Florida, and perceive what people get wrong about the state in the outside.
LAUREN: Yeah, well you live in Kentucky, what do you think about that?
ANNE: Oh, that's not where I thought that was going. I was thinking that... Y'all, I mean, of course, people make the jokes about wearing shoes, but to me, I feel like I come from a place also where people get us wrong and understand us as a monolith. I'm interested in hearing about your Florida.
LAUREN: Okay. Oh no, so you just turned it back on me. I'm from the North. I'm from Cooperstown, New York, which is a very tiny little village, very isolated, even more isolated when I grew up there because my mom wouldn't let us watch TV. And we didn't have a movie theater. It was a one-stoplight town.
[00:15:00] We had to take a bus 30 minutes to go, you know, do anything.
ANNE: I'm from Kentucky and this sounds like a country song.
LAUREN: Yeah, it's kind of a country song. It's also the most perfect place to grow up if you want to be in an idol as a child. We didn't lock our doors. My parents kept it to the ignition. I mean, it was very idyllic. Except for when the Billiards fans came and then they camped out on our lawn and that was no fun. Because, you know, [baseball league]? is there.
But anyway, so my impression of Florida before I got here was incredibly stereotypical. I thought it was Disney and Spring break, basically. And then old people in Miami Beach. That's it. That's all. Those are the impressions that the media feeds to people.
[00:15:52] Then as social media started coming into its own, you start to get the weird stories. The Sunshine State laws have been very deleterious to our states because basically anyone who does anything wrong and gets arrested for it, it goes in the newspapers.
So suddenly, all of these things are searchable, and Florida has become the butt of the joke. It's a weird place where people underpasses each other's faces. That was one. So Florida Man is happening. I think I internalized a lot of this snobbery. Like every other bias that I grew up with, I internalized this, and I reflected it back to Florida. And I didn't like the state for the first number of years that I lived here.
But of course, the job of someone who does the work that I do is to try to take what could be on the surface stereotypical and try to sort of blow layers into it and try to find a way to make it go from this to like something very expansive and different and unusual, shadowed, subtle.
[00:17:09] So when I started actually paying attention to Florida, I started reading books by Floridians. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was the first person who taught me to love Florida, actually, even though she was kind of a carpetbagger as well.
But she loved Florida, and she loved the nature, and she wrote so spectacularly about it that I found myself moved. I would go for these long runs in Paynes Prairie up in Gainesville, and [liking?] me at the sight of the [inaudible 00:17:43] and really... Who doesn't? They're really beautiful. Hey, yes.
Like the alligators, right, everything, like the nature of the state began to sort of feed me. And then we started building a community. You know, I see all of the stereotypes in this place. Some of them are true because stereotypes don't come out of nowhere, they come out of something.
[00:18:07] But I think the job of people who live in places like this and try to make art about it is to kind of blow those stereotypes up or lean in so hard you get to the other side of them, right? So that's what I've been trying to do in my work about Florida. So I love this place, yeah. It's very rich for the creative writer for sure.
ANNE: Good material.
LAUREN: Good material, yes.
ANNE: Okay. So with that as context, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the collection.
LAUREN: On my own collection?
ANNE: Your own collection.
LAUREN: Oh, I like it.
ANNE: On Florida. Okay, so, of all your work, Florida was the one that I had not yet read because Lauren... that's a short story collection.
LAUREN: I love short stories! No, don't say that.
ANNE: I love that. What do you love about... I mean, I love short stories.
LAUREN: Okay.
ANNE: But you can read them anytime, you know? Like, they're always there waiting for you, accessible. So they never get read in my house.
LAUREN: Okay.
[00:19:09] ANNE: So thank you all for giving me a reason. I enjoyed visiting it so much. The ones I hadn't already read and out was like the New Yorker. So this is fresh in my mind. It's not freshly published for you. So now 2024, how do you describe this collection to people when they ask?
LAUREN: Oh, nobody's asked. I love short stories and we're going to have a fight right now.
ANNE: Let's just fight. What do you love about them? I love short stories, I just don't actually read them.
LAUREN: Okay, well, then you don't love them. I just spent two years reading for the big anthologies. Last year I read for the O. Henry Prize anthology. This year I read for the Best American Short Story anthology. So I don't know if anyone has read more, other than Heidi Pitlor, and my beautiful friend, the O. Henry Prize, has read more contemporary short stories than I have in the past two years.
[00:20:14] My eyes are spinning with the short story. I'm going to now embark on a rousing, rousing defense of the short story, for me. The short story can do many, many things that the novel cannot do. It is much, much tighter.
The novel is famously Henry James' loose-bagging monster, but the short story is on a small canvas. So everything has to be taught as a drone. Every word has to make sense. So in some ways, it's closer to poetry than it is to a novel, which is more of a flow of, you know, refrain music.
The short story is sung in a minor key. The novel is sung in a major key. So I think sometimes when people resist them, they don't want to feel the minority aspect of it, but it's musical. It's a musical difference between the short story and the novel.
I love the short story because you can experiment profoundly with them, and they are far more experimental, I think, than the vast majority of literary fiction novels that are in the world because of the thickness of the space.
[00:21:22] So formal engagement, in terms of poetic engagement or sculptural engagement, is so much more apparent and deep in the short story. So, this is all, this is it. My particular collection, Florida, is my second collection of short stories, and I feel like every one of those stories came out of... it was an eruption in a certain way.
A novel for me is something that is written out of patience and daily application. It's a marriage, right? It's sort of something that you wake up with and live within. A short story for me lives in the back of my head for years if not decades, and then one day it'll fall in front of my eyes because it's hit something else and I have to write it. So in some ways it's much more urgent, it's not my daily companion. It is my... like a passion. It's a passion thing.
[00:22:21] For me, this question I look at it and I see individual shining points of maybe a constellation, whereas in a novel you see just sort of the whole riverine sweep of the thing, right, so this dark water sort of flowing by.
I can't actually compare because I actually think they're not similar in terms of artistic intention whatsoever, and the short story collection is far closer to the poetry collection than it is to the novel. Everyone read short stories. Can I just say one more thing?
ANNE: Yeah.
LAUREN: Okay, so I did read tens of thousands of short stories over the past two years, and I love them, but I do have to say, 90% of the short stories I read were in the first person, right? First-person, which is fine. It's one of the three that we have.
[00:23:22] But there's something about society that's making this happen over and over again. And I have two hypotheses. They're not theories because they can't be proven. But the hypothesis one is solipsism, right? Like we're all just like deeply engaged in our own navels. But that's cynical and I don't actually believe that.
I do believe that there has been such an erosion in authority and our desire to believe in authority with the media, with the secularization of society, with all sorts of ways that authority has been dissolving, that the only authority that we actually now feel confident in is the authority of the self. This is the one thing that we can actually pinpoint.
That said, if you read tens of thousands of first-person stories, like everyone is saying... there are tens of thousands of people singing, all right, and it's like it's impossible to sort of parse one voice from the others. Even the most experimental and interesting ones somehow get a little bit lost in it.
[00:24:35] So I just want to encourage if there are writers in the room, maybe play around with a third person, a little bit more. Or the second. That's fine. I don't want the second person. It'd be a relief to read a second-person story.
ANNE: That's fascinating. What in the world?
LAUREN: I know. Who knows?
ANNE: I love your hypothesis.
LAUREN: Yeah, thank you. It can't be proven. Who knows why this is happening? But the first person's great. Just find a way to make it new. Find a way to make it novel. Find a way to sound not like anyone else. Like, blow up the expectations that come from the first person's story, and that's an interesting story.
ANNE: I just realized why I don't read short stories. No, I didn't mean that. I just meant I realized that they're not as useful to me in my work.
LAUREN: What do you mean?
ANNE: Maybe they're not... This is what I do, recommend books all the time. Not as many people want them.
LAUREN: You can recommend short story collections.
ANNE: I'm about to start, I think. I keep buying them. They're all there waiting for me.
LAUREN: Okay, great.
[00:25:37] ANNE: All right. All right. Thank you, Florida, for getting me on a roll. I did have the pleasure of visiting this connection recently, and gosh, some of the language you chose just really stopped me cold. Like, I always think of your Spanish moss being gorgeous and elegant and... You compared it to armpit hair.
LAUREN: But it's just like in the streets, right?
ANNE: Discuss... Oh, it's perfect. It's perfect. Which is another reason I went... Talk to me about choosing words to describe your... I mean, the world that you wanted to convey obviously contains so much and so many contradictions. Also just really... I didn't know what I expected until you gave me something else.
LAUREN: Good.
ANNE: Yeah.
LAUREN: I think, and this is another hypothesis, I'm full of them, right? And I can't prove any of them. But another thing that I think about... the reason the South is looked down upon is because it has primarily feminine or stereotypically feminine characteristics. It's sultry, it's hot, it's becomes, it's damp, right? And so a lot of the things that we describe it as... we also describe women in a bad way, in a misogynistic way.
[00:27:07] So I actually think that maybe our reaction to the South, through the sensual nature of the South, the somatic nature of the South, is slightly tinged or mutually tinged with misogyny as well. I think in some ways, I was trying to sort of reach for the feminine aspects of the world that I was writing about, the Floridian world that I was writing about, and actually make it sensual, like make it physically there.
I'm a writer who is in love with a pathetic fallacy in a very real way. So John Ruskin, who's this great art critic and writer from the 19th century, sort of identified the pathetic fallacy as a writer using nature to talk about the emotional aspects of what's happening in the characters. And I do that a lot.
But one of the ways that I tend to lean on the pathetic fallacy when it comes to Florida is bringing in these details that sort of bring everything back to the body, and particularly the feminine body. And so if you look at Florida, even if you look at the Delicate Edible Birds, which was in my previous collection also, everything is circling around this idea of femininity.
[00:28:28] In that book, it's slightly different. But in this one there are a lot of stories about being a relatively young mother and being very angry. And the world itself is angry in that book.
ANNE: You mentioned nature. That's been a huge theme in your work for a long time. Oh gosh. Nature is out to get you in that collection. The way you write about the weather is stunning.
LAUREN: Well, no, nature is cathartic, right? The weather creates the big uproar and the spiritual change that needs to happen. I don't actually think it's out to get you. Yeah, no.
ANNE: It might kill you sometimes.
LAUREN: Well, I think that there's always this fear. There's fear and dread. And the fear and dread are coming from macro and micro directions. So it's hurricanes, of course, and the heat. The heat will kill you first, right? That's a great book.
But it's also the small things. We can see the termites coming out through the houses that will eat the houses. It's the cockroaches that will kill you because you have a heart attack in the middle of the night.
[00:29:37] My friend Laura Vandenberg is an amazing Florida writer. She has a great, great book coming out in July. She tells this story. She grew up near Orlando. And she tells this story where she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and she... nothing felt right.
And she never usually turned on the light, but she turned on the light and she found like an eight-foot snake coiled in her toilet. And that's just Florida, right? I mean, she's like, "This is great. This is really exciting." Where did it come from? I don't know.
I do call it an Eden of dangerous things in the book. And I think it is. It's both things all at once. It's gorgeous. It is perfect. It's also going to eat you and kill you.
ANNE: Both things all at once. And it made me feel like an animal reading it.
LAUREN: Good.
ANNE: But I am just...
LAUREN: My job is making-
ANNE: I have no illusions of being higher on anything-
LAUREN: Oh, that's my job. That's what I want to do. This is my program. This is my project in all of my writing recently. And it's a response to climate change, to be perfectly honest. Can I talk about this? Because I'm really excited about it.
[00:30:50] Especially in The Vaster Wilds, this is my last book, I'm working really hard against the anthropocentric nature of narrative. And especially narrative as handed down from the Old Testament Bible, in which men are closest to God's ear and everything else is sort of in a cascading hierarchy down below it.
I think that this is an incredibly poisonous way to think about the world because it means that we are dominating, even when we try to enact dominion, right? And even in Genesis we are given dominion, Adam's given dominion over the fish of the sea, and [the birds of?] the air.
So recently, I've been trying to collapse the hierarchy by bringing my character's expectations and understanding of nature up to the force that it's immediate and bringing the human back down into the animal, which is what we are. We are animals, whether or not we fool ourselves into believing that we are animals.
[00:31:56] So if we see ourselves as equal to the whales, as equal even to the cockroaches that give us heart attacks in the middle of the night, then we could not possibly do to the world what we're doing to it. There's no way that we would be treating ancient forests the way that we're treating them if we saw them as our equals.
So this is very much in my every project that I've been doing recently, because it's imperative and it's urgent. And if we don't change the narrative, then we are doomed. And I have children and I know I'm doing it.
ANNE: Thank you. I love it. You have referred to your poetry writing several times.
LAUREN: Oh god, yes.
ANNE: What's that place in your life right now?
LAUREN: Oh it's private. I started as a poet and I really love formal poetry because I like the way it makes me have ideas I didn't know I have. Sometimes with prose the feeling when you're writing prose is you're getting deeper into ideas you already knew you had.
I mean there's this stuff that there's no surprise, that the surprise comes from going deeper as opposed to unveiling. Both poetry, especially formal poetry, because you're forced into these forms in these lines, suddenly you're given wildly disparate ideas and it's just a gift. It's a gift out of the form.
[00:33:22] I still write poetry. I'm not a good poet and I know it. I try really hard and I think I know what good poetry is because I read a great deal of it and I really admire poets. I put some poetry into the world that I think is good enough to be published but I would never put my own name on it. Because I'm a different person when I write poetry. I also don't want anyone knowing that that poem is mine. But I think it's good enough to be in the world.
ANNE: So you're not going to give up that pen name is what you're saying?
LAUREN: No.
ANNE: I love that for you. We experiment in our own ways.
LAUREN: Oh yeah.
ANNE: And you're doing it with a pen name.
LAUREN: It's all experimentation, right? It's all failure in the best way. If we look at our work as failure upon failure, it doesn't matter if it ends up succeeding at the end. Because what we're doing is we're intentionally courting the failure and we're letting the failure teach us to get to the point where we learn something, or we push against what we know, or we overcome our own fallibility and our own failures.
[00:34:39] So I love messing up. I think it's great. It's a good thing. I try to tell my children this, but they both do things that they don't really like. They don't like to be bad.
ANNE: I hope it helps that you try.
LAUREN: Well, I think I probably. No. I'm not... no, no. I force them to clean their rooms and things like that.
ANNE: We can commiserate about that later. I'm wondering if that attitude towards failure is that... gosh, I wish we had an hour to talk about your writing process because I know that there's a lot connected to that here. Is that something innate for you? Is that something you have to work your way into?
LAUREN: Okay, so for context, my process is very strange. I would never make anyone else do it or even suggest that you do it. But the way that I've worked with my own inabilities as a human is I write everything longhand, every draft until the very, very end. And then I write really fast drafts that get progressively slower and more interesting and intricate as I go along.
So for most of my novels, the first drafts will take place over the long hand of the course of maybe a month, maybe to four. One to four months. I spit it. I never reread it because I can't read my handwriting. And then I go, and then there's a gap, right? There's a gap between the end of that draft and the beginning of the next one. And in that gap, everything changes.
[00:36:03] All of the ideas that are alive live from one draft to the next. All the ideas that are dead are cast away with that draft. And then I do this again with a better understanding of the characters and the structure and the images that are going to live. And I do it as many times as necessary until I finally, with the last draft, can pay attention to the language, which is what I got into writing to do.
But until then, if I'm trying to juggle every aspect of the story all at once, then I will never write a book because it's just the overload and the tension and the pressure of getting everything right at once. By the time it gets to end, all I have to worry about is the words, right? And that's the best part of it. That's the desserts, right? That's the joy. All the rest has been built already.
So I began to do this because I have OCD. And if I write on a computer, I will never finish a page. If I write expecting the whole thing will be perfect as I'm writing it, I'll never finish anything either. So this is a way of intentionally breaking my own mind in order to get to something more interesting.
ANNE: I love it. Thank you for sharing.
LAUREN: Oh, sure. Of course.
[00:37:26] ANNE: All right, we got to talk about The Lynx. Okay, so tomorrow is a very big day.
LAUREN: Yes.
ANNE: Opening day for the store. First, I want to know, the idea of you opening a bookstore, I can imagine that perhaps this was inevitable. This was always going to be your story. I can see that maybe, times being what they are, it was circumstantial. Perhaps the answer is something else entirely and more interesting, but do tell.
LAUREN: Yeah, it's kind of both. So, my husband, his family had a bookstore since 1932 in Gainesville. It's called The Florida Bookstore, and anyone who went to UF probably bought their books from it. When I met him, it wasn't that the bookstore made me fall in love with him, but it didn't hurt. He grew up in a bookstore. He grew up selling books.
So when we came to Gainesville, we lost Goerings, which was a great independent. And we have a couple other small independents, including Third House, which is really small, and she works really hard, and she's moving to a non-brick and mortar.
[00:38:34] But I really wanted a place with tons of events, tons of ideas flying around, everything that an independent bookstore can give you, including book clubs, including just a wider reach into the community and a feeling like it was the nexus of multiple contradictory communities, right? That's what an independent bookstore is.
We talked about it and talked about it for years and years. Poor Mitchell Kaplan at Books & Books in Coral Gables has been fielding my questions for 10 years. But it wasn't until the book ban started happening. And I was watching from Germany where they're like, Oh, don't let this happen. They know what a book ban slides into.
There's this amazing quote by [inaudible 00:39:17], which is a... he's a poet from the 1820s. And he says, in places where people burn books, they will one day burn people. And that is absolutely true. And his books were banned by the Nazis. So this is a warning shot across the bell, and we need to stop it now. Now.
[00:39:47] So I'm very alarmed by this upwelling of authoritarianism here. And so it was that that really galvanized us to actually make good on this promise we had made to Gainesville for the past 15 years.
ANNE: I'm so excited for you. Can't wait to get down there.
LAUREN: Thanks.
ANNE: Tomorrow is opening day.
LAUREN: Yes.
ANNE: What?
LAUREN: And yet I'm here.
ANNE: And yet you're here. We are so glad you are. Also, I'm still in awe of that. What words do you have to share with your team who's put the store together, your Gainesville community, and the broader Florida community as you open tomorrow?
LAUREN: Oh, no, this is just a pure emanation of love. We are doing it because we love the kids who can't see themselves in the books that they desperately need in their lives. We even love the people who are doing the book-banning. We love them enough to engage with them and expose them to ideas and change their minds, right?
[00:40:48] All we want to do is spread the light of tolerance and the freedom of expression in Florida and perhaps become a beacon and perhaps maybe change the national narrative of Florida as a disaster site. I mean, every time I go... I just went to New York City and I sat at a table with some really wonderful, powerful people.
Like E. Jean Carroll is amazing. She's like, "You're opening a bookstore in Florida?" I was like, are you going to get shot? The impression that people across the country have of Florida is really dire. So I would like to maybe help to change the narrative, help to make sure people remember that Florida is full of really amazing people who are doing really incredible things. And sometimes you don't see them because they're lost in the overwhelming news of the bad parts.
We are full of good people, and the good people are working really, really hard. So I just want everyone to remember that and to help to shine the lights of tolerance and freedom of expression. Thank you.
[00:42:00] ANNE: This floor is filled with books, and I imagine you get to have a role in choosing them. If y'all have heard Lauren talk about books, I've read quite a few that you have enthusiastically recommended that I would not have picked up otherwise. Like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?
LAUREN: Oh my god.
ANNE: I didn't know that I should be reading that until you said it.
LAUREN: Anita Loos, she's amazing. Oh my gosh.
ANNE: Shirley Hazzard.
LAUREN: Transit of Venus.
ANNE: Would never have picked that up. But when Lauren talks about a book, you want to read that book. Splews of poetry that I wouldn't have read otherwise. What books are you excited to recommend and put into readers' hands at The Lynx?
LAUREN: Well, right now, we're really focusing on the banned books. In this state, there are over 3,000 books banned, including the dictionary. So right now, I'm really thinking Rubyfruit Jungle, for instance, which is this great... I almost said seminal, which doesn't make any sense. Lesbian text.
[00:43:05] Believe it or not, Rita Mae Brown was at UF in the 50s, I think 60s, when there was a whole legislative group put together that ended up kicking her out for suspicion of being a lesbian. So that's really interesting.
But the books that are really close to my heart, I gave [inaudible 00:43:27] here A Sport and a Pastime by James Salter, and Light Years is really amazing too. These are books that I don't think most people know about them. Amazing, amazing.
There's this writer named Ian Carson, who I think is one of the great early geniuses. And I've been pushing the Autobiography of Red because it's about a queer creature from the Bible... or not Bible. From the Odyssey, from Homer, from Greek mythology. It's fantastic. It's fantastic. It's so brilliant. It's like a novel and a book of poetry at the same time. I'm just really excited to push every book that I love onto people.
[00:44:09] One book that every single person I've ever given it to has loved is The Summer Book by this Finnish-Swedish author named Tove Jansson, whom you know because she did The Moomins, because The Moomins are amazing.
This Summer Book is the most astonishing book. It's about a grandmother and a granddaughter on an island and it's about death. And it's about existential dread, and it's fantastic. I love it so much. You all need to read it. It's not a children's book whatsoever, but my kids have read it because I forced it on them, and they loved it.
ANNE: I just read that for the first time.
LAUREN: It's so good, right?
ANNE: Yeah. There has to be something like staff picks or Lauren recommends it.
LAUREN: Oh, god, yes.
ANNE: Right.
LAUREN: Yes. My husband got one, and he chose Vaster Wild because it's laze. He's very cute.
ANNE: Ma'am, I love that.
LAUREN: It's very luxurious. Yes.
ANNE: All right. Lauren, this has been a pleasure. Thank you for coming to us in your very, very busy week. We wish all the good things for you in your store at your opening tomorrow. And we hope you get some sleep.
LAUREN: Thank you. Thanks, everyone.
[00:45:31] ANNE: Thanks so much. Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Lauren today. Visit her new bookstore at thelynxbooks.com and connect with Lauren on Instagram @legroff.
We've got those links and the full list of titles we talked about at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
We love connecting with listeners on Instagram. Find our show's page @WhatShouldIReadNext, and be sure to tag us in your summer reading posts and stories with MMDSummerReading.
Follow along or subscribe to our podcast in Overcast, PocketCast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. And stay in the know with our weekly email updates. Subscribe today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Maus by Art Spiegelman
• Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (try Cross Creek)
• Florida by Lauren Groff
• Delicate Edible Birds And Other Stories by Lauren Groff
• The Heat Will Kill You First by Jeff Goodell
• State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg
• The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
• The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos
• Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown
• Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson
• The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
Also mentioned:• The Lynx bookstore
• Time 100 Feature
• Arvo Pärt
• Sigur Ros
• Berlin Prize
• Third House Books
• Heinrich Heine
The post Live from Word of South: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida! appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I think we’re finally getting a little bit of a breather around here: I hope to make some progress on this ridiculously hard puzzle, tidy up the Summer Reading Guide books that are still in a towering stack by my desk, and maybe start rewatching The Bear with Will since the new season drops June 27.
I hope you have something to look forward to for these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Get your Summer Reading Guide!We’ve historically released this just before Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. so you’re ready for your summer season. The 2024 Guide is here—click here to get yours.
My favorite finds from around the web:Keira Knightley to Star in ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ Film Adaptation at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE). (Variety) Big news!
Inside Reese Witherspoon’s Literary Empire. (New York Times gift link) Profile by Elisabeth Egan: “First and foremost, she wants books by women, with women at the center of the action who save themselves.”
Last year’s sold out Steve Madden Amira Tiered Cotton Midi Dress from Nordstrom is back for a new season, in beautiful colors. (Though mine is navy, of course. I’m a Medium.) This fancier Eileen Fisher dress is way marked down: I own this in Atlantis and love it; it’s easy to dress up or down. (I typically reach for a Medium as a starting point with any brand, but in Eileen Fisher I’m consistently an XS.)
Immerse yourself in these 20 full cast recording audiobooks. (MMD)
If you want to belong, find a third place. (Vox) “Third places are trust and relationship builders: You encounter a person frequently enough that you naturally graduate from a polite smile to small talk to perhaps deeper conversation.”
I’m excited to talk with Lucy Foley about her new book, The Midnight Feast: A Novel on June 20! (Eventbrite) Carmichael’s Bookstore is hosting the event, which will be held at the Clifton Theater. Tickets include admission for one, signing access, and one hardcover copy of the new book.
The myth of the fairytale wardrobe. (The Times) In other words: stop looking for “the best” or “the one” white tee/button down/you name it: “The fashion industry wouldn’t, of course, have it any other way. If we solved the problem of our wardrobes once and for all, we wouldn’t need anything new to put in them.”
Don’t look for “the best” anything, yet I’m quite fond of this inexpensive Old Navy white tee and this sturdier American Giant white (leaning ivory) slub tee. (I’m a Medium in each.) I could live all summer in white tops and navy bottoms: is it just me? (Looks like the code DARCY will still get you 20% off your first American Giant order.)
France: Mostly Here for the Butter. The new season of Strong Sense of Place kicks off today!
Bulk bins are where slow food meets the checkout aisle—and they’re changing how many Americans shop. (Taste) “They know they can’t compete on convenience, so what they offer instead is an experience that’s more human, connected, and local.”
Let’s go to the bookstore: international edition. (MMD) Photos and musings galore from my recent trip to Denmark and Germany.
I Hated Summer Camp As A Kid. Then I Went To One For Adults. (Bustle) It’s not Book Camp (MMD) but it sure sounds like a fun experience.
What is Anne Hathaway Trying to Tell Us? (Culture Study) A scholarly celebrity deep dive (my favorite kind) and an assessment of her publicity tour for The Idea of You. (Don’t miss the link to the portal piece!)
From our archives:23 recommended reads for those traveling to Chicago. For anyone planning a trip to Chicago or looking for some armchair travel!
Two favorite summer drink recipes for summer reading season. The perfect mocktail and cocktail for this summer!
14 books about endearingly quirky families. They’ve got to be both quirky AND endearing.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Last month (most of) my family popped over to Germany to visit my oldest son, a history/German double major who spent the spring semester of his junior year of college studying abroad at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, near Hamburg in the northern part of the country. Every trip has its own reasons, and our primary purpose for this trip was to spend time with our kid, hanging out in his smallish town and seeing what his life was like there.
But we also wanted to experience a bit of Europe with him, so we tacked on a long weekend in Copenhagen on the front end and took day trips to Hamburg (where I hadn’t been since I visited with my parents when I was 14) and Celle (which was unfamiliar to me before this trip). We also spent a delightful not-quite-24 hours in Frankfurt before our flight home.
When I’m traveling with my family, I (really do, seriously, I promise) exercise some restraint in the book and related literary-minded browsing department. (Case in point: I didn’t drag everyone to see Goethe’s house, even though our hotel was right around the corner.) But we did wander through a whole lot of bookstores on our travels, and I enjoyed snapping pics of titles I recognized … even though their covers were not the covers I was used to and their titles were in German, Danish, or French.
I can really nerd out about things like cover design and international marketing, and thought you might also enjoy the experience of checking out these familiar U.S. titles alongside their international counterparts.
In Copenhagen we had a lovely last breakfast at Granola, an adorable little French café in Fredericksberg. Will had scoped out a nearby plant store and book shop in advance, and after brunch we popped into Thiemers Magasin, a snug and wonderfully curated little bookstore that offered an interesting range of titles in Danish and English.
I was struck by the U.K. cover of Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma, which I read last year just after we wrapped the Summer Reading Guide and loved (and still think about all the time). The British cover (left) captures what the book is about, but in a very different way than the U.S. cover (right).
At the time of our trip, I had just finished reading Lottie Hazell’s Piglet, whose U.S. cover (right) bears a beautiful oil painting of a cheeseburger by Noah Verrier; the cheeseburger gets swapped out for a tower of over-iced donuts for the U.K. edition. (Want to see something really interesting? Check out the entirely different direction they took for the Australian edition!)
I adored Louise Kennedy’s 2022 release Trespasses (featured in our Fall Book Preview that year); I’ve been thinking about it often lately because it makes a wonderful companion to one of our new 2024 Summer Reading Guide selections. The British and U.S. hardback covers are the same (pictured right); the U.S. publisher kept the same cover for the paperback, but the British paperback edition got a makeover (pictured left). Which would you be more likely to reach for?
Next stop … Lüneburg! We spent many happy hours wandering its Innenstadt (basically, the pedestrian-only city center), including several visits to the excellent bookstore Lünebuch. (Is that not the best name for a bookstore?) Cheerful and large, with an excellent selection, helpful staff, and so many enticing mugs and puzzles that I couldn’t fit in my carry-on.
Lünebuch is where I saw my first German copy of one of my favorites, Maggie O. Farrell’s This Must Be the Place. I’m not sure if that painting on the German edition captures the story (and is Claudette a redhead? I don’t think so …) but it sure is pretty. I was also struck by how physically HUGE the German edition was, which was why I didn’t buy it in Lüneburg. (But stay tuned!)
Lüneburg is also home to several used bookstores: I spied this German edition of the 2023 Summer Reading selection The Road to Roswell on an evening stroll. Similar vibes; different execution. I loved this book—and yet as someone who doesn’t reach for many alien novels, I think I’d be more likely to pick up the U.S. edition. But I don’t know, I do love the subtitle on the German edition, which translated to “a crazy road trip novel.” What do you think?
I loved checking out the international versions of books I especially loved in English, like Ask Again, Yes, from Mary Beth Keane. The German edition of this tale of the intertwined lives of two neighboring families feels completely true to the story, while being quite different from the U.S. version (right). I was also struck by the altered title, which translates to “If you asked me again today.”
It felt like books were everywhere in Europe: we were constantly moving through train station, and these stations often had book kiosks or full-fledged bookstores. (You know what browsing all these little train station kiosks made me realize I missed? MAGAZINES. We encountered so many displays of endless magazines available for purchase in Germany!)
Here’s something I wondered about: I spied so many U.S. bestsellers available in translation in Europe, like this German edition of The Soulmate Equation snapped at the Lüneburg train station. Frequently, the title would appear in English, but every other word on the cover and in the book would be in German (or Danish, French, etc.) Why? (Serious question!)
I also enjoyed browsing the thousands of German books that I knew would never be translated into English, simply because only 3% or so of books in the U.S. are sold in translation. I may not be able to read them (unless I seriously brush up on my German), but I enjoyed looking.
Simply because of the way our day unfolded, we spent the most time at Frankfurt’s excellent and enormous bookstore Hugendubel. We were there the last night of our trip, so we exercised less restraint with our purchases (ahem) than we had up to this point.
We were grabbed right when we walked in by the impressive selection of staff picks. (Above left, plus more are pictured later in this post.)
Once again, my eye was drawn to books I read and loved in English: how would publishers choose to present the title to German readers? You can see one answer above, with the German edition of Elizabeth Strout’s book Lucy by the Sea; the German title transliterates to simply “By the sea.”
I loved this British cover of Romantic Comedy. Does the British edition capture the story? Well, maybe not. But I would pick up this book in a heartbeat!
I was struck by the small but significant differences between the U.K. cover (left) and the U.S. cover (right) of Percival Everett’s James.
And the French paperback of last year’s Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick The Postcard, which I loved and adored and almost bought in the original French, even though I can’t read it.
Finally, after gazing longingly at the German edition of This Must Be the Place in four different German cities, Will decided I NEEDED a copy. I still didn’t want to add a nearly 600-page book to my suitcase … so he added it to his. Bless him.
Finally, I didn’t spy this book on my travels; it doesn’t publish in the U.S. until June 18, 2024. But I laughed out loud when I saw the U.K. cover (below right) for one of my certain best books of the year, Catherine Newman’s Sandwich. This is the very first book I added to the 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide: I love it so.
The U.K. cover CRACKS ME UP. I would reach for that in a bookstore, would you? But I will say, the U.S. cover (left) is completely gorgeous, and (in my opinion) far better captures the tone of this wistful novel. Is it also a little zany, per the bikini cover? Sure is, but the pervasive mood is more the softly lit Adirondack vibe of my U.S. version. At least I think so. How about you?
I hope you enjoyed this vicarious little trip to the bookstores of Europe. I would love to hear your thoughts, musings, and inclinations in comments: which covers do you prefer? How do the different covers influence your perception of the book itself? Why do European publishers often keep the English title? We’d love to hear all about it.
The post Let’s go to the bookstore: international edition appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I have long said the best audiobooks don’t simply replace the experience of reading with your eyes but instead enhance the book, adding layers to the reading experience. Nowhere is this more true than with audiobooks that feature full cast recordings. While audiobooks most commonly feature one or perhaps two narrators, a full cast adds to the characterization and dynamics, in addition to making it easier for the listener to distinguish between characters.
Great audio performances elevate a book and pull you in, going beyond on-paper reading for an immersive event. It’s the modern equivalent of a radio play, except no one has to wait to listen to the next installment. In addition to the full cast, there might be music or other noises to really help you feel like you’re there in the world of the story.
Today’s audiobook list includes some of your favorite narrators as well as celebrity voices you’ll likely recognize from non-book projects. If you’re looking for a place to get started with audiobooks, or if you’re an avid listener in search of your next read, try one of these full cast recordings for an immersive and textured listening experience.
Full cast recording audiobooksSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Dawnie Walton
Black female power and creative freedom take center stage in this vividly imagined oral history. Fierce and fashionable Afro-punk singer Opal Jewel and ambitious British musician Nev Charles made a stunning addition to the 1970s music scene. Looking to make it big, the hit interracial duo reluctantly opened for a popular Southern band, and before the infamous concert was over, relationships were irredeemably broken, a man was dead, and a photographer captured an unforgettable flashpoint moment. But what really happened? Decades later, a journalist with a personal stake in the outcome sets out to uncover the answer. The resulting journalistic interviews are so convincing I had to make sure Opal & Nev exist only on the page. This rock-umentary style story is superb on audio, especially when narrated by a full cast including favorites like Janina Edwards, Bahni Turpin, and Gabra Zackman. It took me an hour to adjust to the format, but when I did: WOW. Heads up for violence, racial slurs, and substance abuse. 13 hrs 17 mins. More info →Author: George Saunders
This 2017 release from Saunders is a story about America's 16th president and his grief in the wake of his son Willie's death in 1862. The "bardo" of the title is a Tibetan concept: it's a spiritual landscape—a kind of in-between place—where we are sent between physical lives. Willie died of typhoid at age 11, plunging Lincoln into deep grief. Saunders uses this real event as a jumping-off point to explore the near-unbearable grief of a father, linking it to the disarray of the country he leads at the height of its Civil War, and imagines how Lincoln's despair changed the outcome of the war. The star-studded cast includes Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, George Saunders, Carrie Brownstein, Miranda July, Lena Dunham, and more. 7 hrs 25 mins. More info →Author: Chris Bohjalian
Chilling and propulsive, this Puritan-era historical thriller transports you to 1662 Boston, where accusations fly and “it was always possible that the Devil was present.” Desperate to escape her abusive husband, Mary Deerfield seeks a rare divorce from the town council—but it’s a precarious time to pursue independence as a woman. Mary is soon accused of far worse than being a rebellious wife, and realizes a separation from her husband won’t be enough to save her from his escalating cruelty. Relying on a large cast of well-developed characters and an intricate plot, Bohjalian skillfully ratchets up the tension all the way through the exceptional ending. The Puritan era feels immediate and its struggles all too timely in this urgent historical novel set in 1660s Boston. Fabulous on audio, as narrated by Grace Experience, Saskia Maarleveld, Danny Campbell, Cassandra Campbell, and more. 14 hrs 8 mins. More info →Author: Tommy Orange
Orange's multigenerational, multi-voiced novel offers a nuanced glimpse into contemporary Native American life in Oakland, California through the experiences and perspectives of twelve wide-ranging characters. As they prepare for the city's first Big Oakland Powwow at the Oakland Coliseum, the lives of Orange's diverse characters become intertwined: an aspiring filmmaker, a man who's taught himself traditional Native dance with YouTube videos, a woman traveling to meet her grandchildren for the first time—on the condition that she remains sober. I'm amazed at how each distinct voice rings true, and how he weaves the disparate storylines together. It's also full of triggers, so sensitive readers be aware. Narrated by Darrell Dennis, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Alma Ceurvo, Kyla Garcia. 8 hrs. More info →Author: Erica Bauermeister
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” These words frame the story for Bauermeister’s 2023 novel in linked short stories (and Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick) about how a debut novel changes the lives of eleven people. First we meet Alice, an aspiring writer who struggles for years before finally completing her novel Theo. Then we meet the publisher’s assistant who plucks it from the slush pile, the out-of-work actor chosen to narrate the audiobook (perhaps my favorite story), the teenager who finds the book while she hides her homelessness, and more readers who subsequently stumble upon it at just the right time. A testament to the invisible threads that tie us together, and the power of books and reading. Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, Braden Wright, Carol Jacobanis, Cassandra Campbell, Gabra Zackman, George Newbern, Jesse Vilinsky, and more. 8 hrs 54 mins. More info →Authors: Holly Goldberg Sloan, Meg Wolitzer
This collaboration between two successful authors—one who primarily writes for kids, the other for grown-ups—features two twelve-year old girls living on opposite coasts who strike up an unwanted correspondence after they discover their single fathers fell in love at a building conference and are now dating. This relationship is not good news to either of them, as they make clear in the ensuing emails that comprise the book. Their situation goes from bad to worse when their fathers force them to attend the same summer camp, hoping they’ll become friends. Things go horribly wrong in more ways than one, but there's not a page here that doesn’t feel fresh, funny, charming, and real. A big-hearted story for readers of all ages. Narrators include Imani Parks, Cassandra Morris, Sullivan Jones, Bahni Turpin, and more. 6 hrs 13 mins More info →Author: Tom Hanks
As the title suggests, this enjoyable novel is about the making of a contemporary blockbuster superhero movie, based on a 1970 comic depicting a soldier's experience in WWII. Hanks is clearly writing what he knows here, including lots of juicy details about everything from location scouting to casting concerns to dealing with on-set drama. I especially enjoyed the character backstories that revealed how each cast and crew member got into the business in the first place. The tone is undeniably earnest, but that worked just fine for me. While the print novel contains illustrations of the comic, I would highly recommend the audiobook, read by a full cast including Peter Gerety, Natalie Morales, Rita Wilson, and, of course, Tom Hanks. 15 hrs 57 mins. More info →Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
A full cast, including Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, and Judy Greer, elevates this rock-umentary about a fictional 1970s band into a best-of-the-year audiobook experience. The plot revolves around Billy Dunne, the tortured, talented lead singer for the Six, and Daisy Jones, the beautiful, soulful girl with a troubled past who catapults the Six to fame when she begins singing—and writing—their songs. We know from the beginning that the story is about why the band broke up, and the reasons are both expected and hold a big surprise, unfurled in an engrossing story of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. 9 hrs 3 mins. More info →Author: Sequoia Nagamatsu
Set in 2030, this debut climate fiction appeared on multiple award lists, including the inaugural Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize shortlist and the inaugural Ursula K. Le Guin Prize shortlist. The story follows scientists in Siberia who discover the preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus—a virus that turns out to be highly contagious once thawed, unleashing a global Arctic Plague. From there, the story explores the way we respond and adapt to tragedy, as well as the impact on our planet. As some cities and states fall underwater, other areas build funerary skyscrapers and euthanasia amusement parks. Scientists try to create artificial organs for transplant, while others look for a new planet. It is as much about these changes as it is about what ties and connects our humanity to each other. The full cast includes Julia Whelan, Brian Nishii, Keisuke Hoashi, MacLeod Andrews, Jeanne Sakata, and more. 9 hrs 20 mins. More info →Author: Julie Berry
Berry's surprising mix of World War I, a love story, and Greek mythology has delighted legions of readers aged 12 to 102. The story begins with Aphrodite and Ares walking into a swanky Manhattan hotel during WWII, and soon enough Aphrodite's husband Hephaestus challenges her to show him what love really looks like. She obliges, and takes the reader back in time to meet four young lovers in 1917 Britain, showing her fellow gods how each couple fell in love, and what they mean to each other. It sounds unlikely but the interesting narrative structure totally works. I read this in print the first time but revisited it via the excellent full-cast audiobook, which includes Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner, Don Lee, Dion Graham, the author, and even more talented voices. 12 hrs 57 mins. More info →Author: Rachel Beanland
This book is NOT what I expected: it's no spoiler to say that on page 14 the vivacious 20-year-old swimmer Florence drowns on a training swim in the Atlantic Ocean, and the book is truly about her Jewish family's elaborate attempt to conceal the truth from Florence's hospitalized sister, who they fear will go into premature labor if she learns of the tragedy. Beanland explains in her author's note that much of the story is based on her own Jewish family's history in 1930s Atlantic City, and teases out what is fact and what is fiction for her readers. I loved this on audio, narrated by a full cast including Jesse Vilinsky and Gabra Zackman. 10 hrs 48 mins. More info →Author: Jacqueline Woodson
In her poetic voice, Woodson crafts a narrative that follows a family over decades but keeps the reader in the moment. The book opens with a special coming-of-age ceremony. Melody enters the room in her grandparents' Brooklyn home wearing the same dress her mother wore sixteen years ago. From there, Woodson weaves Melody and her mother's stories together in a lyrical novel about legacy, parenthood, ambition and desire. For a completely immersive experience, listen to this one on audio. The author and Bahni Turpin are among a full cast of narrators who bring the family to life. 3 hrs 52 mins. More info →Author: Hernan Diaz
This multi-layered story is told in four distinct parts, each one subtly—or, in the case of the final section, not so subtly—changing the meaning of what came before, and each with its own narrator. Part I is a biographical novel based on the life of an infamous Wall Street trader. Part II, an unfinished draft of the autobiography the trader began writing, with the help of a ghostwriter, to "correct" the novel's portrayal of his life. Part III is from the point of view of that ghostwriter, and Part IV ... no spoilers, but it blows the lid off the whole thing. Structure nerds like myself will find much to appreciate here. Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò, and Orlagh Cassidy; 10 hrs 21 mins. More info →Author: Brittney Morris
I raced through this absorbing YA read; it would make a good flight pick for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. At school, Kiera Johnson is an honor roll student, math tutor, and one of the only Black kids in her classes. But in the world she's created for herself, she is one of hundreds of thousands of Black gamers dueling in the online role-playing card game, Slay. Kiera is the game developer, but no one in her "real life" knows about the project, and her identity is a secret online. When Slay is mentioned in relation to the murder of a Kansas City teen, Kiera is distraught. News of the game and its Black-players-only rule reach media outlets, and Kiera's safe haven becomes a point of national discussion. When an anonymous troll enters the game and threatens to sue over discrimination, Kiera is determined to protect herself, her game, and her Blackness in a world that doesn't understand. Narrated by Kiersey Clemons, Michael Boatman, Alexandra Grey, Dominic Hoffman, and Sisi Aisha Johnson. 8 hrs 27 mins. More info →Author: Lucy Foley
This 2020 mystery puts a modern spin on Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None, setting a destination wedding on a remote Irish island, accessible only by boat, with guests whose lives are connected in ways they never could have guessed. When a magazine publisher weds a handsome reality tv star, she wants her wedding to be magazine-worthy: the designer gown, the atmospheric location, everything perfect to the last detail. But when the guests arrive, including old colleagues, boarding school friends, unreliable family, and untrustworthy friends—things begin going wrong, as long-buried secrets threaten to burst forth at exactly the wrong time. And then they find the dead body. Told in rotating points of view, this was cleverer than I'd expected, and I especially enjoyed the full-cast narration by ot Davies, Chloe Massey, Olivia Dowd, Aoife McMahon, Sarah Ovens, and Rich Keeble. (I would have appreciated a content warning for self-harm; a murder mystery is certain to have triggers but that one took me by surprise.) 10 hrs 22 mins. More info →Authors: Annie Barrows, Mary Ann Shaffer
This novel told in letters is sweet and sunny, even though it's set during a dark period of history. The action unfolds on the British island of Guernsey (and you'll want to book your trip immediately). A testament to the power of literature, but a love story at heart. The audiobook narrated by Paul Boehmer, Susan Duerden, Rosalyn Landor, John Lee, and Juliet Mills is fantastic. 8 hrs 6 mins. More info →Author: Saleema Nawaz
Nawaz wrote this speculative work between 2013 and 2019, but its contents and publication timing made it eerily prescient when it came out in March 2020. The story moves back and forth in time and between multiple perspectives as it follows a first responder in New York, a pregnant singer, and an author, all living through a global coronavirus pandemic. I avoided all pandemic books for a while but I'm glad I picked this one up; its themes of resilience and hope struck just the right notes for me and I named it one of my favorite audiobooks of 2020. Narrated by a full cast including Alex Payton-Beesley, Amelia Sargisson, and more. 14 hrs 40 mins. More info →Indigo CanadaAuthor: Leigh Bardugo
In the first book of Bardugo's fantastical duology, a criminal mastermind teams up with an unconventional crew to pull off the heist of the century. They have to break into an extremely secure location and retrieve a scientist and his formula or the world as they know it will be destroyed. With twists and turns aplenty, I enjoyed experiencing another side of Bardugo’s Grishaverse. Narrated by Jay Snyder, Brandon Rubin, Fred Berman, Lauren Fortgang, Roger Clark, Elizabeth Evans, and Tristan Morris. 15 hrs 4 mins. More info →Author: Jess Walter
This is a story of two brothers who get mixed up in the labor movement in 1909 in Spokane, Washington. After the heartbreaking loss of their mother, the two young men travel to the nearest big city to find work and make a future for themselves. But their plans are halted when the brothers end up at a labor protest and then in jail. As a result of their circumstances, they get mixed up with activist Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a real-life labor leader. Hers was not a name I recognized, but so many plot points sent me rushing to Google to discern fact from fiction—and to learn more about the real historical events underpinning the story. The full-cast recording includes Edoardo Ballerini, Gary Farmer, Marin Ireland, Cassandra Campbell, MacLeod Andrews, and more. 11 hrs 30 mins. More info →Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Back when I first read this 2016 release I didn't reach for sci fi as often as I do now: I never would have picked it up on my own and I'm grateful a trusted reader gave me a strong nudge! The audiobook version is truly top-notch, as the story consists of a series of interviews and correspondence, and audiobook readers feel like they're listening in to the characters' communication. It begins in the past, when a little girl falls through the earth and lands in the palm of a gigantic metal hand. Flash forward a few decades, and that girl is all grown up, an esteemed researcher working with her peers to find more of this being's body parts strewn all over the globe. This one especially feels like an old-fashioned radio drama, as narrated by a full cast that includes Andy Secombe, Laurel Lefkow, Eric Meyers, Liza Ross, and more. 8 hrs 28 mins. More info → What are your favorite full cast recording audiobooks? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. 15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio and 15 standout summer novels perfect for seasonal listening.
The post Immerse yourself in these 20 full cast recording audiobooks appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s episode marks the second in a series of three live events from my recent trip to Tallahassee and surrounds.
A highlight of my travels was stopping by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia—a fantastic independent bookstore that I hadn’t been to since 2018!
The Bookshelf is a destination for a reason, and it felt so nice to be surrounded by friendly and enthusiastic readers during my conversation with host and owner Annie B. Jones.
Annie and I discussed perennial summer favorites and newer titles that took us by surprise, and I shared a bit about what goes into creating our annual Summer Reading Guide. (Did you get your copy yet?)
I’m thrilled we can invite you to listen in on our live conversation from The Bookshelf about incredible books that feel just right for summer, and I’m confident our conversation today will whet your appetite for summer reading of any flavor.
Let us know about a book you love that feels just right for summer in the comments.
You can follow The Bookshelf on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok, and subscribe to their email newsletter here. The books discussed in today’s episode are available for purchase in-person at The Bookshelf in Thomasville and online via their online shop at the links below.
The Summer Reading Guide is here!We had the best time at our two live unboxing events last week! And we’ve received so many enthusiastic comments from early readers who say this year’s Guide is the best one yet. So if you haven’t gotten yours yet be sure to grab a copy of the Summer Reading Guide today!
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: My Kindle's always going, "Anne, read me! Read me!"
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week I'm talking books and reading at one of my favorite independent bookstores, The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia. In today's conversation, we are talking all things summer reading, which is a great reminder that you can still get your 2024 Summer Reading Guide.
We had the best time at our two live unboxing events last week. And even if you didn't join us live, when you grab your guide, you'll also get access to our video replays. I'm already hearing so many kind comments from readers who are enjoying paging through this year's guide and choosing which books to place on their summer TBRs, or that they can't wait for their library holds to come through on those books that really jumped out to them.
Get your guide today at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. That's for Summer Reading Guide. Modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
[00:01:23] Readers, today we are back with the second in a series of three live events from my recent trip to Tallahassee and surrounds. While I was on the road, I had the opportunity to stop by a fantastic independent bookstore that I hadn't been to since, we had to do the math, 2018. That is The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia.
The Bookshelf is a destination for a reason. Host and owner Annie B. Jones and I had so much fun talking about summer reading there in the store amidst the books with a crowd of friendly and enthusiastic readers.
I want to say a special hello to those of you that I got to meet in person that night. If I didn't get to meet you in person on this trip, well, that is too bad for me. But I'm thrilled we can invite you to listen in on our live conversation from The Bookshelf about incredible books that feel just right for summer.
Annie and I discussed perennial summer favorites and newer titles that took us by surprise. Plus, I talk a bit about what goes into creating our annual Summer Reading Guide that came out last week. Our conversation today will whet your appetite for summer reading of any flavor. Let's get to it.
[00:02:29] ANNIE B. JONES: Welcome, welcome everybody. We knew tonight would be standing room only, so we're going to make our conversation together short so that you can keep visiting so that you can talk to Anne.
But I wanted to welcome you. I'm Annie B. Jones. I am the owner of The Bookshelf here in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. It is beautiful today. And I hope it continues all roadshow weekend long.
We wanted to kick off... really we kicked off Independent Bookstore Week with a midnight release party of Emily Henry's latest book, Funny Story. We did not know how a midnight release party would go in Thomasville, Georgia, but 25 people came, which we were thrilled by.
Then when we found out our friend and writer and podcast host Anne Bogel was going to be in Tallahassee for Word of South, Tallahassee's Literary Festival, we thought, "Oh, could she please come here on her way?" So thank you for making a pit stop.
ANNE: I was so happy to get that email.
ANNIE B: I told Caroline, I said, "See if Anne could come." Because we were just talking and the last time Anne was here was, we think, summer of 2018, which has now been a long time. That feels like another life.
ANNE: Too long.
[00:03:37] ANNIE B: That was pre-pandemic. That was another life. So we are thrilled to welcome Anne back to the store. We're so glad all of you are here. We are going to talk a little bit about summer reading. You do Summer Reading Guides, it's one of your claims to fame. So I'm curious... We'll do cheers. So when we talk about summer reading, what does that mean to you?
ANNE: Oh gosh. I mean it used to mean something more specific. Like a book that you could read while things were happening nearby. Like you could make sure somebody didn't drown in the pool and read your book. It couldn't be something really esoteric or philosophical or you needed a family tree to keep the character straight.
But more and more, I think a summer reading book is like, don't tell, but the same as any other book. And that's just like, whatever you're excited about reading right now. But there are certain things that some of us crave in the summer. So the Summer Reading Guide is books I love. So this really represents what I'm interested in.
[00:04:36] ANNIE B: What Anne is excited about.
ANNE: Right, right, right.
ANNIE B: Well, it's funny you say that because I had a publisher call this morning, and we were talking about summer books. And the publisher was like, "That doesn't mean anything anymore. Summer reading doesn't mean anything anymore."
And I will say as a bookseller, I'm going to push back on that just a little, because we do see an uptick in genre books, mystery books, rom-coms, romances, paperbacks sell better than hardbacks, that kind of thing. Like as a bookseller. But I also think as a bookseller we all know what people want to read is what we're excited to tell them about reading. So people want to read what you're excited to talk about.
ANNE: And really this time of year, I want a really good story that maybe doesn't make me work super hard.
ANNIE B: Yes, that still maybe has some meaning and depth. I love a summer reading book, but they don't all have to be fluff. And I don't mind fluff, but they don't all have to be fluff. They could be a story with a little depth. I think about — probably because it just re-released as this beautiful new edition, which has a better cover — Lessons in Chemistry.
[00:05:40] ANNE: I saw it for the first time when I walked in. It's so beautiful.
ANNIE B: I am not a special editions girl, but I'm like, "I'm going to buy that."
ANNE: I'd make an exception for that one.
ANNIE B: I hated the original cover, so much. I just felt like it was such a disservice to that book, because that book definitely was fast-paced, a quick book. Like, you loved the characters, it was propulsive, but it also had a lot of depth. So to me, that is a book that I would be like, Yeah, I could read that in the summer. Like, it's got a little bit best of both worlds.
ANNE: We're both nerds like that.
ANNIE B: So you have been doing Summer Reading Guides for how long? So many-
ANNE: Oh gosh, I have to look it up every time. I think it's 13. I think it's 13. I'm not positive it's not 14.
ANNIE B: And you've been running your popular blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, the host of the podcast, What Should I Read Next?. I see a T-shirt. You have so many listeners all over the country. Is Summer Reading Guide what you find like most of your readers... like is that what they get most excited about is your Summer Reading Guide? We heard cheers. Do you think that's what...?
[00:06:42] ANNE: I don't know. Maybe we should ask you all.
ANNIE B: Is that what you guys are excited about? Do you like Summer Reading...? I see odds. Yeah, Summer Reading Guide.
ANNE: Okay. That's actually really good to hear because it's the thing we work the hardest on.
ANNIE B: I'm really curious, because y'all's Summer Reading Guide is long. It is lengthy. I always look at the short one, because I like a short list. But that's a ton of work. When do you start working on it?
ANNE: You don't want to know. You might want to know. You run a business. You don't want to...
ANNIE B: Because for... I don't know. How often are you reading in advance? Meaning like, I don't know, like we read three months in advance, I feel like.
ANNE: I'm always reading early. But the Summer Reading Guide is different from other things that we do in that there's 42 books in it. I've read them all cover to cover and probably twice as many that I didn't like as much. So I start in like November.
Something that's really changed since COVID is that publishers are more reliant on e-galleys, and they're getting them out a little earlier. So the good and the bad of it is that there's more to read sooner, which means my Kindle's always going, "Anne, read me! Read me!" And read this book that comes out in nine months, not, you know, 30 years ago or tomorrow. So, I mean, it's great in some ways and also-
[00:07:53] ANNIE B: I think as a fellow reader, podcast host, that's one of my downfalls is that I don't read electronically. So I am still relying on physical galleys. And they are not what they once were because of the pandemic. So I probably am doing myself a disservice by not just sucking it up and doing a Kindle.
ANNE: Did you talk about that in therapy? I think I would.
ANNIE B: Maybe there's other things to talk about in therapy as well. I feel like I'm bigger fish to fry.
ANNE: That sounds healthy.
ANNIE B: Yeah, totally. Okay, so we have a stack of books here that we... We went back and forth via email about what books we wanted to talk about today. Are these all books in your Summer Reading Guide?
ANNE: No.
ANNIE B: Okay.
ANNE: Okay, y'all, I can't give too much away.
ANNIE B: When does the Summer Reading Guide release?
ANNE: May 16th.
ANNIE B: Okay, May 16th.
ANNE: But I do really love to share things, so I'm not saying I won't whisper a title or two to you in the signing line.
ANNIE B: So these are just Anne's favorites?
ANNE: These are all summer-themed, though.
ANNIE B: Okay.
[00:08:52] ANNE: Because we also have our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, and we... There's no, like, read to not share here, or to bury. We're reading some of these this summer. Oh, the first three! We're reading the first three of the book club this summer. And they all have ties to, I think, the summer season, and that I think they would be...
If I hadn't featured the new one from Xochitl in the Spring Book Preview, I absolutely would have put it in the Summer Reading Guide, because it's so smart and so fun. Both and, which is what I wanna read in the summertime.
ANNIE B: Did you read this first? Did you read Olga first?
ANNE: No. So I read... Can we just jump in?
ANNIE B: Yeah, let's do it.
ANNE: Okay.
ANNIE B: If that's okay with you guys.
ANNE: I love how you put the books we're talking about in a stack, so I can't just pull extra titles out of my head-
ANNIE B: That was Caroline.
ANNE: ...and start rattling them off.
ANNIE B: A visual. This is to help us both.
ANNE: It's like you talk to book lovers and see what can happen. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so we're not gonna be here till midnight.
ANNIE B: That's right.
ANNE: I read Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González probably last winter. And we do seasonal book previews too, and that's not all titles I've read. Those are ones that I've read and loved, that I'm really excited about reading, but like might let me down. Just like sometimes books you're looking forward to reading aren't what you hoped they would be sometimes, and also ones that are significant in the industry for various reasons.
[00:10:09] Like the single something that like for whatever reason or having like the full weight of the publisher-
ANNIE B: Like you can't just ignore those.
ANNE: That's interesting. Because I like to understand how it works, because whether you realize it or not, things coming down from the industry are impacting you and your choices as readers.
ANNIE B: It's like Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada.
ANNE: It really is. Cerulean?
ANNIE B: It's cerulean, yeah. That's exactly right.
ANNE: I read Anita de Monte Laughs Last, and I loved it.
ANNIE B: It's so good.
ANNE: This book had been on my bookshelf since probably six months before it came out. And I don't know, it just didn't... There are so many good books that I don't pick up. It's just a factor of time. I mean, like, there's so many books in this store that we could all read and love and we haven't yet. So then I picked it up right away and loved it.
Something that I try to do, and I know many of you try to do, is not read all new all the time, right? Or some of us need to be reminded to, you know, take a chance on something that was published this decade, like, maybe it'll be okay. So we can all, you know, branch out a little bit and read from different eras.
[00:11:12] ANNIE B: And I think that's so important because as booksellers, we can't always do that, right? Like, we have to constantly be talking about what's the newest, latest, greatest, because that's literally our bread and butter. I mean, Olivia could probably help me with stats, but I think, like, 90% of our book sales, 80% of our book sales are front lists.
ANNE: Wow. Like, we do well with backlists, but frontlists is... I think frontlist is why people keep coming to bookstores. Because backlist, you go to your local library or your used bookstore, or maybe sometimes you're digging in our shelves and finding Annie's favorite paperback from 20 years ago.
But I do like that about book bloggers and podcasters because I feel like y'all have a little bit more freedom to play with release dates and talking about backlists than we do. It's why you can do something like Olga, whereas I'm really focused right now on still talking about Anita. You know?
ANNE: I loved Anita.
ANNIE B: I loved Anita.
ANNE: That doesn't sound that bad. But in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club this summer, we're reading some new and some old. And we're reading Olga. And I love that people will be reading Anita or they'll read Olga with us and then they can go to Anita. But I love... Are we going to talk about plots?
[00:12:22] ANNIE B: We said before this, do we have to talk character names? Because we read a lot of books.
ANNE: Right, right, right. And I just read this at like Christmas time. I can't tell you. It's about Olga and her brother, her mom, her boyfriend. They all matter deeply. I can't remember their names.
ANNIE B: Okay, let me ask this about your book club. Will you guys get to talk to Xóchitl González? Will she...?
ANNE: Yes. If the author is alive, we'd really like to talk to them.
ANNIE B: Which, I don't know, you could, I don't know, get like a third party involved and talk to the dead as well. I don't know. Should I talk about that in therapy?
ANNE: That's a major theme in reading right now. There's lots of spiritists and mediums.
ANNIE B: Yes!
ANNE: What's happening? I don't know. But this is on trend. We'll probably talk about that at the Summer Reading Guide Unboxing.
ANNIE B: I totally planned it that way.
ANNE: I know. I know. She's so smart. I just read this really fun piece in Lit Hub that said, why don't authors write about money anymore? Like the way Jane Austen did. She was very specific and that meant something to people back then. And it was interesting.
[00:13:21] So Xóchitl González writes about money in a way that's really interesting. So she used to work as a wedding planner to the super wealthy and she used that information to write about Olga, her wedding planner, who's 40.
Midlife reckonings is also a real theme in this publishing season. So Olga's looking around at her life going like, what am I doing? Because she's like facilitating million-dollar weddings but her mother is a revolutionary who abandoned her to fight for Puerto Rican independence. And she is not sure that she can keep doing what she's doing.
ANNIE B: It's a real generation gap novel, and it plays a lot with class.
ANNE: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
ANNIE B: I think another author who's doing... I know we weren't going to spin off too much-
ANNE: Oh, no, no, go for it.
ANNIE B: Another author who's writing about money so well is Kiley Reid.
ANNE: Oh, I loved that new one.
ANNIE B: Yeah, Come and Get It. To me, I read it and I thought... we talked about like, is it a campus novel? She, I think, refers to it as a dorm novel. It's not just a campus. It's more specific in the dorm.
ANNE: I love that.
[00:14:21] ANNIE B: But it's set at the University of Arkansas. We never get campus novels set on public universities. So that alone is interesting enough. But she's writing so much about class. I think even when I went to college, that's when I first started to encounter, Oh right, money means different things to different people, and spending money means different things to different people.
Anyway, Kiley Reid is another. Come and Get It could probably be a sister book on the shelf with Olga.
ANNE: I see that. I see that.
ANNIE B: Okay, ready to talk about the next one.
ANNE: All right, let's do it. Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club was founded in 2016. And I think since 2016, we've been saying we should have Katherine Center. So, this summer we're having Katherine Center to come talk about The Bodyguard.
We just talked about Olga and her wedding planning. I love a good story of a person at work doing an interesting job that takes me behind the scenes and shows me what it might be like. Because I don't know, but I would really like to find out.
[00:15:20] In The Bodyguard, the bodyguard is the woman who jokes about looking like a kindergarten teacher on the cover. She is the bodyguard in question to this A-list handsome actor. I don't know. Is he that handsome on the cover? He is not handsome on the cover.
ANNIE B: I'll answer that for you. The answer is no.
ANNE: But I just trust the book when they tell us that Jack Stapleton is a handsome man. So he doesn't want a bodyguard. She's the one who's hired. He feels he's got to prevent his mama's feelings, which is why, you know, the plot set up, you know. You know how these kind of stories work.
ANNIE B: Big Texas energy.
ANNE: Big Texas energy.
ANNIE B: Big Texas energy.
ANNE: Which I trust she knows what she's talking about. I've been to Texas for like a week put together in my life. I trust her to transport me there. I feel like she knows.
ANNIE B: And she does.
ANNE: She knows.
ANNE: She totally does.
ANNIE B: This might be one of my favorite... I've not read all of Katherine Center's, she's got quite the backlist, but this is one of my... this is my favorite book of hers, I think. I really love this book.
ANNE: I really liked Happiness Beginners. It's a favorite for a long time. Y'all Netflix might have ruined me a little bit. Because that was bad. It was not good.
ANNIE B: I stopped watching it.
[00:16:23] ANNE: That was a good choice. Yeah, that was a good choice. But I still really loved that book. And I think about that age gap all the time.
ANNIE B: It feels like this came out the same time as a lot of like... and I know rom-coms play with tropes all the time, but this came out the same time as a lot of like celebrity falls in love with a normal person book.
ANNE: In my head, there's celebrity normie.
ANNIE B: Yeah, that's right. You did it. You're allowed to say that, I think. But it's kind of a funny story, was one of my favorites. And then Nora Goes Off Script is my favorite favorite. I think this lives happily with those titles as well.
ANNE: And I'm like, why are those so fun to read? I don't know-
ANNIE B: They're so fun because don't we all... I think I've said this on the podcast before but I will shamelessly say it again. Don't we all dream that Seth Meyers will sit next to us on a plane and like gently flirt? I do. That would be a dream come true. It'd be so fun.
ANNE: Am I allowed to tell Annie I don't think I'd recognize Seth Meyers next to me on a plane? There are definitely people I'd recognize, but he's not one of them.
ANNIE B: Well, he's handsome.
ANNE: He would probably look recognizable.
[00:17:26] ANNIE B: Yeah.
ANNE: I'd recognize that he's not like somebody's mail carrier.
ANNIE B: Yeah, you'd know him. He could carry your mail.
ANNE: What else could he do, Annie? No, no, no. Don't answer that. One of the reasons we're reading The Bodyguard is we wanted to go backlist, and Katherine Center certainly has a lot to explore. But also she has a new book coming out this summer that will totally be in the Summer Reading Guide. It's called The Rom-Commers. So this time we have screenwriters at work.
ANNIE B: It's excellent. Did you read it?
ANNE: Oh yeah, I did. I loved it.
ANNIE B: I loved it.
ANNE: I even listened to the first hour of the audiobook in the car, because I'm putting together the Awesome on Audio section right now. Fun!
ANNIE B: Who narrates it?
ANNE: I didn't recognize the voice. There's two I's in the first name. Is that it? I can't remember. That's all I can do.
ANNIE B: No, I physically read that. I was like, Do I read this one or listen to it? The Rom-Commers was great.
ANNE: I read that in the actual print galley.
ANNIE B: I did too.
ANNE: Are you proud of me?
ANNIE B: I am so proud of you.
ANNE: Yeah, I knew you did.
ANNIE B: I am so proud.
ANNE: But Jack Stapleton is in that one.
ANNIE B: There's little Easter eggs.
ANNE: Yeah, yeah, yeah. As is Meryl Streep. She makes a cameo, which I thought was super fun. Can't wait to watch that movie. So yeah, so we did The Bodyguard by Katherine Center.
[00:18:22] ANNIE B: I love that, that both of these then have books by the same author, that you could read the backlist and then move to the front list as well. That's nice.
ANNE: Because we want in summer, in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, it's the one time we're like weird, like keying in to the Summer Reading Guide. Sometimes we've got to stretch it a little y'all. But yeah.
ANNIE B: I like that. It reminds me of what we try to do with kids' books as we try to introduce them to authors that they love so they keep reading. And so you're introducing folks to authors that then they can go down Katherine Center's whole backlist or they can pre-order her future books or whatever. And so you're doing the same thing that I think we do with kids all the time. But we need it too sometimes.
ANNE: It's good to find some favorites.
ANNIE B: Tell me about this, because I just heard it greenlit on The Popcast by Knox McCoy, but I have not read it. Jenna and I read so similarly. So talk to me about The Husbands.
ANNE: Okay, this is The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. Y'all, this is so fun. This is a debut. Holly Gramazio is British. She designs video games. Like, you would never know that reading this book.
[00:19:22] But what I love about this book, and what I love about it for summer, is that it's just so easy breezy. You fly through it, and then you finish it, and it's three weeks later, and you find yourself thinking about your life and The Husbands.
ANNIE B: That is the perfect summer book.
ANNE: The meaning of relationships and marriage, and what is love. How do you know if you're satisfied? What does it mean to be content in a relationship? Anybody who can sneak that in to like a page-turner, like I want to read... I can't wait to read what she reads next. But first, first you get to enjoy this one. It's already out.
ANNIE B: Yeah, it's out.
ANNE: These are all already out, so they're on that beautiful table that Olivia put together. But the premise here is so fun. Check out the cover.
ANNIE B: The cover's great.
ANNE: So this British woman, whose life I'm jealous of, her grandmother left her a flat in London, and it's the only reason she can afford to live there. But I don't have a grandmother who left me a flat. Okay, so a little vicarious thrill there.
But she's out with friends, she comes home, a little tipsy, maybe more than a little tipsy, and her husband's at home to greet her, which is weird because she's not married. So she's like, "How much did I drink with my friends?"
[00:20:34] So she tries to get kind of oriented in her new life, and things aren't quite where she remembered them. And she has different mugs, and the living room's a different shade, and she might have a cat, and what in the world? And so she's married now, and she's just gonna kind of-
ANNIE B: She's just gonna live with it?
ANNE: Until her husband goes into the attic to change the light bulb, and a different man comes down. So what she realizes over time is her attic now produces Husbands. But just one at a time. And every time the new one comes down, the details of her life have suddenly shifted. Sometimes they shift a lot.
And so she realizes, like, "Wait, what's going on here? Every one of these men is somebody that, based on my past experiences, choices, interests, I could conceivably have chosen to marry at some point." And, like, really sneakily, it's just this whole thought experiment about, like, what does it mean to commit to someone? And how do you know?
[00:21:34] ANNIE B: It reminds me of Taylor Jenkins' Reids, Maybe In Another Life, which my book club read. It was one of those that we thought was going to be... and it was fun and propulsive, but we... I mean, it was a great book club book. We had a great discussion about it.
Or Begin Again, which just came out by Helly Acton, I think is the author's name. That one's great because she dies from eating a kebab at the beginning. No spoilers.
Anyway, she winds up kind of going through her... when she goes to the afterlife, she's living... it's almost like Christmas Carol-esque. And I do like those kinds of books because they do make you kind of self-analyze and reflect.
ANNE: This goes way back, but it really reminded me of What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty.
ANNIE B: That's great. That's a good one. Okay, a nonfiction.
ANNE: A nonfiction!
ANNIE B: By a favorite. I love this guy.
ANNE: This is my first one. There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib. I'm 5'9". People have mostly stopped asking me if I play basketball, but that was like a big feature of my life for many years.
[00:22:36] ANNIE B: I think Olivia understands that totally.
ANNE: Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I did play basketball. Did you play basketball?
Olivia: Poorly.
ANNE: Right. See, you shouldn't ask people that question because they're tall. But-
ANNIE B: Let me just say as a 5'2 person who wanted to play for the WNBA, I would love for somebody to ask me if I played basketball.
ANNE: You could be a sneaky little point guard.
ANNIE B: I was, for a few years.
ANNE: I haven't played basketball since I was 14. Y'all, I could not tell you where LeBron James... I mean, I read the book and I... No, I could tell you where LeBron James played.
ANNIE B: You could. I believe in you.
ANNE: What I loved about this book is he took a topic that I didn't think I was particularly interested in, which was the sport of basketball, and particularly the Cleveland Cavaliers during the LeBron James era, and just pulled me into a world, a meditation. He uses basketball as a way to riff on...
ANNIE B: Yes, that's exactly what he's doing. And it's what he does in his other books. I just finished the one... and now I'm going to blank on the title, but I finished the one... They Can't Kill Us Till They Kill Us, which has the wolves on the cover.
[00:23:37] ANNE: I'm going to read that next.
ANNIE B: Okay. Well, he's writing so much about music and hip hop, and I had it on my shelf forever because I thought, "Look at me. Do you think I listen to a lot of hip hop?" I really loved it because indie booksellers went crazy for that book. And so I bought it but didn't read it.
And then I picked it up in preparation for this and he is writing about music and R&B and hip hop, but in a way that makes you fall in love with it too, even if you've never listened to it before, which I think is an incredible... I would love to have dinner with him, because I bet he's a wonderful conversationalist, because he makes you care about what he cares about, which is an incredible gift.
ANNE: He's an amazing storyteller. Y'all, also, if you asked me to describe a jump shot from a YouTube clip in a way that was interesting, I don't know what I could tell you, Annie. But he can go on for five pages and you're like, what happened next? How did the ball turn? What was going through your mind? But I was Googling Nike commercials and like slam dunks-
ANNIE B: Trying to watch them.
ANNE: ...and I'm like, "That warms my heart." But he's writing about how ball is life, but also the passage of time, getting older. There's a lot about prison and pick-up ball and just conversations with friends.
[00:24:53] ANNIE B: And I think about his dad too. He writes a lot about his dad. Maybe I need to gift this book. March Madness is a big deal here at the bookshelf. Maybe I need to gift this to the staff next year and make them care about that.
ANNE: They might not, but they'll love the book. I mean, I feel like I can't really do this justice, but this is the kind of thing where you give it five pages, and you're like, Oh, I want to spend more time with you.
ANNIE B: Yeah. Okay, last one. and this one is near and dear because here we are, we're at the Florida Georgia Line. Lauren Groff is going to be at Word of South, which is where you are also going to be.
ANNE: I know, I'm so excited.
ANNIE B: I am so excited and jealous and sad I cannot be there to hear this in person. But tell me about Florida and Lauren Groff and what you're going to talk to her about.
ANNE: Oh my gosh. Okay, y'all can tell me in the signing line what, or just mingling, what I should talk to Lauren Groff about, because she's opening an independent bookstore. I imagine we're going to talk a lot about that. Or it's soft launch, and I think it's opening opening an independent bookstore.
ANNIE B: It is, yeah.
ANNE: Okay, very fun. This is the one book of hers I hadn't read until I got invited to come down here. So I just finished this, and you know what it reminded me a lot of? Oh my gosh, is this a disservice to Lauren. No disservice to Lauren. But the closest I've got to reading something like this is the Emily St. John Mandel novel.
ANNIE B: Oh, which one?
ANNE: Is it the Lola Quartet?
ANNIE B: Okay, yeah.
[00:26:12] ANNE: Thank you so much. Where there's exotic pets that have been freed to live in the canals that are, you know, just like waiting to get you, basically.
ANNIE B: So Florida, in a nutshell.
ANNE: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Such an interesting short story collection where she examines, I think, her complicated relationship with Florida, which I really enjoyed.
ANNIE B: Which I think any of us who are from states or places... I mean, I don't know where everybody's from, but if you're from the South, isn't that how we all feel? I mean, don't we all have complicated relationships about our homes? And even if you're from the Midwest or California, I just think you have complicated feelings about home.
So I think Lauren writes... I mean, I love her. I think she's one of the best modern writers. I loved her most recent book, The Vaster Wilds. I just think she's so great.
ANNE: Which sounded so like...
ANNIE B: That's why she's so great.
ANNE: I know.
ANNIE B: You wouldn't pick it up.
ANNIE B: I told Will, my husband, let me tell you what this book is about in one sentence, and you will say, why did they let her write that? It just sounds awful.
[00:27:24] ANNIE B: Yeah, but it's not awful. It's amazing.
ANNE: No, I loved it. It's so good.
ANNIE B: It's so good
ANNE: So good.
ANNIE B: And so I think she's...
ANNE: I think the answer is, like, why? Because she's Lauren Groff and she's freaking amazing.
ANNIE B: That's the answer. She could write about anything. And she almost has. I mean, her backlist runs the gamut. I mean, she's covered such wide-ranging territory and genres.
ANNE: You know what's so interesting is the same themes keep coming up. Like, you know what you'll find in Florida? Nuns. Yeah. But I gotta read you a line from Florida.
ANNIE B: Okay, great.
ANNE: So the very end of the collection, the final story, there's a woman who goes to France to escape Florida in the summer, because who wants to be in Florida in the summertime.
ANNIE B: Yeah, don't we all?
ANNE: So she's gonna go live her best life in France, but she realizes at the end that she doesn't belong there. She muses to herself at the end, of all the places in the world, she belongs in Florida. How dispiriting to learn this of herself.
ANNIE B: I feel like I could say it about myself.
ANNE: I think Lauren and I got to talk about this.
ANNIE B: Yeah, that's a great quote. Anne, thank you so much for being here. Thank you guys for being here.
ANNE: Thank you.
[00:28:36] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Annie B. Jones at our live event at The Bookshelf. Thank you so much to The Bookshelf for having me. Annie, along with Caroline Weeks, were fantastic hosts and I'm so grateful. It was great to see so many of their team that was around.
Find The Bookshelf on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Caroline does an amazing job with their socials. She took a zillion photos while I was there. I was so impressed.
We've got those links as well as the full list of the titles we talked about today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
The Bookshelf has its own podcast. Listen to From the Front Porch wherever you get your podcasts.
Make sure you're following What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
And keep up with us on Instagram. We'd love to see what you can't wait to add to your summer reading list, what you are reading right now. Add the #MMDSummerReading to your posts and stories or tag me when you share. I'm @AnneBogel.
[00:29:37] Sign up for our emails at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter, and we will keep you in the loop with all the bookish news you need right in your inbox.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
• Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
• Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
• The Bodyguardby Katherine Center
• Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
• It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
• Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
• The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center (Audio edition)
• The Husbandsby Holly Gramazio
• Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Begin Again by Helly Acton
• What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
• There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib
• They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Usby Hanif Abdurraqib
• Florida by Lauren Groff
• The Lola Quartet by Emily St John Mandel
• The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
Also mentioned:• The 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• Lithub article: Contemporary Literary Novels Are Haunted by the Absence of Money
The post Live from The Bookshelf: Let’s talk summer books! appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m planning on catching my breath a little bit after a very busy week of everything Summer Reading Guide. I am looking forward to going on long walks with friends, heading out for trivia night (I haven’t done that in ten+ years), and spending an hour or two cleaning up the books in my office (seriously). Plus I’m planning on enjoying some leisurely reading time.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
The Summer Reading Guide is here!Our thirteenth annual Summer Reading Guide is now available! (I hear that’s what many of you are up to this weekend—going through the Guide, digging into some of the 16 titles already published, and putting in those library holds!)
Get your copy now, plus our Unboxing video that walks you through each of the Guide’s 42 new-for-2024 titles in more detail. The Guide stands alone, but Unboxing is where I add more juicy details for those who appreciate that kind of thing. This year’s Guide has a summer camp theme which is SO FUN, plus we packed in lots of backlist and extra features for your maximal summer reading enjoyment.
There are three ways to get your copy of the 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide:
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
Not sure which community to join, or if you’d rather choose a la carte access? We walk you through the options at our SRG online hub.
The 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide published yesterday as well. This is another annual tradition; we’ve been publishing a Minimalist Guide since 2014. This year’s Minimalist Guide has 8 great titles—my very favorite summer reads (so far)—and it’s completely free and available to all as an MMD blog post.
My favorite finds from around the web:In His New Novel, Colm Tóibín Goes Home Again. (Kirkus Reviews) Great interview.
There is something restful about being a beginner. (News from Deanna Raybourn) “You don’t study French so much as you flirt with it.” Beautiful, relatable reflections on learning French and embracing the beginner’s mindset.
Summer Reading Guide 2024: We’re going to Book Camp! (What Should I Read Next) MMD Book Club Community Manager Ginger Horton and I talk all things summer reading in this week’s new WSIRN episode: the categories, philosophy, themes that kept popping up, special features, and a title or two from our 2024 selections. Plus we talk about how we brought our “summer camp” theme to life for this year’s gorgeous new edition.
I’ve been making do with attractive but uncomfortable summer wedges for years and finally bought a pair of espadrille wedge sandals that actually fit. What an improvement!
Deciphering Your Daughter’s “MOM” Texts. (McSweeney’s) Cracking up!
I Don’t Write Like Alice Munro, but I Want to Live Like Her. (New York Times gift link) “She was also an example of how a writer should be in public: modest, unpretentious, funny, generous and kind. I learned the lesson of generosity from her early. When I was 20 and was just starting to publish short stories, I sent her a fan letter….”
Everything You Need to Host a Cookbook Club. (Bon Appétit) This sounds amazing.
Siân Heder to Adapt Bestseller ‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.’ I loved this book (from the 2022 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide!)—happy to hear it’s coming to the big screen.
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) This month’s short and sweet book reviews include backlist, audiobook re-reads, and a handful of books I thought might be in the Summer Reading Guide but didn’t end up including.
Do you remember Will’s Parisian café chair obsession? Welll look what you can now get from Target!
I Was Taught to Hate My Freckles. I Decided to Love Them Instead. (Harper’s Bazaar) “The message was clear: To have freckles was to be imperfect. To be imperfect was to be ugly. To be ugly was the worst thing that could happen to a girl, a woman.”
Not Lost in a Book. (Slate) This article gets into why tween reading is way down. “Traditionally, middle-grade book discovery happens via parents, librarians, and—most crucially—peers. At recess, your best friend tells you that you have got to read the Baby-Sitters Club, and boom, you’re hooked. That avenue for discovery evaporated during the pandemic, and it hasn’t come back.”
Old Navy’s adorable Fit & Flare Cami Mini Dress is just $25 this week after discount. It’s very much like their Fit & Flare Sleeveless Midi Dress I shared in Links earlier this month. I wore the Red Floral print (more like a burnt orange, really) last week and got so many compliments. (I’m a Medium.)
The 35 Best Foods You Can Buy at Aldi, According to a Superfan. (The Kitchn)
Inside libraries’ battle for better e-book access. (Axios) This is still a big issue.
Don’t miss these posts:15 backlist books that feel like summer. These backlist selections hold big summer reading vibes!
20 interesting recipes to make for dinner with boneless skinless chicken breasts. In case you’re in need of dinner inspiration.
15 re-readable middle grade novels that adults will love, too. The comments are a treasure trove!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re welcoming you to Book Camp with the release of the THIRTEENTH annual Summer Reading Guide! This is our version of summer camp, book-lover style: the imaginary destination of our dreams where we spend all day reading books, talking about books, and deciding what books to read next—with breaks to eat, stare at the sky, and dip our toes into a beautiful body of water. Wouldn’t that be the life?
Book Camp may not be a place on the map but we’re bringing it to life in the pages of the 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide. The guide went out to our member communities and a la carte purchasers at 9:00am EDT this morning, kicking off my favorite reading time of the year. (If you don’t see it in your inbox, please visit the help section on modernmrsdarcy.com/SRG.)
We always say that summer’s too short to squander on books that aren’t right for you, or aren’t right for you right now. The guide includes books I personally adore, though that doesn’t mean they’re right for every reader. That’s why in every description I give you the information you need to help you decide if that book sounds like a good fit for you.
This year’s guide includes 42 titles. That’s a lot of books—and that’s why every year since 2014, I’ve narrowed the choices down to five or six for my fellow minimalists and decision haters.
It’s never easy to whittle down the list to so few titles to spotlight. For years the Minimalist Guide had five titles, but a few years ago I couldn’t narrow it down to just five selections so I went with six for the 2021 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide, and I did the same for 2022. There were a dozen titles in the 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide. (Maximalists, rejoice!) This year’s new 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide features eight selections, a number we’ve never seen here before.
For each minimalist edition, I strive to select a variety of titles across many genres that keep you turning the pages but also have serious substance. You could inhale these titles quickly but find yourself thinking about them for weeks, months, or even years to come. And while easy to read, these titles are wonderfully thought-provoking and discussable.
I hope you enjoy this short and sweet summer list!
Want the full 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide? Visit the Summer Reading Guide HQ page to sign up and get the 2024 guide delivered to your inbox, along with Unboxing access (if you hurry!).
Our two Unboxing Parties are today at 1:00pm and 8:30pm Eastern time. In our 90+ minute live sessions, I share every title in the guide and why I chose it. Our conversation is casual and unscripted, filled with real talk about great books, in the presence of people who love books and reading. We’ll share the replay tomorrow for anyone who can’t attend live (or anyone who just wants to watch again and again); that recorded video event will be included with purchase for anyone who accesses the Guide beginning May 17.
The 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide Author: Hanif Abdurraqib
Basketball isn't really my thing, or so I thought—but in Abdurraqib’s hands, I couldn’t get enough of Columbus, the Cavaliers, and LeBron James. Who knew? In this inventive, far-reaching work, the poet and music critic shares riveting anecdotes and fascinating details about the game itself. He also uses the ball as a jumping off point to explore a wide (wide!) variety of topics, including heroes and role models, the passage of time, the fragility of life, and the joy of rooting for the underdog. I can’t begin to capture his stupendous storytelling skills, but know this: this is my first read from the author and I’m hooked. Now I can’t wait to explore his backlist this summer. More info →Author: Catherine Newman
I am at the exact stage of life for this pitch-perfect midlife tale to resonate deeply. For what may be the last time, fifty-something Rocky and her husband cram into a tiny Cape Cod beach house for one glorious week, along with their two kids, one girlfriend, and Rocky’s aging parents. Emotions are running high, as Rocky, nostalgic and menopausal, wants to relish every moment with her adult children and increasingly fragile parents. Their time together is precious, and also turbulent, as it is revealed that various family members have been hiding shattering truths for decades—out of love, yes, but hiding them all the same. I read it in two days and put it straight on my Best of the Year list. More info →Author: Kevin Kwan
As editor Jenny Jackson says, “if there is one truth universally acknowledged within the Kevin Kwan universe, it is that a single man without possession of a fortune must be in want of a rich wife.” The single man in this comedy of manners is the Viscount St. Ives, known internationally as “Viscount St. Abs” after a photo of him ironing shirtless went viral. He’s not particularly concerned with the family’s money problems; he’d happily live out his days surfing in Hawaii instead of moving through high society. But his mother needs him to marry up. English major types will recognize this as a reimagining of Anthony Trollope’s Doctor Thorne, but zero experience with the 19th century novel is required to drink down this plotty, binge-worthy, completely-over-the-top delight. More info →Author: Kaliane Bradley
Bradley’s gripping debut unfolds in a near future where the British government employs time travel, as administered by a clunky bureaucracy. Our unnamed narrator takes a position as companion to the devastatingly handsome Commander Graham Gore, of the lost 1845 Royal Navy Arctic Expedition. She’s hired largely because her mother was a refugee from Cambodia, as her charge is also a refugee of sorts—not from another country, but from history. At once fast-paced and deeply philosophical, Bradley weaves together a spy plot, a love story, and heaps of droll British humor as her characters converse on race, gender, inherited trauma, and imperial legacy. This is one of the weirdest, most original books I’ve read in a long time. More info →Author: Liz Moore
Moore’s latest is a family saga, missing persons tale, and 1970s summer camp story rolled into one. One August morning in 1975, a camper vanishes without a trace. But not just any camper: she’s the daughter of the wealthy family who owns this camp, and fourteen years before, her older brother similarly disappeared. As the family, the campers themselves, and the neighboring blue-collar town residents gather to search for the girl, everyone suspects the two missing children must be linked, but how? The mystery is a driving force, but Moore’s story is complex and carefully layered, with a large cast of believably drawn characters who add texture and nuance. A character-driven, compulsively readable literary mystery. More info →Author: Renee Watson
Piecing Me Together author Watson wows with her adult debut. Things are finally going well for forty-year-old Lena: she has a good job, loving relationships with her parents and daughter, and a handsome fiancé she’s set to marry in just a few weeks. But his shocking confession the morning of her would-be wedding sends her reeling, and destabilizes the once-firm foundation she’s carefully built. Close female friendships and familial relationships feature prominently as Watson unpacks the beliefs surrounding beauty, love, fatness, and faith handed down from each generation to the next. Lyrical and kaleidoscopic, Watson compassionately explores what it means to love yourself, love your body, and love others, while showcasing Portland’s rich Black history. More info →Author: Alison Espach
I almost put this down in the early chapters when the dark premise (involving suicide) was revealed, but this tragicomedy turned out to be profound, compassionate, and deeply life-affirming. When Phoebe checks into her swanky Newport, Rhode Island inn, she finds out that she’s the only guest who’s not there for the weeklong wedding. Phoebe is hitting bottom; she doesn’t care about a wedding. But to her surprise, she finds herself absorbed by the drama unfolding around her and pulled into the action. And—because she has nothing left to lose—she finds herself telling the truth for the first time in ages, to herself and to others. Though grim in parts, this story is bursting with insight, sharp humor, and a pervasive humanity. I can’t wait to read what Espach writes next. More info →Author: Carmella Lowkis
Two estranged sisters reunite for one last con in this darkly comic Gothic historical set in 1866 Paris. As children, Sylvie and Charlotte were essential participants in the family business, posing as spiritists and pretending to connect people with their deceased loved ones. Two years after Sylvie promised to never contact her sister again, Charlotte begs her to take a final job for a wealthy family, as she desperately needs the money. But nothing about the job goes to plan. Sylvie is stunned by the very real paranormal activity she observes, while Charlotte is too busy falling in love with their client’s daughter to pay her sister much mind. This confident debut boasts good pacing, a moody atmosphere, and a dual-POV structure that serves the story. More info → What are you most excited to read this summer?
If you find something great in this Minimalist Guide or our full Summer Reading Guide, would you spread the book love? Our hashtag is #MMDSummerReading. (Follow me on Instagram at @annebogel, the podcast at @whatshouldireadnext, and Book Club at @mmdbookclub for summer reading goodness all season long.)
Happy summer, and happy reading!
Anne
P.S. If you don’t yet have the full 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide and you’re either a Book Club or Patreon member or you purchased a la carte, don’t leave a comment here. Please visit modernmrsdarcy.com/SRG and check out our help section.
The post The 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
For the past several months the 2024 Summer Reading Guide has largely taken over my reading life, and for the past week it feels like it’s taken over my life as well! My 42 new-for-2024 selections for this year’s Guide are now finalized, which frees me to explore more backlist and finally share a handful of books I thought might be in the Guide but which, for reasons I share below, do not appear in its pages.
That means our new edition of Quick Lit includes a 2013 release I’ve been meaning to read for ages (Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings), a terrific March 2024 release I’ve already made time to reread, this time in a different format (Percival Everett’s James), two bestselling April 2024 romance releases (Abby Jimenez’s Just for the Summer and Emily Henry’s Funny Story), another audiobook reread, this time a nonfiction title for MMD Book Club (Ada Calhoun’s Also a Poet), and a moody 2018 short story collection (Lauren Groff’s Florida).
The Summer Reading Guide drops TOMORROW: I encourage you to make sure your copy is on the way as it is PACKED with an eclectic mix of standout selections for your summer reading consideration. We also pack in a whole lot of backlist in our special features, so you will have plenty of new and old options in your hands. Click here to get your Guide.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to May Quick Lit Author: Meg Wolitzer
I've been meaning to read this 2013 release for YEARS and never got around to it. But our theme for the 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide is "summer camp" so OF COURSE the timing was right to finally enjoy this story that introduces us to a group of friends who first meet at an artsy summer camp in 1970s upstate New York and then follows them for decades, well into mid-life. For as much as I'd heard about this book over the years, I was still surprised to find how exactly it suited my reading taste: perhaps you just need someone to tell you it hits the same notes as Cara Wall's The Dearly Beloved? Major thanks to team member Ginger for raving about this book for years, and most recently on What Should I Read Next this week, where we tell you all about this year's Summer Reading Guide, and she tells us all more about The Interestings: it was just the nudge I needed. More info →Author: Lauren Groff
I listened to the audio version of this short story collection in preparation for my conversation with Lauren Groff at Word of South in April. (We're bringing that conversation to What Should I Read Next soon!) The organizing principle here is Florida, where Groff is not from (that would be Cooperstown NY) but has now lived for many years: the stories center around the state's history, ecosystem, and psyche through characters that are wives, mothers, and nuns. This book is a MOOD, with an ever-present sense of foreboding hanging over the collection like the sultry air of the state itself. Groff narrates her own audiobook, which made for an especially intriguing listen. (How interesting to hear her voice an unlikeable first person narrator, and I marveled at her perfect French pronunciations in "Yport"!) More info →Author: Ada Calhoun
I first read this genre-melding nonfiction work when it came out in 2022 and so enjoyed revisiting it this month, this time on audio. Ada Calhoun joined us in MMD Book Club to discuss it, and my practice is to reread our selections just before our author talks. Calhoun is the daughter of art critic Peter Schjeldahl, who I've been quoting for YEARS (especially in MMD Book Club) about his approach to works that aren't "immediately hospitable." Part memoir, part family saga, part biography, this is a memoir-ish look at their complex relationship—and also a profile-of-sorts about poet Frank O'Hara. To assemble the biographical sections about O'Hara, she relies on many hours of taped interviews her father conducted many years ago; I was delighted to discover the audiobook incorporates the actual recorded tapes (as opposed to the transcripts used in the print version). This complex and fascinating look about a complex man and a complicated relationship was well worth revisiting, and a great choice for those who enjoyed Claire Dederer's Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma. More info →Author: Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez has been an auto-read author for me for several books now. This was a strong contender for the 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide but this bestseller has been EVERYWHERE and it has a relatively early publication date (April 2) so I decided to surface a lesser-known title in the Guide's Love Stories & Marriage Plots category. In this new release, which has ties to characters in Abby's previous books, we meet Emma and her best friend Maddy, who move around working as travel nurses, never staying in the same place for more than three months. But then thanks to the internet, the nomadic Emma starts up a relationship with Justin, whose circumstances mean he can't leave Minneapolis. It's obvious to the reader this is going to end in heartbreak, but it's an Abby Jimenez novel, so surely they'll find a way through it ... right? This book felt a little "young" to me compared to Abby's other works, but that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying it. I especially appreciated the strong sense of place: Abby is known for incorporating real places and businesses into her books, and I googled so many Minneapolis locations! More info →Author: Emily Henry
This is another new romance I thoroughly enjoyed and might have included in the Summer Reading Guide, but for its April 24 release date and the fact that you've already seen it everywhere. (I might have gasped when I saw the first-week sales in Publishers Weekly.) In her emotional latest, two unlikely roommates fall in love. They move in together as a matter of convenience, because their housing and the rest of their lives are upended when their respective soon-to-be-spouses fall in love ... with each other, which results in two cancelled weddings and general chaos. Of course these two new roomies are going to fall in love, but in romance it's the journey that counts and this was a fun one. (Although it's worth noting that reading about self-absorbed parents was sometimes painful.) The lakeside town abutting Lake Michigan has a delightful small town feel; he has a cool job at a winery and she works as a children's librarian, which means lots of library details and story time scenes. Once again Henry manages to be insightful and unputdownable; I would call this one most similar in tone to Happy Place. More info →Author: Percival Everett
I read and loved the egalley prior to our 2024 Spring Book Preview (still available), but when the audiobook came out with Dominic Hoffman narrating I knew I had to revisit it on audio—and it's unquestionably worth reading twice. Everett's ingenious latest is a retelling of the Mark Twain novel, from Jim’s—or rather, James’s—point of view. Completely brilliant, stunning on audio, and a book with staying power we'll still be reading and talking about in ten, fifty, or even a hundred years. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
P.S. Pictured above: the new release table at my local indie Carmichael’s Bookstore. Please note the Louisville puzzle in the bottom of the photo; you won’t find that at just any bookstore. I spy several books from our MMD 2024 Spring Book Preview and one 2024 SRG selection on that table!
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This week we’re diving into all things summer reads—because our 2024 Summer Reading Guide is coming this week!
Joining me today is our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton. Ginger and I have celebrated summer reading together in a series of episodes, back in 2021 and again in 2023. We’ve collected those links for you below in our show notes, but today we’re here to help you get ready for our 2024 Summer Reading Guide launch this Thursday.
Listen in and let us know in the comments what you’re most excited about for this year’s Summer Reading Guide.
RSVP for our book party on May 16thThere’s still time to join us for our Summer Reading Guide unboxing events. To find out how to join us on May 16, visit modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. I hope we will see you there!
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: What do we say? Pages riffling? No drum rolls in Book Club. Pages riffling.
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week it's all summer reads because our 2024 Summer Reading Guide is coming this week. There's still time to preorder your guide and join us for the live unboxing party. As you will hear in today's conversation, our Summer Reading Guide is one of the highlights of my year and I think our team's year.
I have spent months reading and vetting both anticipated new releases and under-the-radar gems I want to find just for you and then put together this list of 42 titles with something for every reader.
Our guide also includes titles handpicked by our team here at What Should I Read Next HQ. We're doing it a little bit differently this year, and I think you're gonna like it.
[00:01:11] During our live unboxing party, which we hold twice because we know so many of you are joining from time zones around the whole world, I reveal every title in the guide and share why I picked it, always with an eye towards knowing that you're going to rely on what I say to help you decide whether or not that book belongs on your TBR. Not every book is for every reader, and the guide acknowledges that.
We will gather online on Thursday, May 16, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, and then again at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. If you can't make either of those times, rest assured that our live replay is nearly as much fun as the live event. We've got you covered.
To join us on May 16, visit modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. That's the place where you'll find all the details on how to get your guide and RSVP for our book party. I hope we will see you there.
Now joining me today is our modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton. Ginger, welcome to the show.
[00:02:10] GINGER HORTON: Hello, thank you for having me. I really want there to be theme music behind me that starts playing "it's the most nerdiest time of the year". I will not sing live on here for you all but if we can somehow make that happen, magic audio people. Just kidding. But clearly-
ANNE: We're saving that for the live show.
GINGER: I'm excited. That's right. There you go.
ANNE: All right. If you are a member of our Book Club community, you know Ginger well. If you're a What Should I Read Next? listener, well, this isn't the first time we've done this. Ginger and I dove into summer reading together here on What Should I Read Next? in 2021.
Although, Ginger, if you had told me that was last year, I would have believed you. It feels like we just had that conversation.
GINGER: I really thought it was. When you asked me, at first I had to go check. When you said, "You know, would you join me again?" I thought, "Well, I just did that last year, we can't make it a firm tradition."
ANNE: This is not the first time Ginger and I have gotten to talk on the podcast. We dove into summer reading in 2021 and in 2023. And those episodes are so good.
[00:03:09] Ginger, just to embarrass you, like, you... no, no, no. Not everyone's embarrassed. Maybe that's just what I talked about in therapy. But you are so fun and listenable. You have a great radio voice, a great video voice for unboxing and Book Club as well. But y'all, those episodes are a delight. And I know many of you really relate to some of the insights Ginger shared about her reading life.
But today we're excited to help you get ready for our Summer Reading Guide launch this Thursday.
GINGER: I can't wait.
ANNE: Oh my gosh. Well, we've been talking together about summer reading for... I don't think it's unfair to say the entire year. Because every year after the guide, we do a debrief. Like, what do we need to remember for next time? What do we want to do differently? What did we love? What would we maybe change? What do we need to finesse? So we've been talking about the 2024 reading guides since May 2023.
[00:04:01] GINGER: So true. Yeah. Can't come around soon enough for me. I am a summer-loving gal. I love the season. Summer Reading just knocks that up a notch, but I wait all year for May. It might be my favorite month of the year. Reading, hands down. Calendar, probably.
ANNE: Well, it is coming. It is coming. Thursday, May 16th is the day. And you know, for as many years as we've done this and for as big a deal as we made of our like 10th Guide, which was just a few years ago, every year I have to look up to see how many have we done now. It is our 13th year. So our 13 Summer Reading Guide is coming on Thursday.
GINGER: Wow, I cannot believe it. I have been a fan since really early on. I really wish I could remember exactly how I discovered Modern Mrs. Darcy. But I know where I was living and working. So it's been a long, long time that I've looked forward to these as a fan and now as a team member. It just gets more fun every year.
ANNE: Oh, I would have loved to see that little time capsule.
[00:05:01] GINGER: I know. I know. I have these theories because I know what I did at that job and how I might have stumbled upon you. But yeah, so fun.
ANNE: Well, a lot has changed with the reading guide but some things have stayed the same. And that is our... I mean, rather lofty and ambitious. But also very earnest and heartfelt goal with the Summer Reading Guide is to help you get more out of your summer reading life. We want to help you decide what's right for you.
This is not like a declaration from on high like we've read all the books, and these are the ones. No, it's not that at all. It's we've read a ton of books, and have some thoughts about it, like have some insights. We'd like to share what we've discovered and what we're seeing happening in summer 2024.
And then to talk about those books in such a way that you, the readers, can decide, you know what, that sounds like a reading experience I want to have this summer. And some of you get very specific. Like, that's a reading experience I want to have for this specific moment, or this specific trip, or this specific time, or something is happening in my life.
[00:06:08] Also, I genuinely hope that you hear about some of these books at the Unboxing, which is the best way to decide what you do and don't want to read this summer, or just reading through the pages of the guide and go, "Oh, absolutely not. That cover caught my eye, but no, that's not a reading experience I want to have now."
Whether you decide that's a reading experience you want to have in October or you don't want to have it this time in your life, either way, is great with me. But our goal is to put the right books in your hands at the right time.
GINGER: Yes. I generally keep my eyes off of all of the documents that some of you all are working on as much as I can. Sometimes I'll take a little peek. But I want to be surprised and delighted usually at that Unboxing. We have other team members that are better qualified for proofreading. Honestly, usually, I'm just focused on other things like lining up some authors for Book Club.
And so I am always adding books to my TBR, and then yeah, learning about others that I think, Oh, good, I'm glad Anne described it that way. That is a buzzword that other people go, "Ooh, that's for me," and I go, "Ooh, that is super not for me."
[00:07:10] ANNE: What's super not for you?
GINGER: You know, I keep trying and trying and trying to love fantasy. I finally realize sci-fi I'm kind of here for. Fantasy, it's tough on me. One of the things that you'll say is "worldbuilding". Nope, nope, that feels a lot like work to me. I do not want to do a bunch of work to enjoy a story. Just dumped me right in.
Now, here is the problem with the reading life. Because as soon as you make a declaration like that, you'll think of three examples that were the exception to the rule. Like I love N.K. Jemisin's The City We Became, which was on the reading guide a few years back. I took a chance on that one really before I kind of knew this about myself about worldbuilding.
But you know, there's always an exception to the rule. So it's what keeps making me try things. But the longer I do this reading thing, especially in community, the more I realize what was probably going to be surefire wins for me and what probably I can skip.
ANNE: So are you telling me at this moment in time you don't know what the books are?
[00:08:12] GINGER: Oh, I have almost no idea. I have looked once as Brigid-
ANNE: We're so different. I do not have that level of self-control. I love it. I love to hear about it. What a world.
GINGER: I have not always in years past. I think what has happened as Book Club has really grown is really summertime, there's a lot to do. We're actively arranging our summer, adding watch parties and author events, and I am doing a little class in June for Book Club. Like there's a lot to do. So I would like to, but I know if I pop in there, it's going to be two days lost. I'm going to read-
ANNE: You won't come out?
GINGER: I can be there for the Unboxing. Now, I have seen the titles but I have committed to not reading those blurbs until I hear them come out of your mouth on the unboxing. Wish me luck that I have such self-discipline for the next, let's see, 14 days from the moment we're recording, three from the moment that listeners are listening.
ANNE: Oh, I believe in you. Do we need some accountability? We're going to talk to you about this at the Unboxing.
[00:09:14] GINGER: There you go. There you go. Ask me again. I really do feel like part of what I get from that is just the ability to experience it with the readers, with Book Club members, patrons, those people that purchase a la carte. I'm right there with you.
Like I say sometimes, I tease a million times around here that I'm fangirl first and team member second. So yeah, that sort of lets me really live in the moment. And that's my fangirl day.
ANNE: I will say there have been a very few number of things where I have gotten to be an audience member at Book Club instead of a host. Look, I love my job. I love welcoming you all into the space and talking about books with you. Also, it's fun to sit in that chair too. I really enjoy it. I really enjoy my time there.
GINGER: I promise I'll look at the production Doc, I'll know when we need to run polls. I'll know that part of it. But I am not going to know which books are right for me until the moment. And listen, I have also definitely pressed "order" in the middle of an Unboxing before once or twice. That is not something that I will use self-control. No, no, no.
[00:10:16] ANNE: I love that you get excited about good books. I think that means that you're very well suited to your job. So thank you for bringing your entire personality to your work.
GINGER: One thing Donna always says about me is you can count on me to be excitable, which I take as a high compliment.
ANNE: I love that. Now, you and I have spent a lot of time talking about the ways we like to read, both for our own individual sakes, but also in our roles is really like shepherds to our community. So, Ginger, you know that I've learned for my own sake I get the most satisfaction out of my reading life, and I have a healthy mix of old and new.
Now, it is my pleasure and privilege to bring the new, with the Summer Reading Guide, 42 titles that I've read cover to cover and really can't wait to share with you because I think they're going to be really, really right this summer and you're going to be so glad to have found them. Not every reader will fall in love with every single book. But I think on balance, there's so much in these 42 titles that will make so many readers very, very happy.
[00:11:13] But we also love to discover new-to-us older works. I'm a big re-reader of books I've really enjoyed. So this is the tension that I'm constantly feeling in my own reading life, and that we're constantly navigating in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. We say there that we are really looking for two things when we're choosing books: discoverability and discussability. But that means discovering books that are old as well as new.
Also, something we really do with Unboxing in the Summer Reading Guide is help you as readers assess your taste. And to do that, you just need books to think about and talk about. To a large degree, it doesn't matter if they're old or new, but we do it through the lens of these 42 new summer releases, which is a lot of fun and which we really made our marquee event over all these years.
Now, Ginger, because of our different roles at work and our different tastes as readers, independent of our work, we read very differently. I would love to hear a little bit about your experience last spring when every team member chose a book for the guide, and because of that, you read more new books than you typically do.
I was really surprised by your reaction to that. Like, I shouldn't have been. It made perfect sense when you shared it in hindsight, but I did not see that coming. Would you speak to that, your experience there?
[00:12:36] GINGER: I didn't really see it coming either. I think because of a holdover from summer reading in my mind still means sitting on the sofa with a glass of sweet tea, the fan spinning, my mom's in the other room and I've got my high school summer reading list.
Like, I've got to get through these classics, I'm reading Jane Eyre. I think you're in good company here if that does not feel like a dreary task to you but that feels exciting. But I still have this in my head that I should be reading like Anna Karenina or Jane Eyre in the summertime.
Over the years as I've come to the Summer Reading Guide, I think what really changed that a bit for me was community, because I think what I was after reading those old books was to be in the great conversation, to be talking about the books.
Being an old book doesn't mean it's great, and doesn't mean that there's people talking about it being a new book. But what I wanted was people talking about it. Of course, with older books, there are a ton of people talking about it throughout the ages.
[00:13:34] Last spring when you asked us each to contribute a guide book, I started furiously going through some of my favorite authors that I knew had releases coming out. I put my name in for so many ARCs, which, like I mentioned, other members of the team just are better suited to other tasks than I am.
I don't read a lot of ARCs. There are definitely people on our team that pursue a bunch of those, seek them out, read them ahead of time. And what I want is to hear from them. There's a little bit of a safety element when you've heard from people, "Yeah, this is good. This is vetted. This is good." To me, the real fun is, like I said, talking about it. I want to be in the conversation.
Half of reading to me is certainly the moment on the book with the glass of tea and mom's in the other room, but a whole lot of that is when you're sitting around a circle in your English class or you're sitting in the forums, in my case in Book Club. Most of the pleasure, maybe even in my reading life, is talking about books.
So knowing that I was sort of reading in a vacuum, it changed it for me. I was throwing books out right and left. Like, I'd get 30 pages into so many books on that meh, meh, meh. So I really realized how much I rely on, you know, talking about it with other people. Not so much that they're influencing what I like, but I can almost not even figure out if I like a book or not until I'm going to talk about it. So that was a big revelation for me.
[00:14:57] I read more and more new books in the summer now, but I think that's because, talk about safety, I know there's going to be dozens of people in the forums talking about a book. So absolutely, there will be a chance to read in community, even if that book is one day old. One day was yesterday.
ANNE: Okay. Remind us all of what book you chose for the 2023 guide.
GINGER: I would love to. I chose The Postcard. Anne did put this on my radar. The author is Anne Berest. We actually talked with the translator last year in Book Club, Tina Kover. That was a fascinating conversation. I had no idea that that much work went into translating.
I just kind of thought it was like a, well, this word means this, and I'm gonna put that on a page. No, no, no, there is so much more to translating a work and to translate a work that was that fine... I can't say enough good things about The Postcard. It was a page-turner. I got through in two days, though it's 500 pages plus. And I am a slow reader, you all. I read that thing in two days. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
[00:16:02] It was a hard book. And so in that way, it was almost... It gave me pause to suggest that for the Summer Reading Guide, but I just knew that there were going to be so many people reading it. And, you know, I can't get around this word talking about it. I wanted to talk about it at the end of the day with my fellow readers. I couldn't put that one back on the shelf without "we got to have a conversation about this."
ANNE: I still think about that conversation with Tina Kover all the time.
GINGER: Yes, me too.
ANNE: All the time. We won't go into the details. But I will say that we record all our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club events. So if you join today and you want to listen to a conversation that happened in 2023, it's ready. It's waiting for you. It's there.
All right, thank you for sharing that with us. And y'all can go back and listen to the whole episode. Ginger, I know you talk about The Postcard more at length in our narrative episode that we put together that takes you all behind the scenes from our team's perspective of the Summer Reading Guide that dropped in May last year.
GINGER: I think there might be a clip of me rambling to Will about that, and he somehow salvaged that for the podcast.
ANNE: Our team uses Voxer a lot, friends. That is a tool we rely on. And yes, there's a vox from you about The Postcard, which I love it. Are you ready to share more about the 2024 guide?
[00:17:20] GINGER: Yes, please.
ANNE: Let's start with our theme. So we have been theming the Summer Reading Guide for, what, maybe 5 or 6 years now. And there is no true reason that we need to have a theme. This is mostly because we do this every year.
And it's a way for us to keep it fresh, to keep it interesting, to keep it fun, to give us a way to think about of the myriad different kinds of Summer Reading Guide photos I could shoot. What do I want to focus on? Like, what do I want to prioritize? What kind of features do we want to have?
We get to choose a fun theme. Like last year's was the idea of a literary festival. This year it's summer camp. So we're going to summer camp, we're going to book camp. We have merch along those lines. We had so much fun just building out the details of the features and the photos.
Then, Ginger, you were the first person of what was soon to become like, I don't know, four dozen who first spotted the dollar spot at Target, stuff that they had. So there's some cute-
GINGER: We're in the zeitgeist.
ANNE: I know we really are. Apparently we like... We made this zeitgeist.
GINGER: That's right. That's right.
ANNE: So thank you Target for falling in line. That really helped us with some of our late-stage photos. So in addition to helping us think about what we want the guide to look like, this also helped us dream up some fun bonus content, like how we were going to choose backlist books. And we're having some really fun Book Club events along the book camp theme line as well.
[00:18:52] GINGER: A thing that comes to my mind is when the theme sort of started emerging in one of our team meetings, I think all of us were like, how have we not done this before? I want to go to book camp, take me to book camp.
ANNE: Because that was the idea. It started as a joke. Like somebody on our team joked at one point to another, you know, like the only summer camp I want is the one where you just read books all day, preferably by the lake.
So we started joking about how, well, isn't that just like the adult dream? Like, no responsibilities. All I need to do was put on my sunscreen and get my bug spray. Or ideally, if this is just fictitious, can we go someplace with no bugs, yeah, where the only job is to read? So we just started joking about that. But this summer at least, through the pages of the Summer Reading Guide, we're going to book camp.
GINGER: Like Anne said, this really gives us a structure. It helps us keep it fresh and interesting. But then when things start emerging, you think of all the ways that you can enact that theme. And most of them are so much fun.
[00:19:50] Like I mentioned a class that I was teaching. We titled it Craft Your Reading Life. I mean, there's a little theme there. We were going to teach a class on how to get through your TBR anyway, but it can give us some fun ideas for like class titles. But what I'm really excited about too are things like our Watch Parties that aren't really all that erudite.
I mean, we're going to get together. We're going to watch The Parent Trap. They are going to be so much fun. But I really do think that things like this also make me a better reader. And here is why. I'm not overstating this here.
Whenever you're watching something with fellow readers and thoughtful people in general, it helps you notice motifs, symbols, circumstances that I haven't been in. You know, maybe I didn't go to summer camp or I actually did go to summer camp, but, maybe, you know, whatever the case may be that other fellow members are noticing. And then that makes me a better reader. It makes me a better noticer.
[00:20:46] So everything that we do is done with a lot of thoughtfulness, even sort of the ones that are just fun. You can show up without any pen in hand to watch Parent Trap and come away like really a better reader.
Somebody even mentioned in the forums that Parent Trap is based on an old, I believe, German novel, and you better believe I hopped online and ordered a copy. In English, Anne. I do not speak or read German. I have a translator. Speaking of translators. But you know, so just really fun stuff like that.
I know that I have often benefited in my own reading life by giving myself a theme for a short season. Like last year I allowed myself... and I wish you could hear my very heavy air quotes here, because I do tend to be a bit more serious of a reader. If you haven't picked up on that by my, you know, wanting to read Jane Eyre in the middle of summer.
I thought, "You know what I'm gonna do? I'm going to read the beach books. I want to read the beach books. But I never give myself permission to read the beach books." And so it just kind of pushed me by having a theme to pick up a few of those authors that have just been languishing on my TBR list.
[00:21:47] Like I read Elin Hilderbrand and I finally read The Narrowboat Summer by Anne Youngson, which was a Book Club author a few years back. I loved it.
This year I am really excited to lean into reading and rereading some, especially from that backlist feature. We've got some camp motifs going on there, and I'm going to give myself permission to go to summer camp, adult summer camp, just like we talked about.
ANNE: Yes, please. That sounds fantastic. And the theme doesn't influence the books that are picked. It's just an organizing principle for us to make decisions about what we want the color scheme to be. We did really have fun with this. So I went to the Dollar Spot, I got my stuff. There were some wardrobe choices for these photos for me that I never imagined I would have made.
Before we chose the theme, I did fun things like not friendship bracelet bookmarks on our kitchen table with my daughters for work, who are making friendship bracelets for work. Girls, I didn't see that coming.
[00:22:49] There is a really great summer camp book or two in the guide if you roll into the backlist as well. But it's not about the books, although there are interesting non-summer camp-related themes emerging in 2024.
It's always so interesting for me to see what themes come up over and over again. Like independently I imagine in lots of author' mind years ago when they started writing these stories and then that are hitting in summer 2024.
And this year there were so many ghosts and ghost stories, lots of magic, many season protagonists, so many family dramas, which is completely my cup of tea every year, midlife reckonings. It was really interesting to see what emerged. Is it too soon to share the categories in this year's guide?
GINGER: I mean, I think that listeners would love to hear those. I know that I am really excited about certain categories. Go for it.
[00:23:47] ANNE: All right. Every year since the very beginning, we have organized the books into categories just for easy browsability. There was one exception where at first I put all the books in front of you with no categorization. I mean, do we want to talk about that year?
GINGER: There was a reason but it did not go well.
ANNE: It was such an interesting experiment. The feedback and observations we got from readers was fascinating. It was so interesting.
GINGER: I should say "it did not go well" is not quite the right way to put it. But readers had strong thoughts and opinions about it, shall we say? We heard a [inaudible 00:24:27] for sure.
ANNE: This was years ago before we had a really pretty PDF like we've had for many years now. But so many readers said, like, "I feel so adrift. What have you done? How do I know where to start?" So I ended up writing every title on an index card, moving the index cards around in various possible configurations until I landed on what I liked. I ended up adding one book because I didn't like the balance of the categories.
Then just like a day or two later we put out a newly categorized guide, and the feedback was so interesting. So many readers said absent the categories, I didn't skip over the kinds of books that I tell myself I don't like. I read through every description and chose that way, and I ended up with a very different list than I would have had otherwise.
[00:25:16] GINGER: I really liked that experiment for that reason. It is good sometimes to get out of our own little heads in categories.
ANNE: Yeah. And all of that is really not just to relive the great reader uprising of whatever year that was, but also to tell you that these books are categorized roughly by genre or type of book, by feel. And yet I really encourage you to read through every book in the guide, to read through every description, know that some of these books could easily have been categorized in three of the different categories.
There's a reason I put it where it landed, but they wouldn't be out of place in one of the other categories as well. And just really think about what you're looking for from a book and not just "Well, I don't like mysteries. I'm just not even gonna look at that." Please, don't say that. Look at them all, I beg you. Do I sound desperate enough?
So, for the sake of your own reading life and knowing that so frequently I hear from readers that their very favorite books, like the best of the year, best of the decade, are the ones that they didn't see coming, that are off their beaten path, that are not the kind of thing they typically read.
[00:26:29] So with that in mind, there are seven categories this year. So 42 books arranged into seven different categories. And they are, what do we say, pages riffling. No drum rolls in Book Club. Pages riffling.
We have family dramas. This category has sometimes been called family is complicated. These are my favorite sorts of books frequently. And some of my favorite books that I have read for the guide are in this category.
We have mysteries and thrillers, historical fiction. We have love stories and marriage plots, magical and otherworldly tales. This is really interesting. Because of the themes emerging in 2024, we have a category devoted to tales of coming of age and midlife reckonings. Then we have memoir and nonfiction.
GINGER: I love that. There's a couple of new ones there or maybe newly stated. Like I was just admitting that I'm not a big fantasy reader, but you know it will get me every time magical realism. There's a thin line that divides those two genres, but they are firmly different in my brain. I'll be checking that category out for sure, as well as coming-of-age and life reckonings. Yes, please.
[00:27:46] ANNE: I remember you really enjoying some books that were very much grounded in the real world, but still had like a magical element or a magical feel to them.
GINGER: That's right. I still think about Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, which we read in Book Club as a flight pick a few years ago. It was one of the most creative premises I've ever come across, even to this day. I really enjoyed the concept of this couple that was so almost like a sliding doors plot, where they were sliding in between places much more easily than people are generally allowed to when they're trying to escape a situation.
I don't want to say any more than that, because the unveiling and the unfolding of why they would need to do that and how they would, is part of the charm of this novel. But I still think of it.
ANNE: Now, some years in Book Club, we have drawn our selections for June, July, and August 100% from the Summer Reading Guide. And that is not what we've done this year. We like to keep things fresh and also want to maintain a real, ongoing balance of old and new.
[00:28:53] GINGER: Yes, there's several reasons for that. One of that is we know that we are going to give you a lot of choices for brand-new books, but we also want to make sure that you can get your hands on these if you so choose to. Some of the availability is just easier with a slightly older book.
So these aren't, you know, deep, deep backlist. These are still new fresh things that we're really excited about. But I loved one summer when we read older books in Book Club that had a real connection to new books or things that were on the Summer Reading Guide. I think it really added to the conversations because we weren't just talking, once again conversations, we weren't just talking about the books we're reading together. People were making connections about, oh yeah, and I read this one from the Summer Reading Guide, and that author has a new book.
And really, at the end of the day, Anne, I don't know if you remember this, but my proudest moment is we were agonizing, we were agonizing, we were agonizing we have all of these different categories. I think there were like three categories of three. We kept trying to put these into neat little categories.
ANNE: We did.
GINGER: We do love it. We were trying to shoehorn them into a theme. And I remember saying, "Anne, which three are you just the most excited about?" That to me is the theme I want to read. I want to read the books that Anne Bogel’s taste is the most excited about.
[00:30:04] And that's really how we landed on these three. I think at the end of the day, because these are the ones on your tongue.
ANNE: I did not know that.
GINGER: Yeah. I don't know if that's really how we picked, but when they tripped off your tongue, I was certainly the most interested in reading those three of all the choices. And we had good ones.
ANNE: Well, they're so good. And you know what else is interesting that we haven't talked about on the podcast and maybe not in Book Club, is now that we do seasonal book previews in those communities, one in the fall for books coming out in the fall and one in the spring for books coming out between... Well, publishing doesn't have a winter calendar. There are three seasons and they are summer, fall, and spring.
But we do a Spring Book Preview, sometimes we call it a Winter Book Preview, but it's for titles publishing between January to about the middle of April. And really, when we started doing that regularly, it shifted the time frame of the books that make up the core of the Summer Reading Guide.
I used to cut off the Summer Reading Guide about the 4th of July, and now we go into the middle of August. There's even a book publishing August 20th, which I think is an amazing bridge between summer and really like meaty literary fiction of fall.
[00:31:10] So things have shifted. Two of the books that we are reading this summer are actually books that would be so at home in the Summer Reading Guide, but we already featured them in our Spring Book Preview that we did for our Patreon and Book Club community. So they weren't going to be in the Summer Reading Guide. And of course, now we have to share the titles. Would you like to do the honors?
GINGER: I would love to. They are sitting right beside me within arm's reach. So we are reading The Husbands by Holly Gramazio in June. We are reading Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González in July. And we are reading Katherine Center finally. Everybody loves her. The Bodyguard. So I'm really excited about that lineup that's in August.
We're also doing Austen in August, as we do every year. The members actually voted this year. And we're reading Persuasion. So talk about a really good bridge from that summer vibe to the meatier fall vibe. I mean, it doesn't get any better than that Jane Austen in August.
ANNE: Yeah. I'm so excited to read those altogether. For those of you who weren't at our Spring Book Preview, I'll share a little bit about these books.
[00:32:13] So The Husbands is the debut published in April. That is just so much fun. It's one of those books that just feels so breezy and frothy. And I just flew through it and then found myself thinking about it for months afterwards.
Like, it really reminded me of my experience reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty back in the day. It goes down easy, and then you realize like, Oh my gosh, she's talking about things that really matter in a way that's so, so smart. And it's stuck in my head.
But The Husband has that element of magic in an otherwise completely realistic story that you love yourself, Ginger. It's about a woman who is single, unmarried, no husband, to be clear, and comes home one day to find her husband waiting for her because it turns out he's come down from her magical attic in her London flat that suddenly has started producing husbands one at a time, man that she conceivably, in her past life, could have chosen to marry.
And she's got to figure some things out and make some choices. And it is just the perfect combination of really smart and thoughtful and bonkers zany, funny.
Then I loved Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González from our Spring Book Preview. I loved it so much I thought, "Why didn't I ever read her debut, Olga Dies Dreaming? And promptly fell in love with that book as well.
[00:33:39] This is the story of a woman really having a midlife reckoning. She's coming up on 40. She is planning weddings for the super-wealthy. She's thinking, what have I done with my life? Is this really what I want to be doing? Especially because her mother abandoned her and her brother when they were quite young so she could go fight for Puerto Rican independence.
So she finds herself at a crossroads. She needs to make some choices. It's set against the backdrop of fabulous, unfathomable wealth. She's living in Brooklyn contemporary times, also against the backdrop of a major hurricane. She's writing about all the things that I want to talk about with smart readers, and that's what we get to do in Book Club.
Then Katherine Center. Katherine, we love you. We've been meaning to read you for forever. And Book Club, this is the one because first of all, I loved The Bodyguard, one of my favorites of hers from two summers ago. It was in the Summer Reading Guide.
But her new book this summer, The Rom-Commers, apparently this is the title I'm going to tell you. It's in the Summer Reading Guide, folks. It's lots of fun about two screenwriters falling in love in LA. It brings back some of her characters from The Bodyguard. It was so fun.
[00:34:41] They get a little update on what's happening with them. Of course, you don't need to read those books in order, but I really like those Jack Stapleton cameos from The Bodyguard. And with the tide of those two books, I thought, well, that's a good reason to, to talk with Katherine this Summer and choose The Bodyguard as our summer pick.
GINGER: You heard it here first, people.
ANNE: You know, I didn't quite realize we are going to be dropping that title, but there you.
GINGER: I don't think readers are going to be mad about that.
ANNE: Yeah. So with all those books, we are looking for that combination of discoverability and discussability, Books that we just can't wait to have the authors take us behind the scenes. Because we are talking with all those authors in Book Club this summer, it's going to be great.
You don't have to have read the book in advance. So many of our readers will show up to the author talk not having read the book, and then leave so excited to start once they've heard an author share the fascinating behind-the-scenes of how a story came to be. I'm still thinking about that great conversation we have with Ada Calhoun the other night. She said the nerdiest thing we've ever had said on the record in Book Club. Ginger, you know what I'm talking about, right?
[00:35:43] GINGER: I absolutely do. Yeah.
ANNE: She said something like, "Oh, I just love grammar. I love grammar." And we were like, "Just tell us more." And what she said was fascinating.
GINGER: We were definitely here for it.
ANNE: Oh, it was so good. So if you all didn't hear that Ada Calhoun conversation, I'm so sorry. It was so great. Also, we have shared two Book Club conversations fairly recently here on What Should I Read Next?. You can listen to those to get a feel for what we do do in Book Club.
We had a great episode with Brendan Slocumb that we aired in this space last winter. And then we just, in April, ran our conversation with Thao Thai about Banyan Moon. That was our August 2023 Summer Book Club selection. Those are the kinds of conversations that we have regularly and will have this summer with this year's Summer Reading Guide authors.
GINGER: Whenever that Thao Thai episode dropped, I told myself I wasn't going to listen to it because I've already heard it. I was in Book Club. And I just thought," I'll only listen to the introduction." I'm an What Should I Read Next? completist. But I thought, This one I could skip. Could I skip it? Of course not. Did I have to listen to every single word of hers again? Yes, I absolutely did, and I'm not mad about that.
[00:36:51] ANNE: No, that sounds delightful, actually. All right. Ginger, I thought it would be fun to share a couple of old and new books for summer. Are you up for that?
GINGER: Yes, please.
ANNE: Now, I'm not saying we chose the summer camp theme so that you could talk about one of your lifetime favorites, but, I'm not saying we didn't.
GINGER: That's how the narrative is going in my head. At least I don't think that's entirely true. But any excuse to talk about Meg Wolitzer. I fell in love with The Interestings. Golly, when was that? I think that's been over ten years ago. I would say that that was probably 2013, 2014, that time frame, maybe 12. And I read this really thick novel. Again, I'm a slow reader, so if I'm committing to 500 pages or almost 500 pages, it's going to be good.
The Interestings is one of those sort of... I would say you would put this in the category of family dramas, but it's not technically a family. This is found family. Four friends that meet in the very early days of their... "career" is too loose of a word. For, you know, high school students, but they really know what they want to do in life.
[00:38:01] They're at an arts camp and they connect that way and become lifelong friends. They do interweave throughout each other's families. Of course, there's a lot of overlaps and lines, lines drawn, lines connected. The relationships of these four are so rich.
Nobody writes like Meg Wolitzer. I would really like to be a Meg Wolitzer completist. But the vibes are so good because they go to summer camp at the beginning... and a lot of books that kind of start at summer camp, that's the jumping-off point. The vibes are strong for the first 20 pages and then you go off.
They keep living at that summer camp for the rest of their lives. They mention it. The ones... I won't say who becomes wildly successful of them, but they donate to it. Another has a cross point later in her career with it that really changes the trajectory of not only her life but her own family.
So the summer camp vibes are thick, and I love a book with interesting family dynamics and a strong sense of place. Please sign me up. Yeah, I love this book. I actually reread it again in preparation for the summer camp vibes and the summer camp theme.
[00:39:09] I have to give a little shout out too because I did not put together that Meg Wolitzer also wants to live at summer camp apparently because she wrote one of my very favorite. I don't know if this is YA or middle grade. I wrote this title down because I'd never say it right. To Night Owl from Dogfish. I'm always mixing up those Dogfish and night owls.
But she co-wrote that with Holly Goldberg Sloan and I just didn't put together that this is with the same author for ages and ages, even though I love Meg Wolitzer. But that is a camp book as well that is really thick, and the themes live on throughout. So I have to give a quick little shout-out. Meg Wolitzer is my camp counselor. Okay, let's just call it.
ANNE: Ginger. You know, I still haven't read The Interestings, right?
GINGER: Wow.
ANNE: This is my year. This is my summer. This is my season. Maybe this is my week.
GINGER: I hope so. Now I'm so nervous because, you know, Anne mentioned that we have different reading lives. Here is what I think. And I don't even know if I told you this. I think that we have a really similar Venn diagram in what we read. But I felt like if something is a five-star for me and you're like a three-star. It's fine. It was fine.
ANNE: And vice versa.
GINGER: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because I know how much you love a certain author that you might mention here in a moment. I've read her and I'm like, listen, if all the five possible outcomes for a reader are true, I know that these are great and I just don't get it. So I don't know if you like it or not, but it's worth a go at least. It will be worth your reading time.
[00:40:37] ANNE: I am excited to try. And I know that half of the joy is going to be talking about the book with you regardless of what kind of star rating I might have benevolently assigned to it.
GINGER: I love hearing that.
ANNE: Actually I don't. I'm not much of a star girl, but yeah, the conversation... The discussability, Ginger, is a highlight for me.
GINGER: As we've learned in Book Club, there is nothing better than a conversation where one person really loves it and then there's a healthy dissent. Because if you both just loved it, then you gush and then the combo sort of stops there. If there's a little bit of a respectful and healthy "this is why I didn't like it," I love those conversations.
ANNE: Such good conversations. Also so much insight into what makes your specific reader taste unique. Like hearing why someone that you know really well didn't respond in a book in the same way as you, or in a way you anticipated at all, can really show you a lot about them and also about your own reading taste, what you're drawn to, what you like, and why.
GINGER: That's right.
[00:41:39] ANNE: Which is super valuable. I hope that's strongly implied.
GINGER: No. Whenever people started using the word 'worldbuilding', I was like, oh yeah, that, that's what I don't like. Sometimes people talk about things they love or things they don't like. Who wants to do a bunch of work for the first 50 pages of a book? Not this girl.
ANNE: I hear you.
GINGER: I feel like I'm really harsh to worldbuilding right now. It is such a skill. And all the handclaps, all the book flaps to authors that can do that but...
ANNE: Thank you for, I want to say... Maybe exaggerating to make a point isn't quite accurate. But, you know, thank you for hammering home the idea that, like, not every book is for every reader. Also, we go through different seasons and periods as readers. Maybe like 50-year-old Ginger will not be able to get enough worldbuilding.
GINGER: It's so true. I have surprised myself before and I hope that doesn't fit. Maybe someday I will read Tolkien. Maybe. Maybe not Ronald. But maybe.
ANNE: Okay, I'm really surprised you haven't,-
GINGER: I can't.
ANNE: ...knowing you as a reader.
GINGER: It's so many true naps.
[00:42:42] ANNE: That's fair. Okay, I'm going to share a new old book by an author that may or may not just adventure the conversation aimlessly. But I was just in Germany visiting my college kid who's been on a semester abroad there and I decided... Actually, I didn't really decide. Will Bogel decided for me. My husband said, "You don't want to carry that 550-page book home in your suitcase. But I'll take it in mine."
And that is how I brought home a new German copy of Maggie O'Farrell's This Must Be the Place. Or on my cover, Hier muss es sein. I love her. I love this book so much. It's one of my lifetime favorite novels. And I'm familiar enough with it that my lapsed college German might actually get me through mostly. Although I was pleasantly surprised at how durable my German proved to be when we were in Germany.
My kids were like, what? Who are you? What? But it's not enough for me to get through a novel that I am unfamiliar with. But in English, I love this book.
And you know that I love a book with an interesting structure. And this is definitely it. It's a portrait of an unlikely but successful marriage between a floundering American linguistics professor and a British film star who hated the limelight so much at the height of her fame that she faked her own death and disappeared.
[00:44:07] The story is told in interlocking scenes from many different points of view, going back in time to 1944, spanning to 2016, which is the present day in the world of this story. And they're not told in order either, numerous voices as well as points of view.
And it's just a really beautiful, in my opinion, portrait of love and grief and marriage and parenthood. It has intricate plotting, nuanced characters who make big, big mistakes and then have to live with the consequences and work through them. It feels true to life as much as it is completely made up. And it's ultimately hopeful, even as it's just really sad throughout. Oh, I love it so much. It makes me very happy.
I'm a Maggie O'Farrell completist, and I am at the stage in my Maggie O'Farrell reading career where every three weeks I'm heading up the Google to go, When's the next book? When's the next? When's the next book?
GINGER: I love it.
ANNE: In the meantime, I'm going to try this one in German this summer. I'm not going to take it to the beach or the pool.
[00:45:08] GINGER: I will say there is one scene in that book that I do think about to this day, where they are at the gate that is leaving their property. I think about that all the time. I don't know, that was one of the best-written scenes I've ever read in literature because, like you said, it just felt so true to life and to marriage. Do you even know what I'm talking about? Is that only standing out to me?
ANNE: Is it the one where she finds out a certain something?
GINGER: Uh-huh.
ANNE: Uh-huh. Yeah, I do. I think about that all the time too.
GINGER: It's unforgettable.
ANNE: And I think about... It's about what you don't say.
GINGER: That's right.
ANNE: The problem is what you don't say. Okay, if you've read the book you know what we're talking about. And if you don't... I'm not sure if you do or you don't. This book lives in my head. I can't tell what it's like to not have this book live in your head.
ANNE: Okay. I'm impressed at your recall.
GINGER: Well, it really speaks to how strongly that scene was written, that it sticks in my brain. Because since I did read that book, I have learned.... and I think you and I are opposite on this. I cannot do fictional audio. And I will say, I listened to the audio of that book, and I'm not sure that that was the best way for me to take in that story, because it is so sprawling and it does go back and forth in time. If I had to do it over again... Of course, you can never read a book for the first time again-
ANNE: No.
[00:46:22] GINGER: But I would do that with my eyeballs, and I think it would have changed my reading experience. But live and learn.
ANNE: Interesting. I will share one more new title. This is one of our Minimalist Picks. So every year going back to, I think, 2014, I've shared the Minimalist Summer Reading Guide that started with five titles, then at a certain point became six because I couldn't keep it to just five. And then we had seven. Last year we had 12. This year we have eight titles.
But Ginger, I don't know if I even told you I chose these in a different way than I usually do. And it echoes what you said about our Book Club decision rubric. And that is I chose the books that I just loved and adored. In the past, we've talked about kind of evenly distributing them across categories or choosing ones that are real crowd-pleasers.
That's not true. This year I chose the books that I just loved. I could have added so many more to this list because I loved so many more. But these are my absolute stand out of standout books.
[00:47:25] Of those, I'm going to share one today. Oh, but first let me say the Minimalist Summer Reading Guide is free. It will appear on the blog on May 16th. Anyone with a web browser can go to modernmrsdarcy.com on May 16th, and see our Minimalist Summer Reading Guide on the page.
It will also appear in the Summer Reading Guide PDF that's available to our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, What Should I Read Next? Patreon and a la carte ticket purchase are so that you have everything in one place. And some of you really like to print that guide in a really beautiful version, so you can page through it and not click your way through it. But that's going to be a surprise on the 16th.
So we shared one of the books from the 42 with the Katherine Center’s, The Rom-Commers. And the way I'm choosing which title to share with you is just purely by theme. There is one summer camp book in the Summer Reading Guide.
I thought there might actually be more, Ginger. Like I remember talking at early meetings about how there were actually a fair number of books that I looked at for the Summer Reading Guide that take place at summer camp, or really have strong tie-ins to a camp theme. There's only one in the guide and it's, I don't know, pages riffling?
GINGER: Yeah. Tell us.
[00:48:42] ANNE: It's from our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club author Liz Moore. Coming July 2nd is The God of the Woods. This is a thick book. It's almost 500 pages, but I blew through it in two days because I needed to know what was going to happen next.
This is a family saga, a missing persons tale, and a 1970s summer camp story rolled into one. The premise is so intriguing. One August morning in 1975, a camper vanishes from their cabin without a trace. But it's not just any camper. She is the daughter of the wealthy family that owns this camp in the Adirondacks. And we find out that 14 years before, her older brother disappeared from the same camp. So this is not good. Everybody's completely freaking out.
As the story goes on, the family, the campers themselves, and the neighboring blue-collar town residents gather to search for the girl. It seems obvious that these two disappearances have to be linked, but no one has any idea how. We also find out there was some unfinished business, some lingering mysteries from the previous disappearance.
[00:49:58] So the mystery is a driving force in this story. But anyone who loves compulsively readable literary fiction needs to strongly consider picking this up. This is a missing persons case. Like there's a detective. This is a procedural, but also it's such amazing literary writing.
The story is complex and carefully layered. You get to know so many of the characters so well and really get in their heads and understand them and their motivations and what they're going through. There's so much texture and nuance to this story. It's everything.
If I had commissioned a summer camp book for our Summer Reading Guide, I wouldn't even thought to ask for a story as amazing as this one. I love Liz Moore. I gave this to Will after I read it. He said, "I need a book. What do you recommend?" And I said, "Dude, go look at this one." He loved it.
If you've enjoyed her work in the past like Long Bright River or The Unseen World, this feels like a Liz Moore story, putting her mind to a, yeah, procedural in the Adirondacks. Oh, it's so good. Have we talked about that one? How does that sound?
[00:51:06] GINGER: Yes. I think you did mention that at one point when we were talking about Book Club books. I think really the only reason we didn't is because, you know, we have already had her on and she would have been great a second time. But we do want to give discoverability priority in our discussability and discoverability as well.
Liz Moore is one that just gets better and better. And that is really saying something because she's a great writer. I love that. I know we tease that we were going to title this "Take me to Summer Camp" or something like that. But I kind of think that if I was going to commission a book for the Summer Reading Guide, this might be. It is probably too long a title, but man, if that's not a line that's going to sell that book if it didn't already.
ANNE: Like no pressure. But is that on your summer reading list?
GINGER: Oh, 100%. Liz Moore for me is an auto buy. Absolutely. I do love a thick, chunky novel. I know I've mentioned a couple of times that I'm a slow reader. But if you are going to commit to a lot of pages, I will live in that world, Liz Moore's world happily. Liz Moore's world at summer camp, yeah, sign me up.
[00:52:12] ANNE: That sounds amazing. I hope you enjoyed hearing about the Liz Moore. That is one of our eight minimalist picks. The rest will be on the blog and our minimalist Summer Reading Guide on Thursday, May 16th, which is the day the whole guide goes live. Goes out by email on Thursday, May 16th at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. And we want everybody to know how to get this guide.
GINGER: That's right. I mean, we talked about the theme being to keep it fresh and interesting, but I want to mention that not only is the Unboxing Live event. So much fun to hear Anne talk about the 42 books. And really it's talk about a thriller and a page-turner, whatever the video equivalent of that. Can Anne get through 42 books in 90 minutes? That is a summer mystery every year.
But the beautiful PDF guide itself… I mean, really, the summer camp theme is going to be so much fun. I will do a lot of things for aesthetics. I do not think that I'm the only one in the Instagram generation that says like, something pretty will make me a better person, make me a better reader. It will. It will. It'll inspire. So, I know that what the team has put together is just going to be so pretty. I can't wait to see it. I haven't laid eyes on this. Anne, I'm telling you, the discipline, the discipline here.
ANNE: Well, we are talking on Thursday, May 2nd, and the final version does not exist yet.
[00:53:35] GINGER: Okay, maybe that's why I'm not using real discipline. I'm just basically-
ANNE: But it is so pretty. The books are getting laid into it right now.
GINGER: Well, I might have to take a small peak.
ANNE: I have one more blurb to write. Brenna is laying it out as we are talking, and it is so gorgeous. So y'all, we really put our heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, all the metaphors, into this book. And your enthusiasm really means so much to us.
Also, supporting our work in this way, like by joining one of our paid communities or purchasing an a la carte ticket for the guide and unboxing, helps us so much.
Our podcast is available free and for all, our blog is available free and for all, and yet they are expensive to make. And when you say like thank you and financially, tangibly support the work with dollars, it helps us pay our team and make it staff and keep the lights.
I don't deal with the plagiarizers. But we're not going to talk about that, right? We're not going to talk about that. They pay our taxes.
[00:54:39] GINGER: That's right. I mean, I think you can tell it's a real labor of love. But it is a labor. I think a little peek behind the scenes here that we've given today, you can tell. A lot of thoughtfulness goes into this, a lot of real work. I'm excited to be a beneficiary of that. Like I said, I haven't looked at all the work that has gone in, but I cannot wait to see what you and the others produced. Oh, is it May 16th yet?
ANNE: Not quite yet. Not quite yet. But yes, this is a labor of love and it is the absolute best kind of work. We enjoy putting this together so much and also work so hard, so that you feel like you have a guide that not only is beautiful, but you can really trust and know what you're getting and know the people making it and not get distracted by, you know, somebody confusing in there.
We have like six different team members proofread this guide and make sure everything is exactly how it should be. It really means a lot to us. We hope that it really helps you in your reading life this summer.
[00:55:39] Again, we don't have a vested interest in you reading any specific books. Nothing in here is comped. There's no paid placements. I never accept money to recommend books. That's not in the spirit of what we do.
The thing we want to do is help you get more out of your reading life by helping you think about what you want from your reading this summer, what kind of reader are you, what stories do you especially enjoy. I hope we help you with that every week on the podcast.
Then by taking these 42 titles that I've read every single word of and can really answer your questions at the unboxing, answer any content questions you have really explain things about like tone and theme and comps and you know, does it match your mood? Like we are here to help you figure that out. That sounds very pragmatic. And it is that. But it's also so, so fun to do together in community. We should tell you how to get that.
So to get the guide for 2024, go to Modernmrsdarcy.com/srg, that's for Summer Reading Guide. That's our main headquarters where we have all the info you need to figure out if you want to join Book Club or Patreon, or just purchase an ala carte ticket. Either way, you get that beautiful, fully designed Summer Reading Guide and you get your access to unboxing.
You don't have to come to unboxing. We really encourage you to. It comes in the cost of your membership or your ticket. Ginger, I know you have thoughts about unboxing. Would you like to say words about that?
[00:57:05] GINGER: I do. It's just such a fun book party. Every year I love the camaraderie. The chat is flying by in the best possible way. It's a really fun book party. One of my favorite things is to hear, you know, the rituals that people... I mean, we have people that take off a day of work for this. Like it is an event. And so you are in good company.
If you are looking for a community of really enthusiastic readers and maybe you had those in your real life, maybe you don't, this is the spot. It is such a lovely spot on the internet and I always look forward to that community. I know Book Club and Patreon as well are going to be having other things all summer long.
So come and join and be a part of what we're doing. Like I mentioned, some watch parties, some classes. We always have some really fun annual episodes and annual events. Yeah, I really can't wait. Readers Weekend and Book Club, oh man, it's going to be a great time all summer long. It starts on May 16th, but it does not end on May 16th. The book party is just the beginning.
[00:58:06] ANNE: Well, here's a little time capsule for you. So now unboxing is an annual tradition. We do it every year, except there was that first year where you said, "Anne, hear me out, I have an idea. Let's do an unboxing kind of thing for the Summer Reading Guide." And I said... What did I say? I remember being like... I just didn't get it. Like, why? Who would want to watch that?
GINGER: This fan girl.
ANNE: Well, yeah. You were like, "I think this is a really good idea." And I thought, "Ginger, that sounds so uninteresting." And you were like, "No, no, no, no, no, hear me out." And, I was wrong. I was wrong. You were right. It's so much fun. I wouldn't have guessed it.
GINGER: That's my claim to fame. I'll take it, live down in bookish infamy.
ANNE: No, no, no, you're in the Hall of Heroes. Readers, if you want a taste of what this is like in that 48 hours, if you're listening to this before we're going to be unboxing at our first session, if you're a patron or Book Club member, you can access the 2023 unboxing and actually before on our sites. And you can just, you know, queue up to a random two minutes and watch it and see what it's like.
[00:59:21] Actually, if you want backlist picks from your library and to get excited about older books because that's where you are the summer, like, you could watch the whole thing right now.
GINGER: That's a genius move right there, Anne Bogel.
ANNE: Well, thank you. Thank you very much. I've been trained to look for genius moves in the reading life by my Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community. I get so many good ideas there. But the unboxing is so much fun and just a really great companion to the Summer Reading Guide.
This is an included perk for our Patreon in Book Club communities. If you support us there, thank you so much! Your ongoing support makes it possible for our team to do what we do, and we are so grateful. You don't have to do a thing. You have all the information already and you'll keep getting posts telling you where to show up for unboxing, how to get your Summer Reading Guide PDF. You are all set.
And if you want to get the Summer Reading Guide as soon as it drops and you are not a member of one of those communities, you have time to join the community or to buy that ala carte ticket. We've done the ala carte for, oh gosh, a couple of years now, in response to some of you who said, "I don't have the time or inclination to join a community, but I very much want this resource in my life. Help me." And ala Carte is our answer to that.
[01:00:30] Again, the minimalist guide is available for all. It's on modernmrsdarcy.com on Thursday, but for the full guide modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
GINGER: So if you're on the fence here about Book Club, patron, a la carte, which one's right for me? Okay. I've got to put in a plug for Book Club. Of course, I'm going to say this, but I have reasons. Your a la carte price is the same price as your Book Club membership. So give it a try for one month. You can quit any time. So you would get that unboxing, a special Book Club, exclusive unboxing watch party, and then anything else that's going to happen in this next month, which is a lot of really good, fun things.
So if you're on the fence and you can't decide which one is right for you, you know, shameless plug here for Book Club. It's my favorite place on the internet.
ANNE: I think it's so evident to all our community members that you feel that way.
GINGER: I really do love it.
ANNE: Oh gosh, I am so grateful that the internet brought us together all the way back in 2016. Y'all, we have been doing that together ever since, and it's been a joy and a pleasure, regardless of how I feel about The Interestings. To begin very soon.
[01:01:36] GINGER: That's right. Well, please keep me posted.
ANNE: I will do so. Oh, thank you so much for coming on to talk summer reading with me.
GINGER: This was fun. You know, this was a really different kind of episode than I've ever been able to be a part of before, and what a blast.
ANNE: Wow, I'm so glad you could join me. Okay, so I'm just going to invite everyone to pop over to the comment section and tell us what kind of episode you'd like Ginger to participate in in the future. We would love your ideas.
Friends, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Ginger. And if you're half as excited as we are for this year's Summer Reading Guide, if you're like 4% as excited, we have all the links and the full list of titles we talked about today at our show notes page. That's at Whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
To make sure you stay in the know and up on what's happening here, subscribe to our email list. To get all our updates, sign up at whatshouldIReadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Sometimes you'll ask, what happens if I sign up, but I'm already signed up? Nothing bad will happen. whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to make sure you're on the list. That way you'll be sure to get the minimalist Summer Reading Guide on Thursday in your inbox.
[01:02:48] We also love connecting with listeners on Instagram, and we love it when you share our good stuff like this episode, and like the fact that the Summer Reading Guide is almost available. And as of Thursday will be available. You can find our shows page there @whatshouldireadnext?
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
GINGER: Happy reading.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• The Postcard by Anne Berest
• Elin Hilderbrand (try The Hotel Nantucket)
• The Narrowboat Summer by Anne Youngson
• Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
• The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
• Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
• The Bodyguardby Katherine Center
• Persuasion by Jane Austen
• The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
• To Night Owl from Dogfish by Meg Wolitzer and Holly Goldberg Sloan
• This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
• Long Bright River by Liz Moore
• The Unseen World by Liz Moore
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 283: Don’t save the good stuff
• WSIRN Episode 381: Past and Present Summer Reading Guide favorites
• WSIRN Episode 380: Behind the Scenes of the Summer Reading Guide
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• WSIRN Episode 366: Great books spur great conversations
• WSIRN Episode 427: The collaborative act of reading
The post Summer Reading Guide 2024: We’re going to Book Camp! appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Hello and happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We’re looking forward to enjoying some cooler weather here in Louisville, going to a dance performance, and helping our college kids unpack now that everyone’s home—including the one who spent the semester in Germany. And I’ll spend many hours poring over our 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide as part of our thorough proofreading process, which may sound like a pesky chore but is actually pretty darn fun.
The 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide drops May 16!We’re releasing our THIRTEENTH 2024 Guide on Thursday, May 16 at 9:00am EDT, which means we are in full countdown mode around here! I share the pertinent details in this short video. (Y’all, my first attempt at a “short video” went 13 minutes: apparently I can talk about the SRG all day long! I’m happy to tell you the video below is less than half that long.)
I hope you’ll watch the video. Highlights are shared below!
- There are three ways to get the 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide:
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
- Our Unboxing party is a joyous 90+ minute live video event where I tell you about all 42 new-for-2024 titles in the guide and why I chose each one, plus answer reader questions about theme, tone, and content so you can load up your summer TBR with the titles that are right for YOU. If you have guide access, you have Unboxing access—plus the replay to watch anytime.
- Not sure which community to join, or if you’d rather choose a la carte access? We walk you through the options at our SRG online hub.
- The MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide will appear on the blog as a blog post on May 16. This year’s Minimalist Guide has 8 great titles—my very favorite summer reads (so far)—and it’s completely free and available to all.
New news: you can now gift the Guide! Y’all have asked for this and we finally figured it out: if you have a friend who would enjoy the MMD Summer Reading Guide and live Unboxing event, click here to gift them a la carte access.
It’s the last day to preorder your summer gear!Today is the last day to preorder some of our new bookish merch for Summer Reading Guide season. Read in style with our stickers and soft, cozy t-shirts and sweatshirts. Our merch shop is full of the perfect picks for any reader.
I try on our apparel on video here, or click here for a quicker photo version of our three new designs (In the above video I’m also wearing our Women’s Mid-Length Sweatshirt in Heather Blue Lagoon, size medium).
Preorders close today, May 10. We’ll have a limited quantity stocked after this preorder period. We encourage you to order by today to make sure you are able to grab the size and color you want!
My favorite finds from around the web:How the Met Gala Ushered in This Theme-Dressing Moment. (So Many Thoughts substack) “It is the Super Bowl of red carpets. I don’t think there’s anything that tops it, not even close.”
Were We Always Wrong About Bottled Citrus Juice? (Taste) I feel so validated: I’m keeping a running list of little things I’m loving to share with you soon and Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice is on it!
Live from Word of South: the books we can’t stop recommending. (What Should I Read Next) I brought home live audio to share with you from my recent travels! Favorite comment from Sue: “Gosh, I really loved this episode! We got to know “friend” Anne and “spouse” Anne, as opposed to professional book recommender Anne.”
Book Bans Are Surging in Florida. So Lauren Groff Opened a Bookstore. (New York Times gift link) “Part of the appeal of independent bookstores is their careful curation, and booksellers’ ability to recommend titles based on customers’ interests and moods; who better to help you choose your next book than a best-selling novelist who is also a voracious and wide-ranging reader?” (We’re bringing my Word of South conversation with Groff to WSIRN on May 28!)
I’m a fan of these Easy Standard Rib Fitted Scoop Tanks for layering and they’re great—but so are these much cheaper $6 Slim Fit Tank Tops from Target that I found this spring. Mine are white and black (size L, though I could have gone M for a snugger fit) but I’m tempted by the wide array of pretty summer colors.
The world fell in love with Megan Follows as Anne of Green Gables. Now, the ‘innately likeable’ actor makes her long-awaited return to the stage. (Toronto Star) WHY does this article not comment on the fact that she’s playing a character named Di in this production? (Tell me you get what I’m saying!)
The Dumbphone Boom Is Real. (The New Yorker) “After almost two decades with iPhones, the public seems to be experiencing a collective ennui with digital life.”
When I Became a Birder, Almost Everything Else Fell Into Place. (New York Times gift link) “The passing of the seasons feels more granular, marked by the arrival and disappearance of particular species instead of much slower changes in day length, temperature and greenery. I find myself noticing small shifts in the weather and small differences in habitat. I think about the tides.”
A Conversation with Louise Erdrich. (The Paris Review) A rich conversation between Erdrich and Sterling HolyWhiteMountain.
Huevos Rancheros is a brunch favorite around here; this recipe is legit. (NYT Cooking gift link)
Take a vicarious trip with these novels set on planes, trains, and automobiles. (MMD) Our new transportation-minded novel book list features literary fiction, thriller, historical fiction, romance, and more!
My Therapist Is A TikTok Star. (Bustle) “Is she talking about me?” Interesting perspectives but I wouldn’t want my therapist to be a social media star!
Aysgarth: Ex-youth hostel filled with 120,000 books put on sale. (BBC) In case anyone feels like moving to North Yorkshire…
How to Plant a Cocktail Garden Full of Flavorful Garnishes for All of Your Drinks. (Martha Stewart) We also love to pop fresh herbs into our omelets and all kinds of vegetable dishes.
Don’t miss these posts:15 favorite novels about sibling relationships. Sibling bonds are the focus in these novels about complicated families!
10 beauty favorites I use (almost) every day. I look for reliable, dependable products that look good and go on easy so I can keep my morning makeup routine to three minutes or less.
20 novels that will transport you to the shore. If you can’t spend all summer at the beach, why not try a novel that will take you there?
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
If you’re wondering whether this book list was inspired by the 1987 John Hughes movie Planes, Trains & Automobiles, you’re correct. At least, it was inspired by the movie title—and ever since, haven’t we all been using the phrase? As summer approaches, my mind is on road trips, vacations, and all the ways we travel. It got me thinking about the books that hone in on different forms of transportation and voilà! This book list was born.
Whether or not you intend to hit the road, take to the skies, or ride the rails in the coming months, our transportation-minded fiction book list can take you away with this fun array of novels set on planes, trains, and automobiles. Some characters are traveling short distances for quotidian reasons; others are embarking on grand adventures. We feature a variety of genres, with literary fiction, contemporary fiction, mystery, historical fiction, thrillers, and even romance. Of course, we’re only scratching the surface here: I hope you’ll share your favorites in our comments section, and continue to think about your favorite reads that take place on planes, trains, and automobiles.
Novels set on airplanesSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
This YA novel from Jennifer Smith features two teenagers falling in love on an intercontinental flight. When Hadley misses her flight by a mere four minutes, she's devastated: she's supposed to fly to London for her father's second wedding and missing the plane ruins everything. But then she hits it off with a handsome British teen in the waiting area, and things start looking up—especially when the two find themselves sitting next to each other on what is now their shared flight to London. They get on so well that they wonder if fate brought them together—but then they're separated in the chaos at Heathrow, and it will take a miracle for their paths to cross again. My family enjoyed the film adaptation that released last fall. More info →Author: Paula McLain
In the spirit of her debut The Paris Wife, McClain’s biographical novel chronicles the life of Beryl Markham, who is best known for her 1936 solo flight across the Atlantic. Markham was the daughter of British colonials, raised in East Africa’s Mau Forest “before Kenya was Kenya.” She’s known as an aviatrix, but McClain clearly relishes highlighting how Markham enjoyed flouting conventions of all kinds. More info →Author: Beatriz Williams
It’s 1947 and photographer and war correspondent Janey Everett plans on writing a biography about famed aviator Sam Mallory whose plane disappeared while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. His plane wreck was recently discovered, making Janey even more invested in her project. She tracks down Mallory’s old flying partner Irene Foster, whose exploits during a 1937 round-the-world flight remain an unsolved mystery. While Irene initially disavows all knowledge of Mallory, Janey eventually convinces her to share the tale of her own fascinating flying career, complicated relationship with Mallory, and everything that happened next. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Denise Williams
The first in a trilogy of flirty and spicy airport novellas sized just right for breezy summer reading. Ollie, an airport-based pet groomer, develops a serious crush on the handsome frequent flier she sees every Tuesday at the gate by her shop. When a runaway pup brings Ollie face-to-face with him at last, she discovers he’s not just a pretty face. Bennett is a professional risk assessor by day, romance novelist by night, and to Ollie’s great surprise, he needs her help. This is just the ticket if you need a quick win for your reading life. (Open door.) More info →Author: Chris Bohjalian
This suspenseful thriller is filled with satisfying twists and turns. It’s a normal morning for flight attendant Cassie Bowden: she wakes up with her usual hangover in a Dubai hotel room and tries to remember what happened the night before. And then she notices the man sharing her bed is dead. And not just dead: murdered. She can’t remember what happened but it doesn’t look good for her. So she decides to go to work as planned, get out of the country, and pretend as if nothing's wrong. But Cassie can’t run from her alcoholism and lies forever. A suspenseful novel with satisfying twists and turns. More info →Author: Maggie Shipstead
An epic dual timeline tale with complex characters. Marian Graves, daredevil aviatrix, had an unconventional life from the start. She and her twin are rescued as infants from a sinking ship in 1914, then raised by their disreputable uncle. By 14, she drops out of school to pursue her dream of flying by way of unconventional means and a dangerous patron. Her career builds until she finally gets to attempt to circumnavigate the globe by flying over the North and South Poles—but she disappears in Antarctica. In the present day, actress Hadley Baxter is tasked with playing Marian in a biopic. She sees this role as her chance to show Hollywood what she can do, not realizing how much she has in common with Marian. Content warnings apply. More info → Novels set on trains Author: Agatha Christie
It was supposed to be the perfect crime. But an avalanche stops the Orient Express in its tracks just before a passenger is found murdered in his berth, foiling the perpetrator's getaway, and trapping 13 potential suspects—each with an airtight alibi—in the train car with Inspector Hercule Poirot. This is a classic for a reason. Audiobook lovers: Dan Stevens's narration is fantastic. More info →Author: Chanel Cleeton
Three women's lives become entangled over the course of Labor Day weekend, 1935, when the storm of the century slams into Key West. The story is told from multiple perspectives, those of three different women who seem to hold little in common, but whose lives are about to intersect in ways no one could foresee. Helen is a Key West native, poor and pregnant, fleeing her abusive husband. Mirta is Cuban, newly married to a man she barely knows, and just beginning her honeymoon. And Elizabeth, who’s come south on a dangerous search for a long-lost loved one. A captivating novel about a little-known historical event. More info →Author: Casey McQuiston
A twenty-something overcomes the impossible to find love and the family she longs for in this time-slip romance inspired by Kate & Leopold. Adrift and lonely, 23-year-old August moved to New York City with hopes of leaving the past behind and building a new life. To her great surprise, things start going well. She bumps into Jane (literally) on the Q line, developing a serious crush on the beautiful girl with the retro punk rock look. August is terrified she’ll never see Jane again, but then she does—on the Q line. It turns out Jane has been stuck on the Q line since the 1970s. If August and Jane are to get their happy ending, Jane needs to figure out how to get her unstuck—with the help of her friends, of course. Delightfully frothy and feel-good. More info →This meta locked-room mystery is a lot of fun, especially for readers who enjoy characters breaking the fourth wall. When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invites debut author Ernest Cunningham to their crime-writing festival aboard a famous luxury train, he’s only hoping to mingle with peers and get some inspiration for his second book. But then, one of the attendees is murdered and it’s time for the rest of the authors to put their detective hats on. If anyone can solve a crime, it should be mystery writers. Except…that means mystery writers also know how to commit a crime. More info →Author: Clare Pooley
Regular commuters tend to keep to themselves, even if they see the same people on the train every day. 57-year-old magazine advice columnist Iona sees nothing wrong with this. She and her dog Lulu take the train without talking to anyone and it suits them well. Until one day a fellow commuter almost chokes on a grape and is rescued by another commuter who happens to be a nurse. It forms a bond for the train car, as the eclectic inhabitants learn talking to strangers just might be worth it after all. More info →Author: Colson Whitehead
In this imaginative piece of historical fiction, the Underground Railroad of history becomes a subway—an actual locomotive, powered by coal and running on an actual track below the surface. Whitehead drew inspiration from Gulliver's Travels and real-life heroine Harriet Jacobs for his story of Cora, an enslaved Georgia woman who sets out on a heroic quest to find freedom in the North. A 2016 National Book Award Winner for Fiction and a 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction. More info → Novels set on automobiles Author: Morgan Matson
Be forewarned: this YA novel is sure to inspire wanderlust. After her family (or what's left of it) impulsively moves from California to Connecticut, Amy has to get her car cross-country. There's just one problem: because of a tragic accident, Amy doesn't drive. Enter Roger, an old family friend who volunteers to come along for the ride, and who is dealing with his own heartbreak. Before long, the two friends decide to ditch her mom's carefully-orchestrated route in favor of the scenic route, stopping to see familiar haunts, old loves, and plenty of small town America. Matson adds color to this sweet story with emails, receipts, and playlists galore. More info →Author: Jade Chang
Chinese immigrant Charles Wang made his fortune with a cosmetics empire in America, only to have it ruined by a financial crisis. After he loses everything, he decides the family should return to China to reclaim their ancestral lands. He pulls his son Andrew and daughter Grace out of their respective colleges, grabs his wife Barbra, and sets off on a cross-country road trip to his daughter Saina's house in New York. What starts as the road trip nobody wanted turns into a chance for each family member to take stock of the way their wealth and privileged lifestyle has impacted them, how their lives changed once the children’s mother died, and whether they can grow closer together now. More info →Author: Connie Willis
Snappy dialogue, a zany cast of characters, and a heart-warming plot make this the perfect escape. Francie lands in Roswell, home of the original UFO crash, steeling herself to talk her best friend out of marrying a UFO true believer. But before she can make any progress she's—you guessed it—abducted by a tumbleweed-shaped alien and forced to drive like the blazes across the New Mexico desert. Along the way the duo acquire a merry band of misfits including a charming con man, a little old lady with a secret, a Western-loving retiree, and a UFO-chaser. This was pure delight, but with a backbone. More info →Author: Hiro Arikawa
Have you ever wondered what cats are really thinking? Meet Nana, a sarcastic feral cat who was rescued by Satoru five years ago. It’s a good arrangement: Satoru gives him treats and sometimes he lets Satoru pet him. One day Satoru puts Nana in the van and they set off on a road trip around Japan, final destination unknown. As they meet Satoru’s old friends, Nana tries to make sense of why they’re on the trip and why these strangers are so interested in him. Needless to say, Nana and Satoru have different opinions, culminating in a heartwarming tail. I mean, tale. Translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel. More info →Author: Jessica Joyce
When Noelle’s TikTok about her recently deceased grandmother’s secret first love goes viral, she unexpectedly reunites with her high school rival Theo in this contemporary romance. Gram almost married Theo’s grandfather Paul decades ago but never told Noelle, despite how close they were. Currently unemployed and at loose ends with her life, Noelle decides to go on the honeymoon trip that never happened and Paul and Theo join her for the road trip. Noelle and Theo have a chance to get to know each other as adults, making for a chemistry-filled banter-laden time. This also explores grief and making peace with high school aspirations and expectations. This was one of team member Leigh’s best books of 2023. (Open door.) More info →Author: Elia Winters
A fun low angst road trip romance! Megan never planned on staying in Florida after graduation but years have passed without her even leaving the state but a friend’s wedding in Quebec is about to change that. When her ex-friend Scarlett suggests they road trip there, Megan reluctantly agrees. As they grapple with what ended their friendship all those years ago and realize they’re attracted to each other now, they also face a blizzard, Only One Bed, and time to figure out what they want with their jobs and each other. (Open door.) More info → Do you have a favorite novel set on a plane, train, or automobile? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 9 books to read before (or after) a cruise vacation and Travel around the world with these 20 novels.
The post Take a vicarious trip with these novels set on planes, trains, and automobiles appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today we’ve bringing you along with me to Tallahassee’s recent Word of South Festival of Literature and Music. I had the joy of attending the festival recently, and a highlight of my visit was talking books with Festival Director Sara Marchessault and Kati Schardl.
Today, we’re sharing that conversation with all of you. Sara, Kati and I talk about the books we’ve been reading lately, the titles we can’t stop recommending to others, the epic fails when these recommendations fall flat, and what we learn about ourselves and other readers in the process.
We also talk about our summer reading moods this year, and I recommend titles that line up with what they’re each looking for this season.
Share your recommendations for Sara and Kati, or the titles you can’t wait to read this summer, by leaving a comment below.
Pre-order the 13th annual Summer Reading GuideOur thirteenth annual Summer Reading Guide includes 42 books I loved and whatever your summer reading mood is we have books for you! We kick off summer reading season with a live book party, and we’d love to have you join us on May 16th – find out more, save your seat, and pre-order your guide right here.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: I thought, Chris Bohjalian, you know what I don't want to read about? The Puritans. And then I started reading, I was like, "Oh, you know what I want to read about? This book right here."
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week I'm excited to share a live conversation from the Word of South Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee about good books and the go-to favorites we can't stop recommending.
Talking about books and community and experiencing a vibrant book community at Word of South makes me more excited than ever for our upcoming Summer Reading Guide unboxing. We are just a few short weeks away from releasing this year's guide. This is our 13th year of putting the ultimate summer reading resource in your hands, and our team spends all year working on various aspects of this big project.
[00:01:09] Our Summer Reading Guide presents you with 42 fabulous reads to pair with your summer adventures and activities. In the guide, I share books that I love and also give you the details you need to determine which of those titles you may love, which ones belong on your summer reading list.
We kick off our festivities with a live book party where I tell you juicy details about every single book in the guide and give you insights to help you decide which ones are for you. Plus, we answer lots of your questions.
We would love to have you join us. Find out more, save your seat, and pre-order your guide at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. That's for Summer Reading Guide. Modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
Readers, today I'm excited to invite you to come along, through the magic of podcasting, to Tallahassee's recent Word of South Festival of Literature and Music, where I had the joy of talking books with festival director Sara Marchessault and Kati Schardl at a live session.
Book festivals are always events I look forward to because they offer so much potential for discovery. Festivals connect readers with writers they already love, new authors they can experience, and often books that capture the spirit of the region.
[00:02:20] Today, Sara, Kati, and I talk about the books we've been reading lately, the titles we can't stop recommending to others, the epic fails when these recommendations fall flat, and what we learn about ourselves and other readers in the process.
We also talk about our summer reading moods going into this season, and I recommend a handful of titles I think they'll each enjoy adding to their summer reading stack. Let's get to it.
Okay, hey readers! Welcome to Word of South. Oh, welcome to What Should I Read Next? Word of South edition.
SARA MARCHESSAULT: Perfect.
ANNE: I'm so happy to be here.
SARA: Me too.
ANNE: Thank you, Sara, for everything y'all are doing.
SARA: Thank you.
ANNE: I haven't been in Tallahassee since middle school. All I remember is the Spanish moss and the little tree frogs in my moved best friend's backyard. It's different than I remember.
SARA: We've changed a lot in the very short amount of time that's passed, I'm sure.
[00:03:20] ANNE: Well, I am so glad to be here. Usually, I talk in my workout clothes by myself, surrounded by Styrofoam foam core to absorb the sound. And this is a lot more fun and also a lot less editable. So this will be very interesting.
SARA: We'll see how we do.
ANNE: Who in here has ever listened to the podcast? I don't know how much to tell you. Okay, so lots of you. We published Episode 427 last week. We've been doing this since 2016. And-
SARA: Congratulations.
ANNE: Thank you. Thank you. Now I'm so excited to talk today. When Sara invited me to do a live podcast, the question was, who should our guests be? And I think you were a little reluctant to...
SARA: I was. I'm usually very busy on Festival Saturday, and I couldn't imagine a scenario where I could put my phone away and step onto the stage for a little bit. But this has been nice.
[00:04:19] My phone is in the room, but not on my purse. I don't need-
ANNE: Can I hold it for you?
SARA: Someone very special has it for me who's not going to let me have it back till this is done.
ANNE: So we thought it'd be really fun to give Sara an opportunity to sit down and talk about books in a break from her duties as director.
SARA: Thank you.
ANNE: And then Sara suggested we invite Kati Schardl.
KATI SCHARDL: I'm more than happy to be here to talk about books because I talk about books all the time to my friends, so it's nice to be able to do it in a more public forum, and with you.
ANNE: Thank you, it's a pleasure. Sara, would you tell us the thought process for inviting Kati?
SARA: The thought process for inviting Kati was (a) we need to have two people in case something crazy does happen and Sara can't be up there.
ANNE: You never told me that.
SARA: That was one of the first things. I said, I will do it, but there needs to be someone else. Then the other thought process was that Kati is a fabulous reader. Mark Mustian actually suggested that we bring Kati. I believe the words were, "Kati is a real hoot."
KATI: Wow.
SARA: So I really think that Kati would be the right person to join you. And I said, "All right, let's have Kati. Let's do it."
KATI: No pressure.
SARA: No pressure, Kati.
[00:05:36] ANNE: Well, we are all at this festival of literature and music with books on our brains. I did a lot of reading to prepare. I don't know if that's true for the two of you, but I would love to hear what it is that you all have been reading to get ready for this festival. I'll go first.
Next in this room, I'm talking with Lauren Groff. It's going to be a great conversation. I've been reading everything Lauren Groff, in part because, you know, I want to be prepared, and in part because once you get started reading an author whose work you loved, and you have an excuse to read a lot of it right now, I just really enjoyed reading and rereading so much of her work, including Florida, is unsurprisingly the collection that I've been lingering with the longest before coming down here. Sara, what have you been reading?
SARA: Well, I hosted A Word of South Book Club at Midtown Reader this spring, and I recognize a few faces in here. Hello, book club members. We read Gator Country by Rebecca Renner, and we read Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff, and we read The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. Rebecca and Tananarive will both be at the festival tomorrow. So that's what I did for pre-reading. I did hear you have to read Anne Hull's book, Through the Grove. So that is one that I'll read this summer.
[00:06:54] ANNE: Okay. Kati, I know that you've been working on your nonfiction MFA. I would love to hear some highlight titles you've been reading from there, or if the semester's over and you really need a break, you are free to take that in a different direction.
KATI: It's about to be over and I will need a break, and I will be asking you for assistance. But during the semester of... well, it's all nonfiction. I've been reading nothing but nonfiction, and it's all been really excellent.
A couple of standouts that I hadn't read before, one is Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. It's a very immersive look at life in a Mumbai slum. It sounds grim, but it's just one of the most beautiful books. The writing is incredible, the reporting is intensive. It really moved me. That's one.
Then another is Eula Biss, who is just an amazing writer. She's written so many wonderful books, but On Immunity, which is about vaccination. It was written in 2015 and everything she says in this book is still so incredibly relevant today. So that really resonated.
[00:08:03] But also nonfiction that I read for pleasure in between some time that I found was Through the Groves by Anne Hull. And that is a magical book. And she's here at the festival.
ANNE: Amazing.
SARA: Anne is here at the festival. That's right. Diane Roberts will be with Anne Hall. I can't remember when. My brain just went blank. Oh, there you go. 4:15.
ANNE: Thank you. So a festival like this is all about discovery. We get to talk to other readers and get ideas from them. We get to listen to all these wonderful speakers and artists. We get to browse the tents in checkout, especially the bookstore-curated selections they have for us.
But we also come to events like these as fully-formed readers. We, I hope, have an idea of what we like and what we don't. And there's a reason that certain titles snag on our brains and sound really appealing to us.
[00:09:00] I've been thinking about our individual tastes and how we bring that to a place like this. Sara and Kati and I were talking about how one way to really express our readerly identity is to notice those books that we find ourselves thinking about all the time. Those ones that might only be 300 pages long, but you would never know that they were just that thin by how much space they take up in our brains. And also what it says about us when we find ourselves recommending a particular title or five to readers over and over. You know, like sometimes we have those books that we can't seem to stop talking about.
So I thought we'd take this opportunity to hear what some of those books are for us. Should I go? I'll go first. I'll set the tone. Gosh, I recommend books all the time. Maybe I have a long list to choose from, but I really wanted to think about books from the South that have meant a lot to me that I also find myself talking about, not just on the podcast, but just in regular conversations with friends and family and neighbors. I'm always talking about books.
[00:10:10] Two really stood out. I'm a longtime fan of Tayari Jones. I think she's so amazing. She's an Atlanta area writer. She has a novel that's just over 10 years old called Silver Sparrow. Have any of you in here read it? Okay, I see some nods.
It's set about 40 years ago. You can decide if that's historical fiction or not. But it's the story of two Atlanta area sisters. Well, two half-sisters. One is secret and knows about the existence of the other, but the other daughter does not know about her counterpart.
They're connected by their father, but one of those relationships with a girl's mother is a secret. And one, in the other relationship, he's a respected member of Black Atlanta society. But as the story goes on, that secret relationship starts to force its way out into the open, and things get really messy.
[00:11:15] Something I love about her writing, especially in this book, is the way she incorporates very real details of Atlanta history. And y'all, I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, which is... you know, the South is not a monolith. That is its own place. I can almost see Indiana from my house. We're way up at the tip-top. Southern living writes about us, but the tea is never presumed to be sweet. Like, that's what it's like in Louisville.
So I'm not really intimately familiar with Atlanta. I'm not. I'm not intimately familiar with Atlanta history. But Tayari Jones had me Googling going, is that real? Did that seriously happen? Whether she's talking about milestones in the city's history or musicians and artists I recognize from history, but had no idea that they had done these audacious things that get written into the plot. So any story that can get me in the feels and also make me really wonder about history, I'm going to be recommending that all the time.
Also, I chose a Kentucky writer, Silas House. He's not from my part of Kentucky, but I do love his work. He got a lot of press for his most recent one, Lark Ascending, but I'm going to go back to Southernmost, which is this beautiful story about a Tennessee fundamentalist preacher whose community enters this horrific flood. And when it does, he welcomes two gay men into his home, and his congregation, they freak out.
[00:12:37] He's so disillusioned by their reaction that he has a very public reckoning with it, where he really talks to them about how hurt he is by what he sees in his community. This is captured on video. It goes viral. He decides he has to get out of town, and he hits the road to go to Key West—that's the southernmost—to deal with some unfinished business from his past.
Now, what I've learned talking to books about readers is sometimes when you call prose beautiful, a lot of people will think like, Oh, that means it's boring and pretentious. So I was about to tell you his prose was beautiful. That's not going to work for you. Pretend I didn't say all that.
But he has a way of telling a story that is so captivating where you want to know what happens next. Also, you find yourself thinking about the deep emotions of the story long after you turn the page.
SARA: Those are good ones.
KATI: Yeah.
ANNE: Have you read them?
SARA: I haven't, but I'm going to now.
ANNE: What about you, Kati?
KATI: I have not. This is books that I keep coming back to myself. Well, one is one that I also just recommend to everybody and have given away like six copies. And that is Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. It's one of the best books I've read in the last however many years, and I have read it more. I've read it like three times.
[00:14:06] There's so much humanity in it. Her characters are so beautiful and perfectly drawn and the narrative arc is just so graceful how it moves through the landscape and this dystopian landscape and draws the characters together. It was one of the most beautiful reading experiences.
The first time I read it, I was like, "Oh, I'm never gonna have this first-time reading experience again, but I am gonna read this again." So that's definitely one.
Another one is Still Life by Sarah Winman. I cried at multiple places throughout that book, just from the sheer beauty of the writing... and the story, I mean. And again we have disparate characters coming together. It's about art and beauty and family, found family and real family.
It has a touch of magical realism, which I like. It's just like an amazing book to read. That's another one that I've recommended to several people and actually have given away a couple of copies. I mean, if I want someone to read a book that I find wonderful, then I will often just give it to them so that they don't have to think, Oh, I've got to finish reading this and get it back to Kati.
[00:15:29] So those two stand out.
ANNE: Those are beautiful books.
KATI: Yeah.
SARA: I recommend an old book that I probably read for the first time when I was 14 or 15. It's The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I love that book. It's the story of King Arthur's court from the perspective of his sister and his wife. And it's a big, huge... some of you have seen this book. It's very thick. It's very long. It's everything I love in a book to read in the summer. I have recommended it to people who've loved it, and I've recommended it to a couple people who didn't. So it's definitely kind of a mix.
Lately, I've been recommending the book Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang. Kuang? Kati, do you say the U?
KATI: Kuang.
SARA: Kuang? Thank you. That book is an escape in every single way that's possible. The person who's telling the story is not really a nice person. She does things that are kind of shocking, which I think is what makes it so entertaining for me.
[00:16:39] Has anybody read it? I'm seeing some nods. It was definitely kind of a [gasps]. I didn't want to put it down, and I read the whole thing really fast. It was just what I needed at that time. Around the holidays, I was helping at Midtown Reader. They just needed somebody to come on hand. They will let me hang out at the bookstore. They're very nice.
But that was the book that several people came in and I said, Oh, well, you should read this one because it's fast-paced, it's really entertaining, and it kind of makes you learn a lot. I learned a lot reading that book. And I also sort of hated the narrator, which I am finding as I get older that that's not a bad thing. I kind of enjoy it. Yeah, it feels a little risque, like I'm not really in their corner. So that's what I've been recommending. I have lots more.
KATI: Oh, yeah.
ANNE: Let's hear them.
SARA: Well, I have to mention this one book, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra. Have you read it?
ANNE: Mm-mm.
SARA: I felt like that book threw me into adulthood in a very big way, where I started to pay attention to that there are terrible things that happen in the world that I don't know about, and they're happening right now in this century.
[00:17:55] I did a lot of googling. There were a lot of beautiful words in that book that I didn't know about. But there is this one character who's, one of the main characters in the story, who draws pictures of the people who are disappearing from his village and he puts them in the woods. And every piece that's written about the work he does just sucked me in and made me hold my breath.
He wrote this beautiful part about drawing portraits of these two boys that went missing from the same family. It's a very moving story. It's a hard read, but it's worth it to kind of propel you into remembering that there are big things that we need to be aware of. I'll stop with that.
ANNE: Do you want to sneak in another one, Kati?
KATI: Yes. First, I want to say also, if you like Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven, read all of her other books, too. Very good. But Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. It's a big fat book and it's just chock full of gorgeousness and brilliant storytelling and heart-opening characters.
[00:19:07] I'm going to read that one again too when I'm back to reading fiction. It's very different from All the Light We Cannot See. It's very different because it kind of is speculative. It has speculative fiction elements and it bounces back and forth in time. But just the narrative of these cha... And these characters are so fully drawn and so human and so lovely. I wanted to spend time with them.
SARA: Can I say something about that one, Kati? The audiobook for Cloud Cuckoo Land is so entertaining. There's a very funny, humorous voice on all those parts with the character who wants to be something else. Remember, he wanted to be a bird. It's delivered in an extremely comical way. I recommend the audio for that one, too. Yeah.
ANNE: Thanks for that tip. And if this is an invitation to champion Emily St. John Mandel, do you all know she has a book set in Florida? The Lola Quartet is a-
KATI: I didn't know that.
ANNE: ...one that I haven't read for many years. I read it in Florida, fittingly. But it's got a Lauren Groff kind of motif with the exotic pets have been freed into the canals and they have grown huge and they are just like slithering out there in the dark in your backyard waiting to get you at any moment. It's just this ominous thing that hovers over the book.
[00:20:40] And... oh gosh, I don't remember the details of the plot, except there's a young woman pushing a stroller in the very beginning, and the narrator reveals that there's something like $170,000 taped to the bottom of the stroller. When Emily St. John Mandel drops that nugget, I thought, "what is happening? Gosh, I want to know."
Something I thought was really interesting about that is you see that what seems so particular to Station Eleven is actually an author's way of writing.
KATI: Exactly, yeah.
ANNE: Okay.
KATI: She's very deft that way, I think.
ANNE: I think so. Sara, you said you have lots. You want to sneak in one more?
SARA: I have one more. This is another author name that I sometimes mess up. It's the guy from Vermont, Chris Bohjalian? Bojalen?
ANNE: Bohjalian.
SARA: Bohjalian. There it is. You know, my last name is very difficult to say, and I actually take a lot of pride in trying to make sure that I get people's names right. So thank you.
[00:21:39] So I recommended his book, The Double Bind, to one of my sisters, and she didn't really like it. But that book was one for me that was just, oh my gosh, this poor girl. You know, I could not put that one down. But I find that his books are often sort of that gripping, suck you in. I still think his best one is Midwives, and that's one of his older ones.
The one... oh, of course, I just spaced it. There was one about Salem, was it? Or was it another town? There was a witch one recently with a young woman on the cover. What was the name of that book?
ANNE: Hour of the Witch.
SARA: Was it just The Witch?
ANNE: Hour of the Witch.
SARA: Hour of the Witch, okay.
ANNE: I thought, Chris Bohjalian, you know what I don't want to read about? The Puritans. And then I started reading, and I was like, Oh, you know what I want to read about? This book right here.
KATI: He did make it... yeah.
SARA: It was a good story. I enjoyed that one. I like his work a lot, and I enjoy that kind of take me into a place where I'm going to learn about a time period, something I didn't know about a time period that I do care about.
[00:22:36] Some of his stories about, maybe it was the Skeleton Key, World War II kind of era, left some scenes in my head that were, again, sort of, whoa, I never knew that I maybe needed to know about that, but now I do. And I forgot the other one. I'll have to come back to it. Just left my head.
ANNE: We'll edit that in later.
SARA: Yeah.
ANNE: All right. So it is true confession time. We've been talking about books that we love and recommend to others all the time. But I don't know if you all have ever had the experience of recommending a book to a friend, where later they come back to you and go, Why? Like, I just don't get it. Which can puzzle you. Or sometimes, I've heard from readers, this happens, can make you feel very wounded and misunderstood. So it happens to the best of us.
But I'd love to hear about that. I'd love to hear about some books that you recommended enthusiastically to your fellow readers where they said, "Sara, Kati, why?" and what you thought about that.
[00:23:41] I have lots of experience recommending books to people and then having them come back and tell me out of duty, "Man, this was good," or "that was terrible," or "what were you thinking?" So I've had a lot of opportunities to think about why the reason for the mismatch.
I think a lot of times it's a question of... Well, you know what, we'll get into that in a moment. We'll get into that in a moment. I'll let you go ahead. Sara, tell us about an epic fail. Do you want me to frame that differently?
SARA: No. I did feel like this was an epic fail. There was a book by Emily Danforth called Plain Bad Heroines. I enjoyed that book immensely. If you've read that book, then you might know why. The book is a story within a story within a story, and the author lays out, or whoever designed her book, laid out the pages with all of these in-depth footnotes.
So as you're reading, there's little dots here and stars here, and you're supposed to jump around and read the footnotes, and it was very distracting. It was almost like she wrote all those backstory pages and then found a way to put them into the book. I loved it.
[00:24:48] It took me forever to read. I thought it was so interesting that I'm learning about all these different plotlines at the same time. I bought it for all three of my sisters and not one of them loved it. I got like, "Oh." Then I also gave it to Mark Mustian, who started the Word of South Festival, who many of you know, and Mark kind of handed it back to me and said, "Mm, no." And Mark will read almost anything. So for Mark to say, "Mm, no," and my sisters to not get as excited, I did feel like that was an epic fail.
ANNE: Okay, two things. I listened to the audio.
SARA: Did you?
ANNE: I had no idea what I missed, and I'm not sure if I should be disappointed or not. I'm not sure what your sisters would think about that, actually.
SARA: I don't know.
ANNE: Maybe your sisters should have listened to the audio.
SARA: Maybe they should have done the audio. Did they leave all the special footnotes out of the audio?
ANNE: I had no idea. They just read me a story.
SARA: Okay. Well, it definitely jumped all over the place because of those footnotes and it felt choppy and, you know, suddenly you're reading this whole history of this girl's school and you're wondering, do I really need to know this? But I thought it was great.
[00:25:53] ANNE: This book is horror-light. I'm a scaredy cat. Y'all, I had actual nightmares about Yellow Jackets. If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about.
SARA: That scene was pretty creepy. I don't always jump into those things either. Actually, our book club picked The Reformatory. I was very nervous about reading that book. And it ended up being more like a ghost story that I was okay with. And it didn't go some of the places I was worried it might.
ANNE: Some of her books I have definitely had to put in the [freeze?].
SARA: Sure. Keep it away from me. Yeah. I hear you.
ANNE: Okay. So you recommended this book to three sisters and Mark, and the best you got was huh.
SARA: Nobody liked it.
ANNE: Muse upon that, please.
SARA: It did not stop me from recommending books to people. I actually just brought Mark the Tananarive Due book, The Reformatory, and said, try this one in case you wanted to check this out. So I will continue to recommend books.
I have not, since that book, bought the same book and sent it to all my sisters as a gift. Perhaps I will do that another time. But instead what I've kind of done the last several years is really embrace the Icelandic tradition of a book for Christmas Eve. And I do have a lot of fun picking books out for my loved ones and making sure that they get a book from me for Christmas. It's kind of the gift they know they can count on.
[00:27:14] You know, I'm not super upset about them not liking the book. I do feel a little bad for Emily Danforth. She obviously worked very hard on that title.
ANNE: What do you think, Kati?
KATI: I have a couple. One is The MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood, which, you know, I have friends who are huge Margaret Atwood fans. I thought they would love this. I absolutely loved it. I devoured it. I purchased it, I gave it to two friends for Christmas one year, and they both were like... and I'm like, "Oh, have you read it? Have you read it? I want to talk to you about it." And they're like, "Oh, no."
Then one finally told me, she said, "Well, it's not like The Handmaid's Tale. And I said, "No, it's not. It's a different story. And it's a different world. And it's a different dystopian tale." And they were just like, It's the excuse that you get sometimes. I just couldn't get into it, which is a legitimate thing to say. Sometimes books are really difficult to get into.
[00:28:17] It took me three tries to get through Poisonwood Bible, but by the time I got into it, I couldn't put it down. I think it's like a certain time or you have to be in the right headspace to be able to connect.
The other one is one of my favorite books of all time that I've read repeatedly since I was a kid. And that's The Once and Future King by T.H. White. It's an Arthurian tale. It's the basis of the Disney movie The Sword in the Stone is the first portion of this book.
So basically it's about King Arthur who's being fostered in this castle and Merlin comes to be his tutor and starts changing him into all these different creatures. So he becomes a pike in the moat, and he becomes an ant, and he becomes a hawk in the muse, and he goes on a goose migration. I mean, it's one of the most beautiful, natural history kind of learning experiences. But it's also very beautifully written, and it's very funny.
[00:29:21] I gave it to one of my best friends, and her literal reaction was "Meh. Meh." And again, she couldn't get into it. And I understand that but I couldn't understand it. It kind of wounded me a little bit. But you know, we all have very individual tastes in our reading. I did ask her to try it again sometime, so maybe she will do that.
ANNE: Had you really realized before that y'all had different tastes when it came to books?
KATI: Not really because we had been swapping book recommendations for years. But this one didn't land, and it was kind of because I loved it so much. And it kind of took me aback.
ANNE: It's interesting how we're not always able to tease out what is unique about our experience with a book. We might not have realized we read it at the exact right time for it to be deeply meaningful or informative. Or maybe it's something simpler. Like you just didn't realize that you had a lot of patience to let a story develop, or at least more than your friend did.
KATI: Yeah, exactly.
ANNE: All right. Well, I'm glad that y'all can still be book buddies.
KATI: Oh, yeah.
ANNE: Even if that one didn't work out. You know, I just had an interesting experience talking with a reader recently about a book set in the South that made me realize that I had an understanding of Southern culture that was very different from hers because it's not from this part of the country.
[00:30:46] But on the podcast, every week, readers tell me one book that they don't like, which we have to be really careful and respectful about because we're asking them... well, we. It's often the royal we. I'm asking them that Not because it's an invitation to just throw things at the wall and vents and talk about how this author's writing trash, but really because I think the truth emerges in contrast in the reading life.
Like, a lot of times you might not realize that you really have a lot of patience and appreciate watching a story develop slowly, or that you really like beautiful writing about the natural world until you find that missing in a book, or until you hear a friend say, like, Oh, that's not for me.
Those can be things that can make you realize, like, "Oh, that really is for me. I didn't know that was something unique about me."
So we do some rerecording sometimes, I do a lot of coaching and encourage people to share, like, well, why wasn't it a fit, this book you didn't like? Was it because It didn't suit your taste? Did you read it in entirely the wrong time? Like, is this a story about a broken family that you're reading right after your dog died? Like, you know, that is bad timing, friends.
[00:31:54] Was it not what you expected or hoped for? Did you need an airplane read, and it turns out that this is one where you wanted a dictionary? Do people still read with dictionaries? Please say yes.
SARA: Yes.
ANNE: I can't Google on my phone because then I get distracted while I'm reading. But the book that she... So people can tell me why books didn't work for them before I actually recommend it to them. So it's really helpful to ascertain what they like.
Also, sometimes we're so much clearer on why we didn't like a book than why we did. If a book works for us, it works for us. But if it didn't, sometimes we can be like, Oh, I know exactly what was missing or exactly the element that bothered me.
So I was really curious to talk to her because she said that she really didn't feel like she understood the world of If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook. Have any of y'all read that book? Came out last spring. Okay, just a couple heads shaking. Okay.
This is a contemporary Southern story about a big family. It opens in this little small town in Georgia at a family funeral where I think it's four siblings have come back to town with their spouses, their companions. They're going to see people that they used to be involved in, they're hoping to find relationships, but they're all coming back home for this family funeral.
[00:33:17] And the best friend of the 80-year-old patriarch who's died drops this bombshell at the funeral, and the family's just like, "What?" And it sends them real. He says, the 80-year-old friend says, "Your grandpa and I have been lovers for a long time in this small Georgia town." That's a revelation for people.
I think no matter what the nature of the relationship was, you know, you don't think your grandpa has secrets like that. It's a whole thing. I thought it was so much fun. The author just really bounces you around in everybody's head. You get everybody's perspective. It's hard to do well, but I really enjoyed watching her do it.
But this reader, not from Georgia, not from the South, didn't know this world, told me, like, "I didn't understand... like, why are they bringing casseroles?" And I was like, "Oh, sweetie, like, I just..." I didn't understand what I knew about the story world and what I took for granted until somebody who didn't get it pointed out to me what I knew. And so it's really interesting to have conversations like that-
SARA: Yeah, that is fun.
ANNE: ...to make you go like, Oh, I just had no... I didn't know I knew things.
SARA: The cultural reference was lost on me.
ANNE: Yeah.
[00:34:35] SARA: I'm from Vermont. I thought that we brought casseroles no matter where we lived, but maybe not. Maybe they were just relatives.
WOMAN: What was the name of the book?
ANNE: If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook. Then I end up recommending books to my husband all the time. I mean, y'all, I try not to recommend books to people unless they ask. It'd be very rare for you to say something and me to go, Oh, you know what you should read? I'm gonna ask you first, because we don't... I don't want you to not read something because I tell you to do it. For some people, that's just not gonna work for you.
But we have a lot of books in my house, and sometimes my husband will finish reading a book, and I'll say like, "Hey, I need a book. What do you think I should read?" In which case, we'll have a conversation.
But a longtime love of mine is Maggie O'Farrell's This Must Be the Place. I've read it multiple times. I love the story. I've read everything she's ever written. I keep Googling to find out, Maggie, when's the next book? It's been a few years. I'm ready. Bring it, please. Is this a book y'all are familiar with?
KATI: Yeah, I love her work.
[00:35:41] ANNE: Well, Will, not so much. Yeah. This is five stars to me. It's everything I want in a novel. There's lots of different voices. It takes place from, I think, maybe the 40s to the contemporary day when she's writing it. You hear from lots of different perspectives.
It's the story of a complex family. It's actually got a really interesting plot. It's about a movie star who's like, "I've had enough of this fame. I can't handle it anymore." And she disappears herself, which I don't think you could do now. But you can do it when Maggie O'Farrell sets it in the story. But it's just wistful and it's about relationships.
It's called This Must Be The Place and it's about finding the place, metaphorical and physical, where you belong. You know, I'm married to this man in a relationship, you know, like she's writing about these important things and He's like, I mean, it was fine. Three stars. I was like, "Well, Okay. That's really good... And that's fine. The people we love don't have to love the books that we love.
[00:36:45] That's luckily not how relationships work. I mean, be honest, sometimes do you wish that was how relationships work? You could have such great dinner conversations.
But that really got me to think about more like, what is it more precisely that I enjoy about this particular work? Like why does it mean so much to me when it doesn't mean as much to people I love? I just would invite you to consider those gaps, like real opportunities for inside and interesting conversation instead of a miss. Yeah. I don't know what your sisters would say about that.
SARA: My sisters would be willing to try anything that we could eventually talk about. They also know that they all have my permission to put a book down if it's not right for them, which I think is one of those things where it's, I don't expect you to finish this, but maybe give it a start.
And I am giggling over here, by the way, with the husband talk. My husband is not a reader, and I never thought I'd be married to someone who was not a reader. We do find other things to talk about, but all the books I recommend get an eye roll and "maybe some other time".
[00:37:52] ANNE: So I hear you saying that you're still trying.
SARA: Oh, I am definitely still trying. Absolutely. "Oh, you liked that movie? I'm going to buy you the book." It doesn't work.
ANNE: Hope springs eternal. Look, Sara, we will talk to you about this. We will be the receptacle of your... All right. So I'm from Louisville. It gets hot. It's not this hot yet. So when I'm down here, it's really easy to believe that summer is coming. And I would like to hear your summer reading mood. Kati, how are you feeling about the coming season?
KATI: My summer reading mood is going to be fiction, fiction, fiction, because I've been reading nothing but nonfiction for the past year, and I have the summer off from the MFA program. So I am looking for recommendations, but I do... a couple that I'm looking forward... actually what I'm looking forward to read are nonfiction books. I guess I'm in the groove, but The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides-
[00:38:55] ANNE: Oh. I just downloaded that audiobook.
KATI: Yeah, I really want to read that. Then Amitav Ghosh has a new book out called Smoke and Ashes. It's based on all the research he did for the Ibis Trilogy, which is about the opium trade. But this is a non-fiction book about the history of the opium trade, looking at how it was a colonial institution, basically, that was imposed for economic reasons that did not necessarily benefit the people who were involved in it.
I mean, he's such a great writer anyway that I'm sure it's going to be really good. But I'm hoping that you will give me some fiction recommendations.
ANNE: All right. We all heard her ask, right?
KATI: I did. I'm asking.
ANNE: Sara talked about Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang. When you were talking about that Amitav Ghosh's book, Babel by Kuang, came immediately to mind. It's a fantasy story, like a historical fantasy.
KATI: Got it.
ANNE: And it incorporates those elements you're talking about, like colonialism and the opium trade, and also this really interesting mechanism by which... oh gosh, it's been a while. What is it? Words and silver bars are turned to... Wow. On the podcast, I wouldn't start talking about plot details I don't remember. There's a magical element, a lot of them unfolds at Oxford.
[00:40:25] Based on what you said about the stories you've enjoyed, I don't think a historical fantasy would be out of bounds for you.
KATI: Absolutely not.
ANNE: So that's like page-turner that's also really smart and deeply thoughtful and also happens to do a lot with footnotes.
SARA: It does. And I loved that book. I second that recommendation for you, Kati.
KATI: Great. I just wrote it down. Give me some more.
ANNE: Oh, some more?
KATI: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay. Let's think about what you're... No, let's think. Well, what are you looking for? What kind of books do you like to read in the summer? Fiction, fiction, fiction is...
KATI: Right. I know that's very broad. In the summer, I like a book that I can sink into, you know, because I have the time to do it. And other than that, I mean, I will read just about anything, to be honest.
ANNE: Well, you mentioned that it took you a while to get into The Poisonwood Bible. I'm wondering about her more recent work, Demon Copperhead.
KATI: Oh, I love that.
ANNE: That was a good fit for you?
KATI: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I think Poisonwood Bible was difficult for me to get into just because of the context of my life at that time. But, I mean, I did keep going back to it because I love her work. And once I got into it, like I said, I couldn't put it down. It was a page-turner, so yeah. Demon Copperhead, very original and amazing book.
[00:41:52] ANNE: That came out recently enough that it makes me glad for you that you have actually been able to read fiction these past little years.
KATI: I sneak it in when I can because I just have to. It's like salt on my food, you know?
ANNE: What about the new enormous Abraham Verghese that came out last August?
KATI: I actually have read that.
ANNE: Really?
KATI: I did. As soon as it came out, I got it from the library and I'm like, Okay, I'm just going to pretend to do this nonfiction reading because I really have to read this. It was really... it was beautiful.
ANNE: Okay. We'll talk later. I'll ask you lots of noisy questions. Noisy?
KATI: Nosey.
ANNE: Nosey, quiet questions. We'll get you a list. Sara, what about you? What's your summer reading mood?
SARA: I usually go for lighthearted in the summer. I will read flighty, happy things, and then I'll mix in some historical fiction. I have a pile of books this summer that I've already acquired, and I'm not super excited about any of them.
Two of them are very popular books. Let Us Descend, which I will read at some point. And Jesmyn Ward came here not too long ago, so I went to hear her speak. It was lovely.
Then the other one is Tom Lake, which I've kind of been hanging on to because Ann Patchett doesn't produce a work every few years, so I sort of want to savor that. And I'm not really in a savor mood just yet. So that'll happen over the summer.
[00:43:17] I also have the Book of Doors. It's on my bedside table right now, and I kind of started it, but haven't really sunk my teeth into it just yet. But I'm kind of feeling that feeling where it's like, Oh, I've got these great books, and I'm excited to read them, but not right now. I think I want something else, but I don't know what the other thing is.
I did just finish the audio for Less Is Lost by Andrew Greer. Sean. Thank you. It was really funny and also very sweet and touching. I found that that's kind of what I wanted. Then I did the audio for I'm Glad My Mom Died. Not as funny as I thought it was gonna be. It was pretty intense. I also couldn't stop listening to it. I really wanted to hear that she was gonna be okay. But Less Is Lost is kind of more the mood I'm looking for right now. Yeah.
ANNE: That Jennette McCurdy is a devastating book. So well done, not light-hearted. Yeah, that's my wheels. No.
SARA: I think I was able to finish it because the audio was maybe only six or seven hours. So kind of knowing this isn't a big ask. Unlike Covenant of Water, that one... I did that on my road trip last summer. It was beautiful.
[00:44:27] ANNE: If you can wait just a few weeks, Stephen Rowley has a new one coming out called The Guncle Abroad where he revisits the characters from his phenomenally popular novel and like invites you along on a vicarious European vacation. So it tugs on the heartstrings because there's grief and new life side by side, but also like escapades in Europe. Oh, with money. Like I was totally Googling all the fancy hotels in that one.
SARA: I would absolutely love a European escapade with a little bit of heart strain. That sounds good. The Gungle Abroad. The gung...
ANNE: Yes. Why does that sound wrong?
SARA: Yes, it does sound wrong.
ANNE: That's exactly what it's called.
SARA: All right. All right.
ANNE: I think it's May 21st.
SARA: Okay. It's coming up.
ANNE: My husband is reading Tom Lake right now, which I love. So he's just doing his thing and I'm not asking any questions, but I'm very curious to find out how that lands.
I've been thinking about what I'm into for my summer reading mood. I was asked this the other night and I said like, Ooh, I want something that just feels really good and absorbing and also doesn't make me work too hard.
[00:45:37] But I also like books where I feel like I have to work for it, but I love doing the work. I love doing all the Googling. It feels like a joy to Google Elizabethan England or whatever it is. I didn't expect to say Google so much.
I don't necessarily want a book where I have to map out a timeline for it to make sense, but a book that makes me want to know more and that invites me to really sink into it. I don't mind a story that I can't read in the checkout line on my phone at Target. I don't mind that at all. But just immersive and evocative and books that take me places. You know, which could just be a state of mind is what I've been thinking of.
All right, y'all, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for talking books and reading with us at Word of South. It's been a pleasure. Happy reading. Enjoy your festival.
Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed your vicarious trip to Word of South in today's episode. We've got a handy roundup of links and titles discussed today over at our show notes page. Check that out at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Keep up with all our happenings at What Should I Read Next HQ by subscribing to our newsletter. Sign up today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribing is a great way to support our show with just one click, and it means you'll automatically get every new episode right in your podcast feed.
We are on Instagram. Find our show's page @whatshouldireadnext. If you're sharing your photos from Word of South, be sure to tag us in your posts or stories. We would love to see your shots. You'll find me on Instagram @AnnBogel.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Florida by Lauren Groff
• Gator Country by Rebecca Renner
• The Vaster Wildsby Lauren Groff
• The Reformatoryby Tananarive Due
• Through the Groves by Anne Hull
• Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
• On Immunity: An Inoculation by Eula Biss
• Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
• Southernmost by Silas House
• Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
• Still Life by Sarah Winman
• The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
• A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
• Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (Audio edition)
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• The Lola Quartet by Emily St John Mandel
• The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
• Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
• Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian
• Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth (Audio edition)
• MaddAddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood (#1: Oryx and Crake)
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Once and Future King by T. H. White
• If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook
• This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell
• The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides
• Smoke and Ashes by Amitav Ghosh
• The Ibis Trilogy by Amitav Ghosh (#1: Sea of Poppies)
• Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R. F. Kuang
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
• Let Us Descendby Jesmyn Ward
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
• The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown
• Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer
• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
• The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 427: The collaborative act of reading
• Midtown Reader
The post Live from Word of South: the books we can’t stop recommending appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Happy Oaks Day from Louisville, Kentucky! It’s Derby weekend here which means the kids are out of school, the city and track are packed, and everyone’s gearing up for the greatest two minutes in sports tomorrow. I can’t name a single horse running right now but that will change in the next twenty-four hours. But first: we’re actively putting together our 2024 Summer Reading Guide, coming your way so soon!
Are you ready for Book Camp?Our THIRTEENTH annual Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide drops on May 16. In addition to releasing the guide, we’ll host our fabulous Unboxing party for our MMD Book Club members, What Should I Read Next Patreon community members, and a la carte purchasers. If you’ve ever considered becoming a member, now is an excellent time to jump in. I can’t wait to talk summer books with you all! Sign up here. Have a friend who would enjoy the MMD Summer Reading Guide and live Unboxing event? We now have a way for you to gift them a la carte access.
What’s this about Book Camp? This year’s guide has a gentle summer camp theme, and our team had so much fun bringing it to life. We can’t wait to show you!
Speaking of, we’re excited to introduce you to our new bookish merch in honor of Summer Reading Guide season. Read in style with our stickers and soft, cozy t-shirts and sweatshirts. Our merch shop is full of the perfect picks for any reader.
*Some items will be on preorder until May 10th with a limited quantity stocked after that date. We encourage you to order before May 10 to make sure you are able to grab the size and color you want!
My favorite finds from around the web:The woman behind the Kentucky Derby’s most coveted hats: ‘The hat becomes part of you.’ (The Athletic) “Millinery, in fact, is as much a game of numbers as horse racing.” (If you read this profile and wanted to check out the hats, like I did, check out the Christine A. Moore Millinery Instagram account.)
Does all the Kentucky Derby coverage make you want to read more about millinery? Try this YA novel—and past MMD Book Club selection—set in gilded age Atlanta. (MMD)
Cast of ‘Thursday Murder Club’ Film Is Revealed. (Kirkus) What a lineup!
These fabulous Old Navy High-Waisted Linen-Blend Wide-Leg Pants are 40% off right now. (I adore my Anthro cropped linen pants, but you can’t beat the price on the Old Navy ones!) This is also a great dress for the price, in killer prints or an adorable white eyelet.
The Rick Steves guide to life. (Washington Post gift link) “The real Rick Steves is so much more complex than who you see on TV.”
The Great Felicity Reckoning. (Slate) “Felicity, by contrast, feels slightly forgotten, which means the timing is ripe, perhaps even felicitous, for a large-scale discovery and rediscovery.”
12 Mystery Novels Featuring Black, Indigenous, and POC Protagonists. (Electric Literature) Great list.
The Magic of Charlotte Tilbury. (Elle) Fun to learn more about the woman behind the brand. I’m a big fan of Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Sexy Sienna (Sephora) and their Magic Cream moisturizer.
20 backlist reads from your favorite Summer Reading Guide authors. (MMD) What to read while you’re waiting for this summer’s buzziest new releases.
Important Seltzer Update: I tried the Topo Chico Sabores Tangerine Ginger Sparkling Water in Tallahassee and fell in love … but Topo isn’t widely available in my area. Imagine my surprise when I found a great selection at my local Target!
4 tips for dealing with a ferocious allergy season. (Vox) Ferocious is right: this is solid advice.
A Bronx Teacher Asked. Tommy Orange Answered. (New York Times gift link) What an incredible teacher! His students will never forget this day.
15 Pastas Absolutely Perfect for Spring. (Bon Appétit) These sound good!
Why I wrote an AI transparency statement for my book, and think other authors should too. (The Guardian) I hate that this has become necessary but I’m glad people are thinking about it.
Don’t miss these posts:20 backlist favorites from 10 years of the Summer Reading Guide. A little something to whet your appetite as you wait for this year’s Summer Reading Guide.
7 steps to read “hard” books. “Hard” books are the books we want to read but feel intimidated by because of difficult themes or subject matter. These tips will help!
16 page-turning mysteries that aren’t too dark and gloomy. A list of favorite mysteries that fall squarely within the confines of the genre, yet maintain a hopeful tone throughout.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re counting down to Summer Reading Guide Day on May 16! I’m excited to share this year’s selections with you all but today is all about helping you figure out what to read while you’re waiting for this summer’s new releases.
To that end, we’re turning to promising backlist titles by favorite Summer Reading Guide authors. “Backlist” means “not newly published,” as opposed to the “frontlist” titles that fill new release tables. Because backlist books have been out for awhile—typically at least a year—they’re often available in paperback and have much shorter wait times at the library. Always a plus!
Our Summer Reading Guides have featured hundreds of authors over the years so this list could have gone in many different directions. I hope you enjoy this incarnation of it, which features everything from mystery and science fiction to literary fiction and even some nonfiction. And because the time is always right for a good book, these backlist picks don’t expire when the Guide drops on May 16. I hope they serve you well all summer long.
20 backlist reads from your favorite Summer Reading Guide authorsSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Abraham Verghese
While Verghese is known for his fiction, his first book was this memoir about his time working at a rural hospital in eastern Tennessee when they treated their first AIDS patient. He specialized in infectious diseases and became their de facto local AIDS expert as more patients were diagnosed. He and his coworkers focus not only on the patients’ physical needs but their emotional needs and those moments of tenderness and connection make a difference for them all. Verghese is a gifted and gripping storyteller, writing with empathy, compassion, and understanding. More info →Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
If you’re craving a road trip through the English countryside or enjoy stories of upstairs-downstairs dynamics, this Booker Prize winner is for you. Stevens, longtime butler of an English country estate, takes a much-needed vacation to drive through the country and visit friends. Over the course of his trip, he reflects on his past, exposing his quiet and unseen role in history. It’s also fantastic on audiobook, as narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith. More info →Author: R. Eric Thomas
If you love heartfelt, thoughtful memoirs that also make you laugh, then you must try this collection of essays by pop-culture critic R. Eric Thomas. Eric shares stories from childhood to adulthood, detailing his coming-of-age with bracing candor and hilarious honesty. He writes about discovering his identity as a gay man, feeling like an outsider, and finding his voice, all while injecting hilarious pop culture references, bits of wisdom, and his signature wit. While he relays plenty of difficult experiences, his tone is persistently hopeful. I highly recommend the audiobook version, narrated by the author, for full humorous effect. (I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Eric in What Should I Read Next #392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs after the release of his second memoir Congratulations, The Best Is Over!.) More info →Author: Chris Pavone
I read this one in a day because I couldn't wait to find out what happens next. Kate Moore, a working mother, chooses to quit her high-powered job in order to accompany her husband to Luxembourg for his new job. Because she has time to kill, she begins to analyze her current life, and the lives of the handful of people she knows in Luxembourg, through the lens of her old profession. She's shocked by what she finds. More info →Author: Leah Johnson
In this happy, poignant YA novel, Black closeted queer orchestra geek Liz Lighty stays out of the spotlight in her small Indiana town, embracing her wallflower status. She has a plan to escape the Midwest and become a doctor, and it all starts with attending her elite dream college. When her financial aid package falls short, Liz is devastated—until she remembers that her school offers a large scholarship for the prom king and queen each year. Reluctant to subject herself to extra attention but eager to win the prize money, Liz enters the competition for prom queen. The smart and funny new girl in school makes events leading up to prom more bearable, but Mack is also vying for the prom queen title. As Liz develops feelings for her, everything gets complicated. Johnson’s triumphant debut tackles serious issues while also delivering a sweet romance. More info →Author: Nadia Hashimi
In this highly discussable novel, Hashimi tells the stories of two women who are separated by centuries but share nearly identical circumstances. In 2007 Kabul, Rahima takes part in an ancient custom that allows her to leave the house dressed as a boy, affording her the opportunity to go to school and care for her sisters as a firstborn son would. Without the support of their father, this is the best option for Rahima and her family. Little does she know, her great-aunt Shekiba lived in much the same way. I was stunned by Hashimi's storytelling, and moved by the resilience of her characters. More info →Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This jazz-age fairytale is inspired by Mexican folklore. Casiopea Tun spends her days cleaning her wealthy grandfather's home, but she dreams of escaping to start a new life. One day, she opens a strange wooden box in her grandfather's room, unleashing the spirit of the Mayan god of death. He makes her an offer: help him take the throne from his brother who betrayed him and earn the life of your dreams. Casiopea can't resist the allure of adventure, even if failure would surely lead to death. She sets out on a journey that takes her far away from home and into the Mayan underworld. More info →Author: Liane Moriarty
The lives of three Australian women intersect in unexpected ways in this story packed full of secrets. Moriarty addressed dark topics here, but her tone remains light and witty, and she manages to weave in interesting notes—the Berlin wall, the myth of Pandora, the Snow White fairy tale. I loved this on audio as narrated by Caroline Lee; her Australian accent was delightful. More info →Author: Jane Harper
Harper returns to the themes that worked so well in The Dry: a man returns to his tiny hometown to find that neither the community nor his family have forgotten or forgiven his involvement in a past tragedy—and that's before a fresh crime brings painful memories raging back. Much of the story is set in seaside caves that the local teens enjoy exploring—but flood when the tide comes in. A deliciously creepy (and sometimes claustrophobic) tale of buried secrets, family tensions, and life after tragedy. More info →Author: Kate Morton
This Gothic mystery is slow to build but those who persevere will be rewarded. The setting is a crumbling old castle, which contributes to the story's creepy (but not quite scary) feel. The plot flips back and forth between World War II and the 1990s, but not in the way you'd expect. Book editor Edie is drawn into a mystery surrounding her favorite novel, introducing her to the Sisters Blythe who inherited Milderhurst Castle in Kent. Their father wrote the famous children’s storybook The True History of the Mud Man seventy years prior. That story was pure fiction, the girls were told. But was it really? More info →Author: Becky Chambers
Our team is packed with passionate Becky Chambers fans, thanks to the impeccable world-building, memorable characters, and feel-good vibe. In this novella, astronaut Ariadne and her fellow crewmates have a different way of doing things. They subtly transform themselves so they can study other planets and send their findings back to Earth. Each place they visit is an experience all its own and they’re not all welcoming. Still, the crew carries on with their mission, focused on their relationships with each other and what they might learn. More info →Author: Tayari Jones
Set in 1980s Atlanta, this has one of the best opening lines: "My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist." Jones writes about the link between two African-American half sisters, one legitimate and one secret, only one of whom knows the other exists. That is, until the secret of their father's second marriage starts to force its way into the open. Rather than writing back-and-forth between two perspectives, the reader encounters almost all of one sister's point of view in the first half, followed by the other's. The result is an absorbing coming-of-age narrative wrapped in a complicated family novel. (This was the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club November 2020 selection.) More info →Author: Kate Clayborn
With winning characters, a multigenerational found family, and a fun Chicago setting, this romance will make a whole lot of readers happy. Will and Nora live two floors apart from each other, where late night balcony chats bring them closer together—and their clashing plans for the building spark a surprising rivalry. I expected an absorbing plot and engaging characters from this Romeo and Juliet-inspired second-chance love story; I did not expect it to get me right in the feels. (Open door.) More info →Author: Chitra Divakaruni
Divakaruni's first novel tells the story of Tilo, a young Indian girl trained in the magical powers of spices and their blends. She disguises herself in a run-down spice shop in Oakland, California, where she uses her powers to improve the lives of the immigrant Indians who come to her for spices, but her longing to find a love of her own tempts her to leave her magical post in search of her own fate. More info →Author: Jasmine Guillory
Heart, humor, and a key moment at an In-N-Out Burger make this Hollywood romance a fun escape. Ben (Theo’s brother from The Wedding Date) and Anna meet in a conference room, of all places. He’s presenting his marketing agency’s next big ad campaign; she’s the talent appearing in the ads. The connection is instant: he’s starstruck, and she’s smitten. As they get to know each other better during filming, they develop a real connection, and people can’t help but notice how good they look together. So when Anna’s trusted manager encourages her to embark on a fake romance because the publicity will help her land a coveted role in the Vigilantes movie, she says yes—and when they start playing the part of committed boyfriend and girlfriend for the public eye, things get complicated. (Open door.) More info →Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Aviva Grossman, smart, young, and beautiful, lands a prize internship working in a Florida congressman's office. When she has an affair with her boss—and then blogs about it, he emerges unscathed, and she takes the fall. Life as she knew it is over, so she changes her name and moves to Maine. But when she decides to run for public office herself, those long-buried secrets become today's news again. I loved this one because it's simultaneously fun to read and really thought-provoking. (This was the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club October 2017 selection.) More info →Author: Peter Heller
Peter Heller is known for writing fiction but this is his memoir about learning to surf as a forty-something. After taking a few lessons with a buddy, he realizes the only way to really learn is to dedicate serious time to the sport. He and his girlfriend buy a VW bus, press pause on their regular lives, and head to Mexico for a few months in their quest to move from kooks ("beginner surfer," with a derisive spin) to accomplished surfer. I have zero intention of ever surfing myself, but that's fine: this book holds appeal for Heller fiction fans, lovers of nature writing, and those interested in a serious but not humorless exploration of a self-described midlife crisis. More info →Author: Alice Hoffman
This story of sisterly love, magic, and second chances was first published in 1995. Sisters Gillian and Sally have always been outsiders in their Massachusetts town. After all, it’s a fact that everything that goes wrong there is due to the Owens women—and their aunts don’t help matters by leaning into the rumors that they’re witches. Gillian and Sally both try their own versions of escape but their bond inevitably brings them back home. More info →Author: Connie Willis
The first book of the Oxford Time Travel series opens on Kivrin, an Oxford University student and the first woman to travel back to the Middle Ages. Her instructors are part of a group of historians who use time travel for the sole purpose of historical preservation and study. Unfortunately, when Kivrin arrives in the past, she contracts a virus that leaves her delirious for weeks, relying on a medieval family to nurse her back to health. At the same time, her advisor is struck down by a virus, making the whole situation ever more precarious. Within this time travel story is a page-turning mystery, witty humor, and a deeply human story about how we care for others over the course of history. More info →Author: Angie Thomas
I listened to this audiobook on a road trip down to Memphis, and it made the miles fly by. I was engrossed in the story of 15-year-old Brianna, who is confident in her dreams—and has a chance of making them come true—but first has to navigate a whole slew of pitfalls, both the ones forced upon her and the ones of her own making. Bri is an aspiring rapper, and rap battles feature prominently in the plot. For that reason, I'm so glad I listened to this instead of reading it on the page. Bahni Turpin's narration is exceptional. More info → What are your favorite backlist books from past Summer Reading Guides? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. 20 backlist favorites from ten years of the Summer Reading Guide and 15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio.
The post 20 backlist reads from your favorite Summer Reading Guide authors appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest enjoys reading heavy stories that connect her with a wide range of human experiences, but she’d love my help to bring more levity into her reading and reconnect with the joy of her younger reading days.
Natasha Govender, a South African of Indian descent, has loved reading since she was a child, even though books were hard to come by in her youth. These days, Natasha still faces logistical challenges acquiring trending titles, so she tends to re-read her favorites.
Today we keep in mind titles that Natasha will enjoy enough to read again and again. And, we explore the landscape of Brown voices offering stories that feel joyful, celebratory, or just plain fun.
If you have ideas for Natasha, please share those by leaving a comment below.
Connect with Natasha on Instagram.
Bookish merch for your summer adventuresWe’re just a few weeks away from this year’s Summer Reading Guide, and we’ve got a collection of the best bookish merchandise to pair with your summer reading selections. Find cozy t-shirts, book totes that go the distance, and more perfect picks for any reader at our shop.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE BOGEL: Things are evolving, and I hope that's a really good thing for everyone, for the writers and for the readers.
NATASHA GOVENDER: I hope so too. From our lips to publishers' ears.
ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, our Summer Reading Guide is coming May 16th, and we've got a collection of the best bookish merchandise to pair with your summer reading picks. From soft and cozy t-shirts that start a conversation to the best book tote for your library haul, to our new designs for stickers and book darts, our merch shop is full of perfect picks for any reader.
Check out the range of options for yourself or your favorite reader at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. We'll also put a link in our show notes that can be found at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
[00:01:22] Today's guest has historically enjoyed tackling heavy topics and hard books. As the South African of Indian descent, Natasha Govender appreciates how reading real life stories especially from Indian, Middle Eastern and South African authors, help her connect with the human experiences behind the pages.
However, Natasha would love to bring more levity into her reading rotation. She especially wants to discover brown voices writing fantasy, thriller, middle grade, or just lighthearted tales rather than the heavier plots she often encounters.
When Natasha finds a book she loves, she'll often reread it again and again. So today we're looking to see if we can add new titles to Natasha's to-be-read list that she'll not only really connect with, but will love enough to want to reread. We'll also explore the landscape of Brown voices offering stories that feel joyful, celebratory, or just plain fun.
[00:02:19] Natasha works by day as a marine biologist, and do we sneak in a duo of recs strictly because they may hold appeal for her because of her profession? You'll have to listen to find out. But I bet you think you know the answer.
Readers, let's get to it.
Natasha, welcome to the show.
NATASHA: Hey, Anne. I'm very excited to be here talking books with you. I have to vandal a little, even though I promised I wouldn't to my husband because I've been listening to you for at least seven years. I found your podcast in those very, very first weeks as a first-time mom, which is generally a very vulnerable time. And I must say that it really helped me ground myself, find myself, and of course, find great books. I'm sitting here with this giant cup of tea, and I can't wait to do this deep dive into my reading life with you.
[00:03:12] ANNE: Oh, thank you so much, Natasha. I'm so honored to be a part of your life and a part of such a significant transition and humbled that that is tied up with your early parenting years. Thank you.
NATASHA: Oh, no. Definitely. Thank you.
ANNE: Well, I'm excited to talk today. And thank you for being... You and I were just discussing this, but I believe you're our first South African guest. So, thank you for coming on to the show to share your view from where you sit in the world about books and the reading life.
NATASHA: Oh, what a privilege to be here!
ANNE: Oh, I can't wait to hear more. Okay, Natasha, we want to give the readers a glimpse of who you are. Tell us a little bit about where you are in the world and what you're usually up to on a Tuesday morning. Or afternoon, because we don't all listen at the same time.
NATASHA: Yeah, it is afternoon here where I am.
ANNE: You're a quarter turn around the world from where I am in the U.S.
NATASHA: Exactly. So like you've already said, Anne, I'm South African of Indian descent. I live in Durban, which is a coastal city on South Africa's east coast. I thought what I'd do is to paint a picture of where I live for your listeners who may not know Durban, because usually when people speak about South Africa, they'll speak about Cape Town or Johannesburg.
[00:04:24] So I thought, let me give you an idea of Durban just using a quote from an author who grew up in Durban. Her name is Shubnum Khan, and she says, "Durban is a fever dream. The green is so lush, so full of wanting, it seems always to be trying to eat the city alive." I think that's a very apt way to describe my city.
ANNE: Natasha, Shubnum Khan. I was wondering if I might be recommending a Shubnum Khan book to you today, and you just introduced her into the conversation already. I love it. That's a beautiful quote.
NATASHA: It really is. It was actually just something that she had put up as a reel on Instagram and I read it and I was like, Wow, this is so true. This is so true of Durban. It's so green. It's so lush. We've got the warm Mozambican current, which means we've got beautiful beaches, lovely weather. So yeah, very fortunate to be where I am.
I'm a mom of two boys, beautiful boys, seven and four years old, a wife, a marine biologist, and I spend way too much time in front of a computer in an office and too little time at the moment in the salty sea. But it's the current season of life and I'm okay with that.
I obviously love reading. I've loved reading my whole life. And yeah, I think that's me in a nutshell.
[00:05:41] ANNE: Natasha, tell us a little bit about your reading life. What does that look like right now?
NATASHA: All right. So this was the question that I was a little bit more nervous about getting too detailed about, but I'm just going to go for it. When I was little, I did not have access to many books. And now I know, obviously, that it's a reality for the majority of South Africans, people just in general in the Global South. But nevertheless, I read everything we did have.
My aunt was one of the first people in my family to go to university, and she had this giant Webster dictionary, which I would page through. Now, I don't know, Anne, if you've ever seen these huge Webster tomes. In addition to being a dictionary, like a third of the book has just interesting information at the back. So like, information about American presidents, information about famous authors and poems, quotes from books, random sections on science, and the universe, and star constellations. It was the most bizarre thing, but also most lovely for my inquiring mind. So it was one of the books I did have at home.
[00:06:54] I was also lucky that my dad worked in a printing press, and he would sometimes bring home these comic books, mostly Archie and Casper the Friendly Ghost, which I devoured over and over again. Those are my earliest memories of reading.
I think the next major book event for me was when I was in school around six or seven years old, and we had a tiny little library in my primary school, and I picked up Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree, and oh my gosh, I can still conjure that feeling of being transported to another land through story.
I was thinking today, you know, as I was thinking about talking to you, like, do all readers try to recapture that first reading experience? You know, recreating that magic of the first time a book really trapped you? So yeah, that was definitely the book for me.
[00:07:51] As I got older, I'd go to the library and I'd try to find books for myself. You know, as a teen, I went through a major horror phase. I went through also a fantasy phase of reading Anne Rice. I still love a good fantasy series, but I think nowadays I'm kind of your average reader. I will read anything regardless of genre, as long as it's good.
I will say, however, that I don't like overly dramatic young adult books. I think that phase has passed for me. But having said that, I do find myself gravitating to middle-grade fiction. I love the magic there and how stories are generally neatly wrapped up. I also find myself rereading more than ever before.
What I'm also finding at the moment is one of the most amazing things for me is the walls of children's literature, obviously reading to my kids. I never had that growing up, so it's really phenomenal to find these amazing kids' books, share it with them, and I guess in a way also live vicariously through them.
[00:08:56] ANNE: Okay, that's good to hear about your reading life these days. Natasha, I heard you describe yourself as an average reader. I don't know that there's any such thing.
NATASHA: Well, I used to be very much... I don't know whether it's youth. But I just turned 40 just last year, and it's really liberating to just say that I'm not just one way, I'm a whole lot of different ways, and I'm evolving as a person, as a reader. It's awesome the wisdom that comes with age. But I do remember being younger and always wanting to say, "This is me, I read horror," or "this is me, I like fantasy."
I went through all of the fantasy, you know, Steve Erickson. The very high, deep fantacy. I'm not sure what the word is, but you know the ones with maps and tons of conflicting and intertwined stories. But now I would read just about anything. I love even romance. There was a time when I would never even go there.
[00:09:59] When you see the books that I've chosen as books that I love, you'll also see that they're very different. Maybe "average" is not the right word. Perhaps it's more someone who's open to read anything.
ANNE: Oh, I like that description. And I'm excited to hear more. Natasha, are you ready to get into your books?
NATASHA: I am. I am.
ANNE: You know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we will explore titles that you may enjoy reading next. And you have some ideas on what you might like that to look like. We'll talk about that. Right now, tell me how you chose these books to talk about today.
NATASHA: Firstly, I love that you always talk about three books that you love and not necessarily favorites, because as you know, it's impossible to choose favorites. So the three books that I chose as loves were because I felt that they would give you a good idea of the type of reader that I am, even though sometimes I find that this is not something that's fully formed in my own mind, and obviously it's something that evolves. So, Anne, I guess here's your challenge.
[00:11:07] So the first book is Children of Sugarcane by Joanne Joseph. I think I chose this because it speaks to my need to read the quote-unquote "important" books. So I'm not typically someone who goes in for reading those gut-wrenchingly, emotionally taxing books that are probably going to leave me in a puddle of my own tears. You know, reading is an escape, and you'll see that my go-to genres of middle grade or science fiction do offer me that.
However, if one looked into my reading logs, I think one would find it almost overflowing with these heartbreakingly beautiful reads that often traverse that boundary between fact and fiction. So whether it's Anne Frank's diary or Kate Quinn's historical fiction, which is usually set during the World Wars, books like The Hate U Give or Brown Girl Dreaming, books like A Thousand Splendid Suns.
I just feel that it's so important that I'm able to understand the full human experience. For me the best and perhaps least hurtful way to access this is through story and through taking these difficult journeys with fictional characters.
[00:12:22] So Children of Sugarcane is obviously very close to home for me. It tells the story of indentured laborers who left India to move to South Africa in the hopes of a better life. Ultimately, it is the story of how I came to be South African, how I ended up here and not in India, and how Durban came to be the place with the highest population of Indians outside of India.
The story follows Shanti. She's this bright, brave teenager. You know, we see her running through the village, the Indian village that she lives in. It spans two continents, India and Africa, over about 40 years or four decades.
So Shanti, she wants to escape the life of poverty and the caste system, early marriage of young girls in her little Indian village. And she ends up seeking passage to South Africa, hoping for greener pastures. You know, India was colonized by the British and so was South Africa. So she's looking for greener pastures, but what awaits her is actually this harrowing sea voyage, where Indians were treated as subhuman.
[00:13:34] When she lands on this promised land, the shores of Natal in South Africa, she's almost immediately thrust into a life of slavery characterized by violence and by despair. And I know it sounds like such a dark book, but amidst all of this, there's these beautiful friendships, almost life-giving friendships. It's a message of heroism.
I think of many of the women, the Indian women, that came to South Africa that they displayed at the time. And there's this underlying feeling of hope amidst all of this despair.
Obviously, it was a very hard topic for me to read. There's a lot of textbooks out there about indentured laborers, about how Indians came to live in South Africa. And I've never been able to read them because it's just too intense for me because of the atrocities that Indian people experienced at that time, both in India as well as laborers in South Africa.
[00:14:30] However, after reading this book, I felt so grateful to those incredibly brave and incredibly desperate men and women who left India for a better life, because they're essentially responsible for me being where I am today. I honestly believe that I currently live a life of much greater privilege here in South Africa had my great-great-grandparents stayed in India. So yeah, that's Children of Sugarcane, my first book.
ANNE: It's remarkable the way that your personal story intersects with the story in Joanne Joseph's book. I hear you saying it wasn't an easy read, but it was an important one. I'm so glad that book was there for you. Natasha, what's the second book you love?
NATASHA: The next book is The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes. I read somewhere that she always tells people to pronounce her surname like it rhymes with mucus. So Beukes.
ANNE: Something a writer of thrillers and horror can, I think, say.
[00:15:34] NATASHA: So in a nutshell, this is a time-traveling crime novel, sort of a double creep factor of Stephen King's 11/22/63 and maybe Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs. So in this book, we meet Harper Curtis. He's a man who enters a house in Chicago and then exits into another time. The house serves as sort of a time-traveling device in a way with these trinkets, but it gets very creepy.
So he uses this house to travel through time. He meets young and what he calls shining girls when they're still kids and then murders them when they're older. So he's a time-traveling serial killer. He continues his spree for about 60 years until one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives, and she makes it her life mission to piece together the clues of this time-traveling serial murderer to stop him.
[00:16:34] It's a total trip, not for sensitive readers. I really enjoyed it. I loved it because it had the science fiction time-traveling component. It also had this kick-butt female protagonist. It also had this edge-of-your-seat hunt for a serial killer through time.
I chose this book because Lauren Beukes is a South African author, and I love supporting local authors, but also because the story was so different to what I was so used to reading from South African authors. So I'm just going to say Lauren Beukes herself said that she set this book deliberately outside of SA. It's set in Chicago, and she had to do an immense amount of research to understand the setting over the 60-year time span.
But she did it very deliberately because she said that if she did any time-traveling set in South Africa, you would find that it would automatically make the main character of the book apartheid. And I guess it's so much harder to write a pure fantasy or a pure crime novel when you're from parts of the world in which these scars of history are so fresh and sometimes so all-encompassing.
[00:17:45] So I'm so appreciative of the brilliance of this author. It was definitely in my wheelhouse for so many different reasons.
ANNE: That's so interesting. I mean, as a reader who's in the U.S., I find that fascinating, and I imagine that hits very different to you being South African as is the author. Oh, that's fascinating. Something that we're going to be teasing out, Natasha, is you're saying that this book was so creepy, and it's not for sensitive readers, and you really loved it.
And also you've given some indications of what you're looking for in your reading life right now, and this is not a book I ever would have put in front of you. So we're going to talk about that. But first, tell me about the third book you love, please.
NATASHA: My lost love. I would actually say, is one of those books that may even be an all-time favorite read. It's The Swarm by Frank Schätzing. I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that surname correctly. He's German. I think the book may even have been written originally in German and then translated into English, but I'm not certain.
[00:18:47] This is a science fiction novel about a series of catastrophic events that start taking place on earth, all centered around the ocean. I was actually recommended this book when I just started my masters of Science in Marine Biology by a PhD student that I shared a lab with. And I must say that one cannot possibly get a better tale of fiction for a marine biologist. This book has these...
There are rockstar scientists trying to figure out what's going on, who's causing it, what's causing it. There's these U.S. military personnel and SETI personnel that are putting pressure on the scientists to put an end to this. Then there's these sentient marine creatures that appear to be taking revenge on humans who have been slowly destroying their habitats.
The one thing that really sticks out for me about this book is the accurate depiction of the science. I'm going to totally geek out here. There's whole passages in the book about stable isotope analysis, major nerd love, and it's actually a tool I used in my honors research and to see it in the book and in such a masterful way.
[00:20:00] I've actually recommended this book to all my fellow marine biologist friends who have read it, and we all agree that the ending is a little wishy-washy. And then we have these long discussions about how we would change the ending, but we still would buy copies of the book every time we see it in second-hand bookstores, and we still would reread it. It's really that good.
ANNE: That's fascinating. I have to confess I don't know what stable isotope analysis is, but what a way to get an education for the non-marine biologists. Okay, that's high praise.
I love that you kind of hinted at the fact that some of the most just purely joyful conversations we can have about books are picking apart why we didn't like the ending and what we would have done instead.
NATASHA: So true. So true.
ANNE: I'm glad that was a hit for you. I have to tell the U.S. readers that the cover of our edition is also just, mm, it's beautiful. I would pick that up in a bookstore.
NATASHA: Oh, I'm so glad to hear it.
[00:20:59] ANNE: Natasha, tell us about a book that was not right for you.
NATASHA: You know it's hard to pick favorites, but every time someone asks me about a book I don't like, this is the book that comes to my mind every single time.
ANNE: So you're saying that's easier.
NATASHA: So the book that was just not for me is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Like most readers, I went through this phase where I would try to go through all the book lists, the classics, the 100 books to read before you die, and in general, I loved many of the reads. I loved Jane Austen, I loved Thomas Hardy, William Thackeray, all very special to me.
But The Grapes of Wrath just actually filled me with some strong feelings of wrath. Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of the book and the brilliance of the author in being able to give this really vivid, honest portrayal of Dust Bowl America and the Depression. Academically, I can appreciate all that.
[00:21:57] However, this book just weighed me down with its extreme despair. I mean, the Joads, the family in the book, just went from one awful thing to another, to another, right until the end and it just felt so hopeless. I kept thinking and I kept reading it, expecting something to change for the better. And when it didn't, and it just got worse, oh my gosh. I can actually feel my shoulders sinking thinking about it right now.
I tell myself that I should probably read it again. I think I read it in my early 20s, but I always remember that feeling of despair without hope. And yeah, so that's why, just a book not for me.
ANNE: Ooh, Despair without hope. You mentioned with Children of Sugarcane that that was a hard book, but it did have that note of hope. So it sounds like if you're going to go hard places, this is something to keep in mind.
NATASHA: A hundred percent. A hundred percent.
[00:22:56] ANNE: Okay. So I read this for the first time in high school with Mr. Ricketts, junior year, so I would have been 16. This is a book I revisited in my 30s, I think. I mean, it's been a decade at least since I finished it, because I remember what house I was living in, and I know plenty of us date our reading experiences by where we know we were when we read the book. You know, I forgot the ending the first time. I did not forget it the second time.
NATASHA: Oh, no, you wouldn't, especially as a mom.
ANNE: Wow.
NATASHA: Yeah, it's rough.
ANNE: Duly noted. That is helpful to hear. Thank you for sharing it. Natasha, what have you been reading lately?
NATASHA: I know I gave your team a list of a hundred books.
ANNE: Oh, come on, there were only 60.
NATASHA: I'm exaggerating. Okay, so I'm going to try and stick to two, but I think I'm going to sneak one in because I keep talking about this-
[00:23:53] ANNE: They just want to bubble to the surface, don't they?
NATASHA: They really do. Okay, so I'm a big re-reader, and in line with my love of magic and creating these magical moments for my kids, I just reread the Nevermoor Series by Jessica Townsend. It's middle-grade fantasy fiction, which if I had to oversimplify, I would say sort of a mesh of Harry Potter meets Willy Wonka meets maybe the Golden Compass.
ANNE: Oh, that's fun.
NATASHA: Such great world-building and characters that I love. It's a series and apparently, the fourth book's coming out in September-October this year. And you know, as the series progresses, the thing I really loved about it is that it's a lot more than just being black and white or just good and evil. There's some gray, which I really do enjoy. It's a reread for me. I love reading it sort of over Christmas, just after Christmas. It's a really great read.
[00:24:48] Then another book that I just finished that was recommended to me by a very close friend, another one of those important books is Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa. This is a story that follows a Palestinian family through three generations. And it's very timely and speaks to the Israel-Palestine conflict in a very heartbreakingly human way. It's a beautiful read. It broke me. And I still loved it.
Then the book that I'm going to sneak in. So when I received the notes from my submission, I was reminded that when I sent in my submission I had started reading Michael Pollan's Botany of Desire. And I just started listening to it on Audible again. And I just have to say I read a lot of science books, whether it's Richard Feynman or Paul Bryson, and I don't think I've ever read a nonfiction book with such lush and gorgeous writing.
I'm listening on Audible. So I find myself constantly stopping the audio narration to take in these passages. I know that I have to get this book in hard copy to mark up the pages and posted it and underline sentences. It's just so beautifully written.
[00:26:01] It's dealing with this lovely topic about how did plants... you know, have they actually been molding us to their needs? And I'm loving it. So that's my little sneak-in.
ANNE: I read that in the same house. I read The Grapes of Wrath the second time.
NATASHA: Oh, okay.
ANNE: You shared a couple of quotes with us, and yes, I was reminded of how completely lovely the prose was. And knowing your interest in science, I'm not surprised that that was a big hit for you. So thank you for sneaking another one in.
Natasha, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
NATASHA: Anne, I love reading diverse books, supporting local and diverse authors. As a Brown girl, I want to read books with Brown authors featuring Brown characters but I have found that when I pick up books by Indian authors or books by authors of Indian descent, the subject matter tends to be heavy. We're dealing with things like caste, arranged marriages, poverty, the immigrant experience, the impacts of globalization on small communities.
[00:27:05] There are authors that I adore, you know, like Arundhati Roy, Rani Manicka, Khaled Hosseini, Vikram Seth, Shubnum Khan. But the heaviness tends to get on those books. And I do read the heavy books, and I will. And I know that as a creative, you will draw from your lived experience. But I would love to find new-to-me Brown authors with lighter stories, be it fantasy or crime thriller, you name it, you know, just to see myself reflected in these books, but not something that's so intense that's going to leave me broken for a few days and having to recover from the subject matter.
I think I also mentioned that I am rereading more and more these days. I really do struggle with picking books off shelves. I've had some misses lately and I would love to have some help in finding my next reread even.
ANNE: Okay, that sounds good. Thank you for sharing that. I just want to say that from where I sit as a White girl and also one who has the privilege of talking to a wide variety of readers seeking to find books that feel good to them at the point in their life they are at right now, I feel like I hear versions of the request that you're making today so often.
[00:28:25] Like, "I want to read books by authors like me," or, no matter who's doing the asking, "by authors of color, and also I don't want them to be pure devastation. I don't want them to be traumatic. Like, I'm looking for joyful stories that also center diverse voices." I really appreciate you asking that and asking that here.
Natasha, knowing that you were coming to the show as a South African reader, I did so much perusing of the vast wealth of South African literature. And there are so many beautiful, worthwhile, just fantastic novels and so many of them are not what you're looking for right now for the reasons you said.
NATASHA: Exactly. There really are such lovely authors, and there's so many new authors coming up. I love that the bookish life in South Africa is changing a little bit. But yeah, like you said, you know, not what I'm looking for right now.
[00:29:27] I think it's so interesting also, Anne, that... you mentioned that this is a request you're getting from a lot of readers. You know, globally, we've just gone through some really rough times and I think even at the moment, things are kind of hard out there. So maybe people are seeking this escapist fiction, but still wanting to remain true to who they are, or wanting to hear diverse voices in the books that they read.
ANNE: Yes, that resonates. Also, I'm so grateful that this request is being made so often, and is being made publicly in a way that publishers can hear, because we can only read the books that are actually out there on the shelves available to us.
I am ever hopeful that we will see increasing numbers of stories being published by, particularly as we're discussing today, Brown and Black voices, that do have those joyful plots.
I am ever hopeful that we are seeing and will continue to see at an increasing rate more stories like you are seeking by authors of color. That's not something that's been published with great regularity in the past, but I do think things are changing, not as quickly as we'd like.
[00:30:43] But readers, your voice really matters. When you tell publishers, hey, this is what I wish that I could have more of, it feels like the response can be really slow. But things are evolving. I hope that's a really good thing for everyone, for the writers, and for the readers.
NATASHA: I hope so too. From our lips to publishers' ears, Anne.
ANNE: Exactly. Now, Natasha, you mentioned early on in our conversation that when you were little, you didn't have access to tons of books, and that that's a reality for a majority of South Africans. Now, I'm taking in mind that easy accessibility for you, as we're talking about titles you may enjoy reading next, but also, purely for my own sake, I would love to hear more about what your experience is today, what you see the landscape in South Africa looking like for you and also for your fellow South African readers. Could you speak to that?
NATASHA: Oh, 100%, Anne, I'd love to. I think in South Africa or many countries like South Africa and the Global South, the access to books, to literacy, to reading for enjoyment, it's not something that is very widespread.
[00:32:04] Things are changing. When I grew up, when I was little, we wouldn't even go to bookstores, the prices of books would be exorbitant. My parents did the best they did, but it was always about just struggling to meet ends meet, and we never would just buy books to have a bookshelf at home.
I think things are changing at the moment just a little bit, but a lot of the content that I am buying is obviously from the US or from Europe. I think when you recommend books, Anne, or when other podcasters, or if I'm reading about new books coming out, it would be very difficult for me to just go into a bookstore and buy those books because the price would be quite high. So I would shelf them and wait, or maybe hopefully find them in a secondhand bookstore.
Another thing is that I love listening to your listeners or your guests talk about, you know, putting books on hold in libraries. I remember one reader had like 150 books on hold and I thought that was amazing. But we haven't yet gotten to a place where our libraries are that well-resourced either.
[00:33:17] So our libraries are obviously part of our local government system for the most part, and they are very under-resourced. These kind of librarian characters from books, you know, when you go into a library, you're going to have somebody really passionate about talking about books, whether you're a kid or an adult, and recommending books. I personally haven't found that.
I think our libraries are still very administrative-heavy. So your librarian isn't somebody who is super passionate about books in many instances. It's mostly I'm just going to be stamping books in and out and, you know, taking fines from you if you've not given the books in on time.
Like I said, I mean, I'm just speaking about my experiences. Perhaps in other provinces in South Africa, things may be a little bit different. You may find one gem of a librarian somewhere. I have yet to experience that. I think for the most part, that's not something that is very easily accessible. So getting new books in our libraries isn't something that we will easily be able to have access to.
[00:34:25] There are a lot of franchise, two big franchise bookstores, but not many indie or boutique bookstores around. But hopefully... I have seen in very, very recent months, I mean, I'm literally saying like over the last six months, that there has been a number of new bookstores opening up. I think, and I've noticed that with things like Bookstagram and BookTok, books are definitely getting a revival.
Just in South Africa in general, there's a huge drive towards increasing childhood literacy. I think our stats, I mean, I don't have them offhand, but our stats for kids that just read for enjoyment or adults that read to kids was abysmal. And now there are whole programs that are working on changing that, on exposing kids, little kids to picture books, to books in their own languages so that they are exposed to the wonder of reading.
[00:35:27] So there is a little bit of a shift happening. It is going slowly, but I do feel that there is hope. I hope I've answered your question, Anne. Do you have anything else that you want to ask me?
ANNE: Just a very pragmatic one. Are you a library user? Is that a place you might look to find the books that you know that you want to read or to find books you didn't know you wanted to read but that you end up reading next?
NATASHA: Not at all. So I'm going to give you a sense of some of the libraries that I have around me still have like the Encyclopedia Britannica. So we're talking about really outdated books. I think a lot of the books are donated. So I wouldn't necessarily go to a library to find hot off-the-press books. I do have a library card, but I haven't used it to get a book for myself.
ANNE: Okay, that's good to know. As I'm thinking about what you may want to read next, I don't want to tell you about a book where you're like, Yes, Anne, that sounds perfect and I absolutely cannot find a copy. That's not a situation we want to end up in.
[00:36:29] NATASHA: I will say though, you know, I am speaking from a point of privilege and just where I am. I do have Audible. I have an Audible subscription. I do have a Kindle subscription and I do some online shopping for books. So, for me personally, I think access to books may not be as big a problem as maybe the general populace, but yeah.
ANNE: Duly noted. Natasha, let's go back and remember your books. You loved Children of Sugarcane by Joanne Joseph, The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, and The Swarm by Frank Schätzing. And yes, I thought your German pronunciation was quite good.
Not right for you was The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. And recently you've been reading the Nevermoor series, Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa, and The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan, along with a whole bunch of other titles that really do, listeners, prove out what Natasha said about being not an average reader, but an open one right now. There was just a lot of variety in what you've been reading lately, which was really fun to see.
[00:37:37] And we're remembering you have a history with horror. You love fantasy. You're loving middle grade right now. You don't want anything that feels brutal or unrelentingly heavy. And you do love to support your local South African authors when you're able to do so. And thank you for highlighting some of those titles today.
I've got some titles for you. Natasha, you started by quoting Shubnum Khan. Have you read The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years yet?
NATASHA: I haven't. I haven't. It is definitely on my TBR. She has been doing some book launches, and I've missed every single one of them because of my extremely busy life. But I'm very much looking forward to reading it. I must say, though, Anne, I'm a little bit nervous about it because, you know, I don't read the backs of books or like to read too much into a book. I am nervous about it being something that might be a little bit hot, tuggy, but maybe you can tell me.
[00:38:40] ANNE: Yes. I think that's well-founded. Now, I don't think it's at all out of character with some of the books you've really loved, but that doesn't mean it's what you're looking for right now. I thought we needed to talk about it.
So listeners, let me tell you, this book was just published in early 2024 by the South African author Shubnum Khan. It's appealing to a lot of readers because it combines genres in a really interesting way. It's a ghost story, a love story, a coming-of-age tale, a mystery, and it's all set in South Africa that Khan knows intimately.
The setting is a once-lavish estate that has long since been subdivided into apartments, and this house itself is not happy about it. And it's making its displeasure known with things like the utilities have become unreliable, and there are strange malfunctions with the workings of the home.
But then, this young 15-year-old girl moves in with her father, and she has a history with ghosts. And unlike others who have come into the house, she's not scared. She is curious and wants to figure out what's the story here.
[00:39:52] Then, conveniently, she finds a diary kept by a long-ago occupant of the house and has the tools to work out the truth. Khan shows us, in alternating timelines, what did happen there long ago and what's going to happen with the 15-year-old and her father in the house in the present day.
So, yeah, I do think this is heart-tuggy. You may really enjoy it. How about readers who enjoy it? I think will really find the cast of eclectic characters to be heartwarming. They'll be pulled in by the mystery. It is a really tender coming-of-age story.
There is ultimately hope and redemption at the end. But if heart-tuggy is not what you're going for right now, I... Natasha, it's up to you. What do you think?
NATASHA: Anne, you make it sound so compelling. I don't know if you know that it's got a different title where I'm from.
ANNE: Oh, what is it, please?
NATASHA: It's called The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil.
[00:40:52] ANNE: Oh no, I did not know that.
NATASHA: Which is actually the name of this house. I mean, the title in the U.S. is beautiful too, you know, and the cover's beautiful. It's this lush sort of turquoise and orange and pink leaves of, I'm guessing kind of like strelitzia or banana leaves. It's beautiful. But you make it sound really compelling. In fact, I think I want to just like get it right now.
ANNE: That is your choice. Also heartbreak and loss, just saying.
NATASHA: I can do it though. I can do it. I'll do it.
ANNE: We're going to give you options though. I'm wondering if it might be easier for... well, you have Audible, you have Kindle. And also I'm thinking that perhaps there's something to be said for books that have won important awards and have become bestsellers if they may be more accessible to many of our international readers.
[00:41:49] An author I'd like to put on your radar, not all their works, because some of their works are really, really tough. But some of their works. I'm thinking of P. Djèlí Clark. Have you read anything by this American author?
NATASHA: I don't think I've ever heard of this author.
ANNE: Well, I'm not sad to make the introduction. Thank you for allowing me that privilege. He's written some incredibly moving tough stuff, like Ring Shout. But he's also read things that are fun. Like I remember one reviewer caught the book we're about to talk about a zippy, wonderful, romp that's just extremely inventive and creative and fantastical and wonderful.
So we just talked about The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years, though it does have a different title in South Africa, The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil, which I'd prefer to go with here because recommending two books with the word Djinn in a row is just... when does that happen? Never. That never happens.
[00:42:46] But Clark does have this cluster of books he's written that are known as the Dead Djinn Universe, though they're also called the Ministry of Alchemy series. This consists of three novellas and a novel. I'm recommending you jump in, not with the first book, but with The Haunting of Tram Car 015. I think you'll find it enticing. It's eerie. It's a book that's spooky, but it's not scary. Remember zippy, wonderful, romp.
What happens here is... well, first of all, it's set in an alternate early 20th century Cairo. I think it might be like 1910, 1912. What happens is Cairo's Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities receives a report that a tram car is haunted. And that may seem like whoa to us, but this is just totally mundane to the ministry, all in a day's work.
So they respond by sending this odd couple partnership, a senior agent and his newbie partner, to investigate. I think it can be a lot of fun. This is a novella. It's a great place to jump in. Readers who read, like Shannan on our team, and have really related to what she's shared about her fantasy journey, this is a favorite author of hers and a favorite book.
[00:44:08] I think this is a great place to start. It's a novella. It's short. If you like it, there's a lot more waiting for you in the Ministry of Alchemy series and other works by Clark that I would encourage you to take a look at. Email me, Natasha, before jumping in, because like I said, some of them are not what you're looking to read right now in tone. But this one, I think this one could be a good fit for you right now. What do you think?
NATASHA: It sounds very exciting. It almost makes me think, and maybe I'm completely off the mark, but it makes me think of Jasper Fforde a little bit, that kind of rumpy kind of vibe. So yeah, it sounds very exciting.
ANNE: I think those books would have a lot of fun in conversation with each other.
NATASHA: Oh, nice.
ANNE: Yeah, I like that. Okay, where do we want to go next? What do you think about a middle-grade series?
NATASHA: I am 100% in for middle-grade series. I never thought I'd ever say that.
[00:45:10] ANNE: You know, life takes us places we don't expect and our reading life just comes right along. Okay, I'm thinking of the Pandava series by Roshani Chokshi. Many readers may know her by her works for older readers. Like she's the author of The Gilded Wolves but she also has this long-running and now complete series. There are five books total. The last one was published in the U.S. in 2022. This is not a retelling exactly, but it's more of a reimagining of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata.
In Chokshi's form, we meet a 12-year-old girl. Her name is Aru Shah from the title, and she lives with her mom in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture in Atlanta. And she has great adventures. We get to meet the family as it expands in the subsequent installments.
These kids go through really hard things, but also there's just lots of, oh, adventures and a little bit of hijinks. She's really focused on... you've used the word friendship a couple times when talking about the books you love. It's about family and friendship and coming into your own as a young person.
[00:46:35] There's lots of layers here. And it's funny. And you get this lens into Hindu cosmology that's very hospitable for those not familiar with it and that feels seen, so I hear from those who are more familiar with Chokshi's source material. I think this could be a really enjoyable series in all the ways that you mentioned middle grade was fulfilling the needs that you have in your reading life right now. How does that sound to you?
NATASHA: Anne, I think that sounds amazing. Just the fact that there's a female protagonist, that it's middle grade and the series is complete, so I'm not going to be waiting around for the next book.
ANNE: Oh gosh, that's relatable.
NATASHA: And Hindu deities. This really does sound good. It sounds very familiar the word Aru Shah. And I must admit that for some reason I thought it was YA and I thought it was going to be a little bit too icky. But you said funny, you said magical. I love the fact that, you know, there's a family where I think... did you mention that the mom's an academic or she works in a museum?
ANNE: I think that's a fair description.
[00:47:50] NATASHA: So yeah, I'm very excited. That sounds really good. I'm surprised I haven't looked into this before this.
ANNE: Natasha, you're not wrong in that she's written YA, and I'm glad that you could find this middle-grade series today. All right, can we close with two books for the marine biology interested reader in you?
NATASHA: Oh, yes, definitely. I want to go eek.
ANNE: The first is one that we've talked about the podcast early and often that Brenna first put on my radar and that I know that many of you grabbed a hold of and really, really loved. So maybe you know it. Maybe you've read it, Natasha. But I'm thinking of Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. Is this one you're familiar with? Mermaids, but make it horror?
NATASHA: Not even a little bit. Did you just say mermaids and horror?
ANNE: I did. I did.
NATASHA: That sounds awesome.
[00:48:42] ANNE: So readers, you may know I'm a scaredy cat and I still love this book. Will made fun of me because there was one moment where I was sitting on the couch reading and I went, Uuuh, like out loud. But I really enjoyed it.
The premise of this book is for reasons a research expedition embarks on a voyage to the Mariana Trench in search of mermaids. They are rumored to be real. This expedition is following in the path of a doomed expedition from many years before, where there's some really weird video footage, because they were shooting a documentary or something like that, and nobody could make sense of the footage. Like it looks made up. But everybody died on board that expedition, and now they're seeking a do-over.
So these mermaids are better known as sirens in this story. Some of the researchers on board believe with their whole heart that these mermaids are real, even though most of their scientific peers are like, what are you talking about? But even the skeptical are willing to see where this series goes.
[00:49:42] So a huge swath of the scientific community set sail on this voyage. And what happens is they discover, everyone discovers, oh, that these mermaids are very real. They are terrifying. They are after this boat and want to take it down.
It's exciting and creepy and creative and just a wild ride. I don't know that you're going to have any isotope analysis. I feel like I'm missing a word in that phrase in this book. But you know, you're not going to be like, Oh, just like on my job. Or at least Natasha, I really hope you don't read this and thinking, That's exactly like what I do at work. How does that sound to you?
NATASHA: I want to say wow, I really do. For so many reasons. I love everything about hydrothermal vents and the Marianas Trench and Mermaids. This sounds really good.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. And we have been talking primarily about books by Black and Brown authors. That is an exception, The Mermaid Book. But you mentioned that you were reading romance sometimes, which is not a place you saw yourself going. But readers, we have a Summer Reading Guide spoiler alert here. This book doesn't come out till August. It will be in the Summer Reading Guide. It's called Second Tide's the Charm by Chandra Blumberg.
[00:50:58] This is a sweet, chaste, low-angst love story about two marine biologists who share a passion for their work, which is specifically focused on sharks, who are meant to be together, but life and their professional ambitions that neither, especially the woman Hope, did not wish to compromise on. They got in the way, but three years later their love of sharks brings them back together.
As a reader, you get to hear about the sharks. I felt compelled to Google all the sharks. They talked about how terrifying goblin sharks are and I Googled them and I was like, yes, I see your point. That is a really scary photo. It seems like somebody made that up and that is not real.
But they're out on the boat, they're doing their research, Adrienne has found a way to educate and entertain would-be science and nature enthusiasts everywhere with his YouTube channel content about sharks. So you get to go on the boat with them as they're, you know, falling in love again and sharing their love of sharks with the masses.
[00:52:11] This is not down and dirty in the details of the profession, but I'm not sure that I've ever encountered a romance that revolved around marine biology before, and I love to learn in that way. I love stories of people at work. Maybe you'll want to take a chance on this. What do you think, Natasha?
NATASHA: Yeah, definitely something different to what I would normally pick up. But you know I like trying new things, so yeah. And bonus, sharks.
ANNE: It is purely the marine biology that makes me want to put this on your radar, but truly for a story that feels calm and dependable, and you know they're going to get their happy ending. That is the deal that Chandra Bloomberg is making with you when you pick up this book. If that's what you need in your reading life, that's what you're going to get.
NATASHA: I am all for happy endings, Anne, so it's gonna go down on my TBR.
ANNE: I think I'm happy to hear that. Natasha, we talked about a lot of books today, so I'm curious to hear what you think you may read next. Of course, we just finished with Second Tide's the Charm by Chandra Bloomberg. That doesn't come out till August, so I imagine that's not next.
[00:53:21] But we also discussed The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan. We talked about P. Djèlí Clark's Dead Djinn Universe, specifically The Haunting of Tram Car 015. We talked about Aru Shah and The End of Time, the series opener from Roshani Chokshi. We talked about the terrifying mermaids from Mira Grant in Into the Drowning Deep. Of those five titles, what do you think you may read next?
NATASHA: I think I'm going to go with the Mermaids in Horror. I think I'm going to do it.
ANNE: Really? Okay.
NATASHA: I know, I know. I'm surprised as well because I thought I was going to say the Pandava series because I love a good series and this looks so good. But perhaps the Mermaids and horror first because I kind of feel like I want to go back to my horror roots.
ANNE: I did not see that coming, but I'm really glad that you slipped that one in there. Okay, Natasha, I'll be excited to hear what you choose to pick up and also how the mermaids work out for you. This has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
NATASHA: Thank you so much for having me, Anne.
[00:54:31] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Natasha, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Natasha on Instagram @TeaTalesandTomes. We've included that link along with, as always, the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Sign up for our email list, and we will send out updates on the show, our new merch, everything you need to know. This is the best way to stay in the loop for those exciting announcements, like our Summer Reading Guide release date. Subscribe now at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
You're also invited to follow us on Instagram. Our show's page is @WhatShouldIReadNext, where we share peeks each week at our episode and other bookish happenings.
Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribing to our show in your favorite podcast player means you'll never miss an episode.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:
• The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
• Anne Rice (try Interview with the Vampire)
• Steven Erikson (try Garden of the Moon)
Children of Sugarcane by Joanne Joseph
• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• Kate Quinn (try The Rose Code)
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
• 11/22/63 by Stephen King
• The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
The Swarm by Frank Schätzing
▵ The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend (#1: The Trials of Morrigan Crow)
• Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
• The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan
• Arundhati Roy (try The God of Small Things)
• Rani Manicka (try The Rice Mother)
• Vikram Seth (try A Suitable Boy)
• The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan
• Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
• Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark (The Ministry of Alchemy series)
• Jasper Fforde (try The Eyre Affair)
• The Pandava series by Roshani Chokshi (#1: Aru Shah and the End of Time)
• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
• Second Tide’s the Charm by Chandra Blumberg
Also mentioned:After recording today’s conversation with Natasha, we recalled that we have had another reader from South Africa on the show! It was too late to add this note to the audio for today’s episode, but we wanted to include it here for all of you that might enjoy listening in. Find that conversation in Episode 226: Dig in to a feast for your literary senses.
The post Recreating the magic of your first reading experience appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Good morning from Thomasville, Georgia, and happy Independent Bookstore Day weekend! We had a wonderful time at The Bookshelf last night with owner Annie B. Jones and her bookstore staff. (A special hello to those of you there!) Today I’m heading over to Tallahassee for Word of South festival of literature and music. It’s my first time at this renowned event and I can’t wait to experience it for myself—and meet you there! My events are on Sunday, April 27: I’m recording a live What Should I Read Next? episode with my special guests and interviewing Lauren Groff for her keynote appearance. (What should I ask her?)
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
A quick update:We want you to know how things work around here, and to that end: we’ve enabled comment moderation for all comments on MMD, which is a change from our previous settings. We want you to know what to expect, and thank you for your patience while my team and I manually approve comments, which we do regularly during our business hours.
There wasn’t any specific event that precipitated this. I’ve been contemplating making this change for actual years. Because of both the increasingly sneaky AI comments and the (very small) number of human comments that we would not choose to approve for our site, I began to notice my anxiety zooming whenever I sat down to review comments—even though I knew 99.9% of them would be kind, compassionate, intelligent, even thoughtfully and respectfully critical. We welcome all these kinds of comments, but the remaining .1% contains words we don’t want to host here. This has been a rough season for me, I am not my best and most resilient self, and putting boundaries around this very small thing helps.
Thanks for reading, thanks for understanding, and thank you truly for your comments in this space. Your words are one of my very favorite things about blogging. I’m grateful for them—and for you.
My favorite finds from around the web:Why Does Every Famous Woman Have a Book Club Now? (The Cut) “Though Preiss seems likely to be doing much of the legwork here, the whole enterprise has had the effect of making Roberts seem like more of a serious actress and less like Julia Roberts’s niece.”
The most epic Met Gala dresses of all time. (UK Glamour) I love a good red carpet round-up!
In Which We Buy a Bookstore. (The Courage to Live It Substack) Exciting news from Shawn Smucker! I look forward to visiting Nooks in Lancaster, PA someday.
When our team member Brigid shared the link I could not hit “buy” fast enough on this Old Navy book club tee!
Quinta Brunson Can Do ‘Any Type of Television.’ With Her Platform, She’s Planning to Try. (ELLE) I love everything about this.
15 audiobooks I’ve enjoyed lately: literary fiction and love stories. (MMD) An assortment of great audiobook listens.
Welcome to Scam World. (New York Times gift link) “Should you click the link? Pick up that call? Pursue that job opportunity? Is the person who texted you ‘hey’ just now from a number you don’t recognize someone you actually know? Welcome to Scam World, the seedy layer just beneath the world we live in every day.”
Contemporary Literary Novels Are Haunted by the Absence of Money. (Literary Hub) “In Jane Austen’s day, the size of a man’s income was a source of open discussion—this is no longer the case.”
This Washable Stretch Silk Tiered Maxi Dress from Quince (with pockets!) has been a real wardrobe hero this season. (I’m 5’9″ and the medium fits great.)
How to Pack the Ultimate Carry-On Bag of Airplane Snacks. (Food52) This is impressive. Although fellow passengers may appreciate if you eat a couple of the suggestions before you get on the plane.
Eight Cookbooks Worth Reading Cover to Cover. (The Atlantic) I’ve read and loved half of these.
9 Things You Might Regret Tossing Out the Next Time You Tidy Up. (Martha Stewart) Gulp.
On that note: Lean into spring cleaning with these favorite home organization tools. (MMD) Just a few of my tried-and-true (and blessedly inexpensive) favorites.
My Relentless Journey to Find the Perfect White Tee. (The Strategist) Taking notes. I just reordered some of these favorite American Giant slub tees myself. (It looks like the code DARCY still works for 20% off your first order.)
Don’t miss these posts:8 calming nonfiction books to read when you’re stressed. These titles will help you slow down, breathe deep, and take a well-deserved reading break.
Every bookstore has its own personality. Spreading the love for Independent Bookstore Day.
Give your reading life a quick boost with these 21 short and satisfying novels. When your attention span is short or your reading life feels lackluster, try a novella! It might just be the pick-me-up your reading life needs.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This spring has been more than a little chaotic, and when I’m feeling overwhelmed I find great comfort in tidying up. I want to be clear: I’m not talking about any kind of serious organizing. I’m talking about cleaning up the mess I allowed to accumulate when I was feeling too busy to put anything away! Reshelving things where they actually belong in the pantry, clearing the books off the kitchen counters, reestablishing order in my makeup drawer: this is what I’m talking about.
Organization doesn’t come easy to me, so once I find a tool, trick, or system I love, I tend to stick with it for a long time. One of the reasons that it’s straightforward to restore order* when things get out of hand is that at this point in my life I DO have systems in place, so it’s not a question of figuring out what to do—it’s a question of doing it. On that note, and particularly with spring cleaning in mind, today I’m sharing some of my favorite tried-and-true (and blessedly inexpensive) home organization tools that help keep things feeling peaceful and calm around here. They’re small, low-tech, and completely invaluable.
TurntablesI use turntables in multiple rooms of the house: bathroom, pantry, office (for pens and such), and laundry room. They are gold and I love them and I wish I started using them thirty years ago.
In 2020 I organized our cabinets that hold spices, sweeteners, oils and vinegars, and baking supplies using inexpensive 10″ Lazy Susans, which were handy but left prime pantry space unused. After taking stock of our needs I switched out those 10″ Lazy Susans for the biggest ones the cabinets could hold: these 11″ shallow Everything Organizer turntables from The Container Store. One inch may not sound like a big difference, but this swap scored me a bonus 16 square inches in storage space! (Basically: it’s pizza math.) Having this extra space to organize the kitchen items we reach for the most is MAGIC.
I repurposed those 10″ Lazy Susans for other spaces. I’m especially loving the one in the laundry room, which perfectly fills its shelf there and now holds specialty detergents and stain removal solvents and tools like laundry brushes. It makes this laundry nerd so happy!
Modular Organizers and BoxesWhen I was looking for a certain cleaner under the sink last fall, I realized that we had all kinds of good stuff lurking in the depths of the cabinets. For me, out of sight is out of mind, and I really wanted to reposition those household goods in such a way that I could SEE them. Luckily, I had just stocked up on these nifty little Target organizing bins. I had had an entirely different purpose in mind when I bought them, but they are PERFECT under the sink: bright white (so the contents are easily visible), inexpensive, modular, and easy to clean. I’m employing a variety of sizes under the sink for our household needs, sorted into categories like housecleaning, dish cleaning, miscellaneous solvents and stain removers, and houseplant needs. (Yes, really!)
I use the little modular organizational things EVERYWHERE. I have both nice lucite versions from Target and The Container Store, plus inexpensive white plastic ones (from the same two places). Makeup boxes and electronics boxes make good temporary dividers when I’m trying to figure out what size I want to get for a more permanent option. (Does anyone else remember how in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo wrote about her affinity for Apple boxes as drawer organizer? This blew my mind when I first read it!)
I attach little handwritten labels to many of these boxes and organizers to make it even easier to put things away. (See below!)
Zippy velcro tiesVelcro ties help keep everything tidy in my drawers. They mostly wrangle cords which is not a big lift but in doing so, they transform a jumbled drawer into an orderly storage space, and make my suitcase organization much tidier.
Bag clipsOur chip clips tend to disappear (sometimes because my youngest seizes them as a fort-making tool) so I got online and searched for good options. I’m really happy with these versatile Swedish bag clips, even though they’re different from the clothespin-style we used for years. And since they’re NOT good for fort-building, I can always find one in the drawer when I need one.
Index CardsIndex cards are an all-around hero in my house. I use them for my writing projects, note-taking, and determining Summer Reading Guide categories. I also cut them into small pieces (because I always have one handy) to label things.
What are your favorite home organization tools? Please share in the comments.
*One major exception: THE BOOKS. The books are all chaos and confusion right now. I think another ten shelves will solve the problem; if you have more reasonable ideas please tell me in comments!
P.S. One helpful piece of organizing (and life) advice and One reader’s quest for the perfect bookshelf.
The post Lean into spring cleaning with these favorite home organization tools appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love a good audiobook, and yet sometimes it’s so hard to choose what to listen to next! I can’t be the only reader in this position, and with that in mind, today I’m once again sharing a plethora of recent books that I read in the audiobook format.
I noticed that the vast majority of my recent reads fell into two categories: literary fiction and love stories. I thought it might be fun to focus my round-up on these two loose genres for easy browsing.
Some of these books have previously appeared on the blog (usually in Quick Lit); some are appearing for the first time. My hope is that these audiobook round-ups can be good resources for finding your next audiobook when it’s time to see what’s on Libby or spend a new credit.
Speaking of audiobook credits: I listen to my borrowed audiobooks on Libby and most of my purchased ones through Libro.fm, who’s running a great sale for this weekend’s Independent Bookstore Day. When you sign up for a new monthly membership with the code SWITCH, you get two bonus audiobooks. That means you’ll have three audiobook credits to redeem from the start. Use this link to get started.
Libro.fm has a ton of great audiobooks on sale for IBD week, and you don’t have to be a member to get the deal. To highlight a few of my favorites on sale for $5 or less right now (plus one of Will’s favorites, can you tell which is which?):
- The Postcard by Anne Berest
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
- All the Sinners* Bleed*** by S.A. Cosby
- The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
- Sing, Unburied,* Sing*** by Jesmyn Ward
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments!), and I look forward to browsing your recent audiobook favorites below. Thanks in advance for your recommendations: they’re extremely helpful when it comes to choosing my next listen!
Audiobook roundup: recent literary fiction reads I've been meaning to read this novel in short stories, centered around the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for ages! Coulson worked at the Met for decades, holding a variety of positions, and her stories take us behind the scenes of the museum. Sometimes the stories feel extremely down-to-earth for such a lofty place; sometimes they're downright surreal, like the story told from the perspective of an 18th-century French chair who wishes someone would come sit in it. I liked this one, though I did wonder if I might enjoy it better in print, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as her inventive sophomore novel One Woman Show. Narrated by Jill Eikenberry. 4 hrs 29 mins. More info →Author: Nathan Hill
I've checked Hill's debut out of the library a few times over the years—and returned it un-read—but finally got around to it after reading and enjoying his sophomore novel Wellness last fall. The Nix is similarly long (at 640 pages) and sweeping in scope, spanning decades and unfurling the life stories of several generations of one midwestern family. The story begins in 2011, when Samuel Andresen-Anderson suddenly finds himself embroiled in professional scandal, and almost simultaneously discovers his long-absent mother, who left the family when he was a child, is headline news for throwing rocks at a presidential candidate. We go on to examine the long road that led to her decision to leave the family, her childhood, even the family's roots back in Norway, where the myth of the Nix—a spirit that follows you for life—originated. I'm glad I finally read this but the blend of family saga and satire didn't work as well for me here as it did in Wellness. Heads up for multiple content warnings that are not evident from the publisher's description. Narrated by Ari Fliakos; 21 hrs 42 mins. More info →Author: Hernan Diaz
I strongly considered including this May 2022 novel—and Pulitzer Prize winner—on my favorite audiobooks of 2023 list! This multi-layered story is told in four distinct parts, each one subtly—or, in the case of the final section, not so subtly—changing the meaning of what came before, and each with its own narrator. Part I is a biographical novel based on the life of an infamous Wall Street trader. Part II, an unfinished draft of the autobiography the trader began writing, with the help of a ghostwriter, to "correct" the novel's portrayal of his life. Part III is from the point of view of that ghostwriter, and Part IV ... no spoilers, but it blows the lid off the whole thing. Structure nerds like myself will find much to appreciate here. Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò, and Orlagh Cassidy; 10 hrs 21 mins. More info →Author: Lily Brooks-Dalton
This adroit sophomore novel from Good Morning, Midnight author Brooks-Dalton is a notable addition to the growing canon of dystopian climate change fiction. Wanda takes her name from the powerful hurricane that swept across southeastern Florida on the day she was born: to Floridians, her name has always been synonymous with death and destruction, and the storm visited both upon her family. As Wanda grows up, Florida's landscape grows ever more precarious, and Wanda learns what it means to survive as one epoch of human history comes to an end and another begins, always with the help of her older survivalist neighbor Phyllis. I found myself rooting for Wanda as she sought love and safety, found improbable ways forward, and struggled to come to terms with her world as it is now. This Audiofile Earphones Award winner is narrated by Rosemary Benson; 11 hrs 19 mins. More info →Author: Xochitl Gonzalez
I loved this so much we're reading it in MMD Book Club this July! This January 2022 release features Olga, a Puerto Rican Brooklynite who works as a wedding planner to the ultra-rich—those who might think nothing of spending seven figures on a wedding. The juicy wedding details made for fascinating reading (and are rooted in Gonzales's real-life experience), but the emotional heart of this story lies with Olga's family of origin: their revolutionary father was a heroin addict who died years ago of complications from AIDS; their mother abandoned the pair when they were young so she could fight for Puerto Rican independence. Now 40, Olga finds herself restless with the life she's leading, her brother feels trapped for his own reasons, and the two find themselves torn between the success they've found and the ideals with which they were raised. This is a story about finding love and healing, breaking free from past hurts, and also very much about the past and present of Puerto Rico, with a particularly satisfying ending. Narrated by Almarie Guerra, Inés del Castillo, and Armando Riesco; 11 hrs 42 mins. More info →Author: Amanda Peters
Debut novelist Peters draws on her father's childhood memories of berry picking to weave this heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful tale. The story begins in 1960s Maine, where an indigenous family has come from Nova Scotia to pick berries as they do every summer. But their lives are irrevocably changed when 4-year-old Ruthie disappears from the edge of the berry field; her 6-year-old brother Joe was the last one to see her, and he will carry guilt over his disappearance for the rest of his life. The story is narrated in turn by an adult Joe and a New England woman named Norma, whose childhood was marked by a chilly household atmosphere, strange recurring dreams, and a persistent sense of unbelonging. The reader will put together the pieces long before Norma does: it's impossible not to root for Norma and Joe as they strive to first understand, and then accept and find forgiveness for the devastations they endured in their youth. This novel is hard in many ways (take note of the obvious content warnings and others that are less obvious but real), and yet it's also a moving and gentle exploration of family, identity, grief, and healing. Narrated by Aaliya Warbus and Jordan Waunch; 8 hrs 44 mins. More info →Author: Catherine Newman
I might have passed this one by because the premise is desperately sad, but then numerous friends and booksellers with great taste all told me I had to read it. I gave it a try, and I'm glad I did. Edi and Ashley have been best friends their entire lives—more than four decades—and now, three years after her ovarian cancer diagnosis, Edi has decided to cease treatments and enter hospice care. It's gutting: Edi's dying too young, in pain, and making impossible decisions like how to say goodbye to her 7-year-old son. Ash is desperately trying to hide her grief from her friend, but it's making itself felt in big and small ways. It's all so hard to read. But this novel is also filled with so much life and humor, on practically every page. For while Edi's suburban hospice may be filled with the dying, it is also still filled with life, and with forty years of memories from an exceptional, joy-filled, through-thick-and-thin friendship. The audio version, narrated by Jane Oppenheimer, was an excellent choice for this first person story. 6 hrs 55 mins. More info →Author: Melissa Broder
A writer flees Los Angeles to check in at a Best Western (her favorite hotel chain) in Death Valley, seeking to write a "desert epiphany" scene for her work in progress and also to get some relief from the grueling demands of tending a father in the ICU and a husband living with chronic illness. She has no intention of hiking while she's there, but when the desk clerk recommends a hike and draws her a map, she follows it—and soon finds herself entering a cactus portal where she can connect with her loved ones in ways she never dreamed possible. This story is sad, tender, surprising, and more than a little weird. It was a little outside my lane but I'm glad I took a chance on it; the five-hour run time made it easy to do so. 5 hrs 9 mins. More info →Author: Alice McDermott
McDermott's latest, published in October 2023, is a response of sorts to Graham Greene's Vietnam novel The Quiet American, particularly to the way he portrayed women in its pages. In Absolution, McDermott tells the story of the American women who accompanied their husbands to Vietnam. The book unfolds in an epistolary format; two women, one older and one younger, exchange letters about all they experienced and witnessed decades prior, back in 1963 Vietnam. This setup allows them to reflect on the past from a distance, considering the people they were then, the choices they made, and what they would have done differently if they had only known better. And, as the title implies, could they possibly ask for or receive forgiveness for the choices they once made? The gorgeous prose beautifully suits the book's structure; I felt like I was listening in to two women authentically remembering how things were back then. As I was reading, I kept thinking of this book in conversation with Tan Twan Eng's The House of Doors and Wendy Chin-Tanner's King of the Armadillos. I listened to the audio version narrated by Jesse Vilinsky and Rachel Kenney, and while their performances were solid I didn't prefer this book in that format; I would have liked to do more flipping back and forth between chapters than is possible with an audiobook. 10 hrs 2 mins. More info →Author: Yangsze Choo
We featured this February 2024 release in our MMD Spring Book Preview. This lyrical historical novel and sophisticated detective tale is very much in the vein of Choo’s previous works The Ghost Bride and The Night Tiger, inspired by Japanese fox folklore. In 1908 Manchuria, a young girl's mysterious death brings together a servant, a detective, and a wealthy family. Gradually the reader comes to understand the vast world of fox folklore, the terror of a family curse, the reasons a mother is bent on revenge, and the stakes for all involved. This was lovely on audio, narrated by the author, but because the plot is intricate I had to pay close attention, occasionally even rewinding to re-listen to certain passages. 14 hrs 37 mins. More info → Audiobook roundup: recent love stories Author: Olivia Dade
I love a good celebrity romance, and this one was perfect for solo road trip listening. April is a geologist, Marcus a tv star on a popular series, but the two share a love for writing fanfiction for one of the hottest series going. Nobody knows about their secret passion: April chooses not to tell her friends and family for her own reasons; Marcus's fanfics are not exactly allowed under the terms of his contract. They don't know each other IRL, but they are practically besties in their online community, trusting each other with their words and real life musings. But when fate and twitter bring the two together in person for an unlikely actual date, sparks fly—even though April is sure it's just a publicity stunt, even though he's a celebrity and she's not, even though he's textbook attractive and she has never been described as such. I especially enjoyed the multiple narrative formats (which worked great on audio): Dade incorporates fanfiction excerpts, tv and movie scripts, and a modern day narrative into her story of two people finding love. Narrated by Isabelle Ruther. (Open door.) 12 hrs 48 mins. More info →Author: Sarah Grunder Ruiz
This was a walk-another-mile, fold-another-load DELIGHT. I wasn't sure about it at first, because the opening meet cute was a little much, but I settled in and thoroughly enjoyed this chaste blend of women's fiction and romance. The story centers a nearly-30-year-old woman named Jo who was once excitedly completing a 30-by-30 list, but her plans got derailed by a family tragedy. Then her nieces unexpectedly show up for the summer and basically demand that she get back to work on her list. She gets started by kissing a stranger: she thinks she'll never see him again, but surprise! He's her new neighbor, AND her new coworker (soon to be dubbed "Hot Yacht Chef") aboard the luxury yacht where Jo works as a steward. With the help of her friends, family, and new love interest, Jo starts facing the pain of the past, and plotting a course for the future—including plans to knock out that bucket list. Narrated by Karissa Vacker. (Chaste.) 10 hrs 9 mins. More info →Author: Kennedy Ryan
I've often heard this 2022 novel described as a romance but it read more like a family drama with a strong (open door) love story component. However you want to categorize it, Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem's dual narration sucked me right in on audio! Yasmen and Josiah met and married young and have always been #couplegoals to their friends. But several years ago, after Si's beloved aunt died and their third child is delivered stillborn, they plunged into grief and Yas struggled with clinical depression. They divorced in the aftermath of their terrible losses, but now that they've found some measure of stability as coparents and as business partners, circumstances (mainly in the form of Si's attractive new love interest) have Yas questioning if they might have a shot after all. This was such a good (and emotional) ride on audio: I loved the Atlanta locale, all the restaurant details, and the emotional promise of two thirtysomethings finding a second chance at true love. I burned through this story because I needed to hear them get their happy ending. 13 hrs 45 mins. More info →Author: Sarah Adams
This winter I found myself in need of an engaging, uplifting, and not-too-heavy listen for a solo road trip. I opted for the first book in Sarah Adams's When in Rome series; I read the second book Practice Makes Perfect last year but reading them out of order was no problem. This romance was the perfect book for the occasion: in it, famous pop star Rae Rose desperately needs a getaway and flees Nashville for Rome, Kentucky. She would go to Italy if she could, but since the setting for her favorite Audrey Hepburn movie is too far to be practical, she settles for the much nearer Rome that pops up in her GPS. Car trouble puts her in the path of Noah Walker, a gruff but handsome pie shop owner with a heart of gold. I enjoyed the small town charm, celebrity/commoner relationship, career details for music and pies, and Noah's deeply invested sisters. The book was the exact right length to carry me to my destination, and Karissa Vacker and Andrew Eiden's narration was perfection. After reading this, I feel like a re-watch of Roman Holiday is in order. 9 hrs 46 mins. More info →Author: Jessica Joyce
Something to talk about in depth another day: social media is increasingly becoming a big factor in so many kinds of fiction. A viral TikTok sets this story in motion: Twenty-eight year old Noelle is floundering, living back at home with her parents and grieving the loss of her best friend, her grandmother. When she discovers a pile of old photos and love letters hinting at the fact that her grandmother had a great love before she married Noelle's grandfather, Noelle does the best thing she can think of: spills the story on TikTok to help her find her grandmother's mystery man. The good news: the man's grandson immediately comes forward: The bad news: he's her high school nemesis. Noelle and Theo reunite, invite Grandpa into the story, and set off on road trip on which the younger two will learn the secrets of this long-lost love—and maybe fall in love along the way. This was such fun to listen to as narrated by Kyla Garcia; I especially enjoyed the intergenerational component of this sweet and tender (and sometimes steamy) story. (Open door.) 10 hrs 55 mins. More info → What have you been listening to lately? Please share your favorite titles that are particularly good in the audio format in the comments section!
P.S. Check out all our audiobook archives here.
The post 15 audiobooks I’ve enjoyed lately: literary fiction and love stories appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Connecting with authors is always a treat, and today I’m delighted to invite you to listen in to a recent conversation with Thao Thai. Thao joined us in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club to discuss her debut novel Banyan Moon, a juicy family drama that explores what makes a home, the secrets we keep, inheritance and immigrant stories, and so much more. We talk about how this unique story came to be and the story behind the book’s striking cover, and Thao answers a variety of questions from our Book Club members.
In addition, we touch on Thao’s forthcoming rom-com, Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour—which she is releasing under the pen name Nora Nyguen. Thao’s writing is so unique and enjoyable no matter the genre, and I know many readers can’t wait to crack open this new book.
Whether or not you’ve read Banyan Moon, I think you’ll love listening in to today’s spoiler-free conversation, which we’ve lightly edited from the original live Book Club Event. Let us know if you have a title to recommend to readers who loved Banyan Moon, or if there’s a book you’d love to read in Book Club, by sharing a comment below.
Follow along with Thao at her Substack, her website, and on Instagram.
Find your Book People in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book ClubIf you loved today’s conversation with Thao Thai, there’s so much more to enjoy. Our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club hosts monthly talks with authors you love and now includes an archive of over 75 book discussions! Now is a great time to join us in Book Club. Your Book Club membership includes our 2024 Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing book party and if you join now you’ll be just in time to join us for a live author talk with Ada Calhoun, author of Also a Poet. We’d love to have you join us—find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/club.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week we're talking books and reading with Thao Thai, author of our 2023 minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick Banyan Moon. This conversation initially took place within our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community, and I'm happy to share it with everyone today.
Over at Book Club, we have all sorts of events just like this, and right now it's an especially exciting time to join. When you sign up this week, your first month of membership will include our 2024 Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing Book Party, as well as upcoming events like our Author Talk with Ada Calhoun about Also a Poet.
[00:01:10] Our members enjoy these events year-round, along with classes that offer gentle encouragement for your reading life, member meetups, and so much more. You're sure to find your book people in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, and we would love to have you join us. Get in on the conversation at modernmrsdarcy.com/club.
Our book club conversations with authors are some of our favorite events in that community. And when we decided to share a recent author talk with you, I immediately thought of our conversation with Thao.
Her stirring debut, Banyan Moon, follows three generations of Vietnamese American women in the wake of the death of their beloved matriarch. Across the generations and in rotating, sometimes very surprising points of view, we see each woman deal with both the burdens she inherited and the secrets she keeps from her daughter out of love, and how these well-intentioned choices caused terrible harm to all.
Thao joined me, our community manager Ginger Horton, and our community administrator Brigid Misselhorn, and a whole bunch of our book club members in this live conversation.
[00:02:11] If this sounds like a juicy summer video, you're not alone. In our chat with Thao, we talk about families and what makes a home, how we navigate the secrets we keep, inheritance and immigrant stories, and much more.
If family dramas aren't your summer reading cup of iced tea, I'm excited to tell you that Thao's forthcoming romcom, Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour, which she is releasing under the pen name Nora Nguyen is just a few months away, and might be just what you're looking for.
You'll hear that mentioned briefly today, and I hope this conversation whet your appetite for this fresh and fun story, while sharing insight into what makes Thao's writing so unique and enjoyable, no matter the genre.
Our book club members represent every possible reading taste, so we're always clear that you don't have to read the book to enjoy our conversations in this space. And the same is true for today's episode. Whether or not you've read Banyan Moon, I think you love listening in to today's spoiler-free conversation.
We edited this so we could air it as an audio-only podcast and share it with you, but you may hear references to book club members during the interview. That's because while our members aren't on video during these events, they do participate actively during our chats, asking questions for the author and chatting with our book club hosts and each other. You'll definitely hear that happening today.
[00:03:25] Now let's get to it.
Hello. Hi, everybody. Welcome to book club. Ginger, can I join you on video now?
GINGER HORTON: I can't figure out. You guys, we've been doing this for what, seven years? And I was just messaging. Anne, I cannot mute myself. I don't know what's going on, but hello. I think I was aware that you guys were seeing me, but that wasn't even positive. So that was my typing.
ANNE: What it looks like when we're about ready to bookclub? We are so glad you are here today and we are so delighted and honored to welcome Thao Thai. Hello. Thank you for joining us.
THAO THAI: Hi. It's such an honor to be here. I've been excited about this for months.
ANNE: It is so mutual. I took my notes today. I read this back in February, and I've been looking forward to this conversation ever since. I see some of you all saying it's the best book of the year. We're going to talk all about it and the cover. Oh my gosh, Ms. Thai, I love the images of you with your book doing events, and you often match your cover, and it's so much fun.
[00:04:31] THAO: Can't wait for this conversation. I loved this book. I always love an intergenerational story. So excited for this bright spot to talk about a really great summer read.
ANNE: Me too. And we're going to jump in. All right. Thao, I can't wait to dive into this gorgeous book. But first, we're gonna start a little closer to your home, I think.
Friends, we always ask our authors to tell us about their favorite independent bookstore that we can direct people to, especially because oftentimes, and Thai, you can tell me if this is the case, the local store is the one that guaranteed has the signed copies, or as close to a guarantee as you can get. I was so intrigued by your selection of bookstores. It's been on my list to visit. Would you tell us about your choice?
THAO: Absolutely. So, as a reader, I just love indie bookstores. And I've loved them for a long time because when you go in, you have a sense of curation. Like somebody is choosing these books with you in mind, they're actually readers, they'll tell you all about them. There's something very personal and lovely about that.
[00:05:36] Gramercy Books is just such a special place. If you are in the Central Ohio area, it's a smaller bookstore, but it is really beautifully curated. Every time I go, there's a big wall of books, and it hits everything I want at the moment. That's how I discovered Remarkably Bright Creatures, which was one of my very favorite books, and Tomorrow x 3, which I know all of us love.
The bookstore actually has a separate little anteroom for all the kids' stuff. So you've got these beautiful vibrant children's books, which is great for my daughter. But you've also got toys and games and notebooks.
And then one of the coolest parts about Gramercy is that they butt up right next to a cupcake and coffee shop. So you can get your delicious mini cupcake and then go browse books and then go get more coffee and just ping pong back and forth all day long.
So it is a beautiful place owned by an author and very supportive of local authors. Columbus is a very vibrant writer town. So yeah, go stop by and give them some love.
[00:06:44] ANNE: I saw Amberly in chat say, That is my bookstore. That just went to hosts and panels. Amberly, thank you for opening it up so you can tell us all about the details. Oh, and now y'all are talking about your favorite indies. I need to go hit that up. I'm glad you have that relationship. Do they have signed copies of Banyan Moon?
THAO: Oh, yes, they do. And as soon as they are out, I will hop back down there, get a cupcake, and sign some more.
ANNE: Amazing.
THAO: And they ship nationally as well. So if you're not in the area, you can still get a signed copy.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Now, we don't usually begin by talking about, well, the bookstore or about the cover, but we are going to in this one because you all look at this cover. And Thao, it's been so fun to follow you on social media. And y'all, Thao writes a great newsletter. I just linked to it in our general book talk page this morning, so you can go check it out and subscribe.
But something I've really enjoyed seeing is, one, it's a gorgeous cover. Two, you have often matched the book. I saw when it was a Read with Jenna pick. She matched the book. Y'all, it's not a Banyan, it's a Monstera. But I had to go get my drapey scarf, leafy thing to wear with this book.
[00:07:55] When I first got this book, one of the first reviews I read was by the illustrator who said, "I was commissioned to paint the cover. Of course, I had to read the book to make sure I captured the spirit. Let me tell you my experience with this book," which I thought was so interesting. Would you talk to us about this gorgeous cover?
THAO: Absolutely. So I don't know if I've talked about this before, but in a previous life, I was a book cover designer. So I was the person putting all these together. So I had this hunch that when it came to be my turn to get a book cover of my own, I would be either really helpful or just really, really annoying. You know, it could really go either way, right?
So I put together a 10-page PowerPoint of kind of all the things that I was looking for and all the things I wasn't looking for and I nervously waited by my computer. And then when the email came in within 10 seconds, I opened it up, I saw it, the big letters the way the branches kind of woven between them and that little house in the background. I mean, I couldn't have come up with anything. I couldn't have even dreamed of anything that was as beautiful.
[00:09:08] The cover designer is named Ploy Serpent, and she commissioned Tanya, who lived in my hometown for a while. So she was up close and personal with these banyan trees. So it was a really nice interweaving. And immediately my agent and I wrote back and we said, "No changes. This is great to go. We're all done." It was the easiest process I've ever had.
A funny story about Ploy, my designer, is that she had done this book a few months ago called The Tobacco Wives. It has a very striped, stark cover. And it doesn't actually look very much like Banyan Moon. It looks like Anne might have a copy.
So I passed it in a bookstore and my eye went to it and I said, "I want my cover to look like that. That's what I wanted my cover." And I don't know what it was, maybe the typography, maybe the imagery, something about it really called to me. So I actually took a picture on my phone.
And then later, much after the book cover had been decided, I realized it was the same cover designer. So it was this really lovely bit of kismet.
[00:10:15] That's kind of how the whole publishing process has been. Like for me, it feels like somebody went and sprinkled fairy dust all over these few years and I couldn't be luckier really. And the artist is so beautiful. She does such wonderful work.
My friends actually went together and they got me the painting. They bought it for me and shipped it to my house. So now it's right in front of my office. Every time I go in, not only am I reminded of this book and the miraculous journey, because it was miraculous to get here, but like all the people who supported me as well. I don't know, I'm just so giddy and I'm probably very cheesy about it. But I love it.
ANNE: Oh, we are here for fairy dust branded cheese. That is amazing. Okay. I think it's fascinating that... I see what you mean and also Banyan Moon is completely its own thing. It doesn't look like this. You have to look close to go, Oh, I see the connection. Also, I'm impressed that you knew what I was getting up for. Thank you for that
THAO: Oh, of course. Well, I see all the books behind you. I knew you probably had a copy.
[00:11:16] ANNE: We're reorganizing. It is a mess around here. But it's a book mess and that's the best kind of mess. The fairy dust, but also a ten-page PowerPoint.
THAO: Also that, right.
ANNE: It does sound like you're cupping your hands for the fairy dust to come land.
THAO: A little bit, yes.
ANNE: Having worked as a cover designer, I'm presuming a lot, but I imagine that when you're designing a cover for a book, when you're part of that process, you really want the cover to telegraph to the reader what they're going to expect inside with mood and content and, you know, like an enticement, but one that does give an idea of what they're going to find in the pages. What did you want readers to take away from the cover of Banyan Moon? Like, what was the message that you wanted to project?
THAO: I wanted it to feel like an invitation. So when you're writing a book that is so cemented in place, part of what I really wanted a reader to experience was this idea of being beckoned in. And I think because of the perspective that it uses, where you do see the house in the distance, but it's not necessarily front and center, there's this sense of mystery that makes you want to kind of part the branches and find your way inside.
[00:12:40] So there's something about this that felt like an invitation, but not a super obvious one. Like an invitation for those who are curious enough to brave the brambles, so to speak.
ANNE: I love that description of parting the branches. That is perfect. Thao, tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind this story, to go back to the beginning.
THAO: Yeah, so my story as an author is pretty winding. As I said, I had another career for a while and I thought that this life, this writing life would kind of be shut off for me. You know, I'm almost 40 now and I just kind of said, well, maybe that's just a pipe dream. But then when I became a mother, I started having all of these questions about inheritance and place and what was it that I wanted my daughter to take away from my life? What lessons could I impart and what traumas did I want her to leave behind?
[00:13:44] So when I was thinking about these questions, I was thinking a lot about how different it looks specifically for immigrants women of the diaspora who are recreating themselves in new contexts. And these characters began coming to me. Their voices were so strong and their stories were so tangled and so complicated. I felt a real desire to tell a different story about motherhood than the ones I'd seen before.
I think being a mother in the United States in particular, it can be very hard, it can be very fraught. Support systems are not what they should be. And so a lot of times we as mothers are told that we have to be a certain way, feel a certain way about motherhood when in reality it is all peaks and valleys, right?
There is no moment of the day where you're not feeling 500 things at once and you're not bringing in your own personal context into your dynamic as a mother. And as a daughter too. So these are a lot of the questions I really wanted to explore.
[00:14:48] Then when I was writing this, it was at the tail end of the pandemic. So I was thinking a lot about homes and what it felt like to be trapped with people. Luckily, I was really excited about being with my husband and my daughter for the most part. But there is a sense of claustrophobia that happens when you can't get out of the house. You know, you're stuck there.
A lot of things come to light and you begin talking about the past in a different way. There's a different kind of intensity and the stakes are raised. And so I thought, what if I took these three generations of women, who I saw so clearly, and I put them in this Gothic setting that they couldn't escape from? What might come out of that? What interesting revelations might they have and what arcs could they explore in that space?
ANNE: Thank you for answering some of the questions I didn't even ask. As I'm a little bit older than you, I'm 45, and I have found myself either increasingly drawn to or these days benefiting from all the stories that are about a kind of re-evaluation of one's life after something happens or at a certain point. And I really appreciated seeing the women in the story wrestle with that.
[00:16:05] Something we talked about in our book club forums was... the question was: whose story of the three women do you most connect with? One theory was maybe you connect to the one who you are closest to in life stage but I'm not necessarily certain that's true.
But what I would love to hear is, can you describe the three generations of women who were present in this book? Like, who are the characters and how did you think about them as you were writing them?
THAO: So the character who came to me first was Minh. She was the grandmother. She is the grandmother. I saw the story completely from her perspective, told completely from her perspective, because she is such an active presence. She has a voice. She is constantly asserting herself sometimes in wonderful ways and then sometimes in ways that make you shake your head and say, why are you meddling right now? But because her voice was so strong, it was easy for me to imagine her in this story.
[00:17:05] The context of her as a teenager in the Vietnam War, I was really fascinated by that because my own mother grew up during that time in South Vietnam and I had a lot of questions about what it must have been like. Because when you're coming of age you're grappling with so many different desires and questions of identity and questions of who you want to be. And then when you overlay that on such a kind of heady setting as a war happening in your backyard, it really changes things a lot.
So men really drew me in from the beginning. But as I wrote more and more I discovered that what I was most interested in was the way these three women were able to look at the same moment in time with their own perspectives and come away with such different stories. I was interested in the stories that they were telling themselves about their shared past.
[00:18:02] So that's where the other women's perspectives came in because I felt like the story wouldn't be complete unless you were also able to get inside the head of Huong who is this very dreamy, very romantic person who is sometimes little more passive because of her dreaminess because she lives life so much in the head.
Then you have Ann who is the character who's probably most similar to me in age and life stage. She was an illustrator. She has this idea of a perfect life for herself and she really wanted to leave the past behind very definitively. She wanted to leave Florida, the Banyan House and the messiness of it, and she wanted someplace neat and simple and cleanly delineated.
And so when she is tugged back into this world, she finds not only all of these questions about her grandmother and her mother, but questions about herself and what really makes her feel like home.
[00:19:02] This is a book that's really about home more than anything else. The home we find in places, but also the home we find in people.
ANNE: Oh, I love that description.
THAO: Which character did you most relate to, Anne?
ANNE: That's an interesting question. I love this book because I related to Ann. I related a lot to the frustration and fire that we see in the women when they're keeping secrets from each other, because y'all, my family tree is full of secrets. Some of which, I'm sure, have not come out and maybe never will. We'll see.
Although I have read, well-worded in a book, that I put a lot of credence in that secrets never stay hidden. So we will see. And we'll talk about that shortly. That look on my face was like, how quickly are we going to get into this?
I do not share that immigrant experience. Like it goes back further with my generations. So I felt more of a distance from the women, even as some of the things that, especially Anne, I think just generationally.
[00:20:06] My oldest child is 20 and yet it still feels like I just had him and was, you know, keeping the secret of the pregnancy at the dinner table because I wasn't ready to tell all the everyones yet. Oh-
THAO: I remember that, too. That's kind of the first secret we keep as mothers, right?
ANNE: But also I do feel old enough now that mothers not telling their children things for what they think is their own good, but maybe they're wrong. I really see that, too.
Some of the things I really loved about this story were some of the interesting narrative devices you chose. Like, uh, would you... I can say more about that, but would you talk about how you chose to give voice to each woman? And of course... ghost story isn't quite the way to put it. But I loved the way that we did not lose the narrative even after one of the women died.
[00:21:05] And friends, I do not feel like this is a spoiler in any way. This is very much a story about grief and intimacy and loss and reckoning with... you know what, I'm going to stop. Thai, would you take it from here?
THAO: Absolutely. So yeah, I think when I first wrote this book, it was probably a little more magical. It veered a little more on the ghost story side. But as I worked on it more, I realized that I wanted the ghostliness to be less of a literal moment, less of a literal device, and more of an impression that leaves itself in the world.
When I was writing this, I was thinking a lot about grief as well, because at the time, my grandfather, who is really the only father figure I've ever had, he was ill. And so I thought a lot about what it would be like if he weren't there and how the resonances of his life might extend to mine, not just in terms of what he'd experienced, but the way he might still impact my life today.
[00:22:19] He was the person who was always keeping track of me. So he would take photos of me and he would have whole albums of me. And he said it was because, you know, I didn't have a father. So he felt like somebody had to be witness to my life.
I'm going to get pretty emotional talking about this. But that idea of having a witness to your life who has seen you since the beginning, that is so meaningful. And that is something I think so many of us long for. That's kind of what the device of Minh and her narrative is doing. She is a witness to these women as they're going through the many moments of hardship and healing. To me, that is something so beautiful, even in the midst of this grief, that you can still hang on to this part of them.
ANNE: That's beautiful. It's not surprising to see how personal the story is to you because it feels so personal. In fact, we had a question, I'm gonna work it in now, from Melinda. She said, "These women their lives, their stories felt so real and so authentic." She asked if you found inspiration in your own family's experiences because... I think the implication there, Melinda, was you just seem to know it so well and know your character so well and know their story so well.
[00:23:48] THAO: Well, thank you. That's so kind. I love that feedback. Because they feel really real to me too. I actually sometimes before bed, I find myself kind of daydreaming and wondering like, Oh, what is Ann up to now? How old is the baby? Where are they going? So there's a real sense of wanting to meet friends that you knew in the past when you let go of a character in that way. So that means a lot to me.
I was certainly very influenced by my family. They are the best storytellers you'll ever meet. And because of where we lived in rural Vietnam, there wasn't a lot to do. There wasn't cable TV. For a long time the internet wasn't in that part of Vietnam. And so at night, if you weren't going out to the bars, you were huddled at home around a lamp talking and telling stories. And that's how I came to know so many of the things that I cherish today about my family.
[00:24:49] Like I would hear about what it felt like for my grandparents to be carrying their children through swamplands as they were escaping the VC during the war. Then I would hear about how my aunt was courted by my uncle singing underneath her window and how she told him no like 20 times before she finally decided that she would marry him. Now they're still together like 40 years later.
These stories really wove their way into the fiber of who I was. And for a long time, I was looking a lot outwards because when I was growing up in the 90s, the 2000s, there just weren't a ton of Asian American authors and there were very few Vietnamese American authors in particular. So I was thinking about all these different stories that had no resemblance to mine at all. And I thought that was the story that I needed to tell.
[00:25:48] For a long time in my creative writing workshops, I was writing stories that kind of fit the mold of these other kind of domestic fiction stories that I'd been reading over the years. But in the past decade, I've just felt such a call to share the stories that have meant so much to me in the hopes that they would mean a lot to someone else, regardless of their context.
People often ask how long it took to write Banyan Moon, and I'll say, well, it took 10 months and a lifetime. Because that's what it is with a lot of debut novels, because you have this time to sit and let the bread rise, so to speak. You are turning these questions and ideas over and over in your head for so long. And these characters really came out of that.
ANNE: Oh, I love that so much. Thank you. Okay, Janice has a fun question. She says, "If you had to pick a signature element of each character, what would they be?" For Janice, she says she thinks of swimming for Huong. And oh my goodness, I love that line about now that her mother has gone, now that Minh has died, she has to find a new way of moving in the world, anger from Ann and the collector of stuff from Minh.
[00:27:00] THAO: Oh, I like all those. That seems accurate to me. Let's see. I think Ann is the investigator of the three of them. I think that she has a mind to parse out the secrets. She does not like when things are hidden. I see that in her.
In Huong, I see her as the dreamer, of course. I see her as the person who has a very idealized version of what life should look like and has difficulty moving away from that vision even when it becomes clear to everyone else it's never going to happen.
Then Minh, I think she's a survivor. She is the person who will make the hard decisions, the unlikable decisions to make sure that she and her family are safe. That is so much of what I've seen in a lot of experiences with immigrants, especially those who are refugees of war. There is an added pressure to ensure that physical safety. And that sometimes trumps issues of emotional safety, for better or worse.
[00:28:13] ANNE: I feel like now's a good time to talk about secrets, then. I loved and also just melted at some of the dynamics of keeping the secrets, especially because we see as characters the women's internal dialogue. Like we see how much they have suffered and we can completely understand how much they did not want their mothers and daughters to know about that suffering and yet.
Then you have that beautiful line that secrets never stay hidden, someone always has to deal with the fallout. In whatever way you would like to do, would you talk to us about secrets in this book and the fallout perhaps?
THAO: Absolutely. So here you find these women who none of them are without secrets, I would say. Part of the reason that they keep these secrets from one another is because they think that they're committing an act of generosity to protect the other women from the secrets.
[00:29:17] In some cases, that's true. Like in the case of Huong's parentage, for example, you know, that's a secret that would have devastated her. Minh and her locked trunk and all the things that she buries as well, that is something that wouldn't have been safe for the other women, especially Ann to know about.
While it's true that secrets can sometimes be toxic and they can tear families apart, I'm of the mind that sometimes secrets or maybe even more generally privacy is something that isn't inherently a bad thing to gift to other generations.
For example, I am pretty transparent with my daughter. I'll tell her anything she asks. She's only seven so I probably don't need to tell her everything she asks. But my mom was the opposite. She was very withholding about her life. And it was only after I became a mother when I crossed that threshold that she would tell me stories about her past as well.
[00:30:26] And as much as I loved the stories and I couldn't get enough, especially the stories of my dad who I never met, I really valued the fact that they were hers ultimately, that these were things that did not belong to me. I didn't feel entitled to them. I feel like even if it's me waiting my whole life for things that never come to fruition, I do think that... ultimately I've decided that it is her right and her story to tell.
So, so much of what we do as humans, I think, is we're negotiating the lines between which stories are ours and which stories belong to someone else, particularly in this age of social media and what we choose to share and not share.
A lot of parents, for example, have chosen not to share anything about their children for fear of privacy reasons. I don't know. I think that line between secrets and privacy and restraint, it's very fuzzy in this book. I really wanted to complicate and subvert that idea that secrets are always bad things, bad, evil, toxic things.
[00:31:39] ANNE: There are no easy answers there, I think, which is why it was so fascinating to see your characters wrestle with those exact questions. There's two big things we really want to hear about in terms of place and setting, and those are Florida. Would you tell us about Florida?
THAO: Sure.
ANNE: Why Florida? How Florida? What's your relationship to Florida? Whatever you'd like to say.
THAO: Yes. So I'm a Floridian. I grew up in the Tampa Bay area by the beach. The swamplands weren't for a far drive either. So I had access to both of those very different ecosystems. I remember when I was in Florida, I really wanted to leave Florida. I just felt like it was so hot, it was so oppressive.
I came from a smaller town so, you know, we had a tiny library. There was one bookstore I think and just not a lot going on. So I thought, "I'm gonna go elsewhere." And I did. I kind of hopped around the country.
[00:32:38] But now that I'm older, I find myself longing for the Florida of my youth so much. The oceans in particular, the water, the sand. So a lot of this book really was longing and an homage to Florida because Florida has also changed a lot since I last lived there like 30-something years ago.
There's a climate crisis happening. There is an ideological crisis happening in Florida. And so this is so much a love letter to place that I couldn't withhold all those elements, the beautiful ones as well as the ones that are grotesque and troubling as well.
That's kind of the beauty, I think, of Southern literature and the Southern Gothic tradition. There is such an interplay between the very, very beautiful evanescence of a place, but then also the grittiness and the dirt and the way that landscape can hide different elements, like bodies, for example.
[00:33:49] Another interesting thing about Florida is because it is surrounded by water, it was a place for a lot of Vietnamese boat people and refugees during the war. So there is a big Vietnamese concentration in Florida as well.
There's a similarity actually between Florida and Vietnam. They both have this tropical heat. There's this wildness and lushness of vegetation, but there's also this sense of danger in the landscape that you could get sucked down by a swamp or you could be accosted by like a giant python. Not a python, like an alligator or something. So those contradictions of place, of beauty and fear, that really motivated this book.
ANNE: Can you say a little bit more about Southern Gothic?
THAO: Sure. Because I'm from Florida, I grew up reading a lot of Southern Gothic literature, Eudora Welty and Faulkner. I was always really drawn to the way that they portrayed transgression, this idea that you could make your way onto a place that is actively hostile to you.
[00:35:00] I think it really appealed to me as an immigrant because that is so much of the diasporic tradition as well. The idea of setting foot in strange places that might not always welcome you. There's a sense of underlying hostility, which you can see in certain chapters of the book.
Of course, Southern Gothic is traditionally written by a lot of White writers and white men in particular. And so, I was interested in what would it be like for a woman who is an immigrant who does not have this long heritage in the South to enter into that tradition. That itself felt like a transgression and a subversion of sorts.
ANNE: I mean, I can only think of one title off the top of my head to back this up, but I think that I'm increasingly seeing, maybe I just want to believe that I'm increasingly seeing Black authors, immigrant authors writing Southern Gothic stories. House of Cotton by Monica, I think it's Brashears, is the first one that springs to mind, and it just came out in the spring.
[00:36:07] THAO: Oh, I'm writing that down. I have not read that. I do think the tradition is diversifying so much and so beautifully. Just writing in general, we are living in such a golden age for diverse literature right now.
ANNE: It's so interesting. Okay, I'm going to be thinking more about that. Thank you for saying more about that. I appreciate it. Also that is fascinating.
THAO: Thank you for the question. I think as readers sometimes we, or as writers, we begin to write the things that we wish we had encountered more when we were kids. You know, whether you're a reader or writer, I think there's a real hunger for different stories that we haven't seen before.
ANNE: We have to ask about the banyan tree. One reader — oh, I already cleared it. I'm so sorry. I'm not using your name here — said specifically, Why... Katie. It was Katie. Thank you, Katie. Why a banyan tree? Does it have to be a banyan tree? What led you to the banyan? Can I also quote your own text? There's a funny exchange between two characters where one of the characters describes them as homicidal sentient trees because of the way their roots, oh gosh, just like strangle the other plants growing nearby. You can describe this better. Tell us about the banyans.
[00:37:29] THAO: Right. So if you have not seen a banyan tree, they are amazing. They come in different sizes. An old high school teacher of mine just emailed me actually and he sent a picture near his home in Florida where it was a corridor of banyan trees. So you can imagine just like as far as the eye could see just these massive trees kind of hanging over the road. It was... Talk about gothic. So it had to be a banyan tree.
Actually, the book was a little bit loose and then when I hit upon the metaphor of a banyan tree, it all kind of snapped together for me because I think so much in metaphor and imagery, maybe as a former designer, I needed something to help tie everything together. And that was the thing.
So, if you haven't seen a banyan tree, they are very large. They can grow to be enormous. And they're actually... yes, there they are. They're actually referred to as an invasive species. And for a long time, it was illegal to plant one because what happens is instead of just growing upwards like most trees, they grow out. Their roots kind of hang down and begin to create new offshoots in the ground.
[00:38:49] As they grow out, what happens is they overrun the surrounding vegetation. So there is really a creeping quality to them. Their branches are very gnarled and they almost seem... like if you look up close, their branches almost seem to be braided. And there was something about that that really suited the narrative of the three points of view, three generations.
The other thing that's really important about the banyan tree is that Florida is one of the few places in the United States where they occur but Vietnam is also a place that has banyan trees. In fact, in Vietnam there is a very old and beloved folktale that centers a banyan tree. This is what I'm talking about fairy dust. You know, it seems to happen to you, you know?
ANNE: Okay, so Hillary and Lindsay both want to know the meaning and symbolism of the title Banyan Moon, and they both specifically said, not house, not tree. Also, maybe this will take us to men's stories. Maybe it won't. But would you speak to that?
[00:39:58] THAO: Sure. That is a reference to a folktale that Minh tells in the novel about Chú Cuội, who is a woodcutter. So he comes across this banyan tree and it changes his fortunes. But then due to unforeseen circumstances, the tree begins to lift from the ground. It's a tale of magical realism as so many Vietnamese folktales are.
And so as it's lifting from the ground, Chú Cuội, the woodcutter holds on to one of the branches and leaves his family behind and the tree takes him up to the moon. So the story is that if you look up on the moon and you see the shadows and the craters it's Chú Cuội still up there with his banyan tree holding on at all costs.
I think there was something there that really appealed to me about this idea of what we choose to cling to and what we choose to let go of. And that is so much Minh's journey of grief, but also all of the women's journey in terms of what relationships they let go of.
[00:41:05] ANNE: I love that, thank you. Would you tell us about the house as a character? So many readers commented on that this house was more than just a dwelling.
THAO: Yes, yes, and that's very much a part of Southern Gothic literature as well, this idea of the house reflecting the psyche of the characters. During this time, I was reading books like Rebecca and Mexican Gothic in which the houses are these very hostile beings that kind of act upon the characters as much as the characters act upon the houses. So, it really arrested my imagination.
These women end up in this house that, I mean, it is crumbling apart at the same time that just it's crammed with stuff like dolls and newspapers and linens that nobody's used for a hundred years. And what appealed to me about that as well was a subversion of this trope of the family house. Because in America, so much of the tradition is of inheritance happens because you have been in a place for a long time. You pass a house down through the generations because you were one of the first to get there, to make your mark on the land to build the house.
[00:42:33] For a lot of immigrants of the diaspora that just wasn't a thing. You arrived and you bought a house. It wasn't necessarily going to be this house that had been in your family for centuries. But Minh comes upon this house and it's her house and now she's making a new start here. And that's such an encapsulation of the American dream for her. But it is a version of the American dream that gets very twisted in this book.
So to me, the house was incredibly fun to write as a person who loves houses, especially old houses. I used to go to... I don't know if any of you have done this. But I used to go to estate sales and it wasn't so much to buy anything but it was like an inner sense of nosiness.
I just really enjoyed walking through rooms that had been furnished and rifling through this stuff and wondering, you know, this box of postcards, what's the story here? And why is this mirror cracked and yet still on the bathroom wall? You know, a house is a story. A house is a collection of stories. And this book really celebrates that.
[00:43:36] ANNE: Katie specifically said... you said that you really enjoyed it, but she wanted to know what was the experience like about writing about the tree and the house? Did you think about that any differently than your human characters?
THAO: I think so. I wanted the house to have a different level of foreboding. The human characters contain multitudes. They are full of grief and anger, but they're also full of hope. Whereas I don't know that there is that same sense of redemption when it comes to the house and the tree.
I think for me, those were just symbols of decay more than anything else, of a promise never fulfilled. So when I was writing those I really leaned on to the elements that were a little darker and a little more shadowed. To me, that was just really satisfying as a writer to be able to really like dig deep into that kind of grotesqueness.
[00:44:40] ANNE: I love that. Thank you. I need to ask you about some of the just really, oh, that was purposely put lines you have in the book. We talked about the secrets, about how somebody always has to deal with the fallout. You talk about little boys and how there's just something beautiful about a little boy and what could the men who hurt us have been had they been loved enough.
You talk about Diane, the sister-in-law that we love to hate in the book, or maybe that's just me. You write, Diane is flighty, but she's rarely wrong about the weather. It's perhaps the one thing that makes her interesting.
Would you talk to me about getting the words right? What was your process like? Was there anything that made you feel particularly satisfied about the way the words fell on the page or the way things came together in the story? I loved hearing you describe how everything snapped together when you realized the banyan tree was the perfect metaphor, but does anything else feel like it was especially, like, got an extra coating of fairy dust? Sierra says: definitely love to hate Diane.
THAO: Yeah.
[00:45:44] ANNE: She's not worse than her husband, though. Is she? Or is she?
THAO: I don't know. I don't think anyone could be worse than Fook. I think in another life, I might have been a poet or a songwriter. I'm really desperately in love with the musicality of words, the way they fit together. Because English is my second language, I don't take it for granted.
It took me a few years to learn English. I went to summer school and there was real fear around my never being able to learn to read. And so when I finally did learn to read, it was as if that feeling people talk about, like putting on glasses and then you can see the texture of the leaves. When I was able to read in English and to write in English, I felt like I saw the texture of the world around me.
[00:46:44] So anytime I hit upon a phrase that feels like so true and so gripping to me, like the one you said about young boys, that came out of nowhere. And when I wrote that, I felt like, oh, this is a true thing. And I fought it, and I felt it, but I never said it. And now, because I have given it this corporeality, this tangibility, the fact that it exists in the world, that to me is very magical.
When I'm writing and these sentences kind of emerge in this way that feels like so inevitable. Like I'll even think, have I heard that somewhere before because it's so familiar to me. And then I realized no I haven't heard it anywhere before, I've just felt it for years. And so as a writer, that is... I don't know. There's just nothing in the world like it.
[00:47:44] ANNE: As a reader, I love that feeling of reading something that I might've experienced as a swirling thought, but had never articulated and to read it on the page. It's like my thought can fully form because now it has words that have been given to me. So thank you for that.
THAO: Oh, exactly. Oh, I was just gonna say, and it's-
ANNE: No, no, you're great.
THAO: It's the relationship between the reader and the writer. I think of a book as a very collaborative act. I might be the one putting the words on the page, but it's that interaction with the readers, exactly what you talked about, that sense of like, oh, yes, we've shared this common space before. I think that's why we read to connect. And so when I hear something like that happening, it just feels like... I don't know. This is why we all love books so much.
ANNE: It really is. I have a couple of quick questions for you, and then we're going to talk about what you're working on, if you care to share, and what you love to read. So quick questions. Brigid asks, can you French braid hair like the characters? She loved those scenes and descriptions. Also, she never learned to French braid and she regrets it. I happen to know Brigid has two daughters.
[00:48:49] THAO: Oh Brigid, it is so easy. Just YouTube video. I did not learn until recently. My daughter she saw a hairstyle on TV or something and she really wanted her hair French braided. So I learned. I was doing it with her hair before school. And I was teaching my husband how to do it too because he wanted to know how to French braid.
There was something about that tradition that felt so lovely because I remember my mom doing that for me. And now I see my daughter kind of doing that with her dolls too. And so something about the physicality of braiding mixed with like the moment of repose you have when you and your kiddo are just sitting there together, there's something really, really beautiful happening there.
ANNE: Thank you. She says she's definitely going to YouTube it. Ann says... this is a foreign rights question that you may or may not know, but if you do. She says she is... well, here, cuts off the Chase. Do you happen to know if this book will be translated into French? Is that in the works at this time?
THAO: Oh my gosh. I would love that. I haven't heard anything about it. Tell me if this is too nitty gritty. But in case you don't know, when a novel goes out in the world, they will shop it out. The publisher will pitch it to these foreign rights teams across the world. It just depends on whether there's any interest and they want to offer on it.
[00:50:18] It's in the UK, and I do know it is coming out in Italy next year. So that's going to be really exciting to see it in Italian. I don't speak Italian. But if you do, maybe that'll be interesting. But long story short, no, it is not. But there is a big pipeline of Vietnamese-French stories that are translated, so fingers crossed.
ANNE: Buy lots of copies. Best sellers are more likely... I mean, this has already done so well, and we're so happy to see it finding its audience.
THAO: Thank you. Thank you, Anne.
ANNE: But that never hurts.
THAO: I'm so lucky, yes.
ANNE: Kate says she's never heard of dipping citrus pieces in salt. Could you say more about that?
THAO: Yeah, that might just be something that's very specific to my family. Well, the whole cut fruit tradition is very much a part of Asian-American culture and how generations show love. But in particular, that's something that I would always do.
I remember on really hot days, we would eat a bowl of rice with watermelon on it and a sprinkle of salt. And it sounds very weird, but it's so refreshing. That's one of those taste memories that's really specific. And if you think about it, like you know that book, Salt Fat Acid Heat, it's like that interplay between the sweetness and the salt that really brings out all the flavors. So if you have an orange or a watermelon around, try it.
[00:51:35] ANNE: Okay. Does anyone else know what they want to do in their kitchen after we hang up? Thao, I'd love to hear either or, or there could be an and here, both here as well, what do you enjoy reading? Either what do you love or were there any works that particularly inspired or got you thinking about Banyan Moon?
THAO: Yes, so I read across all genres. I love romance. I love thrillers. The only one I can't do is horror, but that's just because I'm a scaredy cat. But I think that you can learn something from every genre. But I will say some of my favorite books are the ones that really transport you.
I think some people like to read contemporary books that are very of the moment and deal with situations that are very pressing, which I totally understand and appreciate as well. But for me, I really want to be taken to a totally different place.
[00:52:39] I want to be in a world I have never experienced before, encountering characters I've never met before. And I think that's just because I haven't traveled as much in my life as I would have liked. And so for me, books have always been a form of traveling.
I'm reading Tom Lake right now, as I'm sure so many of us are, and it's beautiful. Anne Patchett is a treasure. Let's see.
ANNE: I have to tell you, while you're thinking in the back of your mind, several readers have noticed in chat like, oh, it feels kind of similar. Like in Tom Lake, the mother is deciding what she's going to tell her daughters and what she's going to keep for herself and how much of the story they can hear, and how much she wants them to hear. They're totally different stories and yet I thought that was an interesting similarity. Readers are right. Thanks for sharing that in chat.
THAO: You're always right. Yeah, like of curating the story. I love that. That's so smart. My favorite writers are Jesmyn Ward. Oh my gosh, Sing, Unburied, Sing, the most life-changing book I've ever read. And that one has that tinge of magical realism too, that ghostliness of this narrator who is beyond the grave. A
[00:53:53] I don't know if you've read any of Lauren Groff's work, but Arcadia is one of my very favorite Lauren Groff books. It's set in the woods in this commune, this idealistic commune. And the texture of the place, it is so gritty and so real, and I just want to dive right into it. So books that have that sense of texture of both character and place, they really appeal to me. But those are some of my favorite writers.
Then recently I read a book I really loved, and it was very different from my usual. It's called How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water. Have you read that? It's by Angie Cruz.
ANNE: I listened to the audio, which I thought was great.
THAO: Yeah, it's so good.
ANNE: You can hear the creaking doors and the bells and the typewriter.
THAO: Yes, exactly. Yes, it's the voiciness that's so appealing to me. Oh my gosh, we have so many good books right now.
ANNE: I love the word voiciness.
THAO: Yeah, me too.
ANNE: Okay, I have to tell you all that in her Substack, Thao wrote a post — oh gosh, I don't know how long ago this was — 38 Books That Changed Me, and we will put it in show notes. That's coming your way, and then you can subscribe. Okay.
[00:55:02] THAO: Oh, and I have to add a quick little plug too. This chapter got cut from the novel, but it is the chapter in which you find out how Minh came to own the Banyan house, came to inherit it, so to speak. My editor and I cut it from the novel, but I did include it in my newsletter. So if you are ever curious about that, you can go there and it's a free newsletter. You can check it out.
ANNE: GPK Sunshine asked that question in this session and we haven't gotten to it. So yes, Thao has your answer. I wish we could talk all day, but this is the last question.
THAO: Okay.
ANNE: What are you working on right now?
THAO: Oh, I'm so excited to share what I'm working on. It comes out in summer of 2025, so not too far in the distance. It is a literary thriller and it grapples with many of the similar sense of tangled family relationships and secrets and kind of journeys of healing that you will see in Banyan Moon, but it is set in a totally different world.
[00:56:03] It's set in the high stakes, super glamorous, high art world. So think museums and galas and hidden pieces of art and forgeries and all that good stuff. So I'm very excited about that and excited to talk about it more when it's official. But in case I have any romance fans out there, you can kind of put this in your back pocket. But I might be writing a book under a pen name that's coming out next fall that is a little bit of a spicy romcom. So yeah, stay tuned for that.
ANNE: How are we going to stay up to date on all these book developments? Is your Substack the right place? I know we can follow you on Instagram. What do you recommend? Because we need to know this. I think Nicole said that she can see my summer reading wheels turning for 2025. That might be true.
THAO: That's so fun. Yes, I'm on Instagram and my website's thaowrites.com, and also my Substack. I always love hearing from readers and fellow readers so we can recommend books to each other. So please reach out anytime. It's been an honor to be here.
[00:57:13] ANNE: Aileen says, how will we know the pen name? Can we presume this pen name isn't a huge secret that we can read about it in your substack?
THAO: No, it's not. It is Nora Nguyen. I've kind of started a tiny Instagram for her. It's weird thinking about this sense of alter egos, but also sort of fun because there is a way that like Bayan Moon is branded as sort of this literary novel. But then I have this other side to me that's really lighthearted. I love puns and I love bright pink Taylor Swift motifs and playlists. So I think I get to let that out with my alter ego and that's going to be fun.
ANNE: That reminds me, Thao has shared a Banyan Moon playlist on Instagram. We should link to that as well. Oh, and Brigid, thank you for sharing those links in the chat. Thao, this has been so delightful. Is there anything else you would like to say?
THAO: No. I'm really honored. You know, every time I talk to anyone who's been associated with your book club or knows anything about it, they just rave about this beautiful community of readers that you've created. I'm just incredibly honored to have been a part of this conversation.
[00:58:26] ANNE: That's so kind. Thank you. And thank you all for making this such a wonderful community. Thao, we've been looking forward to this all summer, or some of us maybe a little longer. Thank you so much for joining us and being so generous with your time and your work. And who's going to go read this again after our conversation and devour your entire substack? We can't wait to see what you do next. Thank you so much for joining us.
THAO: Thank you so much. Have a good summer, everyone.
ANNE: Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Thao. This peek behind the scenes of one of our fabulous book club events. Find Thao at her website and on Instagram @Thaowrites. T-H-A-O-W-R-I-T-E-S.
We've got all those links and the full list of titles we talked about today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Follow our podcast in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts, so you always know when a new episode is out.
We also love connecting with listeners on Instagram. Find our show's page @whatshouldireadnext and keep up with all our coming summer reading fun.
Subscribing to our email list means you get updates directly from our team right in your inbox. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
[00:59:44] And if you've loved more book talk like today's conversation with Thao, come on over and check out our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. We would love to have you join us, and this is such a great time of year to get in on that action. Sign up now and enjoy one of our most anticipated perks of membership. That is our Summer Reading Guide and live Unboxing Party of it. Find all of the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg for Summer Reading Guide.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Banyan Moon
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
• Eudora Welty (try The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty)
• William Faulkner (try As I Lay Dying)
• House of Cotton by Monica Brashears
• Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
• Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
• Arcadia by Lauren Groff
• How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
Also mentioned:• Gramercy Books
• Thao’s Substack
• 38 Books That Changed Me
• Thao’s website
• Thao’s Instagram account
• Banyan Moon Playlist
The post The collaborative act of reading appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Hi, it’s Donna Hetchler, the “spreadsheet master” at Modern Mrs Darcy (that mainly means I do metrics and reporting), and I’m honored to be here for my first Links I Love post! You might remember me from Episode 83 of What Should I Read Next where I talked about my “epic birthday bookstore road trip” which I have such wonderful memories from.
I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend. I know what I’ll be doing…listening to the new Taylor Swift release The Tortured Poets Department on repeat!
My favorite finds from around the web:Ina Garten has a new memoir coming out October 1 called Be Ready When the Luck Happens (Bookshop). I love her cookbooks and TV shows (Be My Guest season 4 starts April 21 on the Food Network) and I can’t wait to read more about her life.
The Blurb Problem Keeps Getting Worse. (The Atlantic gift link) The most surprising thing I learned in this article is that blurbs are primarily written for “literary editors and buyers for the bookstores.” I admit that I have been swayed by author blurbs before but it often depends on the author that is writing them.
I think that every cozy reading nook needs a great blanket and I have found the perfect one! Garnet Hill’s Plush-Loft Throw is just the right size and weight, and it’s super soft without having static cling. If you don’t believe me, I’ll note that it was also The New York Times Wirecutter top pick as well.
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) Anne’s short and sweet book reviews.
I had a wonderful time attending the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival earlier this year and fortunately, they have many of the sessions on their YouTube channel including this fabulous discussion with James McBride and Abraham Verghese.
Doris Kearns Goodwin Wasn’t Competing With Her Husband (The New York Times gift link). I’m looking forward to reading her new book, An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s (Bookshop), which came out this week. This “By the Book” interview with her gave me a little insight into that release and her reading life.
I had so much fun with team member Ginger Horton on a WSIRN Patreon bonus episode talking about upcoming book adaptations, partly because it brought together my love of books and movies/TV series. I recommend things to watch to people all the time and the first question I usually get is, “where is it streaming?” That’s when I point them to JustWatch where you can enter the title into the Search and get all of the information you need. And I love using Letterboxd to track what I have watched.
Book Riot’s Read Harder 2024 annual challenge (Book Riot). I like seeing their categories every year because they often introduce me to terms that I hadn’t heard of before. This year that includes “manhwa,” which is Korean manga, and “whydunit,” which is a mystery that focuses on motive. If you have any suggestions for these categories, I’d love your recommendations in the comments.
I couldn’t resist these Pixar socks from Bombas. The adult sizes are mostly sold out but they still have Youth and Toddler sizes. So adorable!
A small joy that makes getting up in the morning so much better. (MMD) Our MMD Book Club Community Administrator Brigid Misselhorn shares the cool treat from her morning routine.
Columbia Pictures Takes Teddy Wayne’s New Thriller Novel ‘The Winner’, Amy Pascal Producing. (Deadline) I have an unusual but reliable source for finding page-turning books. I follow entertainment news on Deadline and when I see an upcoming book release has already been optioned to be adapted, I add it to my TBR. The adaptation may or may not happen, but I usually find a compelling book in the meantime. The Winner by Teddy Wayne (Bookshop) is out May 28 and I will definitely be reading it.
Don’t miss these posts:12 bookish mysteries about bibliophiles and bookstores. Lean in to your love of books and bookstores with one of these literary mysteries!
Our best advice for buddy reads. Because reading with a friend can be even better.
12 Feel-good fiction books you can read in an afternoon. If you’re leaning toward the lighter side of your reading tastes these days, this list is for you.
Have a great weekend!
About the authorDonna Hetchler helps out with our numbers, keeping a high level view of the business. Her go-to genre is mystery. You can find Donna on Instagram @dhetch.
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Despite being a morning person, I hate actually waking up. The initial “getting out of bed” portion of the morning is quite possibly the least enjoyable part of my day. Luckily, I have found something that actually makes me ecstatic to get out of bed: my $16 ice roller.
When I tell you I almost sprint to the freezer each morning to use it, I am not exaggerating. The simple daily routine of using my ice roller brings me so much joy. (Even if I am packing school lunches at the same time.) While it is indeed freezing for the first few moments, it quickly feels great and invigorating. As a bonus, it has a ton of benefits other than just feeling good to use.
After reading about ice rollers online a couple of years ago, I used the more common ice roller with a handle for quite a while but making the switch to this cute little pink one helped ice rolling to go from just okay to phenomenal in my book. It is seriously so delightful. Let me count the ways.
First off, the roller is double-sided with two different roller options that are better contoured for faces and necks. This really helps with the de-puffing, firming, and calming benefits. I like to think of them like tiny massages for my under-eyes, face, and neck. While the results are not quite Miss Congeniality or The Princess Diaries makeover montage level, they are noteworthy and help me feel more fresh-faced in the morning.
Second, I have sensitive skin that is prone to redness and that can often get worse from traditional creams and serums. Ice rolling has helped alleviate the redness without the use of skin products and I love that it can be used by anyone with any skin type whatsoever. With the warmer weather of spring and summer quickly approaching, I can look forward to the cool treatment whenever I need it.
Third, the design is fabulous and a breeze to use. The roller is small and easy to hold with rounded corners. The handles create their own clever little case that covers and protects the rollers while traveling or being stored in the freezer. With my older ice roller, I always had to store it in a container because my family loves EBTB seasoning and it seems there are always stray poppy seeds and dried garlic everywhere in our kitchen. On the off chance it does get dirty or needs to be cleaned, this ice roller’s design makes it very simple to care for and wash.
And fourth, we are constantly finding new uses for it throughout our days! The cold rollers are perfect for treating painful headaches and sinus pressure, which came in very handy when I had COVIDtwice in the fall. Living in Florida, I often pull it out of the freezer when someone gets a dreaded mosquito bite or has had too much sun exposure. My kiddos love it for soothing growing pains in their legs before bed and tending to their occasional bumps and bruises. As you may know from my post about cozy mysteries, I truly enjoy a pun, which brings me to quite possibly one of my favorite things about the roller: the name. “SOICY” or as my daughter pointed out, so icy! That funny little pun brings a smile to my cool and soothed face every time I use it. I just adore my soicy ice roller.
Have you ever tried an ice roller? Please share your experience in the comments.
P.S. Check out our team’s whole Raving Fans series right here.
About the authorBrigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
The post A small joy that makes getting up in the morning so much better appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When big changes happen in life, our reading routines can take a hit, and that’s exactly what happened with today’s guest, Caleb Wilson-Johnson.
Caleb used to love planning his entire reading year in advance, and took particular joy in discovering the perfect books for each season. But Caleb recently got married and moved across the state to live with his new husband. Both of these joyful events shook up his previous reading routine. Caleb’s interested in exploring what a new path forward might look like as he enjoys these other new starts in his life.
Today, Caleb and I consider how he can bring a fresh outlook to planning his upcoming reads, while continuing to deliver the immersive reading experience he loves most.
We’d love to know what you’d recommend for Caleb: let us know by leaving a comment below.
Find Caleb on Instagram and at his website.
Join us for our Summer Reading Guide unboxing book partyOur 13th annual Summer Reading Guide is only a few weeks away from landing in inboxes, and we’d love to invite you to join us for this year’s book party. We’ll be hosting two live events, both on May 16th, and you’re invited. Get all of the details and find out how to get your guide at our Summer Reading Guide page.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:00] ANNE: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
If you heard last week's episode, I mentioned that we'd recently sent a very short notice invitation to our patron community to fill a handful of last minute recording slots because of personal demands on my time this winter. Today's guest is another member of our Patreon community, and we are so glad to have him join us!
Thank you so much to all who answered our call. We so appreciate you. And thank you to everyone who has sent, is sending, and we'll send submissions to that form on a daily basis. My team and I love reading every single one. That form is at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest.
[00:01:15] We are so honored and privileged to get to read about your reading lives. Thank you for sharing them with us. Thank you for listening here. We're so glad to be reading with you.
Now, readers, adjusting your reading life to a new routine is hard. Change is hard even if it's good change. Today's guest would love my suggestions after two big and exciting changes derailed his previous strategy of choosing his next reading.
Caleb Wilson Johnson used to love planning his entire reading gear in advance. As a routine-oriented person, he took great joy in discovering the perfect books for each season, sometimes right down to identifying the perfect bookish fit for the specific month or even day. As a pantser, this blows my mind.
But Caleb recently got married and moved across the state to live with his new husband. Both of these joyful events have really impacted his previous reading routine. And instead of trying to get back to the way things were before, he's curious about exploring what a new path forward could look like.
[00:02:16] Today, Caleb and I are going to think through how he can bring a fresh outlook to planning his upcoming reads while keeping in mind his desire for engaging and plotting books that will hold his attention and keep him reading simply because he cannot wait to pick the book back up and find out what happens next.
Today's episode is all about reading for the season you're in. I'm excited to share it with you. Let's get to it.
Caleb, welcome to the show.
CALEB: Thanks for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
ANNE: Oh, it's my pleasure. It's so good to talk to you and catch up. We are so excited to see that you answered our call to our patrons. I got behind on recording with just a lot of personal stuff this winter, and we asked our Patreon community, as we do sometimes to help us record on short notice. And thank you for answering the call.
CALEB: Oh, I couldn't have responded fast enough.
ANNE: I appreciate that. Caleb, I want to introduce you to our readers. Tell us a little bit about your life, your life in Detroit these days.
[00:03:12] CALEB: So I live in Detroit, Michigan, and just recently moved here, this past December of 2023 after living in Lansing for several years. I got married, not to spoil the plot, but I got married in-
ANNE: You couldn't possibly spoil anything by talking about getting married?
CALEB: Yeah, that's what prompted the move. I've lived in Michigan for a combined total of about ten years now and had been primarily based in Lansing, which is where my job is. And then met a wonderful guy, my husband, Michael, and we were married this past February.
After going, you know, back and forth, trying to decide where we wanted to live, he owns a home here, so we decided it would make the most sense for me to move to Detroit. Not something that was in the books for me, but I am enjoying learning about this place with so much history and culture. It's just something that wasn't expected in my life but it's been wonderful.
ANNE: All right, top Detroit tip, find, spot, what you got?
CALEB: Oh my goodness.
[00:04:24] ANNE: I'm saying this to someone who's only been to the airport. Caleb, this is it so far.
CALEB: Me too actually. Before now, I'd been into the suburbs of Detroit. But as far as the actual city, I just didn't know that much about it. And I will say probably the best thing is a festival called Dally in the Alley. It was where we went for, I think, our second official date, actually.
I think it's a one-day festival and they close down several different blocks in a neighborhood. And there's art and music and all sorts of performances happening in the streets and in the alleyways in between the streets and of course, you know, all of the historic homes in Detroit. And everywhere you turn, it's really a spectacle. I'd never been to anything quite like it.
For instance, we were walking through one little alley going from one area to another, and a marching band just popped up and started playing. I don't remember the song, but I think it was like a Britney Spears song played by a marching band. It was the most bizarre but delightful thing that I've ever experienced.
[00:05:42] Not to mention the fact that I was there, you know, on a date with the person who would eventually become my husband. But yeah, I never heard of this festival at all. It was just such a unique experience.
There's house music, there's rock, there's R&B, there's pop all over these neighborhoods. So many wonderful things.
ANNE: That sounds amazing. Okay, coming this fall, y'all. Everybody has time to plan. Congratulations on your marriage.
CALEB: Thank you so much.
ANNE: And also you mentioned in your submission that this change in routine... Well, you know what, Caleb? I'm not going to put words in your mouth. Tell me about it.
CALEB: I will say that I'm very introverted. I'm a homebody. I was pretty settled, I would say, into my life, which is what made meeting my husband such a surprising and wonderful thing. But I stay home a lot. I'm a reader. I like to cook. I just had my routine very much established.
[00:06:42] I liked my neighborhood, I liked my commute and all of it and I never imagined moving to a new city. I work remotely, so it wasn't a huge deal in that regard. But I do commute to the office one day a week, so I have about an hour and a half drive one way.
So all of a sudden, you know, there's less time that I have for reading. But not only that, just kind of, you know, when your life merges with another person's, as you know, having been married for quite a while yourself, everything just sort of changes.
And it's such a wonderful time of discovery about yourself and who you are as a person but also the person that you're marrying and combining your life with. So for me, just for instance, I would read nonfiction in the morning for about half an hour to get my day started in the quiet, and then in the evening, I would spend several hours, oftentimes staying up way too late. I would make a cocktail, I would read for like, you know, two hours, maybe three. That was my everyday routine.
[00:07:49] Now we have dogs in the house so the mornings aren't quite as silent as I'm used to. But again, all good things, all very joyful things. And then in the evening, we spend time together. We watch TV. My husband is working on his degree in interior design. So there are times when he's working on a fashion project or school project. And so I do have those extended hours of reading. But again, it's just a big change in routine.
Then the commute on Wednesdays, that definitely adds another element of change to the mix. So it's just all been delightful and crazy and wonderful and different. I've been in a bit of a tailspin, but I'm settling in. But my reading life has definitely taken a turn, for sure.
[00:08:45] ANNE: Now, I think a lot of readers will be intrigued by and maybe draw inspiration from the intricate system of planning that you had for your TBR prior to getting married. Like you said in your submission that sometimes you would plan your reading right down to the month and the day, getting very specific, but definitely like being a seasonal reader and wanting to read around the season in which the books take place. We need to hear more about that, Caleb.
CALEB: It's very intricate and a little bit mad depending on who you ask probably. But I am a very seasonal reader. Strong sense of place is something that is really important to me in any book that I read. So my system up until now — and this is just my tendency altogether — I just want the experience to be totally immersive.
So I live here in Michigan. We do have four seasons, despite most people thinking it's just winter all the time. But we do get a nice sampling of all four seasons, and so I kind of want to experience in my actual life what's going on in the book that I'm reading.
[00:09:51] When I am choosing a book or when I add a book to my TBR, usually I'll either purchase the book or sometimes I'll go to the little preview on Google and I'll just read the first few pages. An interesting thing is most of the time, like, the beginning of a paragraph or the beginning of a chapter will say something that is an allusion to the season or the month or the date. Especially with epistolary novels or something where they give you the actual day, I live for those moments because it makes it so easy for me to just slot it right exactly where I want it.
But I think more than that, it's just, you know, if I'm reading a book that is about the holidays and it says Christmas is approaching, I like that feeling being mirrored in my reading life. But yeah, I will plan, oftentimes, my entire TBR based on the month, the year, the date. Sometimes I'll even pay attention to details like, you know, it was a very rainy spring and so I know kind of like where that would fit in my TBR schedule. So it's very intricate. It's a little bit obsessive, but it really enhances the reading experience for me.
[00:11:08] I remember reading the book Saint X. It was like a thriller. And even though that book took place in a tropical setting, it was January. And I remember that because I was thinking, okay, even though it's cold here, but they're at a tropical location, they're escaping to a vacation destination. So I could still read it in January because I could feel like I was escaping out of the cold of Michigan.
ANNE: That's so interesting. You know, I really like a strong sense of place in my work, too. I could not have passed the pop quiz in which you ask me what month Saint X takes place. It was during the school year. I think they're on break from school. But other than that, I got nothing.
CALEB: And I guess, too, I can look back on books that way and remember kind of the setting and the time that I read it and the time that it took place based on that approach.
[00:11:57] ANNE: Okay, that's interesting, and that's going to be helpful to know as we think about what you want in your reading life right now. Okay, so Caleb, you are finding yourself at a time of great change and upheaval in your reading life. I don't know. Does it stress you out to say it like that?
Something that I think about all the time is that change is stressful. It can be good change, it can be unwelcome change, but no matter what, adapting to change is tough in lots of ways. And for readers, of course, it's tough in this specific way when that happens.
CALEB: I would have said that before. I've always been sort of not resistant to change, but because I'm such a routine-oriented person, that probably would have described the way that I felt. But this time, in this particular situation, the way that my now husband and I met, it was just such an unexpected and wonderful thing that happened in my life. It just caused me to really lean into it. It's felt more like an adventure in this situation, but I would have said that for sure before because I've always been such a routine-oriented person.
[00:13:06] ANNE: Like an adventure. I love that. Caleb, I'm gathering that you're not looking to replicate what you had in Lansing in Detroit when it comes to your reading life. The goal is not to carve out three hours a night for a cocktail and many, many chapters of a good book.
CALEB: Right. I think it's more of an invitation for something new and a different approach, which I do think is refreshing and will kind of reinvigorate my reading life.
ANNE: I love the way you put that. Also, we are definitely going to keep in mind how you described reading as being both enjoyment and a centering practice for you.
CALEB: Yes, it's both of those things.
ANNE: Tell me what you enjoy reading. You said you had a pretty good idea of the types of books that work for you.
CALEB: Yes. Like I mentioned before, something with a strong sense of place, especially books where the place almost becomes a character in itself. I love books that are centered around a house or a city or something of that nature. Something that is driven by an exciting plot that kind of moves forward.
[00:14:11] I know there are folks out there who really enjoy character-driven books that are very interior and lots of character development. But I find those books drive me crazy a little bit because I need something to happen. I think I remember, maybe it was you on a podcast episode referencing a book and you said, "If you're expecting something to happen in this book, this is not the book for you." But it was a lot of internal monologue with characters. That is not the book for me. I really need something to happen.
ANNE: You're like, "You're talking to me, Anne."
CALEB: Yeah. Which was great because I knew that that was not for me. But yeah, I would say strong sense of place and plot would be the top two distinguishments for me and what I'm looking for in a book.
ANNE: And yet you'd like to be surprised.
CALEB: I do. Yes, I love a twist, even if it's not like a thriller kind of twist, but just something unexpected. I do enjoy that. I do love a surprise.
[00:15:11] ANNE: Well, I'm excited to hear more. Caleb, are you ready to talk about your books?
CALEB: Yeah, let's do it.
ANNE: You know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we'll talk about what books may be right for you in this next chapter of your reading life. How did you choose these for today?
CALEB: I debated how I was going to approach this whether I was going to choose my all-time favorites because I keep a running list of those because, you know, sometimes that will change throughout your life. You might have said you had a book that was your favorite of all time.
A couple of these are all-time favorites for me but I tried to think recently. I went back through my Goodreads to see what I had enjoyed most recently, and I think I would say like in the past two years probably. So this is a more recent list.
ANNE: Okay. Well, I'm excited to hear about what you picked. Caleb, what is the first book you love?
[00:16:12] CALEB: The first book I chose was My Government Means To Kill Me by Rasheed Newson. This is a book that takes place in the 80s, and it primarily centers around the AIDS crisis, the ACT UP movement. The story is told from the perspective of a teenager, young adult. He's sort of coming into his own, and you see the journey that he's on.
It's told from the perspective of this person, so it almost reads like a memoir. I would call this speculative fiction, because while it's based on true events, you know, this person obviously did not exist in real life. But there are footnotes throughout the book that tell you, you know, this might have been the way it happened, or this is the true part of this statement, and this is the historical fact about it.
But then there are other parts that said, Well, this is said to have happened, or this might have been how this took place, or this person might have been here at this time.
[00:17:19] So I really liked the fact that it was based in fact, and it was told from the perspective of this boy, but it was also kind of his own experience of how he was navigating the world during that time and how he became involved in ACT UP and also discovering his own sexuality.
So there was just so many components that spoke to me. From the setting, being in New York City, it was very vivid. I found my own self in that story a little bit, too. I really loved this book. And I read it so fast because I just was so riveted by what was happening in the story.
ANNE: That's a lovely description, and it has me wondering about a couple books you may enjoy later. Caleb, what's the second book you love?
CALEB: My second book is Congratulations, The Best Is Over! by R. Eric Thomas. I really love Eric's writing so much. His first book is still one of my favorites of all time. I was curious how the follow-up would be since this was his second memoir and essays. He's written a couple of, well, one young adult fiction and another book about the life of Maxine Waters, but this book sort of... I don't want to say it picked up where Here for It, his first book, left off, but it had a distinctly different tone.
[00:18:43] I had the privilege of getting to know Eric through a work event that we hosted him for, a book club event, and it was interesting hearing him talk about the writing process while this book was being written and kind of what he was going through in his own life.
But I will say overall Eric has this way of capturing real-life emotion and experience but also being so relatable and humorous and not being afraid to say the things that are hard or difficult but also approaching it with a sense of humor, and you know, that both joy and sadness can coexist in your life at the same time.
I honestly just really love his voice when he writes. It's almost identical to his actual real-life personality, which I find very delightful. I related to the book so much because of some things I was going through in my own life, but it just gave me permission to feel those feelings, to say them out loud, but also to allow joy to exist in my life at the same time.
[00:19:54] So this book is, I think, he describes it as sort of a midlife crisis kind of moment, but his writing is just good about finding you where you are. It's so relatable, it's so funny and so enjoyable, and that's what I love the most about this book.
ANNE: Okay, we have to let everybody know that R. Eric Thomas appeared on What Should I Read Next? back in August 2023. That's Episode 392. It's called Insightful and Entertaining Memoirs, and you can hear Eric talk about his own work while we share a host of recommendations for memoirs that also hit a lot of the same notes that you described, Caleb. Like ones that meet you where you are, that say the hard things but are still relatable and funny. And yeah, we talked a lot about midlife in that.
You mentioned Eric's YA work. Is that a section of the bookstore that you've explored or are interested in exploring?
CALEB: I have, and I've read a couple of YA books, and I will say I really loved Kings of B'more, his YA fiction book for all the reasons that I just described earlier about what I look for in a book — strong sense of place, a fast-moving plot.
[00:21:03] I don't want to be rude or insensitive in saying this, but I do not enjoy books about teenagers or children. I don't know why that is. My Government Means To Kill Me may have been an exception, but he was approaching adulthood.
I was also a children's pastor for a long time, so perhaps I just served my time with all things kids and youth or teenagers. I don't know. But if kids or children are the main characters in a book I don't tend to enjoy it. I did really love Kings of B'more. So maybe I'm open to that. Maybe it's something I should explore more because that definitely took me by surprise. But I have not explored a ton of YA.
ANNE: I like your theory, but perhaps it may take years to restore some equilibrium to your life in that way.
CALEB: I think you're right.
ANNE: Caleb, what is the third book you love?
CALEB: The third book I love, and I will say this one has been on my favorites of all time for many, many years. I don't remember the exact year it was published, but it's Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist.
[00:22:07] This book checks so many boxes for me. I've reread it, I don't know, countless times, probably five or six times at this point. But it combines a lot of things that I love. Food, I love food writing. Shauna, for a long time, lived in Chicago, so she has a Midwestern sensibility in her life and in her writing. And that sort of defined her, which is a lot of what the book is about.
And if you've read any of her books at all, you know that the Midwest and Chicago was just a big part of her life and her story and something she identified with. But she writes with a very strong sense of place in all of her books, I feel. When I read this book I just moved to Michigan. She lived in Grand Rapids for a time as well. So a lot of the things that she was writing about I was able to experience. Restaurants.
But also, it sort of taught me how to approach cooking. I was living on my own for the first time, and so it was a companion to me. It was an interesting… I don't want to say plot, because it's a memoir. So it's a true story told in essays. But there's just so many things about this book that just checked all the right boxes for me.
[00:23:23] I love the way that Shauna talks about food. I love the way she talks about books and reading, and I just like the way that she describes a setting or a place, or a time in her life. I don't know, for me, it hit all the right marks.
ANNE: Aw, I love that description for you. Tell me more about food writing. I've just noticed that that's come up incidentally a couple of times.
CALEB: Yes, food. I am very, very passionate about food. I don't know that the term "foodie" is still culturally relevant, but I love cooking. I love food experiences. I love trying out new restaurants. It's just something that's a big part of my life.
On a personal note, I will say that it's good to be in that place because I struggled for a long time with disordered eating. So for a long time, food for me was not a pleasure or it wasn't something that I found joy in. It was something I found a lot of shame in.
[00:24:19] That's another reason why this book, Bread and Wine, spoke to me, because she sort of talks about that journey for herself, too. You know, now that I think about it, maybe that was a moment where I stopped apologizing for loving food and eating and the way that it gathers people and the way that food connects people and cultures and all these different things. But I just love reading about food.
Ruth Reichl is one of my favorite authors who writes almost exclusively about food. So yeah, it's a big part of my life. I just love experiences that involve food. It's something that I'm very passionate about and that I find joy in.
ANNE: All right, that's good to know and definitely something that we will keep in mind. Caleb, we've heard about what you love. Now tell us about a book that was not a good fit for you.
CALEB: Yes, and I was so disappointed by this because I thought it was going to hit the mark so much for me. It's the book Devil House by John Darnielle. I first heard about this book from Samantha Irby. She shares the most humorous reviews of things that she's read. And the way she describes them I think it's so funny.
[00:25:28] But many of the books she's recommended have really worked for me. This one, though... when I'm choosing a book, again, with my systems, I will always say, like, if I'm reading a description, and if it checks three boxes for me, then I know I will read it, and I'll give it my time.
I have very, I think, niche interests. One of those is 80s and early 90s nostalgia. Another thing is a haunted house or a manor house or something like that. This book is about a house that had been all of these different things. A convenience store at one point, and there was a gruesome murder that took place at this house.
The cover of the book very much looks like a kind of pulp fiction book from the 80s that you would see in old Stephen King paperback. So many things about this book drew me in.
[00:26:27] The main character in the story moves into the home, to the house where this gruesome murder took place, to investigate it. And I just kept waiting for something to happen, something that was going to move the plot forward.
There were three sections of the book, and not to give away any spoilers here, but it just never really went anywhere. And instead... So I stopped reading it about, I don't know, 75% of the way through, and then I went back to finish it because it was bugging me. And what I realized was the whole thing was just an exploration of truth and how a story is told and the perception. I suppose it's interesting to think about that, but it was not what I was looking for in terms... I felt like the description was very off.
ANNE: Okay. So you love the book you thought it was going to be, and you didn't love the book it was.
CALEB: Yes. And still when I look back on it, like when I see the cover and I read the plot summary, I still I'm like, "Oh, I really want to love this book and I want it to be something different." But it just wasn't.
[00:27:36] And I do love books that kind of, you know, take a broader look, like they're saying something bigger and using the story as more of a vehicle for a larger narrative to come through or a deeper narrative to come through. But yeah, it didn't check any boxes for me, and I'm still sad about it.
ANNE: Caleb, I was really interested in your thoughts on that because there's a lot of John Darnielle's music that I really like. Before he was a novelist, he was and is a lyricist for the Mountain Goats. But you know, there's some reading experiences where because of a relationship you have with the person or the person's work, you feel like, "I have to love this. There is no other option."
CALEB: Sure.
ANNE: And so I've been afraid to pick it up. Okay. But I will at least know what I'm getting into if/when I do.
CALEB: Yes.
ANNE: All right, I'm just going to leave that there for the time being. Caleb, what have you been reading lately?
CALEB: The most recent book that I've read, and I just finished this a couple days ago, is I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. I will say her previous book, The Great Believers, is still probably my very favorite fiction book of all time, my favorite novel. So many things about that book just spoke to me.
[00:28:46] So I was really excited about this book by her. I know it was really anticipated, and I've heard varying opinions on the approach. I really loved it for all the reasons I just talked about earlier—strong sense of place, the plot moved forward. It was very surprising. It had a few twists that I was not expecting. I enjoyed it so much and would highly recommend it. It really reinvigorated my reading life, for sure.
ANNE: I'm really glad to hear that was a winner for you.
CALEB: Another book that I've really enjoyed recently, and this was something I read in the morning during my nonfiction reading time, was 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet by Pamela Paul. I heard an interview with her on NPR. Again, going back to the nostalgia factor, she lists 100 different things that we do not have anymore because of the internet.
I think this, and even say it sometimes, half-joking, half-serious, but sometimes I wish we didn't have cell phones anymore, or sometimes I wish there was no internet, because I feel that there is a connection that's been lost between people. Maybe I'm just a nostalgic person, but I do have vivid memories of using a phone with a long cord or I do find joy in doing a lot of things in an analog manner.
[00:30:10] I just found this book to be interesting. It kind of delved into what we've lost, but also what we've gained by the internet. It was a quick read. The chapters are very short and digestible, which made it perfect for morning reading. But I thought it was very insightful and it just kind of checked that nostalgia box for me as well.
ANNE: That's really interesting. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I remember checking that book out of the library when it came out and I was just talking with my 14-year-old about it this morning because we were wondering about the weather and we both reached for our phones. And one of the things that Pamela Paul says we've lost to the internet is wondering about the weather along with looking out the window and boredom.
Will talks often about really missing the landline, like the kitchen phone in the house. Yeah, I think about that one all the time. I'm not sure I even finished it when I checked it out, but I think about it all the time.
CALEB: And even the Weather Channel.
ANNE: Oh, does she talk about that?
[00:31:05] CALEB: She does, yeah. I guess the Weather Channel maybe came along a little bit later, but there are videos on Instagram of the music from the Weather Channel, and it just evokes such strong emotions for me of the days waiting for the slides on the screen to scroll through to see what the weather was going to be, and even better when the little announcement ticker would roll across the bottom saying if schools were closed or open on snow days. Or when you had to call the school number and wait for the voicemail.
ANNE: Okay, that's what I was specifically thinking of. I remember my brother's baseball games getting canceled and you had to be one of like 300 families to call and hear the recording that would say games are on or games are off. And getting through was a nightmare. My mom would set a timer that would go off every minute so she could call. That I don't miss, but a lot of it. Yeah. Oh gosh, that really is a nostalgia trip.
CALEB: For sure.
ANNE: That fits in with your 80s, 90s nostalgia?
CALEB: Absolutely.
[00:32:02] ANNE: Okay, Caleb, we've talked about and around this for much of our time together, but what would you say you are looking for in your reading life right now?
CALEB: My routine has just completely changed, and I've looked at it as an invitation for my reading life to change. But I think what I'm looking for most is just some strategy, both in terms of getting some reading momentum back.
It's been a very busy season. Planning a wedding, getting married, moving to a new city, all of these things. But just firstly, getting my reading momentum back. I think this might be an opportunity to maybe step out of the hustle of being disappointed if I don't read four books a month, which is what I averaged before. But just being okay with the pace that I'm going in terms of reading and also choosing books that will help me accomplish that goal. So I'm very open. I'm excited to try something new. I just need a fresh outlook.
[00:33:01] So I think to go a little bit further, just managing my own expectations and prioritizing books that will keep the momentum going. And instead of feeling disappointed that I'm not finishing a certain amount of books, just enjoying what I am reading, but also choosing books that will help me feel accomplished. Maybe "accomplished" is the wrong word, because it's not a competition.
ANNE: I'm really glad you had the opportunity to hear yourself, because there's nothing bad in wanting to feel accomplished unless you hear yourself and think, actually, that's not what I want. It might be what you wanted for a really long time.
Caleb, you're talking about a fresh outlook for right now, and I'm interested in how it feels to channel, like, your past self, the one who was very diligent and tactical and specific about planning your to-be-read list around the season you are in and the seasons in which the books take place.
[00:34:07] So not to get too meta on you, but like, Caleb, you are in a season. And I wonder if instead of thinking like, Oh, well, it's April. Oh, it's July. Oh, it's January," I wonder if you could think like, okay, here's a man in this season. And what book might fit this reader, this reader who is you right now? Like what would be right for this moment that you are in? Is there anything there?
CALEB: Yes, that's so insightful, Anne. I feel like I'm in therapy right now. Book therapy. Yes, that's exactly what I am trying to say — realizing that this is a season of my life. One of the things I've been thinking a lot about just personally is being present for today, being grateful for today being, grateful for the moment that I'm in.
I think so many times, not to get too deep here, but you know, in terms of reading or anything else, we can be so focused on getting something accomplished that we just don't enjoy the moment that we're living in, or the book that we're reading, as it were.
[00:35:16] ANNE: Yes, I like that callback to accomplished. Also, I feel like I was asking you to diagnose just that, like, okay, here is a man, this man is in a place, what does that man need? But also, maybe you don't have those answers right now, or maybe you just have the glimmers.
I think that one of the seasons you're in is really a season of discovery. And that's a wonderful thing. This can be a season of discovery in your reading life as well.
CALEB: Yes. Oh, I love that.
ANNE: Yay! Okay, so I can hear that you already have given yourself a great deal of permission to just kind of get the lay of the land for where you are now. New place, practically, metaphorically. And I would just like to affirm, yes, that is a good place for you right now.
Some readers who really like to feel grounded and who want to know what's happening next might even want to give themselves permission to like, Okay, we don't need to think about this for a year, for a year, just kind of see where the tide takes you. You might be really uncomfortable with that, seeing where the tide takes you. You might feel like you want a little more structure.
[00:36:22] Caleb, you talked about how you really wanted to manage your own expectations too. I would really like to encourage you just to be cognizant of the timing. I don't want to tell you what you should or shouldn't do, but I'm playing with the concept of rushing things or encouraging yourself to hurry, like whether or not you even realize you're doing it, of thinking like there's a ticking clock, of thinking you ought to have it figured out by X date. I don't know how you feel about time and getting on with things. What are you thinking now?
CALEB: That sounds just right. I think it all goes back to just enjoying the moment, enjoying the place that I'm in, and being open to what the future holds. I love what you just said about being in a season, but just like taking the whole time component out of the equation. I'm here in this moment, I'm enjoying this book, I'm enjoying this experience, and I'm not going to discount it by being upset that I'm not further along on my TBR or whatever the case may be.
ANNE: Yeah, you're a reader. You'll be a reader. And you can figure out what kind of reader you're going to be now and in the near future on your own timeline.
[00:37:33] CALEB: I think there's a lot to be said about enjoying the place that we're in, but also being excited and curious about the person that we will become.
ANNE: I'm excited and curious for you. And at the same time, you're talking about how you want to prioritize certain kinds of books that will keep the momentum going. I don't want to assume too much, but I'm thinking that books that help you keep the momentum going are the ones that you're excited to read, like the ones that you want to pick up, the ones that make you think like, Oh, you know, like this was time well spent with that book." Does that ring true?
CALEB: Yes, absolutely. I think the best reading experiences that I've had have always been those where I'm thinking about it throughout the day. You know, I'm looking forward to when I can dive back in and see what waits for me within those pages.
[00:38:24] I think I Have Some Questions for You really did that for me most recently. So that is definitely what I'm looking for.
ANNE: I'm really excited about what you can be reading. You have a good idea of what you love in some ways and also I just want to highlight for you that you said in your submission and out loud that you really enjoy being surprised. And perhaps... I mean, you don't have to stick with this, but I'm wondering what it might be like for you to really embrace the idea that this is a season of discovery.
And that may mean just giving yourself an extra grace, a preferential option for the weird stuff. The stuff may be a little further off your beaten path. But by all means, if you're really excited about something that sounds right up your alley and what you've loved in the past, do that. That sounds great. That's the kind of thing we can get excited about as readers. But also, maybe I'll share a title or two that's just kind of like, huh, I don't know. If you're intrigued, you could try it without feeling like it would be a loss to discover that you didn't love it.
CALEB: Oh yeah, that's such a great way of framing it, and I love this approach of surprise. I'm ready for it.
ANNE: I'm happy to hear it. I'm just really excited about where you are in your life and your reading life. You're asking great questions. I'm excited for you. Can I keep saying I'm excited for you? I'm really excited for you.
CALEB: I can feel the excitement and I appreciate it.
[00:39:48] ANNE: Let's talk about what to read next. What do you think?
CALEB: Let's do it.
ANNE: You loved My Government Means To Kill Me by Rasheed Newson, Congratulations, The Best Is Over! by R. Eric Thomas, and Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. Although I did notice that you said perhaps The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai is your favorite fiction of all time.
CALEB: Yes, that still stands.
ANNE: Also, I'm seeing what you snuck in there. I got it noted. That's going into the pot. Not for you was Devil House by John Darnielle. You thought you would love the book you thought it was, and it was not that book.
CALEB: Right.
ANNE: And then lately, Rebecca Makkai's I Have Some Questions For You, which really worked. Also, you pick up a good amount of nonfiction. Like, half your books we've talked about have been nonfiction. So you mentioned Pamela Paul's 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet.
CALEB: Yes.
[00:40:35] ANNE: And now we're going to think about what you might read next. Okay, off the beaten path, surprising, but definitely critically acclaimed so far, have you yet encountered Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar?
CALEB: I haven't. I haven't even heard of that.
ANNE: I think this could be a surprising book for you, but also it has so much in common with books that you have read. If you pull up the cover, you will see right off the bat by the little speech bubble that's present on a series cover that this book has a sense of humor, which is something that you've liked before as an element in books that are really talking about serious, like sometimes hard and heavy things but that are shared in a voice that's funny.
I would really encourage you to just pick this up in the bookstore at the library or just read a sample on the internet. The voice is something that grabs a lot of readers right from the beginning. Like, oh, this is a character I could settle in and spend some time with, spend 300-ish pages with. I think it's a little bit on the shorter side.
[00:41:39] But this is a story by a man who is a poet, he's in AA because of his over-dependence on alcohol, and he's an addict to a whole lot of stuff that he says isn't especially scary on its own. He just does the drugs in combinations that always make him wonder if he's seeing things or living in the real world. But our protagonist is an Iranian-American poet. His name is Cyrus. He's in Indiana, so you've got some Midwestern groundedness and sensibility there.
CALEB: Oh, I like that.
ANNE: I thought you might. So both his parents have already died. His father died of a stroke, and his mother died because she was on an Iranian passenger airline that the U.S. Navy shot down in 1988. And he does circle back and revisit that time. Late 80s reference, but it is there. He's not entirely sure it's not because of the drugs, but he has enough of what he interprets to be a sign from God that it sets him off on a quest.
[00:42:42] So at the very beginning of the book, he has this sign from God, and it's like a lightbulb flickers. It's a real little thing, but it's enough for him to conceive of this big poetry project. He's going to create this thing called the Book of Martyrs. Because of his mother, he's really interested in the concept of martyrdom. And you can decide how you think he sees himself in that context.
But he happens to discover that there is a terminally ill Iranian-American artist who is living out the end of her life in the Brooklyn Museum. And she's just talking to visitors who are coming on pilgrimages to see her. And Cyrus is like, You know what I got to do? I got to go talk to this terminally ill artist.
So it becomes a quest story. They're going to go to Brooklyn. They're gonna go on a journey. They're gonna learn some things along the way. It feels like there's a dark tone to the story and you wonder what he really intends. Does he hint at what his life will be like during and then after he completes this project?
[00:43:41] So serious stuff is happening here, but also the tone throughout, like it's funny. And there are some books that deal in dark and heavy things, but have such a strong sense of humor alongside it.
CALEB: Yes.
ANNE: You hinted at that. Not hinted. You said that with R. Eric Thomas. But this is a fictional version of that. This book does that dark humor really well. I also think that you may enjoy the philosophical exploration in tandem with... this guy that's fun to hang out and spend time with. I think you could get home and be like, what are we doing next, Cyrus? How does that sound to you?
CALEB: That sounds great. I pulled up the cover, and I'm very intrigued, and I love the little illustration that's on the cover. This feels like something that I would enjoy.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. Going in a different direction, I'm going to pluck a book from your Goodreads, which we ask readers for on their submissions, if they would like to share. And maybe you've already read this, so you can tell me what you think. But the one that I want to recommend is The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection by Robert Farrar Capon. Have you picked this up yet? You put it on your list it looks like in 2022.
[00:44:50] CALEB: I have not picked this up. And funny enough, I first heard about this book from Shauna Niequist, and then I think Ginger mentioned it a little more recently on an episode of the podcast. So it sounds like it would be just right for me, and I've sort of put it on and then taken it off my TBR list based on the mood that I'm in, but I think this might be the time.
ANNE: I really relate to what you're saying about this book, because I've followed Shauna forever. But Caleb, Ginger on our team, is the one who I remember being the one who put it on my radar. And the way she described it made me think, Oh, I have to go read that immediately.
And look, I don't want to be heavy-handed with you, but before we hit record on our conversation that we're having right now, we were talking about Ruth Reichl and how much you love her writing and how I didn't realize that she had a sub stack I should be subscribed to because I feel like I read everything she writes. But no, I've been missing out.
[00:45:43] But you can pick up the edition of The Supper of the Lamb, which was written decades ago, but there's a newer edition. It's in the Modern Library Food Series that has an introduction by Deborah Madison, who I imagine you've encountered as someone who loves food writing.
CALEB: Of course.
ANNE: But also the series editor is Ruth Reichl, and she writes the first introduction in this book and talks about her experience growing up and how she became a cooker of vegetables for reasons even though she didn't feel at home in that role and how she came to cooking and how she felt misunderstood with her love for food.
We both know that she can really write a good food description. It's so fun to hear her reminisce about meals she's enjoyed or write about what she's eating now or what she wants to eat. But she sings the praises of The Supper of the Lamb there in those pages before you even have the opportunity to get started with the book itself. But then the author takes the stage and he gets you started by laying out a recipe for a dinner party in kind of like a wry, gently snarky tone.
[00:46:50] He tells you how to do it right, what's going to happen if you do it wrong. Make sure that the butcher doesn't cut the lamb into the portions themselves or you'll lose half the fun and also half the portions. He has his editorial comments about the recipe for the lamb and he's like, "Well, okay, so I told you how to do that, now let's get started."
This is another one where I think you could pick it up, read the sample, read Ruth Reichl's words if you want, but also see a little bit about this man whose first-person narrative you'll be spending some time with in these pages, and I think you'll find that you really want to.
He's just whimsical and funny and wry, has such a good sense of humor, but is also deeply, relatably talking about food and how we can enjoy it, but also what it means. So whether he's talking about the gift of gathering, or what it means to just really live in the moment and cut your onion. I think he tells you at the beginning, just set aside an hour. You don't have anything else to do. This is important stuff. Let's just do it right.
CALEB: That sounds delightful.
[00:47:51] ANNE: It is! Okay, so there's one review from a reader named Dominika on Goodreads that I just had to share. This is the review in its entirety. "An explosion of joy over the goodness of being." Like, just talking about this book, I don't know if you can hear me smiling. I have a big smile on my face. You could sit down and read this in one sitting because you wouldn't want to get up. But you could also read it in smaller parts and just find yourself looking forward to seeing what Mr. Capon is going to tell you about next.
CALEB: Oh, this sounds exactly like what I needed. That combines so many elements from the food, and then you mentioned the foreword by Ruth Reichl, Shauna Niequist at one point talked about this, I think. Yeah, I think this is right up my alley.
ANNE: Okay, I'm glad to hear it. Look, while we were in Indiana, maybe I should have mentioned Ross Gay, but I think you could really like his bite-sized nonfiction, his two most recent, The Book of Joy, The Book of (More) Joy. If those are not yet on your radar or on yourself, please just think about those. I think you could enjoy those.
CALEB: I have not read them, but I did gift them to a friend recently.
[00:48:53] ANNE: They make excellent gift books. I mean, you know, they're beautiful and bite-sized and... I don't know. What makes them such good gift books? I know they are, but can I articulate it?
CALEB: She was going through a difficult time. I felt like she needed some joy, so I just felt like The Book of Delights was something that she might find useful.
ANNE: I can appreciate that. Okay, also, I'm the one from Louisville, not you, but a local coffee shop does a cameo. Something important happens at a local coffee shop. I thought that was lots of fun. Caleb, when you were talking about My Government Means to Kill Me, it really put me in mind of a YA novel, which is why I asked you, Hey, how do you feel about YA novels? And the answer is, not great, but maybe. So, because you did really love Kings of B'more.
CALEB: I did.
ANNE: We're both aware that this may or may not be a great fit, but I do want you to know about it. This is a favorite of team member Leigh's. She's the one who put it on my radar. I know you all talk books. She said that this book utterly wrecked her, and also, of course, for those reasons, it might be her all-time favorite YA novel.
[00:49:58] Now, that could have changed since she read it in 2020, but she did speak highly of it, and once I read it for myself, I could totally get it. So this is about an Iranian teen whose name is Reza, and he is gay, deeply closeted, newly arrived in New York City, where he makes a friend who's an aspiring fashion designer. And then he meets another friend who's a photographer, and he's out at school and actually proud of it, which is not the place where Reza is when this story begins.
This is one of those stories that we've... I mean, we've been talking about a lot of books that are both about important and hard things, and also, like, have elements of grace and ease, a little bit of humor that lightens the heavy.
So, this is a story that explores the ups and downs of friendship and first love. There's a love triangle here. It's all set against a backdrop of AIDS and activism in 1980s New York. It's one that doesn't shy away from grief and loss of that era, but also really celebrates the community that Reza finds in New York in 19... I think it's mostly 1989. I think this has some of the same elements of stories you enjoy.
CALEB: Yes.
[00:51:10] ANNE: It definitely has that 80s nostalgia. I wanted you to know about it. I'm afraid to ask... I feel like if this is a maybe, then like we're winning, but if it's not, then I at least learned something and we can move on.
CALEB: Yes, I think I would definitely give it a try. I think similar to My Government Means to Kill Me and The Great Believers, period of time, and AIDS activism is something that's really interesting to me. I think kind of hearing stories about the same period of time through the lens of other people's experiences because everyone's viewpoint is so different and perspective is so different. I think this might really work for me. I'd definitely give it a try.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. I want to throw in a mystery, then we're going to go back to New York City. I don't know if you've read Simone St. James.
CALEB: I love Simone St. James.
ANNE: Have you read The Sundown Motel?
CALEB: Yes, it checked all the boxes for me, and it was a five-star for me.
[00:52:03] ANNE: Okay, perfect. So I'm glad to hear that was a winner. Readers, if you did not understand the subtext that Caleb and I just exchanged, this takes place in upstate New York at a rundown motel 1982 with those 80s vibes. And it's got a haunted motel that's as much a character as the women at the front of the story. And like, I thought this was one where the pages practically turned themselves. Like, why is there always the lingering scent of cigarette smoke when nobody's been smoking? Like, why do these mysterious things keep happening for reasons that you do get to find out by the end of the book?
CALEB: Yes, it's so moody and evocative, like you really can picture yourself there. Like I found myself cold multiple times when I was reading it and really... oh, it checked all the boxes for me.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Okay, this one is a stretch, but I want you to know about it. Especially, we've been talking about how you are really enjoying watching some adaptations on screen these days. This is Garth Risk Hallberg's City on Fire.
[00:53:03] Caleb, it is a big old book. This thing is like 900 pages. I think this was first introduced to me by our guest Seth Haynes on like Episode 4 that we talked about it in 2016.
CALEB: Wow.
ANNE: Just like very, very early in our history. Oh, it's not one of his favorites. But this is another book of that era, although I believe the action actually... it's set around the very real New York City blackout. Oh gosh, Caleb, you love dates. The blackout that takes place on my birthday in New York City. That had me Googling like, wait, I know this book is built around a historical blackout, but like, is this for real? Did it really happen then? And the answer is yes and absolutely.
So this is 944 pages long. But really, New York City of that era is very much a character in this book that revolves around a punk rock band, a super wealthy and dysfunctional New York City family. You meet bunches of different family members. There's a pyrotechnics expert and his daughter, and then there are invisible threads that become apparent to the reader way before the characters themselves understand that all connect them together.
CALEB: Oh, I love when that happens.
[00:54:16] ANNE: I know. Me too. You get to look down from above and like, I see what's happening. But they are all connected. It comes together in a big way around this historical blackout. This would be an investment. I'm trying to think where this falls on the plotty scale. Slow, careful, but real as far as the plotting is concerned. Intricately plotted would be a book review description of this one. Does that sound like something you might investigate further?
CALEB: It does. In fact, I believe I had added it to my TBR at one point just because of the time period, the setting, being in New York. I really love books set in New York. Period. So I'll definitely add this to my list.
ANNE: Okay, we've been places today. Caleb, of the books we talked about today, and they were Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon, although we can't forget the introductions by Dipper Madison and Ruth Reichl, Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian, we hit on The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James, which you loved, and then we ended with City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg. Of those books, what do you think you may read next?
[00:55:29] CALEB: I'm thinking Supper of the Lamb. I might run down to the local bookstore to see if they have it today. I'm very excited about that one.
ANNE: I hope it's the book that you want it to be.
CALEB: Well, I've heard good things from you, from Ruth Reichl, from Shauna Niequist, from Ginger. It sounds like everything's pointing to this book for me.
ANNE: Signs say yes. All right. I love it. Caleb, this has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
CALEB: Oh, thanks for having me. It's been a pleasure.
[00:55:59] ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Caleb, and I'd love to hear what you think he should read next. Find Caleb on Instagram @CalebJohnsonLive. We've got that link and the full list of titles we talked about today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Make sure you're following our podcast so each new episode is ready for you whenever you're ready to listen. Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
We also love connecting with listeners on Instagram. Find our show @WhatShouldIReadNext.
And subscribing to our email list means you'll receive updates from our team right in your inbox. No algorithm weirdness to interfere with that. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thank you to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson
Congratulations, the Best Is Over! by R. Eric Thomas
• Here for It by R. Eric Thomas
• Kings of B’More by R. Eric Thomas
Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist
▵ Devil House by John Darnielle
• I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
• The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
• 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet by Pamela Paul
• Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
• The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon
• The Book of Delights by Ross Gay
• The Book of (More) Delights by Ross Gay
• Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
• The Sun Down Motel by Simone St James
• City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg
Also mentioned:• Dally in the Alley
• What Should I Read Next episode 392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs
• Ruth Reichl on Substack
The post A fresh outlook for your reading life appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
Most of my print reading this month has been in service of the 2024 Summer Reading Guide (coming May 16, did you see?). I won’t talk about those books just yet, but I still have plenty to share. Do you remember last month when I told you my audiobook listening was underrepresented, since I was almost done with three titles at the time? Today I have lots of audio listens to share!
This hardly ever happens, but our new edition of Quick Lit includes exclusively 2024 titles: we have literary fiction (Lottie Hazell’s Piglet and Rachel Lyons’s Fruit of the Dead), narrative nonfiction (Emily P. Freeman’s How to Walk Into a Room), historical fiction from the Cold War Era (Katherine Reay’s The Berlin Letters), a British thriller (Ruth Mancini’s The Woman on the Ledge), and a family drama with a strong love story component (Kennedy Ryan’s This Could Be Us). If you love old books, take note: I’m finishing up several backlist titles now that you’ll hear about in May.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to April Quick Lit Author: Rachel Lyon
I was intrigued by this new release—just published March 5—because it promised to update Greek mythology's tale of Persephone, Demeter, and Hades, though the plot still works for those not familiar with the myth. In Lyon's version, Persephone becomes camp counselor Cory, a floundering NYC teen who didn't get into any of the colleges she applied to and doesn't know what she'll do after graduation. Goddess of grain Demeter becomes agricultural executive Emer, and Hades becomes Rolo, an affable middle-aged dad who grew deliriously wealthy manufacturing a potent new painkiller. When his kid's camp session ends, Rolo persuades Cory to come work for him on his private island ... and then refuses to let her leave, or even call her mom, but softens the blow with regular doses of his company's flagship pharmaceutical. I was curious to see how Lyon might creatively translate the ancient myth for our modern times, but ultimately found this tale of a Sackler-like man exploiting a naive teenage girl pretty bleak. More info →Author: Ruth Mancini
I just recommended this plotty British thriller to Tara on last week's episode 425 of WSIRN ("We're all mood readers"). In the opening pages, a woman falls to her death from a London skyscraper. Another woman on the scene is arrested for her murder. As readers, we're convinced the suspect must be innocent. And yet as the investigation proceeds, it becomes clear to the detective on the case—and to us as readers—that she's hiding something. She seems to be protecting someone, but we don't know who, or why. As the story progresses and the timeline expands, we slowly come to understand what really happened, and more importantly, why. I listened to the audio version, narrated by Annabel Scholey. Thanks to Fabled book buyer Elizabeth Barnhill for putting this on my radar: when she told me it was one of her recent favorites, I couldn't resist giving it a try. More info →Author: Katherine Reay
This is the first historical I've read from Katherine Reay, though her last several novels have been of that genre. I picked this up because I was certain we would pop over to Berlin when we were in Germany earlier this month. While we didn't make it to that great city, I'm thankful I at least got to visit on the page. The story revolves around a German family that was separated when the Berlin Wall went up overnight in 1961. Many years later, in 1989, Luisa puts the decoding skills she's been taught from a young age to use for the CIA in the DC area. She lives with her grandparents, since her parents were killed in a car accident when she was three—or so she was told. But after her grandfather dies, she finds a secret stash of his letters that leads her to question everything she's been told about her family, and eventually leads her to Berlin to catch up for lost time. I listened to the audio version, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon, and P. J. Ochlan. More info →Author: Emily Freeman
I've been excited to read this new book, just published March 12, since Emily first shared that she was writing it. In this compassionate and personal work that's part instruction and part memoir, Emily explores how we discern where exits and entrances are needed in our lives, and live those transitions out as best as we are able. The parts about endings—be they anticipated, forced, or chosen—were particularly poignant, as Emily builds much of her story around her family's decision to leave their longtime church after one of their children began questioning their sexuality. This book felt like a quiet conversation with a wise and trusted friend: I loved it. More info →Author: Kennedy Ryan
The first book in the Skyland series Before I Let Go was one of my favorite audiobooks of 2023, so I couldn't wait to read this next installment, just out March 5. This novel stands alone just fine, but if you read the first book you'll remember Soledad from the trio of friends. She suspected something was amiss in her marriage, but is shocked when she discovers her husband embezzled millions from his company, with the help of his assistant, with whom he was having an affair. At first Soledad is strictly focused on survival for herself and her kids, but she eventually develops a flirtation with a handsome and kind divorced dad who also happens to be the forensic accountant who uncovered her husband's crimes. Seeing him is a terrible idea ... but also the best idea she's had in a long time. I flew through this steamy and fun read, and look forward to the next book in the series. (I'm trusting that we'll get another one!) More info →Author: Lottie Hazell
I picked this up because I wanted a quick hit of something a little different, and this discomfiting novel—at 287 pages, or 7 1/2 hours for the audiobook—delivered. The central character is Piglet, a cookbook editor at a London publisher set to marry her fiancé in 98 days. Piglet believes she's building the life of her dreams, and she's hungry to fulfill the next steps: to marry the upper-class man, to get the big promotion, to impress her wedding guests with a wild show of talent and competence by baking an ambitious cake herself. But when her fiancé confesses to a betrayal just thirteen days before the wedding, cracks start to appear in the shiny façade of Piglet's carefully constructed life—though she has no intention of calling things off. There's much to discuss here, though I wish some of the novel's essential questions had been explored more deeply. I particularly admired the structure, which gives a character-driven novel urgency as it counts down to the wedding, her fitting allegiance to describing appearances and surface trappings over essential character traits, her reservation of Piglet's real name until the book's final pages, when it's gracefully spoken for the first time. This book made me deeply uncomfortable, and I can't stop talking about it. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
P.S. I didn’t read any of the pictured books this month (though I sure did love Lucy by the Sea), but I couldn’t resist sharing the top pic of the staff favorites shelf from the Frankfurt bookstore Hugendubel.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m in Grand Rapids for the Festival of Faith and Writing, though I’m still jet lagged from our family’s spring break trip to Europe to visit our oldest who’s studying abroad in northern Germany this semester. We got to see his small town, take a few day trips, visit with favorite friends, and spend a wonderful long weekend in Copenhagen, plus bring home books, chocolate, an amazing Scandinavian sweater and candle … and an adult ear infection, boo. I shared a few pictures over on Instagram if you’re interested.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Annie Dillard’s Classic Essay: ‘Total Eclipse’. (Atlantic gift link) “I had seen a partial eclipse in 1970. A partial eclipse is very interesting. It bears almost no relation to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him.” These words from Annie Dillard were key in our decision to drive an hour north on Monday so we could experience totality instead of Louisville’s 98.9%. WORTH IT.
Learn how Puzzle Editor Wyna Liu makes Connections, the game that humbles us daily. (Instagram) I love a good behind-the-scenes.
Do you want to know about the $30 white jean jacket my favorite local stylist says she’s telling everyone to buy these days? It’s right here.
Amanda Gorman Is Using Poetry to Create Social Change. (ELLE) “The idea of being a role model can be ‘daunting,’ Gorman says. “‘How I try to internalize it in my own head is to say, ‘Maybe I’m the first, but I refuse to be the last.’ I hope I’m not a model of all there is or all that is possible for young voices, but rather an example of just how different and daring we can be.’”
12 Of The Best Coffee And Donut Pairings, According To An Expert. (TastingTable) I’m going to have to try these for myself.
These Skandinavisk candles smelled so divine I dragged a fairly heavy one home from Europe with me. (Let’s be honest: Will is the one who packed it.) We opted for Hav, but I would have squeezed one of each scent into my bag if I had room (and the cash). A few scents are also available on Amazon.
What you need to know about the 2024 Summer Reading Guide, coming May 16. (MMD) Mark your calendars!
Tommy Orange Wants To Change You With Fiction. (Kirkus Reviews) Great story about how Wandering Stars got its title.
Why Are (Most) Sofas So Bad? (Dwell) “Midcentury design was still a product to be made and sold in a capitalist system, but it wasn’t the grimmest possible expression of that system, the way contemporary sofas can be.”
There Is No Point in My Being Other Than Honest with You: On Toni Morrison’s Rejection Letters. (Los Angeles Review of Books) I wonder if getting a rejection letter from the Toni Morrison softened the blow.
Sticks. And the People Who Love Them. (New York Times gift link) This is exactly what it sounds like, and it cracks me up. Daisy would be a HUGE fan if she could only read!
Fly away with these 9 books about birds. (MMD) This was so much fun to put together!
We’ve been making enchilada casserole once a week for months now. This is a solid recipe from Gimme Some Oven, but our style is considerably more freewheeling these days: we’re cooking everything in our large cast iron skillet, giving it a nice stir (including the tortillas; we’re not even layering), and putting the whole thing in the oven for twenty minutes. An easy peasy crowdpleaser!
Harper Collins made a tiny tweak to its book design—and has saved thousands of trees as a result. (Fast Company) Incredible! (It’s not explicitly stated, but this piece also reveals how much variation there can be in word count for books that seem to be the same length.)
Why isn’t dental health considered primary medical care? (Knowable Magazine) “Dental students study anatomy, physiology and other sciences related to the whole body, then home in on clinical care for mouth and teeth. But many physicians have almost no training in oral health.”
Don’t miss these posts:17 recommended reads for those traveling to Hawai’i. It’s a good time for literary tourism.
Favorite items in my spring-to-summer wardrobe. A few of the pieces I rely on to see me through spring into summer.
15 books to give for graduation that graduates will actually want to read.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Every so often, I’ll notice a string of books with a niche theme or a sudden proliferation of books on an unexpected topic. Thus the inspiration for today’s post: books about birds. Birdwatching surged in popularity beginning in the pandemic, and the number of related books has likewise proliferated. In the past year or two, I’ve noticed more and more books about different kinds of birds and birders. I did not see it coming but I like it!
Today’s list is an interesting mix of memoir, true crime, nature essays, and fiction. Some are pre-pandemic releases; others are quite recent. Whether you’re an ornithologist, aspiring birder, or just appreciate a nerdy deep dive into a specific subject you didn’t even know you wanted to read about, I hope these books offer a dash of the unexpected to your reading life.
9 books about birds and birdingSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Helen Macdonald
This 2014 nonfiction work was a global bestseller and won a slew of literary accolades, including the prestigious Costa Book of the Year award. After Helen Macdonald's father dies, she stumbles upon a unique way to assuage her grief: she purchases and attempts to train an English goshawk with the deceptively quaint name Mabel. McDonald had been a falconer since she was a child, but her hawk is wild, unpredictable, irascible—as is her grief. Part memoir, part nature story, the result is moving, poignant, and surprising. More info →Author: Joshua Hammer
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a man walks into an airport with a suspicious parcel…that turns out to be fourteen rare peregrine falcon eggs. Over the course of two decades, Jeffrey Lendrum smuggled endangered raptors for the black market. The birds and their eggs are worth millions on the street, never mind the penalties—both to nature and from the law—for removing them from their natural habitat. Detective Andy McWilliam of the United Kingdom’s National Wildlife Crime Unit pursues Lendrum in this gripping true crime tale of greed, danger, and falconry. More info →Author: Jackie Polzin
Will and I thought about getting chickens for years but never went for it; it turns out chickens are really hard to keep alive. The nameless main character of this quirky 2021 novel manages to care for her brood of four chickens through a Minnesota winter, a summer tornado, and the random ailments that strike chickens down without explanation or warning. While pouring herself into her new hobby, she's also coping with heavy grief and disappointment due to a recent miscarriage and the possibility of a cross-country move. If you're in the mood for a quiet, introspective book that's on the shorter side, this might be right for you. More info →Author: Julia Zarankin
“To be among birds is to be constantly learning.” Lit professor Zarankin, who describes herself as a serial enthusiast and novice naturalist, was as surprised as anyone when she fell head-over-heels for birdwatching at the age of 35—years before the hobby zoomed to popularity during the coronavirus pandemic. In this memoir, which I included in the MMD 2021 Summer Reading Guide, she interweaves stories of the birds she’s logged with tales from her childhood in the Soviet Union, her subsequent moves to Paris and the U.S., and current Toronto-based birdwatching community, which has become her surrogate family. A natural choice for nature-lovers and those eager to enjoy the thrill of vicariously stumbling into a new hobby. Audiophile alert: this is lovely on audio, as read by Nan McNamara. More info →Author: Charlotte McConaghy
For those of you who like to know my husband Will's reading recs: this one's for you. McConaghy's U.S. debut is set in the near future, when most wildlife has become extinct. Franny Stone arrives in Greenland to follow the last Arctic terns on their likely final migration to Antarctica. She finagles a spot on a fishing boat and develops a found family with the oddball crew. As they set sail, Franny learns there’s no hiding from her past—including a love affair and a crime. The story alternates between her quest and her history, exploring climate change, redemption, and the persistence of hope. More info →Author: Margaret Renkl
In this fall 2023 release, Renkl brings readers to her backyard in Tennessee, sharing observations of the flora and fauna she finds close to home. There are 52 chapters, one for each week, moving us through the seasons as the birds and other animals come and go, flowers bloom, and trees shed leaves. She also shares the way her personal life mirrors the lives of the birds, with her grown children making their own migration. A beautiful reflection of nature, accompanied by artwork drawn by her brother Billy Renkl. More info →Author: Christian Cooper
Christian Cooper became a household name in May 2020 while birding in Central Park after he requested a white woman leash her dog and she made racist threats instead; the video of the encounter that he took for his safety went viral. That encounter serves as a launching point for a tale that is about birding and so much more. Combining memoir, birding tutorial, and travelogue, Cooper takes us inside his life as a Blerd (Black nerd), sharing his upbringing and how he began birding first in NYC and then around the world. He also reflects on how his interest in birds helps him navigate life as a gay Black man. More info →Author: J. Drew Lanham
A lyrical memoir about growing up in rural South Carolina with essays on nature, belonging, and identity, first published in 2016. Lanham, a Black ornithologist and professor, fell in love with the natural world as a child in the 1970s. Often the only Black person in a white-dominated field, he explores why so few people of color study natural sciences and what can be done to foster a stronger connection to land and the birds and animals that live there. More info →Author: Nicholas Drayson
A quiet novel about birding and romance. Mr. Malik has just gathered enough courage to ask Rose Mbikwa to the Nairobi Hunt Club Ball when his intellectual rival arrives and immediately—and inconveniently—falls for Rose himself. Since Rose leads the East African Ornithological Society, the two men agree to a bird-identifying competition in order to determine who will ask her to the ball. Hijinks ensue. More info → Do you have any favorite books about birds? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 15 absorbing nonfiction fiction books to inspire your inner scientist.
The post Fly away with these 9 books about birds appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I always appreciate discovering a well-written cookbook that begs to be read like a novel, and today I’m joined by cookbook author and fellow reader Bri McKoy to talk about […]
The post The ingredients for a favorite read appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
There are two kinds of people in the world—or, at least, in my house: those who think you can never have too many adorable mugs waiting to brighten your morning (or afternoon, or evening), and those who think enough is enough. I am firmly in the former camp. I don’t often identify as a maximalist, but when it comes to great mugs, I’m always happy to make room for one more.
I care deeply about the shape and feel of my mugs: I want it to hold the right amount for the occasion and feel good in my hand. I also care deeply about looks, because why pass up an opportunity for a bit of quotidian joy? Is it beautiful, does it make me smile, does it call to mind a happy memory or inside joke? Of my favorite mugs, the answer is always YES.
My cabinets hold mugs I’ve purchased in all sorts of places: I’ve gotten the best mugs at major retail sites and stores like Anthropologie and at small independent boutiques. I’ve bought them as souvenirs from hotels and cafés and department stores. I’ve found unique mugs at garden centers and bookshops to be irresistible. (Seriously, bookshops are the best places to get unique mugs you can’t find anywhere else, especially if you love mugs that are literary themed. When you find a great mug at an independent bookstore you get to support that indie right now, and enjoy the mug on many future mornings.)
I love starting my day by flinging open my kitchen cabinet to choose the perfect mug for my morning coffee. When I do I see beautiful designs I chose because they called to me (hello every floral mug in my cabinet), or mugs representing happy memories because I picked them up on my travels, or those I received as thoughtful gifts from friends who know me well.
I use at least one mug every single day, year-round. But as the weather begins to cool, and we move toward Serious Cozy Drink Season, I’ll be reaching for my favorites even more often. I thought this would be a wonderful time to share my favorite mugs, and invite you to share yours as well in the comments section.
SugarbooSugarboo is a favorite online stop for gifts and paper products. I love their entire line of XO mugsbut I especially love this Dolly one; it was a BIG HIT when I gave it as a gift last year. (Do I need to get my college kids the Mother one? I think yes.)
Coffee Mug CompanyCalling all Gilmore Girls fans: this Luke’s Diner mug from the Etsy was another big hit when I gave it as a gift several years ago. (Psst—when you give gifts to your family members, the mugs stay in your cabinet!)
Penguin Classics mugsIf you’ve been around here for a while, you know I collect Penguin Classics, so how could I resist the rainbow spines on this mug? You can’t go wrong with a mug of one of the individual book covers; someone gave me the Pride & Prejudice mug as a gift and I love using it. The shipping for all the online options I could find is unfortunately pretty steep, so keep your eyes out for great options at your local bookstores and gift shops.
Seltzer GoodsKeep your eyes out for these! I bought the Austen-tacious mug from the same line from Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA and reach for it frequently because I love the shape and heft; you might need similar serendipity to get your own Seltzer Goods mug. The diner mugs are difficult to find online but so worth buying if you stumble across one in a store. This Read Like the Dickinson mug will give you a good idea of the design.
Rifle Paper Co.Surprising no one, Rifle Paper Co. makes amazing mugs. As a floral lover, I have several, and especially like You Got This, Marguerite, and this travel-themed mug.
Plant LadyA friend once gave me an awesome Plant Lady mug from Pen & Paint. They’re no longer making mugs so this isn’t the exact design but it’s pretty close. I can confirm it makes a great gift for the plant lover in your life.
AnthropologieAnthropologie often has great options, including regularly updated monogram mugs at great prices (I have quite a few in various styles). They also have enticing seasonal offerings, if you’re the sort who likes to swap out your mugs when the seasons change. This Halloween Magic mug might be a fun choice for fall, and I can’t get over how cute these floral pumpkin mugs are!
OverthinkingA lot of overthinking merch has come into my life since I wrote Don’t Overthink It and I never overthink those purchases. Obviously this campfire mug is a must. I impulse-bought mine at a little boutique in downtown Tulsa in 2019 and have enjoyed using it ever since.
Uncommon GoodsUncommon Goods has great lifestyle stuff for book lovers and their mugs are no exception! These kissing mugs are darling, this adulting merit badge one cracks me up, and when I stumbled upon this spreadsheet mug, I immediately sent one to my favorite spreadsheet fanatic.
Do you reach for the same mug each day? Are you a person who believes there’s no such thing as too many fantastic mugs? Where do you get your favorites? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. 9 tasty teas to warm up your winter days and 45 sources for great decaf coffee.
The post The favorite mugs I’ll be reaching for during Serious Cozy Drink Season (and all year round) appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How is it already the second weekend of September? Our temperatures are cooling off just a little bit here, which means great weather for hiking and biking these next few days. I also hope to finish a book or two and make serious progress on a big book-moving project that suddenly popped up recently.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book Preview is almost here!Our fifth annual Fall Book Preview is coming soon! In this live, 90ish minute event I’ll share 42 noteworthy titles publishing between August 29 and year’s end. Expect to hear about books I’ve read and LOVED, books I can’t wait to read, and books the industry is especially excited about this fall. Your ticket includes your live event invite, the replay video to watch whenever and as many times as you want, and our beautifully designed Fall Book Preview PDF booklet, a handy 12-page accompaniment that includes all 42 titles across 8 categories, more info on our spotlight titles, and 9 bonus selections.
Fall Book Preview is happening Thursday, September 14. Preorder your Fall Book Preview ticket now, or get it as a free perk of one of our member communities. (We talk more about how to choose the one that’s right for you on that page.) Your membership gets you all sorts of bookish goodness—and sustains our work for the long haul.
My favorite finds from around the web:9 (mostly) little things I’m loving for late summer. (MMD) Laundry detergent! Navy dresses! The most adorable dessert on the planet! A collection of small things bringing me joy right now.
20 of the World’s Most Stunning Libraries. (Daily Passport) I could not click fast enough.
I’ve posted about Anthropologie’s fabulous Colette Cropped Wide-Leg Pants before, but I just got a new pair in olive green (called “Holly”) for fall and I love them so much. (True to size: if it helps, I’m a 28.) This week I dressed them up with a nice black blouse and dressed them down with an American Giant black tank and both outfits were cute and comfy. (I just discovered they have the Colette pants in Corduroy for fall. How many pairs is too many?)
“Going shopping” is dead: How stores sucked the fun out of an American pastime. (Vox) Illuminating and validating.
Bonnie Garmus wrote ‘Lessons in Chemistry.’ She learned the formula for TV would bring changes. (Los Angeles Times) It’s always interesting to hear what an author thinks about adaptations of their work.
Salmon salad: the one and only. (Dinner: A Love Story) We made this several times for dinner this month and it was a huge hit! This recipe is versatile and delicious, especially if you serve it as a composed salad instead of tossing it all together. One night we had several vegetarians join us for dinner and we just added hard-boiled eggs and served the salmon on a separate platter so everyone could take what they wanted.
Who’s Afraid of Lorne Michaels? (Longreads) “Very rarely can we see an entire system reflected through one person. Lorne Michaels is such a person.” This was especially interesting to read with Curtis Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy still ringing in my ears.
The Blurb Problem Keeps Getting Worse. (The Atlantic) Do you pay attention to book blurbs?
Target has adorable Hocus Pocus t-shirts available right now. (Thanks to team member Leigh for putting these on my radar!)
18(!!!) audiobooks I’ve enjoyed this summer. (MMD) A wide-ranging assortment of great audio reading experiences.
This is 44…Personal Thoughts About Growing Up And Aging Through Digital And Social Media. (Emily Henderson) “Digital (specifically social) media is a game that has so much potential for reward (and I’m so grateful for parts of it) but due to the algorithms it often feels like the Hunger Games—we are all thrown into a battle where the second we figure out how to use the weapons we were given, the rules change and that weapon no longer works.”
How to Build a Fabulous Cheese Board. (Shondaland) Yes, please.
This Nature-Themed New Jersey Bookshop Fits A Lot Of Magic Into A Little Space. (Only In Your State) It looks and sounds dreamy!
How to Keep Your Produce Fresh for Weeks (Hint: It’s Not Always in the Fridge). (NYT Wirecutter) A helpful guide.
I almost forgot! Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty is happening now. I’m especially fond of the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier Moisturizer that’s 50% off today.
From our archives:Assigned reading we actually enjoyed. Required reading doesn’t have to be boring.
Sweaters for every fall wish list. Here’s hoping sweater weather will be here soon!
Quick and easy Penguin Classics poster DIY. It still makes me happy.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I like to keep a list in my journal of the (mostly) little, everyday things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness right now. I love writing posts like this, […]
The post 9 (mostly) little things I’m loving for late summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This summer I’ve been listening to audiobooks at a fast clip, and I thought it would be fun and useful to bring you a Quick Lit-style roundup of not just the good books but good listens I’ve enjoyed lately. (We haven’t done an audiobook roundup like this since this time last year, yikes!) I know many of you are avid audiobook listeners, and are always on the lookout for books that are particularly well-suited to that format.
I’m a longtime audiobook fan, but my listening took a big dip at the dawn of the year. It’s interesting to observe the domino effects of a change in routine: I got just a little bit sick in late December, but that mild illness turned into a big problem with my lungs and airway. Long story short, I spent A LOT of time off my feet and on the couch early this year as we struggled to figure out what on earth was happening and what we could do about it. And while couch time isn’t the worst thing in the world, it proved to be terrible for my audiobook listening. I typically listen while I’m walking the dog, folding laundry, watering houseplants (or outdoor plants in the warmer months), standing at the sink doing dishes … and for a while I wasn’t able to do those things.
But come spring I was able to get moving again. My doctors told me it was important to spend time getting my heart rate up, even if it wasn’t particularly comfortable. I started slowly with short walks, which turned into longer walks, and first of all Daisy was over the moon, but then, with the increased listening time, I started racing through audiobooks.
This summer I’ve also spent a good bit of time in the car (like taking kids to college, sniff) or on projects amenable to listening (like freshening up our pantry organization I haven’t touched since early COVID days). That means I’ve racked up lots of listening hours lately!
You’ll see lots of variety in this recent audiobook roundup: old books and new books, an eclectic assortment of genres, first reads and re-reads, books ranging from under four hours in length all the way up to nearly twenty! (You won’t see any truly, epically long listens in this list—but if you have recommendations, I’m all ears! Bookish puns always intended.)
I’m sharing six recent reads below that I haven’t yet told you about here on the blog. With our MMD audiophiles in mind, I also opted to share my twelve summer audiobook listens that I shared throughout the season in Quick Lit, so those great-on-audio books would appear in one place.
As always, I’m tracking my reading in the My Reading Life book journal, which makes it easy to see and share what I’ve been reading lately. I know these are audiobook listens because I jot “audiobook” in the margin. Easy peasy.
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments!), and I look forward to browsing your recent audiobook winners below. Thanks in advance for your recommendations.
New-to-the-blog audiobook listensI opted to read these books on audio because I suspected they’d be particularly good in that format, and they did not disappoint.
Author: Aja Gabel
I so enjoyed revisiting this 2018 Summer Reading Guide selection, this time on audio as narrated by Rebecca Lowman. In the 1990s, four promising young musicians decide to forego the usual soloist paths and bind their professional (and personal) lives together to form a string quartet. Jana is driven, Henry a prodigy, Daniel a success through dogged determination, and Brit a bit of a wild card. With the feel of a dysfunctional family novel, the characters aren't always likable but always ring true, and Gabel nails a wide range of human emotions—joy and pain, envy and fear, frustration and near-despair—as she portrays the group's turbulent eighteen years together. This utterly believable and emotionally compelling submersion into the competitive world of classical music is for lovers of family dramas and found family narratives. 11 hrs 37 mins. More info →Author: Zora Neale Hurston
I've always listened to Zora Neale Hurston on audio; here the combination of her nonfiction work—just published in its entirety for the first time in 2018—and narrator Robin Miles is exceptional. This is the true story of Cudjo Lewis, believed to have been the last survivor of the last slave ship that came from Africa to the United States. Hurston, who also had a career as an anthropologist, spent three months interviewing Lewis in 1927, when he was nearly 90 years old, in order to tell this story. I especially enjoyed Alice Walker's foreword and was quite surprised by some of its contents (I don't want to say more!). 3 hrs 50 mins. More info →Author: Liz Nugent
I knew nothing about this book going in and really wish I had; let me help you not make the same mistake! This story, which reads somewhat like a darker Elinor Oliphant, begins when Sally's father dies. He told her many a time that he wanted her to put him out with the trash when he dies—and when she takes this advice at face value, she prompts a police investigation that makes headlines. The news reports lead to the disclosure of a secret Sally's adoptive parents had managed to keep buried for many years: the identity of her birth father, who committed unspeakable crimes, including against Sally herself. In many ways, this book is an exploration of generational trauma and the question of nature vs. nurture; shockingly terrible things happen in these pages, yet Sally herself is an altogether winning character and a source of much of the book's humor and light. Although I hear there's less of that light in the original Irish edition: I'm in the U.S., and read an ending that was modified to be a bit more hopeful. (I can't get my hands on that original ending: If you know more, please tell me!) Narrated by Jessica Regan, Stephen Hogan, and Sara Lynam. 10 hrs 4 mins. More info →Author: Louise Erdrich
I've had this on my radar since Anne Helen Petersen named it a favorite in What Should I Read Next episode 284: I need an irresistible read this summer, back in 2021. (That's a great episode, all about burnout and the reading life.) I've loved Erdrich's recent releases and have very much enjoyed listening to her narrate her own work; I believe this is the furthest I've gone into her backlist and I opted to listen here as well. The story spans 36 years in the fictional small town of Argus, North Dakota, a place where Erdrich has set many of her novels. I was delighted to encounter familiar characters in Erdrich's story world and enjoyed getting to know new ones, even if the whole plot didn't quite come together for me. The strong sense of place and robust, textured portrayal of the multifaceted community was worth the price of admission. Erdrich is one of the rare novelists who narrate their own work narration of her own work here. 16 hrs 43 mins. More info →Author: Nick Fuller Googins
This cli-fi novel caught my attention for its comparisons to books I love like Station Eleven and Future Home of the Living God. The author himself calls it a "climate crisis utopia": the story is set in a near-future world that almost collapsed due to the great climate crisis, but global citizens forged a post-nation-state, post-fossil-fuel way of being, and this change became known as The Great Transition. In one timeline, 15-year-old Emi listens to oldies like Adele and Taylor Swift, works on a school research project about The Great Transition, and seeks to find her mother, a missing climate change activist. In the past timeline, we follow Emi's mother and father as they meet and fall in love while working to avert climate disaster before the crucial milestone of Day Zero. This is a fast-paced, intelligent genre mash-up and a worthy addition to the rapidly expanding catalog of ecological fiction. Narrated by Stacy Carolan and Stacy Gonzalez. 11 hrs 31 mins. More info →Author: Ava Glass
Sometimes the right book drops in my lap exactly when I need it, and that was the case with this 2022 spy thriller: I had just finished The Great Transition on audio and had no idea what to listen to next when I got my library notification alerting me that my long-awaited hold was in! Our team member Donna put this on my radar last summer when she described it as "a perfect page-turner" in WSIRN Ep 344: our team's favorite summer reads. I also loved that it was set in London. In this series opener, British spy Emma Makepeace (not her real name) is charged to deliver her charge—a handsome doctor the Russians want dead—to safety at MI6. But to get to safety, the pair need to cross the city of London and the Thames without being detected by a single of the city's hundreds of thousands CCTV cameras. It sounds impossible, but the alternative is unthinkable. With a fast-moving plot, likable characters, and terrific narration by Sophie Colquhoun, this was a winner. I can't wait for the sequel that comes out later this month. 8 hrs 16 mins. More info → Great-on-audio books that have previously been featured on MMD this summerFor your convenience, I’ve gathered my audiobook-specific recommendations from this summer’s Quick Lit posts here in one place. Happy listening!
Author: Jasmin Iolani Hakes
I shared this May 2023 release in our May edition of Quick Lit. Our MMD Book Club community manager Ginger has lived in Hawai'i for several years now, and she put this new release on my radar. In recent years my eyes have been opened to how little I knew about the islands' history, industry, and current struggles, including its complex relationship with tourism. This is a multigenerational family saga, in which three generations of women tell their story about life on the Big Island. It's also very much about Hawai'i's history and heritage, the US colonization of Hawai'i, and the more recent Sovereignty movement, all seen through the eyes of the family's women. Hakes's writiing is warm and lush, and her evocative descriptions will make you feel like you're right there on the island. Mapuana Makia's narration for the audiobook is completely lovely and definitely enhanced my reading experience. 10 hrs 44 mins. More info →Author: Charlotte McConaghy
This 2021 ecothriller appeared in June Quick Lit. Several What Should I Read Next guests have raved about this eco-thriller, most recently Mollie Hedgecock in Episode 368 ("Learning to trust your reading instincts"). The story revolves around twins Inti and Aggie: Inti is the lead biologist overseeing the reintroduction of wolves into the Scottish Highlands; her sister Aggie has accompanied her to Scotland as she heals from a traumatic history that is slowly revealed to the reader over the course of the story. Inti has good reason to believe the newly-arrived wolves will be beneficial to all, but the neighboring farmers are understandably leery: they fear the wolves put their livestock in danger, and the residents of this tight-knit community don't hide their ill feelings towards the wolves or Aggie herself. McConaghy combines elements of crime fiction, romance, and domestic drama to craft a tense story that builds to a breathtaking conclusion. I quite enjoyed the audio, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. 8 hrs 27 mins. (If you enjoyed this, Peter Heller's August 2023 release—included in the 2023 Summer Reading Guide— is a must-read!) More info →ChirpAuthor: Claire Dederer
Another one from May Quick Lit! I was previously unfamiliar with Dederer's work but picked up this new spring release because I was interested in the topic: how can we reconcile our love for art with the biographies of its creators? Gone are the days when fans knew little about the real people who created the art they consumed; Dederer writes of how things are different in the internet era: "Biography used to be something you sought out, yearned for, actively pursued. Now it falls on your head all day long." She frames her case from the jarring (and somewhat graphic) opening: she has long loved the films of Roman Polanski—Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist—yet Polanski committed objectively terrible crimes. What is the fan to make of this? How can the fan think about their relationship to art made by always imperfect and sometimes monstrous people? I found this a thoughtful and thought-provoking treatment, which covered questions I knew I wanted to hear more about and also topics I didn't expect to enter the conversation, like capitalism. (So fascinating!) Dederer narrates her own audiobook; I appreciated her conversational style. 8 hrs 14 mins. More info →Author: Ann Patchett
I shared this August 1 release in our August edition of Quick Lit. When I included this new release in the 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I closed my blurb with the words "I can't wait to read it again." And despite having a mountainous TBR, I chose to read this brilliant new novel for the second time in six months—this time, on audio. I loved everything about it: its tender familial relationships, Michigan cherry orchard setting, and insider look at summer stock theater. When Lara is nearing sixty and the pandemic is just beginning, her three adult daughters return home for the summer. The girls have long romanticized their mother’s once-upon-a-time romance with a megastar actor, and now, all together again, the girls direct Lara to tell them the whole story from the beginning. She unspools her story slowly, over three long weeks harvesting cherries on the family property. I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending, but the story is gorgeous, wistful, and tender, with every word falling in exactly the right place. 11 hrs 22 mins. More info →Author: Tom Hanks
From June Quick Lit: I had this on my Summer Reading Guide reading list, but I didn't get my copy until just before its May 9 release. And it's long: 448 pages, or nearly 16 hours in the audiobook version I listened to, but the time sped by because I wanted to hear what would happen next! As its title suggests, this enjoyable novel is about the making of a contemporary blockbuster superhero movie, based on a 1970 comic depicting a soldier's experience in WWII. Hanks is clearly writing what he knows here, including lots of juicy details about everything from location scouting to casting concerns to dealing with on-set drama. I especially enjoyed the character backstories that revealed how each cast and crew member got into the business in the first place. The tone is undeniably earnest, but that worked just fine for me. While the print novel contains illustrations of the comic, I would highly recommend the audiobook, read by a full cast including Peter Gerety, Natalie Morales, Rita Wilson, and, of course, Tom Hanks. 15 hrs 57 mins. More info →Author: Andrew McCarthy
From June Quick Lit: Our team member Ginger raved about this book ... and then when I was looking for an audiobook Will and I could listen to together on our way to the beach, I realized the walk in question takes place on Spain's Camino de Santiago. Will and I were actively anticipating our upcoming trip to Spain, so the timing was perfect! This is the real-time account of the Brat Pack actor's 500-mile walk across Spain with his 19-year-old son Sam, detailing the pair's reasons for embarking on the trip, their long, hot days spent walking—sometimes upwards of 20 miles a day—in the hot summer sun, the fellow walkers they meet along the way, the food they eat, the coffee they drink, the inns they sleep in, what they talk about along the way. We rarely listen to audiobooks together and enjoyed this one so much. The narration was especially good: the elder McCarthy reads the majority but son Sam frequently adds his own voice, which made for a wonderful listening experience. 6 hrs 43 mins. More info →Author: Colin Jost
From June Quick Lit: I'd heard good things about this memoir since it came out in 2020, but Curtis Sittenfeld (who was a DELIGHT) nudged me to finally read it when she praised it during our MMD Book Club discussion for Summer Reading Guide selection Romantic Comedy. Of course I expected (and enjoyed) stories about SNL, but was pleasantly surprised by much of the contents: I had no idea Jost grew up on Staten Island, or that his mom for many years served as chief medical officer for the NYC Fire Department, or that the most horrifying/laugh-provoking story would be about an infectious disease acquired on a surfing trip to Nicaragua. This celebrity memoir is narrated by the author, and I'm glad I opted for the audiobook. I especially enjoyed the moments when Jost was clearly having a hard time not laughing! 7 hrs 41 mins. More info →Author: Sara Nović
This 2022 campus novel, which I first shared in July Quick Lit, is our September Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club selection! This story unfolds at Ohio's River Valley School for the Deaf, a boarding school where students come to learn and can count on the cultural richness of the deaf community being celebrated. When Charlie enrolls as a new student, she's never met another deaf student; her parents had kept her in traditional school for far too long, hoping her issues with hearing would simply disappear once they got her cochlear implants dialed in. Charlie knew that would never happen, and quickly makes herself at home in her new school setting, not knowing the school's very existence is actively being threatened. I knew little about deafness and the deaf community prior to reading this book, and ate up all the details about various facets of the deaf experience deaf author Nović wove into the story. I loved the audiobook narrated by Lisa Flanagan and Kaleo Griffith, with the sound of signing over the speech when ASL was being used. 10 hrs 23 mins. More info →Author: Elizabeth Crane
Another from August Quick Lit! I picked up this short memoir after Curtis Sittenfeld praised it during our MMD Book Club discussion of Romantic Comedy. This is the almost real-time chronicle of the death of a marriage, an ending that felt premature to the author. What's more, when the story ends, it's not over, necessarily, for the author still does not know what will happen next, either in her life or the life of her marriage. The beginning, at least, is clear: in the opening pages, the husband unexpectedly tells the wife "I'm not happy;" the wife then proceeds to interrogate what might have gone wrong—for she has many theories on this point, though she doesn't know which, if any, is true. The narrator does indeed refer to the characters as "the husband" and "the wife," no one is named in this memoir, and the third person narrative is only occasionally broken by a first person chapter. I would have guessed this approach would make the characters feel distant, but instead felt as though the author was making room to tell a story more universal than the breakdown of one marriage. This is a book about sad things, but I found the storytelling—and specifically the narrative approach—made for interesting listening; I appreciated that Crane voiced her own memoir as I felt I was hearing her story exactly as she intended. 4 hrs 41 mins. More info →Author: Weike Wang
From August Quick Lit: In this first person, character-driven narrative, we meet thirtysomething ICU doctor Joan. Her relationships with her Chinese and Chinese American family members are fraught, and her inability to read cues makes friendship and neighborliness tricky, but her great love for her work is utterly uncomplicated—that is, until her father dies. Her workaholism has always been seen as an attribute in her NYC hospital, but when she takes just 48 hours off to fly to Shanghai and back for his funeral, HR steps in and makes her take some extended time off. Without the distraction of work, Joan is forced to reckon with the things she's been avoiding, in all their complexity and ambiguity. But then COVID-19 enters the story, with devastating effects in her personal and professional life. I so appreciated being let into Joan's interior world: her cool assessments of the people around her, her dry (and sometimes unintentional) humor, and her frank reckoning with individual and societal struggles. If you enjoy introspective literary fiction on audio, this one belong on your TBR. Catherine Ho's excellent narration was a wonderful way to experience this story. 6 hrs 36 mins. More info →Author: Harrison Scott Key
Another one from August Quick Lit. This memoir begins in much the same way as Crane's: one night the author's wife turns to him and says she wants a divorce. Both memoirs explore the aftermath of a spouse's revelation, both are written in more or less real time, and yet the stories felt completely different. I think this is as much due to the tone and approach as the ending, as the title indicates that this is not the story of a marriage's dissolution but its unlikely continuation. Key's voice is frank and funny, even as he tells his readers about his wife's affair with a family friend and the chaos this revelation brought to his family, including the couple's three young daughters. Early on, Key takes a close friend's advice to fight for his wife, and proceeds to interrogate his own role in their problems, the past unaddressed traumas that continue to fuel present hurts, and what his Christian faith means to his life and relationship now. I'm sure my jaw dropped a time or two while listening, including when Lauren showed up to voice her own chapter in which she shares her side of what happened. I'm glad I opted for the audio: Key's humor added levity to tough moments, and the Southern accent was a nice surprise and fitting for a story that unfolds mostly in Savannah. 8 hrs 43 mins. More info →Author: Brandon Sanderson
As I said in August Quick Lit, this was such a fun change of pace! I raced through the audiobook, narrated by Suzy Jackson, and while my app clearly shows it's 15 1/2 hours long the reading time sped by. This series opener for the Skyward series introduces us to Spensa, a 16-year-old girl who has long dreamed of following in her father's footsteps as a pilot for the Defiant Defense Force. It's not easy to land a coveted pilot position, but Spensa's way is made much harder because of that same father: years ago, he was branded as a coward during an important battle, and the powers that be fear that if allowed to fly, Spensa will turn coward as well. Despite these obstacles, Spensa manages to clinch a position with Defiant, where she makes friends, excels in the air, and discovers that Defiant's leaders seem to be hiding key information about her father's last battle from the people. I really enjoyed this, and might need to make time to read the rest of the series this fall. 15 hrs 28 mins. More info → What have you been listening to lately? Please share your favorite titles that are particularly good in the audio format in the comments section!
P.S. 15 standout backlist summer novels perfect for seasonal listening, 10 absorbing classics for your Autumn audiobook queue, and 15 backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio. Plus, check out all our audiobook archives here.
The post 18(!!!) audiobooks I’ve enjoyed this summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
In addition to our weekly podcast episode, each week we share a bonus episode with our Patreon community, and today we’re sharing two of these special bonuses with all of you!
Our bonus episodes come in a variety of formats, and today you’ll hear examples of two of these: first, we’re sharing a recent Industry Insights bonus episode where I take you behind the scenes of the world of bestseller lists, from what they mean and how they’re compiled, to why it matters for your reading life.
After that, you’ll hear a recent episode from our Dear Book Therapist series, where I address vexing, bookish conundrums submitted by our patrons, like how to deal with overflowing TBR lists, how to get out of a reading rut, or just navigating big changes in your reading life.
You’ll also hear a few words from several current patrons sharing what they love most about being part of our Patreon community.
We really enjoyed creating this special episode to give you a closer look at what our our patrons enjoy each week. Let us know if you have ideas for our listeners, or if you learned something new about bestseller lists, by sharing a comment below.
Join us on PatreonOur patron community is a welcoming space for book lovers to get more quality book talk and connect over their shared love of reading, with weekly bonus episodes and live seasonal reading events, like our upcoming Fall Book Preview on September 14th.
All the book bonuses you’ll find on Patreon are our way of saying thank you for the very real financial support the show receives from our patrons. If you are already a patron, thank you so much! If you are not, please consider supporting us there. Visit patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext to learn more or sign up.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew Tab[00:00:09] ANNE BOGEL: Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
Today we have a special episode. We are taking you all behind the scenes of our patron community, a place where avid readers and listeners come together to share their love of What Should I Read Next?, and as I say in the opener each week, to talk about all things books and reading.
In today's show, we're not just telling you about Patreon. We are giving you a taste of what it's like by sharing two actual bonus episodes we shared with our patrons this season. Friday bonuses are one of the perks we offer our patrons. When you join, you can expect to hear new episodes and our one great book series, which is a ten-minute deep dive on a single noteworthy title.
We have book recommendation episodes where we discuss titles on a specific theme, often when chosen by our patrons. We have regularly recurring episodes dedicated to mini matchmaking, where patrons tell me—this may sound familiar—three books they love and one book they don't and I rapid-fire recommend a book or sometimes two or three that they may enjoy reading next.
[00:01:29] And then we have the two kinds of regular episodes that you will hear today. First, you'll hear a recent industry insight bonus episode where I illuminate a specific aspect of the publishing world. In this one, we are diving into the world of bestseller lists, what they mean, how they're compiled, and why it matters for your reading life.
Our patrons contributed a lot of questions that I answered in this episode, and they found the result really interesting. I hope you will as well.
After that, you'll hear a recent episode from our Dear Book Therapist series, where I address vexing, bookish conundrums submitted by our patrons, like how to deal with overflowing TBR lists, how to get out of a reading rut, or just navigating big changes in your reading life.
We also asked our current patrons to chime in with what they love most about being a part of our community here. So you'll also hear several patron voices throughout our episode today.
Our patron community is a welcoming space for book lovers to get more quality book talk and connect over their shared love of reading. On top of the bonus episodes, our patrons also enjoy our beloved seasonal reading events like our Fall Book Preview coming up on September 14th and popular life events like our regular Ask Us Anything gatherings.
[00:02:39] All the book bonuses you'll find on Patreon are our way of saying thank you for the very real financial support the show receives from our patrons. And look, many of our patrons don't have time for more podcast listening, but they sign up anyway simply to financially support our work. So no matter why you choose to join or how you engage with this community, we are so grateful. We truly could not do this work without you.
If you are already a patron, thank you so very much from me and our whole team. If you are not, please consider supporting us there. Visit patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext to learn more or sign up. We do our best to make our patron community a fun place to hang out. But don't just take my word for it. Here are a few words from Patreon member, Jen, about her experience since joining us over on Patreon.
[00:03:27] JEN: Hi, this is Jen from Montclair, New Jersey. There's a lot to love about being part of the Patreon community, but my favorite moment is the unboxing of the Summer Reading Guide. I joined the evening Unboxing event and immediately I loved the vibe. It was warm, bubbly, energetic.
I didn't know any of the other participants, of course, but immediately I felt like these were my people. We had all shown up for our common love of books. I usually took notes in recommendations. I rank the books I place on library holds. and since then I have spent the entire summer head down into the Summer Reading Guide books. And my reading life is at an all-time happy place, and joining the patron community has been a big part of that. And for that, I'm super grateful. Thank you.
ANNE: Thank you so much for those words, Jen. We are so glad you feel like you've found your book people. We feel that way, too.
Now, if you are curious about how books become New York Times best sellers or how any of the notable publishing lists actually work, you are not alone. This is a fascinating corner of the publishing world, and whether or not you pay attention to bestseller lists, the fact is that they play a role in the books we all hear about and see featured on the shelves. This bonus episode is about how those lists work and why it might matter for your reading life. Let's get to it.
[00:04:47] JENNY: Hi, this is Jenny [inaudible 00:04:49] from Herndon, Virginia. The deep dives into the publishing industry are by far my favorite, from looking at the types of books that are released in certain months to the Colleen Hoover Deep Dive. And recently, after the unique personalities of imprints discussion, I started tracking my four and five-star reads, and I found several imprints that are particularly aligned with my reading. These episodes are automatic listens to me. Thanks so much.
ANNE: Hello, readers. It's Anne, and today we are talking about the bestseller lists with an emphasis on the New York Times list. I realized when I sat down to put together this bonus for you that I was envisioning a thorough explainer that could really fill a college course for an entire semester. I really had to rein myself in to keep it on the side of brevity. But let me know in the comments on Patreon if you do have any burning questions that I have left unanswered or if there's more you would like to explore in this topic because there are certainly more that could be said. I would love to hear what you are interested in.
[00:05:48] So today what we're talking about is what are bestseller lists and why do they matter? In theory, the various bestseller lists seek to tell readers what books people are buying in the greatest numbers. Bestseller list matters. This is indisputable. They matter because there are so many books out there, and the bestseller list draws attention to certain titles. And in that way, those titles are able to stand out from the crowd.
Now, there are lots of ways books can stand out from the crowd. This is just one of them. The biggest obstacle to a book's success is readers simply not knowing or remembering that book exists. And a bestseller list is just one way readers can discover or be reminded of a certain book.
I think the most important thing to remember through this whole conversation is that bestseller lists are a means of discovery for readers. When I talk about theater books here in Patreon, that is a means of discovery. When we compile a book list on Modern Mrs. Darcy, that is a means of discovery. When Reece and Jenna and Oprah make their selections, that is another means of discovery. When we feature books in our Kindle deals email, it serves the same purpose.
[00:06:50] Bestseller lists also matter greatly to authors and publishers because they're hitting a bestseller list and specifically hitting that New York Times list means more book sales. We will get to that.
I asked you all here on Patreon for your questions about these bestseller lists. I'm also drawing from what you shared when we asked earlier this year for your burning bookish questions. Some of those were on the same topic. Thank you so much for letting me know what is of interest to you and what sort of information you would find of value as we talk about bestseller lists today.
You had a lot of questions about how the lists actually worked and then questions specific to the New York Times list. It is true that The New York Times list gets talked about as the list in the industry. But there are lots of different bestseller lists. We talked a little about the Publishers Weekly bestseller list in our episode about the Colleen Hoover Publishing phenomenon that aired on February 3rd. Y'all can go back and listen to that anytime.
And also we talked about how the Publishers Weekly List is sometimes called a pure, hear my air quotes, bestseller list because it is based on the numbers. I'll repeat a little of what we talked about in that episode here, and that is that much to the surprise of many, it is impossible to share a simple list of what book sold and how many copies.
[00:08:03] I know that sounds like really straightforward information to have and to share, and it's just not. Books are sold in many different places. That data is not pooled, so we can't know exactly how many copies are being sold of anything. I think it's really important to understand that fundamental truth as we get more into the various lists and what they represent.
I'm sharing an interesting piece in the notes to this bonus written by Melanie Walsh on Public Books. It's called Where Is All the Book Data? And if you're thinking that sounds familiar, I previously shared it on Modern Mrs. Darcy on links I love when it was first published.
In it, Walsh says, "I went looking for book sales data, only to find that most of it is proprietary and purposefully locked away. What I learned was that the single most influential data in the publishing industry—which, every day, determines book contracts and authors' lives—is basically inaccessible to anyone beyond the industry." And popping in to say it's only so accessible to people in the industry. So Walsh says, "I learned that this is a big problem."
[00:09:04] So my aim today is not to get into that big problem of data or question the existence of bestseller lists, but to shed light on what they mean and what they represent. They can be a tool for and also a distraction from the reading life you want to build. When you understand what they mean, you can use them well or you can choose to ignore them, but you'll be doing it on purpose, fully understanding what it is that you're looking at.
So let's touch on some of the big bestseller lists, starting with the Publishers Weekly List I already mentioned. I never see Publishers Weekly touted on author sales pages or reviews, but it is a source that industry people pay a ton of attention to. The Publishers Weekly List is based on BookScan data. About 85% of physical book sales in the United States and 80% of eBook sales are captured by BookScan. But that can vary wildly by the specific book. I told you this before.
So, for example, book sales of my book Don't Overthink It, are believed to be pretty well captured in BookScan. That 85%-ish, that seems right compared to what my publisher says I have sold. And the reason is that book is primarily sold in independent bookstores and in places like Amazon and Target. But BookScan and doesn't capture even half of my sales for I'd Rather Be Reading and the My Reading Life book journal. Oh gosh that book journal, it's so... it doesn't even get half because so many of those copies are sold by retailers that aren't bookstores like gift shops, stationery shops, coffee shops. Those are not in BookScan.
[00:10:34] Another note on what BookScan doesn't capture, because we got a lot of questions about this. And when BookScan doesn't capture it, it's not on the bestseller lists. Those are books sold to libraries, direct-to-consumer sales and books sold at big events or conferences. So that is the data Publishers Weekly is drawing from in their list.
Something else noteworthy about the Publishers Weekly list is they include individual sales numbers for each title. And that is not common for these lists. So you can look at this week's list, which I'm linking in our notes, which features best sellers for April 2nd to 8th and see that Dav Pilkey's new Dog Man book tops the overall list of any book sold, kids, adult, business, whatever with 152,650 copies sold. That number is not typical.
You all had a lot of questions about how many copies a book needs to sell to be included on a bestseller list. That is not a static number. We got that question too. It's not like you hit a certain number sales and you make the list. It's all relative. And it, of course, depends on the individual list, like who the curator is. And that number will vary from week to week for those individual lists.
But I will use the current hardcover front-list fiction list to give you a feel. And again, this is from Publishers Weekly. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is first with 17,506 copies. Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling is the 25th and last book on the list with 3,093 copies.
[00:11:57] Time out to talk about how Dog Man sold 152,000 copies, which, y'all, that might be more than Prince Harry. It comes down to preorders, a topic you all had a lot of questions about. You wanted to know if pre-orders count towards the bestseller lists. And the answer is absolutely yes. Any book purchased prior to its publication date counts towards the book's first week sales. In this way, pre-orders have a significant influence on bestseller lists.
Book tours also matter for the same reason. There's a lot of speculation about whether in-store events count towards the New York Times list—We'll have more on that shortly—but they definitely do contribute to the raw numbers. And that's why authors go on tour when their book comes out. Well, that's one reason we should say. I remember the moment I first understood book tour math, like back in 2017, and it blew my mind. We can talk more about that if you want to. Tell me. Ask me.
Okay, now for the Wall Street Journal list, which is also data-driven. They say they also rely on BookScan to gather print book data and e-book data. They specifically say they exclude free eBooks and those selling for less than $0.99 for their list. They also say they aggregate sales data for all eBook formats except audiobooks, which do not count here, when compiling their fiction and nonfiction combined lists.
The Wall Street Journal list is especially well-regarded in business circles. Incidentally, Don't Over Think It was a Wall Street Journal bestseller. These notes about my books and I have a few more. My experience is not necessarily representative, but you know me. You know my books. I can speak well to this experience. I'm just sharing what I know.
[00:13:35] KATE OLSEN: Hi, this is Kate Olsen from Wisconsin, and I'm calling to let you know that I just love the Patreon episode where Anne gives us a little in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the book and publishing industry. Specifically, I love the episode where she talks about the publishing calendar, and I love the episode where she talks about insiders from booksellers. I remember that one was a great one too.
Anything where we get to go behind the scenes and look at stuff that not everyone else gets to hear about on the regular podcast, it makes us feel like insiders and part of a special club. So thank you for all that you do.
[00:14:20] ANNE: Now let's talk about the USA Today list. There was much lamentation when the USA Today list announced back in December that it was going on hiatus. That it was a bad thing for readers, that it was a bad thing for authors because like Publishers Weekly, it was also a data-driven list that tracked what books people were actually buying, as in not a curated list as some of them are. Again, I'm saving New York Times for last.
USA Today featured a ton of genre fiction, especially romance. It included books in a variety of formats, and it ranked the top 150 bestselling books in order of sales by their numbers. And it did it as well as it could. There's a major disclaimer here. Given the limitations of gathering that sales data, ranking by the numbers means by the best numbers they have. And we've talked about how there are limitations there.
I've also read that the USA Today list didn't include sales from a couple of major retailers like Walmart, which is obviously massive. But even though it wasn't comprehensive, is still deliberately cast a wide net.
Amazon has its own bestseller lists. And because Amazon's market share is so high, it's upwards of 60% for books. Those are really pretty meaningful numbers, if you want to know what's selling. Amazon Charts is their weekly list of books that sold the most copies in any format. This is one of the few lists that includes audiobooks, which rarely count toward the book's bestseller status. And as best as I can tell, their list still includes Kindle Unlimited borrows as it did at that program's launch. I couldn't find an update past 2020 though, and these things do change over time.
[00:15:51] The American Booksellers Association has its own list called Indie Bestsellers. This used to be the IndieBound List, and you can always see these at Indiebound.org. These are compiled based on sales data from upwards of 500 independent bookstores across the country. And instead of representing pure numbers, this list is weighted to reflect what is popular in independent bookstores everywhere.
For example, let me tell you about two independent bookstores that you may know. One is my local indie Carmichael's Bookstore, which I talk about mostly because you can order signed copies of my books through them, and I Instagram them when I go. It's the bookstore I go to the most.
And then let's also take New York City's The Strand, which is huge. So if there's a book that's selling really well release week at Carmichael's, it'll sell ten copies. If there's a book selling really well release week at the Strand, I don't know how many copies it's going to be, but it's going to be a lot more than ten.
So the ABA says they don't just add up, let's say it was 500 copies at the Strand, 500 copies at the Strand, ten books at Carmichaels, they added together five, ten. Those books don't count the same. What they will say is, Oh, it was the top bestseller at the Strand and the top bestseller at Carmichael's.
[00:17:03] Now, if two books outsold Dog Man at Carmichael's, then they will take into consideration that was the first bestselling book at the Strand, but the third bestselling book at Carmichael's. I don't know their exact formula, but that's the general philosophy behind it. Their goal is to reflect what is selling well and how well is it selling in independent bookstores right now.
And that brings us to The New York Times list. You had a lot of questions and you wanted to know why is this list the most prestigious. Friends, I can't tell you why that is, only that it is. This is a real thing. It is widely recognized to be the one that matters.
When authors and publishers talk about hitting the list, they don't say which list. There's only one list they have in mind, and that is the New York Times bestseller list. It's certainly been around a long time since 1931, if you're keeping track. But the longevity is not the only thing that matters here. It is true that hitting this list does have a measurable effect on authors' sales and the money they earn, both on current, the book that hits and on future lists, the books that they will be able to sell, contract, move into the marketplace in the future.
[00:18:10] That New York Times bestselling author designation is worth a lot: reputation, status, and also actual money. So it's really important. But no one outside the Times knows how it is compiled. What we do know is that it is a curated list that does not correspond to data sources like BookScan. It's not that there's no relation, but the relation is flimsy.
The list is put together by a team of three at the Times who work full-time to compile both weekly and monthly lists. In an editorial published in 2020, I'm going to give you a gift link if I have any left. Otherwise, I'm so sorry about the paywall. It's in the notes though.
They say they do it by combining data science, investigative reporting, and their own special blend of foxhole humor. Their stated goal is to reflect what individual consumers are buying across the country, and that is as opposed to what purchases made for events or for the purpose of buying one's way onto the list, hear my quotes. That's discouraged. It's not impossible to do. If you want, do some googling on that, you can certainly find out a lot about how that can work. We're not going to go into the details here today.
The bestseller list team does say repeatedly, they go off the sales data. But friends, no one in the industry believes that is actually the case, at least not to the extent that this editorial seems to claim. Obviously, I don't work for the Times, I don't know the formula, but I'm sharing what I know.
[00:19:34] What I do know is that I have heard so consistently that the New York Times editorial team with their bestseller list is looking to recognize books that are being purchased by individual shoppers from independent bookstores across the country. Then I was shocked to discover while researching this bonus that they don't actually say that. The New York Times has never actually come out and said that. But is that widely believed to be the case? Yes, it is.
The New York Times formula, if one can even call it that, has certainly changed over the years. At least that's what industry folks gather by comparing notes. Like in 2018, an agent told me she was thrilled to discover the Book of the Month sales counted toward the New York Times list. I was telling her I really enjoyed a title, that was her title, and she told me like, "Oh my gosh, we were delighted. We were counting down. The list was about to come out. We were looking at sales and we were going, Darn it. She missed it. She's not going to hit. There's no way she's going to hit. And then she did." And it was because she had X number of sales, and yes, the agent knew exactly how many off the top of her head, book of the Month club sales. And that pushed her over. Significantly over. She was pretty high on the list and yes I know what this book is and no, I'm not going to say what it is because I think I've said enough.
[00:20:43] But in 2019, that was no longer the case. And I remember a conversation I had with author friends in somebody's living room before the pandemic. The New York Times list had just come out and somebody had a new book and they thought, "Well, my agent would have called me if I hit. So I clearly didn't. But I want to see what's on the list."
And we were reviewing it and we had Publishers Weekly sales data pulled up at the same time, and we were noting that a major big deal literary retelling was on the list and was pretty high on the list. But Publishers Weekly said it had only sold 3,000 copies. And a couple of people went, "Oh, that's not fair." And somebody said, "No, no, it's that author. Look at our history." They had to reward her for that work. It's really important. She'd never hit the list before.
Now, is that how it works? That is not what I'm saying. But I'm saying this is how people talk about the New York Times bestseller list. I don't know that they're wrong, but I don't know that they're right either. I can say that it is a mystery.
And it's interesting to me how for a long time, how The New York Times Best Seller list is put together was inside baseball. But in recent years, there seems to be a lot more interest outside the industry in The New York Times practices and requests for more transparency. I find that really interesting. And I'm curious to see how this evolves in the coming years.
[00:22:00] Now, you all asked a lot about publishers and if a book's publisher mattered for, I keep wanting to say hitting the list, for inclusion on a bestseller list, let's say. The vast majority of books on the list, books on most lists, in fact, but even more so for The New York Times are from the big five publishing houses. That is Penguin Random, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Macmillan. And who am I forgetting? Harper. I'm forgetting Harper.
My books Don't Overthink It and I'd Rather Be Reading are with a smaller press. And I was told that while it wasn't impossible to make the list because titles from that press do in fact occasionally hit, that it would be tough. Again, my books are familiar reference point for me and you. My experience here is not representative. But to give you a ballpark feel of how many copies the book has to sell to hit the New York Times list, the answer is generally between 5,010 thousand copies, depending on the title itself and the competition in any given week. For example, lots more books are out in May than July.
My memory is fuzzy and I couldn't find the actual data, but I believe each book sold about 7,000 copies in the first week, according to the BookScan data back then. And they didn't hit. Believe me, if they had hit the New York Times list, I would have told you and it would say it under my name everywhere.
[00:23:17] So that's a quick overview of bestseller lists. And they matter. They matter for your reading life. These are books that all get talked about. These are books that have special sections in bookstores. A novelist friend calls the New York Times Best Seller List a collection of books that are selling well because they are selling well. When a lot of readers don't know what's a read, they look to the bestseller list to help them decide. And there is nothing wrong with that.
These lists are just one means of discovery. I know you care deeply about your reading life and you are very invested in how you spend your reading time and choosing what to read next. So I want you to feel empowered to do that, knowing where this information comes from and how you might or might not want to rely on it.
I find this all extremely interesting. I'm happy to share what I know and to take the opportunity of receiving your questions to dive down the rabbit hole and research it further. So thank you so much for your questions today. I hope you found this episode interesting and useful. And I really look forward to talking more with you about the reading life and the industry and how it affects your reading life in the future.
Thanks for listening to this bonus. Share your comments in Patreon and we will talk again soon, friends. Till next time, happy reading, everyone.
[00:24:35] Readers. I hope you enjoy tuning in to that Industry Insights bonus episode. And thank you to Jenny and Kate for telling us more about why you love these episodes so much.
Next, you'll hear a recent episode in our Dear Book Therapist series. While I often talk about unique reader struggles on the weekly podcast, here in Patreon we get to dig deep into the specific bookish problems, queries, hopes, and predicaments our patrons bring to our attention. Let's listen in.
Hello, readers, and welcome to Dear Book Therapist. The idea for this ongoing feature came from you who frequently joke that What Should I Read Next? episodes are basically Bibliotherapy. Plus, we receive so many cries for help, sometimes tongue in cheek, sometimes not, from readers asking me to fix their bookish conundrums or simply give them needed insight into their own behavior in their reading lives.
So today, we're going to start with a quick round featuring a potpourri of readerly queries and then we're going to camp out for a bit on the question of the push-pull between wanting to enjoy your current read without being distracted by everything you want to read.
[00:25:45] Okay, for our potpourri popcorn round, let's go. This one came in via Patreon comment from Laura. She says, "Dear Book Therapist, I kind of want to throw caution to the wind and mass delete my TBR. As of today, I have 1,342 books and I don't think it's bringing me joy, as Marie Kondo says. I feel that if there is a book on there that I should read, it will come back to me eventually. My question is, how can I have a TBR but not get back to this mess of a list?"
Laura, let's investigate. First of all readers, I know most of you already know this. But if you don't, we're talking about the to-be-read list. The list is sometimes very long list of titles you think you may want to read next or read someday. Laura, it sounds like you're kind of... you've been mulling and now you're ready to act on impulse. Do you want to do it? And I think if this is what you want to do, do it. Do it. It's okay. But listen to the rest of my answer before you do it.
[00:26:47] So your question here is how can you have a to-be-read list but not get back to the mess of a list 1,342 titles strong that you have now. I really see two possibilities for you here that I'd love for you to consider. Number one, raise the requirements for books earning a place on your TBR. Ask yourself to supply more information to yourself than just "Oh, that sounds interesting," before a book scores a place on your TBR.
So two things you could do. Ask for more of the book, like it's really got to make its case for earning a place on your list. And ask for more of yourself. I wonder if you don't raise the hassle factor just a little bit, it could possibly... No, this won't work for everybody, but for Laura, it could help you only add books to your TBR that you feel really belong there.
And this is not new information or new recommendation. I'm just emphasizing things I've already said before. I would encourage you to note the date you're adding a book to your TBR, the source of the recommendation, and why you want to read it when you're adding it to your TBR.
[00:27:52] Also, this filters in another way. If you can't answer that question of why or if it's a flimsy answer, don't add it to the list. At the same time, I want to validate that I don't know why exactly "it just sounds awesome for me" is a totally valid answer. That is enough. But if you're like, "I don't know, I saw it on Instagram," that is not good enough.
So raise the requirements. Make sure that book belongs. I mean, make it sure as you can, there are no short things in the reading life. Make sure that book belongs and ask yourself to do a little more work before a book gets added to your list.
Also, Laura, maybe you need to hear this. I don't know who needs to hear this. But you can keep a list of books that have caught your attention or that you think sound interesting that is separate and distinct from your TBR. Maybe you don't want to delete that TBR. Maybe you want to rename it a list of books that at one time or another I have thought sounded interesting. Especially if you have this in a format that you can search, that could be really valuable information. But it does not have to be the same thing. In fact, I would say it should not be the same thing as your to-be-read list. Laura, thanks for the question.
[00:29:02] Next. This one came in from email from Julie in Illinois. She writes, "Dear Anne, I have too many books. Help. And they all sound so good. Is there a randomizer for books? What should I read next? Thank you. Julie."
I'm going to answer this with a clip from Elizabeth Cooper's episode. You love to read, don't ruin it. You're about to hear Elizabeth Cooper describe how she describes books. Now, after this clip ends in the episode, she says, "My husband's a computer programmer. He designed this for me." She talks a lot more about this in the episode. Go listen to the whole thing. But here's that little clip. Because that randomizer that I think you might be asking about cheekily it could really exist for you. Okay, here you go. Listen up.
ELIZABETH COOPER: Here's the other really interesting thing about me. I choose all my books randomly. I never, ever walk into my library or bookstore or wherever and pick out a book and bring it home and read it. I pick up a book, I add it to my Good Reads list, and then when it's time to read something new, I go to my trusty randomizer and I plug in a number, and whatever that number pops up with is what I end up reading.
[00:30:14] ANNE: Oh, I really enjoyed revisiting that episode. Next, we have a question from a What Should I Read Next? alum, Allison Matz. She writes in Patron comments, "Dear Book Therapist, I recently traded in my two-hour commute, one hour each way, for a six-minute one. While basically my whole world has improved, my audiobook listening has plummeted. Where and when else do you get a lot of audiobook time in other than, say, a daily walk?" Thank you. Allison, thank you.
And that is amazing that your whole world is basically improved from this big change in your life, and yet I hear you when you say your audiobook listening has plummeted. I'm also hearing the unstated assumption here that Allison wants audiobook time.
Readers, if that doesn't matter to you, it doesn't matter. No worries. But it sounds like it matters to Allison. And she is asking this specifically and personally, "When do I get a lot of audiobook time other than, say, a daily walk?" She can also be asking you. When do you get a lot of audiobook time? And so tell us in comments.
[00:31:16] Allison, I have not had a big change in my commute in this past year, but I did have a lung issue that if you've been around here this year you know about because I sounded weird and didn't talk at all for a few weeks, which I do not recommend. But I spend a lot of time sitting on the couch reading. I was not on my feet. So I wasn't driving anywhere. I wasn't walking the dog. I wasn't doing laundry. I wasn't even standing at the sink doing dishes. I certainly wasn't working out.
And I noticed I mean, it took me a week or two, but I noticed I am not listening to audiobooks and I love audiobooks and I missed it. But you have just heard me rattle off the times where I am listening to audiobooks even when I'm not driving in the car, and that is doing household tasks like laundry, dishes, tidying. I do it when I'm walking Daisy. I do it when I'm working out. I used to love to listen to music when I'm working out, and I still do sometimes. But I realized if you listen to books while you're working out, you get through more books.
There are also some really boring tasks that can be combined with audiobooks. I know. So you do this in your workplace. I do it around here when I'm filing receipts and when I'm editing photos. Allison, I hope you're able to carve out a little bit of time if you decide that's important to you and get to find some great audiobooks soon.
[00:32:31] REBECCA: Hi, my name is Rebecca. I'm calling from Chicago. I've been a patron for about three years. My favorite part of being part of the Patreon community is that you have more access and visibility to the entire Modern Mrs. Darcy team. And I have learned so much from hearing from other team members as well.
I will specifically point to an episode where Shannan talked about her love for the sci-fi genre and that somewhat reinvigorated my love for the genre as well. I went immediately from listening to that episode to downloading the audiobook of A Psalm for the Wild-Built. I inhaled that in a day. I was just so delighted and that episode was so delightful. So I think it has been so worthwhile for many reasons, but I think my top reason has been getting to know more of the Modern Mrs. Darcy team and hearing from them on a regular basis. Thank you all and have a great day.
[00:33:27] ANNE: Next, we have an email from Anonymous who says, "Help! I keep reading new releases and am disappointed. I have major FOMO and hates a DNF." She says, "I will sometimes, but ever the optimist I read on most of the time. In June, I read and loved The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Fourth Wing, and The Five-Star Weekend. Not for me were The Celebrants and Girls and Their Horses. Help me. Anonymous."
I want to encourage a gentle reframing here because in this email you listed five new releases and you read and loved three of them. That's not bad. So you keep reading new releases, but you're not disappointed in all of them. And I just want to stop and note that for you if you haven't already.
I'm also noticing that the thing that differentiates the books you loved from the books you didn't is tone. The Celebrants, Girls and Their Horses, totally different tone than The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Fourth Wing, and The Five-Star Weekend. On the spectrum, Girls and Their Horses and The Five Star Weekend are closest. But I can totally understand why a reader with love one and not the other.
I think the tone you're drawn to is one with softer edges. I hope that gives you something to think about. I also would encourage you to think about is that true about tone and is that true about your... we're going to call it batting average—I kind of hate that metaphor, but there it is anyway—about the books that are not new releases.
[00:35:01] I'm glad you're trying to identify these sticking points in your reading life. I'm wondering if this one about tone is consistent across new releases and backlist. If so, that will give you the information you need to dig a little deeper and more specifically. I wish you well.
Next, we have another from Christie that came in in our Patreon comment thread. She says, "Dear Book Therapist, life has conspired to require a book embargo and the delay of anything not strictly necessary. It's not fun. Usually, I would turn to our library, but they have made changes, which is making it hard to get books in a timely manner or request the purchase of new books. It is proving frustrating and my mood is not helping." I know. "I think I am just in a reading funk. We have a generous home library for which I am exceedingly grateful. How do I lean into that to reboot my reading joy?"
Christie, framing is everything here. High fives and gold stars for having the self-awareness to even ask this question and articulate the situation you are in right now, it sounds like you have several things going on here at once. And really, we could file them all under change is hard.
It sounds like life has changed recently for you. It sounds like your library has changed recently. And both these changes are forcing your reading life to change. Change is stressful. And you've got a lot of changes happening all at once. That's a lot of readerly stress, and it's no wonder that you are diagnosing yourself as being in a reading funk.
But you also see a potential way out. It sounds like you see it, but you're not emotionally on board, you're not excited about it. And I do think a key ingredient for a vibrant reading life is enthusiasm about the books that we're going to read in the near future.
[00:36:41] So, Christie, by your invitation, I'm going to in turn invite you to tweak your framing. I'm asking you to make another change. I'm so sorry. But I'm going to give you a little nudge. I'm going to ask you, how did all those books end up in your home library? What excited you about bringing them into your home in the first place? They are there for a reason.
And as we've explored on What Should I Read Next?, not every book past Christie has brought into her home is one that present Christie is going to read and love. But I am willing to bet a lot that a lot of them there are books that you would love and enjoy if you started reading them today. Those books are there for a reason.
I'm also going to invite you to consider your generous home library from a different angle. And I'm going to do that by sharing the words of Will Schwalbe from back in Episode 184. It's called You'll Never Conquer Your TBR—and that's a good thing. Does this go back to Laura's? Yes, it does. And I am not sad about that.
Okay, listen in.
[00:37:37] WILL SCHWALBE: But when you come visit my husband and me in our apartment, you'll see that we have a lot of bookshelves like most people do. But our bookshelves are filled with books we have yet to read. There are very few books that we have read on it. And I love that. I love waking up in the morning and looking at a wall of books and thinking, oh, I haven't read any of these. I have all of these ahead of me. Adding books to my to-read list just gives me more reason to live and I would be... It'd be a terrible thing to read every book that you wanted to read. Every book I can add fills me with joy.
ANNE: One of my favorite lines is from Emily Dickinson, I dwell in possibility. I'm imagining you and your husband literally dwelling in the possibility of all those books awaiting you.
WILL: Yes. And it's fun also to shop your bookshelf. It's like going to a great indie bookstore and every book speaks to you.
[00:38:27] ANNE: I love the way Will puts that so much. And of course, we have links to these past episodes in the show notes. The whole thing is worth a listen.
Next, we're going to linger a moment on a theme raised by multiple readers, which boils down to the pull between what you're currently reading and all the things you could be reading. This theme takes different forms in your different queries. I'm going to read you three from listeners so you can get a feel for how this is manifesting right now in different reading lives.
This first one is from Sarah. She says, "With all the new book releases and unread books on my shelves, I've been struggling to stay focused on the book I'm currently reading. When I'm in those first 50 pages or so of a new read and I haven't connected yet with the characters or story, I find myself thinking about those books I haven't read yet. How do I cultivate curiosity about the books I haven't read while focusing on the book I'm currently reading?"
Next, this is from Nina, who writes, "Dear book Therapist. I feel like I've been consuming books this year rather than really enjoying them. I have had several five-star reads that have stuck with me, but those seem to be the only ones I sit with before quickly moving on to the next one. I specifically didn't set a number goal for the year except one nonfiction book a month to try to focus more on quality.
I have, for the most part, really enjoyed those reads. They take me longer to get through, so they seem to stay in my mind longer. My favorite this year so far was Hunt, Gather, Parent. Do you have any recommendations for savoring my reads more or how to choose books that are more reflection-worthy?
[00:40:00] Suzanne writes, "Hi, Book Therapist, I made a commitment this year to read all of my book club books prior to the actual book club meeting and to prioritize those books. However, I find myself resenting this—That's a strong word, Suzanne. I'm noting that—because it does not permit me much time to read mysteries, my favorite genre." This is a battle of "should" for me. The book club reading is aspirational, but not a passion. How do I reconcile my desire to be a good book club member—hear those air quotes—with my desire to read books that bring me a lot of satisfaction."
Now, could we talk to each of these readers for a full hour or all day about the peculiarities and particulars of each situation? We absolutely could. And if you did, we'd be focused on choosing reads for reflection and gathering that information, how to sit with a book, how to reconcile competing desires, how to identify aspirational reading, how possibly to make more time for reading. We could talk about all those things, but alas, we are not going to.
[00:41:04] What we can do, what we are going to do is take a moment to acknowledge common and widespread feelings readers experience in the reading life. If there was a single one of us listening right now who has never experienced this wandering eye sort of feeling where we're asking ourselves if we've chosen poorly, like if we don't have another book in reach that might be better, hear my air quotes, than the one we've chosen to read right now, I would be really surprised.
So what I want to do is normalize that grass is greener feeling. And I also want to provide a framework in which Sarah, Nina, Suzanne, and you can think about this tension when it pops up in your own reading life. There are four questions you can ask yourself that will help you identify if you're on the right path. They can help you see, like, "Yeah, maybe I should put this down," or "No, don't get distracted. Keep reading. You picked up this book for a reason."
Question one: What am I reading? Of course, answer this question by yourself with the title and author but also describe the book to yourself and listen to yourself when you do. If my answer was like, "Oh, this dumb history idea..." I mean, listen to that self-talk right there. Like, this matters. What are you reading? Describe it for yourself.
[00:42:11] Question two: Why am I reading it? What I mean is, of all the books you could be reading right now, why did you pick this one? For what purpose?
Question three: What do I hope to get out of this book I'm reading now? What kind of readerly outcome would make you feel satisfied about this reading experience?
And question four, finally, ask yourself, Is that likely to happen? Do you feel good enough about the odds that you're willing to roll the dice and keep reading?
Question one: What am I reading? Question two: Why am I reading it? Question three: What do I hope to get out of it? Question four: Is that likely to happen? Now, go back and review your answers. Do you like the answers you gave to these questions?
If you're reading it because you feel like you should, that's not a good answer, friends. If you're reading it because you impulse bought it with cash money at the bookstore and you'd feel bad not reading it, also, I mean, understandable, but not a good answer. And look, you can't shortcut your way out of here. If you tell yourself you're reading it because it's the book club selection, I'm not going to let you off the hook with that answer. You've got to dig deeper. Why? Why? Why? Why are you reading?
[00:43:20] Sometimes we need to be reminded of why we want to read something, of why we picked up a book in the first place. Like we were just saying of why we put a book on our home bookshelves in the first place. Sometimes we need our eyes open to the fact that our reasons are seriously lacking. Sometimes we need to be reminded of why we want to read it. And I cannot tell you which is which but I can offer this nifty little framework to help you figure it out for yourself.
Readers, that's it for this bonus. Thank you for listening. Thank you for trusting us with your reading lives. We will talk soon. And till next time, happy reading.
[00:43:51] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed today's glimpse inside our patron community and hearing from some of our current patrons about what they love most about this space. I'd love to invite you to join them. Sign up at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Whether you wish to tangibly support our work or want to get perks like the upcoming potluck preview and new episodes of Dear Book Therapist, industry insights, one great book, and many matchmaking, we'd be so grateful if you joined us there. Sign up at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
As always, you'll find links mentioned today along with the full list of titles we talked about at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Our Patreon community manager is Sara Aeder. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byIndustry InsightsBooks mentioned in this episode:• Don’t Overthink Itby Anne Bogel
• I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
• My Reading Life by Anne Bogel
• Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea by Dav Pilkey
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
Also mentioned:• Patreon Bonus Episode: Industry insight: what gets published when, and why
• Patreon Bonus Episode: The varied personalities of your favorite publishing imprints
• Patreon Bonus Episode: The Colleen Hoover phenomenon and breaking down the bestseller list
• Where Is All the Book Data?
• The current Publishers Weekly bestseller list
• Indie Bestsellers List
• Carmichaels Bookstore
• Strand Book Store
• New York Times Best Seller list
• A Lot of Data and a Little Singing: How The Times’s Best-Seller List Comes Together
Dear Book TherapistBooks mentioned in this episode:• A Psalm for the Wild-Builtby Becky Chambers
• The Secret Book of Flora Leeby Patti Callahan Henry
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
• The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
• Girls and Their Horsesby Eliza Jane Brazier
• Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Ep 244: You love to read—don’t ruin it
• WSIRN Ep 287: I want to be where the readers are
• WSIRN Ep 184: You’ll never conquer your TBR—and that’s a good thing
• Kindle Deals email
Tune in to 200+ bonus episodesWhen you join us on Patreon, you’ll gain immediate access to all 200+ bonus episodes and you’ll be ready to join us live for our upcoming Fall Book Preview on September 14th. We’d love to welcome you: find out more and join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
The post Dear Book Therapist + how bestseller lists are compiled (and why it matters) appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? This week has been full of back to school everything and I’m in need of a little quality couch (or patio?) time with a good book. (Thanks to a rec from a friend + our WSIRN team best books of summer episode, I know exactly what I’m reading next!) Aside from the reading, this weekend we’re making All The Food as we host family and friends and I couldn’t be happier about it.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book Preview is coming! Anne talks about the 2023 Fall Book PreviewMany of you said you found the short videos I shared leading up to the Summer Reading Guide to be super helpful, so I did the same for our upcoming Fall Book Preview. I hope you find it useful, and enjoy checking out the bookshelves I haven’t shared on video before!
What you need to know: our fifth annual Fall Book Preview is coming soon! In this live, 90ish minute event I’ll share 42 noteworthy titles publishing between August 29 and year’s end. Expect to hear about books I’ve read and LOVED, books I can’t wait to read, and books the industry is especially excited about this fall. Your ticket includes your live event invite, the replay video to watch whenever and as many times as you want, and our beautifully designed Fall Book Preview PDF booklet, a handy 12-page accompaniment that includes all the titles laid out by category, more info on our spotlight titles, and 9 bonus selections.
Fall Book Preview is happening Thursday, September 14. Preorder your Fall Book Preview ticket now, or get it as a free perk of one of our member communities. (We talk more about how to choose the one that’s right for you on that page.) Your membership gets you all sorts of bookish goodness—and sustains our work for the long haul.
My favorite finds from around the web:The Ritual of Rearranging Your Books. (Tor.com) “When our holiday plans went awry, I did what any sensible book collector would do in my place: I spent Christmas Eve piling every single book from the unread books bookcase onto the dining room table, dusting them, considering them, and deciding their fates.”
And the summer’s gathering MVPs are … (Priya Parker) “This summer Taylor, Beyoncé and Greta reminded us, invited us, allowed us to experience the transcendent power of gathering in public with strangers again. And I am so here for it.” I love this. (If I had a dollar for every time I’ve recommended Parker’s book The Art of Gathering that would cover the cost of an Eras tour ticket!)
Meg Ryan Makes Her Rom-Com Return in First Trailer for ‘What Happens Later’ with David Duchovny. (People) This was not on my radar; I had no idea it was filmed prior to the actors’ strike. Yay!
This has been a month of big change and big feelings and also new beauty and skincare products have been looking especially enticing lately. Coincidence? Unlikely. Related: I’m loving this new-to-me, easy-to-wear red from Merit Beauty. I’m wearing a single layer in the above video, but it gets considerably bolder with another coat if that’s your jam.
Speaking of lipstick: Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty is happening now, otherwise known as your way to stock up on old favorites or new-to-you goodies for a whopping 50% off. Today’s offerings only look all right to me (but maybe YOU love OSEA Undaria Algae Body Butter, Clarins Total Eye Lift Firming & Smoothing Eye Cream, or Lancôme Monsieur Big Volumizing Mascara?) I AM intrigued by the 1500 5-star reviews on today’s fresh Floral Recovery Calming Mask, and will be back tomorrow for the FENTY Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter (I emptied mine in the Mean Money/ Hu$tla Baby color, I loved it so much) and Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer.
Finding Hidden Treasures in Used Books. (Geek Mom) Always fun to hear about these kinds of discoveries.
Why Are We So Obsessed With Wegmans? (Philly Mag) “The best supermarkets provide what I call a Lack of Restraint Experience, by which I mean permission to transgress sensible shopping norms. I think that’s why we treasure them.” I’ve never stepped inside a Wegman’s, but this article reminds me of my fondness for Trader Joe’s.
Author R.O. Kwon’s Guide to Seoul — Where She Loves to Eat, Drink, and Shop. (Travel + Leisure) This is a great companion to our new Literary Tourism book list: 14 recommended reads for those traveling to South Korea.
Last weekend we slept in and then made this new-to-us recipe for Buttermilk Diner-Style Pancakes. (Epicurious) I was skeptical—I mean, seltzer, really?—but they were delicious. We’re making them again on Sunday.
What Happened to All the Sports Books? (Esquire) “In the past, a popular sports book could cement an athlete’s legacy for the next generation of fans. Today, a documentary is more likely to hold that power, which complicates matters for sportswriters.”
Don’t Overthink Gardening. (The Atlantic) “Gardening, no matter the scale, is downright relaxing.”
I followed my friend Bri McKoy’s lead, got out my frother for the first time in ages, and whipped up this Dalgona coffee. Easy and delicious. (Congrats to Bri on her new release The Cook’s Book. You’ll hear more about that soon!)
Why Do Old Books Smell So Good? (ScienceSwitch) Now you know!
70 years of your national park photos. (The Washington Post gift link) What a treat.
Don’t miss these posts:31 mystery novels avid readers recommend again and again. Calling all mystery readers!
Why star ratings matter—and when they don’t. My feelings about star ratings have evolved over the years.
25 boarding school novels that are better than your class reunion. This title may or may not tell you how I feel about class reunions.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
A 2014 article written by scholar An Sonjae claims “The greatest challenge facing anyone trying to introduce Korean writing to the outside world is the world’s general lack of knowledge […]
The post 14 recommended reads for those traveling to South Korea appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest grew up reading science fiction and fantasy, and since then he’s always favored stories with a hint of magic, regardless of the genre. Sai Sion recently moved from […]
The post A little touch of magic never hurts appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? My #1 priority is to stay out of this brutal heat and humidity; I know I’m not the only one in that boat. […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s that time of year when the heat and humidity make me despair fall will ever arrive … but it sure helps to have autumnal events to look forward to. […]
The post Mark your calendars for Fall Book Preview and more this fall appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
One thing our team members all have in common is a love of books and reading, and today we’re back for what’s become a summer tradition around here: sharing our […]
The post Our team’s best books of summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Around here we’re longtime advocates of reading works in translation as a way to experience the vast and varied types of storytelling from around the world. Works in translation take […]
The post 20 wonderful new and backlist books in translation appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? We are recalibrating around here, after taking TWO kids to college this week for the first time. I am feeling tender this week: transitions […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I burn candles year round but there’s no denying that I really lean into the practice once fall hits—or, these days, when I’m wishing for fall to arrive. (Although the […]
The post Get ready to set the mood for a cozy season appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest shared in her submission that she didn’t feel like a “real” reader, and you all know that around here we love readers of every type. I knew I […]
The post What makes you a “real” reader? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. (Or, when the 15th falls on a weekend, near […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Happy Friday, friends! What are you up to this weekend? There’s a lot happening around here—one kid starts school today, friends are visiting from across the ocean, and I have […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
There are two kinds of historical fiction readers: those who can’t get enough of World War II settings and those who would prefer to read about a different era. In […]
The post Historical fiction that isn’t set during World War II appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’m delighted to welcome R. Eric Thomas to the podcast today. His book (and 2023 Summer Reading Guide selection) Congratulations, The Best Is Over! is out today, and I’m thrilled […]
The post Insightful and entertaining memoirs appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? We’re hosting family this weekend, and I’m excited to hang out and eat good food and catch up. (Fun fact: some of the stories […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Did you ever dream of being famous one day? When I was young I dreamed of being a country music star. (Yes, really!) Perhaps that’s part of why I enjoy […]
The post Get a taste of the A-list life with these 10 celebrity romances appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Longtime listener Annie McCloskey feels pretty happy with her reading life, and today she joins me on the show to talk about some of the fun and completely unique ways […]
The post Habits of a happy reader appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? The heat wave finally came for us here in Louisville, but that’s not going to stop us from going to a kids’ dance recital […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I know they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I have no qualms about browsing bookstore shelves (or blog posts) to see what catches my eye. It’s […]
The post Explore floral cover design with these 10 novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today I’m chatting with Nadia Sussman, who joins us from New Zealand—but not for long! Nadia has a big move on the horizon: this August, she’s moving to Michigan to […]
The post Audiobooks for the longest flight of your life appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Have I mentioned I went to Paris recently? I kid, I kid: if you hang out around here at all, I hope you’re not completely sick of me talking about […]
The post On Parisian café culture and the joys of being a regular appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s happening this weekend? Will and I are easing into the weekend by resuming our Friday planning coffee after a long summer break. Over the next few days I’m planning […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Several months ago I was talking to a team member here at MMD, who was telling me about something she loves. Like, LOVES loves. She went into great detail about […]
The post An ode to an unattractive $9 piece of plastic that brings me oodles of quotidian joy appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we just returned from an incredible family vacation in Europe, and of course we have to tell you all about the books and bookstores we explored. The six of […]
The post Anne and Will’s European reading adventures appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. (Or, when the 15th falls on a weekend, near […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Hello, hello! I hope this new edition finds you well. It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for me: I’m still jet-lagged from a trip to Europe with Will and the […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Around here we are big fans of seasonal reading. (You know we love a good beach read around here, or a summery summer read!) I typically love to match my […]
The post Cool down this summer with these novels set in cold places appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest was an early reader who often borrowed from his older brother’s assigned reading list. This early exposure to the classics set Daniel Evola on a lifelong course of […]
The post Books that take you off the beaten path appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Hi All! I’m Shannan. I’m the Cohost and Contributor for Team MMD. I’m bringing you today’s Links. If these links are all over the place, it’s because this summer I’ve […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “heist”? Perhaps a scene from Ocean’s Eleven, The Thomas Crown Affair, or Mission: Impossible. There are plenty of heist movies to […]
The post 20 heart-pounding heist novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, so many of us feel that tension between “serious” literature and frothy, fun reads. Today, we’re revisiting a favorite conversation about creating a balanced reading life with Jake Sloofman. […]
The post Books that feel like a vacation for your brain appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Greetings from Alabama, where temps are expected to reach 101 this weekend and I am expected to enjoy a cold beverage indoors with my book. I’m excited to start Tomorrow, […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When I open the pages of an epistolary novel, I feel as though I’m being let in on a good secret. It’s like getting to read over the character’s shoulder […]
The post 20 epistolary novels that will sweep you away appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Caitlin Moran lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she enjoys reading along with her book club and finding new titles at her favorite indie bookstores. A few recently discovered titles […]
The post Your ticket to unexplored genres appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m heading to a kids’ theater performance (I always love these), getting together with friends who are moving away (sniff), and enjoying another […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
A couple of weeks ago, my family went to the beach for vacation … Funny thing, that’s how I started a blog post that ran almost five years ago today. […]
The post A little interaction goes a long way. appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’m a big fan of seasonal reading, often opting to deliberately read books during the season in which they are set. When you tailor your reading to the season, your […]
The post 15 standout backlist summer novels perfect for seasonal listening appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Corin Cook considers herself as an extreme seasonal reader. She’s always on the hunt for atmospheric titles that help her embrace the quickly changing seasons of her New England home, […]
The post A summer of European reading appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Will and I are celebrating our anniversary and finalizing travel plans for later this summer. (Got any Barcelona recs to share? I’d love […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. The 12th annual MMD Summer Reading Guide came out […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When it comes to getting dressed everyday, I am a creature of habit. And I like it that way! While some might get bored looking at the same clothes every […]
The post Things I’ll wear 1000x this summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, if you’ve ever felt torn between reading for fun and reading for personal growth, you’re not alone. Today’s guest is Effie Alofoje-Carr, a Michigan-based mom and wife whose professional […]
The post Reading for pleasure, not productivity appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Hello hello! It’s wonderful to be back after a glorious beach week, but weren’t Leigh’s guest links fabulous last week? I so enjoyed getting to peruse her collection with a […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
All hail the page turner! I appreciate an unputdownable book now more than ever after the last few years we’ve had, the sort it feels you almost literally cannot put […]
The post Unputdownable: MORE books I read in 24 hours or less appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we have a fun episode in store for you today, and one I’ve been personally anticipating for a long time! This week Shiner author Amy Jo Burns joins me to discuss a specific genre we both adore: smartly written stories about complex and complicated family relationships.
Amy Jo is one of my favorite sources of reading recommendations in this genre, so today we enjoy sharing our favorite juicy, bighearted family novels, hearing about Amy Jo’s forthcoming novel Mercury, and exploring the intersection of writing and reading in the life of two professional book lovers.
Leave a comment below to let us know what titles you’d recommend for fellow fans of complex family novels. I’m getting my TBR ready for your suggestions!
Connect with Amy Jo on Instagram and on her website, and preorder Mercury now!
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAmy Jo Burns [00:00:00] Horse novels are fun. You know, any time there's something about a girl and her horse... I've never ridden a horse, you know. You know, they're pretty but I've never been on one, but I love those kinds of novels.
Anne Bogel [00:00:12] I'm not interested in horse stories, but Amy Jo, I love every single one that I read.
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
Friends, I am just back from the beach. My family doesn't usually go early in the summer, so it felt a little different this year. But no matter when we go, I always get to enjoy so many good books. A book a day is what I can often do at the beach. It is one of my favorite times of year for that reason, and I can't wait to tell you about some of those books. I am sure you will hear about them in later episodes later on this summer.
We do kick summer off with a bang around here with our Summer Reading Guide that came out May 18th. And it's not too late to get yours. Order now and you get that immediate gratification in your inbox. But you can trust we are going to bring you great books and related good stuff all summer long. Get your guide by popping over to modernmrsdarcy.com/srg for Summer Reading Guide. You can get it by joining our patron community at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. You can hit subscribe in your favorite podcast app right now so you don't miss an episode this season. We are here to help you discover books that are just right for you in every season. Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your reading lives in this way.
And now for today's conversation. Readers, there are lots of ways episodes come into being here at What Should I Read Next? You probably already know how most of our episodes happen. You write in to our submissions page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest and you tell us three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately. And my team and I comb through those submissions looking for books and angles we haven't featured before.
But sometimes our episodes have a very different origin story, and that is the case with today's. My friend Amy Jo Burns is a writer who I hope you know through her work. If not, it is my pleasure to introduce you to her. She is the author of the novel Shiner and the memoir Cinderland, both of which I've discussed here on the show and the forthcoming novel Mercury that I cannot wait to read.
But Amy Jo is also a reader and a reader from whom, as you'll hear, I get many recommendations for titles that happen to be exactly right for me. That's because our tastes overlap quite a bit and we both share a particular love for smartly written stories about complex and complicated family relationships.
It has been a long time now since I first started thinking, "Hmm, I wonder if I could entice Amy Jo to grab a mike and join me on the podcast to talk about her favorite juicy, bighearted family novels." And lucky for all of us, she was game. And that is exactly what we are doing today. Friends, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Amy Jo, and welcome to the show. Let's get to it.
Amy Jo, welcome to the show.
Amy Jo Burns [00:03:30] Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:03:32] Oh, my gosh, the pleasure is mine. I have really been looking forward to this for reasons which I have already told you are not entirely altruistic. Like Amy Jo I love... I think our reading tastes are very much in sync and I'm so excited to get some titles for my summer TBR. And readers, you're in for a treat today.
Amy Jo Burns [00:03:50] I felt the same way. I have my pen and pencil out ready to go to get my list for summer ready.
Anne Bogel [00:03:57] You know how it's done. So, Amy Jo, this is your first time on What Should I Read Next?, though you are no stranger to the Modern Mrs. Darcy larger community. In your own words, tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.
Amy Jo Burns [00:04:09] So I would start by saying I grew up in western Pennsylvania, which is part of northern Appalachia. A lot of my books, I guess all of my books now are set there. So that's where I grew up. I went to college in upstate New York, so I haven't lived in my hometown in a long time. I live now in central New Jersey with my husband and our two kids, but I miss home all the time. And I think as a writer, I'm always writing about home in some way, what it means, how to claim it, what it takes to leave a place, also what it takes to stay. So that's kind of me missing home but also, I love New Jersey, too. It's a great spot.
Anne Bogel [00:04:46] Ooh, what it takes to leave a place and what it takes to stay. I am from Kentucky and now I'm in my 40s. So I wanted to leave when I was in high school. I have come back home. I'm from a state that doesn't get a lot of love nationally. Wow, no wonder I'm drawn to the themes in your works. Not that that's not relatable no matter where you live. Like you want to get out of there and then you feel torn about coming back.
Amy Jo Burns [00:05:10] It's true. And I think everybody wants a chance to choose, right? I choose to stay. I choose to leave. I choose to return. I've always wanted to visit Kentucky. I hope I get there sometime soon. I've heard good things about it. Bourbon, you know.
Anne Bogel [00:05:25] I'm quite fond of it. We're better than the stereotypes. I will say that.
Amy Jo Burns [00:05:28] I believe it.
Anne Bogel [00:05:31] Amy Jo, many of us know you as the author of your best-known work, Shiner, which I have talked about on this podcast more than a time or two. I'm so interested in hearing, since today we're really talking about good books, we're talking about juicy, big-hearted family novels is, I think, what I first emailed you about discussing. But I'm so interested in hearing, has your writing life impacted what kinds of books you find yourself drawn to and perhaps what kind of books you actually tend to enjoy?
Amy Jo Burns [00:05:59] You know what? I would actually say it's the flip. I think that my life as a writer has been deeply impacted by my life as a reader. Meaning whatever I've fallen in love with in a book, it teaches me so much about the ways that I want to write. And I think also if something irritates me or frustrates me in a book, I will often find whatever that thing is in my manuscript and my works in progress.
It could be anything from having a villain that isn't three-dimensional or an antagonist. But you know what it is most of the time? I've noticed when I'm not emotionally present enough on the page with a character or when a writer does that, it just gets me in my chest, when you could feel everything that that character's feeling, you're with them on their journey. And when I feel that, and I don't feel it when I read my own work, and I say, Okay, there's more work to be done here. So I would say my writing life can't exist without my reading life.
Anne Bogel [00:06:56] What comes into your mind immediately when I ask, like, what's a book that has been deeply impactful on your writing life?
Amy Jo Burns [00:07:03] Oh, my goodness, so many. I mean, my favorite books... I love The Color Purple. And you know what I love about The Color Purple is that the first time I tried to read it, I didn't understand it. And then when I returned to it a few years later, I just fell in love with it. And it's interesting how you can pick up a book in one moment in your life and it not fit, and then the next time you pick it up, it feels like it's changed the world. So that book is very meaningful to me.
That's also a family novel. I mean, I think, though, I will read anything. I love all different kinds of books. I'm not picky. But when I think about some of the things that are common among all the books that I have fallen in love with, I love beautiful prose as long as it doesn't weigh the story down. I love a good sentence. I love imagery. I love it when you get a sense of how a writer sees the world just through the words that they choose. So that is always something that gets me right away.
I also am a sucker for that, you know, heart in your throat feeling you get at the end of a book when, like I've said, you have just been with these characters, you've seen what they've fought for, how they're trying to be better for themselves. I think what that means for me is I feel a little bit more alive at the end of a book than I felt at the start. That's what makes me fall in love with the book, makes me want to get it for my friends, get a copy for my shelf.
And the other thing, I love it when a book is funny. I feel that it is much harder for a writer to make a reader laugh or smile than it is to make them cry. And if I can find a book that has all three of those things, you know, it's good prose, it gets your heart pumping, and it's funny, they're usually a homerun for me.
This might be a bad thing, I don't know if you're like this, but I usually know if I'm going to like a book within the first page. And I think a big part of that becomes when I really need... A non-negotiable for me, I need a character who is deeply in earnest about something. I don't care what it is. I don't care if it's family or love or land or a job, you know, even if they're misguided about it, usually they are at the beginning of a book. But I need somebody who loves something so much that they can't think straight. Right? Because I think it helps you step into their shoes. So most of the time when a book doesn't land for me, it's because I can't find that character.
Anne Bogel [00:09:37] So you need that point of connection?
Amy Jo Burns [00:09:38] Mm-hmm
Anne Bogel [00:09:39] Wow. Okay. I think I'm a much more tentative reader because I go in with a sense of trepidation, like, What am I in for here? Maybe I'm distrustful. I know. Sometimes I like a book from the get-go, but... I mean, I'm thinking of some of the books I've loved the most this spring and summer, and they've taken me a little bit to get into sometimes.
Amy Jo Burns [00:10:00] You know, that's fair. And I often wonder. That's why I say I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not because I might have been cutting myself off at the knees with some books, but I've read so many that by the time I get to the end and I think back to the beginning, I think, Oh, you know... Usually there's something at the beginning that just makes me say like, Okay, I'm here, I'm with it, you know?
Anne Bogel [00:10:20] Mm-hmm. I will say, I do love that sense. Page one, opening paragraph, I meet the narrator, or I get the first page of voice, and I'm like, "Oh, I love this. Yes, please. I'm so glad I'm here." That's a wonderful feeling.
Amy Jo Burns [00:10:34] It does. And it makes you feel like, "If I don't get that feeling, I don't want to read this." It's like falling in love, you know? It's not always love at first sight. Sometimes it grows over to... I'm talking myself out of deciding on page one if I should continue with a book.
Anne Bogel [00:10:51] I love to hear about that. And I want to hear from people who don't read the same way as me and who apparently aren't so cautious and scared and skittish, let's say skittish, not scared when they're beginning a book. Well, I love getting book recommendations for you. And Amy Jo, I'm not sure you even know how much. Because I think so often you talk about books on Twitter back when Twitter was a little bit different place than it was now.
Amy Jo Burns [00:11:14] Oh, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:11:14] But I've really enjoyed how you pointed me towards titles that are just fun. Like from the opening, like, Oh, this is a character I want to spend some time with, and this is a world that I want to be in. But they are also super smart and snappy. Like The View Was Exhausting comes to mind and Funny You Should Ask. And look, readers, I know this book was all over TikTok, but I'm not on TikTok. I didn't know.
Amy Jo Burns [00:11:38] Me neither.
Anne Bogel [00:11:39] So I'm so curious, how do you find what to read and how do you decide what books are going to occupy your precious and limited reading time?
Amy Jo Burns [00:11:49] So, for a long time, it was actually on Twitter was how I would say, "I'm looking for this kind of book. Can I get some recommendations?" And I used to get so many responses. And it's not quite the same platform anymore, so I've switched. You know, browsing is so much different now. I used to go into a bookstore and browse that way. But now it's kind of, you know, I'll go on to Instagram and there's a few people on there that I really follow and I take their recommendations when they post about it.
Anne Bogel [00:12:18] Can you say more about browsing being different?
Amy Jo Burns [00:12:20] Yes. Oh, my goodness. So when I was growing up, you would go to Barnes Noble, Waldenbooks was the spot for me. And one of the things I loved would I would just wander the shelves and find something that would stand out to me. Because I had no idea what books were buzzworthy or anything like that. All it was was for me looking at the description and then looking at the first page. And maybe that's why that has still stuck with me because that's how as a kid I used to choose books. I had no sense of what was literary or popular or anything like that.
Now, though, I mean, you can still certainly browse in bookstores, but the selection has shrunk a little bit, I think. And it's been curated. You know, bookstores understandably shift certain books to the front of their books to the back, all that sort of thing, which is also helpful for shoppers. But I have two kids, I don't get to go to bookstores maybe as often as I would like.
So now I browse online and I do that by identifying just a few people. It's usually on Instagram now. But over time I kind of see, "Oh, I like their recommendations." They're often booksellers from all across the country. Someone you've had on your program before, who I love, Elizabeth Barnhill from Fabled in Waco, Texas. I think she's got great taste. She puts the books on my radar all the time. So that's somebody I enjoy. Just, you know, people who kind of have wide ranges.
And not every book lands for me. But like I said, I'll go and read the description and I'll look at the first page and say, Okay, I'll give it a try. So that's a bit how browsing has shifted for me. Especially during the pandemic, when you couldn't browse anywhere. I had to find a new way. Right?
Anne Bogel [00:14:02] Mm-hmm. We all did. So what jumps out at you? How do you decide what to read?
Amy Jo Burns [00:14:07] I would say I love it when at the beginning you get that sense of, Oh my goodness, something went down here and I want to know what it is. You're stepping into a situation and you're like, "There's some beef here between people and it's legit and I just want to watch it play out." I really love it when there are characters who are committed to working it out and what that looks like and all the ups and the downs and how you reach your hand towards somebody and they're not quite ready to take it. And then it switches and they're ready to reach toward you and you're not ready to reach back. And then at the end, sort of finding that moment of meeting whatever that might look like. I find that very powerful because I think it inspires me. It gives me courage to try to do that in my own life. That really is what reading comes down to for me, is it gives me strength and new perspective in my own life.
Anne Bogel [00:14:59] Amy Jo, that makes so much sense to me because I have discovered that we have a mutual love of juicy, big-hearted family novels.
Amy Jo Burns [00:15:06] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:15:06] And it's not like I'm a genius for putting this together. I think I realized this. When you said as much on Twitter and actually you referenced how you love to get recommendations or you did back in the day by saying, This is what I love you. Tell me about more of them. I think that one day when you ask for recommendations, the title you said, "This is what I love, give me more, please," was We Are the Brennans. So you nudged me to read that book that had been on my shelf for, I think, over a year at the point. It's not like I didn't know about it, I just didn't realize how much it was going to be for me. And I absolutely loved it.
So I would love to hear more. So when you're looking for—and I think these were your words—juicy, big-hearted family novels, what do you mean? Like what kind of descriptors do you think of? What kind of feeling? How would you describe such a book generally speaking?
Amy Jo Burns [00:15:57] When I think of juicy, I think of that thing that makes you turn the page, whether it is some sort of beef between characters that goes way back or it's this idea of the family may be presenting itself in one way to the public and being a completely different way behind the scenes, and you find that there's a hidden story behind the story. I find that very satisfying, very juicy.
I love it when, you know, you can't determine easily who's right and who's wrong. I think that's really exciting in a book. Those are the sorts of things that make me turn a page. When every character in the novel is going to learn things the hard way, I think that's really fun to read. Because, you know what ends up happening is that you start to identify so clearly with the characters that you're not an eavesdropper anymore. You kind of become a member of the family, of the inner circle as you read. And that, I think, is what makes this book stay with you.
And in terms of what bighearted means to me, I think what I love and what makes my heart grow three sizes is that moment of choosing in a book. You know, we as people we don't get to choose who our family members are, but we do get to choose how we're showing up in the family, how we're going to love somebody even if it's rebuffed or it's taken the wrong way. We get to choose what we're claiming, what we're fighting for. And when that happens in a family novel, it's usually just so satisfying for me. And that's what makes me want to read it again, to recommend it, to say, I want more of this. And that's exactly what We Are the Brennans did for me.
Anne Bogel [00:17:40] I'm also thinking about how you said earlier that you love it when a character is just really earnest. Like they wholeheartedly love what they love, maybe no chill is an apt descriptor. Like, they're in there. They're out there. They're all in. And I wonder if those things don't go together.
Amy Jo Burns [00:17:55] They do.
Anne Bogel [00:17:56] There's a lot of feelings.
Amy Jo Burns [00:17:58] There is. And you know it is funny I feel like you're describing me as a person. I have no chill about things that I love. So I guess what I'm doing is I'm trying to find that in characters, too, because that's me to a tee.
Anne Bogel [00:18:09] I love that. Ginger on our team is always saying she has no chill. Like it's something fundamental you have to know about her. I can be a little more reserved unless I'm talking about a book I love.
Amy Jo Burns [00:18:19] Yes, you know what? We need both.
Anne Bogel [00:18:20] But even then, I might say like, "It might not be for you. Listen close." But I do admire and appreciate that wholehearted, earnest, no-chill perspective. I mean, I can be definitely earnest. And I think that's something that I really relate to when a character.
So, Amy Jo, as a writer, you are no stranger to these family novels and you have a new one coming out that I am just dying to hear more about. Tell us about Mercury.
Amy Jo Burns [00:18:46] So Mercury is coming out January 30th, 2024. And I have to tell you, I loved writing this book. I am so excited for you to read it. I'm so excited for your readership, for readers everywhere. It is, I hope, a juicy family novel. It's set in western Pennsylvania, where I grew up in the 1990s, and it is about a family of roofers whose lives get upended when a young woman named Marley moves to town and the town is Mercury, and that is where the book gets its name.
But over the course of nine years, Marley becomes wife to one of the sons in the Joseph family. She becomes the one who got away to another and she becomes a surrogate mother to everyone in the family. And when an emergency roofing job reveals a dead body in the attic of the local church, all these old family wounds start to resurface and suddenly, you know, the survival of the Joseph family, as we come to know it, hangs in the balance.
So this book for me has all the things that I like in a juicy family novel. It's got that vibe of "what happened here?" It goes back and forth between past and present. It has multiple voices. Each one of the characters have their own story to tell. And ultimately, I think it's a story about what it means to belong somewhere, whether it's to a family or a place. It's about the lengths we go to for those we love. And it asks the question of whether it's possible to save a family from itself.
And as I said, I grew up in western Pennsylvania. This story is very personal to me. I come from a family of roofers, my grandfather, my dad, my uncles, my brother. So it's something that has meant a lot to me. Even though the characters and the events in the novel come mostly from my imagination, Mercury is very much a real place, and it's based on my hometown, so it was really fun to write.
Anne Bogel [00:20:44] I haven't read this yet, which is a real shame, Amy Jo. But I can hear myself talking about it now. Like I did not know that I was desperate to read a story about a family of roofers in western Pennsylvania but let me tell you. Also, you mentioned you loved writing it. And-
Amy Jo Burns [00:21:00] Yes, I did.
Anne Bogel [00:21:01] Listeners might think that that's something that authors always say about the books they write. But would you speak to that for a moment?
Amy Jo Burns [00:21:07] I think every day felt like a joy because it would just bring a smile to my face to create characters that reflect the men that I grew up with and love. Roofers can be some of the most funny, maddening, brave, complex people that I've ever met, and I've never read a book about roofers. I looked for one and then I thought, "You know, I should just write one."
One of the things that I think I found so exciting about it was my dad has always said he got to experience Pittsburgh where he grew up, and that's where part of the book is set, from the roof. So if you've ever traveled through the Rust Belt, through western Pennsylvania, parts of Ohio, you've probably seen or stood beneath one of the roofs that my father or my grandfather or my uncles, or my brother have built. And it's such a beautiful way to experience a city is from, you know, going up the service elevator, seeing the bowels of a building, but then also seeing it from the top. And it's a kind of artistry that I don't think gets enough love in literature or there's room for it to get some more love.
So creating the characters felt like being with family. It felt like a family reunion. I just felt the love on the page and I felt like I understood them right away. Sometimes writing a book can feel like really hard work, like you're pushing that stone up a hill. But this one, it just felt like momentum from day one, which is, you know, it's rare. I've never had that experience writing a book before like I did with this one. So it was a real joy.
Anne Bogel [00:22:49] That's a real difference from what so many writers say, which is they love having written, but like present tense writing not so much.
Amy Jo Burns [00:22:58] That is often the experience for me is it feels like you're staggering around in the dark. And I think it wasn't that. I wasn't staggering around in the dark, but it's like I had my people with me, you know?
Anne Bogel [00:23:09] Aw.
Amy Jo Burns [00:23:09] It gave home back to me in a new way that I don't think I've felt in quite some time. And that's why it was hard for me, a little bit, to finish it, because I knew, I could tell that it was a special experience writing it that would end, you know.
Anne Bogel [00:23:25] Well, that sounds amazing. I can't wait to read it. Is it available for preorder now?
Amy Jo Burns [00:23:29] I think so, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:23:31] Okay. Awesome. So, Amy Jo, knowing that we have this mutual love of these kinds of books and I just love the way you put words to the things that draw you in the attributes of this kind of novel, I thought it would be fun to share some of our favorites. I'll let you go first. So what we have each done is brought some titles that we really love from this category of reading. I would love it if you could start with We Are the Brennans, that book that I left because of you that we already touched on briefly.
Amy Jo Burns [00:24:01] I mean, when I think of a quintessential juicy family novel, that's at the top of the list. We Are the Brennans is by Tracey Lange. I would also like to say she has a new book coming out August 1st. It's called The Connellys of County Down and it is just as good. I loved it.
But We Are the Brennans opens with this character named Sunday. She is 30 years old and she has just gotten a DUI. She's been in a car accident. She's okay, but she's injured. And she has to return home to recover to the family that she left very abruptly years ago. And as the story unfolds, we start to get a sense of what happened, why she left her first love, I am a sucker for first love, hometown boy, and we start to understand why her family is so desperate for her to stay.
One of my favorite parts, when I say I love when a book makes me smile, is how she switched between viewpoints and characters in chapters. What she will do is she'll take one line of dialogue in one chapter and she'll put it in the mouth of the next narrator. And that first time when the chapter switched over, it just brought such a smile to my face. This is a novel that addresses serious things, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. And I really enjoyed that.
But what I think is really special about this novel is that there's no strife. These characters don't carry strife. They are hurt. They have regrets. They have longings. Their situation in particular is complex. They are in need of money. They have a family business. They know something's wrong with Sunday, who's always been the rock in the family, they don't know what it is. So all of that is complicated, but what they want is not... All they want is for Sunday to come home. And I find that so moving.
And she has this family of brothers. She's got three brothers, her father, they all want the same thing and they all love her in very specific ways. She has this one brother named Denny who loves her in these very loud ways. And then she has another brother named Jackie who loves her in these very quiet and very moving ways. There's no better example of what it means to be a member of a family than that. I love that book so much. I recommend it all the time.
Anne Bogel [00:26:20] I'm so glad to hear it. I really enjoyed it as I did The Connellys of County Down.
Amy Jo Burns [00:26:25] Yes! I'm so excited for readers to find that one too. It's kind of in the same universe, but with a new family.
Anne Bogel [00:26:32] Oh my gosh, I was so delighted to see the mention of the Brennans' bar. That made me so happy.
Amy Jo Burns [00:26:37] I know. Me too. I got so excited. She is one of those writers when you want to step into a world that is full of love and trouble, she knocks it out of the park.
Anne Bogel [00:26:49] Ooh, love and travel.
Amy Jo Burns [00:26:50] Love and travel.
Anne Bogel [00:26:51] That new one is coming in August, friends. You have something to look forward to.
Amy Jo Burns [00:26:54] Yes, you do. Another huge favorite of mine is Malibu Rising. That's by Taylor Jenkins. Reid. This is the perfect example of that feeling that I love that, you know, what happened here? At the beginning of the book we already have a ticking clock. There's a huge house party that's happening in Malibu. We know the house is going to burn down by the end of it. So we already have that thing that keeps us turning the pages.
But for me, where the heartbeat of the novel really comes is that it is a story of four siblings who are each reckoning with what it means to have a father who's been absent. And it just so happens that this father is a very famous rock star. And each of the characters have had that truth shape their life in different ways. It's affected the bond that they have with each other, how they see themselves. Nobody captures emotional vulnerability in a moment in any character like Taylor Jenkins Reid does. And this book is full of those moments. It will kind of make your heart burst by the end. And I highly recommend it.
Anne Bogel [00:28:03] And I love that you chose a Taylor Jenkins Reid because as popular as she is, many people wouldn't automatically think, Oh, Malibu Rising, when we're talking about family novels. And yet four siblings dealing with the family junk, like...
Amy Jo Burns [00:28:17] Absolutely. Honestly, I think it's one of her best books. I've loved so many of her books, but to me, she really shines. She understands those tenuous family bonds and how they can build you up and get torn down in a minute. I loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:28:32] Oh, I'm so glad. Thanks for reminding me of a book I really love from, I think, two summers ago. I'm going to start by sharing, I think, the book I said, "Oh, Amy Jo, big hearted, juicy family novels. Like I'm listening. Thank you." And I think I jumped in with Hala Alyan, The Arsonists' City. I also really love her first book, Salt Houses, but The Arsonists' City... there's more beef that is being dealt with in both confrontational and actively avoidant manners. And I just found it so interesting. Like my hands are just like making mixing it up emotions right now.
But this is another sibling story, although the patriarch and matriarch of the family definitely also factor in. But this is about the Nasr family. They have a Syrian mother, a Lebanese father, and three adult children who are 30 to 40 years old. The story kicks into gear when the patriarch says it's time to sell the family home and the mother says, come back to Beirut, which is the arsonist city of the title, so we can do this and deal with all our stuff.
But even before that happens, almost like in Malibu Rising, you said the house burns down like on page one and then you find out how we got to that point. On page one of The Arsonists' City, someone dies a tragic death and you're not told who it is and you don't know why it happened. You know what happened, but you don't understand the circumstances that led to that moment. But that aura of fear and sorrow just hangs over the whole book. When you turn the page and there's a couple in the middle of a marital and intimate moment followed by a spat.
So this book is almost 500 pages so it gives Alyan room to explore each family member in all their complexities. Like everybody has a big secret that they are hiding from the other. The parents to their long-held hurts and resentments that are always simmering just below the surface and tend to come to a boil whenever they start talking about them. And they have these long-lasting, exasperating familial dynamics that they can't quite seem to break out of.
Alyan is a psychotherapist as well as a poet so I trust her to know what she's talking about. Like these family dynamics feel so real. Like, I feel frustrated on behalf of the characters because I've been in arguments like that. I feel like I know what that is like, even though their circumstances... I mean, the story bounces between Lebanon and Syria and Palestine and the U.S. in Brooklyn and California. Like completely different from mine.
Something else that's really interesting about this book is that Hala Alyan says that even though she didn't write it that long ago, the place she portrayed in the story because of war no longer exists.
Amy Jo Burns [00:31:13] Oh my goodness.
Anne Bogel [00:31:13] It's like she really got this time capsule on the page. So, readers, if you're picking up now, that's a really cool thing to know going in. And even though I said the book begins with a death and there's that aura of instability and sorrow that hangs over the book, it ends with an exuberant like, we're going to figure it all out ending. And I love that kind of vibe.
Amy Jo Burns [00:31:34] Me too. Me too. I love, also, books that are kind of about family houses too. Those are so great.
Anne Bogel [00:31:41] Oh, oh my gosh. And the descriptions of this family house with I think it's almond trees in the front, just the poetic language about the orangery. Not boring, friends. Beautiful does not mean boring here. It's just really evocative. And you're like, "Oh, yes, I can picture that perfectly in my mind."
But for a totally different kind of story, I want to talk about one that was in the 2023—oh, gosh, what year is it?—Summer Reading Guide. It's brand new. It's a debut. It came out in April. And it's called If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook. This story unfolds over the course of a week, is set in a very hot fictional Georgia town. Well, it's summer in Georgia. Of course, it's hot. It's in the fictional town of Eulalia. And this big family clan has come back home for a funeral.
And in the opening pages of this book, which starts with a real bang. I mean, Amy Jo, you said something went down here and I want to know what it is. Well, I guess you get to witness the big fireworks moment.
Amy Jo Burns [00:32:40] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:32:41] The family gathers for the funeral. Like all the children and some of their children have come back to gather to see their siblings. Of course, they've got stuff from their history because they're a family. And it's a novel. So they've got some pretty juicy stuff. But during the eulogy, the patriarchs, the grandfathers, very drunk best friend, stands up to honor his deceased cherished, you know, person in his life and says, "By the way, everybody, we've been lovers for decades," and no one knows what to think.
So he drops that bomb into the middle of the funeral and meanwhile, everybody's trying to figure out like how to support their grandmother, who would have preferred to find out in a different way. And also everybody has their own stuff that they gotta work through. And they have to work through and take quarters with these people who know them better than anyone else and also don't understand them at all. And I just loved it so much. And you said that you like books told from multiple perspectives. And this one... I mean, have you read this one?
Amy Jo Burns [00:33:43] I just started it and it has got one of the best openings to a novel that I've read in a while. It's just is really exciting. Because it's exactly that feeling: what happened?
Anne Bogel [00:33:55] Well, I think you're really going to love it for the narrative voice, because Cat Shook is... she's just in everybody's head all the time. Like she doesn't rotate with the chapters. Just all the time she's constantly bouncing into the brains of the people who are in the moment. So you can get ten different perspectives on one page is what it feels like. That's probably a slight exaggeration. And I would expect such an approach to make me dizzy. But I mean, it worked. I loved it. I just felt very oriented and like I always understood what somebody was feeling and thinking. Oh, it was... I just really loved to watch the secrets come spilling out and the characters forced to reckon with the fallout.
Amy Jo Burns [00:34:33] Agreed.
Anne Bogel [00:34:34] This has a lot of all that.
Amy Jo Burns [00:34:36] I'm so excited to finish it.
Anne Bogel [00:34:38] Oh, me too. I'm excited to hear what you think. Okay. Tell me more. What's on your favorites list?
Amy Jo Burns [00:34:43] The next book I wanted to mention is one of my top five of all-time books in any genre. It is called The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle. It came out in 2007 so it's been a while. But the book opens with a character named Alice. She's maybe 13 or 14. She lives on a crumbling, rundown family horse ranch that's in Montana, I believe. And we learn at the beginning of the book that her sister, who is sort of the family's star has run away to marry a cowboy. So that's sort of the setting.
Alice is there. She ends up trying to step up to be somebody who helps save the family horse ranch, but who is also trying to help her parents. Her mother is very ineffectual, sort of depressed. Her father's trying to hold everything together. This is one of those books that really lands for me because of what it's like to read it. The way that she writes sentences is out of this world. Every single sentence is its own universe, its own story. The story changes a little bit with every single sentence you can just feel. Everything that went into what the author put through to the words she chooses, the way she advances the plot.
But basically what ends up happening in the story is that the family horse ranch ends up boarding some wealthy people's horses. And for the first time in Alice's life, she is starting to reckon with what wealth and class look like and what that means for her. She sort of seen what someone has versus what she doesn't. She kind of gets spun up in the lives of these very wealthy people and she witnesses the truth that sometimes adults lie and they're mean. And she also realizes sometimes they can do really selfless things. And it kind of all gets tangled up into this huge climactic moment of violence that the family has to figure out how they're going to reckon with it.
It is just one of those books that I think the process of reading it is just as revelatory as where you land at the end. I can still remember the opening lines and lines from the middle of the book. So for me, that is just a book that I think, as a writer, taught me a lot. But as a reader, I just felt like it broke my heart almost on every page and then it mended me the page after. So it's a really, really wonderful read that I recommend all the time.
Anne Bogel [00:37:10] Well, I'm excited to read that. I haven't yet, but that recommendation is enough for me.
Amy Jo Burns [00:37:15] You know, I think horse novels are fun. You know, any time there's something about a girl and her horse, there's just so much there about what it means to be a young woman who might be experiencing power for the first time or something wild when she gets in the back of a horse. So there's all those things, too. And she's kind of reckoning with her own power and her lack of power at the same time that I just felt is very relatable, pretty much. I've never ridden a horse, you know. You know, they're pretty but I've never been on one. But I love those kinds of novels.
Anne Bogel [00:37:47] That's so funny. I think because there's a horse novel in the Summer Reading Guide, I talked about Seabiscuit in Patreon. I would tell you, I'm not interested in horse stories, but Amy Jo, I love every single one that I read. Maybe that's because I'm choosy or maybe I just don't understand my own impulses there.
Amy Jo Burns [00:38:04] There's something about it. Maybe I need to unpack it a little bit for myself. But everyone I read, I really enjoy. Like The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls, I think it's called.
Anne Bogel [00:38:14] Yes. Okay. Very true.
Amy Jo Burns [00:38:16] That's another one. That's kind of a family novel, too, now that I think about it. That was another one that, you know, just really hit home. They're just... It's interesting.
Anne Bogel [00:38:23] I think I'm very resistant to accepting this truth about my reading life. I need to come around.
Amy Jo Burns [00:38:29] Oh, yeah. Another one that's got really beautiful prose that I love came out this year. It's called They're Going To Love You and It's by Meg Howrey. Again, she has these sentences that I felt when I was reading that she had taken some life experience that she had had and she had distilled it into a sentence and kind of gave all the aching, all the yearning, all the wisdom just sentence by sentence in that book. I mean, it just took my breath away on the sentence level.
But really I loved two things about this book and the characters. The first of which in this particular family, ballet is a really beloved member of this family. So often when I read about ballet in literature, they kind of are always focusing on the seedy underbelly, everything that's wrong with it as an art form, you know, kind of how crooked it can be. And this novel really showcases and celebrates everything that ballet as an art form can give a life, what it gives to a family, how it creates a bond. And I thought that was so special.
And the other thing that I thought was so unique is that this family, the way it's set up, the narrator, her name is Carlisle, and we see her as a young woman, and we also see her as she's in her 40s. You know, her parents are divorced and her father remarried a man in New York City. So she grows up kind of in the Midwest and she's lived in California later in her life. But over the summer, she's always going to this house on Bank Street in New York City with her father and his husband.
What really got me in my chest was the special relationship that she has with her stepfather. His name is James. He's the first person we see on the opening pages of the book. She never calls him her stepfather. He's just James and she's just Carlisle. But you can tell there is such a mutual connection and love there between them. And pretty early on in the novel, you realize that they have not spoken in a very long time.
So you have two things. You're like, Oh, my goodness, I need to know what happened. And your heart is aching for both characters because you get that sense that they just love each other immediately kind of against all odds. And you know, over the course of 20 years or so, you can see Carlisle reaching out a hand and James isn't ready to take it. And then later James is reaching out a hand and she's not quite ready. And it sort of is about this process of eventually meeting back together in a powerful way when they're ready. I just loved it. Really powerful book.
Anne Bogel [00:41:06] Oh, I love books like that. I mean, that really put you through it, like you just ache for the characters. But, I mean, I love it to hurt like that in a good story.
Amy Jo Burns [00:41:17] Yeah, I do, too. Me too.
Anne Bogel [00:41:22] All right. Let me tell you about a couple more. I'm going to go historical with one of my favorite books from the past few years, and that is The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Amy Jo, I really have a thing for a multigenerational family saga where you can see how decisions and actions, and beliefs just ripple through the decades.
This is a story of twins, two twin sisters. Their names are Desiree and Estelle and they were born and raised. And this really interesting fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana, where the town members in this black town pride themselves on being very light-skinned. Although despite their light skin, that did not prevent their father from being lynched. And of course, that had a deep, deep impact on the family members.
The twins grow up, they make lives for themselves. One decides she's going to marry a White man who doesn't know she's Black and enter that world living behind her family. The other chooses to marry the darkest man she can. So they've chosen different paths that mean, practically speaking, they're no longer family. They cannot be part of each other's lives. But these twins have daughters and you see, in rotating perspectives, the decisions everyone makes, the places it takes them to, and how the past isn't really past—it will still come back to make you deal with it.
I've only talked about the twins, but the supporting characters in this story are so, so good. And it's so rich in the way that Bennett spins this out over five decades and shows the family members circling each other and showing the ripple effects I referred to and showing how she's going to bring them back into each other's orbit. I just love that for all those reasons.
And then I also want to share a book that came to mind when you were talking about the characteristics of family novels that you really wanted to build into your story, the lengths we go to for those we love, and the question, is it possible to save a family from itself? And this is Lily King's Father of the Rain. I was not familiar with this work, but we spoke with her in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club for Writers & Lovers. And I was researching her history, her background, how she approached her work before we spoke to her and I came across an interview that was just so intriguing about this book. It came out in 2010 and it was highly praised when it first came out, but I needed to stumble upon that interview for it to be on my radar.
It is the story of a deeply dysfunctional Boston area family, and it centers on a daughter. When we first meet her, she's 11 years old and she is in the thrall of her charming, narcissistic, alcoholic father. The story is set up with such an interesting structure. We meet daily at three different times and we go deep each time: when she's 11 in 1972, then years later, when she's 29, and finally in her 40s. So we see how she deals with her father's behavior and her question of like, what can I do for him? Like, the best thing I can do is to be a dutiful daughter. But of course that comes at her own expense, and the cost is very great for making that decision.
And something I love in a novel, in general, is when a novelist can force a character to make a really difficult choice, often a choice that we can recognize, as the reader, as self-destructive. But set up the world in the story, set up the circumstances in such a way that you absolutely understand why the character did that, that you would even have a hard time not doing yourself. Just completely sympathetic. And Lily King does that so well in this book. I just loved it.
Amy Jo Burns [00:45:00] I haven't read that and I think I'm going to have to add it to the top of my list. That's also good. I liked Writers & Lovers a lot.
Anne Bogel [00:45:07] Yeah, I'm not sad about that. Okay, tell me a couple more.
Amy Jo Burns [00:45:11] If you like historical novels, I have to recommend another book I loved, Diamond Head by Cecily Wang. I think it came out around 2014. But it has that sweeping, epic feel to it. It begins in China during the time of The Boxer Rebellion, we travel to Hawaii to the island of O'ahu. And the thing that brings everything in this novel together throughout generations is this fable of the red string of fate. And it's this idea that mistakes in love are passed down through family members. And in this case, it ends with an 18-year-old young woman who is pregnant and she's kind of the heir apparent not only to these all these mistakes in love, but to this very wealthy shipping empire or lack thereof.
I love novels that talk about family businesses, whatever they may be. I mean, obviously, I wrote about a family who has a roofing business, but in this case, they have a sort of shipping empire. This book has one of those great slow burns that is so worth it in the end. And I'm also such a sucker for quiet heroes. And this book has one of the best. His name is Bo High. I fell in love with him because we can all relate to that idea of what it means to be a disappointment in the family. And he kind of starts out as a disappointment and ends up kind of pulling everything together and just being that rock. I love that. I found that to be very meaningful. I read it so long ago and I still think about it all the time.
Another book that I really enjoyed that I read this year, I think it came out maybe in 2021, but it is called Ghost Forest and it is by Pik-Shuen Fung. This is the perfect book to read in an afternoon. It's very spare and very slim. There's lots of white space and there's kind of a gentleness to this story that's very powerful.
It's about a Chinese family. And the main character, the narrator, is a daughter who is, for a lot of the books, seated at her father's bedside in a hospital. He's very unwell and all she wants is for him to say, "I love you." And for so many reasons, it's so difficult for him to get those words out of his mouth. Throughout the book, we jump back and forth to different points in time, and we see how they got separated. Their father remained in Hong Kong while the narrator and her sister and her mother had to move to America.
We get a sense of all the tenderness and frustration that exists in these family bonds. So this is a book that is dealing with something serious, but it's funny and it's so real and it's such a pleasure to read. Anne, I would say if you can get a physical copy of the book, I highly recommend that because what she does, what the author does with white space is so powerful.
I began the novel thinking, Okay, this white space is representing some kind of silence. That means these characters are very distant from each other. By the end of the book, I realized that that silence and that whiteness on this page was really representing a kind of intimacy that didn't need words to hold it. And it just was such a powerful book.
Anne Bogel [00:48:20] That sounds amazing. And I am always intrigued when a reader recommends that a book be read in a particular format. So now I'm just itching to see this one as soon as possible. I could really use a book I could read in an afternoon right now, Amy Jo. So thank you for that.
Amy Jo Burns [00:48:36] Sometimes that is exactly what you need is to get a really particular experience from a book that you had in just a couple of hours. And that's what this one will give you.
Anne Bogel [00:48:45] Oh, that sounds great. Okay, I'm going to share one more and... You know, I have so many of these stories. We're going to go with Balli Kaur Jaswal, The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters. And I chose this one specifically from my metaphorical library of many because even though this novel deals in serious issues, we're talking about love and sisterhood and broken relationships and grief and marriage and immigration, it's got this zany factor to the narrative that keeps the mood light, even though the subject matter is not.
It's also compact in relation to a lot of the books that we've talked about today. It is very much about family relationships and histories, but it's less sprawling and more tightly defined than some of this genre. And it's also a road trip novel, which sounds kind of fun for the summertime.
So the setup is when their mother dies, three British-born Punjabi sisters are asked to fulfill her dying wish that she couldn't fulfill herself because of the chemo she was undergoing. She wants them to return to Punjab to make the pilgrimage that she was unable to do herself. And the sisters were never terribly close, and now they're older, and if ever they got along, like those days are long gone. There's a lot of animosity here but you can't say no to that request.
So of course they have to go back to scatter her ashes in her homeland and they're all dreading the trip. But then they come together and realize like, "Okay, it's not as bad as I feared it was. Maybe you're not the worst." But they do kind of poke each other. So even when they're feeling like, "Oh, sisterly love, that could really happen," you know, somebody gets under each other's skin.
But even as they begin to have some empathy for each other, to understand each other once again, they're still very slow to reveal the big secret that each of them is keeping. Each of them has one thing in their life that is imminent and looming and a really big deal. And it's not clear to the reader or the sisters that if they share this thing with their siblings, will it cements their relationship or will it obliterate it? Remember, serious issues, really lighthearted tone. As much as I love the big, angsty, earnest books, I love one like this too.
Amy Jo Burns [00:51:01] Me too. I love it when writers are able to pull that off because it gives you a real sense of what life is. It's those heavy things and those light moments, for sure.
Anne Bogel [00:51:09] And they're just nestled up right alongside each other. Amy Jo, thank you so much for doing the deep dive on juicy, big-hearted family novels with me today. This conversation has really added to my reading list. And I'm wondering what has this conversation inspired you to read?
Amy Jo Burns [00:51:25] This was such a joy for me. I could talk to you for hours about books that you've loved. I think I'm going to go with the road trip novel. And you're right, it's perfect for summer. The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, that sounds right up my alley, so I think I'm going to start with that.
Anne Bogel [00:51:38] Oh, I'm so glad. I just added, I think, four titles to my priority TBR. But I think The God of Animals is where I need to start. I mean, it sounded perfect. It's a horse book and apparently I like those. I'm coming to terms with this reality. You said it was in your top five ever. And knowing how much our tastes are in sync, I find that difficult to resist. Impossible. Impossible to resist. But also I need to get myself a copy of Ghost Forest in print because I want to see that whitespace on the page and figure out what it means and just have myself a really lovely afternoon with a good book.
Amy Jo Burns [00:52:12] That's it. It's a guaranteed good time.
Anne Bogel [00:52:14] There are few guarantees in the reading life, but I feel pretty optimistic about this one.
Amy Jo Burns [00:52:18] Good point. Fair enough.
Anne Bogel [00:52:21] Amy Jo, this has been a joy. Thank you so much for coming on and talking with me and our listeners.
Amy Jo Burns [00:52:27] Thank you so much for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:52:33] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Amy Jo, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Amy on Instagram where she shares some of those book recs occasionally @burnsamyjo and at her website, amyjoburns.com. Check out the full list of titles we talked about today @whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. I added quite a few to my TBR. I'd be interested in hearing if you did the same.
Make sure you are following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. And you can find us on Instagram. Our show is @whatshouldireadnext and I'm there @annebogel. We have loved seeing so many of you tag us in your Summer Reading Guide-related posts and stories, so keep the book love coming. We are eager to see what you are reading next.
You will also help others find our show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or giving a star to your favorite episodes in Overcast. That is my favorite podcast app. Finally, sign up for regular email updates at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. It's the best way to make sure you never miss a book or an episode.
Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Productions. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Shiner by Amy Jo Burns
• Cinderland by Amy Jo Burns
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta
• Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
• We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
• Mercury by Amy Jo Burns
• The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange
• Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan
• Salt Houses by Hala Alyan
• If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook
• The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle
• Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
• The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girlsby Anton Disclafani
• They’re Going to Love Youby Meg Howrey
• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
• Father of the Rain by Lily King
• Writers & Lovers by Lily King
• Diamond Head by Cecily Wong
• Ghost Forest by Pik-Shuen Fung
• The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Also mentioned:• Fabled Bookshop
• WSIRN Episode 225: What your neighborhood should read next
• WSIRN Episode 376: Bookstore confidential
The post Juicy, big-hearted family novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
My family is just back from a week at the beach. After a whirlwind spring, we took off on my youngest child’s last day of school for a little family […]
The post Making It Yours appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Greetings from the Chicago suburbs! It’s fun and a little surreal to be the one writing this post, as I’m usually behind the scenes helping to put it together. That’s […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest reads YA books (often well ahead of their publishing date) to decide which ones will translate beautifully to screen, and then works on forthcoming TV and film adaptations of these popular titles.
Between work and caring for her four dogs at her home in L.A., Kat Ramsburg doesn’t have as much time as she’d like to reflect on her reading. And she misses the quiet, contemplative types of stories that don’t make for the most exciting television, but are often among her personal favorites.
I had so much fun talking about Kat’s work and the process of book-to-screen adaptations. I’m also eager to point her to books—YA or otherwise—that she’ll find personally rewarding.
Be sure to leave your recommendations for Kat in our comments section below.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabKat Ramsburg [00:00:00] When people ask why I love YA, this book is the perfect example. And it's the book that when someone says, "Oh, I don't like YA," I give them this book and say, "You do. I promise you, you do." And nine times out of ten they come back and they're like, "Oh my gosh, I do."
Anne Bogel [00:00:20] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading, do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
I'm excited about today's episode because, one, it's a great conversation, and two, we are going to answer so many questions I know you have about the process by which a book becomes a movie or film. I can't wait for you to listen.
But first, I want to start with a shout-out and special thanks to all our new Patrons in our What Should I Read Next? Patreon community. Their support makes it possible for us to do what we do as an independent show. And we are so grateful. If you would like to support us in this way, thank you. It is easy to do so. That membership is just $5 a month or $10 if you choose the generous support option, the perks are identical.
And your membership comes with special perks like our Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing Party video, bonus episodes devoted to new summer releases that are not in the Summer Reading Guide, new Friday episodes of one great book, and many matchmaking, our upcoming June Ask Us Anything events, and more. Sign up to support the show and get your perks at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
Readers, my guest today is Kat Ramsburg. She is based in LA with her four dogs and has what you just might call your dream job. She reads young adult books often well ahead of their publishing dates to decide which ones will translate beautifully to screen. And then she works on forthcoming TV and film adaptations of these popular titles. While she loves this career and the books are sent her way, Kat says it sometimes feels like she's on the hamster wheel of reading tons of titles that don't fully align with her personal taste.
She also doesn't have quite as much time as she'd like to reflect on the books she does read, and she misses the quiet, contemplative types of stories that don't make for the most exciting television, but often get five stars from Kat as a reader.
Today Kat is here to talk about those book-to-screen adaptations and also for my suggestions for books, YA or otherwise, that she can enjoy during her personal reading time. I am excited to fill in Kat's commercial breaks with some personally rewarding reading selections. And you're going to listen to how that all unfolds. Let's get to it.
Kat, welcome to the show.
Kat Ramsburg [00:03:00] Thank you. I'm so excited.
Anne Bogel [00:03:02] I'm so excited to talk today. So we are talking as part of our YA in May loose two-part series. We did YA in May in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club for years, we're not this year. But we have this young adult energy that needs an outlet. We got your submission saying what you do and that you would talk about it with us and our listeners. I've been really looking forward to this conversation, Kat. So thanks for coming on.
Kat Ramsburg [00:03:26] Of course, I'm so excited. I thought about applying for years, I think, as everyone does, but I would just have these conversations with myself about what three books I choose, which book would I say I didn't like. And I just could never come to a consensus so I just didn't apply. And then I got the email saying, like, "Hey, we're looking for YA people," I was like, "This is my shot." I didn't even really think about it. And it was funny because they send you your responses via email afterwards and they were like riddled with typos and incoherent sentences. And I was like, "Well, just shot that shot."
Anne Bogel [00:04:02] Readers, and Kat you too, timing is everything. And we love to feature stories that we haven't talked about before, both in readers' lives and both in the actual titles of books. And thanks for sending in. And readers, that submission form is currently open at whatshouldireadnexpodcast.com/guest. I don't remember any of those typos, Kat. I just remember thinking what a fun story and feeling that your love of books and reading really shone through. So thanks for sending it in. And tell me a little bit about what you told me. So give our audience a glimpse of who you are.
Kat Ramsburg [00:04:33] Well, I live in Los Angeles, California, and I work in television and film development, specifically with a focus on YA originals and adaptations. So I live, breathe, dream, hope, wish, buy everything YA. I'm a full-grown adult and I just never quite grew out of that genre. I mean, I read other things, but I just... I think the evolution of YA, especially in the last 5 to 10 years has been significant and really reflects the world we live in in a way that sometimes I don't find with adult literature.
I also love to travel. I love to just like pick a city in a random country because I know they've got this cool bookstore that I've probably heard about on What Should I Read Next? and I love buying, you know, the different covers from different countries. But also I love to go into their young adult section and see what the big topics are in that country, what are kids reading and what are they interested in. But most of my time is actually filled with all my foster dogs. They currently are four and they're amazing. I have a lot of foster dogs at any point. But they're so sweet. They've only destroyed two of my books so far, which I think is a miracle. So I still let them come into my house.
Anne Bogel [00:05:56] What books were they?
Kat Ramsburg [00:05:59] One-
Anne Bogel [00:06:00] Or should we not talk about that?
Kat Ramsburg [00:06:01] Oh, yeah, let's not.
Anne Bogel [00:06:05] Oh, this is giving me flashbacks to when I had to explain in German to my college German prof that the dog I was housesitting for actually ate my homework. Well, I'm glad the dogs and the books can mostly peacefully coexist.
Kat Ramsburg [00:06:18] Mostly, yes. And they're really good at just sitting quietly when I read 4 hours a day. And I mostly foster senior dogs. So it's a little bit calmer than if I were to foster adult dogs.
Anne Bogel [00:06:30] Mm-hmm, I can appreciate that. So, Kat, without giving the specifics, which are not for podcast consumption, how did you get into your line of work, adapting YA for the screen?
Kat Ramsburg [00:06:40] So I spent about a decade in New York working on Broadway in theater dramaturgy. I worked with a couple of guys who wrote some big Broadway shows. And also were working in film and TV at the time and we sold a show to a big streamer and the show ended up becoming rather popular. So we moved the company out here to Los Angeles. And while in theater, we called it development work dramaturgy, in Hollywood it's just called development.
And we continue to build out the company, creating shows based on YA intellectual property—we call it IP—or original YA content. We've also, you know, done some other stuff that's not YA. But my love is YA. So a lot of my job is just hunting down those properties and seeing if they make for good adaptation, and if so, finding the writer for it and seeing if a streamer is interested in buying it, and then we go from there.
Anne Bogel [00:07:40] Now, we are readers who... I mean, listeners, if you all are like me, you have mixed feelings when you find out one of your favorite books is being adapted. It's mostly, "Ah, I can't wait. How exciting!" And then for me comes the "Oh goodness, what are they going to do with it?" But often, Kat, I find out something is being adapted and then I wait for it to actually be released. And I have the loosest grasp on what happens between acquisition and it showing up on my screen or a big screen somewhere. So tell us a little bit about what your role is in this whole process. Like, what are you specifically doing when you go to work in the morning?
Kat Ramsburg [00:08:20] It is kind of a long process. So when you do see that announcement that this book was optioned by this people, don't get too excited because it could be a couple of years before you see it. You may never see it also, which is really frustrating. So what happens is from the start I go into the office, which is home right now, and we work with a book scout who reads everything that comes. And he'll flag 20 or 30 books for us every day. I go through my email and I look and I'll pick one or two of those that I think might be a match for my company or a writer that we're trying to find something specific for. If they've said, "Well, really I want to find a project and write about this thing," I'll keep my eye out for those books. And then I read them and we decide if we want to go ahead and make an offer on that.
And sometimes you have 24 hours to decide. If it's a really hot book you know, if it's the next Adam Silvera, right, it'll get sent out on a Friday night at 5:00, and by Monday morning at 10 a.m. you have to have offers in and they decide by Tuesday. And that's who gets the book.
Anne Bogel [00:09:24] That's intense. Is that because it's being sent out to multiple companies at once?
Kat Ramsburg [00:09:30] Yes. And it doesn't go like YA. Somebody as big as Adam Silvera, it's not going to go super wide. They might go to like three or four targeted companies that they know that's the brand of that company, but they are setting up a bidding war for sure. And then we go to our respective streamer and we say, "Hey, I want this book. Adam's huge. His last book did this and his next book did this." And they look at the numbers of how many books he sold and international sales and how big he is on TikTok and whatnot. And they decide on that if that is a number that they can support. And if so, they enter the bidding war, and we know and then we get the book.
The book may not even be published yet. In fact, it's not. It's usually 12 to 18 months before the book is out. Oftentimes, we are bidding on a partial, the first 100 pages of the book. So the author hasn't even finished it yet, and we're like, "We know it's going to be the next big book. So let me spend mm a lot of money on this book and say, We win that bid. We get the book, then we find the writer." And that's one of the things I do.
So occasionally, more often now, authors are actually wanting to adopt their own work. Some are really great at it, some they have other strengths, and that's writing novels. So we'll try to match them with someone else who and they can kind of work on it together or will, you know, let them do a draft, and then we'll partner them with someone.
Sometimes it's a matter of finding someone who's already in TV. So we've got a wealth of writers we've worked with. Maybe if they don't quite match it, we'll do what we call an open writing assignment. So I'll send the thing out to a bunch of agents, managers saying, "I have this book, it's this hot property. I'm looking for someone who can speak to these qualities of the book." You know, we want a writer who reflects usually the racial backgrounds of the characters. If it's a queer character, we want someone who can speak to that. If it's an immigrant, maybe someone who can speak to that experience. We really do try to match it as much as possible so that the adaptation still feels authentic.
Once we do that deal... And all of these deals now can take two or three months to put in place, which is why it takes so long to see it come to television once you've heard of the book was optioned. So once we get the writer in place and we do the deal, we'll do several steps. We'll do two or three drafts of it before the studio or network even decide if they're going to actually make it. So just because they bought a book does not mean they're committing to it being made. And that's something I think a lot of people outside of the industry don't quite understand.
So once we've done a few drafts and the network or studio looks and they're like, "Yeah, we think this is viable. Let's go ahead," and they could choose at that point to either just make the first episode, the pilot, we call it, or they might commit to the entire season, the entire first season. And then we start finding the cast and the directors and where we're going to shoot it and when we're going to shoot it. Because, say, it's got this great role and we want this actor for it but he's committed to another show for six months, well, we're probably not going to wait six months. But if he's committed for three months, we might wait for him or her or them. And then that dictates when and where we can shoot. If it's a show that has to shoot in rainy season, obviously we can't start shooting that in July. So there's just so many factors that take place that prolong the process.
And then once we shoot—it takes 6 to 9 months to shoot one season of television—then we need another 3 to 6 months to go through what we call post-production, which is editing it, making sure it sounds right, coloring it, and all of these things, and then it hits your screen. So it's not an easy process at all. It's not a quick process. But I promise you, every moment we're referring back to the book and saying, like, what do people love about this book? What about the characters that people talk about? Because at this point, the book's been published. And we do really want to honor that and we make every effort to. I promise you, we make every effort.
Anne Bogel [00:13:44] Wow. So I can hear what is being unsaid, which is you get a lot of questions about that.
Kat Ramsburg [00:13:49] We do. You know, I think, thankfully, people get really excited about a book. They have in their mind about who should play it, how it should be done, what's the A story and the B story, which sometimes conflicts with what's actually the A story and the B story. Also, you think like a book it takes 4 hours to read it, 4 to 6 hours, depending on your reading speed. But we have 10 hours to fill or 12 hours to fill. So we've got to stretch things out.
We might take a character that was kind of uh and build them out so that we can talk about a theme that maybe was underplayed in the book. Or maybe we want to elevate a character from the book that we thought could have used more page space. And maybe the author. Often we are talking to the authors throughout this process. They're not kept off in a closet somewhere and not allowed to speak to us. So they might say something like, "Hey, you know, I actually have the scene in the book that I cut for editorial reasons, but it would work here." And then we incorporate that scene into the show. And you never know that that was a cut scene from the book, which I always think is the most exciting part when we get the secret page.
Anne Bogel [00:14:56] I didn't know that. Oh, I would love to get secret pages.
Kat Ramsburg [00:14:59] Oh, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:14:59] Let's go back a little bit. You said that you may get up to 20, 30 books in your inbox a day, and of those you often choose to read one or two.
Kat Ramsburg [00:15:08] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:15:08] What is it that you are looking for? What kind of stories stand out to you and make you want to learn more?
Kat Ramsburg [00:15:17] I always look for an interesting protagonist first. And by interesting I mean someone who is active, they're really trying to solve a problem or ask a question, they're not sitting back and just watching the story happen. Also really the biggest thing we have to look for is stories that are external, meaning there's a lot happening on the page and not just in the protagonist's head. I personally love a quiet book that's just the protagonist sitting in a chair thinking. I could read those for days. But that does not make for good television.
So it's more that we just need to show that there's an active like start to finish and a lot of things happen in between. And those things add up and build to a point where it just... it has to be on screen. You know, I think I've read a lot of books and go, "Oh, this is a book." And I send that note to my team and just say, "I loved this, but this is a book," or "I love this but this is a movie and we're looking for a TV show right now." So it also has to show that it's like episodic, like this is a book that lends itself well to eight or ten or twelve episodes versus something that lends itself better to a two-hour film or you on your couch with a cup of tea.
Anne Bogel [00:16:38] People have big feelings about books they love. Which I imagine makes things very exciting to bring to the screen. And also... I mean, I would be a little scared sometimes.
Kat Ramsburg [00:16:50] It is. You are. Because I think I'm just as passionate about these books as the readers who email us their thoughts are. I want it to be perfect too. And in fact, there's one book we have right now that it's one of my favorite books and I did not want to option it because I did not want the weight of that on my fingers. But I didn't want some other company to have it and me not be able to dictate how the show was going to get made. So, you know, it's like we are writing the same hate emails to ourselves, trust me.
Anne Bogel [00:17:24] Oh, with great power comes great responsibility. That's really interesting to hear your thought process, Kat Now, I imagine that this work in television has to have had an incredible impact on your reading life. And I don't mean incredible just as in terms of like good or wonderful, but like practically you're reading a ton for your television job. I'd love to hear what your reading life looks like as a whole these days.
Kat Ramsburg [00:17:48] I've always been a reader who will read anything and everything. The library was my babysitter as a child and books were and still are my best friends. So I think that love of reading and problem-solving has really led to my success in this line of work, because I do read a lot of books for work, about 240 or 250 books a year total, and I'd say two-thirds of those are for work. And I enjoy a lot of them and I don't enjoy a lot of them. But it's not my job to only create TV shows that I would watch.
My job is to say like, Oh, we have a need for this kind of show or for this audience member or this demographic or whatnot. And we look for those things. And I think that just being really curious about content in general makes you successful in this job. And honestly, I've learned so much about genres I wouldn't really have been into and I've fallen in love with books I never would have picked up on my own if I didn't have this job. So it's good because it challenges me as a reader. You know, one of the things I do, I always get your Summer Reading List recommendations. Sorry, what's the official title? The Summer Reading List?
Anne Bogel [00:19:02] We know what you're talking about.
Kat Ramsburg [00:19:03] Yes. And I read every book on it, whether I would have or would not, because I think that I trust your taste so much that I know I'm going to get something out of the book. And I would just encourage listeners to do that as well. Just one summer, sit down, say, "I'm going to read every book on this list." And don't save all the ones you were interested in until the end. Just kind of intersperse them so that you're not feeling like you get to the end of the summer and you're like, "Here are the five I didn't want to read." I guarantee you those five you thought you weren't going to read, one of them is going to become your new favorite book. I promise you.
Anne Bogel [00:19:36] Kat, there are 50 books in it this year. That's a lot of books.
Kat Ramsburg [00:19:39] Well, that's like two months.
Anne Bogel [00:19:43] Well, I love how it sounds you've ingrained the habit of asking yourself when you read a book, not just do I like this, but who would like this?
Kat Ramsburg [00:19:52] One of the things I love to do when I read a book that's not for my company in particular or we thought it was us and we don't want to pursue it, is I reach out to my other development friends and say like, "I think this is for your company," or "I think your boss would love this," or "I think your streamer is looking for this." So I like to be a little bit of a book matchmaker. That's not necessarily my job title, but what it does is it really helps me stay engaged with a book that I'm not necessarily enjoying and thinking like, "Well, who is this for?" And getting it into the right hands.
Anne Bogel [00:20:24] That's so interesting. If you only read... "Only" seems like a funny word choice there. But if you only read 70-ish books a year, how are you choosing what to read for yourself, knowing how much and what kind of books you read for work?
Kat Ramsburg [00:20:41] Well, one of the great things about my job is that I do get to read books, you know, 12 to 18 months ahead of time. But what that means is, if I know a book is not going to be for my company, I don't get to read it. So I throw it on my Goodreads list and I'm like, "I'm going to get to it someday," and I don't ever get to it.
So I really do turn to bookish podcasts to remind me what's coming out or what I might have missed. Like listen to all the books every week because every Tuesday they're like, "Here are the books that came out this week." And I'm like, "Right, I meant to read that." And I go and I grab it from the library. Or this podcast. I'll hear you recommend a book that was on my list from two years ago and I'm like, "Yes, that book."
So often that's where I'm being reminded of a book that was on my list that I meant to read that I just let pass and then I'd go pick it up from my library or my local indie and get to dive in. You know, 70 to 100 books a year, I try to make mine, but also I do love my job and I do love the books I get to read for them. So it doesn't feel like, Ah, this is a work book and this is my book. They're all books and I get to take in a lot of them.
Anne Bogel [00:21:50] I'm so glad to hear that's how you feel about your work reading and pleasure reading. Kat, you said something interesting right at the beginning of our conversation about how you've really enjoyed seeing how YA as a genre has evolved in the last 5 to 10 years, and I'm so interested in hearing more about that.
Kat Ramsburg [00:22:06] I think that for a long time YA was a lot of White kids riding their bicycles through town and encountering one surmountable problem and it's all over. And a lot of YA was just about like teenagers in love or a teenager with cancer, you know, and all these things. And I love those stories, too. Clearly, I grew up on those stories.
But what I really appreciated about YA is, I think that genre as a whole is ahead of the curve in telling more diverse stories, to be frank. In YA, I see more characters of color. I see more characters across the gender spectrum, across the sexuality spectrum. I see issues that aren't just, you know, teenagers in love, but teenagers dealing with things that teenagers do deal with. And we're acknowledging that in books. I feel like in reading YA I have a better understanding of the world as a whole and the world around me and people who are going to be leading our world when I'm like an old person in a rocking chair. And I'm really encouraged by that.
Anne Bogel [00:23:17] Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. I'm so interested in hearing what you specifically are drawn to, which I think that means it's time to talk about your books.
Kat Ramsburg [00:23:27] Yay, okay. This is the part I'm nervous about.
Anne Bogel [00:23:32] So you've been thinking about this for many, many years and you landed on these three, which it sounds like you had to go from the gut because you didn't have time to overthink it, you just wanted to send in that form. How did you choose these, Kat?
Kat Ramsburg [00:23:44] I literally just the three books that popped into my brain when I sat down to fill out the application. I didn't let myself go through Goodreads. I didn't let myself revisit my bookshelves. I just said, like, what are the three books that I want to talk about that I have not heard discussed on the show? I did give myself that parameter.
When I think about books that I'm drawn to, Gordon Lish has this incredible quote. It's "Write your heart on the page and people will read to find out how you solved being alive." I just think that is stunning. So these three books that I want to talk about are all books where I feel the writer on the page, I feel their heart, and literally in one case, it is the writer on the page. It's nonfiction. I feel their heart. I feel them problem-solving their own existence.
I'm just really drawn to that where people will lay themselves bare for their readers. Because I think that even if it's a very specific story and one that maybe I didn't personally identify with, I can watch them traverse their situation or their trauma or their life or their joy and learn from it. But I also really dig like YA romcom and just happy stories too. Really do.
Anne Bogel [00:25:05] I hope we get to talk about both today. So you get to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately. Let's jump in. What's the first book you love?
Kat Ramsburg [00:25:14] The first book is The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan. This is one of my top five books forever and ever. So Marina was 22 years old when she graduated from Yale in 2012. She'd already been published by the Paris Review, The New York Times, The New Yorker. She had a show going up in and off Broadway festival. She was a highly accomplished writer and was leaving Yale to start an internship.
And five days after graduation, she tragically died in a car accident. Her mom and her teacher at Yale Ann Fadiman also, an accomplished writer, put together a book of Marina's work. And the first half are some of her fiction stories and the second half is her nonfiction. And when I tell you these stories are so good, you will do what I probably do. When I finished the book, I got so angry that I would never get to read anything else of hers again. And I sat on my couch and I cried. And I don't cry when I read, and I cried because I was like, "This is all we get from her." And I turned the book over and started again. She is just so good. She's so good.
She writes about, you know, first love and first cars. She's got this great story about, you know, finally having to move on from that car you inherit in high school and all the memories and the stories and you find that piece of trash, and what did that trash represent. She talks about first loves and moving away from that when you're young and think that is the forever love.
But also, she has these, like, profound stories that I just don't understand how a 22-year-old ever came up with. One of my favorite pieces of fiction in the book is called Reading Aloud. It's about an older woman, I think she's in her 60s, 70s, somewhere in there, who works as a... not a caregiver, but a companion to a young blind man. So she goes to his house and she reads his mail to him and he notices that have come or whatnot.
And over the course of this time at this house, she starts to undress and not in a sexual way, just in a way of like she feels bold and seen. Like she's doing something crazy in this life of hers that has started to feel a little stagnant. And where, as an older person, she's starting to experience being unseen in our world. And you read that... It's just a beautiful story on its own. I mean, if Barbara Kingsolver wrote that, we'd be like, "Whoa." But a 22-year-old wrote that.
There's so many stories like that in the book where I just don't know how Marina possibly felt and understood things that deeply because at 22, I certainly didn't. And it's just one of those books that I can go back to over and over and over again and find something new.
She has this beautiful quote: "I want enough time to be in love with everything." And she did write about that a lot. She wrote about, you know, we're only 22, we have so much time left. Take a risk. Do something crazy. You know, don't settle down and be a consultant at 22, 23, 24. These are the best years of our lives." And yet she also had this prescient understanding of her own passing and that every moment is a gift. And she writes a lot about, "Well, when I die, this, and when I'm gone, this. And I want this to be my calling card. And so in a way like you knew she knew that her time was limited. I don't know. I read it and it takes me on these highs and lows.
It's the book I give so many people. And if you have a graduate in your life coming up, it's the perfect graduation gift. It's not maudlin. Don't think like, I'm not going to give this book about this girl who died. That's not at all what the book's about at all. It's about connection and love and living every moment. I cannot recommend it more highly. Please go buy it.
Anne Bogel [00:29:22] I won't even try to add anything to that. Kat, that was beautiful. What's the next book you love?
Kat Ramsburg [00:29:29] All right. The next book, big turn here, Slay by Brittney Morris, which I think I have heard you recommend once or twice, but I don't think it's gotten its total due on the podcast.
Anne Bogel [00:29:39] Let's see what we can do then.
Kat Ramsburg [00:29:40] Yes. So when people ask why I love YA, this book is the perfect example. And it's the book that when someone says, "Oh, I don't like YA," I give them this book and say, "You do. I promise you, you do." And nine times out of ten, they come back and they're like, "Oh my gosh, I do."
So the story Slay is about a 17-year-old girl named Kiera Johnson. She is African-American and she's a coder. She's super smart. And she creates this, and develops and codes and everything, this game called Slay. And it's about Black culture and it's for Black people. So how you get an invitation to this game is kind of word of mouth. Like this little, you know, you pass it to your Black friend and you pass it to their Black parent or the teacher or whatever. So people are secretly invited to it and not in a way to be exclusionary, but just, you know, to keep the game for the people it was intended for.
What's special about the game is they play gods and kings and queens as opposed to slaves, which is where in the video games that are more mainstream, that's a lot of where we see the Black characters. They're slaves or they're sex workers and whatnot. And this is like they get to be in their power. The players duel each other with these cards that are about Black culture. So you really have to be in the know in a fun way. And because the game is really open to and relevant to Black players, you know, they don't really experience the racism that they get when they're playing more mainstream games.
[00:31:16] Eventually something really tragic happens in the community and the game is blamed. People start hearing about it and it's blamed for kind of the controversies that start to come about. And in fact, Kiera is threatened with a lawsuit for anti-White discrimination, which readers, listeners, not a thing. So she kind of has to confront like, is this game problematic? Did I do the right thing in excluding non-Black people from this game and whatnot?
Without saying more, what I really love about this book is first, Kiera is an exceptionally wonderful protagonist. She's intelligent and she's unapologetically Black. She's a coder, which we don't see a lot of girls in STEM in books. We're starting to, but we certainly don't see a lot of women, girls of color in STEMS. That was exciting to me. It's a book about Black identity. And I am not Black. I am very, very White, and I learned so much from it. Not that I feel like it gave me every answer, but that's not for me. I just felt like it was praising Black identity in a really beautiful way.
[00:32:29] But I think my biggest takeaway from this book, and one I've carried actually throughout the rest of my life, is that it's important to have sacred spaces for people of color. And I, as a white person, can work towards equality and inclusion but I also need to be okay with sacred spaces that are not for me, and that being just as important as inclusion. And I think this book really speaks to that in a beautiful way.
It's compared a lot to like Ready Player One meets The Hate U Give. And sure, I think like if you were in a bookstore and they're like, "If you liked this, you'll love this," absolutely. But this book stands on its own in an incredible way, and I don't want to see it reduced to something beneath those two books. If you have a youth who is interested in these types of stories, please put this on their bookshelf.
Anne Bogel [00:33:24] Now. I think I know the answer, but I'm not the professional here. Kat, would this make a good book-to-screen adaptation?
Kat Ramsburg [00:33:34] I think this would make an incredible adaptation. I don't know if it's been optioned. I don't have it at my company. I know that, which makes me sad. But, you know, you could really do something cool with it where you've got the two worlds, right? We see Kiera in her real world dealing with... she goes to an all-White school. She's there because of her academics. I don't remember if she's on scholarship or not. But, you know, she definitely is like having to code-switch a lot.
So we're seeing her in that world and then we get to see her as Emerald, her alter ego in this game where she gets to be in her power and not have to worry about who's around her. And she's interacting with people in a way where she feels like her authentic self. And I just think it'd be so cool to see those two worlds juxtaposed on screen and where they start to conflict and whatnot.
Oh, a really cool thing I meant to mention is if you go to the website for the book, I just discovered this, they have the cards on the website. So you don't get to play the full video game, but you can kind of get a feel for what kind of cards are being flipped. I flipped a couple and again, I'm super White and I just was like, "I don't know what these represent, but this is so cool."
Anne Bogel [00:34:43] That is so cool that that exists. Well, with the potential adaptation, I was thinking it's fast-paced, the writing is so cinematic. Kiera is a protagonist that you want to follow around and see how she's living her life. But I love to hear how your brain works with the two worlds and like the potentials you can see just as a reader and the potential you can see in the story for adaptation.
Kat, what is the third book you love?
Kat Ramsburg [00:35:08] The third book. Get ready. Don't fast forward, people. Stay with me on this one. It's My Dark Vanessa. It's not a YA book, but it does have a central young adult character. And I would argue that the adult protagonist is stunted by her experience as a teenager. It's a dark book. It's necessary, though. And I think that what I love about this book is we often shield teenagers from things we think we don't want them to know about. They know already. I promise you they know.
And this book does deal with grooming. So I think when it came out, a lot of people were like, "Well, I can't read that." I encourage you to give it a second shot because this isn't your typical book about grooming. I think it's rather nuanced and there's so much to learn from it. So My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell.
It's told in two timelines. Vanessa Wye, she's our protagonist. We see her at 15 years old and at 32. And at 15 it's 2000. The year is 2000. She's at her boarding school, not really fitting in. It's not like the greatest boarding school. But she got in and she's a middling student, doesn't really have a lot of friends. She's kind of a loner from the backwoods. And it's not a school where like the rich kids versus the poor kids at all. She's just kind of one of those teenagers who doesn't fit in.
And she meets her teacher, Jacob Strane, who really encourages her in her writing. And Vanessa finds herself in her writing. She's like, "Wow, I'm actually good at something. This is amazing." And she is. She is truly good at it. And of course, we see over the time that Mr. Strane is grooming her and that relationship starts to happen.
The majority of the book is in 2017. So the height of the #MeToo Movement and Vanessa's now 32, she's still kind of just, you know, wandering through life. She's working at a hotel, she's dating, but nothing serious. She hasn't quite got her life together. And it's just clear she's very stunted. A woman reaches out to her and says, like, "Hey, I think that I was groomed by Mr. Strane when we were at the school and I am coming forward with it and I want you to join me." And Vanessa is shocked. And she's like, "I wasn't groomed by him. I don't know what you're talking about."
So this book is really about Vanessa coming to understand what happened to her, because she never saw it that way. She never saw herself as a victim. She never saw it as anything except a consensual relationship. And in the height of this #MeToo Movement, she's starting to hear these stories from women and reading all these reports coming out and she's really begins to recontextualize that relationship. And I think that's what I really loved about the story, is it's a version we hadn't seen before.
We now have a lot of #MeToo stories coming out. They're so important. I'm not diminishing them. But I know for a few friends of mine during the #MeToo Movement, that was what was going on, is them realizing that a relationship they had actually couldn't have been consensual or it was based in power versus what they still classified as, you know, kind of not great romance.
And I think it's important for women to understand that. That like it doesn't have to be a big, huge thing for it to have been wrong. It could have been at the time you might have perceived it as lovely and it was still wrong and you still might have scars from that. I think it's a good book for not young readers, but certainly, you know, teenagers, early 20s is really understanding these relationships and how they happen.
Because I think what Kate Elizabeth Russell does so well in the book is shows that it's not obvious at all what's going on. He's just an encouraging teacher and he's just saying, "You're really good at this. Don't let the school beat you down like, please." And then one day it's a hand on a knee. That could just be an encouraging like, "Hey, you're doing great today," but then that hand on the knee becomes something else and becomes something else. This is a place where I feel like when we shield our children from this understanding, they're more likely to fall victim to the situation.
The book is dark, it's raw and it's sad, but it's just so important. And it's so beautifully written. There's not a big happy ending, but there is hope. Kate writes this beautiful moment of hope just at the very end of the book. It's like the last two pages. You just get this breath of like, Vanessa is going to be okay. And that, to me, makes everything else in the book just perfect, so relevant and important and perfect.
Anne Bogel [00:39:57] That's a wonderful description. Kat, tell me about a book that was not a good fit for you.
Kat Ramsburg [00:40:04] This is not technically a YA book, but we all have to read it in high school. So I'm just getting it out there. I think The Great Gatsby is trash. I despise this book. I was first introduced to it in ninth grade. Part of regular curriculum. And I got to the point that Daisy says about her daughter, "I hope she'll be a fool, that's the best thing a girl can be in the world." And I was like, "No." I tried and tried and tried.
So finally I went to my English teacher and I was like, "Look," she knew I was a big reader, and I was like, "Look, I can't read this one. Give me something else." And she was like, "Okay, that's interesting to me." She goes, "I personally thought you would really dig this book." I was enrolled as the student of a teacher at a pretty prestigious private school. I was the poor kid. I never fit in there, you know. And now, in retrospect, I understand what the teacher was saying.
He was, "Here, I'll make you a deal. You don't have to read this book if you just write me three pages on why you don't think this book is relevant to you." And I was like, "Great. Deal." I was a smart kid, but apparently not smart enough to understand that I would have to read the book in order to write that paper.
So I ended up reading the book a few times because I was like, "Oh, I gotta find... where was that passage on this? And this means this and whatnot." So brilliant, teacher. I wish I remember her name. If you happen to be listening, well done you. It's interesting because maybe every decade since high school I revisit it because I meet someone who it's their favorite book and they give me a compelling reason why. I have read this book now probably ten times just to prove how much I hate it.
When I think about the books that I really respond to, it's about grounded problems and grounded people. And what I find about The Great Gatsby is, I think, I'm annoyed that Gatsby wants to fit in with the crew on Easter Egg and that so much so that he like sacrifices himself in so many ways to be like them. And then in the end, they still sacrifice him for their own security.
And the one redeeming thing is that, Nick, you know, Nick is sitting there the whole book being like, "Oh, and Gatsby is so cool." And Gatsby is like, "Oh, Daisy and Tom are so cool." Gatsby, spoiler alert, dies, and then Tom's like, "Oh, maybe he wasn't so cool." Yeah, dude, I could have told you that 200 pages ago. And yes, it was a different time. He was commenting on a different era. It's about the disillusionment of the American dream. The green light is a metaphor. I know, and I just don't care.
Anne Bogel [00:42:47] I feel it's deeply uncool to say so, but I love this book. Kat, what have you been reading lately?
Kat Ramsburg [00:42:53] The first book is Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli. It just came out this May. I think it's Becky's best and I stand by it. It is absolutely best. And I'm a big fan of Becky Albertalli. So the story is about Imogen Scott. She's a senior in high school. She's committed to this college that she's really excited to go to. She's a hopeless romantic, hopelessly heterosexual. And then she decides to go to this college that she's committed to for a weekend visit. She knows a friend of hers from home is there and she goes and spends a weekend there.
And the friends are all... they identify as queer in various ways. And she spends a weekend with them and she's like, "This is cool. A great group of people." And while she's there, she meets this girl, Tessa. And Imogen feels things she's not felt before and gets those butterflies in a way that she's only really had four boys before. So she leaves that weekend and starts to really question what she's feeling. And she gets home and she shares that with a friend of hers who identifies as a lesbian, and that friend of hers at home kind of takes it in the wrong direction and accuses Imogen of wanting to fit in with this new group of friends and that she was just being gay for the weekend and whatnot.
And I don't want to say more than that, but most of the story is about Imogen really trying to reconcile like, is that true, or do I really have these feelings and really starting to understand who she is internally while also dealing with external feelings about her sexual identity?
If you know anything about Becky Albertalli, you'll know it's a deeply personal story for her. I think because of that, it's the best writing we've seen from her. And I would encourage everyone to give it a shot, particularly those of you who might have negative feelings about Becky's own journey or the book she's written before. Because I think it really can open one's eyes about the personal journey people go on to figure out their sexuality and that it isn't always a thing that's clean cut. It doesn't always happen at 16 years old and you know forever. It can be a journey. It can be something you don't realize until you're in your 30s or 40s. Our job is not to judge, but to give space for that questioning. And I think the book really does that in a beautiful way.
Anne Bogel [00:45:17] I've heard great things about it and I'm so excited to hear how much you loved it. What else have you been reading lately, Kat?
Kat Ramsburg [00:45:21] The other one... Oh gosh, I wish I could just buy a thousand copies and send them to everyone today. It's I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold. It is being published. I believe the date is October 23. It's about Evan and Shosh. There are two teenagers. Evan is a senior in high school. Shosh has just graduated. They both experience tremendous loss in different ways, and they're just trying to survive when we meet them.
They're in each other's orbits, but not really connected other than by this weird song they both often hear. It might be coming from like mom's bedroom or a bird seems to be tweeting it, or a car drives by and they hear it on the radio. And that's really our only connection between these two.
The book mostly lives in present day as the two of them navigate their changed realities. But what's really cool is it weaves in these seemingly random vignettes from other times and places. I think the first one we go to is like mid-1800s in Paris, and we meet these people who are just... you know, it's a two-page vignette about their life and their story. And we don't know what's going on, but you know, you're smart. You've read the title I Loved You in Another Life, you know what's going on.
So these threads that hold the story together they're delicate but like really profound. I always love a book about grief and how to carry on when your heart is broken beyond repair. And I love a story about two people who are running out of hope finding each other. David's writing is incredible. I think this is another book where anyone who underestimates YA writing should take a look. Because I would argue that David Arnold's prose would absolutely compete with any and all literary fiction.
Anne Bogel [00:47:14] Kat, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
Kat Ramsburg [00:47:19] Well, my 2023 reading goal is to read fewer books and really cherish them. I think because of the hamster wheel of my job, I will finish a book and immediately start the next one. Like not get up and get a drink of water. I literally just opened the next book. So I don't really get to sit and contemplate them. And because of that, I don't remember them. I feel terrible. But I just kind of have to, especially if it's not something we're interested in, I just have to kind of delete it and move on.
And I've read some incredible books. I mean, one really great example is Lauren Groff's upcoming book, The Vaster Wilds. Absolutely her best. It is stunning. It is incredible. I read it in one sitting. I pre-ordered my own hardback copy. I have told everyone I know to pre-order this book. And other than maybe being able to tell you a two-sentence logline, I could not tell you anything about this book anymore, other than the feeling in my body that it is one of the best books I've ever read.
Anne Bogel [00:48:25] Wow.
Kat Ramsburg [00:48:26] So I think what I'm looking for are backlist titles that I've maybe had to pass up on when they first were published. Like they didn't get the attention they deserve, they weren't going to be something my company was going to pursue. Because I often have to chase what we hope will be like the hottest, most buzz-worthy title when it publishes in a year from now, I often miss some of the less buzzy titles. I throw them on my Goodreads and I'm not really able to revisit them.
I'm personally drawn to stories that are quieter and more internal, which, as I've said, don't make for good TV. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour is my absolute favorite book. And it's like deliciously slow burn and very internal. And yet, like every time I revisit it, my heart explodes with how stunning it is.
Anne Bogel [00:49:12] Okay, Kat, I'm thinking of a bunch of new titles that I think would work for you, but we got to go to the backlist to make you happy. Although I do really appreciate knowing that you have found yourself able to be happy with any number of things.
So the books you loved were The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan, Slay by Brittney Morris, and My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell. Not for you was The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. You want your problems and your worlds to feel more relatable. Is that right?
Kat Ramsburg [00:49:41] Yes, that's exactly right.
Anne Bogel [00:49:43] Lately, you have loved Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli and I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold. I do want to go back for you per your request. Okay. YA backlist?
Kat Ramsburg [00:49:58] I'm so excited. Hit me. I'm going to get them all and probably read them all this week.
Anne Bogel [00:50:04] I have a deceptively sweet book for you from 2017 that seems like a Girl Next Door kind of story. I mean, it is a Girl Next Door kind of story. This is A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck. This was his debut. Is this one you're familiar with, Kat?
Kat Ramsburg [00:50:20] No. I'm so excited. It's rare I haven't heard of a book.
Anne Bogel [00:50:24] I feel like this one flew under the radar. And I want you to know that Jared Reck is a teacher. So I feel like that makes me think that he knows how teenagers talk, how teenagers act. It's his job to get up in their brains every day.
He has a newer book that's called Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love, which is great. But this new one is about trauma. And the books that we talked about today make me feel like this is a really excellent fit for you, but I don't want to give you the details. If you were talking about this book with someone who'd read it, you'd have a very different conversation with them than we're having right now completely avoiding spoilers because they're big and they're hard and they matter significantly to the plot.
But this is about a teenage boy who is in love with the girl next door. They're great friends, he wants it to be more, the relationship is so sweet. He's so hung up on her. But meanwhile, she starts dating the star basketball player across the street. He's not literally across the street, but... And then when tragedy strikes, everyone gains a whole different understanding of appreciation for reluctant acceptance of the fact that relationships can't always be what we want them to be, that love takes all kinds of different shapes.
I feel like I'm not doing this justice because I can't tell you what happened. So obviously, you know, it's not something good. Like I'm stepping around it so much. But the way normal childhood first love is so deeply interrupted in this book, and I think unexpected direction Reck takes the plot as a result, is something that makes me... I mean, I read this in one day in 2017 and we're talking about it now and it still feels really like fresh and visceral to me. And it's because of the story.
Kat Ramsburg [00:52:07] I love this. And I truly cannot believe that I've never even heard of it. That's special.
Anne Bogel [00:52:13] I'm glad to hear it. How about Lamar Giles?
Kat Ramsburg [00:52:17] I really love Not So Pure and Simple. I don't know that I've read anything else of his, though.
Anne Bogel [00:52:22] Okay. I'm glad to hear it because I think you may really enjoy Spin by him.
Kat Ramsburg [00:52:28] Ooh.
Anne Bogel [00:52:28] Listeners, I should say that Lamar has been a podcast guest. So if you want to hear him talk about his work in his own words, you can go back and do that in our archives. So this book sounds a little bit like Slay in that there's a strong, like almost mystery component and definitely like Let Me Hear a Rhyme because of the musical connection. And really it has echoes of the opposite of loneliness.
So this is about a 16-year-old deejay with a super promising career, like destined for greatness, so talented, people can't wait to see what she does next. But she dies at 16. There's a huge impact on the local music scene. When it comes out that she has been murdered, of course, everybody wants to get to the bottom of the crime. But also it's discovered that she was on the verge of signing a major, major deal that would have made her an even bigger star at 16 than she already is. So that brings everybody's motivations into question.
So you get to hear about the music, the mystery, the relationship drama and all those elements I think you really enjoy in your books. There's hard things, there's friendships, there's race and identity and the arts and finding your way and coming of age. And you said you're surprised that you missed it, but does that sound like something that is a fit for you now?
Kat Ramsburg [00:53:47] Absolutely. I think what I really love about Lamar Giles writing is he's so good with nuance. I think he takes these issues that could just be broad strokes and really gets into the crevices of them. I always walk away from his books with like a greater understanding of an idea or topic that changes me in a way.
His book, Not So Pure and Simple, was life-changing for me as an adult. I grew up in the church and in the purity culture and it just kind of shined a light on things I hadn't yet processed. So I'm really excited to just dive into this one and see what things I can learn. Because it also feels like it ties a little bit into Run Towards the Danger and I'm Glad My Mom Died, of a young person being heavily influenced in an industry that could easily take advantage of them and like what did happen. So I am very excited to read this.
Anne Bogel [00:54:44] Kat, there's a new story on the tip of my tongue. It's not backlist. It comes out in June. But can we go there anyway?
Kat Ramsburg [00:54:49] I would love that.
Anne Bogel [00:54:50] You mentioned really loving stories about two characters who are running out of hope. And it's interesting you've mentioned that you love quiet books where so much of the action happens internally, and yet I also think of you as really enjoying stories that have lots of big feelings. Am I wrong about any of that, or can all these things be true?
Kat Ramsburg [00:55:10] I think they can all be true. I think that's what I love about teenagers and teenage characters is they can have these huge feelings and then they get in front of the person that they have these feelings for and nothing is said. And so, you know what's bubbling underneath and you're just waiting for it to come out. And it usually does. I think that's what Becky Albertalli does so well, especially in Imogen, Obviously. Like you're just waiting for the explosion of feelings.
Anne Bogel [00:55:35] Okay, then we need to talk about this book. It's a debut. It's called Talking at Night and it's by Claire Daverley. I'm not making any promises, but I inhaled this debut in a day. And it's not short. It's 300 to 400 pages. But it is a passionate, deeply felt love story. And it is an adult novel. But so much of the book, I'm going to say a third, I am making that up from memory, might not be completely factually accurate, but it happens when the three main protagonists are teenagers.
There's a girl named Rosie short for Rosemary, her twin brother Jack, and their bad boyfriend Will. They're all friends sort of. And I can't tell you about the plot, but I need you to read it so we can talk all about the plot. But this story is about pursuing what you love and what fills you. For Rosie, it's music. For her brother Jack, it's something else. For Will, it's fixing cars.
Rosie and Jack have parents that are very absent. The mom's a lawyer. I don't remember what the dad does. They're never around. These kids don't feel loved, but they have each other to love. And Will has a loving grandmother, but a mother who is a drug addict and is just completely off the scene. That's obviously a big hole in his life. And they are an unlikely trio. Actually, it's two pairs. Will and Jack is friends, they bond over Math tutoring. And Will and Rosie. Rosie's a good girl, Will's a bad boy, but there's still a spark there. She's really into him and she never thought he'd be. And they start becoming friends.
And the three of them becoming friends together is almost impossible. And then stuff happens. And when I say stuff happens, I mean, stuff happens for years and years and years and years. The story takes them from, I'm going to say 16 or 17 to 20, 25 years later. And it is about finding what you love. It's about finding the person that feels like a perfect fit. It's about lots of big feelings. It's about knowing what you want, but feeling it's impossible to make it happen because getting what you want will hurt those who are closest to you.
It is full of big drama, which I think will exhaust some readers but will just delight others. They definitely included me. I love this book. And I think is going to include you. If you've read the book One Day by David Nicholls, the story is not the same. It doesn't have that kind of structure. It doesn't have that kind of writing. But the tone was so strongly reminiscent of that David Nicholls book I read a long time ago. This is out in June. I can't wait for readers to read it so we can all talk about it together. I think it might be a fit for you. How does that sound?
Kat Ramsburg [00:58:21] I am so excited, (a) to get a jump on the Summer Reading List because as I've said, I read the entire thing. It also feels like what I really loved about Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, of these three friendships, big feelings, expansive world, and how getting what you want sometimes is damaging to other people. So I'm really excited to dive into this because I have had a Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow hole in my world.
Anne Bogel [00:58:55] I'm so glad that sounds good to you. I do want to say that there are some pretty serious content warnings that come along with this book, readers. So if you are sensitive, you know, I always invite readers to check out the Summer Reading Guide. But trust me, I've read everything cover to cover, reach out, say, "Anne, you got to tell me real talk. What is happening in this book?" And I will let you know. But there are obviously massive spoilers involved in sharing that, so I'm not going to do that without you asking for it. But, Kat, knowing what you read, I think you're good to go and I think you're going to love it.
We covered a lot of ground today. We touched on A Short History of The Girl Next Door by Jared Reck, Spin by Lamar Giles, and Talking at Night by Claire Daverley. Of those books, what do you think you'll read next?
Kat Ramsburg [00:59:39] Ooooh. I think what's going to happen is I'm going to go to my library and pick up Spin and A Short History of The Girl Next Door and probably start Spin tonight. And then I'm going to immediately email my book scout and ask for him to slip me Talking at Night so I can read it ASAP. But there's something about Spin and my love for Lamar Giles that's got to be number one.
Anne Bogel [01:00:06] I'm happy to hear it. Kat, this has been so much fun. Thank you for sharing your insights into the world of book to screen and talking YA with me today. I really enjoyed it.
Kat Ramsburg [01:00:14] Thank you. It was such a pleasure to speak with you and to hear about books. And I'm really fascinated by the fact that you came up with three books I haven't heard of before. So you really are magical.
Anne Bogel [01:00:31] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Kat, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Kat on Instagram @Katramsburg, and find the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Readers, reviews are our love language as podcasters. Here's one from listener Becky who recently said, "I love getting so many good book recommendations from this podcast. And even when the guest has very different tastes than mine, the interview alone is still worth listening to." Thank you, Becky. And I also want to point out that so many readers say every week they find wonderful suggestions that are perfect for them from the books that aren't the taste of a particular guest, and they learn something about their own reading life by listening to another reader talk about theirs.
If you have a review to share, we would be thrilled to hear it. Pop on over to Apple Podcasts and let us know what you love about the show. And make sure you're following along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Sign up for our free email list to make sure you keep up to date on all our news and happenings. Get on that list at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Adam Silvera (try They Both Die at the End)
The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan
Slay by Brittney Morris
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
▵ The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
• I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold
• The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
• We Are Okay by Nina Lacour
• The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili
• A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck
• Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck
• Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles
• Spin by Lamar Giles
• Talking at Night by Claire Daverly
• One Day by David Nicholls
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 378: (Mostly) YA books that surprise and stretch me
• WSIRN Episode 238: Windows, mirrors, and why We Need Diverse Books
The post How your favorite books become shows and movies appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m letting out a giant exhale because as of this afternoon all four of my kids—middle school, high school, and college—will be DONE with school for another year, and wow does it feel good!
Now that our 2023 Summer Reading Guide is out, we’re easing into our summer rhythms here at Modern Mrs Darcy, and I want you to know what to expect. This season I’m welcoming a few team members to “guest host” Links I Love, starting next week with MMD editor Leigh Kramer’s appearance in this space. I’m excited to see what she shares! Leigh is a longtime friend and I’m lucky to personally benefit from her keen eye and good taste; I’m thrilled she’ll be sharing both right here.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, that you get a moment to fully exhale, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Our MMD 2023 Summer Reading Guide is out! Get your copy here.
Amanda Gorman on her inauguration poem being banned from Miami school: ‘I am gutted.’ (Los Angeles Times) This is the best synopsis I can find of this week’s events.
Inside the Delirious Rise of ‘Superfake’ Handbags. (The New York Times gift link) Counterfeits and dupes have long been an issue for high fashion labels. If you’ve read Counterfeit by Kristin Chen you’ve gotta read this piece!
The Anonymous Postcard That Inspired a French Best-Seller. (The New Yorker) Great profile of the author and behind the scenes on The Postcard, a 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection. It makes me even more excited to talk with translator Tina Kover with MMD Book Club in July.
My new favorite cleaning tool: we love our yellow lab Daisy but don’t love that dog hair is everywhere. I found this little pet hair remover with the help of google and it has been magic on our upholstered furniture and wool-blend rugs.
Mansfield Park and patience. (Laura Vanderkam) “Ten pages doesn’t take that long. Because it’s such a small daily requirement, I actually read the ten pages… I feel a certain patience with the whole process, because I know that if I stick with it, I will be done.” For more about Laura’s reading endeavors, listen to WSIRN #359: Making big reading goals a reality.
How to Make Mystical ‘Fairy Butter’. (Atlas Obscura) Yum.
Laura Dave breaks down Last Thing He Told Me finale and what she imagines for a sequel. (Entertainment Weekly) Spoilers ahead! My family had big feelings about the finale and enjoyed talking over this piece together.
I’m loving this adorable crossbody bag from Target and this summery straw version from Madewell (30% off for the weekend).
A daily nap has a surprising benefit that has nothing to do with your energy levels. (Stylist) I’ve never been much of a napper but this makes me want to be!
‘The Color Purple’ Musical Trailer: Fantasia Barrino Stars in Emotional First Glimpse of New Movie. (People) Coming to theaters December 25.
Do you need a Pemberley shirt for the summertime? I thought so.
The Secret Ingredient Italian-American Chefs Love to Use. (The Takeout) I love hot cherry peppers and we keep them on hand, yet I still didn’t realize the possibilities!
Tolkien’s Middle-Earth wasn’t a place. It was a time in (English) history. (Big Think) Interesting theory.
From our archives:12 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Scotland. Whether you’re planning a trip to Scotland or simply looking for some armchair travel, we’ve got you covered!
11 juicy memoirs to toss in your beach bag this summer.
15 re-readable middle grade novels that adults will love, too. The comments are a treasure trove!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We just released our 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide, and I’m so proud of what we created as a team! This year’s edition is absolutely fabulous, and packed with FIFTY new-for-2023 titles to suit a wide variety of summer interests, moods, styles, and preferences. I’ve read every single book in the guide, cover to cover, which means this year I’ve spent A LOT of time reading brand new and forthcoming books for this purpose.
I LOVE new fiction for summertime, and vetting these books is a privilege and a pleasure. But I also know myself as a reader—and as a reader, I’m happiest when I curate a healthy mix of old and new titles for my reading life. That’s why we incorporate many (that is, well over 100) backlist selections into our Summer Reading Guide, and talk about older titles on the blog and podcast all season long.
Backlist titles have demonstrated at least a little bit of staying power, they’re not as influenced by the current publishing trends, and—importantly for our community of readers—they come with much shorter hold times at the library!
With that in mind, I hope you enjoy these backlist selections from 2022 and prior years: these books boast big summer vibes, as well as the much shorter library wait times that comes with older summer reading selections.
Backlist books that feel like summerSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: E.M. Forster
You simply can’t beat a book that turns on a stolen kiss in the Italian countryside. Read this slim novel about the awakening of sheltered Englishwoman Lucy Honeychurch (who is definitely in the running for Most Adorable Name in Literature) at the hands of an Englishman with little regard for convention, all while her uptight aunt is doing her darnedest to keep Lucy "proper" in society's eyes. (Psst—The movie version is fabulous.) More info →Author: Barbara Kingsolver
A 2015 Summer Reading Guide selection: Kingsolver returns to her native southern Appalachia in this evocative novel, following three couples over the course of one life-changing summer: a wildlife biologist who returns to her home county to work, a widowed farmer's wife at odds with her husband’s family, and a pair of feuding neighbors. Her emphasis on the natural world will feel familiar to lovers of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Verdant, lush, and vivid. More info →Author: Maggie O'Farrell
During a record-setting heatwave, the patriarch of an Irish family clears out his bank account and disappears, leaving his family to puzzle out where he went, and why. Reminiscent of The Dry, for its oppressive, atmospheric heat, and Ann Patchett's Commonwealth for its fraught sibling relationships. More info →Author: André Aciman
In this 2007 novel, Elio wistfully reflects many years later about the summer he fell in love with Oliver in the Italian Riviera. This sun-drenched story of obsession, lust, and heartbreak features a torrid summer romance, and is saturated with the joy, pain, angst, and uncertainty of first love. It also features a strong sense of place, with characters lounging in the sun, playing tennis, and sipping wine on the terrace in scenes drawn so vividly you just might feel you are right there with them, soaking up the Italian sunshine. More info →Author: Ian McEwan
The story in McEwan's 2001 historical novel hinges on a life-altering lie told by a 13-year-old girl and its devastating ripple effects. The first act unfolds at a garden party on a sweltering summer day, before shifting to battle scenes at Dunkirk and the nursing wards in wartime London. It's impossible to discuss this novel—and the myriad reasons readers either love it or hate it—without depriving future readers of the thrill of discovery. But I'll say this much: McEwan's narrative structure impresses, thrills, and provokes, and his characters and their fates linger long after you've read the final page. More info →Author: Rita Williams-Garcia
It's the summer of 1968, and Delphine and her younger sisters are on a journey in more ways than one as they leave home in Brooklyn and set out to visit their estranged mother in California. When the girls arrive, they find a mother who is radically different from how they imagined she would now be like. Unenthusiastic about seeing them and seemingly annoyed by their presence, she sends them off to a Black Panthers summer camp to get them out of her hair. This is the story of a young girl trying to make sense of the world (and family) around her, forced to grow up too fast to cope with the difficult circumstances she finds herself in, set against the backdrop of the civil and political unrest of 1968 Oakland. If you enjoy this story, don't miss the rest of the Gaither Sisters trilogy. More info →Author: Katie Runde
Brian and Margot live a dream life with their teen daughters Liz and Evy in a beach town on the Jersey Shore, as year-round residents who make their living renting vacation homes to tourists. But when Brian is diagnosed with a rare and personality-altering brain tumor, everything changes. While Margot tries to keep their bustling real estate business afloat, the girls adjust to caretaking for their father and continuing to do normal teenage stuff like trying new summer jobs and trying on new personas. A moving, heart-wrenching, and ultimately hopeful story of love, family, and grief in a tourist town. More info →Author: Richard Russo
In this short novel, three college friends come back together for the first time in years, reunited in Martha's Vineyard, where they spent a life-changing Memorial Day weekend together nearly forty years before. That was the weekend that one of their friends—a friend they were all at least a little bit in love with—disappeared over the weekend, and they've been thinking about her ever since. Surprisingly suspenseful but full of tenderness, too. Russo crafts a story of male friendship, family tragedy, and how the past is never really past. More info →Author: Jenny Han
Isabel "Belly" Conklin lives for summers at the beach with her family—and her mother's best friend and her two sons: Jeremiah and Conrad. They've always been her summer companions, extra brothers to annoy her from June through August. But this summer, everything changes as Belly experiences a love triangle plot reminiscent of Sabrina. Jenny Han writes such delightful YA romance novels: humorous and charming, totally swoon worthy. This is the first in a trilogy you can easily finish in one week at the beach. More info →Author: Virginia Hume
A 2021 Summer Reading Guide selection: a sweeping family saga about three generations of women and the summer home that divides and unites them. In the book’s opening pages a hurricane barrels towards the coast of Maine, but that’s not so unusual to the denizens of Haven Point, the snug community tucked into the rocky shoreline where three generations of Demarest women have found joy and suffered tragedy. Grandmother Maren has come to love the tight-knit community she married into, while her daughter and granddaughter found it to be snobbish and suffocating. The story unfolds in three timelines, set in 1944, 1970, and 2008, each closely following one generation of women, and illuminating the devastating secret that must be revealed before the hurricane makes landfall. Taking readers from the wartime corridors of Walter Reed hospital to the contemporary summer singalongs in the rec hall, this wistful debut is perfect for those who want to follow characters through their lifetimes, examine complex family relationships, or enjoy a good redemption story. More info →Author: Colson Whitehead
Whitehead's humorous coming of age story takes readers to 1985 Manhattan, where 15-year-old Benji Cooper, the only Black student at his prep school, attempts to fit in with his classmates. Trying to break free of his label as a bona fide nerd proves exhausting, but escape comes every summer when Benji's family stays in Sag Harbor, along with a whole community of upper-middle class Black families in their social circle. With freedom from school, parents, and the perception of his peers, Benji thinks this summer might be the perfect time to reinvent himself. Travel to the Hamptons with Benji for summer vacation vibes, teenage angst, and Whitehead's stunning writing style. More info →Author: Rebecca Serle
My favorite Rebecca Serle to date! When twenty-something Katy loses her mother to cancer, she loses her best friend in the world, and she has no idea what to do next. She makes the difficult decision to travel to the Amalfi Coast—painful, because she and her mother had planned to take this trip together. At a charming hotel in Positano, Katy imagines what her own mother's visit must have been like many years before, when she first visited the hotel in which Katy is finding solace. But then—Katy's mother appears, in the flesh, though she isn't yet Katy's mother, because she's just thirty years old. This was touching and tender and I inhaled it in a day. Audiophiles take note: Lauren Graham narrates this one. More info →Author: Carley Fortune
This second chance romance alternates between the present day storyline and the six summers when Persephone and Sam first met at the lakeshore cabin, fall in love, and fall apart due to betrayal. Percy punishes herself by keeping everyone at a distance; she never plans on going home again. But when Sam’s mom dies, there’s no way she can stay away from Barry’s Bay. Their connection is as strong as ever—but they’ll have to decide whether they’re ready to take a risk and confront the past. More info →Author: Rumer Godden
This classic coming of age tale from the author of In This House of Brede was first published in 1958. When 13 year old Cecil’s mother gets sick while the family is vacationing in France, she and her four siblings are sent to stay with an entertaining Englishman at a second-rate hotel in the Champagne region, where they wander and explore the countryside as the summer idles by. The book is written from Cecil's point of view, as she recounts the adventures of that unusual and memorable summer. More info →Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Hilderbrand’s beach reads are always enjoyable but this one is notable for introducing me to a new favorite pen. The titular hotel’s Gilded Age glory days are long gone: it’s a real dump (and in a fun plot twist—haunted!) when London billionaire Xavier Darling buys it sight unseen. The new owner hires local restaurateur Lizbet Keaton to make his hotel the best property on the island, if not the whole Eastern seaboard. And that means The Hotel Nantucket has to wow Shelly Carpenter, the influencer who’s become a national obsession for her blog Hotel Confidential. The influential critic regularly reviews hotels for her eighteen million followers and awards each property anywhere from one to five keys. The staff is energized by this audacious goal, because no hotel has ever earned five keys from Shelly Carpenter. To earn the coveted fifth key, they’ll have to do everything right. Super fun, and I especially enjoyed the ghost story element! More info → Do you have any favorite books that feel like summer? Please share them in the comments section!
P.S. 20 novels that will transport you to the shore and 20 backlist favorites from 10 years of the Summer Reading Guide.
The post 15 backlist books that feel like summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, returning to the show today is our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton.
Ginger made her What Should I Read Next? debut in 2021 in Episode 283: Don’t save the good stuff, and today she’s back to catch up on what’s changed and what hasn’t in her summer reading life since that conversation.
I had a blast talking with Ginger about a whole bunch of Summer Reading Guide books—past and present—and recommending titles that speak to what she’s seeking for this summer’s reading experiences. I hope our conversation will inspire you to think about what you want from your summer reading, and point you in the right direction for your own stellar summer of reading.
If you got your 2023 Summer Reading Guide last week (and perhaps joined us for our Unboxing party as well), we hope you LOVE it, and that you had as much fun with it as we did! If you haven’t yet gotten your guide, you can do that right here. (Psst—your guide comes with access to our delightful and empowering Unboxing party replay, you don’t need to take extra action to take advantage of that.)
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabGinger Horton [00:00:00] I am not a horse girl myself either. I think maybe that's it—growing up in Kentucky it's kind of a given so you don't have to have that identity. I'm not a mom, and spoiler alert, I'm not a murderer, but I want to read about all those things immediately.
Anne Bogel [00:00:12] Thank you for clarifying that.
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
I suspect many of you have spent the past few days deciding which of the titles in our 2023 Summer Reading Guide that just dropped on May 18th you want to read the season. Today I'm talking with one specific reader about what the coming season holds for her reading life and what specific books in this year's Summer Reading Guide I suggest she prioritize based on her taste and what she wants from her reading life right now.
My guest today is someone many of you already know and love and that I already talk books with all the time, our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton. Ginger has been on our team for it feels like forever, really it's since 2016, but she didn't make her What Should I Read Next? debut until 2021 when she came on to talk about her longtime struggle with summer reading.
Today we are here to catch up on what's changed and what hasn't in Ginger's summer reading life since that conversation. And along the way, we talk about a whole bunch of Summer Reading Guide books, both past and present.
Ginger has a good handle on the types of books she's looking for more of this summer to keep her reading life feeling satisfying and fulfilling. And I'm especially excited to recommend a few titles that speak to her specific and current interests.
Like every title selected for the 2023 guide, the titles I recommend to Ginger today will appeal to a broad range of readers, whether you know your taste intersects with Ginger's or you're looking for something entirely different, I think today's conversation will help inspire you to think about what you want from your summer reading and go make that happen.
Now, I've said we're going to talk about what is in store for Ginger's summer reading this season, but we don't talk explicitly about what's happening in book club this season in this episode. So I want to tell you a few titles that are on Ginger's summer reading list and mine because we're reading these books together in book club and talking with the authors.
That starts today. If you're listening, when this episode drops, May 23rd, we are talking with author Dolen Perkins-Valdez about Take My Hand. But this summer we have twice the author talks as usual, fitting with our summer book club theme. And the authors we are chatting with are Curtis Sittenfeld of Romantic Comedy, Patti Callahan Henry of The Secret Book of Flora Lee, Erica Bauermeister of No Two Persons, translator Tina Kovar with The Postcard, Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon, and for Austin and August, we're chatting with Claudia Gray about The Late Mrs. Willoughby.
This summer in book club we'll also have our best books of summer event, that Austin and August Day I referred to, we have a Readers Weekend for I think the third year running, a read-along week. We're so excited about what you have planned. And if you join us in our community, you will be hearing a lot more from Ginger and from me. We have a good time together and we have a good time with all of you, as you will here today. Now, let's get to it.
Ginger, welcome back to the show.
Ginger Horton [00:03:30] I am so excited and honestly so nervous to be here because I'm not often over in this space. But I am a staunch listener. I have listened to every single episode of What Should I Read Next? I feel like that's a claim to fame. Maybe that's less special than I think it is, but I don't know. I feel very proud of that stat.
Anne Bogel [00:03:46] I feel like you should get an enamel gold star in the mail, not just a metaphorical one. Is that something we should do, listeners?
Ginger Horton [00:03:52] I would complete it.
Anne Bogel [00:03:53] I think so. And is that indicative of your reading life? We'll get there. We'll get there. But I'm so glad you're back. Now, I was once again shocked when you reminded me, when we were having one of our regular ongoing conversations yesterday, that our 2021 Summer Reading Guide episode was the first time you'd been on the show. Because we talk about books all the time, and in book club we often talk about books publicly all the time. And my brain just rejects that little factual tidbit that 2021 was the first time.
Ginger Horton [00:04:24] I resisted for a long time. I think some of it was nerves, some of it was like the longer you go on not having been on, then it's like a thing. Some of it is because, despite my, you know, very, very tiny semipublic, I'm a professional book talker. I mean, I guess it's how you put it. I do theoretically get paid to talk about books. I'm rather shy.
So I tell our book lovers a lot of times when they come to a member meet up or something and their face has to be on camera, they're in good company. Like it is intimidating, but as you've reminded us, whenever you're talking about books, it's the most comfortable place in the world because it's something you love, you probably feel passionate about it, and you're probably better at it than you think. So I believe you when you say that, Anne Bogel. I let that live in my head and trust that that is true as well as some good, healthy editing, let's be honest. Those people are-
Anne Bogel [00:05:14] That is the safety net we have firmly in place at What Should I Read Next?. So, listeners, if you're thinking about submitting to be on the show and it makes you so, so nervous, maybe it helps to know that that safety net is firmly in place.
Ginger, you talked about talking about books for a living, and I love listening to you describe books. Do you remember last year when we did our Summer Reading Guide Watch party, I think it was this event and you came with a few books that you wanted to kind of unbox, and I was just like-
Ginger Horton [00:05:43] Yes, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:05:44] Dang, I'm going to have to up my game here.
Ginger Horton [00:05:46] Pure greed. Pure greed. I mean, honestly, I didn't want to come with just one to share. And if you get to share 42, I think I came with nine or ten. So that was really fun. And maybe I need to resurrect that. We talk a lot about traditions in the book club, they pop up in summer and they stay with us forever. But I might need to resurrect that because it's just a real fun way. But we're going to talk today, I think, a little bit about how fraught summer reading is for me. So I don't want to overcommit.
Anne Bogel [00:06:13] I know a little about your history and I'm excited to unpack it more today. So, Ginger, you've already mentioned Book Club several times. Tell our listeners who don't know you from that community, like what is it you do around here and have been doing around here for going on seven years now.
Ginger Horton [00:06:29] That's right. This is our seventh year in book club, which is just mind-boggling to me. It feels much, much shorter than that. And I think that's because we're having fun. But yes, I am the book club community manager, which really does mean that I get to hang out all day and talk about books. I really do pinch myself. I do not take that for granted. Sometimes I'll get DMs or something from people that get wind of how I fell into this job and they're like, "How does that happen?" And I'm like, "I know. I feel so lucky." It's the best community of readers. So smart, so lovely. We say it's the kindest corner on the internet and I truly mean that.
So I fell into this about seven years ago when Modern Mrs. Darcy really was kind of blown and growing, and I could tell that things were happening. My sister encouraged me to start a blog of my own, and I said, "Oh, I would just be ripping off Anne Bogel, this lady who writes on the internet. Like, she is everything I want to be. She is, you know, bookish and a little bit nerdy and southern and sweet and, you know, all these things that I would just be ripping her off." And she said, "Well, you should apply to work for her." And I was like, "Well, maybe I will."
So I wrote this email to you and didn't send it. That was the problem. But a few weeks later, you mentioned that you were looking for a podcast producer, and so I wrote and said, "Hey, I'm also all wrong for that job but now I'm sending an email that I never sent," saying I just love what you're doing over there. It's my favorite place on the internet.
That same summer you were starting the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, and I was already a part of that and loved it. They are very involved. Couldn't wait to get on the what was then the Facebook thread, which is much less desirable than our forums today. But I was very involved over there and you said, "Mm, well, you're right, no, you are a disaster for podcast producer-
Anne Bogel [00:08:10] Wait, wait. Let's make sure everyone knows I didn't say that.
Ginger Horton [00:08:15] She did not use the word disaster. But I think, you know, clearly my resume was not aligned with that. And you said, "We're starting this book club permanently. Would you want to come on?" So the job has really grown. I mean, I think at the time I just popped in like once a day and the job has really grown. We have so many more events than we even used to have.
Then it really started with author talks. And we are going back to our roots this summer. That is at the core of what we've always done. We still do a lot of author talks and book readings together. But it's grown into, like I said, that new site has given us an opportunity to create forums, robust conversation. We do classes and real explicit education over in the book club space. Sometimes I tease that the book club you can join and not read books and you still get tons out of it. So that's what I do.
Anne Bogel [00:09:03] I'm so glad you applied for the job that didn't yet exist. Well, it did exist, you just didn't know it yet. So I'm glad the universe sent you my way via your sister.
Ginger Horton [00:09:11] That's right. Thanks to Bridget.
Anne Bogel [00:09:13] Thank you, Bridget. Okay, Ginger, in the book club, those who know you there refer to you affectionately as basically bottled human sunshine, which feels accurate. Like, "Oh, Ginger is so sweet. She's so kind, She's so loving. She's so thoughtful. She's so compassionate." And people make some assumptions about your reading taste based on that.
Ginger Horton [00:09:33] I like to read whatever the opposite of what the people's assumption is. Please give me a book with a cast of unlikable characters and I will happily drink that down. I mean, I certainly like to read happy books too. I'm on record as being such a Mitford fan. But the other and sizable half of my reading life is The Secret History has become an accidental reread for me practically every year.
One of my very favorite books from the original Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club Summer was The Nest. Talk about a snarly nest of unlikable characters, man. There was not a person you wanted to be in that cast. So, yeah, I love reading about unlikable characters on the page. I've become a little bit famous for in my own head, I guess, Bring it on. It's my favorite.
But also I think some of that, you know, the strand come from the same place. So you can probably tell from my accent I'm from the South and we have this real strand of hospitality and sweetness that we're known for, but also some real dark depth. You know, some of the real greats, Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor and, you know, Zora Neale Hurston, like they are writing about some dark things. I think that's also seeped into my subconsciousness.
And I love a story about place. I think that comes from my Southern upbringing. I love a story about just, you know, mess. That's what I love about the page is that it can help me experience things that I've never experienced. And thank goodness that my family is not a snarly nest of unlikable characters, but I can sure love to read about them on the page.
Anne Bogel [00:11:11] You reminded me of something I feel like I'm often saying in real-life conversations with friends. Like you don't actually want your life to be a book because books... like the plot is propelled forward with just so much conflict and horribleness. Like bad things have to happen for the story to advance. Like you want to live a more boring life than that.
Ginger Horton [00:11:31] That's right. I want my life to not make a great story, thank you very much.
Anne Bogel [00:11:36] Or a different kind of story. Maybe not the kind that an agent would snap up and want to make a film out of.
Ginger Horton [00:11:40] That's right.
Anne Bogel [00:11:41] So, Ginger, you have a rocky history with summer reading. As you've said before and as we're going to talk about today, let's start with the bigger picture. What is your reading life really like these days?
Ginger Horton [00:11:53] So, you know, I've tried to diagnose this and I think I have a theory, but it doesn't feel like I've quite figured out what goes on with me in the summer. I do love the warm weather. I love the summer season, the long days and nights. I think there's something to the actual weather contributing to the fact that I'm just out and about more, people are hanging out or barbecuing, maybe I'm traveling.
I think there's something to that. But I don't think that's the only thing that explains why I usually have a real dip from the months of June to August. And I didn't really notice this until I started tracking my reading, and the first few years, I mean, I freaked out. I think there was one year that I read maybe... like finished one book in three months. It was dire. And listen, there's nothing shameful about that. There are all kinds of people that that is fine, but it was not fine for me. That was very unusual for me.
So after tracking it for a few years, I realized, Oh, this is a pattern. It's fine. It will come back. When school starts and fall begins, the leaves start falling off the trees, it'll come back. So I don't freak out about it, but I mean, I would like that not to be the case. I lose a lot of months or I guess, you know, lose in heavy air quotes, of great reading time in the summer.
So what happened in the last few years is I moved to a little island in the middle of the Pacific called Hawaii and there is no seasonal difference. There is no difference for me between January and August, and that flattened out. So I like to say it cannot be just as simple as the weather but maybe there is something to that. I mean, truly my year in the last few years, which is completely pretty even.
So I'm a little bit nervous because we are moving back to the mainland where there are seasons this fall. And I'm excited about that move but also I keep thinking, "Oh, no, was this my last good summer? Was this the last summer where I'm gonna have a successful reading here again?" So we shall see.
Anne Bogel [00:13:43] I'm so curious to find out what happens when you do come back to the mainland and live through next summer.
Ginger Horton [00:13:48] Maybe I got good skills. Maybe what happened in the last few years just got better skills. We're going to cross our fingers.
Anne Bogel [00:13:53] And you just happened to move to Hawaii?
Ginger Horton [00:13:55] Exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:13:57] Well, I love how you've been able to test out your theories. Not everybody needs to do something as drastic as, you know, moving 5,000 miles away to test out their reading life theory. But since you are moving anyway, I'm glad you got to do that. I'm so curious. Okay, stay tuned, friends and we'll find out what happens with Ginger Horton's reading life when she actually gets to experience the seasons again.
So it's the beginning of summer and you're feeling cautiously optimistic about the season ahead. How would you put it?
Ginger Horton [00:14:27] Yeah, I think I had my rocky start to the beginning of the year here. So I tried another experiment. I'm really big on tracking your reading. I think this has so many benefits to the reading life, but mostly I'm just like a firstborn daughter who likes a gold star.
So I've been counting my books for over a decade now. Wish I had started earlier. But I started in earnest in 2012. I have the records of everything I've read from 2012 on. So I thought, "Okay, I've been doing this for a decade. I'm going to not count my books this year. I wonder if that's doing something bad to my soul. I wonder if I'm only reading to get the golden stars. I wonder..." I had all these wonderings. "Do I read shorter books because I'm trying to get a certain number?"
I had all these wondering. So I thought, Okay, I'm not going to track this year. I'm going to journal my books. I'm going to write what I read down, but I'm not going to put a number beside it. And that was a disaster. About two months in I was not finishing books. I mean, I think I read one book in all of January, finished one book shall we say, because I firmly believe in quitting books that you're not enjoying. So that doesn't mean I wasn't reading, but that means I wasn't finishing books, even books I was enjoying.
And so I quickly abandoned that. It didn't take a whole year to learn that experiment was a disaster for me. I need that gold star and that is fine. And what it does for me is it really makes me finish books I'm enjoying. I'm not talking about abandoning a book that is not right for you. But if I'm enjoying something, I need that little push, to be honest. I find that I will leave like a bookmark... I'll find bookmarks in books, 40, 50, 70 pages to the end. And I think in my head, Oh, I read that" but I never finished it. That's just not great for a sense of accomplishment.
And also the ending so often change books. You know, I think of several Ann Patchett books that I've read and loved, and good golly, do I adore Ann Patchett. Please do not hear me say anything. I am an Ann Patchett completist, but that woman does something with the ends of her books that is unlike anything else I've read. I tell people flat out "don't read the last five pages of State of Wonder" because it changes the book.
Now, that's what the fun of discussion is, is that sometimes the change of a book can really make for such rich thought life and discussion. But it's not great for being a reader to finish books. A writer finished a book. I can finish 40 pages.
Anne Bogel [00:16:41] I feel like we need to take a time out and ring up Bailey on our team and have her join this conversation because she and I were talking about the exact same thing like a week ago when she finished the new Ann Patchett novel.
Ginger Horton [00:16:52] Oh, see, I haven't read the new one, yes. I can tell Bailey is itching to talk about this because she actually texted me or DM'd or something a few weeks ago and said, "Have you read this?" And I said, "No, I'm not. No, I haven't read this yet." I'm trying to not read this yet until it actually comes out. But mainly just because I knew everybody else is contemplating it and I want to read it when everybody's reading it.
Anne Bogel [00:17:12] I think we need team book club because there's some trends I see in books that are publishing the summer, like coming out into this current literary landscape that I'm so interested in and I really want to talk about with fellow readers. But the thing is, Ginger, is I can't even say what the themes are in relation to the books without introducing major, major spoilers. So basically I need everybody to read everything so we can all talk about it as soon as possible.
Ginger Horton [00:17:38] We're going to. And Bailey has been a big influence on my reading life actually this year alone. I'm so glad she's on the team because she has excellent taste in books. Or should I say our taste intersects a lot? Did I just complete excellent taste and my taste? No, no, I did not. But accidentally.
Anne Bogel [00:17:54] You are the hero of your own reading life.
Ginger Horton [00:17:57] That's right.
Anne Bogel [00:17:57] And also it's always worth saying that when somebody says a book is great, well, is it going to be great for you? That depends. And that's what we're talking about today.
Ginger Horton [00:18:06] I'm going to talk about a book today that I did not like that a lot of people liked, so...
Anne Bogel [00:18:11] Well, they want to hear what you have to say about it. I have a question, though, Ginger. What made you realize, "This is a disaster, I have to stop not counting. Like I need to do something different or this whole year is going to go badly." Not to put words in your mouth, but you take over the story from here.
Ginger Horton [00:18:29] Yes, that's true. I did not want a reading life where I read one book a month. And that is again, hear me say, that is fine. I have wonderful people in my life that that is absolutely fine and robust, but that is not robust for me.
So this really changed when you gave us the opportunity as team members to select one book for the Summer Reading Guide. That is something we've done before in the past, but not quite in the same way where we were reading books that were arcs. I don't read a lot of Advance Reader Copies. I don't pay attention to what's coming out. I have the privilege of being on this team where a lot of other people do that as their own hobby. So I just get to wait and let people like Bailey and others tell me what to read. And that's been my happy reality for a while.
But it was really fun this year, in January to April or so, to pay attention to what's coming out in the summer and select a book to include in the Summer Reading Guide. So as I was deliberately not finishing books that weren't quite right for the Summer Reading Guide, I wasn't enjoying, I really realized, Oh, there's a difference between, no, this isn't right, this isn't right for me, this isn't right for me right now, and I wandered off. And good golly, I was enjoying that book. It's on my coffee table. Why didn't I finish that? There's a massive chasm.
So that's really what made me realize that. Because I read a story of books by really big-name authors, and I suspect at least a couple of those were just not right for me right then. But I read several three-star books that were, ah, they were fine, I was happy to read them, but I don't want to talk about these all summer long. I don't want my name put up beside them in the Summer Reading Guide. I don't want that to be like my one pick. And so putting those aside showed me the stark difference.
And then I found one that I did not feel mad about. In fact, I think as the story goes, you and I were on Zoom and I was telling you, "I just can't find anything. Everything is kind of dark and depressing this year. I don't know, maybe it's me." And then I clutched my hand to my chest about one and I was like, "Except for..." And you said, "Oh, Ginger, that's the book. You just clutched your hand to your chest." Which I hadn't realized, but yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:20:28] I remember this conversation. You were like, "Should I just put my name beside a three star pick?" And I don't remember exactly what I said except, "No. No, I don't think you want to do that." But tell everybody what the book was that you really loved.
Ginger Horton [00:20:43] I loved The Postcard by Anne Berest. This is about 500 pages and I took this down within a week. And that is the one that I was talking about that I read in January. That was the only book I finished in the month of January. Now it's rather long and I'm a slow reader, but I read that in a week. Could not put it down. 500 pages. It's a quick 500 pages, but it's still not short.
So you see a real stark difference when you can't seem to finish something and then when you can't seem to not stop reading something. That is a massive difference. And when you see that in your reading life in such a short period of time, it becomes clear, Oh yeah, I should be reading more of these that I cannot put down, my hand clutches to my chest, I'm telling friends about them, friends that are sitting on my real life couch, I'm like, "Here, take this home. This is my beat up, ugly art that I wrote in. But yes, you must, you must. Please read this."
Anne Bogel [00:21:32] So you realize the difference between the, like, "Oh, that book experience" and "Hey, yeah, I liked it. I liked it. It was fine."
Ginger Horton [00:21:42] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:21:43] Well, I'm glad you did. So, how have things been since that realization?
Ginger Horton [00:21:48] Much better. I do not feel like I'm back to like ‘20, ‘21 kind of everybody staying at home that year, all we're doing is reading numbers but I'm definitely back to myself. And again, I know about how many books I should be reading at a time. I know about how many books I finish in a week or a month just for my own health. Like I know when I'm dipping below a number. What's going on? Let me just examine something in my life. Maybe it's just a matter of being too busy, but also maybe it's that I'm flipping on that baseball game that I do not really care about. I don't know why I picked baseball. I don't really watch baseball.
Anne Bogel [00:22:25] So that is definitely a warning sign in your reading life?
Ginger Horton [00:22:28] That is a warning sign. We do have some friends that do that that we've been watching a couple of games with lately. So that's a weird example. But yeah, if I'm not interested in doing something else, I should be picking up a book.
Or I've heard the other thing from readers is that, you know, some people are voracious and they know if they are reading a book a day that is maybe not a place that they want to be because it can be some healthier, unhealthy denial or that can be an escape place. Nothing wrong with that. But again, it's just worth examining, like, is this normal for me?
So I would say I'm about at normal levels now. And also just really reading things I'm enjoying, which is the most important thing, and giving myself some real healthy permission in a way that I haven't, in recent years, to reread. This is something new that has come into my own life from book club, the joys and the real benefits and merits of rereading. So I've been letting myself reread some older things. After a string of brand new books that I wasn't sure if they were right for me, it's been real refreshing to revisit some things that I know that I've loved, and on a second or even third pass, you see things you hadn't seen before.
Both of these books that I've reread recently are for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, one in April and one in May. And I love to reread a book you're going to discuss because you see extra things and highlight something where you're not just reading it for the enjoyment of it, you're like, "Oh, I can't wait to talk to so-and-so about that," or "Oh, I know the book club is going to respond well to this."
Anne Bogel [00:23:53] Ginger, I imagine that Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is top of mind because that is what we're reading in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club in May. But would you tell our listeners about the amazing experience you had rereading our April selection? Because that was really unique and special and basically I want to hear you talk about it again.
Ginger Horton [00:24:13] Absolutely. Yes. So both of these books actually, Take My Hand and Fault Lines by Emily Itami, which is our April selection, I read first on audio. And I just kind of took them in in a casual way. Listening to a book is a different experience for me. I'm a big note-taker, writer, margin writer in my books. So it's a bit more of a passive experience. But I loved both of these.
So I read Fault Lines back... I guess maybe last spring. Whenever it came out. Read that, enjoyed it, told everybody about it. I think it might have even been my best book of the summer last year. So I loved that. And then I got the opportunity to go to Tokyo in the spring this year and could not resist reading that again before I went.
So I read it quickly within like three days on paper, some of it on the airplane like to Tokyo. It was so magical to be reading it, going into that place, picking up on things after researching the place that we were visiting. And then I got to the city and I spent a couple of weeks there and I came back home and reread it. Because now I didn't want to read it in preparation for going. I wanted to read it after having seen Roppongi Hills and that spider statue that she talks about on page 214. I had to experience it afterward.
So luckily this is a rather slim book. As I mentioned, I'm a slow reader. I think it's like 214 pages or something. So it's a short book and I downed that three times within a calendar year. That is super unusual for me.
Anne Bogel [00:25:40] And then you got to talk to Emily Itami.
Ginger Horton [00:25:44] Yes, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:25:45] I love it. Thank you for sharing that with us. I could ask you questions all day because really, I want to get a picture of your reading life. And for me, I want to get a picture of your reading life right now. I always love to find out what you are reading. And you find books that I don't like. You've put books on my radar. I've really enjoyed Salty by Alissa Wilkinson was our November Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club selection. I didn't know about that book. I hadn't seen that book anywhere. But we're going to get into your reading life. And I think we want to get into your books and do that now. Are you ready?
Ginger Horton [00:26:14] I'm ready. I picked these in a real specific way. You just got finished saying, Hey, sometimes you put books that are not on my radar. None of these are going to not be on your radar because all of these have come from past Summer Reading Guides. So I did get to talk on What Should I Read Next? a couple of years ago and I picked maybe not like all-time favorite, but that was the pressure. That was like, "These have to be representative of my reading life."
And so this time I thought, "What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" So I went back through all the previous Summer Reading Guides. A major shout out to our friend Janine who actually compiled a few years ago all the Summer Reading Guides and one big list, just like a friendly list. This is not like famously exists somewhere. But thanks to my friend Janine because she put those in a book for me and I was able to quickly flip through that and pick out three books that are representative of my reading life that I loved, that I think about all the time. But they all originated from an SRG past.
So that's where these come from. But at least one of these I actually had forgotten was on the SRG. So when I was going through these lists, I thought, "Oh, I forgot that's how I heard about it. I loved this book. I might want to pick this one anyway."
Anne Bogel [00:27:23] Y'all can go back and listen to that episode. It aired on May 18th, 2021. It's called Don't Save the Good Stuff. And Ginger, do you remember what you chose for that episode?
Ginger Horton [00:27:33] Mm, such a good question. I think I remember what I hated. Let's see if I'm right here.
Anne Bogel [00:27:43] I'm going to give you a clue. Backlist book club.
Ginger Horton [00:27:46] Oh, I wonder if I must have talked about Homebuyers.
Anne Bogel [00:27:50] Uh-uh.
Ginger Horton [00:27:52] No? Oh, golly. Everyone Brave is Forgiven, probably.
Anne Bogel [00:27:58] Yes.
Ginger Horton [00:27:59] Okay. I figured I had to have included that one. And that was one of our very first summers in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, and also, we did that for one of our backlist book clubs, because mainly I just want people to go back and watch Chris Cleave all day long. Let's see here. Gosh, I cannot remember.
Anne Bogel [00:28:17] Okay, I'll tell you. So it was Young Jane Young.
Ginger Horton [00:28:20] Oh, yes. Oh, my gosh.
Anne Bogel [00:28:22] And Stay With Me.
Ginger Horton [00:28:24] Oh, of course, Stay With Me. The famous two jaw-drop book. How had I forgotten? I do still love all of those titles. You know why I think it surprises me is I had in my head that what I had picked were very representative of my reading life. And certainly I love all of those. But I feel like all those books are so similar.
I was more strategic this time. I'll go ahead and admit I was more strategic about picking something that represented this facet of my reading life in this facet. But maybe that just really goes to show that I've grown as a reader and I know how to think about my own reading life and what to look for a little bit better than I did two years ago.
Anne Bogel [00:29:01] Well, I love that. I'm really excited to hear what each of your selections represents in your reading life. Okay, Ginger, tell me about the first book you love.
Ginger Horton [00:29:10] Okay, the first book I loved is Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews. You put this into my hands a few years ago. But even considered reading this for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, I had to go back and look and make sure we did not. But we did not. And this one was everywhere. So this is probably not the title on my list here that flew under the radar. But this is just everything I want in a summer novel.
We did talk about this in Don't Save the Good Stuff Episode 283 that you just mentioned. But what I ended up loving about this book is that it is just thick with atmospheric details. There is atmosphere at the start. There is atmosphere at the end.
They kind of have this big catalyst where the two main characters go on this trip together and there's just all of this real esthetic, kind of you could feel the coolness of the house, and then you can feel the hotness of where they travel to. And I'm trying to avoid spoilers. If you can't tell, I'm like dancing around where they would go to and why because I don't want to tell the plot of the story is just so compelling, so page-turning.
But there's this one sentence in the book that I think about all the time, probably because we do have China Cups and Clementines at our house very frequently. But there's this line that the main character's mother, she has dreams for her daughter that are just very different than what her daughter would want to go on to do. And so she says, "Florence's mother like to imagine a life of diamonds and gilt, and that's G-I-L-T but also probably G-U-I-L-T."
Anne Bogel [00:30:38] You know, that's a necessary clarification for this story.
Ginger Horton [00:30:42] Mm-hmm, it really is. So diamonds and gilt for her daughter. That's one kind of mother. But this was the life Florence wanted. A blue and white teacup stuffed with clementine peels, a tangle of white binoculars, and a ceramic pitcher on the windowsill. So I don't know about you, but I can just feel the coolness of that house, the sophistication of that house versus kind of a house that would be full of diamonds and gilt. Those are two different lives in Florence's mind and in mine.
So to really read about some of the concrete details on the page, a blue and white teacup stuffed with Clementine deals, that is so evocative for me, and that is what I want to be reading in the summer. I want to sink into an atmosphere for sure. Number one requirement wish, dream for my summer reading life, books with atmosphere.
Anne Bogel [00:31:28] Okay, there's so much I want to talk about here, starting with the characters in this book are not likable, Ginger.
Ginger Horton [00:31:37] They are not.
Anne Bogel [00:31:39] Which is your jam?
Ginger Horton [00:31:40] It is my jam, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:31:42] Okay, tell us more about that.
Ginger Horton [00:31:43] It definitely adds to the story for me. So I didn't pick this up. Nobody is going to say in a blurb probably ever, Book with unlikable characters. Like that's not going to sell books. That is not marketing copy. But when I find that that becomes apparent, it draws me even more into the story.
So the story might hook me for a travel aspect for this book is set in the publishing world that's often going to drag me in. You instantly know that one of the characters is unlikable based on just the premise. You know, she is a reclusive author, but you slightly distrust all the other characters. You're not quite sure the entire time it's unmooring, is this an unreliable character, is this an unreliable narrator? You're sort of viewing it through the eyes of this [00:32:29] intern, and you're just not quite sure about any of them, to be honest. And I loved that. Then, of course, once you get to the end, you really find out firmly who is likable and unlikable.
One of the things that I love about reading is not just the reading experience, but how you can continue to think about it years afterwards and how you see publishing interns and reclusive authors through that lens forever and ever. Amen.
Anne Bogel [00:32:56] I'm actually realizing something as you're talking about Maud Dixon and unlikable characters. Or maybe what I'm doing is formulating a theory. I'm not sure if it's a real realization. But I've heard readers, like readers is really A-reader, very recently was saying, "Oh yeah, I thought that book was overrated. I guess how it was going to end, and I can never guess how it's going to end. She should have plotted a better mystery."
But I'm just realizing that often when that critique is leveled at a book, and I don't think that's what the writer was going for, it's because the characters are unlikable and you're not reading to like be shocked at the twist. What you're reading for is to watch terrible people get what's coming to them. How's that? Like, the suspense isn't like, "Oh, like who done it?" but "how is it going to go down? And what is that going to look like?" What do you think? Talk that out with me.
Ginger Horton [00:33:52] First of all, I'm impressed that anybody saw what was coming. I am a trusting reader and a story-trusting reader, and I did not see that. So that is not a universal experience. I like that about my reading life because I'm often able to be surprised. But I also really enjoy a book when I am able to guess. I think, first of all, that's fun. Like, don't you feel superior when you're able to guess? I do. I think, how clever am I. But exactly that.
Yes, I think there is really something to be said about not just reading for what's going to happen, but how it's going to happen. And if that's well done on the page, it can still be an interesting reading experience, even if you are one of those really clever people that guesses super often.
Anne Bogel [00:34:32] Okay. I'm going to keep thinking about this as well as that tangle of white ranunculus because that is my favorite.
Ginger Horton [00:34:38] Oh, so good.
Anne Bogel [00:34:39] Ginger, tell me about another summer book you love.
Ginger Horton [00:34:42] Okay, So I wanted to throw a nonfiction read in this list because I love nonfiction. I always want to read more of it, and I find myself frequently reaching for novels, whether that's because that's what I'm encountering on Bookstagram or maybe some of that is, you know, an outcome of the job is that we often read novels together in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. And rightfully so those make for such great discussion.
But I want to read more nonfiction in general in my life. And last summer, actually, found that I was kind of losing that hour between 7 and 8 p.m. like, dinner's over, maybe the kitchen's cleaned up, maybe aspirationally, and I'm kind of just scrolling. Like, it's not time to go to bed yet. I don't really want to turn on that baseball game that apparently I don't watch. I don't want to turn on TV. What am I going to do?
So I set this goal for myself that only during that hour I would read nonfiction. For some reason, it's a lot easier for me to come to than fiction in that time when my brain's a little tired. And I ended up working my way through 12 books, 12 full nonfiction books within a couple of months. So that felt like that really, really worked for me in that deliberate way.
So surprisingly, or maybe not surprisingly, for those of you that pay a lot of attention around here, a lot of my nonfiction life is actually influenced by Will Bogel. I think some of that is indirect-
Anne Bogel [00:35:57] He'll be honored.
Ginger Horton [00:35:57] ...coming through Anne's reading recommendations. But he has kind of famously introduced us all to Outside Magazine, I'm not sure if this was his influence, but back in the day Into Thin Air was actually on the Summer Reading Guide. Years and years and years ago I took that down in one sitting in one hotel room. This is probably a giant waste of Northern California, but I sat in my hotel room and do not regret spending an entire day with Into Thin Air in beautiful redwoods in California. I don't regret that a bit.
But Will has kind of a... if he mentions a nonfiction book like my ears perk up. I'm sort of embracing my inner like dad book fan and please hear the heavy air quotes there as well. And by that, we generally just mean that narrative nonfiction. I'm not sure why dads have sort of a reputation for reading those books, but I think what people should.
I heard about this book.. That was such a long lead-up to say I heard about this book from Will in our joint episode, our team Episode 291. Brenna paired each of us up with a sort of an unconventional team member, and I got paired with Will and he mentioned Chasing the Thrill and it moved it right on up my to-be-read list. So I read this nonfiction tale of a treasure hunt. So absorbing.
[00:37:08] Again, there's a lot of atmosphere here because there's actual people looking for treasure. There's mountains and, you know, crevices where they have to like kind of tangle through the brush a little bit to get to a certain spot that might potentially have this treasure. There is a literal treasure room in this guy's house, kind of an eccentric millionaire character.
So you're really on this journey... and you also don't know how this is going to end. This is nonfiction but I resisted every urge to Google whether the treasure had been found, what ended up with the story, you know, who came out of this looking like a good guy and a bad guy. Some of the characters are a little shady in this story as well, even though it's nonfiction and real people are much more complicated than people on a page. But there's not a clear right and wrong who's the good guy, who's the bad guy even in this story. But I really enjoyed the read.
It doesn't tidy up with a neat, little bow either. For narrative nonfiction, reader beware. I do love a good story that does tie up in a neat way. Sometimes you can look back in history and find out what happened. This one is a little murkier than that.
Anne Bogel [00:38:15] This one is in the Summer Reading Guide because of Will and because I live here and we talk about what interests us. I knew that he was following the Forrest Fenn treasure hunt online and in Outside Magazine. So when I found out there was a book on the way, I said, "Hey, are you interested in this?" Not at all thinking about the Summer Reading Guide. Because why would there be a book about the treasure hunt in the Summer Reading Guide? No. I'm not interested in that. The end.
But he read it and said, I really think you're going to like this. And I really did. And I love that it appealed to you, too. And now we're talking about it today as one of your favorites.
Ginger Horton [00:38:51] I think about this one a lot. That is Chasing the Thrill by Daniel Barbarisi.
Anne Bogel [00:38:58] Love it. Okay. And we're going back to fiction, I think, for your final favorite. What did you choose?
Ginger Horton [00:39:03] You sure are. This one is the one that goes way back. I had not remembered that this was on a Summer Reading Guide, but this is The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer.
Anne Bogel [00:39:13] [The ether?]
Ginger Horton [00:39:14] Yeah. I did not remember this was on the guide. I don't know where it came into my reading life, but that's very likely the place I discovered that she had a new title as it often is. The cover is fantastic. I love Meg Wolitzer regardless. I think she's one of the finest writers. She's not exactly not known, but I think she flies under the radar far more than she ought to.
I think about The Interestings. Constantly it's one of my favorite books all the time. That's another great summer read, by the way. It's about summer camp and friendships, and they turn into complicated adult relationships and massive unlikable characters there. But just the experience of reading this book is really what I think about when I think of The Female Persuasion.
I met this group of seven ladies at a very early Modern Mr. Darcy Book Club event. We now call each other the bookish besties, and we've spent years together. We have this epic text thread. We have been on trips together almost every year except for those pesky COVID years. They are actually bound up in my COVID origin story. We canceled a trip together in the very, very early days of that. We've sent Christmas presents across the US. You know, a couple of them have a podcast together. These are my people. I cannot talk about these people enough.
But our very first trip we went to Charleston and we picked a book or two to read in kind of a little tiny miniature book club together on the trip. So we all show up to this trip, we have so much fun, we see the beautiful city of Charleston. But in the evenings we sat in Diane's living room and we had this grappling discussion about this novel really of feminist and feminism and the early days and what that means for more modern feminists.
We, in this little tiny, bookish beasties group, are very different ages, different marital statuses, different political affiliations but there was so much to talk about here. Wolitzer is really thoughtful. She's such a thoughtful writer, but these books go down so easy.
So I think if you're actually a fan of someone like Taylor Jenkins Reid where it feels like a page-turner but there is great conversation and great discussion. Even if that lives in your own mind or in the margins of the page, this is one of those authors you should be putting on your list. Again, with the esthetic details, I think about how she used some symbolism, particularly in the wardrobe of the women. I think about those trademark suede boots all the time. And she uses those to great effect. They are a bit of a symbol of what's going on in the lives of original feminists and modern-day feminists.
Anne Bogel [00:41:38] I love how that book is so deeply tied to important people in your life.
Ginger Horton [00:41:42] Yes. Yes. That is indicative of my life. So certainly a good book is a good book. But if I can talk about a good book, it's no longer a good book, it's a great book or it's a great reading experience. And I value that tremendously to the degree that we had a discussion in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, I did not think this was going to be as controversial as it was. But we have a question of the day most days, and one day I posed the question, "If you could never read another book, you could talk about anything you've ever read before in the past, but you could never read another new book in your life, or you could read all you want, but you can't talk about them anymore.
I thought this was going to be rather contentious or rather debated. There was a clear line of delineation and most people wanted to read even if they couldn't talk about it. And I was baffled because I would probably say, this would be hard for me, but I would want to talk about books even if I could never read another one again. There is something to me that is really, really magical about talking about books. And maybe I just have to depend on the great ones I'd read in my past life and talk about them all day long, which I think is really indicative that I'm in the right place in the book club because that's what we do all day long.
Anne Bogel [00:42:49] Yes, I do think it's indicative, but I'm still kind of hung up on the fact that you asked everybody such a cruel question.
Ginger Horton [00:42:55] I was really cruel.
Anne Bogel [00:42:56] I'm really glad they don't have to pick.
Ginger Horton [00:42:58] They are usually not that controversial. Like yesterday's question was, have you ever written a fan letter to an author? Like, usually they're much lighter. But that surprised me.
Anne Bogel [00:43:08] Now, tell us about a book that wasn't right for you. You've already referenced this obliquely. Let's hear about it.
Ginger Horton [00:43:14] Okay. So this pains me to say, because I know so many of you loved this, but that is The Hazel Wood. I don't feel too bad talking about my experience of not liking this because I know it is firmly loved. And that is right and true. This is a fantastic book, it was just not the right book for me.
I have known in the past that every now and again you take a chance on a book. But I know that too much worldbuilding is just a no-go for me. It can be so intricate and so well done. I love and appreciate a writer like Jemison. I'm trying to think of other books in the past that I've read where there's just... And when I say too much, that is subjective. But there is just too much world. I don't want to spend 60% of the book trying to orient myself. I want to get right to the story and particularly to the characters.
So I don't often finish books that I don't like, which was one of the reasons that this one wound up on my "wasn't right for me" list. Typically, like I said, I don't mind putting a book away, but I could just tell this one was so well done. I could draw you a picture of that world. I could draw you a map. But like, what really happened?
So I know that some readers love that part, and it is fascinating as a reader to watch happen on the page. I mean, that is a skill that a writer has that is very fine, but it's just not for me.
Anne Bogel [00:44:30] Which is interesting because you are all about atmosphere.
Ginger Horton [00:44:33] I know, right? Please diagnose me. Tell me what that's all about because I don't know.
Anne Bogel [00:44:38] How do you differentiate those things? Like how do you reconcile that?
Ginger Horton [00:44:42] That is something to think about for sure. I am guessing that that is to do with my familiarity. So I hadn't even noticed this, but now I'm just noticing that I said, Oh, I have blue and white teacups in my house and we often have clementine." Maybe there's that relatability that I don't have an [00:44:57 oculus?] oculus on my windowsill right now, but I can imagine doing that.
I cannot imagine going into the deep, dark wood and following, you know, a boy I barely knew and like opening letters that weren't addressed to me. Like, those are not things that happen in my regular life. So there might be something about just that relatability that I really need in those esthetic details I needed to be something accessible to my own imagination. Maybe if I read more of these, my imagination will get larger. But in the meantime, I'm staying away. If those blurbs say something about, you know, a remarkable world being built, I would probably shy away from that and sort of be drawn to it in the future.
Anne Bogel [00:45:35] So it's what kind of atmosphere, not just atmosphere.
Ginger Horton [00:45:39] That's a good question.
Anne Bogel [00:45:41] You're going to ponder this for a year and we'll talk about it next May-
Ginger Horton [00:45:45] That's right. Please have me on again.
Anne Bogel [00:45:46] ...during book club like this one. Ginger, what are you looking for in your reading life right now on the cusp of summer beginning in earnest?
Ginger Horton [00:45:57] So what I would really love is to recapture that childhood long, languid feeling of just sinking into a book in summer, you know, those summer reading programs at the library where you can check out unlimited amounts, maybe you have an assigned reading list. I was not that kid that read, you know, pick three from this list of 20. Oh, no. I was going to make it through as many of those as I could. Just that expansive nature. I am really after that this summer.
So what that means to me is a thick book. If I can get my hands on something like really chunky and I can sink into it. I think some of that comes from me giving myself that permission to start counting books, not counting books again. But it did break a little bit of that hold on me that I'm not checking something off of a list. So if it takes me a month or a week or longer to finish a book, that is just fine with me.
So something big and chunky would really hit the spot right now for summer. I've read some of my very favorite long books in the summer, and I think when the days are long, there's just something really nice about exploring a more robust kind of novel in those summer months.
Anne Bogel [00:47:02] With the longest book in the guide this year is 700-something pages.
Ginger Horton [00:47:05] Oh, wow.
Anne Bogel [00:47:06] And you might really enjoy it, but that's not the direction we're going to go in.
Ginger Horton [00:47:09] Okay. Well, I'll be looking forward to that.
Anne Bogel [00:47:11] Okay. So, Ginger, you loved Who Was Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews. Everything you want in a summer novel, also happens to be a mystery about terrible people doing terrible things in the publishing world. You Love Chasing the Thrill by Daniel Barbarisi. This was your nonfiction representative selection about a treasure hunt. Who knew that would be interesting? But it was. And The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer, which is tied up with some of your favorite reading memories and is a story smartly written that goes down easy about women and culture and relationships and more.
Okay. Not for you, The Hazel Wood. Intensive world-building is not something you really enjoy at this point in your life. And I'm really understanding like what that means relative to the relatable novels you really like, because a lot of The Hazel Wood is set in Manhattan, but it's like Manhattan with a metaphorical trap door. So that does give me a very clear feel on how much is too much.
One reader's gateway is another reader's wow. That's a few too many steps in a direction I'm not quite ready to go in. So I'm hearing that loud and clear. And like my big question for you is, Oh, my gosh, how are we gonna narrow this down?
Ginger Horton [00:48:29] I gave you a lot to work with here. Your work is cut out for you.
Anne Bogel [00:48:33] Ginger, I'm really excited because there's so much you're going to love this summer and then the Summer Reading Guide, and I'm so excited to talk about these books with you. If we wanted to go all unlikable, we could give you like a nice list of three. If we wanted to go all nonfiction, we could do that. There's also a couple of really slim books I think would be perfect for you, including one set in Tokyo where you had an amazing reading experience.
Ginger Horton [00:48:56] Yes, please.
Anne Bogel [00:48:57] Okay. We should do Tokyo?
Ginger Horton [00:48:59] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:48:59] Okay, let's start with that. This is the antithesis of that long book to sink in and spend days in, weeks in that you were just describing because this is so short. But I still think it could be perfect for you. And I really want to talk about it with you and Holly on our team who were both in Tokyo. You all got to meet in Tokyo-
Ginger Horton [00:49:23] We did.
Anne Bogel [00:49:23] ...this spring.
Ginger Horton [00:49:23] What a treat!
Anne Bogel [00:49:24] Oh, my gosh. I can't believe that happened on the other side of the world. And Holly and I still haven't met in person. I'm so jealous. Okay, so the book that I want you to read and Holly, I want you to read this too, is Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa. This is in translation for us American and English readers. It's translated by Eric Ozawa, and it's been out in Japan for some time. It was a runaway bestseller and hit movie already there.
I mean, Ginger, this is about a woman who goes to work in a bookshop, falls in love with reading, learns the big things about her life, and continues on in her relationships in a totally different way. So we could just stop right there but we're not because it's so specific to some of the things I know you got to do in Tokyo. What happens in this book? It has an opening that wouldn't be out of place in a Nora Ephron movie, and I know how you feel about Nora Ephron movies, although the Japanese version would have a very different feel and tone.
There's a 25-year-old woman named Takako, and she's been living a life that she comes to describe later in the book as perfectly adequate. But then everything gets overturned for her when she finds out her boyfriend is getting married and she's like, "We haven't been dating that long. You haven't even asked me. What are you doing talking about a wedding?" And he's like, "Go to my girlfriend." And she's like, "Hold the phone. What?"
So that kind of sends her spiraling and she ends up losing her boyfriend and her job all at once, and she does not know how to cope. So she goes home, she sleeps all the time, her mother's worried about her. After months of this, her long lost uncle, who she at once had a very fond loving relationship with, but you'll hear has kind of dropped out of her life, he calls and he asks for help at his secondhand bookshop. And he says, "Hey, come help manage my books with me. You can live in the apartment over the bookshop for free. It'll be good for both of us."
So Ginger at that bookshop is in Jinbocho, Tokyo's famous book district that I know you got to visit. And Takako has never been a reader. But soon enough, she gets familiar with the shop's inventory, which is a modern Japanese author, which you are going to want to Google. And I just want to tell everybody now there's a note at the end about the Japanese author's mention in the book. Don't miss it.
But finally she falls in love with reading for herself, and she does it on the page. And she says things like, "Well, I read this book and I never experienced anything like it before. It made me feel like I had been wasting my entire life until this moment." And I think you're really going to love it for that reason. How does that sound?
Ginger Horton [00:51:52] That sounds so perfect. In fact, when you asked me what I wanted out of my reading life, I debated whether to ask for a long book or something else I've been after, after talking about The Postcard, is a book in translation. I would really love to deliberately read more books in translation because it is such a special experience. And yeah, one that is set in a country that I've just recently been at sounds amazing. I'm wondering about even pairing this with 1Q84, which is a long, chunky novel that I've been meaning to read since I got back from Japan. How do you think that would pair up?
Anne Bogel [00:52:23] I mean, this is such an American thing to say. They're both Japanese novels, but I don't know because I've been meaning to read 1Q84 forever. For forever. So readers in comments at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com, you can tell Ginger and me if we are on the right track and if we should prioritize that this summer. But that would give you your very long book.
Ginger Horton [00:52:42] A long and a short one, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:52:43] All in one. Check that box.
Ginger Horton [00:52:46] Sounds excellent.
Anne Bogel [00:52:47] Okay, I'm thinking we want to go in the nonfiction direction next.
Ginger Horton [00:52:51] Yes, I would love that.
Anne Bogel [00:52:52] There's an essay collection in the Summer Reading Guide that I think you're really going to enjoy. You said Southern, stories about place, stories about mess. This is a story about relationships. We're not going to go that direction, though. We're going to go with a book that Will read before I did and really left, which I don't think is a bad thing for you at all. And that is a new nonfiction book just out like right now. It's called Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon. It's by Melissa L. Sevigny, who's a journalist and nature writer.
And this is one of those meticulously researched nonfiction history meets adventure meets botany. I know how much you liked The Feather Thief. And while this is not the same story, it does combine elements I know you've really enjoyed in combination before all on the page.
So this is set in the summer of 1938 when these actual botanists, their names are Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter embark on a journey down the Colorado River before anybody knew like what the Grand Canyon even was. What was fascinating to me is what Will was saying upon reading this book for the first time, like we understood the moon and stars better than we understood the Grand Canyon. There's a giant hole in the ground for many, many years. But they were botanists driven by the science, ended up embarking on this grand adventure.
And this story, which is just very theoretically written, I think you'll really enjoy the prose, but to write this story, Sevigny really relied on the actual letters and diaries of the two women and their sketches and drawings, and you see like some of the plants that they discovered in the text. And some of the things they discovered were so, so fascinating. Like in these areas where they didn't think anyone had been before, it was clear that some of the plants had been tended.
There are all these just really interesting discoveries. And nobody in their little tiny crew had ever been on such an adventure before, any kind of similar, at least to this degree, scientific exploration. It has a lot of what you've enjoyed in your nonfiction books before. And I think you might enjoy this specific journey. Because while you've read stories that might be similar in approach, I don't think you've read anything like this because nothing quite like this exists. What do you think?
Ginger Horton [00:55:10] I love that. Especially what you just said nothing quite like this exists. When you said the magic words "botany" and "adventure," that sounds perfect. Those are kind of two of my little sub-niche genre bookshelves that don't often go together, to be honest. So that one is right up my alley.
Anne Bogel [00:55:27] I am glad to hear it. And finally, I really want to recommend the Kentucky book to you. And maybe I'm the only one who would call this a Kentucky book, but it's about horses and it paints Kentucky in a really flattering light, which I feel like is not something that happens a ton in fiction. I mean, do you, Ginger? We both have Kentucky connections, which is one reason I'm raising this here for you.
Ginger Horton [00:55:46] Excellent point. And I wish it did more but I think you might be right about that.
Anne Bogel [00:55:52] I mean, there are books where people like go to the Derby and get hot Browns at the Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville and, you know, drive through the rolling fields of eastern Kentucky, you know, the Lexington area, which are gorgeous, but mostly I feel like we get dumped on.
So this book is called Girls and Their Horses. It's by Eliza Jane Brazier. It comes out in June. I feel like this is... I mean, this and The Postcard are the ones that I can't stop talking about. I talk to readers, I talk to booksellers, I'm like, "Hey, can I tell you about the book that really surprised me that I totally loved and can't shut up about?" And they say, "Yes, please."
So Girls and Their Horses is this book for me. And I think one of the reasons I found it so surprising is personally, I'm not drawn to horse books. Maybe there's a little bit of a contrarian in me because people recommend horse books to me because I'm from Kentucky, but I live in Louisville. We don't have horses. That is not my thing. I don't ride. I've been on a horse like twice in my life with the Girl Scouts. So I don't know anything and I don't care to know anything because it doesn't sound interesting. But this book was like, Oh, yeah. Yeah, challenge accepted. Here you go.
So I love this. This was a propulsive thriller with a strong emotional core about people behaving so badly. And really it's also very much about relationships, specifically sisterly rivalry, parenting secrets. Oh, and it's so about money. So much about money. So this book is set in an extremely wealthy enclave in... I think it's Southern California.
The action in this book centers around a cluster of wealthy families. Actually, one family used to have more money than they do now, which is a major tension in the book that drives the plot around the stable in California. And racing is a really expensive sport, and that's important here. So there's this family that moved to California from Texas. They are nouveau riche. And when the trainer in the barn finds out that they have new money, he says, Oh, that's my favorite bleeping kind, before they realize how dangerous money really is. So that's a major theme in the book.
Another quote I just want to share with you that I had to note. One of the characters maintained a natural horsey beauty herself. So she resembled a villain in a Jane Austen movie, which I chuckle at.
Ginger Horton [00:58:23] So good.
Anne Bogel [00:58:23] But this book begins with an investigation. Someone has died in the barn, but we don't know who and we don't know why. So in the course of the book, we get taken inside this hyper-competitive world of competitive horse riding. Is that what you call it? I have to tell you, the marketing on this book said, Oh, like dance moms have nothing on horse moms.
And Ginger, I thought, Well, I don't care about dance moms either. Like, this is not my world. But I care very much about watching the relational dynamics in the arena, in the stable, where there's a narcissistic coach, gossipy and downright malicious moms, dangerous girls, you know, adolescent girls who have a lot of power and know exactly how to use it.
And also, they point out in the book that all this action is happening around wild, strong, sometimes uncontrollable £1,000 animals. There's a point in the book where they fly to Kentucky to buy a racehorse and they love Kentucky. Everything is amazing and tacky. Everything is beautiful in Kentucky. The horses are the best in Kentucky. And I really enjoyed that part of the book.
I want to share one more quote with you, though, Ginger. "So being rich in some ways was like being dead. You built your own heaven and then you had to live in it." So imagine something like broody, dark, dangerous, and snappy. How does that sound?
Ginger Horton [00:59:50] So good. I love when you're talking about money makes things messy. It's one of my favorite themes to read about because it really does heighten the drama. I am not a horse girl myself either. I think maybe that's it—growing up in Kentucky, it's kind of a given so you don't have to have that identity. I'm not a mom and spoiler alert, I'm not a murderer, but I want to read about all those things immediately.
Anne Bogel [01:00:10] Thank you for clarifying that. You know what? Maybe you won't find it relatable now.
Ginger Horton [01:00:15] No, that sounds fantastic, which is exactly what we were talking about. I love to read about characters that I wouldn't want to know in real life, even if they do love Kentucky.
Anne Bogel [01:00:23] True. True. Okay. Of these books, what do you think you'll read next?
Ginger Horton [01:00:28] Well, I'm tempted to go with the slim novel in translation, but I think I'll go with that narrative nonfiction very first. You just said the magic words botany and adventure. And for some reason that was just really striking me as interesting right now. I have been to the Grand Canyon, but I'm very willing to revisit that on a virtual summer vacation to the page.
Anne Bogel [01:00:48] Well, I love the sound of that for you. And also, I applaud your choice because Days of Morisaki Bookshop, I didn't tell you this, but it doesn't come out until July. So the Grand Canyon, where I've never been but would very much like to go, is a great starting pick. I've gotten to visit the Grand Canyon on the page, I've yet to see it with my actual eyes. It's going to happen.
Ginger, this has been a joy. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
Ginger Horton [01:01:15] So fun. I am glad to be back and cannot wait to dive into these reads.
Anne Bogel [01:01:24] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Ginger, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. We have shared the full list of titles we talked about at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com like we always do. And that is where you can leave your own suggestions for Ginger in the comment section.
We would love to have you join us in book club. Learn more at modernmrsdarcy.com/club and keep up with those book club Instagram updates @mmd, for Modern Mrs. Darcy, @mmdbookclub. Subscribe to our regular What Should I Read Next? newsletter to get the latest news right in your inbox. Do that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter and follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Productions. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld of
• The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry
• No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
• The Postcard by Anne Berest
• Banyan Moon by Thao Thai
• The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray
• The Mitford series by Jan Karon (#1: At Home in Mitford)
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
• State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
• Fault Lines by Emily Itami
• Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women by Alissa Wilkinson
• Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
• Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
• Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
• Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
• Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
Chasing the Thrill by Daniel Barbarisi
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
▵ The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
• N.K. Jemisin (try The Fifth Season)
• Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
• 1Q84by Haruki Murakami
• Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny
• Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier
Also Mentioned:• 2023 Summer Reading Guide
• WSIRN Episode 283: Don’t save the good stuff
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• Outside Magazine
• WSIRN Episode 291: The best books of summer (so far)
The post Past and Present Summer Reading Guide favorites appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We’re hosting family to celebrate our daughter’s high school graduation, plus sneaking in a fun show. (But it’s been a busy week, so first I have LOTS of getting ready to do! If you have a favorite easy and crowd-pleasing recipe, drop a link in comments?)
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
The 2023 Summer Reading Guide is here!Yesterday we shared our 2023 guide with 50 new-for-2023 titles and hosted our Unboxing parties! What a delight.
Visit our Summer Reading Guide HQ page to get yours now, along with the Unboxing replay available to watch anytime.
We LOVE summer reading around here: I sincerely hope our 12th annual guide helps you make the most of your reading life this season.
My favorite finds from around the web:30 Books Written by Celebrities-Turned-Fiction-Authors. (Goodreads) I didn’t know about a couple of these!
How two friends sparked L.A.’s sushi obsession — and changed the way America eats. (Los Angeles Times) Very interesting food history.
It’s okay for libraries to be loud! Take it from me, a librarian. (Washington Post gift link) “All of this, of course, just adds to the happy hubbub in the library.”
My current lipstick faves have actually been in my drawer for a while, but summer weather has me reaching for fresh shades: I’m enjoying layering Charlotte Tilbury’s Walk of No Shame (I got a small sample size and fell in love) with my longtime favorite Sexy Sienna. This combo was my choice for yesterday’s Unboxing.
Bad Manors. (The Baffler) For anyone else who wants a deep dive into McMansions.
I’ve been searching high and low for a brass pharmacy lamp and was delighted to find this one at Target for just $50!
10 Books for First-Time Literary Fiction Readers. (Shondaland) I’ve only read half of these! Now I’m thinking about what would be in my Lit Fic Starter Kit.
Why Ted Lasso’s Shoe Game Is So Strong. (New York Times gift link) Is it strange to say I hadn’t noticed? But I very much want to see what happens next in season 3!
How to (Ethically) Get Rid of Your Unwanted Stuff. (Wired) Helpful to keep in mind.
Last year I kicked myself for not getting in on the Rifle Paper Co. x Summersalt collaboration while I could, but now some styles are back! Some are only available in limited sizes, but this darling floral is stocked in sizes 2-22. (They also have adorable Rifle floral pajamas, and this is my favorite Summersalt suit of all time.)
Time Is The Best Killer: 8 Taut Thrillers Set Over Three Days Or Less. (CrimeReads) “There is nothing better than restricting time to really get the heart beating.”
Recipes Your Grandma Always Took To Church Potlucks. (Southern Living) This was a serious nostalgia trip.
Van Gogh Painting Gets a New Name Thanks to an Eagle-Eyed Chef. (Smithsonian Magazine) Talk about bragging rights!
Here’s How Much the Homes on Your Favorite TV Shows Would Cost Today. (Apartment Therapy) Whoa!
From our archives:14 books about endearingly quirky families. They’ve got to be both quirky AND endearing.
Two favorite summer drink recipes for summer reading season. The perfect mocktail and cocktail for this summer!
20 novels that will transport you to the shore. If you can’t spend all summer at the beach, why not try a novel that will take you there?
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re welcoming summer in style, along with a bright and beautiful new reading season: the TWELFTH annual Summer Reading Guide is here!
The 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide went out to our member communities and a la carte purchasers at 8:00am EDT this morning, kicking off my favorite reading time of the year. (If you don’t see it in your inbox, please visit the help section on modernmrsdarcy.com/SRG.)
We always say that summer’s too short to squander on books that aren’t right for you, or aren’t right for you right now. The guide includes books I personally adore—though that doesn’t mean they’re right for every reader. That’s why in every description I give you the information you need to help you decide if that book sounds like a good fit for you.
This year’s guide includes 50 titles. That’s a lot of books—and that’s why every year since 2014, I’ve narrowed the choices down to five or six total for my fellow minimalists and decision haters.
It’s never easy to whittle down the list to so few titles to spotlight. In fact, two years ago I couldn’t narrow it down to five selections so I went with six for the 2021 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide, and I did the same for 2022.
This year marks another change: there are a DOZEN titles in the 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide. With this year’s guide changes, and the fact that we revealed our supersized summer MMD Book Club lineup in April, I wanted to give everyone something to look forward to and something fun to discover in this Minimalist Summer Reading Guide.
For each minimalist edition, I strive to select a variety of titles across many genres that keep you turning the pages but also have serious substance. You could inhale these titles quickly but find yourself thinking about them for weeks, months, or even years to come. And while easy to read, these titles are wonderfully thought-provoking and discussable.
Speaking of discussable: it’s no coincidence that six of these titles are Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club selections for our summer season. I’m thrilled that each author (and one translator) will be joining us to chat. Get the details on our MMD Book Club summer lineup here.
I hope you enjoy this short and sweet summer list!
(Psst—our team members had the option of choosing one book for inclusion in this year’s Summer Reading Guide. Sometimes the book was brand new to me, sometimes it was one I’d already read and loved! That’s why you’ll see team member names introducing some of these book descriptions below.)
Want the full 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide? Visit the Summer Reading Guide HQ page to sign up and get the 2023 guide delivered to your inbox, along with Unboxing access (if you hurry!).
Our two Unboxing Parties are today at 1:00pm and 8:30pm Eastern time. In our 90+ minute live sessions, I share every title in the guide and why I chose it. Our conversation is casual and unscripted, filled with real talk about great books, in the presence of people who love books and reading. A replay will be available starting tomorrow for anyone who can’t attend live (or who just wants to watch again and again).
The 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
From team member Sara: Sittenfeld's latest release packs a one-two punch of celebrity romance and pandemic drama. Comedy writer Sally Millz and heartthrob musician Noah Brewster cross paths when he guest hosts The Night Owls (think Saturday Night Live), but Sally dismisses their obvious chemistry as a one-time anomaly. But when the pandemic hits, they reconnect and realize their spark is still alive. Epistolary novel fans should know that this story delivers some fantastic email exchanges. The ending is satisfyingly hopeful—the perfect summer read. For fans of Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta's The View Was Exhausting and Linda Holmes's Evvie Drake Starts Over. Publication date: April 4. More info →Author: Claudia Gray
I loved The Murder of Mr. Wickham, and was excited to hear the series continues with this second installment. (This new entry stands alone—though the perpetrator of Book 1’s crime is referenced in the opening pages.) Jonathan Darcy (son of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam) and Juliet Tilney (daughter of Catherine and Henry) seek to investigate the sudden death of Mr. Willoughby's unhappy wife, formerly Miss Sophia Grey, who suffers a very public death by poisoning at a dinner party at Barton Park hosted by Sir John Middleton. The premise—that all the characters in Austen's six major works are somehow all in each other's social orbits—continues to be audacious, but this book is such good fun for Austen fans and mystery lovers. For fans of P.D. James’s Death Comes to Pemberley and Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders. Publication date: May 16. More info →Author: Claire Daverley
How to describe this emotional debut? This is the story of Will and Rosie, total opposites who fall in love as teenagers despite every single person they know thinking they’re all wrong for each other. (They’re not.) A sudden tragedy drives them apart, but through the decades they keep finding their way back to each other. I rooted so hard for this couple, willing their tumultuous relationship to find steadier ground as they navigate love and loss, overwhelming grief, familial expectations, and missed opportunities, and as they wrestle with the idea of pursuing their own happiness when it feels like it might come at the expense of another. I loved it. For fans of David Nicholls's One Day and Sally Rooney's Normal People. Publication date: June 20. More info →Author: Anne Berest
From team member Ginger: Translated from the French by Tina Kover. This book is all wrong for summer. Its page count is long and its subject matter weighty. But here’s the thing: in the hands of a compelling writer and a brilliant translator, I could not stop turning the pages. If you’re in need of a light read this summer, steer clear. But if a mysterious postcard, star-crossed lovers, and a chain-smoking, meticulous genealogical note-keeping mother sounds good to you, use the sunny days of summer to balance out this heavy but moving French novel. Plus, I love a book based closely on a true story. So close in fact, it was almost hard to parse out what’s fact and what’s fiction. For fans of Irène Némirovsky's Suite Française and Dani Shapiro's Inheritance. Publication date: May 16. More info →Author: R. Eric Thomas
If I wasn’t already an R. Eric Thomas fan for life, this collection would have clinched it: I’m not sure I have words for what it meant to me. In his sophomore book of essays, the Here for It author tells hilarious, moving, and deeply insightful tales of love, adult friendship, family, and marriage, and also therapy, Zoom funerals, working alone, COVID isolation, middle age, and his home city of Baltimore. There’s no weak link in this collection: every story feels immediate, intimate, and real. I’ve thought of “Break Room Cake Communion” and “Jericho” nearly every day since reading them. I can’t stop talking about this book. For fans of Samantha Irby’s Wow, No Thank You and Saeed Jones’s How We Fight for Our Lives.. Publication date: August 8. More info →Author: R. F Kuang
From team member Shannan: R. F. Kuang’s work always brilliantly probes the world around her and in Yellowface she goes meta, offering a candid look into the lives of authors, the books they write, how those books are published and then wind up in our hands. Starting off slow, it quickly turns into a compulsive page-turner; I had to know “What’s going to happen?” Yellowface raises questions typical of Kuang’s writing, including who gets to tell certain stories, and why. She is on the record saying she doesn’t necessarily answer the questions that she asks, leaving that task up to us. I’m still thinking. For fans of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot and Zakiya Dalila Harris's The Other Black Girl. Publication date: May 16. More info →Author: Erica Bauermeister
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” These words frame the story for Bauermeister’s new novel in linked short stories about how a debut novel changes the lives of eleven people. First we meet Alice, an aspiring writer who struggles for years before finally completing her novel Theo. Then we meet the publisher’s assistant who plucks it from the slush pile, the out-of-work actor chosen to narrate the audiobook (perhaps my favorite story), the teenager who finds the book while she hides her homelessness, and more readers who subsequently stumble upon it at just the right time. A testament to the invisible threads that tie us together, and the power of books and reading. For fans of Ingrid Hill's Ursula, Under and Diane Chamberlain's The Last House on the Street. Publication date: May 2. More info →Author: Shannon Chakraborty
City of Brass author Chakraborty kicks off a new trilogy with this spirited tale of a renegade pirate captain—who happens to be a middle-aged mother simply trying to enjoy her retirement. But after a former crewmate’s daughter is kidnapped, Amina reluctantly accepts one last job and pulls her long-retired crew together again to help. The historical fantasy unfolds on the high seas of the twelfth-century Indian Ocean and bursts with period detail and magical adventures. From the book’s touching dedication to the detailed author’s note and acknowledgments, I found this imaginative tale and irresistible protagonist unique, exciting, and just plain fun. For fans of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows and Brandon Sanderson's Tress of the Emerald Sea. Publication date: February 28. More info →Author: Thao Thai
This stirring debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women in the wake of the death of their beloved matriarch. “Secrets never stay hidden,” muses one character. “Someone always has to deal with the fallout.” Across the generations and in rotating points of view, we see each woman deal with both the burdens she inherited and the secrets she keeps from her daughter out of love, and how this well-intentioned choice causes terrible harm to all. But even after one family member dies, it might not be too late for the surviving women to reunite in their Florida home under the banyan tree for one more attempt at understanding and redemption. For fans of Asha Lemmie's Fifty Words for Rain and Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake. Publication date: June 27. More info →Author: Cat Shook
This was a deeply relatable, laugh-out-loud, busy and buoyant delight. Debut novelist Shook has a lot of plates spinning: the vast character count and rapidly shifting narrative perspective made me a little dizzy in the early chapters, but once I figured out who was who, I was hooked. (Tip: the print copy has a family tree!) The story opens with a shocking revelation at the patriarch’s funeral and unfolds over the course of one chaotic week in fictional Eulalia, Georgia. Every member of this large family has been keeping big secrets from each other, and by week’s end they all come spilling out. I don’t like to say “should,” but I’m strongly tempted to call this a must-read for fans of contemporary family dramas. For fans of Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You and Emma Straub's All Adults Here. Publication date: April 18. More info →Author: Patti Callahan Henry
Talk about a strong premise! In 1960s London, a young woman named Hazel unwraps a parcel from America while working at Hogan’s Rare Book Shop. She is gobsmacked to find an illustrated children’s book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. This book shouldn’t exist, because only two people in the world know about Whisperwood: Hazel and her sister Flora, who created the fairy tale together while billeted in Oxfordshire during WWII. Hazel believes the book is proof that her sister didn’t die, as presumed, back in 1940, and embarks on a quest to find her. A heartfelt historical novel about the power of stories, forgiveness, and love. For fans of Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's The War That Saved My Life and Susan Meissner's Secrets of a Charmed Life. Publication date: May 2. More info →Author: Mike Gayle
This lovely story opens with Londoner Jess wrapping up a torturous project: she’s clearing out her late mother’s things, and one of the few remaining items is an encyclopedia set her mom gave her when she was young. She can’t keep the books, but she can’t bear to give them to just anyone. Then her friend tells her about a strange museum dedicated to the ordinary stuff of life—her encyclopedias would be perfect for their collection. Soon enough, Jess’s quest leads her to take on a passion project, get to know a handsome stranger, and question what she wants from life. A sweet and earnest redemption story of meaningful connections, found family, and the inherent dignity of ordinary lives. For fans of Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things and Lizzie Damilola Blackburn's Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?. Publication date: May 30. More info → What’s on YOUR summer reading list?
If you find something great in this Minimalist Guide or our full Summer Reading Guide, would you spread the book love? Our hashtag is #MMDSummerReading. (Follow me on Instagram at @annebogel, the podcast at @whatshouldireadnext, and Book Club at @mmdbookclub for summer reading goodness all season long.)
Happy summer, and happy reading!
Anne
P.S. If you don’t yet have the full 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide and you’re either a Book Club or Patreon member or you purchased a la carte, don’t leave a comment here. Please visit modernmrsdarcy.com/SRG and check out our help section.
The post The 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we’re just a few days away from releasing the 12th edition of our Summer Reading Guide, and in today’s episode, we’re taking you with us for a peek behind the scenes of how the guide gets created.
Making the guide each year is such a big, FUN project. Our 2023 guide has been in the works since last fall, and today you’ll hear some of the conversations that happened along the way between me and various members of our team.
Listen in to excerpts from team meetings about the guide, conversations about book-math, the excruciating (and arts & crafts heavy) process of final book selection, and many more of the details that go into making what has been a summer reading staple for many of you since 2012. I’m so excited to share this special episode—and our 2023 guide—with you!
If you haven’t signed up to receive your guide yet, scroll down to see all the options.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:09] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week we're doing something we've never done before. We are taking you on a special tour behind the scenes of the making of this Summer Reading Guide. Readers, this is our 12th year of making this guide. Every year I think I forget just how much time and effort and also how much pure bookish fun goes into this big, big, big project. This year we decided it would be fun to bring you along with us for a peek behind the scenes of how the guide gets from my bookshelf in spreadsheets and brain and journal and index cards to your bookshelf, not all those other things.
Today's episode features a bunch of voice notes and actual conversations between members of our team that take you into the nitty gritty of making this Summer Reading Guide. Friends, we have never created a narrative episode like this before. I have to tell you one of the very hardest parts was remembering to hit record between last October and today, so we could actually let you listen in on the process like we wanted to. But sometimes, sometimes we've remembered.
So today you'll hear excerpts from one of our early team meetings about the guide. You'll listen to me talk book math in early January, get a feel for the excruciating and also arts and crafts heavy process of final book selection, and a bunch, not nearly all, but a bunch of the details that go into making this nifty little handbook that has been a summer reading staple for many of you since way back in 2012.
I got to tell you now, in May, it feels strange in a lot of ways to visit audio again from earlier this year. As many of you are well aware, I started having some vocal health struggles after a simple, no-big-deal virus at the end of '22 that persisted well into 2023. And in a few of these clips, my voice will sound quite a bit different than you are used to hearing. And that is putting it so tactfully.
[00:02:34] Voice woes aside, what you are about to hear in this episode is the basic process I followed for many years now to put this guide together. I really enjoyed this look back at the journey that got us to this year's guide and I really hope you enjoy hearing all about it.
The guide drops on May 18th. If you're a member of either our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club or What Should I Read Next? Patreon communities, you'll receive it in your inbox on May 18th. We're sending it out at 8 a.m. Eastern Time, that's New York time. The guide and Unboxing access are included perks of those communities.
If you're not a member of those communities, you can join anytime at all and receive the guide and Unboxing access. Or if you haven't already, we have an ala carte option available. This is by request, by demand. We made it for you. And it's perfect for those who don't have the time or inclination to join one of those communities. Secure your copy of our digital guide at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. That's for Summer Reading Guide.
Your ticket also grants you admission to our live Summer Reading Guide Unboxing party. It's not necessary to attend, but we do think it adds a lot of color and nuance to the guide. Plus, you have the replay to watch whenever you want. Modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. We share details on that page to help you decide what option is right for you. It's easy, I promise. No matter how you wish to get the guide, you can do so from there.
Now, I'm so excited to do this today. Let's get to it.
[00:04:01] The first audio you will hear is from our January team meeting dedicated to the Summer Reading Guide. This was actually our third meeting to plan the 2023 guide. The first was held last October. As you'll hear, I was on strict voice rest for several weeks in early 2023. Oh, and that made for some interesting team meetings where I did a lot of nodding and typing instead of talking. I do not recommend, but it is what it is. And here's the clip.
Will Bogel [00:04:34] Welcome, everybody. As you might have heard, Anne doesn't talk. I hope that through our printed copies of all the awesome reading lists to look at, you know, design-wise, page counts, just kind of everything and came up with sort of a draft there of the direction we're going, if last year the theme was Drinks by the Pool, this year we're doing the festival theme, right? So it's a little more outdoorsy. It's a little more community, that kind of thing.
Anne Bogel [00:05:11] My initial vision for the guide this year was that I wanted it to have the vibe of a literary festival where readers and writers and all kinds of book people come together to celebrate great books and the people who love them. Something I also really liked about that festival idea was that it carries the air of possibility. You don't have to do any homework in advance. You don't need to read the books before you come. You just show up, enjoy hearing about good books, and soak up the inspiration, and when you leave, you'll be excited about what you know you could read next.
We wanted to nail down the basic concept of the guide pretty early in the process in early winter. We're talking about simple but not easy things, like the color scheme. And then for a while, it's up to me to read, read, read, while Brenna started tinkering with concepts and layouts. And yes, that is our very own Brenna who designed the guide this year. This is the first. And as you'll hear, that whole experience was and the final results are so deeply good.
I usually begin reading in October simply because that's when the advanced review copies start coming available. And it feels really good to have that big head start. By the time the holidays roll around, like late December, I am really digging into spring and summer releases.
For years, my typical process has been to cozy up by the fire and read a book a day between Christmas and New Year's. That really helps. And while I don't usually start writing anything for a while, I do always tell myself: I'll take some notes or write drafts about what I might say in the guide about a book while I am still reading so I don't end up in the position of needing to blurb a book in April that I read way back in October. That usually ends up with me rereading the book, which I may thoroughly enjoy but is not very efficient, as you can imagine.
Next in this clip, you're going to hear me pause to talk to Will while nearing the end of a good book on an early January morning, and then, next, sit down to do some actual writing.
[00:07:17] It's Saturday, January 7th at 9:53 a.m.. I have 31 minutes to go, but I think I can finish it sooner.
Will Bogel [00:07:25] Yeah, sooner. And I was like, I said, what's your hurry?
Anne Bogel [00:07:28] I really like it. But I just got this whole rash of approvals on Edelweiss for books I really want to read high priority. And I haven't done the math but it's January 7th and I love that the team is picking books. And also I feel like those books need to be available for them to choose if they want to. This is always the case. The more I can read earlier, the easier it is to fill in the gaps and feel really good about how the list is shaping up. I haven't done the math to figure out, okay, so if it's January 7th and I think I have maybe seven or eight titles that I've already read and really love and either definitely want to include or think could be worthy inclusions, then how many more do I need to read a week to have a really solid list shaping up by like the end of March?
Will Bogel [00:08:16] How many have you read this week? Because you've frequently done like... frequently. There were a couple of years you did one a day from like January to maybe mid-March.
Anne Bogel [00:08:27] Yeah. But this year I read a lot of backlists over Christmas. Some of these are short. Like some of the ones that are approvals just came in for like 260 to 300 pages. So that helps. I have been reading a lot this week and over break, but I read some of the books for the spring book preview that's happening in a few days because I wanted to because they sounded really good. And because I don't want to... you know, like I can't be reading all Summer Reading Guide all the time because that throws everything... that gives me nothing to talk about on the podcast.
Will Bogel [00:08:57] And reading spring. Is spring book review so different?
Anne Bogel [00:09:01] I mean, no. No. One of the books I just finished that I really liked, it would be a great summer book, but we're talking about it now.
Will Bogel [00:09:12] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:09:13] So what was the question? The question is?
Will Bogel [00:09:14] The question is, why are you rushing through? You only have 30 minutes left and you're like, "I got to hurry. I want to get it done faster."
Anne Bogel [00:09:20] I don't feel like I need to take it off my list. It's Saturday morning. You just make coffee. I want to have the experience on Saturday morning.
Will Bogel [00:09:28] That's what I was thinking. Saturday morning and a cup of coffee, that's enough time to finish your book? And you're like, "Oh, but I can do it faster. I can get there."
Anne Bogel [00:09:33] Well, it's also enough time to finish a good book and start something new. That's never a bad thing.
Will Bogel [00:09:38] On to the next.
Anne Bogel [00:09:39] Onto the next.
It is Saturday, January 21st, it's 7:07 a.m. and I am sitting down at my computer to start the Summer Reading Guide blurbs. I love talking about books. I love reading the books. I don't like writing about the books, or at least I don't like writing about the books in this way. But I'm gonna bite the bullet now so I'm not really miserable in April.
Anne Bogel [00:10:03] This year, our team members all had the option of choosing a book to contribute to the Summer Reading Guide that I would then get to read and they would write the blurb about. You don't need to read like me to find value in the guide, but I do like how opening up the guide to team contributions means you're getting picks from readers who are not me.
Sometimes this process was very collaborative. If our team had a hard time finding a book they really loved, we talked together about what they may enjoy reading. Sometimes the team member would tell me, Anne, I love this book, I think I want to include it in the guide and they just send it to me to sign off on it. Several of these books that they chose were not on my radar, which I really loved. I, like you, love discovering new books.
You may not know that in addition to figuring out the guidebooks, I'm also thinking a lot about the summer Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club books this time of year. Because of the way we chose to adopt this literary festival theme, we decided to host a truly bonkers number of author talks this summer in Book Club, seven in total, and we wanted them all to be books from the Summer Reading Guide.
You are about to hear a clip from our book club community manager Ginger. And here's the context. I had told her that I had read and loved The Postcard from Anne Berest. I told her I thought it was hugely discussable, something we really look for in our book club selections. And I told her it was a long novel about a hard topic. When I'm not sure if a book is right for our community, I ask Ginger to read it and we talk about it together.
My question to her about The Postcard was, "Could this be right for Book Club? I think so, maybe, but I lack confidence. Read it and tell me what you think." You will hear what she says and then my response back in a voice that sounds truly wretched. These are actually Voxer audio messages from that app. Our team uses this app a lot. Let's listen in.
Ginger Horton: [00:11:54] Hey there. I wanted to Vox you with my words. I put some of this on our little meeting document, but I think, correct me if I'm wrong, I'm working this morning, but Bailey told me last week that you wanted to be on strict vocal rest for at least two weeks. So I don't think we're meeting in person today. I think we're just putting our thoughts on that doc. But I would have had to type paragraphs and paragraphs and paragraphs to say the thing about the book, the summer book. So I captured the ones that you mentioned last week on the doc as well. But I wanted to talk about The Postcard because I promised I'd finish that in the next couple of days. And true to my word though, it wasn't hard. We have to read this. I think we have to read this.
Okay, so this is dark, absolutely, no doubt. But I could not stop turning the pages, Anne, until yesterday, I had not finished a book in 2023. I have been reading, but very sparsely, suffice it to say, I have not been reading very much. And I was determined to pick this book up. I think I told you last week I was like zooming through it, but put a pause on that for, you know, just again, like a lot of entertaining. And Saturday I got home from library book sale and I basically couldn't put this down until last night until I finished it. I read well over the second half and you know, I'm a slow reader. I do think that for people that say that this book is like 475 pages, what is less intimidating is the chapters are so short.
So it really, really does go by faster than that, mainly because that always helps me have momentum, but also because you actually figuratively lose a quarter of a page every couple of pages, you know? So it's actually shorter than that. So I think that works in our favor. I think that this is different than we usually read in summer, but also so page turnery. And I do like the idea of just having something a little heftier. There are a ton of choices for people that don't want to go this heavy. I think we should certainly make use of content warnings and such. But you know, the world is hard right now, and the thought of having like four completely poppy books also feels a little disingenuous. So I just absolutely, absolutely could not put this one down. I think it's important. I think it's very French. It's a book in translation. Just so, so, so, so many things going for this.
Oh, I wrote down some other thoughts. Let's see here. The ending, yes, absolutely kind of threw me. It's not what I expected, but it was also so perfect. It was so perfect. There were literally times where I was like thirsty or my toes were cold and I would have gotten up to get socks and I literally could not get up because I could not stop reading. So I was just completely engrossed. I hope you're doing better. I hope you're getting stronger and stronger. Keep resting. I think if I don't talk to you or see you before, I should see you hopefully for all staff meeting.
Anne Bogel [00:14:57] Hi. I went to the voice center and they had me do some exercises and told me if I do them before I speak it'll be easier, which is true. So I feel like I started... No, I'm not supposed to whisper. I feel like I started my clock running, which is great. I wanted to say, with my voice, I'm so glad you loved The Postcard. I'll say more in writing on the doc, especially about the scheduling stuff. Okay, I'm going to the doc right now with more thoughts. I did my exercises, so I wanted to use my voice because I haven't talked to you in like weeks. Okay, more later bye.
[00:15:38] That sounded so rough, right? Luckily, I did get in to see the speech therapist at our local voice center and she got me talking again. I'm still doing those voice exercises she prescribed before every podcast recording. Luckier still I didn't need a functioning voice to do all this reading back in the winter. And that's really what I do all winter every year, for years now, read and read and read in order to curate a core group of books I love and can build the guide around.
In the early period of reading, I'm just looking for what I love. And while I'm always on the lookout for variety, I don't think too hard at this stage about potential categories. I really enjoy this early stage. There's still a lot of possibility, and I'm not constrained to put the books in particular places. It's only when I have a substantial number of books I love that I start focusing on how they fit together, which is what you'll hear me thinking through in this next clip.
[00:16:36] So what I'm doing this morning is the thing I've done and Instagramed about for years. I have every book that I know I want to put in and a couple I'm almost probably definitely sure I want to put in written down on an index card. And they're a little bit gently color coded. I'm just moving them around. March 22nd feels kind of early. The guide doesn't come out for almost two months, but it's only almost two months away. So I have time to read, but not a lot of time to read to really nail down the core of the guide. I can do a few swaps at the last minute, but I really want to know what I'm looking at. And I can see, unsurprisingly, I've tons of family novels and I'm late on sci-fi and mystery.
I have a ton flagged, I just don't have them yet because I don't have a solid relationship with sci-fi publishers. But there's some good stuff in my inbox. So that's about to happen, it looks like. Also, I just slacked Bailey and said, "Remind me when the team submissions are due because I want to make sure I have space for those and don't need to reconfigure in a couple of weeks."
This episode is about how the Summer Reading Guide gets made, and in these coming clips, you're going to hear that a big part of that process is "verbal processing." For better or worse, that is how I figure out what I think. I can't tell you how many times, in this whole process, I've grabbed my husband well and said, "Hey, will you talk this through with me?" He knows to expect it at this point. And really it feels fitting. We do work together now. He knows me really well. And if you haven't heard me say this lately, the Summer Reading Guide was his idea in the first place. Would he have suggested it back in 2012 if he knew what he was signing on for? I can't answer that, but I hope so.
This next clip is from April 25th when I am well into the hard part. I have the books I love, I've sorted them into loose categories, and I'm trying to get every book where it belongs, and also figure out what gaps need to be filled. I want everything to be nicely balanced in a bunch of different ways, and it is tricky.
[00:18:48] So I decided I like this. So that means mystery and thriller is done.
Will Bogel [00:18:52] Yay.
Anne Bogel [00:18:53] Yay.
Will Bogel [00:18:53] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:18:54] I really loved this Isabelle Aen. So historic. Well, historical. I still need more. I don't know. So family novels, like I have options. I read like a blue million of these. Oh, I checked. I shouldn't have checked it.
Will Bogel [00:19:08] Yeah, that's not done.
Anne Bogel [00:19:09] Okay. So here's something that didn't occur to me. I'm going to move this fantasy novel to the love story category. Because I really like the compilation of tone genre approach I then have in love stories. Oh, my gosh. I told you how much I loved this one.
Will Bogel [00:19:31] Right. So is that eight books? One, two, three, four, five. That makes it eight.
Anne Bogel [00:19:35] I think it is eight. Okay, well, I have to decide what to do about that because there's only seven per category, except for family, just because that's totally my jam. So I was going to say my eight categories there because seven times seven is 49. And then I have one more.
Will Bogle: [00:19:47] And you have one more.
Anne Bogel [00:19:48] Right. So I figured that would be family. I didn't realize I had an extra one.
Will Bogel [00:19:52] You don't have any eight there, though. So you could do eight in love story.
Anne Bogel [00:19:54] I could.
Will Bogel [00:19:55] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:19:56] I didn't see that coming.
Will Bogel [00:19:57] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:19:58] Okay. Well, I got to decide that. And then nonfiction, I am going to go with that graphic novel.
Will Bogel [00:20:05] Uh, nonfiction... graphic nonfiction?
Anne Bogel [00:20:08] Graphic nonfiction. That's true. I mean, it remind me of Austin Kleon. I told you that.
Will Bogel [00:20:14] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:20:15] Okay. So now that category is done. Bridget told me about the book for sci-fi fantasy.
Will Bogel [00:20:24] To replace-
Anne Bogel [00:20:24] Yeah. I'm going to write Bridget on the list.
Will Bogel [00:20:26] So you have seven in there.
Anne Bogel [00:20:27] Uh-huh.
Will Bogel [00:20:28] Seven.
Anne Bogel [00:20:29] So I still have these grab bag-
Will Bogel [00:20:30] That's eight, grab bag.
Anne Bogel [00:20:30] ...which I think I can't decide whether I want to put this book in grab bag or the family category, but-
Will Bogel [00:20:46] So, wait, you have one question mark here in historical.
Anne Bogel [00:20:51] Yeah. So I need one historical novel, which feels good. There's a lot I still want to read.
Will Bogel [00:20:55] To read, okay.
Anne Bogel [00:20:56] Uh-huh.
Will Bogel [00:20:56] You have one more here-
Anne Bogel [00:21:00] Well, maybe.
Will Bogel [00:21:00] ...with the potential. And then I don't know... I don't know what this is.
Anne Bogel [00:21:05] Are you saying you can't read my writing? That's so rude.
Will Bogel [00:21:09] But there will be seven. And then if you move this... So you're out of books.
Anne Bogel [00:21:15] Well, except for historical. I have room for one historical.
Will Bogel [00:21:17] You have literally one-
Anne Bogel [00:21:19] You know, I could move. I could move [Banyan?] into historical. I don't know that that's fair. I don't know. I'm trying to go with the lead genre for each because The Postcard is in historical. It's totally a family novel. Well, I mean, I feel like historical is what leads there. And same with Kitty Carr. Like, I feel that historical is the most accurate.
Will Bogel [00:21:45] Yeah. But this is where they initially landed. So, I mean obviously that makes the most sense. So there's one hole there. This one could move back and forth.
Anne Bogel [00:21:55] I feel you calling it hole as pretty aggressive.
Will Bogel [00:21:59] There is one empty line. There's one available slot.
Anne Bogel [00:22:04] There's one opportunity to include something amazing that's not yet written in Sharpie in the wall.
Will Bogel [00:22:10] And this one could bounce around. So you have one… Wait.
Anne Bogel [00:22:20] I feel like the obvious next step is to rewrite this whole thing in a different color Sharpie -
Will Bogel [00:22:24] I know. That's right. I know. You just said it is in Sharpie as if that were like definitive. But it's just what you used. So you have one potential here that you need to fill in and then-
Anne Bogel [00:22:34] That was historical.
Will Bogel [00:22:35] Are you over oversubscribed in these two, family and grab bag?
Anne Bogel [00:22:40] Do you know me at all?
Will Bogel [00:22:42] Seven?
Anne Bogel [00:22:44] Yes, yes, yes, I am.
Will Bogel [00:22:46] Or you could just call it quits and read a couple of historicals. You could be done by the 28th.
Anne Bogel [00:22:53] But then what will I read next?
Will Bogel [00:22:56] Whatever you want. Whatever you want.
Anne Bogel [00:23:00] While I'm still working on nailing down which books to include and balancing the categories, the rest of the team is starting to ramp up their work, including the design of the actual PDF. The look and format of the guide has changed a lot over the years. Back in the early days, I made a super simple PDF in Apple Pages—friends, that is not a design program—and I did it at my dining room table.
In later years, we hosted on the blog in a variety of different formats, different kinds of blog posts linked to blog posts, fancy blog posts. But then in 2019, for the first time, we went magazine style and we haven't gone back from then in these intervening four years. The guide really began to expand in scope and content in 2020, and even more so in 2021. Some of you have been with us that whole time and you know what I'm talking about.
For 2023, our team member, Brenna, designed our guide. We talked about broad concepts in our team meetings. I created a mood board and then she and I began to work on refining the look and feel of the guide. I sent her images or terrible, terrible sketches and say, "Maybe something like this." And she'd send me concepts and say, "Anne, pick your favorite." I love this process. Brenna does such a great job and obviously she really gets what we do, which made designing this guide such a pleasure.
She thought of things I never would have thought to ask for and is dedicated to creating a great experience for the reader. You're going to feel that when you get this guide. As you will hear, in the later stages, there is a real dance going on between design and copy. So she and I are constantly collaborating as the actual guide starts to really take shape.
The next clip is my Vox to Brenna in late April after reviewing some pages she sent over a specific features and sample category layouts.
[00:24:53] Hello. I love these pages so much and I think they look incredible. Also, I've been messing around with The Patreon content that I want to send you by the end of today what exactly is it going to say. They look so good. And yes, I was thinking like, how can I communicate with words about the calendar and Patreon specifically? And, no, it's so visually driven. Okay, I'm also noticing that something I really like about your designs, in general, is that the layout also carries a lot of the messaging. Do you know what I mean? Do those words make sense? I really admire that about your designs in general. I think it look incredible. I do really like the light touch with the festival imagery. I think just a little is perfect.
And you know, if you have any ideas otherwise that are a different direction, you know, I'm always happy to take a look. But so far, I think it looks really nice. And yes, it does feel... what? Themed. But I think the word you used was mature. I really like it. And the description of... Sorry, navigating through a tight spot.
So I'm going back a page now to the how to use this guide. I feel like hopefully we're not telling people, something they don't already know with that layout. And yet, I think it's such an informative way to, with a very light touch, just to remind people of what they already know and what they're looking at. And also, it's just so attractive the way it's laid out. I love it. Yeah, I can definitely write that copy so that we can have the bolded paragraphs.
And I was gonna say one other thing... Oh, yes, it's so true that seeing how it's going to be laid out definitely will help me write that. So thank you. Of course, sometimes it goes the other way. Like, I know what the content is you think about the design with that in mind. But yes, I am happy, happy to write words knowing what kind of bucket they're being put into.
[00:26:58] Next up, it's Will and me again on April 26th. I'm trying to lock my final list of books and categories. It might sound like we're talking about similar stuff from before, and that's because the closer I get to finalizing content, the more I want to talk it through. This feels like a really big step and I want to make sure that I feel really, really good about it. It is not uncommon for me to completely panic at this stage and decide Oh, wait, I need to read a hundred more books in order to truly finish the guide and make it great. This is untrue, more about that in a second. But first, let's listen to this clip.
[00:27:36] Okay, coffee's ready. Will you help me talk through this?
Will Bogel [00:27:40] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:27:41] Okay. It is April 25th. I just need a sharpie that's not black because I run those out. We're looking at the giant Post-it note on the wall, which is the key tool in the Summer Reading Guide. So I think I'm about ready to wrap the categories. I don't have everything, I don't have all 50 books. I think I have like 46.
Will Bogel [00:28:02] I thought last night when we looked at this it was 49.
Anne Bogel [00:28:05] Well, I didn't actually count them. That could be right. I'm gonna reorder and see and help me verbally process what belongs where?
Will Bogel [00:28:14] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:28:15] Historical, family, sci-fi, fantasy. And actually, I'm wondering if that's just a sci-fi fantasy and horror, but we'll see.
Will Bogel [00:28:29] Oh, is there horror?
Anne Bogel [00:28:30] Well, it depends. Maybe.
Will Bogel [00:28:34] It depends, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:28:34] Okay, love stories and grab bag. I'm not sure I left enough space on my sheet. Okay.
Will Bogel [00:28:45] Wait, are those seven?
Anne Bogel [00:28:49] Your list says one.
Will Bogel [00:28:50] One, two, three, four, five, seven, six. Well, you squeeze.
Anne Bogel [00:28:56] That's because-
Will Bogel [00:28:58] I noticed it's also in pencil. Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:29:01] Well, I wasn't sure about that title.
Will Bogel [00:29:02] Clearly.
Anne Bogel [00:29:03] Uh-huh.
Will Bogel [00:29:04] It's the only one in pencil actually.
Anne Bogel [00:29:06] I don't know if I can explain that.
Will Bogel [00:29:08] Okay. But those seven, are those locked? Good?
Anne Bogel [00:29:12] Yeah, I think so. I think mystery and thriller is done.
Reader, it was not done. But let's back up and talk about my process. I used to be analog only when it came to keeping track of potential Summer Reading Guide titles. But this year, I leaned into spreadsheets more than I ever have before. By late April, mine had over 300 titles on it, and I use a lot of different filters and codes and categories to track all the things.
You've already heard about the index cards. And then once I have rough categories, I transfer the info on the index cards to a giant Post-it note on the wall. I really like seeing all the books in one place and physically writing the books down and the categories and the pub dates. It really helps me feel like I know all this stuff inside and out. Here's the clip.
[00:29:56] Historical, I still have space for one more, but it really... I mean, it really depends. There's so many novels. I mean, there's four here of the six that are currently here that could legit be fairly novels.
Will Bogel [00:30:11] Could be, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:30:11] And that goes the other direction as well, though not as strong. Like two of these could be historical fiction. They could move from family to historical. So those feel a little bit-
Will Bogel [00:30:23] That's more influx.
Anne Bogel [00:30:24] Yeah, but I need to rewrite them so I can see it clearly. Because like, look, I've got four different colors, a sharpie and pencil and pen and gold stars. Poetry and nonfiction is ready to call.
Will Bogel [00:30:33] It's done. Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:30:35] Love story, I somehow ended up with an extra one, so I gotta figure that out.
Will Bogel [00:30:41] Being... Yeah, okay.
Anne Bogel [00:30:43] Because I want to move this fantasy's title.
Will Bogel [00:30:44] That's right. Because we're saying that we had eight. Yeah, okay.
Anne Bogel [00:30:46] Yeah.
Will Bogel [00:30:47] But you don't want eight there, you don't think?
Anne Bogel [00:30:49] I don't think so. I don't think so. And grab bag. Which started as like some kind of random-ish titles and turned into mostly books about books. But there are books about books scattered throughout the guide. So that's not completely fair to call this books about books. But it is a grab bag with a strong literary emphasis, which I kind of like, there's so many books coming out right now that feature like books about books that are set in the world of publishing. I hope it never gets old because I'm still really enjoying it at this point. So I think what I want to do is just write it all out and see what's here.
[00:31:31] That thriller I liked, Bridget's pick. You know, we had three teen picks and mysteries.
Will Bogel [00:31:38] In the same category?
Anne Bogel [00:31:39] Yeah. That book is so long. Longest in the guide by a mile. That's historical. Well, the dates are really different in family. Okay, that's family. I really liked that one. Did I tell you about that one?
Will Bogel [00:32:13] Not that I recognize that.
Anne Bogel [00:32:16] Let's see what comes next. This is one of the first books I read back in Christmas. Doesn't come out till June now. And here's Bailey's pick. Okay, I'm missing one. I skipped one.
Will Bogel [00:32:32] Number three.
Anne Bogel [00:32:33] Oh, good job. Oh, yeah. Outta order. That's Chelsea's pick. Okay. Poetry and nonfiction. This is April, right? The graphic novel that's not a novel.
Will Bogel [00:32:48] It's out. So yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:32:50] I think it was April. Okay. Okay, that's it for poetry and nonfiction. Love stories, the one I don't know what to do with. I mean, as hard as it is to find books for the... I mean, it's not hard exactly. But like I want books that I love, like absolutely love for the guide. And sometimes it feels like those are... I mean, that's a really high standard.
Will Bogel [00:33:17] Well, you have to come up with 54 and five-star reads?
Anne Bogel [00:33:20] Yeah.
Will Bogel [00:33:22] In four months? Five months?
Anne Bogel [00:33:22] Yeah. Yeah.
Will Bogel [00:33:23] That's a high standard
Anne Bogel [00:33:23] Usually this love story category is one I feel like right up so fast. And I read a lot of books that I liked a lot, but I wasn't like, "Oh my gosh, read this now." And I think it's ironic that now all of a sudden I have too many in this category. Okay. I'm not sure where that goes. I think-
Will Bogel [00:33:44] Well, it's because it's listed and then it has an arrow and has rewritten, and then another arrow.
Anne Bogel [00:33:50] I gotta look-
Will Bogel [00:33:50] Which means you've bounced it from-
Anne Bogel [00:33:55] I think that's May.
Will Bogel [00:33:54] ...category to category.
Anne Bogel [00:33:55] I have. I think it's May but I'm not entirely sure. Oh, that's right. Oh, I could move it to the grab bag. Oh, I forgot about that. Because it totally fits with the themes. Okay. Oh, gosh, this was one of my favorites. And grab bag. Okay, see, what I just said about the grab bag, I'm not sure about this title right here and I don't know where this one comes out. I gotta look that. Okay. Okay, so anyway-
Will Bogel [00:34:23] There's only five.
Anne Bogel [00:34:24] Yeah, that's because I left that one up off. But truly we can move that right here and we're going to move this fantasy book into grab bag. What are you laughing at? That it's now been in three categories?
Will Bogel [00:34:40] Yeah, you got a fantasy book that's in most stories.
Anne Bogel [00:34:43] Both things are true. And there was one... Oh, that's right. That could be family.
Will Bogel [00:34:51] Well, it fits... I mean, there's... So seven.
Anne Bogel [00:34:54] I like it better in family, though.
Will Bogel [00:35:01] You didn't include that.
Anne Bogel [00:35:04] No, that's fine. I really liked that. But that's August and I think we have a lot of August titles.
Will Bogel [00:35:09] Aren't we numbering these since you've crossed them out? So that's seven, seven, seven, seven, seven, seven, six.
Anne Bogel [00:35:20] So we have one spot for historical.
Will Bogel [00:35:23] And one category needs eight. We have 48 books. We lost a book.
Anne Bogel [00:35:30] I'm looking for the right mix of titles for the guide the right variety, and I mean that in all sorts of ways. Some of those ways are straightforward and super practical like the distribution of publication dates. We feature new for 2023 titles in this year's guide across a range of dates, from January to August. I'm constantly considering how many titles are already available on May 18th when the guy comes out, how many will still be forthcoming upon the guide's release, and how long readers will need to wait for those forthcoming titles when it does come out.
I want readers to have something to look forward to all summer long, but I don't want them to feel frustrated because half the books they want to read don't come out till August. In this clip, Will and I continue our conversation focusing specifically on the publication dates.
Anne Bogel [00:36:18] Okay, I want to count up the pub dates, which means I need accurate information on a couple of titles. Okay, May 2nd read. So let's check the distribution.
Will Bogel [00:36:34] One January, one February, three March.
Anne Bogel [00:36:41] Total?
Will Bogel [00:36:42] Mm-hmm.
Anne Bogel [00:36:42] Okay, three March, April, six, six in April, May. I told you I think I could have filled the whole guide with May 2nd releases. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18… 19 May releases.
Will Bogel [00:37:03] Wow.
Anne Bogel [00:37:05] June. This is all on my spreadsheet, and yet there's something about staring at the wall, counting it up with my hands that impacts differently my brain. Okay. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8… 9 June. July. You know, historically, I've had a hard time with June titles for the summer guide. I'm not sure why that is. I mean, it's not as big as May, but I wonder if there's more to it than that. 1, 2, 3. Seriously, three July titles. That really surprises me.
August is also shaping up to be a huge month. I have to really restrain myself because I don't think it's helpful. I have too many titles in August in the guide. But I want some. So slightly more titles come out after the guide release. I like that. But you don't have to wait a long time for most of them. Like you can get them imminently in May and June. But then there's a little something to keep looking forward to on the horizon. Okay, this looks good. I like it.
[00:38:06] Readers, here's something you don't hear because we didn't start the tape. That is me freaking totally out a few days later because I was certain the guide's balance was out of whack and I needed to read a ton of books really quickly in order to figure out how to fix the problem.
That very night, I read a 416-page book in its entirety in a first attempt to remedy the situation. But that didn't work because while I liked it, I didn't love it. I was really frustrated when I went to bed and I was making a reading list of what to read next but then I got a good night's sleep. And when I woke up the next morning, the first conscious thought I had was, "Oh, I know what to do." And I went to my Post-It note on the wall and I moved three titles around in their categories and everything clicked into place. And ta-da, it was done.
In early May, I really am doing more than obsessing about these books. I also spend days in the writing cave. The guide has a lot of features in it. This year those include a page for new paperback releases, a separate feature of 40-plus backlist titles, books that are awesome on audio, we've done this for years now, a feature called "what's your summer reading style" that I was a little nervous about. And that might be word-heavy, but Brenna made it look so good. It is now one of my favorites. We have a Patreon versus book club layout that is really beautiful and useful. And of course, I introduced the guide each year with my editor's letter, which I write last as you will hear.
It is my job to make sure all the words in the guide work and sound good and read well and are ready for layout. Here I am on May 5th telling Will I think I just about did it.
[00:39:41] Hey, do you want coffee now?
Will Bogel [00:39:43] Yeah, we always begin with some coffee.
Anne Bogel [00:39:48] Okay. I gotta go to the grocery but I think I want to do this first because I think I'm almost done. Hang on, let me measure this. I had so, so much to do, but for the past few days that's the only thing I've worked on for like 20 hours. I mean, it will be. And it's almost there. And I know we're gonna have a ton of back and forth after layout. We always catch stuff in the PDF.
Will Bogel [00:40:19] Right. Editing.
Anne Bogel [00:40:19] Yeah, yeah.
Will Bogel [00:40:20] The editing stage, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:40:21] Yeah. Donna's looking at blurbs now. But like I had so much writing to do, and I think it's done.
Will Bogel [00:40:26] Are you gonna give it to the kids?
Anne Bogel [00:40:28] And by "I think it's done", I need to write the editor's letter how to use. That's going to be last. Yeah, yeah, I am going to give it to the kids because they always proofread it and they always catch stuff that I don't-
Will Bogel [00:40:38] It's fine.
Anne Bogel [00:40:38] ...and that our team doesn't see.
Will Bogel [00:40:38] The different stuff that they see than everybody else.
Anne Bogel [00:40:42] Mm-hmm. And they don't know how to spell anybody's names, but that's fine. It's almost done. I do need to write the editor's letter and how to use this guide this weekend.
Will Bogel [00:40:51] It seems like a big thing.
Anne Bogel [00:40:53] Well, yeah, but I feel like that's speaking from the heart. I feel like...
Will Bogel [00:40:58] Yea, yeah. Although it's done, everything else is done, and you're like, "Let me tell you about the guide."
Anne Bogel [00:41:02] Well, I saved it for last when I knew what I was introducing. Like exactly what's on every page.
Will Bogel [00:41:07] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:41:09] Yay!
Will Bogel [00:41:10] That's, yeah, great.
Anne Bogel [00:41:13] We do not have a clip for the subsequent week that looks like a flurry of proofreading on the part of some team members while I am tweaking things left and right, cutting words from some of the blurbs to accommodate our design, and changing out some of our "for fans of" picks, because I thought of better options. When it comes to proofreading, our mantra is early and often, because we want it to be clear and beautiful, and accurate when it hits your inbox on May 18th.
And then finally, we're ready to review the final design. At this point, I have already reviewed the majority of the guide in pieces. But then we get to the super exciting part where Brenda sends me a complete draft of everything all together all at once all on the same pile. This year, it arrived in my inbox after my bedtime on the east coast on May 9th, and I woke up to it on May 10, eight days before the guide is released. Here's the clip.
Good morning. It is Wednesday, May 10th, at 10:01 a.m. and I am about to open the final draft, not the final version. But like this is the first time I will have seen the finished... first draft doesn't seem to do it justice. But the first completed draft of the guide. I've been wanting to do this since 6:45 this morning but Will and I have a graduating senior and there was a big to-do at school this morning. So I'm back, I’m at my desk, I'm opening the file that Brenna sent. I'm so excited to see it.
Okay, she sent me a bunch of Voxer messages telling me what to look out for, what still needs decisions on, what needs close eye. She said she already noticed a few things that she would change. So what I'm going to do now is open the guide and take a look and then it's going to go out to our team so that everybody can put eyes on it so we can find as many typos as possible. Anything that looks weird, any phrasing that is wonky, anything that makes us go like, Huh, what's going on there? How can we make this even better?" And we'll hear back from everybody by the end of the week and then we're going to wrap the file and get all the finished PDFs ready to download.
I'm still deciding but I'm probably going to get a file of mine printed as well so I can hold it and photograph it. This year I found myself referring to my old printed guides all the time. So I think I want it for posterity's sake if nothing else. But okay, here we go. I'm gonna click "open" on the file, the real way to proofread is in Adobe Acrobat. So that's what I'm doing. I'm clicking "open" on my machine. And I have to tell you, the first thing I see is my face real big. I had to get talked into doing this a couple of years ago by the designer team that did it then. They said, "Anne, this is a personal guide, you should be on the cover."
But it's never not weird to see my face real big on the front. I have to tell you we took these photos in Louisville in one of my favorite places to be that you've probably seen on my Instagram often. So the guide is really special to me and that way. And I'm just gonna flip through real quick and see what it looks. It looks like it came in at 52 pages. I won't talk you through looking at every single page. Brenna highlighted real big in yellow something I said. Look, this is the last piece of information I need. I cannot come up with a comp that I really love for this one title, but it's going to come to me. And I'm just seeing how it ended up.
I'm gonna go over this with a fine tooth comb shortly, just like everyone else on our team is. Oh, and Brenna told me that she did something interesting with the... we have the spread in the back of the guide, we have for years, where we show a little thumbnail image of every cover. And Brennan told me she did something interesting. Oh, I just love. I love that. It looks so good.
The last page we did an enthusiasm meter. So you can just print out this two-page list and see all the books in one easy-to-capture place that you could carry around in your tote, your purse, your glove compartment, you could keep by your computer, for your library holds. It looks so good. Okay, okay, here it is.
Now, I'm going to send it off to the team. It looks so good at this stage. One of the best parts of my job is to get to send it to the team and say ta-da, here's the guide, and here is our team proofreading doc. Tell me what needs fixing." But the stage is such a deep joy because, on first glance, you would think it was complete and perfect. And it feels so good to have this thing we've talked about since October come out practically finished and looking amazing.
So that last clip was eight days before the guide is released. We are emailing it out to those who are on the list on Thursday, May 18th at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Time. In these last eight days before the release, we are triple checking—I mean, really, we're checking it more than that—every single last thing. We're making any necessary adjustments, finalizing all the formatting, basically taking care of every single detail for the guide itself and also the details for getting it out into the world. And that is the next thing that happens—the guide goes out into the world.
[00:46:41] Readers, thanks for listening to our first narrative episode. I hope you enjoyed digging in with us, as we tried to share a rough picture of what goes into making the guide. We hope you found it interesting. Our show notes are at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com where we have a transcript available and our list of references for this episode. I have another important link for you today. That's modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. That's where you can make sure you get your copy of the Summer Reading Guide.
There are three ways to get the guide. Choose the one that suits you best. One, you can join the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community, or two, support the What Should I Read Next? Patreon because the guide and Unboxing access are included perks for our community members. Or option three, for those who don't have the time or inclination to join a community, we have an ala carte option for you.
Preorder your guide at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. And that also grants you admission to our live Summer Reading Guide Unboxing party, plus the replay to watch whenever you want. We tell you more about what that is, plus share details on all those things on that page to help you decide which option is right for you. It is easy, I promise. Modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.
A big thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Productions. Thanks also to Sarah Aider for her help on this narrative episode. Readers, that's it for today. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Happy summer reading, everyone," or "How good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, friends, and happy summer.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byGet your guide:Want your own copy of the 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide? There are three ways to get the full 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide and included Unboxing access:
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte
Not sure which option is right for you? This page has a side-by-side comparison.
We’re pushing “publish” on the 2023 guide on Thursday, May 18 at 8:00am EDT (that’s NYC time). Happy reading, everyone!
The post Behind the Scenes of the Summer Reading Guide appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
The 12th annual MMD Summer Reading Guide comes out on Thursday, May 18, and so today I’m sharing six new releases that I enjoyed reading but that you won’t see in the guide. These releases are all from April and May 2023 because my winter and spring reading have been heavily focused on vetting summer titles for the guide, but beginning next month you can expect to see a lot more backlist in this monthly roundup of what I’ve been reading lately!
This collection does a decent job of capturing some of the major categories of books I sought out for my guide reading: I read TONS of mysteries, thrillers, and love stories, because so many of us (definitely including me) enjoy reading those in the summertime. (In today’s book list you’ll see Joshilyn Jackson’s With My Little Eye, Vanessa Walters’s The Nigerwife, and Sarah Adams’s Practice Makes Perfect.) I read a good amount of historical fiction, represented here by Jasmin Iolani Hakes’s Hula. I wanted to make sure we had a solid nonfiction category this year; you’ll see Claire Dederer’s nonfiction work Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma below. And Alina Bronsky’s Barbara Isn’t Dying represents the sort of quirky work that could easily fly under your radar, but that the right reader will be THRILLED to discover this summer.
Our Summer Reading Guide is hitting inboxes on Thursday at 8:00am EDT. If you want your copy, there are three ways to get the full 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide and included Unboxing access:
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte.
Not sure which option is right for you? This page has a side-by-side comparison, sign up links, and more details.
Our 10th annual Minimalist Guide will be up on the blog, in a blog post just like this one, on Thursday. (I had previously said it would be our 9th annual Minimalist Guide, but that is wrong! The first year we called our shortened guide the 5-Book Summer Reading Guide, but whatever you call it, we have in fact been sharing an ultra-curated compact guide for ten solid years now.) You don’t need to do a thing to get that guide on the blog. Sign up here if you’d like it to arrive in your inbox.
Without further adieu, here is my May 2023 Quick Lit compilation!
Welcome to May Quick Lit Author: Jasmin Iolani Hakes
Who am I kidding, I could have added this to my TBR based solely on that gorgeous cover! Our MMD Book Club community manager Ginger has lived in Hawai'i for several years now, and she put this new release on my radar. In recent years my eyes have been opened to how little I knew about the islands' history, industry, and current struggles, including its complex relationship with tourism. This is a multigenerational family saga, in which three generations of women tell their story about life on the Big Island. It's also very much about Hawai'i's history and heritage, the US colonization of Hawai'i, and more recent Sovereignty movement, all seen through the eyes of the family's women. Hakes's writiing is warm and lush, and her evocative descriptions will make you feel like you're right there on the island. Mapuana Makia's narration for the audiobook is completely lovely and definitely enhanced my reading experience. Published May 2. More info →Author: Sarah Adams
Real talk: My native Kentucky doesn't get a lot of love in literature, so when I saw this was set in the fictional small town of Rome, Kentucky, I snapped it right up. The fact that I'd heard good things about Sarah Adams's work bolstered my confidence, plus the protagonists are named Anne (okay, Annie) and Will! This is the second in the When in Rome series, but I read that it could stand alone and I found that to be the case. Annie is a 30-year-old small town florist who dreams of getting married and having children, but fears her social awkwardness may prevent that dream from coming true. Will is the badass bodyguard to pop star Rae Rose, also known as Annie's soon-to-be sister-in-law Amelia. Nobody expects "angel Annie" and bad boy Will to belong together, but sparks fly whenever they're together. This is actually a fake dating story, the idea being that Annie needs lessons from the more experienced Will if she's ever going to have a successful date. That premise strained credulity, but that's okay: I liked this for its small town setting, ongoing conversations about Annie's cherished pirate romances and their tropes, and thoughtful examination of family dynamics. Published May 2. Closed door. More info →Author: Vanessa Walters
This new release, just out May 2, is already in development at HBO and may be even better in that format. This book is pitched as a thriller, but if you approach it instead as a mystery about a secretive community I suspect you'll have a more satisfying reading experience. Nicole is a Black British woman who’s been married for seven years to a wealthy Nigerian man. Nicole spends most of her time with her friends, women she’s mostly met thanks to the Nigerwives community—a gathering of international women who, like her, have married wealthy Nigerian men. But then Nicole disappears, Tonye shows no interest in finding her, and her Auntie flies in from London to investigate. It quickly becomes apparent that everyone knows more than they’re willing to say, and no one can be trusted. The sense of atmosphere in this story is impeccable, but I actively disliked the ending. (For that very reason a book club could have a blast discussing this book!) Published May 2. More info →Author: Alina Bronsky
I minored in German in college, and so didn't think twice about trying this contemporary German novel from Europa Editions. (Although I read Tim Mohr's new translation; I shudder to think what my experience with the original German would be after all these years!) In this tragicomic tale, Herr Schmidt wakes one morning to discover nobody has made the coffee yet—and his immediate thought must be that his wife has died in the night, because what other explanation could there be? Barbara is in fact alive, but unwell, and as the story progresses, we see this curmudgeonly husband learn to do things he's never thought twice about doing for himself, let alone someone else, in all his long decades of married life: purchase ground coffee, cook a potato, run the vacuum. And that's just the beginning of the adaptations this couple will have to make to their relationship as they enter a challenging new stage. Bronsky covers a lot of emotional ground in just 182 pages; I recommend Fredrik Backman fans take a look. Published in the U.S. on May 9. More info →Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Jackson has long been an auto-read author for me: I’ll read whatever she writes. Here she once again pulls together things she loves and knows well: Atlanta, the theater, human nature, and autism, combining to tell a story that had me continually going WAIT, WHAT?! The plot of this new thriller revolves around an actress who was in a hugely popular show when she was 23. Now, twenty years later, she’s moved back to Atlanta with her daughter to get away from a scary stalker back in L.A. But when the stalker’s letters start showing up at her new address, she has to find a way to protect herself and her child. I loved this for its delicious misdirection, well-drawn child characters, and breathless conclusion. Published April 25. (Lots of content warnings here, including children in peril.) More info →Author: Claire Dederer
I was previously unfamiliar with Dederer's work but picked this up because I was interested in the topic: how can we reconcile our love for art with the biographies of its creators? Gone are the days when fans knew little about the real people who created the art they consumed; Dederer writes of how things are different in the internet era: "Biography used to be something you sought out, yearned for, actively pursued. Now it falls on your head all day long." She frames her case from the jarring (and somewhat graphic) opening: she has long loved the films of Roman Polanski—Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist—yet Polanski committed objectively terrible crimes. What is the fan to make of this? How can the fan think about their relationship to art made by always imperfect and sometimes monstrous people? I found this a thoughtful and thought-provoking treatment, which covered questions I knew I wanted to hear more about and also topics I didn't expect to enter the conversation, like capitalism. (So fascinating!) I listened to the audio (narrated by the author), and found Dederer's conversational style worked well in that format. Published April 25. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Happy Friday, readers! What does your weekend hold? We’re looking forward to Friday pizza night and the new episode of The Last Thing He Told Me. (Did I say this exact same thing last Friday? Maybe!) I also have some fun graduation events to attend with our oldest daughter, and a good book to finish. (I’m finally listening to Once There Were Wolves on audio and really enjoying it!)
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
The Summer Reading Guide drops May 18! It’s almost time! We’re delivering the guide by email on Thursday, May 18 at 8:00am EDT (that’s NYC time). Our two live Unboxing events happen that day at 1:00pm and 8:30pm EDT; the replay will be available for viewing anytime, beginning May 19.
I’ve been recording short videos to share about this year’s guide; today I’m doing that on social media, talking about the guide and answering your questions in Instagram stories.
Click here to visit my Instagram account, watch my stories, and ask your own questions if you’d like.
Video is great for context, but I know many of you like to see the highlights in writing:
• The MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide will appear on the blog as a blog post on May 18. (Yes, that’s the same day the Summer Reading Guide releases. This year’s Minimalist SRG includes twelve titles! We announced six of those titles right here; the remaining six will be announced on May 18. The Minimalist Guide is completely free and available to all.
• There are three ways to get the full 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide and included Unboxing access:
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte.
• Not sure which option is right for you? This page has a side-by-side comparison. Ginger and I also recorded a fun WSIRN bonus episode called By popular request: Anne and Ginger talk Patreon vs Book Club. We’ve made this publicly available so anyone—not just WSIRN patrons—can listen.
• Our Unboxing party is a joyous 90+ minute live video event where I tell you about all 50 new-for-2023 titles in the guide and why I chose each one, plus answer reader questions about theme, tone, and content so readers can get a better feel for what they want to prioritize (or put off) this summer. If you have guide access, you have Unboxing access—plus the replay to watch anytime.
• If you would like to hear more about what’s different for 2023 Guide pricing and why, please check out this post and video. I go into detail there.
We hope you’re excited! If you have questions we didn’t answer, please ask me on Instagram or share them in comments.
My favorite finds from around the web:What is this summer’s big mystery book? (Lit Hub) In case you missed it, Flatiron announced a big celebrity memoir is coming out July 9…but they didn’t reveal whose. The internet initially thought it was written by Taylor Swift, but yesterday afternoon Flatiron announced the author to be the K-Pop stars BTS. (New York Times gift link) What a wild week!
Plant Kween’s Leafy Brooklyn Apartment Is Rooted in Love. (Cup of Jo) If you need a mood boost, this is the home tour for you!
This adorable gingham robe comes highly recommended. (For better or worse, the product photo also makes me want to cut bangs again!)
Notes from Prince Harry’s Ghostwriter. (The New Yorker) “Why was this one line so important? Why couldn’t he accept my advice? We were leaving out a thousand other things—that’s half the art of memoir, leaving stuff out—so what made this different? Please, I said, trust me. Trust the book.”
When Life Gives You Preserved Lemons, Make Paste. (Taste) I love preserved lemon so I need to try this asap!
Stress Tested: These School Librarians Hit the Breaking Point. Here’s How They Moved On. (School Library Journal) Librarians sure have been put through the wringer in recent years. They deserve so much better.
My wide feet make it hard to find shoes that fit, but these Amazon Essentials sandals are a winner for me and my 18-year-old daughter. Mine are gold, hers are white, and they’re both perfect for summer. (If you don’t have wide feet, I’m jealous. These are the gold sandals I WISH I could be wearing this summer! They’re adorable on, but not even the largest size came remotely close to fitting my big, wide feet.)
The World’s 8 Most Mind-Bending Homes. (Architectural Digest) I can’t imagine living in most of these but they sure are fascinating to look at.
The Free-Returns Party Is Over. (The Atlantic) “Convenience is always expensive for someone. For much of the internet era, the individual buyer hasn’t been footing the bill, but slowly, that has begun to change.”
This Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Roasted Vegetables recipe was a huge hit at my house this week. (How Sweet Eats) We didn’t have cherry tomatoes on hand so we doubled the bell peppers, and added some chopped roasted chicken for the last five minutes of cooking. Delicious and super simple.
An unpublished novel by Gabriel García Márquez is set for release next year. (NPR) While readers are no doubt excited about this decision, I wonder what the author would make of it.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy Your Produce At Trader Joe’s. (Delish) Totally makes sense, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear it!
‘Demon Copperhead,’ ‘Trust,’ ‘His Name Is George Floyd’ Among 2023 Pulitzer Prize Winners. (Publishers Weekly) I adored Demon Copperhead!
From our archives:20 backlist favorites from 10 years of the Summer Reading Guide. A little something to whet your appetite as you wait for this year’s Summer Reading Guide.
A trick for when you’re stuck in a reading rut. Such a simple tip for anyone who’s struggling to read right now.
10 romance novels that are perfect for summer reading. This list was a Modern Mrs Darcy first!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When you think of Chicago, what comes to mind first? Perhaps the skyline, the food, or the sports teams. The beautiful lake, or Navy Pier. Or maybe it’s the bustling literary scene. From the stunning array of independent bookstores to places like The Newberry Library and American Writers Museum, Chicago has bookworms covered. As if that’s not enough, there’s a regular bevy of author talks and literary events, like the Printers Row Lit Fest.
I’ve spent a lot of happy time in Chicago over the years, including a stint during my college days. I haven’t visited in person since shortly before the pandemic began, but I’ve returned in my imagination many times in recent years, thanks in no small part to many of the wonderful Chicago books mentioned in this literary tourism list.
Whether these great Chicago reads call to mind memories of your own time in Chicago or you hope to travel there someday, I hope this list will make you even more excited about your next trip or provide an accessible and affordable means of escape via armchair travel.
To send you off on your literary adventure, I’m sharing twenty-three titles that I’ve read and loved or that are on my To Be Read list. (The number twenty-three is intentional; it’s Michael Jordan’s iconic jersey number.) There are plenty more books set in Chicago—and its suburbs—there’s no way to include them all here. That’s where you come in: we’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments section!
23 books set in ChicagoSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Katherine Reay
Reay's debut puts a fresh spin on Jean Webster's 1899 classic Daddy-Long-Legs. Samantha Moore spent her childhood struggling in the foster care system, relying on her favorite literary characters to survive. She even expresses herself using their words when she can't find her own. Samantha's big break comes when a "Mr. Knightley" offers her a full scholarship at the prestigious journalism school at Northwestern University. The only requirement is that Sam write her benefactor regularly to tell him about her progress. Through their correspondence, Sam begins to find her voice ... but then things get complicated. More info →Author: Rachel Bertsche
After moving to Chicago and getting married, Rachel Bertsche realizes she’s in need of local friends and decides to go on 52 friend-dates over the course of one year. While this is a memoir, the author also includes information and research about friendship. This would make an excellent book club pick: conversation starters abound. More info →Author: Richard Wright
This gritty novel wrecked me when I first read it in high school: Wright's story is raw, violent, emotionally wrenching, and utterly unforgettable. Through the eyes of Bigger Thomas, a twenty-year-old Black man living in Chicago in the 1930s, we see the extreme racial inequalities his family experiences—and how they first harden, and then desensitize Bigger. This was Wright's first novel, and on its publication in 1940, it became one of the fastest-selling novels in America's history, and remains incredibly timely today. More info →Author: Erik Larson
The true story of architect Daniel H. Burnham who designed the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and serial killer H.H. Holmes. One of these things is not like the other! While Burnham navigated the recent death of his partner while planning the fair, Holmes lured his victims by pretending to be a doctor and used the fair as a cover. It’s a fascinating history of the city, the fair’s success, and the notable figures who attended. More info →Author: Lorraine Hansberry
Playwright Lorraine Hansberry's award-winning drama centers on the Youngers, a Black working class family living on the South Side. After the death of the patriarch, the family wants to buy a house with the life insurance money but soon runs into discriminatory housing practices. A Raisin in the Sun is both of its time and prescient for us today. More info →Author: C. L. Polk
I've heard great things about this one. Helen, a warlord detective, sold her soul to save her brother’s life ten years ago and it’s almost time for her to pay up. She has the chance to win back her soul if she catches a notorious serial killer, the White City Vampire. She only has three days to do it or she’ll lose her life, as well as a future with her partner Edith, forever. A sapphic noir filled with magic, mystery, and romance. More info →Author: Barack Obama
Written well before Barack Obama contemplated a presidential run, his first memoir spans his upbringing in Kansas, Hawaii, and Indonesia to his time as a community organizer in Chicago. He explores his racial identity as he makes sense of his absentee father’s death and travels to Kenya to meet his extended family. A great storyteller, this first memoir provides a glimpse of the president he’ll become and all he’s accomplished since. More info →Author: Blake Crouch
This fast-moving, cinematic thriller begins when the protagonist is kidnapped on his way home from meeting a friend, and is asked a strange question by his strangely familiar captor: "Are you happy with your life?" What The Martian did for space exploration, Dark Matter does for physics, and it works. Imagine the zaniness of Ready Player One, minus the video games or nostalgia trip. Crouch has said the Chicago neighborhood in his book was inspired by Roscoe Village and Logan Square. More info →Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Alice doesn't believe in luck, at least not the good kind. But when she buys her friend Teddy a lottery ticket for his 18th birthday, she picks the good ones: 31 (Teddy's birthday). 9 (the number of years they've been friends). And for the Powerball number: 13 (the date both her parents died, 13 months apart, making her an orphan). That unlucky number wins him 140 million dollars. Teddy promises her the money won't change anything, but of course it does. A novel of love, family, fate, and Chicago, and one that you could read in the course of one happy afternoon. More info →Author: Sandra Cisneros
This modern classic is a coming-of-age almost-memoir of a young Latina girl, Esperanza Cordero, who is inventing the woman she will grow up to be. The story unfolds as a series of vignettes—some joyful, some heartbreaking—that draw the reader deep into her Hispanic Chicago neighborhood. Esperanza's observations feel at once highly specific and incredibly universal, as she reflects on growing up on Mango Street, and how she eventually wants to leave. More info →Author: Olivie Blake
Another one I've heard great things about but haven't yet read myself. There’s no reason Regn and Aldo’s paths would ever cross. Regan is a bipolar counterfeit artist undergoing country-mandated therapy; Aldo is a mathematics doctoral student who manages his destructive thoughts by calculating time travel. But when they meet at the Art Institute, they’re drawn into a sprawling conversation about the nature of time and space and they find so much more in the process. An honest portrait of what it means to live and love when you have a mental illness. More info →Author: Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama’s memoir broke literary records and it’s easy to see why. The former First Lady recounts growing up on the South Side of Chicago, meeting her husband Barack, and exactly what it’s like to watch your husband run for and then win the presidency. She shares lighthearted stories, like the details on her Carpool Karaoke appearance, yet doesn’t shy away from the hard parts of her story, such as miscarriage and the racism she’s encountered over the years. Throughout she reflects on how her experiences have shaped her and the woman she’s still becoming. A moving, inspiring, engaging read, and one that's meaningful and FUN to hear in Michelle Obama's own voice. More info →Author: Penny Reid
This smart contemporary romance series follows a group of seven friends in Chicago, whose relationships blossomed thanks to Knit Night. They rally around each other no matter what's going on and their relationships continue to be a priority even as they each fall in love. In this installment, Janie, a walking fact machine, runs into Quinn, a walking dreamboat, on her very worst day. What follows is a fun and funny romance between an unlikely couple. (Closed door.) More info →Author: Claire Lombardo
I read this 500-pager in three days. This is the story of a couple married for forty years and their four grown daughters set in the suburb of Oak Park. In the opening pages, one daughter reveals a huge family secret, and the novel tracks what happens in the next year of every family member's life. Lombardo's authorial voice is gold. More info →Author: Rebecca Makkai
Makkai's prize-winning novel asks what it means to be family to one another, as the characters navigate heavy grief and loss within their tight knit communities. In 1985, Yale Tishman loves his job working in the fundraising department of a Chicago art gallery. But as his career takes off, the 1980s AIDS crisis wreaks havoc on his world, devastating his chosen family. Between chapters about Yale's life, we learn his friend Fiona's story, as she travels to Paris 30 years later in search of her estranged daughter. I loved this for its piercing depiction of the gay community in 1980s Chicago, its poignant ode to found family, and the multiplicity of fine art references that had me googling up a storm. More info →Author: Erika L. Sánchez
Julia could never live up to her sister Olga’s shadow and that remains true after Olga dies in a tragic accident. Instead of grieving together as a family, her mom never stops pointing out the ways Julia falls short. But it turns out Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her boyfriend and best friend, Julia starts to investigate her sister’s life to figure out if there was more to her story and the cost of being someone’s ideal. More info →Author: Kate Clayborn
With winning characters, a multigenerational found family, and a fun Chicago setting, this romance will make a whole lot of readers happy. Will and Nora live two floors apart from each other, where late night balcony chats bring them closer together—and their clashing plans for the building spark a surprising rivalry. I expected an absorbing plot and engaging characters from this Romeo and Juliet-inspired second-chance love story; I did not expect it to get me right in the feels. (Open door.) More info →Author: Catherine Adel West
An exploration of generational trauma and the power of friendship. After Ruby’s mother is murdered, the police decline to investigate, chalking it up to the “usual” violence of the Black South Side neighborhood. She needs her best friend Layla more than ever if she’s going to survive living with her violent father. But then Layla’s pastor father tells her to stay away from Ruby for reasons she can’t understand. Layla is determined to be there for Ruby regardless but her determination will uncover long buried family secrets that will test everything she knows. More info →Author: Toya Wolfe
This coming of age debut set in the housing projects of 1990s Chicago unfolds over the course of one summer. We meet three young girls, all about age 11, who've formed a comfortable trio and spend their summer days double-dutching on the hot concrete under the watchful eyes of their neighbors, who have all been alerted they'll soon be displaced and moved (if they're lucky) to a different apartment block. When a new girl joins their friend group the circle, instead of growing larger, is broken, and things will never be the same for any of the four, who are largely left on their own to deal with the escalating threats around them. Beautifully told and utterly heartbreaking. Content warnings apply. More info →Author: Jennifer Close
A family drama centered on a close-knit Chicago family and the Irish American bar and restaurant that's been in their family for generations. It seems every Sullivan family member is at a crisis point, and the reader witnesses them working through their life-shifting career and relationship issues against the backdrop of the bar and restaurant, and the Cubs' unexpected World Series-winning season. If you enjoyed We Are the Brennans or The Most Fun We Ever Had, give this one a close look. More info →Author: Ann Napolitano
The author describes her homage to Little Women as "the story of one young man, four sisters, the secrets that threaten to shatter their family, and a love powerful enough to heal it.” I fell completely in love with the Padavano family, and enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and evolved over the decades and generations. The Chicago setting was also a lot of fun. (I did so much googling for places and locations!) Readers, there are A LOT of difficult things in these pages: it might break your heart, but know that ultimately, it's a redemption story. More info →Author: Margo Jefferson
The daughter of a Chicago doctor and socialite, Margo Jefferson offers an account of her experience growing up in an upper class family during the 1950s and 60s. Her privileged upbringing in Negroland (the small region where wealthy elite Black Americans lived) gave her a different lens for American culture as a part of an upper crust society that still nonetheless measured itself against white people and distanced itself from lower class Black people. She examines these contradictions as she takes readers through the Civil Rights movement and birth of feminism up to today. More info →Author: Rich Cohen
Chicago boasts not one but eight professional sports teams (Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, Fire, Red Stars, Sky, and White Sox) and they’re proud of it. The Bears won the Super Bowl in 1985, the culmination of an exciting season that fans still talk about to this day—and not just because it unfortunately remains the team’s only championship win. Rich Cohen interviews players and coaches alike to dive deep into the magic of that winning and what they all really thought about it, including the infamous "Super Bowl Shuffle" video. More info → Which books set in Chicago have you read and loved? Please tell us all about them in the comments section!
P.S. 17 recommended reads for those traveling to Hawai’i, 12 recommended reads for those traveling to Maine (or who want to), and more literary tourism.
The post 23 recommended reads for those traveling to Chicago appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest, Laurel Korwin, is a software engineer, who surprised me by sharing how she sees a lot of overlap between her love of reading (and reading skills) and her pursuits writing code.
Laurel lives in San Francisco with her husband and toddler. She’s an avid reader and a dedicated traveler. Like many of us, though, Laurel hasn’t been traveling as much in the past few years. Instead, she’s relied on books that take her to incredible and often otherwise unreachable destinations.
I had such a great conversation with Laurel about the unexpected ways coding and reading are actually alike and why she seeks out “impossible” destinations in her reading life. I recommend a round-up of titles that will take her on new journeys this summer.
Tell us all about the titles you’d suggest for Laurel in the comments section below.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. Our mission is to give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:36] Readers, we have such a fun episode for you today. But first, we have to talk about the 2023 Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide because it is coming out next week on May 18th, and our two live Unboxing events are that day as well. This is our 12th annual guide. It is packed full of 50 books I've read and loved and can't wait to share with you soon.
I want you to know what to expect and how to get that guide if you would like a copy. This year's guide features 50 books spread across seven categories. Most were chosen by me first. Ten of the books are team member picks that I have cosigned and read and thoroughly enjoyed.
For categories, we have summer staples like mystery and thriller, historical fiction, love stories, and nonfiction, plus sci-fi and fantasy, family novels, and a grab bag of assorted titles that didn't quite seem to fit any of the other categories, and then I realized they were all books about books. You don't have to read like me to find something to love for your summer reading list here. And with 50 titles, you have a lot to choose from.
At the risk of repeating myself, I want to make sure you know that this year, for the first time, our guide is not free. I talked about my thought process briefly here on the show and at length on modernmrsdarcy.com. If you would like to hear more about how the guide has evolved over the years and why we came to this decision, please visit the blog post on modernmrsdarcy.com dated April 12th. I go into detail there.
[00:02:03] The short version is that good things take time and they are costly to make and only getting more so, costly for our attention, energy, resources, and plain old cash. And we have decided to offer a robust guide experience for a price instead of offering a spare but free version.
For 2023, the Summer Reading Guide is an included perk for our community members and the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and What Should I Read Next? Patron communities along with Unboxing access. If you are a current member or if you join us any time this season, you won't pay anything extra for your guide. The guide and Unboxing are included in your membership.
You don't need to attend Unboxing to make your guide experience worthwhile, but I do hope you'll consider it. This is a big book party where I walk you through every title in the guide, why I love it, and why I chose it. I'll answer your questions about things like content and themes. Mostly we will just have a big old time together. I wish I could better convey the energy that happens at Unboxing, but it is so much fun.
We host two Unboxing parties on May 18th, that is the day the guide releases, at 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Members can access a replay video any time. That will be available the next day. We are also offering readers the option to purchase the guide and Unboxing a la carte. If you don't have the time or inclination to join a community, that option is for you. You will also have access to that replay video.
That means there are three ways to get the 2023 Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing access. Purchase the guide and unboxing a la carte, support the What Should I Read Next? Patreon or join the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. We hope you'll choose the option that's right for you.
One of our frequently asked questions is, what's the difference between Patreon and Book Club? I have good news on that front for you. Our modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager Ginger Haughton and I just dedicated a patron bonus episode to answering that question. And because you all ask us so often and look, we get it, we decided to make that bonus available to everyone.
That means you do not need to be a patron to listen. Just visit patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext and scroll down to the post that says "By popular request: Anne and Ginger talk Patreon vs Book Club". I really hope you find this bonus useful.
[00:04:17] If you're not able or do not wish to join one of our member communities or purchase the guides separately, please know that we will keep with our longstanding tradition of sharing our minimalist Summer Reading Guide on the block. That minimalist guide includes the six Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club summer selections that we announced on the blog on April 26th and six additional Summer Reading Guide selections that I labored over.
I'll be honest, I thought and thought and perhaps over-thought this decision, but this is a big deal and I'm so happy with where we landed. And I can't wait to share the minimalist guide with you on the blog on May 18th.
Our minimalist guide is usually half the size. It's never been a dozen titles. But with this year's changes and the fact that we revealed our supersized summer Book Club lineup in April, I wanted to give everyone something to look forward to and something fun to discover on May 18th.
I'll also be talking about a whole lot of summer reading titles here on What Should I Read Next? all summer long. In fact, I've already mentioned a few Summer Reading Guide titles in our winter and spring episodes, and I know you will hear more of those mentioned later on in May and in June.
Thank you for listening. Thank you for reading. However you choose to participate in this community, we are glad you are here and we're so excited about what we have in store in all the places for this summer.
[00:05:32] Now for today's conversation. I am so excited to introduce you to Laurel Korwin, who is coming to us via our guest submissions page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest. You know I hear from readers all the time, and one of the things I hear so often is that you would love a job that lets you read professionally.
Laurel doesn't work in a traditional book or publishing profession, but she has found that her career as a software engineer shares a surprising amount of overlap with her love of a great story. I was so intrigued when Laurel first mentioned this, and I can't wait to dig into it more today.
Laurel lives in San Francisco, and when she's not writing code or taking care of her toddler, you might find her adding to her TBR at one of her favorite local independent bookstores.
[00:06:15] Laurel is also a devoted traveler, although she hasn't been doing as much of that in the past few years. Instead, she's relied on books that take her to incredible and often otherwise unreachable destinations. You will hear more about that shortly. I cannot wait to dive into this conversation with Laurel and recommend titles that invite her to embark on new journeys this summer. Let's get to it.
Laurel, welcome to the show.
Laurel Korwin [00:06:42] Thank you so much for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:06:44] It's my pleasure. Our team was so excited to get your submission, and I'm really excited to jump in today. Would you start by giving our readers a glimpse of who you are when you're not talking on What Should I Read Next?
Laurel Korwin [00:06:55] Yeah. So I live in San Francisco and my job is in software engineering. I work at a real estate platform that has sort of homes on a map as well as a brokerage. And right now I work on the tools that allow other engineers to sort of see when things are going wrong with their features, but I've also worked on several other teams at the company as well.
And then in my off time, I am a mom of a toddler who's turning three in June and a voracious reader. So I read and write a lot of code in my day job, and then I read as much as I can on the weekends, on the evenings, on the bus when I occasionally go downtown.
Anne Bogel [00:07:32] Laurel, you mentioned in your submission that you had noticed a lot of synchronicities between reading books and reading and writing code, and that is so far from my wheelhouse, I don't even know what to ask. But I'm really intrigued to hear more.
Laurel Korwin [00:07:47] Yeah. So I came to engineering as a career pivot and I was really surprised by how much my love of reading and language helped me in the job. So engineers usually code in several different... what we call programming languages. Even at the same company, they are sort of different tools used for different things. And then you often pick up new languages when you're changing jobs. So having an affinity for spoken language actually really sets a great precedent for learning and really helped me when I started learning to code.
And I think that something a lot of people don't think about as well is that a lot of the job is writing code, but a lot of the job is actually reading code. Like our company code base is huge, thousands and thousands of files. So you kind of have to understand what's currently there, read through things, find the right place to put something. You often have to review others' work as well. So you're reading a lot of code in real time.
Anne Bogel [00:08:35] Tell me more about how code can be elegant or eloquent or on the other end of the spectrum, you know, like clunky and poorly phrased.
Laurel Korwin [00:08:46] Yeah. So just like authors of novels or books in general, I think that coders can have language, idiosyncrasies, or styles that go in either end of the spectrum, as you mentioned. and you can really pick up on those just as you can pick up on an author's writing style. So I have been able to tell by looking at the edit history of a particular piece of code before when something is really beautiful and it's, you know, JavaScript code, and I'm like, "Oh, I know that she writes really beautiful JavaScript code."
And then I look at the edit history and like, "Oh, yes, that's her." Or one engineer that I know often leaves the word... there's code comments, which are like little notes in the code that explain sort of something that the code is doing or some sort of context. And he often leaves the word "boom" in code comments. So whenever I see that, I was like, "Oh, Jamie did this. Jamie wrote this code.
Anne Bogel [00:09:37] Your signature.
Laurel Korwin [00:09:38] Yes, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:09:40] Laurel, I imagine you've been a reader for a long time.
Laurel Korwin [00:09:43] Yes. Yes, since I was little, little girl.
Anne Bogel [00:09:46] Okay, so that's a fair assumption. I hear you saying that your love of reading and all the vast experience you have in that area really helps you when it comes to reading and writing code. But I'm wondering if this midcareer pivot has had an impact on your reading life or if that's worked the other way as well.
Laurel Korwin [00:10:04] I think that I have been interested in reading more technical books or more sort of nonfiction in some ways since I started coding. You know, I often try to read sort of workbooks in my free time, and it doesn't often go so well if it's just the technical tome. But there are lots of really wonderful books that I've picked up that sort of get on technical things or things like that in a more narrative nonfiction sort of story-like way, which I really appreciate.
Anne Bogel [00:10:29] Yeah.
Laurel Korwin [00:10:30] And I don't think it's only in this genre of coding, but just across the spectrum.
Anne Bogel [00:10:34] Is there a title or two that springs to mind as an example?
Laurel Korwin [00:10:38] One that I have on my shelves that I actually need to read is called The Code Book by Simon Singh. I might be mispronouncing his last name. But it's basically sort of the history of cryptography and I've heard really good things and really want to read it.
But another one of my favorite ones is This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by... I think her name is Nicole Perlroth, and she's the tech reporter for The New York Times. And that is a terrifying read, but a really good one. It's basically sort of a narrative history of cyber warfare and espionage and all the bad things that can happen when bad people are able to hack into companies' technological systems, light systems, all sorts of things. It's really, really scary, but really, really good.
Anne Bogel [00:11:25] That is one of the best titles I've ever heard. And that sounds fascinating and terrifying all at the same time.
Laurel Korwin [00:11:31] Yeah. It's also a door stopper, so be aware. It's I think like 900 pages long or something like that.
Anne Bogel [00:11:37] You know, you and I were just chatting before we hit record and something I learned very quickly is you don't seem to be afraid of those really long books.
Laurel Korwin [00:11:45] No. I really love strong worldbuilding and I am not afraid. I, in fact, really appreciate and enjoy really long books. Sometimes if I see a book that's 200 pages, I sort of instinctively go, "That book's too short. I really want something longer and meatier to get into."
Anne Bogel [00:11:59] I will keep that in mind as we talk today and think about what you may enjoy reading. Laurel, what is your reading life like these days?
Laurel Korwin [00:12:06] So, I, right now, have been on a kick of reading a lot of novels and then occasionally breaking it up with a very dry nonfiction book. But I have been working my way slowly through my shelves, which I have very large stacks, which I think is something I mentioned in my reading struggles as well. But I have a hard time branching out from my to-read list to find something new. If you could look at my bookshelves, you could see why.
Anne Bogel [00:12:33] I hear that. Laurel, you just referenced reading dry nonfiction, and when most people call nonfiction dry, they don't mean it as a good thing. It didn't sound that you meant that as a slam. Would you tell me more about that?
Laurel Korwin [00:12:45] Yeah. So the book that I finished recently is called Do Not Disturb, and it is the story of sort of the political history of Rwanda told through the lens of this murder of the former espionage chief or intelligence chief. And I would describe it as dry just because there's a lot of very nuanced historical detail about, you know, different elections and different battles or army groups or things like that.
It's definitely not kind of like your easy-read nonfiction book. And it was also, you know, they talk about the genocide, which is very intense and very devastating. So it was definitely a more challenging read, but one that I enjoyed.
Anne Bogel [00:13:25] Okay, that's really good context. Thank you for sharing that. What else do you find yourself drawn to these days and how are you choosing your books?
Laurel Korwin [00:13:32] I have found myself lately choosing books from a lot of authors that I'm already familiar with, I guess. I'm currently about halfway through The Candy House by Jennifer Egan. I read A Visit from the Goon Squad years and years ago, so I don't really fully remember it. But now that I'm reading The Candy House, it's like, Oh yes, this character sounds familiar. And I go kind of look up the backstory.
I also just picked up A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. I'm kind of looking at the shelf to remember the title as we speak, and I've read the first two books in her series about Thomas Cromwell and really liked them. And this book that I sort of have bookmarked to read is similarly historical fiction about the French Revolution. I feel like I have been grabbing books by authors I'm familiar with and sort of a comfort-read type of thing where I know that they'll do a good job.
Anne Bogel [00:14:19] Is that something you'd like to continue or just something you're noticing about how things are right now?
Laurel Korwin [00:14:24] Just sort of how things are. I definitely think that I'll continue it. But I think as far as book recommendations go, I love recommendations for other authors I might not have heard of. You know, I can go on and look up an author's whole bibliography on the interwebs, but I might not be able to discover a new author.
Anne Bogel [00:14:42] Well, I'm excited to learn more today, and we're going to do that by hearing about what you love. Are you ready to jump in there?
Laurel Korwin [00:14:49] Yeah, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:14:52] Laurel, you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and more about what you've been reading lately, and we will talk about what you may enjoy reading next. Laurel, how did you choose these titles?
Laurel Korwin [00:15:04] What I did was I looked through my Goodreads history for the last year or so. I organized all my have-read books on Goodreads and just tried to pick out ones that I either really loved or are sort of indicative of something that I really love or, you know, a certain type of book done really well and came up with these three titles.
Anne Bogel [00:15:22] I like that approach. Tell me about the first book you loved.
Laurel Korwin [00:15:26] So the first book that I picked was The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. This one is a multigenerational novel about a black family in America. And the narrator, Ailey, I think I'm pronouncing that right, hopefully, grows up in Washington, D.C but she spends her summers in a small fictional town in Georgia where her family has a really long and complicated history.
Chunks of the book are told in her perspective and then large parts of it follow the stories of her ancestors going back many hundreds of years, including her mother and older sister. It covers the horrors of slavery, but it also tells a really rich and engaging story about her family's life in the decades after the Civil War. I particularly loved the author's depiction of Ailey's relationship with her uncle, Root, who is a professor at an HBCU that she later attends.
Anne Bogel [00:16:15] That is not a short book, Laurel.
Laurel Korwin [00:16:17] Yes, it is a long book. Another long book.
Anne Bogel [00:16:21] Coincidence or not at all?
Laurel Korwin [00:16:23] I think not at all. I definitely had it on my shelves for a while waiting for the right time to read it. But I really loved it. I mean, I think that one thing that I noticed at the end of this book was I sort of look back and thought, you know, "This was 800 pages and lots of different stories, like could anything have been cut?" And really, I think the answer is no. Every story was so crucial and so powerful and just really gave me an appreciation for the author about how it all came together at the end.
Anne Bogel [00:16:49] Okay. This is one that I have been meaning to read for some time and have currently downloaded on Libro.fm but haven't begun yet. So thanks for the nudge.
Laurel Korwin [00:16:58] Yeah, definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:16:59] Anything else I should know if I'm going to pick it up?
Laurel Korwin [00:17:01] I think the only other thing I would say is that Jeffers, I learned, is a poet and I think that you can really tell when you read the book. Her prose is just so beautiful, and every word just seems so deliberate and so perfect for the context in which it's used.
Anne Bogel [00:17:14] Oh. Which reminds me of our coding conversation. And as a reader who cannot write Java, that sounds really enticing.
Laurel Korwin [00:17:22] Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:17:23] Laurel, what's the second book you love?
Laurel Korwin [00:17:26] The second book is called Blackout by Connie Willis. This one is the first in a two-part historical fiction series. And I loved both books but I could only pick one, so I picked the first one.
Anne Bogel [00:17:37] Okay, well, just notice that we're lumping more in.
Laurel Korwin [00:17:40] Yes, definitely. This one is part of a world that Willis has written about in other books as well or sort of a world she's talked about before, where historians at Oxford have invented a way to time travel to the past for historical research.
So in Blackout, the historians are sent back to World War II England on various assignments by the director of the time-travel lab, who is named Mr. Dunworthy. One woman works as a maid in a country house and she gets to know children who are evacuated from London during The Blitz. Another one works in a department store in London. And then a young man ends up sort of stranded, helping to evacuate soldiers from the beach at Dunkirk when he had been expecting to go to Pearl Harbor and did a bunch of research to go to Pearl Harbor and then ends up in this crazy situation.
And as we sort of talked about before, this is a bunch of different sort of chaotic storylines that don't fully resolve until the second book. But when I read this, I really completely fell in love with Willis, and I started seeking out her other books, especially her time travel ones, as we sort of discussed before this show recording.
She has one about the Black Death, which I actually read in the beginning part of the pandemic, which was potentially a mistake, and one about Victorian-era England. And I just love... I mean, I'm such a history nerd as is probably apparent. It just checked all the boxes for me. Like I have wished so many times that I could be one of those historians traveling back in time. That just seems like the world I want to live in.
Anne Bogel [00:19:02] I love that. That sounds amazing. And would you lump the whole Oxford Time Traveler series as your favorite if you could?
Laurel Korwin [00:19:08] I could. I definitely think Blackout and All Clear were my favorites. Say Nothing of the Dog was the Victorian-era one. And that was sort of more... It seemed more of a comedy almost, which I enjoyed as well, but it didn't strike the exact kind of narrative urgency as Blackout. So it was a different tone but I still enjoyed it.
Anne Bogel [00:19:27] She has a new one coming out this June that I'm really excited for readers to get their hands on.
Laurel Korwin [00:19:32] Yeah, she's fabulous. I am so excited to read that one.
Anne Bogel [00:19:36] I'm glad to hear it. I really enjoyed it. Laurel, what is the third book you chose as a favorite?
Laurel Korwin [00:19:42] The third book is called Boom Town by Sam Anderson. I heard about this book on the Slate Political Gabfest actually, and I am so grateful because I probably never would have picked it up on my own. But it tells the story of Oklahoma City through a bunch of different narratives. There's the lead singer of The Flaming Lips who lives there, there's a weatherman he tells a story through, and then there's this crazy story about the land run in the late 1800s, which I had never heard about before.
But basically the government opened up a settlement of all this land that had belonged to various Native American tribes and everybody basically rushed in all at once to buy it. So the population grew from zero to many thousands in basically one day, which is just a wild story. But a lot of the story is told through the lens of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is the city's basketball team. And there are 2012 through 2013 season, which is hugely dramatic.
I love this book because I think it schooled me on a lot of things I knew nothing about. I am not a sports person at all, anybody who knows me will say. But my husband loves basketball. And when I was reading this book, I would start saying things like, "Wow, Russell Westbrook sounds like he's really a jerk." Or, you know, I would ask my husband, "How did you feel about Kevin Durant's injuries?" And he was like, "What is going on? What are you reading?" It is a great little dive into something new.
Anne Bogel [00:21:03] I'm wondering if your love for this book and perhaps for the writing style says anything about your taste. Like I've seen Sam Anderson praised for having a sharp eye for the quirky. And in reviews of this book, Oklahoma City is often described as one of the great weirdo cities of the world, which kind of makes me think of Connie Willis and her sense of humor. Do you think that's a coincidence? Or maybe some of the things that really drew you in to this nonfiction narrative?
Laurel Korwin [00:21:29] Yeah, I think that that's absolutely right. He really has a knack for these little stories that illuminate or tell a larger story. It was just really engaging. It was impossible to put down. And I think really, again, like interesting me in sports content is very challenging, and yet somehow he managed to do it. So I think that that says a lot about his prose.
Anne Bogel [00:21:51] I love you qualifying for all our similarly non-sports ball-obsessed readers that this is still a friendly book even if you're not super into basketball or at all into basketball.
Laurel Korwin [00:22:02] Yes, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:22:03] Okay. I love those kinds of books that take us by surprise. Like we wouldn't have custom ordered a book about the Oklahoma Thunder and Oklahoma City. But like, here it is. And you love it so much.
Laurel Korwin [00:22:12] Yeah, it was great. I still recommend it to people just as a general read it. It's really wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:22:17] That sounds so good. Now, Laurel, tell us about a book that was not a good fit for you.
Laurel Korwin [00:22:23] So the book that I chose for this category was When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro. And I should start by saying that I've read and loved a lot of other work by Ishiguro, like Remains of the Day or Buried Giant I particularly loved. But I did not love this particular work. So, fan of Ishiguro, but this particular one just didn't sit right with me.
Anne Bogel [00:22:42] Tell me more about it not sitting right.
Laurel Korwin [00:22:44] So it's the story of a man named Christopher Banks and he grows up in Shanghai until both his mother and father disappear when he was young. They disappear separately, but very close together, temporally. And then he's sent to live with his aunt in England. And he eventually becomes sort of a famous detective there.
As an adult, he goes back to China to try to solve the mystery of his parents disappearance, which is sort of alluded to be this hugely important case. And the resolution is going to change the world in ways that are sort of unclear.
And I think that that kind of leads into what I didn't like about this book, which is that a lot of it was really hard to follow as a reader. I think that perhaps he was trying to purposely blend reality and imagination sometimes to develop the character of Christopher and sort of paint him as an unreliable narrator, which is a device that, as a reader, I've enjoyed in other books. But in this particular book, I just found it too hard to separate out what was actually happening.
I also found the pacing to be a bit strange. Like he jumps around a lot and then the last bit of a book of sort of a whirlwind tour through Shanghai that felt too fast and then at the same time like it would never end and I would be stuck in the same wild time loop forever. So yeah, again, I really love other Ishiguro. I have Klara and the Sun on my shelves to read, but this one was just not for me.
Anne Bogel [00:24:01] Well, at first I was wondering if it was the emotional detachment in this narrative style that didn't do it for you, but it sounds like that wasn't the only thing at all. That there's a lot of pacing and feel that also just didn't land.
Laurel Korwin [00:24:17] Yeah. I think Buried Giant, he sort of uses that same tone, and I really enjoyed it in that context. I did think it was a little bit weird in this one, but I'm not against it perhaps as a tone. But everything just didn't fit right together with this book.
Anne Bogel [00:24:33] Well, that is really interesting. I am noticing that many people loved this book. And Ishiguro has such an accomplished body of work. This is not a book that's noted as an exception generally, but it is an exception for you. So that's really interesting. I'm glad you shared it.
Laurel, what have you been reading lately? You mentioned Do Not Disturb by Michela Wrong about the political history of Rwanda. What else is representative of your reading life these days?
Laurel Korwin [00:25:01] So one really fabulous book that I just finished was called Lady in Waiting, which is the memoir of a woman named Anne Glenconner, who was Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Margaret for several decades. And it was just such a wild, weird, funny book. I mean, she really kind of tells all and is very honest.
I wouldn't say that she's going to win some Nobel Prize for literature or anything. But the stories that she told about the royal family and about her life, and in particular her husband, who is a really wild character, were just so interesting. It was just a really fast but good read.
Anne Bogel [00:25:33] Well, that sounds delightful.
Laurel Korwin [00:25:35] Yeah, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you're into the royal family, which I sort of am.
Anne Bogel [00:25:43] That's good to know. I'm not going to produce any picks along those lines. I don't think so unless something occurs to me in the next 10 minutes. But that's still really interesting to note about your reading life because I would not have guessed that.
Laurel Korwin [00:25:54] Yeah. I also read The Palace Papers by Tina Brown about a year ago and really love that too. She has written Palace Papers and then The Diana Chronicles and sort of a whole genre of, I think, well-reported and relatively unbiased stuff about the royal family. So it's sort of a weird niche of my reading life, but...
Fruit of the Drunken Tree is a book that I read recently that I really enjoyed. It is by an author Ingrid Rojas Contreras who grew up in Colombia. And this book is a novel, but it reads as potentially autobiographical in parts, at least when you read some of the postscripts.
It is the story of a girl growing up in Colombia and sort of her relationship with her family's maid. I don't want to give away too much in spoilers, but there's a lot of drama that happens later on in the book, and sort of the interplay between those two characters becomes really important.
Anne Bogel [00:26:47] I love that. So you've got this dry nonfiction, again, not a dig, something you enjoy. You have the royal stories, you have 1990s [Bogota? 00:26:58]. Yeah, this is a fun span, Laurel.
Laurel Korwin [00:27:00] I feel like reading to me is sort of like traveling through the page. So I try to read widely and really get interested in different parts of the world and different stories.
Anne Bogel [00:27:09] Yeah. Well, that brings us to your summer reading project. When you send in your submission, you told us that you were stewing over an idea to potentially explore this summer. I'd love to hear more about that now.
Laurel Korwin [00:27:21] Yeah. I really love to travel. It was something that I did a lot of before the pandemic and before parenting, which introduces whole new travel struggles. I haven't been doing a lot of traveling lately. But I would really love to travel on the page this summer to destinations that would be impossible to get to outside of a book.
This was kind of my idea for myself to feel a little bit better about not traveling in reality, that I could travel to destinations that I couldn't get to anyway. My example, I think, that I included in the show notes was a book called Speak, Memory by Nabokov, which is his memoir of sort of his childhood in Russia when he was a member of a pretty aristocratic family, and then he had to leave Russia after the Russian Revolution.
So the Russia of his childhood becomes kind of this inaccessible, forever vanished place. And I just found his depictions of it really beautiful and sort of, you know, tinged with this nostalgia. This is a place that he can never get back to, but it's so formative to his personality and his life.
Anne Bogel [00:28:22] That's so interesting. So I loved hearing about that Nabokov. But also this project isn't just to read historical fiction and fantasy. It's more specific than that. So can you tell me a little more about how you're conceptualizing where you want to go in the page?
Laurel Korwin [00:28:37] Yeah, I think that this really goes to, you know, as we discussed earlier, my love of strong worldbuilding. I feel like, you know, some people, when they read, are looking for plot, some people are looking for a character. I'm really looking for worlds.
And to me, this idea of impossible places really well describe the ability to kind of lose yourself in this immersive experience that you would never be able to have in real life, whether that be in history or in some sort of fantasy world or maybe in the present day in real life and just some sort of experience or world that you would never be able to get to otherwise. It's really powerful.
Anne Bogel [00:29:09] So if you're going to go there on the page, you want to feel like you were there.
Laurel Korwin [00:29:14] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:29:15] Okay. Not just a few little factoids or somebody telling you it's set in 1872. Like you want to look around and see it, metaphorically.
Laurel Korwin [00:29:22] Yes, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:29:24] Okay. Oh, that's so much fun. Laurel, you have this summer impossible travel project. Is there anything you'd like to add about what you're looking for in your reading life right now?
Laurel Korwin [00:29:37] Yeah, I think that my other struggle that I mentioned... "struggle" is a hard word for reading. I mean, you know, it's a pleasure and a hobby. But I have this really long list of to-read books that I've collected over the years. A lot of them are on my shelves and then a lot of them I just sort of have bookmarked in my mind. It's like, "Oh, I need to read the next book by this person," or "Oh, that sounded good."
And I think that I often struggle, you know, when I go into a bookstore to pick something up off the shelves that I've never heard of and give it a chance because I feel like I have so many things that I've already lined up to read. So I'm really excited for this conversation and to hear about some things that I probably never would have picked up on my own or had never heard about but will end up enjoying.
Anne Bogel [00:30:17] Well, I'm delighted to hear it. Let's see what we can do. Laurel, You love The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Jeffers, Blackout, and also All Clear, you wedged that in there, by Connie Willis and Boom Town, the nonfiction Oklahoma book by Sam Anderson.
Kazuo Ishiguro's When We Were Orphans Just didn't fit right for you. And then lately you mentioned that you've been reading Do Not Disturb by Michela Wrong, Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. You mentioned your royals books, The Palace Papers and Lady in Waiting. And now we're thinking about what you may enjoy reading next.
And I'm remembering some of the phrases you used to describe yourself, especially you are a history nerd, you love strong worldbuilding. And we talked about your impossible travel project, you want to feel like you're there.
It sounds like a lot of details do not go amiss when you're reading. You're not scared of long books, although I'm not sure we have long books for you today. Listeners, if you have a long book for Laurel, especially one like a little offbeat that maybe is not at the front of the bookstore right now, you got to go to the show notes and tell us all about it. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Laurel, okay, let's do this. Are you ready?
Laurel Korwin [00:31:34] I'm ready.
Anne Bogel [00:31:35] I'd love to start with a nonfiction book if you're good with that.
Laurel Korwin [00:31:40] Sounds great. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:31:42] This is one that has been waiting on myself for just the right reader. This is a nonfiction work that came out just about a year ago. It's by Jeff Nussbaum, and it's called Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History. I like this for you because I think it's a very dense and compact package of stories of what could have been. Is this a book that you're familiar with?
Laurel Korwin [00:32:08] No, I've never heard of this one.
Anne Bogel [00:32:09] Okay. I'm not sad about that. It's from Flatiron, a publisher that I really like. And they're well-known. Their titles are out there. I like this book for you because it shows just how fluid history can be and it takes you inside, like deep inside all these different specific situations, some of which you'll know and be very familiar with, some of which might be news to you, like you never realized that there was a crisis averted in that moment.
But what Nussbaum has done is he's tracked down these undelivered speeches of history. And in the introduction, please do not miss it, he says, These things are often pretty hard to find. Like if you are writing a speech about what you're going to say if something terrible happens or what you're going to say if you lose an election when you ended up winning, like you don't want anybody to see that speech.
Probably two people in existence have seen that speech, but somebody has to put their hands on it. And often, he says it's the person in the office who's been there forever who has the keys to the filing cabinet. But he says that he's organized this book into six parts, and each section represents a category of speech that might go undelivered. And I want to tell you what those are. He explains this in the introduction. Again, do not miss it.
[00:33:20] So one of his options is words that are just too hot. And this is the initial rhetoric that's written that's like fiery and passionate and oh, but that gets tempered based on the expectations and demands of the organizers. Like it's decided, like, That might be too aggressive for the moment, or that the tone is just wrong for what's happening at the events. And you'll recognize some of these speeches.
Sometimes they're speeches that represent a change of mind or a change of heart, where someone is facing two choices of the path forward they could take and how they're going to present it to the people, and at the 11th hour, they have to opt for one or the other. But when you have the undelivered speech, you have that really concrete evidence of their thought process.
One example is the speech that Nixon would have made had he refused to resign, and that is in this book. Another example is like, if there's a big crisis or if a crisis was averted, his example here is that New York City was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy in 1975. And there's a speech in this book that the mayor was going to give that says, "Folks, we're out of money and here's what it means and here's what happens next." But that didn't actually happen in history.
[00:34:29] There's ones about war and peace, like the Eisenhower speech that he prepared to give about the D-Day invasion failing, which we know is not what happened. But this book invites you to consider what might have been what might have happened next.
There's speeches about elections and their aftermath where somebody won or didn't, and there's lots of concession speeches and victory speeches in this book that we're not given. And then there’s speeches where events intervene and some external factor prevents the speech from being delivered. Like Condoleezza Rice was going to give a speech the evening of 9/11 that was going to be significant and was never given because they intervened.
Something interesting on this note is that the book ends with four speeches that four leaders were going to deliver but they died before they could deliver them. Pope Pius, FDR, the speech JFK was going to give the night he was assassinated, even Albert Einstein.
So I think this is like a nonfiction version of an alternate history, which incidentally, is a category of book that is easily Google-able, if you choose to do so that I think could be really fun and promising for your project this summer.
But there was just one note in the opening that was so delightful. I have to share it. You can hear me flipping pages. He introduces each chapter with a speech and a quote from that speech. But he has this funny little note in the beginning of the book that says, "The quotations you see on the title page of each chapter aren't technically quotations because they feature unspoken words from never delivered speeches." But the Chicago Manual of Style doesn't have a guide for that, so he put them in quotation marks. But they're not really because it was never said. And I just thought, Huh?
Laurel Korwin [00:36:08] Oh, that's so interesting. Such a weird quirk.
Anne Bogel [00:36:11] Yeah, like what an interesting truth to hold in your hands. Actually, that kind of feels like a coding problem, Laurel.
Laurel Korwin [00:36:18] Yeah. No, that's really interesting. Especially, I'm just really sort of impressed by the scope of that project, having to research and find and dig up all those speeches. I'd love to know how he did that. He probably talked about it in the introduction or what have you, but that sounds really interesting. And to your point, kind of an alternative history, and especially for speeches where I was alive and sort of remember the context or the situation, imagining the delivery of that undelivered speech could be really interesting and really powerful.
Anne Bogel [00:36:48] I hope so. I think it might be a fit for you and I hope you enjoy it.
Laurel Korwin [00:36:52] Thank you so much.
Anne Bogel [00:36:54] Okay. Next, I think I want to take you back in time to the Troubles in Ireland. How does that sound?
Laurel Korwin [00:37:00] Oh, that sounds really interesting.
Anne Bogel [00:37:02] Okay, Laurel, none of these books are terribly long. I think Undelivered might be the longest one I'm currently contemplating and it's just under 400 pages. The book I have in mind for you about the Troubles is Trespasses by Louise Kennedy.
This is her first novel. It just came out last November 2022. The reason I like it for you is because of what you said about worldbuilding. Like you want to feel like you are there. You want to experience the time and place.
So, ostensibly, this is a story of forbidden romance set in Northern Ireland during the 1970s, during the Troubles. And you could read lots of interesting nonfiction about the Troubles, too. Patrick Radden Keefe has an amazing book about the Troubles. But we're taking you there fictionally.
So in this book, a young woman, she's Catholic, her name is Cushla, she makes her living tending bar and she falls in love with a man who is older, of a different social class, married and perhaps worst of all, a Protestant to her Catholic.
So what happens is they see each other in the bar, they're interested immediately, but things don't really get rolling until Michael asks her to teach him and some of his friends to speak Irish. Those lessons are very interesting. One thing leads to another.
But what I like about this book for you is the backdrop of this story. It's gritty. It's realistic. It is just brilliantly illustrated in these pages because you can see how to Cushla and to Michael and to all their friends the Troubles are just the backdrop of their life, their vocabulary.
Like the children in Cushla's class, she's a school teacher, talk about what's happening in the news, and they use words like incendiary device and rubber bullets and booby trap. These are the vocabularies of 7-year-old children because it's what's happening.
And people are disappearing and there's fear, and you don't go certain places, you don't go with certain people and you look out. And her being involved with a Protestant is bad, bad, bad for all these reasons but it's just taken for granted in the text. But as a reader, reading from 2023 California, in your case, you're not taking it for granted. You're just sunk deeply into what it would be like to live as Cushla, as Michael during this time.
But in addition, there are so many interesting things about just the way they live apart from the political trouble. Like Michael is an upper-middle-class bohemian and you see what they're eating and what's on the walls and how they answered the telephone and what that telephone looks like and what's gracing the coffee table and the kitchen counter.
And Cushla's family too. Her Catholic family, they're bar keepers, like what their lives are like, what their homes are like, what they talk about, how she gets involved in her students' life when something terrible happens at school. There's so much texture and granular detail here that I think you will find it really, really interesting, maybe even as much as the history.
Also, she's so good with language and a turn of phrase. And I hope that you will also find the structure and framing of the novel as a whole elegance because it's not a straightforward linear narrative. It's a bit more stylized than that. Laurel, how does that sound to you?
Laurel Korwin [00:40:13] That sounds really interesting. I did read and really enjoyed the Patrick Radden Keefe. I think it was Say Nothing.
Anne Bogel [00:40:20] Yes, that's the one.
Laurel Korwin [00:40:22] Yeah. I haven't read a lot about it previously, so it was really interesting. And this sounds like a similar sort of deep dive. I really love the sound of all those sort of textural details almost, so that you can get the real feel for the world. That's exactly the kind of thing that I really love in fiction. So I'd be excited to check that out.
Anne Bogel [00:40:40] I'm so glad to hear it. Okay, next. Do you want to stay in the 20th century or do you want to go way back to the first?
Laurel Korwin [00:40:47] Oh, let's go way back.
Anne Bogel [00:40:49] Okay. So this is a sleeper popular genre novel. You have chosen a story of Pompeii. This is called A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii. So the concept here is that there are six interlocking stories, and each is penned by a different author. Some of the names you will know, some of them I'm fairly certain you will not.
Kate Quinn is the one who first drew me to this particular collection. She was the name I knew at the time. The others are Ben Kane, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot, Vicky Alvear Shecter, and Stephanie Dray. And each one of these, when this was published in 2014, was already very accomplished in their own right.
And unlike many such collections of compiled stories, there are no weak links here. I don't know what their process was for putting this book together, but I would be fascinated to find out because each author weaves threads from the other stories into their own, which means you do have a novel. This is not a short story collection.
I'm not as familiar with the other author's work, but something I thought was really fun about Kate Quinn's story, which is called The Senator, is that she brings back two characters from her stand-alone novels into this story of Pompeii. And every author is writing about a character from a different social class, different background, different experience of that fateful day in Pompeii. Because the story does unfold over the course of one day, and it is the story that Vesuvius erupts.
So not only do each of these six focal characters in the short stories have their personal dramas happening, the whole time Vesuvius is rumbling in the background, and people are starting to realize, like, "Hey, what is up?"
Obviously, Pompeii was leveled by Vesuvius. This is not a place you can visit. And I think you may really enjoy going back to imagine like, what... Not only what was happening in that community. What did it look like? What did it sound like? How did it feel? Because there is a lot of that texture and granular detail here that we talked about with Trespasses just now that you enjoy. You love stories that do that significant worldbuilding, and these authors are all very good at that.
But also you get to see the details of their individual lives, the senator, the gladiator, the wife. And you get the compilation of what happened on that day back then with so much attention to historic detail. Laurel, how does that sound to you?
Laurel Korwin [00:43:18] That sounds really interesting. I really love the take on the point of view changes from actual different authors. I think that that would be a really interesting read. And I also really love the sound of what you described with Kate Quinn sort of bringing in a character from her other book. I think that that's really interesting and would sort of give me a fun breadcrumb to explore some of her other writing. But yeah, definitely sounds like an impossible destination, my initial project.
Anne Bogel [00:43:42] Now, you mentioned having a lot of books that you already want to read, which makes me feel less bad about not handing you a massive, massive book you could really dig into, like the 860-page Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois. This one is just over 300 pages, but I hope that it feels sweeping to you. And like how cool to go back to the first century in the pages of a book, which, as you said, is the only way you can get there.
Laurel Korwin [00:44:09] Yeah, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:44:11] Well, Laurel, I'm so excited to hear what you think and what you think you might read next. So of the books we talked about today, we discussed Jeff Nussbaum's Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, the recently released novel of the Troubles and the multi-authored book about Pompeii, A Day of Fire. Of those books, what do you think you may pick up next?
Laurel Korwin [00:44:39] It's really hard to pick, but I'm sort of drawn to Undelivered. I just feel that reading all of those sort of almost lost-to-history, alternate-history sort of speeches would be really interesting. And I'd be really intrigued, to your point, to kind of read the introduction and see how he ties them all together and how he describes them and think about them in the context of what I've experiences of history.
Anne Bogel [00:45:02] Laurel, I'd love that for you. And I hope you find it fits just right.
Laurel Korwin [00:45:06] Thank you so much. It's been such a pleasure.
Anne Bogel [00:45:08] Oh, thank you. Thank you for talking books with me today.
Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Laurel and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Let us know in the comments at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com, where you'll also find the full list of titles we talked about today.
Readers. I talked a lot about the Summer Reading Guide at the top of this episode, but if you want those updates in writing right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Productions. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:
• The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh
• This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race by Nicole Perlroth
• Do Not Disturb: The Story of a Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad by Michela Wrong
• The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
• A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honoree Jeffers
Blackout by Connie Willis
• All Clear by Connie Willis
• To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding, Its Apocalyptic Weather, Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-class Metropolis by Sam Anderson
▵ When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown by Anne Glenconner
• The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor–The Truth and the Turmoil by Tina Brown
• The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown
• Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
• Speak, Memory: An Autobiography Revisited by Vladimir Nabokov
• Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten Historyby Jeff Nussbaum
• Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
• Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
• A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii by Kate Quinn et al.
The post An “impossible” travel reading project appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s Oaks Day here in Louisville, which means the kids are off school, the streets are festive, and I …. am deep in Summer Reading Guide edits! I rather like how these two big things—Derby and our Guide—have comingled these past twelve years, but might I suggest you don’t have to be a Louisvillian to enjoy red roses, fresh-cut mint, or Derby Pie?
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
The Summer Reading Guide is coming May 18!Anne talks about what to expect for this year’s MMD Minimalist Guide and 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide The TWELFTH annual Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing event will be here on May 18. I recorded this short video to talk about what to expect from this year’s MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide and how to get the MMD Summer Reading Guide if you’d like. I hope you’ll watch the video. Highlights are shared below!
• The MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide will appear on the blog as a blog post on May 18. It’s completely free and available to all.
• This year’s Minimalist SRG includes twelve titles! We announced six of those titles right here; the remaining six will be announced on May 18.
• There are three ways to get the full 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide:
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte
• If you would like to hear more about what’s different for 2023 Guide pricing and why, please check out this post and video. I go into detail there.
• Ginger and I recorded a fun bonus episode discussing the difference between Book Club and Patreon. It’s called By popular request: Anne and Ginger talk Patreon vs Book Club. We’ve made this publicly available so anyone can listen (that means even if you’re not a patron, you can listen to this episode!
We hope you’re excited! If you have questions we didn’t answer, please share them in comments.
My favorite finds from around the web:Ahead of the strike, writers from The Bear, CSI: Vegas, and more tell us what it’s really like behind the scenes. (The AV Club) The Writers Guild of America are now on strike after negotiations failed. It’s not hard to understand why after reading this piece.
This simple Pasta With Bacon, Cheese, Lemon and Pine Nuts was a huge hit at my house this week. (New York Times Cooking gift link) Delicious and easy for a weeknight; we served in big bowls with rotisserie chicken and green beans.
Our 20 Favorite Music Memoirs. (Esquire) Lots of great backlist picks here.
7 steps to read “hard” books. (MMD) A reliable process for reading books with difficult subjects and themes. Such a great conversation on the blog this week!
Colorado Is Not a Rectangle—It Has 697 Sides. (Atlas Obscura) Nerd alert: I found this fascinating.
I love my Target wreath … but if you’re inclined to splurge, golly these botanical wreaths are pretty.
Please Eat in the Library. (Taste) “Libraries have long remained viable by shape-shifting to meet the needs of their communities far beyond lending books.”
Did you know you can purchase a LEGO typewriter?! Me either!
My Taste Is Basic. So What? (Harper’s Bazaar) Gosh, I love this. Samantha Irby shares how the simple phrase “I like it!” changes the conversation when the things we love are criticized.
Read Your Way Through Edinburgh. (The New York Times gift link) I’ll read anything Maggie O’Farrell recommends, including travel and book recs in the Times.
I’m a huge fan of Maeve’s Collette Cropped Wide-Leg Pants at Anthropologie, and I just discovered this darling denim version. (Your mileage may vary, but when I ordered my “backordered” pants last week they arrived three days later.)
The Most Walkable Cities in America. (The Thrillist) My kind of content.
15 favorite novels about sibling relationships. A favorite reading category: novels that make the sibling relationship—and not romantic love, marriage, or parent-child bonds—primary.
What the Longest Study on Human Happiness Found Is the Key to a Good Life. (The Atlantic) “Nearly all of us have people in our lives whom we’d like to see more. Are you spending time with the people you most care about?”
Libro.fm has a special pre-order campaign for The Postcard, one of our MMD Book Club summer selections. When you pre-order The Postcard through your local bookstore, you can receive a complimentary audiobook copy by submitting your receipt.
51 Things in Europe That Every Traveler Needs to Experience. (Condé Nast Traveler)
From our archives:12 remarkable YA retellings for readers of all ages. See classics, fairytales, and myths in a brand-new light with these YA retellings!
10 beauty favorites I use (almost) every day. I look for reliable, dependable products that look good and go on easy so I can keep my morning makeup routine to three minutes or less.
16 page-turning mysteries that aren’t too dark and gloomy. A list of favorite mysteries that fall squarely within the confines of the genre, yet maintain a hopeful tone throughout.
Mark your calendars: May 8: How to Get More Out of Book Club: We like to think of MMD Book Club as a buffet. We have a lot of options for our members but there’s no pressure for everyone to do everything. We want you to choose what looks good to you, and what will enhance your reading life. This class will help members think about how they want to experience the Book Club buffet.
May 18: 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing events
May 23: Live discussion with Dolen Perkins-Valdez: It’s time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of Take My Hand with the author!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Reading is personal; we are all drawn to different sorts of stories, themes, and styles. My own reading logs reflect my love of fiction about complicated families, including stories focused on the complexities of sibling relationships. I don’t think I even realized I enjoyed reading about siblings until Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, but ever since enjoying that book, I’ve kept my eye out for novels that make the sibling relationship—and not romantic love, marriage, or parent-child bonds—primary.
The sibling bond isn’t often featured in fiction, which is a shame because there’s so much to explore in those early childhood bonds. Siblings share parentage, they often grow up together, often live in the same house. Their life experiences are—to a degree—similar. And yet most siblings are very, very different from each other. Why is that, and how does it happen? These are the questions I enjoy seeing novelists answer in the pages of a good novel.
This book list features many of my favorite sibling stories, along with two that I look forward to reading, as they come highly recommended. I’m always keeping my eye out for more great fictional stories about siblings that I can read next—please share your recommendations for sibling stories in the comments section!
Sibling stories Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Elizabeth Strout
This is the story of the Burgess siblings: elder brother Jim and twins Bob and Susan. When Susan’s son Zack is charged with a hate crime in his Maine town, the brothers—both NYC attorneys—spring into action, working closely together as they seek to help the young man. As the three siblings try to navigate the charges against Zack, it quickly becomes apparent how many hard feelings permeate this family: they may love each other, but they don’t like each other. The reader learns why as the family history unspools, revealing just how much these siblings’ lives have been marked by a tragic event that happened long ago. More info →Author: Aimee Bender
When Rose bites into the cake her mom made for her ninth birthday celebration, she tastes sadness in it, and she doesn't understand why or what that means. But slowly it dawns on her that she can taste other people's feelings in the food they make: an unusual talent that often feels like a curse. Her brother has a similarly strange ability: he can withdraw from others so thoroughly that it is as if he literally disappears. Despite the whimsical premise the story is quite sad, as it shows how two siblings each struggle to cope in their own way with the disappointing and destabilizing behavior of the adults in their lives. More info →Author: Fatima Farheen Mirza
I adored Mirza's slow-burning debut about an Indian-American Muslim family, which skillfully probes themes of identity, culture, family, and generational change. "I am to see to it that I do not lose you," reads the epigraph (Whitman), and the story wonders if, despite our best intentions, one might nevertheless wound someone they love deeply enough to lose them forever. The story opens with the oldest daughter’s wedding: the bride scans the crowd for her beloved yet rebellious brother, hoping he'll appear despite being estranged from the family for years. Through a series of flashbacks, and in rotating points of view, Mirza examines the series of small betrayals that splintered the family, skillfully imbuing quotidian events—a chance meeting at a party, a dinner conversation about a spelling test, a seemingly run-of-the-mill sibling spat—with deep significance, showing how despite their smallness, they irrevocably alter the course of the family’s life. More info →Author: Tara Conklin
I love a story within a story: this sweeping family saga begins with Fiona Skinner, renowned poet, revealing the story behind one of her famous poems—which leads to the tale of her and her siblings. Early tragedy forged a strong bond between the four Skinner children, but it also broke them in ways that didn't become apparent for many years. Decades later, another unfolding tragedy makes them question everything they know about their family. The story feels intimate yet expansive, while exploring the power of stories and the bonds that keep us together. More info →Author: Ann Patchett
You know I love sibling stories and meaty family sagas; I'm also drawn to tales told with a reflective, wistful tone. This one delivers on all counts. Cyril Conroy means to surprise his wife with the Dutch House, a grand old mansion outside of Philadelphia. But what some consider a symbol of wealth and success is to others a symbol of greed and excess—including, crucially, Cyril's wife—and the family falls apart over the purchase. In alternating timelines, we get the whole story, spanning five decades, from Cyril's son Danny. When the family collapses, he and his older sister Maeve face poverty and loss, and shelter one another from loneliness and abandonment. I never wanted this to end. More info →Author: Claire Lombardo
I read this 500-pager in three days. This is the story of a Chicago couple married for forty years and their four grown daughters. In the opening pages, one daughter reveals a huge family secret, and when she does the long-simmering hurts built up over a lifetime come to a raging boil. The novel tracks what happens over the course of the next drama-filled year of every family member's life, as they deal with the fallout of the revelation and the fresh conflict it introduces into the family. More info →Author: Anita Desai
I added this to my TBR when Alice recommended it during our What Should I Read Next episode 371: What should Anne read next?. This family novel follows two sisters who clearly love each other, but whose relationship is strained, who care for their autistic brother at home. The novel flashes back from Old Delhi to their childhood in independence-era India. Intriguingly, Alice said that “reading it was a little bit more like remembering.” I’m excited to give this sibling story a try. More info →Author: Brit Bennett
Identical twins Desiree and Stella grew up in a town so small it doesn't appear on maps. They're closer than close, so Desiree is shocked when Stella vanishes one night after deciding to sacrifice her past—and her relationship with her family—in order to marry a white man, who doesn't know she's Black. Desiree never expects to see her sister again. The twins grow up, make lives for themselves, and raise daughters—and it's those daughters who bring the sisters together again. It's a reunion Stella both longs for and fears, because she can't reveal the truth without admitting her whole life is a lie. More info →Author: Hala Alyan
I was quickly swept up in the story of the complicated Nasr family, with its Syrian mother, Lebanese father, and three adult children flung across the globe. When the patriarch of the family dies, his widow and their three adult children gather in Beirut to sell the ancestral home. The nearly five-hundred page length gives Alyan room to explore each family member in all their complexities—the explosive secrets each is hiding from the others, the long-held hurts and resentments simmering just below the surface, the exasperating familial dynamics they all seem powerless to overcome. More info →Author: Kawai Strong Washburn
When this contemporary literary saga released, everyone raved about it. The premise sells itself: when seven-year old Noa falls overboard a cruise ship on a rare family vacation, everyone gathers around and fears the worst when they see sharks nearby. Instead, Noa is delivered safely back to his mother, and his status as legend is born. But this favor from the Hawaiian gods drives the family apart. More info →Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz
This is the decades-long story of a wealthy Brooklyn family and their triplets—the smart one, the weird one, and the girl—conceived with the help of IVF. For a bevy of reasons this family never quite gelled, and the siblings carry not a trace of affection for each other. Everything changes when the triplets reach college age, and their mother, yearning for some semblance of familial love, decides to thaw the fourth and only remaining embryo and have another child. The arrival of that child—the latecomer—blows up the whole family. Julia Whelan called Korelitz's follow-up to The Plot "the definition of a brilliant slow build," and I so enjoyed watching her patiently set up the explosive reveal at a Martha's Vineyard birthday celebration that takes place in September 2001. An unexpected bonus was the thread of modern art that runs through the book: I googled so many artists and works along the way! More info →Author: Lynn Steger Strong
This intimate family drama unfolds over the course of three days, beginning on December 22. We learn that it's been eight months since the family matriarch died, leaving behind only her house in upstate New York, which her three children all want—or want the proceeds from. Daughter Kate desperately wants to raise her children in the family home, but her brothers think they need the money from its sale just as badly. Now just before Christmas, the adult children and grandchildren gather in that home, and it's only a matter of time before their long-held resentments bubble to the surface. A story of loss, privilege, and family friction, but also of love and belonging. More info →Author: Tracey Lange
A big-hearted, juicy family drama. Five years ago, Sunday Brennan left her small New York hometown, abandoning her parents, three brothers, and devoted fiancé with no explanation. In the present, after a wildly uncharacteristic episode of binge drinking lands her in the hospital, her brother convinces her to come home for a little while to recuperate and help with the Irish American family's struggling bar. Not everyone is thrilled to see the prodigal daughter, and her reappearance eventually causes all kinds of long-held family secrets to finally come pouring out. I loved this for its portrayal of complex family dynamics (especially among the four siblings), its sweet tale of young love, the ever-interesting setting of the bar, and its hopeful—but not tidy—resolution. More info →Author: Jennifer Close
A family drama centered on a close-knit Chicago family and the Irish American bar and restaurant that's been in their family for generations. It seems every Sullivan family member is at a crisis point, and the reader witnesses them working through their life-shifting career and relationship issues against the backdrop of the bar and restaurant, and the Cubs' unexpected World Series-winning season. If you enjoyed We Are the Brennans or The Most Fun We Ever Had, give this one a close look. More info →Author: Ann Napolitano
The author describes her homage to Little Women as "the story of one young man, four sisters, the secrets that threaten to shatter their family, and a love powerful enough to heal it.” I fell completely in love with the Padavano family, and enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and evolved over the decades and generations. The Chicago setting was also a lot of fun. (I did so much googling for places and locations!) Readers, there are A LOT of difficult things in these pages: it might break your heart, but know that ultimately, it's a redemption story. More info → Do you have a favorite novel about siblings? Tell us all about it in comments!
P.S. 25 family sagas that will sweep you away and 20 notable novels featuring family secrets.
The post 15 favorite novels about sibling relationships appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest struggled with reading for pleasure after an intense academic program that absorbed much of her free time and energy. Fortunately, she’s found a solution: returning to her reading roots in Young Adult literature helped rekindle her reading life.
Michelle Acierno Loftus, a veterinary radiologist who lives in Seattle with her husband and young son, joined a YA book club as a way of keeping reading on her radar during a busy season in her life. She’s found that the combination of a book club focused on a genre she’s always loved, and a community of similarly inspired readers, has helped her feel more fully like the reader she wants to be.
I’m excited to hear about the role YA books have played in her life and suggest titles that will continue to infuse this delight into her reading experience.
Let Michelle know about the books you think she should read next in the comments section below.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] I think it might be good, cheeky, murdery fun for you?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:00:04] Yes. And you're reminding me why I put it on my holds list to begin with.
Anne Bogel [00:00:10] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:44] Right now, summer is just around the corner and we have good stuff for you. We have the perfect tote bag for all of your warm-weather activities. Our What Should I Read Next? tote is a nice blend of cute and functional, which means it's a great choice no matter where you are toting your books this season. Take it on trips to the library or the bookstore, pack up a picnic for a day in the park or load the paperbacks, towels and sunscreen for a visit to the pool or the beach.
We've also got summer-ready short-sleeve tees that proudly proclaim your love of reading and that you will tell us our wonderful conversation starters. See all our merch and order your What Should I Read Next? gear at modernmrsdarcy.com/store.
[00:01:24] Readers, today's guest felt burned out on reading after completing an intense academic program, but rekindled the spark of readerly joy by reconnecting with her reading roots in young adult literature. Michelle Acierno Loftus is a veterinary radiologist who lives in Seattle with her husband and young son.
Despite and maybe even because of this busy season in her life, she has kept reading front and center by joining a YA book club. Michelle has discovered that the combination of a true readerly community and a book club dedicated to the section of the library that has always been her first love has helped her truly feel like the reader she wants to be.
I'm so excited to hear about the role these young adult books have played in her life and to maybe recommend a few titles that will continue to infuse this delight into her reading experience. Let's get to it.
Michelle, I'm so glad you're here. Welcome to the show.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:02:16] I am so excited to be here and chatting books with you today.
Anne Bogel [00:02:21] I can't wait to jump in. And Michelle, before we hit record, you were just saying how it's not the most common thing to connect with readers and to talk to our wider audience who really get what it means to love books the way we do.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:02:34] Yes. I feel like that was one thing that I really struggled to find, especially when we moved to Seattle in 2019. You know, immediately the world shut down after that. So I was kind of left with just book podcasts in my ears, but not a lot of people to talk book in my new community. So I was really excited to get to spend more time with a readerly community in person when I found my young adult book club specifically in 2021 when we moved across town in Seattle.
Anne Bogel [00:03:05] Oh, so we know you are a devoted reader, and I'm so excited to dig into that more today. Tell us a little more about yourself.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:03:12] Yeah. So I'm originally from Omaha, Nebraska, and I find myself in Seattle, Washington now with my husband and six-month-old son. I've always loved reading from a young age, but that's looked different throughout my life.
Other things that I love to do besides reading include crocheting and card-making. I am a veterinary radiologist, as you mentioned. So I spent a lot of time in school up until 2019 doing internships and residencies after veterinary school to reading a lot of textbooks and not getting to really read for fun. It was exciting to be able to return back to reading for fun once I got settled in Seattle.
Anne Bogel [00:03:51] I'm so glad you're settled and back to reading more than textbooks again these days. Michelle, you mentioned you've always been a reader. Tell me a little bit more about falling in love with reading.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:04:02] When I was a little girl, most of the things that I remember are just my insane love for books. In elementary school, I just was so excited about the Scholastic Book Fairs. I just wanted to get my hands on all the books when I was there.
And I still have this little stuffed penguin with a little bow tie that I got in elementary school. For one summer, I ended up being the kid that read the most books in some book challenge. I don't think I was even aware that there was a book challenge. I think my mom just like took me to get books from the school library and I would take them and read them home and return them. And then in the end, I found out that I had read the most. But I wasn't trying to win or anything. I really loved reading.
And then growing up, I was really into series. So I liked The Boxcar Children and Little House on the Prairie series. And I liked having my bookshelf in my room. I had all the little series lined up together. And I loved collecting them and seeing like, "Okay, I have like, you know, all 12 books in the series or whatever. I always wanted to get more.
And then when I was a little bit older, at the age when I could babysit and make a little bit extra money, I would always read to my parents when I had just that little bit extra cash and be like, "Can we please go to buy some novel? Can we please go look at some books?"
That was the only thing I wanted to spend my money on for years. I just wanted to go to Barnes and Noble. I was so excited when eventually I got myself a Nook when that first came out. And I was so excited to have access to even more books via the library that way. So I've always loved reading like that since I was little.
And when I was growing up, I feel like I read pretty narrowly. I really liked fantasy and mysteries. I think those tend to be ones that have longer series, the characters you meet them again and again and again. And I loved returning to those series over and over again.
Anne Bogel [00:05:51] Oh, that sounds amazing. And I have to tell you, I really relate to spending all my babysitting money at the bookstore. If you know anything about Louisville, Kentucky, that was Holly Cook Booksellers back in the day. They took all my money and I was happy to hand it over to the good guys.
Tell me about coming through the recreational reading slump that occurred, as it does to so many when you were in an intense period of professional training.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:06:18] So I was able to get a few books here and there during my training. But, you know, when I was going through veterinary school, it was textbook after textbook, many hours of studying, and then clinical training. Then I went on to an internship where I was working overnight some week and then the next week working more normal hours and just, you know, trying to get my feet under me as a new doctor, not really knowing what I was doing.
Residency was a little bit better. I had a little bit more normal hours, but then I had to study for these huge board exams. So when I emerged from that in 2019, one of my very good friends, who is a pretty near book twin to me who I lived with previously, she recommended the Shadow and Bone trilogy to me and I immediately just bought it based off of recommendation.
I usually don't just buy books before I know if I like them or not, but I just went for it. And I just dove into that trilogy. And I was so glad that I had just bought the whole box set because when I got done with one, I could not wait to start the next one.
And I just had this feeling inside of me of like, "Oh yeah, I'm a reader. I love to read." And this is the joy that I felt. And so then I immediately just went into book after book after book. Went to Barnes and Noble, got some more books, went to the library. It just piled on from there.
Anne Bogel [00:07:34] The more things changed.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:07:36] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:07:37] Oh, I love it. I'm glad to hear it. Now, we have a long-standing tradition, actually, in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club of doing YA in May. I'm not even sure how this started. I think it began as an accident where we happened to read two YA books in back to back Mays, and then we made it a tradition. But we're not doing it this year. Instead, we're reading Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. So we need to bring YA in May to the podcast.
And on that note, we were so interested when you sent in your submission and told us about the book club that's made a big difference in your life. Would you tell us a little more about it?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:08:10] So I found my young adult book club in the summer of 2021. As I mentioned before, I'd just moved across town to the east side of Seattle. So I was on Meetup trying to look for ways to meet people kind of emerging from the pandemic.
And there were a lot of book club options, but the one that stood out to me was the young adult one. And specifically because it was a young adult one that was being run by a 20 and 30-somethings. So, you know, not necessarily the target audience for Y.A.. So I thought, "That's intriguing. I've always loved YA, can I get that feeling of Harry Potter back? And can we love books together like we did as kids?"
So we meet every month on a Sunday afternoon in a local coffee shop and we just chat books. What I love about this book club specifically is that it really is all book talk for a good hour and a half to 2 hours. We usually spend at least 30 to 45 minutes on the book that was selected.
And people can get into pretty nitty-gritty details about what's going on and what they thought about it and it doesn't just boil down to like, "Did you like it or not?" And then we move on to other discussions. That's not what I'm looking for. Some book clubs love to do that, and that's great. But when I go to a book club, since I'm making the time to do it in my busy schedule, I want to really talk books. So I love that.
When we pick books, we always do it by group consensus. So every month people bring nominations and then we vote on what we would be most interested in. The only requirements are that it has to be Y.A. and that no one can have read it before so we don't have any preconceived notions.
So what's really interesting is a lot of times the person who nominated it seems to be the most likely the person to not like it when we end up getting back together. So that's happened to me before. But currently the one that we're reading, I nominated and I'm enjoying it so far. So I don't think that'll be the case this time.
Anne Bogel [00:10:05] Can you tell us what it is?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:10:07] The one that we're reading for this month is Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. I'm actually reading that aloud with my husband together because he's a big Brandon Sanderson fan. We're about 100 pages in and we're loving it so far.
Anne Bogel [00:10:19] Oh, that's fun. Is that something you all do very often?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:10:22] Yeah. We started a few years ago back right when we met in Texas. And it was interesting because the first book we read was from the Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson, and that's been continued on. So I think it was The Girl in the Hornet's Nest was the one that we specifically read. And we can't remember that book at all, but we had such a good time reading it together.
And then we jumped to Fahrenheit 451 and both absolutely hated it. So it was interesting that we had that up and down. And then we just kept going from there. It's been a little bit harder having a newborn doing that. But yeah, we've kind of found a new rhythm to do it now.
Anne Bogel [00:11:00] Something I've enjoyed hearing about from you is how it seems like you've been determined to find that reading and find a way to make sure that it can remain a priority in your life. I'd love to hear a little bit about that decision if you're able.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:11:15] A big part of that decision was actually driven by this podcast. Because at the end of 2019 was when one of my readerly friends from high school told me about this podcast. I had never even known that book podcasts were a thing. So she was like, "Oh, you should check out What Should I Read Next? It's a really interesting premise. They talk about three books you love, one book you don't, and then they recommend what they should read next." And I was like, "That sounds nice. Maybe that's a good way to hear about more books."
But the interesting thing that happened that I didn't expect was that listening to you chat with all the different guests was that there was such a thing as a reading life. I never thought of it that way before. I identified as a reader, but I didn't think like, Oh, this was something that I could actually work at and prioritize in my life. It's not something that just happens to me.
So all of 2020 when I was gobbling up backlist episodes off of this podcast, I was realizing like, "Oh, I can think critically about my reading. It doesn't just have to be like, Oh, this may work for me, it may not. I could actually go into a book and kind of look at the cover jacket and figure out, Does this sound like something that I actually want to read? Or is this just being talked about by everyone but this isn't my taste?
So I loved hearing you talk to different guests and how they were just so frank about what they loved and what they didn't. And I realized I could do the same thing with my reading life. So I've been so intentional about it ever since.
I'm using a book journal. I started that when I heard you talking about it. And I realized that when I reflected on books, I really understood more of what I loved as a reader and things that I didn't love as a reader, and then it would become more clear to me if I should DNF a book.
Anne Bogel [00:12:54] Was that a journey for you?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:12:56] Yeah, it was about a year and a half long journey, but it was a great one because I feel like I've never been in a better place in my reading life than I am now. I just love it. I love reading even more than I thought I could before, even though I always would have described myself as a reader. Like now I truly feel it to my core.
Anne Bogel [00:13:15] Oh, I'm so happy to hear that, Michelle. And thank you, high school friend, for spreading the book love. Michelle, the question that I really want to ask next is, so what have you learned about your reading life? What do you really enjoy? And what have you found doesn't work for you? But I can see how that may come up when we really dig into your books. Is that the case? Should we jump on in?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:13:34] Yeah. I think it'll probably become apparent then. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:13:36] Okay, Well, I'm excited to hear. You brought three YA books today you loved. How did you choose these?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:13:45] So I flip back through my book journal from the past couple of years, and I just kind of saw which ones like very quickly flipping through it, if I were just like, "Oh yeah, that one, that was a great one." Or if there was one that I've been talking about or wanting to press into people's hands basically since then. But a lot of it was just like that feeling where I just had that spark like, "Oh, I wish I could read that for the first time again, I wish I could experience that anew."
Anne Bogel [00:14:15] Oh, books that have the spark. That's such a good way to put it. Okay, well, I can't wait to hear. Tell me about the first book you really love.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:14:23] The first book is Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz. So this is set in Edinburgh in 1817, and it follows a young girl named Hazel, and she is from High Society. Her job is to get married and be a lady of the house, and she wants absolutely none of it. She wants to be a surgeon. And back in 1817, that is not an option as a woman.
So she decides that she is going to pose as a boy to go to school to become a surgeon. That is definitely catnip for me. A girl posing as a boy to go where women are not allowed in society, I have loved that since I was super young.
There's also a nice counterbalance with her love story with Jack, and he's a resurrection man, so he has to go around and like dig up bodies to be used by the surgeons to dissect and like teach. Because they don't have cadavers back in that time, they just need to go find dead bodies. So they just basically do a grave robbing.
So these two characters, Hazel and Jack, kind of come together because Hazel needs someone to find bodies to practice on because she's like really not supposed to be learning how to be a surgeon. And so Jack can get them for her.
There's a little bit of, you know, magic in this one, like just a touch. But really, this one surprised me because it is set in a historical time. And I wouldn't say that I'm a big fan of historical fiction, but I have found kind of the sweet spot where if it's historical fiction and it has a little bit of touch of magic, it's really been magical to me when I'm reading it. This one, just because it was so based on anatomy and that early time in medicine, which has always fascinated me, that just was the sweet spot for me.
Anne Bogel [00:16:12] I'm wondering... Michelle, I don't know a lot about veterinary science. It's only from taking Daisy, my childhood dog, to the vet. But I'm wondering how much overlap this book does have with your chosen profession.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:16:25] I think it has a lot because actually when I was in veterinary school, I was very strongly considering becoming a surgeon. So I felt like I identified with Hazel immediately. Like, Oh, I want to do this thing. It's typically a boy's club, you know. But I really wanted to do it.
I ended up going the radiology route for multiple different reasons. But radiology is the most heavily steeped in anatomy outside of surgery. So the fact that this was so... Like when she was dissecting the bodies and talking about all the anatomy and all the actual anatomic Latin words for it, I was just like, "Oh." It was catnip for me. It was great.
Anne Bogel [00:17:02] That sounds made to order. Michelle, tell me about the second book you love.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:17:08] The second book is called The Future of US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. This is set in 1996. And what's cool about this book is that I feel like it really speaks to my generation as a millennial. So it centers on Josh and Emma and they’re childhood friends and neighbors who are now in high school, and they're coming of age in a time when the internet is also coming of age.
So they get this AOL CD that they're going to put on their computer. But instead of just, you know, getting access to the internet, all of a sudden, they find themselves on Facebook. Well, it's 1996, Facebook doesn't exist yet. So they're looking at themself and their Facebook pages, they can only see their Facebook pages 15 years into the future. And they're like, what is this? We don't understand. Hey, I look like I'm in my late twenties. What's going on? Hey, it says that I'm married. Who is this person?"
One of them really likes what their future Facebook page looks like, and the other is very dissatisfied with it. And they find, as the story goes along, that as they make decisions in their present-day in high school, their Facebook page changes by the day. So then they're trying to game the system and decide should they be trying to worry about their future? Should they even be looking? Should they uninstall this program? And so it unravels from there.
So it was very interesting and I felt like really was made for my generation because I can remember what it was like to get on AOL and get on the chat messages with my friends. Like I would run home from school in high school and we'd all get online and we'd start talking to each other there. It reminded me of that time so much. I felt such nostalgia reading this book.
Anne Bogel [00:18:46] I mean, that is such an incredible premise.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:18:48] Yes. And it was written very well. I felt like it was very true to being a high schooler. I felt like I was right back there. And the level of romance that they put in there I thought was just right, and the protagonist acted true to age, but not too angsty.
Anne Bogel [00:19:05] Oh, okay. I like that description. Why did you choose to complete your favorites list?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:19:11] So the third book I love is called Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger. The thing that brought me to this book was I just randomly picked it off the shelf at Barnes and Noble because it had a pretty cover. And I looked at the back and one of the blurbs said, like, "A mashup of Pokemon and Avatar, The Last Airbender." And I was like, "Ooh, I like those things."
And then I looked at that further and read the jacket cover and could see that was from four different points of view. So one is a soldier that's dealing with a curse and trying to figure out how to go on with their life. One is a prince who's not really ready to take over the throne but has to.
Another is a really quirky detective who's always smoking a pipe, but she's also like a princess in disguise and doesn't want anyone to know that. But she was my favorite character. And then the fourth one is a thief who's always been, you know, trying to scrap by fending for herself. But of course, throughout the book has to lean on others to get things done.
What I loved about this book was every point of view was so strong. I always wanted to stay within the current point of view. But when the next one came up, I was like, "Oh, but I am excited to get back to that other character." All the storylines interwove so beautifully, the pacing was perfect.
I also did feel like the tie back to like manga and anime. And when I read the author's note at the end, it was clear that he spent his childhood watching as much anime as I did. And he loved all the references to food and anime. So there's a lot of descriptions of food in here.
And I just felt that the kind of made-up Asian world that touched on all those different Asian countries, you know, the heart of the book just felt like, again, it's kind of like this nostalgia feel for me. I can remember spending countless hours watching anime as a child. So this book kind of just encompassed all that love that I had for anime in a new form that I just did not see coming. So it was a surprising hit for me and one that I still want my husband to read because I think he would love it too, as an anime lover.
Anne Bogel [00:21:12] It sounds like that might be a kind of conversation that you all have had a time or two.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:21:17] Yes. I have definitely recommended plenty of books to him. I've had to kind of get to know his reading preference a little bit, but it was actually really interesting. He would always talk about how he loved books, but I didn't see him reading so much in the early years of our relationship on his own. He would read the read-alouds with me, but not much else.
And then it was interesting, after listening to your podcast, I think you were talking about Ready Player One one time, and I was like, "You know what? That sounds like something that I think my husband would like." So I got him that for Christmas. He devoured the Christmas of 2020 and has nonstop been reading since. It was like the catalyst for his newfound reading life as an adult. So it's been so fun to read alongside him and then we find books that we want to read together. Like most recently, it was Project Hail Mary. He fell in love with that book.
I was rereading that a second time with him after I recommended it for like months on. And I was like, "You have to read this book, you'll love it." And he still talks about it to this day. He's still sad that it ended.
Anne Bogel [00:22:15] Which is sad, but also such a good way to feel about a book.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:22:19] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:22:20] Okay. Oh, I love that he found his book that sparked him as well.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:22:23] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:22:24] I mean, thanks to you, we need to acknowledge that.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:22:29] It worked out.
Anne Bogel [00:22:30] So you said that you've identified the things that really work for you in your reading life with the books that you're drawn to and that you've also put your finger on some things that don't work as well for you. And that brings us to a book that didn't work out for you. What did you choose for this?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:22:43] So for this I chose Alive by Scott Sigler. Basically what this came down to was that this was too reminiscent of the Lord of the Flies, which I never liked in school, and I just did not connect with. I don't like kids being pitted against each other and killing each other, basically, because they can't regulate their own emotions. They're kind of left to fend for themselves and... I don't know.
It did not work for me at all because it just gave those vibes and I've just learned that I don't like that kind of book. It had such an interesting premise that we were all excited about. This was one of our book club picks and it was almost universally disliked by the time we got to the discussion because it was like, "Oh, these teenagers wake up and they're in coffins.
So they get out of these coffins in this room and they have no memory of why they got there. So then they have to figure out why are they there, you know. So that sounds really interesting. Like, why would they be in coffins but they're still alive? Why are they all just a bunch of kids? It has such a great premise, but it left us wanting.
And I think part of the problem too was, as it was written, they had been put in these coffins when they were around 11 or 12, so more middle grade. But then physically they were, you know, young adult, so like 17, 18. But they didn't know how to be in a more mature body. So I think part of it was it wasn't as YA as I wanted it to be because the characters weren't mentally as mature. So I think I struggle with that as well, because even though technically it was a YA book, it almost more read middle grade to me.
Anne Bogel [00:24:21] Mm-hmm. Which is not what you're looking for right now, and definitely not for your book club either.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:24:26] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:24:27] Okay. So you said that the opinion on this one was near universal, but does that happen a lot in your book club?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:24:33] No. Usually, there is a pretty good split, and I love that because there's always so much good discussion about it. Like inevitably when we start off like, Okay, just general feelings, what did everyone think? There's one person who immediately else, "I loved it," another person, "I hated it." So there is almost always that split. And then there's a lot of people that are just kind of like, "Oh, I like some parts and not others." But it's very rare that we almost all dislike it or really like it.
Anne Bogel [00:25:00] Well, that sounds like you will have in your group of readers together just the continual makings for a really amazing conversation.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:25:08] Yes, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:25:10] I'm so glad you have that. Michelle, what have you been reading lately?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:25:14] So currently I'm reading All of Us Villains and All of Our Demise, which is a duology by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman. And this is a really interesting take on The Hunger Games type story where these seven magical families send teenagers to a death match so that they can keep control of high magic within their community. And it's once every generation, so they don't have to do it every year, but every 20 years they do.
The interesting part about it is that, I mean, it's called All of US Villains because really these kids view themselves as villains. And some kids love it, like they want to be the champion and they want to go to this tournament and they really identify as a monster and really dark inside. And there's others who are... like it's thrust upon them and they just think, "Well, I'm just going to die. My family just forsaken me or whatever."
But, you know, I love The Hunger Games and I read that years ago, and I feel like it's hard to get that same kind of magic as that book did. But this is reminiscent of it, but in a totally different way. So I'm loving it. The characters are written so well. It's from four or five different points of view. I love every point of view. The chapters are kind of short, so you really like keep the pace going throughout it. So I'm about 100 pages out from finishing it and loving it so far.
And then the second thing that I'm reading right now, which I mentioned before, is Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. I'm reading that aloud with my husband. We're about 100 pages in. And this is about a girl who wants to go to pilot school but her family has a history that kind of prevents her from being accepted as first.[00:26:51]
So she kind of gets in on a loophole. So she is like going to school to become a pilot but can't access the dormitories, can't eat there, has to go live in a cave and stuff. So she's really fighting to become a pilot and she just wants to get into the sky. We just started this one, but it's really pulled us in, really enjoying it. So yeah, I'm looking forward to finishing that within the next couple of weeks before my next book club meeting.
Anne Bogel [00:27:17] Oh, it sounds like fun. Are you making notes for the things you know you want to talk about there?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:27:22] I usually don't make any notes that all more than I would in my book journal. And it's interesting, sometimes if it's one for my book club, I will wait to make notes about it until we have our discussions so that I can include what I thought kind of before and after our discussion because it will change. Sometimes I would rate or like a book. But I don't go in with anything specific more than just kind of thinking about it. I never make any notes.
Anne Bogel [00:27:46] Okay, That is good to know. Michelle, I wonder if we would have an altogether different conversation if we were talking about books you liked in the adult section of the bookstore and library. Do you want to share what you might have chosen for your favorites if we were having that conversation today?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:28:02] Sure. So, yeah, I have a few different options. So the first one is called The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro. This is a novel that follows a woman who's an artist. And although she wants to have her own gallery and make a name in the art world, she's stuck having to do art forgeries as a living, as part of, you know, not something that's underground or anything, but, you know, just like the mass reproductions that you could go and buy at a home store nearby.
But she's kind of brought into this kind of shady business deal where a guy comes to her and says, "Hey, I have the original of this painting that was stolen years ago from an art gallery, and I want you to make a forgery of it." So she's trying to figure out like what's the morality of this? Should I do it?
And then as she's starting to make the forgery and researching to do it, she begins to think, I'm not sure that this is the real painting either. This doesn't fit. So then there's the whole mystery of where is the actual painting that was stolen and can they find it? So that drives the novel.
Another book that I've loved is called The Marrying Type by Laura Chapman. I discovered this book because the author went to the same high school as me a couple of years above me. And when I found out multiple years ago that she was writing books, I've been sure to check them out whenever they've been released and have been buying them as they come out over the years.
This book is a sweet romance and was kind of my first adventure into the romance genre. Before I read this book, I don't think I even had a proper concept of what a romance novel even was, what the genre could hold for me.
So this book is about Elliot, and she is a wedding planner and she is part of a family business and they're struggling. So she reluctantly takes an offer to be part of a reality TV show that's going to follow four different wedding planners. So she agrees to do this to save her family business. But what she doesn't expect is that she's going to be encountering her ex very shortly. The wedding that she has to cover involves her ex because the bride's brother is her ex-boyfriend from college. So, of course, sparks will fly, drama will happen. So this was just a really sweet romance.
Anne Bogel [00:30:27] Tell me more about not understanding romance.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:30:30] I think my prior notion of the romance genre and portion of the bookstore was misconstrued based on certain types of cover art that has been common in romance, such as the, quote, bodice rippers. So when I would walk by that section of the bookstore, I would see these covers, these two bodies pressed together and, you know, the woman like partially undressed. And a lot of times they didn't even have like heads in the covers. So I thought, "That seems really racy. I don't really know that I'm interested in that type of book."
And a lot of the cover art made it seem like it was set in historical times. And as I mentioned before, I'm not really too into historical fiction. So those two things together just made it seem like romance really wasn't the genre for me.
Of course, I've since discovered that romance is a huge genre and has so many different things that it can offer. I've realized that really where the sweet spot for me with romance is, is that it has to be contemporary. So through books like The Marrying Type, I realized that I could really love this genre. And I have fallen head over heels for a lot of the books in this genre, so I actually read this quite extensively now. So I'm thankful for Laura Chapman for getting me into a genre that I didn't even know I would love and now I love a lot.
Anne Bogel [00:31:56] Well, that's so fun. I'm glad your connection to the author led you into the genre. That sounds really serendipitous.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:32:02] Yes. The third book is called MWF Seeking BFF My Yearlong Search For A New Best Friend By Rachel Bertsche. This book was just a hoot. I read it in 2019 right when we had moved to Seattle, had no friends here, we have no connection here.
This is narrated by the author. So I read this as an audiobook, and she just had the best voice for this. But basically, she talks about how she wanted to make friends when she moved to a new city. So she had just moved to Chicago with her husband, she was like the same age that I was, and she was like, "How do I find a new best friend? All my best friends live far away, like states away. And it's great I could spend, like, you know, a couple of days a year seeing them on a trip. But how do I make friends that live where I live that I can call up and say, 'Hey, do you want to go to brunch in an hour?'"
And I was like, "Yes. I am this woman. I want to know what she did. This could be my playbook for how to make friends in my new city.
So she basically just treated it like dating, which I found so hilarious. She, like, went on a bajillion first best friend dates and kind of went through the struggles of what it's like to try and make friends when you're no longer in school and kind of have automatic friendships made because you're all put into the same pressure cooker together.
So I just connected with this author so much. And she just had a really funny way of telling her story. So I flew right through it and I loved listening to her in my ears.
Anne Bogel [00:33:33] That sounds like the right book at the right time. I'm so glad you found it.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:33:37] Yes, it was exactly it.
Anne Bogel [00:33:40] Michelle, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:33:42] So at this point, I'm really just looking to be surprised. Because what I've learned over the past few years of being more intentional about my reading life, that even though I've gotten a lot better about self-picking books and knowing what will work for me, inevitably, the books that come out of left corner that I think, "Ah, maybe, but I'm not sure," or books that I have no idea about, like I just literally pick off the shelf and just start reading, those ones I end up rating like five stars or even want to rate them higher. They take me by surprise and I just end up absolutely loving them. So I'm just looking for more of that whimsy and surprise in my reading life.
I would also love any recommendations that you could make specifically targeted at my YA book club. So we found that a lot of times we end up putting up a lot of recommendations of fantasy books more than anything else. And that may just be that there are just a lot of fantasy books in the YA genre book.
One of the great things about YA is that in and of itself it is a genre, but it actually encompasses nearly every other genre. So I would love to see if you could recommend something that's, you know, out of the fantasy and things like that, maybe more contemporary things. Because sometimes those kind of books have been the biggest hit among the group. And we're a little bit fatigued of fantasy, so we'd love to know about some lesser-known gems.
We also always want to get books that are readily available at the library, and so we're never picking the newest releases because we want everyone to be able to avoid having to buy the book if they wouldn't be able to afford that. So if we could get books that are a little bit more backlist then we would be able to bring them to book club sooner rather than later.
Anne Bogel [00:35:29] That's a great list of what you're looking for. In my line of work, I think it's probably useful that I'm always so excited to hear what is on the horizon. And like we're on the cusp of summer reading season, like we're talking about all the new summer titles, and yet it's so satisfying to find a book that's just right for you right now that's been around a while.
It's such a nerdy thrill to find a book that was like flying beneath the radar, but somehow you spotted it and you swooped in and you got it. And it was, oh, you're so glad you read it. So I really like your list here and also your affinity for the library as a group. That's really great to hear. And when people read as much as it sounds like people in your book club read, like the libraries [inaudible 00:36:11].
Thank you, first of all, for reminding me of all the great YA fantasy, because I'm getting so excited about it, like listening to you talk about some of these books. Unlike you, that is not my go-to genre. So I appreciate the opportunity to be reminded of the great books that are outside my typical lane that I gravitate towards.
You appreciate some sleeper hits. And this one is not a sleeper hit. It's fairly popular. But I need to make sure that you all have considered reading Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Have you read that? Is that on your radar?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:36:45] I have not yet read it, but my book club read it like about a couple of months before I joined and they loved it. And they keep recommending it to me. So it is actually on my nightstand right now.
Anne Bogel [00:36:56] Oh, my gosh. Is it really?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:36:58] Yes, it's on my nightstand right now.
Anne Bogel [00:37:00] Okay. So as not to tease our listeners, I will tell you that this story is about a 16-year-old black girl in the South who leaves home after her mom dies and she enrolls in this early college program they have at a real school at USC, Chapel Hill. But when she arrives there, she gets swept up in this whole magical world.
And I can see why your book club is on you to read this, Michelle. Because you like that magical world. This is not historical. This is contemporary, plus the magic. Because when she's on campus, she witnesses what she comes to find out is a demon attack. And afterwards, the perpetrators... like she can't be walking around talking about what she saw. So they try to wipe her memory, but it doesn't work. Instead, what they do in that process is they uncover an important memory that she has buried that links her to a magical past that she hadn't previously consciously remembered.
And when that happens, you got to get some answers. So she infiltrates the secret society on campus called the Legendborn off the title in an effort to find out what is going on. This is actually a loose retelling of the King Arthur Legend. And it's multilayered. It really handles really deftly sensitive and important subject matters that really matter today. And it's got a great twisty plot.
And a sequel that came out in the fall. So this is not the nine-book series that's going to keep you occupied for months, but you have at least one more book to look forward to on the horizon. Was there anything your book club has told you that like really sold you on this to put it on your nightstand?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:38:32] No, it was already like on my radar from listening to book podcasts. So I'd already thought about it. And then I think one time it came up because I think I tried to nominate it and they were like, "Oh, we to just read that right before you joined and we all loved it. You should definitely read it." And then it came up again when the sequel was coming out and people were like, "Have you read it yet? Have you read the sequel yet? And they were all excited to get their hands on it.
Anne Bogel [00:38:57] So you knew you were tracking with your book club when you're recommending a book that everybody loved?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:39:02] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:39:02] Michelle, I think this book may trend a little young for you, but since you did love The Future of US by Jay Asher, I just need to mention a book that has a plot that's like in the same universe. This is by Sarah Mlynowski, who does have a big series for younger kids. But this book is aimed at like a young YA.
It's called Gimme a Call. This book came out at least ten years ago. My memory's a little fuzzy, but the main premise is this. A girl drops her cell phone in the fountain at the mall and breaks it in such a way that the only person that will call is her 14-year-old self. Right now she's 17, so she has the ability to call her younger self and tell her what to do. And it's fun, it's lighthearted, it's inventive. It doesn't grapple with deep, deep issues like some of the YA fantasy you love. But I just felt like I needed to mention that.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:39:56] That actually sounds really good. I like that premise a lot.
Anne Bogel [00:40:00] I mean, honestly, that could be a really fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Okay. I have a book that might fill that bit of a departure slot for you. It's realistic fiction. It's called Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert. Is this one you know?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:40:20] I haven't heard of it.
Anne Bogel [00:40:21] Oh, good. I'm glad to hear it. This came out in the mid-2010s. And it is realistic fiction about a Chinese-American high school senior. His name is Danny. And like we are just joking about with Gimme a Call, this is a story that tackles some really hard topics, but it does so with such warmth and humanity and hopefulness that even though it's dealing with really hard and sensitive things, it doesn't feel bleak like it easily could. Because I don't see that in your fiction at all.
When the story opens, Danny is feeling pretty good about life. He wants to be an artist. That's what he's always wanted. And he has gotten a scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design, like a real place that he's always wanted to go to. It's his dream school. And the scholarship is a very good thing for him because compared to the other kids at his high school, I think it's called Silicon Valley High School, his family doesn't have a lot of money, and that is a constant source of worry for him and his parents.
But then his father loses his job and Danny starts to realize that his parents are keeping some secrets that kind of seem like they're a big deal. Like something major has happened in the past and they've kept it a secret from him, so there's trouble at home.
But then he has trouble in his friend circle as well, because we find out that about a year ago something tragic happened in Danny's circle of friends, and he's been nursing his own private worries about the responsibility he's afraid he might have in that situation that people don't know about.
And Danny is also grappling with feelings for his best friend, Harry. Danny's closeted. He has no idea if these feelings might be reciprocated. And that's a lot for a high school senior to be holding in his heart by himself.
And then we're going to see all these issues swirl around Danny and the people in the book and what happens at home, at school, and in his heart as he tries to deal with all this stuff that he has been dealt. And there's a lot happening in this book, but it's handled with skill and care. I think this could be a sparky kind of book for you.
But I do want to warn you, many readers find the exposition, in the beginning, a little slow for the pieces to come into place. But I really want encourage you specifically, knowing what you love, to have a little patience, because Gilbert really pulls it together. And I think this might be a winner for you and outside your usual lanes.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:42:40] Yeah, that definitely sounds different. Listening to you describe it, it kind of reminds me of a couple YA that I've read, including Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell and then Ace of Spades that we recently read for book club, kind of those more contemporary things that grapple with all sorts of different socio-economic things.
Anne Bogel [00:42:59] And it has that art angle. Like, I don't know if that was an oddball with you really enjoying The Art Forger by B. A Shapiro that does have that strong emphasis in the arts. But that is definitely in the pages of this book.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:43:12] Oh yeah, that's so interesting. Yeah, The Art Forger, that was like kind of out of left field for me, I think, because I spend so much time thinking with my science, you know, left side of my brain. I never knew I could be so interested in art. And then it actually led me to... I was kind of searching for more books like that and then I ended up reading The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd because I needed to have that kind of feeling again of that book. So I'm always looking for things that are different and outside my wheelhouse.
Anne Bogel [00:43:37] Oh, that's so fun. How do you feel about a mystery?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:43:41] Oh, I love mysteries. They're like my first love.
Anne Bogel [00:43:44] Okay, that's good to hear. I feel like I need to disclose... I mean, of course, I need to disclose that this is not actually a YA book. I think it reads like one. I think if I didn't tell you this is not YA, you might assume it's YA and never have any reason to think any differently, unless you found out it won an Alex Award, which goes to an adult novel that the librarians think teens will love. And that is Bellwether Rhapsody by Kate Racculia. Do you know this one?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:44:08] Oh, I think that's on my holds list at the library. And it has been for a while.
Anne Bogel [00:44:11] Oh my gosh. Is it really?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:44:12] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:44:13] Okay. Well, this is also maybe seven, eight years old and it is a mystery. The premise sounds grisly. The reading of the book is not because it has this really quirky sense of humor that keeps it feeling snappy and wry, even as objectively terrible things are happening on the page.
This is also a book with a strong arts component because the setting is a statewide music festival at a stately grand old, maybe haunted hotel, and that is called the Bellwether Hotel off the title. So what happens is there's the statewide music festival, and there are just scads of hormone-fueled teens gathered, staying in rooms, getting into trouble, and competing in a sometimes cutthroat manner during the day in this festival. And they have like fancy composers and conductors and people coming in to evaluate the kids and the pressure's on. But also it's kind of a party because that's how a festival like this is.
So what we find out is that many years before in a room, a notorious room of the Bellwether hotel, there was a murder-suicide. And ever since, that room has been believed to be haunted. So all those years later at this music festival with all these teenagers not really doing a great job of staying out of trouble, a teenage girl disappears from that very same room and everybody has to chase down what happened.
What you find out, as they start investigating, is the kids start investigating, is that everybody is keeping secrets and there's just scandals left and right and no one can be trusted. I think it might be good, cheeky, murderly fun for you, and definitely not in your normal YA fantasy lane.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:46:05] Yes. And you're reminding me why I put it on my holds list to begin with. As you described it, I was like, "Oh, yes, this had all the things." You know, like the mystery. I was in band in high school, so that music element really spoke to me and stuff like that. And going on trips with the band and stuff. I was just thinking like, "Oh, that had to be why I put it on my holds list to begin with. As you were saying, I was like, "Of course, I still want to read this book." It had kind of fallen way down on my holds list, but now I'm going to definitely bump it up for sure.
Anne Bogel [00:46:36] I am so glad to hear it. And I feel like since we started by you talking about the historical fantasies you love with a touch of magic, if they have a touch of magic, maybe we should say because you said that historically isn't what you're drawn to. But apparently an older setting plus that magical element has really... I think you used the word catnip, Michelle.
I have a book in mind. I'm sorry to say there's no surgery, there's nothing that's going to make me think of veterinary medicine, but also, it's not a sleeper hit. This is very popular. But it also means the library will have a whole lot of copies. And that is the Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi. Is this a book that you've read?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:47:15] I haven't heard of it.
Anne Bogel [00:47:16] Oh, really? Okay, well, I'm happy to hear it. This is a historical fantasy. It's set in 1899 Paris, and it's a little bit of high story, a little bit a treasure hunt, and at its center is a crew of friends. And you've mentioned a couple of times that you really enjoy stories that are told from multiple points of view. And something I like about the story for you is it has four.
So in this world, the Order of Babel rules. And what that means is that some people have these forging affinities that they are divinely gifted with. And what this means is that they are able to change or enhance creation. So at the center of this group of friends is this young man named Séverin, and they are involved in exploits together, and in rotating points of view, there's four of them.
We get to find out what they're up to and all about the magic in the world and the competing interests. I think you'll find it a good kind of trouble that they are creating and also trying to overcome. That's not a lot of words for a complex story, but how does that sound? How does that time period heist, adventure...? Do you like the sound of that?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:48:29] It sounds good to me. You are saying words that describe the stuff I like.
Anne Bogel [00:48:35] You're saying words that I like. I'm tempted to pile on. If I was going to pile on the titles that I would throw out for you are... I keep coming back to A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck, who is an eighth-grade language arts teacher himself, which makes me trust him as a storyteller.
But this is a book that is not what I think it first appears to be to a lot of readers. It's a realistic fiction, deals with young love and angst and friendship and grief. It's really well done. I can see how you could talk about it for a long time in book club and have a really meaningful conversation.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a fantasy that has, I think, roots in Korean mythology that I think you could really enjoy, given what you do enjoy. And of course, I say, of course, but maybe it's not on your radar. There's the Jasmine Throne series that I think would be a big hit for you, given what you've loved. It is more squarely in the fantasy lane and you want to step out of that. So we're giving you those options. But also, this isn't a series that you've yet stumbled upon. I feel like it belongs on your radar.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:49:44] Yeah. No, I haven't heard of it.
Anne Bogel [00:49:45] Oh, good. I'm glad to hear it. That's the Jasmine Throne series by Tasha Suri. Michelle, we covered a lot of ground today.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:49:54] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:49:55] How's that feeling?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:49:56] Oh, it's feeling great. It's so great to be able to talk books with you and just exude my love for reading with a fellow book nerd.
Anne Bogel [00:50:05] Well, I really enjoyed the conversation. Now, Michelle, of the books we talked about today, and there were a lot of them, but the ones we spent the most time with were the Legendborn, first and second books by Tracy Deonn, Picture US in the Light by Kelly Lloyd Gilberts, we mentioned Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski, Bellwether Rhapsody by Kate Racculia, and then The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi. Of those books, what do you think you may enjoy reading next?
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:50:42] Well, I think because it's on my nightstand, Legendborn is the next obvious choice to read when I finish my current book.
Anne Bogel [00:50:49] That does feel like an obvious pick to me.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:50:51] But of the ones that just immediately I wanted to just go random pick up was actually Gimme a Call. It just seems like I really want something just light to just jump into this weekend. So I'm also going to look for that in my library. So those two will be up next.
Anne Bogel [00:51:08] I think that sounds delightful. Michelle, thank you so much for talking books and book clubs with me today. It's been a pleasure.
Michelle Acierno Loftus [00:51:14] Oh, pleasure for me too, Anne. Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:51:21] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Michelle and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. And if you have recommendations for Michelle, please leave them there in our show notes post.
Make sure you're on our email list for updates on what's happening in the What Should I Read Next? world. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Find all of the fun and none of the overwhelm in the world of Bookstagram by following @whatshouldireadnext. From shareable moments and quotable quotes to snapshots of what's happening in our corner of the book world, this is a fun place to hang out. And we'd love to connect with you there.
You can also find me on Instagram. I'm there @annbogel. Follow us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts, so you'll see our new episodes right there in your feed.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
[a]Her full name is "Michelle Acierno Loftus". The attribution needs to be updated.
[b]Thanks Leigh. I just updated that.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:
• The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo (#1 Shadow and Bone)
• Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
• Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
• The Millennium series by Stieg Larsson (#2 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest)
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger
• Ready Player One by Ernest Clines
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
▵ Alive by Scott Sigler
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman
• All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman
• The Art Forger by B A Shapiro
• The Marrying Type by Laura Chapman
• MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
• Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski
• Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
• Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
• The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
• A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck
• The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
• The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Also mentioned:• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• The Alex Awards
The post (Mostly) YA books that surprise and stretch me appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Dear Readers, today I’m delighted to welcome MMD team member Shannan Malone to the blog! I love the conversation that inspired this post so much. When Shannan mentioned it could make a good blog post, I could not agree fast enough! I hope you enjoy and appreciate these insights as much as I did. Welcome, Shannan! -a
What’s a “hard” book? For some, it might be a book with different (or dated) language, words, and dialects. For me, it’s a book that deals with difficult subjects and themes.
What makes a subject or theme difficult is subjective and personal. Personally, books that detail historical and societal trauma are ones that I find “hard” to read. These books can be challenging to everyone: the marginalized community experiencing the harm and the rest of society who may be unconsciously inflicting that harm.
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club May 2023 selection, is about the forced sterilization of young girls, specifically Black girls, set in the early 1970s, in my home state of Alabama. I don’t think I would be reading this if it wasn’t this month’s selection.
Earlier this year I had a conversation with friend and fellow reader Valencia Taylor that helped me think more about how to approach these difficult books. Valencia hosts the Well-Read Black Girl Book Club at Bookmarks and she’s also a What Should I Read Next alum. In a WSIRN Patreon bonus episode called How to read hard books and Black joy recommendations, we discussed Valencia’s seven-step process for reading challenging books. With Valencia’s permission, I’m sharing those steps with you as I approach Take My Hand. You can use them to read any hard book, whatever that means to you.
Start with: Define Your Why. Simon Sinek wrote a book titled Start with Why. And that’s where we should always start. (This doesn’t just apply to difficult books!) Why am I reading Take My Hand? Like most of the world, I did not learn much African-American history during my school years and have decided to rectify that. This story is also set in my home state of Alabama.
- Read the bio of the author and watch/read author interviews. Discover the author’s inspiration for writing the book.I oftenfind that I really want to read a book after I hear the author talk about it—and the internet is full of free interviews! The Free Library of Philadelphia hosted Perkins-Valdez in conversation with Asali Solomon. It was an inspiring conversation.
Anne’s interviews with authors are my favorite perk of the MMD Book Club. I’m really looking forward to her interview with Perkins-Valdez on Tuesday May 23 at 1 PM EDT.
-
Read a summary of a book and check for content warnings. I am on record on my inaugural episode of What Should I Read Next? that I will read the ending of a book with a quickness. If a book is a “hard” book, that is something that I definitely do. Who is still alive at the end? What was the conclusion? In Take My Hand, Perkins-Valdez begins the story in 2016, so I assumed the narrator was still alive. That helped me breathe easier! Reading the ending helps me frame where I think the story could go, tempering my emotional anxiety.
-
If a book is historical, research the place/time/person. In Take My Hand, I read the Author’s Note first even though it is at the end of the book. I also researched the real-life case of Relf v. Weinberger on which the book is based. One of the things I learned was that not all the girls sterilized were Black.
-
Decide how you are going to read this book: digital, audio, physical copy.Per Valencia’s observation, reading a book in print allows you to skim over the more difficult sections without losing the momentum of the story, and that’s how I’m choosing to read Take My Hand. I grew up listening to stories on tape (remember those?) and know that audio has a way of implanting scenes and details into my brain that reading with my eyes does not.
-
Pace yourself. Take the book in small bites and pace yourself.I am taking it very slow and will probably finish it after Anne’s chat with the author.
-
Focus on what you’re learning. What am I learning? My decision to stop reading a book (which I didn’t do before discovering Modern Mrs Darcy) often comes down to my why, which for me will always depend on if I’m learning about something that interests me, no matter the genre. If I’m struggling with a book, I can look for a “book flight” that covers the same themes but might prove more palatable to me. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a nonfiction flight pick for Take My Hand. The novel The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead addresses similar themes. Or perhaps I could watch a documentary on the topic?
-
Plan a recovery book. I often read my recovery book while I am reading my “hard” one. I have already dived into an advanced readers’ copy of The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry. My favorite go-to recovery genre is sci-fi/fantasy with heart (which I also talked about recently with Anne in Patreon).
Much thanks to Valencia for allowing me to share her tips with you. If you have any tips for reading “hard” books, I’d love to check them out in the comments. And let me know if you’ll be reading along with MMD Book Club this month!
How do you approach reading “difficult” books? What makes the reading easier for you? Please tell us about your experience and share your tips in comments!
About the authorShannan Malone is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club co-host. Her go-to genre depends on her mood. You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
The post 7 steps to read “hard” books appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s happening this weekend? We’re hanging out with out-of-town family, going to a fun show, and catching up on a whole lot of laundry after a busy week. I also plan to spend some time taking more photos and writing copy for the 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide. More on that below!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
The Summer Reading Guide is coming May 18! Anne talks about what’s in the 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide I recorded a short video (actually short this time: it’s just four minutes!) about what’s in the 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide: 50 new-for-2023 featured selections, sorted into 7 categories, 42 titles in our genre-driven Backlist Bonanza feature, Awesome on Audio, What’s Your Summer Reading Style?, and more.
The Guide drops at 8:00am on Thursday, May 18. Preorder your Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing access now, or get it as a free perk of one of our member communities. (We talk more about how to choose the one that’s right for you on that page.) Your membership gets you all sorts of bookish goodness—and sustains our work for the long haul.
My favorite finds from around the web:‘Frog and Toad’ by Late Jewish Author Arnold Lobel Will Finally Be an Animated Show. (Kveller) Love this! I hope the show captures the magic of the books, the first ones I remember reading to my firstborn when he was tiny.
The 12 Best Cookbooks of Spring 2023. (Eater) Any of these on your radar?
Libro.fm is hosting a terrific sale for Independent Bookstore Day: shop the collection of audiobooks available for $5 or less here.
Every bookstore has its own personality. (MMD) For Independent Bookstore Day (tomorrow!), I asked you to tell us about your favorite indie. The comments section is fantastic!
These 15 Women Are Changing The Way We Travel. (Afar) Such innovators!
Nutrition Science’s Most Preposterous Result. (The Atlantic) I’m not mad about it.
Whatever the Problem, It’s Probably Solved by Walking. (The New York Times gift link) I’m awfully fond of walking, friends. “Walking buoys the spirits in a way that feels real and earned. It feels owned. And walking, like a generous partner, meets us more than halfway.”
I’m a huge fan of the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer, but golly it’s expensive. A friend recently turned me onto the comparable e.l.f. Power Grip Primer, just $10 at Target.
Melba’s Contains Multitudes. (Bitter Southerner) This is my kind of literary program. New Orleans is lucky.
It’s almost Derby Week in Louisville: perhaps you need this evergreen recipe for our signature pie? (Barefoot Contessa)
The Junkification of Amazon. (New York Magazine) “Why does it feel like Amazon is making itself worse? Maybe it’s slipping, showing its age, and settling into complacency. Or maybe — hear me out — everything is going according to plan.”
The Container Store is having a huge BOGO 50% off sale right now: included items include their fabulous rolling book cart in a variety of colors (they don’t specify it’s for books, but it sure is great for that purpose) and their Solid Wood Stackable Folding Bookshelf. (I have a “double” in my office behind my desk. You can see it directly behind me in today’s video.)
ALA Releases Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022. (Publishers Weekly)
From the MMD archives:Books I’m glad I came back to. Some books are worth revisiting.
15 literary novels that will have you compulsively turning the pages. This is one of my favorite (and completely made-up) sub-genres: compulsively readable literary fiction.
8 calming nonfiction books to read when you’re stressed. These titles will help you slow down, breathe deep, and take a well-deserved reading break.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
A reader friend once quipped that she wished someone would make her a punch card—like one of those frequent shopper cards, you know?—for all the independent bookstores she visits on her travels. She doesn’t really care what the reward is, she just wants the satisfaction of filling it up.
I get it. I love visiting new-to-me bookstores and old favorites. I’ve been known to bend my route many, many miles out of the way in order to visit an indie bookstore, or to plan a trip to a city because of the bookstore.
I’ve visited a ton of bookstores over the years, but I got a serious bookstore education back in 2018 when I hit the road for I’d Rather Be Reading. I’ve never been to so many in such a short period of time, before or since. I learned so many interesting things on that book tour, and closed the book on that experience with a whole new appreciation for and way of looking at indie bookstores. Lliterary puns always intended.)
Visiting twenty-something stores one after another highlighted how different they are—in staff, in selection, in vibe. No two indies are alike; every bookstore has its own personality.
Some stores feel like libraries, some feel like parties. Some are quirky and charming, others feel more sophisticated. Some are friendly and chatty, others encourage you to browse in silence.
Of course that personality is evident in the mood of a store, but it’s also evident in the decor, the merchandise, even the books on the shelves. I think it’s the very variety on offer—the knowledge that no two stores are alike, that there are still so many bookstore personalities I haven’t encountered yet—that makes me eager to keep visiting new stores. And, in the same way you sometimes get the urge to chat with one particular friend, I’m eager to make return trips to indies I already know and love.
The My Reading Life book journal has a page to track bookstores and other literary destinations you’d like to visit—and an accompanying book list devoted to books about books and bookstores!
I haven’t visited many new-to-me stores this year, but I’ve made it to a few: last summer I got to visit Boulder Bookstore and the new location of Tattered Cover in Colorado Springs, plus Macdonald Bookshop in Estes Park. In the summer we made it to The Little Professor in Birmingham (that’s their staff picks section featured at the top of this post), and just this month I got to visit Nashville’s Novelette and The Bookshop of East Nashville. (I didn’t realize I’d been to that many until I sat down to tell you about them!) I still have so many more I want to visit—and I’m learning about new ones every week!
My list of bookstores to visit is already long, but—much like my burgeoning and impossibly-long TBR—I’m happy to add to it. The 10th annual Independent Bookstore Day is happening on Saturday, April 29, so now’s a great time to celebrate our favorites. With that in mind:
Tell us about your favorite indie in comments! How would you describe its personality? We’re all book people here, which means we’d LOVE to hear all about it.
The post Every bookstore has its own personality appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Hey friends—today I’m delighted to welcome our MMD Book Club community manager Ginger Horton to the blog to share what’s happening in the MMD Book Club this summer. While the focus of today’s post is on our summer Book Club selections, we do briefly touch on what else we have in store for this summer. Another big perk MMD Book Club members receive is our 2023 Summer Reading Guide and live Unboxing access. Read on to find out if this sounds like a happy place for you this summer! – Anne
I’ll never forget the first time Anne announced the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. I knew I was traveling a lot that summer, but I could not sign up fast enough. For one thing, I’d read Anne’s blog for years and years, feeling like I had a friend out there through this “lifestyle blog for nerds.” But I also wanted to be a part of whatever special thing she was creating. I don’t think I even knew any words like “content” or “tastemakers” or “support creatives” but I had a sense through the blog comments and WSIRN guests that this Modern Mrs Darcy world drew a special kind of bookish person.
And boy did we have fun that summer! I remember logging hours and hours of reading—long, languid summer days meant sneaking in more minutes of reading from a short but abundant-feeling curated book list. Sometimes I’d finish up right before the author talk. Sometimes I wouldn’t and I’d log on to the chat from a family member’s house, or once on my phone from the passenger seat on a road trip, and then be inspired to pick up that book I now just had to read because the author was so great.
But what was really special were the conversations we had online with each other, and the friendships that formed because of that group. I’d never before met people who read quite as voraciously as I did. Not long after, I met up with half a dozen of those women at an informal bookish get-together (at Anne’s house!), and we’ve been friends ever since, taking road trips together, seeing each other through graduations and moves, marriages and divorces, holiday packages sent across state lines. And so much book talk.
But that’s a story for another day.
Our MMD Book Club summer lineupThe MMD Book Club is now in its seventh (!!) year. We do some things differently now than we did that first summer—like our dedicated member site and brand new app—but our community remains focused on community, classes, and conversations centered around the books we love. Typically we read one book a month (with an optional flight pick), but this summer will be similar to that first summer where we read five books from June to August. This year we’ll be reading six books in three months. So that’s two author (or translator) events each in June, July, and August.
May
- Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
June
- Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
- The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
July
- No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
- The Postcard by Anne Berest, translated by Tina Kover
August
- Banyan Moon by Thao Thai
- The Late Mrs Willoughby by Claudia Gray
In the MMD Book Club, you don’t need to read the book to participate! Author chats are one part of what we do in Book Club; we seek to give you options for your reading life, not assignments. These chats will be spoiler-free, like they would be at a literary festival or bookstore talk: we’d love for you to join us whether you’ve read the book, intend to read the book but haven’t yet, or want to learn more about writing and publishing (or just hang out with your book pals) without reading that particular title. These book discussions are also only a slice of what we do in Book Club.
Anne and Ginger would love to welcome you to Book Club!
More in store for this summerIn Book Club we say we’re learning to read better, together, and to that end we gather for classes, community, and conversation. We like to say Book Club is a buffet: take what you’d like and leave the rest, knowing you can always come back for more!
When you join, you’ll get an invite to our summer lineup of author chat above, plus events like Genius Moves for the Reading Life, our annual Best Book of Summer event, our week of watch parties and readalongs, Austen in August, meetups to chat with fellow members about the Summer Reading Guide books, and a members-only Readers’ Weekend.
Members also have access to our full library of past events like our Book School sessions, Book Journaling for Book Lovers, 25 Things Readers Should Know About Publishing, 1 Hour to a Better #Bookstagram, and 50+ past chats with authors including Emily Henry, Fredrik Backman, Tayari Jones, Brendan Slocumb, and more. Our new and free app makes participation even easier.
Anne, Ginger, and Shannan, together for Readers’ Weekend 2022. We host this weekend online for all our members, but we got to host together in person from the same screen last year, with a local in-person meetup for our nearby members!
Get set for summerIf “accessibly nerdy” education, tons of bookish chatter, and author talks galore sound good to you, come join us for our fun upcoming season in MMD Book Club!
And a reminder: this year our MMD Summer Reading Guide is a free perk for our Book Club members, along with our live Summer Reading Guide Unboxing event on May 18th. If you’re inclined to give Book Club a try, now is a great time to do so!
We’d love to have you join us. Click here to get started, and choose the option that works best for you: monthly, quarterly, or annual. We’ll see you in Book Club!
About the authorGinger Horton is our Book Club Community Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are literary fiction and classics. You can find Ginger on Instagram posting as herself @gthorton or in the MMD Book Club account @MMDBookClub
The post Our MMD Book Club lineup for summer 2023 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we all know the appeal of a good library book sale: today’s guest has collected a wide range of titles over the years at used bookstores and library book sales. While Kelsey Gruber picked each of the books on her shelves for a reason, sometimes by the time she’s ready to reach for a certain title, the magic is gone—and she’s left wondering why she picked it up in the first place.
Kelsey lives in Virginia, where she’s an aspiring paralegal and recreational board game player. She’s here to get my support and insight as we take a closer look at her collection of owned but unread titles. It becomes clear during our conversation that Kelsey wants her home bookshelves to reflect books she actually loves and is excited to read; we figure out how Kelsey can make that happen.
Be sure to leave your suggestions for Kelsey’s next read in the comments section.
Connect with Kelsey on Instagram.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] So it sounds like at a library book sale the price is low enough that it's easy to take a chance and kind of, you know, save it for later in your own collection.
Kelsey Gruber [00:00:09] I also justify it. If it's a library book sale, well, it's going to the library. I'm making a donation to the library. So I can justify it that way too.
Anne Bogel [00:00:26] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:56] Readers, summer reading season is just around the corner and we cannot wait to share our 2023 Summer Reading Guide with you. I spent the better part of the year on the guide. The Summer Reading Guide Live Unboxing is our marquee event of the year. We have put months of work into it and I've literally reviewed hundreds of titles to find the books I want to share with you this season.
While we are counting down to the guide's release on May 18th, that's really just the beginning of an awesome reading season around here. This summer, patrons will hear the return of one great book with amazing backlist books for your summer, plus episodes of mini matchmaking and Dear Book Therapist and invites to our live Patreon events.
Now is a great time to join us in Patreon. You'll receive the Summer Reading Guide and invite to the Live Unboxing event and a summer full of bonus episodes that will ensure that whenever and wherever you kick your feet up the summer, you've always got a great read close at hand. Find out more or join us by going to patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext or by clicking the link in the show notes.
Readers, today I'm talking with devoted reader, aspiring paralegal, and confessed book hoarder Kelsey Gruber. Kelsey is joining me from Virginia, where she's eager for my perspective on her overflowing bookshelves. She has hundreds of unread titles she's collected over the years from bookstores, library sales, or as gifts from well-intended friends. Most of these books excited Kelsey when she first got them, but when she sees them on her shelf after a few months or even years, it's like the magic is gone.
Kelsey is ready to make some hard decisions about her unread collection, whether that means letting go of books that just aren't the right fit anymore, or deciding it's time to bump a few of these titles to the top of her To Be Read list. I can't wait to see what treasures we discover together today. Let's get to it.
Kelsey, welcome to the show.
Kelsey Gruber [00:02:38] Thank you, Anne. I'm so excited.
Anne Bogel [00:02:41] I'm so excited to be here today. Do you want to tell our listeners how you emailed us back when we sent the invitation?
Kelsey Gruber [00:02:47] I literally sat at my work computer in shock. Just absolutely still not moving shock for probably 5 minutes. I mean, it's been a dream of mine. So when I moved to Lynchburg, one of my first friends, we connected over your podcast, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:03:11] Oh.
Kelsey Gruber [00:03:11] So it's huge. She was one of the first people I texted after I got over my shock. I texted my husband and he didn't answer, of course, because he was working and no one was answering me because it was the middle of the work day. And I was just so excited. So yes, I couldn't believe it was real life.
Anne Bogel [00:03:32] Oh, that's so kind. Yeah, I think you emailed and said, "Is this real life?"
Kelsey Gruber [00:03:36] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:03:37] Well, I love that about your friend, how books really do bring people together. And thank you so much for coming on. We just loved your submission because we thought it was something, listeners, as you'll hear, that so many people really relate to. And now on the cusp of summer reading season felt like a really great time to have this conversation in public.
So thank you for being so generous with your reading life. And for everyone who's ever submitted or thought about doing so, thank you for being so generous with your reading lives and your story, and your personal experience because it's what lets us do what we do.
So, Kelsey, you sent in to us and you said, "Hey, I have some things I want to talk about." What is it that brings you to What Should I Read Next? at this point in your life?
Kelsey Gruber [00:04:19] Yeah, absolutely. So I have a lot of books on my shelves that I have not read, and I was hoping, Anne, that you could tell me books from my shelves that I shouldn't read next. That maybe I should just kind of move on, that maybe they're not for me. Maybe I just wanted them because of the hype or I saw them and they looked pretty. But I want to read more from my shelves. I utilize the library a ton, but I want to read books on my shelves that I have.
Anne Bogel [00:04:50] We're going to get into that more. Kelsey, first tell us, what are you doing in your life when you're not talking books with me on a beautiful spring morning?
Kelsey Gruber [00:04:57] I am married to my handsome husband, Nick, and we just bought a house. So we've been doing renovations. That's been interesting and fun. And we, you know-
Anne Bogel [00:05:10] I was a little worried when you led with interesting.
Kelsey Gruber [00:05:12] Oh, yeah. Well, you know, we bought a house that needed some love. Previous owners liked to do things on their own. They weren't handymen, so that has been fun and interesting. But my husband and I, we love to play board games. I love to play Dungeons and Dragons, [inaudible 00:05:29] for a group of our friends and about to go back to school to become a paralegal.
Anne Bogel [00:05:35] Oh, that's so exciting. Kelsey, your story is reminding me of how I first discovered audiobooks, because Will and I bought a house in need of some serious, like, serious, serious fixing up. And that's when we discovered audiobooks. We lived next door to the library, and we would get actual audiobooks on CD and pop them into the kitchen when we were like scraping the nasty stuff off the hundred-year-old walls.
Kelsey Gruber [00:06:00] I love that. Yeah, we listen to a lot of music. I didn't think about audiobooks. We should have done that hindsight 2020. But yeah, that would have been a good idea.
Anne Bogel [00:06:09] It's never too late. How does reading fit into your life right now? What role does it play for you?
Kelsey Gruber [00:06:15] I usually read first thing in the morning. If I try to read after work or before bed, I usually read about a page and fall asleep. So morning time is definitely when I get the most reading done, suck it up. Maybe an hour or 30 minutes before I have to actually get ready for work and read as much as I can in that time. I sit on the couch with coffee. It's a good time.
Anne Bogel [00:06:39] Now, Kelsey, you come to us with a specific dilemma, so let's start wading into this. Would you tell me about being, this is your phrase, a book hoarder?
Kelsey Gruber [00:06:50] Yes, I am definitely a book hoarder. I love my mother, but I think I get it after her. She will not disagree with that, I don't think. But yeah, I mean, it's just the going to a library, a book sale, and saying, "This is a dollar, I have to get this."
And you know, I buy books and my husband has his own library now because of the books I've bought where he can peruse the shelves of books I've bought in the past years and pluck something off the shelf that he thinks might be interesting, and does the same for me. He finds some books and we trade back and forth.
So we have our own little library here but it is a problem, especially when you are moving, I've discovered. So definitely have had to purge books in the past just because we don't have a space for them, they're just extremely heavy. I love them, I love to decorate with them, but sometimes if you're not going to read it, I feel like you should pass it on to someone else who will.
Anne Bogel [00:07:49] All right, Kelsey, we're going to come back around to that. But first, I want to know a little bit about your history here. How far back does your library book sale, book buying experience go?
Kelsey Gruber [00:07:59] Oh, probably like high school. I was really into the classics when I was in high school reading Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. And we have a used bookstore in Greensboro called Ed McKay's. Everyone should go there. It's a wonderful bookstore.
And they had classics there for, I mean, just nothing, the cost. So I would get all the ones that I felt like I should be reading, the ones that had been assigned to me in school, like The Scarlet Letter or The Great Gatsby, that kind of thing.
Then it was going to library sales with my mom. That was something we did together was to go to yard sales even. We'd drive by yard sales and we're like, "Ooh, doesn't look like they have any books. Okay, we can skip this one." I mean, honestly, that's something we have always done is try to find bargain books.
Anne Bogel [00:08:56] As you're describing this, I'm picturing the best used book sale that happens in my town that I love to go to. But would you tell me from your perspective, what is the magic about a good library book sale?
Kelsey Gruber [00:09:09] You don't know what you're going to find. I mean, any conventional bookstore with new titles, you know what you're going to get. You're going to find the newest bestsellers, the hottest indie books, that kind of thing. You kinda know what to expect.
But with a used bookstore, it's a mystery, especially like a library sale where you have all these different books that people have donated from religion to cookbooks to, you know, fiction and romance and all this different stuff.
My grandma actually had a used bookstore, and I think that was part of the mystery, too. That was such a magical place to me of there were so many books and it was such a haphazard arrangement of shelves and her system of filing things away being no sense to anyone besides her. So it was a mystery and it was like a maze. I don't know. It's just always been intriguing to me. It's been the thrill of the hunt, honestly.
Anne Bogel [00:10:08] Oh, my mom is also big about the thrill of the hunt. And it sounds like your grandma's, what to you was a haphazard arrangement, as really the perfect arrangement for readers to experience the thrill of discovering that thing that they didn't know they were looking for. Kelsey, how do you decide what books to pick up at these sales?
Kelsey Gruber [00:10:25] A lot of them are authors that I have read before. Like Lisa Jewell, I'll pick up stuff from her. I've loved several of her books. I mean, I'll buy anything that Fredrik Backman has written. So authors that I recognize or have read in the past.
But then anything honestly that I've heard on your podcast. Like recently I found a copy of The Gown that I think was on the list for Summer Reading Guide many, many summers ago. And I was like, "Oh, I remember that I wanted to get this." So it's like it triggers a memory almost of someone recommending a book, whether it's you or a friend or seeing it on book talk or wherever. Just whatever strikes me honestly.
Anne Bogel [00:11:08] So it sounds like at a library book sale or it's some, not all used bookstores, the stakes are low enough and really the price is low enough that it's easy to take a chance and kind of, you know, save it for later in your own collection.
Kelsey Gruber [00:11:21] I also justify it, if it's a library book sale, well, it's going to the library. I'm making a donation to the library. So this is a good cause. So I can justify it that way too. You know, my husband, he's always going with me and he peruses and he comes in where I buy five books, he's got one, you know. So it's-
Anne Bogel [00:11:43] But between the two of you, you spent what? Like six bucks?
Kelsey Gruber [00:11:46] Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So, I mean, we're saving a lot of money, if you think about it.
Anne Bogel [00:11:54] Now, Kelsey, I hear you when you say for you this is a problem. And it's so interesting to me how the same behavior feels wonderful to one reader and then just like it's something that can't be put up with any longer with another reader. And it just depends on, you know, your goals and priorities and your space and what you want in your reading life. So tell me a little bit about your problem.
Kelsey Gruber [00:12:19] I think the problem is not reading them when I get them home. I think that's the biggest problem. We can always buy another bookshelf. I think I would be happy to do that if I didn't have, you know, four other bookshelves with books that I haven't read on. And I feel guilty for getting rid of because I'm like, Oh, well, maybe one day I'll get to it or I'll get to it eventually.
So I think the biggest thing is buying books and supporting your library or even buying books full cost, I mean, go for it, but not reading them, I think that's the problem.
Anne Bogel [00:12:53] It sounds like you want to read what you have. And I imagine that means you also want a collection that reflects, whether they're read or as yet unread, that reflects what you love.
Kelsey Gruber [00:13:05] Yes, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:13:06] Okay. Tell me a little more about that.
Kelsey Gruber [00:13:08] I don't know. And I feel like it's kind of expanded over the years as well, where I grew up reading Christian romance, and now it's reading about paranormal and ghosts. It's just kind of expanded over the years or evolved, I guess I should say.
But yeah, I mean, I just want books on my shelves that make me happy. I mean, like I said, I'll buy anything that Fredrik Backman has written and I won't get rid of them. Even if I read them, I've read them, I've passed them on to friends but they're staying on that shelf because they're like friends. It's just a reminder of those good books that he's written.
Anne Bogel [00:13:46] Kelsey, you have... I mean, is there a count, is there a number how many books in yourselves that you haven't read?
Kelsey Gruber [00:13:54] Yeah, I think it's up to... because I tallied them all. I think we're up to 115 and 116. I just got my Book of the Month books, so it's gone up a little bit. But I think we're at 116 now.
Anne Bogel [00:14:10] So, Kelsey, at this moment in time, you have 116 books on yourself that you haven't read. I think it's interesting that you know this precise number because not everybody does. Not everybody wants to.
It's possible that one way to solve this problem could be with a perspective shift. Like you could think about your personal library a little bit differently. But it sounds like you've toyed with that idea and like, no, that's not what you want to do. You want to read through the books you already have, and in your own words from your submission, you want to get rid of the books that you know you'll just never get around to.
Kelsey Gruber [00:14:43] Yeah, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:14:44] Why don't you just do that? She says with a smile.
Kelsey Gruber [00:14:50] I know. I don't know if I just get so used to them being on my shelves that it seems... What's that theory where if you have a painting on your wall for a certain amount of time, you forget that it's even there because it's just been up there for so long? I feel like there's some kind of theory for as long as something is around you, eventually you grow to ignore it.
So I have these books on my shelves that I've had for so long that sparked joy initially and now I look at them and because I've seen them so much, they've become boring. Does that make any sense at all?
Anne Bogel [00:15:25] Yeah. Like you are well removed at this point from that moment that brought you the thrill of discovery.
Kelsey Gruber [00:15:30] Yeah, I guess they're not exciting anymore. Which I don't know why that is, but-
Anne Bogel [00:15:36] Oh, that's so interesting. That's not what I thought you were going to say. I expected you to say something more along the lines of, Well, yeah, but I don't know which ones those are.
Kelsey Gruber [00:15:44] I feel like I know myself and could pick out some good books, but then I get them home and I don't want to read them and then I don't trust myself anymore of knowing what to pick out for myself. So then I'm like, "Oh, am I just buying this because it's on somebody's list or because it actually sounds interesting to me?"
Anne Bogel [00:16:05] Kelsey, I imagine that at this point in your reading life you've had a fair amount of experience reading and loving books you brought home from library book sales and also reading books that you found in the same way that just have not been a great fit for you.
Kelsey Gruber [00:16:18] Yeah, I would say that's fair.
Anne Bogel [00:16:20] The thought of removing titles and authors from your home, like by proxy, like with the long hook that extends from me to Virginia, kind of stresses me out. But I am taking to heart what you said and then it's to help you understand your reading life so that you can read through the books you already have that you're likely to really enjoy, and also so you can get rid of the books that you know you'll just never get around to, and so you can have a collection that reflects what you love and that feels like glorious possibility and maybe like less of a random draw, like, let's see if this one works out for me or not.
Kelsey Gruber [00:16:57] Right.
Anne Bogel [00:16:58] And to do that, I think what we want to do is really take a look at where you are right now in your reading life. Tell me if I'm wrong but I'm getting the sense that since you have had such wonderful chance encounters with books that you have enjoyed and know you'll continue to enjoy reading at these serendipitous library book sales, it feels like you hold your books with a loose hand. I mean, not your Fredrick Backman. You want those back when you loan them out to friends?
But mostly it sounds like you're not terribly concerned with getting a book that in five years you'll discover, "Wait, I desperately want to read that today and I gave it away five years ago. Darn it, Darn it. I paid a dollar for it, and now it's gone." Am I forming an accurate picture?
Kelsey Gruber [00:17:41] Yeah, I think so.
Anne Bogel [00:17:43] So not all readers hoard their books loosely. It sounds like you do. And you're just interested in coming up with an arrangement in your home that you feel like makes you happy right now.
Kelsey Gruber [00:17:53] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:17:54] Kelsey, I think what we need to do next is talk about your books. Are you ready?
Kelsey Gruber [00:17:58] I am so excited.
Anne Bogel [00:18:01] Kelsey, you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we will talk about what you may enjoy reading next from your own shelves and also maybe also gently assess what is on yourselves now that might not be priority reads for you.
Kelsey Gruber [00:18:22] I love it.
Anne Bogel [00:18:23] Is that tactful or wishy-washy?
Kelsey Gruber [00:18:25] No, I think that's very good. I love it.
Anne Bogel [00:18:28] Okay, let's do it. How did you choose these books for today?
Kelsey Gruber [00:18:31] Everyone says this on your show, but it's really hard to pick three books that you love because you want to pick your ultimate favorites. I tried to pick books that represent me now, at least most recently, like past five years, including reading during a pandemic and being trapped at home and that kind of thing.
So my first book that I loved is Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips. I guess this is very representative of how much I love thrillers. That's what got me into this book. I loved the book flap where it was the tease of Joan takes her 4-year-old son to the zoo, she's trying to leave and then what happens next has her running for the next 3 hours. I think that's what the book flap roughly says. So I was hooked from that.
But the thing about this book that wasn't like any other thriller I had read is I read this, I think, five years ago, and I have thought about this book probably once a week since then.
Anne Bogel [00:19:37] Oh, wow.
Kelsey Gruber [00:19:38] I think about this book more than I think I've thought about any other book because of Gin Phillips... It's no coincidence that this takes place at a zoo. I mean, she does this very artfully. This woman takes her son to the zoo and ends up having to protect him with animalistic ferocity pretty much.
I mean, she is being hunted like a lot of animals are but she becomes this epitome of a mother protecting her young. And I've thought about that so much when it comes to seeing my sister with her kids, thinking about just briefly my nephew, he is six and he's in school now and he has started to get bullied by one particular kid in his class. And the mama bear reaction that I had at hearing that news of like, "No one's going to hurt him. I'm going to take care of him." And he's not even my kid. I mean, he's my nephew.
So just that instinct that women have to protect the children in their lives, whether it's their biological children or ones that they love. But I've just thought about that so much, of how she artfully showed that metaphor without it being like heavy-handed.
Anne Bogel [00:20:57] So you picked it up because you were attracted to the thriller aspect and really ended up finding something that you connected with emotionally that you've been thinking about ever since, like five plus years. That's really meaningful.
Kelsey Gruber [00:21:09] Yeah. And I think that's definitely books that... Of course, I love a good thriller. I love a good ride. But when a book makes me stop and think and reflect and compare it to my life or the lives of others, I think that's when it's the perfect fit.
Anne Bogel [00:21:27] That sounds good. Kelsey, tell me about another book you love.
Kelsey Gruber [00:21:31] I kind of cheated. I got The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, but I'll just throw the whole trilogy in there. The Broken Earth trilogy. But The Fifth Season, it follows this woman named Essun, and she has these special abilities and other people like her in this world. Have these special abilities to manipulate the earth.
But these people who have these gifts are ostracized pretty much. They're looked down on because it is kind of dangerous the gift that they have. But I loved how N.K. Jemisin... I felt like there was just this beautiful parallel to racism and segregation of keeping people who are different apart. But she didn't do it in a preachy way, which I feel like a lot of writers could do that. I was completely sucked in to this world through her writing. The girl can write. I mean, there's no denying it.
Anne Bogel [00:22:28] Now, we can call her an actual genius now that she has a MacArthur.
Kelsey Gruber [00:22:31] Absolutely. No, this woman is a genius.
Anne Bogel [00:22:33] I mean, I would have said it before, but...
Kelsey Gruber [00:22:36] But you can't fully comprehend the magic of this world, of these powers these people have. Times where I was like, I don't think I fully understand what she's saying, but I like it. I like the way she's saying it. I'm there with her, even if I can't fully comprehend it. Obviously, it's not something that's in our real world. It's make believe, so it is kind of hard to get there. But just the way she wrote it, I bought it. I was like, "Yeah, absolutely. Makes sense. Makes perfect sense to me."
I was reading this book because my husband had gotten it for Christmas, so I read it after him. And I was reading the first book and he had already moved on to the second. And I finished the first book and we were sitting on the couch together and I was just tapping my foot like, "Okay, you're done with the second book now?" "Okay, any minute now." You know, just watching him very, you know, probably creepily on the couch, like, "Are you done yet?" That last page of the book, I was just, "Okay, where's the next one? I need the next one now." Same with the second one, just needing the third afterwards.
Anne Bogel [00:23:39] Well, interestingly, I can see a real connection between N.K. Jemisin and your thriller experience, which is very different books. But N.K. Jemisin writes speculative fiction, but she also explores those deeply human issues in the same way that you found yourself really connecting to in that thriller. Kelsey, tell me about being a self-professed sci-fi lover.
Kelsey Gruber [00:24:03] Yeah, this is new for me, honestly, because I'm really nerdy, but I feel like it's a lot from being in the board game world in the Dungeons and Dragons world where that just kind of opened up this new genre for me. Just the fact that someone in space could have a very similar relationship with their family than I do here on Earth. It's just like how you could have such a fantastical place be so similar to your real life and how that is just kind of mind-boggling. But good writers do that extremely well.
During the pandemic, I wanted to be in a different world. I was very open to, Okay, let's pick a different place to be, you know?
Anne Bogel [00:24:53] Kelsey, what other kinds of books are you really drawn to these days?
Kelsey Gruber [00:24:56] Still definitely into the thriller, mystery. I've moved into paranormal and books about ghosts. I don't know how I've gotten into this area of my life, but I just find that very interesting, usually because it has to deal with people dealing with grief.
And as someone who has dealt with that, I mean, we all have, of losing someone that is compelling. It is something you want to read about just because you feel understood honestly, and it's something we can all relate to. That's kind of the road I've gone down. I guess we'll talk about that later with the books I've been reading recently.
Anne Bogel [00:25:33] Yes, we will. Tell me about the final book you chose as a favorite.
Kelsey Gruber [00:25:37] The final one is The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. This book also came to me during the pandemic. I had a good friend at work who she pushed this into my hands and said, "You have to read this. This book is so good." I read it just in a couple of days' time. Just a real page-turner. She completely sold me on it. So I said, "Okay. "
And I started reading it and I was like, "What is this? I don't like this. I don't know why she likes this so much." It just started out really slow. But after I got through the initial part of it, I could not put it down. And it is such a fun ride. I mean, from just the standpoint of there was no lesson, there was no moral. At least in my mind there wasn't. There was nothing to take away from the book. And this was probably hurting the author's feelings that I'm saying this, but it was just fun. It was just a good ride, honestly.
But the story follows Aidan Bishop. And it's kind of like 1920s style Downton Abbey era, where he is charged with trying to figure out who murdered Evelyn Hardcastle. So he has to figure this out by reliving the same day over and over again through someone else's point of view, like literally from their body.
And I usually don't like the Groundhog's Day thing where you just do the same thing over and over again but this book was done so well that I didn't mind that because they didn't keep showing the same thing over and over again. It was just very different angles that just kept it very engaging.
Anne Bogel [00:27:20] That sounds like a good fit for you.
Kelsey Gruber [00:27:22] It was, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:27:23] Now, Kelsey, tell me about a book that wasn't a good fit for you.
Kelsey Gruber [00:27:27] I think for the reasons that these other books are for me, this is the reason this book wasn't for me. The book is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I know this is a huge favorite to some people. But I just felt like Celeste wanted me to feel certain things about certain characters that I didn't feel.
It felt a little heavy-handed to me of the heroine of the story. She just seemed like a bad person to me, and I felt like I was supposed to like her, and I didn't. I didn't like her life choices. There are other people in the book where they seem to be like martyrs of the story, and I just didn't feel sympathy for them.
That probably makes, you know, anyone who loves this book cringe. And I had somebody tell me that I didn't like it because I wasn't a mom and I didn't understand what it was to be a mom. And I can understand that on some level, but I don't know.
Anne Bogel [00:28:26] That's a pretty rough thing to tell somebody about a book. I think there are other reasons to find a certain book not to be to your taste. Because reading takes us into worlds we don't know, right? Like that is one of the goals.
Well, also, I mean, maybe you don't want to read about suburban malaise. Maybe you want your characters to be more likable, especially if you're reading during times that are rough. Maybe we're noticing that this is really the only character-driven book that you've cited, and your other ones have moved really quickly. Like maybe you didn't find this one to have the narrative drive that you really want from your stories at this point in your life. I mean, there are lots of other options here.
But as we look through your books that we're going to recommend, do you do any of those resonate? Is it characteristic of your preferences that you do like your books to move quickly, that you do want something with strong narrative drive, that you do want something a little plottier and a less character-driven?
Kelsey Gruber [00:29:17] I'd say that's pretty much me to a tee recently.
Anne Bogel [00:29:21] That's helpful. We will keep that in mind. Kelsey, what have you been reading lately? Can we start by saying, like, what do you get from Book of the Month? You mentioned that and I was just curious.
Kelsey Gruber [00:29:30] Yeah. So I haven't started these yet, but I got Weyward by Emilia Hart, and I got The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth.
Anne Bogel [00:29:40] Okay, you haven't read them yet, but it's still so interesting to hear what you're drawn to. What else have you been reading?
Kelsey Gruber [00:29:47] The last two books I read I read them pretty quickly. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. This was in that paranormal realm that I was talking about before. And I love a good world where it mirrors our own, where this girl is on Yale's campus and it looks like Yale's campus would. But there are secret societies in the Yale community who are doing all those magical things behind the scenes, kind of manipulating the world that we're living in. I blew through that book. That was so good. I can't wait to read a second one.
The second book that I just plowed through was Verity by Colleen Hoover. I read this book and I did not like it just because I think the hype was built up that BookTok and bookstagram. Once a book is just built up so much and it doesn't meet those expectations, it's hard to come back from that. But I just didn't buy it.
I mean, I like to call myself a writer, I majored in creative writing in college, and I just didn't buy the writer's standpoint on this. Not Colleen Hoover, but the main character, Verity, who is a writer. I just didn't buy it.
And then the book that I am currently reading is, funny enough, a very character-driven book, Anne, it's Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger.
Anne Bogel [00:31:16] Kelsey, I have to tell you, I saw this on your list because we haven't told our listeners that you sent me a list of your 114 books. You've since added a couple to it.
Kelsey Gruber [00:31:25] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:31:25] But I saw that on your list and I thought, "Oh, it's science. Oh wait, no, I don't see her enjoying this." So now it's time for the light mini-reveal. How's that going?
Kelsey Gruber [00:31:34] It's so interesting because, I mean, you nailed it earlier. I like a plot-driven book. I'm about halfway through it and I keep wanting to come back to it and read it. It's got that paranormal feel. The main character gets a missed call from her best friend after her best friend has passed. I believe it was the day before. But the main character is also a physicist, which is not my expertise in any sense of the word. Pretty sure I failed physics in high school. And a lot of the terms and black hole theories are big and hard to understand.
But I feel like the author is comparing these two things, loss and grief and what happens after you die, to this expanse of universe that we do not understand. So that I think is the intriguing part to me. It does feel kind of slow because it's not plot-driven, it's more character-driven. But I think the intrigue of finding out why she's getting these calls and texts from her dead friend is what's driving me through this, that I want to find out what the answer is.
Anne Bogel [00:32:49] Yeah. Kelsey, I have thoughts, but I can't share them until you finish. But I will say that I wanted this book to be something other than what it was. Not because it's what I wanted going in, but I feel like Freudenberger dangled the prospect out there and I thought, "Oh, that sounds good, let's do that." And it wasn't that kind of story. But I'd be very interested in hearing how this ends up landing for you and also perhaps what you would have done with it with your creative writing glasses on.
Kelsey Gruber [00:33:16] Yeah. I mean, I can assume probably where you're going with it. And that's what my biggest fear is with this book is I'll get to the end and I'm like, "Oh, man, really?" Like I read Home After Dark by I think it was Riley Sager, and it was this premise of this house is haunted, there are ghosts. And it didn't end how I wanted it to because, like you said, I went into it expecting something else. So I don't like that. But, I mean, you've got to take a risk.
Anne Bogel [00:33:47] Yeah. Well, you've been fascinated by ghosts and you think that connects to grief. I think sometimes what you want is you want the ghost story. You don't want the ghostly story. You don't want that specter raised and then it to have a rational explanation. Like you want the author to go all in sometimes is what I'm imagining based on your proclivities. and a lot of books don't. A lot of books backpedal and explain things away and say, "Oh, it was just my imagination." and that's not what you want.
Kelsey Gruber [00:34:12] Exactly. 100%.
Anne Bogel [00:34:14] All right. Well, thank you for that peek. That's incredibly helpful as we talk about the direction we're moving in. So, Kelsey, how can I be of help today? So this is like “the bibliotherapist is in” kind of situation.
Kelsey Gruber [00:34:28] Yes, I'm so excited.
Anne Bogel [00:34:31] So I have your list of 114 titles, and I got my yellow highlighter out for the "Oh, yes, I'm definitely seeing this." I have a brown highlighter. They're fine liner so you can still totally see that I highlighted Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger and some other titles.
And something that I want to make very clear as we're talking about what you may or may not enjoy reading right now is that we are looking at your books at a very specific moment in your reading life. This is for right now. We all grow and evolve as readers and you can want different things later. While you a different sort of book collector, I wouldn't tell you to get rid of things.
I think that's why this is a little trickier for me, because you haven't just said, "What should I prioritize?" You said, "What should I actually remove from my home?" I just want to make sure the agency stays with you here.
But as I'm going through this list, I can see not for you right now at least, I suspect as much is that character-driven literary fiction or even like nature writing. Like Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, that's a book that a lot of people love. I don't think that's it for you right now. Marilynne Robinson, I don't think that's it for you right now. Even Elizabeth Strout.
Prodigal Summer, a great book, almost a timely book as we move into that season by Barbara Kingsolver. I don't think that's it for you right now. You know, I did think a book that wasn't right for you was going to be Grief Cottage by Gail Godwin. And I do mean, I can't emphasize this enough, right now at this point in your reading life. But Kelsey, that's a ghost story.
So something that I do want to gently encourage you is that as we're talking about books that's taken as a group aren't necessarily right for you right now, when if you do feel ready to to take steps in that direction, to try new books, to put a foot in that camp and say like, "Oh, you know, is this feeling more comfortable now?" And I don't mean like May, I mean like a little down the road. Because as our circumstances change, as our experiences build, our reading preferences often change and evolve as well. This is a good thing.
But maybe Grief Cottage would be interesting for you to explore right now, knowing that it's quieter, more contemplative, literary fiction, character-driven because it does have that element you feel yourself drawn to right now.
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner, no, not for you right now, I don't think. The Muse by Jessie Burton, Les Misérables, Crossing to Safety, I love that book, I don't think it's for you right now. But that doesn't mean it can't be for you later.
Although there are so many of those books on there, Kelsey, that I do wonder like something is grabbing you here, what is it? Is it something about the books themselves, do you think? It could be as simple as the name recognition. You know, you heard it on the podcast, you saw it at the library book sale, It's a dollar, so you grabbed it. But I do want to just stop for a moment and ask that question before we move on.
Kelsey Gruber [00:37:27] I think majoring in English and creative writing really impacted the books that I pick up. So Wallace Stegner, having the classics on my shelves like Les Mis, that kind of thing. It's books that I should have in my mind. And I know that "should" is a dirty word. But yeah, I think that's the main thing of would I be normally drawn to those books? No. Probably not. But I feel like it's books that I should have on my shelf and then I should read, if that makes sense.
Anne Bogel [00:38:02] I mean, Kelsey, there's no reason necessarily. Well, there's no reason inherently for you to not to have those on your shelf. You could put them on a different shelf of books that you think you should have because of your interest. They don't have to be the books you read. But I did want to note, because you asked, that I don't see those being the ones that are going to set your reading heart on fire right now. But there's so much good stuff here that I think you really could enjoy a lot. Can we talk about that?
Kelsey Gruber [00:38:29] Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:38:31] Well, first of all, of course, I notice the thrillers, All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda, The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, a different kind of one, Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye. I wondered about some of the fast-moving romance, like Helen Hoang's The Bride Test. You have some really interesting offbeat picks on here, like Scribe by Alyson Hagy. I'm not sure how that would land for you, but I'm interested. I'm interested in finding out.
I notice that you have a Fredrik Backman you haven't read, so I look forward to that on your behalf. But then there are some here that I really want to take the time to encourage you toward because I think they could be... I mean, I saw these and I thought, "Oh, of course, that's on Kelsey's list." I'll give you a handful.
So first I noticed Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon, who they are such a great fit for fans of N. K. Jemisin. Sorrowland is already on your list. Also, The Deep and Ring Shout are titles you may be familiar with and may enjoy.
Sorrowland was published in 2021. It's a blend of horror and contemporary fiction. Often, this book is described as gothic horror. This feels right for your reading tastes right now. And the story is about a woman, her name is Vern. She's seven months pregnant and she escapes the strict religious community she has been raised in, a place called Cain Land.
She escapes into the woods and she gives birth to twins and she names them Howl and Feral. And she's on her own with them in the woods for years. And in the intervening years after she's left this religious community, strange things start to happen to her and her body. She has a theory for what's going on and it gets a little bit complicated but also she feels very much called to protect and defend her twins that she is determined to raise and to keep safe in the wilderness.
You mentioned in your submission that you like books that trick you into thinking about hard topics without being preachy. Yeah. I will say that Rivers Solomon is a genius, especially when it comes to this. And what this book is very much about, I'm quoting Roxane Gay here, “This country has a dark history of what it's willing to do to Black bodies and Rivers Solomon lays that truth bare in a most unexpected, absolutely brilliant way.”
Kelsey, Rivers Solomon isn't trying to trick you. But I think you know what I mean when I say this really sounds like you. And I don't know if you've read Rivers Solomon before. I love their author bio. It says, Rivers Solomon writes about life in the margins where they are much at home. How does that one sound to you?
Kelsey Gruber [00:41:10] I think I picked this up at a Barnes and Noble and was drawn to the cover and obviously read the book flap and it did sound like me. And then it just kind of sat there, obviously. But yeah, I think definitely. And the whole science fiction mixed with paranormal a little bit, you know. So, yeah, I think it sounds good.
Anne Bogel [00:41:31] I didn't realize this when I saw it on your list, but hearing you talk about the Gin Phillips book, I can hear some of those echoes in Rivers Solomon, which I was really not expecting, of that fierce drive to protect.
Kelsey Gruber [00:41:46] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:41:46] Yeah. I love seeing this offbeat pick on your list that we're going to talk about next. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. Do you remember picking this one up?
Kelsey Gruber [00:41:56] Yeah. So I actually got that for my husband for Christmas. He read it and he loved it. I've always been meaning to read it, too, because he liked it.
Anne Bogel [00:42:05] Okay, how can I describe this book absent of spoilers? This is a Japanese novel. It's about ten years old. You know all about this, I imagine, because your husband read it. But listeners, this is about a young boy named Satoru who takes a road trip with his cat, Nana the cat, who hasn't always been his cat. Nana came to him at a certain point in his life when it might be fair to say they needed each other. Nana definitely needed him. So they are on a road trip with a purpose in mind, a purpose that Satoru is not telling to his cat.
But this is a very sweet and beguiling and just really unusual story that I think you could really enjoy. Does your husband think you'll like this, Kelsey?
Kelsey Gruber [00:42:51] Yeah, I think so. I love Fredrik Backman. It felt very in that kind of vein of sweet but really sad kind of offbeat, if that makes sense. Yeah, it just seems like a good style fit for me, I think.
Anne Bogel [00:43:11] I think so too. And two more because I was excited to see on your list are The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. It's a literary mystery. It's got a time travel element. It's a book about books, a coming-of-age story. It's got adventure and suspense and revenge and a fast-moving plot.
And it kicks into gear when a young woman whose name is January finds a blue door in the middle of a field and she's able to look through it into another world. I think that's a good fit for you. Oh, my gosh. Okay.
Well, the book I was going to tell you about is The Martian by Andy Weir. That was the other one. And this is hard science fiction. Lots of very sciency science, which I don't know... How do you feel about that kind of sci-fi?
Kelsey Gruber [00:43:53] I'm okay with just as long as it's not... the writer gets bogged down in trying to explain these things for pages on end that I just will not understand no matter how long they describe them for and that it doesn't hinder the plot or anything like that. But yeah, I'm willing to dive in now.
Anne Bogel [00:44:11] I think this is a great fit for you. Like, I'm surprised you haven't read it yet. It's a big book, but it also seems so firmly in your alley with your new sci-fi explorations.
Then I know you've been reading a lot of classics, so I have to point out that you have two Agatha Christie's on your list. You've been in the classics, you've been in the mysteries, you're in the thrillers. So you could pair And Then There Were None, the world's bestselling mystery, Kelsey, classic of the genre. You studied creative writing in school. But then The Woman in Cabin 10 is very much in that same lineage. That could be a fun one to follow up with. And this is Ruth Ware's debut. So she's now gone on to write a whole ton of thrillers, some of which I'm guessing you've probably read. Is that the case?
Kelsey Gruber [00:44:52] Does she write In a Dark, Dark Wood?
Anne Bogel [00:44:55] Yes, that is her book.
Kelsey Gruber [00:44:57] I've read that one. That one was good.
Anne Bogel [00:44:59] And Kelsey, I have one final recommendation for you. It's a book that I've been talking about, I feel like a lot, in our patron community lately. So patrons, you've heard this before. But that book is Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. Is this a book that you've read?
Kelsey Gruber [00:45:14] No.
Anne Bogel [00:45:15] Okay. This is a time travel mystery and it has great narrative drive. But what I like about it for you is it has that fun time travel element. I think it's referred to as a time loop in the book, but it's not like a Groundhog Day kind of time loop. But it has this time travel component, and yet at its heart, this book is very much about getting to the roots of this woman's most important relationships.
The crux of the mystery and the thing that's going to get her out of being stuck out of her time is understanding some of the choices the people she loves most made a long time ago. So I think that's dual appeal of the deeply human emotional connection and the flashy, "ooh, what's happening here with the time travel?" would be really appealing for you.
So what happens is in the very beginning, there's a happily married woman looking out the window up too late waiting for her 18-year-old son to come home. So she's peering through the windows. It's the night before Halloween, there's a pumpkin there that they're carving, and she sees them coming down the street. And she also sees the suspicious older man following him.
And before she can quite put two and two together, like what's going on, what's happening, she watches her son harm this man. And she and her husband rush out and the police come and they go to the station and it's horrible. And she wakes up the next morning thinking, "I can't believe this is my life. My husband's already gone. He must be at the station, my poor son. Like how could this horrible thing have happened? What is going to happen next?"
And then her son says, Good morning and the pumpkin is not there because her husband hasn't bought it yet and nothing terrible has happened. And she's like, "What is going on?" And that keeps happening. Like, when she wakes up the next day, it's not the next day, it's the day before the day before the crime. And then she wakes up the day before that and the day before that.
And eventually she's sleeping. And month and then yearlong segments going back further and further and further and further because a physicist, and we know you've been intrigued by that scientist weighing in on the weird happenings element, has told her, you know, "Hey, I wonder if you go back in time far enough to change the timeline and stop the crime from ever happening, then you'll break out of the loop and go back to your life." And she goes back and back and back and back and back. And I just think you could find this really satisfying.
Kelsey Gruber [00:47:36] It seems very similar to at least the time loop thing of 11/22/63 by Stephen King. And I loved that.
Anne Bogel [00:47:45] Oh gosh.
Kelsey Gruber [00:47:45] That was so good.
Anne Bogel [00:47:45] It's been a long time since I've read that book.
Kelsey Gruber [00:47:47] But the trying to go back and fix a problem, it all sounds really good.
Anne Bogel [00:47:54] Yes. I think you're going to like it. Okay, Kelsey, the books we talked about today, what we talked about, the books we thought you might want to consider deprioritizing and maybe taking them off your to-be-read shelves. So I'd be really interested in seeing you think about our conversation, reflect on what sounded good to you right now.
I'd encourage you to think about Kelsey five years from now and how you want to start the shelves for her now or how you don't want to. But also, I want to hear what you think about these books we talked about that do seem promising for you.
They are Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, The Martian by Andy Weir, we touched on And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. And then we ended with Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister.
Kelsey, of those books, what is rising to the top? What do you think you might read next? Oh, my gosh. You know what I just realized, though? I gave you a book that wasn't on your list. I think it's such a good fit, but I didn't exactly mean to do it. But of those books, why do you think you may read next?
Kelsey Gruber [00:49:01] Yeah, I think Sorrowland is probably going to be my next pick. That or The Martian.
Anne Bogel [00:49:08] Well, either way, I'm happy to hear it. I think those do sound like excellent fits for you. Kelsey, thank you so much for talking books with me today.
Kelsey Gruber [00:49:15] Thank you, Anne. This has been so much fun.
Anne Bogel [00:49:21] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Kelsey and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Kelsey on Instagram @Kelseykissescoffee and see the full list of the titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Stay current with all things What Should I Read Next? by subscribing to our newsletter at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. And be sure you're following along on Instagram. Our show's page is @whatshouldireadnext. And you'll find me there @annebogel. Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Lisa Jewell (try I Found You)
• Fredrik Backman (try Britt-Marie Was Here)
• The Gown by Jennifer Robson
Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin (#1, The Broken Earth Trilogy)
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
▵ Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
• Weyward by Emilia Hart
• The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger
• Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
• Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
• Marilynne Robinson (try Gilead)
• Elizabeth Strout (try Oh William!)
• Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
• Grief Cottage by Gail Godwin
• Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
• The Muse by Jessie Burton
• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
• Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
• All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
• The Last Mrs Parrish by LIV Constantine
• Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
• The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
• Scribe by Alyson Hagy
• Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
• The Deep by Jonathan Snipes, Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, and William Hutson
• Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
• In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
• Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
• 11/22/63 by Stephen King
The post What NOT to read next appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We’re looking forward to getting outside and enjoying the spring weather, and also to watching new episodes of Ted Lasso and The Last Thing He Told Me. (I LOVED the Laura Dave book and, despite being hesitant because of the iffy reviews, we enjoyed the first two episodes of the show last weekend.)
We have a Summer Reading Guide update: the 2023 MMD Guide releases on May 18, and our preorder page is live! I’ll be talking about this more in the coming weeks, and hopefully answering all your questions.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Orlando Bloom To Star In & Produce Series Adaptation Of ‘This Must Be The Place’ In The Works At Amazon. (Deadline Hollywood) This delights and terrifies me, because I adore this book.
Billy Porter to Play Writer James Baldwin in Upcoming Biopic: ‘I Intend to Expand His Legacy’. (People) Perfect casting choice.
How adorable is this seersucker A-line dress from Target? (So adorable!)
I ate at the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, where dishes cost as little as $1.60, and it turned out to be worth flying to another country for. (Insider) This sounds amazing!
Are You There, Judy Blume? It’s Me, Kelly Fremon Craig. (The Cut) As the article says, “it’s never been a better month to be a Blume fan.”
Your Dish Washing Style Says a Lot About Who You Are. (Bon Appétit) I am decidedly a clean-as-you-go-person, but only because they didn’t offer an “I’d rather be reading” option.
The Unbearable Costs of Becoming a Writer. (Esquire) Thoughtful piece from Nicole Chung, whose new memoir A Living Remedy is out now.
This French Potato and Green Bean Salad is a summer staple at my house. (NYT Cooking gift link)
Is the 3:6 Rule the Secret to Making Friends as an Adult? (Pure Wow) Interesting to consider.
Why ‘Hello Beautiful’ Author Ann Napolitano “Needed” to Write Her New Novel. (Shondaland) She wrote to make sense of the world and I loved the result.
We’re Calling It Now, the Espresso Tonic Is the Drink of the Summer. (Food & Wine) I had one of these in Austin in 2013, but haven’t had one since.
I Live in a Tornado-Prone Region — Here’s How I Organize and Prepare My Emergency Kit. (Apartment Therapy) This is a good time of year to do this.
How Bookshop.org Survives—and Thrives—in Amazon’s World. (Wired) “Hunter sees Bookshop as the third-best option, the Good Samaritan middleman.”
From our archives:12 bookish mysteries about bibliophiles and bookstores. Lean in to your love of books and bookstores with one of these literary mysteries!
Favorite items in my spring-to-summer wardrobe. A few of the pieces I rely on to see me through spring into summer.
15 books to give for graduation that graduates will actually want to read.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I had so much fun chatting with independent bookstore owners back at the end of February in WSIRN Episode 369: State of the Bookstore, and today we’re back for more from some beloved bookstores.
This time, I’m joined in bookish conversation by Andrea Griffith, owner of Browsers Bookshop in Olympia, Washington, owner Alison Frenzel and book buyer Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas, and Roxanne Coady, owner of RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut. (I snapped the above photo on my visit to RJ Julia on March 5, 2020, which we discuss in today’s episode.)
Some (or all!) of these names may be familiar to you because I’ve had each of these booksellers on the show before, and we’ve rounded up all of those links below so you can re-listen (or listen for the first time) to those earlier conversations.
I had such a blast hearing from each of today’s guests about how they’ve supported reader communities in the past few years, what’s been happening in their stores since we last spoke, and the books they can’t stop recommending.
Share your stories from these bookstores or your favorite local indie shop in the comments section.
Connect with today’s guests and independent bookstores:
• Browsers bookstore: Instagram and website
• Fabled bookshop: website and Elizabeth’s Instagram
• RJ Julia Booksellers: website
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabRoxanne Coady [00:00:00] If any of us as booksellers find a book that resonates with us, the opportunity to introduce it to a lot of people... You know, that's why we're booksellers. You know, that's pretty damn satisfying to be doing that.
Anne Bogel [00:00:23] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next?
[00:00:41] We've got a great episode for you today. But first, I want to fill you in a little bit about what's happening in our world here at What Should I Read Next? and Modern Mrs. Darcy HQ.
Here in mid-April, we are in the thick of Summer Reading Guide preparation for our 12th annual guide, which I can't wait to share with you on May 18th. It's going to be a 50-book strong, chock full of summer reading goodness made with love in the experience of all these years of guide-making and responsibility and eyes that are sometimes honestly pretty tired from all the reading. My font on my Kindle keeps getting bigger and bigger.
[00:01:15] But this year marks a departure from previous years and I want to update you on what is changing and walk you through the thought process behind those changes while it's still April. I shared a longer video post on Modern Mrs. Darcy on April 12th that goes into more detail, so please pop over there if you would like to hear more than I'm sharing here on the podcast. But I am sharing the highlights here.
The long and the short of it is this. I love our annual summer reading tradition. And if it is going to remain a tradition, we need to make some changes to reflect the current landscape of our business and the reality of what it takes now to make this guide the way we make it. Good things take time and they are costly to make and only getting more so. That's in terms of attention, and energy, resources and plain old cash.
What that means is this year, for the first time, our Summer Reading Guide is not free. For 2023, the Summer Reading Guide is an included perk for our community members and the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and What Should I Read Next? Patreon communities, and that will include Unboxing access. If you are a current member or if you join us any time this season, you won't pay anything extra. The guide and Unboxing are included in your membership.
Again, the guide is coming out on May 18th and will host two Unboxing parties on that same day at 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Eastern time. You do not need to attend live. We record these, you can watch them afterwards at your leisure as many times as you want.
[00:02:42] We are also offering readers the option to purchase the guide and Unboxing a la carte. If you don't have the time or inclination to join the community, that option is made for you.
That means there are three ways to get the 2023 Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing access. Purchase the guide and Unboxing a la carte, support the What Should I Read Next? Patreon, or join the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. We hope you'll choose the option that's right for you.
And we want you to know we frequently get questions about the difference between Book Club and Patreon. We will share a thorough explainer answering all your FAQs along with our summer lineups for each space in the coming weeks.
Please note that this decision was not made lightly. It is an honor to be part of your reading lives and we don't take that lightly. The guide means a lot to us. It means a lot to me. It's a huge part of our history here at Modern Mrs. Darcy and What Should I Read Next?.
And while I believe this is a good and necessary change, it is a change. And we want it to be honest and forthright about everything that went into this decision. I go into lots more detail in my video. Visit. Modernmrsdarcy.com to watch.
[00:03:45] If you are not able or do not wish to join one of our member communities or purchase the guide separately, please know that we will keep with our longstanding tradition of sharing our minimalist Summer Reading Guide on the blog, and I will be talking about a ton of summer reading titles here on What Should I Read Next? all summer Long.
In fact, I've already mentioned a few Summer Reading Guide titles in discussions with guests in our winter and spring episodes. I'm wondering if you have any guesses right now. We will be sharing a lot more about the actual guide in the coming weeks. But right now we wanted to let you know about what will be different this year. Thank you for listening and for reading. We are so glad you're here. And we're so excited about what we have in store for this summer.
[00:04:24] And now for today's episode. Back at the end of February, we invited you into three independent bookstores through my conversations with their owners and booksellers in Episode 369 called State of the Bookstore. Today, I'm delighted to share even more fascinating insights and fabulous recommendations from booksellers we love. These are some of my favorite people, and I can't wait for you to listen in.
First, we're popping over to the West Coast to catch up with Andrea Griffith, owner of Browsers Bookshop in Olympia, Washington. Next, we're visiting Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas, to talk with owner Alison Frenzel and book buyer Elizabeth Barnhill. And then we have Roxanne Coady, owner of RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut.
We have hosted all these booksellers on the show for wonderful conversations in the past. All those links are in our show notes in your podcast player or at whatshouldireadnext.com. We highly recommend listening to those episodes next.
I'm so excited to share these new conversations with all of you today. We talk about what's been happening in their stores since we last spoke, the books they can't stop recommending, and the ways they are building bookish communities, one reader at a time. Let's get to it.
[00:05:35] Andrea, welcome back to the show.
Andrea Griffith [00:05:37] Thank you so much for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:05:39] Oh, the pleasure is mine. I'm so excited to reconnect. I believe that you were the very first bookseller I talked to on What Should I Read Next? In June 2016. I hope everyone goes back and listen to that episode. It's so fun, especially knowing where Browsers Bookshop is today. But would you give us the recap? What was the Browsers' situation in 2016?
Andrea Griffith [00:06:02] Well, I'd only owned the store for like a year and a half, I think, when I talked to you. Not even two years. Now it's been eight and a half years, and so a lot has changed. When I bought the store, it was a completely used bookstore in the heart of Olympia downtown.
And in the full eight years, we are mostly an independent bookstore, we still have maybe 5% to 10% used books because we're a college town and we like our used book program but we are a fully independent bookstore. We're embraced by our community. We do a lot of events with schools. It's just night and day. I feel like we were striving to be where we were when I talked to you in 2016 and we're kind of there, and it feels really good.
Anne Bogel [00:06:52] The difference that seven years makes. I remember when we talked that at the time your new book percentage wasn't more than 30. It might have been 20 and you had a goal to hit a certain percentage by a certain time. By the time I got to visit the store in October 2018, which was a magical trip, you were kind enough to host me for I'd Rather Be Reading, it was such a joy to visit in person.
I just loved your setting in downtown Olympia. Like the Capitol was just a few blocks away. You had these great shops and eateries right nearby. Your staff told me exactly and you told me exactly where to go to get lunch and dessert. And I just loved it. And seeing the stories then was amazing.
[00:07:29] And you mentioned the used books. You told me something probably off the cuff—you probably don't even remember—when I was there in 2018 that I still think about all the time. And that's how many books, when they're first released, they just fly out the door. But you can kind of gauge whether a book has staying power by if it walks right back in when readers read it, and they don't feel like they need to keep it on their shelves, so they bring it back to you to pass on to another reader as a used book.
I think I overheard a reader ask for Louise Penny and used, and you commented to me like, "She doesn't come back." Like readers keep those books. But there were a couple big bestsellers in fall 2018 that you said, "Those flew out the door, like people bought those and then they walked right back in." Do you even remember that conversation?
Andrea Griffith [00:08:14] I don't. I don't. The thing is, is it's kind of true. With Louise Penny, that's still kind of true. We don't see them used very often. It's a book that people cherish, a series that people cherish, and then they hand them to their friends rather than bring them back for store credit. There's something about certain books that just don't come in used very often. And that's still true with Louise Penny, even though we're on - what? Book 19 or 18 in the series.
Anne Bogel [00:08:44] There's a lot of them now.
Andrea Griffith [00:08:45] I know.
Anne Bogel [00:08:46] I'm wondering if that experience very hands-on, like not only do you see what appeals to your readers in the store and hear what they ask for and what they're seeking out and what you special order and what they gravitate towards on the shelves, but also seeing the books that they are willing to part with when they come back in. I wonder if that eight-and-a-half years of anecdotal or maybe very real concrete Excel spreadsheet data impacts how you think about the business and how you think about people's reading tastes, and if it changes how you think about their reading life, really.
Andrea Griffith [00:09:15] Yes. I mean, it is interesting data. We do limit what we bring in used to what we've sold just as a marker to teach people how to buy used books. That seems to work really well for our store. It's fun to think of a book having a cycle outside of a brand new hardcover book and it comes back in hardcover again, maybe used. But it is interesting to see the cycle.
It's a smaller part of our business now, but I think it's a beloved part. I like that people can come in and find what they're looking for and then truly a browsing experience where you never know. There's more serendipity with the used books, I feel like, because you never know what will be there. You know that we'll have Spare on our shelf by Prince Harry but you may not know that a book that came out six months ago that we just got in and that's on our new used arrival. That part is so magical. I love that part of it. You just never know. And so you have to come in.
Anne Bogel [00:10:26] Serendipity in the reading life. I love the way you put that. Andrea, I'm so glad I got to visit the store. And I have to tell you, if you were my local bookstore, I'm something like 3,000 miles away, but if you are my local, I would be at that Cookbook Club every time you had it. You all do amazing events. You have this beautiful space. Since I don't anticipate finding myself in Olympia on a Thursday night anytime soon, would you humor me and paint a picture of what Cookbook Club is like?
Andrea Griffith [00:10:53] Yes, I do this with my friend Kelly. We do the Cookbook Club quarterly, so four times a year. We pick a cookbook and open up registration for it, and it fills up within a couple of hours. We limit it to 14 guests. Everyone brings the recipes out of the cookbook that we're cooking out of.
And on the night of the cookbook club, people bring the most amazing food upstairs to our store and we have a table set and it's beautiful. We have flowers from a local flower shop. We make it really, really nice. We like candles. Even in a bookstore, we like candles. I'm hoping the fire marshal doesn't listen to this.
But it's just a beautiful setting. And we have a conversation about food, about the cookbook itself. And it feels warm. It feels like what I thought being an adult would be every time. But it turns out you have to kind of create what you think adulthood will be. It's just different kinds of people, different age ranges. It's just one of the best things the store does.
And right now we're in this point where, you know, we can only fit 14 people around this table. The demand is greater than what we can obviously do, and we really have to keep it four times a year. It's a lot of work. So we're getting to the point where we're encouraging groups of people to create their own cookbook club in their own homes if you don't get into the Browsers' Cookbook Club. So it's a fun place to be.
Anne Bogel [00:12:31] It sounds amazing. That's wonderful in some ways to have the problem of more readers than space, but it's still very much is a problem.
Andrea Griffith [00:12:40] It is a problem, but also, I think, in a way, it's a place to be creative. My friend Kelly and I are talking about creating maybe a toolkit of how to do a cookbook club of your own. And you can pick the cookbook that we are using that season or you can pick a different one and have a group of your friends get together or host something in your neighborhood or get all the teachers in your school together. So it is a problem, but it also could be looked at as fostering gatherings outside of the store at the same time.
Anne Bogel [00:13:17] I love that. Andrea, you've mentioned that COVID was really a watershed moment for Browsers. Oh, if that long period can be called a moment. And that's not something that's unique to small businesses. But like so many bookstores, Browsers has come out of that so well. Would you tell me a little bit about what that experience in the aftermath has been like for you, continues to be like for you?
Andrea Griffith [00:13:39] It was obviously very tough and disorienting for sure. But looking back, I can see we made a series of really great decisions. We obviously didn't have the store open for browsing, but we continued to mail books to people. I wish I would have kept better data on this, but we were so overwhelmed in like just growing day to day that I did not keep track.
But we did several thousand home deliveries within a five-mile radius of the store. And because libraries weren't open, Amazon wasn't selling books the way that they usually do and we saw a need and we filled it, it was a lot of work. But first of all, I saw neighborhoods I didn't even know were in my town, which was really, really fun. And we were like book fairies. It was very fun.
So the community goodwill that we established from that has just made the business stronger Post-COVID. I don't want to be Pollyanna-ish about how difficult it was, but at the same time, we've come out a lot stronger. And I'm really pleased with the place that Browsers hold in our community right now.
Anne Bogel [00:14:57] Can you say more about that, about Browsers' place in the Olympia landscape?
Andrea Griffith [00:15:01] I think one of Browser's strengths is we really do know our community and our store reflects our community. And it feels like a place where neighbors are running into one another, that kids see their teachers buying books for their classroom. It feels like a meeting up place.
Our room upstairs we still let community groups meet. I mean, there was a group of people in there last night when I was leaving talking about short stories. So Browsers does feel like a community hub in a way that when you came to the store I was still just dreaming about. And it feels like it's happening.
After going through COVID, I don't think we'll ever take for granted the ability to gather and talk about something important or even something not important. I don't think we'll ever take that for granted in the same way. It feels like magic every day that we get to do the work that we're doing.
Anne Bogel [00:16:04] Would you tell me about some bestsellers or just popular books that are very unique to Browsers in your greater area?
Andrea Griffith [00:16:14] Surprisingly, and maybe not surprisingly, the book that we just cannot stop selling is a University Press book, which is, I think, kind of interesting. University Press books are usually a little more expensive. They're not as beautiful of an object often. But it's called Haboo: Native American Stories from Puget Sound by Vi Hilbert. That is one of our bestselling books of the last year, and we sell stacks of it. It's 33 stories, Native American stories that take place in the Salish Sea area where Browsers is right at. It's just a beautiful little book that just has amazing staying power.
Anne Bogel [00:17:00] That's incredible.
Andrea Griffith [00:17:01] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:17:01] I love how that's something that you would discover at Browsers, not on a bestseller list. Not on the bestseller list anywhere else, that is.
Andrea Griffith [00:17:09] Yes. And it just continues. It doesn't matter where we put it in the store, it just continues to walk out the door and find readers.
This isn't a regional book, but we just can't stop selling The House in the Cerulean Sea. It is one of our bestselling books of all time by T.J. Klune. It just keeps walking out our door. It appeals to my eighth grader, to my father-in-law. You know what I mean? It's just one of those books that I think a lot of people love and cherish. And it just keeps finding readers in our town. It's really fun.
Braiding Sweetgrass continues to be our bestselling book basically of all time at the store. It's just, I think, Pacific Northwest. It's speaking to a lot of what readers are wanting for their lives and viewing the natural world and how you can integrate modern life with ancient wisdom. It just keeps walking out the door.
A couple of others that are really unique to Olympia, we have just kind of a lovely community of children's writers. So if you're familiar with Nikki McClure's work—she's a paper artist—she had two books come out in 2022 and by far two of our bestselling books of the year. People in Olympia love Nikki McClure. And if you are not familiar with her work, definitely Google it. She does all of that with an X-Acto knife and black paper, the colors added digitally later. It's so cool.
The other children's writer that we adore is Karina Lukin. She sometimes illustrates other people's books, but she's authored her own books and illustrated them as well. So she's a beloved figure in our town as well.
Anne Bogel [00:18:59] That's amazing. Andrea, I have gotten some wonderful pics from your newsletter for books that you are reading and loving. What's something you might write about these days that’s special to you?
Andrea Griffith [00:19:09] I am a judge right now for the Washington State Book Awards, so I'm reading a lot of Washington authors, and I'm mostly loving it. So I feel like my reading life is very directed and not up to me. But a few things that I'm loving, I absolutely love Foster by Claire Keegan. I think that is a book that I think you read too and you really liked it.
Anne Bogel [00:19:35] I mean, I did because I read about it in your newsletter.
Andrea Griffith [00:19:38] Oh, really?
Anne Bogel [00:19:39] Yeah. You all sent me my books with a nice handwritten note. And yeah, they arrived in two days.
Andrea Griffith [00:19:43] I think it was Small Things Like These that you ordered from the store, wasn't it?
Anne Bogel [00:19:48] Oh, you said Foster. You're right. I'm thinking of Small Things Like These because that was my introduction to Claire Keegan through you.
Andrea Griffith [00:19:53] Yes. Still on the Claire Keegan train, I loved Foster as well, another very small book that you can read in one sitting that is unforgettable in the world that it creates and the story that it tells.
Thanks to you, though, I listened to your yearly roundup of the books that you loved when your husband was interviewing you. So I picked up Also a Poet by Ada Calhoun. I had read her book about Gen-X women and sleep. I had read that one. But I picked that Also a Poet, and I listened to it and I adored it.
I'm now reading Frank O'Hara's Lunch Poems. It created like a nesting doll. Like, I just keep finding books. And then I read her marriage book, The Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give. So thanks to you, I had my own little rabbit hole moment and it was really fun to follow my curiosity with that.
I really try to keep doing that even though I'm reading seasons ahead. As a bookstore owner, I feel responsible to do that. But it's really nice to follow your curiosity a little bit as well. That keeps the joy of reading alive for me too.
Anne Bogel [00:21:03] Yes, which is obviously good for you personally, but also good for Browsers. On that note, I'm wondering what are some words of encouragement you give to your booksellers to help them grow in the love of their reading lives and also be good at their jobs?
Andrea Griffith [00:21:18] Really interesting. I was just talking to Alex, the store manager, yesterday. We had met with a rep that morning and we were buying summer 2023, and the rep brought a stack of Advance Reading Copies for us. On one hand, that's like candy for a bookstore owner and booksellers, right? Like, we love all of this. But the pressure to read ahead only and to be knowledgeable about what's coming out and maybe a season or a season ahead versus following your curiosity, that pressure as a bookseller is just kind of overwhelming. And he was feeling it and so we were talking through it.
[00:22:06] We're all still in the process of figuring that out. Obviously, I can't pay my booksellers to read when they're not at the store. But we do talk about books all the time. We start our staff meetings out with like what you're reading. So we really do try to foster a love of figuring out what people are reading and sharing in that, or maybe what people will be reading and trying to identify that and then also reading ahead so we can have interesting conversations with readers.
But it is the balance to protect that curiosity that you feel going from one book to another on your own as you follow what's interesting versus what you feel like you should do for the store. It's a challenge, but it's also a really fun challenge, and it's really fun to talk about.
[00:22:53] So we're always talking about it. I don't think I'll ever get bored of talking about these types of things. We all have all these reading challenges that we're doing, and he was saying that this year he's only going to read one book at a time. But then he's figured out ways of cheating on it. And I'm like, The rules exist for you.
And I am planning a summer of rereading and I don't know exactly what that will look like. But it is really fun to have all of these big dreams and hopes and goals around your reading life. It is really fun to work in a place that we all have all these very idiosyncratic rules around things. It just never gets old or boring. I really love it.
Anne Bogel [00:23:38] I love to hear about that. And it sounds like you are in the right line of work, Andrea. Andrea, thanks so much for coming back on to catch up.
Andrea Griffith [00:23:45] It's a pleasure to talk with you.
Anne Bogel [00:23:48] Elizabeth and Alison, y'all have such a history with What Should I Read Next? and I'm so grateful for that. Alison, you first joined me to talk books and the process of opening a bookstore way back in May 2017. I did not even realize it had been that long.
And then I also didn't realize that the last time we aired an episode with both of you on the show was the day that Don't Overthink It came out on March 3rd, 2020. We got to hear about the actual opening of the store then in that episode. At that time you had only been open a little over six months.
And also we got to hear on that episode about how What Should I Read Next? brought you two together, which I don't think I knew until shortly before. And I haven't yet gotten to visit Fabled for myself, which I just can't believe because I was supposed to go in March 2020 and then we postponed till the summer and we all know how it's gone since then. But I'd love to hear from you. Paint a picture of what Fabled is like. Every bookstore has its own personality, tell us about yours.
Alison Frenzel [00:24:44] Anne, when Elizabeth and I talked yesterday, she reminded me the last time that we talked was March 2020 before everything happened. And you were scheduled to come to Fabled in just a few weeks from then. And I remember right before everything shut down that you were one of the first people to cancel something big.
I feel like that marked us as far as understanding what was ahead. And I think right after that, you know, we were in Waco, so Chip and Joanna had the Spring at the Silos and they canceled that. Of course, we all know how the rest of it went. But it's so crazy that that period is just so marked by our conversation with the podcast. And now it's like, I'd like to say we're out of it and we're back. So it's so fun to reconnect.
Since then, we've done a myriad of things as far as lockdown and figuring out how to reopen just as many bookstore and retail owners have done. But as far as Fabled is concerned, we are doing really well.
And when you come to Fabled, our vibe is nostalgia, it's fall in love with reading. We have a huge wooden owl that greets you as soon as you walk in and we name him Aesop. We want to offer the opportunity just to weave in and out of the stacks and find books, have that discoverability factor.
And then our kids section we really try to make magical with a secret entrance, which is a wardrobe. Really anybody who would love to come, we'd love to have you because it's really one of those things you can't explain the experience until you're there.
Anne Bogel [00:26:21] Alison, I learned when we talked last time that one of your official jobs was something like Keeper of the Vibe. I'd love to hear what that title actually is in a few adjectives that you find yourself coming back to when you're thinking about what the store is like and what kind of atmosphere you want to cultivate.
Alison Frenzel [00:26:37] Yes, that award was given to me at our staff party. And I know it was like a tongue in cheek with them because usually when I come in the store, I sometimes will change the music because it's not the right vibe or, you know, set things right that I think maybe need to... the vibe is obscure, you can't actually grasp it. But that's like more intuition of what I want people to experience.
I know I drive myself crazy because, you know, they're like, "Okay, we got the vibe down," And then they're "No, maybe not with this" and they change something. But it's really kind of that elusive feeling that we want people to have that it's a place that feels safe and welcoming and everyone feels like they can find a book that they love, that they are seen, and that they want to stay as long as they can.
We even have food that you can eat. We always joke. We're like, You can literally stay all day. You can have breakfast, lunch, dinner there too.
Anne Bogel [00:27:36] I love it. I have only had the pleasure of spending a few hours in Waco before you all opened, but it strikes me as a unique community. How has your specific place in that community… how has it shaped what Fabled has become?
Alison Frenzel [00:27:49] We're two blocks away from Magnolia. So Magnolia sees hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. And it's tempting to kind of say, well, we're going to open up this shop next to them, and then, you know, hopefully the tourists come over to us.
But I think Kimberly and I both felt like you have to establish your own community. So we really leaned into doing research around Waco and just found that there are so many readers. And the fact that we didn't have an independent bookstore was kind of crazy.
So I have felt that in our community we have the people who support us and really gathered around us when COVID happened because we were like a newborn baby as a store. I really compare it to having children because in the beginning it's like a newborn that you cannot leave for very long by itself. And then as it gets older and then you can start leaving it for longer periods of time and it becomes more and more independent.
So when COVID happened, we've only been open a few months. We were a newborn baby. We didn't know what was going to happen, of course, like everyone else, and our community gathered around us and supported us with whatever we offered them because I... And we felt it. They were like, "You're not going to disappear after this." That was overwhelming and amazing and gave us confidence to keep offering things that they would like.
And now I would say we have our own tourists, like book lovers that come from all around the country. I mean, Elizabeth would even tell you that she meets with people all the time that are like, "I'm from Illinois" or "I'm from Washington," and they come and visit us. I'm humbled and honored that they do that. It really shows you how wonderful the book-lover community is.
Anne Bogel [00:29:33] Elizabeth, you're the book buyer at Fabled. And you have to explain a little bit more about what Alison is referring to when she says you meet with these readers who've come from all over.
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:29:41] I never grew up with an independent bookstore in my area, and it was something that was deeply lacking, I felt like, in my life. So now I just feel so blessed that we have a beautiful, independent bookstore down the street from me.
But we really want to be that independent bookstore for people all over the country who may not have an indie in their neck of the woods. Or maybe they do, and they still prefer to shop at Fabled. So almost everything we do at the store, we like to offer it to our online community as well.
And honestly, you know, as hard as COVID was and how amazing Alison and Kimberly were at kind of pivoting with the ship, this newborn baby ship in a hurricane six months after we opened, there's been some really neat benefits. We have really developed a great online presence.
So one of the things I offer is walking the shelves with me so you can email me or DM me on @wacoreads on Instagram and either set up an in-store appointment, or we literally walk the shelves together. You say, "These are the books I love, and this is what I'm looking for," and I can find the perfect book for that customer.
But if you're living in Alaska, and this has happened before, we do FaceTime appointments. So I'm on FaceTime and we're literally walking the shelves with people and they have their browser open. And it's something I really, really enjoy doing. I get to meet so many wonderful people around the country. And there are some who make regular appointments with me. "Hey, I've just read through the eight books that I had last time I was walking the shelves and I need more." And I love that.
Anne Bogel [00:31:21] Tell me about a sleeper hit that's selling really well in your store?
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:31:26] Well, I don't know if it's a sleeper hit now, it seemed like it was going to be. But the Bandit Queens was one that I read in October. I hadn't heard anything about it, by Parini Shroff. We picked it for one of our book club books. And we can't keep it in the store. It's just hysterical. It's a debut author. We got to speak to her this week and really love her. We love getting to champion debut authors. I'm sure you do, too, Anne. But that's one that was a sleeper hit.
Another one that was one from, I guess, last year or the year before was Shiner by Amy Jo Burns. Alison read it in the catalog, it was kind of in the back of the catalog, and she said, "Hey, Elizabeth, I really love this. What do you think?" And we loved it. It actually sold more than any other paperback in the store last year. And we love that. So there's been some sleeper hits for sure.
The other one I would say... Alison says she's got The Keeper of the Vibe award. Well, my award was the Queen of Crime. I love mysteries and thrillers and really love the niche genre of Nordic noir. One that we've sold really well is The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen. So I'm sure Jussi is going, "What in the world is going on in Waco, Texas? So many of my books are selling there." But that's been fun, too. But those are some that we like to sell, among a myriad of others.
Anne Bogel [00:32:44] Oh, that sounds like fun. Elizabeth, what's a book that you personally find yourself recommending all the time?
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:32:50] I absolutely loved These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant. I think it's a book that really appeals to a wide swath of readers. It's pretty easy for me to recommend that one. Another one I love to sell is Roses by Leila Meacham. It's an older one. But when I tell people it's a Texas version of Gone with the Wind, that's all I have to say and it sells like crazy at the store.
Anne Bogel [00:33:14] I've never read that one.
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:33:15] She was great. Recently passed away. But all of her books have a little Texas connection. And that was one I really enjoyed. One of those sweeping sagas that so many of our readers love.
Anne Bogel [00:33:28] Yeah, like a really big book you can get lost in?
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:33:31] Oh, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:33:32] A Texas-sized novel.
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:33:33] Yes, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:33:36] Alison, what's a book you find yourself recommending all the time?
Alison Frenzel [00:33:40] I love this book called The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook. I don't even remember how I stumbled on it, but it is just this wonderful book that not a lot of people know about. It's a Western, it feels like Moby-Dick, True Grit. It is so wonderful. It's absolute delight. I recommend it to everybody in the shop.
Anne Bogel [00:34:05] I don't know that book. I'm so excited to hear. Thanks for telling us about it today.
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:34:09] Oh, Anne, I think you would like that one. That seems like it has an Anne vibe to it.
Alison Frenzel [00:34:13] I think so. I think everybody would love it.
Anne Bogel [00:34:16] Oh, everybody would love it. That is a bold claim. I love it. I'm here for it. Alison, is there anything new or especially exciting happening lately at Fabled?
Alison Frenzel [00:34:24] Yes. This past year, we got an email from the Discovery Network, and they were doing a new show called Storefront Stories, where they were just going in and talking to those owners about the vibe and their approach about what their store looks like. So they emailed us and filmed for two full days, and I think the episode is 6 minutes.
Anne Bogel [00:34:50] Oh, my gosh.
Alison Frenzel [00:34:52] It was amazing and eye-opening and very intimidating. But it was such an honor to be featured on that show. And you can watch it now on the Discovery Network.
Anne Bogel [00:35:01] That is amazing. Elizabeth and Alison, thank you so much for coming back on the show and for giving us a peek inside Fabled and what's happening there now.
Elizabeth Barnhill [00:35:09] Good talking to you. And come see us.
Alison Frenzel [00:35:10] Thanks so much, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:35:13] Roxanne, welcome back to the show.
Roxanne Coady [00:35:15] Well, thank you. I'm delighted to join you again.
Anne Bogel [00:35:18] Oh, it's a pleasure. We connected on What Should I Read Next? way back in April 2018 when we talked about how you found a calling that appealed to your heart rather than your head, and also emotionally resonant narratives, which are my favorite, nonfiction that hold your hand through tough times, and of course, a little bit about the business of RJ Julia. And then I got to visit myself in March 2020.
And Roxanne, I don't know how you feel about those. They feel like the last days of the normal-ish times.
Roxanne Coady [00:35:45] Yeah, it's true.
Anne Bogel [00:35:46] RJ Julia was one of the very last places I got to see in person before the shutdown, and I'm so glad I got to make it there to Madison because my visit there made me want to move to New England immediately.
And I'm going to try to capture the personality of the store, the one in downtown Madison. It felt to me very traditional and also very fresh. It was packed with books and other good stuff. Y'all had so many fun goodies and knickknacks and the kind of thing that readers love that aren't books.
You also really had a wonderful span of ages and reading taste represented both in the merchandise and the books and also among your staff and clientele
Roxanne Coady [00:36:23] Well, thank you for that.
Anne Bogel [00:36:25] Well, that was me just dropping in for 24 hours in 2020. How would you describe the personality and feel of RJ Julia?
Roxanne Coady [00:36:33] Well, you know, one of the things that's been interesting... So we've been around almost 33 years. And what is interesting is that we've been able to take what looks like a classic bookstore with the mahogany bookcases and the oriental rugs and all of that. But we have a team of people that do the merchandizing that is extraordinary.
So I'm happy to hear that it does what you say it does because that's our goal. I think the idea of any bookstore is always that you come in there and the sense of discovery is just compelling. And that's about making sure that you're not being narrow in what somebody's reading tastes are.
You know, we always say you might be able to read a book by a cover, but you certainly can read a person by their appearance. So the older woman with white hair who comes in might want cutting-edge fiction, not what you think she might want. Or the young guy coming in might want what would be called chick-lit romance. So what I hope the store does is just feel like you're in a place where there is discovery.
Anne Bogel [00:37:55] How do you do that just from a practical standpoint, whether that's your booksellers or the way you lay out books in the store? Something I loved about R.J. Julia is you had so many face-out staff picks and booksellers who were enthusiastic about talking about them, whether it was a book they loved or they knew their coworker loved that they'd heard their coworker talking about endlessly in a way that meant they were truly devoted to that book.
How do you do that? I know your mission is putting the right book in the right hand. So tell me about what it means to carry that out.
Roxanne Coady [00:38:26] So what that means is in the hiring that we make sure that the booksellers that we're hiring represent a range of the type of reader. We're obviously making sure that somebody we're hiring is excited about putting the right book in the right hand. Because, you know, Anne, you probably feel the same way I do, and I talked to our staff about this. You know, books can change a life.
You know, you come in and you're in a sad mood and you find the right book and you go home and you could be in a better mood. Or you've just experienced a loss or a diagnosis or happy news, or you just found out you're pregnant. So having staff that really feel that that's their purpose is the vibe in the store. And it's now part of our DNA.
Anne Bogel [00:39:21] I would love to hear about a high and/or a low in the store since we last connected. So 2018 to 2023, RJ Julia has been through a lot good and bad in that span.
Roxanne Coady [00:39:33] Yeah, exactly. So we, in fact, reopened in ten days as a fulfillment place. And then we ended up with this program that was insane. That is Chris Murphy, who's our senator and I put together a program where we were going to get people to donate money so we could give out books and free launch programs in our major cities here in Connecticut.
So we raised $250,000 and we handed out books for six weeks, eight weeks in Bridgeport, New Haven, Meriden, Middletown. I did some of that myself. So most cities kept their free lunch programs going, but we would be set up with tables. We worked with Random House and Simon & Schuster. We put together books for different ages, and every kid could take two books every week.
Anne Bogel [00:40:43] Oh, that's amazing.
Roxanne Coady [00:40:45] So what we accomplished with that was obviously $250,000 of sales. But more importantly to our mission, we handed out $250,000 of free books. The satisfaction of watching our staff step to the plate in a way I could have never imagined was one of the most life-affirming things that I've ever gone through.
I mean, they were extraordinary. They were as committed to our meeting the needs of our readers as if it was their store and their personal mission. So I would have to say that we have had some of the best of our 33 years in these last years.
And, you know, here's what it reminded me of, Anne. It's a long game. It's a long game. You don't ask for favors after you haven't been a good employer. You don't ask your customers to do things and you haven't taken care of them and made it clear that you're a partnership.
So what I felt the best about is that the relationships we had in our community with our staff were not transactional. They were founded in a deep commitment to each other. And we had enough of the track record among ourselves for that to be the case.
Anne Bogel [00:42:32] You sound so proud of that staff.
Roxanne Coady [00:42:34] I am.
Anne Bogel [00:42:35] Having been there on March 5th, 2020, it does not surprise me to hear how they stepped up. But I'm thrilled to hear it.
Roxanne Coady [00:42:41] They were great. So, you know, I feel blessed and I feel incredibly lucky that we were able to keep doing what we did.
Anne Bogel [00:42:51] It's clear in listening to you, Roxanne, that one of the things that has made you such a pillar of the local community, if I'm allowed to say that, is that you're deeply committed to them. Like when you put a book into someone's hand, it really can change their life. It can be with them through a really important time. As you were just saying, during those early scary days of COVID, having the right book could be the escape, the information, the relief, the distraction that we all needed.
On that note, of course, reading is personal, but I would love to hear about some of the books that have proven to be especially popular among your readers.
Roxanne Coady [00:43:26] I'll pick a couple of books that I think are known across the country that have been big for us, too. One is Lessons in Chemistry. I haven't read it but everybody.... It seems to appeal to readers up and down the reading taste level. And that's done well for us as has Horse by Gwendolyn Brooks. So those are books that I think are sort of everywhere, and they're doing well for us, are doing well across the country.
The books that I find that we're doing well with, and I feel proud of this because we were on this book early, is the book Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. I wrote about it in Dear Reader, and it didn't have big name recognition yet, and I think we sold a couple hundred copies in short order.
Anne Bogel [00:44:24] Roxanne, I have to tell you, I ordered that book myself from Andrea Griffith at a bookstore on the opposite coast because she did the same thing. I hadn't heard of it yet at the time. It was brand new. And she said, "Let me tell you how much I love this and why." And I clicked that buy button so quick. I can just picture all your readers doing the same thing.
Roxanne Coady [00:44:42] Yeah. And, you know, part of what I loved about that book, aside from the exquisite writing, is it really shows what it's like to be brave in a situation where there might be a price for your bravery. I don't think we have enough of that. I don't think we have enough of that bravery.
The other book that we're probably uniquely selling that makes me gloriously happy is Jacques Pepin lives in our community-
Anne Bogel [00:45:16] I didn't know.
Roxanne Coady [00:45:17] ...and is a good friend of the store. His latest book is called Art of the Chicken. He's an exquisite painter. So it has all these chickens he's painted in various states of seriousness and frivolity. It's a little bit of a memoir, and then it's sort of a casual recipes involving chicken, whether it's chicken his grandmother made or his mother made in France or he and his wife made. We've sold thousands of that book because Jacques Pepin is hands down one of the most generously spirited people you could ever possibly meet.
Anne Bogel [00:46:04] That sounds like an amazing comfort read. I want to go pick that up right now.
Roxanne Coady [00:46:08] Oh, my God, you'll just be happy.
Anne Bogel [00:46:11] Sometimes that is everything I want in a book.
Roxanne Coady [00:46:14] Yeah. You'll just be super, super happy. You'll be satisfied visually, emotionally, intellectually. You will just be super happy.
Anne Bogel [00:46:24] Yes, please to all of it.
Roxanne Coady [00:46:26] As you know, I do a podcast, but I only interview nonfiction writers. So I'm often reading nonfiction books that sometimes they're very well-known. Like I interviewed Billy Collins the other day. But one of the guys I interviewed is a man by the name of John Sweet. He wrote a book called The Sewing Girl's Tale, nonfiction set in revolutionary times in New York City. And it is the true story of a 17-year-old seamstress who was raped by one of the most prominent citizens of New York at that time. And she sued him and it was brought to trial.
John Sweet is just a lovely, lovely writer. But you learn about the Revolutionary War, you learn about New York City, even geographically. And as a New Yorker, you know, you see where there was this huge farm in what's now Times Square, you know, all this funky stuff. You learn about what the law was like then. You learn what daily life was like then. And you are immersed in her story, and what gave her the courage to do this, what was the outcome, where did everybody end up.
So Sewing Girl's Tale is a book that we're hand-selling that isn't yet getting the widespread attention that it should.
Anne Bogel [00:48:03] Would you say a little bit about the satisfaction of finding something wonderful and helping it find its audience? You've mentioned that now with John Sweet and with Claire Keegan.
Roxanne Coady [00:48:14] You know, one of the things I think about, when I first opened the store, I was doing the buying, the shelving, and the hand selling, right? Whenever I would return a book, take it off the shelf because it didn't sell, I could see the whole arc of the writer thinking of it, of the writer writing it, of the writer finding the publisher for it, of the publisher trying to market it to bookstores and readers and our booksellers trying to sell it. And I just think about all of that effort needs to be rewarded.
And as you and I both know, the number... I mean, I forget what the average number of books that any book publisher sells, but it's not a lot. You know, you've got the books that are selling millions and then you're getting the books that are selling 5,000 copies.
Anne Bogel [00:49:11] Which is about the average. Yeah.
Roxanne Coady [00:49:13] So, to me, if any of us booksellers find a book that resonates with us, the opportunity to introduce it to a lot of people... You know, that's why we're booksellers. You know, it's pretty damn satisfying to be doing that.
So one of the books I want to make sure I mention that... You know, you always need the fiction book that appeals to a broad range of readers. Particularly when you don't know somebody's particular reading taste. So some books are plot-driven, character-driven, some are deconstruction, some are harder to get into, some you have to surrender to.
But one of the fiction books that came out this year that is the book for me that I don't know anyone who's read it male, female, 25 or 80 that doesn't love it is Signal Fire by Dani Shapiro. It's perfect fiction. You don't need to work hard to get into it, you're gripped immediately, you're attached to all the characters. The story makes you think about how you live your life, what matters to you, what do you want to pay attention to?
So every season I try to make sure I have a book in my head that is good for anybody. And that would be the book I would say right now, for me, if somebody wants a good fiction read, I know they're going to like Signal Fires.
Anne Bogel [00:50:50] Oh, it's so exciting to hear what you are excited about. Roxanne, what are you excited about that's on the horizon for yourself and your store?
Roxanne Coady [00:50:58] So we have an e-commerce site called Just the Right Book, which is a personalized book of the month program, and we invested quite a bit into refining the software for that. I'm very excited about relaunching, recommitting to that. I am really excited about the ability to grow that. And to the point of this conversation, the letters we get are "I would have never picked this book out and I loved it".
Anne Bogel [00:51:34] Oh, that's so satisfying to hear.
Roxanne Coady [00:51:36] Right. That's what we want to be doing. You know, I think it's what you do on What Should I Read Next? Because I remember you did that with me. The book you picked out for me was I think it was I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell.
Anne Bogel [00:51:54] We talked about that book.
Roxanne Coady [00:51:56] You were the one who told me about it. So I thought, "No, I'm a pretty good bookseller, I hadn't picked that up." I mean, I'm sure it's, you know, what drives you to keep working so hard and doing what you're doing.
Anne Bogel [00:52:13] I think you said it well. And yet I do have a hard time articulating precisely why it is so deeply fulfilling to see a book find its audience or to put an undiscovered gem in the path of exactly the right reader. Maybe it feels like something right is clicking into the place in one tiny little piece of the universe when we're able to help those connections happen.
Roxanne Coady [00:52:35] Well, I think that's exactly right, Anne. Because at the end of the day, I think what makes most of us happy is having a sense of purpose. I think in bookselling, we have a kind of easy opportunity to have a sense of purpose.
Anne Bogel [00:52:57] I hadn't thought of it precisely like that. I love that.
Roxanne Coady [00:53:01] Right? But I think that it. You know, we have a lot of us working for not a lot of money in this industry, and, you know, that needs to get fixed and we need to try to make it be financially viable for everybody to have a good living by doing this. But it does have a wonderful sense of purpose.
So when I think about, about to, you know, turn 74, I think I'm still excited about what I'm doing. How lucky is that? I mean, of course, it's true in a million industries. But I think for readers, it is easy to stay excited in this industry because every day there's thousands of new books. There's nothing stale. It's always iterative and evolving, and there's new writers and new areas to explore.
You know, think about how multicultural a lot of very successful books are now that were hiding in dark corners, and they're now getting attention and interest by readers. So we're learning about new countries, we're learning about new ways of thinking, we're understanding history better. You know, it's pretty great.
Anne Bogel [00:54:22] I wouldn't trade it.
Roxanne Coady [00:54:23] Exactly. I would not.
Anne Bogel [00:54:25] Roxanne, thanks so much for taking the time to come back and talk about your work in RJ Julia with us.
Roxanne Coady [00:54:30] Anne, it was lovely. Keep doing the great work that you're doing.
Anne Bogel [00:54:38] Readers. I hope you enjoyed today's conversations. I'd love to hear your stories of visiting these independent bookstores or others you have loved, others that have meant a lot to you. Share those stories in the comments over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. That's where you'll find links to all the books and bookstores mentioned today.
Subscribe to our newsletter at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to keep up with our latest news and happenings. Follow us on Instagram. I'm there @AnneBogel. Our show’s page is @whatshouldireadnext. Sharing our posts and tagging your favorite readers in your stories is a great way to help spread the book love about episodes you have enjoyed.
Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss an episode.
Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Spareby Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex
• Haboo: Native American Stories from Puget Sound by VI Hilbert
• The House in the Cerulean Sea by Tj Klune
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Nikki McClure (try Old Wood Boat)
• Corinna Luyken (try The Book of Mistakes)
• Foster by Claire Keegan
• Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
• Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me by Ada Calhoun
• Lunch Poems by Frank O’Hara
• Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give by Ada Calhoun
• Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel
• The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
• Shiner by Amy Jo Burns
• The Keeper of Lost Causes: The First Department Q Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen
• These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
• Roses by Leila Meacham
• The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Horse by Geraldine Brooks
• Art of the Chicken: A Master Chef’s Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird by Jacques Pépin
• The Sewing Girl’s Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America by John Wood Sweet
• Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro
• I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell
Also mentioned:• What you need to know about the 2023 Summer Reading Guide
• WSIRN Episode 369: State of the Bookstore
• Browsers Bookstore
• Fabled Bookshop
• RJ Julia Booksellers
• WSIRN Episode 28: Books that no one’s writing about in Entertainment Weekly
• Browsers Bookstore Cookbook Club
• WSIRN Episode 361: Anne’s best books of the year
• WSIRN Episode 77: How to save The Shop Around the Corner
• WSIRN Episode 225: What your neighborhood should read next
• Storefront Stories with Fabled Bookshop
• WSIRN Episode 126: Books that appeal to your head AND your heart
• RJ Julia’s Just the Right Book! podcast
• RJ Julia’s Just the Right Book! subscription
The post Bookstore confidential appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
This month I’m particularly grateful for our Quick Lit tradition: With the Summer Reading Guide on the near horizon, I’m spending most of my reading time on forthcoming releases. But this regular Quick Lit post reminds me to spend some time with the old (or at least, already published) as well, even in April!
I read a ton of great books in April, and I also got to visit several new-to-me bookstores, including Nashville’s Novelette, whose gorgeous pink shelves are pictured above. I hope to share the books I picked up on my travels in future editions of Quick Lit!
I always like to note the patterns in my current reading: this edition of short and sweet book reviews includes several titles from our Spring Book Preview, including Emily Henry’s new Maine romance Happy Place and You Could Make This Place Beautiful, the just-released memoir from poet Maggie Smith. April is Poetry Month, so it’s a happy coincidence that in addition to Maggie Smith, I finished Ada Limón’s 2022 poetry collection The Hurting Kind this month and included it here. I round out this month’s Quick Lit with Rachel Beanland’s historical novel The House Is on Fire and Beth Moore’s newly released memoir All My Knotted-Up Life, plus a pageturning contemporary novel from Vibhuti Jain called Our Best Intentions.
As always, I compiled my roundup with major assistance from my My Reading Life book journal, so it’s easy to know what I’ve been reading lately. If you’re not currently tracking your reading, I highly recommend it, no matter what method you choose.
Welcome to March Quick Lit Author: Ada Limón
A reader right here in our Quick Lit comments section mentioned earlier this year that she had enjoyed this poetry collection on audio, and that sounded so enticing I gave it a go myself! This collection from our current U.S. poet laureate (and my fellow Kentuckian) is filled with both big ideas and pieces of everyday life, on topics as varied as the natural world, pandemic isolation, growing older, forgiveness, and divorce. This collection was wonderful on audio, although I found the just-under-two-hour run time to be deceptively short, as I found myself wanting to re-listen, and re-listen again, and then follow along with the print while I listened. More info →Author: Beth Moore
I bumped this February release from longtime Southern Baptist teacher and speaker Moore to the top of my TBR after hearing from multiple readers of varying faith backgrounds that they considered it best-of-the-year material, and now I get it: this is a superb memoir, filled with candid conversations about hard things, relayed with humor and warmth. Going in I was especially interested to hear her speak about the sexual abuse she suffered as a child and her more recent break with the Southern Baptists (though the two are very much related), but there is so much more in these pages, and she is a consummate storyteller throughout. I listened to this on audio and thought it was wonderful in that format, as narrated by the author. (If you enjoyed or are interested in Beth Moore's memoir, I want to make sure you know about Philip Yancey's 2021 memoir Where the Light Fell, which holds similar themes.) More info →Author: Rachel Beanland
Beanland's sophomore novel (following Florence Adler Swims Forever) is based on the very real Richmond Theater fire that killed 72 people on December 26, 1811. Beanland tells the story through the eyes of four survivors, some of whom are more fictionalized than others: the teenage stagehand whose mistake causes a backdrop to ignite, a wealthy young widow who survives by jumping from a window, an enslaved blacksmith who helps many white women escape the blazing theater, and a young female slave who wonders if she might use the fire as an opportunity to escape. I enjoyed listening to the full-cast narration of this steadily-paced, thoroughly researched historical tale. More info →Author: Vibhuti Jain
This riveting and heartbreaking new drama revolves around a stabbing on a high school campus in well-heeled and predominantly white Westchester County, New York. The story benefits from Jain's skillful unwinding (and escalation) of the narrative: an encroaching storm heightens the tension, and the multiple points of view are devastatingly effective. (I gasped aloud at one point when the perspective shifted—and I was suddenly inside the mind of the victim's creepy friend, who was about to reveal all the secrets he'd been keeping.) As the police search for the perpetrator, and the whole community tries to control the narrative that explains WHY this crime was committed, Jain examines how each character's fears and motivations are shaded by privilege, race, and, status, and how their best intentions compel them to obfuscate what really happened. More info →Author: Emily Henry
Interestingly, this is Emily’s first time in hardcover (after 1.5 million sales and counting of her first three adult novels). Readers keep asking: is this book as angsty as her previous romances and my answer is definitely YES. I loved it, but you should know going in she puts her characters through hard things. In this brand new release (out April 25) we meet Harriet and Wyn, who broke up six months ago but resolve to pretend otherwise for their annual (and final) Maine getaway with their dearest friends. As their vacation week unfolds, the pair discover they’re not the only ones keeping secrets—and that they all have to come to terms with their past if they’re going to have a future together. I consistently inhale Emily’s books: I read this sooo fast and can’t wait for her next. Heads up for a handful of open door scenes. More info →Author: Maggie Smith
In this brand-new, beautifully written memoir, poet Maggie Smith reflects on her work and parenthood and especially on the end of her marriage, which she reveals was never the same after her 2016 poem Good Bones became a viral sensation. Her short vignettes are reminiscent of diary entries, as she explores not only what happened but how it felt to experience, whether she's writing of discovering her then-husband's affair, leaning on her parents for support, or learning her poem is going to be featured on Madam Secretary. I found this book to be incredibly sad, and was grateful for the gentle note of optimism she ended on. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How has your week been? It’s been a hard week at home in Louisville after Monday’s tragedy. Thanks so much for your kind words and messages for my family (we are all safe) and my city; they are very much appreciated.
I’m starting the weekend in Nashville on a final college visit with our high school senior—but we’re also sneaking in a bookstore visit or two. May your weekend be filled with grace, peace, rest, and good books, and may this collection of interesting reads and favorite things help ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:‘Beach Read’ Film Adaptation in the Works. (Kirkus Reviews) Who’s excited?
Behind the Scenes of Barack Obama’s Reading Lists. (Esquire) I gotta say, the subtitle of this piece scared me, but I’m relieved to learn he reads a lot and is sharing books he loves.
I made a classic key lime pie for Easter and it was FANTASTIC.
Fashion is finally designing for women over 40. (Fast Company) Here. For. It.
In case you missed it: What you need to know about the 2023 Summer Reading Guide, coming May 18.
This Favorite Daughter Collegiate Sweatshirt cracks me up! Who needs one?
Meet the Street Librarian Giving Away 1,000’s of Free Books to Black Children. (BlackNews.com) Amazing!
This Connecticut House Tour Is Our Most Colorful One Yet. (Cup of Jo) This makes me want to go paint a room coral, or turquoise, or kelly green!
The Best (and Easiest) Way to Clean Stained Coffee Mugs. (Apartment Therapy) No surprise here—we use Bar Keeper’s Friend A LOT around here!
In ‘Hamnet,’ Shakespeare’s Wife Takes the Spotlight, at Last. (New York Times gift link) The Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel opened this week in London. I LOVED this book and am curious about the play.
Speaking of cleaning: we’re loving these reusable microfiber face cleaning pads at my house. (The key to using these is obvious, but since it took me a while to figure it out I’m sharing: keep a designated small bowl or something near the sink for dirty pads, and wash them in a mesh bag when it’s full.)
16 of Our Best-Ever Grilled Cheese Recipes to Celebrate Grilled Cheese Day. (The Kitchn) It was April 12 but I think we can keep celebrating.
Here’s Why You Get a Book Hangover—and How to Get Over It. (Reader’s Digest) Helpful advice.
From the archives: Nerdy nonfiction for readers who love to learn. Embrace your inner nerd and find a new niche interest with these nonfiction reads!
5 common triggers for highly sensitive people, and 5 antidotes to help them. Here’s what HSPs need to feel calm, content, and collected during these overstimulated times.
Give your reading life a quick boost with these 21 short and satisfying novels. When your attention span is short or your reading life feels lackluster, try a novella! It might just be the pick-me-up your reading life needs.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s that time of year: our TWELFTH annual guide is coming Thursday, May 18. I am so excited about this year’s guide: it’s going to be fifty books strong, chock-full of summer reading goodness, made with love and experience and responsibility and (sometimes) eyes that are tired from allll the reading. But this year marks a departure from previous years, and I want to update you on what is changing and walk you through the thought process behind those changes.
I’ve made this casual video so you can hear me talk about our history, our evolution, our options, and what’s changing for 2023. I hope you’ll watch so you can hear me share more about these updates in my own voice. (Oops, I just realized there’s a big cough in this video I thought I’d successfully edited out! I’m currently trying to do that without the help of my teenagers, wish me luck? UPDATE: fixed!)
I love our Summer Reading Guide tradition, but just as the guide has evolved dramatically over the years, we need to make some changes to reflect the current landscape of our business and the reality of what it takes to make this guide. Good things take time and they’re costly to make, and only getting more so—costly in terms of attention, energy, resources, and cash. What that means is that this year, for the first time, our guide is not free.
I talk about this in the video, and we’ll have all kinds of guide and unboxing info for you soon. For now, we’re sharing the headlines in writing below:
2023 Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing PartyThe guide is coming on May 18 and is an included perk for our community members in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and What Should I Read Next Patreon, along with Unboxing access. We will deliver the guide to all members and our a la carte readers the morning of May 18 (Eastern time), and will host two Unboxing Parties on May 18 at 1:00pm and 8:30pm Eastern time. We look forward to our “Unboxing” event every year: in a 90+ minute live session, I share every title in the guide and why I chose it. Our conversation is casual and unscripted, filled with real talk about great books, in the presence of people who love books and reading.
There are three ways to get the 2023 MMD Summer Reading Guide:1. Purchase the guide and Unboxing access a la carte. 2. Support the What Should I Read Next Patreon 3. Join the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
We hope you’ll choose the option that’s right for you. We frequently get questions about the difference between MMD Book Club and Patreon and we will share a THOROUGH explainer in the coming weeks answering those FAQs and sharing exactly what’s in store for summer in each community, along with specific information on how to place your a la carte preorder for the guide and Unboxing access.
If you’re not able or do not wish to join one of our member communities or purchase the guide separately, please know that we’ll keep with our longstanding tradition of sharing our Minimalist Summer Reading Guide on the blog, and I’ll share many summer reading titles here and on What Should I Read Next all summer long.
Thanks so much for your support over the years. I can’t wait to share our 2023 guide and to hear how it shapes your reading life this summer. I’m so looking forward to the reading season to come, and I hope you are, too.
Thanks for reading, and most of all, for allowing me to be a part of your summer reading.
Anne
The post What you need to know about the 2023 Summer Reading Guide, coming May 18 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We love great stories of any length (like these 20 Absorbing doorstop novels or these Short novels), but sometimes short books deliver an incredible experience that is exactly what a reader needs. I’m excited to talk with today’s guest Vanessa A. Bee about the short, economically written books she loves.
Vanessa is an author, mother, wife, and attorney who lives in Washington, DC. She recently released a memoir called Home Bound: An Uprooted Daughter’s Reflections on Belonging about her experience as an adoptee who was born in Cameroon, and raised by a Black mother and a white father in France, England, and then the United States.
In order to juggle her reading hobby and other commitments in her life, Vanessa often relies on shorter, economically written books, although she’s not averse to the occasional long read. I’m excited to hear more about why this format works so well for Vanessa, and recommend titles that deliver on the sweeping, beautiful reading experience she loves best, all while being wrapped up in a neat little book package.
Find Vanessa on her website, vanessaabee.com and on Twitter.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabVanessa A. Bee [00:00:00] I think it's incredibly difficult to be funny on the page. I had these moments where I would be like walking down the street on my own with my headphones just like laughing out loud. I was just like, "How is this happening?"
Anne Bogel [00:00:14] I love that visual.
[00:00:21] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:52] Before we get started, I wanted to share that summer reading season is hovering on the horizon and now is a great time to prepare by grabbing yourself a shiny new reading journal. We have two available: our My Reading Life Book Journal for adults and our My Reading Adventures Book Journal for kids. That one is designed for the 8 to 12-year-old set but is wholeheartedly embraced by many adults who want to use that emoji rating system for themselves.
These journals also make great gifts for moms, graduates, and kids who can't wait for summer vacation to get started. Get your copy wherever you like to buy your books. Thanks and happy reading.
[00:01:28] Now for today's show, there's something particularly enticing about a short book that delivers an incredible reading experience. And today I'm excited to talk with my guest, Vanessa A. Bee, about the short books she loves.
Vanessa is an author, mother, wife, and attorney who lives in Washington, D.C.. She also recently released a memoir called Home Bound: An Uprooted Daughter's Reflections on Belonging, about her experience as an adoptee who was born in Cameroon and raised by a Black mother and a white father in France, England, and the United States.
Between work, family commitments, writing, and reading, Vanessa has a lot on her plate, and she relies on shorter, economically written books to help her make the most of the limited time and energy she has to devote to this beloved hobby. But she's not averse to the occasional long read, as you will hear.
I'm so excited to talk about Vanessa's favorites today and to hear more about why she finds this format so powerful. I'll also recommend titles that deliver on that sweeping, beautiful reading experience she loves most, all while being wrapped up in neat little book packages. Let's get to it!
Vanessa, welcome to the show.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:02:33] Thank you for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:02:35] Oh, it's my pleasure. We want to give our listeners a glimpse of who you are. Would you tell me a little about yourself?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:02:41] I live in Washington, D.C. with my husband and our toddler, and our two cats. In my day job, I'm a financial consumer protection attorney for the government. And that is sort of my dream job. And then on the side, I do some writing.
Anne Bogel [00:02:59] Vanessa, tell me what it means to be a financial consumer protection attorney. My background is in property law, and I can't really conceive of what that means for how you spend your days.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:03:10] Well, I actually work for one of the government agencies that was created after the financial crisis. So a lot of my day job involves investigating companies or individuals who may have violated some of the federal laws that are supposed to protect consumers in various financial transactions.
You know, as consumers, we interact with the finance industry all the time, whether you have student loans or a credit card or a car loan or a mortgage, all sorts of areas to come in contact with that industry.
Anne Bogel [00:03:47] What do you find compelling about this field?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:03:49] I came of age, I think, during the financial crisis, and I was raised by working-class parents who I think are exactly the kind of consumers that we try to protect. You know, just like normal people, not necessarily like super sophisticated individuals. I was very shocked as a young person seeing the financial industry take advantage of my parents and other people that were important to us. So I feel passionate about the subject matter.
And then on a day-to-day basis, investigating is really fun. It's a lot of data gathering and interviews of people and companies. You're trying to figure out what the story is. You're trying to figure out what happened, why did it happen. And maybe at the end of that, there's a lawsuit or some other form of resolution. But the kind of solitary aspect of hunting for information and trying to figure out what happened is just very satisfying.
Anne Bogel [00:04:50] Oh, you use the word "story", and I'm thinking now about how so many novels and nonfiction works that we love as readers are written by attorneys or used to be attorneys. How does your day job really prepare you for your hobby of writing outside of work?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:05:07] It's funny. I feel like it uses fairly different parts of my brain. One way in which I think being an attorney has impacted my writing, whether I'm doing nonfiction or fiction, is that I always write assuming that my audience is skeptical of me, of my point of what I'm trying to advance. So I'm very careful about when I'm writing nonfiction, like making sure my facts are straight, making sure I'm making my argument, or making my connections in a way that is clear and compelling.
I think that carries into the writing I do on the side. And then on the flip side, I think the writing I do outside of work influences me as an attorney in that I really value clear writing and storytelling and finding a way to present facts in a way that is interesting and makes you want to keep reading.
You know, judges, my supervisors, these are all people who you have to give them a reason to keep turning the page. I mean, it's their job to keep turning the page, but if you want to get them on your side, it's helpful to have some of the tools that we use in creative nonfiction.
Anne Bogel [00:06:22] Oh, that's so interesting. Vanessa, can you think of a specific instance where you were really grateful for your legal background in your writing or vice versa?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:06:31] So I stepped away a bit from creative nonfiction but that's primarily what I've published. And I've published some really... I tend to be long-winded, so I've published some really long pieces.
And I'm thinking of one that was published in the magazine N Plus One and ended up being in my book. But it's... Gosh, how long is that piece? I don't know. It might be like 10,000 words. In it, I'm connecting my personal experience to the financial crisis and I'm talking about events that happened when I was 16. And I'm retelling these events in service of helping the reader understand why I would feel a particular way about buying property at age 27, and here are some of the history of things that have happened in between and before I got to the town where I'm purchasing the property. Right? So it's a lot of moving pieces.
And I think with long-form nonfiction, a challenge can be getting lost in your own mind. Like the more complex your argument, the more facts you're trying to fit in, the easier it is to lose your path. And I feel like as an attorney I am trained to really organize my mind around the facts, and then trying to fit the facts into the law.
I'm doing a version of that with nonfiction too. I have my facts, I have the moral or political argument that I'm trying to make. And I have to marshal the facts into the point I want to make. And I can't get distracted. I have to think about what will reinforce my argument and what is like superficial and superfluous. You don't have to go to law school to figure out how to do it, but it's been helpful.
Anne Bogel [00:08:15] So if I tend to lose the thread, you're saying I don't have to go back to law school in order to find it again in my storytelling.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:08:20] Do not do. Do not go to law school.
Anne Bogel [00:08:22] Okay. Okay. Vanessa, you mentioned your book, that is, Home Bound: An Uprooted Daughter's Reflections on Belonging. I'd love to hear a little more about it. But first, I'll do the bragging for you.
So Publishers Weekly calls this "a rich and enthralling story of finding oneself outside of the bounds of borders and beliefs. It offers a radiant hope in the face of darkness," which I thought was so beautiful. I really enjoyed this. But would you tell me and our listeners what it's about in your own words?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:08:51] Home Bound is a memoir and it's centered on the definition of home. Part of the background to this is that I had an unusual childhood. I was adopted out of Cameroon. I moved to France as a baby. I was adopted by interracial parents, one of whom was my blood relative.
And then when my parents divorced, I stayed in France for a bit, and then I followed my mom to England and then to the United States. So I effectively had lived in four countries by the age of 14. You know, I have these ties to these different cultures that are a part of me and I remained in the United States and have come to feel very Americanized and still somehow a bit torn between homes.
And this book for me was an exploration of the meaning of home. And I wanted to take it further and, you know, expand beyond just physical borders, but to think about what it means to be at home in a name. For instance, I was given the name of a biological parent that I don't know. What does it mean to keep that name? What does it mean to keep a pen name instead? And how does that fit into my identity?
I talk about home in the body, in how we come to view ourselves, the things that influence how we view ourselves, the things that can make and break our homes and create discomfort in our homes. So I tried to explore all this theme. And in all of that, I'm sort of moving chronologically and underlying, is this distant relationship to my father. You know, the book kind of starts with my biological father and ends with him because he's such an absent and yet important part of my identity. So it's that search, too.
Anne Bogel [00:10:40] Thank you for telling us about that. That is your memoir. Did you mention you were moving away from that kind of writing now?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:10:46] Yeah. In terms of memoir, I feel like I've said what I wanted to say. One of the reasons why I wanted to write it is that I'm really drawn to fiction. It is what I primarily read and I aspire to write fiction, and I felt concerned that I have all these really strong opinions about home, including, you know, my political homes and, you know, my cultural homes, and have these really big themes that kind of have loomed over my life.
And I know that in writing, there are early fiction, a lot of writers will draw from their own personal stories, and it just seeps into the writing. And I was concerned that I would end up hiding behind my fiction and that my sort of core beliefs would be handed two characters as opposed to me owning it. So I thought, I'll write the memoir, I'll see what I think, and then I can just move on.
And then another aspect of it, too, is, you know, I've mentioned I have this job that is not always intense, but can be fairly intense and is very time-consuming, and that has a big investigatory component to it. So there's a world in which I could do basically what I do all day, which is seek information and figure out, like, things that are bad that are happening in the world, telling a story about it.
In my day job, I tell a story about it and then we either sue or we do something else with the party that we think is at fault. I could do a journalism version of that, where I investigate, I really put in the time and I know how much time a story actually needs because I have to do it for my daily job, and then I write it up and pitch it to places. But I don't have time to do that.
So instead I sort of feel like, well, if I don't have time to do the journalism thing at 100%, at the level that I know I can do it at, then I almost would rather step away for a while and just not write nonfiction for now.
Anne Bogel [00:12:48] That's such an interesting approach, for the reasons you said, to want to commit to nonfiction first your personal beliefs and ideas and then moving on. Oh, I'm so excited to hear what does come next in your writing life, when it does come. We will be patient.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:13:04] Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:13:05] Vanessa, given that interesting background, you mentioned four countries when you were still quite young. I'd be so interested in hearing how that upbringing influenced your reading life then and perhaps continues to do so now. Does that question feel relevant?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:13:18] Yeah. I learned how to read really early. I was a voracious reader when I only read in French. And it's silly to say, books have a special place in my heart. Because I imagine that if you're listening to this podcast, then that is true for you also.
But one way in which I mean that is that when I moved to England, I just didn't speak any English at all. And it came to me fairly fast, not because I was super smart, but because I was ten years old, and it's language immersion and kids just pick things up easier than adults.
One of the first ways that I figured out that English was actually sticking was through the books that I could pick up. I remember the first time I went to... I used to go to the library in my neighborhood a lot in London. And when I picked up this book, I didn't know anything about C.S. Lewis.
It was just like in the kids' section and there was a book with Lucy in the front and the lamp. You know, it was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Had no idea how kind of iconic or... You know, I didn't know it was a classic. It looked fairly small and I liked the cover.
To me, that was complex. And I remember realizing like, "Oh, I can actually get through this book. I understand most of the words. And it really gave me hope, like, "Oh, okay, it won't always feel like I'm a fish out of water." It really built up my confidence and opened up a whole new world, right, because I was then able to just read more complex things. And now I've moved to the United States.
I can't tell how much my reading is impacted by the place where I live. That is hard. Like, if I still lived in England, would I be reading the same things? Would I be interested in the same things? I'm not entirely sure.
Anne Bogel [00:15:14] That's such an interesting question.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:15:16] Yeah, it's very possible that I'm just very influenced by American millennials. I actually think my reading taste is unique, but maybe it's not. It actually is writing to my demographic, you know?
Anne Bogel [00:15:28] I think everyone's reading taste is unique. And we'd love to hear about yours. What does your reading life look like these days at this point in your life?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:15:37] My favorite genre, like you said, is literary fiction. If I can make the time, that is great. I read a lot more last year. This year I can already feel myself slipping behind, in part because I've started writing fiction. I feel like it uses the same pull of energy, and so by the time the day is over, I just don't have it in me to pick up a book. I also read a lot for work, so I think maybe that's partly true.
But I turned on to audiobooks. And at first, I couldn't do fiction through audiobooks, but now I have somehow gotten over that. So that's been really fun. So I like take the toddler on walks or I'll be cleaning or making dinner and just like listening to a good either fiction and nonfiction audiobook. And yeah, thank God for that option. Otherwise, I could read nothing these days.
Anne Bogel [00:16:34] Oh, well, that sounds wonderful. That actually makes me want to go, like, chop some onions. Like it's time to prep dinner. Vanessa, I'm excited to get into the details of what you do enjoy. And you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately. And we will explore titles you may enjoy reading next. How did you choose the books we're going to talk about today?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:17:01] Well, those were some of my favorite books that I read in the last couple of years. I also was so impressed for two of those books, how much the authors were able to pack in such a small space. Those are really economically written books. I think it takes enormous work and talent to be concise.
Anne Bogel [00:17:25] Yes. And is it just me? But I feel like I'm seeing more shorter, more economically written novels, as you've described them, on the shelves today.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:17:34] Yeah. I think that's right. I think of recent huge hits, you know, including The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. That was a really slim book. And I do think that's unusual for American publishing, at least. Right? I feel like the minimum is 250 pages or in that range. You'll pick up a book and you'll see them like mess with the font and all sorts of things to get you to that number where you're like, Interesting.
I think that book could be slimmer, but for some reason, I don't know, there seems to be this industry preference. I don't think that's necessarily as common in other countries. Like I think Europe very commonly publishes very, very slim books, much slimmer than 250 pages. So I think it is a cool trend to see.
I think it's encouraging and I think it's a challenge for authors who maybe would have written slimmer books all along but felt constrained by the industry to kind of bloat their books, you know. And instead, maybe now we're getting the best version of their book because they understand that if it's slim, but it's really good, it will find a home in this environment.
Anne Bogel [00:18:54] That's a promising thought. And if there's one thing that makes readers unhappy, it's a book that they would describe as feeling padded, you know? Like words were added just to make it long. Nobody loves that.
Your comments remind me of a Claire Keegan interview I read, I think, in The Guardian. And I do wonder if the astounding success of books like her very slim Small Things, like these maybe don't make it easier for authors with shorter works to get them published and not be asked to build them out to their pretty typical 300 pages.
But she talks about how, like when a story comes to a writer, like often it needs to be as long as it needs to be and it doesn't need to be any shorter, but it doesn't need to be any longer either. And just the idea that a book needs to be as long as it needs to be, that's the kind of work I want to read.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:19:43] Yeah, I feel that way, too.
Anne Bogel [00:19:45] I can't wait to hear more about your books then. Vanessa, tell me about the first book you love.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:19:52] So the first book I love is called The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen. And speaking of slim books, that is a fairly slim book. I listened to it on audio. It was read by the author, and it was really well produced. So there would be sort of musical clues and you would know that something pretty hilarious was on the way.
I think it's incredibly difficult to be funny on the page. I had these moments where I would be like walking down the street on my own with my headphones just laughing out loud. I was just like, "How is this happening?"
Anne Bogel [00:20:30] I love that visual.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:20:31] And the basic premise of the book is not real, but it's inspired by real events. It's inspired by Benjamin Netanyahu's father's visit to, I think, Cornell, back in the 1960s. So the story is told from the perspective of a professor who already was teaching at some fictional college that I think it's supposed to be Cornell.
And the book leads to the Netanyahus, so to Benjamin Netanyahu's father, the three children, his wife, and just kind of like the colliding of the families. I just thought it was really smart and hilarious and surprising.
Anne Bogel [00:21:13] Vanessa, I haven't read this one yet, and that sounds so interesting. I'm also intrigued that Joshua Cohen read his own audiobook. That's really unusual for a novelist to do. But it sounds like you love the performance if you're laughing out loud walking down the street.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:21:27] I did. And I think because he wrote it, he had a good sense of intonation. He knew when he wanted to be funny. He was so in his own character's head. Obviously, he's a great reader, so that was helpful. There wasn't anything kind of distracting about that. But I think he was able to do things with the cadence that would be more challenging for an actor who didn't come up with the scenes.
Anne Bogel [00:21:53] I've heard this described as a genre-bending comedy that has literary elements, but it's also really, really funny and deals with serious issues, identity, politics. Would you say this is representative of what you typically read or was this off the beaten path for you?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:22:08] It was off the beaten path. I picked it up because my husband had read it and loved it. Now, my husband is Jewish. He's Orthodox Jewish. And they kept saying to me, "This is a very Jewish book, so we don't know if you're going to like it." And I was like, "Okay, well, I don't know. It's enough to me that you love the book." You know, I'm very curious.
And it's true that it had these cultural references that were kind of deeply ingrained. I don't know that I necessarily got every joke, but I definitely feel like I got most of them. And was it unusual for me? I mean, it did win the Pulitzer Prize in 2021. So I think it does have some mass appeal. But I don't necessarily look at a book thinking about these big picture themes. To me, it's like, does it seem like a good story or not? And then I'll often give it a chance.
Anne Bogel [00:23:01] And it was recommended by people you trust.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:23:03] Yeah, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:23:05] Okay, wonderful. I'm adding it to my list. Vanessa, what's the second book you love?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:23:09] The second book is Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar. And talk about genre-bending. I think that definitely fits into that category. It's supposed to be fiction, but the main character-
Anne Bogel [00:23:24] Supposed to be fiction.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:23:26] The main character is named Ayad, and the main character is a playwright who wants a really fancy award. Obviously, Ayad Akhtar is a celebrated playwright who has won... Maybe it's a Pulitzer. But I think he has resisted, from what I can see in interviews, the description of autofiction. But there are elements, you know, that sort of make you wonder, Okay, this might have happened to the writer. But he says it's fiction, so I'm happy to take it as fiction, take his word for it.
The way in which it's genre-bending is that, I mean, some of these chapters, they could be stand-alone. Some of them feel like they could be essays that you would read in The New York Times, like, you know, Sunday Magazine. And there's even a section of the book that is straight up a play where you just-
Anne Bogel [00:24:22] Really?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:24:23] ...switches forms. There's a trial and it's in play form. So I really appreciated that. I thought it was so creative. There were parts again that were really, really laugh out loud, funny. It has a lot of identity in there. This is not a spoiler, but he wrestles a lot with the idea of he's... His father is a Trump fan. His father is this Pakistani immigrant, a doctor who also, in the book, treated Trump or says he's treated Trump and has great respect for him.
And the main character has very different political views. Right? And so there is thinking around identity and immigration and what it means to, like, make yourself new. Generally, I thought it was just brilliant. Couldn't put it down.
Anne Bogel [00:25:16] That's high praise. Vanessa, what's the final book you chose as a favorite?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:25:21] The final book is Intimacies by Katie Kitamura. And in fact, I loved it so much that the moment I finished it, I was like, "What did she previously write?" And then immediately picked up her book, The Separation, because I just couldn't get enough.
My understanding, just anecdotally speaking to my friends, I think she's kind of a polarizing writer. People I've spoken to you either love her writing or are really turned off by the kind of cool, detached voice with which she writes. But it was slow and simmering. Intimacies was. And I could kind of tell you what the plot is but not really, because I don't think the point of that book was the plot. I guess it was a kind of feelings book. There is a lot of ambient underlying tension, but no big clashes, no big climax, and it was still deeply pleasurable. And again, I found her voice hypnotic.
Anne Bogel [00:26:24] Yes, it's like it's all atmosphere. I don't think the narrator is even named.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:26:29] Yeah, I don't think she is. That's right.
Anne Bogel [00:26:31] So maybe polarizing is an approach, but it really works for you.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:26:35] It really works for me. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:26:37] Okay. And that one's so short. That might be the shortest of the ones we talked about.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:26:41] That might be the shortest. And I'll say something about the coolness of her voice is I think my sense of why I might really like it… She's a woman, and I think it's unexpected for women to be this sort of emotionally detached from things. You know, I think there's something unusual about that. I don't know if Kitamura is doing it on purpose and whether she's pushing back against something, but I... I don't know. It just feels really unusual and I'm just very attracted to it.
Anne Bogel [00:27:17] Well, this is a safe place to [inaudible 00:27:19]. I'm going to be thinking about that one. Now, Vanessa, tell us about a book that wasn't a good fit for you.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:27:26] Last year, I read My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. It's short and it still took me so long to finish it. It was like eating my vegetables and I was so mad reading it. And I was like, "I have to finish it because it's so short." I will not allow the book to win. I will finish the book. It just didn't work for me.
I don't know if the timing was wrong. I don't know if... If I had read it while I was younger, maybe I would have appreciated it better. But I think generally the tone... it's interesting because that narrator is also cool and detached. But I found the narrator cruel.
You know, I've enjoyed books where I didn't necessarily think I would be friends with the narrator. So that's not a prerequisite or anything like that. But for some reason, her particular brand of coolness didn't really work for me. I found the book repetitive.
A lot of the book is lists of medication that the narrator takes to be asleep or in an altered state the entire time. And I just found that really bleak. I couldn't quite tell what it was in service of. I could never really figure it out other than the arbitrary wanting to get through a year sleeping. Did you love that book? What am I missing?
Anne Bogel [00:29:01] I don't know. But I'm working on a theory here. So I'm thinking about how in Intimacies it felt cool and detached and unexpected in a way that you found interesting. And yet when you added that notch of cruelty... Because I don't think that's present in Kitamura's work. That's not something that I picked up. When you add that and when you add the bleakness of some of the chapters but also of the plot itself, it wasn't a neighborhood you wanted to hang out in.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:29:31] Yeah. I think there was something that felt nihilistic in My Year of Rest and Relaxation and purposely so. I felt like the author was embracing a kind of nihilism through her character that I... I mean, people should be able to write about whatever they want, obviously. And the book resonates with a lot of people. So I respect that. I just... nihilism, I just couldn't really get behind it.
Whereas Kitamura's characters, they have a moral compass, even if their moral compass isn't necessarily yours.
Anne Bogel [00:30:09] And an author can accomplish exactly what they set out to do and do a brilliant job and win awards, and it can be all wrong for individual readers. And that book has been chosen as a favorite. And listeners, that was Episode 243. Charlandra Jenkins chose it in an episode called Predicting the next great American classic. Maybe your ten years from now self will love that book, Vanessa, on a revisit. But yeah, right now it didn't do it for you. And I think that's okay. What have you been reading lately?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:30:38] Earlier this year I read Lauren Groff for the first time. I read Matrix. I went in truly not knowing anything. I just knew that I had friends who had loved Matrix. I didn't even know what the title stood for. I didn't know what it described. I didn't know what year would be. So I opened this book and we are in the Middle Ages, and we were in an abbey for all women and it turns out to be a book that is very queer and very beautifully written.
I mean, the way Lauren Groff writes about setting, I just think she's such a talented lyricist. And it didn't feel overwrought to me at all. She must have done a ton of research because you truly feel immersed in the Middle Ages, the Dark Ages, you know, a world that I just do not think about, and yet I felt completely at ease, completely taken.
And then I've been listening to Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses.
Anne Bogel [00:31:46] That's so interesting. How is that on audio? I love that in print. I thought it was fascinating.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:31:51] He reads it, too. I feel like I'm in one of his lectures. So far I've enjoyed the first half of the book a lot more. That has nothing to do with the quality of the book. It's more that the first part of the book talks about craft itself and prevailing norms and sort of pushes back against some of those norms.
And then the second part of the book is really about the American style of workshop and ways to push back against that. But I've never done an MFA and I don't intend to do one, and I don't really participate in workshops. So it feels a little more like remote from my world. I mean, he sounds like he's a great teacher and his students are lucky to have him, so.
Anne Bogel [00:32:32] Vanessa, I'm curious to hear what you think. But I'm just thinking of our listeners and how this book has been so often promoted. If you click on the links in our show notes where we always link up all the books so that you can drive safely and get your book talk. But it talks about how this is a resource for fiction writers, teachers, and students, and it's a must-read for writers and editors and anyone who wants to teach.
And I think really it can be for anyone who's interested in knowing how writing is taught and who wonders what an MFA workshop is like and who wants to be a writer themselves and wants to think about how to make their craft better and also think about the publishing landscape today. I just don't want anybody to say like, "Mm, I thought that sounded interesting." But it says it's for those who want to teach. And I don't think the audience needs to be that narrow. I don't know. What do you think?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:33:21] Yeah, agreed. So I'm reading it on recommendation. A dear friend of mine who actually does not write, she does not write fiction. She is a lawyer, but she doesn't write fiction or nonfiction. She has no intent of teaching either. She read it and she loved it, and she's been saying how much she loved it. So it was like, "Well, if Elizabeth loves it, I will give it a chance." So she loved it, and she is neither an editor nor a teacher nor writer.
The first half, in par... I think it's helpful for anyone who's interested in reading deeply, anyone who's wondering like, Oh, why does it feel like maybe some of the more recent books are written in a particular style? or I'm seeing patterns in voice? I think that book is helpful to understand, you know, how the places that build these writers also influence the writers themselves, the culture.
I found it helpful to kind of like... You know, I'm constantly discovering that I've absorbed norms that I just think are like, "Well, this is the way you do things. This is the way you write." Of course, when you write dialog, you should always say, "He said" or "She said." Why would you use another word? Everyone knows that if you use another word it's probably bad writing. Matthew Salesses talks about that and where that stems from.
And I was like, "Oh yeah, of course." I never questioned it, but it's a cultural decision and it's taken on this voice and now we all do it, and it's kind of self-reinforcing. And I just kind of find it kind of illuminating. It keeps me on my toes and hopefully will make me a better reader.
Anne Bogel [00:35:03] Those are good reasons. Vanessa, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:35:09] A couple of things. I think I would like to be more consistent in making time to read. Like organizing my day so that I'm not opening my book at 10:30 p.m. when I only have like 5 minutes realistically of reading in me before I fall asleep. So I'd like to be better at carving out time.
Also one of the books I loved in, I want to say 2020, was The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. I listened to that audio. I tried to listen to another biography on audio since that I didn't really like. But it did make me feel like, Oh, if a really great biography can feel almost like listening to a podcast deep dive into like a fascinating person, then I'd love to find another one of those to just kind of get me excited about another biography and hopefully with a great historical component.
Anne Bogel [00:36:07] That sounds fun. I wish I could wave my wand and get you more reading time, but something that we can do is focus on some of those shorter economically written novels so that when you do only have five, or can we maybe expand it to 15 and our minds, minutes to read before bedtime, you're still making a noticeable difference in the book. Like you're moving from 10% to 20% or even 25%, even just by reading those 10 or 15 pages, because that's how it works with a 200-page book.
Also, I love the idea of finding you another good biography. You mentioned the historical figure, Eleanor Roosevelt, who is on my mind because readers, we have brought back One Great Book in our Patreon community, and the first One Great Book episode[a] I did in a long time there was on an Eleanor Roosevelt book that she wrote called You Learn by Living. So I've been kind of itching for another biography along those lines.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:37:04] Amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:37:05] So thank you, Vanessa. When it comes to biographies, so much has to do with your specific interests. And not knowing what that might look like historically necessarily, I'm going to go to a writer and poet. And truly, this book is top of mind for me because it just came out and I just happened to come across it and go, "Ooh, that looks interesting." So I'm going to put it in front of you and maybe it'll sound good for you as well.
But this is the brand new biography by David Waldstreicher. He's a professor, I think, at City University of New York. It's called The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence. And I know that the United States isn't your home country but I hope you'll still find this interesting.
The narrative—I almost said the story. It is a story, but it's a true story—begins when Phillis Wheatley, as she is called when she is enslaved by the Wheatley family, but she arrives in Boston by slave ship in 1761. She was born in West Africa before then. And she lived with the Wheatley family as their slave until they granted her freedom in 1773.
But she began writing poetry as a young woman while she was enslaved. She was actually granted her freedom not too long after her first poetry collection was published. And this biography, for better or worse, I hope you find it to be for better, is more heavily weighted toward her poetry than her personal life. So there's lots of her poetry in the text and analysis and what does this mean and what was the context and what was she saying and how was she been misinterpreted through the years and why are these people wrong?
But I think one of the reasons that this book focuses more on the poetry is because there are gaps in the historical record when it does come to the life of Phillis Wheatley. And Waldstreicher explores that as well. You know, what is missing? Why don't we have this story? The answer for one large-ish six-year gap is she got married, and here's who she got married to, and here's why that matters.
But he kind of creates theories for what he imagines could have happened in her life then. But this is a really interesting take on a poet who was just so important to early American history and also early American poetry. Does that sound interesting to you?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:39:21] It does. I also find poetry intimidating. So this might be like a nice entry point because we're talking about the person who wrote it, the context of her life. And then it sounds like there is some analysis also of what she was writing, which would be really helpful for me. So yeah, it does sound fascinating in terms of both the person and then what her art was and how that gets all tied together.
Anne Bogel [00:39:48] I hope so.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:39:49] Well, thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:39:51] Oh, it's my pleasure. Let's talk about short economical novels. I am wondering... I mean, I feel like surely you've read this, but if you haven't, I feel like we need to talk about it. And that is Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie. Is this one you're familiar with?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:40:04] No.
Anne Bogel [00:40:06] Oh.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:40:06] I don't even think I've heard of it.
Anne Bogel [00:40:08] I'm thrilled to hear it. Kamila Shamsie is so talented. She had a book come out this past fall about female friendship called Best of Friends, about two women who maintain a friendship over decades, who endured something that complicated their relationship when they were young in Pakistan, I believe, and then who as adults crossed paths in London. And it's very good.
But it's not Greek tragedy, which is the roots of Home Fire. So this is a modern-day Antigone. It was longlisted for the Booker. It is a short, compact, economically written story that, oh, just really packs a punch. And you do not need to be at all familiar with the Greek tragedy to read and enjoy this story.
You could read this and not know that at all, and you can still really enjoy the book. But the way that the story is updated for the modern age is so interesting. It begins with a woman about to miss her flight in the Boston airport, actually. But this is about love and political allegiance and terrorism and identity. And it's just brilliant.
I think you said in your submission, Vanessa, that you really love a story that tells a great story on the larger scale, but also is just brilliant on the sentence level.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:41:23] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:41:24] And I think Shamsie can really do that.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:41:26] I mean, everything you've said sounds extremely up my alley.
Anne Bogel [00:41:29] Oh, I'm so glad.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:41:31] Yeah, that will go next on my list. Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much. It's hard to find out about new books, you know? In some ways, they're just so many. I'm overwhelmed by the choice. So it's wonderful to get recommendations from a trusted mind.
Anne Bogel [00:41:48] Oh, I'm so glad. Let's try to do one more. This one is very new. Just out in April. Now, I know that one of the books that you really enjoyed that we didn't really dig into today is A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet. This book is not that, but it feels like a decidedly more optimistic cousin to that book. It's called The Last Animal. It's by Ramona Ausubel. This is a new book for her.
She is the author of Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty that came out a few years back. I don't know if that sounds familiar to you. But this book is interesting, it's complex, it's thoughtful, it's poignant, and also sometimes it is just laugh-out-loud funny. I was reading this in the family room with my family and I was like, "You guys, listen to what is happening now with the wooly mammoth." Because it is about in part a wooly mammoth.
So the setup here is a single mother, and she's newly single because her husband died in a terrible car crash just a year before in Italy. She's a scientist and she has two teen daughters. And the daughters come along with her on a scientific expedition to Siberia. And everybody's rolling their eyes at the female scientist who brings their children along, what a drag.
But her daughters find a wooly mammoth buried in the ice when they're out on a hike one morning, and they maybe don't follow all the protocols. And what ends up happening is, and I'm not going into the science at all, but the scientist ends up engineering the birth of a wooly mammoth in Italy in the present day. And it's funny and tender and warm and wise. And it's about grief and love and sisterhood and climate change and this audacious scientific endeavor.
It was so strange and so funny and so unlike anything I read. And also it made me want to read this out loud to anyone nearby. You know, like, Listen to this, listen to this. And I think you're the kind of reader who would enjoy a book that makes you want to turn to the person next to you and go, "Hey, listen to what this writer said."
Vanessa A. Bee [00:43:59] That sounds great. And of course, something I liked about A Children's Bible is that, even though we were talking about climate change, there was still so much humor in it. Somehow they were able to like, you know, eke a little joy out of it. And what is the title again?
Anne Bogel [00:44:18] It's called The Last Animal. And I love the phrase you just used, to eke a little joy, because that's what I feel like these characters are doing here. They are in a rough spot, but by golly, they've still got some hope. They're not giving up yet. And they hope this little baby wooly mammoth doesn't either.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:44:38] That sounds thrilling. I'm excited to go find it. Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:44:42] Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. Vanessa, I enjoyed our conversation. Thank you for sharing your books with us and talking more about your background and your writing life.
We left you with three books you may enjoy reading next. They were The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley, The Biography by David Waldstreicher, Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie and The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel. Now, two of those books are quite short. That biography is not as long as the one you just finished about Eleanor. But it's closer to a doorstop than not. But of those books, Vanessa, what do you think you may enjoy reading next?
Vanessa A. Bee [00:45:17] I think all three sound great, and I think I'm most likely to start with The Last Animal, just because it sounds very unusual. And then maybe the second novel. And then maybe I'll do the audiobook. I'll cheat and listen to it in between novels, because that's usually how I kind of do it. But yeah, The Last Animal. I'm stoked. I'm going to that first.
Anne Bogel [00:45:44] Well, I'm excited for what your reading life holds in the future, and I can't wait to hear what you think. Vanessa, thank you so much for talking books with me today.
Vanessa A. Bee [00:45:51] Thank you for having me on. This was so lovely.
Anne Bogel [00:45:59] Readers. I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Vanessa, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Vanessa at her website, Vanessaabee.com. We'll have that link as well as the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
We love connecting with our listeners on Instagram. As Summer Reading Guide season approaches, we'll be sharing more peeks behind the scenes and little previews of what to expect. Follow the show @whatshouldireadnext and join me @Annebogel.
And make sure you're on our email list to get updates on all the latest What Should I Read Next? happenings. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Follow along wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you like to listen.
Thank you to the people who make the show happen each week. What Should I Read Next? is created by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
[a]I went ahead and capitalized One Great Book in both spots but I'm highlighting this for Studio D for future reference.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered bySome short books mentioned in this episode:• Home Bound: An Uprooted Daughter’s Reflections on Belonging by Vanessa A. Bee
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family by Joshua Cohen (Audio edition)
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
• A Separation by Katie Kitamura
▵ My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
• Matrix by Lauren Groff
• Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping by Matthew Salesses (Audio edition)
• The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt (Audio edition)
• You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt
• The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet’s Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence by David Waldstreicher
• Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
• Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie
• Antigone by Sophocles
• A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet
• The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel
• Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty by Ramona Ausubel
Also mentioned:• Claire Keegan interview on short books: I think something needs to be as long as it needs to be
• WSIRN Episode 243: Predicting the next great American classic
• One Great Book as a feature of our Patreon community
The post Short novels that contain whole worlds appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’ve spent this week on spring break, divided between a quick but wonderful mountain getaway and final college visits. (May 1 is coming up quick; some of you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about, send all the tips!) I have stories and photos to share from both but first we’re unpacking and tackling All The Laundry before Easter services.
I hope you have something to celebrate this weekend (even if it’s simply a good book), and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: From “The Color Purple” to “Dune: Part Two,” These 12 Books Are Headed to the Big Screen in 2023. (POPSUGAR) It’s hard to keep up! * Sheryl Lee Ralph on ‘Abbott Elementary,’ Learning From Rejection, and Finding Her Voice. (Shondaland) Love this show, love her, love the killer red carpet photos here! * How adorable is this Lover of Cancelled Plans tote I spied in a coffee shop last week? * Little Free Library Aims to Eliminate Book Deserts. (Publishers Weekly) Love this. * A New Kind of Food Candle Evokes Memories, and Garlic. (New York Times) I’m not saying I wouldn’t try this, but golly I’m surprised at some of these scents! (Have you tried anything along these lines?) * We finally replaced a beloved Keep Cup this week after leaving one behind on a road trip earlier this year. It’s my ride or die travel mug! * The Best Food Cities in the U.S. (Travel + Leisure) I’m happy to see Louisville on this list: it’s not widely known that we’re a great food town! (This also sheds some light on why the lines at Asheville’s Chai Pani were winding around the block earlier this week.) * The Humbling Tyranny Of The Photos Our Kids Take Of Us. (Romper) At least we know we’re not alone. (Heads up for a little bit of non-sexual nudity.) * Amazon to close Book Depository online shop. (The Guardian) This will be a big blow for everyone who relies on them. Those looking for an alternative should check out Blackwell’s, which offers free international shipping to many countries. * An Ode to Kraft Dinner, Food of Troubled Times. (Catapult) “Kraft is soaked with memories of my origin story. When I take a bite of Kraft, I feel connected to my upbringing, the war, my mother, my first-grade ESL class. Just because I can buy it from Costco, does that make it any less meaningful?” * These may be the cutest espadrilles for spring and summer outfits. J.Crew Factory is hosting a great spring sale right now that is brimming with spring color! * John Grisham’s sequel to The Firm is coming out this fall. (Pioneer Press) I have a soft spot for The Firm, because it’s the book that got my husband Will hooked on reading. * Everything You Never Thought to Ask About In-flight Entertainment. (Vulture*) It’s almost hard to remember the days when there was only one in-flight option for everyone.
From our archives: * 5 favorite poetry collections for National Poetry Month. These poetry collections are hospitable to beginners and seasoned poetry lovers alike, perfect for National Poetry Month or any time of year. * Louisville City Guide. Bookmark this for future travels to my hometown. * 12 Feel-good fiction books you can read in an afternoon. If you’re leaning toward the lighter side of your reading tastes these days, this list is for you.
This month in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club: * April 11: Book Flights: Some books are better together. Drawing inspiration from a beloved wine tasting method, we’ve long adopted the practice of grouping books into “flights” to allow readers to sample, compare, and learn. While we frequently read books based on mood, prioritizing the new, the recently recommended, or whatever reserve request just came in at the library, we’ve found there are real advantages to purposeful groupings of books—books that have similar plot lines or address the same issue from different angles, making the reading experience exponentially richer. (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.) * April 13: Backlist Book Club: The One-in-a-Million Boy: Whether you’re a long-time Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club member looking to revisit some favorites, or a newer member wondering where to start, we invite you to read along with us—two of the best books of the past few years, The One-in-a-Million Boy (April) and Home Fire (May). Read at your own pace and then join the Member Meetup dedicated to discussing these Backlist Book Club picks. * April 27: Live discussion with Emily Itami: It’s time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of Fault Lines with Emily Itami!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Alberta-based Sarah Bramley is a devoted fiction reader who has a solid grasp on this part of her reading identity. Lately, though, Sarah’s been tiptoeing into the nonfiction side of the bookstore. She’s ready to discover the captivating true stories she knows exists, but she’s just not sure where to find titles she’ll really love.
Sarah’s here to get my help in better understanding her reading identity when it comes to nonfiction picks, so she can purposefully expand her reading horizons. I’ll give her the personalized advice she’s looking for to help her better understand what sort of nonfiction will work best for her reading taste, and suggest titles that offer the gripping reading experience she’s seeking.
Connect with Sarah on Instagram and Goodreads.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabSarah Bramley [00:00:00] I only recently discovered celebrity memoirs on audio narrated by the celebrity, and I will never read a celebrity memoir in print again. Because why would you when you could have Molly Shannon tell you her own story?
Anne Bogel [00:00:17] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:47] Readers, we love to hear back from you about the show on Instagram, when you reply to our weekly email, and most especially through your podcast reviews. This one caught our eye recently. It's from JoieGC. She called this the perfect podcast for voracious readers and said, "This podcast is my go-to place for all things books and reading! My friends and family hear all about 'my favorite book podcaster,' Anne Bogel, because I'm constantly talking about books I loved after I discovered them through What Should I Read Next?. Anne is thoughtful, funny, and entertaining as she helps her wide variety of guests from all walks of life find their next read. Thanks for always keeping my TBR list full!" Thank you, JoieGC. I'm blushing.
A short casual review like that goes a long way in telling new listeners as well as major podcast platforms, the book lovers in the know should know about our show. If you could take just two minutes to leave a short and sweet review on Apple Podcasts, the kind of thing you tell your friend by text or over coffee, we'd be so grateful. It doesn't cost a dime and it truly makes a difference. On behalf of myself and my team, thank you so much, and happy listening.
[00:01:51] Readers, today's guest, Alberta-based Sarah Bramley, calls herself a fiction purist because this has been all she's really read for a very long time. When it comes to fiction, she knows what she likes and can find lots of great stuff to read. But recently, she's found herself drawn to nonfiction, specifically books written by journalists and other true tales with great narrative drive.
Sarah knows there's a ton of good stuff out there that she'll enjoy, but she doesn't know how to find it, mostly because she doesn't know who she is as a nonfiction reader. She recognizes and welcomes that her identity as a reader is evolving and she likes to be purposeful as she branches out.
As excited as she is that she's opening up these new avenues of exploration, she's also finding it daunting because it feels like there's just so much she doesn't know. Sarah told us in her submission that this podcast helps and thank you for that, but she would love some personalized advice to help her find that gripping, page-turnery nonfiction she craves.
That's what we do around here. So today Sarah and I are setting out to unearth promising starting points for her nonfiction journey. And if we can identify some fabulous audiobooks along the way, Sarah would welcome that as well. Let's get to it. Sarah, welcome to the show.
Sarah Bramley [00:03:02] Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be here.
Anne Bogel [00:03:05] Oh, I can't wait to dig in. Our whole team was so intrigued by the submission. Thank you for sending that in. I'm excited to talk about helping you branch out in your reading life.
Sarah Bramley [00:03:15] Sounds wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:03:16] Sarah, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Sarah Bramley [00:03:19] I live just south of Calgary, Alberta, in a small town with my husband and our six-year-old daughter, and our dog. I've lived around this area my entire life, except for a couple of years I spent living in New York City. I'm now workplace advisory with a large real estate organization, which keeps me really busy. But I still do try and make time for reading, of course.
Anne Bogel [00:03:40] Sarah, you have to tell us a little bit about musical theater in New York, not just because I have a couple of obsessed children in my household, but I'm sure they're not the only ones.
Sarah Bramley [00:03:50] Yeah. So the time I spent living in New York really kind of formed who I am and really it was the first time for me living on my own. I found theater in my teens and like a lot of, you know, awkward, shy teens, I really found a home with the theater kids. I just loved it.
At the time, I thought that that's what I wanted to do with my life, so I auditioned and got into a school in New York studying musical theater and moved there when I was 19. And I look back on it so fondly.
So it sounds kind of silly, but it was the before times. It was before social media, before... my phone didn't even have a camera on it. And I really just got to experience living in the city and of course, going to Broadway musicals, spending all my money going to the theater, just wandering around Manhattan. I loved everything about living there.
Anne Bogel [00:04:41] Thanks for that glimpse. Sarah, you are here today because it sounded to me like your reading identity has shifted. You've always thought of yourself as a fiction purist. Would you tell me a little bit about where you are and how you got there?
Sarah Bramley [00:04:55] Yes, I've definitely self-identified as a fiction purist and reading really diversely across genres like fantasy and historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance. Like really anything fiction. And nonfiction was always kind of about "well, I should read that" versus "I want to read that". It felt like medicine at times.
But I think I've really tried to expand my horizons a bit in the last couple of years and really prioritize looking for things I hadn't read before. So, you know, there are a few nonfiction books that I was like, "Oh, I actually got that, you know, that just one more chapter feeling or really wanting to keep those pages turning feeling that I hadn't encountered before with nonfiction.
But I found a few of those. But then I don't think I'm great at picking more. Like I kind of stumble on the ones that I love. But if I go to a store and I'm like, "This looks really interesting," and I bring it home, I kind of get bored. So I think my pick is a little not calibrated for nonfiction like it is for fiction where I feel very confident picking books that I'll like.
Anne Bogel [00:05:56] That's so interesting. Did you consciously develop your fiction picker?
Sarah Bramley [00:06:03] I don't think so. And again, it's really evolved over the years. So I used to read a lot of classics. Like I read all the Bronte's and Austen and Thomas Hardy, and all of those things. So I thought to be a reader you must read the classics. And then, you know, it just sort of started expanding.
So I go through these different phases. So definitely a big historical fiction phase. I love that. But, you know, even listening to your podcast over the last couple of years and hearing people talk really passionately about certain books has inspired me to pick them up. And I'm like, "Oh, well, I do like this kind of book or this genre." So, yeah, it wasn't really a conscious decision but I just keep finding new things that interest me, which is great.
Anne Bogel [00:06:42] That is great. For fiction, what kind of attributes do you keep an eye out for?
Sarah Bramley [00:06:50] So I need something that moves. And what I mean by that is that I'm okay with long books. Like I read Dune last year, which is like a doorstop. I read lots of long books, but it needs to drive forward. I don't like when stories kind of stay stuck in place. I think I've heard you refer to that as strong narrative drive. So I definitely need that.
I also need characters that I enjoy spending time with. And that doesn't mean they're necessarily good people or heroes, but it has to be someone that I'm willing to get inside their head and have that inside my head.
Anne Bogel [00:07:24] That's so interesting. Sarah, you can probably intuit that I'm exploring how we're going to develop your nonfiction picker. I suspect because you shared your Goodreads for a different purpose, that you're better at this than you think you are. I really do. But we're going to get into it. Because it sounds like what you really lack here is confidence, and we're going to try to build that up today.
Sarah Bramley [00:07:45] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:07:46] Okay. Let's do this. Can we get right into your books?
Sarah Bramley [00:07:48] Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:07:51] So you brought three favorites today. How did you choose this?
Sarah Bramley [00:07:55] Well, so two of the books are kind of similar, which you'll hear. But they were two of the nonfiction books that I was drawn to for reasons I'm not quite clear on myself, but I just could not put them down. And that was a new experience for me with nonfiction. And then the third book was just to throw in a flavor of what kind of fiction I liked. So I wanted to show a little bit of balance in my picks.
Anne Bogel [00:08:18] I love that approach. Let's get started. What's your first favorite?
Sarah Bramley [00:08:22] So the first book I chose was Bad Blood by John Carreyrou. And for those who haven't read that or who are unfamiliar, it's the story of the company Theranos, which has been in the news a lot lately, and its founder Elizabeth Holmes.
And it was this huge scandal. The company was a Silicon Valley darling, you know, the first female billionaire kind of on the cover of all the magazines. But it turned out that it was all a scam and that they were fudging the science on their blood testing equipment and products. And so it's the story of this journalist, John Carreyrou, from The Wall Street Journal who really broke the story and exposed the scandal.
Anne Bogel [00:09:03] What led you to that one?
Sarah Bramley [00:09:05] Anne, I have no earthly idea. I can't remember why it made it onto my TBR, but it just kept coming up. And then I think it was like a Kindle daily deal one day and I'm like, Okay, I'll try it. And I was hooked. But I do not have a background in blood testing or the life sciences, so it's not the subject matter that would have grabbed me. But yeah, it just intrigued me.
Anne Bogel [00:09:27] Okay, so this is a business exposé about white-collar crime and people behaving terribly in interesting ways, I would say. Tell me a little bit about your emotions during your reading experience.
Sarah Bramley [00:09:39] Part of me was very frustrated with Elizabeth Holmes because it's really tough to be a woman in the corporate world. And she was in Silicon Valley, which is even more tough. And the fact that this all happened the way it did, it's like, Oh, now they think we're all going to be dishonest the way she is. So it's a little bit me getting mad at her.
But I also love the sort of dogged nature of the journalists interviewing all these people who worked for Theranos, and they were so scared to speak out. And he really started to pull the thread and unravel this whole story and that the bravery of these people to actually speak out and go on the record and face lawsuits and to be ostracized in the community to actually get the truth out there is just really inspiring.
Anne Bogel [00:10:26] That's so interesting. We're going to dig into that more. And what I'm specifically thinking is, okay, did this book have movement for you, and what drew out that feeling? Okay, Bad Blood. Tell me about your next favorite, Sarah.
Sarah Bramley [00:10:40] So the next book I chose was She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. This is about really the kickoff of the MeToo movement. And specifically they're two journalists for The New York Times who were really the first to expose the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal in Miramax and in Hollywood. And of course, there's been lots of other people writing about this subject, but they were kind of the first to breach it and to publish it and to really expose him.
Anne Bogel [00:11:10] And what compelled you to pick this one up?
Sarah Bramley [00:11:13] It sort of links to my first pick. So what I liked about Bad Blood is that the journalist and the author who was writing it kind of became part of the story. And similarly, in She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey are interviewing all of these women. Again, they're afraid to come forward, they're facing NDAs and they've been paid off and they don't want to face legal action.
So the Weinstein Company actually started coming after the journalists, and they really became part of the story that they were telling. And I found it really compelling because, I mean, we know how it came out, it's been in the news, you know what happens. But I didn't know how and I didn't understand the behind-the-scenes and the bravery of these women who came out.
I had moments where I got really emotional thinking about these actresses and these women who worked for this company having to keep their secret and or their careers had been ruined. Like someone like Ashley Judd, who basically got blacklisted for trying to speak out years ago, and she ended up being one of the people who went on the record first. And I just found that incredible and inspiring.
Anne Bogel [00:12:18] I'm a Kentuckian, I love Ashley Judd. Sarah, that makes me think I need to finally read this book. Okay. That helps me understand what made that such a great experience for you. Tell me about your final favorite.
Sarah Bramley [00:12:29] So my fiction pick was A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. And actually read this on audio, which until like a year ago I would not ever have read a book on audio. For some reason, I had written them off as not for me but that was completely wrong. This was wonderful on audio. I think it's actually read by the author herself.
And it's the story of the Trojan War but from the perspective of all of the women. So I've always loved Greek mythology. If you are familiar with Greek mythology, the women tend to play a bit of a supporting role. They are either on the sidelines or sacrificed or punished, but their voices are rarely heard. So this is literally the voices of the major wives, daughters, warriors who are women as part of the Trojan War. And I found it really well done and fascinating.
Anne Bogel [00:13:22] That does sound fascinating. I'm so glad that worked for you. Now, Sarah, tell me about a book that was not right for you that on the surface it sounds like it should have been.
Sarah Bramley [00:13:31] I had high hopes. So the book I picked up was Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. And this is about the Sackler family, who is a very wealthy family who unfortunately was really responsible for the current opioid crisis. Their background is pharmaceuticals, and it's a story of how they sort of rose to power and the companies created and marketed these drugs.
So because of my experience with Bad Blood and She Said, this sounded like it was right up that same alley. But I got stuck like 20%, 30% through the book. I just couldn't pick it up anymore. Like I would read ten pages one day and then five pages the next day and then half a page the next day. And it just wasn't enjoyable or interesting to read for me.
Anne Bogel [00:14:19] I was about to ask if it was because you didn't care or didn't want to go there, but I think I just heard echoes of both.
Sarah Bramley [00:14:27] Yeah. And if I'm going to spend a lot of time with the character, I need to at least find them interesting. I mean, I guess it is interesting the way the Sacklers rose to fame and sort of made their fortunes and things, but I didn't like them. And I understand that's the point of the book, that they're not good people. I just didn't want to hear any more about their many wives and mistresses and fraud. There was just no in for me.
Anne Bogel [00:14:53] All antagonists? No protagonist?
Sarah Bramley [00:14:55] Exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:14:57] Interesting. Okay. Sarah, what have you been reading lately?
Sarah Bramley [00:15:01] So I just finished a couple of books that I absolutely loved. One was a novel called The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton.
Anne Bogel [00:15:09] Oooh! I ironically have that downloaded on audio.
Sarah Bramley [00:15:12] Oh, okay. Well, I read it in hardcopy, but it's a climate change post-apocalyptic story set in Florida, or what was Florida before it started getting hit with massive hurricanes and flooding. And they actually like closed Florida.
But it centers around a girl named Wanda who was named after and born during the hurricane that devastated her family. It could exist in the same world as the Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, who I really love. I just found the writing really beautiful and the story was compelling. And of course, it's upsetting to read those types of post-apocalyptic stories, but I did enjoy it and I couldn't put it down.
Anne Bogel [00:15:51] Because why? Can you answer that? Did you want to find out what happened to Wanda? Did you want to see what the author was going to do next?
Sarah Bramley [00:15:57] I did. I found the structure really interesting. It almost plays out in four vignettes. It's divided into four parts, and each part tells a different piece of Wanda's story. And of course, wanting to understand where this is going and what happens to her, and how she faces the challenges and the losses that she's faced with.
Anne Bogel [00:16:20] That is very helpful.
Sarah Bramley [00:16:22] I also just finished Molly Shannon's memoir. So, Molly Shannon who most of us know from Saturday Night Live and lots of different movies. And I read this on audio and it was a joy. Of course, there are sad things that happen in her life. She has a tragedy that really shaped her life that happened when she was very young. But I just devoured this and it was such a wonderful experience to have her narrate it.
I only recently discovered celebrity memoirs on audio narrated by the celebrity, and I will never read a celebrity memoir in print again. Because why would you when you can have Molly Shannon tell you her own story? So I loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:17:01] For those of you listening who know you read like Donna on our team, she raved about this book.
Sarah Bramley [00:17:07] Oh, good.
Anne Bogel [00:17:08] Sarah, in your own words, what are you on the lookout for today?
Sarah Bramley [00:17:14] Certainly looking for some gripping nonfiction. I'm very open to subject matter, but it needs to have a propulsive story that really draws me in. I do appreciate the perspective and the writing style of some journalists not confining myself to only books written by journalists. But it just so happens that the two of the books that I loved both had that piece in common where the writer almost becomes part of the story. So again, I'm very open to the subject matter format, those sorts of things, but something that really drives and pulls me in.
Anne Bogel [00:17:49] What appeals to you about the journalistic approach?
Sarah Bramley [00:17:52] That's a good question.
Anne Bogel [00:17:54] Okay. Let me ask you other questions first. Because I think what we really want to do here is help identify what kinds of stories you enjoy and what fascinates you and what you therefore want to seek out. And you know how to do that with fiction.
And in perusing your Goodreads, I was a little surprised at the nonfiction present. It's not that there was a ton of it, but there was more than I expected that you really enjoyed based on your expressed unfamiliarity with nonfiction. So I just want to point that out and say maybe you're not as adrift as you feel like you are. It's also possible, though, that that represents a tiny percentage of the books you've tried.
Sarah Bramley [00:18:34] That is accurate. I tend not to record books that I try and put away on my Goodreads so they wouldn't be present there. And if I look at the number of books that I read in a year, over a few years, nonfiction is probably like 10%. Like it's very small.
So for me, it feels like I barely read any. But I guess over the years I definitely have stumbled upon. And I use that deliberately because I don't think I sought out many of those books. They were either book club or I just kind of randomly picked them up or things like that. So I definitely have experience with nonfiction, just I don't feel confident. If I could walk into a bookstore today and pick one up that's right for me. It's probably like a 50/50 if I'm going to like it or not.
Anne Bogel [00:19:16] I wonder if you're just not as familiar with the conventions of the genre. Like you say, it's not your picker necessarily, but when you're looking at a book, when you're reading the description, you're not quite sure what it is you're looking for.
Sarah Bramley [00:19:30] That's fair. That makes a lot of sense.
Anne Bogel [00:19:33] Okay. So what we want to do is we want to figure out what made these books such winners for you. And also, it sounds like there are a host of nonfiction titles that haven't worked for you. And being able to reflect upon like why, what was missing there will be helpful as you move forward.
And honestly, as you do try to get more oriented in the nonfiction landscape, you may read a lot of books that just aren't right for you. You may read a few chapters of a lot of books that aren't right for you. And that's okay because you're going to learn through trial and error what works and what doesn't. Does that sound comfortable to you or does that fill you with despair that it's going to take forever to get there?
Sarah Bramley [00:20:13] No despair here. I'm very happy with that. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:20:17] And of course, you know you enjoy books with narrative drive, you know you enjoy books with movement, but it can be different in nonfiction. And that sometimes a book that we want to pick up is simply because we find earthworms or sidewalks or outer space or marketing. Like we just find it inherently fascinating, so we want to pick the book up. It doesn't necessarily need to be about what the protagonist is going to do next.
The word I kept thinking of as you were describing the books that worked for you was "stakes". So we want to find books that have stakes you care about and also an angle that you appreciate. Because readers are drawn to the same book for different reasons. Like maybe, Sarah, you'll find that you want to know why something specific happened. Maybe you want to know how something specific happened. Maybe you really want to get to know the people involved. Maybe you want to know, Okay, but what does it mean and what should happen next?
Empire of Pain was more an analysis "how did we get here?" But She Said was the "and so what happens next? Like, what is going to change?" That's a gross oversimplification of those two books, but the emphasis was weighted in different places in those two books, neither of which I have read. So does that make sense?
Sarah Bramley [00:21:37] It does. That makes total sense.
Anne Bogel [00:21:39] Okay. So what we want to find out is what are you interested in? So if the book didn't interest you, the question, not to put the burden back on you, is what are you interested in? When you're looking to a nonfiction book, do you just want to find out about something you didn't know about before? Do you want to find out what it means and why it matters? Do you want to know the who, the how, the why? Just gut reaction, what's coming to mind?
Sarah Bramley [00:22:01] I think I always want to know why and the motivations and why things ended up the way they did, why people do what they do. No story is completely black or white, so I like stories that show me the gray. Even if it's more heavily weighted maybe to the black in the case of like bad people doing bad things. But I am really interested in people's motivations and human-centered stories.
I listen to science podcasts and I love astronomy and different types of science, social science. But in reading books, I think I'm more interested in the human story and human experience than learning about a subject that you would take a class in at school. Does that make sense?
Anne Bogel [00:22:46] It does. Okay, we're going to file it away, and I'm going to offer you a handful of primarily journalistic, not always, narrative nonfiction to see how it strikes you.
Sarah Bramley [00:22:58] Wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:22:59] I did notice on your Goodreads, I don't know what your percentage is like, but it seems like when books are more obviously story-driven, like with memoir, it seems like you're finding those more easily.
Sarah Bramley [00:23:11] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:23:12] As listeners are shouting great memoirs at their car speakers right now, I just want to say, it seems to me that you're comfortable in that area because I noticed a lot of them on your Goodreads. But it's this more journalistic approach where you feel less comfortable.
Sarah Bramley [00:23:27] Yeah. If a famous person writes a book, I'm probably going to read it, if it's a person that I like.
Anne Bogel [00:23:33] Okay, recent favorite. Tell us quick.
Sarah Bramley [00:23:35] Ooh...
Anne Bogel [00:23:36] You just read Jennette McCurdy.
Sarah Bramley [00:23:39] I did, yes. I read Jennette McCurdy's I'm Glad My Mom Died, which was heartbreaking, really, to hear about her story and her struggle. But those are the kind of stories that I love. Like you would never have thought, looking at like a Nickelodeon star, that there was all of this other stuff going on beneath the surface. So I really liked hearing her story.
Anne Bogel [00:24:00] I will just say I'm jealous you got to read the audio. I read the e-galley before it was ready and it was so brilliantly done. And also I bet it was amazing on audio.
Sarah Bramley [00:24:08] It was great on audio.
Anne Bogel [00:24:11] Narrative nonfiction, here we go. Now, I am deliberately starting with a title that doesn't seem as likely to be in your wheelhouse, but what we're building here is self-awareness. And I don't want to jump to conclusions too soon.
So this book is The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman. Now, this is a very human story in that it's about what people are doing and what people have done and how people think and act and can change things and can put their head in the sand. But when you said you don't want a book that's like a textbook, you could totally read this in school. But that doesn't mean it won't be for you.
So this came out a little over ten years ago and I finally read it just fairly recently after a friend mentioned that she thought about it every single day because water is everywhere. Water matters. So what Fishman does here is argue that in many parts of the world, including here in the U.S., and I think you would include Canada, that we are at the end of our 100-year golden age of water, where it was cheap, like free actually to many, easy to access, plentiful, clean. But it's not any of those things anymore. We're facing real water problems and we have to fix our relationship to water.
So what he's trying to do here is convince you to build a case—does it sound good or doesn't it, Sarah?—that there are dire consequences here, the stakes are very high and we've got to figure this out. So he brings plenty of stats and data to the text. But he also talks about really interesting things like, Okay, let's evaluate the water situation in Vegas. Tons of people, middle of a desert, probably overbuilt these fountains everywhere, tons of laundry at the hotels. Like what you're looking at is not what you think you're looking at.
He tells so many stories about people who work in the water business. And he makes clear it is definitely a business. And he's taking common misconceptions and saying, "No, no, no, this is how it really works. We are not the same readers. But what I found personally was when he was telling stories about people, I was just like, "Tell me what happens next. This is fascinating." He'll pose a question and say, "You think you know what the answer is, but you don't." And Sarah, when an author says that to me, I want to keep reading and find out what the truth really is.
And then there are other chapters that just weren't as inherently interesting to me, even though they're very important. That's the big thirst. How does that description strike you?
Sarah Bramley [00:26:34] It sounds very intriguing. I like when authors sort of challenge our assumptions, like, "You think this book is going to be about this, but it's not." So I can see that really appealing to me.
Anne Bogel [00:26:45] He describes himself as an investigative and explanatory journalist. So if you pick this up and you find you really enjoy it, you know you can keep an eye out for authors who want to tell you how the world really works, who want to make clear a fuzzy situation that that is something that appeals to you. And if you find you don't enjoy it, that would tell you something else.
Sarah Bramley [00:27:09] Yeah. Either way, I learned something.
Anne Bogel [00:27:11] That is very true. Okay. Next, I want to highlight a book that is on your own Goodreads. You said, when you were talking about She Said, that you really enjoyed books where the authors become part of the story. And that made me think of David Grann's first book—I almost called it a novel, Sarah, which I think is telling—The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Do you remember how this ended up being added to your Goodreads?
Sarah Bramley [00:27:42] I do. Because my husband bought it to read himself and he couldn't get into it. And so it's been sitting on our bookshelf for a couple of years now. And I was like, "Oh, this looks like something I might read someday," and then never thought about it again.
Anne Bogel [00:27:55] It's because it's been there for a few years.
Sarah Bramley [00:27:57] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:27:57] So he is an American journalist. He's a staff writer for The New Yorker, and he has some books that you have enjoyed, like Killers of the Flower Moon that have sold a gazillion copies. I wonder if that connection to Killers of the Flower Moon influences the way you're thinking about potentially reading this book.
Sarah Bramley [00:28:13] Maybe. I actually ended up reading Killers of the Flower Moon. I had it in my hand and I was listening to the audio at the same time because there are pictures and there are pieces of it that... I needed the audio to move forward a little bit. But once I got into it, it was great. And I think it's a really important story to tell. I'm always looking for indigenous stories, indigenous voices. So I really like that one.
Anne Bogel [00:28:35] So this is Grann's story of... I think it's fair to say obsession. Not necessarily his own obsession. At least not at first. But when he was researching something else, he stumbled upon the story of this British colonel a hundred years ago who was setting out on a much-publicized search for this lost Amazonian civilization called the City of Z. It was unclear whether or not it even actually existed.
So this British colonel goes into the woods along with his grandson and he never comes back. And after that happens, many, many more, including scholars and explorers, but also just actors, regular people from trying to go into the jungle to find the lost City of Z or to find Fawcett who disappeared.
So in this story, Grann gets wind of it and he decides, "Yes, I want to do this, too. I want to go into the jungle to try to find the city, but also get the story of why these people keep being drawn to the City of Z." So he goes into the Amazon driven by his curiosity and scholarly interest here. So this is the story of Fawcett, but it's also very much the story of Grann himself and the story of like why we care, why it matters.
So what he does here is he weaves his own stories together with Fawcett's history and branching out a little bit to talk about other maybe poorly conceived, yet nonetheless hugely alluring to some exploration attempts. And this is a very different setting. But the way he kind of embeds himself in the story almost reminds me of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, which is also on your list. Kind of a similar approach, but very, very different tone and setting. This is a book with big energy, which seems like is something that could work for you.
Sarah Bramley [00:30:26] Yeah, that sounds amazing. I do love travel writing. This doesn't sound like a lighthearted walk to the wood.
Anne Bogel [00:30:34] No.
Sarah Bramley [00:30:34] But it definitely sounds very intriguing. Sold. And it's right upstairs to my bookshelves. So that one's easy for me to go grab and jump right into.
Anne Bogel [00:30:44] Okay. I'm glad to hear it. And then, Sarah, I noticed that you seem to read a fair number of books about books, and I wondered if that was a direction you'd be interested in going.
Sarah Bramley [00:30:54] Absolutely. There are many books not on my list that I have started that are about books, and so I haven't really found a ton that I loved. But that's definitely something I love to read about.
Anne Bogel [00:31:05] Have you read the Furious Hours by Casey Cep?
Sarah Bramley [00:31:08] No, I haven't.
Anne Bogel [00:31:09] Okay. This is, again, another nonfiction book by an American author and journalist. We're focusing on those journalistic stories. She's also like Grann, a staff writer at The New Yorker. But this is the Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee.
And I don't know if it's good or bad for your desire for movement. This book is almost told as three related but separate short books. This is a true crime thriller and a courtroom drama that has Harper Lee in the mix. And of course, when this first came out several years ago, all the blurb said, If To Kill a Mockingbird was one of your favorites, you should definitely add Furious Hours to your reading list.
So this is about an actual trial that happened in Alabama, an actual true crime court case that Harper Lee reported. She traveled from New York City to Alabama to report on this trial. And the idea was that she was going to write something like In Cold Blood in the vein of Truman Capote, who she was friends with.
[00:32:12] So she spent a year in town doing that reporting and worked on her own version of the case to tell her own story, which she never published. But this is three stories about what happened then and how it relates to that novel that we know so well, which for a long time was the only thing so many knew about Harper Lee.
So if you're interested in digging into the untold, until recently, stories of characters from literary history you think you know about,—although I think we discovered when Go Set a Watchman came out that we knew less about Harper Lee than we collectively think we did—this could be appealing to you.
But what I'd want you to ask yourself is like, Okay, why am I interested? Why does this matter? What difference is making in my life? I think as a very human story it definitely suits your taste there, but is that enough? I don't know. What do you think?
Sarah Bramley [00:32:59] I've been meaning to reread To Kill a Mockingbird. I don't think I've read it since high school. Would this be an interesting companion if I read them back to back?
Anne Bogel [00:33:08] Yes, absolutely.
Sarah Bramley [00:33:10] So I love that. I love the idea of taking something that, you know, as part of... I mean, even up here in Canada, To Kill a Mockingbird is very important and often well-read. And then to have this other look at this other piece of Harper Lee and kind of understand some of the background of the story, I think that sounds really wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:33:28] I'm glad to hear it. So far today we've talked about literary history, we've talked about exploration in history that goes a bit further back, we've talked about pressing matters facing our world and environmental issues.
And I do want to point out that there are so many different kinds of narrative nonfiction about so many different topics: history, politics, energy, sports, music, current events. Those are all things that you can stop and ask yourself, does it sound good to me? Does it sound good to me right now?
And they will take you to slightly different sections of the bookstore if you're in a large place. They will definitely take you to different corners of internet search. But you have a lot of options. That might not sound empowering, that might sound scary, but when you get your feet under you a little more, I think you're going to find that really exciting.
Sarah Bramley [00:34:17] Yeah, that sounds great. And even, you know, utilizing the library, maybe more so than buying books, I can really sort of taste test and see what works for me without really committing or spending money. Although I love spending money.
Anne Bogel [00:34:33] Do you want to tell us about your book-buying problem? Those are your quotes.
Sarah Bramley [00:34:38] Well, that tracks. I say my hobby is leaving my house and spending money and usually, it's on books. So we have a great local indie bookstore and I feel like it's an act of community service to buy something every time I walk by.
And we have a huge used book sale once a year that usually falls around Mother's Day. My mom and I go to the book sale, buy as much as we can carry, and then go for lunch. It's a nice little ritual we have. And so I end up going and... The only limit is the strength of my arms and carrying the bags full of books.
Anne Bogel [00:35:13] Thank you for your public service.
Sarah Bramley [00:35:15] Of course.
Anne Bogel [00:35:17] Sarah, you said that journalistic nonfiction is an area where you feel very much adrift, but you also have enjoyed some books not by journalists but by scholars and experts and professionals. Do you think about those books differently? Are they more easily approachable to you?
Sarah Bramley [00:35:33] Sometimes. It depends if I'm somewhat familiar with the subject matter, I guess, and if it's something to do with my job or something to do with workplace. Like I'm very comfortable picking those, but otherwise I don't necessarily seek them out. It's more about the subject matter than the writer, to this point at least.
Anne Bogel [00:35:52] I thought of a title I thought might be great for you, and then it was on your Goodreads list. And that is Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell.
Sarah Bramley [00:35:59] Ooh.
Anne Bogel [00:36:00] Do you remember what landed that on your list?
Sarah Bramley [00:36:03] It was on probably a list of interesting books or recommended books on Goodreads or something. I read a lot of blogs and lists and things like that. So I actually am on the waiting list for the audiobook on my Libby app right now, but I haven't picked it up yet.
Anne Bogel [00:36:17] Oh, wonderful. Okay, well, I'll be curious to hear how that goes for you. And I'm happy to hear that you opted for the audiobook because Montell is a podcast host. She narrated by herself. And it's a very podcast-like experience.
Sarah Bramley [00:36:28] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:36:29] But in this book, Montell... She's a linguist and she's just a passionate nerd about words and language. So what she's doing in this book is investigating why people join and stay in cults. And she's not talking about mind control but the power of the language that is used.
And she talks about how that cultish language has infiltrated our everyday lives. It's not just about, you know, the scary kind of cults you read about in the news, but it appears in things like a startup culture and exercise programs and a lot of modern marketing that you may actually find interesting in a different way than I would because of your profession. But I did want to highlight that as an example of a book written by an expert but not a journalist.
[00:37:14] And then How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith. He is a poet. He is not a journalist. But he is an expert who puts himself in the story and has this combination of memoir and travel log in history. It's a book that blends genres and has so many of those elements that I think you would find really appealing. It's such a human story. You go places, you stay with the people. He's talking about his own experience, how it relates to the history.
And what he does in this book is he's visiting... It's like seven or eight historical sites across the U.S. and beyond. He goes to Gorée Island off the coast of Senegal as well. But he's touring these sites that are very important to the history of slavery in the United States.
And wherever he goes, he's meeting people. And sometimes it's experts leading tours. Sometimes it's people who have just showed up to see Blanton Cemetery in Virginia with the Confederate graveyard. But he's talking to them about their experience with their stories and their experience with these stories.
And sometimes they are aligned in attitude and sometimes they're not at all. But he's exploring why, and why do people think this, and what really happened, and what's the popular narrative and how is that right, but how is that sometimes really wrong, and what does it all mean for today?
And I think that kind of book could have that movement and heart and meaning that you would really appreciate the reading experience. Oh, it's wonderful in audio. But first, for right now, I'd like you to consider, like, how do those factors sound and what do they mean for what you might pick up in the future when it comes to your nonfiction?
Sarah Bramley [00:38:50] To be honest, it doesn't sound like something I would seek out and pick up myself. But hearing you describe it, it really intrigues me. It sounds like it would tick a lot of the boxes and things that would interest me or would grab me. But I mean I'm understanding, from this conversation, that if I try it and it isn't for me, that's okay. There's lots more out there for me to find. But just hearing you describe it, it does sound like something that I would love.
Anne Bogel [00:39:12] That's interesting. It's interesting to hear that you wouldn't have thought that was a book for you. And what we really want to do is help align your understanding of yourself with your perception of the books you're considering reading. When we get those two things sync up a little more, you're going to be really comfortable in the nonfiction area of your reading life.
Because for fiction, you don't expect to love every book you pick up. You try things. It works out most of the time. It doesn't sometimes. And that's fine. You know how that works. And that's the place we want to get you to with your nonfiction.
Sarah, I'm really excited for you and what you're going to find next in the nonfiction realm. Are you ready to move on to audio?
Sarah Bramley [00:39:45] I am. Let's do it.
Anne Bogel [00:39:47] We're going to do two rapid-fire little sections here. You asked if I could peruse your Goodreads and identify books you've already read that you could reread on audio now that you've discovered, "Hey, audio actually does work for me. Who knew? So glad I tried it," and a couple jumped out at me. Do you want to hear?
Sarah Bramley [00:40:06] Please.
Anne Bogel [00:40:07] Okay. Tell me how these sound to you. It was a good number. Let's do five.
Sarah Bramley [00:40:12] Oh, my gosh.
Anne Bogel [00:40:13] Is that too many?
Sarah Bramley [00:40:14] No, I'm delighted.
Anne Bogel [00:40:16] Okay. Okay. You loved The Four Winds and The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Look, I already doubled up. Those are narrated by Julia Whelan. If those are stories you want to revisit, they are known for being wonderful in that format.
Sarah Bramley [00:40:30] Amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:40:31] Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad. She reads her own story. Incredible. Project Hail Mary. I noticed that was a four stars on your Goodreads. I think Ray Porter's narration really brings out the humor in that book. I think that can maybe bump it to five.
Sarah Bramley [00:40:46] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:40:47] The Song of Achilles, phenomenal on audio. It's read by Fraser Douglas. And then if you wanted to go on a Margaret Atwood... This is like a moderate dive. The Testaments is read by a full cast.
Sarah Bramley [00:40:59] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:41:00] The Handmaid's Tale, which I'm not sure you've read, but I'm guessing you have based on your reading of The Testaments, that's read by Claire Danes. I think those books could keep you happy for 20 hours or so. Do any of those really jump out at you or sounding especially promising?
Sarah Bramley [00:41:13] I think the Margaret Atwood, that's interesting because, I mean, I've read almost everything she's written, but like ten years ago. So to revisit Handmaid's Tale and then The Testaments. I love an audiobook with a full cast. So that really excited me when you said that.
Anne Bogel [00:41:27] Oh, if you love a full cast, then I'll have to tell you the Sing, Unburied, Sing is read by a trio. Jesmyn Ward's memoir. And it's incredible.
Sarah Bramley [00:41:37] I loved that one.
Anne Bogel [00:41:38] You could love it on audio next.
Sarah Bramley [00:41:40] Great.
Anne Bogel [00:41:42] Sarah, we talked about a lot of books today. How are you feeling about your relationship with nonfiction right now?
Sarah Bramley [00:41:48] I'm feeling optimistic. Of course, I love hearing all of your recommendations, but I think the biggest takeaway I'm going to have is just that confidence. You played a little bit of book therapist with me today and understanding that I'm not going to love everything, but I maybe know more about what I will love than I think I do. So I feel very happy and optimistic.
Anne Bogel [00:42:09] I'm happy to hear it. Yeah, trust your gut, but also ask lots of questions.
Sarah Bramley [00:42:15] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:42:15] Of the books we talked about, Sarah, what do you think you might pick up next?
Sarah Bramley [00:42:20] Well, Lost City of Z is already in my house, so I think that's the easiest one for me to pick out. But I'm really intrigued by the Furious Hours. And to do like a pair read of it with To Kill a Mockingbird I think sounds really interesting.
Anne Bogel [00:42:37] I'm excited to hear how that might pan out for you. Sarah, I enjoyed our conversation so much. Thank you so much for talking to books with me.
Sarah Bramley [00:42:43] Thanks for having me, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:42:49] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Sarah, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Sarah on Instagram @s_brams and see the full list of titles we discussed. at whatshouldireadnext.com.
Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. And follow on Instagram where I'm often snapping photos of books our guests loved, books they talked me into reading and more. I'm there @annebogel. Our podcast account is @whatshouldireadnext.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Our community manager is Sarah Aeder.
Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Dune by Frank Herbert
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
▵ Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
• The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
• Parableof the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
• Hello, Molly!: A Memoir by Molly Shannon
• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
• The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman
• The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
• Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
• FuriousHours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
• How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (Audio edition)
• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (Audio edition)
• Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad (Audio edition)
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Audio edition)
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Audio edition)
• The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (Audio edition)
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (Audio edition)
• Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward (Audio edition)
The post Gripping, page-turny narrative nonfiction appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I’m delighted to welcome our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community manager Ginger Horton to the blog today. As many of you know, Ginger moved to Hawai’i in 2020. We’ve so enjoyed our literary tourism series here on MMD; how could I resist asking Ginger to add her own contribution about the place she currently calls home? Welcome, Ginger! – Anne
As a home-loving introvert, often the first time I’ll encounter something—be that an idea, a concept, a project, or a place—is in the pages of a good book. When my husband and I traveled to Hawai’i for our tenth wedding anniversary years ago, I checked out every book I could find on Hawai’i. I scoured Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust to Go for recommendations, asked my librarian, and kept a running list of the Hawai’i classics that came across my path.
We had a wonderful trip, ate our weight in poke, and saw all the palaces and beaches and monuments. So wonderful, in fact, that this home-loving girl sat on her hotel bed the last day of the trip and flirted with the idea of changing her flight to extend her stay.
But the vacation had to end sometime. Imagine my surprise when four years later, the opportunity to move to Hawai’i came into our lives—and we did.
This was no vacation. This is where people lived, worked, loved, fought, and spoke a different language, yet the same language. This state is both part of the United States, familiar in so many ways, yet of its own place. I learned the history beyond Pearl Harbor. I learned the challenges of being both dependent on and harmed by tourism. I learned about colonization, and how pineapples aren’t even native to these islands. I learned that “aloha” was so much more than a way to say “hello!”
I’m still learning. These beautiful islands are paradise, for sure. But they’re sometimes a hard and humbling place to live. The beauty is all around me, and so are the stories.
I hope this list shows just a few of those stories—stories of queens and land and disease and war and family and food. You know, the stuff of life. Plus palm trees.
Literary Tourism: Hawai’iSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Kiana Davenport
Kiana Davenport is so beloved, it was hard to choose just one for this list. Song of the Exile is her most well-known though you can’t go wrong with her debut, Shark Dialogues. Both are epic stories told through the lens of a family, passing generations full of turbulent history, love, betrayal. Read this for the unforgettable characters who are as beautiful and complex as the islands themselves. More info →Author: Kaye Starbird
Most WWII stories are told from the perspective of the soldiers or the victims and rightly so. But imagine being a young Army wife in Honolulu on the day of the Pearl Harbor attacks—you’re uncertain what is happening, running for your life with your young daughter, all the while wondering where your husband is, if he’s in danger, if your whole country is in danger. This look back at a mother and daughter’s experiences through the war years explores how two people can see the same events through different lenses of memory. More info →Author: Alan Brennert
It’s unlikely you’ll spend much time on the island of Moloka’i during a vacation to Hawai’i. This former leper colony isn’t a spot most tourists gather, but its history is tragic and fascinating. Alan Brennert tells the story through the eyes of Rachel, a young girl when she’s diagnosed with leprosy and taken from her family home to the leper settlement on Moloka’i. All the hallmarks of a coming-of-age story, set against the well-researched backdrop of exile. More info →Author: Daniel James Brown
If you’re visiting the site of the sunken USS Arizona memorial, you have to read this true and harrowing tale of Japanese American families following the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Brown does a tremendous job of telling their stories, balancing the excruciating facts of life in concentration camps on U.S. soil with hope and bravery in the face of bigotry. He reminds us that whether they fought in courtrooms or foxholes, these Americans are heroes. More info →Author: Queen Lili'uokalani
If you’re going to read one book set in Hawai’i, this is the one. Walk the halls of Iolani Palace with Queen Lili’uokalani, the last queen of the Hawaiian kingdom until the overthrow in 1893. She wrote this autobiography of her accession to the throne, her arrest, and trial during her imprisonment in the palace. Her appeal eventually reached President Grover Cleveland and the US Congress, but Hawai’i was formally annexed by the US the very same year this book was published. Hawai’i eventually went on to become a state in 1959, but many in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement see this as a key text documenting the overthrow of the monarchy. More info →Author: Kaui Hart Hemmings
Everyone says if you’ve only seen the movie starring George Clooney, you’re missing out on this complex novel showing the darker side of paradise. People have problems in Hawai’i too—and Matthew King sure does. His wife is in a coma and his two daughters are quickly growing out of his reach. Matthew’s ancestors have made him one of the richest men on the islands, but the “lucky we live HI” slogans won’t save him from heartbreak. The beautiful setting and elegant writing lifts this modern novel from airport fare to literary fiction. More info →Author: Kawai Strong Washburn
When this contemporary literary saga released, everyone raved about it, from the New York Times to Tommy Orange to the friend that texted me telling me I had to read it. The premise sells itself: when seven-year old Noa falls overboard a cruise ship on a rare family vacation, everyone gathers around and fears the worst when they see sharks nearby. Instead, Noa is delivered safely back to his mother, and his status as legend is born. But this favor from the Hawaiian gods drives the family apart. Oh yeah, did I mention Barack Obama also mentioned this as one of his favorites of 2020? More info →Author: Sarah Vowell
An irreverent take on the history of Hawai’i the publisher describes as “examining the place where Manifest Destiny got a sunburn.” Only Sarah Vowell can take whaling, royalty, missionaries, con men, sugar barons, imperialism, US presidents, and a coup and combine them to this wry and witty effect. More info →Author: Kristiana Kahakauwila
Vacation, even a literary one, is the perfect time to indulge in short stories. This Is Paradise captures Hawai’i in this collection of six stories set across the islands. Most tourists only visit Oahu or Maui, but Kahakauwila captures what’s underneath the touristy beaches and well-traveled paths, the place Hawaiians call home. Don’t miss "Thirty-Nine Rules for Making a Hawaiian Funeral Into a Drinking Game.” More info →Author: Julie Checkoway
Olympic sports stories often make for great drama, and this one is no exception. In one field on the island of Maui, poverty-stricken parents work a sugar plantation while their children train in a nearby irrigation ditch to become Olympic athletes. With no proper pool, equipment, nutrition, and a teacher who could barely swim as their coach, the swim club managed to outrace champion athletes, breaking records and making headlines along the way. More info →Author: Sara Ackerman
Sara Ackerman is the queen of Hawaiian historical fiction. Born and raised in Hawaii, Ackerman’s novels were mentioned by just about everyone when we asked what to read when visiting there. Radar Girls is arguably the best of the bunch. It opens on a date that lives in infamy, then follows a story inspired by true events when the Women’s Air Raid Defense sent women pilots into a war zone for the first time. There’s war, love, pioneering heroines, everything you’d expect in WWII-era historical fiction. More info →Author: Mark Twain
Before Mark Twain was Mark Twain, he traveled to Hawai’i on assignment and wrote letters in his trademark style, remarking on the “jolly time” Live vicariously through his one-week-turned-five in the Rainbow State before it was a state. More info →Author: R. Kikuo Johnson
This graphic novel captures an adolescence in Hawai’i with stark black and white images which are somehow far from what you’d expect in a novel set there. Yet it captures the true experience of life lived on a tropical island. The publisher calls this a “a mature depiction of immature lives.” As you might expect from a coming-of-age novel, it’s moody, knotty, grisly. Content warnings apply for crime and drug use. More info →Author: Hanya Yanigahara
From the author of A Little Life, this alternate-history novel spans Hawai’i and New York City, imagining what the world would look like 100 years apart at each jump, in 1893, 1993, and 2093. It spans time, geographical distance, but most importantly wealth and poverty, weakness and might, love and loneliness. At 720 pages, there’s plenty of space to explore all these issues and more. And it’s the perfect chunky novel to tuck in a vacation bag. More info →Author: Sheldon Simeon
Whether you're planning a trip to the islands, or just the kitchen, Sheldon Simeon tells the story of Hawai’i through food. These recipes are uncomplicated and authentic, celebrating the mash of flavors and cultures that Hawaiian food represents. But even if you’re not planning to whip up some ono pupu (delicious snacks), the photography is beautiful and the story of Hawai’i as told through food will transport you. Don’t miss the cauliflower katsu, hurricane popcorn, and haupai with passion fruit curd. More info →Author: Kay Hadashi
A great cozy mystery to tuck in your vacation bag. You’ll tour the island with Maile Spencer, literally. She’s a tour guide for her brother’s company, so you’ll pick up tips and facts along the way as she guides her tour group, and one member, off into danger. That bright cover alone will be photo-worthy as it peeks out from your beach bag. More info →Author: Jasmin Iolani Hakes
This doesn’t release until May 2, but this debut promises to be worth the wait. Three generations of women tell their story through dance on the Big Island. One daughter dreams of proving herself by becoming Miss Aloha Hula, but the harder she tries, the more things fall apart. Secrets erupt and the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement is explored through the lens of one fractured family. More info → Which books set in Hawai’i have you read and loved? Please tell us all about them in the comments section!
P.S. 12 recommended reads for those traveling to Maine (or who want to), 20 novels that will transport you to the shore, and more literary tourism. We also recommend What Should I Read Next Ep. 333: Vacation Reading, in which we discuss recommended reads for those traveling to Mexico, Italy, and Hawai’i.
About the authorGinger Horton is our Book Club Community Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are literary fiction and classics. You can find Ginger on Instagram posting as herself @gthorton or in the MMD Book Club account @MMDBookClub
The post 17 recommended reads for those traveling to Hawai’i appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What a week, friends. I’m looking forward to a cozy rainy day here, and homemade pizza tonight, and the 7% remaining in my current read (a whimsical sci-fi novel that is definitely a departure for me). But I also can’t get the Nashville school shooting off my mind: it feels like this is all I’ve been talking about with friends this week—including my friends in that community.
I hope this week’s collection of Links I Love meets you where you are. May your weekend be filled with grace, peace, rest, and good books.
My favorite finds from around the web:“Not one more.” From author and Nashville resident Mary Philpott, in the wake of this week’s tragedy: “It is time to ask everyone we know: Are you ready to support reasonable gun safety reform? And if not, what are you willing to sacrifice? Whose children? Name them.”
2023 Audie Awards. (Audio Publishers Association) A well-deserved win for Viola Davis.
Clint Smith’s Poetry Collection ‘Above Ground’ Is an Ode to the Complexities of Parenting. (Shondaland) I loved this collection. It feels especially timely for this week, as he writes poignantly about how joy and disaster are both inevitably part of this life. (You can hear me speak about it more in this week’s episode of What Should I Read Next.)
The Sun Safety Kit from Sephora is back! Sample a whole bunch of fan fave sunscreens. This sells out every year so get it while you can.
Audie Cornish’s Long Struggle to Remake the News. (The New Yorker) Great interview.
“You’re So Vain”: An Oral History of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. (Vanity Fair) So much fun.
The Art of Talking to Strangers. (Outside Magazine) “When it comes to keeping life interesting, it pays to make room for the occasional surprise.”
Martha Stewart has a new curated collection for Etsy and the offerings sure are interesting! This $2000 coffee table is completely gorgeous, but so are these $7 handmade pastel tapers, this linen table runner, and this beautiful herringbone bracelet.
Kazuo Ishiguro on Life, Death, and the Movies. (The Millions) His thoughts about adaptations are especially interesting.
A Knitwear Sensation at 83. (The New York Times gift link) What a delight!
If you’re a coffee lover who doesn’t know about the Italian dessert Affogato, this recipe is for you. (NYT Cooking gift link)
Top 10 lost women’s classics. (The Guardian) How many of these have you read?
I’m in a Travel Writer Group Chat, and These Are the 16 Products We Can’t Stop Talking About. (Travel + Leisure) I always pay attention to what the pros recommend.
From our archives:12 evocative nonfiction and fiction books by poets. Some poets write more than poetry!
8 great Audible alternatives for audiobook listeners. Many readers want to try audiobooks, but it’s easy to be intimidated by the number of choices we have now.
18 fresh and flirty contemporary romance novels for your TBR. I’m not the only one who turns to romance novels for comfort and escape.
Favorite reader comment:“Oh my goodness, I LOVE the comment sections of your posts, Anne! I always get the best book recommendations from such kindred spirits.” — Andrea on My favorite subgenre: emotionally resonant fiction
I share your terror of reading books about airplane crashes, but you need to read “Dear Edward”, it’s such an amazing story. Also, Judy Blume’s, “In the Unlikely Event”…also about plane crashes, but it’s Judy Blume!! — Natalie on 16 Classic literature retellings, remixes, and reimaginings
“After we think we’ve packed, we THEN (reasonably) follow the advice, “Take out half of your suitcase, and bring double the cash.” This has generally been true for all my family’s airplane trips (ie not a road trip), especially international ones. We tend to pack too much and assume we will spend less than we actually do. Planning for both has been good advice for our family of 5. My kids are well into adulthood now and I still remind them before they travel on their own!” — Katie on My best travel tip
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Longtime readers know I’m a soft touch when it comes to classic literature retellings. I will read a few pages of almost any Jane Austen retelling that crosses my shelf, no matter how outlandish the premise may seem. But whether or not I keep reading a retelling depends on two important factors:
Is the retelling an excellent story in its own right?
In my bookish opinion, the best classic retellings require no prior knowledge of the original book—but they might make you want to pick up the classic when you’re finished. Barbara Kingsolver’s triumphant retelling Demon Copperhead is an excellent example: you don’t need to read David Copperfield first, but once you’re done with Kingsolver’s, I bet you’ll want to.
Does the retelling illuminate a theme, character, or scene I otherwise overlooked?
Excellent retellings offer something new and unexpected, such as a story told from the side character’s perspective, flashbacks to reveal more about a beloved character’s backstory, or a brand new setting for the familiar story.
As a devoted structure nerd, I soak up these fresh takes on old stories, eager to see how an author’s changes highlight (or sometimes, subvert) the themes of the original text.
Today I’m sharing 16 standout retellings of classics, plus a handful lingering on my TBR list. With a mix of literary fiction, YA, fantasy, romance, and mystery, this collection of classic literature retellings displays the ingenuity of contemporary authors as they take on beloved books and add their own twists.
I would love to hear about your experience with classic literature retellings in the comments. What works for you in a retelling, remix, or reimagining?
Read these retellings for a dose of classic literature, updatedSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: David James Duncan
Reader friends with great taste call this homage to The Brothers Karamazov THE best book they've ever read. It took me a while to get through it but I was glad I persevered, as Duncan combines the Vietnam War, bush league baseball, Seventh Day Adventism, and family ties into an incredible, heart-wrenching story. The book is truly remarkable for the times when it revealed the deep joy present in a family's lowest moments. (Due to some tough themes and a ton of language, this isn't for the faint of heart.) More info →Author: Sherry Thomas
No prior experience with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is needed to enjoy Thomas's clever, gender-bending Sherlock Holmes series. Charlotte Holmes has never been comfortable with high society’s expectations for well-bred women, so she hatches an escape plan. By posing as Sherlock Holmes, Charlotte uses her incredible intellect to solve mysteries, thus securing the freedom to live as she pleases. When her family falls under suspicion for a series of London murders, Charlotte puts her skills to work to find the real killer and gathers new friends—and enemies—along the way. Fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series are sure to adore Charlotte as well. More info →Author: Kamila Shamsie
This modern retelling of Antigone was long-listed for the 2017 Man Booker Prize and powerfully probes themes of love, political allegiance, and terrorism. I’m not sure I would have realized this was rooted in the Greek myth if I hadn’t been told: Shamsie's story feels modern, timely, and incredibly relevant to current events. I loved it enough to recommend it to a Scottish bookseller in a delightful episode of What Should I Read Next recorded live in Scotland's national book town, that's Episode 171: "A podcaster, a barrister, and a joiner walk into a bookstore." I was hooked from the first line: “Isma was going to miss her flight.“ More info →Author: David Wroblewski
An atmospheric Midwestern version of Hamlet makes perfectly absorbing classic reading. Edgar Sawtelle lives with his parents on a farm in northern Wisconsin. Born mute, Edgar communicates via sign language and helps his family raise and train "Sawtelle dogs," but his peaceful world is disrupted when his uncle Claude returns to the farm. After his father dies unexpectedly, Claude begins to romance Edgar's mother, and a suspicious Edgar tries to prove his uncle played a role in his father's death. After his plan fails, Edgar flees to the wilderness, only to turn toward home after coming of age in the north woods. Literary, atmospheric, and deeply moving, even readers who skipped their Shakespeare homework will sink into this novel. More info →Author: Rachel Hawkins
I'm glad I took a chance on this updated Jane Eyre, set in contemporary Birmingham, Alabama, in the Thornfield Estates neighborhood of Mountain Brook. In Hawkins's version, Jane becomes a dog-walker with a troubled past she'd prefer to keep hidden, Bertha the owner of a Southern home and fashion empire that put me in mind of Draper James, and Eddie the handsome, grieving widower looking to rebuild his life after tragedy—or so he says. A dark kind of fun. More info →Author: Brina Starler
Even though numerous readers I trust gave this ode to L.M. Montgomery’s classic three stars, I couldn't resist seeing for myself. In this Anne of Green Gables update set at Manhattan's fictional Redmond College, Anne is shocked when her old nemesis Gilbert Blythe appears in her class on the first day of school. She didn't know he'd transferred from Berkley to be closer to his ailing father after his cancer diagnosis—and if he gets to pick up where he left off with his longtime redheaded crush, so much the better. I enjoyed seeing how Starler updated these familiar characters for the 21st century (I wanted more of the heavily-tattooed Fred Wright!), but I'd hoped for a more robust plot. More info →Author: Stacey Swann
This spellbinding dysfunctional family saga puts a modern spin on Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Everyone knows everyone else’s business in the fictional town of Olympus, Texas, especially when it comes to the notorious Briscoe family. The clan is “a walking collection of deadly sins,” and due to patriarch Peter’s philandering, his children populate several households in town. When prodigal son March returns home after a years-long exile imposed after sleeping with his sister-in-law, he sets a devastating chain of events in motion. Though the story spans a mere six days, several lifetimes’ worth of secrets are revealed in that time, and the ensuing consequences to the family and town are irrevocable. Ovid’s Greek myths are relentlessly violent, and while Swann’s are less so, they do contain depictions of domestic abuse and violent scenes. More info →Author: Bethany C. Morrow
This sophisticated “remixed” classic keeps the familial love of Louisa Alcott’s Little Women and sheds the rest to tell a new story of four Black sisters starting over in 1863 North Carolina. In her fresh and nuanced version, Morrow moves the March family south to the Freedpeople Colony on Roanoke Island, where they’re recovering from the trauma of enslavement (which Morrow offers glimpses of) and struggling to build new lives. The irrepressible March sisters—teacher Meg, writer Jo, seamstress Beth, and dancer Amy—are vividly characterized. Morrow retains many of the young women’s personality traits from the original, while plunging them into new situations and challenges in the colony. The sisters’ love anchors the story throughout, giving the book a gentle feel though Morrow’s update deftly tackles painful topics as she sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of American history. Don’t miss the author’s note. More info →Author: Sarah Dass
In this tropical YA spin on Persuasion, Reyna and Aiden grew up and fell in love on the island of Tobago. Reyna feels stuck on the island, because her family owns a beautiful seaside resort she promised her mother she'd take ownership of one day. But Aiden's band hit it big, so he left to pursue his dreams. After a two-year absence, circumstances bring the two together again, and Reyna can't help but remember why she once thought they'd be together forever. Dass keeps the beats of Austen’s original while making the story her own with its winning characters, vivid tropical setting, and fun musical vibe. Listeners will relish descriptions of the beautiful seaside resort voiced by native Trinidadian narrator Antonevia Ocho-Coultes. More info →Author: Emily Itami
A quiet yet vivid story set against the backdrop of Tokyo in springtime. When Andrea at Main Street Books said she'd loved this literary novel with echoes of Madame Bovary and a forty-ish female protagonist rethinking her whole life, I snapped it right up. The story is about Mizuki, an affluent Japanese singer-turned housewife who loves her workaholic husband and two beautiful children but has grown lonely and bored with her life. When she catches the interest of a handsome restaurateur, she is unable to resist the advances of a man who actually "thought about the answers to the questions I asked him and looked right at me when he replied." (This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club April 2023 selection.) More info →Author: Tracy Deonn
Team member Leigh recommended this on the team WSIRN summer favorites episode. Book two is out now, and I've seen rave reviews! From Leigh: I was absolutely riveted by this YA Fantasy. A retelling of the King Arthur legend, it follows a 16-year-old Black girl as she goes off to an early college program. She discovers that magic exists, and that someone's messed with her memory about a major event in her life. She wants to get to the bottom of what actually happened, which includes infiltrating a secret society on campus. There are so many layers and great twists to this story, which examines racism, complicated grief, and generational trauma. More info →Author: Barbara Kingsolver
I always look forward to a new Barbara Kingsolver, and this one is her best yet. Damon Fields, known as Demon Copperhead for his red hair, grows up impoverished in the southern Appalachian mountains in Virginia. We first meet him at age 11 and then follow along as he watches his mother become addicted to opioids, enters the foster care system, and later wrestles with substance abuse himself. Just as David Copperfield was an impassioned work of social activism, this update examines the ravages in southwestern Virginia and how the people Demon loves and identifies with are oppressed by those who have power. At 560 pages, this story feels like an investment; I found it to be worth every page. No familiarity with Dickens's original is required but if you have read it, you’ll appreciate her updates. More info →Author: Ann Napolitano
I adored my first Napolitano read. (I remain too terrified of plane crash stories to read Dear Edward.) The author describes her homage to Little Women as "the story of one young man, four sisters, the secrets that threaten to shatter their family, and a love powerful enough to heal it.” I fell completely in love with the Padavano family, and enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and evolved over the decades and generations. The Chicago setting was also a lot of fun. (I did so much googling for places and locations!) Readers, there are A LOT of difficult things in these pages: it might break your heart, but know that ultimately, it's a redemption story. More info →Author: Nghi Vo
Told from the perspective of Jordan Baker, this fantastical take on The Great Gatsby heightens the glitz, glamor, and decadence of Fitzgerald’s story while exploring its timeless themes in a fresh way. Jordan Baker is a golfer, socialite, and best friend to Daisy Buchanan—she’s also queer, Vietnamese, and adopted. Her unique position in society means Jordan floats between the wealthy and the unwanted, the upper crust and the outcast. She resists tradition and possesses a special, secret magic, wooing Nick Carraway with her wit and spontaneity. Although Jordan’s elevation from subtle side character to compelling heroine makes for fascinating reading, the real appeal of this retelling lies in its strange and delicious magic. Gatsby’s parties are not just epic, they’re enchanted, and the mystery of his wealth may lie in dangerous soul-changing spells. If you fell in love with Fitzgerald’s writing, you won’t be disappointed by Vo’s way with words. More info →Author: Vanessa King
Take Austen’s witty banter, social commentary, and beloved main characters and drop them in a crumbling burlesque club in NYC, and you have a fun and inventive reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. Assistant by day, stage kitten by night Bennet loves her burlesque found family (each one representing a different member of the Bennet family). One night, she runs into Will Darcy and his friend there to evaluate a possible investment in the club. Despite their firecracker chemistry, Darcy and Bennet make a poor first impression, and they can’t shake it off when their best friends fall in love. With a diverse cast of side characters, spicy sexual tension, and all the Austen references your heart could want, this contemporary romance retelling is a must-read for those in search of a sassy love story. (Open door.) More info →Author: Dahlia Adler
I love a Shakespeare-inspired movie (hello, 10 Things I Hate About You) and marvel at how his works seem ripe for reimagining in any cultural moment. In this YA compendium of original retellings, 15 authors take on the Bard’s work and spin it for a new audience. Brittney Cavallaro turns Sonnet 147 into a full story and Mark Oshiro writes a high school prom scene inspired by Twelfth Night, while others dare to experiment with the tragedies. These stories are excellent on audio as a different narrator brings each one to life. Whether you wish to refresh your knowledge of Shakespeare’s greatest works or to hook a teen reader with short and modernized versions of complex plays, this collection is a lot of fun. More info → Were you ever compelled to pick up a classic after reading a fabulous retelling, or vice versa? Tell us all about it in comments!
P.S. Enjoy 12 remarkable YA retellings, 16 Shakespeare-inspired books, and 20 books inspired by Greek mythology and Classic texts.
The post 16 classic literature retellings, remixes and reimaginings appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I first met sisters Laura Gerald-Simms and Ramona Gavin in 2019, when I was in Winston-Salem for an event with Charlie Lovett at Bookmarks NC. (We aired audio from this live event as Episode 208: The underappreciated art of literary forgery.)
I had a blast talking to Ramona and Laura that evening—they seemed to know everyone in the place, and were full of fun and passion when it came to books and reading. We’ve since been able to connect on subsequent visits to Bookmarks, and every time I’d come away thinking, I sure would love to have them on the show. Today, that’s exactly what we’re doing.
I loved hearing about the ways books have framed their journeys and continue to bring joy into their busy lives. I especially appreciated their stories of how reading impacted their lives as children and why they keep coming back to books as adults. I can’t wait to share our conversation with you, and I hope you’ll leave your suggestions for Laura and Ramona below in the comment section.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabLaura Gerald [00:00:00] I read everything on my mom's bookshelf. She was a guidance counselor. I even read her guidance counselor books. I don't know if you remember that, Mona. I could probably run a pretty good small group session right now.
Anne Bogel [00:00:18] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and dig into the details of our reading lives.
[00:00:48] Readers, whether you're thinking about spring break activities or Easter basket gifts, or simply thinking ahead towards summer, the My Reading Adventures Book Journal for Kids may be just the thing the young people in your life want and need right now.
This journal is a great gift for the 8 to 12-year-old crowd. It's full of creative reading activities, book lists, space to record what they've read and loved, and so much more. For something that they'll hold onto and possibly even cherish when they're older, I mean, I sure wish I had my reading journals from when I was a kid, look for My Reading Adventures wherever you buy your books or online at modernmrsdarcy.com.
If you picked up a copy, would you be so kind as to leave a review online? Your five-star review makes a big difference when it comes to your fellow readers buying the journal with confidence. Pick up a copy of My Reading Adventures wherever you buy your books or online at Modernmrsdarcy.com. Leave your review on your favorite online shopping platform. Thank you so very much and happy reading.
[00:01:44] Today's episode is a long time in the making. I first met sisters Laura Gerald-Simms and Ramona Gavin in 2019 when I was in Winston-Salem for an event with Charlie Lovett at the wonderful bookstore, Bookmarks NC.
Ramona and Laura seemed to know everyone in the place. They were fun and passionate about books and reading, and our conversation made me think, I wish we could talk all night.
We've gotten to connect on my subsequent visits to Bookmarks, of which there have been many, and every time I'd come away thinking, I sure would love to have them on the show. And today, that's what we're doing.
I can't wait to chat with these two about how important books were to them as children growing up in the rural South, about how reading has framed their equity journeys and lived experiences as Black women, and the way books and the library bring more joy into their busy lives. Let's get to it.
Laura and Ramona, welcome to the show.
Laura Gerald [00:02:34] Thank you. We're glad to be here.
Ramona Gavin [00:02:36] Thank you, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:02:37] I'm so grateful you all are here. I've been wanting to have this conversation for a long time. And y'all are not usually podcasters. I'd love to hear a little bit about what you are each doing when you're not talking to me about books or hanging out at Bookmarks NC. Laura, what about you?
Laura Gerald [00:02:56] Well, it's interesting these days. I'm a mom of two boys, and so I spend a lot of my time at various sports events that I never thought I would like, like wrestling and football and tennis. But in my day job, I'm actually a pediatrician by training but I've spent most of my career in more population health.
I work as a philanthropist during the day. So we give away money for a living. And believe it or not, that's harder than it sounds.
Anne Bogel [00:03:27] That sounds fascinating. If this were a different sort of podcast, I would have so many follow-up questions. But that sounds really interesting.
Laura Gerald [00:03:34] It is.
Anne Bogel [00:03:35] Ramona, what about you?
Ramona Gavin [00:03:36] Interestingly enough, I am a... I'm going to say newly retired, although not really. It's been three years now, which I can't believe that. But I'm a retired educator. I was working in a school system of some sort, one or another, for 34 years, and decided that when COVID started, it was time to change venues.
So I moved from Virginia to North Carolina, and I am loving my time being able to sit down with my sister, my nephews, and actually my daughter. My oldest recently has moved to the area, so I'm loving spending time with her. My husband and I are traveling, and just enjoying this time in life.
Typically on a Tuesday morning, I'll be having a cup of coffee looking out in my backyard, and deciding what the day holds. So just enjoying this time in life.
Anne Bogel [00:04:31] That sounds very exciting and a little bit challenging as well.
Ramona Gavin [00:04:34] Yes, it is. It is because when you've been a person that's been kind of driven and had a very clear sense of what your day holds, being able to wake up and decide is providing some challenges, but challenges that I welcome, that I'm just looking forward to. And I'm trying to just take one day at a time and go from there.
Anne Bogel [00:04:55] Now, we've gotten to know each other a little bit over the years because I keep coming back to North Carolina and you keep coming to Winston, and I really appreciate both those things. And I feel like over the years, bit by bit, we've kind of assembled an idea of what we wanted to talk about on this show.
And as I've often said, something that's wonderful about books and reading and about what we do here is when you're talking about what you love to read, you're talking about so much of what matters in life and what matters in your life specifically. And I've so enjoyed getting to learn, just through our emails and conversations, a little bit about your all's backgrounds and reading lives. But our listeners haven't gotten to hear that yet. Would you share that with them? Laura, why don't you get the ball rolling?
Laura Gerald [00:05:37] Sure. So even though we're in Chapel Hill now, we actually grew up in a part of North Carolina that is, well, everyone else knows as persistently poor and underserved. We grew up in a rural small town, and I didn't know really till I was an adult that it was poor. But come to find out we didn't have a lot of opportunities for exposure.
So for me, reading has always been my means of exposure. And I literally read everything I could get my hands on. And it ranged from like The Hobbit to Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. We spent a lot of time in the library.
I read everything on my mom's bookshelf. She was a guidance counselor. I even read her guidance counselor books. I don't know if you remember that, Mona.
Ramona Gavin [00:06:30] Yeah.
Laura Gerald [00:06:30] I could probably run a pretty good small group session right now. I hope so. I don't know if you remember, there was a romance on the... Do you remember Shannon?
Ramona Gavin [00:06:41] I do. I do.
Laura Gerald [00:06:42] I read that romance book. Anyway, I just read everything. And I loved reading as a child. That's how mom made us quiet, by promising she would buy books for us. But then as I got older and started to think about college, I started to gravitate towards more books that were pertinent to my experience as an African-American. We are Black.
And I remember writing my college admissions essay on The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which was very instrumental in helping us to explore the fact that black is beautiful and to have pride in our heritage. And so that kind of theme of delving more into my culture and history as an African American went all the way through college and into my professional life.
[00:07:37] You know, we got into Black women writers in college. Quicksand and Passing, Their Eyes Were Watching God are probably my favorite books of all time by Zora Neale Hurston. And also got into some of the literature of social reflection like James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.
I remember sitting on my bed in college just weeping. I mean, just weeping. When he goes into the Beatitudes in the middle of that book, I just... It was about poor people in the Midwest. And they were primarily quite a different experience from mine but I could so relate to their sort of conditions that they were living in.
So professionally and personally, again, in those later reading years, I delved into more history, which, believe it or not, even growing up Black and being Black all our lives, there's just so much that we don't know about our history
Anne Bogel [00:08:40] Yes. And it's been so interesting for me to hear how understanding more has really changed things for you.
Laura Gerald [00:08:44] Yeah. And frankly, it's one of the things that I credit Bookmarks with. You know, as we got older and found this community of book lovers at the nonprofit bookstore in Winston-Salem, and by being a part of that and Well-Read Black Girl, we were exposed to a whole lot of titles by Black writers and African-American writers and writers of African descent and Hispanic writers that we just never would have been exposed to. And so that's one of the things that really sparked my interest.
We have to tell the Anne story as well.
Anne Bogel [00:09:25] Was the Anne story?
Laura Gerald [00:09:27] I just so vividly remember that at one of the Bookmarks events, we discovered your book journal. And it was like, "Wow, wait a minute, we could write about the books that we have." And there was another lady who had like decorated her journal and everything. I had sticky notes in the journal even from the Bookmarks event. And I started giving them away for Christmas and all this stuff. Anyway.
So I have since now been journaling about writing. I've also joined the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, and it's opened up a whole new world for us and exposure to titles that we wouldn't have been exposed to.
Anne Bogel [00:10:11] Well, I'm so glad you found some sources and resources and communities that really worked for you. And I'm honored to be part of that. Thank you.
Before we go back in time to Ramona's early experience with books, you have to tell me a little bit about your sibling dynamics. I don't know who's older. That feels like a big gap. Should I be able to guess? I'm thinking I probably should.
Ramona Gavin [00:10:32] Well, this is Ramona, and I am the oldest. I'm the oldest by 4 years. My mother was... I don't even know what her secrets were, but they were four of us. Both of our brothers have passed away in pretty recent years, which was tragic in itself. And we were very, very close. We're all four years apart.
So the order was the two boys were born first, and then I was the first girl, and then four years later along came Laura. So it is, I don't know, we had... I felt like a very, very dynamic family structure. And I would have never imagined that the two of us would still be here without our brothers. But here we are.
And if you can't tell, I mean, we just have been so close all through the years. Our father died when we were very young, so we really were such a close unit because we were all we had. Growing up in the rural South, our mother was such a strong matriarch. And we lived near our grandparents. So we just had been a very close-knit family.
And now, without our brothers, the two of us, I think, have been even that much more close. So with me moving back to the area, that was certainly one of the things that brought me back to is that it just... You know, you realize you don't have forever. And I could not imagine that I was going to continue to live and not be able to spend even more time together.
You need to know, too, and I don't know... You know, I'm not a big [inaudible 00:12:08] kind of person or any of that kind of stuff. But we're both VOs and both summer babies and we just are so similar in so many ways.
You know, for your listeners, we were talking in the podcast about not talking over each other. We're so used to kind of finishing each other's sentences. It was a good thing that you said that because it's hard for us both again to sit back and not talk at the same time because, you know, and she was sharing her reading life with you, oh my gosh, I mean, I could just see myself in so much of that.
Now, what you need to understand, Laura, has always been just an amazing person and amazing brain, and she always has been... I always said, you know, just a little more studious than I was. She was always very focused on what she needed to do and that kind of thing.
We were kind of latchkey children too. As you can imagine, my mother worked full-time. So I would kind of stop by and pick her up on my way home from school and we'd come home and she would get right to work, working on her homework and reading and all those things. And you know, I was kind of snacking and watching TV.
But my reading life is similar in that we both just were always kind of looking for something to expand our world. And that's kind of how I think of my early years of reading. It was, yes, we had a wonderful experience. I felt like we had wonderful years of experience in Lumberton.
My mother worked very hard to make sure that we were exposed to some things that we certainly would not have been exposed to just in our existence in Lumberton. But she worked to try and get us to camps and those kinds of things, make sure we had library cards and got to the library and took summer vacations. I mean, not vacations. A vacation was always a week at the beach. But she made sure we did that every single year-
Laura Gerald [inaudible 00:14:06]
Ramona Gavin [00:14:06] That's true. It wasn't even a whole week.
Laura Gerald [00:14:08] Yeah, we didn't spend a week at the beach.
Ramona Gavin [00:14:11] But, you know, she tried. She tried. So reading was really kind of that thing that expanded our world. You know, I kind of read fantastical kinds of things like The Lord of the Rings and those kinds of things that took you to worlds that certainly didn't exist, but allowed you to just really use your imagination.
And I do remember I read Gone With the Wind which mom had on her shelf, and I just couldn't even imagine this world. But you know, Scarlett O'Hara, I just thought, "Wow, what a hero!" even though it was during a crazy time and oppressive time.
But I have always really liked strong characters and characters that overcame odds. And I have found that even as I have expanded as an adult reader, I still tend to look for books where there are strong characters, very believable characters, characters who are kind of achieving against all odds kind of thing, and authors that support strong character or that create strong characters.
[00:15:21] So it has really been a journey in that sense. But also I tend to be a reader that reflects the times too. And I will say in light of the George Floyd happenings and having time during COVID and having retired, that type of thing, over the past I'd say ten years or so even, my reading has certainly, I'd say, transitioned more to expanding my understanding of the African-American flight and kind of reflections of our times.
So things like The Warmth of Other Suns, Americanah, things that give me experiences or give me different perspectives of the Black experience. And as Laura said, I mean you would think we are African-American women and grew up in a very African-American setting. I mean, we grew up in a time where all of the children in my elementary classes were Blacks, we went to schools that were in your neighborhood.
It wasn't until, you know, really in junior high and middle school, high school that you had kind of classes with diverse settings. And then, of course, college. But there was still a lot about our history, about our people that we were just not aware of. And reading has certainly brought a much deeper awareness of that. And that has been of much more interest to me over the past ten years or so.
Anne Bogel [00:16:53] Is it accurate to say that you've taken that education really upon yourselves through the books you sought out?
Ramona Gavin [00:16:58] Oh, for sure. For sure.
Laura Gerald [00:17:00] Yes. And don't tell Harvard that they didn't educate me-
Anne Bogel [00:17:06] Harvard is not going to take my call. So you're in the clear.
Laura Gerald [00:17:08] I took what I could there. Like I said, our mom was an English teacher. So we grew up with a very firm sense of reading and books and things. So, you know, I don't want to in any way take away what she did for us in terms of instilling this love of reading. And education was the only thing that mattered growing up in this town.
So literally she, as a single Black woman from a very under-resourced area, sent three of her kids to Harvard and one to UNC System School. And of course, I can say that because Mona is the most successful of all of us, but she won't say.
Ramona Gavin [00:17:51] Oh my gosh.
Laura Gerald [00:17:52] And so we're not doubting, you know, any school that's not Harvard, but it really is quite a remarkable story. And although we have lost our two older brothers, Mona and I also we're breast cancer survivors. So that's another reason that we're so close.
We're really just the poster children for... if we could get out of the plight that we're in by pulling ourselves up by bootstraps and just educating ourselves, then our two brothers would be alive today. And I'm not saying that, you know, racism killed my brothers, but there's definitely something about this experience that we've gone through as African-Americans that is very toxic.
Like we said, our father died young, my grandfather died young. I mean, it's not just what the individuals do. We really, as a society, have to deal with the intergenerational African-American experience and the toll that it's taken on us.
Anne Bogel [00:18:54] Yeah, I appreciate you sharing that. Laura, is that something that your public health work focuses on?
Laura Gerald [00:18:59] It actually is. Yeah. So when I say we give away money for a living, the foundation that I work for is actually a health foundation. So we try to improve health. And we are doing so in a way that goes through racial equity because we know we can't get there any other way.
Anne Bogel [00:19:17] Is there a resource that you'd like to point our readers toward that you personally recommend and would endorse that we could put in our show notes where they could go find out more?
Laura Gerald [00:19:25] Oh, actually our website, www.kbr.org, K as in Kate, B as in Baby, R as in Ramona. There's a lot on the website about the work that we do and the role of equity in that work.
Anne Bogel [00:19:44] Y'all have mentioned how important the library was in your upbringing and I believe continues to be.
Laura Gerald [00:19:48] Yes. Oh, my goodness. Okay. I was just at the library last night. I go to the library like it is a full-time job. They also have a lot of suggestions at the library. I have, in my possession right now... For February, they had a blind date book and I got that and it was awesome. I haven't read it. But I just liked opening up the paper and seeing the books. They recommend books-
Anne Bogel [00:20:19] Wait, Laura, tell us what it was. Tell me the thing.
Laura Gerald [00:20:25] Hang on.
Ramona Gavin [00:20:25] She's gone to get the book now.
Anne Bogel [00:20:28] Oh, excellent.
Ramona Gavin [00:20:29] She really does though. The library for me is smaller than the Chapel Hill Library. But I just love the quaintness. I will go with there... It has these floor-to-ceiling windows. And I love to go in there and find that little spot. And I'll grab about ten books that are of interest and I'll just put them all around me and try to decide which one sparks my interest.
And I will say I have kind of a system. So I try to get kind of like what the new something is out, what's a popular book, and then I might look for an author that is a favorite author of mine. And then I am a history junky. So I love historical fiction or I love documentary series or something that is kind of based on reality.
So I will find something that is a current issue that I might be interested in. Like right now I have a book about Tecumseh Sherman and his experiences with the Cherokee because I just find that to be a fascinating part of history too. So I kind of put all of that around me, then I make my choices. And I try not to get more than three because I just cannot read that many at one time. And typically I bring back something that I did not read.
But that's kind of my process. But that's one of my favorite days. And I do that once a month. So that's one of the favorite days of my month. And that's kinda thanks to Laura. Because I would do that at a bookstore, which is all nice too, but oh my gosh, my shelves cannot take too much more. Now she's back with the book.
Laura Gerald [00:21:52] Oh, yes. So it's a book I had never heard of before. The book that I got from the library for the blind date offering was My Mother's House by Francesca Momplaisir. I don't even know if I'm saying her last name correctly.
Anne Bogel [00:22:07] I don't know this.
Laura Gerald [00:22:07] But I had never heard of. But She's a Haitian-born, multilingual scholar. And I have had the library do you-will-like things for me. To that they suggested that I read, to Ramona's point about history, was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. That was a World War II book. It was wonderful. And it's in letter style. It's fantastic.
And then I like presidential biographies. So Destiny of the Republic about James Garfield, President Garfield, that's one of the best books I've ever read.
Ramona Gavin [00:22:43] He's a fascinating person. I'd like to read that.
Anne Bogel [00:22:46] I'm so glad to hear the library still brings you so much joy. And it sounds like you have amazing libraries between you.
Laura Gerald [00:22:51] Absolutely. You can imagine the Capitol Hill Public Library is awesome, as is the Winston-Salem Public Library System as well.
Ramona Gavin [00:22:58] There's nothing better than snagging something on the recent shelf that you know you couldn't get if you deserved it.
Anne Bogel [00:23:09] Any great recent finds there?
Laura Gerald [00:23:11] Oh, my favorites recently were Lessons in Chemistry and Carrie Soto is Back. I read both of those and they were fantastic. I have never read any of the Taylor Jenkins Reid stuff, and loved it. And Lessons in Chemistry, I just love that. I think the scientists in me just love that. That dog that served as a parent, I love that dog and I'm not a dog person. Mona is, but I love that dog.
Anne Bogel [00:23:41] Oh, I'm so glad to hear it.
Ramona Gavin [00:23:42] My recent snack is Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult. I like Jodi Picoult. I was excited when I actually found that on the shelf. I had that in my "want to get" list. And when I saw that on the shelf, I was like, "Oh, that's it. I'm going to get it in the library." So that's my latest little "Oh, look at this little piece that I'm getting from the library."
Anne Bogel [00:24:04] That's such a good feeling. Laura and Ramona, it's been so wonderful to hear more about how books have been part of your journey. I wonder if you could both share a handful of titles that you've discovered along the way that have meant a lot to you, maybe ones that you think that it's too bad more readers don't know about.
Laura Gerald [00:24:24] This is Laura. I'll go first. A lot of people know about Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, you know, because there was a movie about his life with Michael Jordan. But there is another book, The Sun Does Shine, and it is subtitled How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, and is written by Anthony Ray Hinton, one of the folks that Bryan Stevenson helped to free.
I think the reason I want more people to read that book is, yes, it chronicles the tragedy of the over-incarceration of Black people, but it does so in a way with such hope. And I think that that embodies sort of how I look at the African-American experience here.
It is tragic. It is horrible. It is full of things that we need to reckon with but there's also an enduring hope that we have as a people. And so I wish more people would read his book. And he has not only this adult version but there's also a children's version or a teen, young adult version as well.
And then I really love Americanah, which is by... I think she's a Nigerian author. And I love her. I don't want to butcher her last name. You may know how to say it correctly.
Anne Bogel [00:25:55] Because I've Googled it. It's Adichie.
Laura Gerald [00:25:57] I've even heard her speak like in graduations and things, and she's fantastic. So those are two that I just want people to read.
Anne Bogel [00:26:07] Thank you. It's always good to hear the books that people read and think, Ooh, why hasn't everyone read this?
Ramona Gavin [00:26:13] Well, this is Ramona. So adding to that, because I also love Americanah, and it was just that perspective of a person from the diaspora moving to America. You know, we always have this notion of, Oh, well, everyone wants to come to America because we just have everything, and of course, why would you not love it?
And it was just so interesting hearing that perspective of this person who really had very specific reasons for moving here, but very much wanted to keep her identity as an African. And she brought a lot with her. And I think that's something that we kind of always forget in this country, that people, yes, they want to come for the opportunities that are here, but they also have a great deal of pride. And it's not that they just want to become American. So that was just a very interesting perspective in that book.
One of the other books, though, that just really affected me and I read within the last few years was The Warmth of Other Suns. I just think Isabel Wilkerson, the work that she is doing to bring light to our experiences is just amazing.
Of course, she wrote Caste also, but the Warmth of Other Suns, even though they speak to similar subjects, Caste is maybe a little more informational. She's done the research and she's documenting that research and she's supporting her theories and beliefs.
Warmth of Other Suns is just a beautiful... it's a beautiful story. It chronicles the journeys of various people from rural South, from very oppressive situations in the south to the north. Actually not even just the north, because some head north, some head west to California.
The things that they are looking for, what they're hoping this is going to do to their lives. Some of them, they do have more positive experiences, but at the same time, they thought they were going to leave this oppressive situation and everything's going to be great. And they experience oppression in their new cities.
So it was just a very awakening type of book written very beautifully. It's not a small read, you have to commit. But it was just a wonderful time that I spent with this book, The Warmth of Other Suns, and I would hope that more people will. I mean, it's a national bestseller, so it's not like I'm letting out secrets. But it's just a wonderful read.
[00:28:46] One of the things that excited me about this conversation, Anne, is in light of what is going on in this country with the efforts to suppress African-American education in schools, I think that the more people can expose themselves to ways to gain their own understanding and educate themselves through reading, through conversations with others, the better.
So I was just very excited that we were going to have this conversation because I know this is what has enhanced my experience and made me... I mean, I feel like I am a much more educated person about our experience than I was at that time. And I hope that other people, not just African-Americans, all people within the government is able to actually suppress this knowledge that people will continue to seek their own knowledge.
Anne Bogel [00:29:42] Well, you've spoken so much, the both of you, about how understanding more about your history has significantly changed things for you. I'm just really thinking of that as you're speaking to present-day circumstances.
Laura Gerald [00:29:52] Yes, absolutely. And it's an interesting time to say it because I've just come back from Montgomery, Alabama. I had to go there for a work trip, but part of that was experiencing the legacy museum there and the National Monument for Peace and Justice.
And, you know, we're talking about books that chronicle these experiences, but that's a way of up close and personal looking at it, along with the National Museum in Washington. So I'd say a combination, like you said, of reading and going to these sites that try to preserve the history, you know, have been some of the main ways.
Like I said, in this addition, just being Black all our lives, that we have had to, you know, understand this experience in this place that we live here in North Carolina and here in America. And we just want to be a small part of helping these places live up to the promise that they hold.
Anne Bogel [00:30:54] So it sounds like you're saying that our experience, whatever it is, really shapes our understanding, and also there's a lot to learn.
Ramona Gavin [00:31:02] Yes!
Laura Gerald [00:31:01] Yeah, absolutely. Lifelong learners. And that's what I love about reading. You can engage in lifelong learning in an unlimited set of topics and experiences. And I hope you heard from all the titles that we've thrown out there.
You know, we have had a certain perspective on reading, but we have also gained so many new perspectives by reading. And again, coming from a small town where we weren't necessarily exposed to a whole lot outside of our day-to-day lives, it's just been invaluable. There's no other way with the diversity of the world to really even touch the surface of it without reading.
Ramona Gavin [00:31:50] There's just no other way.
Laura Gerald [00:31:50] So true. So true.
Anne Bogel [00:31:51] Now, as you all are scanning the horizons at the library, at the bookstore, just out there looking for what you might read today, what kind of titles do you keep an eye out for?
Ramona Gavin [00:32:01] Whoo! That is a good question. It's so eclectic. It's so eclectic. And we look for different ways to get to different titles. Actually, the Well-read Black Girl Book Club...
Laura Gerald: What's the one where next time-
Ramona Gavin: Oh, we're going to discuss Passing because [inaudible 00:32:23]. Then it is-
Laura Gerald [00:32:25] Behold the Dreamers? I think Behold the Dreamers is next. I'm looking forward to reading that. I've never read it before. At work, we're doing a book club so we're literally reading Homegoing, oh my God, by Yaa Gyasi. I don't know if I'm saying her name right either. But oh my gosh, that one's a toughie. But I'm getting through that. I tried to get through that before but it was so traumatizing. I haven't been able to really finish it, but I'm going to finish it this time.
But then we'll go from that to Tylor Jenkins Reid's next book. I want to read her The Seven Husbands, the Hugo one.
Ramona Gavin [00:32:59] Evelyn Hugo.
Laura Gerald [00:33:01] Evelyn Hugo.
Anne Bogel [00:33:02] The historical fiction that Ramona likes
Laura Gerald [00:33:04] Oh, yeah. I think we both really like historical fiction.
Ramona Gavin [00:33:08] Yes.
Laura Gerald [00:33:08] Like I said, I like presidential biographies for some strange reason. I like those. And just, you know, contemporary fiction I think that's also very interesting. Being in science, I didn't read a whole lot of the classics, literature classics, but slightly more contemporary fiction is sort of among them. Oh, and we love mysteries. I love thrillers.
Ramona Gavin [00:33:30] Yes. I was going to say I love thrillers. I love a mystery.
Laura Gerald [00:33:34] Anywhere You Run. What is it? Wanda Morris has a second one out. It is kind of a thriller mystery, and I'm enjoying reading that one, too.
Anne Bogel [00:33:44] Laura and Ramona, you mentioned that you would not be averse to hearing about some titles that may be a good fit for you. What do you think?
Ramona Gavin [00:33:51] We would definitely love to hear about titles. Yes!
Anne Bogel [00:33:55] I don't think we've touched on your cookbook collection, have we?
Laura Gerald [00:33:58] No.
Ramona Gavin [00:33:58] Oh, my gosh! That's a podcast in itself. Hopefully you have heard through this conversation we both are very thorough in our pursuit of whatever it is that we might be interested in learning a little more about. So we won't just find one title, two titles. We will scour the shelves. So between the two of us, our cookbook collection is unbelievable. Unbelievable.
Anne Bogel [00:34:33] So you're scouring the shelves for the perfect fits.
Ramona Gavin [00:34:35] Yes.
Laura Gerald [00:34:35] No, I read books like a novel. I do not cook the recipe. It is not for the recipes because we cook Southern, you know, without recipes and things like that. But I read them like novels, like cover to cover. I literally just go through every page and read it. They're wonderful.
Ramona Gavin [00:34:54] But now... Okay, she's overlooking that. We do enjoy cooking too.
Laura Gerald [00:34:58] Oh, yeah.
Ramona Gavin [00:34:58] So when we get together-
Laura Gerald [00:34:57] Sunday suppers.
Ramona Gavin [00:34:59] Yes, we have Sunday supper, we alternate who's cooking Sunday supper, and then we'll try it. We actually will try some of the recipes from the different cookbooks. I think the interesting cookbooks is kind of like the interest in it all titles. It is an expansion.
I mean, we are from the South, we understand a certain way of making Southern cuisine. We're foodies. I love to eat. So if you love to eat, you need to learn more about what is involved in the cooking of food and the preparation of food.
So, you know, we kind of approach cooking in that same way that we approach learned about anything is what can I introduce to my palate, what can I introduce to my way of cooking, that's a little different? So, yes, Anne, I mean, you need to see our shelves and... I don't know.
Anne Bogel [00:35:54] Mona, you cued me up because I have two books to recommend that are so perfect for you. You very well may already have them on yourselves. Have you read anything by Michael Twitty?
Ramona Gavin [00:36:04] Ooh, no.
Laura Gerald [00:36:04] Never even heard of him.
Anne Bogel [00:36:06] Oh, I'm happy to make the introduction. So he has two books. One is five-ish years old, maybe a little more. It's called The Cooking Gene. His newer one that came out last fall is called a Koshersoul.
So listen to this custom mix for you. He is a renowned culinary historian. He also talks about being Black, gay, Jewish, and an intellectual and how that mix is crucial to his work.
So in The Cooking Gene, he traces his family roots, both Black and white, from Africa to America, and then the history of Southern cuisine in a memoir with a lot of stories in history, both recent and long ago, and folk songs and recipes.
Laura Gerald [00:36:49] Oh my gosh!
Anne Bogel [00:36:49] And he's specifically exploring the influence that African enslavement had on the traditions and cuisine of the American South.
Ramona Gavin [00:36:58] Wow.
Anne Bogel [00:36:58] And I think this might be perfect for you.
Laura Gerald [00:36:59] Yes!
Ramona Gavin [00:37:00] That sounds perfect. Michael Twitty. Look at that.
Laura Gerald [00:37:04] We're taking notes.
Ramona Gavin [00:37:06] Yes.
Laura Gerald [00:37:06] We're taking notes.
Ramona Gavin [00:37:07] The Cooking Gene. That sounds amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:37:10] His new one, Koshersoul, is more explicitly focused on the intersection of Jewish and African diaspora cuisine. It's about the history and the culture and what they tell us about memory and making meaning and identity and... with recipes, of course.
Laura Gerald [00:37:26] Of oh, oh, oh.
Anne Bogel [00:37:29] And he talks about identity cooking like as an approach. And he says, it's not about fusion, it's about how we construct complex identities for ourselves. And we express them through our food, through how we eat.
Ramona Gavin [00:37:42] Oh, my gosh.
Laura Gerald [00:37:43] Wow.
Ramona Gavin [00:37:43] I'm going to go look for it today.
Anne Bogel [00:37:45] I'm happy to hear it.
Ramona Gavin [00:37:47] That is awesome.
Anne Bogel [00:37:48] Okay, along those lines, do you know We Are Each Other's Harvest by Natalie Baszile?
Ramona Gavin [00:37:54] No.
Laura Gerald [00:37:53] Never heard of it.
Anne Bogel [00:37:56] This came out a couple of years ago. You might know her book Queen Sugar that came out about ten years ago.
Ramona Gavin [00:38:01] Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:38:02] Okay. Yeah, Because I think it was an Oprah pick. It's about a widow who's left an 800-acre sugarcane field in Louisiana with strict instructions that she has to restore it or donate it to charity. And that book did really well. It sold a ton of copies.
So ten years later, Baszile is kind of revisiting the same theme. But instead of writing a novel this time, this is like a kaleidoscopic portrait of Black farming and agriculture and related things like winemaking, which I guess is still agriculture. But I live in Kentucky and we don't really make wine.
Ramona Gavin [00:38:34] Wine, yes.
Laura Gerald [00:38:35] Another love. Another love.
Anne Bogel [00:38:37] So the heart of this book is profiles of Black and brown farmers throughout the American South. Although we do pop over to California and a few other places. But the scope is wide and deep.
And what she's doing is highlighting historical contributions of Black thinkers to agriculture, the Renaissance today of Black farming, the resilience of the Black community to preserve their connection to the land. And she talks about the systemic reasons why that is hard, to say the least.
And she talks about issues such as food justice, the ramifications of slavery, sharecropping. And I think I use the word kaleidoscope. She has just tons of essays, poems, photographs, interviews from authors that you know and may love, like Michael Twitty actually, Joy Harjo, Elizabeth Alexander, Margaret Wilkerson, Sexton, Ross Gay. So, story, history, memoir, poetry, social justice, agriculture. I think there's a lot here for you.
Ramona Gavin [00:39:31] You have to hear this. We are descended from farmers and landowners on both our mother's and father's side. And our grandfather, actually, the story is told that he got an award at Tuskegee for revolutionizing how to grow more corn. So this relates directly to our background and even as-
Laura Gerald [00:39:56] Oh my gosh!
Ramona Gavin [00:39:57] And even as we speak, we're involved with our family right now to make sure we hang on to our land in rural North Carolina. So this is so alive.
Laura Gerald [00:40:08] I had chills. I had chills.
Ramona Gavin [00:40:09] Oh, my gosh.
Anne Bogel [00:40:10] Me, too. That's an incredible connection.
Ramona Gavin [00:40:13] Oh, my gosh.
Laura Gerald [00:40:15] Oh, my gosh. Amazing.
Ramona Gavin [00:40:15] And you then the fact that you found two authors that we know nothing about-
Laura Gerald [00:40:19] Amazing.
Ramona Gavin [00:40:19] That is awesome.
Anne Bogel [00:40:20] Well, I'm happy to hear it. Okay, can I share a Kentuckian with you?
Laura Gerald [00:40:23] Yes.
Ramona Gavin [00:40:23]Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:40:24] Because I have another compendium that I think you're going to really like. And it's by the Kentucky poet Crystal Wilkinson, who I've seen more and more nationally, and it makes me so happy.
She's a Kentucky poet and author. I invite you to take a look at her first novel. It's called Birds of Opulence because it's a short. It's a real short. Like less than 200 pages. But it's a story of a small town, southern family, and the matriarch, her name is Minnie Mae Goode, and she rules the roost there for generations in her household. You do what she tells you. She is a pillar of the community and the church. But it's complicated. We'll just say it's complicated.
[00:41:04] So lots of secrets in this town, lots of hard things. Crystal Wilkinson wanted to write a story where mental illness featured prominently, and it does in this book. There's, I think, I already said secrets, but it's worth saying twice. There's some embarrassment over the mental illness and also illegitimacy of birth. And it's a compact, rich story that I think you may enjoy.
But the one that I really want to recommend to you, it's going to feel very much like We Are Each Other's Harvest. And I know you like variety in your reading life. So I want to flag that. And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but I think you'll want to find your way to this eventually.
It's called Perfect Black, and it's her most recent collection. It combines poetry and prose, and she just covers so much ground. There are essays, there are stories, there are poems, there are short pieces. There are long ones. This is still a real compact little book. But she's talking about joy and heartbreak and love and trauma and heritage and family.
She talks about print songs. And there is so much food in this book. She talks about the significance of food at her table now, at her mama's table, going back through the generations, the recipes that have gotten passed down.
It's also beautifully illustrated. Her longtime partner is an illustrator. It's a Black and white book. It's so striking and gorgeous. It might be a little harder to track down because it's published by a university press, but you can do it.
Laura Gerald [00:42:30] We've got a list to send to Bookmarks.
Anne Bogel [00:42:33] They'll find it for you.
Ramona Gavin [00:42:34] Yes, there you. There you go!
Laura Gerald [00:42:38] They have to. I'm calling Jamie.
Anne Bogel [00:42:44] Actually, Crystal Wilkinson, my Kentucky author, she makes me think of North Carolina's Randall Kenan. Is he an author you know?
Laura Gerald [00:42:52] Randall Kenan?
Ramona Gavin [00:42:53] I don't know that name.
Anne Bogel [00:42:54] Oh, you are going to want to meet Randall Kenan. He's a Black author. He was born in Brooklyn, but he was raised in coastal North Carolina. And I have to tell you, I don't know where Duplin County is.
Laura Gerald [00:43:05] I know exactly where it is.
Anne Bogel [00:43:07] Uh huh. I thought you might. His stories are set in contemporary North Carolina in Duplin County, and his fictional town is called Timbs Creek but its model that he's writing about, is very, very real, and you're going to know what it is.
But his most recent collection that was published in 2020, just shortly before he died, is called If I Had Two Wings. It is short stories where he incorporates the magical and the outlandish and the haunted, all while writing about the issues of often poor, rural, contemporary North Carolina.
Laura Gerald [00:43:41] So like magical realism. We're just discovering that genre.
Ramona Gavin [00:43:46] Yes. Yes.
Laura Gerald [00:43:48] That is fantastic. And frankly, Duplin County is really close to where we grew up.
Ramona Gavin [00:43:52] Oh, yes, very close.
Laura Gerald [00:43:53] Wow. That is fantastic.
Ramona Gavin [00:43:57] Anne, this is amazing. This is amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:43:59] I'm so happy to hear it. Do you want one more?
Ramona Gavin [00:44:02] Yes.
Laura Gerald [00:44:03] Yes. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:44:04] Ramona, did you read How the Word Is Passed?
Ramona Gavin [00:44:06] Yeah, I read that for our book club [Plant?] Smith. I saw him speak about it though, and it made me go out and buy it. He was amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:44:14] I feel like I've talked about that book. I mean, that's one of the books I can't shut up about. I think it's so brilliant and good and unique as well. But the one I want to recommend to you is his poetry collection because he is a poet.
He has a new one out this spring. It's called Above Ground. In How the Word Is Passed, he is writing about the legacy of slavery in the United States. This time he's writing about family and fatherhood. And you can read these poems and appreciate them without having read How the Word Is Passed.
But if you've read that book, it is just fascinating for the reader to see the experiences and interests and knowledge of the man who wrote that book writing about family and fatherhood, because some of the same themes and stories come up but in a totally different way.
So he talks about raising a Black boy and how the woman gushing over his adorable tiny Black son in the grocery store is going to see that son very differently in 15 years or 10.
Ramona Gavin [00:45:07] Oh.
Anne Bogel [00:45:08] And he writes about gun violence, but also about all the detritus at the bottom of a double stroller or the sand on his baby's feet or Zoom school. And it's compact. I think you'll find it really satisfying.
Ramona Gavin [00:45:21] Oh, my gosh.
Anne Bogel [00:45:22] You're going to see it at Bookmarks, you're going to see at the library because it's new this spring.
Laura Gerald [00:45:25] Oh.
Ramona Gavin [00:45:25] Oh, gosh.
Anne Bogel [00:45:26] I think you might enjoy it.
Ramona Gavin [00:45:27] Oh, gosh. Which I have a son also. I mean, I... Wow. Wow. Anne, it's like you're just seeing into our souls.
Laura Gerald [00:45:37] We're salivating. I've taken two pages of notes already.
Anne Bogel [00:45:41] Well, you were kind enough to tell me what you might enjoy reading and what you've loved in the past. And as Laura said, bring the books.
Laura Gerald [00:45:50] Bring the books! This is fantastic.
Ramona Gavin [00:45:53] Yeah. Yeah.
Laura Gerald [00:45:54] We're so excited. We're so excited.
Anne Bogel [00:45:57] I'm excited you're excited.
Ramona Gavin [00:45:58] [inaudible] what I'm reading and go find some of these and start reading them.
Laura Gerald [00:46:03] Oh, yeah. And when we see you next time at Bookmarks, we're going to tell you what we thought about these books.
Ramona Gavin [00:46:06] Oh, yes. We definitely will.
Anne Bogel [00:46:09] Well, I hope to find out before then.
Ramona Gavin [00:46:11] Great.
Laura Gerald [00:46:12] Even better.
Ramona Gavin [00:46:13] We would love that.
Laura Gerald [00:46:14] Well, that would be wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:46:16] Please do. I'd love to hear.
Laura Gerald [00:46:18] Listen, you're such a treasure and a resource. I just am thrilled that you've had us on this show. I hope you can find something at all that's [inaudible 00:46:26]. This has been so enjoyable for us and just a real honor. I mean, we've gotten to do wonderful things in our lives, but this is a pinnacle. I am just full.
Ramona Gavin [00:46:43] I completely agree. Again, it's back to that whole... the book community. And we certainly consider you to be right at the heart of that community and the work that you're doing. I mean, kudos to you for opening up this world to so many different people and the resources, the wealth of resources and information that you have, your willingness and openness to just share that with others.
I mean, I can hear the joy in your voice as you are sharing this with us because you know the joy you're bringing us. That's impressive. Thank you. Thank you for that.
Anne Bogel [00:47:21] Well, you all are so kind and that is so generous. Thank you. But let me tell you, the pleasure's mine and I enjoyed every minute. So thank you for coming and sharing about your history and your stories and books and reading and recommendations with us. I'm so grateful. Let's do it again sometime. Thanks for coming on any time.
Laura Gerald [00:47:38] Any time. Anne, see you in North Carolina. Always welcome here.
Anne Bogel [00:47:46] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Laura and Ramona, and I'd love to hear what you think they should read next. Find the full list of titles we talked about at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Keep up with our weekly show and other happenings in our corner of the internet by following us on Instagram @Whatshouldireadnext. Follow me there. I'm @Annebogel.
But if you really want to make sure you get updates, sign up for our email list because that is not subject to the whimsy of the algorithm. Sign up for our Tuesday newsletter at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
As podcasters, reviews are our love language. We'd so appreciate it if you took two minutes to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform. Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
• The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
• Quicksand by Nella Larsen
• Passing by Nella Larsen
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Three Tenant Families by James Agee
• My Reading Life: A Book Journal by Anne Bogel
• Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• My Mother’s House by Francesca Momplaisir
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
• Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
• The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life, Freedom, and Justice by Anthony Ray Hinton
• The Sun Does Shine: An Innocent Man, a Wrongful Conviction, and the Long Path to Justice (Young Readers) by Anthony Ray Hinton
• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris
• The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W Twitty
• Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W Twitty
• We Are Each Other’s Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy by Natalie Baszile
• Queen Sugar by Natalie Baszile
• The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson
• Perfect Black by Crystal Wilkinson
• If I Had Two Wings: Stories by Randall Kenan
• How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
• Above Ground by Clint Smith
Also mentioned:• Bookmarks NC
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• www.kbr.org
• Well Read Black Girl Book Club
The post Intentional steps for unlimited lifelong learning appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re anticipating a soggy weekend, so we’ll try to stay cozy and dry while celebrating a family birthday, going to a musical, and reading up a storm.
I hope this new post finds you well, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:‘We’re book nerds’: the female friends opening bookshops together. (The Guardian) I very much support this.
Inside the Early Days of J.Crew: Before Jenna Lyons or Olympia Gayot, There Was Emily Cinader. (Vanity Fair) My kind of fashion history.
The 10 Hardest Wordle Stumpers of 2022. (Mental Floss) Is this an appropriate place to brag that I got STAID in two this week? (That hasn’t happened in ages!)
The 21 Days of Beauty Sale is ON at Ulta. Today’s 50% off deals include Bobbi Brown lip gloss, Clinique Happy, Better Than Sex mascara, and Smashbox eyeliner.
Walking the Brooklyn Heights That Inspired ‘Pineapple Street’ Author Jenny Jackson. (Dwell)
15 Paint Colors That Will Make Your Home Feel Warm and Cozy. (Real Simple) I love the greens and plums and beiges here, but 90% of my home is #8, Benjamin Moore’s Simply White.
You have to really love your idea. (Austin Kleon) “When you create anything, the spirit you create it with, the energy, the excitement, is translated into the product itself. So when somebody writes a book just for money, you can kind of smell it. When you read the book, it kind of reeks. We can sense that. But when the writer is excited, it excites the reader.”
Your comments on our little luxuries post continue to inspire: my most recent find from your recommendations is Diva Wash from Tyler Candle Company (I got mine straight from Tyler, but it’s also available on Amazon). I love it so much and am thinking of trying other scents; I’ve heard good things about High Maintenance and Icon. (If you have recommendations, please share in comments!)
What Is a Reverse Grocery List? Here’s How to Save Time at the Store With One. (Taste of Home) Interesting concept.
These Balsamic-Glazed Oven-Baked Ribs made for a delicious (and relatively easy) family dinner. (NYT gift link)
Why you should always pick the worst seat when flying on a plane. (Mirror UK) This made me laugh—and will make me feel better about my seat assignment the next time I end up in the back (as per usual).
Toni Morrison is memorialized on a USPS Forever stamp. (CNN) These will be mine on my next post office run.
Staples for my winter to spring transitional wardrobe. (MMD) For this time of year when it’s seventy degrees one day and thirty the next.
How My Wife and I Took Back Our Sundays. (The Atlantic) Goals.
Beware of Book Blurbs. (The Millions) The practice of book blurbs has long been debated. (For more on the subject, listen to this Patreon bonus episode.)
Ten Dazzling Celestial Events to See in 2023. (Smithsonian Magazine)
From our archives:8 beautiful, practical cookbooks you’ll turn to again and again. Here are the cookbooks I keep in regular rotation.
15 audiobooks read by your favorite celebrity narrators. Celebrity narrators are here to stay.
37 fun, useful, and generally worthwhile gifts for your kids’ Easter baskets. Another great addition here is My Reading Adventures: A Book Journal for Kids.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Every March I’m eager for spring to make itself known and stay for a while. While we usually get the former, the latter can be tricky: this time of year where I live we can see eighty-degrees and sunshine or twenty degrees and snow, often in the same week!
These transitional months between seasons often present a wardrobe conundrum: how do you figure out what to wear when the temperatures fluctuate from day to day (or hour to hour)? I try to honor (and stay comfortable in) the season we’re in with lots of layers for varying temps, plus fabrics that honor my spring state of mind while still keeping me warm when it’s freezing out.
These are a few of the favorite pieces I rely on to see me through winter into spring and beyond.
J. Crew // Paige // Maeve
Jeans/pantsThese demi-boot crop jeans are so cute for warmer spring; the dark wash pairs easily with any kind of top. I love the button-fly detail; it reminds me of my favorite jeans ever. I also love and adore these Paige crops; they were one of my favorite additions to my wardrobe last year. Anthropologie’s wide-leg pants are reliably great in linen (soon) or cotton: easy to dress up and dress down, and comfortable in a wide range of temperatures.
Madewell // J. Crew // Anthropologie // Old Navy
Cotton sweaters I love cotton sweaters this time of year, especially cables: they keep me warm on cold days while still looking spring-appropriate. This Madewell open stitch is fun and fresh. This retro v-neck has a nautical feel, just right for this time of year. And you can’t go wrong with a cable cardigan that’s easily shed on days that start below freezing but become quite warm by midday.
Madewell // Banana Republic // Eileen Fisher // Vero Moda
Sweater teesWith the look of a blouse and the comfort of a tee, these sweater tees offer the best of both worlds during this season of unpredictable temperatures: whether pointelle, linen blend, boxy, or puff sleeves, I’m reaching for sweater tees a lot on warmer days.
Madewell // Gap // Boden
StripesThis will be no surprise to anyone who has followed along here for a while: I love stripes! And I’m not the only one: these are all selling fast so snag one while you can.
Halogen // J. Crew // Old Navy
ColorsWhat better time to don a burst of color? I personally love this gorgeous soft coral, and this versatile sweater (I have several) is available in kelly green, blues, hot pink, red, and more. Orange also feels right for right now: this cheerful shade of orange could be just the thing for your spring.
DSW // DSW // Zappos
SneakersI don’t think sneakers ever go out of style but they seem to be especially in this year. I’ve struggled to find some for myself (aside from my trusty Allbirds) because of my wide feet, but I love the look of these and would wear them if I could. Adidas’s Pure Cloudfoam Sneaker has a zillion rave reviews. These are also available in a green that is adorable. I’m told this is Kate Middleton’s brand, but alas, my feet are too big to take them out for a spin myself.
What are your go-to winter-to-spring transition pieces? Tell us all about your favorites in the comments!
P.S. Favorite items in my spring-to-summer wardrobe.
The post Staples for my winter to spring transitional wardrobe appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s new episode has been a long time coming, because I’ve long been a huge fan of Jeff Speck’s work, and his book Walkable City in particular. If you’re well acquainted with my reading habits and nerdy interests, you’ve likely heard me mention this book and how similar titles occupy a niche shelf in my office.
I think you’ll love listening to this conversation as much as I enjoyed recording it, because Jeff has such interesting insights to share about his book’s 10th anniversary treatment, the titles he loves in this genre and beyond, and his work as a reader and a writer. You’ll also walk away with a reading list of fascinating nonfiction and fiction to explore.
I’ve gotta tell you: we almost titled this episode “my favorite books are a lot of work”—a direct quote from Jeff in this episode—because one of my favorite little exchanges is when we discuss the fiction he’s drawn to. Those books demand a lot of the reader but pay it back in spades.
Whether you’re an urban planning nerd like me, or have another niche interest that impacts how you understand your place in the world, I’d love to hear about the books that have broadened your perspective: tell us all about them in the comments below.
Follow Jeff’s work at his website and on Twitter.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabJeff Speck [00:00:00] That's absolutely one of my favorites. Many of my favorite books are the ones that were the most work. It is wonderful, wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:00:07] A lot of work, but the payoff is there.
Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What Should I Read Next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
[00:00:41] Readers, today I'm chatting with Jeff Speck, author of the book Walkable City that I have referred to numerous times on the show. So this feels like a real full-circle moment today.
Jeff's work has inspired countless conversations in our home about city budgets and crosswalk design and planting trees and downtown parking and all the factors involved, and my husband Will's desire to get an e-bike and about how the right book can allow us to see and understand the world around us in a whole new way.
I'm an unabashed fan of books like Walkable City that take a fundamental aspect of our lives and make it fascinating or reveal the unexpected interestingness of a topic we didn't know much about.
I'm excited to hear more today about Jeff's professional and writing life, how his book came to be chosen for the Tenth Anniversary treatment and to compile a reading list of fascinating nonfiction and fiction that opens up the world for readers.
Let's get to it.
[00:01:32] Jeff, welcome to the show.
Jeff Speck [00:01:33] Hey, I'm so glad to be here, Anne. All my literary friends tell me that it's the show to be on. So I made it.
Anne Bogel [00:01:39] Well, that's so kind. I feel like we've been talking about making this happen since the earliest pandemic days now. Because listeners, how this happened is I chose Walkable City as one of three books that have made a difference in my life when I talked to Neil Pasricha on his 3 Books Podcast. And then he had you on his show, Jeff. I think we've had a triangle email thread ever since.
Jeff Speck [00:02:00] Yes. And then COVID happened, other things happened. I don't know what. I don't know what delayed it honestly. But this is the ideal time for me to talk to you because I'm flogging a new book. But my book that you enjoyed, Walkable City, has just been re-released in a Tenth Anniversary Edition with 100 new pages that I wrote over the last year, and a lovely introduction by Janette Sadik-Khan, who's pretty well-known. If you're in my business, she's a famous traffic engineer. So I really want people to read my book that I've put so much more effort into after the initial many years of effort.
Anne Bogel [00:02:36] Honestly, Jeff, we talked about a lot of books on this podcast. And I read a lot of books, our listeners read a lot of books where they think, If more people read this book, they would have a better life. But I feel like that's so true of Walkable City because people who read this book feel differently about the cities they live in, they advocate for different things, they see more possibilities.
The timing feels right for our conversation today, in part because I am here in Louisville, Kentucky, where you were saying you've just been just before COVID, and we are in the middle of a redesign of my neighborhood.
Jeff Speck [00:03:07] Mm, wow.
Anne Bogel [00:03:08] They're repaving, restriping, they're quieting the streets. The plans are, I think, kind of terrible, but it's not too late to make them better. But I mean, Jeff, if I could sell a copy of a book to someone every time I said, "Well, Jeff Speck says... Jeff Speck says... I learned in Walkable City..." your book would be at the top of the charts.
Jeff Speck [00:03:29] Well, you're very kind. Maybe you could just buy a bunch and hand them out. That'd be awesome.
Anne Bogel [00:03:34] To all the city planners.
Jeff Speck [00:03:36] Many places where I go, where I'm asked to go and get involved are places where someone has bought a couple boxes of the book and just handed it out to the city councilors and the planners and everyone else.
But you said reading this book would make people happier. I would say that depends. Some people read it and get depressed because they look around and they say, "I don't live in that kind of place and I can't move." Some people read it and move. Probably most people read it and get involved, and then do stuff in their community to make their community more walkable and more livable. And of course, that's my goal audience.
Anne Bogel [00:04:13] That is an interesting point. That completely makes sense. And I can say that reading your book sometimes can be quite frustrating because it's very clear why the crosswalk will never work the way it's supposed to exist right by my child's school.
But Jeff, let's roll back a little bit. What is it that you do exactly that brought you to write such a work?
Jeff Speck [00:04:32] So I'm a city planner who also happens to write. And I've always been a big reader, and can't be a good writer without being a good reader. And whenever I'm doing something, I mean, I'm almost 60 now, and my whole life whenever I've been involved in something and there have been ideas that surface that excite me or challenge me or frustrate me, I've always ended up writing about them.
And since I found my profession in city planning, wouldn't you know it? There's a whole bunch of stuff that city planners have been getting wrong for so long and that of course city planners have been getting right but that cities have been getting wrong ignoring their planners for a couple decades that I tried to put all those together into a book that was really...
I wouldn't say I wrote it just to release my frustrations. But I was driven by the idea of sharing everything that I had discovered about how cities are made badly and how actually they can be made well, and how some of us are working to make them better. And that became the book Walkable City. So that's where we are.
There's more background in the sense that I was studying architecture. I thought I'd be an architect. And here I was a would-be architect looking at a potentially happy future of designing people's kitchens and bathrooms and stumbled onto a lecture by Andrés Duany, D-U-A-N-Y, in 1989. And I was about to go to architecture school, and he gave this talk—that he ended up giving all over the country. And he's stopped giving it because he's sick of it, but I still give it—called Towns Versus Sprawl.
The talk basically laid out that there were two different ways to build communities. Throughout history, we've only built by the thousands two different types of urbanism. One is the traditional neighborhood as it exists in villages, towns, and cities. And the other is suburban sprawl.
The big distinction being that the latter was not something that evolved naturally alongside man, but an invention at the middle of the 20th century with the presumption of universal automotive enslavement, as I would call it, that we would all be required to drive all the time. And that creates a different type of landscape and a different type of life for people who inhabit it.
And I heard him give this talk in 1989. I had realized prior that there were certain places I loved to be in, certain places I hated being, and I didn't really fully understand why. I didn't understand the laws, rules, regulations, policies that had led to the replacement of neighborhoods with sprawl as the fundamental planning model in the US and in many other parts of the world.
And I had not yet become fully aware that it was rather illegal in most of America to build more of the places that we love and want to spend our time. So I joined this movement that became known as New Urbanism, which is all about stopping sprawl or doing our best to stop it and then building new places that are modeled on older places, and perhaps most importantly, trying to resuscitate our older places that have been damaged and degraded by the automotive-oriented development patterns that took over in the latter half of the middle of the 20th century.
So that got me launched on this path towards place-making and place-improving, but I turned at a certain point more towards... Although I still do both kinds of work, I turned more towards looking at city centers, more recently focusing on that because I was for four years, the Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts here in the US, which put me partly in charge of this program called the Mayors' Institute on City Design.
And I won't get into the details of that program, except to say that I worked with a couple hundred mayors one-on-one in intense three-day chunks, multiple times a year for four years, trying to make their cities better. And that taught me a hell of a lot, which ended up in Walkable City.
Anne Bogel [00:08:40] That completely makes sense to me as someone who week in week out talks to readers about how to make their reading lives better, and their specific goals-
Jeff Speck [00:08:45] There you go.
Anne Bogel [00:08:46] ...and their triumphs. Yes, totally different format, but similar purpose.
Jeff Speck [00:08:52] I think what distinguishes my books from other planning books and why they sell so well is because they're not geared towards planners, they're geared towards humans. So, my whole role in this movement, in this New Urbanism movement or just in the intersection between planning and reality has been to try to disseminate, to promulgate, to make common among everyone else the sort of understandings that planners share, that well-educated planners share and the sort of conversations that are going on in the planning world and the efforts that planners are making to make cities better.
Some misconstrued, like putting, you know, Elon Musk's tunnels under Fort Lauderdale, and others rather intelligent and really just resuscitating a fine craft, I will call it, an art but a craft that, you know, until the middle of the 20th century was practiced very well around the world.
Anne Bogel [00:09:47] I love the words that Janette Sadik-Khan shared in the introduction to your new Tenth Anniversary Edition. She said something that made me go, Yes, that's exactly it. "Great books give fresh definition to facts that people have always known, making the end visible and the obscure obvious. And more essentially, they give the reader agency to act." And that's something I really love about Walkable City.
My experience with the book was my father-in-law asked for a book for Christmas in the 90s. That led me to James Howard Kunstler's The Geography of Nowhere. So it wasn't long that I got to Suburban Nation when it came out in 2000, and then found yours, which my father-in-law got a copy of shortly thereafter.
I do appreciate how it's a book that helps us understand the world around us, no matter where you are, and what kind of world you're moving through, helps you understand how it got to be that way, and why, and how the shape of the structure you're moving through affects your actions, whether or not you realize it. But you realize it after reading your book.
Jeff, you say that walkability is basically the key to everything in Walkable City. Get walkability right and the rest of creating a human landscape that's pleasant to be in will follow. Would you give us a brief synopsis of walkability for those who haven't yet picked up the book?
Jeff Speck [00:10:56] Yeah. I want to say that, you know, I came to walkability in a roundabout way. My goal was just to learn as much about city planning as possible and be a good city planner. And the way we described what we did, which was to replace automotive-based development patterns with human-based development patterns, has had a bunch of different names over the years.
So when Andrés and Liz, my mentors, first described it, it was Neo-traditional town planning. That turned off the liberals. And then it became known and we started calling it the New Urbanism, which turned off the conservatives. It could more accurately be called just best practices in urban planning but that doesn't have much of a ring to it.
It was only when I was able to reframe it through the rubric of walkability that I found I was able to communicate it effectively to most audiences. But an interesting thing happened, which is when I started calling it walkability, I started looking at my planning through that window of walkability.
And I should say something I do in a bunch of cities where I work, I've done 15 so far, is what I call a walkability study, where I go into a downtown—it's almost always in downtown—and I ask the question with my team, How, for the least amount of money and in the shortest period of time, can we make changes that will result in the most clear, palpable experience of more people walking and biking in your downtown?
And that leads to a bunch of changes that we make in communities that are circling the wagons around that objective of walkability. So, while I was describing good planning as walkability, when I started to think about what makes good planning as making places more walkable, it actually changed some of the things I did, and I think allowed me to be a better planner.
So yes, I have embraced this idea that I think I'm waiting for someone to disagree, let alone provide evidence rebutting it, that to make a place better you make it more walkable.
And then you ask what makes a walkable place. I have what I call my general theory of walkability that says in America in particular, but certainly there's interest globally—there's been about eight translations so far. But in America, where driving is so cheap and so easy, and you don't pay the full cost of driving by a longshot, and the smart thing to do if you own a car, because the fixed prices are so high and the variable costs are quite low, the smart thing is to drive as much as possible. And for most people, it's sitting there in the driveway between them and everything.
Under those circumstances, how do you get people to walk? And the answer is the walk has to be as good as the drive. So what does it have to do to satisfy that? It has to do four things simultaneously. It has to be useful, it has to be safe, it has to be comfortable, and it has to be interesting. You really need to provide all four of those things if people who have a choice will make the choice to walk.
And of course there are lots of people who don't have a choice. Fully a third of us don't drive. What about that? What about them? You know, what about the people who are too young, too old, too infirm, too poor to drive a car? You know, they become stranded or dependent on others or others become chauffeurs who would rather be doing other things with their lives.
But for those who don't have a choice, of course, we need to make places more walkable. Those of us who do have a choice tend to be the ones who make the decisions. And therefore I've always worked towards creating an environment in which people will happily make the choice because, you know, it's only when the majority of us, and honestly looking at America, when the people with power are going to make the choice to walk that the landscape begins to reflect that choice.
Anne Bogel [00:14:41] Let's talk more about the Tenth Anniversary Edition. It's not every book by a longshot that gets this treatment. I'm interested in hearing how it came to be.
Jeff Speck [00:14:50] Well, Suburban Nation got that treatment because it sold well. And we have a great publisher. You probably know about Farrar, Straus, which is such an amazing publisher.
In fact, there was a book written about Farrar, Straus. I believe it's called Hothouse, about a publisher that punches way above its weight although it's... It is a mainstream publisher but in terms of the amazing authors, you know, from Flannery O'Connor to Tom Wolfe, to so many authors who undeservedly honored to share a publisher with. But they're very literary focused, and they care about books that are about issues, as well as publishing fiction. And also being business-focused, when a book does well, they want to keep it doing well.
And Walkable City made a real effort to be timeless. I mean, it really tried to... Not timeless for the centuries for sure, because it's mostly about modern living. But, you know, I try not to tie it to any one decade. But cities evolve and cities change.
Particularly over the past decade, and it's not just COVID, there are a bunch of really interesting things that either happened or came to my attention over the past decade that demanded that the book receive a supplement. That supplement was supposed to be 50 pages, it turned out to be 100 pages worth of stuff that I wanted to talk about.
And flipping through the table of contents right now, as I speak to you, certainly COVID required discussion because of the impact that it had on cities. Two types of housing crises that arose during the last 10, 15 years. The first being, of course, the fact that we now can see, can witness that we just have a housing shortage. Period. Right? Across the US there's a dramatic housing shortage that needs fixing, particularly in our bigger and busier cities.
But secondarily I was not fully aware when I wrote the first version of the book of the conversation that can be found in a wonderful book called The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. I don't know if you're aware of this book. But it's the bestselling book on urban issues right now and has been since it came out, talking about how the...
Of course, we knew this years ago, but we didn't fully understand it. That, you know, redlining, which kept whites and blacks separate and kept investment out of Black neighborhoods and essentially prohibited Black folks and other people of color from participating in the American dream of homeownership.
I always thought it was the banks, you know, the banks that were redlining. But no, it was the Federal Home Loan agencies. It was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the federal government that actually made it impossible for people of color to get insured mortgages, which, you know, is the principal way that the middle class in America has built wealth over the last, you know, 60, 70 years is through the 30 year home mortgage interest tax deduction, right? So they were robbed of that ability to grow wealth.
But more significantly that there was an actual federal campaign, stated or not, that kept people of color out of white neighborhoods that was perpetuated when race-based zoning was made illegal by the Supreme Court, was perpetuated stealthily through single-family zoning rules that just removed the color from the discussion but had the exact same impacts and continue to have those impacts to this day because of the wealth that African Americans have had not been allowed to build.
And then also that all of the housing developments, you know, the public housing that the federal government invested in had to be single race. So that's a fascinating story that I synopsize as I do so many other stories in the book.
Harland Bartholomew was a planner who most of us worshiped as one of the fathers of city planning in the US. He was probably the worst perpetrator of turning race-based zoning into single-family zoning. Anyway, that's a fascinating story that I felt needed to be shared.
And actually, our book Suburban Nation, in describing the causes of sprawl, describing the Federal Highway programs that subsidized the decanting of our cities or the federal loan programs that, again, made it cheaper to actually fall into a new house in Levittown than to maintain your urban apartment after coming home from World War II. We really neglected to talk about the racial causes of sprawl, which are absolutely a huge part of that conversation.
So I needed to correct that record. I also needed in talking, as I do in the beginning, the first segment of Walkable City is called Why Walkability? and it gives the three main reasons, the health reasons, the wealth reasons, and the environmental reasons why walkable cities are better. It neglected to talk about the equity reasons and how the automotive landscape disproportionately punishes people of color through both causing them to live in places where no one was ever meant to live without a car, right? And you've got all these people now who can't afford cars living in the automotive landscape, which is one reason why the pedestrian death rate has gone up 82% in the last 14 years.
And then you have beyond that, the asthma impacts, the dramatic, you know, massive health quality impacts from living near and around highways that's disproportionately punished people of color.
And the car crash statistics, which is that if you're Black or Native American, you're twice as likely to be killed as a pedestrian than if you're not. So these are conversations that we had to have.
Anne Bogel [00:20:30] Right.
Jeff Speck [00:20:31] SUVs are the biggest problem. You know, when you're hit by an SUV, you're probably four times as likely to die as being hit by a sedan. And of course, SUVs have taken over, so that SUV sales dramatically outpace sedan sales.
The rise of the SUV, electric or not, is the principal contributor to this massive epidemic we have of pedestrian, cyclist deaths. People thought it was cell phones. But there are cell phones in Europe and Europe's been reducing pedestrian deaths every year.
In Europe, they test vehicles not just for the safety of the passengers with the crash dummies but for the safety of people outside the vehicle with crash dummies. They don't do that in the US. And if they did, SUVs would be illegal. But of course, that's never going to happen because they're huge profit sources for the auto industry. So that's a big factor.
And then the other huge factor is just the way that, as I've alluded to earlier, the way that American engineers design streets is fundamentally unsafe because highway thinking is brought into residential and business communities, and has the opposite impact. So I wanted to talk a lot about that.
And I quote a lot from another book. And you know, Anne, reading my books that mostly I'm just collecting the wisdom of others. I quote a lot from Charles Marohn. And Charles Marohn is someone who I quoted an essay of his at length in the first edition of Walkable City that was called Confessions of a Recovering Engineer.
And he's since wrote a book with the same title that came out maybe two years ago, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer, that is fantastic and has a lot more evidence in it about the different ways that we can and often fail to make our cities safer and more walkable.
For example, when you replace a signalized intersection with an all-way stop intersection, which I've done in dozens of intersections over my career, the number of pedestrian severe injury crashes drops by about 68%. Just [00:22:30] one thing. Well, why aren't we doing it? Right? Why aren't we doing it? Why isn't that happening across the country?
And books like mine are, you know, in the editorial I had in The Hill two weeks ago, are hopeful that if more people learn about this stuff, they will start doing it more. It'd be nice to save some lives. Right? Why aren't we doing it?
Anne Bogel [00:22:50] Jeff, I have to tell you I read this new Anniversary Edition with fresh eyes, not just because you have this great 100-page update about what the situation is right now, but also my kids are 10 years older. They were babies that I put in car seats when I read the book the first time and now they're teenage drivers. And I see every-
Jeff Speck [00:23:07] Mm, Sorry.
Anne Bogel [00:23:08] Everything is terrifying when I surveyed the landscape.
Jeff Speck [00:23:12] Yeah. My older son, Milo, who's 14, I'll be driving with him and he'll be like, Go faster, floor it. And I'll be like, You know, Milo, you're never getting a driver's license. I just wanted to make that clear. Some people weren't meant to be drivers, and one of them is you.
Anne Bogel [00:23:29] Oh, Milo, we all knew it was a bad idea to say specifically to your dad that thing. Jeff, you've been very free to credit those whose ideas you've benefited from who are also contributing to the conversation. And Walkable City is one book in a long line of books advocating for better spaces for people to live in, not just cars to drive through. I'd love to hear you speak about some of your influences.
Jeff Speck [00:23:52] There's a wonderful book called Green Metropolis by David Owen that was going to be called Green New York in which he demonstrates at great length, but not too much. It's very readable. He's a New Yorker writer so he's a delightful writer. He talks about what makes Manhattan the greenest, statistically the most sustainable place in America. Which you know, looking at it, you wouldn't really think that, right?
But they have like a quarter of the electricity use of Houston and one-tenth of the gasoline use and all these other things. That's a book that very much influenced the chapter of my book on sustainability, which I call The Wrong Color Green, about how the sustainability discussion in the US for so long has been basically about what I can buy to add to what I already have in order to lighten my footprint. But also he points out all the wonderful ways that urban living is greener than suburban living.
Jane Jacobs, of course, is the most important best planning book ever written, I would say. The Death and Life of Great American Cities written in 1961 I believe, maybe '63, but early 60s and still incredibly relevant. And really not wrong about much of anything, although she failed to foresee what would happen with the gentrification of the neighborhoods that she loved so well like Greenwich Village where she lived.
But just fundamentals about what makes cities work. And of course, what makes cities work is density, variety and the focus on the street. That's a super important book.
Anne Bogel [00:25:28] And what is especially interesting about Jane Jacobs is that she was not a professional, as you well know.
Jeff Speck [00:25:35] Yeah. She was a mere writer, but she was a great writer, a great thinker. She grew up in Scranton when it was in its heyday before she moved to New York City. I made a pilgrimage to her house because I am redesigning the street network in Scranton right now.
We're doing the best to do so when there's a lot of state control that limits what we're able to do. And I walked the same street she walked, I walked down the alley that she walked to school. I really wanted to get a sense of the environment that shaped her. I even posed and tried to exactly mimic the photograph of her being taken in front of her house. She just observed, you know. She was a great... Great writing as I always say is great thinking and great thinking is I think often great observation. And she was just someone who stopped and looked.
And it's funny, I do think in some ways that the biggest part of what I have to do in my job is just to observe. I was an art history major, and they say that that's not the most lucrative choice of careers, or I should say major choice for your career.
But the very first task when we had decided, I guess, the beginning of junior year that we wanted to be art history majors, the very first task that we were given involved writing a paper but we had to go to The Clark - Art Institute, which is in Williamstown next to Williams College where I went to school, and look at a painting for eight hours.
Anne Bogel [00:26:54] I read about this in Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks. And that was only three, I thought it was a long time.
Jeff Speck [00:27:00] Well, let me just say, you know, the biggest thing you do as a city planner is to stop, observe, and then explain to others what you're looking at. If you're going to be a designer, but certainly someone who works with cities, that's the most important thing you can do.
And explain to people what they're seeing because people just don't look. People aren't in the habit of looking. And of course, too a little deeper, the best way to look is to draw. And I had my very first architecture professor who said to us as we were walking around Florence, Italy, "Why do we draw? We draw in order to see." And it's true, you don't necessarily see something fully until you try to replicate it on a piece of paper. But now I'm getting really into the weeds.
Anne Bogel [00:27:38] Oh, I don't think so. I was just thinking I admire people for whom that's true. But for me, I think the best way to look and to think is to write.
Jeff Speck [00:27:45] Well, you're also finding a way to reproduce what you've observed or to explain what you've observed.
Anne Bogel [00:27:52] And force yourself to reckon with whether or not you truly understand it.
Jeff Speck [00:27:56] Yeah, yeah. We were talking about other books that were influential. Two rather technical books that are still good reading. One is called Urban Sprawl and Public Health, which form the basis of a chapter of Walkable City on the fact that as three epidemiologists told us, we have designed out of existence, the useful walk in our communities, and it's the reason why we have a morbid society.
And then the other really well-written book, but it's three and a half pounds and 723 pages is The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald Shoup.
Anne Bogel [00:28:30] I loved this book, Jeff.
Jeff Speck [00:28:32] In which Donald Shoup demonstrates actively how we've been asking the wrong question about parking for the eternity of the provision of parking, which is how can we provide enough parking? When, if you ask a different question, which is, how can parking be provided, designed, and managed in order to cause cities to thrive? you get an entirely different outcome.
And he charts the path of many cities, but particularly he contrasts Old Town Pasadena with Westwood, very close to each other, both in LA, who faced the same problem of a perception of crowding, of not having enough parking took opposite paths in terms of Westwood made his parking free, which if you study one day of economics you know that's not the way to get rid of over demand.
And then Pasadena responded by making his parking more expensive and plowing the revenues from that more expensive parking back into the streetscape, storefronts, trees, environment of Pasadena. And as a simple result of that one choice about parking pricing, one neighborhood soared and the other sank.
Anne Bogel [00:29:39] For listeners who are thinking, "Well, that sounds really esoteric," and if I'm not a city planner, I don't need to read about parking, I really appreciate how a book like this can make things in your life you take for granted suddenly spring vividly to life. They make the unseen seen.
I mean, so many of you are listening to this podcast in your car. That's why we take pains to make our show notes very thorough, we share every book title there so that you're not a hazard to yourself and others while you're trying to jot something down while you're driving.
Jeff Speck [00:30:06] You know, whenever I go to a city, there's usually a lecture. And after the lecture, there's a dinner for the people who paid for the lecture. And about half an hour into that dinner, I say, "Can we now stop talking about parking?" Because that's the thing that most people, you know, find is present in their everyday experience of struggles within their city. And it's because in many cities, parking is, again, what economists call a free good.
And the classic statement about that, as you know, of course, there's not enough parking. If pizza were free, would there be enough pizza? So it's a matter of just letting the market determine outcomes, which currently doesn't happen in so many downtowns.
I want to mention some recent books I've read that didn't find their way into at least the first edition of Walkable City that are-
Anne Bogel [00:30:54] Oh, yes, please.
Jeff Speck [00:30:55] ...are really great. I mentioned The Color of Law. Very readable, very accessible book for anyone who's interested in that history. Evicted is a fantastic book. I mean, there's so much in that book. But the surprise to me in that book was it basically costs as much to live in slumlord housing as it does to live in luxury housing. It's just a certain segment of the population has found its way through making one or two mistakes into that condition. Or just being born in the wrong place has found its way into the cycle of being stuck in slum housing. And it's extremely impossible to remove oneself from this condition.
I think for the work I do as a planner, the book How to Be an Antiracist has been extremely helpful. On that same subject, I just finished reading, and was absolutely fascinated by the book Caste, C-A-S-T-E, which I think is the most important book on racial and social issues of the past number of years.
It basically compares and contrasts the American slavery and civil rights circumstance and Jim Crow and all of that with the caste system in India, with South African apartheid, and with the Holocaust in World War II, and talks about universal human conditions and characteristics that lead to kind of the worst feature of human society. That's a fascinating book: Caste.
Anne Bogel [00:32:26] Yes. And speaking of making the invisible visible, as you did with our previous work, The Great Migration, which explains so much about how the world is that I didn't know there were reasons for very specific and distinct reasons for.
Jeff Speck [00:32:42] And then two new books that came out recently. I mentioned one, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer by Chuck Marohn. But a great book that has a broader focus and a broader audience is There Are No Accidents by Jessie Singer.
Anne Bogel [00:32:56] Oh, I don't know this one.
Jeff Speck [00:32:57] It's winning all kinds of awards. She's basically the new Ralph Nader. And she demonstrates quite convincingly how almost everything that would cause an accident these days, with a focus on traffic, but also looking at, you know, Triangle Shirtwaist fire on how almost all workplace accidents when they are no longer defined as accidents but recognized as outcomes of specific decisions can simply be eliminated.
There are no accidents. Because when one values the folks who are putting food on our table and clothes on our backs and makes decisions that says that their lives matter, you can actually cause these quote-unquote accents to go away.
Anne Bogel [00:33:42] Jeff, I'm so grateful for those current suggestions. And something I do love about Walkable City is it could send you down quite the rabbit hole, readers, if you thought that sounded like a good time. But from my non-professional experience, I'd just love to share a couple books along these lines that I have really loved and that you may perhaps have led me to.
Anything by Witold Rybczynski I've just adored, especially A Clearing In The Distance, which was published in 1999. It's been around some time now. But he writes about Frederick Law Olmsted and how he became the world's premier landscape architect at a time when there was no such thing. And I just thought the story of a man at work, Central Park, my own city's park system, how his work transformed the profession was fascinating.
Jeff Speck [00:34:27] That's a great book by a great writer. Anything Witold Rybczynski has written is very readable. And I read that book with great interest. My mother-in-law gave it to me, but I needed to read it. I learned a couple of things.
I knew that He lived and worked in Brookline, Massachusetts, which is why I proudly say to people who ask me where my home and office is that it's not in Boston, it's in Brookline, which is a piece of Boston. It's a piece of Boston that Boston forgot to annex. And it's both quite green and leafy but supremely walkable and transit-served at least in the neighborhood that I live in.
But a funny story about Olmsted that I learned from the book was one of the places he designed was the McLean Hospital, which was a mental hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, not very far from here, next to Cambridge where I grew up. I grew up in Belmont. I'm very close to McLean. Not in McLean but next to McLean. And they botched it.
So he designed it, they botched it. He was very unhappy with what they made of his plan. And then he went senile, and where did they put him? In McLean Hospital, So he had to spend the last years of his life wandering the landscape that they had botched of his design, which must have been the most horrible way to end your life that you can possibly imagine.
Anne Bogel [00:35:42] Oh, that's horrible. I did not know that.
Jeff Speck [00:35:45] As a designer, that's a really heartbreaking story. What else do you recommend?
Anne Bogel [00:35:50] Oh, I love A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, which is a book very much about architecture. But Jeff, this one's written for me, squarely for the layperson because he believes in advocates that people like myself who don't have tons of formal training can still design my own houses, streets, and communities because I'm the one who knows what I love. I can still recognize the patterns I love and that suit my needs, and I can combine them to create a space that I would love to live in.
Some of his more citywide and especially regional ideas that we absolutely do not practice blew my mind and were still really interesting thought exercises. Love it.
Jeff Speck [00:36:25] That's such an important book, such an influential book for me and for so many New urbanists. I recommend it to all your readers. It's not going to be like the regular books they have, right? It looks like a Bible, like a fatter, thicker Bible.
Anne Bogel [00:36:37] Oh, it's like a dictionary.
Jeff Speck [00:36:40] It's a little brick. It has hundreds of patterns that run from the scale of the region to the scale of the desk or the chair. It's just an open window to a brilliant, genius mind at work.
Anne Bogel [00:36:54] This is a doorstop.
Jeff Speck [00:36:56] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:36:57] One I'm happy to have taking up the space of five novels on my shelf.
Jeff Speck [00:37:00] There you go!
Anne Bogel [00:37:01] And there's newer work that came to mind when you're speaking of the Power of Law, and also Caste, and that is by Deirdre Mask. It's called The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth and Power. It is fascinating. It's not just US-based. She explores the hidden history and meanings of the street address that take her all the way from ancient Rome, to the slums in Mumbai, to contemporary US cities.
And this came out one month into the pandemic, which is so interesting, because a recurring theme in the book that reads very differently than I imagined mask intended is the role of street addresses in identifying and stopping epidemics.
Jeff Speck [00:37:38] I think because of my particular experience as a planner, it was less revelatory than some of the others that I was reading.
Anne Bogel [00:37:47] I can see that.
Jeff Speck [00:37:48] I think for a lay reader, it would be a good choice.
Anne Bogel [00:37:52] I found it fascinating and highly relevant to so many of the issues we've discussed today for right now. Jeff, what have you been reading lately that's not planning-related?
Jeff Speck [00:38:03] A couple books that I would characterize as in between fiction and nonfiction would be The Overstory by Richard Powers.
Anne Bogel [00:38:09] Oh, interesting.
Jeff Speck [00:38:11] He's maybe our best novelist. Galatea. 2.2 is perhaps the most moving book I've ever read by him. I mean, period. But it's by him.
Anne Bogel [00:38:22] I don't know that one. I've only read his more recent work.
Jeff Speck [00:38:24] It's about English Master's student who's tasked with the job of teaching a computer to pass The Turing Test in AI. And it's real pressure. It came out in the 90s. And it's just, you know, what happens to the computer when it basically is fed a diet of every book ever. It is wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:38:43] What happens to the computer, Jeff?
Jeff Speck [00:38:45] Well, I don't want to give anything away.
Anne Bogel [00:38:49] I'll have to read it.
Jeff Speck [00:38:50] And then Ministry of the Future, which you've probably read or heard about.
Anne Bogel [00:38:56] No, I have not read this one.
Jeff Speck [00:38:57] Ministry of the future it's a best bestseller. It's a very, very thick novel about climate change. And I learned more about climate change from that fiction book than I have from any other book. It's deeply, deeply researched. The author was profiled in the New York Times Sunday Magazine.
I go to New Hampshire and back... in New Hampshire because I'm building a cabin. And while I'm driving to New Hampshire and back, I listen to books. That's my principle. Listening to book time as opposed to reading with my eyes. And Ministry of the Future took many trips but was well worth it.
And then another book I listened to and so much enjoyed driving, pure fiction, Beautiful Ruins. That is just a fun book of love story.
Anne Bogel [00:39:45] It is quite different from your other books you've referenced so far.
Jeff Speck [00:39:48] You know, I read it because I read an article about the best narrators in the world who Audible and others can script to read the books. And they describe this Italian American gentleman who was the best in the world, and he reads Beautiful Ruins, which of course takes place partly in Italy. So that was fantastic. I had to hear what the best narrator in the world sounds like. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Anne Bogel [00:40:16] I did not know that about Edoardo Ballerini, who I've listened to read Daniel Silva novels. But I did not know that about Beautiful Ruins. Now I feel like I missed out by reading it in print.
Jeff Speck [00:40:26] And then I just read A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers. And I like everything. Everything David Eggers writes that I've read I've enjoyed. A Hologram for the King was just recommended to me by a friend Liza. And she was right, that was a lot of fun.
Anne Bogel [00:40:41] Jeff, I know you're on the record as saying you've spent a lot of time reading, planning, Twitter. But when you're picking up books for your own enjoyment, what is it that you're looking for?
Jeff Speck [00:40:50] It's pretty random. But first of all, unfortunately, due to Twitter and just life, I don't read anywhere near as much as your listeners are probably thinking until I've said this. And I don't want them to think badly of me but I am constantly, constantly, you know, swept up by Twitter and other things that haven't had to have reduced the amount that I'm reading.
But I read half nonfiction stuff that overlaps with the work that I do. So if it's related to climate or to society, since planning is about societies, or anything related to the making of places, then I'm super interested in that.
And then fiction, I just want... You know, I want great writing. I don't care if your plot is incredible, you know, if it's written by Grisham or Dan Brown, I cannot read a page of it, even though his plots are miraculous. So it has to be thoughtful writing.
And I read nonfiction mostly because there's so much stuff that fascinates me. But when I'm writing, I only read fiction because fiction writing is generally better written than nonfiction writing, and you want to get those feelings of... you want to get that music and those rhythms in your head.
Also when I write I try to... although Miami doesn't really qualify, when I'm starting a book, I try to be in a foreign country where no one's speaking English.
Anne Bogel [00:42:16] Oh, really?
Jeff Speck [00:42:18] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:42:18] That's interesting. Tell me more about that.
Jeff Speck [00:42:20] Well, it's isolating. Right? And I don't want to hear normal spoken English when I'm writing because most of it is so bad. Although, as you know, good writing does sound like people talking and I try to write in a conversational way. You know, there's so many different factors. I'm probably over-poetizing it. But-
Anne Bogel [00:42:40] I mean, your painting is a picture. Might as well make it grand.
Jeff Speck [00:42:42] Yeah, I mean, being in Italy, for example, which is where I wrote most of Walkable City, there's fewer distractions, the phone's less likely to ring, people aren't going to bother me. But also I just like being isolated from everyday English while I'm writing.
Anne Bogel [00:42:58] Do you have any other writing projects on the horizon?
Jeff Speck [00:43:01] I have actually nothing that I'm writing right now because I just finished writing—I guess it was six months ago—and I am really sick of it.
Anne Bogel [00:43:13] That's fair.
Jeff Speck [00:43:15] Whenever I finish a book, I think I have nothing else to say because I've hopefully had the good fortune of getting it out and then, you know, 10 years later I won't feel that way. Or maybe five years. Maybe five years later I won't feel that way.
So I want to say that I'm done because you know, writing isn't my main activity. I want to say that I'm done. But I highly suspect that in five or 10 years, I'll have something else to say. But right now, I've said it.
The other thing is I am writing op-eds and stuff around the material in the book. And I recently wrote an op-ed for The Hill. There's a recent op-ed I wrote about traffic engineering that was intended for the broadest possible and the most connected political audience.
In fact, I think I can say an aide for John Fetterman called me subsequently and we talked yesterday about what the federal government can do to make our streets safer.
Anne Bogel [00:44:04] Yeah, well, that's promising to hear. Jeff, I have to give you a thank you. It perhaps was in Walkable City Rules where you shared your practice of listening to your own audiobooks on planes, and it made your speaking better, which led to me listening to my own audiobooks on planes. And I'd like to think that it helps me a little bit but it never would have occurred to me to do that without you. I'd much rather be listening to somebody else's words. But in the interest of delivering a great talk, I took your tip, and I'm grateful for it.
Jeff Speck [00:44:35] I mention that in the preface to Walkable City Rules. That's the book we have not discussed. That's a book that I would direct your audience to with the understanding that it's meant for activists and professionals and others who are making change.
If you are listening to this recording and you are not just interested in reading a lively book but want to make your neighborhood better, the book that was designed to help you do that is called Walkable City Rules. And it breaks down the lessons of Walkable City, adds a ton more information, there's a lot of charts, graphs, data, photographs.
The subtitle is 101 Steps to Making Better Places. And the book's heart is 202 pages. Each rule is two pages that face each other with a rule at the end, such as, replace your signals with Always Stop signs. That's one rule. And the information you might need to convince your city council or planning commission or city planner, engineer, whomever to make these changes in your community. So I would highlight that book for folks who are doing the work because that's who it was written for.
Anne Bogel [00:45:46] Thank you. That's good to hear, how to take that next step to action and not just reading. Jeff, you're not in the middle of writing a book right now. Is there any book that you're in the middle of reading?
Jeff Speck [00:45:55] I am actually in the middle of reading There Are No Accidents. I didn't finish it yet. But I just completed, like last week, Hologram for the King. So I'm in between. What should I read next, Anne?
Anne Bogel [00:46:11] Oh, what should you read next?
Jeff Speck [00:46:15] What fiction book would you recommend to me? I was about to start Cloud Cuckoo Land.
Anne Bogel [00:46:21] Ah, that's beautiful writing that will keep you busy for a long time.
Jeff Speck [00:46:24] Yeah, it's a long book. He wrote All the Light We Cannot See. What's his name?
Anne Bogel [00:46:30] Anthony Doerr.
Jeff Speck [00:46:31] I read a book by him, which he's at the American Academy in Rome, where I too have been a visiting scholar and I loved it, of course, because I had a similar experience of living that incredible-
Anne Bogel [00:46:41] Oh, good. So you read his memoir, Four Seasons in Rome, where he talks about writing all the light, but he's living in Rome with six-month-old twins.
Jeff Speck [00:46:49] So sorry. I'm about to read Cloud Cuckoo Land. Is there something else you'd direct me to first?
Anne Bogel [00:46:53] Sure. Oh, no, I don't want to derail you from your [plan?]. Cloud Cuckoo Land sounds great. What I'm thinking of now is how I've been excited to see a whole host of novels that have been about urban planners and about cities. And, Jeff, I haven't really enjoyed any of them
Jeff Speck [00:47:09] Interesting.
Anne Bogel [00:47:10] That is the direction I was going. Jeff, I do have a book for you.
Jeff Speck [00:47:14] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:47:15] Okay. So you've read Four Seasons in Rome, which is the first thing that came to mind for me, that memoir by Anthony Doerr. And I don't want to derail you from reading Cloud Cuckoo Land. If that is what is calling to your heart and your brain, by all means, go for it.
But your interest in literary, like really amazing writing, plus, you clearly have a sci-fi bend, I'm thinking of Emily St. John Mandel and her most recent release, Sea of Tranquility.
Jeff Speck [00:47:41] I've heard of that. I'm ready to get down.
Anne Bogel [00:47:43] It's short. It's closer to that Anthony Doerr memoir in length than to something like The Overstory or Cloud Cuckoo Land.
Jeff Speck [00:47:51] Okay, I'll read it.
Anne Bogel [00:47:52] I hope you like it. So there are three main threads here. It's kind of time travel element, which I did not expect as a seasoned Emily St. John Mandel reader from her. But there's an exiled 18-year-old who hears sounds in the Canadian forest a long time ago. There's an author whose book tour takes her to the moon, and a detective who ties all these tales together.
Jeff Speck [00:48:11] Yeah, I have a bent a little bit toward science fiction, it's very human, and also towards comedy. One of my favorite books is A Confederacy of Dunces.
Anne Bogel [00:48:22] Oh, that's so funny because I've been meaning to read that forever and I just actually downloaded the audiobook onto my phone, so that I would actually do-
Jeff Speck [00:48:28] Oh, it's so good. You're gonna love it.
Anne Bogel [00:48:31] I mean, New Orleans in the spring. Not that that's the only thing that book is about. But it was a selling point for me.
Jeff Speck [00:48:36] That's absolutely one of my favorites. Many of my favorite books are the ones that were the most work. I think my favorite book of all time was Magic Mountain, which is incredibly difficult. When Settembrini and Naphta are having their long conversations I basically tune out. But it is wonderful, wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:48:53] Okay, a lot of work, but the payoff is there.
Jeff Speck [00:48:55] Yeah, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:48:57] Okay. Well, thank you for the nudge on Confederacy. Well, Jeff, I'm so glad we got to finally make this conversation happen. And I wish we could be having this conversation in person. A couple blocks from here, I want you to look at my road that I drive down every day that I want to walk on and say... first of all, validate me, this is what needs to change, right?
And second of all, how do we make this happen? I know that's what you do professionally and I wish you were doing it in my community right now. Thanks so much for coming on.
Jeff Speck [00:49:25] I really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to it and I can't wait to hear it.
Anne Bogel [00:49:34] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Jeff. I'd love to hear what books have given fresh definitions to things you have always known. Tell us there in comments. Find Jeff at his website, Jeffspeck.com. See full list of the titles we discussed today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
If you enjoyed our conversation today, I've got a backlist podcast recommendation for you. Check out Episode 289 with Neil Pasricha: a ridiculous plan to read more books.
Sign up for our weekly email updates at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. We'll keep you in the loop with all our events and happenings.
Follow us on Instagram for more bookish connections. I'm there @annebogel. And we've got a page for the podcast @Whatshouldireadnext. This is a fun place to connect with me, our team, and other readers.
Make sure you're following along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts so you can tune in for more fresh book conversation each week.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Our community manager is Sarah Aeder. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Walkable City (Tenth Anniversary Edition): How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time by Jeff Speck
• Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America’s Man-Made Landscape by James Howard Kunstler
• Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream (Anniversary) by Andres Duany
• The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
• Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town by Charles L. Marohn
• Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability by David Owen
• The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
• Urban Sprawl and Public Health: Designing, Planning, and Building for Healthy Communities by Richard J Jackson, Howard Frumkin, and Lawrence Frank
• The High Cost of Free Parking: Updated Edition by Donald Shoup
• Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
• The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
• There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster–Who Profits and Who Pays the Price by Jessie Singer
• A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century by Witold Rybczynski
• A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction by Christopher Alexander
• The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask
• The Overstory by Richard Powers
• Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers
• The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
• Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
• A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers
• Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Better Places by Jeff Speck
• Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr
• Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
• A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
• The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 289: A ridiculous plan to read more books
The post Books that change the way you see your city and your world appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? We’ve got all four kids home, hurray!, and our weekend is packed with celebrations and heaps of good food. I would also dearly love to finish three books, which is unrealistic but doesn’t the idea sound great all the same?
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:When will Gillian Flynn write the next ‘Gone Girl’? Later, it’s still a first draft. She’s a publisher now. (Chicago Tribune) An unexpected author update.
Rick Steves Is Travel’s True Everyman. (Eater) We are lucky to have him.
Anthropologie is having a big sale this weekend: 30% off sale. I spied my favorite Fir and Firewood votives at a fantastic price, darling market baskets, and these Vintage Bookshelf Editions of Monopoly and Clue, too! If you like to plan ahead, they have holiday mugs and adorable ornaments (like this measuring cup) included in the sale as well.
3 Reasons to Start Reading a Book Before Bed, According to Research and Sleep Pros. (Real Simple) As if I needed a reason!
I love the mug and the message: You’ve Got This.
How Duolingo Turned Me Into a Monster. (CNET) “It’s a story about Duolingo. But it’s really a story about doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons.”
A Writer’s Lament: The Better You Write, the More You Will Fail. (New York Times gift link) “A paradox defines writing: The public sees writers mainly in their victories but their lives are spent mostly in defeat.”
The Ecstasy of a Great Outfit. (Harper’s Bazaar) “Clothing is a form of language, a way of communicating. It’s a dialogue with both oneself and the wider world.”
Inexpensive printable wall art if you need a reminder to take things one step at a time.
‘Ted Lasso’ Season 3 took forever, but Jason Sudeikis promises fans ‘it’s all on the screen’. (USA TODAY) Who’s watching??
Ghostwriting 101. (Publishers Weekly) “Across my ghosting career, I’ve found that most people are too busy to pause and figure out the themes of their lives. It’s my job to capture the complexities and nuances of human experience in a way that rings true to the subject and the reader.”
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Lemon Zest-Thyme Marinade (Nummy Num Num) A quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing staple for grilling season. We’ve been making it for over ten years now!
Nobody knows what the point of homework is. (Vox) “There is still no research consensus on homework’s effectiveness; no one can seem to agree on what the right metrics are.”
From our archives:15 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Paris. Whether you’re planning a trip to Paris and want to read books set there or simply looking for some armchair travel, this list is full of ideas!
My favorite Jane Austen film adaptations. Some Jane Austen adaptations are phenomenal; some are more likely to leave you feeling like you squandered two hours. Here’s my guide to the best versions.
14 introspective literary fiction books that are excellent on audio. Ever have to remind yourself you’re listening to fiction? These audiobooks are more like page-turning memoirs!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
My reading varies quite a bit from month to month and season to season. My reading journal reveals that I read quite a few coming-this-summer releases as I continue to vet books for the 2023 Summer Reading Guide, and that I started quite a few books (more than I remembered) that I only read twenty or so pages of before moving on. I intend to circle back to some of them; the reading life is all about timing, and those books weren’t quite right for me, right now.
This month I read a few new and recent pageturners from the mystery, contemporary, and historical fiction genres, plus enjoyed a 2021 memoir and a reread of a nonfiction favorite.
As always, I compiled my roundup with major assistance from my My Reading Life book journal, so it’s easy to know what I’ve been reading lately. If you’re not currently tracking your reading, I highly recommend it, no matter what method you choose.
I hope you had a good reading month—I can’t wait to hear about your recent reads in comments!
My Quick Lit roundup for March 2023Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life Author: Sutton Foster
My theater kids are huge Sutton Foster fans, and Will and I inhaled Younger over the holidays: now I’m finally getting around to reading her memoir, and I’m so glad I did. This was delightful on audio, voiced by the author herself. Of course it’s about crochet, but also about her childhood, her path to the stage, her difficult relationship with her mother, and her difficult road to becoming a mother herself. I appreciate the peek behind the curtain, and the humor and sensitivity with which she shared her story. Now I’m itching to watch Bunheads; who wants to talk me into it?
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Bookshop | Buy on Libro.fm
Walkable City (Tenth Anniversary Edition): How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a TimeAuthor: Jeff Speck
I’ve read this book half a dozen times over the years (it’s one of my urban planning favorites); this month I read the new 10th anniversary edition for the first time. Urban planner Speck’s General Theory of Walkability asserts that for people to choose to walk, the walk has to be useful, safe, comfortable and interesting. His premise is that when cities get walkability right, so much of the rest of the attributes we desire for our communities will follow. I’ve long appreciated how Speck’s work has changed how I view and understand the spaces around me. This time, I especially enjoyed the 100-page 10-years-later update that addresses COVID-19, walkability and equity, deteriorating pedestrian safety, bike lane developments, ride-share services, and more. I read this to prepare for an upcoming podcast conversation: Jeff Speck is coming to What Should I Read Next next week!
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Bookshop
The House of EveAuthor: Sadeqa Johnson
I’ve been looking forward to this one for a long time! This historical novel is very much in the vein of Ann Patchett’s The Patron Saint of Liars and Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s Take My Hand. The story centers two young Black women in the 1950s: Ruby is an ambitious high school sophomore in a single-parent family of limited means in Philadelphia; Eleanor is a promising student at Howard University who, despite her working class upbringing, soon fines herself moving in the upper echelon of DC’s Black society. Both women have big hopes and dreams for their futures: they want love and marriage and family, as well as college degrees and satisfying careers. But shortly after each falls in love, big changes happen—and hard choices have to be made. A good story, well told, with a satisfying ending. Be sure not to miss the author’s note!
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Bookshop
The Golden SpoonAuthor: Jessa Maxwell
I can’t describe this better than the delightful and irresistible mash-up descriptions the publisher has shared: The Great British Bake-Off meets The Only Murders in the Building, or Knives Out, or Clue. Maxwell’s puzzle-box of a debut is a closed circle murder mystery; the crime takes place on the set of an American competitive baking show on a remote Vermont estate. With a large cast of characters, it took a long time for me to get oriented and figure out which character was who (I should have made notes, for real), and when the resolution came it sure came in a hurry, but I enjoyed every minute.
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Bookshop
Wrong Place Wrong TimeAuthor: Gillian McAllister
This was the best kind of brain bender! In the opening pages of this time-travel mystery, a British woman watches in horror from her window as her 18-year-old son stabs a man on the street. A horrific scene ensues, the police take him away, she spends the evening at the station, in shock and agony. But then Jen wakes up the next morning, only to find that it’s not the next morning at all, but the day before the crime occurred. When she wakes up the next morning, it’s the day before that. Jen seems to be living her life backward, and—with the help of a physicist friend-of-a-friend—determines that the only way to break out of the time loop is to “undo” whatever event put her son on the path to murder. To do that she has to go far, far back in time, getting to the roots of her most important relationships. This may end up on my best of the year list; it will certainly be one of my most enjoyable reading experiences.
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Bookshop
The Bandit QueensAuthor: Parini Shroff
The premise of this January release sounds grim, but tone is everything, and here it’s relentlessly upbeat, even feel-good. I picked this up after several booksellers recommended it for our WSIRN State of the Bookstore episode and I’m so glad I did! Five years ago, village resident Geeta lost her no-good husband. The truth is he abandoned her, but the village gossips say Geeta is a “self-made” widow, a rumor Geeta has done little to quiet. (Because another truth is that people treat you with respect when they think you’re a murderer.) But Geeta isn’t the only village woman with a no-good husband, and soon more than a few of them approach Geeta—sometimes forcefully—for her help to make them self-made widows like her. It would be easy for this to become macabre, but instead it’s sharp and funny: think Kirsten Miller’s The Change, but significantly more lighthearted.
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Bookshop
What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s episode is a long-overdue chance for our listening community to help me discover my next read!
We’ve done this once before, back in 2017 in Episode 62: Your TBR will never be the same…, and today we’re back with a whole new round of recommendations from you, our listeners. I’m joined in conversation today by our Media Production Specialist Holly Wielkoszewski, and we have a blast talking about the books you all loved and recommended.
A big thank you to all of you who sent in recommendations: while we couldn’t include every single listener submission in today’s episode, please know how much we appreciate your time and your suggestions. Whether you called in an idea for me or not, if you have any other suggestions for my next read, I’d love to read all about it in the comments section below.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] Holly, I got to tell you, I'm taking notes and circling the ones that sound really interesting. I just circled them all.
[00:00:32] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest. Or in today's case, with one host. And I'm so excited for that.
[00:00:48] Readers, we're already counting down to our Summer Reading Guide Unboxing, and I know I'm not the only one who's getting excited. Our 2023 guide is coming your way on May 18th. Save the date and make sure you've got space on your library holds list.
We always kick off summer reading season with our live unboxing events with our Book Club members and Patreon supporters. And we'd love to invite you to join us for that book party this year. If you're not a member yet, check out our Book Club for classes, community, and great conversations like the chat we just had with author Brendan Slocumb in Episode 366, or become a patron.
Our Patreon community enjoys exclusive audio bonus episodes, peeks behind the scenes of our show, and more curated book recommendations, all while directly supporting the show with their monthly pledges. I'd be thrilled to welcome you to either bookish community and you'll have full access to our Summer Reading Guide Unboxing and more this summer. Find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/unboxing.
[00:01:42] Readers, over the past 370 episodes, I've had so many amazing conversations with readers, authors, and book lovers, and I have added literally thousands of books to my personal reading list as a result of those discussions.
But here at What Should I Read Next? HQ, we realize that it has been ages since we last asked you for recommendations about what I should read next. In fact, the last time we did this was in Episode 62, all the way back in 2017. Readers, we were overdue.
So if you tuned in a few weeks ago in Episode 367, you heard me share about my reading life lately, including three books I've loved and one that didn't work for me before asking for your recommendations. So many of you responded, and our team has had a blast pouring through your voicemails with your suggestions.
Today, I'm joined by our media production specialist, Holly Wielkoszewski, to hear your recommendations, talk about the books you all loved, and decide what I want to read next. Let's get to it.
Holly, welcome to the show.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:02:44] Thanks, Anne. I'm excited to be here.
Anne Bogel [00:02:46] Oh, me too. We talk all the time. We talk all the time about the show and about the books we may or may not mutually enjoy reading. But we don't usually have this conversation on the podcast, and I'm so excited to do so today.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:02:57] I know. It's definitely a fun way to jump in and hear a little bit more about what you're going to read next. I can't wait.
Anne Bogel [00:03:03] Me too. First, we get to tell the listeners a little more about who they're hearing from today. You're representing our listeners really in this episode. Holly, you've been on our team for about a year and a half now. Would you tell everybody what it is you do around here?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:03:17] Absolutely. So what I usually say about my work here at What Should I Read Next? is I help get the podcast from the recording into all the places that you then see it or listen to it on Tuesday mornings when it comes out. So that means I help with preparing for the guests, help with the blog posts that put together the show notes every week, make sure that you've got the links to all of the different books that are mentioned in every episode so it's easy to add them to your library holds list and all the little tasks that make that happen every week.
I'm also involved in supporting our Patreon community and just kind of chipping in wherever we need a little bit of media production specialist support.
Anne Bogel [00:03:59] Holly, what kind of books would you say that you are especially drawn to as a reader?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:04:03] Well, I read pretty broadly across a bunch of different genres, but I would say most of my favorites fall into either the fantasy or sci-fi genre or the adventure nonfiction space. I'm also a pretty big mystery reader. I've been on a bit of a mystery kick lately.
Anne Bogel [00:04:22] Holly, I really want to be able to tell our listeners about the really cool personal project that you are embarking on lately. And we gave our Modern Mrs. Darcy blog readers a little teaser when you shared a literary tourism post you put together after your trip to Aotearoa New Zealand back... was that in the fall?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:04:41] It was. It was September of last year.
Anne Bogel [00:04:43] Okay. Tell us a little bit about what's happening in your life.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:04:46] Well, I am joining everybody today from the island of Curacao, which no one has ever heard of if they are not regular travelers in the Caribbean. It's part of the Netherlands Antilles down next to Aruba, which many people have heard of. And this is the first stage in a new lifestyle where we are doing the digital nomad thing.
My husband and I have started some long-term travel that is compatible with our ability to work online. And we are heading next, after this, to Japan and cannot wait. So I'm excited to scope out all of the bookstores in all of the places and share the great things I discover along the way.
Anne Bogel [00:05:26] And you already know this, but let me say again for everybody, like, I'm just so excited to vicariously come along through your photos and your reports. I'm really excited that you are embarking on this great adventure, for what it does for your life, and also just thanks for letting me tag along virtually. From someone who has lived most of my life in one place working at a computer screen, you have a really cool professional background as well.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:05:49] Thank you. I kind of fell into it from the side because my husband was active duty military for the first 12 years or so of our marriage. So we moved around a lot just by default—military lifestyle. And I worked a bunch of different jobs that all kind of came back to this digital communications space. So it was a great opportunity to live a bunch of different places and accumulate a bunch of skills.
And then we got to a point where I was able to pivot because he was posted in the D.C. area. I had studied international relations as a college student, and so I actually got hired and worked as a diplomat for about six or seven years, got to spend some time overseas, got to travel some more in that space, and mostly worked on economic policy issues, which can sound dry if you're not into that type of a thing. But if you like things like economic development and trade and you kind of geek out of that kind of stuff, it's a lot of fun.
That's a space where you and I have it in common. And that's my obscure shelf, on my bookshelf is like trade policy and economic development, whereas yours is, you know, architecture and city design.
Anne Bogel [00:06:54] Now, obviously we need to hear one of those favorite titles.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:06:57] Definitely. Oh gosh, putting me on the spot. One that I actually thought was really useful and a good primer for folks, and I can't remember the author, I'll put it in the show notes, but it's called The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy. It kind of takes you through where a product starts, to sourcing and factories and shipping and commerce and kind of breaks all those parts and pieces down. Again, it can sound sort of dry if you're not curious about those types of things, but I thought it was a really interesting overview. So that's one off the top of my head.
Anne Bogel [00:07:29] It sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing. I really appreciate you sharing that glimpse of your life then and now with our listeners, and I'm so glad you're putting all your experience to work for What Should I Read Next?. So thank you.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:07:41] It's a blast. I love being here.
Anne Bogel [00:07:44] I'm so excited to dig into our listener recommendations with you today. And we really wanted to do it now, not just because our team suddenly realized, wow, it has been a really long time, but also because summer reading season is on the horizon where I am reading so many new and forthcoming books and I need some backlist to bring balance to my life. And that's what we anticipated.
And really I believe I've heard from you and Will did find that that's what so many readers brought today, which is great. Plus in general, I always get amazing recommendations from our guests and our listeners. And putting the focus on you for a change is wonderful for all of us in so many ways.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:08:23] Anne, I think before we get started today, I know you went through your three books you love, one that didn't work for you, and what you've been reading lately in Episode 367. But let's revisit those quickly for anyone who's tuning in today. Would you tell us a little bit about the three books that you shared for our listeners to send in their recommendations?
Anne Bogel [00:08:42] Yes, I will give you the fly-over version. If you want to hear the whole thing, it's only seven or eight minutes long, go back to our episode that we did with Keren Form. That's Episode 367. And you can hear the whole thing. It's right at the beginning of the episode. But I chose books that really stood out as reading experiences and that I find myself coming back to. So if you've listened for a while, you've probably heard me talk about all of these at least once.
The first book I love is This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell, which I think it's for a reason that we don't ask our listeners, tell us your three most favorite books ever. These are three books you happen to love. You could love 300. But this might be my favorite book. It's emotionally resonant literary fiction that just has so much sweep and not that much story. And I promised I was going to keep it short. So I'll just say I love her style and I love this book especially.
Another book I love is Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones, literary fiction set in Atlanta. The wrenching, shocking, surprising, historically grounded story of two sisters. This is definitely a family drama. And I did those.
And finally I chose the French novel Painting Time by Maylis De Kerangal. I could have chosen any of her books. I loved them so much. This was the first one I read by her, and I think it was the most surprising, the most memorable for that reason.
What I really love is the way she looks at people at work. I'm not sure if she would say, "I write novels about people at work." But she writes about people in interesting professions and that really stands out to me. But mostly I was just so struck by the style. It was unlike anything I'd ever had before. It's very distinct, impressionistic. I just feel like I am right there voyeuristically following along with, in this case, this young woman who's learning to paint. And I loved it. I'm talking about it because I loved it.
And the book I didn't love.... and Holly, I have to tell you, I shared a picture of all the books on Instagram that I talked about in the intro to Keren's episode, but I didn't say which was which, and so many people said, "Oh, that picture! Anne, you have to read" the book that I go on to say was not right for me. And that is The Storyteller by Dave Grohl, which so many people loved.
I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't what I hoped for. And I didn't find it to be a satisfying reading experience to the point where if I had known that's what it was going to be like, I have so much I could read, I would have skipped that one.
The stories were interesting, but they weren't the stories I'd hoped for. I loved the behind-the-scenes, and it gave a little bit of that, but not quite as much as I had hoped. I had hoped for more from the writing style. I do love a good story. What I really love is a good story well-told, and the narrative here felt meandering. There were gaps.
He very clearly didn't talk about some things that it seemed obviously he would talk about right then. I felt like the prose was so filled with clichés. And I really liked the guy reading the book. I thought Dave Grohl... We'd have a great conversation together but the book wasn't the conversation I had hoped for.
I do love a good musical memoir and there are so many I've loved, but this was not one of them. And clearly tons of you loved it. But this show is about... Do I feel defensive, Holly? I might feel defensive. Oh-
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:11:56] That's okay. It's okay if it didn't work for you, right? It's what we always say.
Anne Bogel [00:12:00] This one didn't work for me. And then at the time of recording, I had just finished Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel and was in the middle of and have since finished and really enjoyed Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn.
So that was my moment in time that we presented to our listeners as, you know, here's a reader with this taste, what should she read next?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:12:24] Okay, So we got all of these wonderful voicemails from a number of our listeners. We're going to go through and let those play today so that you can hear each of these recommendations. And then we want to hear what you think about it.
Anne Bogel [00:12:37] Because I haven't heard these yet. I'm excited to hear what's coming my way and we're going to find out.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:12:41] Will and I have had so much fun looking at them and chatting about them. I didn't know that you hadn't seen them yet, so I feel like... I'm just like rubbing my hands together here looking forward to see how this goes.
Anne Bogel [00:12:52] And I'm so excited to listen. So thank you so much to those of you who participated and sent in your recommendations. What a gift! And I hope the process really helps you think about your reading life as well. Okay, Holly, Let's do it.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:13:08] Let's do it. Let's kick it off. Here is our first listener recommendation.
Jane [00:13:13] Hi Anne. This is Jane with a book recommendation for you. The book I think you should read next is called The Last Thing You Surrender by Leonard Pitts Jr. This book is a few years old and I don't think I've heard anyone mention it on the podcast. It was recommended to me by my dad.
It is a book set in the Deep South, mostly in Mobile, Alabama, and it follows an intergenerational black family in the South from about the time of World War I through World War II in the Jim Crow South. There's a lot of intergenerational family drama and charm, which I know it's something you like. And it explores the experience of African-American soldiers during World War I and World War II and black and white relations in the South.
It's beautifully written. You can picture everything that's going on. There's hard truths in there, but it's beautiful, a very moving story, and one perspective that I really haven't seen written about all that often. So I hope you get a chance to check it out. This has been so fun. Happy reading!
Anne Bogel [00:14:31] Jane, that sounds amazing. I love that you chose a title that's a few years old because we said that this is a great time of year for me to be finding backlist, that it hasn't been mentioned on the show. This isn't a title I remember hearing about at all. The Last Thing You Surrender, it doesn't sound familiar.
I love that you got this recommendation from your dad, and you are definitely correct in that intergenerational family story that is beautifully written sounds right up my alley. I look forward to checking that out.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:14:57] This one sounds so great. I love the idea about reading about the interwar period from a different perspective. I'm pretty sure I'll be adding this one to my TBR also.
Anne Bogel [00:15:05] This could be dangerous, Holly.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:15:06] It's going to be dangerous. Absolutely. No question. All right, Anne, here is our next recommendation. I'm particularly excited to see what you think about this one.
Barbara [00:15:16] Hi, my name is Barbara. I'm 76 years old. I'm calling from Pennsylvania and I'm a lifelong reader. The book that I highly recommend is Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins. I read it last fall and it is now one of my top five best books ever.
It's a sprawling, passionate, complex family saga, spans the second half of the 20th century. Some of the plot lines include Pearl Harbor, Japanese-American internment camps, the Los Angeles Water Corporation poachers, there's music, recipes, and dogs. It's funny, oh, but it's tragic in places. And there were some pages when I could barely see the words through my tears, but I couldn't look away.
If you read it, Anne, and I sincerely hope you do, please read Mary Lincoln's life story. It's astounding. Thank you to all of you and your staff for everything that you do for all of us.
Anne Bogel [00:16:35] Thanks for all you do, Holly. And thank you for a great rec, Barbara. This is another book that I do not know. And again, passionate, complex family saga with music, recipes, and dogs, funny and tragic, that sounds amazing. And I'm so intrigued by Barbara's admonishment that I read the author's life story as well. I'm imagining that must intersect with the book in some ways that are really interesting and I'm guessing make the story come to life. Thank you. That sounds incredible.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:17:03] It's so fascinating. This one is on my Kindle because my local bookstore back in Colorado, the Bookworm of Edwards, picked it as their Best American Epic from 2022.
Anne Bogel [00:17:14] What?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:17:14] So it's been on my radar for a bit. And the author's previous book, Evidence of Things Unseen, was actually a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. So I think this one has some serious chops, and of course, music, recipes, and dogs. I can't...
Anne Bogel [00:17:29] Combined with Barbara's top five books ever that she's read, that's persuasive.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:17:35] I agree. I'm here for it. Okay. Next, we have a recommendation from a former What Should I Read Next? guest.
Michelle Wilson [00:17:43] Hi, my name is Michelle Wilson and I think Anne should read The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe. This book is my first five-star read of 2023. It is an epic story, a family saga, starts in Canada, goes to Great Britain, goes back to maybe Europe, the United States, has lots of kind of twists and turns and things are unexpected.
Just to start it off how delightful it was, Emmeline, who is the protagonist of the book, was the only girl in the family and she was born in the laundry basket while her mom was hanging clothes one summer day. So she's really never fit in. She says her mom's really never forgiven her for messing up that load of laundry.
There's just so much happening in this book. And it wasn't at all that World War II stuff that I'm kind of tired of. It was delightful, and there's a couple of twists that I didn't see coming up, stuff I never even really thought about, a lot of feminist stuff that must have happened in the 30s, in the 40s, some LGBTQ stuff. It was just so good. I want everyone to read it. That's The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe.
I might say of the three books that Anne liked, it kind of gave me some of the similar vibe of the Maggie O'Farrell. This is big, sweeping saga with a great big heart and really good writing.
Anne Bogel [00:19:23] Hi, Michelle. Oh, it's so good to hear from you again. And this sounds incredible. Am I just going to keep saying amazing and incredible the whole time, Holly? Is that how this is going to go?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:19:34] I mean, that's okay.
Anne Bogel [00:19:37] That's true. That is not a bad thing. Thank you so much for this rec. You're using so many of the words that definitely catch my eye and ping my readerly radar that's on the lookout for books I may enjoy reading next. Like, an epic story, family saga with lots of twists and turns. And I have to tell you, I laughed out loud when you said that the girl was born into a laundry basket and her mother never forgave her for ruining that load of laundry. Great big heart, Maggie O'Farrell vibes, I'm in.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:20:06] All right. We actually have a bonus recommendation from Michelle. She called in twice. So let's hear what she has to say the second time around.
Michelle Wilson [00:20:14] Hello, this is Michelle Wilson again, and I'm kind of cheating because I just gave a recommendation but this is my second five-star read of the New Year and it is a recommendation from Strong Sense of Place, Mel Joulwan.
This is a novella and it's compared favorably in the reviews to Virginia Woolf. It's called Assembly and it's by Natasha Brown. It's a very slim book and almost knight-like, stiletto-like. The writing is so beautiful, crystal perfect, and just cut your heart right out.
It's about a young black woman in London and about racism and about health. And this is all sort of stream of consciousness while she's getting ready to go to her fiancé, maybe it's her boyfriend, fiancé, some kind of family party that they have every summer. It's kind of a big deal. She wasn't raised that way at all.
That whole class thing that they have going on in the UK that isn't the same kind of class, you know, we have here. It's just amazing. It blew me away. I believe there's a quote on the cover that says something about shakily as an adder, deadly as its bite. It was just amazing. The writing was like crystal and prose. It was amazing and I can't recommend it enough. Thanks. Have a great day.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:21:46] Michelle, also a big fan of the word "amazing". But again, we're here for that.
Anne Bogel [00:21:52] Oh, Michelle, thanks for sneaking in another one. And high five to you for having two five-star rave about need-to-tell-everybody-about-it reads in 2023 so far. Okay. I can't say every time I sit down and want to pick up a new book I want something to cut my heart right out, but there are moments for that. And if you can have all that big emotion and readerly impact in the slim package of a novella, I'm excited to give that a try. That sounds enticing.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:22:22] Absolutely. I love having a novella on hand when I need to shake things up a bit with a shorter read. I've never heard of this one and it sounds fascinating. Okay, let's switch genres a little bit. Here is listener Sue.
Sue [00:22:35] Hey, this is Sue Baum [SP] from Lawrenceville, Georgia, and I wanted to talk to you about something you hadn't read, which is hard. And I have two memoirs to suggest because I know you said you didn't like Storyteller, but you did like Born to Run, which I love that book.
Two wonderful memoirs that I loved were Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon. Her life story is so interesting. That's what I love about memoir is you learn things about people you didn't know. She survived that tragedy as a small child that really affected her whole life.
And the other one is All About Me! by Mel Brooks. I think Mel Brooks is an American treasure and a darling person. I did listen to that one and hear it in his voice where he actually breaks out in song sometimes. It's fabulous. Thank you and happy reading.
Anne Bogel [00:23:24] Sue, thank you so much for these recommendations. I can tell that you are tracking with the books I shared and what I'm looking for. So thank you for that. I haven't read these memoirs and I do enjoy a good celebrity memoir. I especially love them on audio.
And I'm realizing as you're talking about Molly Shannon's past, I don't know anything about her before the Saturday Night Live era, and I don't know a lot about that. So that sounds intriguing. But the one that really caught my attention was All About Me! by Mel Brooks, an American treasure. Made me giggle.
The real thing that appeals here is that my dad was a huge Mel Brooks fan. And I think this could be very nostalgic for me in that... I mean, he'd always say, like, "Isn't this hysterical?" And I'd be like, "Oh, dad, yak, yak, yak." And we'd laugh about our shared and not shared opinions of Mel Brooks. I think that could be a really fun, wistful listen, even if not for the ways that Sue anticipated. So thank you for that recommendation.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:24:21] I love the idea of listening to that one on audio. That actually reminded me a bit of our Patreon bonus where you talked about listening to As You Wish, which is the story behind the story of The Princess Bride. And fun fact, that book, As You Wish, was actually recommended by a listener back in Episode 62, the last time that we asked our listeners to recommend books to you, Anne. So it's all come full circle. And I'm going to put All About Me on my audiobook list for sure.
Anne Bogel [00:24:49] It was recommended way back in Episode 62. I was so resistant to listening for that one for so long because, listeners learn from my mistakes, because even though so many people said, "Anne, I think you'd love this. Anne, this audiobook is so good," it wasn't "And everybody loves it, why shouldn't you think?" It was a "I think you would love it for these specific reasons." It just didn't sound that good to me. But then I listened. And what did I think, Holly? I loved it. I thought it was great.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:25:13] We got there in the end. It's okay. That's all that matters. Sometimes it's just not the right time. And then when it is, it totally pays off.
Anne Bogel [00:25:20] Sometimes your book recommendation is planting a seed that won't come to fruition until Episode 371, apparently... or thereabouts.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:25:28] But it did come through. Okay, So next up, we've got a suggestion from another previous guest. I imagine it's so much fun for these guests to be on the other side of the mic and recommending books to you. So let's see what she says.
Rebecca [00:25:43] Hi, Anne, this is Rebecca from Episode 273, and Beverly, aka Grandmama and I just finished a book that we think you love. It's Bluebird by Sharon Cameron. This is my favorite book that I read last year. So I bought it for Grandmama for Christmas, and she actually just emailed me today to tell me her thoughts.
Here's what she said. She said, "The Bluebird, what an amazing book that was! It was a thriller, a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat book, no language, only one scene of violence and a love story with no sex, that was so powerful you wanted to cry.
When I read about the author, I found out that the story was based on facts that really happened. Definitely my kind of book. If you haven't read this book, I hope you can find the time to start it, because I believe once you start it, you won't be able to put it down." So those are Beverley's rave reviews for Bluebird.
It is a World War II-ish story that jumps back and forth between the earliest years of World War II, a little bit before the war even, and years following the war, following a German girl whose father was one of the primary Nazi physicians who was conducting experiments on Jews in concentration camps. And of course, she doesn't know this as the book opens, but she finds out about it. And after the war, she goes on the run and she goes on the run after him.
It is a spy thriller. There are secret identities. There are alternating points of view, which I know that you love. And it's a young adult book, and like The Downstairs Girl, which she recommended to us in our episode, it doesn't feel young. It doesn't feel young adult. Beverly loves it, I loved it. I recommend it to all of my students who love historical fiction. And we hope that you will love it, too. Take care.
Anne Bogel [00:27:40] Hi, Rebecca and Beverly. Oh, it's so good to hear from you all. And do you know that when I'm out in the world and get to talk to What Should I Read Next? listeners, so many of them say, "How are Rebecca and Beverly? I need to know they're doing okay. I hope they're reading something amazing." So it's so good to hear from you all.
And Bluebird sounds so good. Like what a strong recommendation from you both and so many of the people in your life as well. A spy thriller that kept you on the edge of your seat with a love story rolled in, so powerful you wanted to cry, yes, I would like to read this, please.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:28:12] I agree. I'm here for this one. And readers, if you hadn't heard that episode of Beverly and Rebecca, that was in Episode 273. Well, make sure that link's in the show notes for you, too. It's a lovely conversation.
Anne Bogel [00:28:25] Holly, I got to tell you, I'm taking notes and circling the ones that sound really interesting. I just circled them all.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:28:32] Well, you know, we do these and TBRs throw, and that's just one of the difficulties of living this bookish life is you just get a lot of books on our TBR.
Anne Bogel [00:28:41] It would be terrible not to have books on your horizon that you were excited about reading. That won't be a problem.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:28:46] Hazard of the bookish life. Okay, well, don't put that pencil down yet because the next reader has three recommendations that she thinks you would enjoy.
Anne Bogel [00:28:56] I'm ready.
Eileen [00:28:57] Hi, this is Eileen Sullivan from Hopkinton, Massachusetts. I have three books for Anne. Number one is Still Life by Sarah Winman, published in 2021, all about farm family, the love story to Florence. Beautiful, beautiful imagery. Post-World War II saga. Excellent.
Second book is This is Happiness by Niall Williams. Takes place in rural Ireland in the 1950s. Again, beautifully written story, very quiet story, character development is fantastic, and again, the imagery is beautiful.
And third is Wish You Well by David Baldacci who normally writes mysteries. This one was not a mystery. It takes place in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia back in the 1940s. Again, it's a family saga with a great-grandmother taking care of her suddenly nearly orphaned great-grandchildren. And just beautifully written love story to the mountains.
I figured, Anne, since you're from Kentucky, you would enjoy this. That's what I got for you, Anne. So good luck, and I hope you enjoy your reading. Happy reading! Bye.
Anne Bogel [00:30:09] Eileen, this sounds so good. And thank you, you didn't know you were doing this, but thank you for having mercy on me, because I have read and enjoyed Still Life by Sarah Winman already. And you're right, I did enjoy things like the beautiful imagery and the portrait of families coming together in interesting ways. It's so much a redemption story, and it took me places I didn't expect and had comical elements as well as big feelings.
The one I'm most intrigued by, although I got to tell you, Wish You Well by David Baldacci sounds intriguing because yes, I am not in Appalachia, but I do love good Appalachian fiction and a great-grandmother looking out for her family because I'm already characterizing her in my head. She is tough as nails, suffers no fools, and is going to protect this little baby girl with her life who might not be a baby girl, but she still thinks of her that way. I'm certain it's what grandmother does.
But This is Happiness by Niall Williams sounds so intriguing because last year I just read Four Letters of Love by him. That was my first experience with Niall Williams. I've never read him before. And I really enjoyed it. He writes very much with the tone of writers I love, like maybe Kent Haruf. But I hadn't thought to go seek out his next works. And I'm glad that you put them on my radar.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:31:19] I've had Still Life on my shelf since Christmas 2021. I'm a little embarrassed that I got it as a gift and I haven't read it yet, so this might help me push it up my list and take that a little bit sooner. This is so much fun.
Anne Bogel [00:31:32] It's a beautiful book and it's ready and waiting for you when you're ready for it, Holly.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:31:35] Ready for it. It's going to be great. Okay. We have a few more recommendations to share. Up next, we've got a call from Alice.
Alice [00:31:44] Hi, Anne. This is Alice, and I think that you should read Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai. This is a novel about adult siblings, the roles they play, and the way they interact with each other. And the way the family history unfolds as the novel moves forward is just so beautifully and perfectly done, as we learn what's brought each member of the family to where they presently are.
It's set in Old Delhi I believe just after the separation of India and Pakistan. And the separation is part of their history. Since it is in the neighborhood that they live in, they've kind of been directly affected. The family's story, the thing that I love about it so much is that it feels very close. Reading it was a little bit more like remembering than reading, not because my family's anything like this one, but just because of the way it's written, Anita Desai just lets you in very closely.
It's also worth mentioning that neurodiversity is an important part of the dynamic at work in this family. I really hope you give this a try. I can't imagine you not loving it. Thanks a lot. Bye-bye.
Anne Bogel [00:32:49] Alice can't imagine me not loving it. Well, that sounds like a strong recommendation. Adult siblings, a family story. I'm especially intrigued by what Alice said about how it's more like remembering than reading. And I haven't read this author before, so I'm excited to meet somebody new.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:33:07] Excellent. Okay, so our next listener also has three recommendations for you, and these are kind of all over the place. I'm really excited to see what you think.
Anne Bogel [00:33:15] Oh, that's fun.
Alison [00:33:17] Hello, this is Alison Vierling [SP] from Hickory, North Carolina, and I feel like Anne is my book twin. So this is a difficult assignment since I get so many of the books that I read from her recommendations. But here is a try. I don't think I have heard her speak about these books.
The first is The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. It has a little bit of a magical aspect to it, a long scope and a climate change theme that I really enjoyed. And the characters developed over time had me fully engrossed.
The second book is Things in Jars by Jess Kidd. This is a little bit lighter fare with a mystery, but also an excellently paced book with tons of character development and super entertaining as well.
My third book is quite an old book but one of my all-time favorites, Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier that tells the story of one boy through pre, during, and post-Civil War Appalachia. Again, the storytelling is wonderfully paced with amazing character development. I look forward to hearing everybody's recommendations for Anne, thank you for this opportunity.
Anne Bogel [00:34:31] Alison, hi book twin. These are so fun. And you're right, I haven't read any of these. I think Seth Haines gushed about The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell Episode 5 of What Should I Read Next?. That was now over seven years ago. But I've never read it myself. But a book that kept you fully engrossed, especially one of that length and that literary caliber, I am definitely intrigued.
Things in Jars, I'm not sure if I'm embarrassed or delighted to say has been on my bookshelf for several years now and I keep looking at it. But a mystery with great pacing that you found thoroughly entertaining sounds definitely worth picking up.
And Thirteen Moons is one that I don't even recognize the title of, but I think you have my number and I'm excited to explore that more.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:35:14] Yeah, I have read Cold Mountain. I think a lot of people have read Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. But I had not heard of Thirteen Moons either, so I'm excited to check that one out. Lovely. On to our next recommendation. Let's hear what they have to say.
London [00:35:28] Hi, my name is London, and I'd like to recommend to Anne an author that I've never heard mentioned on the show before. That is Alice McDermott. She writes really quiet, character-driven novels, kind of like Maggie O'Farrell or Elizabeth Strout.
There are two books of hers that I think would be good for Anne to start with if she hasn't read her before. One is called Someone, which is a very short novel that tells the story of Marie, an Irish-American woman living in Brooklyn after World War I.
The other is called Charming Billy, and it won the National Book Award. It's about friends who gather in a Bronx bar to remember friend Billy who just passed away.
Those novels are just really exquisitely written. McDermott plays around with time in a way that reminds me of This Must Be the Place. And I think Anne would enjoy both novels.
Anne Bogel [00:36:18] London, these sounds so good. Exquisitely written, plays with time, yes, those are descriptors that are definitely snagging me. I think I would start with Charming Billy before moving on to Someone. Thank you for the recommendation.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:36:32] Okay. And are you up for a lightning round? We've got three more quick recommendations from a few of our listeners that they love to share with you.
Anne Bogel [00:36:40] Yes, let's do it!
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:36:41] Let's do it! All right, here we go.
Christian [00:36:43] Hi. My name is Christian, and I was thinking that you had just finished reading Bring Up the Bodies, and so the next obvious choice would be The Mirror & The Light by Hilary Mantel. I think that would be a great book. Bring Up the Bodies was a good bridge from Wolf Hall to the third volume, and I think that you will enjoy the big ending as Cromwell meets his final end. So that would be an excellent choice.
Anne Bogel [00:37:08] I like it. I have to admit I need the nudge there because I'm intimidated by the length of this one, but I do know how it's going to end. And that symmetry to end the trilogy feels fitting.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:37:19] Absolutely. Okay, next one.
Laura [00:37:22] Hey, this is Laura. I think Anne should read Small Pleasures by Claire Chambers, about a woman named Jean who lives in 1957 London with her mother. And it's about family and love, and there's a really good mystery. I think that's what Anne should be next.
Anne Bogel [00:37:42] Laura, family, love 1957 London, that sounds great. Like, take me there.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:37:47] Okay. And our last recommendation today before we put you on the hot seat to decide which one you're going to read next, let's listen in.
Anne Bogel [00:37:55] It's only fair, but oh.
Mary [00:37:57] Hi, this is Mary from Wisconsin. I think the next book that Anne should read is Vesper Flights by Helen MacDonald. It's a 2020 release. I listen to it on audio and it's an excellent recording with the author reading. It's an essay collection of nature, nature essays in disparate forms and it's just beautiful.
Anne Bogel [00:38:17] Mary, I have had this book downloaded ready to play. I've looked at it so many times and I just never feel like I'm in the mood. Okay, so I feel like what you're saying back to your phone right now is just give it a try, Anne. That's what I'm thinking, Mary. You can write in and tell me if I'm wrong. So thank you for the encouragement to give it a try because it sounds like you think it's going to hug me once I jump in.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:38:39] All right. Anne, so we talked about a whole bunch of books today. I know I added a bunch to my TBR and library holds list, but I'm excited to hear from you. Which of these titles stood out to you and what do you think is the book you might read next?
Anne Bogel [00:38:52] I'm sorry, did you miss the part about me circling every one? Oh, how do people choose?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:38:58] It's tough. I don't know. I think you could probably talk about a couple. That'd be allowed. You can make the rules after all.
Anne Bogel [00:39:06] Okay. Holly, this is so hard in a really glorious way because all these books sound so good. Thank you all so much for calling in with your suggestions. And to those of you who called in and we didn't have air time for everyone, thank you so much for taking the time and thinking about what a reader may enjoy reading next.
Okay, I have to look at all my circle titles. They're so many. This is not going to do y'alls recommendations justice because there's too many. But I'm really intrigued by Barbara's suggestion, Properties of Thirst. One of her top five books ever. You saw it in your bookstore and had nice things to say about it, Holly. Passionate, complex family saga with music, recipes, and dogs, I'm going to try that.
Michelle's The Spoon Stealer. Her first five-star read of the year with Maggie O'Farrell vibes, great big heart, a family saga with twists and turns, and a mom who's mad about her daughter ruining a load of laundry, I'm so curious to find out what that's about.
All About Me by Mel Brooks. Because of that connection to my dad, I'm inclined to give that a try. I mean, how could I not read Rebecca and Beverly's Bluebird ardent recommendation?
Niall Williams' This is Happiness sounds so good.
Charming Billy by Alice McDermott, she's one of those authors that I feel like I should give a try because she's probably in my wheelhouse, but I'll never know until I actually read her.
And then we know that Vesper Flights is already downloaded on my Libro.fm app.
How many am I supposed to choose? Because I think that might be seven. Let's just call it, all those sound good.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:40:37] We can multitask. We can read multiple books at the same time. That's okay.
Anne Bogel [00:40:40] That is okay.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:40:42] I think the good thing is all of these are captured for our listeners as well. And you'll have a handy list that you can come right back to in our show notes. Whenever you finish up with one of these, the rest will be right there waiting for you. So you've got good recommendations to take for quite a while now.
Anne Bogel [00:40:56] I do. Thank you so much to all of you. And Holly, thank you for coming on this adventure with all of us today.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:41:03] Oh, it was a treat. So much fun. I think we'll have to have some book talk about Properties of Thirst here pretty soon.
Anne Bogel [00:41:09] Holly, what do you think you're going to read next?
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:41:11] Oh, gosh.
Anne Bogel [00:41:12] I know you added quite a few to your TBR as well.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:41:14] I did. So I think Properties of Thirst is high up there as well. Again, it's been just waiting for me. And then, you know, Things in Jars that Alison recommended, that's been lingering on my library holds list also for at least a year. So I think it's time to give that one the attention that it probably deserves. So I'm gonna start-
Anne Bogel [00:41:33] It might be time. Sometimes the universe reminds you how much you want to read that and suggests gently or aggressively that now is the time. Maybe now's the time, Holly.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:41:42] I think now is the time. I can't wait.
Anne Bogel [00:41:45] Ooh, thanks so much for talking books with me today.
Holly Wielkoszewski [00:41:47] Thanks so much. This was great.
Anne Bogel [00:41:53] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed our discussion today and maybe heard a book or two that you would love to read next too. If you have a recommendation for what I should read, I still want to know. Please tell me, please tell all of us by leaving a comment at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. That's also where you will find the full list of titles you all recommended to me today.
If our show is on your weekly must-listen list, please share it with a friend. An easy way to do this is by sharing our episodes on Instagram and tagging the show @Whatshouldireadnext or you can tag me @Annebogel in your story.
You can also help others find our show, and as podcasters that is totally our love language, by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or giving a star to an episode on Overcast. Be sure you're following us on your favorite podcast app so you will never miss an episode.
Sign up for our weekly email for updates on what's happening around What Should I Read Next? HQ, like this fun listener-compiled recommendations episode and you'll get more peeks into what I'm reading lately. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economyby Pietra Rivoli
This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell
Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
Painting Time by Maylis De Kerangal
▵ The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
• Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
• Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackbur
• The Last Thing You Surrender: A Novel of World War II by Leonard Pitts Jr
• Properties of Thirstby Marianne Wiggins
• Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins
• The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe
• Assemblyby Natasha Brown
• Hello, Molly!: A Memoir by Molly Shannon
• All About Me! by Mel Brooks
• As You Wishby Cary Elwes
• Bluebird by Sharon Cameron
• Still Life by Sarah Winman
• This is Happiness by Niall Williams
• Wish You Well by David Baldacci
• Four Letters of Love by Niall Williams
• Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai
• The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
• Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
• Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier
• Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
• Someone by Alice McDermott
• Charming Billy by Alice McDermott
• The Mirror & The Light by Hilary Mantel
• Small Pleasures by Claire Chambers
• Vesper Flights by Helen MacDonald
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 367: Books that check all your boxes + what should Anne read next?
• WSIRN Episode 62: Your TBR will never be the same…
• 16 recommended reads for those traveling to Aotearoa New Zealand
• Bookworm of Edwards
• Patreon Bonus As You Wish
• WSIRN Episode 273: Realism, redemption, and reading across generations
• WSIRN Episode 4: Reading as escape, hating lots of books, and finding new fiction
The post What should Anne read next? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s travel season in Modern Mrs Darcy land. Several members of our team are embarking on big trips this spring; my own family is embarking on a modest little adventure soon (while planning something kind of major for down the road). Many of you are on spring break right this minute! No wonder I have travel on the brain.
Will and I got to talking this week about our best travel tips. Mine were about planning and packing, but his were a lot more fun—and so I’m going to borrow them for this post about “my” best travel tip.
When I asked Will for his best tip, the first thing he said was, “if you have the chance to get all-you-can-eat gelato, take it!”
Many years ago—when the kids were much younger—my family of six took a family trip to the Florida panhandle with my parents. We stumbled into a gelato shop on their all-you-can-eat night: it was obviously more expensive than a two-scoop serving, but we adored the idea of getting to try any flavor we wanted, so we went for it. And friends, I’m not sure I can adequately convey just how much fun it is—whether you’re five or sixty-five—to get to try any flavor you want to in the gelato shop. Nearly ten years later, we’re still talking about that night.
Of course, the important thing here isn’t the gelato, but the principle of the thing: go a little wild and enjoy an experience you’ll remember forever.
Will says another travel tip he now relies on is to plan on visiting the marquis sites: the Biltmore mansion, the Empire State Building, the top of the Eiffel Tower (the latter an experience neither of us has had but would very much like to). This may sound obvious, but an area’s big destinations—or “signature experiences”—often come with a big price tag that can be hard to swallow. Not always, but often. In those moments, Will says it’s again helpful to remember that life is a series of experiences, and even though our splurges may not come cheap, the memories are priceless.
Will’s tips were about gelato and mine, so what were mine about? Logistics. Which sounds boring, but I can be an anxious traveler—and it helps me to pretend I’m leaving a day before my actual departure, so I’m not rushing around tying up loose ends at the last minute. I cannot confirm this anywhere on the internet, but I’m pretty sure I read this tip in a paperback Rick Steves travel guide, when I was fourteen year old and my parents were planning to take my brother and me to Germany for the first time.
Another thing I swear by, that Will hasn’t yet embraced: packing cubes. I first used these for my 2018 book tour and have been a packing cube evangelist ever since. I can fit so much more in my suitcase (or duffel) this way; in fact, with the cubes the limiting factor isn’t how much stuff I can pack, but how heavy my bag becomes with so much packed inside. (I have a Calpak 5-piece set; a similar version is available at Nordstrom Rack for less.)
Do YOU have travel on the brain? What’s your best travel tip? Tell us the travel advice you swear by in the comments section.
P.S. Try the Bakewell tart, and other rules I’m learning to live by, plus our literary tourism series.
The post My best travel tip appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you looking forward to this weekend? I’m excited that my college kid is coming home for spring break, and am happily anticipating lots of family dinners and hikes and game nights. I’m also halfway through a book that just got good, so maybe this weekend I can finish it off? I hope so!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: Permanent daylight saving time: The clock is ticking in Congress. (Washington Post gift link) Many of us in the U.S. spring forward this weekend (groan). The Senate voted in favor of permanent Daylight Savings Time last year, but the bill died in the House. This piece gives an update on the current status of the legislation. * Building a New Canon of Black Literature. (New York Times gift link) “Operating outside of academia, these groups are making the canon less prescriptive and more descriptive, a dynamic record of what people are actually reading and enjoying now.” * We have reports that some readers are getting Amazon coupons for the My Reading Life book journal ($3.50 off). We make no promises (we wish!), but if you have the coupons on your account—that’s a steal of a deal. * Hay-on-Wye: How to spend a weekend in “the Town of Books”. (Apple News) Browse the bookshops, explore the town, climb the castle’s tower—and more. * How do you keep your favorite recipes handy? On comfort food and recipe cards, and their connection to loved ones and legacy. The comments are a treasure trove of good ideas and actionable recommendations. * All the differences between the Daisy Jones & the Six book and series. (EW) Will and I just finished episode 3. Are you watching? * The 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist is finally here. (Stylist) I’ve found a lot of good reads from past Women’s Prize longlists. * A little pricey but gosh this sweater is cute for spring! * A retro hobby for the end times. (Vox) “Canning is always going to be a little bit about self-reliance; it allows people to make food in their own homes that’s usually produced in a factory far away. But there’s also a more communal way to look at it.” * This is your semi-regular reminder that cinnamon almond butter is a thing and it’s wonderful. (We just emptied another jar.) * The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are. (The Atlantic) What’s your subjective age? * The 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time. (Time) * 7 Things I Spotted People Wearing in Paris. (Cup of Jo) My favorite: “Not breaking news, but I noticed again how many French women wear their hair windswept and bedhead-y, versus perfectly polished. Some funny evidence? When I stopped brushing my hair halfway through our trip, more shopkeepers spoke to me in French and no less than three older French ladies approached me for directions.” * A flood destroyed all of Sarah’s books, but a gift from a librarian changed her life. (NPR) What a wonderful librarian! * The 26 Most Beautiful Towns in America. (Condé Nast Traveler*)
Don’t miss these posts: 15 immersive historical fiction books about overlooked events. You probably didn’t learn about these events in history class! * Tried and true beauty and skincare products I never want to be without. I always want to know: which beauty and skincare products do you use every last speck of before reordering immediately? * 20 extra-long and totally readable books.* In case you’ve been wanting to tackle a looooong book.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
“Favorite” is a bold claim, and not one I like to use in the singular sense. But I’m going out on a limb today to talk about a favorite—perhaps my very favorite—sort of book, the kind I informally label as “emotionally resonant fiction.”
If you’ve hung out around here for long, this comes as no surprise, as this sort of realistic fiction consistently fills my favorite books of the year lists and I shared many such titles in our recent What Should I Read Next episode devoted to my best books of the year.
These books don’t slot neatly into any one section of the bookstore—I can find it in contemporary or literary, sometimes in fantasy or YA—but I know it when I see—er, read—it.
These are the stories that make me think of Emily of New Moon and her experience of “the flash.” Have you read her? The Emily trilogy is L.M. Montgomery’s lesser-known (though, I’d like to think, not less-loved) counterpart to the Anne of Green Gables series. Emily, an aspiring writer, called “the flash” her poor description for a feeling she could not name—though she knew that “when the flash came to her Emily felt that life was a wonderful, mysterious thing of persistent beauty.”
In my own version of Emily’s flash—which captures beauty, of course, but also plenty of pain—these stories hold moments of piercing insight into what it means to be human, appealing to my mind and heart by capturing exactly how life is, or how I imagine it could be. Sometimes an author is able to put into words an emotional truth I’ve experienced for myself but have never been able to articulate myself, making me think, Yes, that’s it. Sometimes an author, through the power of fiction, is able to take me deep inside the minds and experiences of characters whose lives bear little resemblance to my own. A friend once described my favorite books as “real people, real problems.” Sounds about right.
These are often stories of high stakes—although with the fiction I’m most drawn to, the threat is likely not the potential end of the world but the end of a relationship. And the richness of my reading experience comes not just from the story and its characters but how I experience those things: it’s as though I can feel that moment when their heart is in their throat (as in Tara M. Stringfellow’s Memphis), or threatens to break entirely (as in Maggie O’Farrell’s After You’d Gone), or the breathless, complicated relief of a near miss (as in Susan Conley’s Landslide), or the perfect symmetry of a triumphant, full-circle ending when they get what they need and sometimes what they want, too (as in Lily King’s Writers and Lovers, and Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, and Marjan Kamali’s The Stationery Shop, and basically every book on this list).
(Of course an emotionally resonant novel can end in total devastation—but those are rarely my favorites.)
Different things evoke that sense of emotional resonance—that flash of insight that makes you think, Yes, this is how it is—in different readers. These connections are often deeply personal, and may come down to specificity of circumstance and timing. For you it could be love or work or faith or a certain sort of loss. For me, the stories with the most emotional resonance often come in the form of a novel about a family in a tricky situation.
Today I’m sharing a small collection of adult fiction (though I could go on all day, truly), but I’ve felt this way about YA books (Julie Buxbaum’s Tell Me Three Things and Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X spring immediately to mind), and plenty of memoirs generate that sense of the flash: Suleika Jaouad’s Between Two Kingdoms, Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart, Tembi Locke’s From Scratch, and Doireann Ní Ghríofa’s A Ghost in the Throat, for starters.
Author: Marjan Kamali
We read Kamali's poignant novel together in the MMD Book Club in 2019, and it remains one of our group's favorites to this day, meaning I'm not the only one who appreciates an emotionally resonant novel. In 1953 Tehran, a young man failed to meet his betrothed in a Tehran square. Sixty years later and half a world away, the woman, now grown old, is about to discover why. This sweeping love story spans 60 years and two continents, taking the reader between contemporary New England and 1953 Tehran, thoroughly immersing the reader in the volatile political climate of 1950s Iran. More info →ChirpAuthor: Ann Patchett
I love sibling stories and meaty family sagas, as well as stories told with a reflective, wistful tone. This one delivers on all counts. Cyril Conroy means to surprise his wife with the Dutch House, a grand old mansion outside of Philadelphia. But a symbol of wealth and success for some is a symbol of greed and excess to others—including, crucially, Cyril's wife—and the family falls apart over the purchase. In alternating timelines, we get the whole story, over five decades, from Cyril's son Danny. The ending is perfection. More info →Author: Lily King
This novel follows aspiring writer Casey Peabody, who is mourning the sudden death of her mother, plus a messy break-up, in 1997 Massachusetts. Lost without direction, 31-year-old Casey waits tables to make ends meet while she works on her novel in a cramped and dingy rented room. While her friends have given up on their artistic ambitions in favor of stability and the next phase of life, Casey still harbors creative dreams and firmly grasps her youth. When she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle, it becomes all the more difficult to balance her art with "real life," and she just might reach her breaking point. I absolutely adored the exuberant ending. More info →ChirpAuthor: Susan Conley
When her husband is confined to a Nova Scotia hospital after a terrible fishing accident, a mother not much older than me is left to parent her teenage boys—"the wolves"—alone. But things have been hard for a while now: in this insular Maine fishing community, the fish aren't biting like they once did. Money is perpetually tight. Not long before, the family was dealt a terrible blow, and one son is still wracked by grief. And even absent an immediate crisis, parenting teenage boys is grueling. I did not want to put this down, although I paused many times along the way to text my fellow parents of teenage boys. I loved the bracing portrayal of a family on the brink, the gripping tone that says with every line I'm not sure how I'll get through this. My whole heart was wrapped up in this short family story. More info →Author: Maggie O'Farrell
I'm an O'Farrell completist, and this, her 2000 debut, may be my favorite of her older works. Told from multiple points of view, in multiple timelines, it took me a few chapters to find my footing, but once I did I blew through this compelling mix of love story, mystery, and compelling family saga. You should know that terrible, seemingly random tragedies beset characters in O'Farrell's novels, yet in her plots these surprising turns don't feel cheap, but all too true to our own real life experiences. (As one character muses, "Why isn't life better designed so it warns you when terrible things are about to happen?") More info →Author: Tara M. Stringfellow
Stringfellow’s grandfather was a World War II veteran who served as the first Black homicide detective in Memphis—before being lynched by his own all-white police squad. Her grandmother was among the first Black nurses in Memphis. This dual legacy of excellence and injustice permeates the novel as it traces a legacy of violence and matriarchal strength through three generations of Black women living in this historic city from 1937 to 2003, unflinchingly portraying both its strong communities and grim history of racism and violence. Readers should know this novel depicts horrifying events, yet it also lovingly and fiercely conveys the resilience, grit, love, and even joy of these women and their community. More info → What is your experience with emotionally resonant fiction? Is this a category that speaks to you? What novels have evoked that feeling of the flash for you?
The post My favorite subgenre: emotionally resonant fiction appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When you’ve got an overflowing to-be-read pile, it can be a tricky decision to dedicate some of your limited reading time to re-reading. Today’s guest, Rosalynn Tyo, deeply appreciates re-reading and wants to do more of it. But Rosalynn regularly finds herself distracted by the new releases or unread titles she finds at her local library or bookstore, and she’d love my suggestions to help her resist the siren song of the unread pile.
Rosalynn finds deep gratification in revisiting beloved stories, so today we’ll talk about how she can identify the much-loved titles that merit a re-read. I’ll also suggest some titles that I hope will end up on her re-reading shelf.
In addition to talking books today, I couldn’t resist asking Rosalynn all about her recent intergenerational book pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island, the land of Anne of Green Gables. I think you’ll enjoy hearing about it as much as I did!
If you have reading suggestions or re-reading tips for Rosalynn, let us know in the comments section below.
Readers, take note that in this episode we touch on the death of a spouse and unexpected widowhood. If that sounds like it would be upsetting for you to listen to right now, you may want to save this episode for the future.
Connect with Rosalynn on Substack.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] I just realized as you're describing these things that what I'm picturing in my mind are just scenes from the Kevin Sullivan movies.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:00:07] Yes. Yeah, it's accurate.
Anne Bogel [00:00:09] Okay, good. That's a relief.
[00:00:18] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What Should I Read Next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:49] Readers, today's guest recently checked off a bookish bucket list item, an intergenerational book pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island, the land of Anne of Green Gables. You'll hear more about that today because I have been dreaming of making such a trip for several decades and I would love to hear more.
Rosalynn Tyo guest's admission also caught my eye because she deeply appreciates rereading, and wants to do more of it. But she keeps getting distracted by new books, so she's looking for help. Rosalynn loves the feeling of cultivating deep and long-term relationships with a book she loves. That's why she wants more rereading in her life.
But this is tricky, and not for the reasons you might think. When it comes to leading readers away from their good intentions, social media is a common culprit. But that's not it for Rosalynn. She's not even on social, yet she still has a lengthy and growing TBR from her regular trips to the library and bookstore.
Because of all those unread books calling her name, it's tempting for Rosalynn to prioritize starting new to her books that will let her strike a title from that list, even though she knows that's not what she truly wants.
That's why today we're discussing ideas on how Rosalynn might steer clear of the siren song of the unread pile, and instead identify the much love titles that would be deeply gratifying to revisit. I'm excited to talk all things rereading for Rosalynn and give her solid suggestions to help her find satisfaction in her reading life.
Friends, you should know that in this episode we touch on the death of a spouse and unexpected widowhood. If that sounds like it would be upsetting for you to listen to right now, I would recommend saving this episode for later or skipping it today. Let's get to it.
[00:02:18] Rosalynn, welcome to the show.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:02:23] Thank you so much for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:02:25] Oh, it's my pleasure. I'm so excited to just talk today. Tell me a little bit about what you do and where you are in the world.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:02:31] Well, I'm in Ontario in Waterloo. I am a freelance writer now but I have been a literary magazine editor and a proposal writer and a copywriter in the past. So reading and books have always been important to me, like both professionally and personally.
Anne Bogel [00:02:48] Do I remember correctly that you're an English major?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:02:50] Yes. Yes, I was.
Anne Bogel [00:02:52] Okay, so this is a love that goes way back?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:02:55] Oh, yes. My mom is a big reader too. I think she taught me to read before I started kindergarten. And basically as soon as I could read a full-length book, I started doing that, never stopped.
Anne Bogel [00:03:11] I know you have two young daughters. Has it been important for you to instill the deep love in reading in their lives as best you're able?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:03:17] Yeah. I always hoped that they would become big readers too. We read together every night, I mean, now they're a little older. But when they were little, I would read to them every night. And whenever they asked, you know, if somebody crawled into my lap with a book, I'd always say yes. And I guess it worked because they're both big readers now too.
Anne Bogel [00:03:36] And they went along on your PEI pilgrimage. Is that right?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:03:41] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:03:42] Tell me a little about that family trip. I had been dreaming of going to PEI since I was probably your daughter's age and started reading L. M. Montgomery. And also I know we have so many listeners who have either been or are dreaming of going. So we're gonna be jotting notes for our potential travels, or for the time being just vicariously experiencing Prince Edward Island through your eyes. So hubris, tell us everything.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:04:04] So I read Anne of Green Gables when I was maybe like 11 or 12. Like my mom before me, and then I passed it on to my daughters who also fell in love with the story. And we decided to go to PEI to see all of the places that are in the book. When you get to the island you can still see the house that inspired Green Gables, you can see the Lake of Shining Waters, you can see the red sands of the beaches. It's a really beautiful place.
Anne Bogel [00:04:36] I just realized as you're describing these things that what I'm picturing in my mind are just scenes from the Kevin Sullivan movies.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:04:42] Yes. Yeah, it's accurate.
Anne Bogel [00:04:44] Okay, good, that's a relief. How long did you all plan to spend in PEI?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:04:50] Well, we rented a cottage and stayed for a week. And a week is definitely more than enough time to see all of the Anne sites because it's a very small island but it's very beautiful. And there's many reasons to go besides all of the Anne sites. But we saw the house, we saw the musical, we saw the little desk where she mailed her manuscripts, we saw everything.
Anne Bogel [00:05:16] Oh, that's amazing.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:05:18] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:05:18] What else did you all enjoy doing that wasn't necessarily on the official Anne itinerary?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:05:24] Well, we spent a lot of time at the beach, which is another one of my favorite things to do. We spent some time in Charlottetown. I mean, I guess we spent most of our time doing the Anne itinerary.
Anne Bogel [00:05:36] Well, that sounds like an amazing trip, and I'm so glad that you and your family have these memories and that shared experience that you got to do together.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:05:43] Yeah, it's amazing. We looked forward to it for years before we went.
Anne Bogel [00:05:47] Oh, tell me more about that.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:05:49] Well, we were originally supposed to go, I guess, in the summer of 2020, and obviously, that didn't happen.
Anne Bogel [00:05:56] Right.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:05:57] And we didn't get to go the year after. So we looked forward to it for quite some time. Which was good because actually by the time we got to go, the girls are both a little older. Chelsea is 12 now and Samantha is 9. So I think they actually got more out of it, could appreciate it more, and will remember it better.
Anne Bogel [00:06:16] And it seemed like that was a good age to take the trip.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:06:19] Mm-hmm. So they're like old enough to appreciate it but not like teenagers yet, and kind of like over spending time with their mom.
Anne Bogel [00:06:27] I'm sure you will have amazing pictures then from that trip.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:06:32] Mm-hmm. There is one picture of us all around... Like my daughters and I all like dressed up in Anne costume. So at the Visitor Center, right when you cross the bridge, there's a Visitor Center. And part of that is this little kind of set where you can put on the Anne costumes and have your pictures taken. So my girls and I did that. And we were in line to do it behind a father and son getting their pictures taken.
Anne Bogel [00:06:59] Oh, that makes me so happy.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:07:00] Yeah. So there's pictures on the wall of lots of people who have done it. And it's like all genders, all ages. It's not just, you know, like mother-daughters. I guess Anne is for everyone. Everyone loves her.
Anne Bogel [00:07:15] Anne is for everyone. I'm so glad to hear it. I mean, we've seen the Prince Edward Island landscapes in the Kevin Sullivan movies. I mean, how could you... You know, I'm always saying here like reading is personal, experience is personal, and yet it's hard to imagine not loving that.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:07:31] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:07:32] Thanks for painting that picture of the trip. For those of us who will only experience it vicariously and for those of us dreaming of going, we appreciate hearing a little bit about what it was like for you and your family.
Rosalynn, now back in your home in Ontario, what is your reading life like these days? What kind of titles are you focusing on? What does your rhythm feel like? I'd love to hear.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:07:54] Well, I've always got at least one novel and one work of nonfiction on the go at the same time. So I'll read the fiction before bed and the nonfiction in the daytime usually. And in terms of fiction, what I'm really drawn to lately is family stories. Specifically like found family stories or stories with just one parent or just kind of like unconventional families. That's kind of what I'm really into at the moment.
Anne Bogel [00:08:27] How long have you been reading thematically along those lines? I'm wondering if that has been a big change of pace for you.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:08:33] I'd say I've always been drawn to family stories but more so since I became a parent myself, which is some time ago now. I mean, my oldest daughter is 12. So I guess I've been reading more family stories for the past decade or so. And lately I've been particularly drawn to stories of found families and stories with one parent in the family because that's my situation now too.
So I'm kind of reading to see a reflection of my own experience and also just to learn and to think about my own situation differently, and just to feel less alone in it. I guess it can be kind of lonely to be the only parent in your household.
Anne Bogel [00:09:20] Yeah. I'm imagining, based on your longtime love of books, that you've often turned to the written word to see yourself and discover ideas—not completely foreign to you—that might help you understand your own situation a little bit differently, a little bit better.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:09:35] Yeah, I'd say that's exactly right.
Anne Bogel [00:09:37] Okay. And so that's what that looks like right now. Rosalynn, I'm gathering a picture of your reading life in part so we can recommend books you may enjoy reading next. And that means we get to talk about rereading. Tell me about this interest in developing as you call it deeper, long-term relationships with some of the books that you know you have already read and loved.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:09:58] Well, I've always admired people who just know their favorite books so well, you know that they can like quote from them as well. You know what I mean? Like they remember the plot perfectly well and have these deep connection to the characters. I would like to have that too.
But I do find that when I read a book just once it's not long enough for me to form that kind of relationship. I don't have the greatest memory in the world. So if I'm going to form a relationship with a book like that, I have to reread it.
The first time I read it I'm just interested in, I guess, like, what's going to happen. I don't want to take notes, I don't want to necessarily analyze it as I'm reading it. But I love to do that on a second read. But like you said in the introduction, it's really hard to go back to a book that I already know sometimes when there's just so many books that I haven't read yet.
Anne Bogel [00:10:57] You mentioned that you thought that might be the English major in you that is calling you to explore all the books out there and yet, at the same time, calling you to go deep with a few titles you feel would really be worth your while to do so.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:11:09] Yeah, like I'd like to have more of a balance, I guess, in my reading life. To like go back to some titles that really repay rereading and then also still have enough time to, you know, read the new and shiny.
Anne Bogel [00:11:25] There can be room for both in a reader's life and on a reader's bookshelf. Rosalynn, is this plan to reread more only in the wishing and dreaming stage or have you tried to incorporate this practice into your life already? I'm just wondering what might have worked or what strategies might be promising as we move forward.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:11:47] I would say yes, I have been rereading a bit recently, but just not as much as I would like to because I guess I'm still having a hard time resisting competing to stick with the new books I haven't read yet.
Anne Bogel [00:12:02] What appeals to you about the new and unread?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:12:04] The discovery. I know how some of my favorite books are going to end, of course. I guess that's what it is, is like the thrill of the new discovery.
Anne Bogel [00:12:17] I appreciate you not laughing outright in my face when I asked you. So what we want to do today is help you think about how to incorporate both depth and discovery into your reading life. And I think that'll seem a lot more attractive with the right mix of titles on your horizon.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:12:31] Yes, I think so.
Anne Bogel [00:12:33] Rosalynn, today we're going to find some good books for you to read and reread. And to do that, I think we need to hear about your books. Are you ready to dig in?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:12:41] Yes, I think so.
Anne Bogel [00:12:43] Well, you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we'll explore titles you may enjoy reading next. Rosalynn, how did you choose these for today?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:12:54] Okay, so the books that I picked are all books that I have reread. And it's a shorter list because I've read quite a few books and don't reread as much as I like. So my first book is 2 A.M. at the Cat's Pajamas. Have you read this one?
Anne Bogel [00:13:13] I have not.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:13:14] Oh, okay. Well, you should.
Anne Bogel [00:13:19] So good. That's a good beginning.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:13:19] It's so good.
Anne Bogel [00:13:20] Tell me all about it.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:13:21] Okay, so I took this book out from the library last summer, and I read it twice before I returned it. Like I read it once through and then, "oh, I need to read this again," and immediately restarted and read it again, which is really unusual for me that a book insists on my rereading it so soon, you know. So that's why I picked this one.
I really love it, because her use of language is just really inventive and evocative. And it's like it's a very short book. But what she does, like she can do something in a sentence that maybe another writer would take a paragraph to do. Every word is like a hard-working word, it's very powerful. There's a lot packed into each little phrase.
Anne Bogel [00:14:13] This is a book that unfolds over the course of a single day, isn't it? Or I think it's actually a single evening.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:14:18] I think it's 24 hours. Approximately 24 hours, I guess. Yeah. So it's a really short timeframe and it's a really short book, but yet it's amazing how well she brings these characters in this place to life in such a short timeframe. Like short number of pages, short number of hours, I guess that we know these characters, but yet you feel like you know them so well. Or I did.
And they're all just I guess really wonderfully like human characters. They're all flawed in their way but also just doing their best in really difficult situations, each one and is kind of sticking by each other. It's really funny, but it's also really heartwarming.
It's the story of Madeleine. She's a nine-year-old girl who wants nothing more than to sing on a stage. I don't want to spoil what happens in the book because it's such a short little plot, and I don't want to spoil it. But it's about how she goes about achieving that dream.
Anne Bogel [00:15:20] Well, that sounds delightful. That's 2 A.M. at the Cat's Pajamas, which has been on my radar for years, but I don't think I've ever purchased it or checked it out from the library. But thanks for recommending it.
Rosalynn, tell me about the next book you love.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:15:35] Okay, so the next book I picked is called French Exit by Patrick DeWitt. And it too is like a short book with really vividly drawn characters, takes place over a fairly short time. The main characters are Frances, a widow, and her adult son Malcolm, and they have kind of like Lucille and Buster Bluth 5[a]. Have you seen it?
Anne Bogel [00:16:02] I have.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:16:02] Yeah. So you'll know what I mean. So like, yeah, Frances, the widow she's very, like, witty and sharp, and like everyone's afraid of her. And her son Malcolm is kind of like a man-child. You know, like he's kind of adrift. He hasn't quite grown up yet and he's kind of... So they're very close.
But what's happened is that after her husband dies, she kind of spends her money really recklessly. So they're facing bankruptcy, but they don't want to stick around in New York and have that happen, and like the embarrassment of all that. So they kind of scrape together what they've got left and restart their lives in Paris.
And once they're there, they get into some really absurd kind of situations and meet even more kind of colorful characters and... It's really funny but also really quite sad in places. And I guess that's one of my favorite combinations in a book, is like books that'll make you laugh even though the situation is dark. I really love this book.
Anne Bogel [00:17:09] Another short one.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:17:10] Yes, yes. Short, but they pack so much into each paragraph and into each page. And I just really admire that, writers who can say so much in so few words. And not that I don't like really long books. I do.
Anne Bogel [00:17:30] Just not today.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:17:32] Right.
Anne Bogel [00:17:33] Rosalynn, what's the final book that you love?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:17:36] I wanted to pick a nonfiction book that I've reread as well, because that's another one of my favorite genres. And it's a book of personal essays by Barbara Kingsolver called High Tide in Tucson.
It's one of her earlier books, I think. The essays in the book were published in other magazines before they came out in the book. So it's kind of a time capsule at this point, because it's an older book. But also the themes are quite timeless. She writes about motherhood and she writes about...
There's an essay in here about housework and traveling with her young daughter to another country, and how children are treated differently in other countries as opposed to the United States where she's from. I think she goes to Spain and her daughter is treated like a princess. Whereas she has a different experience back at home where strangers see her as like, oh, more inconvenient.
Anne Bogel [00:18:40] And you know what's so funny? One of the essays in this book is about a hermit crab named Buster. And you're just talking about Buster and Lucille.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:18:45] Oh, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:18:47] Nicely connected.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:18:49] Nice connection, yes. It's one of those books... I really love it because she blends the personal together with political and reporting writing so seamlessly. You feel like you're in conversation with her almost. It's one of those books that kind of fell into my lap right when I needed to read it.
I distinctly remember the first time I read it, because it was some, like, ungodly hour, like 3 a.m. I was up with a newborn and it was my first daughter, and the experience was just not going the way I had expected. I thought, you know, like, Oh. You know, I had all these ideas about like maternity leave and how like I would, you know, put my daughter down for a nap and do a bit of writing. And that's just not how it was going at all.
And so it was kind of nice to read a book of personal essays about another writer who was also a mother but a little further on in the journey and it was kind of like a little kind of like a beacon of hope. You know what I mean? Like, you will get there, you will be able to do this. It's possible, just not right now.
Anne Bogel [00:20:03] I'm glad that book found you at the right time the first time. Rosalynn, tell me about a book that wasn't right for you.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:20:09] The book I chose was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. And I picked it up, even though it's not really the kind of thing that I would usually read but because there was just so much hoopla about it. Like it came out with a really big splash. Everywhere I looked there was this book, and I knew all these people who were reading it and saying it was so great. And I'm like, "Well, okay, I'm going to try it even though it's not my usual thing because I want to know what all the fuss is about," right?
So I started reading it, and I was like about halfway through, and I'm like, "Okay, I can see why people like this," because it really hooks you in immediately. But then like kind of halfway through there's this shocking twist, which I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't read it yet. But it's the kind of twist that makes you reevaluate everything you've already read and like how much you can trust the characters you've already met.
It felt kind of icky. It didn't feel like, "Ooh, surprise, plot twist." It felt like I'd been duped. Like I'd been kinda manipulated. And I was like, "Oh, I didn't like that feeling," but I still couldn't put it down. So I kept reading and it just gets kind of darker.
And it made me feel kind of icky in two ways because it's like the characters are pretty bad people doing pretty bad stuff. Also, just the fact that I couldn't stop reading it even though it was making me feel bad. You know what I mean? I was like, "I can't put this book down yet it's making me feel terrible." It wasn't an enjoyable reading experience. Like it's not a bad book, but I didn't enjoy the experience of reading it.
I'm glad that I finished it but it also kind of showed me that I'm like, "Okay, from now on I'm just going to pick up books that I'm interested in. I'm not going to listen to like the buzz and the hoopla and all that because it's not necessarily a good predictor for me of whether I'm gonna like it."
Anne Bogel [00:22:05] That's a good way to feel and you learn something about yourself, which is that I think the descriptors you used on the books you love are really representative of what you've looked to find in the books you're reading. You use phrases like "it's like having a conversation with a friend." "It's wonderfully human." "Funny and heartwarming." French Exit you called it a really funny and also quite sad and you really enjoy that blend.
I think humanity on the page is something that you enjoy in your books. And that's not what you found in Gone Girl. Now sometimes we can love very disparate things but it sounds like wonderfully human is something that you do look for in books that tend to characterize books you love.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:22:47] Yeah. Like I don't have to necessarily like all of the characters but I do... I like a well-drawn depth of character, I guess, even if it's a character that I don't particularly like.
Anne Bogel [00:23:03] Well, do you feel like they weren't fully fleshed out and humanized in Gone Girl, or did you just not like them in the emotions that reading experience generated?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:23:11] It made me feel really kind of queasy to have to kind of identify with the characters and what they do. Like she goes really deep into the dark side, I guess, of human nature. So I can appreciate it, but I didn't enjoy it.
Anne Bogel [00:23:27] Okay. So human foibles, human failings-
Rosalynn Tyo [00:23:31] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [inaudible 00:23:31]
Rosalynn Tyo [00:23:32] Oh, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:23:33] But the out now[b] devious and destructive maybe not for you.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:23:37] Yeah, I guess. Yeah. It was a little too dark for me.
Anne Bogel [00:23:41] Okay, duly noted. Rosalynn, what have you been reading lately?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:23:46] I just finished a book called Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. And I really love that. I also recently read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. And that's really great too.
Anne Bogel [00:24:02] Do you want to tell me about Circe unseating the Goldfinch?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:24:05] Oh, yeah. So the first book of the year that I rent [c]and really stuck with me even though it was over a month ago now was Circe. I really love that book. Like for years I've said that The Goldfinch is my favorite book, but I think Circe-
Anne Bogel [00:24:18] Oh, you do love long books.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:24:19] Yeah. I do. I do love long books.
Anne Bogel [00:24:25] But Circe unseated it.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:24:26] Yeah. I've never read anything quite like it. Have you read Circe?
Anne Bogel [00:24:32] I have.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:24:33] I didn't know too much about the story going in because it's the story of Greek gods and goddesses, Greek mythology. So I was kind of like familiar with the names and vaguely familiar with some of the more, you know, famous stories in Greek mythology, but I didn't know Circe's story, I didn't really know what to expect. And I really loved it.
I was really drawn into her character. It was interesting just as I read through just like names popping up that I recognize. Like, oh. You know, like getting all the backstory on all these themes, Greek gods and goddesses that I only knew by name. So that it was really fascinating from that perspective but also just the writing is beautiful. I mean, it's Greek mythology, so the plot is also very propulsive.
Anne Bogel [00:25:20] Is this one you'll be coming back to?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:25:22] Oh, definitely. Yeah, I definitely plan to reread Circe.
Anne Bogel [00:25:25] I'm happy to hear it. Rosalynn, I know that you are on the lookout for some very specific books in your reading life right now. As we start considering titles that may be right for you right now, what are the kinds of things you're hoping to find?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:25:40] I'm particularly looking for family stories, and I'm looking for books in which grief is a theme because I've just started this book club for widows and widowed parents, and our plan is to read books in which grief is a theme but not necessarily like super sad, unrelentingly bleak, you know, books about death, you know?
Anne Bogel [00:26:08] Like, I'm looking for kind of uplifting family stories in which grief is a theme, I guess, in books that are going to have enough in there to discuss, I guess. Like good picks for a book club.
Anne Bogel [00:26:20] Would you tell me more about how this book club came to be?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:26:23] Oh, sure. So here in Waterloo, we have this not-for-profit community that supports widowed parents that's called Hummingbird Centre for Hope. And the director of the community asked me if I would start a book club for the community. And I said, "Sure." And then I had to tell her like, you know, I have never actually hosted a book club before. Like, I've never even really been in a book club before. And she was like, "That's alright. You know, we'll make it work." So that's the plan.
And our first meeting is next month, and I think we have about 12 members signed up now, but I've only ever met one in real life. So I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and hopefully choosing some good books to read together.
Anne Bogel [00:27:13] What are you hoping to find in this book club that was assigned to you? And yet hearing you talk about it and reading what you've said about it, it sounds like you're really... that it's your baby, Rosalynn.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:27:25] Well, I'm hoping to find, I guess, a community of widows and widowers like myself who also really love to read and just to see elements of our experience, I guess, reflected back in print. I find reading about families that are like mine, like families with just one parent makes you feel a little less alone because it can be kind of lonely to be a single parent. I guess I'm looking for like a real-life community of fellow readers who are also single parents, but also fictional community of one-parent families.
Anne Bogel [00:28:07] And how does this fit into your reading intentions?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:28:10] Well, I'm thinking like any book that I'm going to read for book club I'm almost automatically going to reread because I'm the sort of reader who like on a first read... Like I read quickly because I just want to kind of get to know the characters and see what's going to happen with them. But I don't like to make notes and my memory is not super good so I don't like retain the details super well.
So if I know I'm going to be discussing it as part of a book club, I'll read it a second time, and read it a second time more carefully. So I guess I'm looking for books that I'll stand up to that, that I can enjoy on a second read and find things maybe that I didn't find the first time. So I'm looking for, I guess, books that are going to be thought-provoking and have like some big themes in there. But I guess also, maybe not.
Again, I'm gonna say this again, super long books. Because I need to read it twice. I know that some of the members of the book club aren't going to have as much time for reading as I do or are in earlier phases of grief, where it's harder to focus for long periods on a book. Yeah, I'm looking for books that will repay rereading, and maybe aren't difficult to reread, and that they're like maybe very long or very dense.
Anne Bogel [00:29:29] Thank you for telling me about that. That helps as we consider what books will be right for you and also perhaps for your book club. And if it sounds good to you, I'm going to keep an eye out for titles across a variety of genres, and also age of the protagonist, and the specifics of the situation. Does that sound like a good idea?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:29:46] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:29:46] Okay. You also had mentioned that you're always on the hunt for books about one-parent families in general.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:29:54] Yes. I really love them because they make you feel less alone and less unusual. You know, I may be the only one on my street but I'm definitely not the only one out there.
Anne Bogel [00:30:07] That's what fiction can reassure us of. And a good memoir too. I am eyeing one or two of those.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:30:12] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:30:15] Rosalynn, I know that the books you love are those adjectives and phrases we already talked about: wonderfully human, portraying people doing their best, that are funny and heartwarming. They can be sad, but also quite funny. I'm going to keep that in mind. But I think we also may venture a little bit afield from there, knowing that there will be a range of tastes in your book club. Oh, although I just remember you promised people reads that would not be nonstop depressing.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:30:42] Yeah. Right.
Anne Bogel [00:30:45] Well, that might negate the first book I was just going to tell you about.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:30:48] That's okay if they're not all fit for the book club, you know. I am okay with a sad book.
Anne Bogel [00:30:56] Well, the one I was wondering about, and I'm thinking about your professed love for found family stories and those portraying unconventional families, the Coloradoan author, Kent Haruf, writes books that are often quiet, compact, sometimes quietly devastating. I found him, thanks to What Should I Read Next? listeners. And I've been slowly working my way through the back catalog over the years.
And the one that's coming to mind for me is Plainsong. It's a small-town Colorado story. In it, he weaves three families together in ways that are surprising to the reader and definitely surprising to the characters in the novel. And in this book, they're all dealing with their own private tragedies. And you see them at the beginning of the book things aren't good, and then they get worse.
But Haruf brings them together in ways the characters do not expect. Like a high schooler gets pregnant, and a neighbor who knows these two households, makes a suggestion and then pushes a little bit and then a little bit more for her to make her home for the time being with these two old bachelors who have lived together a lonely life for a long time. That's just one example of the three families that come together in this book.
And while their circumstances are so sad, there's also this profound sense of goodness that comes to the reader watching these lonely sad people find each other and find comfort and solace in it. And this book is more likely to make you reach for the tissues then laugh out loud. I don't think that's going to happen here. But they feel so profoundly right in the way they show people turning to each other, and finding unexpected consolation from unexpected sources in grief.
And all his books are pretty compact. This is not his shortest, but it's not a big lift page count-wise, meaning it might be easier to come back to.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:32:53] That sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:32:54] I hope so. Now I want to go to a direction that is less expected. Something that you wrote to me was that you were interested in reading about protagonists who are widows but are not mired in that initial hazy stage of grief. Because you said that it's easy for that stage to be romanticized and that frankly, it was less interesting to you than what comes after when the person has begun to adapt and grow and gain the perspective that only comes with the passage of time.
And we can see that in literary fiction, we can see it in a memoir, we can see it in lots of genres. And I want to point out a title in a direction that you might not think to look, and that is to the older work of Taylor Jenkins Reid, which has a different tone than her more recent novels. She really started in a new trajectory with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. This was the book she wrote right before that. And it came out in 2016. It's called One True Loves.
You know, I probably should say with all of this that I am not someone who knows this experience firsthand. This is an experience that I can see in the lives of some friends and then fiction, but that is the extent of my experience. So I imagine we will have very different reactions to all these books.
But the simplest way to describe this is it's like that Tom Hanks movie, Castaway. But in this version, in this book, Tom Hanks, the character, comes home just before the wedding. So this is the story of a young woman named Emma. The characters are in their... I believe they're in their 20s. The oldest they're in their early 30s. But they're not old and they do not have children at this point in the story.
[00:34:26] The protagonist married her high school sweetheart, Jesse, when she was in her 20s. And they were both adventurous. They traveled the world together. They were happy. She was a journalist, I think he wrote for an adventure magazine. But then his helicopter disappears over the Pacific and he is presumed dead in an accident.
So the story really focuses on three years later after she has moved back home and made a new life for herself. And she's even fallen in love and is thinking this is the person she's going to marry. But then right at the cusp of that she gets a call that he's been found, and she's suddenly forced to choose between the husband she thought was gone forever—I mean, she's been living as the widow—and the man who she feels like has helped her learn to live again.
But what she's really exploring here, with a light touch, because this is not the same tone as Plainsong by any means. But she's showing how when we've lived through something it changes us, and that's not undone because you get a phone call. This is a book that does get tied up with a bow.
So if neat and tidy resolutions are not for you, Rosalynn, or readers, this probably isn't the right story for you. But there is a lot to discuss in a book that really goes down easy. Like this is one that you could just flip the pages through. Also, I just need to put in a note for book lovers, the protagonist, Emma, her family owns a bookstore, and that features prominently in the story.
And I have to tell you a really touching scene about how we care for the grieving is in this book. I don't think it's giving too much away to say that, Emma, for all intents and purposes, everything she knows is that her spouse has died. She is seeking comfort in books. And the first book she reads, the husband dies.
So there's a scene where her mother and father are just sitting on the floor in the living room... I'm probably making up too many details. This is how I picture in my mind. But they're sitting on the floor with just stacks of books beside them, just reading them to make sure they can give their daughter a stack of books where nobody dies.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:36:19] Oh.
Anne Bogel [00:36:20] And I still remember that all these years later.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:36:22] Ah, that sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:36:24] Another book that might be set too close to the deaths of spouses to really be what you're looking for, but I'm going to tell you about it and let you decide, is Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen. And he was actually on the podcast years ago. Readers, that's a really fun episode where we talk about fiction and magic and escaping into books and making the magical real.
Well, this is a grownup sort of fairy tale that is about grief and also redemption and forgiveness and joy. And it's set in the Pennsylvania forest. And in this book, a man and a woman are both surprisingly widowed, young ages by terrible accidents. And in this story, they improbably find each other.
So this is about unlikely friendships. There's a book within a book, there's a found family, there's a battle to save the local library. It can be a little sentimental, but the book also has such a strong sense of humor. And I think that's a nice balance for you. So the phrases funny and heartwarming, characters doing their best in hard circumstances, wonderfully human, I think those phrases could all apply here.
And I'd like to put in a plug for the works of Marisa de los Santos. In general, she writes gentle stories of grief and loss and love. And she stays with her characters in her interlinked novels for the long haul. So you see them at all different ages and stages, and across the generations.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:37:53] Ah, that sounds really interesting.
Anne Bogel [00:37:56] I'd like to end with two memoirs. Can we do that?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:37:57] Sure.
Anne Bogel [00:37:59] Okay. The first is by poet Elizabeth Alexander. It's called The Light of the World. Do you know this one?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:38:06] No. I feel like I've talked about it a lot.[d] And I expect it's rather well-known as the next one we're going to talk about honestly. But I'm going to read you the opening words from this book. It says, "The story seems to begin with catastrophe, but in fact, began earlier and is not a tragedy, but rather a love story.
And in this book, her husband, artist, teacher, larger than life, full of joy, he dies just four days after his 50th birthday completely unexpectedly. And this memoir is written with the perspective of some past time. And she's looking back on their life together, the love that they shared, and the impact of that loss in her life.
And I know you love words that are worth coming back to because of the way they're laid out on the page. She is a poetry professor at Yale. She knows how to make the words fall in the right order. That's so obvious in the story's richness and language. And she has so much wonderful source material to work with.
She's an American born in Harlem. Her husband was born in Eritrea in East Africa, he came to New Haven as a refugee from war. They were both artists. And she describes the gatherings of people they have together in her home, the kinds of conversations they enjoyed having over breakfast, the way they parented their children together, and now she's parenting her children alone. There's so much here to recommend to many readers.
And it is a sad story, of course, because she's writing about the loss of this great love in this great man. But also, this book is so joyous, and I think that coexistence of those two things would make this a really satisfying read for you and a really promising one for your group.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:39:50] Oh, okay. Yeah, that sounds really good.
Anne Bogel [00:39:52] Finally, Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan. I feel like this is also quite well-known. This book is not grieving the loss of a spouse, although we do see that second hand in the pages. This is in many ways both about the loss of Kelly's friend Liz to cancer, who she's written about in previous books, and also the loss of her 80-something-year-old father. And she says frequently, like, People think it's not normal or fitting for a grown woman to be this broken up over the death of her 80-something-year-old father, but let me tell you how I loved him, and let me tell you how he loved me, and let me talk to you about what grief really means."
But in this book, she talks in-depth about how after her friend Liz was diagnosed with cancer, they both pushed past the surface stuff to forge a powerful and enduring friendship. And because Kelly and her friend Liz are friends along with their husbands, we do hear about Liz is dying and leaving behind her husband. She knows that. And her husband knows that she is dying before his eyes. And that's very much in the pages. And it's so sad, and yet, this book is also, I think, so life-giving.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:40:55] I have read Tell Me More, and I loved it. But it's been a while, I could definitely go back and reread Tell Me More. I love Kelly Corrigan.
Anne Bogel [00:41:05] I'm glad to hear it. And I'd be interested in hearing if you think this is a book worth rereading. She says these are stories. It's very story driven about the 12 hardest things she's learning to say. And it's about loss but it's also very much about things we've mentioned today. Like it's about parenting and friendship and getting clear on your own stuff and then what that means for going out and living in the world. You can have some amazing discussions about this book.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:41:30] Somewhere I read that somebody described Kelly Corrigan as I think the Poet Laureate of the ordinary. Does that sound right?
Anne Bogel [00:41:38] Wow, that's very flattering.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:41:39] Yeah, she really gets right into all that like domestic stuff and holds nothing back. You know, like things she writes about herself, I'm like, "Oh, my gosh." Like she tells the truth even if it's not particularly flattering. You know what I mean? I really admire that about her. I think she's a great writer.
Anne Bogel [00:42:00] I'm glad to hear that. And you know, sometimes we need a writer to tell those stories so that we can talk about them in book club, when we're working up to telling our own. Oh, you know, we could talk about a long book, Rosalynn, if you wanted to.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:42:13] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:42:14] Have you read The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:42:17] I have not. I have heard of it, though. I have not.
Anne Bogel [00:42:20] This is a big sprawling mix-it-up family story. It's not as long as The Goldfinch. This is only 500 pages. There's a lot happening here. It's the story of a married couple and their four grown daughters. The parents have gotten along all too well over the years in the daughters' lives. They feel like they, in their relationships, can never measure up to the great love of their parents. And that doesn't always do great things for the sisterly bond.
But in the opening pages, one daughter reveals a huge family secret, and then the novel tracks what happens in the next year of every family member's life. So, of course, in a big family story everybody is dealing with lots of stuff. But specifically in this book, the eldest daughter was widowed young, and though many years have gone by now, she keenly feels the loss. And the way that plays out in the story, I think that could be an interesting thread for you, and perhaps for your book club, if a 500-page book isn't automatically disqualified for length.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:43:23] I guess we'll have to see how it goes and then like what everybody in the group how they feel about super long books. But it definitely sounds good to me. Like I'll definitely read it.
Anne Bogel [00:43:34] No, I wouldn't make it your first pick or second. Claire of the books we talked about today, and we actually talked about a lot of them at the end. We talked about The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander, Plainsong by Kent Haruf, Harry's Trees BY Jon Cohen, One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan, The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. Of those books, what do you think you may pick up next?
Rosalynn Tyo [00:44:00] I think I'll probably look for Plainsong first. But I'll be reading all of them, I think.
Anne Bogel [00:44:07] Well, I'm excited to hear how they work out for you. And Rosalynn I'm wishing you well, and also all the best as you start this book club.
Rosalynn Tyo [00:44:18] Thank you. Thank you so much for having me on the show.
Anne Bogel [00:44:20] Oh, it was my pleasure. Thanks for talking books with me today.
[00:44:27] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Rosalynn, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. Join us over on Instagram @whatshouldireadnext and find me there @annebogel. We love seeing you tag us whenever you share your favorite episodes on social, and it's a quick and easy way to share this podcast with your friends.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
[a]Wondering if this should be "vibe"? A random number doesn't make sense.
[b]out and out?
[c]read?
[d]Anne is talking again here, not the guest
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
2 A.M. at the Cat’s Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino
French Exit by Patrick DeWitt
High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now or Never by Barbara Kingsolver
▵ Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• Plainsong by Kent Haruf
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen
• Marisa De Los Santos (try I’ll Be Your Blue Sky)
• The Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander
• Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
• The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Also mentioned:• Kevin Sullivan Anne of Green Gables films
• WSIRN Episode 160: Books that capture the magic of everyday life with Jon Cohen
The post Books so nice you’ll want to read them twice appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, when Chelsey first shared her “comfort food and recipe card” realization with me, and its connection to loved ones and legacy, I begged her to write about it for Modern Mrs Darcy. I’m happy to say that’s what she’s doing today. Happy reading, and bon appétit! – Anne
Whenever I roast the best crispy potatoes ever, I think of my friend Emily who lovingly cooked a hearty meal of buttermilk brined chicken, potatoes, and green beans when I stayed at her home a few years ago. The potatoes are indeed the best, but the real magic of this side dish is the memory of my friend’s hospitality and how much we laughed together that weekend. I never logged the recipe after she texted it to me, so I rely on Google every time I want to replicate the meal.
Unlike my parents’ generation, my dinner companions don’t write down recipes for each other on patterned “from the kitchen of” index cards. We text each other links, which are undoubtedly convenient but so easy to lose track of. Maybe it’s because I turned 30 last year, or maybe it’s because I have a little one—and so now I’m considering tradition, legacy, and memories in a whole new way—but I’m starting to wonder if scrolling a text thread or searching Google is the best way to preserve my favorite recipes for years to come.
My internet search history is full of half-forgotten recipes, while my parents’ physical recipe box is stuffed with handwritten instructions for casseroles and desserts collected from family parties, church potlucks, and school fundraising nights. My mom’s lasagna, hamburger soup, and taco pie recipes all came from her close friends, and I treasure them as much as (or even more than) my parents do.
My kindergarten best friend’s mom made the best creamy chicken enchiladas, and I still request them every time I visit home. One family friend put vanilla pudding packets in her chocolate chip cookie dough, and I made those “pudding cookies” so many times in high school that my friends renamed the recipe after me. What started as a simple exchange of ingredients among friends has built a treasure trove of memories and my entire catalog of comfort food.
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (see full recipe below)I dream of curating a similar collection of recipes from my own dear friends to pass down to my children one day. The recipes linked in my group texts and book club email chains are just as important to me as my parents’ well-worn recipe cards from the 1990s—I just don’t know how to keep the links in an organized, meaningful way. My current method of Googling recipes or saving bookmarks to my internet browser makes my head spin.
I’ve picked up countless tips for my reading life, my wardrobe, and my kitchen from the Modern Mrs Darcy community over the years, so I’m eager to hear from all of you in the comments.
How do you record and organize your texted, emailed, and Googled recipes—with a traditional recipe box, an app, or something different?
And if you have a favorite comfort food recipe to share that you got from a friend or loved one, you know we’d love to hear all about it.
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
4 c. torn fresh spinach or 1 pkg frozen spinach, cooked and drained
8 oz sour cream
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 T flour
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
½ cup skim milk
4 oz can diced green chiles
Shredded cheese (measure with your heart)
Tortillas
Optional: enchilada sauce
Combine chicken, spinach in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, flour, cumin, salt, milk, and chiles. Divide in half, save some sauce for later.
For filling, combine one portion of sauce with chicken and spinach. Fill tortillas and roll them. Place filled tortillas seam-side down in a casserole dish.
Spoon the second half of the sauce over the enchiladas. (Or use enchilada sauce, if desired).
Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins. Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Return to oven until cheese is melted.
About the authorChelsey Feder is a blog contributor. Her go-to genres are memoir and romance. You can find Chelsey on Instagram @chelseyreads or @novelpairingspod.
The post How do you keep your favorite recipes handy? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How is your weekend shaping up? Ours is getting off to a strange start—school is unexpectedly cancelled due to high winds and we’re still managing a child’s lingering concussion symptoms. Plus yesterday I finished all three of my current reads—print, ebook, and audio—so now I have lots of decisions to make about what to read next! (Any time-sensitive recs? You know I want to hear in comments!)
But—assuming the power holds—I hope to make numerous cups of coffee and tea and get started on Daisy Jones with Will. I’m also stopping to mark the third anniversary of Don’t Overthink It—can you believe it’s already been three years, because I sure can’t! If you haven’t yet read it, today is a wonderful day to grab a copy: Amazon (just under $10 at the moment), signed from my local indie (just specify “signed copy” in order comments), from your favorite independent bookstore, Target ($9.99 here), Kindle, Bookshop, wherever you like to buy your books. Thanks for supporting my work in this way, and for helping Don’t Overthink It find its readers despite its terrible early pandemic publication timing. I’m grateful.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: Try the Bakewell tart, and other rules I’m learning to live by. From the MMD archives and perfect for today’s Don’t Overthink It anniversary: My husband Will and I traveled to Scotland in December 2018 for an amazing literary adventure. Our time there was magical, though I do have a handful of regrets. Some were beyond our control, but one was completely preventable. * The Fleetwood Mac love saga that inspired ‘Daisy Jones and the Six.’ (Washington Post gift link) “The real-life relationship that gave rise to the book and now the series, which premieres Friday on Prime Video, was just as passionate and tumultuous.” * What we’re listening to: team podcast recommendations. This week on MMD: Podcast recommendations by and for book lovers—but these aren’t all about the books. * The Case for Hanging Out. (Slate) “Pushed further into isolation by the pandemic, we’re all losing the ability to engage in what I view as the pinnacle of human interaction: sitting around with friends and talking s.” * For National Craft Month, Craftsy is offering its lowest price ever: get a 1 year premium membership for just $0.79. This has proved popular with MMD readers not just for the cooking, crafting, photography, home decor, but the options found under “Writing”—journaling, handwriting, hand lettering, memoir writing, writing fiction, and more. * This Is What It’s Like To Be A Grammys Seat Filler Sitting Next To Jennifer Lopez. (BuzzFeed News) Pure fun. * The End of the English Major. (The New Yorker) This is a tough one. * 12 Home Decor Tips for a Mental Health Boost (That Have Nothing to Do With Decluttering). (Real Simple) I’ve got #4—”add a healthy dose of nature”—covered. * My teen girls have a thing for inexpensive rings. These seed bead rings from their friend’s Etsy shop are affordable and adorable. And aren’t these beaded hoop earrings perfect for spring? * Why I Watch the Closing Credits of Every Movie I See. (New York Times gift link) “We forget that countless individuals, each a storyteller in their own right, make our viewing possible.” Great perspective. * Judy Blume Goes All the Way. (The Atlantic) A wonderful in-depth profile of the author and her work. * This Is the Germiest Place In Your Kitchen, According to Science. (Food & Wine) I never would have guessed! * ‘It altered my entire worldview’: leading authors pick eight nonfiction books to change your mind. (The Guardian) * 25 Most Beautiful Cities in the World. (Travel + Leisure) How many have you visited?
Right for right now, from the MMD archives: A whole stack of middle grade books you can read in one weekend. Perfect for Middle Grade March! * 20 board games to beat the rainy day blues. When we tire of doing jigsaw puzzles, it’s time to pull out the board games. * 20 celebrity memoirs read by their authors*.
Mark your calendars: March 7: What’s your reading personality?: We’re big believers in the power of reading, and the power of personality frameworks as a useful tool for self-awareness. This class combines the two with nine distinct reading personalities. We’ll discuss what each type looks like, exploring what they like to read, and why they like to read it. And of course we’ll offer book recommendations for each type’s reading life. Our hope is that understanding why you read will help you get more out of your reading life. (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.) * March 18: Harvey Watch Party: Stream, buy, borrow, or rent Harvey, then join us as we all press play on this dramedy staring James Stewart, all together at the same time. We’ll use the Zoom chat feature to share our thoughts as we watch! (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.) * March 23: Live discussion with Annie Hartnett: It’s time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of Unlikely Animals* with Annie Hartnett! (Events are available as replays for members who cannot attend live.)
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Time travel is one of my favorite story elements—but not because I’m all that interested in the mechanics of how a character travels through the time. Whether the time travel occurs through magic or science or a rip in outer space, what I’m really here for is the high stakes, the shock of a new setting, and witnessing the main character’s world turn upside down in time travel novels. Plus I always love stories where someone gains a fresh perspective on the life they’ve become accustomed to, and stories in this category reliably make that happen.
I love seeing a character’s instant perspective shift when they get yanked out of their own time and place—or they’re in a familiar timeline they expect but looped in a “groundhog day” scenario. Time travel forces characters to reckon with the ramifications of their seemingly small decisions, and to grapple with their personal significance in the fabric of history.
Philosophical implications aside, I find time travel novels to be just plain fun! They combine thoughtful contemplation and page-turning plots across a variety of genres, so there’s a time travel tale for you no matter your reading taste. Some books I’ve raced through and then raved about it are on today’s list: Kindred, This Time Tomorrow, Sea of Tranquility. Among today’s eclectic collection of time travel titles, you’ll encounter heartfelt contemporary fiction, Jane Austen-inspired fantasy, quirky sci-fi, and unexpected classics. But don’t worry—this list isn’t exhaustive. There’s plenty of room for you to add your favorites to our list: please do so in the comments section!
Is there another plot device you can’t get enough of? I’d love to hear about your favorite story elements in the comments so we can nerd out together.
13 novels that transcend time and genreSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Octavia Butler
I am so glad I read this science fiction classic—I dedicated a whole podcast episode to it in Volume II Episode III of One Great Book. Here’s the premise: when Dana, a modern Black woman from 1976, gets transported to the Antebellum South in order to save one of her white ancestors, she does what is required in order to preserve her family history. Back to her modern life, Dana is relieved for her trip to be over, but time suddenly rips her back again and again. Each trip to the past grows more and more dangerous, and Dana must figure out how to survive in a reality far more terrifying than the history books ever suggested. I'm curious about the new TV adaptation on Hulu and FX. If you've watched it, I'd love to hear your review. More info →Author: Susanna Kearsley
This sweeping time travel story and the swoon-worthy couple at its center will delight historical fiction and romance readers alike. The atmospheric novel opens as Eva heads to Cornwall after the death of her sister, looking for comfort in the home where they spent their childhood summers. Once there, she realizes the house is a portal to the 18th century, and she can talk to the house’s inhabitants from back then. Not only that, she starts falling for a Jacobite smuggler, but being with Daniel requires staying in the past, and she isn’t ready to make such a life-altering decision. A lovely exploration of grief and the ways we figure out where (and when) we truly belong. More info →Author: H.G. Wells
Some scholars credit Wells with the original use of the phrase “time machine” to describe a man-made apparatus for time travel. If you’re curious about the construction of other time travel tropes, this 100 page novella is worth a quick read. Focused on the function of time travel itself and the possibilities of future technologies, this speculative story follows an explorer who propels forward in time to witness a dying planet Earth. In his explorations, he finds new species, new appliances, and new problems for humans to solve. In addition to time travel, Wells lays the groundwork for dystopian stories with explorations of social class, politics, and how humanity operates across time and space. More info →Author: Kathleen A. Flynn
I'm not the only one who found this Jane Austen time travel novel a pleasant surprise. At some unspecified point in the future, the earth's atmosphere has been destroyed, food can no longer be grown, and wormholes to the past are in constant use. So when Rachel is asked to go back in time and retrieve the finished (yes, really!) manuscript of The Watsons, she jumps at the chance. But things do not go as planned... Gentle readers, this does not read like an Austen novel, and Janeite purists will need their smelling salts. But if you love Jane Austen AND Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series, give this one a try. More info →Author: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
This is not your usual action-packed science fiction. At a small Tokyo café, patrons sip coffee at seemingly normal tables, taking breaks from their seemingly normal lives—but this café is far from typical, as it serves as a portal for time travelers. Heartwarming and quirky, the story follows four customers who enter the café hoping for a unique travel experience. The most important rule they learn: your trip through time only lasts as long as your coffee stays warm. Their reasons for time travel vary, and we learn about these characters in gentle, quiet detail. At just over 200 pages, this Japanese novel in translation makes for a super quick audiobook listen, with delightful narration by Arina Ii. More info →Author: Natasha Pulley
A mind-bending mystery, alternate history, and queer romance rolled into one. In this time-slip novel, Napoleon conquers England in the Battle of Trafalgar and a stone portal in the sea serves as a passageway between centuries. When Joe steps off a train in the city of Londre, 1898, he has a postcard in his pocket written in forbidden English, with a postmark dated 1805 though it inexplicably bears the image of a recently-constructed lighthouse. “Dearest Joe, come home if you remember,” says the postcard, signed simply “M.” Joe’s search for M leads him to the Outer Hebrides and back and forth through the stone portals many a time on his dangerous quest to reunite with his family without changing the course of history—or erasing his own existence. More info →Author: Thea Lim
This time travel novel also happens to be a pandemic novel with a deadly flu virus—but the virus is merely a catalyst for conflict in a story about love, time, and the choices we make out of desperation. Polly will do whatever it takes to save her boyfriend Frank when he falls ill, including selling her life to save his. Enter the company TimeRaiser: agree to be their bonded laborer and they’ll send you into the future and pay for your loved one to get life-saving treatment. Polly and Frank agree to meet again in twelve years, only she gets rerouted an extra five years in a country she no longer recognizes. Not only that, she can’t find Frank anywhere. Is he still alive? She must figure out a way forward in this new life and see whether it will bring her back to her old love. More info →Author: Emma Straub
When Emily Henry came on What Should I Read Next she raved about this book, describing it as a poignant, time travel tale of a father-daughter relationship. I picked it up that night and finished it the very next day. Alice is 40, living on the Upper West Side, and not un-happy, except for the fact that her beloved father is dying. After a disastrous birthday dinner, she falls asleep drunk at 3 am and when she wakes up, she's 16 again. Her father made his fortune writing a blockbuster time travel novel, so she KNOWS she shouldn't try to alter the future—but she can't resist trying to engineer an outcome that gives her father a longer life. A perspective-changing read that begs the question: what would you go back and change? More info →Author: Emily St. John Mandel
Emily St. John Mandel weaves a tapestry of stories like no other. Here she picks up three main threads: an exiled eighteen year old who hears an unusual sound while trekking the Canadian forest, an author whose book tour takes her to the moon, and a detective whose investigation will tie these tales together. We follow these characters from 1912 to 2401 in a unique story of space, time, art, and a pandemic. I was just as struck by the structure of Mandel’s work as I was by the character development. Her books, while quiet and character-centered—are surprisingly propulsive. I enjoyed this mind-bending and utterly unique novel on the physical page, but if you adore multiple narrators, try the audiobook for a fully immersive experience. More info →Author: Claire North
I had so much fun talking about all things books and reading with Andrew and Craig of the Overdue podcast on What Should I Read Next. When Andrew mentioned his appreciation for time travel novels and cited this as a favorite, I took note. Harry August has nearly died eleven times. With his last breaths, Harry always returns to the beginning of his life story, destined to relive his life again and again and again. Harry isn’t the only person who lives this way, but he is one of the only people who remembers every life he re-lives. Now, at the end of his eleventh life just before he goes back in time, a young girl appears at his bedside with a message. The book follows Harry as his next steps threaten to alter the course of history. More info →Author: Daphne du Maurier
Daphne Du Maurier's 1969 novel, while lesser known, progressively explores mind-altering substances as a mode of time travel. The book opens in the middle of Dick Young’s "trip" to 14th century Cornwall, described in vivid, atmospheric detail. Dick’s friend Professor Magnus Lane offers him a place to stay in the country, so long as Dick helps the professor with his scientific experiments. After taking the professor’s new drug, Dick finds himself traveling all the way back to medieval times while physically remaining on the professor's couch. Time travel proves intoxicating for Dick, who increasingly loathes the modern world—but is he really traveling back in time, or is he imagining his trips due to the drug’s effects? Du Maurier crafts a story that questions the very nature of reality. More info →Author: Connie Willis
I’d never heard of Connie Willis and her time travel series until Keren Form (self-professed mega-nerd) joined me to talk fantasy for all readers on What Should I Read Next. The first book opens on Kivrin, an Oxford University student and the first woman to travel back to the Middle Ages. Her instructors are part of a group of historians who use time travel for the sole purpose of historical preservation and study. Unfortunately, when Kivrin arrives in the past, she contracts a virus that leaves her delirious for weeks, relying on a medieval family to nurse her back to health. At the same time, her advisor is struck down by a virus, making the whole situation ever more precarious. Within this time travel story is a page-turning mystery, witty humor, and a deeply human story about how we care for others over the course of history. Keren also professed love for the next installment, which takes the characters to Victorian England. More info →Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Ginger, our book club community manager, LOVES this book, citing it as an all-time favorite. Published twenty years ago, Niffeneger’s debut novel has seen multiple cinematic adaptations and remains both beloved and divisive, making for excellent book club conversation. A love story for book lovers, this heart-wrenching novel revolves around Henry, a librarian who frequently travels through time with no control over where or when he disappears—and Claire, an art student who met Henry when she was just six years old. Over the course of their lives, Henry leaves (unwillingly), reappears (unpredictably), and they attempt to work around these unusual circumstances, making excuses to friends, missing each other while apart, and meeting again at different ages. Niffenegger explores what this jarring disruption does to a man, to a marriage, to a family. More info → Do you share my love for time travel novels? Tell us about your favorite titles in the comments section!
P.S. Check out 12 novels that play with time or 15 immersive historical fiction books about overlooked events for creative explorations of past, present, and future events.
The post 13 time travel novels from (nearly) every genre appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today, we’re taking you behind the scenes of three independent bookstores we know and love and talking with three bookstore owners we’ve hosted before here on What Should I Read Next.
Joining our bookseller party today are Holland Saltsman, owner of the The Novel Neighbor in St Louis, Missouri; Abbigail Glen, owner of Shelves, an online and pop-up bookstore based in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Annie B. Jones of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia.
With all the changes in the bookstore industry over the past few years, I’m excited to hear from these three women about the business of being a bookseller lately, how their work has evolved, and what’s new and notable in their stores. We’ll also discuss what they’re reading and loving these days, and the books they can’t stop selling and sharing.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve read any of the titles we talk about today, or share a local bookstore you love with our community of readers.
Find Holland Saltsman and The Novel Neighbor at their website and on Instagram.
Connect with Abbigail Glen and Shelves at their website, on Instagram and Facebook.
Find Annie B. Jones and The Bookshelf at their website and on Instagram: Annie B Jones | The Bookshelf | Annie’s Five Star Books.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnnie B. Jones [00:00:00] I'm not kidding. I want to have a 10-year "we did it" birthday party. We worked really hard for 10 years and this is a milestone and so I hope we get to have a bagel party.
Anne Bogel [00:00:17] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What Should I Read Next?
[00:00:36] Today we have a special episode. We're taking you behind the scenes of three independent bookstores we know and love, catching up with bookstore owners we've hosted before here on the podcast. With all the changes in the bookstore industry over the past few years, we thought it would be a great time to take a look at what's happening in the world of indie bookstores lately.
First to join me is Holland Saltsman, owner of The Novel Neighbor in St. Louis, Missouri. Holland's been on the show quite a few times, including our Holiday Gifting episodes or as one of What Should I Read Next? early guests way back in Episode 40: Our first year, called Spouses of Readers Anonymous.
We will have links to all our bookstore owners past appearances in today's show notes at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. So don't worry about jotting them down. I'm also catching up with Abby Glen, who you heard in Episode 328: Reading is a Lifestyle, when we got to hear about Shelves, her online and pop-up bookstore based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
And closing out our bookseller party is Annie B. Jones of The Bookshelf in Thomasville Georgia who first came on in Episode 44: Like speed dating, but with authors, and then in Episode 132: The books we can't wait to read this summer.
[00:01:39] I am always happy for the opportunity to talk books and business with any of these ladies. So having all three join me today is a real treat. We have fascinating conversations about what's been happening in their bookshops since we last spoke, how their roles in their local communities have evolved, and what's new and notable in their stores.
Plus, of course, you know we talk about what's particularly popular in their stores these days, what they're reading and loving, and which books they'd shout from the rooftops if they could. These are great conversations and I can't wait for you to listen. Let's get to it.
[00:02:09] Readers, this week I'm celebrating the anniversary of my book Don't Overthink It, my propitiously timed pandemic release about making easier decisions, stopping mental overwhelm, and bringing more joy to our lives. We're marking the occasion over on Instagram by sharing photos of the small things that bring us joy. If you've read Don't Overthink It, you know for me those things include good pens, dark chocolate, and the $4 seasonal bouquets at Trader Joe's.
Head over to my Instagram @Annebogel to check that out, play along, and get inspired by other readers' small indulgences that deliver an outsize dose of happiness. If you haven't yet read the book, I hope you'll take this third birthday opportunity to grab a copy. You can even order from one of today's indie bookseller guests. Thanks as always for reading and sharing my work, and thanks for everything you've done to help Don't Overthink It find its audience these past three years.
[00:03:01] Holland, welcome back to the show.
Holland Saltsman [00:03:04] Anne, thanks so much. It's great to talk with you.
Anne Bogel [00:03:07] Again!
Holland Saltsman [00:03:07] Again!
Anne Bogel [00:03:07] You have such a history here and I'm so glad for that.
Holland Saltsman [00:03:10] Me too. We still have people coming into the store that have heard me on What Should I Read Next?. So it's always a treat to kind of talk with them and show them where your books are. And I love it when I'm here but we're also starting to get more people coming in because of TikTok with my younger staff. So I always like to flex myself when someone comes in to actually see me because of you. So we'll keep it real.
Anne Bogel [00:03:33] I'm so glad you said that because that's something I wanted to ask you about. Now, when you and I have had coffee, not recorded—I'm sorry, listeners, I'm sure that would have been fun to listen in for—but you've told me about how the younger generation, and now I definitely feel like the old lady that I aspire to be someday. But Holland you've told me how some of your younger hires have really been savvy with social media and that's really made a big difference than when you weren't expecting for The Novel Neighbor.
Holland Saltsman [00:03:59] Absolutely. During the pandemic, I mean everything... I don't think we've talked on air or being recorded. We've talked other times. You know, since the pandemic. So, you know, I hated the word pivot, but that's exactly what it was, and we moved around and we were fortunate enough to have some online capability, which was clunky, but you know, we ended up rebuilding the whole website.
But during that time, a woman named Kassie came in and was moving back home, had some social media sites and Bookstagram type of experience. And I was like, "Sure," you know, like most of my hiring processes, "It sounds good." I go with my gut. You walked in. And it has changed the trajectory in a lot of ways.
And so she started a TikTok channel or we might have had one that was defunct. And the very first TikTok she did, I was out of town and I just started seeing sales of this one book and I was like, "What is happening?" So I go over... And I've given her kind of all open breath. I didn't say I had to see it. I just trusted.
And she was telling the story about somebody she met and how it was kind of this like racy situation that she might go hang out with this woman in summer. And I'm like, "Is this what TikTok is? You just put all your stuff out there? Like I was dying. And then she holds up Honey Girl and says, "And this is the story of Honey Girl. Pick it up." It was brilliant. And I was like, "Oh, I get it now." So that was truly the first post-sold books for us.
And since then she and we call her Ski, Stephanie Skis, who's on my staff, have created some incredible content. And then we've got other staff that are comfortable doing some TikTok, and then they're slowly getting me on it. They got me to do [00:05:34 inaudible].
Oh my God, I'm so nervous because they seem so natural and comfortable. I am so much more comfortable behind, you know, just the microphone talking with you. But I did my wrap-up of Best Books in 2022 and I introduced myself as an indie bookstore owner, and we started getting questions about opening an indie bookstore.
So Kassie is working with me to do a series of how to open, our why, or how you know. It all was handled based on questions that people in TikTok are asking. So we've recorded two of those. And we're gonna keep doing those as long as there's questions and I'm hopefully getting a little more comfortable.
I read the, I might mention it four times, you've talked about it with me, The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. I got a chance to read that before it came out. And we ended up doing a workshop with this local organization called Webster Arts that was interactive, and people had a creative piece to it. And I've probably sold, you know, 30, 40 copies of that because I truly have a note that says "Everyone should read this book. Period." Because I felt [00:06:29].
Anne Bogel [00:06:30] Oh, and you said we've talked about The Creative Act, but we haven't. All you've said is, "Anne, I love this book." But I want to hear about it. Tell me about it.
Holland Saltsman [00:06:38] So Rick Rubin is a music producer that most people seem to know his name. He started Def Jam Records out of his NYU dorm room with a couple other people. He was very involved in kind of when music and hip-hop was starting. He's worked with everybody from Johnny Cash to the Beastie Boys to Avett Brothers. He sort of lives out in Malibu. He was just on, I think, Anderson Cooper, like 60 minutes, and he's got this really long white beard, he's barefoot, and he's just really present.
He talked about how people wanted him to really write this book about all these great musicians and all this, you know, because people will swear that he changed the trajectory of their career, that he really helped them make a shift.
I've listened to him now, I think, on four podcasts as he's been talking about this book. And he didn't want to do that. What he was talking about is how to be creative and it ended up being how to be. It's a very sort of mindfulness book and it's divided into 78 sort of snippets, I don't know if you want to call them wisdom bits, so you can dip in and out of it.
And it's just a reminder that we are all our own creative acts. So he's not just talking about a musician and not necessarily a painter, you know, you and everything you're producing are your creative acts. And so how do you want to present those to the world and where do you get stuck? And if you're getting stuck, how can you go through some of the things that he's shared with musicians to get yourself kind of through this creative process? And it can be applied to parenting, to a recipe, and really in your every day. It's just some incredible reminders or some shift in thinking on how to be.
Anne Bogel [00:08:17] That sounds fascinating. Holland, what else are you really excited about right now that you'd be eager to be able to press into readers' hands when they are in the store?
Holland Saltsman [00:08:24] So there's a couple that has come out. I just read the Daughters of Nantucket.
Anne Bogel [00:08:29] Oh, I don't know what that one yet.
Holland Saltsman [00:08:30] It's good. It's coming out in March. And unfortunately, some of these I'm gonna talk about are that kind of those future arcs just because that's where I've been kind of putting my focus right now is just the future reading, trying to, as I'm sure you are, figuring out the big summer releases and kind of what's coming up.
It was really a good historical fiction about a time, you know, a Nantucket's great fire in 1846. That in the beginning it felt a little heavy-handed, but it's this wailing village that ended up sort of becoming this very female-forward. Lots of relationships they were unpacking. And just the visual descriptions and the writing was actually really good. I was a big fan of that.
And then a really fun one called Burn the Negative is coming up. I don't think that one's coming out until July, but I think it's going to be fun. Have you heard of that one?
Anne Bogel [00:09:18] No, tell me more.
Holland Saltsman [00:09:19] It reminded me a lot of Night Film. Did you ever read Night Film?
Anne Bogel [00:09:23] I did.
Holland Saltsman [00:09:24] So what I loved about Night Film was it had sort of all that interactive part in the book where you could read case files as the main character talked about, you know, going to the police station. You got to read some of those things. And I just thought that was a really smart thing.
And Burn the Negative is similar. You get absolutely access because it's sort of this meta that a young woman is being asked to come do an article in LA about this slasher film, that's a repeat based on a slasher film that had been like 20, 30 years ago, and she had actually starred in it and everyone who was involved in the film had died.
So she doesn't know that's what she's coming to cover. Like, there's all this sort of manipulation going on. But the minute she gets to LA, somebody jumps off a bridge. And she's like, "Oh, it's starting again." And you're just like, "What?"
Horror is really big in the store right now. Romance and horror, I can't explain it. Like everything is sort of ebbs and flows. But right now that is probably our largest growing area besides romance right now. So this one I think is actually right on the cusp of kind of thriller horror, and it's gonna be a lot of fun for people to read, I think. [00:10:32] We know you're dealing with death and destruction.
Anne Bogel [00:10:33] That's so interesting. So that was the thing you didn't see coming. Okay, what else did you never see coming back when you first opened a bookstore?
Holland Saltsman [00:10:40] I think a lot of what came out of the pandemic, like our mystery boxes. You know, when we had to close the doors and we weren't able to have people to come in and shop, you'd have someone so call and say, "I need to get something from my nine year old grandson. He's into dinosaurs, soccer, and graphic novels, and I have about 40 bucks to spend on that." We're like, "Okay, we'll put something together."
And that just kept happening and we're like, "Oh, this could be a thing." So that has probably... I should have the statistics in front of me, but it's ridiculous. Of the hundreds and hundreds of mystery boxes we do now and some people will just be like, "Send me staff favorites. This is for me."
Or "I've got this neighbor who's 70 and retiring and enjoys Scotland and bourbon and something, and maybe cooking." You know, who knows! Or sci-fi fantasy. And we're like, "We got you. For 75 bucks we can pull that together."
So that's probably been one of the most fun things as well as popular, which then becomes financially, you know, something that we want to keep doing and spreading the word about because people order them... We've sent them now to... I think we have five different countries as well as certainly nationally here, and then people will come pick them up locally.
But really it's huge facing outward. We have people ordering stuff all the time. I mean, some people will connect us to their story graph lists and what they've changed. They'll tell us what their astrological sign... I mean, we will get so much information that is kind of like, "Okay, got it."
Anne Bogel [00:12:15] It's so fun. And you have to tell me about Grown-Up book fairs.
Holland Saltsman [00:12:25] Oh, gosh, [a]that's just sort of popped up in the last year. Again, a creation of a couple of my staff who were like, "This is a thing. People were talking about they want to be adults going to a Scholastic Book Fair, and having all the fun stuff."
And at first I was like, Well, isn't our store like that? Like you come in and you've got all the books and all this. But like, no, they want to go somewhere fun, they want to have sort of curated books. And since they're adults, I bet they're gonna want to drink. So Skis and Kassie kind of went out and developed this partnership with a local brewery, as well as this place called Sugar, which makes these crazy delicious ice cream sandwiches.
And they did the first one around Halloween. And so they had some very scary theme-y books and swag at this place. And then they decided to charge $10 to get in. So you're just paying $10 just to come and hang out with us for the night. And then had a time slots because of the room wasn't huge. And the $10 went to our nonprofit, The Noble Neighbor. And we sold out I think 350 tickets that very first one.
Anne Bogel [00:13:16] Well, I mean, who wouldn't want to come to that?
Holland Saltsman [00:13:17] I know. But you don't know. You think, then all of a sudden, you're like, "Oh, here's $3,500 for our nonprofit who now can bring authors into underserved schools. So before we even open the doors, this was phenomenal. And then everybody had a ball. You know, the brewery job that they've never had so many women in the bar at one time.
Anne Bogel [00:13:37] All it takes is books.
Holland Saltsman [00:13:38] Right. Books and booze and ice cream. It was so huge. And then they came back and we're like, "Let's do this around the holidays." And I was like, "We can't that's our busiest time of year. We can't be taking a lot of our stock off site and staff and time." And they were like, "Yes, we can." I was like, "Okay." I like to think I'm the boss, I'm not really the boss around here.
And we did it over two nights. And again, it was huge and great and fun and people had a ball. So then we just did it one last time for Valentine's Day. So that was absolutely... It blew it out of the water again, with theme-y stuff.
Now they're talking about they want to take it on the road because they want it either go but sort of planted in other cities or if there's maybe an area that doesn't have like a huge bookstore or something. And I was like, I'm saying no to doing that in 2023. They could research it and find a place. But 2024 I'll let them actually go and do this. And then I'm like, "How are we getting the books there? How are we...?" Anyway. So I was like, "We'll figure that out this year." But yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:14:39] Holland, a lot of readers wonder how you decide what to stock in the store.
Holland Saltsman [00:14:44] The reality is we're doing frontlist orders. We're buying for the summer season right now so we've been reading a little bit for summer season. Kind of reading ahead. And I meet with publishers and they kind of sell me on maybe what I didn't buy and we just have big conversations about what might work in the store.
But also I'm headed to Winter Institute next week in Seattle, which is the American Booksellers Association, which is kind of our parent company for independent bookstores. And at the Winter Institute, there is opportunities for professional development, whether for managers, owners, entry-level booksellers, everything from marketing to succession planning, to working with nonprofits or creating your own and all these great things.
But also there's publisher dinners with authors. And it's a great fun time that you get to go sit next to one of the ones... I'm going to Penguin Random House and Abrams. Abrams I always make sure I get invited to because they have such a fun line of books. So not only fiction but entertaining books. It's just always a treat to be able to sit with an author.
And they're there to talk about their books, but you just get to know them. So that's a lot of fun. You sit in a lunch sometimes and every 10 to 20 minutes publishers come by and pitch you on four books. So it is a lot of information gathering. There's a lot of picking up of books, you know, some great professional, you get to see other people in the field. But it's very helpful in trying to at least narrow down this huge field of all the books that are available.
Anne Bogel [00:16:09] Holland, do booksellers get in a reading slump sometimes?
Holland Saltsman [00:16:14] Anne, yes. I texted Anne actually recently and I was like, "I love nothing I'm reading. Please, help me. What are you reading?" And she was very helpful. And I think we've done it back and forth to each other over the years. But I do.
Anne Bogel [00:16:30] I love to hear your reading always.
Holland Saltsman [00:16:32] Oh, and I love to hear what you are. Sometimes I'm just like, "You got to tell me something." Because I think you know what I like now to just... Sometimes I just gotta get out of a slump. So I did. I was in a bit of a one and I read two things recently. I read the new Christina Lauren. It goes along with The Soulmate Equation. So did you read that?
Anne Bogel [00:16:51] The Soulmate Equation?
Holland Saltsman [00:16:52] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:16:52] Yes, but I haven't read the new one yet. Waiting on my Kindle.
Holland Saltsman [00:16:56] Oh, my God, it was really fun. I just sort of have to remind myself that I have to go for fun and easy and smart. And Fanny who's the romance writer in the first book, it's her story next, and it was just a treat to read. You don't have to read the first one. But that kind of got me over it.
And then I could go pick up something else like The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts by Palmer that I just thought was beautiful and epic. But I probably couldn't have picked that up during my reading slump because I just needed to read. And then I'll listen to them. I mean, I'm still all over Libro.fm with audiobooks. I'm listening to lots of racy warnings here, the Big Swiss. Have you read this, or do you know much about it?
Anne Bogel [00:17:39] No, I don't know this book.
Holland Saltsman [00:17:40] Big Swiss, oh, gosh. It's like you can't listen to it with kids around. I don't even know how many warnings I need to put on it. But it is a woman who is transcribing a therapist's notes between he and his clients. And he's a sex therapist in this very small town where this woman basically runs... It's sort of like one of these hippy-dippy. Everybody's like in their second third career of selling molasses and organic and living on farms and things like that.
So she kind of runs into these people in town that she knows their voices from transcribing their sessions with a sex therapist. It's insane and so much fun to listen to because it's gotten multi-narrators.
Anne Bogel [00:18:20] I don't even know what to say to that, Holland. But I'm glad you're finding something entertaining.
Holland Saltsman [00:18:25] It's not for everybody. What about you? What's gotten you out of a slump before? Or does it depend?
Anne Bogel [00:18:33] I often find that what I need is either a change of pace, just a totally different genre than I had been looking in. Sometimes I need just a little bit of courage to pick up the book that's been intimidating me because it might be like big or feel very serious but I really expect I'm gonna like it. And then often I'll get 20 pages and I'll be like, "Oh, what was I scared of? This is great."
Sometimes I need a good recommendation from somebody who knows what I like. I think it just depends. It depends. But it's reassuring for our listeners to hear you say as a bookseller like, of course, this happens to everyone. Totally normal, also totally overcomable.
Holland, is there a book that feels just quintessential Novel Neighbor[b] to you?
Holland Saltsman [00:19:15] Three, four years ago I would have been able to name three of them. At that point, I think our bestselling book was T[c]equila Mockingbird, not To Kill a Mockingbird, but T[d]equila Mockingbird. And it's all these fun drinks that go along with cocktails. It would be the One-in-a-Million Boy, which I had pressed you and it just became my favorite book since we opened. I just was like, everybody... I feel comfortable giving this book to everybody.
And some of the kids' series that we've carried throughout time that all of us kind of get behind which like the story thieves. So I would have sort of been in that genre. But now we have A-team staff, Anne, and so it's crazy. The diversity on the shelves, the reading shelves of everybody in what people are kind of reading.
You know, I started to pick up a lot more nonfiction and romance. I mean, I would say some people now identify us with such romances because of author visits we've done and that section is growing. Our romance book club has like 60 people on the regular. They have to split them in two rooms. And we've got six other book clubs.
And then The House in the Cerulean Sea, which I mentioned earlier by TJ Klune. Certainly, the whole staff loved that book. So I tried to think of something but that's rare that we're all on the same page about a book, which keeps it really interesting. I don't know, it's just been a lot of fun kind of seeing what other people are reading. And then every once in a while two people do love a same book and then they fight about who gets to put it on their favorite shelf.
Anne Bogel [00:20:53] Holland, what's on the horizon for you in The Novel Neighbor that you're especially excited about?
Holland Saltsman [00:20:57] I hate to predict anything with the way that the world has gone in really exciting ways. But there's a couple of big-name authors that we should be hosting. Katee Roberts is one. If you've read any of her racy, spicy-
Anne Bogel [00:21:12] No.
Holland Saltsman [00:21:13] She had to postpone... It's a huge series and she's super popular. But she was supposed to come for her most recent book, and just the travel wasn't able to work out. So she's now coming in August. But there's two other people that if we get, they're sort of like dream gets for my staff, so they won't let me talk about it yet.
And then there's something that I've been asked to participate in that if this happens, I'm going to be calling you immediately because I'm going to need big-time help. And I don't mean it to sound like this, but it might just change... Yeah, it's very exciting. I can't sit still. I'm so excited. It just... I can't even. And then The Novel Neighbor just got named as the best business in Webster Groves by our chamber of commerce. So we'll be doing a little bit of celebrating around that.
Anne Bogel [00:22:04] Congratulations.
Holland Saltsman [00:22:06] Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:22:06] As well you should. Holland, thanks so much for popping back on. It was great to talk to you and catch up.
Holland Saltsman [00:22:11] Thank you so much. I will hang out with you anytime, Anne Bogel.
Anne Bogel [00:22:15] Abby, welcome back.
Abby Glen [00:22:18] Thank you for having me, Anne. It's so nice to see you and talk with you again.
Anne Bogel [00:22:22] Oh, the pleasure is mine. Now of the booksellers we're talking with today, you and I connected the most recently, and that was in April of 2022. But I imagine a year can feel like a lifetime in the life of a bookseller. How has Shelves evolved since we last spoke?
Abby Glen [00:22:37] So I think when we last spoke we were coming up on Independent Bookstore Day 2022. We were participating in a Boo[e]k Crawl the first one that they were doing in our area. That went really well. We did that all month long in April of last year. We were rolling out our new apparel design in April in Indie Bookstore Day.
But to be quite honest with you, I had moved to a new home, so the Shelves headquarters had moved with me because I run the business out of my house and I partner with businesses that have the brick-and-mortar presence to do the pop-ups. So I had all of that.
Anne Bogel [00:23:12] And we just timeout to say like bookstores are owned by real people. And when you have a disruption in your personal life, that means it affects the business. And that's how it goes.
Abby Glen [00:23:22] Actually, you just summed it up, like especially for my business model because we're online and popup. So I don't have like this physical location that people can come in every day and shop with me like your regular traditional indie bookstores. And I'm actually very fine with that.
I actually don't want to brick and mortar right now because my life is incredibly good where it is. To be quite honest with you, I spent the entire summer of 2022, July and August, I didn't do any pop-ups and I don't regret it. I like completely sat down, I relaxed.
But to be honest with you, my life was already kind of shifting, but I had no idea it was going in the direction that it was going. But I was doing more ministry work for this. I focused on that during the summer. And then I picked back up with the pop-ups in the fall.
Anne Bogel [00:24:11] Abby, tell me about what your fall popups looks like this year.
Abby Glen [00:24:15] Um, so last year, we did the conference. That was our second conference ever. We did that - when was that? End of September beginning of October. That was a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators the North Carolina hub. And it was great.
That was opportunity to meet children's book authors and writers and illustrators. They are on site bookstore, and we got to carry the books of the authors that were leaving workshops and illustrators that were leaving workshops at the conference. That was a really cool experience. Definitely something I would do again.
And then we just went back to our normal popups and into the Coffee Company, which is just a locally-owned coffee roastery here in Charlotte. And we work with them very closely. We've been working with them for almost four years come this July, this summer. So that was really it.
I tried to keep it light, again, mostly because things in my personal life has shifted in a really good way. So what I was trying to make sure was that I wasn't getting stressed out with Shelves, and I didn't. I really kind of closed the year out on a high note, as far as I'm concerned, because I was like, Oh, you know, things are going the way they're going. They're good. I'm happy, I'm content. But life is good. Let me just smooth sail on out of 2022." And that's exactly what I did.
Anne Bogel [00:25:32] What is your favorite part of the job right now?
Abby Glen [00:25:35] Just telling people to like make sure you read good books, you know, books that you desire to read. But just also making sure you're taking the time not to get caught up in everything and a lot of the noise. Because I feel like, even in our industry, from a bookseller side, and I felt like the readers could be picking up on this too, there's been a lot of noise in our industry because of everything that got crazy in 2020 with George Floyd murder, Black Lives Matter protests. So our industry was impacted by that because people turn to books for leisure, but they also turned to books for activism.
So I think that things have gotten really loud and noisy. And I feel like a lot of booksellers were wondering, where do we go from here? Because, you know, we want to do this, we want to do that but it's like, Lord, where are we going? So I feel like some of our readers got caught up in that, our customers, because people were like, Well, what should I read? What should I be reading? Should I be reading nonfiction? Should I be reading fiction? Am I going to read fiction? Am I going to be reading about, you know, diversity?
I felt like some people were questioning like, just again, their decision to enjoy the art of reading. That's what I felt like. It was like, should I be making a statement with the book I'm reading? Or if we're booksellers, what should I be selling? It got real noisy for a bit.
And I think that for me I'm trying to show everybody my colleagues as well as my customers, like, it's some of us out here that realized that the noise was getting too loud. And I took a step back and I'm just kind of like, don't forget your why and why you started.
And that's what I'm telling my customers. Like, just don't forget to read. That's really where I'm at. Don't forget to read. Read things that brings you pleasure. Read things that will educate you. Read things that will keep you informed. But don't get caught up trying to turn your reading life into what everybody's telling you your reading life should look like because everybody has their motives and reasons. You won't be able to please everybody. Even the bookstores I'm seeing that like they're making honest mistakes and they're being criticized. I mean, these are bookstores or pillars in the community.
You know, some of them I've seeing, Oh, man, I'm sorry, we put the wrong book in the window. And I'm just like, "Y'all, we're running a business. We're small businesses. We just are trying to stay afloat and serve our community. And I just think it's all the noise that spilled over from 2020. And the pandemic stuff. The pandemic also put us in a tizzy. And I just think we're all trying to come up for air.
I think you got to get back to: why do I enjoy reading? Why am I even reading what I'm reading? Am I reading this because somebody told me I should be reading this and or am I reading this because I really feel like this could add value to my life? This could either relax me or this can inform me. But I just don't think people should get... I don't know, don't fall for the lip service.
Because I felt like there were a lot of people who really want change in their own life and they want to do better but they were just, I don't know, just digesting what everybody was telling them. Like, read this, read this, read this. And it's like, yeah, but you can read stuff all day, but you're not taking what you need to take away from it. I’d rather be like, Hey, these are your options. And when you get a chance, read this. And people you know, you get around to and get around to it. We got time. We got time. We got time.
Anne Bogel [00:29:13] So your favorite part of the job is telling people what to read. I don't mean that in a bossy way at all. I mean, helping connect the right reader with the right book. But that's not what we're going to talk about right now. Right now we're going to talk about what you love. Tell me about a few books that you would shout from the rooftops if you could. Actually, you know what, let's call this the rooftop Abby. What do you love? What are you really excited about?
Abby Glen [00:29:34] Well, right now I'm actually reading a young adult novel. I don't even remember the last time I read YA. I'm reading The Davenports by Krystal Marquis. It was actually one of our book picks for our young adult reading. It's a lifestyle subscription for February. I had an advanced reader copy.
And one of my members who she always wants to know like, what's all the books you've selected this month for us? Because they only get one of the ones I select. She was telling me that she had put The Davenports on her list even though that wasn't a book she got from me. So I started reading it. Again, I don't even remember the last time I read YA. But it's actually a really good book. I'm actually going to reach out to see if I can get the author to join us at our monthly reading as a lifestyle hangout in March. So I'm reading that.
Something else though that I think... Again, now I'm going to share some recommendations from the subscription that my members have loved, loved, loved. There's another historical fiction novel that I selected in December. The cover of the book I'm just going to tell people up front is ugly. It's not appealing. It is not a book, y'all... I'm not trying to be mean, but the cover of the book is not appealing. If you're somebody that judges a book by its cover, you'll be like, "Hey, yo, what is... this is ugly." But it's really good.
It's historical mystery, and it's called Death at the Falls by Rosemary Simpson. Again, not a pretty cover, but a very, very good book.
Then another book that I actually thought I would hear more about when I selected it, but The Bandit Queens by Parini, I think I'm gonna pronounce her last name wrong, Shroff. That was our contemporary pick. I also had that as our advanced reader copy. And what's crazy is that I had it for several months.
My neighbor, she likes mystery, and I gave it to her. But the name of it in the synopsis I've never got like that out of my head. I was like, yeah, when that book officially comes out, I'm definitely going to take a look at that for the subscription. I gave this to her several months ago in 2022. So I ended up selecting it for the subscription for January and my members I was talking to them on the fifth of this month, and they loved it. They loved it.
The premise of it is just like this woman, I think people think she killed her husband. Again, I know it's not true. My understanding is it's not a true thing—she did not tell her spouse. And the main characters Indian. So it's almost this whole thing about like cultural differences and how women in India are in marriages, and what that looks like for them. And my members loved it.
So I reached out to my neighbor, I said, "Did you get the read that book I gave to you?" She said, "No, not yet." I said, "Make sure you read it because my subscription members really liked it." So The Bandit Queens, that's another good one.
Those are three different types of books. Again, the historical fiction, The Davenport, that's young adult, the Death at the Falls is historical, but it's mystery. And then The Bandit Queens, that was our contemporary pick for January. That's what I'm getting all the buzz about right now is those books have been something I've heard my members personally say, "It's really good." But The Davenport's I'm reading and I'm enjoying it a whole lot. And like a whole lot. I'm really enjoying it. It's about wealthy black family in Chicago.
It's funny because our young adults subscription with the exception of one young lady who is in high school, everybody in our young adults description is in our adult subscription. They're all adult women with the exception of one young lady. And the reason why I know that she's a kid, like a high schooler is because her mom signed her up for the subscription. And so yeah, her mom we got to talk via email. So I'm like, "Oh, she's literally our only young adult in the young adult subscription. Everybody else is a grown woman. That's how the cookie crumbles.
Anne Bogel [00:33:28] A good book is a good book.
Abby Glen [00:33:30] That's good.
Anne Bogel [00:33:31] Abby, thanks so much for coming on and telling us what's happening with Shelves these days.
Abby Glen [00:33:35] Thank you, Anne. Thank you for having me. We're still here, y'all. I don't know how long we're gonna be around because it just all types of stuff happening out here. But while we're here, I'm trying my best to serve, I'm trying to do what every bookseller I would imagine is doing. We're trying to make sure we're meeting the needs of those in our community. And that's what Shelves is still doing in 2023. We're trying to make sure that we're covering and taking care of our supporters first.
[00:34:05] Your bookstore is doing their best. And I tell people, y'all have no idea how complicated bookselling can get because we are literally, you know, having to some extent, I mean, for lack of a better word, submit to the authority of what the publishers are doing. You know, we don't get a say over what books are released, we don't get a say over prices, we don't get a say over discounts.
What we are doing is doing our best to select books that will fit the demographic of the communities that we serve. That's what a bookstore is to serve their community. And anybody you see in bookselling, I promise you they're not doing it for the money. They're doing it for the love of reading. They're doing it for the love of reading.
Anne Bogel [00:34:47] And we're so glad they are and that you are. Thanks, Abby.
[00:34:52] Annie, welcome back to the show. Thank you so much for having me, Anne. I'm thrilled to be here.
Anne Bogel [00:34:57] Oh, it's a pleasure. I'm so happy to connect again. Y'all have such a history with What Should I Read Next?. I knew that we talked in the early days. I had to wrack my brain, Annie. We met at SIBA in Savannah, Georgia. You introduced yourself to me at like a cocktail hour.
Annie B. Jones [00:35:12] A bold move for me.
Anne Bogel [00:35:14] And apparently you came on the show a month later.
Annie B. Jones [00:35:16] Yeah. Do you know what year that was?
Anne Bogel [00:35:19] 2016 in our like eighth or ninth month of What Should I Read Next?, which is now in year eight and-
Annie B. Jones [00:35:24] Amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:35:25] In 2016, how long had you been running The Bookshelf?
Annie B. Jones [00:35:30] Three years, because this year is my 10th year of running The Bookshelf, if you can believe it.
Anne Bogel [00:35:36] That's a big deal. Annie.
Annie B. Jones [00:35:38] It is a big deal. I hope we're gonna have a party.
Anne Bogel [00:35:42] I hope so too. Something I'd really love to talk about with you is that you have not been shy about the financial realities of small business ownership. This is something you talk a lot about on your podcast and on Instagram. And you also haven't shied away from talking about the economic and really emotional roller coaster that is the bookstore business. And in part, something you're clear about is that is small business. And I would love to hear you say more about that.
Annie B. Jones [00:36:07] Yeah, absolutely. I want people to know. And I think I'm so transparent about it, first of all, because I don't really know any other way to be. And second of all because I want potential small business owners, bookstore owners, entrepreneurs to know a little bit about what they're getting into.
They may not know everything about what they're getting into. But if we can talk about the financial and economic realities of small business ownership, I think it better prepares us to be creative, to be proactive. So sometimes it feels a little bit vulnerability hangover to say on the internet or on the podcast, you know, how big of a burden taxes are or how much I took out for a business loan. But then it also makes the winds even greater when I pay the tax bill, or when I pay off the small business loan.
So it's a way to be able to honor celebration and it's also a way to prepare, I hope future small business owners so that they know, okay, this is the reality, but I can do it. It's possible to do it.
Anne Bogel [00:37:08] So you already mentioned taxes, I know you've talked online about credit card fees. What is something you do in your day-to-day that you think most readers would be really surprised is part of your job as a bookstore owner?
Annie B. Jones [00:37:20] I think I may have even said this back when I was on the show in 2016 or 2018. I just had no idea how much of small business ownership was bill pay. You think that you're going to, especially like here we are at year 10, you think that maybe eventually that's something you'll delegate because that's kind of one of the goals of small business ownership is that you might reach a point where some things are delegated and put on somebody else's plate.
But bill pay I think is important for a business owner, for a bookstore owner to do because it helps me keep the finger on the pulse of cash flow, it helps me know where we're spending money, what we're spending money on, what we need to bring in, when we need to increase and boost marketing efforts, etc.
So I just didn't realize that here at year 10 I would still be spending at least one full day a week paying bills. I just I'm grateful to have learned so much in the last 10 years. But small business ownership and bookstore ownership is not just hand-selling books on the floor, which I love to do. But that's just not the reality of what owning The Bookshelf looks like.
Anne Bogel [00:38:27] So who are some of the people you're paying that we never think about? Because it took a long time before I realized, Oh, like my bookstore has to pay the light bill. That is a real thing.
Annie B. Jones [00:38:36] Yes, yes. We have to pay utilities, we have to pay sales tax, we have to pay occupation tax, we have to pay city and county school tax. I have an accountant. I have a business coach. I have a virtual assistant. These are things that I even in 2016 or 2018 didn't know existed.
I didn't know I could have a business coach. I didn't know I could have a virtual assistant. I didn't know that that would make sense for my business. And instead, those are the things that have saved my life over the last five years. Especially the last three years running a business through the pandemic, I couldn't do it by myself. A business coach was necessary, a virtual assistant was necessary.
Anne Bogel [00:39:16] On the flip side, what's part of your job that is such a light that you can't believe you get paid to do this?
Annie B. Jones [00:39:22] I can't believe I get paid to read books, right? Like what an absolute dream come true! For every bill you have to pay, you get an Advanced Reader Copy[f]. Do you know what I mean? Like I get to read books before they're published. 12-year-old Annie could never have imagined such an abundance of riches.
Or someone asked me the other day, Do you like being at The Bookshelf when packages are being opened, like when a shipment of books comes in or a shipment of gift product comes in? Yes, it's like Christmas. I love nothing more than being on the floor for those moments. And I still absolutely adore reading the kids, doing storytime, hand-selling books to the people I know and love because now 10 years in, I can say that I know and love my Thomasville customers. And there's nothing quite like having a conversation about books on the floor of your bookstore.
Anne Bogel [00:40:16] Is it fair to say you were still proving yourself back in 2016?
Annie B. Jones [00:40:19] Yes, yes. Do we ever stop? Do I ever stop proving myself? Yes, absolutely. In 2016, I was still... Thomasville is a very beautiful community of people who have like lived there forever. So I really believe 10 years is a pretty great marker to be able to say, Hey, I came here, I took over a legacy store. I didn't run it into the ground. Here I am 10 years later. I honestly feel like until the 10-year mark I felt like I couldn't breathe. Does that sound bad? I feel like I can breathe now.
Anne Bogel [00:40:59] That sounds like the reality of your business.
Annie B. Jones [00:41:01] Yeah, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:41:02] And that's what we want to hear about. What is the bread and butter of your business right now and has that changed since 2016? I know it's changed so much. That feels like a ridiculous question. But...
Annie B. Jones [00:41:12] No, I think in 2016, we were still a brick-and-mortar bookstore, primarily selling to in-store customers. And I think that made sense. I was only three years into the job. But we were making efforts towards being a little bit larger than that and thinking maybe beyond the boundaries of the city of Thomasville.
And I'm so glad we were thinking about that back in 2016 because in 2020 our customer base completely switched and completely flipped from being 80% in-store to now 80% online. So now we're evening back out. It's 2023, we're evening back out. And I think the bread and butter of The Bookshelf is threefold: It’s Shelf Subscriptions, it’s reader retreats, and it's From the Front Porch Podcast. And all of that falls under The Bookshelf, the brick-and-mortar place that you see in Thomasville.
Anne Bogel [00:42:08] I want to talk about Shelf Subscriptions. But first, our team member Brigid just got back from the reader retreat. That has to be top of mind for you. Paint us a picture. What was that like?
Annie B. Jones [00:42:17] Yes. It poured rain, first of all. It was super stressful.
Anne Bogel [00:42:22] That was my experience in Thomasville, Georgia, but only for a one-hour afternoon monsoon.
Annie B. Jones [00:42:27] Man! Which is typical for summer. We saw the forecast coming but it was a rain like I haven't seen in this city in years. Not years, but months. It had been a long time. So it rained.
However, reader retreats are basically designed to be like summer camp for readers, summer camp for introverts. I hated summer camp so I wanted to like redeem that enterprise. And we welcomed 20 to 25 women and men from all over the country. I mean, all over the country. It is astonishing to me.
California, Idaho, Nebraska, Texas, all come to Thomasville, which as you know is in the middle of nothing. And they come and read good books, have good food, have good conversations, make new friends. It's a dream come true. I mean, I say dream come true but it's honestly nothing I ever could have pictured or imagined. It just has become kind of its own really beautiful, magical thing that spun up out of our imaginations and now is reality.
Anne Bogel [00:43:35] What was the highlight of your weekend this time?
Annie B. Jones [00:43:37] I think it's the best live podcast we've ever done. So we always start reader retreats with a happy hour and end that in-store pensive plate dinner, which is like this beautiful, magical dinner party inside The Bookshelf, which I always think is a highlight for folks. But we close it our kind of big final event is a live podcast recording, and we do an episode From the Front Porch.
I always love those conversations. Frequently my guest is Hunter McClendon who's this Bookstagramer but he's a real true friend to me. He was born and raised in Thomasville. And we just had a great conversation about books we wish our favorite authors would write. And it was just delightful and fun and-
Anne Bogel [00:44:19] That sounds wonderful.
Annie B. Jones [00:44:20] It was fabulous. It was just like talking to a good friend and then there happened to be other people in the room.
Anne Bogel [00:44:26] And we'll get to listen to that when it goes live later this spring or summer.
Annie B. Jones [00:44:29] That's right.
Anne Bogel [00:44:29] Wonderful. I can't wait to listen. So something I love about your store is that it's really built into the business model that reading is personal. Like when you have a Shelf Subscription you choose who to follow of your staff based on their taste. But today, Annie, I want to know, how would you describe your taste.
Annie B. Jones [00:44:47] My tastes lean toward literary fiction often with female characters at their center, but always well-written, character-driven, with an emphasis on storytelling themes of faith, doubt, family. I like reading about relationships and complicated people. That's how I would describe my reading tastes.
Anne Bogel [00:45:13] What is selling well in the store right now, whether people just happen to be ordering it, or because you are pushing books into people's hands, that is totally your jam?
Annie B. Jones [00:45:23] My favorite book that we are selling a lot of right now is Stealing by Margaret Verble, which I think... I mean, it's pretty early as we're recording this, but it feels like one of my favorite books of 2023. I was invested in the main character, I loved the storytelling, it opened my eyes to something I needed my eyes to be open towards, and I have loved hand selling it to readers and talking about it to readers in store. So to me that's a title that we're selling a lot of, and I'm thrilled that we're selling a lot of it.
Anne Bogel [00:45:57] A lot of readers in bookstore patrons wonder if someone in a role such as yours still gets to read for enjoyment or are you stuck reading books because you have to, like all the new releases and promos. What can you tell us about that?
Annie B. Jones [00:46:12] Certainly reading is part of my job now. I think what people can forget is that work can still be joyful. So I read a lot for my job, but I also really like my job. I do try to make time for backlist[g] titles, for... This year I'm reading Wendell Berry. Last year I read a lot of Toni Morrison. This year I'm reading Wendell Berry.
So I try to read things that I am not just reading because The Bookshelf is making me or the podcast is making me. Like I'm reading for my own enjoyment, for my own learning, for my own pleasure. But reading for work has not diminished the joy of it for me. I still love to read. I still look forward to it every afternoon. I love having a good book in my hands. Reading being a part of my work has not diminished that enjoyment.
Anne Bogel [00:47:04] Okay, you hinted at being built into your rhythm. Would you say more about that?
Annie B. Jones [00:47:07] I every day try to leave work at three o'clock and come home and read. And that is like sacred time. My husband, Jordan, calls it Annie time. Like it is my time. Jordan's not home yet. I'm not going to cook dinner. Maybe I'm not even going to exercise yet. I'm not going to go for a walk. I'm going to sit and I'm going to read or I'm going to take a walk and listen to an audiobook. That does feel like part of my daily rhythm.
And then weaving these authors in who I have not read before but really wanted to read. So a couple of years ago with Jane Austen, last year was Toni Morrison, this year, it's Wendell Berry. Incorporating that into my almost quarterly or seasonal reading life. So I'm not necessarily reading Wendell Berry every day, but I'm reading a book of his every quarter. And that has become a part of my rhythm that I've really liked.
And then I'm also reading a classic every year, which is for The Bookshelf. I'm not sure if I would be doing that were it not for our Conquer A Classic program. But it has been one of my most life-giving practices where I'm reading a classic book in small snippets. It almost feels like a spiritual practice to like slow down. I'm by nature a fast reader. And so to slow down and to read something in small doses has been really good for me.
Anne Bogel [00:48:20] Annie, what's on the horizon for The Bookshelf that you're excited about? If you have any plans you can tell us about.
Annie B. Jones [00:48:27] I'm really excited to host reader retreats this year without perhaps a pandemic looming over them. Do you know what I mean?
Anne Bogel [00:48:35] Oh, we know. We know.
Annie B. Jones [00:48:38] We hold all plans loosely now. But we just hosted our first reader retreat of the year. We have two more that we are scheduling and really looking forward to.
And then I'm not kidding, I want to have a 10-year "we did it" birthday party. I want to have a "we paid off the small business loan, we worked really hard for 10 years and this is a milestone" party. So I hope we get to have a bagel party in the summer of 2023 to celebrate a working life milestone.
Anne Bogel [00:49:10] That feels right to me. Annie, thanks for stopping by again. It was a pleasure.
Annie B. Jones [00:49:14] Thanks, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:49:20] Readers, I hope you enjoyed our conversations today. I'd love to know what title you've added to your TBR or hear about what's happening at your neighborhood indie. Share those thoughts in the comments over on our show notes page, where we've also included links to all the books and bookstores mentioned today. Find that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
If you love today's episode, you will definitely want to listen to my original conversations with Holland, Abby, and Annie. Links to those episodes are in our show notes. Be sure you're subscribed to our show in your favorite podcast app because we will be back later this season with even more conversations with booksellers we love.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Our Community Manager is Sara Aeder. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
[a]I think this must be Holland talking again starting here?
[b]This should be Novel Neighbor
[c]I think this should be "Tequila"
[d]Tequila
[e]I'm going to guess this should be Book, not Boot
[f]Advanced Reader Copy should always be capitalized
[g]"Backlist", not backless
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel
• The Creative ACT by Rick Rubin
• Daughters of Nantucketby Julie Gerstenblatt
• Burn the Negative by Josh Winning
• Night Film by Marisha Pessl
• The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
• The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts by Soraya Palmer
• Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
• Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist by Tim Federle
• The One-In-A-Million Boy by Monica Wood
• The House in the Cerulean Sea by Tj Klune
• The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
• Death at the Falls by Rosemary Simpson
• The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
• Stealing by Margaret Verble
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 40: Spouses of Readers Anonymous
• WSIRN Episode 56: There’s nothing like a bookstore at the holidays
• WSIRN Episode 107: Bookish gifts for everyone on your list
• WSIRN Episode 210: Book gifts are the BEST gifts
• WSIRN Episode 328: Reading is a lifestyle
• WSIRN Episode 44: Like speed dating, but with authors
• WSIRN Episode 132: The books we can’t wait to read this summer
• The Novel Neighbor Mystery Boxes
• From the Front Porch podcast
• The Bookshelf Shelf Subscriptions
The header photo is a bit of a time capsule: I snapped it on my visit to The Bookshelf in June 2018!
The post State of the Bookstore appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
One of our team members recently took to Slack and asked for podcast recommendations. As the suggestions came pouring in, we thought the Modern Mrs Darcy community might enjoy some fresh recs too so we’ve compiled a selection of them for you here.
Besides What Should I Read Next (wink), I’d love to hear what podcasts you recommend. Please share yours in the comments section!
Anne:Normal Gossip
I first listened to this on a solo road trip last fall and I’ve thought of it as my go-to travel podcast ever since. Each week host Kelsey McKinney (author of God Spare the Girls) shares one juicy morsel of gossip—about regular people you don’t know and will never meet—with a guest, unspooling a listener-sourced (but always anonymized) story in real time to get her guest’s live reaction. A voyeuristic delight.
Shameless Acquisition Target
This is longtime industry insider Laura Mayer’s decidedly meta attempt to understand how value is created in podcasting and entertainment by embarking on a real-time experiment to create and sell her own show. If you want to understand the business of podcasting and its recent boom, this is the show for you: it’s very much focused on the realities of the current podcasting landscape.
Slate’s Working
I appreciate learning how the things I love get made—novels, tv shows, hosiery, recipes—which makes this a fun podcast to dip into occasionally: I’ve especially enjoyed episodes with the Liberty Puzzles designer, the Normal Gossip producer, and the Abbott Elementary writer.
Baylee:Business Accelerator
Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller (Founder and CEO of Full Focus, respectively) share insights on personal productivity, team leadership, and business strategy built on decades of combined experience. I’ve gleaned plenty of best practices from these two that I’ve leveraged in multiple roles.
Over Under Achievers
Sports talk—but in, like, a fun way. Knox McCoy, friend of WSIRN, is joined by Jason Waterfalls to talk football coach drama, how to be a decent person at Disney World, fake podcast ads for mundane things, and more, all through the lens of overs/unders.
The Big Boo Cast
Two southern moms chatting about what they watched and ate this week, what their kids are up to, and generally breaking down SEC football when it’s the season to do so. Whenever I listen to Sophie and Melanie, I feel like I’m having coffee with a couple of friends.
Brigid:Good Job, Brain!
If you love Jeopardy and playing Trivial Pursuit, this is the podcast for you! Each episode has themed trivia questions and interesting facts on various fun topics hosted by a group of wonderful pub quiz friends. It’s delightfully nerdy and educational!
Bad on Paper
Hosts Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter have fabulous banter about books, movies/TV, creative work life, travel, and products. (Bonus: host Becca Freeman has a series of fictional romcom podcasts titled Showmance, Honeymoon for One, and Vote for Love.)
Pop Culture Happy Hour
This NPR daily entertainment podcast is fabulous. I love to scroll through their feed to see what shows, movies, music, and topics are making them happy! It has some great in-depth special series and I especially enjoy that they have a variety of time lengths on their episodes.
Mystery Show
An OLDIE but if you never listened to this magical and heart-touching series from host Starlee Kine, I HIGHLY recommend it. It makes you feel wonder for the world and joy! With only 6 episodes, Mystery Show was gone too soon. “Case #3 Belt Buckle” is my absolute favorite podcast episode ever!
Chelsey:The Stacks Podcast
Traci shares in-depth conversations with readers and authors, occasionally discussing a specific book with them for The Stacks book club. I marvel at Traci’s interview skills. She manages to spark debates, probe hot social topics, and make snacking into an art form in about one hour. Her personal reading style features lots of nonfiction, which I find refreshing and rare in the book podcast world—but there is something for every reader as Traci brings on authors from all genres: poetry, literary fiction, investigative journalism, and more.
From the Front Porch with Annie B. Jones
When I need warm and cozy vibes, I tune in to this podcast. Annie B. Jones, one of my favorite Kathleen-Kelly-like booksellers, shares her monthly reading recaps, upcoming new releases, and literary advice in a way that makes listeners feel like they’ve just entered The Bookshelf to sit in a comfy chair and chat for a while. Annie’s recommendations often top my TBR (or pre-order) list, and you can feel her enthusiasm for books and reading over the airwaves. Her bookstore staffers often join for seasonal preview episodes or best book of the year recaps, contributing to the atmosphere of bookish and nerdy camaraderie. (Brigid also recommends this one!)
The Ezra Klein Show
Although I appreciate Klein’s political curiosity and commentary, I really adore how he brings his unabashed love of books and reading to the show with both authors and literacy experts as special guests. His conversation with Maryanne Wolf, author of Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World, blew my mind. Their thoughts on focus, skimming, empathy, and critical analysis inspired me as a reader, teacher, writer, and mother. All of my 2023 reading intentions will link back to this episode, and I’ve been sharing it with friends every chance I get. (I’d love to hear your thoughts if you listen!)
Donna:Literally! with Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe has been an actor for a long time so he “literally” knows everyone. When he is interviewing other celebrities on his show you don’t get the usual rehearsed types of answers; instead, it’s more like two friends catching up and the personal conversations often surprise me. For example, he and Ralph Macchio talking about their auditions for the 1983 movie The Outsiders is a conversation you won’t hear anywhere else.
The Town with Matt Belloni
I’m a huge fan of all things entertainment-related like movies, streaming, books, and music, and I think that’s why I’m so fascinated by the business side of the entertainment industry. Host Matt Belloni is a Hollywood insider who worked at The Hollywood Reporter for 14 years so he has a lot of contacts and an interesting perspective. These episode titles will give you an idea of what the podcast covers: “The Summer Box Office Reckoning”, “Should Disney Sell ESPN”, and “The Streaming Year-End Review”. I could talk about this stuff all day!
Ginger:Aria Code
Take one musician best known for her bluegrass banjo playing host plus the best bits of any opera: the arias. Opera lovers know that the arias of an opera are the equivalent of the hit single on an album—they’re the heart and soul, the song that’s going to get stuck in your head, and probably the ones you’ve heard on the occasional movie soundtrack. Even if you’re not an opera lover, the way Rhiannon Giddens examines each song through its history, most famous performances, and human nature is riveting. For fans of: This American Life, in that both podcasts let you in on worlds you didn’t even know you were interested in.
Gatecrashers Podcast
If you ever filled out a college application, you were a product of the ripple effects of antisemitism in the Ivy League. Practices that we accept today as part of the process often had their beginnings in discrimination. Gatecrashers asks questions without easy answers, and is highly entertaining while it’s at it. Despite the heavy topic, the hosts inject humor throughout (you’re going to want to know about that “dirty bicker”). For fans of: true crime podcasts, without the gore.
The Daily Poem
Short and sweet. One poem a day, from the classics to modern poetry, with just the smallest amount of exposition to add to your enjoyment. For fans of: audiobooks and the reader that thinks, I really should read more poetry, but doesn’t know where to start.
1 Sealed Letter
Even if you’re not a snail mail user yourself, this gentle podcast is a deep dive into this almost-lost art form. You’ll find yourself thinking: I had no idea there was so much to it. My favorite episode this year explored how to write a condolence letter, practical tips I hope I don’t need anytime soon, but filed away for the inevitable day it’s needed. For old souls and fans of famous letter writer, Rainer Maria Rilke who famously said “Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
Holly:Townsizing
Having lived in both small rural towns and big cities across the country, I’ve been enjoying Anne Helen Petersen’s podcast. It’s an insightful, relatable, and entertaining exploration of the realities of living in small towns.
Mountain & Prairie
One of my top podcast recommendations for anyone who enjoys the outdoors and/or reading. Hosted by conservationist Ed Roberson, this podcast features long-form conversations with fascinating people of the American West—athletes, artists, adventurers, entrepreneurs, and more. While the conversations range all over the map, they always wrap up with solid book talk, and I’ve gotten some fantastic reading recommendations from Ed’s conversations with his guests.
Creative Fuel with Anna Brones
I’ve recently discovered this one, and I’m enjoying her conversations with guests about the intersection of creativity and our everyday lives. I especially liked Episode 3: “How do we spend time alone?”
Leigh:Vibe Check
Saeed Jones, Sam Sanders, and Zach Stafford invite listeners into their group chat. They talk about politics and pop culture and check in with each other about how they’re doing. They’re fun, insightful, and thought-provoking, each and every time.
That Aged Well
Long-time friends Paul and Erika revisit “yesterday’s pop culture today.” The delightful, hilarious hosts recap movies and the very occasional TV show from the 80s and 90s and talk about whether or not it aged well. I recommend starting with an episode about a movie you watched back in the day. If you’re like me, you’ll immediately start making your way through the rest of their archives.
Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaycek and SuChin Pak
A show about the things we buy and buy into. Co-hosts Kulap Vilaycek and SuChin Pak (from MTV!), along with occasional guests, talk about what they’re adding or removing from cart. But don’t fear that this will cause you to buy more things! While they do discuss products, they also talk about the habits and mindsets they’re cultivating or leaving behind. It’s a well-rounded, engaging listen that often leaves me laughing and inspired.
Sara:The Popcast with Knox and Jamie
I first learned of The Popcast from What Should I Read Next, as both Jamie and Knox were early guests. I don’t know much about pop culture, but I enjoy these two giving me the cliffnotes of what is going on in the world in a hilarious, fast paced, simply delightful way. Special bonus for their Patreon members: They do incredible recaps of The Bachelor (which I’ve never even watched) and The Great British Bake-Off.
Everything Everywhere Daily
With 10-15 minute deep dives into a different topic each day, this show has taught me about the domestication of dogs, punctuation marks, wind power, and so much more. In well researched and accessible bite sized episodes, host Gary Arndt makes me a little smarter as I walk my dog, drive to the store, or have a small amount of time to fill with learning something fun and new. I first heard of the show when Knox McCoy green-lit it on The Popcast, and have been listening ever since.
Shannan:We Can Do Hard Things
I have been on record in other MMD spaces as having one of the hardest years of my life in 2022. Let’s be real; the past three years have been universally challenging and confirmed what I told my mom at the age of 3: “Life is hard.” Glennon Doyle and her cohosts, Amanda and Abby, do NOT shy away from discussing the hard things. From the small (why do we go trick-or-treating?) to the hard (forgiveness, racism, sex), everything involving being a human in the world is discussed. It’s one of the only podcasts I’ve come across that looks unflinchingly and unapologetically at the truth of the human experience and dares to imagine a better way. Their two-episode per week format varies but can include chats about life, experts and celebrity interviews, and episodes with call-in questions to which they respond. They don’t have “answers,” they have “responses.” That type of honesty keeps me listening week after week.
WillDecoder Ring
Decoder Ring says they are “cracking cultural mysteries”—and these are often mysteries I never thought I needed to be cracked! It’s a delightful surprise to realize that cultural fads and events happen for reasons. Willa Paskin (Slate’s TV critic) uncovers the history behind our cultural mysteries and sometimes answers the question of whether a thing we all think we remember happened a certain way actually happened how we remember it.
Wind of Change
Speaking of cultural mysteries I didn’t know I wanted unraveled: in this eight episode podcast, investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe digs into one of the biggest conspiracy theories of the Cold War, one that if proven true would affect Billboard charts, global politics, and millions of fans worldwide. The theory is that the CIA wrote the West German band Scorpions’ biggest hit, “Wind of Change,” in an attempt to use propaganda rock (and rockers) to end the Cold War. Starting with rumors whispered by CIA agents, Keefe interviews spooks, promoters, and fans and eventually sits down with Scorpions lead singer and “Wind of Change” song writer Klaus Meine. Both a fascinating cultural history and an inside look at how the U.S. government will use any tool available to them.
What podcasts do you hit “play” on the moment they download? Please share your favorites in the comments section!
The post What we’re listening to: team podcast recommendations appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m taking a kid for her final college interview and hopefully finishing a good book (or two). And we might finally watch Jurassic Park—Will and I think our teens would enjoy it without being too scared of the velociraptors (are we wrong?).
I hope you have something to look forward to for these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: ‘He created something magical’: Calvin and Hobbes fans rejoice as creator plans first work in decades. (The Guardian) “Last week’s announcement of Watterson’s first major work in nearly 30 years – The Mysteries, a vibrantly illustrated “fable for grown-ups” – stunned fans and called for celebration.” * Don’t Make Your Bed First Thing in the Morning. (Lifehacker) I was delighted to come across this (slightly icky) advice, because the only place I’ve previously seen it mentioned is in this Cheryl Mendelson book on housekeeping. * Blessed, Blessed. (Slate) How do restaurants cope with instant success? A compelling look at the real life impact of a local restaurant critic’s rave review. * A Brief History of the Clinch. (Hazlitt) Romance covers continue to evolve, just like the genre. * Should Friends Offer Honesty or Unconditional Support? (The Atlantic) “To extend honesty, or anything else, to a friend is to run the risk of its rejection. But if it’s friendship of the closest sort that you are after, it’s a risk you’ll have to take.” * Target has some great spring wreaths right now! I especially love this Faux Gypsophila Wreath and this Faux Seeded Eucalyptus Wreath. Plus this Steel & Glass Plant Propagation Vase Set is adorable, and the price is right. * The Work Is Not Enough. (Culture Study) This is the relatable situation I’m texting with friends about this week. * At Random: The business of books and the merger that wasn’t. (Harper’s Magazine) A great overview of the thwarted Penguin RandomHouse-Simon & Schuster merger and the publishing industry in general. * At my last appointment my stylist was dismayed to learn I didn’t know what a shampoo brush was, and nudged me to get one immediately for my fine, thick hair. (Done: I got this one.) * At home with Jane Austen and Lord Byron: famous writers’ houses you can visit in the UK and beyond. Yes please! * My 15-year-old made us Smitten Kitchen’s green angel hair with garlic butter for dinner this week and it was chef’s kiss. (She’s cooking from Smitten Kitchen Keepers a lot lately.) * Why We Made Fewer Memories during the Pandemic. (The Walrus) It’s not just you. * Everything I Know About Romantic Love, I Learned From Bollywood Movies. (Refinery29*) “While as an adult I don’t necessarily expect the over-the-top romantic love that you only see in movies, these films have instilled a lasting celebration of love in me and the idea that however love may come my way, I’m more than worthy of it.”
Right for right now: 9 books that changed my frame of mind about chores. Who wants to read books about chores?? I do! * Let’s talk about highly sensitive people. Learn what this term means and how it can help you better understand yourself and others. * 25 expansive stories that follow a character across decades.* How many times have you wished you could stay with a beloved character a bit longer?
Don’t Overthink It is turning 3!Don’t Overthink It turns 3 on March 3! And we’d love for you to join us in celebrating by sharing a picture of your “flowers” on social. I’ll explain.
One of the book’s main themes is that when we stop overthinking, we can get out of our own way and bring more peace, joy, and love into our lives, and one of the stories I tell is about making a loose rule for myself to buy the $4 bouquet at Trader Joe’s. It’s a small thing that makes me very, very happy. (It also makes me happy that readers who’ve read the book often tag me in pictures of their own grocery store bouquets, saying they thought of me when they bought their flowers.)
There’s nothing magical about the Trader’s Joe bouquet; the point isn’t the flowers but what they represent. Maybe your thing is tulips; maybe it’s good pens, dark chocolate, or bubble baths.
Think on it, and then this week, would you show us your “flowers” on social? Whatever small thing brings you an outsized amount of joy: we’d love to see it. Share a photo in the coming week, tag me on Instagram (I’m @annebogel), and use the hashtag #buytheflowers so we can enjoy each other’s posts.
Thanks for celebrating with me! I can’t wait to see what you share.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
The benefits of friendship are well-document: those with strong platonic connections enjoy increased happiness and well-being, love and acceptance, and support of the emotional, mental, and even physical varieties when they need it.
Life has felt especially challenging these past few years; several of our team members here at MMD have frequently laughed (because you laugh or you cry) at the line from Shauna Niequist’s book I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet where she confesses that “so far, my forties are kind of a train wreck.” But one of the things that gets us through the hard times is our friends.
We need good friends—and yet making and keeping friends as an adult is tricky. Thankfully, we’re not alone as we figure it all out. To that end, today I’m sharing nine books that can help you be a better friend. Some, like Tell Me More and Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First, are story-driven memoirs that include lots of practical tips on how to be a good friend and deepen existing friendships. Others, like Big Friendship, focus heavily on how to manage the inevitable conflicts that will arise. Text Me When You Get Home and Platonic incorporate plenty of research along with personal anecdotes. All are accessible, relatable, and thought-provoking.
I hope these titles will help improve the friendships in your life. Please share the ones that piqued your interest in the comments, along with any other titles you’d recommend for readers seeking to make and keep friends as an adult.
9 nonfiction books that will make you a better friendSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Kelly Corrigan
I adored this book; I wish I could download it into my brain. Kelly talks in depth about how after her friend Liz was diagnosed with cancer, they both pushed past the surface stuff to forge a powerful and enduring friendship. Her twelve phrases give us a good starting point for figuring out how to deepen our relationships and improve communication skills with loved ones: this book will make you want to be a better friend, and also give you insight into how. Personal, heartfelt, and really really good. More info →Author: Kayleen Schaefer
Text Me When You Get Home examines the importance of female friendship and is sure to inspire a reflection about how it's impacted your own life. Part memoir and part social history, Schaefer's stories and illustrations show the many ways female friendship has evolved over the years. Don't be surprised if you feel a deep need to call or text your friends to tell them how wonderful they are once you're done reading. More info →Author: Laura Tremaine
Wise, warm, and relatable, this is the perfect read for anyone interested in exploring how to use their words to deepen their relationships. I read it SO FAST because I wanted to read the story, but the themes and questions have lingered. Even though I read it some time ago, I still think regularly of Laura’s stories about her family, and the message she once received about a certain blue car. If you enjoyed this, mark your calendars: Laura's upcoming book The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs releases April 4, 2023. More info →Author: Marisa G. Franco
Psychologist Dr. Marisa G. Franco believes we need to prioritize friendship more. By looking at friendship through the lens of attachment theory, and using a combination of data and anecdotes that is not academic but very accessible, she makes the case for the many benefits of these relationships, including how they shape us and help us become our healthiest selves. This guidebook-of-sorts is packed with tips and advice for how to strengthen and deepen your existing friendships, nurture new ones, and better manage conflict. This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club flight pick for February 2023. More info →Author: Amy Silverstein
When Amy Silverstein had a heart transplant at age 25 in 1988, her doctors predicted she might live another 10 years at best. Instead 26 years passed, during which time Amy married her husband, lived a full life, and amassed a wonderful collection of friends. Then she learns her transplanted heart is failing and she'll need to undergo another transplant. Ultimately, she and her husband have to relocate to L.A. for several months while she waits for a new heart and nine of her friends decide they will take turns flying out and keeping Amy company while she waits for a heart. We see not only how her friends relate to one another but also how their bonds grow as they support Amy. A beautiful and loving portrayal of friendship. More info →Author: Eva Hagberg
An unexpected health crisis forces thirty-year-old Eva Hagberg to confront the truth she's been blithely ignoring for all of her three decades: life doesn't last forever, time is short, and it's time to forge relationships that matter. After a frightening illness she is vulnerable and lonely, with a tough road to recovery ahead of her. And although it feels like her life has fallen apart, Eva finds that simple acts of friendship help her slowly pull it back together. A beautiful reflection on pain, hope, and joy; this book reminds us that friends hold us up when we can't stand alone. More info →Author: Priya Parker
What does gathering have to do with friendship? Plenty! Parker’s specialty is social conflict resolution and she has vast experience bringing all kinds of different people together. Parker tells wonderful stories with takeaways about what does and doesn't work when friends come together: for example, she might examine why a dinner party was so exquisitely terrible, and how the participants could have handled things differently and enjoyed a different outcome. With chapter titles like "Don't Be a Chill Host" and "Never Start a Funeral with Logistics," Parker pushes her readers to think differently about why and how people come together. Helpful and thought-provoking. More info →Authors: Aminatou Sow, Ann Friedman
Countless books, blogs, and podcasts are devoted to the importance of close friendship, but it's not all phone calls and brunch dates. Friendship can be complicated, and, just like any relationship, it takes work to maintain those close friendships. Why isn't anyone else talking about how hard this is? That’s the question Call Your Girlfriend podcast co-hosts Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman explore in their memoir-of-sorts. I enjoyed their combination of thoughtful research, cultural commentaries, and personal stories that highlight the importance of making and keeping close friends who help you grow, stick around for the hard stuff, and celebrate your victories. They'll be the first to say it’s not easy—while the two share joyful moments in their friendship journey here, they share plenty of messy moments and hard conversations as well—but it's possible, and it’s worth it. More info →Author: Shannan Martin
Over the past few years, we have all had to deal with loneliness, isolation, and disconnection. Shannan Martin says connecting with our neighbors will lead to security, camaraderie and joy. We can be open-hearted and empathetic with our community, seeing past what divides us and finding our common ground. Shannan’s funny but challenging stories about her diverse and complex neighborhood makes being a good neighbor accessible to everyone. Practical tips abound in this conversational read. More info → What are your favorite books about friendship? Please share in the comments.
The post 9 nonfiction books that will make you a better friend appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, with so many books getting lots of buzz on social media or within your social circles, it can feel like a challenge to discover the titles that actually fit your reading tastes. That’s even harder if you’re not quite sure what your reading identify is! Today’s guest is here for my help in solving this readerly dilemma.
North Carolina-based Mollie Hedgecock’s reading life has always been highly influenced by what other people are reading. She gets recommendations from Instagram and her friends, but she’s often left feeling underwhelmed by her latest read. I’m excited to chat with Mollie and help her understand what makes her unique as a reader, then give her some ideas on what to keep in mind when she’s picking her next read. I hope Mollie will walk away the confidence to decide whether a book recommendations is a good pick for her, and of course I give her a few personalized suggestions (and a few bonus picks), too.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] Okay, now I really want to go historical for you. I want to go to World War II. I mean, can we do this?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:00:06] I'm taking a deep breath, preparing myself. Yes, I trust you. I trust you.
Anne Bogel [00:00:17] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next?. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:49] Readers, this is a fun time of year for our team. We are deep in summer reading guide prep, but it's not yet crunch time. Right now in winter, I still have the thrill of discovering great new books, but don't yet have to make agonizing decisions about what fits and what doesn't.
I'm sure you've heard the ads in our show, you know we are ad-supported. But you may not know a full half of our support comes from listeners like you. We're grateful for all the support we receive from our listeners. And some of those ways are completely free: posting a review on your podcast app, sharing our Instagram posts, and most especially by telling a friend about your favorite podcast.
But if you're able to financially support our work for the show and big-deal projects like our Summer Reading Guide, we would really appreciate it. To make a tangible contribution to the show, go to patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
[00:01:36] Many of our listeners use Patreon simply as a tip jar, others join for the perks that membership provides. For $5 or more per month, you'll get bonus podcast episodes, extra book recommendations, including our curated seasonal lists, and you'll be part of a wonderful bookish community. If you enjoy what we do here, we'd be grateful if you could support that work by clicking the link in our show notes or going directly to patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. That's patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
[00:02:08] Today I'm talking with Mollie Hedgecock, a North Carolina-based Child and Family therapist who doesn't know who she is as a reader. Mollie's reading life has always been highly influenced by what other people are reading. She's gotten her book recommendations from friends and sometimes from Instagram, but so many times when she finishes them or sometimes doesn't finish them, she's left thinking, "Hmm, that really didn't do anything for me." But she doesn't always know why.
Mollie wants to feel confident in the reading path she's on and in the book, she's choosing because they write for her, not for somebody else. And to do that she needs to know what to look for in books, and what to listen for in others' recommendations so she can decide whether the books her friends are loving are ones she might actually enjoy.
Today, we're going to help Mollie identify her own reading personality. She doesn't want to be swayed so much by others' reading, and that will be so much easier for her when she knows what she wants and who she is as a reader. I can't wait to talk more about this with Mollie. Let's get to it.
[00:03:08] Mollie, welcome to the show.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:03:11] I'm so excited. Thank you for having me, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:03:13] It's mutual. I'm so glad you come on. I'd love to jump right in. Tell me a little more about what your reading life is like these days.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:03:21] Yeah. So I started reading more in 2020. I'm sure, like a lot of people, I have kind of put it down for a while because I was in school and then grad school but I started reading more during the pandemic because I had all this free time. And since then, it's just been a hobby that I've picked up and just something that I have really enjoyed doing.
I typically read in the mornings for about 20 minutes, some kind of nonfiction spiritual book, and then I read fiction the majority of the time outside of that.
Anne Bogel [00:03:59] That sounds good right now. And yes, I hear that you're well aware you're not the only one whose reading life significantly changed, for better or worse, in 2020. Would you say that was an improvement for the better for you? I hear you saying you're reading more but that doesn't necessarily mean you would call that an improvement.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:04:15] Right. No. I would definitely say it's changed my life. It's given me just so much joy and so much escape from, you know, the pandemic, but also my job can be hard sometimes, emotionally draining. So being able to read and kind of escape into a different world has been life-changing. That doesn't feel dramatic for me to say.
Anne Bogel [00:04:43] I'm so glad to hear it. Are you able to put your finger on what it was about the pandemic that sent you to books instead of to the woods or TV or I don't know, to crochet books?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:04:56] Right. Yes. Well, I did go through a crochet phase actually.
Anne Bogel [00:05:01] There's a heavy crochet stage going on in my household right now, and I'm really enjoying it. But also I'm not the one doing it. But for you it was books.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:05:08] Yes, it was books. Yeah. So we lived in a really small apartment. Woods was not an option. We were kind of in the middle of the city, not a lot of parks around or anything like that. So a lot of times I would walk around our apartment complex. But outside of that, I was just really bored.
So we have an awesome used bookstore in my town, and every time I would go I would pick out books hoping that I would read them and I never would. So you know, I'm sitting in the apartment, I am tired of walking around our apartment complex, then I noticed these books on my shelf that I have picked up, honestly, through the years from this used bookstore and just never read.
One of them was The Whole Town’s Talking by Fannie Flagg, which I'd never heard of Fannie Flagg, never heard of this book. I just picked it up on a whim. And I was like, "Well, might as well." So I read it and didn't know that it was the fourth book in the series or anything like that.
Anne Bogel [00:06:11] Wait, is it really? Because I think that was my first Fannie Flagg novel too.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:06:14] Oh, really? I think it is but—
Anne Bogel [00:06:16] Many years ago, like six or seven.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:06:17] Yeah, I think it's part of a series, which I didn't know. But I was immersed. Like I really enjoyed it. And I was like, "Oh, this is fun. This can take me somewhere else." It was almost like making new friends during the pandemic, like getting to know, you know, these characters and this life. I just loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:06:40] Well, I'm thrilled to hear that. I'm glad that past Mollie had stored up all these books that pandemic Mollie would need one day.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:06:45] Yes, me too. My husband didn't understand at the time why I kept buying books from this used bookstore that I never read. But it was all leading up to this. So...
Anne Bogel [00:06:55] I'm glad it did. Mollie, at what point did you realize that your idea of who you are as a reader is still in development?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:07:02] Uh, yes, I guess that would be more 2022. I think for a while I read those books that I had picked up from the used bookstore and then I ran out of them. So I started looking on Goodreads for recommendations, your podcast has been a big one for me, friends. But I couldn't figure out... I would just pick up a book based on a recommendation not because I was like, "Oh, this sounds like something I would like." It was very much because, you know, this friend recommended it or it's really heavy on Instagram right now.
So I would read it and then I would just think, "Oh, I didn't like that. Reading that was not a good experience for me. I didn't enjoy the process of reading that book." So I think last year, I felt more and more of that. It was like I just kept reading books that I did not like and that I didn't enjoy reading.
So that's when I filled out the application to be on your show because I was like, "Anne, please help me!" Because this thing that I loved, you know, had kind of turned into this chore and had kind of turned into this guessing game. And I just felt like I kept guessing the wrong kind of book for me.
Anne Bogel [00:08:28] Mollie, I have to tell you how relatable your current dilemma feels to past Anne. It took me so, so long to realize. And I understand that this says a lot about me and my personality, some of you listeners will completely relate and some will be like, "You poor child. I didn't know people felt that way."
But it took me a long time to realize that hearing someone else say, "This book is amazing," does not at all mean that I will find it to be amazing. Because reading is personal and we all bring our own experience and expectations and taste to the books worth reading, and we don't all enjoy the same thing, which is such a blessing and also can really send us in the wrong direction if we're not aware of this and don't constantly take that into consideration.
I mean, eventually, Mollie, we're gonna get you running a program in the back of your brain that helps you listen without even realizing it's other people talking about books, thinking at the same time, "Yes, but is it right for me?" This is not black and white. We're not going to say, Mollie, you should never try a book that doesn't sound right for you. But what we want to do is really help you realize what you enjoy in the reading life so you can branch out from there, instead of having your starting point be other people's taste.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:09:45] Yes, that is what I need. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:09:47] Does it seem to you, Mollie, that other people have their own strong reading identities? In other words, do you feel alone in this struggle you're experiencing?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:09:56] I do sometimes. I think especially on Instagram. So I kind of followed a lot of book accounts on Instagram for a while and it just seemed like everybody was always reading the same books. I would try these books and these big-name authors that, you know, it seemed like everybody was reading, and then I was like, "Okay, something must be wrong with me, because I really don't understand why this is, you know, just what everybody is talking about."
So I think I felt like the odd one out. Like it was me with a problem because it just felt like everybody else was reading and enjoying the same kinds of books to the point where I could not even find other books, it felt like, to read because the only books that I could find were the ones that everybody seemed to be talking about. So it became this difficult search for, Okay, well, I kno, I don't like this author, I know I don't really like this genre that everybody is talking about, but I don't know where to find books outside of that. So yeah, it is still difficult.
Anne Bogel [00:11:06] I would like to reassure you that it is not just you. And also by helping you articulate why you don't enjoy that genre, why you don't gravitate towards that particular author, identify what you don't like and also what you do. But you're on a path to finding books that maybe aren't necessarily filling your Bookstagram feed, but I bet are at that used bookstore and could bring you a lot of joy in your reading life.
And also, Mollie, I want to say this is something every reader needs to do at some point. This is a process we all go through if we're happy with the kinds of books we're picking up. And some of us do it very explicitly. Like, we feel like we need to sit down with a checklist, or we need to sit down and talk to Anne and figure out, okay, what works for us in our reading lives.
And some of us kind of automatically do it piecemeal over the years. We don't even realize we're doing it but we are constantly assessing what was good about that, what didn't work about that, what does that mean for what I want to read next? But we all have to do it some way somehow. And you're doing it now and that's great.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:12:05] I also asked for My Reading Life for Christmas in hopes that having your reading life journal would help me kind of be able to identify what those things are that I do like and what I don't enjoy to kind of do exactly what you're talking about, and embark on this journey to figure out, you know, what kind of books I do gravitate towards based on that. So that's been a really helpful tool, and I've enjoyed using that this year so far.
Anne Bogel [00:12:33] Oh, that's wonderful. Okay, so especially realizing that you have that data, you know what books you have read, and you know what you've thought about them, what I'd really love to do is share some questions that you can answer now but also you can take to that reading journal and look at the books and say, okay, why did this work for me or why did it not? Can I share some of those questions with you?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:12:54] Please.
Anne Bogel [00:12:55] Okay, so an obvious starting point would be to ask, what genres do you especially enjoy?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:13:02] I would say fiction, like contemporary fiction, and romance.
Anne Bogel [00:13:11] That's interesting, Mollie, because looking at your submission, there's a certain kind of historical novel that I think might be completely up your alley. We're just gonna tuck that away.
Another question I would ask is, do you really enjoy character-driven stories or plot-driven stories? "Both" is completely an answer. But what I mean is, do you enjoy a quieter kind of interior exploration of what is happening in a character's mind and heart or do you want action? Like, do you want them to be doing something? Some stories give you both, but some readers categorically find that they don't tend to enjoy one or the other kind of story.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:13:48] Yes. And I think that's what's hard is because I do feel like I need both because I really enjoy connecting with characters. My favorite part, a lot of the time in the book, is really understanding what the character is feeling, thinking. But it also needs that action part, that plot part because if it's just this inner monologue all the time from the character, I get very bored and like, "Okay, time to move along." So I really do feel like it's both but I know that I need characters that I can connect to.
Anne Bogel [00:14:28] Oh, that's good to know. So if you like character-driven, you would want to be able to articulate what draws you to a character, what interests you about them. Do you need them to be likeable? Honestly, Mollie, it sounds like you do.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:14:39] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:14:39] Some readers can read a story about bad people behaving badly and love it. Others need at least one character they can root for. Another question would be, what kind of pacing do you most appreciate? Do you have patience to let a story develop on a long slow arc or do you want strong narrative drive, something that feels more page-turnery?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:15:01] I would say more page-turnery in general. It's just hard because if I'm really invested in the characters, then I'm willing to wait for, you know, the plot to kind of pick up a little bit. Like if it's going slowly, but I'm really invested in the characters, I'm okay with that. Does that make sense?
Anne Bogel [00:15:21] It does make sense. And I want to pause here to say that a place that it's very easy for readers to get tripped up, this happened to me for a long time, is that when we ask ourselves questions about our reading lives, it's easy to answer aspirationally about the kind of reader that we wish we were or that we dream of becoming, as opposed to practically like, no, no, seriously, no, seriously, Anne, no, seriously, Mollie, what do you actually enjoy? Sometimes there can be a gap between those two things.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:15:48] Yes, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:15:50] I think it does make sense. Another thing to consider is, how much do you care about the prose? Which do you value more? A really strong plot or beautiful writing?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:15:59] Most definitely, really strong plot. I feel like I really could care less about the prose, to be honest with you. Like, if it's super flowery, fluttery language, I do think I start to disconnect a little bit and to start maybe skimming until the plot picks up a bit.
Anne Bogel [00:16:20] Okay. Again, I want to say I'm introducing this as either/or. You don't have to make these choices in your reading life necessarily, but it just draws attention to the spectrum.
Another question is, what topics do you find especially interesting or what places do you want to visit in fiction, or nonfiction, or memoir? And also, what are your deal breakers? Like we all have topics that we don't want to read about. And this is important to know, because one of the things I'm going to encourage you to do is to try new things in your reading life. That's how we find out what we like. That's how we find out what we don't like. And that's very helpful too.
So identifying your deal breakers is both a helpful way of narrowing down your options and it can also make it more likely you're not going to read something that totally ruins your day. You're a child and family therapist, you know that it's easy to take work home with you, to take the emotional load of work home with you. Is that resonating?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:17:14] Oh yes, definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:17:16] Okay. So we know that that's a factor that you take into consideration when you're choosing your books. So I imagine that you have specific things that you feel like you deal with at work you don't want to deal with in your reading life. And that's fine. We want to identify those things for you.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:17:28] Yes. I am not a fan of the family drama books. Those are not for me because I feel like I get those enough in day-to-day work life.
Anne Bogel [00:17:40] Mollie, something you said is that in your fiction, you enjoy escaping into other worlds. So what we want you to be able to identify is, what kind of worlds do you find inviting to escape into.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:17:52] Yes. And I think that's why I started to read romance so much. Especially after I kind of ran out of books during the pandemic, I just started gravitating towards romance was because I felt like it was very predictable. And I could escape into a story that I knew was going to have a happy ending and knew was going to make me feel good.
And then the romance books started to dwindle for me. And what I mean by that is, I would finish them and just feel like it was lacking something. Like the character development wasn't really there, just felt like it was missing something when I would finish. That's where I feel like I've kind of hit this wall where I just need a little bit more.
Anne Bogel [00:18:38] That makes sense. And something I want to notice here is that it sounds like romance is a genre you have especially enjoyed. But even within that genre, there is so much variety in plot and pacing, and characterization. You're not going to love every book in a particular genre. What we want to help you do is to be able to identify the specific books and a variety of genres that sound promising for you.
And as we talk about books you may enjoy today, I really want to encourage you upfront to keep an ear open for books, not just that sound like you but that are outside your lane. As we try and pull up the threads that represent those things you truly love to find in the books you read, I really want to keep in mind that sometimes the things we love are different. And we love them because they're different because they are noteworthy, they feel new and fresh and not like a book that we've read a version of 100 times before. Mollie, with that as our backdrop, are you ready to dig into the books that you've loved?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:19:35] Yes, I am.
Anne Bogel [00:19:38] I can't wait to hear. How did you choose these?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:19:41] So I looked back at what I have read over the past year or so and just picked the ones that have really stood out to me and that I still think about, that I still recommend to friends, family. So that's how I chose them.
Anne Bogel [00:19:59] That sounds great. Tell me about the first book you've loved.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:20:01] The first book is called The Kitchen Front. It takes place in World War II, which if you told me a year ago that I would be reading a historical fiction World War II book, I would just laugh at you because I never thought that I would gravitate towards historical fiction. And to be honest, I don't really gravitate towards historical fiction or at least I don't pick up a lot of them.
So this follows four women who are competing for a spot on a cooking program called The Kitchen Front. And this program is designed to help women at home who are dealing with the food rationing that's taking place. So the four women, you have two strange sisters, one lost her husband, and one has a husband who really is just horrible. You also have a cook who has some big life decisions to make and also a kitchen maid who wants to leave her life as a servant.
So they're competing in this competition to hopefully win the spot. All of them want it for different reasons. You have the dynamic of the sisters. There's also this really sweet romance with one of the characters. It's just very tender. And yes, it's about the competing, but what I loved about this is the way that the women come together and the way that their relationships shift throughout the book.
Anne Bogel [00:21:39] That sounds so interesting. Mollie, I'd love to hear more about historical fiction feeling like a genre that's not for you.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:21:45] I think maybe when I've thought about it in the past it just seems like boring. That seems horrible to say. But I think that when I thought about reading historical fiction, it just sounds like I might be bored. I don't know that much about history. I mean, I studied it obviously in high school, but that's kind of the extent of it. And it's not something that necessarily I have loved studying or jumping back into. So the idea of reading books about history has never really appealed to me.
Anne Bogel [00:22:25] I'm wondering if it seems to you that historical fiction might feel boring, might feel like work, like school in the unpleasant sense.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:22:34] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:22:34] And I wonder if also there's a fear that the characters won't feel relatable.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:22:37] Yes, yes, that's exactly it. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:22:40] That's interesting. I'm going to keep those things in mind. Tell me about the next book you loved.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:22:44] The next book that I loved is called Love & Saffron by Kim Fay.
Anne Bogel [00:22:53] Oh, it's another historical, Mollie.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:22:54] Uh, don't tell me that, Anne. I'm scared. Okay. So this takes place in the 1960s, which to me was not a big part of the book. You know, it didn't feel obviously like this was taking place in the 1960s.
But it follows two women, Joan and Imogen. Imogen writes a food column for a newspaper based in near Seattle in the Pacific Northwest, and Joan writes a fan letter to Imogen and includes a bit of saffron. This begins a letter exchange between Joan and Imogen.
The whole book is written through these letters and the intimacy that is in this book, just... it was so beautiful. It follows how their friendship develops but also the things that are going on in the world around them, and also the things that are going on in their personal lives. And them sharing themselves with each other, it was so beautiful.
I don't like books that make me cry, or make me sad, at least that's what I have been telling myself, but I saw sobbed at the ending of this book. Like have never cried so hard. That was for multiple reasons, which I'm not going to get into. But I think the biggest one was their friendship—just this beautiful friendship that you had gotten to witness throughout their letter exchange and then it was over. I was sad because I was not ready for the book to end. I was not ready for their friendship to draw to a close via the book. And dang. It was beautiful. I loved it so much.
I read it in a day. It had me laughing, crying, it had me hungry, like there's this food part to the book where they share recipes and their cooking. Yeah, I just was completely smitten with the characters in this book and I loved it so much.
Anne Bogel [00:25:13] That sounds like a great fit for you. Also, I really admire the self-awareness you're bringing to the conversation. Like, "The story I told myself was, and yet what I'm noticing is..." So high fives, Mollie.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:25:24] Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:25:25] So there's something I'm wondering. You know how we just talked about how it's easy for us to be aspirational when we're answering questions about our reading life and we answer questions in the way that we wish our reading life was, but not in the way it actually is. I do wonder if the word "aspirational" could have a different meaning for your reading life.
Because what I'm wondering, listening to you discuss the characters in The Kitchen Front and now Love & Saffron is if you don't enjoy reading books that portray the kind of life that you want to lead... And I'm not saying you want to go back to World War II Britain, but the kinds of relationships, the kind of experiences, the kind of meaning that you see on the page. I mean, I guess that's what you said—you want to find worlds that you want to escape into. And I really see that on display here with these first two. Does that sound true to you? Like, does that make you nod or go mm?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:26:11] No, it definitely does. Again, with what I do for work, I just think that getting to slip into a story with beautiful people who love each other and care about each other and want the best for each other: I think that is what I need a lot of times when I sink into a book.
Anne Bogel [00:26:33] Okay. I actually didn't expect my thoughts to go this direction but I'm thinking of Louise Penny when she describes the world she creates in Three Pines in her murder mysteries where terrible things happen. But she says that she writes to create a kind of emotional safety with the community. And I wonder if emotional safety is something that appeals to you and the books that you know you really enjoy.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:26:53] It sounds like it probably does. And I didn't even realize that until you said it.
Anne Bogel [00:26:57] Well, that's why we're talking. Tell me about the final book you loved.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:27:01] Yes! The final book, which it's interesting that we're talking about emotional safety as I transitioned into this book, because this book was a roller coaster for me. But it is Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy.
I have never read a book like this. It was recommended to me by a family member. She just talked about how beautiful the book was and how much she thought about the book. And I was like, "Well, that doesn't really sound like a book that I would like." But I ended up picking it up and then it sat on my shelf for a really long time. And then I didn't have any book to read so I finally picked it up.
It is about this woman named Inti, who leads a team of biologists into the Highlands of Scotland, rural Scotland, where they are introducing wolves back into the highlands. The idea of reintroducing the wolves is to help the dying landscape. Okay, so let me pause and just tell you that I have recommended this book to so many people. And when I start describing it, I see their eyes glaze over and I am like, "Wait, no, stay with me. It really is such a good book."
But I think when you start talking about reintroducing wolves into Scotland I just think you lose a lot of people. And that's probably how I felt and why I didn't start this book. But not only are you dealing with that, but you are dealing with this incredible depth to the main character Inti and you're also dealing with these relationships with the farmers in the community who are very resistant to wolves being reintroduced because this is how they make their money and their livelihood by, you know, farming, sheep, cattle. So they are very resistant and scared about the reintroduction of wolves.
So it actually goes really well and people begin to adjust and relax to the idea of the wolves being there until something happens and a farmer turns up dead and Inti is devastated because all things point to the wolves have killed this farmer. And she sets out to try to determine if that is the case or not. She's getting so much backlash from the residents of this community.
There's also this romance part where you have this mysterious hunky Scottish sheriff, which what is not to like about, you know, a mysterious Scottish sheriff? So there's that dynamic too. There just was so much going on in this book I felt like very character-driven, but also plot-driven. There was a lot happening. But I just was very invested in this story. For me, it was a total page-turner. I just loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:30:28] I'm so glad. So you weren't really into the wolves, at first, at first. That wasn't the hook for you. I imagine you came to care deeply about what was happening with the wolves. But an eco thriller, set in the quiet community with long-held secrets, where you introduce an apex predator and everything comes rushing to the surface, that turned out to be a great fit for you.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:30:49] Yes, which I never would have guessed. But yes, I loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:30:53] I'm so glad you took a chance on this book, Mollie.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:30:56] Me too.
Anne Bogel [00:30:57] Now, tell me about a book that wasn't a good fit for you.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:31:01] Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen. This follows two women who are trying to make money by selling inauthentic handbags. This was one that I picked up I believe on recommendation from... I think maybe it was like a blog post from you. And I just did not find it interesting. I did not find it to be very entertaining. The characters were not enjoyable or likable.
It just didn't feel like it was for me. It felt like I was following them in this story that I really didn't care about and in relationships that were not very caring or authentic. It just, it wasn't for me. I think that's just why I didn't like it was because it wasn't for me. I don't think it was a bad book or anything like that. I just don't think it was a good fit for me.
Anne Bogel [00:32:08] Now, I am certain that I did talk about this on the blog back in the fall because I listened to this audiobook in one day—you were just talking about reading Love & Saffron in one day—on a drive from North Carolina actually back home to Louisville. And I really enjoyed this story.
On the surface it almost had a heist kind of vibe to it. It had a clever structure. And it took me a little while to figure out, it crept up on me slowly, that this wasn't just about women figuring out how to knock off excellent counterfeit handbags that then sell for $10,000 on eBay. But it snuck up on me, this, like, surreptitious critique of the American dream. I really enjoyed the details of the fashion industry and those handbags in particular. It felt really smart to me.
But not everybody would want to root for these characters. And did this feel like an emotionally safe story? No. I was on edge and most of the time because the question is, will they get caught? How bad will the consequences be, as the stakes keep ratcheting up? It was emotionally scary. And that's not a place you want to go in your fiction, right?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:33:12] Right. That's correct.
Anne Bogel [00:33:14] Okay, so here's what we want to do, Mollie. Now knowing, massive caveat, that of course you want to try books that are off your beaten path, because that has rewarded you in the past, like, Once There Were Wolves is an excellent example. But what we want to do is help you listen to my description of the reading experience.
Hey, these are two women who are trying to get away with something big, high stakes, feels really tenuous, your heart will be beating fast as you're trying to figure out, are they gonna pull it off. We want to get your inner thought process going, but is that for me? Does that feel right for me? Is that a world I want to pop into for 300 pages?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:33:50] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:33:51] Because in hindsight, you would say no, the answer is no.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:33:53] Right.
Anne Bogel [00:33:54] ...for this book. But we want to get you thinking like that as someone is telling you, "Hey, Mollie, listen to this fabulous book I just finished." We want to get you where you're listening to them describe their experience and ask yourself, "Okay, what would my reading experience be like? Is that a place I want to go? Considering all the factors happening in my life and my reading life, is that a place I want to go right now?"
Mollie Hedgecock [00:34:16] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:34:16] Awesome. What are you reading right now, Mollie?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:34:19] I am reading The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. Again, I've been in this funk, trying to figure out what to read that I would like and so I read The Guest List by Lucy Foley last year, and I didn't like it.
Anne Bogel [00:34:37] I know. Of course, you didn't like it.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:34:41] I did not like it.
Anne Bogel [00:34:43] I was about to think, Do I have to rework all my theories if you told me you adored that book?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:34:47] No.
Anne Bogel [00:34:47] Okay.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:34:48] I didn't like it but it was like a page-turner for me, and I did have to find out what happened. And I have thought about it a weird amount since then, but not in a good way. Just in an icky way, honestly. So I don't know why I picked up The Paris Apartment except for that I knew I had read The Guest List and at least, the story was somewhat entertaining. Even if it did leave me feeling icky, it was a story that I could stick with. So that was my thinking in picking up The Paris Apartment.
Anne Bogel [00:35:27] And I imagine when you say "it left me feeling icky," you're thinking murder mystery, grim things happen, motivations that you didn't really feel, you know, warm and fuzzy about. This is the kind of space we're operating in?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:35:39] Yes. And you know, you follow in that book, and this book too so far, in The Paris Apartment, you follow all of these different characters and their perspectives of what's happening. And when you don't like a single one of them and you think that all of their motives, you know, are not good, then it just doesn't make it something that feels good to read, at least for me.
Anne Bogel [00:36:05] For you.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:36:05] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:36:05] For you. And you know what, Mollie, I want to hold open the possibility for you. And I'd like you to hold your taste loosely right now. It's good to know what is working for you right now. Maybe one day you're going to take a month off work and read on the beach, and that's all you're going to do, and maybe that is going to be your Lucy Foley moment. But I don't think that's what you want to read on a Tuesday night when you come home from work right now.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:36:26] Yes, probably not.
Anne Bogel [00:36:28] Mollie, when we asked you on your submission what kinds of recommendations you're looking for, your answer makes me question whether you really don't know your own reading identity, because it tracks so much with what I would expect after our conversation. You say that you're open to surprises, but you do enjoy comfort reads, your job can be emotionally draining so books with lots of difficult subject matter can be hard to get into. And you specifically say, "I would love some books with likeable characters, tender endings, and a bit of overall angst. I hope that's not too much to ask for." How do you feel about that request from past Mollie right now?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:37:01] It feels like my same request from current Mollie. It still rings true.
Anne Bogel [00:37:08] When you're scanning the literary landscape, is that the kind of thing you're keeping an eye out for?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:37:12] No. And it goes back to: what are people talking about? I think I just see these books that everybody seems to be reading and I think, "Oh, I should try that" regardless of what I just asked you for in my submission and what I'm still looking for. It's like, oh, well, I guess I should try this because everybody is trying it.
So I guess I don't think about my reading identity in those moments, like who I am as a reader. I think I just maybe want to go along with what other people are reading or I just lose sight of my own identity and get caught up in, you know, the book craze.
Anne Bogel [00:37:55] As an Enneagram type nine, I don't know if that means anything to you or not.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:37:59] It does.
Anne Bogel [00:38:00] I hear this so much.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:38:03] Yes, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:38:04] But you love what you love, and that's great and we're going to help you keep an eye out for it. And also, might I just encourage you to write likeable characters tender and things a bit—what I hear is a smidge of overall angst—on a bookmark or Post It by your computer or a note on your phone, or wherever it is that you are looking at the Library app or that you might look at when you walk into an independent bookstore or the used bookstore you love so much. And just remind yourself, This is what I love.
[00:38:31] And I mean, by all means, branch out from there. But maybe for the next month or two just experiment within those parameters and see how that feels to you.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:38:39] Yes, that sounds like a really good idea.
Anne Bogel [00:38:41] Branching out is great. But when we talk about branching out, you're doing it from a foundation. A trunk actually, I believe is the analogy here. But it's not scattershot. You're starting from a place that feels great to you and then going from there. So let's get you back to that safe space.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:38:59] Yes, please.
Anne Bogel [00:39:00] Just for a little while to see how it feels.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:39:02] Yes, that sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:39:05] Okay, Mollie, I feel like there's so many books we could talk about that feel good for you right now that I'm not quite sure where to jump in. I gotta tell you several historical novels that seem right up your alley. I know that you love romance and you have mentioned previously that you wouldn't mind a romance suggestion. An epistolary novel is coming... Two. Actually two. Two epistolary novels are coming to mind, because you really enjoy that letter format with Love & Saffron.
But I was really surprised to hear you mention the Fannie Flagg novel The Whole Town's Talking. There's a contemporary novel that came out a year ago by Annie Hartnett. And this book put me so firmly in mind of that Fannie Flagg novel that I hadn't read for years and I don't think about ever in my reading life, but it reminded me so much that I feel like I have to tell you about it, Mollie.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:39:58] Yes, please.
Anne Bogel [00:39:59] It's called Unlikely Animals. It came out last spring. So, at the heart of this story is a young woman named Emma Starling. She has made her family proud by leaving small town New Hampshire and going to med school far far away where she's going to do great things and become a physician.
Oh, she has an unusual gift that has long been presumed she could use to heal people. And through this story, we, I think, root for her, Mollie, as she wrestles with, "Well, yeah, but is it really a gift for good? And does it really mean I should be a physician? And aren't there other things I could be doing in the world?" She's very conflicted.
But she comes back home to care for her father who has developed this rare brain condition that began manifesting by him seeing animals where there were no animals. He was a professor and the story may begin on that note, something like he knew his time had come when he saw cats in the back of the classroom. It's something like that.
But Emma with all her baggage that she's dealing with, that she doesn't feel like she can tell anybody about, she comes back home. She started substitute teaching in her old fifth grade classroom, and she just gets swept back up into the small-town orbit, including the old boyfriend that she was part of all those years ago.
There's several threads going on here. So we have her father's illness. We have her missing best friend. Some people think she just ran off to live her own life. Some people think something sinister has happened. And through all this, we have the ghosts in the cemetery of dead townspeople just commenting on all the happenings just like they do in The Whole Town's Talking.
I want readers to know that there are some hard things in this book. But Hartnett has such a light touch. You may remember her from Rabbit Cake. I know some of you read that. She's absurd and funny and endearing. Whimsical, I think, would be a good description here. I just love that connection to Fannie Flagg. I think it may be a good adjacent pick for you. How does that sound, Mollie?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:41:56] It sounds interesting. And yeah, very compelling. I'm excited to pick it up.
Anne Bogel [00:42:02] I'm happy to hear it. Okay, now I really want to go historical for you. I want to go to World War II. I mean, can we do this?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:42:10] I'm taking a deep breath preparing myself but yes. I trust you. I trust you.
Anne Bogel [00:42:17] You don't have to read it. This is a debut novel I have in mind, Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce. This came out about five years ago, because I don't want to just give you the latest because that's not been working out for you.
And Mollie, I love this story behind the story here. So A.J. Pearce stumbled upon a British women's magazine from 1939 and the Problems Page hosted by this magazine where women wrote in and said, "Hey, here's what I'm dealing with." And an editor at the newspaper would write back and address her situation. So this debut follows friends, Emmeline and Bunty, as they try to stay cheerful during the war despite having to give up on their dreams and deal with the nightly raids.
What happens is Emmy answers a job advertisement and suddenly finds herself typing letters for Henrietta Bird, the advice columnist for... I think it's called Woman's Friend Magazine in the book. So Mrs. Bird's rules are that if the problem is unpleasant, it goes straight in the bin. But Emmy thinks that's cruel because these women are seeking help and nobody else is going to give it to them. So she begins writing those women back.
I think this story has so much of what you loved from Love & Saffron and The Kitchen Front, both historical novels, in that you see likable characters coming together, forming community, seeking to help each other. Despite it being set in wartime London, I think this is a world that you will enjoy escaping to. How does that sound?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:43:50] It sounds fun. I love female characters and strong female characters. So yeah, I think this could be good.
Anne Bogel [00:43:59] Oh, gosh, I just realized what I did was set myself up for sharing another historical novel. But this one is back and forth in time. Does that help to have the contemporary grounding?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:44:08] A bit. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:44:10] Okay. The book I have in mind is The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah. I'm certain that we have talked about Mastering the Art of French Eating on the podcast before. Mah is a journalist and food writer, and this is her novel from about five years ago.
And it's about a young woman named Kate. And I'm just realizing Kate is dealing with some stuff where the stakes feel pretty high for her. She needs to head back to her family's vineyard estate in Burgundy to rest up and study hard because she has failed her Master of Wine examination twice, and she cannot feel it a third time or she will be out. So she is feeling some pressure.
But that's not the only reason she's going back to Burgundy. She really hopes that she'll be able to reconnect with her family while she's studying up on the wine that she really needs to have down pat. In the process of helping her family clear out some old things, she stumbled across a diary and also a whole bunch of really good, really treasured, really expensive wine made on the family vineyard many years ago.
The diaries from her great aunt who was a teen during World War II, but it's not clear where her loyalties lay back then or what happened. And then there's several bottles of wine missing from the sellers' collection. And so what we have here is a family story, not like a complicated family, you know. I think this is gonna be okay with you. But we have this mystery of the diary entries and what do they reveal about the family. And we also have her needing to overcome this obstacle in her current life and professional career.
One of the questions that we asked when we talked about finding your reading identity was what topics do you enjoy reading about, what kind of worlds do you want to escape to. There is so much food and wine knowledge and lore and trivia in details that just feels very visceral, like you're standing there looking over the vineyard. Like picking up the dusty bottles. That will be a strong selling point for a lot of readers. I'm not sure if it's one for you, though, Mollie. How does that sound?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:46:10] It sounds intriguing and sounds exciting. Would you say the main character is pretty likable?
Anne Bogel [00:46:17] I would. And I also think it would be remiss not to mention that there's a romance thread through here that is not the dominant one. But I've noticed that you enjoy that in your stories.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:46:26] I do. Yes. Okay. That makes me feel better about it.
Anne Bogel [00:46:30] That's The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah. I do want to put in two plugs. I know you love stories with well-developed and likable characters. It sounds like you feel like romance has let you down a little bit recently.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:46:41] Yes, definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:46:43] Okay. I wanted to put in a plug for Abby Jimenez. If you have not read her yet, or recently.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:46:48] I have read her, yes. I really enjoy her books.
Anne Bogel [00:46:52] Okay. She has a new one coming out called Yours Truly that I think is her best yet. It comes out in April. It's called Yours Truly because the characters don't initially connect in person but establish a meaningful relationship by writing actual letters to each other. This is also a workplace romance.
It's set in a hospital where they both work as big-shot physicians. It's really great. And I think if you've read her before and really liked her that this one is worth just penciling in on your calendar. Keep an eye out for it when it comes out in April.
And then Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson is an epistolary novel, which means it's a novel in letters. The two characters accidentally strike up a correspondence. We have a British farmwife who writes a Danish museum inquiring about something. And the Danish museum curator writes back to answer her question which he can't do to his or her satisfaction, so he apologizes and includes some details, and they strike up a correspondence. And I think because of your love for Love & Saffron that this really belongs on your reading radar.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:47:54] That sounds great. And for some reason, that one sounds like I'm super excited to pick it up. Yeah, that one sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:48:02] I said the least about that one. Is that the secret?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:48:04] I don't know. But that one just sounds very sweet.
Anne Bogel [00:48:09] I'm glad it sounds good to you because I think it's gonna be a good fit. Mollie, of the books we talked about today... Now, apparently, I need to include Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez and Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson. We also talked about Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett, Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce, and The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah. Of those books, what do you think you'll read next?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:48:31] Well, I just feel so lucky because I got the two plugs, the extra. So I would definitely say Meet Me at the Museum and Unlikely Animals are the two that I feel most excited to pick up.
Anne Bogel [00:48:45] And how are you feeling about your identity as a reader?
Mollie Hedgecock [00:48:48] I feel like you have really given me the permission that I needed to just kind of sink into where I'm at right now and really develop roots in this identity before I start branching out, which I really appreciate.
Anne Bogel [00:49:03] I'm happy to hear it, and I'm really excited for you picking up those books. Mollie, thanks so much for talking with me today. It's been a pleasure.
Mollie Hedgecock [00:49:09] Yes. Thank you so much.
Anne Bogel [00:49:15] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Mollie, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. See the full list of titles we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. Bookstagram can feel like a lot sometimes, we get it, so we keep it casual and fun on our shows page at @whatshouldireadnext. We share picks of our weekly episodes and talk about what's happening here at What Should I Read Next? HQ.
Follow us today to connect with your fellow book lovers and stay up to date with what's happening on the show. You'll find me there too @AnneBogel. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you'll always be first to know all our news. I'd love to add you to the list. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:50:04] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Thanks to our community manager, Sara Aeder. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Whole Town’s Talking by Fanny Flagg
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Love & Saffron by Kim Fay
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
▵ Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
• The Paris Apartmentby Lucy Foley
• The Guest List by Lucy Foley
• Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
• Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
• Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce
• The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah
• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
• Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
Also mentioned:• What Should I Read Next Patreon
The post Learning to trust your reading instincts appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Three kids here are on Winter Break, so we’re going to go see a fun show, make waffles for breakfast, and enjoy some time hanging out with no looming homework. I’m hoping to finish at least two books (I’m already halfway through one so this feels doable) and choose my next audiobook before my next short walk with Daisy (any recommendations?).
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: How an Ikea storage solution became Gen Z’s most coveted bookshelf. (Penguin UK) “The trolley acts as an ever-changing display of what the reader is interested in.” (If you’re inspired to start your own: I love the great colors available for this rolling cart from The Container Store.) * Helen Garner on happiness: ‘It’s taken me 80 years to figure out it’s not a tranquil, sunlit realm.’ (The Guardian) “I’m going to settle for small, random stabs of extreme interestingness–moments of intense awareness of the things I’m about to lose, and of gladness that they exist.” * Scrumptious Cozy Mysteries to Tempt Your Palate. (CrimeReads) “From chocolate to donuts, there are cozies to satisfy any reader’s sweet tooth.” The titles on these are great. * Can Poetry Heal a Broken World? (ELLE) This is a lovely interview with the first Latina poet laureate, right from the humorous opening: “Ada Limón told her speaking agent she couldn’t take the mysterious late-morning phone call. She had physical therapy. Her agent suggested, gently, that she reschedule.” * 17 Movies About the Many Layers of Friendship. (Shondaland) * The Best Coffee Shop in Every State. (Tasting Table) I’m sad to say the shop named for my state doesn’t serve the decaf I need (sniff), but I will vouch for their chocolate chip cookies. * How to Experience the Lasting Legacy of Harriet Tubman. (Shondaland) I didn’t know you could tour her home in Auburn, New York! The pictures in this piece are gorgeous. * Nothing says spring like a cream cable sweater. (This deeply discounted version also feels just right for this time of year.) * HarperCollins Union Voted to Ratify Contract. (Book Riot) This is new news as of yesterday. I’m relieved to hear the strike is over; HarperCollins employees return to work on February 21. * The French Tian Is the Prettiest (and Easiest) Way to Cook and Serve Vegetables. (Martha Stewart) This makes me want to go turn on the oven and get started right this minute! * Skinny jeans will never die, says Levi’s — and these Gen Z fans. (Washington Post gift link) “Data suggests that when skinny jean stalwarts say they aren’t giving them up, they mean it.” (I’ve worn an unpatchable hole in my favorite skinnies and need to replace them—want to put in a word for your favorite style before I go shopping? I’d love to hear!) * My friends at Strong Sense of Place just kicked off Season 5 with this fabulous episode about Spain—a place I already very much wanted to visit and now want to even more. * Why I Ditched Solo Trips & Travel With My Parents Instead. (Refinery 29) “In an era of “solo trips” trending on social media, traveling with your parents may not seem as cool to some. But for those who do have a healthy relationship with their parents, I can assure you that it’ll be an experience you’ll treasure for the rest of your life.” Somebody tell my teens about this, okay? * 40 Simple Baking Projects for a Winter Snow Day. (The Kitchn*) Bookmarking!
Don’t miss these posts: Take a trip to the icy Arctic with these 8 awe-inspiring nonfiction books. The Arctic is as harrowing as it is beautiful and that makes for great page-turners! * Buy the flowers. There’s never been a better time. * Get hooked on a new mystery series with these 10 addicting audiobooks.* These well-written procedurals are worth the read.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
Just like last month, I’ve been reading at a brisk pace—and for similar reasons. I’m continuing to read lots of forthcoming selections as I choose books for the 2023 Summer Reading Guide (did you see we announced the date?) and for our summer Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club selections. But we’ll talk about those soon enough! The majority of the reads I’m sharing today are recent backlist: the oldest was published ten years ago; the newest comes out in two weeks. You’ll see historical fiction, contemporary fiction, a love story, and a stylish book in translation.
You may notice that one thing is different this month: because I’ve actually been able to get up off the couch to do things like dishes and laundry and even resume short walks with Daisy, I finished several audiobooks this month! It feels good to reconnect with a format I love. The audiobooks I read were quite different in style and subject matter, but the narration on each one was chef’s kiss.
As always, I compiled my roundup with major assistance from my My Reading Life book journal, so it’s easy to know what I’ve been reading lately. If you’re not currently tracking your reading, I highly recommend it, no matter what method you choose.
I hope you had a good reading month—I can’t wait to hear about your recent reads in comments!
Short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately Author: Hilary Mantel
Based largely on your comments on this past edition of Quick Lit, I decided to go ahead read book #2 in the Wolf Hall trilogy. What a ride! This sequel picks up where Wolf Hall left off: Henry, growing weary of Anne Boleyn and her failure to give him a male heir, is already eying Jane Seymour for his next wife. Once again he looks to Thomas Cromwell to smooth the way; as in the first book, we get the story from his perspective. Though much here is unsurprising—we're dealing with history, after all—I was nevertheless caught off guard by the tension and grimness of the narrative as Cromwell single-mindedly builds his case against the queen and her conspirators. And the execution, pictured in these pages, is heartbreaking. Through pure coincidence my kids got interested in SIX The Musical about the same time that I began these books, which means I actually got to talk about them with my teenagers. I didn't see that coming! A note for the audiobook: at the recommendation of my friend Mel Joulwan, I once again opted for the Ben Miles narration. More info →Author: William Kent Krueger
I'm a big fan of Krueger's standalone novels and thought getting this little novella in the gap between his larger works was a fun little treat! He wrote this audio original during the pandemic. Krueger himself professes fondness for "a good old-fashioned story offered in the voice of a fine reader," so it's no surprise his work is exceptional in the audio format—especially when voiced by J.D. Jackson! This short tale is set in 1927 during the most destructive river flood in United States history, when the Mississippi swelled to the unfathomable width of eighty miles. A band of four men, each for their own reasons, sets out on a risky mission to save a family trapped in their ancestral estate by the flood waters, only to find not everyone wants saving. Adventure, suspense, avarice, engineering: Krueger packs a lot of action into just under four hours. Available February 28 on a variety of audio platforms and cd. More info →Author: Maylis de Kerangal
After loving her more recent work Painting Time (one of my favorite books of 2021), I've been slowly making my way through the backlist of French novelist Maylis de Kerangal. This reads as an intimate portrait of a young chef, as seen through the eyes of an affectionate friend. Mauro falls in love with cooking at a young age, and while in university, decides to abandon his degree course in economics in favor of grueling work in professional kitchens, making a career of the craft he loves. As in Painting Time, de Kerangal has a knack for lush and vivid portraits that make you feel like you're right there with Mario in the kitchen of a Parisian bistro, or visiting the Berlin kabob house, or enjoying a lavish 10-course dinner in Bangkok. This won't be to everyone's taste (pun intended), but at just over 100 pages, I found this slim little story to pack quite a punch. Translated by Sam Taylor. More info →Author: A. Natasha Joukovsky
I was drawn in by the concept of this debut: it follows two young, well-off couples in New York City and Philadelphia over the course of a summer, reimagining the myth of Narcissus as a modern novel of manners. None of the characters are particularly likable or sympathetic, but they're interesting, and I found their jobs in the worlds of art and finance equally so. We watch the action unfold through the eyes and ears of each of the four main characters, as well as through text threads, email exchanges, Wikipedia pages, and even a New York Times wedding announcement as it all builds to a fitting ending. I enjoyed tracking the numerous references to Greek mythology, and how Joukovsky explores love and desire, narcissism and self-delusion, recursion and image management. More info →Author: Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
This January 2022 release was a delight on audio! I was inspired to pick it up after WSIRN alum Valencia Taylor mentioned it in a recent Patreon bonus episode with our team member Shannan. Blackburn's debut is based on her own experience as a Nigerian woman whose mother desperately wants her to find love and happiness—which means, of course, that she must find a husband. Yinka is 31, a British-Nigerian woman in possession of a degree from Oxford, a good job, and loads of friends, and yet she can't help but be bothered by her aunties' fervent prayers that she find romance. Driven by this insecurity, she tells a little white lie, which soon enough lands her in a heap of trouble with those who love her most. I enjoyed cheering Yinka on as she attempts to put things to rights and find love, happiness, and—most crucially—self-acceptance. Narrated by Ronke Adékoluejo. More info →Author: Robinne Lee
I picked this up after Claire raved about it on this episode of What Should I Read Next: it sounded like perfect travel reading, so I packed it for my trip to NYC. Kismet: because so much of the book is set in New York, I found myself walking by locations for key scenes, and even read about a dramatic event on 57th Street while I was reading in bed at a hotel on that same street! To her great surprise, 39-year-old gallery owner Solène falls madly in love with a 20-year-old member of the boy band August Moon, embarking on an initially secret and then all-too-public relationship that unfolds in glamorous (read: seriously fun to read about) settings all over the world. The premise feels a little bit squidgy, but Lee really sells it, believably showing their clandestine affair evolve into a serious and loving relationship. This novel is packed with BIG FEELINGS, lavish descriptions of luxe locales, and interesting details on the business of contemporary art. This is also very much a story about an "aging" woman reclaiming her sexuality: heads up for some seriously racy scenes. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re bringing back a conversation with Keren Form, a self-professed nerd, dedicated board gamer and a fan of fast-moving stories with big themes. This episode originally aired back in 2019 as Episode 193, Rolling the dice on your next read, but today’s show also includes an update on what Keren did read next and how her reading (and gaming) life is going these days.
While Keren has a particular love for sci-fi and fantasy, our conversation today is full of entry points for readers of all genres. We talk about a bunch of titles that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, YA romance, crime drama, or any good story with high stakes.
Thanks to our Patreon community, who helped us choose which guest favorite episode to air this week.
Follow Keren Form on Instagram for more on what she’s reading and the games she loves.
What should Anne read next?Readers, I need your help—we’re creating an upcoming crowd-sourced episode to help ME choose what to read next! Before my conversation with Keren today, I take a few minutes to tell you more about three books I’ve loved, one that hasn’t worked for me, and what I’m reading lately. Listen in and come up with your best suggestions, then give us a call at 502-627-0663 by February 24th to leave a voicemail telling us what you think I should read, and why. (Please leave your name, too, so we can thank you on the episode!)
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabKeren Form [00:00:00] I don't think nerdism should be exclusionary, you know. As long as you've got like huge interest, really love boring people to death about it, then I think you're nerdy.
Anne Bogel [00:00:11] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, first we want to tell you about and ask for your help with a fun episode we have in the works. Way back in 2017 in Episode 62, we asked for your recommendations for What I Should Read Next?, and you showed up in a big way.
We realized lately that it's been a while since we've switched the direction of the mic. So today I'm here to ask for your help in picking my own next read. In just a moment, I'll tell you about three books I love, one book I don't, and what I've been reading lately. Listen in, then leave us a voicemail at 502-627-0663 to share your recommendations for my TBR. Last time we did this, it resulted in so many amazing book suggestions. And I can't wait to be overwhelmed in the best way with your ideas.
[00:01:32] It's hard choosing favorites. Every week I ask a guest to tell me three books they love. And I feel kind of mean asking this question because it's so hard to answer. I'm reminding myself now and I remind you that this is three books I love, not my three tiptop favorites or the three very best books.
I'm consciously choosing books I did not just talk about on the podcast are in my best books of the year episode. And while I wanted to choose ones that are representative of what I love in my reading life, this can't represent everything I love. There's too much missing, too many themes, too many genres, too many specific authors. So with that being said, let's jump in.
[00:02:07] The first book I love is This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell. I have reread this at least half a dozen times, maybe more. At first, for this episode, I thought I might go with all rereads. But no, we're not doing this. O'Farrell herself describes this as a novel about leaving and arriving and what it means to belong to a place where a person. But it's most especially a portrait of a marriage, the forces that bind it together and threatened to drive it apart.
The marriage in this book is an unlikely but successful partnership between a floundering American professor and a British film star who hated the limelight so much, she faked her own death and disappeared. These two found love and happiness together. But then an unexpected bit of news, 20 years old, but newly discovered threatens to unravel everything they built together. And we watch what happens.
And we do that. reading a story told from many different viewpoints, many different characters in all kinds of voices. These interlocking scenes sprawl and aren't told chronologically. They occur between 1944 and 2016. After I turned the last page the first time, I had to go back to the beginning and read it again to pay closer attention to the structure and how O'Farrell unfolded her story for the reader. It's brilliantly done. And seeing how she did it just keeps drawing me back.
[00:03:20] It is real hard to pick favorites but I think Maggie O'Farrell may be mine—my favorite living author, at least. I've read all her works. I think she's consistently brilliant, particularly in her more recent works, beginning with This Must Be the Place.
The books after that, which I think it's fair to say you're more likely to have already read, are Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait. But choosing This Must Be the Place is my particular favorite here. Well, it was no contest. Something I learned about myself in reading The Marriage Portrait, especially which is a work I admire but didn't feel a deep connection to is that emotional resonance is the hallmark of so many of the books I truly love. And that's what I feel in reading This Must Be the Place.
[00:03:59] My second pick is Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones. I hesitate to pick this one as a favorite today only because I feel like I talk about it all the time. But you know what? That's fine today because I love it. Jones is Atlanta born and raised, and this novel, her third, is once again said there.
It's about the link between two African American half-sisters, one legitimate and one secret, one well off, one not so much, only one of whom knows the other exists. And I bet you can guess which one. At least that is the case until the secret of their father's second marriage starts to force its way into the open.
I love the way Jones unfolds this story for her reader. Rather than writing back and forth between the two perspectives of the two daughters. The reader encounters almost all of one sister's point of view in the first half followed by the others. The result is an absorbing coming-of-age narrative wrapped in a complicated story of family secrets. Who carries them? What does it cost to do so? And why do they seem to want to make their way to the surface?
This is sensitive and tender and gutting and interspersed with actual historical events drawn from Atlanta's history and sometimes the history of the broader south. And I really enjoyed that very concrete grounding in time and place.
[00:05:12] Finally—I thought about this a lot—I'm choosing Painting Time by Maylis de Kerangal. I could have chosen any of her books. I love her so much. I just discovered that she does have one work that has been translated into English from the original French that I haven't read yet. So perhaps I should read that next.
Painting Time is the story of Paula, a young French woman who graduates from her secondary school and just has no idea what to do next until, almost by accident, she stumbles into her calling and enrolls in an apprenticeship program to study Trompe-l'œil or the art of illusion in Brussels.
This was the first book I read by de Kerangal. I feel like it was almost an accident that I stumbled upon it. And I was so struck by her style. It was unlike anything I'd ever read before, distinct, almost impressionistic. In this book, I feel like de Kerangal invites us to come alongside Paula as she throws herself into her craft and learns to paint in such a way that she can flawlessly imitate rare and expensive materials with her brushstrokes, like marble, tortoiseshell, the heart grain of oak.
As Paula finds work abroad as a decorative painter in studios and on film sets in places like Paris and Moscow in Italy, she wrestles with the meaning of her work and what to do about the relationships her work has brought into her life. I just finished reading her, I believe, more recent work, The Cook. And I know I've talked about the heart, sometimes called [inaudible 00:06:35] on the podcast. I think the way she writes about people at work specifically, is fascinating. It's distinctive, it's respectful, almost reverence. And I'm constantly scanning to see if she has any new books on the way because I want to read them next.
[00:06:51] A book that hasn't worked for me. You know, I can give you broad categories of what hasn't worked for me lately, but I really wanted to share a specific book with you. I know it's a hard question to answer and I feel like it'd be a cop-out for me not to have one.
So I finally landed on a book that many of you loved and adored, some of our team members loved and adored, my husband loved and told me to read it. But he didn't have to tell me because it was on my TBR from the minute I found out that it was on the way. And that is, I'm kind of ducking, The Storyteller by Dave Grohl.
I wanted to read it because years ago, I loved an episode of the Off Camera Podcast with Sam Jones in which he interviewed Dave Grohl about his greater process. And I thought it was completely fascinating. I thought about those insights all the time. So when I found out he had a full-length memoir coming, I was so excited.
I opted for the audiobook, I began with high hopes, and I will admit to being disappointed. I found the narrative to be meandering. I thought there were obvious gaps that were never addressed. And the prose just kept reaching for clichés that felt worn out. I didn't dislike this book, but it wasn't what I'd hoped for and it lacked the qualities that I know I enjoy and memoirs from well-known artists and musicians.
[00:08:04] For example, a few I loved: Brandi Carlile's Broken Horses. Viola Davis' Finding Me, even Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, which I didn't expect to like. And I think about it all the time. I know we've talked about it on the show. The Storyteller did deliver good moments. My son has synesthesia so I was delighted by a wonderful little anecdote about how Grohl sees his song snap in a place like Lego bricks in his mind. He writes of buying a Joan Jett Barbie for his daughters in London—completely endearing story.
And my favorite might be about the time weird owl called the Saturday Night Live Dressing Room for permission to cover Smells Like Teen Spirit. But ultimately, this was not the glimpse into the mind of the musician that I had hoped for, and thus a reading experience I found wanting.
[00:08:49] Now, for what I've been reading lately, it's mostly been all kinds of books for our recent spring book preview and forthcoming summer reading guide. Those are making up the bulk of my reading right now. But I've also made time for other works because that is how I stay satisfied with my reading life. Lately, that has looked like Bring Up the Bodies, the second book in The Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel, and Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn.
So, readers, what should I read next? Call 502-627-0663 to leave a voicemail with your book recommendation. Tell us what you think I should read and why. And please share your name as well so we can thank you. Our team will listen to these voicemails and we will share your recommendations in a special episode coming up in just a few short weeks. Again, to participate in this special episode, give us a call, leave a voicemail at 502-627-0663 to leave your voicemail. And please do so by February 24th.
[00:09:47] Now for today's guest Keren Form, a self-professed nerd and hosiery designer who has worked on licensed products including Marvel DC and Harry Potter. She's a dedicated board gamer and a fan of immersive science fiction, fantasy, and just genuinely loves fast-moving stories with big themes.
We have a blast today talking about enthusiasm and passion-led adventures on and off the page. While Keren has a particular love for sci-fi and fantasy, our conversation today is full of entry points for readers of all genres. We talk about a bunch of titles that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, YA romance, crime drama, or any good story with high stakes.
Listeners, you should know there's a brief mention of death by suicide in this episode. If that will be upsetting or triggering, take care of yourself, skip ahead about three minutes in the audio when I begin my second book recommendation for Keren.
This episode was recorded in 2019 as Episode 193, rolling the dice on your next read. And it's back today, thanks to our Patreon community who helped us choose which guest's favorite episode to air this week. Readers, something I love about this podcast and our readerly community is how it connects us, not just across the airwaves or on message boards, but in real life.
After we recorded this episode in 2019, Keren and I actually got to meet in New York City, not once but twice, before the world shut down when I was in town for Don't Overthink It obligations, and we've continued to stay in touch. I reached out to Keren last week to check in and see how she's doing these days. I have a fun report back from her that will either serve as the catchup you've been waiting for or a fun teaser for what we're going to touch on in today's episode.
[00:11:20] When I told Keren our Patreon community selected her episode, she said, "Omg, that's so exciting. I am so honored." I'm gonna go ahead and read you the rest of her email with permission. She says, "As far as updates go, the pandemic did wonders for my reading life. I've been reading more books a year than I have since probably before college.
Notably, I got into a lengthy Greek mythology phase inspired by playing a billion hours of the Hades video game. I also read through the whole Alice Oseman universe of books in comics, heartstopper, and those while stuck in London with COVID this past March. So that was fun. My husband kept going out to Waterstones to fetch me more books. I've also expanded my board gaming by moving online with Board Game Arena, which is great. We can now come play with our friends that are spread all over the country.
And as you've seen, I'm finally getting back to travel. We just got back from Portugal, home of amazing castles and tilework. I've attached a photo..." Readers, you can see that in our show notes. "You can see the new nerdy tattoo on my arm that I've gotten since we last spoke: icons from Avatar, The Last Airbender cartoon.
Otherwise, I'm still designing socks and slippers, same old same old. PS, every book you recommended to me was 100% spot on, and I just reread a certain trilogy last year." Readers, Keren named the trilogy, but I'm not going to give that part away just yet. She says, "It's now one of my top fantasy reads, and I recommend it to everyone." I hope that sets the right tone for today. Let's get to it.
Keren, welcome to the show.
Keren Form [00:12:49] Oh, thank you so much for having me. I am super excited.
Anne Bogel [00:12:52] We were so excited to get your submission. Our producer, Brenda, was the first one who saw it, and she said, "Anne, I'm really excited about this one. I think you'd have a great conversation with Keren, but I have no idea how to summarize her reading life succinctly for you." So I thought you'd get a kick out of that.
Keren Form [00:13:09] It is kind of weird, I guess.
Anne Bogel [00:13:12] Well, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Keren Form [00:13:14] I am a hosiery designer, so I design socks and slippers. I live in New York City in Queens with my husband and my cat. I'm a self-professed nerd of all sorts. I love sci-fi and fantasy. I play board games. I used to run a nerd bar trivia for almost 10 years until writing 40 questions a month got to be too much and we had to stop. That's me in a nutshell.
Anne Bogel [00:13:39] Keren, how does one become a hosiery designer? And does this have anything to do with a sock explosion that has happened in all the stores I like to patronize these days?
Keren Form [00:13:48] Well, I became a hosiery designer through a really circuitous route. I actually went to school and majored in psychology. And it just so happened that my first job I got through a relative as an office assistant in a lingerie design company, where I sort of learned the back end of fashion production. And then kind of forged my way into a design job doing a kid's pajamas and men's boxer shorts, and learn how to do graphic design on the computer, and have just designed multiple categories of apparel for years, and now I'm on hosiery for the past like... I don't know, since 2004. Not the usual route of going to fashion school and then getting a job.
Anne Bogel [00:14:31] What would I be surprised to know about your industry?
Keren Form [00:14:34] The fashion industry is not glamorous like everybody sort of makes it out to be. It's not a bad job. I actually really love what I do. But you watch all these high fashion things and it's like, "Oh, I want to be a fashion designer and make my own line and do everything I want." But it's a lot of hard work.
There's a lot of back end design work, there's working with all the people in the middle, with buyers and your salespeople and even just people above you on the chain having their opinions thrown in the mix. And you're making designs for a particular customer. You're not necessarily designing for yourself. So understanding other people and other people's shopping needs and likes and trend patterns is super-duper important. It's not all high end fun.
Anne Bogel [00:15:15] Are you fashion designer by day and nerd by night, or is there more seamlessness to—Oh, how do you like that sewing pun?—to what you do?
Keren Form [00:15:24] For years actually, up until this present job, I was actually mostly a licensed designer. So I would work with licensed products. I've designed for Marvel and DC and Harry Potter.
Anne Bogel [00:15:36] How did you feel when those projects came through?
Keren Form [00:15:39] It's super fun. The only issue with that is whenever you're in an office and everybody knows you're the nerd, everybody's like, "Well, go ask Keren if this is okay." "No, maybe we should have Keren do it because she really knows Star Wars much better than everybody else," which is all good and well. But my taste as a fan isn't necessarily the taste of, you know, Joe Smith in the middle of the country. We're two very different people.
Anne Bogel [00:16:01] Now, Keren, you told us that there's actually a version of What Should I Read Next? that we could play with you, but you would be the expert here. And that is What Board Game Should I Play Next?
Keren Form [00:16:11] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:16:11] Tell me a little bit about that interest and how that began. And I have to tell you that what I have in mind is we went to Scotland last winter with friends who love board games. And they had ordered board games just for the trip. Will and I got to play all these new ones. And I just... you don't know what you don't know. And I didn't know that there were board game groups and board games stores and board game nights and board game message boards. Tell us a little bit about that world and your place in it.
Keren Form [00:16:37] I enjoyed board games as a kid, but you know, sort of the board games we all played: Monopoly, Scrabble, et cetera. And then I sort of fell off for years. And being a nerd, I knew there was a board game thing happening but just really wasn't paying attention.
And then when my husband moved into my apartment before we were married, he brought with him his 20 board games. And we just sort of started playing with the two of us and then with other friends and I got super into it again because board games are a lot of fun. We now own around 300 board games, which is-
Anne Bogel [00:17:12] Oh my gosh!
Keren Form [00:17:13] It's ridiculous. And no, I don't have enough time to play all of them. When I hear readers on your podcast all the time, and I know you do, too, you're like, "Oh, I travel and I go to a bookstore wherever we're traveling." We do the same thing for more game stores. Especially traveling overseas.
We are Euro gamers, which it's a particular kind of game. I believe they originally started in Germany. And they tend to be more like social, less confrontational type games with themes like building castles or making dresses, or going on a trip in Edo era Japan and buying souvenirs. So whenever I actually have to go to Europe for work or when we travel ourselves, we just search for board game stores where sometimes you can play them and sometimes you can buy them. It's fantastic.
Anne Bogel [00:17:58] Are these difficult to find or are they abundant if you are actually looking for them?
Keren Form [00:18:03] Nowadays, they're more abundant here. Even, I believe Target, carries a lot of the more popular ones, like Settlers of Catan, or Ticket to Ride. It's much easier now with the internet. I've ordered games from France when they're not available in the US yet.
The only thing is, some of them aren't the English language. So you have to do some research as to whether the cards or pieces involved are language dependent. Because you can usually download an English set of rules. But if you're looking at cards that have this paragraph's worth of description in German, it's not great because I only know very few words in German. Like the word for game.
Anne Bogel [00:18:36] Did you realize that there would be an issue with the language until you maybe bought your first game in French?
Keren Form [00:18:42] No. Because we're utter research nerds. And there's actually a website, boardgamegeek.com, that has every game in the world listed, and it will tell you whether it's language dependent. Wait, I'm really interested in what did you play in Scotland?
Anne Bogel [00:18:57] I mean, all these games I can picture but I don't know. So we played a lot of games that our friend read up about, I think on BoardGameGeek and message boards and things like that, that I didn't know this world existed. But we played Pairs. We played a game called Wear words almost like taboo-ish, where you're trying to guess a certain word. And we played a game I found very complicated at first, it took me a while to catch on, where there were racing camels around the board. You had to place bets about... what's it called?
Keren Form [00:19:30] Camel Up.
Anne Bogel [00:19:30] Yes! Yes, we played Camel Up. Also just small like... not board games. But also my friend who was actually on the podcast a long time ago, Mel Joulwan, she had a word game that was made by the people who do Bananagrams, but instead of the Scrabble-like Bananagrams. I don't know it's almost like Boggle back when I was in third grade where you roll out the cubes and the letters turned up a certain direction and you're supposed to form a like crossword. You're looking grid of words, but you're supposed to use all the letters, and whoever does it first wins. I love stuff like that. I thought it was super fun.
Keren Form [00:20:04] You know, I love word games, but I either have like the worst luck in the world or I'm actually really bad at them. I don't know. Every time I play Scrabble, I get immediately an entire like tile set of vowels, which is totally useless.
Anne Bogel [00:20:16] I'm fascinated by the people who play tournaments and know 100 words that use a Q with no U. But-
Keren Form [00:20:21] Oh, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:20:22] That's not me.
Keren Form [00:20:23] Absolutely not.
Anne Bogel [00:20:25] Though I have actually played Scrabble in this calendar year?
Keren Form [00:20:28] I have friends that play cooperative Scrabble, where they together sort of put together words and just try to get the highest combined score they possibly can.
Anne Bogel [00:20:35] Which goes back to the Eurogamer roots, cooperative, collaborative that I didn't know about. So a favorite of mine that... Does it count as a board game? There's a board, there are pieces, but it's only two-person. And it's a fellow.
Keren Form [00:20:46] Yeah, yeah. That totally counts. 100%.
Anne Bogel [00:20:48] I haven't played that in a year but I do love it. 40 questions a week for 10 years, huh?
Keren Form [00:20:53] It was actually 44 because we had a question which it was the last question in the round. It was like the super, super hard question that if you got it you not only got like the point. And then we also made all these buttons with characters on it from nerd fandom that you could collect if your team got it right. And by the end of 10 years, we had people that were wearing necklaces of them, they had their backpacks covered. So it was kind of funny.
The writing question portion I am not sorry to see go, but we... I mean, we had people that were friends that came but we made friends with so many people through this game. People would show up because they heard about it, and then they would keep coming back. And now I have a couple new friend groups that I never would have had beforehand.
Anne Bogel [00:21:34] Oh, I love how common interests bring people together like that.
Keren Form [00:21:37] It's wonderful. And actually the weirdest nerd trivia story. My husband and I were on vacation in Cinque Terre in Italy, were on a tour. Which by the way, I would not have known about it-
Anne Bogel [00:21:46] Wait. hold on. Hold on. This is one of those words that... I've never been in Italy. I would love to go. I've only read about this in novels, Keren. You pronounce it how?
Keren Form [00:21:55] I think it's Cinque Terre. I called it Cinque Terre forever because I assumed it was fresh.
Anne Bogel [00:21:59] Yeah, me too. I've never had to say it out loud.
Keren Form [00:22:04] No.
Anne Bogel [00:22:04] It's one of those bookworm problems is that suddenly you need to say a word that you previously only read in books and you realize, "Wait, I have actually no idea."
Keren Form [00:22:12] I spent a long time as a kid thinking the name Penelope was Peena-lope, so...
Anne Bogel [00:22:17] I just read a book with a Peena-lope. This is when I read this in my head. I pronounced it Penelope. Okay, so the book was set in, I'm just gonna say Italy.
Keren Form [00:22:27] Yeah. Well, we went to Cinque Terre, because I played a board game about it. So we're like, "Oh, let's go travel there. It seems nice." We were on a tour and we had like taken this two-hour bus ride, and then they gave us food. And we're outside the restaurant about to do the rest of the tour and I'm tying my shoe, and these people walk up behind us and they're like, "Are you Jim and Keren from Turner Trivia?" And we're like, "What? What?" And there were two people from one of the teams that came that were on our tour in Italy.
Anne Bogel [00:22:53] Oh, that's amazing. Board games bring people together since.
Keren Form [00:22:57] Yeah, across the world.
Anne Bogel [00:22:58] Fascinating. Oh, that's so much fun. Keren, I love how you've made your interest not just something you do by yourself, but something you do collectively. Do you see that in your reading life as well?
Keren Form [00:23:08] I mean, I definitely share books, you know, pass stuff around that I like. I have certain friends that obviously have the same nerdy interests as me and the same reading interests because they're not necessarily the same thing. We do book discussions. I'm not really like a book club kind of person but just more sort of individual discussions and whatnot. I don't know, I definitely brought it to trivia when I was doing it.
Anne Bogel [00:23:31] Now, I feel like there's something we need to explicitly unpack. And that is that you've referred to yourself as a nerd a lot. And I am sure you know that in the What Should I Read Next? universe, that is a term said always with great affection.
Keren Form [00:23:44] Oh, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:23:44] But when you describe yourself as a nerd, what does that mean to you?
Keren Form [00:23:47] It's such a weird question because nerd I feel-
Anne Bogel [00:23:50] Because we can all be nerdy in our own way, you know?
Keren Form [00:23:52] Exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:23:53] Because I would definitely describe myself as nerdy, but I couldn't do the Star Wars movies in order to save my life right now.
Keren Form [00:23:59] I think nerd might actually mean anybody that's really excited about one subject or a particular interest. So you can be a book nerd. You can be a sci-fi nerd. You can be a Star Wars nerd. You can be board game nerd or a bunch of those together. I don't think nerdism should be exclusionary. No. As long as you've got like a huge interest, really love boring people to death about it, then I think you're nerdy.
Anne Bogel [00:24:25] Were you to bore people to death about a specific aspect of your reading life, where might you run into trouble of getting perhaps a little long-winded if your audience didn't share your interests?
Keren Form [00:24:39] Definitely bore people to death about Terry Pratchett's Discworld, especially in trivia.
Anne Bogel [00:24:43] I hear that you have a physical marker of your love for Pratchett.
Keren Form [00:24:47] I do. I have a tattoo that I got the year that Terry Pratchett died.
Anne Bogel [00:24:52] Oh.
Keren Form [00:24:52] Yeah, that was my first tattoo. I was like, "Okay, I actually know that I want this permanently on my body and I'm not going to regret it."
Anne Bogel [00:24:58] Is it in a place where people can ask you about it?
Keren Form [00:25:00] It is. So it's on the inside of my left wrist, which it actually... I don't know, it's part of the description of the tattoo, which, when I'm asked casually by like a doctor or someone random that's like, "Oh, what's that mean?" way too long to go into the description. And I'm usually just, "Oh, it's so..."
Anne Bogel [00:25:18] So what do you say?
Keren Form [00:25:19] I say it's in memoriam of my favorite author. Then they're usually just like, "Okay," because it's small talk, and they really didn't want to know more. But actually, it's the sign... And we're gonna get super nerdy here. It's a dwarven mine sign from The Discworld mythology. It's The Summoning Dark.
In the book Thud!, it ends up on the inside left wrist, which is where mine is of my favorite character, Sam Vimes, and basically dwarves will draw the sign to summon a demon essentially to take revenge on people that have wronged them. And it ends up in Samuel Vimes, who's a policeman. And what the demon does is sort of picks a champion, plays with their mind and tries to get them to take revenge in honor of whatever has happened.
The interesting part about it is watching it play out in a character who has seen the worst of mankind and has overcome so many of his own demons that he sort of understands that push an urge and why it's wrong. I don't know, it's always resonated with me because it's very easy for everybody to just be cruel, you know, something bad happens to you to blame others, see people as other in times of like stress or wrongness. But the good in human kindness to overcome that urge. I've always loved that. And Terry Pratchett understands human nature like no one else I've ever read, like both the good and the bad of it.
Anne Bogel [00:26:34] Now, when Terry Pratchett died, and you thought, "I'm gonna get a Terry Pratchett tattoo, was there any competition or did you immediately know that it was this image from that?"
Keren Form [00:26:43] No, I 100% knew this. The moments from that book regarding this sort of struggle have just always had sort of deep emotional resonance for me.
Anne Bogel [00:26:52] That's really touching.
Keren Form [00:26:53] Thanks.
Anne Bogel [00:26:53] Keren, you said that was your first tattoo. Do you have other literary-inspired tattoos?
Keren Form [00:26:57] I've got one more and oh, man, if you want to go even nerdier... because it's a Tolkien-inspired tattoo in the way that... You know, everybody knows Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Mine is inspired by the Silmarillion, which is the book that Lord of the Rings nerds think is too nerdy to read.
Anne Bogel [00:27:16] I'm laughing because the first time I heard of that book because I didn't read these growing up and I didn't know, I was in my early 20s. And I remember one of my husband's co-workers was reading it, and he was really apologetic about it. Will was like, "Oh, I love Lord of the Rings. Should I read this?" And his nerdy coworker was like, "No, this is definitely too nerdy for you."
Keren Form [00:27:35] You know, my husband listened to it on audio and found it much more digestible that way, because you have somebody with a nice soothing British accent, essentially telling you a history story. So it's easier maybe to digest that way. You feel like you're in class, if you enjoy class.
Anne Bogel [00:27:53] It clearly means something to you.
Keren Form [00:27:55] Yeah, I love it. It's in the beginning sort of a creation story and then goes into like, oh, 20,000 years of Elvish straith and history. But it's just really awesome worldbuilding. There's a lot of striving through bad times that I just sort of resonate with. But yeah, on my arm, it's two stylized trees with some words between it and the trees are the two trees of Valinor, which, you know, the Lord of the Rings movies, when the elves are always like, "Oh, we're sailing into the West." That's Valinor, which is essentially their paradise.
And these trees used to be what was the sun in the moon in ancient times until they were destroyed by Morgoff, who was the ultimate evil of the day. The elves have pretty much never gotten over that, like one of the worst things ever to happen in their history.
In the middle of that is a quote in Elvish, that says, Aurë Entuluva" which means day will come again. That is from a later period in the history, which is something shouted by Húrin, who was a hero of men who shouted this while fighting off like a bajillion orcs so the rest of the company could get away. It was a hopeless fight.
It's a reminder to me that, I don't know, especially nowadays, when everything in the world seems kind of hopeless and everyone's really sort of disenchanted and upset that even if things are kind of garbage, you can't stop fighting for what's right or to help people because you always need to try to make a better world regardless of what's going on. I know it sounds super corny, and it's doubly corny on top of talking about tattoos, but it's a message that I always like in reading and any sort of media is people struggling to do the right thing, and hopefully persevering.
Anne Bogel [00:29:35] Did you design your tattoos yourself, Keren?
Keren Form [00:29:38] Terry Pratchett one is an exact copy of what's on the inside flap of the book. The tree one, you know, I found some reference online. I didn't draw it myself. But I found something that was stylized like Tolkien and found the words. And I actually have a friend who's a tattoo artist who kind of helped me lay it out.
Anne Bogel [00:29:56] So you enjoy reading about people struggling to do the right thing. Is that a theme that we're going to hear reflected in your favorites?
Keren Form [00:30:02] I think so.
Anne Bogel [00:30:05] Well, Keren, after hearing just a little about your love for Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, I'm so excited to hear more about your reading life. Are you ready to dive into your favorites?
Keren Form [00:30:15] I am.
Anne Bogel [00:30:17] You know how this works. You are going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you're reading now, and we will discuss what you should read next. Was it hard to choose these favorites?
Keren Form [00:30:28] Oh, God, yes. Yeah. Everybody that comes on your show I think says, "Oh, I had a hard time. It's impossible." And it is. I've been reading for 40-plus years. I'm a huge reader. So a couple of these choices, I was like, "Okay, these are the ones I have reread the most discounting Discworld. So we'll put them at the top."
Anne Bogel [00:30:46] Okay, what did you choose for your first favorite?
Keren Form [00:30:48] The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. I guess it's speculative fiction set not too far in the future. I think it was set in I want to say like around 20, 50, or so when time travel has been discovered. But it's really only used by historians to go back in time and study without really interfering with anything.
It centers around an Oxford University student. She is the first one being allowed to travel back to the Middle Ages, because it had previously been rated way too dangerous, for obvious reasons. Not really healthy time period. She gets sent back in time, but unfortunately, as soon as she arrives, she comes down with a virus and is so delirious, she's not sure you're supposed to establish where you are spatially, when you are timewise, etc.
And she was completely delirious and is unable to ascertain her surroundings, but is luckily taken in by a medieval family who cares for her and she comes to spend time with. At the same time back in Oxford, the tech in charge of sending her there has also come down with a virus and is unable to ascertain where or when she is.
So you have on either end of the spectrum, people trying to solve this mystery of what's happening, while in the present people are falling sometimes definitely ill with this virus. You're sort of putting clues together trying to figure out when and where she is, which is great.
And I really love it not only because there's a link in the actual plot narrative that's going on but Willis draws really good parallels between characters on both end showing that humans are kind of humans no matter what end of the time spectrum you're on. There's always selfish people. There's always people willing to help other people out. There's always people willing to go above and beyond. And then there's also just kids living their fun, happy life on both ends no matter what's happening.
I really love this because as I said, I've reread things like a million times. Every time I read this and the more I go through life learning about different periods of history, the more clues I understand that she has put in this book to help you figure things out along the way.
Anne Bogel [00:32:49] So it sounds like this is a fast-moving story with really big themes.
Keren Form [00:32:52] Definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:32:53] How did you find your way to this book?
Keren Form [00:32:55] I actually had a co-worker recommend it to me back I want to say around like 2000, 2001 or so. She was also a sci-fi reader, and she was like, "I think you're really going to like this book." And I did really like this book. They're not sequels necessarily, but she has a few others written in the same universe that are also great.
Anne Bogel [00:33:13] And this is the standout for you?
Keren Form [00:33:15] Yeah, because it was the first. And this one's like a mystery drama. The one after this, To Say Nothing of the Dog, I also really enjoy. But that one's of a lighter fare. It's set Victorian and it's more of like a farce/mystery. So it's fun.
Anne Bogel [00:33:29] I didn't know anything about Connie Willis as an author. But that is not what I expected based on the title.
Keren Form [00:33:33] It's really good. And that one makes a lot of references to Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, a lot of the mystery-type books that I grew up loving.
Anne Bogel [00:33:42] Keren, what's another book that you reread? I almost said constantly, but is that even fair? You're a huge rereader, but how often might you pick up a book that you come back to again and again?
Keren Form [00:33:51] So most books that I really love I'll tend to get to every year, every other year. They're my book hangover cure. When I'm like, "I'm never going to read something as good as this again," it's like, "Oh, you know what? Let me just pick this up. I know I love this. We can like breeze through it pretty quickly and then I'll get in a better mood."
Anne Bogel [00:34:06] That is a proven method for many readers.
Keren Form [00:34:08] And it's funny you should ask about next. My next one is Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, which I only read for the first time, I want to say, two years ago. And I've reread it like six times, which is sort of embarrassing. It's a YA novel.
Anne Bogel [00:34:21] Wow.
Keren Form [00:34:21] Yeah, I love it.
Anne Bogel [00:34:22] I'm not familiar with Doomsday Book but I have read Rainbow Rowell and Carry On specifically.
Keren Form [00:34:26] Oh, fantastic.
Anne Bogel [00:34:27] Wait, doesn't she have another one coming out in this universe?
Keren Form [00:34:30] Yes! In September. I'm so excited.
Anne Bogel [00:34:33] Okay, so six times in two years is intense. What is it about Carry On?
Keren Form [00:34:38] It's sort of a Harry Potter analog and it's linked to her book Fangirl. Did you read that one too?
Anne Bogel [00:34:44] I did.
Keren Form [00:34:45] So yeah, it's about the two girls who write fanfiction. So this is sort of the fanfiction that came out of this book. It is set in what would be technically like a series of books. But this one is called Simon Snow and the dot dot dot. It's sort of a classic Chosen One story. You know chosen one who's supposed to fight X evil, their prophesied, blah, blah, blah. But it completely turns the whole Chosen One concept on its head, which I really love. Because as a sci-fi and fantasy reader, there's so many of those.
Basically Simon Snow, his friend in his chosen group, his best friend Penny Bunts, which, by the way, one of the only and best representations of a platonic male-female friendship, which I love, it's so rare that you ever actually get that. They've been going through trying to save the world the whole time and fighting against Simon's roommate/nemesis, bass pitch. I don't know, there's a whole interesting twist to all those dynamics, which I don't want to ruin it for anybody.
The book is itself shows really fun relationships, takes what you're expecting, and turns it on its head. What I really, really like is that it shows... I mean, I'm 45 years old, but I think it shows teens closer to what they really are. I feel that when adults right teens a lot of times, and this happens on TV and in books, they're either all super smart, like way smart, and always making quips and just freely super self-assured, or they're all making really obvious mistakes just to sort of move the plot along, which drives me up a tree.
Anne Bogel [00:36:20] It's not just you.
Keren Form [00:36:21] Yeah. Rainbow Rowell in this book and in other books, I think she remembers that teens are simultaneously smarter and dumber than we remember being. They make mistakes because they're teenagers and they don't have the life experience And that's 100% expected. But they're also often more intelligent than adults in certain areas.
And it was funny, my husband actually pointed out that he really liked that he remembered how gross teenage boys are. That like people are drinking out of milk cartons because that's what happens. It's also got a nice love story in it in a really good deserved way.
And I also really liked the magic system that she's created with all of the often used phrase have really high magical powers. So like clean as a whistle will get something cleaned up off the floor, etc.. I feel the characters are super well rounded whether they're good characters are evil characters. Nobody is just that. They're all well-rounded. You can understand bad guys' motivations. You can understand good guys' motivations and bad people do good things sometimes and good people do bad things sometimes.
Anne Bogel [00:37:19] Okay. And you like that complexity?
Keren Form [00:37:21] Yes, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:37:22] Why did you choose to round out your favorites?
Keren Form [00:37:24] My final one is Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. It's a speculative fiction book. It's pretty much historical fiction with just some slight elements of technologically advanced things, though it was 1999 when this book came out. So some of these slightly advanced things have come to fruition since then, which is pretty funny.
The story is switching point of views between World War II and current day. In World War II, you have one character who is a cryptanalyst who is working on breaking the Germany's enigma code. Also, back in World War II, there is a US Marine, who while they're breaking all these German codes, they have to make sure that the Germans don't realize they've broken their codes.
So there's this Marine who's part of a detachment that goes out and sort of fakes up things so the Germans don't realize what's happening, pretends they've spotted a convoy, or leaves clues to think that, "Oh, no, the code hasn't been broken, you know, someone actually saw that happening," etc.
And on the other end, you have the modern-day grandson of the codebreaker who has discovered links to Nazi gold and sort of an unbroken code from his grandfather's days. Really super interesting. It's Neal Stephenson, so it's highly intricate and has a lot of math stuff in the middle of it.
And I've recommended this to a lot of people. And there's certain things in there that if the first time through the parts where he's diagramming math things, you can skim through it, it's cool. It won't like ruin your experience of the book.
Anne Bogel [00:38:56] So if you wanted to nerd out about that, you totally can, but it's not essential to get the story.
Keren Form [00:39:00] It really isn't.
Anne Bogel [00:39:01] Okay. That's gonna be really empowering to a lot of readers.
Keren Form [00:39:03] I gave it to my mom to read because Steve expose more nerdiness in my family. My parents are World War II and Civil War reenactors. So I was like, "Mom, you have to read this. It's World War II." She was like, "Well, it's got these..." I'm like, "No, no, just breeze through that. Read the rest of it." And she loved it. She thought it was really great.
I know people always describe writing as, you know, "Oh, it's got beautiful prose to it," which is not usually my jam. But he does something similar, which I don't know, in my brain I think of it as textual prose. You know when you eat a dessert in a restaurant, and it's really creamy, but they've added some crunchy bits to it because it sort of will bring out the creaminess and the juxtaposition of those two textures-
Anne Bogel [00:39:46] I love the crunchiness.
Keren Form [00:39:46] I feel his writing's like that. There'll be like super intricate, weird math stuff, but then he'll go off on a tangent about eating Captain Crunch cereal in the perfect temperature milker, it gets too mushy.
Anne Bogel [00:39:58] It's so true.
Keren Form [00:39:59] Yeah, right?
Anne Bogel [00:40:01] I mean, I've eaten that since I was seven years old and I still know it's so true.
Keren Form [00:40:04] 100%. He actually goes off and on a whole thing in Cryptonomicon describing the main modern-day character through a token lens, saying like, "Oh, Randy is a token dwarf. He's hardworking and does this and that." He talks about him being stuck at a dinner party with his girlfriend and her pompous academia friends and says that "Oh, Randy is a dwarf and he's stuck at a table with a bunch of hobbits complaining about stuff," which just immediately solidified exactly who these people were in my mind.
Anne Bogel [00:40:33] I love the way you describe it. And I also love that it sounds like readers who maybe wouldn't naturally pick this up, like your mother, also really enjoyed the story. That's telling.
Keren Form [00:40:41] It's actually a decent gateway book. I also have a friend at work who was like, "I don't really like sci-fi." And I'm like, "Well, there's lots of different kinds of sci-fi. I know you like this kind of story. So try this." And she also liked it.
Anne Bogel [00:40:52] I'm glad that she had a reader like you in her life who could help her see that it's not all what maybe the stereotypes have led her to believe. Keren, you had a difficult time choosing your favorites. Was it as challenging to identify the book that was not right for you?
Keren Form [00:41:06] Oh, no, no, no, no.
Anne Bogel [00:41:09] Tell me about it.
Keren Form [00:41:10] I'll probably make some nerds mad about this. But-
Anne Bogel [00:41:14] It just wouldn't be fun if we all agreed.
Keren Form [00:41:16] That's why there's so many things. We all have our own opinions and likes and stuff. I really, really disliked The Name of the Wind and also Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss because so many people told me that it was good. I read the second book, hoping it would get better. These books made me-
Anne Bogel [00:41:31] It's been a favorite on this podcast.
Keren Form [00:41:34] Yeah. You know what? I have friends that love it. And honestly, I'll never knock anybody for liking something I don't enjoy because we're not the same person.
Anne Bogel [00:41:41] No. No, no.
Keren Form [00:41:42] My biggest gripe with this is that the main character is a Mary Sue, and that kind of character drives me up a tree. I don't know if you know what a Mary Sue is. Basically a character that can do nothing wrong. Like they are perfect at every single thing.
Anne Bogel [00:41:57] Oh! No, I didn't know that. But I love that now.
Keren Form [00:42:00] I think it started with fanfiction maybe but I'm not sure. He is the best at every single thing he does. He's like, "Oh, I play the lute better than everybody. Oh, I'm going to magic school. I am immediately better than every one of my teachers. And I am like 14 years old but I speak with the eloquence of a 45 year old Duke. I am outsmarting every single person around me." There's no like tempering of what's happening. I mean, first of all, the bragging of it is really obnoxious.
Also, just people aren't like that. There's nobody that's perfect. There's nobody that's all good or all evil. It doesn't make any sense. Also, I found these books so sexist, every female character seems to be there for him to have sex with, or to mansplain how to do something better. And the main quote-unquote, "romance" seems so emotionally abusive, and is touted to be romantic. And that's just something that drives me up a tree.
I read them a few years ago, so I don't remember all the ins and outs but that sort of overshadowed any of the worldbuilding. I seem to remember there was some interesting things in there, but I would read some stuff and then be like, "Oh, just kind of ruined it."
Anne Bogel [00:43:06] Keren, what are you reading right now?
Keren Form [00:43:07] I recently finished the Broken Earth trilogy, which I got from your recommendation on a recent episode. I think the post-apocalyptic one. I read all three books in a week.
Anne Bogel [00:43:16] Oh, wow. They're not short.
Keren Form [00:43:18] No, they're not. I just couldn't stop reading them. It's my favorite. I think epic style sci-fi since Dune, which is actually very similar. The planet in both of those is a character, which is just great. It was such a good story. I think when you described it, what I really liked was you were talking about how there's all this history, like history upon history upon history of the world. And that you needed a glossary, which actually was like a high point from him. Like, "Oh, I definitely have to get this."
But I like that you're sort of thrown into this world and are slowly piecing together both what's happened in recent history and then 25,000 years ago. Oh, it's got a wonderful main character. Very representational of all types of people. And I just, I don't know, can't say enough good things about that book. I actually also saw N. K. Jemisin a week or two after I read it at BookCon. I saw her speak.
Anne Bogel [00:44:07] What?
Keren Form [00:44:07] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:44:08] What amazing timing!
Keren Form [00:44:09] Right?
Anne Bogel [00:44:10] I mean, jealous, first of all. But what amazing timing! I didn't get to meet her. But she was on a panel and they were talking about how they came up with ideas for their books. And she said she had had a dream about an angry young woman floating a mountain behind her. And she had to know what that was all about.
Anne Bogel [00:44:25] Oh, that is fascinating. Is that one you'll be rereading?
Keren Form [00:44:28] 100%.
Anne Bogel [00:44:29] I love the zero hesitation.
Keren Form [00:44:31] And then I also recently read Strange Weather in Tokyo because it was recommended so many times. I was actually in Tokyo on a train, between Tokyo and Kyoto and needed a quick book to read. And I was like, "Oh, well, now's the time." That was kind of perfect for that time in that place.
Anne Bogel [00:44:48] Well, that's very different from the other books we've talked about today.
Keren Form [00:44:51] Yeah. And I don't know if I could have read that in a different time and place, but I liked being immersed in the place I was reading something set in the place I was. Because I'll get inspiration from reading books anyway for traveling... which, oh, I forgot to mention because of Cryptonomicon, I actually traveled to Bletchley Park in England, and then got to see where Alan Turing's desk was and where they broke all the codes. And the same thing with like Cinque Terre, going there from playing a board game.
I do the same thing with books. I get excited about something and I want to read, see and do everything involving that. It was fun to read about someone snacking on Japanese food and Japanese restaurants while having done it myself.
Anne Bogel [00:45:29] Oh, I'm sure. When you say you'd like your books to be immersive, you mean it.
Keren Form [00:45:33] Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:45:36] I'm really excited to talk about what you may enjoy reading next.
Keren Form [00:45:39] Me too.
Anne Bogel [00:45:40] Because we definitely have consistent themes here. And I noticed that you haven't talked about the writing style much at all. Like you want it to serve the story and you'd like it when it's good. But you do not want the writer to call attention to, "Look how pretty my writing is."
Keren Form [00:45:54] No.
Anne Bogel [00:45:54] Or "Isn't this especially poetic?" Like, just stay in your lane, dude. That's what I hear you saying.
Keren Form [00:45:58] Yeah. Yeah, pretty much exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:46:01] And while you do especially love sci-fi, there's lots of different ways that's expressed. Like we have a YA novel, we have some books that are really plot-driven, we have some that are more character-driven, they move at different paces, they are different lengths, but they all go into great depth to really sink you into the world and really show you the characters.
Keren Form [00:46:23] Absolutely. I'll read anything. If you hook me with the characters, I don't care if it's horror, or sci-fi or just literary fiction. I'm all in.
Anne Bogel [00:46:33] All right, Keren. The first book I'm thinking of is one that really does interesting themes with the Chosen One trope. And that is The City of Brass by S. A Chakraborty. Is this a book you know?
Keren Form [00:46:44] No.
Anne Bogel [00:46:45] I really do not want to give too much away. But I will say that the author who I think writes this perspective that I think you would really appreciate, what was important for her to know, what she wanted the reader to take away, and how she wanted it to feel timeless. And I'll explain that more in a second. I think these are all promising things for you.
Keren Form [00:47:06] It sounds good.
Anne Bogel [00:47:07] She sets you up to believe that something is happening. And you're not wrong exactly to think so. And I don't think that you will feel tricked. Because I hate feeling tricked as a reader. And I know that I am not alone in that at all. She's doing something perhaps more interesting and less obvious and common than the reader may at first think.
This is a new book. It's just come out in the past couple years. It's lengthy enough, it'll give you the kind of hefty story that strange weather and Tokyo aside that you seem to gravitate towards reading. It's a little over 500 pages. This is actually the first book of a promised trilogy. So if you do love it, you will have more stories to look forward to.
Keren Form [00:47:47] I like it.
Anne Bogel [00:47:48] This is a fantasy. It's got really excellent worldbuilding. You've said that word a couple times and I know you care about that. And it features an 18-year-old. Her name is Nahri. She makes her living as a con artist and she's saving up for something important to her. So I think you will appreciate the themes here. Like what you said about some of the books you really enjoy is characters are complex, and you see good people doing bad things and bad people doing good things. And that is certainly true of Nahri.
So she has no family. She has to make her own living and she does it as a con artist. But one job goes horribly awry and she accidently conjures a mischief and also handsome djinn that completely wrecks her life and ends up transporting her to the magical city of Brass. It's a city from Middle Eastern folklore, the brass walls are impervious. They mean a lot to the city and a lot to the plot itself.
What happens next is fun and fascinating. And she's such a great, strong female protagonist. She's independent. She's feisty. She's on hunt to figure out what is going on and what her role in it is. And again, I really liked what this book does with the Chosen One theme.
Chakraborty is Muslim. And it was really important to her that she use symbols from Islam. And she do it faithfully. And the way she does that in this book, it's not a coincidence that she sets it in the early 18th century. I highly recommend looking at her interviews and reading her author's notes that explain these things.
Something that works really well in this book, because of the way that she's definitely situated it in history and symbolism that has existed for centuries, if not millennia, is that you can read it and feel like it's representing certain areas that you are familiar with. She said that she's had readers read it and say like, "Oh, this sounds exactly like Israel and Palestine," or "Oh, it sounds like the Persians and Arabs 1,000 years ago," or "Oh, is this about Iraq and the United States?"
I think the way readers react to that speaks to the way that she portrays universal human themes and struggles that have been constant over time. I think seeing that portrayed in this high fantasy setting can be really satisfying to you as a reader.
Keren Form [00:50:10] This sounds amazing. I really like what you said about, again, the Chosen One story being subverted, but not being tricked, because I love when something is not what you thought it was and suddenly, you know, the world shifts and pieces become clearer and you're like, "Whoa." But not that like, M. Night Shyamalan thing at the end, like, "Oh, no, it was really this the whole time," where it's not paid off at the end.
Anne Bogel [00:50:35] I do like to have my mind blown sometimes.
Keren Form [00:50:37] Yes, every once in a while.
Anne Bogel [00:50:38] I mean, it has to make sense, you know, to have the feeling be, "Oh, of course," and not, "How dare you author?"
Keren Form [00:50:44] Exactly. Exactly. I also love the idea of her being a con artist because I love a good heist. So that works really well along with all the fantasy and sci-fi.
Anne Bogel [00:50:54] Stephenson is no stranger to a good conspiracy. So you know, we can see that in your history.
Keren Form [00:50:59] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:51:00] Keren, how do you feel about a left turn towards a really popular contemporary sci-fi thriller?
Keren Form [00:51:06] Sure.
Anne Bogel [00:51:07] I feel like maybe you'd be seeing this everywhere and you don't need me to point it out to you. But I can't not mention the new time travel novel of Recursion by Blake Crouch. Do you know it?
Keren Form [00:51:15] No, I don't. I'm so excited though. I love time travel.
Anne Bogel [00:51:18] We can see that in the Doomsday Book and I'm glad that's not a coincidence. I like this because it's time travel. And the time travel isn't gratuitous, or "Hey, maybe people would buy a time travel novel." But it's essential to the story.
Also, something you see in this time travel novel is you talked about Terry Pratchett and how you see in some of his work a call to be your better self. And something we have in this book is people struggling to be their best selves, and also to make sacrifices of what they really want for the sake of humanity. This was a brain-bender. I had to read some pages like three times with "Is what I think is happening happening?" Because as the characters travel back in time, they keep rewriting history. And it changes things.
In the opening pages, there's an NYPD detective and he's been summoned to a top floor of a Manhattan high-rise because there's a woman on the ledge who's threatening to jump. And she says, "Don't come near me. You can't save me. I have false memory syndrome. Life is not worth living. And going down, you do not need to come with me. And I don't want you to catch it because it's believed that false memory syndrome is contagious."
And she tells him that the reason she can't go on is because she woke up one day, I think the week before and all of a sudden she has all these memories. They're not normal memories, though. It's like she's seeing them in black and white. She calls them shadow memories. But she remembers this whole past life she had. Her husband and they had a wonderful marriage and she was in a different profession than she is now. And she had a son.
And it's the images of the son that really killed her. And she thinks, "That could have been my life. But here's what I'm stuck doing now. And it is not okay." And she tells the detective specifically, "This is the man I was married to. This was the situation." So after she jumps, not a spoiler it happened on like page six, he looks them up in the phonebook and goes to visit him out on his house on Long Island. And the guy is protesting at first. "I don't know what you're talking about. That's ridiculous. How on earth could someone have like false memories? You've got to be kidding. Leave now."
But he has second thoughts and says, "Okay, detective, false memory syndrome is not what you think." And gives them an address for a shady hotel, where detective Barry gets strapped into this chair, a gutsy female scientist has been working on in an ocean in the middle of nowhere for a philanthropist/scientist who might have questionable motives and starts to find out what is going on, that was originally intended for good, but how it's much more likely that it's going to destroy humanity.
Wrapping my head around what was happening when you start messing with space and time in this novel, it was a doozy. But it was lots of fun. So this is a high-stakes novel. You've got a procedural because you've got a detective on the case. You've got a save-the-world thriller. You have a love story, which really took me by surprise, but lots of readers have really enjoyed, at least because it's so unexpected. Time travel thriller. How does that sound?
Keren Form [00:54:23] That sounds so, so good. The minute you said that you had to keep going back and forth to a page being like, "Wait, what?" that got me. I always feel like a good novel if I'm like, "Wait a second. Did I read that right?" I love procedurals as well. And New York. Three wins.
Anne Bogel [00:54:37] Check, check, check. Okay. Because I've seen that you really enjoy books that are creative and inventive with their plots and that also put a twist on something you feel like you know, and show it to you in a whole new way, the book I'm thinking of was first introduced to me by a reader who said, "You know, this isn't the kind of book I usually picked up. Read it. I know you'll love it." And that is a YA fantasy, fairy tale retelling, which I mean those have some built-in strengths and also kind of weaknesses. It's Brigid Kemmerer's A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
Keren Form [00:55:14] I love a good retelling of a fairy tale.
Anne Bogel [00:55:16] Well, this one is Beauty and the Beast. Kemmerer has said that she is kind of obsessed with. It was her favorite. She watched the Disney version over and over and over. But of course, this isn't your ordinary Beauty and the Beast. She has a modern-day 17-year-old girl. Her name is Harper. She's in DC, and life is not going well. Her mom is dying of cancer, her dad's long gone, her brother's in trouble.
So she's on the streets of DC when something happens to transport her to the woods of Ember Fall, which is a very tail world ruled by a prince who is the beast we would know from Beauty and the Beast. And this poor guy who is not sympathetic in many ways, but in others he is because he has been cursed by the evil Empress, to live this year of his life over and over and over again. And he's done it 300-something times I think.
At the end of every autumn, he turns into a monster. He eats everyone in sight and he has to begin again at the beginning. And the only way out is to fall in love.
So of course we know this is how the story goes. But the way that Kemmerer imagines the story is really interesting. So she comes in, she meets the prince who's reliving the fall of his 18th birthday 300 times now. It always ends badly.
And there is definitely some dark stuff here. I mean, there's stabbing, you know, people being eaten. The Empress, she's scary lady. But the 17-year-old girl, her name is Harper, she's funny and snarky, and she's kind and courageous.
Oh, also worth mentioning is that she has cerebral palsy. And what that looks like for her is she has a limp. And something that I really liked about the way Kemmerer handled this in the story is she does have a character with a disability. It's important in the story, but it's not the main point of the story, even though it's very much part of her identity because people underestimate her because of this.
Harper is vulnerable but also really strong, very relatable. There's also a little bit of a love triangle element that readers are very split on. There's a sequel coming in early 2020. So if you're like, "Ah, what's going to happen next?" you will not have to wait long. How does that sound to you?
Keren Form [00:57:32] That sounds like a lot of fun. I really, really like fairy tale retellings. Like I love Marissa Meyer's Cinder series.
Anne Bogel [00:57:39] Oh, yes. My kids just blew through her newer series that starts with Renegades.
Keren Form [00:57:45] Yeah, I just read those through.
Anne Bogel [00:57:46] I feel like a lot of readers have a cinder-shaped hole in their hearts, and they're just trying to fill it up.
Keren Form [00:57:52] And it sounds different to what has been done before. So kind of excited about that.
Anne Bogel [00:57:57] Well, one of the potential challenges with fairy tale retellings is it's very easy for them to veer into melodramatic territory. But I think Kemmerer treads lightly and handles this really well.
Keren Form [00:58:06] Awesome.
Anne Bogel [00:58:07] Okay, Keren, here's what we talked about today. The City of Brass by S. A Chakraborty, Recursion by Blake Crouch, and A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. Which isn't that a great name for beauty in the beast?
Keren Form [00:58:20] It really is.
Anne Bogel [00:58:20] I mean, come on. Of those three books, what do you think you'll read next?
Keren Form [00:58:24] Maybe I'll start with Recursion because I don't know if there's something about it being set in my home city that right now is speaking to me. But they all sound really good. And I'm also a multi-book reader so I might be reading up at the same time.
Anne Bogel [00:58:37] And I hope you really enjoy it. Thanks so much for talking books with me today.
Keren Form [00:58:40] Oh my God, thank you so much. This has been so much fun.
Anne Bogel [00:58:43] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Keren, and I'd love to hear what titles you'd add to her TBR. Find Keren on Instagram @Kform27 and see the full list of titles we discussed at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
Don't forget to call in and leave your suggestions for what I should read next, and maybe you'll hear them on a future episode. That phone number is 502-627-0663. And please remember to share your name, first name is just fine, what book you think I should read next, and why you think it might be right for me?
Connect with us on Instagram for more bookish fun. I'm there @annebogel. And you'll find the show @whatshouldireadnext. We love seeing your bookish comments, post, and share. So come on over and join our social community. Subscribe for weekly updates on the show and see what I've been reading lately at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Thanks also to our Community Manager, Sara Aeder. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. As Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• Thud! by Terry Pratchett
• The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
• To Say Nothing Of the Dog by Connie Willis
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
▵ The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
• The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
• The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
• The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
• Recursion by Blake Crouch
• A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Renegades by Marissa Meyer
Also mentioned:• Catan
• Ticket to Ride
• WereWords
• Camel Up!
• Bananagrams
• Boggle
• Board Game Geek
• Mary Sue trope
The post Books that check all your boxes + what should Anne read next? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I had to cancel a trip on short notice because of my lungs (sniff), so I’m suddenly looking at a lot of free time I wasn’t planning on. Have you read or watched something amazing lately, or baked something especially tasty I might take on in my new-found leisure time? Please tell me in comments!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend state of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: 8 Ways to Read More Books—And Why You Should. (Time) I love the friendly tone and relatable anecdotes in this piece—and not just because I’m quoted in it! * Viola Davis achieves EGOT status with Grammy win. (NPR) Well deserved. Her narration of her memoir Finding Me was stunning. * Women’s Prize Launches Nonfiction Award. (Women’s Prize) “The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, which will sit alongside its sister prize the Women’s Prize for Fiction, will amplify female voices, whilst celebrating books that inform, entertain, challenge, disrupt, and offer solace and connection.” I’m excited by this development, as I’ve found many great reads from the Women’s Prize longlists. * Now you can buy yourself flowers … made out of legos! How gorgeous is this LEGO Icons Wildflower Bouquet building set? (Update: I just heard this bouquet made an appearance in this week’s new episode of Abbott Elementary!) * Why Everyone Should Read Thriller Writer Louise Penny. (Oprah Daily) I was delighted to write this guide to the Inspector Gamache series. * Roast chicken might be the most romantic dinner of all. (Washington Post gift link) But the food that might actually beat out those cliches in the department of amour is actually quite humble: Consider the roast chicken. Served at home. Atop your everyday plates. Unglamorous? Maybe. But hear me out…” * I Kept a ‘One-Line-a-Day Journal’ for 5 Years—Here Are My 10 Biggest Takeaways. (Well+Good) Our MMD Book Club community manager Ginger is a big fan of this practice! * Great Valentine’s Day deal from Succulent Studios: get a free box of three plants; you just pay shipping. * Women Have Been Misled About Menopause. (New York Times gift link) This is a hot topic of conversation in my friend circles these days. * Meet the archive moles. (Prospect Magazine) “There’s a growing band of people digging through library stacks and second-hand bookshops in search of lost classics. I’m one of them.” * These Are the 3 Words That Best Define My Personal Style. What are yours? * These embroidered pillows from Rifle Paper Co. are completely adorable: choose from this book club pillow, this READ option, or these darling daisies. * I Tried 4 of the Best Tomato Soup Recipes and Found My Family’s Forever Favorite. (The Kitchn) In case you’re looking for the perfect accompaniment to a grilled cheese sandwich. Actually any* kind of soup + grilled cheese combo is a crowd-pleasing dinner at my house, and one we’re turning to a lot lately.
Good reads for right now: 130 recommended reads for those traveling to New York City. Or those who want to. * 43 favorite fictional couples. This was such a fun list to put together! * 10 giftable books to share with friends on Galentine’s Day. One of the best days of the year! * Book journaling tools for every reader.* Calling all pen geeks!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s no secret I love stories: fiction and memoir are my go-to genres, not purely for the entertainment value, but because stories—even, and perhaps especially, when they’re made up—give me great insight into what it means to be a person in this world. How should we live? How should we care for others? How might we understand ourselves? How do we understand ourselves? The best stories—the ones I enjoy most, that I am most drawn to—deliver elegant, often through-the-back-door answers to these questions.
I don’t often read with information-seeking as my first priority. Don’t get me wrong, I read at least ten nonfiction books a year that are practical and fact-focused. But these titles account for just a sliver of my reading life, and they’re never the ones I am most inclined to pick up. Good as they may be, they’re the books I need to make myself read because this type of reading feels like “work” to me. (I know many of you are the exact opposite!)
And yet, when I finish the right nonfiction read, one that I feel I needed, that deepened my understanding and made a practical difference in my life, I am deeply grateful I was able to read it: that an author built the knowledge and took the time to write it, that it was then able to find its way to me. I’m thinking of books that have helped me understand specific issues I’ve been dealing with, or that my kids have: books about topics as varied as negotiation and nutrition, decision making and skill-building, managing a business or leading a kids’ sports team.
Something I’ve noticed of late is that many of these books—the ones I’m drawn to, that I’m so glad I didn’t miss—are focused on relationships.
These past six months I’ve happened to read two such nonfiction works that have deepened my understanding of my most important relationships. They feel like companions of sorts, though they were written by different authors in different styles, published more than ten years apart, and focus on different things. And yet both of them examine our most meaningful relationships through the lens of attachment theory, something I’ve only learned of in the past few years. Attachment theory holds that the nature and quality of the bonds we form with our caregivers early in life have a lasting and significant effect on how we connect with others as we grow older. (That’s my best summary, not the official answer you should use for your next psychology quiz.)
The first, published in 2011, is Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue E. Johnson, and its explicit focus is romantic relationships. It wasn’t on my radar until late last year, and I was surprised to learn it’s sold over one million copies. Johnson doesn’t go deep into the different attachment styles here; instead she uses attachment theory as a broad framework to examine what behaviors and mindsets threaten connection in a relationship, and what steps a couple can take to reestablish a close bond.
To do this, she lays out seven important conversations couples need to have in their relationship in order to remain close, conversations such as “finding the raw spots,” “revisiting a rocky moment,” or “forgiving injuries.” She breaks down why each conversation matters, how it might unfold, and how it could potentially go off the rails. One of her underlying beliefs is that couples may slip into negative communication cycles, and when this occurs it’s important to focus on fixing the pattern, not on fixing the other person; she provides lots of examples for what this can look like in practice. Sure, the word “cheesy” comes to mind when I think back on some of the stories told here, but did I find it helpful all the same? Absolutely.
The second book I’m grateful to have found is the newer 2022 release Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends by Dr. Marisa G. Franco (which some of you will recognize from our Fall Book Preview, or as our February Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club flight pick). She opens her book by saying that romantic love gets all the attention, but friendship is every bit as crucial to our well-being, and we need to prioritize it more. By looking at friendship through the lens of attachment theory, she makes the case for the many benefits of these relationships, including how they shape us and help us become our healthiest selves. I found this to be a relatable guide for strengthening and deepening your existing friendships, nurturing new ones, and better managing conflict within them.
Compared to Hold Me Tight, Franco’s writing is more academic in style but still accessible to the layperson. She goes into more detail about the various attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized—explaining what each means and how each type may function in platonic relationships. If you want to understand more about how attachment theory works, this is an accessible introduction.
I’m grateful for these information-heavy nonfiction reads, but I have to mention that some of my most profound relationship insights have come from novels. For example, one of the most striking insights I’ve encountered about grief was nestled into a post-apocalyptic story that wasn’t exactly my cup of tea (at least not at the time, I wonder what I’d think now?). And yet I think of that passage all the time. (I wish I’d been keeping a reading journal then—if I had, I would have that quote at my fingertips, ready to share with you, alas!)
There are so many reasons why we read, and a primary one for me is that books help us become better versions of ourselves, by helping us see ourselves and our relationships more clearly. And on that note …
Readers, the comments section is all yours: I’d love to hear about your relationship to reading for information. And more specifically, would you tell us about a book that has made an impact on your personal relationships? We would all love to hear about a book that made a meaningful difference in your life.
P.S. 7 books I wish I could download into my brain, and What niche subgenre do you love?
The post What book has made a big impact on your relationships? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s episode is a virtual invitation to our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club! We’re sharing our recent conversation with Brendan Slocumb, who joined us in January to discuss his musical thriller (and our January 2023 Book Club pick), The Violin Conspiracy.
You might recognize Brendan from Episode 351, Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks! as part of that excellent panel discussion with Tia Williams, Andrew Sean Greer, and TJ Klune.
I was so excited to welcome Brendan along with our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club Community Manager, Ginger Horton, and our Book Club co-host, Shannan Malone. Our conversation today covers a whole range of topics, from music to comic books, and of course we ask about Brendan’s recent reads and his future novels. Whether or not you’ve read (or want to read) The Violin Conspiracy, I think you’ll love listening in to our (spoiler-free!) conversation today.
Tell us about a title you’d love to read (or an author you’d love to hear from!) in Book Club in the comments section below.
Find Brendan online on Instagram and at his website.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabBrendan Slocumb [00:00:00] Now that I see the interest in The Violin Conspiracy, I'm like, "I gotta get my stuff together for a memoir." Because if this one aspect of my life is entertaining to people, the rest of my life is gonna blow you guys away. It's gonna just totally... Just be sitting down when you pick up the book. That's all I'm gonna say.
Anne Bogel [00:00:23] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
This week we have a special treat. We're sharing a conversation with Brendan Slocumb who joined us recently in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club to discuss his musical thriller, The Violin Conspiracy.
[00:01:02] Regular What Should I Read Next? listeners have heard from Brendan before. He appeared on the show in Episode 351, Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks! as part of that excellent panel discussion with Tia Williams, Andrew Sean Greer, and TJ Klune.
Brendan's debut The Violin Conspiracy was our January 2023 pick in Book Club. I knew as soon as I turned the last page of this book last year that we had to read it together. I'm always on the lookout for titles that deliver discoverability and discuss-ability to our members. And wow, this one does exactly that.
Brendan describes The Violin Conspiracy as the story of Ray, who discovers that his old family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius violin. This discovery catapults him into superstardom in the world of classical music. But right before the Tchaikovsky Competition, which is basically the Olympics of classical music, Ray's violin is stolen.
He gets off his flight at the Charlotte Airport, only to discover his priceless strat has been replaced by a white Chuck Taylor high top and a ransom note. And he has to figure out who took it. Was it his family who thinks that he should sell the violin so they can split 2 million bucks? Was it the Marks' family whose great-grandfather owned Ray's great-grandfather and claims the violin really belongs to them? Was it Mike the doorman? Was it his teacher who might be jealous because he's a better player than she is? Will Ray get the Violin back? Will he compete and will he win?
[00:02:27] This mystery propels you through the book. And there are also a bunch of threads woven through about never giving up in blatant racism, and how do you overcome crushing obstacles and doing what you love. We could not wait to talk to Brendan in Book Club. He joined me in conversation along with our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club Community Manager, Ginger Horton, and our Book Club co-host, Shannan Malone.
You will hear me crank out a few words welcoming everyone to the event, and then hand off my mic to Ginger and Shannan. I have the privilege of moderating a healthy percentage of our author talks but it's no secret to our book lovers, and maybe not to you, I mean, listen to me now, that my lungs have not been healthy so far this year. We are getting it under control. But for this session, I got to participate wholeheartedly and quietly in our Book Club chat while Shannan and Brendan dig into the book.
We talk about The Violin Conspiracy, of course, but our conversation also delves into music, comic books, Brendan's recent reads, and his plans for future novels. You never have to read the book to enjoy and benefit from our Book Club conversations. So whether or not you read The Violin Conspiracy, I think you will love listening in today.
[00:03:32] On that note, don't be concerned about spoilers. We have ensured this episode is spoiler free. We edited this conversation to work here as an audio-only podcast, but you will hear references to Book Club members during the interview. That's because while our members aren't on video during these events, they do participate actively during our conversations. They ask questions for the author, they chat with our Book Club hosts and with each other. You'll hear that today.
We would love to have you in Book Club. To join in on the ongoing conversation, head to Modernmrsdarcy.com/club.
Now, let's get to it.
Anne Bogel [00:04:05] Hello, everyone. Welcome to Book Club. I am so glad you're here. I'm Anne Bogel. I am delighted to be here, and also I'm going to be in the chat today. You are in good hands with our community manager, Ginger Horton, and our Book Club co-host, Shannan Malone. We have a very special guest today. I'm so excited for Brendan to join us.
Hi, Brendan. We're so glad you're here. I'm going to hand it over to my wonderful team and our illustrious guest. And thanks for coming. It's gonna be a blast. Ginger, take it away.
Ginger Horton [00:04:42] I'm glad that you all are here. If this happens to be your first author talk,—I know we've got a lot of new members of the New Year—let us know in chat. What a way to start the year! I was just telling our panel here that you guys were active this month in the chat. I can tell. It's emanating from the phones how much you love this book.
And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, I will not be surprised if this winds up on some of your favorite lists from 2023. I know it's only January, but once again, I'm hearing those kinds of words. We've been doing this for six or seven years now and I bet this will be a favorite.
[00:05:15] So, like Anne said, I'm your community manager, Ginger Horton. We're joined today by your author Brendan Slocumb, and Shannan Malone is here today. I've got a poll for you and I'm gonna read these out. So if you miss it, not to worry. But I've got a poll.
We want to know, do you play a musical instrument? We're talking about musicality this month. So many of you admitted to some musical training in your past. And we just found out something about our own Shannan this month, which I did not know. Shannan, tell us about your musical experience while people are answering.
Shannan Malone [00:05:47] I studied classical piano for over 10 years and competed in national auditions. Yeah, scary times.
Ginger Horton [00:05:55] Who knew! I had no idea. You know, people for years... And this is why great books bring out great conversations because you find out some of this really fun stuff. So if you guys are answering yes, I would personally love to know. Tell us in chat what it is you played. I played nothing other than my little sixth-grade recorder and I can probably still pull out like a C A, C C, A. But that is it, you guys. And I've always regretted that.
Well, we know our author has experience and we are definitely going to get to those questions. We know you all want to know more about his writing life, his musical life, his teaching life. Let me end with this poll here and share your results.
I'm kind of surprised I didn't know what to think. But a proportion of you, 44%, play a musical instrument. Little over half of us do not, so you're in good company. But I'm so impressed. So without further ado, I'm gonna turn this over to Shannan.
Shannan Malone [00:06:48] I have been hoping for another interview from you Brendan and Anne since I heard the What Should I Read Next? Episode 351, Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks! Y'all, that was such an utterly delightful experience. If you hadn't heard it, go listen to it right after this interview. I am excited to talk to you today, Brendan. It's such an honor for me. Thanks, Anne. Thanks, Ginger.
As I said, I have a little bit of experience with classical music and classical piano having had lessons for 10 years. And I wanted to thank you specifically before we got started, Brendan, because it brought back so many memories, some pleasant, some unpleasant. And I think it's stoked a dying ember of my love for playing. I have a piano outside and haven't touched it. And I was like, "You know what, I'm gonna tickle the ivories a little bit." So thank you so much for writing this book and writing this story.
When did you start writing? Because I know you're a violinist and a performer and an educator. So when did the writing start? Have you always been writing things?
Brendan Slocumb [00:08:01] Well, before I answer that question, I want to say to Ginger, I know your C A, C A is the absolute best. I know it. I can feel it. Wow, writing. I have actually always written not to this extent, you know, with The Violin Conspiracy. But far back in elementary school, when we would have to write creative sentences, I would write some things, and my teachers...
I had one teacher that actually thanked me for my sentences. I didn't understand why. I was like, "Well, I did the work like everyone else. You told us to do this. Why are you thanking me?" And my high school teacher really pushed me to... I was fortunate enough to have the same English teacher for 11th and 12th grade English. And she always pushed me.
I would never get my book reports back or my paragraphs. We had to do like a writing assignment. I'd never get them back. And I didn't understand why. They were always up on the bulletin board. You know, I guess she liked them.
[00:08:59] In college, I did a lot of reading, my English classes, writing papers, and everything. I'm actually the songwriter for my band. So it's always been there. And I'm gonna say this, and I'm probably going to get a lot of people in trouble, but I actually had friends that asked me to write some college papers for them because they were like, "I need to get a good grade on this paper." And I'm like, "Sure, I'll do it for you." And they got A's. I'll just say that.
I've always loved writing. That's actually a pleasant surprise that people like what it is that I've written because I would have never thought that. As a musician, sure. If I play something, you like it, yeah, that's great. That's what I'm trying to do. But you know, writing, it's always a pleasant surprise.
Shannan Malone [00:09:42] So tell me how you came to write this particular story, The Violin Conspiracy.
Brendan Slocumb [00:09:47] It's largely autobiographical. So I've been carrying a lot of the stuff around with me since I was nine years old when I started playing the violin. In the summer of 2020 really I kicked things into high gear because as a working musician, everything stopped. No lessons, no recitals, no rehearsals, no weddings, no everything. So I had plenty of time to write.
I submitted an old manuscript, which was terrible, and I'll be the first one to say that, that is terrible. It was awful. Awful. So if you ever see a science fiction manuscript by me, ignore it, please. I'll pay you not to read it, please.
And I had plenty of time, and I got a lot of fantastic advice about what I should write about, which is not science fiction. I know music, so I was advised to write about music and the first chapter of The Violin Conspiracy was born.
Shannan Malone [00:10:39] I think I read somewhere that you had a violin stolen. 1953 Eugene Lehman. Am I saying that correctly?
Brendan Slocumb [00:10:48] Eugene Lehman. You're saying that like you know where this instrument is, Shannan. Please help her brother out. I had a violin stolen in high school my senior year. It was supposed to take me through college through my professional career and it was gone. That's one of the main reasons I put The Fifth Element in The Violin Conspiracy because I can identify with it personally.
Shannan Malone [00:11:13] And you actually had Ray select a Lehman as his replacement. That was on purpose or...?
Brendan Slocumb [00:11:20] Oh, yeah.
Shannan Malone [00:11:21] Okay.
Brendan Slocumb [00:11:22] I mean, it was a phenomenal instrument. Everyone I let play it, they were like, "Wow." I was like, "Yes, it's mine." Until it wasn't. So it's a great violin and someone's out there enjoying it, I'm sure.
Shannan Malone [00:11:35] Is there a difference between the 1953 and the 1959?
Brendan Slocumb [00:11:39] Oh, yeah.
Shannan Malone [00:11:40] Okay.
Brendan Slocumb [00:11:40] It's tweaks here and there from just the maker. Just a couple of tweaks here and there. But I prefer the '53.
Shannan Malone [00:11:50] So why didn't you give that one to Ray? I'm just curious.
Brendan Slocumb [00:11:53] Because it's mine. I can't give Ray everything.
Shannan Malone [00:11:57] Awesome. Well, then that brings us to the next question that people have been asking. And you kind of answered that already when you said it was largely autobiographical. Because they wanted to know, is this your memoir? Are you going to write a memoir?
Brendan Slocumb [00:12:14] Believe it or not, The Violin conspiracy, 2022, all of this, meeting Anne Bogle at Bookmarks, all of this is one very small portion of the life of Brendan. Now that I see the interest in The Violin Conspiracy, I'm like, "I gotta get my stuff together for a memoir." Because if this one aspect of my life is entertaining to people, the rest of my life is gonna blow you guys away. It's gonna just totally... You just be sitting down when you pick up the book. That's all I'm gonna say. But it's coming. It's coming.
Shannan Malone [00:12:49] This is awesome. Best news ever. Looking forward to that so much. And I'm gonna ask you about some of those other interesting components later.
Brendan Slocumb [00:12:58] Bring it. Bring it.
Shannan Malone [00:12:59] So I would like to know your musical background. I've listened to a couple of interviews about your falling in love with classical music. Can you please tell us about your teacher playing Mozart?
Brendan Slocumb [00:13:11] Oh, my gosh! In third grade, I had a music teacher and her name was Mrs. Holmes. She was not a nice lady. She really wasn't. She was not a nice, nice lady. She was mean as a snake actually. And she played an excerpt of Mozart's Symphony No. 40. And that was the first piece of classical music I've ever heard.
It was all strings in one section that I heard. You know, the violin, the main theme, tantaram taramram tarara, tarara. And she said, "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Mozart." And I was like, "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Mozart. I like Superman, but Mozart too. Oh, my God." I will never forget this tune. And I loved it. I'd never heard anything like that ever. And it took a hold of me and it changed me that moment. And from then on I couldn't get enough of it. I'm so glad that I was exposed to it then.
Shannan Malone [00:14:03] So you went on and learned the violin? We have the question, did you compete in any competitions?
Brendan Slocumb [00:14:10] I did. The first competition I did was in high school. And like I mentioned earlier, I was in my hometown, and I met with my friend Kimberly Jones at the time, Kimberly Simpkins now. We were like this. Every time there was a competition or an audition, it was Kim and Brendan, Kim and Brendan. We sat next to each other. We're always wanting to in everything.
First real competition was a talent show. And Kim would beat me at everything. It was always Kim and then me. Always. Except for this talent show. I placed, she didn't. I finally beat her. Finally. There were competitions in college and everything. For someone who had never had lessons until they got to college, I did pretty well. You know, I would come in second here, I get an honorable mention there. Just the fact that I was competing, it was great. My teacher pushed me and I'm so glad that she did.
Shannan Malone [00:15:05] I mean, that teacher to push you is awesome. I must admit I didn't have that. All my parents were interested in from my classical piano lessons was if I could play for church. Which I did. I did. I was one of the church pianists at 15. But you know, I didn't go any further. So it's good you had someone to push you.
Speaking of someone who inspired you, motivated you, people are wondering about grandma Nora. Is she inspired by somebody?
Brendan Slocumb [00:15:36] Yeah, absolutely.
Shannan Malone [00:15:37] Okay. Can you tell us?
Brendan Slocumb [00:15:38] The blue hair, the pink and green rollers, sweet, sweet, sweet voice, that was my grandmother. She was my maternal grandmother. As I was writing her dialogue, I could always hear her voice. Always. She was the sweetest.
If you heard this woman talk, you would have to take an insulin shot because she was so sweet. It's like diabetes dripping off of you. That's how sweet she was. I would often wonder, "Am I just thinking that she's a sweet lady because she's my grandmother?" I asked my mom, I asked my aunts and uncles, they all said the exact same thing. She was the sweetest woman on the face of the planet.
And I loved her so much, and everyone that I know loved her so much. This is one way for me to just show her and my family how much we love and appreciated her.
Shannan Malone [00:16:24] Right. And her name was?
Brendan Slocumb [00:16:25] Nora. That's my grandma.
Shannan Malone [00:16:29] So here at Modern Mrs. Darcy, we tend to be delightfully nerdy, we like to say, and we love hearing-
Brendan Slocumb [00:16:37] My kind of people.
Shannan Malone [00:16:38] ...all the details. So Book Club member Kristen said that she very much enjoyed reading the interview with Anderson Cooper. Very surreal. "I can see and hear the scene as clearly as if I was sitting in front of my television screen." And I have to add that personally, yes, very much so. Like I saw the whole interview happening in my mind as I was reading it. Were permissions necessary to do that? Can you tell us about those details?
Brendan Slocumb [00:17:05] Well, with 60 Minutes and Anderson Cooper there, all being public figures, no. It's like 60 Minutes is... I wasn't making any money off of the name 60 Minutes or I wasn't... I didn't have to pay Anderson Cooper. I doubt he's even read it. So if anybody has a contact with Anderson, tell him his name is in a book. No, I didn't have to ask any permissions because it's all out there. But you know, it's fiction. It's fiction.
Shannan Malone [00:17:29] And how did you get that idea to come about...? Was that something you planned on doing in advance? When did that idea strike you?
Brendan Slocumb [00:17:38] It kind of came along as I was going... You know, I know I wanted to have an interview. I was thinking 60 Minutes or 20/20. But to be perfectly honest, I hadn't watched 60 Minutes in a very long time. And I was thinking, "Oh, let me see one of the old... You know, Morley Schaefer." And I'm like, "Wait a minute. I don't think he's on this show anymore."
So I talked to people and my agent actually was like, "Anderson Cooper." I was like, "No, wait, he's a CNN commentator?" "No, he does 60 Minutes." "Really? I didn't know that." "So hey, why not? He's a very recognizable name. Let's do that." I wanted to make it as authentic as possible.
Shannan Malone [00:18:17] Well, it was. Like I said, I saw it happening in my mind. We had a question from Susan. And this kind of coincided with a few other people where they were so absorbed in the story... I kind of did this too. You're so good at the writing. You're like, "I need to look up Ray playing online. I want tickets to hear this guy." Then, of course, you realize, and as she said, "You don't need to look out Ray. You need to look up Brendan." So are there any recordings or videos out there that you would recommend? I mean, I found some but I don't-
Brendan Slocumb [00:18:57] Don't recommend that, please. Don't. Don't. No. No! Let's just go with no. As a musician, I'm much more comfortable playing in a group of people. I'm happy to perform with an orchestra. If there's recordings of me playing in an orchestra, sure, go listen to those. But like my solo stuff, lately, like within the last year or so, I just haven't had the time to put in the practice that I want to.
So there's a recording of me playing a Schubert quartet. And I'm just like, "All right, I'm struggling with this because it's hard. Schubert is hard. It's beautiful to listen to a beautiful to play, but it's really, really challenging. I'm more proud of the book than I am of the recording. So I'll say that.
Shannan Malone [00:19:45] So Katherine asked, "What was your journey into publishing? How did you get your agent?
Brendan Slocumb [00:19:52] I kind of fell into this whole agent, author thing the opposite of how everyone else does it. You submit your stuff and an agent says, "Okay, you know..." I had an agent pick me. When I submitted my first manuscript of the science fiction novel, which shall not be named, he saw that the writing was okay but the story was ugh. But the writing was, "It's not bad." He said, I have a good voice and I should write what I know. I said, "Okay, I'm gonna go home and take your advice, and I will do that."
So a few days later, I had written the first chapter of The Violin Conspiracy. I submitted it to this agent, he was like, "Whoa, I can sell this. I can actually sell this book. This sounds like a good story. Are you willing to write it?" "Yeah, sure, I'll write this. I'm doing nothing else, except sitting on the couch eating all day."
So I wrote every single day. And I took all the advice that he gave me, "Change this, do this, think about this, maybe this." And I argued a little bit just because that's what guys do. It was like alpha contest there. And I argued, and the end result was it was magic. I trust my agent 100%. He is phenomenal. He has not steered me wrong. I want to impress him.
Shannan Malone [00:21:09] So let's talk about some of those difficult moments and stories and sections in the book.
Brendan Slocumb [00:21:16] No. There's nothing difficult in this book. No.
Shannan Malone [00:21:19] And I know you wrote them for a reason. Thank you. I mean, when I read the scene over Ray pulled over by the cops. I read it one night before bed, which probably I shouldn't have done and my husband was working late, but I went to sleep. And I woke up in a cold sweat, y'all. Like, "Oh, no. Is he home? What will happened?" And I was like, "What just happened?" Because this is a constant worry that I have personally.
And I have a little boy right now. He's eight. In about eight years he'll be driving, and I know, my anxiety is gonna be times 10 when that happens, in addition to you know, just the regular, "Oh, is he in accident?" Like, "Oh, is he gonna get pulled over?" Can you tell us a little bit about what prompted you to include that? I know you said that most of those stories are largely things that have happened to you.
Brendan Slocumb [00:22:15] It was really a thing about validation and redemption for me. When that incident happened in the summer of 2000, you know, this is pre GPS, pre-smartphones, I was using a roadmap. A friend and I were driving through Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Our hotel was on this side of the street but we were way on the side and in the right lane. Had to put on my signal. There's nobody on the road. It's a Sunday evening.
Put on my signal, went over, lights and sirens. I'm like, "Oh, geez, here we go." And my friend who's in the car with me on this road trip, this white guy, he was, "What are you talking about?" It's like, "Here it comes. It's coming. I knew. I knew this was gonna happen. I was in a brand new 2000 Black Honda Accord. You know, black guy driving through the Deep South.
My friend didn't get it. He's like, "What are you talking about?" I'm like, "This is just something that I have to deal with and you'll never have to deal with." And sure enough, the cap on his bullhorn, his gun drawn, "Get out of the car. Get on your hands and knees, hands up." It was terrifying. I thought I was gonna get my head blown off all because of an illegal lane change.
I need people to understand that things like this really do happen. I'm not going to say that the cop was racist. I can't speak to what was going on in his head. But I just know what I felt. And things like this really do happen to people. And when I would say this happened to me, I would always get, "You probably did something wrong. You're exaggerating. It wasn't as bad as you think it is."
[00:23:53] And just being able to put that element in this book, to get validation. And I've heard from so many people, "That same thing happened to me. When I would say this to people, they wouldn't believe me either. I'm so happy that it is in a story that people can read and their minds and their perceptions of what life is like for black men. Now we understand," that that was a win. So I'm glad I went through that. So hopefully no one else will ever have to go through that.
Shannan Malone [00:24:21] It's terrifying. That has actually happened to my husband also. So, you know, guys, it's really, real, y'all.
Brendan Slocumb [00:24:28] It's real. It's real.
Shannan Malone [00:24:29] I've actually been pulled over too. Not right out of the car. But they couldn't tell me what it did wrong and then the police officer was like, "I'm gonna check your tank," which I knew was well below the legal limit. Because when asked I was like, "I don't want the dark one. Don't give me the dark one."
And he's like, "I'm gonna check your tank," and I'm like, "Okay. I hope that's all that's gonna happen." and then he checked the tank and walked away." And I was like, "Did I do something? What happened?" And I was shaking the whole time I was pulling away. I don't think I calmed down for a good hour. I was on a trip. It was a little terrifying.
[00:25:13] But I love how Robin in our Book Club put it. That that is why reading is so important because it allows us to take what we know in our heads or what we've heard people say and translate this knowledge into our hearts and our bodies.
Brendan Slocumb [00:25:28] Right.
Shannan Malone [00:25:29] I think you really did that with The Violin Conspiracy and the story of Ray. I was pulling for him with everything that was in me like he was a real person.
I do have a question about this story and how it was published in the past two or three years. Do you feel like the world is more receptive to the sharing of these experiences now were The Violin Conspiracy been published like maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago in your mind?
Brendan Slocumb [00:25:59] I think that the timing on this was absolutely perfect, not necessarily for good reasons. When COVID happened, everybody was kind of stuck in the same place, and they bore witness to a lot of things that a lot of people had never seen before, specifically, George Floyd. When the world saw what happened, it was like, "Whoa, wait a minute, maybe things like this actually do happen. I just saw it with my own eyes."
So stories like this, [00:26:29] were much more receptive to receiving stories like this, and the experiences that Ray had to undertake and just being able to say, "Whoa, maybe things like this really do occur."
I gotta be honest. I have to give credit to my editors and a lot of people who worked on this book. I was advised to take a lot of these things out because they seem so far-fetched. And I had to fight to keep them in because a lot of people did not believe it. They were just like, "That whole wedding scene, there's no way anything like that ever happened."
I'm like, "I'm living proof that it has happened. I pray it never happens to anyone else but yes, it's real and I'm not taking it out. And I want to keep it in this story because it's very, very important that people see that things like this happen and the perseverance it takes to overcome them."
Shannan Malone [00:27:18] Thank you for sharing that and for putting those things in the book. I want to switch gears to a lighter note. We have a question from Susan. They want to know about the action figures behind you. Are there action figures behind you?
Brendan Slocumb [00:27:32] I have tons of action figures. These are comic books here and there are more comics stacked up to the ceiling there. And there's my friend Spider-Man right there. I've got the posters and everything, and my statues over there.
And I'm a huge comic book geek, nerd, whatever you call it. But I got muscles, so it's okay. Just I love action figures and comics because they make me happy. I keep them around. And I collect them because they make me happy. They remind me of a time when my imagination was going. And just being happy as a kid, as a teenager, I'm like, "Oh, I love this stuff."
I have piles of comics in my office because that's what I love to do. And if anyone says, "Wow, you're too old for this," whatever. You're never too old to do whatever it is that makes you happy and what you love. That's where I stand on that. I have a personalized action figure on my desk that I had made because I love this stuff. It makes me happy.
Shannan Malone [00:28:36] That is awesome.
Brendan Slocumb [00:28:37] If anybody can tell me who this is in the chat, I will send you an ARC of Symphony of Secrets.
Shannan Malone [00:28:43] Oh, my goodness!
Brendan Slocumb [00:28:44] I will totally send you one. Anyone? Anyone? Tell me who it is.
Shannan Malone [00:28:49] I'm shifting gears again. Ray is dealing with a lot, including his dysfunctional family, which is a plot point. He's very little support. It seems his own mother doesn't support him. What is up with that?
Brendan Slocumb [00:29:05] Okay, okay. If there is one person who can honestly say that they have no family dysfunction to any extent, I will not say another word. Every single person knows about family dysfunction. Maybe not to the level of raised family, but everyone can identify with family dysfunction. Again, I was looking for that air of authenticity and I just wanted people to be able to relate.
And you got to think, Ray's family, you know, it was a $10 million Violin. 10 million bucks. Why can't he just sell it and get another instrument and split this money? It'll change their lives for the better for the rest of her life. That doesn't seem like an unreasonable request to me, you know? So it's family dysfunction at its finest. I'll say that.
But I will say mom in the story is not my mom. I promise you. My mom would never try to actively keep me from pursuing music. So that part was definitely fictionalized a lot more.
Shannan Malone [00:30:05] That was my follow-up question. So are you still teaching or are you too busy for that now?
Brendan Slocumb [00:30:12] The day that I get too busy to teach is the day that... Just no. I cannot not. I was talking about this with a friend of mine the other day. I actually have two lessons after this interview I have to go and teach. But I'm no longer in the classroom. I have a private studio of musicians. I'm teaching violin, piano and guitar lessons, and viola lessons. I have two really good violists. I teach. When I'm not traveling, I'm on a weekly schedule.
The parents have been so understanding with everything that's going on with the book. They know, "okay, if you have to miss this week, that's fine. We'll see you in two weeks. We'll make sure they practice." I'm a teacher first and foremost. That's what I do. That's what I've always wanted to do. That's what I've always done.
Shannan Malone [00:30:56] What was your favorite song to teach and what is your favorite song to play? Are they the same or are they different?
Brendan Slocumb [00:31:04] That is a fantastic question. Favorite piece to teach. When I was teaching high school, I would teach the same... we would do annual pieces. I would do the same piece every year. It's a Concerto for Four Violins by Vivaldi. He wrote a couple of them. I'm talking about B minor one.
And every year the seniors would look forward to playing the solos because I would play one of the parts and I would pick three other seniors to play. And from the time that they refreshment, they would look forward to that and who's going to get to play. They would always work hard so they could play the senior solo. Wow, did that for 11 years. It was awesome. That was one of my favorite pieces to actually teach and to play. There's so many of them.
I'm a Vivaldi freak. I love playing. I love playing the 4 Seasons. Winter and Summer are my two favorites to play. I love Dvorak. His Eighth Symphony is one of my favorite pieces to play. Schubert 9 is one of my favorite symphonies to play. And Mozart 40, of course.
Shannan Malone [00:32:09] Meditation by Thais. Am I saying that right?
Brendan Slocumb [00:32:12] Meditation from Thais by Jules Massenet.
Shannan Malone [00:32:15] I love that piece.
Brendan Slocumb [00:32:17] It's beautiful.
Shannan Malone [00:32:18] Yeah. I actually consider that like a theme song of my life because it starts out all nice and then it gets all...you know. And the way you wrote it in the book, I was like, "He just described my theme song. I have words now." And I'm not gonna read it. Everyone can go look at that. But yeah, that is my song so much. And I was so happy that you included that in there. I've never been able to play it though. I don't even know how that was sound on the piano. I only hear it like in violins or flutes.
Brendan Slocumb [00:32:52] I'm sure it's beautiful however it's played. It's gorgeous.
Shannan Malone [00:32:55] All right. People were curious about the sneaker. Like, why the sneaker? The nerds among us wonder if it was the same weight as a violin or whatever. So why the sneaker?
Brendan Slocumb [00:33:10] Great question I've gotten, "Why a Chuck Taylor? Why only one? Why a high top?" You know, because a lot of people don't realize that a violin is really light. It's a hollow. It's hollow instruments. Just two pieces of wood put on top of each other, and there's air in between. There's not a lot of hardware on it. So it's very, very light. It's a hollow piece of wood.
People will ask, "How heavy is that violin?" It's not heavy at all. It depends on the case, really. In the particular case that Ray was using, it was a very lightweight case. So you couldn't put something heavy and I figured, "You know, okay, size 10 and a half Chuck, why not?" And when I ran that by my agent, he was like, "What is that?" I was like, "You don't know Chuck Taylor tennis shoes? Where have you been?" He's like, "I'm probably not one of the most athletic people in the world, although I would never play basketball in Chuck Taylor shoes." No, no, never.
But it was the perfect size and weight to fit in a case. And yes, I've put a shoe in my violin case and you wouldn't know the difference.
Shannan Malone [00:34:11] So have you heard the expression pantser or plotter when it comes to writing?
Brendan Slocumb [00:34:17] Yes. Yes, I have.
Shannan Malone [00:34:18] Okay. Which one are you?
Brendan Slocumb [00:34:20] Every single aspect is laid out in outline. But I don't necessarily follow. But it's definitely done. I've got part one, part two, part three. This is what's gonna happen. This is what's going to happen. Once the initial manuscript is done, I go back and change everything around because if it were that easy just to go, boom, boom, boom, I'd have 10 books written by now. But no, yeah, I'm definitely a plotter.
Shannan Malone [00:34:47] Okay, so now I want to tell her about the acknowledgments of some of that life stuff you were talking about that's so fun. People want to know about your band. And I don't know if I'm saying this correctly. Geppetto's Wüd?
Brendan Slocumb [00:35:01] Wüd.
Shannan Malone [00:35:01] Wüd.
Brendan Slocumb [00:35:02] Wüd. All I'm gonna say is teenage boy humor. That's all I'm gonna say about that name. And if you got a brother or some, you totally get it. Geppetto's Wüd. I'm an original member of that band. And it's started... One of my students was like... We wanted to play for a pep rally or something at the school, and they were like, "Hey, will you sing this song?" I'm like, "Can't you find someone else to do it?" "No, dude, it would be so cool if you did." "Okay, sure, fine."
So we did a song and then some of my guitar students were like, "Hey, can we play?" "Yeah, sure. Why not? Let's just make it a big thing." And then a cellist from my orchestra who was also a phenomenal singer, "All right, I'll sing with you too." So we had like six people and this was a band made up out of students and a teacher.
You know, different iterations came and went when everybody graduated, and I left the school and everything. We've been together for a number of years. And the funny thing is, the drummer is one of my first students from when I taught in North Carolina. I taught him in ninth grade, he was in my orchestra class. Played violin, good. One of the best memories you've ever seen in your life. He would play something one time, and he would look at me and I'm like, "Why are you not looking at your music." He's like, "I know it." And I would test him. And he's totally got it memorized. Incredible memory.
[00:36:32] The lead guitarist is one of my former guitar students. One of my absolute best friends. You know, I watched these kids grow up to become these phenomenal musicians. And we played together and we write songs together, and we go and perform, and it's amazing. When I see them with a beer, my instinct is to say, "Oh, wait a minute, you're inn your 30s, 40s. Hold on. Sorry. Just kidding. Hey, can I have one of those." It's great. We've written some really good stuff and we've played some really good stuff. I'm actually going to post one of the best songs that we've ever done. I'm going to totally post it on my Instagram page.
Shannan Malone [00:37:11] Nice. Everyone.
Brendan Slocumb [00:37:12] The song is called Eleven. Not many people have heard it. It is the best song that I have ever written. And they are an amazing group of guys. I love my band.
Shannan Malone [00:37:22] And what is that IG handle for those of us who need it?
Brendan Slocumb [00:37:25] @Brendanslocumb.
Shannan Malone [00:37:27] All right. Now, you know, I have to ask you about Symphony of Secrets, guys, that are releasing on April 8. I read an excerpt in the back of this. And I'm sorry, Brendan, I do not know the name of that thing, character you keep showing, but can you hook a sister up with an ARC? I am dying to know about what happened. What happened? Is this a continuation of Ray's story or what?
Brendan Slocumb [00:37:56] Okay, all of my subsequent books, they're all going to take place in the same universe.
Shannan Malone [00:38:03] We love that.
Brendan Slocumb [00:38:03] Not necessarily the same characters. But there will be references to past characters in future books. Like you will see after you read Symphony of Secrets, in the last chapter of The Violin Conspiracy, one of the main characters is named. I'm not going to say or give any clues, but that character is named and plays an extremely important role in Symphony of Secrets, which I am so incredibly proud of.
It was one of the hardest things that I've ever had to do, because The Violin Conspiracy just rolled off of my fingers because, you know, it was so personal with Ray and myself. But Symphony of Secrets, you know, this story I had to create, I had to pull it out of nowhere. And it was tough. I gotta say it was really tough for me. When you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself... I felt like I had let a lot of people down because, Oh, it's not a Violin Conspiracy. What are people gonna think? I put it away for like six months, then I read it again and said, "Whoa, did I write this? What is this? I like this story. I am in love with this story. And I hope everyone loves it too.
[00:39:16] It's really a story about giving a voice to voices that have been silenced, to giving a voice to the voiceless, people who have never had an opportunity to shine, to show what they can do, to show their hard work and perseverance, people who've never been given that opportunity. And it's just a classic story that I really hope people enjoy.
Shannan Malone [00:39:37] Can't wait to read it. Looking forward to it. And we see some of that comic book influence with the same universe happening. Maybe a little bit.
Brendan Slocumb [00:39:46] All I'm gonna say is I got like 10 books up here.
Shannan Malone [00:39:48] Awesome.
Brendan Slocumb [00:39:48] And there's going to be a story about someone and comic books and solving a mystery. That's all I'm going to say. Comic books play an extremely important role.
Shannan Malone [00:39:58] Is it book three? Because you know, we're very greedy over here. We're very greedy.
Brendan Slocumb [00:40:04] All I'm gonna say about book three is that it involves a cellist and hypnosis. And I've already taken courses on hypnosis and everything, and I've been through it. You're gonna love it.
Shannan Malone [00:40:15] Awesome. Awesome. We have a question from Jenn. She says, "Is there indie bookstore in your area that you love?"
Brendan Slocumb [00:40:24] There are two that I frequent. One is Solid State Books, which is on H Street in Northeast DC, and Politics and Prose, which is in DC on Connecticut Avenue. And there's another location, but I go to Connecticut Avenue one. And they're great independent bookstores, and they've both been extremely supportive and kind and all of this good stuff. So if you are in the DC area, and you need to book Politics and Prose or Solid State Books.
Shannan Malone [00:40:51] Yes. And now we know where to order that preorder for Symphony of Secrets if we can't manage that ARC. So I'd like to close with one final question, and then if you don't mind reading that last little paragraph of the author's note. But the question that I have, though, is what are you reading now?
Brendan Slocumb [00:41:09] What am I reading now? I'm actually reading a couple of ARCs right now from some fellow writers. I'm reading an ARC called Closer by Sea. I don't have it sitting here. And I can't tell you the name of the author yet just because it's a thing. I can't say.
I just finished reading Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor. You want a good story, that guy can write. He can write his butt off. Oh my gosh! There were times that I literally went, "huh," as I was reading. I'm like, Dude." And I called him and I was like, "This book is amazing. It is incredible." I think it actually comes out next month. Ozark Dogs, great story.
And he also wrote Don't Know Tough, which is, I mean, it's like gritLIT. I think is what he calls it. It's good stuff. What else did I just finish reading? So much stuff. I have a pile over there. See, I should have been prepared for the question. You know what, I'm going to put a TBR on my website so that I don't have to think about this.
Ginger Horton [00:42:11] This is exactly what happens to every reader whenever you're asked what you're reading. It just happened to me yesterday. I was hanging out with some reader friends, and they said, "What are you reading?" And I... mind break.
Brendan Slocumb [00:42:20] I got a ton of books but I'm like, Aaah.
Ginger Horton [00:42:22] It's a thing.
Shannan Malone [00:42:23] Do you mind reading that part?
Brendan Slocumb [00:42:26] Quick just background behind this paragraph, sentence that I'm going to read. I would get shirts every year for my students, my strings family students. We would all get a long sleeve t-shirt so we could rep our colors at school to let everyone know we were part of the strings family. I thought it was the lamest thing but I just put it on a shirt. And it comes back 15 years later, and it has so much meaning. I had no idea how much it meant at the time.
But it says, "Alone, we are a solitary violin, a lonely flute, a trumpet singing in the dark. Together, we are a symphony."
Shannan Malone [00:43:05] Brendan, this was awesome. It was such an honor for me. Thank you so much. Thank you for writing. Thank you for sharing. Thank you.
Brendan Slocumb [00:43:15] Oh, my gosh! I am so incredibly happy. My cheeks still hurt because I'm smiling all the time because I'm so happy and so appreciative of all of the support that I have gotten. This started February of 2022 when the book came out. And it has been a non-stop roller coaster of support from amazing readers and fans and friends and family.
And I cannot thank you guys enough for everything that you have done for me. I mean, I wish I could hug every single person and shake every single hand. I wish I could. I really wish I could. That's why whenever I see anyone and someone says, "Hey, Brendan, can you do this? Hey, Brendan, come here." "Yeah, sure. I'll do it. You support me. This is the best way I know to show you how appreciative I am."
I got a tattoo "thank you" here but I don't know going to have enough arm to say thank you to everybody. But I'm so grateful for everything that everyone has done. I get to look at this every single day and be reminded of how amazing people are and just how there's so much hope in this world because of people like this audience and you guys and everyone. And I'm just so proud to be one small part of it. And I want to thank you guys for that.
Shannan Malone [00:44:39] Thank you for being here.
Brendan Slocumb [00:44:41] You guys were amazing. I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing so that I can be invited back because I absolutely love this. I love it. And I love you guys. Thank you.
Ginger Horton [00:44:51] Thank you. Well, I'm actually moving to DC in the fall. Our team members know this. So now I'm just gonna be stalking your favorite bookstores. I'll just carry my books around hoping to run into you and let you sign up them for us.
Brendan Slocumb [00:45:02] Done. Done.
Anne Bogel [00:45:03] Thank you, Brendan. This was a pleasure.
Brendan Slocumb [00:45:05] Thank you, guys, so much.
Ginger Horton [00:45:07] So good. I'm seeing so many of your comments saying that this was your favorite author talk ever. Big words. No surprises there.
Brendan Slocumb [00:45:14] Wow.
Ginger Horton [00:45:14] We're gonna say goodbye to our author and do a little bit of housekeeping around here telling you what's happening next.
Well, the next thing that we are doing around here, something new to announce to you all, that we are having a readers Day on February 11. So many of you have asked about that Readers' weekend that we had last year. "Can we do this more often?" And we are answering with a big yes.
So we are going to do a shortened version of that, a Readers' Day on Saturday, February 11. More details to come. But we've got some worksheets and digital kit in the works for you. We'll have some flagship events that you can put on your own calendar, do your own. Join us. That's coming next. So keep your eyes peeled. And keep talking in the forums.
The chatter has been... I mean, I'm not kidding you when I say active. I can think of about two authors in our past that have had this many comments on any singular book in a month. This is like in the top two, I think, of all time in Book Club. So keep on chatting about it.
Shannan, I saw so many comments zoom by. You need to go read that chat transcript when we're done because big hand claps to you for stepping in to fill Anne's really big shoes.
Shannan Malone [00:46:23] Yes, really big.
Ginger Horton [00:46:24] You've done a phenomenal job. Wonderful job. I mean, listen, you did a fantastic job. But he made it-
Shannan Malone [00:46:30] Yes, he did.
Ginger Horton [00:46:31] [inaudible] ...the most chatting person.
Shannan Malone [00:46:31] He's awesome. He's so awesome. I'm so honored I could talk to him. So honored. It means so much to me.
Anne Bogel [00:46:37] Oh, I loved your questions, Shannan. Thank you so much. And thank you all, our members in our chat. I really enjoy getting to participate in that way today. Thanks for having me there.
Ginger Horton [00:46:48] Well, thank you all for joining us so much. This is the nicest place on the internet and there is relativity of that. So thank you to Anne and to Shannan and of course to our author Brendan. I can't wait to talk with you all again really, really soon. Hope everybody has a wonderful day and happy reading.
Anne Bogel [00:47:06] Happy reading.
[00:47:13] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed today's peek into Book Club and our conversation with Brendan. I'd love to invite you to join us for more events just like this. Do that at modernmrsdarcy.com/club. Now is a great time to join in.
In February we're focusing on friendship while we read the anonymous memoir, Becoming Duchess Goldblatt. Join us now, start reading, and begin chatting with fellow book lovers immediately without any fear of spoilers.
To tell Brendan how much you enjoyed this conversation or to follow along and see how both his writing and music are coming along, follow him on Instagram @BrendanSlocumb. You can also visit his website, Brendanslocumb.com. Start reading The Violin Conspiracy today.
And here's a hot tip. If you love audiobooks, I highly recommend JD Jackson's narration. It is fabulous. And also jot down Brandon's April release Symphony of Secrets for your to-be-read list.
Our website is where you'll find the full list of titles talked about today. That is at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
If you are already following us on Instagram, we would love to have you invite a friend to discover our show. Share one of our posts featuring an episode you've loved to your story and be sure to tag us @Whatshouldireadnext so we can share it too.
Seeing you share the show is our love language as podcasters. Thanks in advance for telling your friends and your followers on social media. You can find me on Instagram. I'm there myself @annebogel. Get our weekly newsletter right in your inbox. It's a great way to stay up to date with everything happening here at What Should I Read Next? Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
[00:48:50] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. Special thanks today to Ginger and Shannan. . What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Thanks also to our Community Manager, Sara Aeder. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode:• The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
• Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
• Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor
• Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor
Also mentioned:• WSIRN Episode 351 Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!
• The Violin Conspiracy Spotify playlist
• Geppetto’s Wüd
• Solid State Books
• Politics & Prose bookstore
• Tchaikovsky Competition
If our conversation with Brendan today has you thinking more, please, we’d love to have you join us for ALL our author chats over in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, our gathering spot for readers of all ages, and home to classes, conversation, and community. Come on over and say hello.****
The post Great books spur great conversations appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, please welcome our team member and devoted book lover and romance enthusiast Chelsey Feder back to the blog.
Over the last few years, I read more romance novels than ever and tracked every single one in my reading journal, which helped me discover the tropes and styles that really work for me. It should come as no surprise that I swoon for love stories with a bookish element.
I have a suspicion YOU and countless other readers may adore a literary love story as well, as evidenced by the recent spate of romance and contemporary novels set in the world of books. (And, as Anne noted at our recent Spring Book Preview, books set in the world of publishing—no matter the genre—are on the rise.)
Today, let’s explore these romantic stories about devoted readers and their literary quests for love.
With the help of our team’s avid romance readers, I’ve selected ten contemporary love stories set in small town bookstores, big city publishing houses, and audiobook recording booths to feature on our new book list. Bookish themes set these romances apart, but they also feature three things I look for in all of my favorite love stories: witty banter, charming side characters, and realistic relational conflict.
As you read each description, take note: if you prefer sex scenes to be minimal or only hinted at, look for “closed-door” romance; if you want your romance to be more explicit, then “open-door” romance is perfect for you. One book on this list is “chaste”, meaning no more than kissing takes place on the page. We’ve used these labels in each blurb to guide you to your next romantic read.
Bookish love stories to send you head over heelsSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Katherine Reay
Can you imagine inheriting a cozy bookshop and then selling it? Me neither, but Madeline Cullen intends to hand off her aunt’s treasured bookstore as soon as she can. I suppose I can understand why: family drama and grief replaced the sweet childhood memories Madeline made at the bookstore with her aunt. The sooner she removes herself from the place, the better—but the booksellers refuse to give up on the failing shop so easily. They all have their own reasons to stay, finding purpose, creative outlets, and friendship between the shelves. Their enthusiasm, combined with a well-timed career crisis, forces Madeline to reflect on her relationship with the shop. Add a handsome gardener, and you have a charming, cozy, and chaste love story about friendship, memories, and fresh starts. More info →Author: Jen DeLuca
English teachers totally count as bookish main characters in this bibliophile's heart (three cheers for English teachers!). In this first-in-a-series rom com, DeLuca pairs her grumpy English-teacher-turned-renaissance-faire-pirate with a recently dumped college dropout trying to get back on her feet. The banter, y’all. The BANTER is perfection. Emily takes a job as a tavern wench, placing her under Simon’s jurisdiction as Ren Faire organizer. While playing characters all summer is fun and flirty, they also have to figure out how they are together in real life, versus how they are at the Ren Faire. DeLuca explores identity, expectations, grief, and the proverbial masks we wear, all while providing a simmering slow burn (and open door) love story. Come for the bantery main couple, and stay for the side characters—one of whom owns a bookstore called Read It And Weep. More info →Author: Ashley Poston
Set in the world of publishing, this delightful novel gives “ghostwriting” a double meaning. Florence Day makes her living writing bestselling romance novels that are published under somebody else's name; only one person knows the truth behind her facade as a personal assistant. This puts her in a tricky spot when she tries to tell her handsome new editor that she—er, her boss—won't be able to meet her deadline. She doesn't tell him the true problem: after a bad breakup, she doesn't believe in love anymore, so she sure can't write about it. Before she can force words on the page, her father dies. When she returns home for the first time in a decade she finds the family she loves (and the funeral home they run) the same as they've ever been, even though her father is gone. She also finds a ghost standing at the funeral home front door who looks remarkably like her editor, who seems to have died with unfinished business that's somehow connected to Florence. This open door ghost romance sounds bonkers, but it's sweet and fun and—as far as the audiobook was concerned—compulsively listenable. More info →Author: Emily Henry
This Ephron-inspired love story is a heartwarming love letter to readers, and a moving exploration of family, ambition, love, and belonging. Successful literary agent Nora Stephens’s colleagues call her the Shark, but Nora doesn’t care. She's (mostly) at peace with who she is, plus she’s proud of fighting for her clients—even if that same fierceness has always spelled disaster for her love life. When her beloved sister Libby persuades her to take a sisters’ trip to the too-cute-to-be-real hamlet of Sunshine Falls, Nora is gobsmacked to encounter her professional nemesis Charlie Lastra, a famously grumpy and inconveniently handsome editor. Soon the sparks are flying—and Nora has to keep reminding herself she hates his guts, lest she succumb to their undeniable chemistry. Listen to WSIRN Episode 332: Beach Reads for Book Lovers to hear about Henry’s writing process and her fabulous book recommendations. This steamy rom com is open door. More info →Author: Jasmine Guillory
This fun and frothy Beauty and the Beast reimagining pairs an overworked editorial assistant with a grumpy and secretive author. Life hasn’t turned out the way Isabelle imagined; instead of shaping stories and working with the literary elite, she’s stuck running coffees back and forth for her boss—then ending the day back at her childhood home. Just as Izzy questions her future at Tale As Old As Time publishing (wink wink), she overhears her boss complaining about beastly Beau Towers and his missing manuscript. Ambitious Izzy preps her pep talks and travels to Beau’s mysterious mansion to coax his story out of him, where what began as a spontaneous career move slowly turns into a fairytale romance as Izzy melts Beau’s cold exterior. Guillory turns down the heat in this closed door romance and pours plenty of charm on the page. More info →Author: Tia Williams
The early pages of this swoony romance with serious depth are set at a literary festival, where bestselling writers Eva (bombshell of the fantasy romance genre) and Shane (darling of the literary fiction world) are reunited after nearly twenty years apart, in front of an audience of delighted readers. Nobody knows the two have met before, or that they were high school soulmates before they were wrenched apart due to circumstances neither fully understands. This was a lot of fun and also insightful about the complexities of romantic and family relationships, with a summer-in-NYC setting I particularly enjoyed. A couple of content notes: this is open door and includes addiction and self-harm, as Williams shows her characters working through trauma in order to find both healing and their way to each other. More info →Author: Julia Whelan
Whelan’s sophomore novel opens with a familiar bookish nightmare: former actress, current audiobook narrator Sewanee is listening to a steamy scene on the plane when suddenly, the sound is not coming from her earbuds but rather on speakerphone for the whole cabin to hear. Though she was technically listening for research, Sewanee does not have time to justify her reading choices—nor should she! With wittily named chapter titles (don’t miss them!) and great supporting characters, this sometimes steamy romance smartly responds to the tired objections of romance skeptics and takes us deep into the world of audiobook narration. You’ll fall in love with Sewanee (and her sassy grandmother) as she recovers from a terrible accident and works with sexy and secretive Brock McKnight for a coveted audiobook project. Whelan clearly enjoys playing with the genre’s familiar tropes—snowed in, just one night, mistaken identity. With Whelan narrating her own work, audiophiles are sure to enjoy listening to this one—but don’t forget your headphones as it is open door. More info →Author: Ashley Herring Blake
Small town bookstore owner and big city photographer meet (again) in this fun-yet-emotional romance novel. When Delilah Green breezes into town, Claire Sutherland automatically bristles. Prickly Delilah and controlling Claire are far from perfect, and they know just how to bug each other—but as they navigate personal dramas and growing feelings, their initial ill will towards one another falls away. Spoiler alert: Delilah Green actually does care…it just takes her awhile to realize it. Our editor and romance aficionado Leigh Kramer harbors passionate feelings about these characters and the significant growth they undergo over the course of their story. With endearing side characters, snarky dialogue, and a few bookstore scenes, this emotionally complex (open door) romance will capture your heart. More info →Author: Chip Pons
Will Cowen is living the bookworm dream when he accepts a promotion and moves from Chicago to NYC to work at a huge publishing house with his best friend. He cannot wait to start working with authors on the deeply emotional, heart-wrenching, and tear-inducing stories he loves. Then heir to the publishing house Graham Austin bursts into the conference room with his commanding presence and demanding work ethic (oh, and his good looks), sending Will into a reluctant crush. When a major work event falls through for Will, he finds a surprisingly empathetic and gentle ear in Graham. Cold indifference quickly turns into hot and heavy chemistry as they write their own workplace romance. Navigating past scars, family tensions, and work dramas lends a realistic tone to this steam-filled love story. A moving and emotional ending wraps up the book on a high note; this open door romance will make you feel ALL the feels and includes references to anxiety, alcoholism, and PTSD. More info →Author: Alexa Martin
Drew Young would rather marathon an entire movie franchise than finish a short novel, but her book-loving grandmother surprises her when she leaves the Book Nook in Drew’s hands. Out of her depth and missing her grandmother, Drew finds solace in the shop’s senior book club. These ladies have read enough romance novels to fill the whole shop, and when a hot young romance author stops by for a book signing, they immediately start the set-up. Jasper Williams, writer and romantic at heart, hopes to show Drew the joy of reading, while Drew shows him the sights of Denver, Colorado. Dinner dates and outdoor adventures bring Jasper and Drew closer, but family drama threatens to wreck Drew’s future with the Book Nook. While the romance is swoony, and the bookshop is a dream, the “Dirty Birds” book club steals the spotlight in this open door romance. More info → We’re in the mood to swoon! What are your recommendations for fresh, fun, and biblio-tastic romance reads? Share the titles in the comments.
P.S. Here are 15 breezy romance series for when you need an escape and 18 fresh and flirty contemporary romance novels for your TBR.
About the authorChelsey Feder is a blog contributor. Her go-to genres are memoir and romance. You can find Chelsey on Instagram @chelseyreads or @novelpairingspod.
The post 10 contemporary love stories for bibliophiles appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here, it’s Friday pizza night, and then I’m excited (and honestly a little nervous) to actually leave the house this weekend: I’m heading to Franklin, Indiana to join readers at the Wild Geese Readers Retreat. I love Tiffany and her store and I’m sure this will be a good time for all! (And I’m sure I’ll return home with a few new fabulous books to read.)
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend state of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: What’s saving my life in a strange season. (MMD) This comments section, friends. It’s a must-read! * The Leash. (Werk-in-Progress) Saeed Jones on Tyre Nichols. “And maybe this loop — knowledge to grief to outrage to exhaustion and back to knowledge — is the real leash.” * Jane Austen’s Desk. (UNC at Chapel Hill) “A new NEH grant will support UNC scholars’ creation of an immersive web environment designed to bring Jane Austen’s writing room—and her world—to life.” * How Barnes & Noble Came Back From Near Death. (The New York Times gift link) “Barnes & Noble’s resurgence is a reminder that there is nothing inevitable about its (or any bookstore’s) demise.” * My go-to herbal tea this month has been these Pukka Lemon, Ginger & Manuka Honey Tea Bags, with a touch of added honey. * The glories of dining out alone. (Vox) Alissa Wilkinson makes a good case: “One of my intentions for 2023 is to continue to perfect the art of solo dining, basking in the experience whether I’m outside on the sidewalk letting the world go by or perched at a bar eating truffle fries. There’s no need to be afraid of what people think. * 7 City Novels in Which Real Estate and Urban Planning Are the Heroes and Villains. (Electric Literature) You know I can’t resist clicking on a list like this. * A kind friend gifted me this body exfoliator (in Sandalwood) and I am in love with the smell; it is my new favorite thing and totally belongs on my list of little luxuries. * The Violin Doctor. (Chicago Magazine) This caught my eye (okay, actually Will’s eye) because this week in MMD Book Club we got to talk to Brendan Slocumb about The Violin Conspiracy! “For Becker, the work is an act of historic and cultural preservation. He often points to something Fulton once told him: ‘We are caretakers of these instruments. We move on, but these instruments continue to the next generation.’” * The Same River Twice: Notes on Reading, Time, and Translation. (Words Without Borders) Proof that translation is an art form. * Welcome to the Shoppy Shop: Why does every store suddenly look the same? (Grub Street) This piece explores how the retail site Faire is changing the local business landscape. (While the product examples here are olive oil and tinned fish, Faire is also relied upon by some of my favorite bookstores, clothing boutiques, and plant shops, and many of my own book journals are sold into small shops through Faire.) * Writer Roxane Gay Takes the Trip of a Lifetime. (Afar) “You might assume, as I did before the trip, that Antarctica is a couple of hours away from South America, but it is not. It took three days of sailing across the most turbulent waters I have ever experienced to reach the tip of the continent.” Gorgeous essay about her trip to Antarctica with her wife. * People Can’t Stop Comparing This $5 Lip Liner to Much More Expensive Options. (InStyle) I feel so validated: I’ve used the recommended NYX slim lip pencil in Peakaboo Neutral for years, though I’ve come to prefer the Haus Laboratories RIP lip liner,* if you can find it.
The MMD Time Machine: 101 powerful books to celebrate Black History all year long. February is Black History Month! I hope this list helps broaden your TBR throughout the year. * 50 engrossing and adorable rom com books and movies for your Valentine’s weekend. Perfect pairings! * Flourless chocolate cake. This has long been our go-to chocolate cake recipe. * 10 literary fiction audiobooks narrated by their authors.* Novelists know how to tell a good story but that doesn’t mean they’re the best one to perform it. That’s why these audiobooks stand out!
Mark your calendars: February 4: Coffee & Conversation on Reading Life with Anne Bogel (Franklin, IN): Join me at the 2023 Wild Geese Readers Retreat for coffee, pastries and a book signing. To get tickets or learn more, go here. * February 11: Readers’ Day: Devote the whole day, or a few hours, to the reading life. This is your nudge for some “appointment” reading, reflective journaling, or catching up on MMD Book Club events you’ve missed. This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event. * February 15: A Conversation about Friendship with Laura Tremaine: Laura Tremaine, author of Share Your Stuff: 10 Questions to Take Your Friendships to the Next Level and the upcoming The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs, will join Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club to explore friendship through stories, making and keeping friends, and how books bring people together. * February 28: Live discussion of Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: It’s time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of Becoming Duchess Goldblatt*!
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re sitting at the midpoint of winter, entering what isn’t an easy month—or easy season—for many of us. To beat back the gloom, today we’re sharing the things—big or small—that are saving us right now.
The idea comes from Barbara Brown Taylor’s wonderful memoir Leaving Church. Even though most of us know exactly what’s killing us, it’s harder to name what’s saving us.
Once when Taylor was invited to speak at a gathering, her host told her simply, “Tell us what is saving your life right now.” She says it’s too good a question not to revisit from time to time. And today, we’re doing just that.
We’ve been doing this for years now, and my own answers to this question have varied. I’ve written about the small sips that are saving me, and travel advice as life advice. I’ve told you about jigsaw puzzles and Friday coffee and taking the long view. To my great surprise, I’ve waxed poetic about laundry. Over and over again, I’ve cited sunshine and long walks and good books and sleep as essentials for getting through these dark days.
Right now some of my reliably helpful strategies aren’t working, because this winter has been a strange one. A mild pre-Christmas illness settled into my lungs at the end of the year, and I’ve found myself in the disorienting state of being perpetually short of breath and often silent. Thanks to an adverse reaction to a medication that was supposed to make me better, for one terrible week I was unable to talk at all. I had no idea how much I would miss it, or how radically disruptive this lack would be for my family, friendships, and work. (You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, etc.)
I’ve spent a lot of time parked on the couch these past six weeks, because physical rest is both required and about all I can manage. As someone who’s relatively young and in good health, this has been a sharp deviation from my typical routine: sure, I love to crash on the couch—with a good book, to watch a movie, or just hang out with friends or family—for a few enjoyable hours on the weekend, but the hours-on-end part isn’t part of my regular life.
Nevertheless, sitting on the couch—A LOT—is what I need right now. And friends, it’s been uncomfortable. My couch is great and all, but I don’t want to STAY there. Not just because I want to stand up and move around and, you know, occasionally actually leave the house, but because sitting for days on end makes me feel guilty. I’m well aware that I’m a firstborn daughter, from a family of doers, raised in an environment that valued a certain kind of work ethic. I like to get stuff done; it turns out I enjoy being capable. But this had never struck me as a bad thing (I know, I know) until I was exiled to the couch.
Barbara Brown Taylor said most of us know exactly what’s killing us—and sitting on the couch, my lungs, my voice, watching everyone else carry the household load I usually help to shoulder? It’s killing me.
But this mid-winter marker is supposed to be about what’s saving us, so where is the saving in all this? Taylor says that can be harder to notice if we’re not keeping an eye out for it—and I had a conversation, just before things got really grim in my couch-sitting sojourn, that helped.
I apologize in advance for the giant cliché I’m about to introduce into the narrative with this next sentence, but, just before things with my voice really tanked, I went to therapy. I was struggling with my voice, but it wasn’t as bad as all that yet. I had to explain why I sounded off, why I had to pause often to breathe, but I could communicate well enough. I mentioned I’d been spending a lot of time on the couch, and my therapist asked how that was going for me.
I said it wasn’t going great, and my therapist said, “That makes sense.” And then proceeded to draw a connection between my couch-sitting uneasiness and things I’ve been talking about for ages in therapy that left me gobsmacked.
That conversation gave me a whole lot to think about, and also made it miles easier for me to sit myself on the couch without feeling horrible about sitting on the couch. I have thought about that conversation—and what it means for my forced rest—every single day since.
So for right now, at the midway point of winter: sitting on the couch isn’t saving me. (I suppose we could argue that it is, seeing as I need to recuperate and all, but never mind that for now.) But feeling like I have the permission to be there? I think that might be.
I may feel bad right now, but I don’t have to feel bad (read: guilty) about being out of commission. I’m learning how to rest. And I’m also reading A TON of good (and, sometimes, stunningly mediocre) books—and I don’t feel bad about that.
A P.S. of sorts, for things also saving me: competent teenage drivers, care packages from afar, watching Younger and Only Murders with Will on weekends. But that conversation feels like the foundation that’s making everything a little easier this winter, and I’m grateful for it.
What’s saving your life right now? Tell us below, or link to your own blog or Instagram post below in the comments section.
The post What’s saving my life in a strange season appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest is London-based Claire Handscombe (she/her). Claire spent a decade in Washington DC as a bookseller, and in the process, she discovered that she can determine a book’s edition by its smell! But Claire’s not here today to talk about which book aroma she prefers—she wants my help in easing back into reading the genres she loves, and battling an enemy many readers share these days: a short attention span.
Claire has always loved literary fiction, contemporary YA, and romance, and she’s here to get my tips on how to reconnect with her reading life and get back to reading what she wants to read. I’ll guide Claire toward discovering the comfortable-feeling reads and laugh-out-loud romantic comedies that will deliver the reading experience she’s been missing.
Let us know what you think Claire should read next in the comments section below.
Follow Claire on Instagram and Twitter.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:00] This prose is dense. She packs a lot of meaning into our short sentences, but every word matters. Is that terrifying?
Claire Handscombe [00:00:11] No.
Anne Bogel [00:00:19] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:49] Readers, now feels like a great time for a reminder that you can start a new habit or set a new goal anytime you want, not just on January 1st. If you're like me, and this month hasn't unfolded the way you thought it would, you can always start over again. Now is as good a time as any to pick up Don't Overthink It, my book about, you guessed it, overthinking.
Don't Over Think It came out the week the pandemic really hit the US in 2020. And you won't be surprised to hear it was a wee bit overshadowed by everything else happening back then. So it's been exciting to see it start to get a bit more book love lately. It's even been featured on a number of best books for the New Year lists. I truly believe there are life-changing ideas in here, some of which are small and easily achievable no matter what else is going on in your world.
If you want to make easier decisions, stop second-guessing, and bring more joy to your life in 2023, I hope you'll pick up Don't Overthink It. Check your library, if they don't have a copy ask them to purchase one. Pick up your own copy at your local indie or wherever you buy books online.
[00:01:45] Today I'm chatting with London-based Claire Handscombe. Claire is back in the UK after spending a decade in Washington DC, where she enjoyed what was hands down the best job she ever had as a bookseller. When Claire wrote into our show, our team at What Should I Read Next? HQ was intrigued by her special superpower. Claire can tell the difference between the US and UK edition of a book by its smell. Claire, I'm definitely interested in hearing more about that today.
Claire, usually or perhaps used to mostly enjoy literary fiction, contemporary YA, and romance. But like many of us, she has struggled with a short attention span lately. She's hoping for tips to help her ease back into reading the literary fiction she loves. And she's always on the lookout for romantic comedies that are truly laugh-out-loud funny. Today, I hope to give Claire ideas for comfortable feeling reads that will once again help her read what she wants to read. I'm excited to see where the conversation takes us. Let's get to it. Claire, welcome to the show.
Claire Handscombe [00:02:44] Thank you so much for having me. This is so exciting.
Anne Bogel [00:02:47] Oh, well, I'm so excited to talk with you today. Now, something that really shone through in your submission when you wrote into us was how much media has, in a very real way, shaped your life, starting with that move to DC from London. Would you take us back in time and tell us about that?
Claire Handscombe [00:03:02] Yeah. So, basically, in 2008, which is now so long ago, it's kind of ridiculous, I got a little bit obsessed with a TV show called The West Wing, which I'm sure many of your listeners have heard of.
Anne Bogel [00:03:14] I'm laughing because I've seen it three times. Yes.
Claire Handscombe [00:03:17] I mean, long story short, and I could go on for a long time, I ended up visiting DC and absolutely falling in love with DC. And at the same time, I was starting to write seriously again. And so I married the two and moved to DC to do an MFA in creative writing.
Anne Bogel [00:03:32] That is fascinating that the TV show influenced your writing life like that.
Claire Handscombe [00:03:36] Yeah, absolutely. And the first novel that I wrote, which, you know, I haven't done anything with, but it was actually set in DC. It was about a senator. And I didn't know what I was talking about back then, but that's kind of how much it influenced me.
Anne Bogel [00:03:49] Many writers find they write what interests them, not necessarily what they know about. So is this your way of writing to learn?
Claire Handscombe [00:03:55] Yeah, yeah. I mean, as a result of that, I read lots of books about American politics and I got into listening to loads of podcasts back in the early early days of podcasts. So there weren't that many around. But yeah, it definitely helped me learn about American politics, which then fed into my DC obsession, which then fed into me wanting to move there even more, which then made me want to write stuff set in DC. So it was a whole loop.
Anne Bogel [00:04:16] I hope that was a virtuous circle for you.
Claire Handscombe [00:04:19] Yes, definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:04:20] Well, there are so many amazing authors that I feel like I've been talking to and talking about recently, even here on the show, like Elizabeth Acevedo, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, who are based in DC. I'd love to hear what captured you about the city. Because an intercontinental move, that is no joke. How [00:04:37] to DC when you over to that extent?
Claire Handscombe [00:04:40] I think coming from Europe, and especially London where the streets are so haphazard and everything kind of grew up organically, and it feels like nobody planned anything, it just kind of happened in this gigantic mess. If you're trying to find your way around London, it's a nightmare because there's no logic to it that I can see at least. And DC is so neatly planned out and beautiful and so it looks like a film set. Obviously, I had the filmic aspects in my head as well because of TV, but it just looks so aesthetically pleasing.
And walking around the streets and the kind of wide sidewalks and the beautiful monuments and all that kind of thing. I am not necessarily a big fan of the skyscraper vibe in many US cities, and DC doesn't have that at all. It just has these amazing buildings and this kind of very clean look. And it feels like a very clean city also, has great restaurants. The Kennedy Center is a huge favorite of mine.
I think what I really love about it is it has all the things I love about big cities without being big itself and without being overwhelming. And then of course it has the... I love politics. So it has all that vibe to it. I think one of the things I love about it too is it's one of the places where it's cool to be a nerd. I can't be skinny and blonde like the Californians, I can't be techie like the people in San Francisco, but I can be a nerd. So yeah, DC is the right place for me I think.
Anne Bogel [00:06:03] I'm so happy to hear it. On that note, and I probably don't need to stop and say we say nerd with great affection around here, you are among nerdy friends.
Claire Handscombe [00:06:14] Yes, of course, of course.
Anne Bogel [00:06:16] But I would love to hear more about how you fell into bookselling.
Claire Handscombe [00:06:19] So in 2019, I moved across town. I was living in Northwest DC and for various reasons, I ended up moving to Capitol Hill, actually just a few blocks from the Capitol. So very west wing, very film set. But for some reason, I didn't really want to be on Capitol Hill. I had really loved the neighborhood I lived in before and sort of was a bit grumpy that all my friends had moved to that end of town, and therefore it made sense for me to move, but I wasn't too into it, for some reason, which makes no sense to me looking back.
But there was a lovely bookshop in that part of town called East City Bookshop, and I remember grumpily crossing the road one day, it was February and it was cold, and I was miserable, and I thought to myself, "Well, maybe I can work there one day, and I suppose that'll make it worth it. And then lo and behold, a couple of weeks later, there was an ad and they were looking for booksellers. So I interviewed and I got the job, and it was wonderful.
It's a wonderful bookshop. It's very community-focused, lots of regular customers, regular dog customers, as well as humans, wonderful staff that I loved working with, lots of authors who came in a lot as well and sign their books and chatted to us, and the occasional famous person, the occasional famous baseball player. Sean Doolittle was, I wouldn't say irregular, but he puts in a few times. And few politicians and things like that. So yeah, I was there for three years, including two pandemic years, which, you know, they were different. I think I prefer the year before the pandemic, but it was a wonderful job.
Anne Bogel [00:07:44] That is understandable that you did. Claire, had you ever worked as a bookseller before?
Claire Handscombe [00:07:49] I worked briefly in a shop called WHSmith, which is kind of a bit like Hudson in that it's not... I wouldn't call it a bookshop. But it's sort of a news agents cum everything. And they do sell books, so I kind of leaned hard on that in my interview, but I wouldn't really call it a bookseller job.
Anne Bogel [00:08:07] As someone who often ends up, in my line of work, recommending books, putting books in readers' hands every day, I'd love to hear what you found to be the most important things about doing the work you do, connecting readers with the right book, finding the things they want to read, finding the things they don't even know they want to read when they're in the shop standing in front of you.
Claire Handscombe [00:08:26] This might sound a bit weird, but I probably took a bit of inspiration from you, actually, Anne, because I always asked them what books they liked, you know, what recent books they really enjoyed, and also then why. Because as you know, just saying you like a book doesn't really tell you very much because maybe they like the plot, maybe they like the characters, maybe they like the setting, maybe it's the vibe. There's like a million different things. So that's part of it.
We talked a bit in my shop too about trying to recommend two books that feel like a good match and then one that stretches a little bit. So it's maybe a little bit different from what they've asked for but still vaguely in the domain, but pushes their boundaries a little bit. So that's part of it. And then, of course, making sure that the recommendations are diverse, that we're not just recommending, you know, books by rich white people. So making sure that there's a nice varied selection.
I think one of the challenges I have is stopping because I can just keep recommending books, you know? Especially if somebody asked for something that's very in my wheelhouse, I can just keep bringing them books. And actually, that's a bit overwhelming. Stopping at a few is probably better, but that's hard for me because I get very enthusiastic.
Anne Bogel [00:09:35] That's so interesting that you were encouraged to recommend two that felt like a good match and one that was a stretch. I really liked that policy.
Claire Handscombe [00:09:44] Yeah, it's definitely a good tip that I picked up there.
Anne Bogel [00:09:47] Claire, how does this time of your life impact your reading life? How are you still feeling those effects of the time you spend in DC?
Claire Handscombe [00:09:54] Well, I think it started before I moved in that I started reading everything I could find that was set in DC, every kind of novel, whether it was a thriller or romantic comedy, or... Actually, there aren't that many romantic comedies set in DC, but there are a couple if you look very hard. So I got quite varied about the DC thing. But then once I was there, obviously, I was less obsessed with reading about being there because I was there.
And then I was doing an MFA. So I had to read a lot of literary fiction, which I discovered some really amazing books that I'm not sure I would have ever read otherwise, books I've actually never heard other people talk about, like We Sinners by Hanna Pylväinen, which is an amazing novel and short stories about a family that belongs to a fundamentalist religion and how each member decides to stay or leave. And it's a wonderful book, which I don't think I would have known about without my MFA. So we read loads of great books.
And then because we were reading all this literary fiction, I also needed a little bit of light relief. So I would pick up some of that from time to time to break up my Crime and Punishment type reading with something a little bit more fun. I was in the middle of Crime and Punishment when I read a book called The List by Karin Tanabe. I don't know if you know that book.
Anne Bogel [00:11:02] I do. Although it's been a long time. That might have been her first one.
Claire Handscombe [00:11:06] Yes, it was. It was 2013, so which I suppose is now 10 years ago nearly, which is crazy. And she's a DC-based author. And she wrote this book based on her time working for Politico, which of course, the West Wing fun that I am loves that. So I went and I ended up becoming friends with Karin. So that was a wonderful experience. And it was a great way to break up... I think it was Crime and Punishment I was reading. So little bit of variety.
And then, yeah, in later years, with the pandemic and everything, I have been more into reading... Well, a) reading the backlist I wanted to read rather than being obsessed with reading what's coming out right this minute. And then also reading happier books, lighter books, books that didn't feel like they were a stretch. I just wanted comfort and ease. I did not need any extra sources of stress in my life. So reading needed to be completely pleasurable.
Anne Bogel [00:11:58] I want to go back for just a moment. What is your favorite and also first that comes to mind, book you recommend that's set in Washington, DC?
Claire Handscombe [00:12:08] Oh my gosh, that's such a hard question because there are so many.
Anne Bogel [00:12:11] Go with your gut, Claire.
Claire Handscombe [00:12:13] So one book that I read before I moved to DC is called Sammy's House, and it's written by Kristin Gore, who is Al Gore's daughter. Have you heard of that one already?
Anne Bogel [00:12:23] No, I don't know this one.
Claire Handscombe [00:12:25] So it's kind of pitched as West Wing meets Bridget Jones. And that is actually a pretty accurate description. This is a few years ago, and Bridget Jones was a little bit more sort of off the moment. And it's just this fun story about a hill staffer who wanders around DC finding lab and having mishaps and things like that.
It's quite hard to find now. I think it might be out of print, but it is around and I think it might be available as an eBook. But I did really enjoy that. And it's sort of the kind of book that I would really like to be able to read. DC felt quite different back then and certainly felt quite different as someone who was reading about DC and daydreaming about DC as opposed to living its reality. But you know, pre-2016 and even pre-2008 I think it was a very different place. So that book was light-hearted in a way that I don't know if you could write about DC like that now. But I really enjoyed reading about it.
Anne Bogel [00:13:21] Well, I'm happy to learn about it. Claire, you've moved from London to DC and back again. At what point did you realize you had a special superpower?
Claire Handscombe [00:13:31] I think I was at church and they passed around paperback. So I was at church in the US and I smelled it because that's what I do when someone hands me a book is I smell it. And I thought, "That's weird, this smells like a British book." And I was right. Even though I was in America and it looked like an American book, I was correct. But it was printed in the UK. So that might have been the moment when I realized it was an actual superpower.
When I landed at the airport at Heathrow, there's the terminal that most of the flights land in has a WHSmiths, which is one of those mini book shops right next to arrivals. And so there was one year when I ran straight to arrivals literally to smell the books because they smell different from the US. In fact, my friend had come to pick me up at the airport and I didn't see her because I ran straight to the books. So that might have been another seminal moment.
Anne Bogel [00:14:27] Is it characteristic of your life and perhaps your reading life that your senses are involved in the whole process?
Claire Handscombe [00:14:34] I think maybe it is. One of my favorite things to do is read on the beach, and that always comes with a memory of having my feet in the sand. So I think that maybe that's part of it. And also the smell of sun cream. All those are kind of very much linked with those fun beach reads that I often read. I know a beach read is any book you take to the beach, but I have a specific kind of book that I take to the beach. And you know, sun cream, sun, things like that definitely reminds me of it.
And then also back in DC I had this sofa that I really liked and it had this lovely soft kind of feel, and again, I would lie on there and read. And yeah, definitely part of it was feeling it under my legs because it was so soft, especially in the summer when your legs are shaved and soft. Anyway, this might be more information than your listeners need. But yes. I think the answer is yes, many of my senses are involved.
Anne Bogel [00:15:27] Now that I imagine your apartment has a variety of books from multiple countries, do they retain their smell? Do your American books still smell American?
Claire Handscombe [00:15:36] Yes. Well, it depends. Some of the smells... I'm gonna get really detailed here. Do you remember the book Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld?
Anne Bogel [00:15:46] I do.
Claire Handscombe [00:15:47] That had an amazing smell in hardback.
Anne Bogel [00:15:50] That's so strange, Claire.
Claire Handscombe [00:15:52] I know. I'm sorry. That was the American one.
Anne Bogel [00:15:54] I would ask you to describe it. But how could you do that?
Claire Handscombe [00:15:56] Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that because I don't really describe smells in words. Or at least the smell of books. But yeah, I bought it and read it immediately because I was like, "Oh, if I don't read it immediately, it might lose the smell." And you know, a few months later, it had kind of lost the smell. Another one that smelled really good was The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert, I think her name is.
Anne Bogel [00:16:20] I'm so disappointed to say I read that on Kindle.
Claire Handscombe [00:16:23] Oh, no, but it smelled so good.
Anne Bogel [00:16:25] I didn't know what I was missing.
Claire Handscombe [00:16:26] But only the hardback. I don't think the paperback smell particularly remarkable. But the paperback smelled incredible. And it was a great book as well so. But I'm sure the smell partly contributed to me loving it. And actually, that one had one of these kind of... A lot of American covers feel a little bit rougher to the touch than British ones do. And that one had one of those as well. So I really love that texture of cover. So that also had that going for it.
Anne Bogel [00:16:52] That's so interesting. Because many of the books I read here in the US in prints are published in China. Is that also the case in the UK?
Claire Handscombe [00:16:59] Oh, that's a good question. I'm not actually sure. I want to say probably not. Otherwise, why would they smell different? Because it kind of implies that they're using different ink and different glue because that's really what books smell of, right, ink and glue and paper.
Anne Bogel [00:17:11] Well, being an insecure American, I assumed maybe we opted for the cheaper stuff than the Brits did when we put in our orders.
Claire Handscombe [00:17:19] Well, I don't know because the other thing that's interesting is that books or paperbacks at least are much more expensive in the US than they are in the UK. But then I don't know how much markup there is. So who knows!
Anne Bogel [00:17:30] Okay, listeners if you have answers, we are so curious. Maybe we'll do an investigative reporting style of What Should I Read Next?. But meanwhile, I am daydreaming about our What Should I Read Next? live show where we're going to have a few lucky audience participants get to play a game where they guess where was this book published. I don't know. Do you think that'd be fun for an audience, Claire? Is that more like living room material?
Claire Handscombe [00:17:54] I could be fun. I mean, I would love to do that. But I don't know how many other weirdos are out there like me.
Anne Bogel [00:18:02] I hope there are a lot of weirdos out there. They're my favorite.
Claire Handscombe [00:18:05] One of the surprising things about being a bookseller is I kind of assumed that everybody would be a book sniffer. I sort of thought, "I'm among my kind now. Everybody does this." But they kind of all laughed at me because I did always smell things. My boss, Laurie, who owns a shop, would often kind of have a little snicker at me because I was burying my nose in all these books. It was hard when we were all wearing masks and couldn't do it as quite as easily. It sort of took the pleasure of shelving away a little bit.
Anne Bogel [00:18:32] Oh, I'm so sorry. What times we live in! Claire, thank you for discussing your secrets with us. We're grateful.
Claire Handscombe [00:18:42] Any time.
Anne Bogel [00:18:43] Claire, I'm really excited to talk about some of the things plaguing you and your reading life these days and also helping put good books may be too comfortable reads and one stretch on your radar that you may enjoy reading next. And as we do that, I would first love to hear what your taste specifically is like. Are you ready to dig in?
Claire Handscombe [00:19:02] Absolutely, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:19:04] Okay. Claire, I know you know how this works because you clued me into the fact that you had submitted to be on the show multiple times and the timing just had not been right until today. But I really enjoyed going back and seeing the history of the highlights of your reading life unfold and your series of submissions that you sent in beginning in June 2016. Thank you for believing in us back then. Do you remember what you chose back then?
Claire Handscombe [00:19:29] Wow, you told me before the show that I put Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler. That was something I was reading at the time.
Anne Bogel [00:19:36] I did.
Claire Handscombe [00:19:36] I think one of the books I'm going to talk about today has probably featured in most if not all of my submission forms.
Anne Bogel [00:19:44] You are correct.
Claire Handscombe [00:19:45] Can I say what it is?
Anne Bogel [00:19:48] Oh, actually two books are the same as they were in June 2016.
Claire Handscombe [00:19:53] So I'm gonna guess Come to the Edge by Christina Haag was probably on both.
Anne Bogel [00:19:57] It was.
Claire Handscombe [00:19:57] Was the other one One Day by David Nicholls?
Anne Bogel [00:20:02] It is.
Claire Handscombe [00:20:04] The only reason the third one wasn't on that one is because it hadn't been published yet then.
Anne Bogel [00:20:08] Oh, that's so interesting. Well in 2016 then the title you chose that apparently got unseated by the book you're going to share with us today was The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
Claire Handscombe [00:20:18] Oh, I do love that book. I still love that book. I need to do a reread.
Anne Bogel [00:20:23] I'm glad to hear it. And you did say back then that you did deeply love the West Wing and reading about political shenanigans. You also said sometimes you read in French and Spanish, which is very impressive.
Claire Handscombe [00:20:33] Thank you. Well, my mom was French, so I don't know if I can take that much credit and I studied Spanish, so yeah. I haven't read in Spanish for quite a long time, though. I'm not gonna take too much credit on that one.
Anne Bogel [00:20:44] I'm glad that you put it down in 2016. And back then the book that was not for you was The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner.
Claire Handscombe [00:20:51] Yes, I had to read that for school. And I... Ah, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:20:59] I think your tone says it all. Claire, I'm excited for the 2023 update on these picks. And you clearly know how this works. So I get to hear about three books you love, one you don't today, and what you've been reading lately, and we'll talk about what you may enjoy reading next. Claire, let's begin with those old favorites. Tell me about Come to the Edge by Christina Haag.
Claire Handscombe [00:21:19] So come to the edge is a memoir of which I read not that many. I'm quite selective in what I read. But this one had a tangential West Wing connection. Very tangential. And so I picked it up. And it's the story of Christina Haag, the author and her longtime friendship and relationship with John Kennedy Jr.
But if you're thinking is a celebrity tell-all and a little bit salacious, nothing could be further from the truth. It is incredibly well written. It almost... I don't want to say that it doesn't matter who he is, because obviously, it matters to the story and to how it all unfolds. But in terms of those intense feelings of the first love, the kind of big love of your life, the one who got away, or that kind of thing, it almost doesn't matter who he is. Those of us who've been in love or recognize those big feelings that it talks about and described.
And she just writes so poetically and so elegantly. And she writes about him, but she also writes about New York and about the art of being an actress, and about growing up and going to college and all those big experiences of sort of teen life and early 20s life. And it's just a beautiful, beautiful book, and of course, very bittersweet, which is one of the things I love best about reading is that bittersweet ending.
Anne Bogel [00:22:31] I'm not familiar with this book, and I certainly didn't recognize it as being a memoir when you put it down. That sounds fascinating.
Claire Handscombe [00:22:38] Yeah, it's great. And I think the hardback cover was much better. It was much more in keeping with the tone of the book. It's this lovely picture of the two of them together and it's got nice colors and it's very evocative. But the paperback is a shirtless picture of John Kennedy Jr. So it looks like a salacious tell-all. And it sort of makes me a bit angry because that's not at all the tone of the book. So yeah.
So whenever I hand it to people, which I did do, I did do that at East City bookshop, and I did have some people come and tell me, "You were so right. It was so good," which is the best compliment. And I always have to tell them, like, "Ignore the cover. It's not what it looks like." Which makes me a little bit sad because the original cover was so much better.
Anne Bogel [00:23:17] That can be so frustrating when it feels like you have to explain away the book's own marketing so that readers can understand what kind of story they're getting in for.
Claire Handscombe [00:23:25] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:23:25] Okay. I'm glad as a bookseller, you knew you were able to do that for your readers.
Claire Handscombe [00:23:30] Yeah, it's the best thing recommending a book that you love that you know not many people have heard of, and you know that person. You know, I didn't force it on everyone. It was if I thought that person would enjoy it it's just the best feeling.
Anne Bogel [00:23:42] I'm glad to hear it. Claire, tell me about One Day by David Nicholls, a book that I know we've talked about here on What Should I Read Next?.
Claire Handscombe [00:23:50] So one of the things that's interesting about being a Brit who's worked in an American bookshop is seeing what books are huge in the UK but don't really get as much attention in the US. And I would say that One Say definitely falls under that category. It was massive when it came out in the UK. There are a lot of writers sort of my age who kind of consider it as their model, "This is how you write a love story, this is how you write about an evolving friendship. I want to write like this. I definitely feel like if I could write anything like that I would be very happy." And yet in the US people have heard of it and they've maybe seen the film, but it doesn't quite have the same traction. And I find that quite interesting.
[00:24:29] So yeah, One Day for the listeners that don't know is the story of Dax and Emma who meet on the last day of university in I think the late 80s. And then it follows their friendship and their kind of character development over the next 20 years or so. And obviously, there's a big "well, won't they?" situations. Sometimes they're together, sometimes they're not. And you don't really know how they're going to end up.
And it does this great job of describing them as characters and also describing the changing society and specifically changing British society, which might be why it has more traction in the UK because we recognize a lot of those cultural markers more easily, I suppose. Although some of the cultural markers are very similar to the US. But yeah, I suppose the transition between, you know, the Margaret Thatcher years and the Tony Blair years, things like that, would be more recognizable to people in the UK. But certainly, the kind of universal love story and the universal recognition of likable and unlikable characters and things like that would be just as easily loved by people in the US I think.
Anne Bogel [00:25:32] That's so interesting. I don't think I realized the discrepancy between the book's popularity in the US and the UK, because this book was recommended to me by a writer here in the United States who said, "Anne, you have to read this." The structure is really interesting because the story unfolds only on... I think it's July 15.
Claire Handscombe [00:25:49] It is, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:25:50] Across many, many years, but also for the love story it tells.
Claire Handscombe [00:25:55] Yeah, I think the structure is fascinating. And it's done so well. Because of course, on some years, nothing much happens on the 15th. But it's kind of an excuse to go back to the previous year and to catch us up on what's happened. And then some years a lot happens on that day. It's a really interesting structure. And I kind of envy that he thought of it before I do.
Anne Bogel [00:26:13] You mentioned that you loved the bittersweet ending. That definitely feels right for this book as well.
Claire Handscombe [00:26:19] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:26:20] Now, Claire, I'm excited to hear what you chose for your 2023 third and final favorite.
Claire Handscombe [00:26:26] I read this during... I think it was 2020 or early 2021. So in the thick of things being quite stressful and nothing much was holding my attention. But I picked up The Idea of You by Robinne Lee and I could not put it down. Sort of lay on that lovely sofa reading it for hours.
It's about a mom who takes her daughter to a pop concert. They have backstage passes and they go backstage, and she meets one of the members of the boy band and the mum falls madly in love with him and they start this torrid love affair. So you've got this massive age gap between the mom and one of the boy band members. It is not based on Harry Styles, but it's that vibe. And the daughter can't ever know because she'd be mortified, obviously. So there's kind of that element of it this kind of forbidden love secret love. They're forever meeting in all kinds of foreign locations and doing glamorous things and going to gallery openings because she's a gallery owner.
And it's about aging and motherhood and love. I've seen it described as a romantic comedy and there is nothing wrong with a romantic comedy, I absolutely love romantic comedies, but this is not that. I think that the idea of you is literary fiction. It's incredibly well-written, deals with all kinds of interesting themes, does not have a standard romantic comedy ending. People discuss this endlessly. Personally, I think the ending is perfect. I don't want a sequel. I love it as it ends. But yeah, I absolutely just love this book.
And it has a rabid following. There's a Facebook group just for fans of this book. So I know I'm not the only one. Plus the author Robinne Lee is absolutely lovely as well. She engages with her fans and is really kind to us. That's amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:28:08] I've seen this book. I've heard it described as the sleeper hit of the pandemic, but I haven't read it yet. Now I'm so intrigued.
Claire Handscombe [00:28:14] You haven't read it? Oh, you must read it. It's so good.
Anne Bogel [00:28:17] That sounds delightful. Okay, Claire, what do you think it is about books that prominently featured a love story that makes it seemingly impossible for the industry to describe them as literary fiction?
Claire Handscombe [00:28:28] Oh, I'm a little bit cynical about the publishing industry. I should say that upfront. But I think part of it might be marketing, because romantic comedy is selling well, or romance, I should say in general is selling well, especially with the kind of covers that have been common for the last few years that, you know, cute cartoon covers, which personally I really like. And they look great on Bookstagram and everything. But there's obviously been a whole rebranding. And that has kind of met the moment where a lot of people did want to read happy books, and they didn't want to read happy endings. And so I think romance is really having a moment and publishers want to cash in on that. So I think there's an element of that.
There's also an element probably of, well, you know, women are reading these things. And sometimes people take what women like a little bit less seriously than the standard male. For some reason, I want to say Bret Easton Ellis, but there are lots of authors in that vein, which somehow are sort of taken more seriously.
Anne Bogel [00:29:26] Okay, well, I'll just put those thoughts in my pocket and see if that informs the kinds of books that I may think you may enjoy reading next. Claire, tell me about the book that's not right for you right now.
Claire Handscombe [00:29:36] So I thought long and hard about this question. This is always a really difficult one, especially for writers because you don't want to be mean to other writers, which is one of the reasons I had to pick the Simon the Theory because he's dead and it's fine. But yes, I'm going to have to say Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney because I figure her sales are probably not going to be that negatively impacted by my by mentioning it.
Anne Bogel [00:30:00] Just a slight thing.
Claire Handscombe [00:30:02] I'm gonna preface this by saying I really liked Normal People. I don't think I thought it was the revelation that some people did. But you know, I enjoyed it. I think I even put it as one of my top 10 reads that year.
But Beautiful World, Where Are You?, well, this is a me thing, but one of the things about it is one of the main characters is a very, very successful novelist. And oh, it's so hard being a successful novelist. And oh, the pressures of being a successful, rich novelist, it's so difficult. And when you've been plugging away your craft for like over a decade and not really having much success, it's kind of hard to read that. So that's not Sally Rooney's fault. That's just where I am in my life.
But then also—I have to say this is a minor thing, but I suppose it all feeds back to what I was saying before about sensory things—her lack not only of speech marks but also of paragraph breaks. So you have pages and pages of just blocks of text. And I found that difficult as well. But also in the more kind of substantive part of it, while I really enjoyed the rants about capitalism, totally cosign on all of them, agree with them 100%, the book is written with emails between some of the characters. And so those are the rants about capitalism.
I just don't know that they belonged in the novel. And I think that if she hadn't been Sally Rooney, her editor would have cut them. So all of those things together means that I never finished that book, even though it was one of the big books of the year. And I really wanted to like it, but I just wasn't able to finish it.
Anne Bogel [00:31:30] That's so interesting. We were kind of teasing about impacting Sally Rooney sales, and readers, we need you to know that every week when a guest describes a book they don't like, a whole lot of readers sit up and say, "But that sounds perfect for me." And we're trying to match the right reader with the right book. And this was not the right book for you. That's so interesting.
I've only read 10 pages of Beautiful World, Where Are You?. And it's because I started reading it in order to chat with Lexi Hayes who was in Episode 353, Sad Girl Lit Fic and other burnout busters, which the comment section on Modern Mrs. Darcy on that is amazing with so many people saying, "This is totally my jam. Here are my favorites, and here's what I want to read next." So, readers, there's a hot tip for you.
[00:32:11] But I started reading that and Instagrammed that I was, and a whole bunch of people, Claire, said "Anne, that is not the right place to start. It's not representative of her earlier work. You want to read Normal People. It's the best." So obviously, Lexi chose Beautiful World, Where Are You? as her favorite, is the one she loved most. Still, that was my little taste of Sally Rooney. I didn't know that there weren't any paragraph breaks in that book, though. I hadn't picked that up in just the first few pages.
Claire Handscombe [00:32:35] There are some I think. But the point where I stopped I was in the middle of a chapter where it was literally just pages and pages without any breaks. And of course, you don't have the dark because you don't have speech marks, you don't have breaks there either. I think I also needed new glasses at that point in my life. So I just needed like a bit more sort of space and bigger fonts and things like that.
Anne Bogel [00:32:57] It's interesting to know what readers do stylistically that's a little off the beaten path and how that impacts us as readers. I'm definitely willing to try new things and to see how those stylistic choices serve the story. And also, I'm remembering how you said in your submission that you are really struggling with your attention span right now and maybe short chapters is the kind of thing that's really going to work for you. And it does sound like no paragraph breaks is the antithesis of what you feel like maybe your reading life needs right now.
Claire Handscombe [00:33:27] Definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:33:28] Okay. Well, no wonder that wasn't a good match. Claire, what have you been reading lately?
Claire Handscombe [00:33:32] So I'm currently reading The Daydreams by Laura Hankin, which is out next year I think in April. It's about a group of teens who were in a TV show, and now they're not teens anymore, they're grownups. And they reuniting, think about 10 years later or 15 years later to sort of do a, you know, reuniting show or finale, whatever you want to call it. And it's sort of their show ended in absolute epic disaster. They all fell out with each other. We don't know why at the beginning. It's kind of gradually unfolding.
I'm about halfway through. It's one of these books that alternates between present and past. I'm really enjoying it, which is a relief because Laura Hankin is actually one of our regulars at East City Bookshop, and she became a friend. And so it was a relief when your friend's book is good. But yeah, I'm really enjoying that I got an advanced copy. Thanks, to NetGalley.
[00:34:22] And then just before that, I read Nora Goes Off Script, which I absolutely loved. It's probably the best book I read all year. At least the best book for me. Really well written about Hollywood, which is another one of my sort of catnip-type themes. Love story, but again, a really well-written love story. I cried, I laughed. There were some kids in it, but their kids were well written, which I think is sometimes a bit of a challenge for writers to write kids that aren't overly precocious, feel like real kids, but also weren't annoying. I think they were really well written. And so yeah, I loved that book. So those are probably my twos and ones.
Anne Bogel [00:35:00] I'm so glad to hear it. Claire, what do you want to be different in your reading life right now?
Claire Handscombe [00:35:05] So I would like to laugh more when I'm reading, partly because I'm writing a rom-com and so I need to get into that vibe. But also partly, you know, as we speak, it's December. I'm in London. It's gray. It's dark. It's not very sparkly and fun outside right now, and I could do with some sparkly fun in my life.
So I would really love to have some good laughs with some romance, although it doesn't have to be romance. But I find that a lot of rom-coms are marketed as rom-coms or as hilarious rom-coms. And in fact, maybe I smiled twice. So I'd really love to laugh. And then I'd love to find some more sort of literary love stories or literary fiction in general that is well written but easy to read—you don't have to kind of stop and be like, "Oh, that's a beautiful sentence." I love that kind of reading but it's just not where I am right now.
Anne Bogel [00:35:56] Claire, duly noted on the laugh-out-loud books. Oh, that's so hard, because this can be so particular to reader's taste. And yet, it's good to clearly hear what it is that you know you enjoy, especially during a London winter. And Claire, I'm also really intrigued by your desire to read more literary fiction. I'd love to hear what kind of books you have in mind. And I know this is hard to describe. It may be helpful to also say like, what are you hoping to achieve in your reading life? Wow, that sounds really goal-oriented and I don't mean to hint at that. But what is it that's attractive to you right now about reading more literary?
Claire Handscombe [00:36:33] I want to forget that I'm reading, if that makes sense. I want to just be so caught up in the story that I'm not thinking about my phone, I'm not thinking, "Oh, this is a great turn of phrase." Although maybe that's impossible. Maybe I will always think that little bit. But I want to just forget that time is passing, you know, it's going dark outside and I don't even notice because I'm so caught up in my book. I want that kind of feeling and I feel like I haven't had it very much over the last few years. And I definitely would like that back.
Anne Bogel [00:37:03] Help me understand this more. Because you can maybe get that from a romance novel or a contemporary YA.
Claire Handscombe [00:37:09] Yes, I definitely get that from contemporary YA. Well, I can give you some examples if that's helpful.
Anne Bogel [00:37:14] Yes, let's hear the examples.
Claire Handscombe [00:37:16] I think what I mean is sort of elegant, but not pretentious. So Brett Bennett's writing is a great example of that. I absolutely loved The Mothers and the kind of way that the Greek chorus like mothers from the church kept reappearing. It was just really well written and an interesting play on form, but without feeling like I needed to go back and reread it three times to really understand it.
Maggie Shipstead I really love her writing. Astonish Me was a great book about ballet, which is another one of my subjects I love reading about. Yeah, it's very hard to describe History fiction, because I want to say, Oh, it's the stuff that comes out in hardback," but then I'm just falling back into the marketing tropes, which I just said I wasn't into. So yeah, it's hard to say really.
Anne Bogel [00:38:02] Claire, as I stare at my notebook and make my final decisions for what I think might be worth a try for you, I'd love to hear more about your attention span struggles of late.
Claire Handscombe [00:38:13] So I think I have the same struggles as almost everyone else, which is that I'm addicted to my phone. It's never very far from me. In fact, I use an app, I think it's called Bookly, that records how long it takes for me to read pages. Which as I'm saying it out loud, I'm like, "Why do I do that? That's such a strange thing to do." But I think I like knowing how much more of the book I have to read and how much I've read and things like that.
So because of that, or at least that's the reason I give myself, "Oh, I have to have my phone right here because I'm typing my reading," which I don't really need to do. But I think we're all addicted to our phones. So that's part of it. And I think I've just moved back to London. Now I've got a lot going on in my head just in terms of stress stuff and decisions I need to make and things like that. And so it's easy for me to be half thinking about that stuff. So if a book is a little bit harder to get into because the prose is really dense or if the story isn't really capturing my imagination, then it's too easy for me to think about the other stuff that I'm thinking about in life. And by contrast, when I'm scrolling TikTok, weirdly, I'm not thinking about that other stuff. So then that feels like an easy thing to do. So yeah.
[00:39:25] I was actually just listening to the episode that just came out where you were talking to a guest about the easy reading and the hard reading and how you need to balance those in life. And I just thought it was how we reach for our phones because it's an easy thing to do with our free time. And I want to reach for my books more. I don't know if that helps.
Anne Bogel [00:39:47] That does help. Now, on your submission, Claire, you said, "I'm not sure what Anne can tell me. I know I need to put my phone down. This is everybody's problem and it's not just mine." So I'm not going to focus on the things that it sounds like you already are aware of and are kind of contemplating what strategies you might implement around things like your phone usage. But I am wondering what time of day you often read.
Claire Handscombe [00:40:10] That's really interesting because actually the guests I was listening to this morning was talking about reading first thing. I don't tend to do that, mostly because I get up a little bit too late and so I feel bad if I also read most before getting on with my day. Mostly I read at night, which is good because it helps me wind down. It also means I'm in bed with my phones right next to me. Yes, phone's pillow, I did say that. So, yeah, I don't know. I like to read in the afternoon but I haven't done that in a while. So I've tried various things. But at the moment I'm in the evening mostly.
Anne Bogel [00:40:49] Okay, that's good to know. And also, it sounds like you're exploring other... Oh, I hate to say strategies, because it sounds, again, so goal-oriented. But it sounds like you might be interested in exploring other ways that might work. And something that you might be able to experiment with that you haven't yet is what time of day you end up reading, whether that means you give yourself permission to start your day with a quick little read. To interrupt myself, I do wonder if telling yourself you're just going to read for 10 minutes will be okay. Because you can definitely go 10 minutes without checking your phone.
Claire Handscombe [00:41:20] Yes, I can probably go 10 minutes.
Anne Bogel [00:41:22] Probably. You can probably go 10 minutes without checking your phone. But I do wonder if you could start the day with a book, if you could give yourself an afternoon tea time and read a chapter or two. You like short chapter. So maybe you want to read five with a cup of tea, maybe starting touch earlier in the evening, if you can. Now, if your phone is bringing you joy, we could live with that. But it does sound like reading more instead of opting for the device is something that you would find really satisfying.
Claire Handscombe [00:41:52] Yeah, yeah, because there are so many good books in the world and I want to read as many as possible of them. So yes.
Anne Bogel [00:42:00] And I think that's another secret to it. Well, not secret. I think many of us know this, that when you have books you're really looking forward to reading, it's a lot easier to opt for that instead of your phone.
Claire Handscombe [00:42:12] Yes, that's definitely true. And not to keep going on about the episode I listened to today, but your guests was talking about how if you're reading a book that you're not enjoying, you're not just not reading another book, you're also probably not reading as much because you don't want to read that book. You're secretly like, "I could read but I don't like that book. So I'm going to do something else."
So you're actually sort of eating in to quite a lot of books that you could be reading. Because you know, right now if I have some time, I do pick up The Daydreams because I'm enjoying it. I'm reading it on my Kindle, which I don't like as much, technically don't like as much. And yet, somehow there's something easy about picking it up. And I take it on the tube with me and things like that, because I can and it's easy, because I'm also weird about my books. I like them to look like they haven't been read basically, even though I make notes inside in pencil. But spine has to look unbroken and all that so that makes it difficult for carrying them around. But I do prefer paperbacks to sort of eBooks. It's a complicated thing.
Anne Bogel [00:43:14] Well, I'm glad that you're able to read it in whatever format that is. It's good to know your preferences. And also that having a book that's not maybe your top choice of format is not going to stop you from reading. Listeners, I want you to know the episode we're talking about is with Laura Vanderkam. It's 359. It's called Making big reading goals a reality.
[00:43:31] Claire, listening to your talk about your current challenge with staying invested in your book and not reaching for your phone, especially what you said about not having the opposite problem with TikTok, not putting down TikTok is not a problem, just made me think of something I experienced in my own life. And I'm just going to share this wondering if it might give you some insight into yours.
So I am a nervous flier. I promise this relates. And even though I love to read two hours of reading time on a flight is not welcome to me. Like I don't feel like it's mentally stimulating enough to distract me in the way I want to be distracted. So on takeoff, it's usually like 2048 and podcasts because I want to just overwhelm my senses so that I can't look away, and then in flight it's often watching a show, which does hold my attention a little more. And I know the reason that I want to do this is because I am actively feeling anxious, feeling nervous. Like I want to be taken out of my present reality.
[00:44:32] And since we've acknowledged here that like the past few years have been really stressful for a lot of people that you imagine that stress in your own life is impacting your reading life and perhaps this is why, I wonder if it might be helpful to consider if it's not just habits, it's not just that you're accustomed to picking up your phone, but that like stuff is hard and this is a natural human response. And I wonder if being able to truly assess, "Okay, this is why I'm doing this thing" could help you very you consciously decide if you want to go with that, if you want to do something else. I think sometimes just being able to tell her body like, "Oh, totally understand" makes logical sense. This is the path we're going to take." No matter what path you decide to take could help you actually make an active decision instead of get carried along by the path of least resistance.
Claire Handscombe [00:45:20] That's very wise. I like it.
Anne Bogel [00:45:23] Well, that's very kind. And I'd be interested to hear what upon reflection you decide, like rings true to you.
Claire Handscombe [00:45:31] I think it's so interesting, because with books obviously you see the pages turn, or the little percentage at the bottom of the screen or whatever. With social media, you can just be there for two hours and until the TikTok screen comes up, that's basically chastising you for spending too much time on TikTok, until that happens, and you feel extremely bad about yourself. Really, there's just no way... not no way to know of course, but it just doesn't feel like time is passing. And I think with books is more of a natural you can see, you can see how you're progressing through the story and things like that. So I think being aware of it and sort of asking yourself, "Do I actually want to do this? Let's set a timer. Let's maybe read for 10 minutes, and then I can go on TikTok for as long as like." I'm using TikTok as an example today. It could be anything.
Anne Bogel [00:46:19] I'm just trusting you because I'm not on TikTok. Now I'm afraid to get on. I just wasn't and now I'm afraid.
Claire Handscombe [00:46:27] It's so much fun. It's so much fun, but it's bad.
Anne Bogel [00:46:32] If you're ready, I would love to recommend some books you may enjoy reading next.
Claire Handscombe [00:46:37] I'm definitely ready. I'm very intrigued and curious.
Anne Bogel [00:46:40] Here's the good news and bad news in that the first book that I'm so looking forward to you reading because I think you're absolutely going to love it does not come out till April. But it's too perfect not to mention here. And that is the new Curtis Sittenfeld's. It's called Romantic Comedy. Do you know anything about this?
Claire Handscombe [00:46:55] You know, as soon as you started talking, I was like, "I bet she's gonna say Romantic Comedy." I don't know very much about it other than it's by Curtis Sittenfeld, who I love. I've read almost all her books and yeah, love her.
Anne Bogel [00:47:06] I'm glad to hear that I have a mixed relationship with Curtis Sittenfeld. I think she's incredibly good at what she does, and that is not always to my taste. And I was also really surprised to find out that she was writing a meta-romantic comedy. I just did not expect this from her. And I thought that was so intriguing. But Claire, this is such a fun book and I think you're going to love it.
[00:47:29] This is the story of a comedy writer who writes for what is basically Saturday Night Live. This is a novel. It's not called Saturday Night Live. It's called The Night Owls. Sally is a writer on the show. She has been for a long time. It's her dream job, even though she's constantly putting up with crappy hours and pay that's like, okay, and sexism that she says wouldn't be tolerated in hardly any other office setting.
But she loves what she does. I don't know how Curtis Sittenfeld did her research, I'm so so curious, but she really takes us behind the scenes and it's completely believable and says, "Hey, this is how we put a show together. And this is what it's like to interact with the celebrity guests. And this is the banter among the staff. And let me tell you the dynamics of a table read." And you love Hollywood stories. And this isn't quite Hollywood, but it's similar enough that I think you're really going to enjoy every one of those details.
So she's worked at The Night Owls for nine years, and she says that she is as accustomed as one could be at this point to interacting with these high-wattage celebrities. And you discover who's even better looking in person, she says most of them are, who was a real jerk, who is just not that smart and has a hard time understanding how the comedy writers are trying to make them look funny.
[00:48:43] But what happens here is she and a co-worker after her male co-worker falls into a relationship with a completely gorgeous maybe model, maybe actress, I don't remember, she says, Okay, there's a rule of life. That can happen to men. But women like a smart, funny, not drop-dead gorgeous woman is never going to land like the high-wattage celebrity Sexiest Man of the Year guy. It just doesn't happen.
And the universe takes this is a challenge and brings a famous popstar that she has a lot of disdain for to the set. That's the setup of this meta-romantic comedy. And it's so much fun. And I have to tell you because I know that you're really enjoying reading books that are not heavy, where terrible things don't happen to characters. I think that's true here for the most part, but also I was really surprised, in addition to being surprised that Curtis Sittenfeld was writing about comedy writers and writing a romantic comedy because I didn't see that coming from her. But she also carries her story through the pandemic. And some of the events take place in and are strongly impacted by the pandemic. I want you to know that going in because you're in dreary London and you want sunny, happy things and you shouldn't be blindsided by that. But I think it's going to be worth it for you. And I want to know how that sounds.
Claire Handscombe [00:50:01] That sounds amazing. I definitely want to pick that up.
Anne Bogel [00:50:04] I'm glad to hear it. So, Claire, the reason I wanted to start with a book that wasn't out yet, even though you've demonstrated that that isn't necessarily going to mean you haven't read it yet, you're reading Laura Hankin right now, that doesn't come out till later this year. But I feel like as someone who loves and is writing romantic comedies, you could very well have read every single thing. So I just realized that a book that I think will be perfect for you is a British-based romantic comedy. I'm not sure this is a good idea only because I feel like the odds are not in my favor. But the one I have in mind is Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. Have you read this?
Claire Handscombe [00:50:37] I haven't read it. Actually, no.
Anne Bogel [00:50:39] I'm so glad to hear this. Okay, if I were talking to a reader in the US, I would say, "Oh, if you enjoy British humor, you have to get this on your radar." But also, this one employs the fake dating trope, and it's just completely charming. It's a closed-door romantic comedy, totally swoon-worthy. And there are, of course, difficult things and relationships in these characters' pasts. But I think this is light-hearted enough to make you happy.
So this is about Luke who's the son of big-time rock stars. He is famous by association. He really wishes he wasn't. He, I almost said enjoys, he does not enjoy the notoriety that he has in the press. They think he's a bad boy. It's easy for him to play into that because he has certainly seen his fair share of trouble. But he's put that lifestyle behind him and he feels like the rest of the world can't move on. But now his estranged father is making a big comeback, and he's back in the media and has been told like, "You need to get your image in better shape, or bad things are going to happen."
[00:51:38] So this is how he ends up connecting with Oliver who is a completely sober, straight-laced, super responsible barrister because we're in the UK and this book is vegetarian just all around good guy, he's also completely handsome, and they are just seemingly polar opposites. But for various reasons, some of what you can deduce from the bad boy image, some of which aren't really clear yet with Oliver's end, they embark on a fake relationship. And you've seen a lot of rom-coms, you've read a lot of rom-coms, you can guess what happens from there.
I think this is sweet and funny, if I remember correctly because it's been a while since I listened to this book on audio, it was great in that format, there's a pair of just really zany moms that I remember really, really loving. There's a lot here for you to enjoy I think. How does that sound?
Claire Handscombe [00:52:32] That sounds great. Actually, I really liked Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by the same author. And that one didn't make me laugh out loud. So I'm thinking this is a good match.
Anne Bogel [00:52:41] Oh, great. Because this one is so much better, in my opinion.
Claire Handscombe [00:52:44] Oh, really?
Anne Bogel [00:52:45] If that would make you laugh, you're golden. Claire, you're interested in reading literary fiction. You also have a strong love of romance. I am intrigued that you describe the idea of you as literary fiction. Now, if I were standing in East City Bookshop, this would be my stretch pick for you for sure. So I have a literary novel that I think could be perfect for you, except it has several strikes against it as well. There are emails in the text of this definitely literary novel, but it's a debut. They didn't let her get away with it just because she Sally Rooney. And also this prose is dense. She packs a lot of meaning into her short sentences, but every word matters. Is that terrifying?
Claire Handscombe [00:53:30] No.
Anne Bogel [00:53:33] The last thing I want you to know is it's really, really clever because she's retelling a very, very old story.
Claire Handscombe [00:53:38] Okay, I'm intrigued.
Anne Bogel [00:53:42] Maybe I shouldn't bury my lead. The book I think may be perfect for you is The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky. Is this one you know?
Claire Handscombe [00:53:51] I've never heard of this one.
Anne Bogel [00:53:53] Claire, the reason I like this for you is I'm wondering if instead of giving your brain something really, really easy, we want to give it something really, really interesting. I'm not saying this is hard, necessarily, but I am saying that there's a lot here to occupy your mind because it's functioning on several levels.
So there's the myth and there are frequent nods to the myth that take the forms I didn't expect and really enjoy. Like one of the trust fund kids. He has all his money in his tech company that's called Echo. Well, Echo is a character in the story of narcissists. So it took me a little bit to figure that out. But I thought that was a lot of fun.
This isn't just a story that loosely follows the structure of the old Greek myth. This is one that employs many elements in it, just peppered throughout the story, like the names of the characters, the names of their businesses, the names of their apartment buildings, as well as the plot threads. Sometimes it's very overt. Like one of the companies that one of the characters works for is in the finance business. And so there's a long description of a credit card ad where the tagline is: Pay like a god. And they talk about these characters from Greek myths, like going out to dinner and arguing over who's going to pick up the check. So that's very obvious nod to the source material. But otherwise, they're so subtle that I'm sure that I didn't catch them all on my first read-through.
[00:55:13] It's not a Hollywood story but it does have those same echoes of like privilege and status. And optics. Optics are very big in this story. And in fact, one of the major themes which can make my head spin a little bit the way they carry it out through the book is that of recursion, which is discussed very frankly at the beginning of the story. That made me think of the Blake Crouch novel. But what they mean in this book is how often we as people are going through our lives not thinking about the conversation we're having with the other person but what they're thinking about us as we're having the conversation. This is very much about image and status. And it's about love. But more than that, it's about desire and narcissism and those easily twisted and already twisted forms of love. This is witty and clever and really compact in the sense that there's a lot happening this 300-page story.
I do have to tell you that some of the story in this literary novel is told in the text thread histories that happened between the characters or we'll see a Wikipedia page about Charles West range the fourth and where all his money came from and what he's doing these days. We see the New York Times wedding report on one of these couples' weddings.
This book is set in 2015. So there's a moment where characters are sitting around the dinner table breaking down what they think about the Serial podcast in great detail, and what their opinions say about them as people. This is a stretch, but I also think it's a really promising one for you. What do you think, Claire?
Claire Handscombe [00:56:45] I think it sounds great, actually. I love rich people problems. So The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney is one of my favorites. So that side of thing appeals. And actually the Greek myth... I don't know as much about Greek myths as I sometimes feel like I should. But I have really enjoyed books like The Penelopiad and Fates and Furies, which had a little bit of allusion to that as well. And actually the email and text thing. I just didn't think it worked in Sally Rooney's book. But I don't have an aversion to it in general. I think it can be really good when it's used well. So, yeah, I think all in all that one sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:57:18] The Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, I think that's a really good reference for this book. And I'm glad to hear it. I'll be so curious to hear what you think. I wouldn't say these characters are likable exactly but I do think that you could really enjoy reading about them. I mean, you specifically could really enjoy reading about them.
Claire Handscombe [00:57:34] Yeah, no, I actually don't need characters to be likable. I quite like an unlikeable character sometimes, so.
Anne Bogel [00:57:42] I'm glad to hear it. Claire, we covered a lot of ground today. Of the books we talked about, at the very end, and they were Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, Husband Material by Alexis Hall, and The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky, of those books, what do you want to read next?
Claire Handscombe [00:58:03] I thought it was for sure gonna be Romantic Comedy, but it might be that last one actually. I don't know. I've got some time off coming up and sometimes it's nice to curl up with a bit of a longer, more immersive read. I don't know. One of the first or last.
Anne Bogel [00:58:19] I can't wait to hear what you decide and I can't wait to see what you think.
Claire Handscombe [00:58:23] Yeah, I can't wait to read them.
Anne Bogel [00:58:24] Claire, thank you so much for talking books with me today.
Claire Handscombe [00:58:26] This was so much fun. Thank you so much.
Anne Bogel [00:58:35] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Claire and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Claire is on Instagram @Claireandherbooks. We've included that link as well as the full list of titles we talked about at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/365.
I send out a weekly newsletter with updates on what's happening around What Should I Read Next? HQ, a few bookish links I've loved, and notes on what I'm reading lately. It's like a book snack in your inbox. So be sure to sign up at whathouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Your reviews always bring a big smile to our faces here and they help others learn about the show. Let us know what you love about our show by leaving a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. And thank you in advance. It really does help spread the book love by putting our show on other readers' radars.
Follow us on Instagram to enjoy book talk all week long. We are there @whathouldireadnext and I'm there @Annebogel. Our social communities in both places are a ton of fun. Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
Anne Bogel [00:59:39] Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski, and Studio D Podcast Production. Sara Aeder is our Community Manager. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• Elizabeth Acevedo (try With the Fire on High)
• Andrew Sean Greer (try Less)
• Brendan Slocumb (try The Violin Conspiracy)
• We Sinners by Hanna Pylväinen
• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• The List by Karin Tanabe
• Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore
• Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
• The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert
• Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Come to the Edge by Christina Haag
One Day by David Nicholls
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
• Bret Easton Ellis (try The Rules of Attraction)
▵ Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney
• Normal People by Sally Rooney
• The Daydreams by Laura Hankin
• Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
• The Mothersby Brit Bennett
• Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
• Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
• Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall
• The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky
• Recursion by Blake Crouch
• The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
• The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
• Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Also Mentioned:• The West Wing
• East City Bookshop
• WSIRN Episode 353: Sad Girl Lit Fic and other burnout busters
• Bookly App
• WSIRN Episode 359: Making big reading goals a reality
• 2048
The post Pitch perfect endings and laugh-out-loud rom coms appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Perhaps it’s human nature: I’m always intrigued when an author chooses to write under a name other than their own, or opts to remain completely anonymous. What are the reasons an author might make such a choice, and why was it done in this specific instance?
Let’s survey the options. A pen name, sometimes called a pseudonym or nom de plume, is an assumed name used by an author instead of their real name. Some authors go this route for anonymity’s sake, whether that’s motivated by a desire for privacy or a preference to let the work stand on its own. Some authors carefully choose names in order to distinguish between the types of writing they do, such as using one name for genre fiction and another for middle grade. Some may wish to draw a clear line between their professional work as an academic and their fiction, or, more broadly, between their public and personal lives. (It’s a safe bet some of the bloggers you follow do exactly that.) Authors with common names or who share a name with a celebrity or known figure may choose another name for clarity’s sake. (Or perhaps not: the poet Maggie Smith cheekily calls herself the “other” Maggie Smith. Ha!)
There are other reasons for choosing a “new” name. Say an author’s first book(s) didn’t perform as well as hoped. In publishing, past performance is very much taken to be a predictor of future results, and a lackluster publication history could deter agents or publishers from acquiring such an author’s new works. A new name can serve as their ticket back in—assuming the unknown moniker can stand out in the slush pile. Pen names can help authors avoid discrimination due to their race, sexuality, or gender, giving them a chance to get published at all. A pen name could also result from publisher pressure, if the author’s real name is deemed to be “too ethnic” or difficult to spell or pronounce. (My own maiden name is quite long and incredibly tricky for most in the U.S. to pronounce or spell; I considered using it to publish for about two minutes before abandoning the idea.)
There are pros and cons to this practice and plentiful interesting examples from publishing we could examine. But for our purposes today, I want to pull back the curtain on ten specific works written by authors with pen names. I expect you’re familiar with some of them, but hopefully there’s a surprise or two waiting for you on this book list. One of the books we’re highlighting is our February selection in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club: we’re discussing Becoming Duchess Goldblatt at the end of the month so be sure to mark your calendar!
10 books by authors with a pen name or pseudonymSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: James Herriot
I only recently discovered that veterinarian Alf Wight chose James Herriot as his pen name out of professional etiquette: advertising one’s services was frowned upon at the time. This is the first in his autobiographical series about life as a country vet in Northern England. When Herriot lands a position with an eccentric owner of an existing veterinary practice at the tender age of 23, he learns to treat the animals that popular Yorkshire farms—which also involves a good bit of care for their colorful owners. A delightful collection that's easy to read one short story at a time. More info →Author: George Eliot
Mary Ann Evans had a few reasons for publishing under the pen name George Eliot: she wanted her novel to avoid the stereotypes about women’s writing, she was already known as a translator, editor, and critic, and she hoped to avoid scandal if her relationship with a married man became known. Eliot’s hefty masterpiece combines her "study of provincial life" with a close look at several young couples who fall (or think they fall) in love. Who will find lasting happiness, and who won't, and why? By focusing on the narrow disappointments and particular joys of this small community, Eliot cuts to the heart of human nature. A novel about love, happiness, and second chances. (Psst—I loved Juliet Stevenson's audiobook narration.) More info →Author: Charlotte Bronte
Take one brooding Byronic hero, a mouseish-yet-strong heroine, and a creepy mansion with strange noises in the attic and you’ve cooked up a literary recipe worthy of foggy autumn mornings and cold nights by the fire. One of literature’s finest heroines, Jane is an orphan who becomes the governess for wealthy bachelor Mr. Rochester, learns to speak up for herself, and makes bold choices to secure her future. Her groundbreaking story is a gothic romance, mystery, and psychological thriller all rolled into one; its themes were astonishingly modern for 1847. This might explain why Brontë originally published it under the name “Currer Bell,” rightly suspecting it would be judged unfairly were the author known to be female. The success of her writing led to her eventually revealing her identity. More info →Author: Maya Angelou
In the first of six autobiographies, Angelou tells the haunting story of her childhood in the American South in the 1930s. Her poetic prose is incredible, and the story is by turns heartwarming ("I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare") and utterly heartbreaking. Angelou's lilting voice brings her powerful, touching story to life in the audiobook. To come up with her pen name, Marguerite Annie Johnson started by combining her childhood nickname “Maya” with her ex-husband’s last-name “Angelos” and landed on Maya Angelou. More info →Author: bell hooks
Author and social activist bell hooks was born Gloria Jean Watkins. She took her great-grandmother’s name for her own pen name, using lowercase letters to honor the relative she greatly admired, and to show that the work itself matters more than the person who writes it. In All About Love, she examines how our understanding about love often falls short, and invites readers to consider a different kind of love that lends itself to compassion, forgiveness, and peace, in our personal and professional lives, in our communities, and beyond. More info →Author: Elena Ferrante
Elena Ferrante has kept her identity a secret since the publication of her first novel. The success of the Neapolitan Quartet drove speculation to a fever pitch, and some educated guesses have made headlines in recent years, but the secret remains. The first series installment revolves around the friendship between Elena and Lila who grew up in a poor neighborhood of Naples during the 1950s and 1960s. The story begins when the girls are in first grade and carries them through adolescence; their coming-of-age journey also tells the story of a changing nation. Don't expect a quaint story of childhood friendship: the girls' relationship is complex and tumultuous, and the first book ends on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. Thought-provoking, beautifully written, and realistic enough to be quite difficult in places. Originally written in Italian and beautifully translated by Ann Goldstein. More info →Author: Sophie Kinsella
Novelist Sophie Kinsella is well-known—maybe even a household name!—for her light-hearted escapist reads, which is why I was stunned to discover she wrote several novels under her real name Madeleine Wickham before adopting her pen name. The grass is always greener on the other side for Katie Brenner, as she struggles with office politics, romantic woes, and a lackluster flat in the city. When she is unceremoniously fired, she retreats to the family farm and puts her marketing skills to work as she helps them set up a vacation business. When her old boss unexpectedly turns up as a guest, Katie has a lot to grapple with. This lighthearted palate cleanser combines PR, family dynamics, Instagram, and glamping (really!). More info →Author: Mira Grant
Urban fantasy author Seanan McGuire uses Mira Grant as the pseudonym for her horror writing. The far-fetched premise helped me persevere (and enjoy!) the scariest heart-pounding scenes in this sci-fi/horror novel. In this story world mermaids are real, but they are not like Ariel. Some researchers believe this with their whole heart and have made studying these mermaids, or sirens, their life's work. Others are deeply skeptical, but regardless what camp they're in, a huge swath of the scientific community is about to set sail on another voyage to the Mariana Trench, a follow-up to a seven years earlier voyage that ended in tragedy, with everyone on board lost at sea. No one is exactly sure why; skeptics called the whole thing a hoax. Both the siren skeptics and the true believers are about to discover the sirens are out there—and it will be a miracle if anyone makes it back alive. More info →Author: Stacey Abrams
Former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams not only writes thrillers, she also writes romance under the name Selena Montgomery. When Supreme Court Justice Howard Winn falls into a coma, his law clerk Avery Keene is stunned to learn he named her as the legal guardian tasked with handling his affairs. His angry family, fearful that she now may wield the Judge’s decisive swing vote, swiftly moves to strip her of her power. But Avery is determined to do her duty—and soon discovers a secret message from the Judge urging her to continue the dangerous secret investigation he began before falling ill. Relying on her eidetic memory and strong chess game to decode the Judge’s clues, Avery races to stay one step ahead of her pursuers and get to the bottom of a global conspiracy before it’s too late. A puzzle-like, propulsive political thriller. More info →A thoughtful memoir written by an anonymous author, who explains how and why she came to operate the pseudonymous twitter account @DuchessGoldblat. While ostensibly about a social media account, it's really about finding and forming community, the power of friendship in difficult times, the painful and lingering effects of a difficult childhood, and the redemptive possibilities of creativity and generosity. This was superb on audio, as narrated by Gabra Zackman, J. Smith-Cameron, and Lyle Lovett, who plays himself. (This is our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club February 2023 selection.) More info → Did you learn anything new today? Do you have a favorite author who uses a pen name or pseudonym? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. Discover a new author to follow with these 15 fabulous debut novels and 8 novels that are delightfully self-aware about the writing process.
The post 10 books by authors with a pen name appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How’s your weekend shaping up? Around here, somebody is scheming to extend a Thursday birthday into a weekend-long celebration. (I’m good with that!) And we’re on the hunt for a crowd-pleasing movie that might satisfy newly-13 to 18-year-olds. I’ll take any good recs you have!
I’m still laying low while I (hopefully) recover from my respiratory weirdness, which looks like lots of reading time and perhaps a bit of puzzling. I just finished my first jigsaw of the year (I know, finally!) and I enjoyed working the vintage print so much. (Puzzlers: this New York Puzzle Company puzzle features the same illustration at a lower price point.) Now I’m itching to start another one!
Wherever you are, whatever you up to, I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:Stroll Through the World’s 11 Most Unusual Libraries. (Fodor’s Travel) Don’t mind if I do.
Jenny at Carrot Top Paper Shop is offering a selected few “tokens of friendship” for 40% off for a limited time, in preparation for Valentine’s Day. No code needed—look for the green price reduction on stickers (including my favorite Call Me Cordelia sticker), select postcards, the Hate not, Fear not, LOVE mug, and more.
The Fake Shack (or the Shack Burger at Home) Recipe. (Serious Eats) We tried these for dinner this week and they were DIVINE. I’ll also note that these sounded like considerably more effort than they turned out to be: once you have the technique down they’re a breeze! (We used brioche slider buns because we had some on hand.)
N.K. Jemisin’s Novel The World We Make Reimagines New York. (Oprah Daily) This is why I keep reading her: “At the end of the day, I am here to entertain people. It’s just that my idea of entertainment involves hard questions.”
US Cities Are Falling Out of Love With the Parking Lot. (WIRED) “In much of the US, more space is devoted to parking than housing.”
Why You Should Start Book Journaling Right Now (& Prompts to Help You Start). (Book Riot) Obviously I agree: get the My Reading Life book journal right here!
I was surprised to discover our town got a J.Crew Factory Store this month! (Louisville: it’s a few doors down from Trader Joe’s.) I picked up these high-rise classic vintage jeans which I think I like as much as my Paige ones (which I just discovered are also seriously marked down right now).
Speaking of: Trader Joe’s Just Announced Its Customer Choice Awards: Here’s What Won. (Food and Wine)
Winning Images from the 11th Annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest. (Underwater Photography Guide) My family gawked over these at breakfast.
‘Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret’ Trailer Shows Off First Judy Blume Movie Adaptation. (Deadline) What a great cast!
Email Unsubscribe Services Don’t Really Work. Follow This (Free) Advice Instead. (New York Times; no paywall) The advice we need.
Announcing the 2023 PEN America Literary Awards Longlists. (PEN America)
And don’t miss:
12 favorite Book Club selections that have stood the test of time. These Book Club picks have incredible staying power!
5 tips for cozy sweater care. Regular sweater care helps keep the moths and pills away! These simple solutions make it easy.
14 wintry audiobooks to listen to on dreary days. It might seem counterintuitive but I try to get outside every day during the winter. My daily walk lifts my mood and it provides the perfect audiobook-listening time.
Plus these reader comments:
Katie F. on What’s saving your life right now? “My sister donated her kidney to my 20 year old nephew yesterday. Both are doing well. She’s my hero.”
Courtney on What’s saving your life right now? “Honestly, my almost 17 year old daughter is saving my life right now. She’s just the absolute best. I just enjoy spending time with her and watching her blossom into such a beautiful human. She’s recently become interested in film and movies, so my husband and I are revisiting our favorite old movies with her. She’s our only and I’m just soaking up every minute until she leave the nest in another year or so.”
Megan on Great books you may have missed in 2022: You mention Last Summer on State Street being set in 1990 and not historical fiction – I have two stories from work (a library) that relate: 1. I was putting genre stickers on some new books that came in, and had to call my supervisor to ask if a book set in the 1990s qualified as fiction or historical fiction – the verdict was historical, believe it or not! 2. I was looking up survival books for a brochure for kids, and one book that came up with the Library of Congress Subject Heading “Survival — Juvenile Fiction” was set just after 9/11 – it also had the LCSH “Historical Fiction” – for a book set in 2001!!! Both of those were out-of-body, out-of-time experiences for me!
Linda on What’s saving your life right now? Books! In winter, I look for books that create interconnectedness, community and an element of joy. I just finished “Still Life” by Sarah Winman, an incredible gathering together of disparate people to create a found family and a sense of belonging. “The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich, when I read it last year, gave me the same feeling. Ditto for “How to Find Love in a Bookshop” by Veronica Henry, although in a lighter vein. Add to the list “Winter Solstice” by Rosamund Pilcher and “A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers, and I feel buoyed through the winter months by lives of kindness, integrity, and love.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s almost time for one of my favorite Modern Mrs Darcy traditions.
Winter has never been my favorite season. It’s cold and grey, it too often brings colds or worse, and usually a bit of cabin fever, besides. This particular winter has been strange for me: I got sick on December 22 and haven’t been myself since. As someone who’s relatively young and generally healthy, this winter has felt like a season out of time.
This year I’m especially I’m grateful for our annual practice that calls me to assemble a list—a literal, physical list—of the things that are saving my life right now.
The idea comes from author Barbara Brown Taylor. In her memoir Leaving Church, Taylor tells about a time she was invited to speak, and her host assigned her this topic: “Tell us what is saving your life right now.”
Most of us know what’s killing us, and can articulate it, if asked. But few of us stop to note what’s giving us life.
Taylor says it’s too good a question to not revisit every once in a while: what are the things—big or small—that are saving us?
Every season carries its unexpected challenges and joys. Sometimes the challenges nearly crowd out the joys; sometimes (perhaps, I hope, please say yes) it’s the other way ’round.
Our lives reflect what we persistently think about. This practice calls me to pay attention to what I’m dwelling on, and to intentionally look for the good.
Next Wednesday is February 2, the halfway point of winter. For many years now, we’ve been joining together to combat the winter doldrums by making our lists of the things that are saving our lives, and sharing them here.
I’ll gather my thoughts on this topic to share on February 2—and you are invited to share yours as well: in the comments section you can link to a blog or social media post, or simply post your thoughts there there for us to read.
This can be a hard season, but by pausing at its halfway point to share the things that are helping us through it, we’ll lighten the load.
I can’t wait to hear what’s on your list.
P.S. We’ve engaged in this practice for nearly ten years, but now I can point to my book that touches on the subject. For more about intentional practices like this one, pick up a copy of Don’t Overthink It and flip to Chapter 7, “Tend Your Garden.” My hope is that this book can be one of the things that brings you joy, peace, and life.
The post What’s saving your life right now? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re in the depths of winter, but spring is coming! And with a new season comes new books.
Earlier this month we hosted a live Spring Book Preview, on video, in which I shared forty-two titles hitting shelves between the dawn of the new year and the end of April. (We opted to call it “spring” book preview because that felt like the sunnier label.) I imagine forty-two titles sounds like a lot, but it takes ruthless culling to get the hundreds of titles that caught my eye for the season down to this more reasonable number!
Not counting Summer Reading Guide unboxings, we held our first seasonal book preview in 2019. Our inaugural event was held just after I returned from a visit to the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance fall trade show, where authors, publishers, and industry pros gathered to learn more about the coming seasons’ hot new releases. I was there promoting my third book Don’t Overthink It, which came out in March 2020, but of course I couldn’t be in a hotel full of publishers and booksellers without drinking in all the forthcoming titles attendees were collectively excited to read. Once I returned home, I HAD to report back!
Since then, our seasonal preview events have continued in this same spirit (even though these ballroom-filling in-person industry gatherings are, due in no small part to COVID-19, largely a thing of the past). I seek to share just-published or forthcoming releases I’ve already read and loved, those I can’t wait to get my hands on, and titles most anticipated by the publishing industry for the season. These special sessions are tons of fun, and give everyone a jump start on prioritizing their TBRs and getting those library holds and preorders in.
Today I’m sharing an abridged version of our recent live Spring Book Preview here on the blog, with nine hotly anticipated titles I’ve read and enjoyed coming out between now and late April, spread over a nice variety of genres and publication dates. (If you think it was hard to choose forty-two, it was REALLY hard to whittle it down to nine!) I hope you’ll find a book (or three, or six!) that sounds good to you here.
We hosted that live event for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and What Should I Read Next Patreon communities. Members can watch that replay at any time, no matter when you join, and get those additional thirty-three titles.
I hope you enjoy this little preview. I’d love to hear what titles you can’t wait to read these coming months—please share them in comments!
9 featured selections from our 2023 Spring Book Preview Author: Amy Poeppel
I'm a longtime Amy Poeppel fan; we've even enjoyed chatting with her in MMD Book Club about reading and writing funny books! She excels at writing big-hearted multigenerational family fiction. Her latest, out January 31, focuses on an endearingly eccentric family that lives in a Greenwich Village brownstone and the titular neighborhood bar that operates in the basement. I googled and mapped my way through this book and so enjoyed zooming in for visuals on the book's very real locations. If you enjoyed Musical Chairs, this is very much in the same vein: delightfully chaotic with an absolutely soaring ending. More info →Author: Janelle M. Williams
I've fallen in love with Phoebe Robinson's imprint Tiny Reparations, and this new release, out February 14, perfectly illustrates why. This lyrical debut with a dash of magical realism asks big questions about family, grief, legacy, and connection. Zahra is a twenty-something college-prep coach who has always seen gypsy moths appear before her in the unlikeliest places. When she makes an unlikely connection and then receives bad news from home, she leaves NYC to embark on a fateful road trip back home to Atlanta to search for her missing brother, and discover the meaning of the magic that has followed her for her entire life. Hear me talk more about this book—including why I initially feared I'd picked it up at exactly the wrong time—on What Should I Read Next Episode #360: A high-stakes family reading competition. More info →Author: Jenny Jackson
The publisher describes this debut from Alfred A. Knopf editor and Brooklyn Heights resident Jackson as The Nest meets Edith Wharton; the title comes from the very real Brooklyn street the central family lives on. This sharp comedy of manners, which was acquired in a deal rumored to be in the seven-figure range, takes us deep inside an old WASP-y family and their four-story Brooklyn limestone, showing how money impacts absolutely everything for its members—whether they were born into it or got there by marriage. Shrewd, dishy, and unapologetically focused on rich people problems, including the younger generations' conflicted attitude towards their inherited wealth, this is also a good pick for fans of Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Latecomer or Lynn Steger Strong's Flight. Coming March 7. More info →Author: Lisa Damour
I've learned so much from my multiple readings of Damour's books Untangled and Under Pressure, and am very much looking forward to this new one, out February 21. I look to Damour as a trusted expert on adolescent girls; in this new book she's writing about girls and boys for the first time. I have four kids in this age range and can't get my hands on this book fast enough: Damour excels at explaining what's developmentally normal, what's not, when to worry, and what to do about it. More info →Author: Rachel Koller Croft
In this debut thriller-with-a-wink, a woman who wants to leave her tortured past behind schemes to find permanent security by marrying into one of the country's richest families. There are no likable characters here: the pleasure of this story is all in watching rich (and wanna-be rich) people behaving shamelessly, and wondering if they'll get the comeuppance they so richly deserve before story's end. While this story has echoes of Pineapple Street for its setting among the 1% in NYC and surrounds, it's also strongly reminiscent of The Push. I love the cheeky Valentine's Day release on this: this book is about many things, but true love is NOT one of them! More info →Author: Janie Chang
Historical fiction fans, listen up! From the author of The Library of Legends, a new standalone novel featuring the Janie Chang trademarks of lyrical prose, fleshed-out characters, and little-known history. For this new release, out February 21, Chang drew her inspiration from the 140,000 Chinese workers recruited by the Allied powers to be non-combatant laborers during WWI. (Incidentally, this is also the inspiration for the story-within-a-story in R.F. Kuang's forthcoming book Yellowface. The story opens in 1918 France, as the war is coming to a close but other troubles for Chang's winning characters are just beginning. A warm tale of forbidden love, found family, and the often-dangerous drive to find freedom. More info →Author: Rebecca Makkai
Expect to see follow up to Makkai's Pulitzer finalist The Great Believers on my best of 2023 list (though I technically read it in 2022). I loved it for the narrative voice, which felt exactly right for this twisty and conflicted campus tale. At the story's opening, professional podcaster and erstwhile professor Bodie Kane is summoned back to her New Hampshire boarding school to teach a short course on podcasting for high school students. She tasks them with creating their own podcasts for the course, and—even though she knows she shouldn't—she pushes the students to create a true crime show investigating the long-ago murder of a Granby School student, who happened to be Bodie's roommate back then. Smart, timely, and unputdownable. I also recommend this on What Should I Read Next Episode #360: A high-stakes family reading competition. Coming February 21. More info →Author: Ann Napolitano
Another book I utterly adored, and my first Napolitano read. (I remain too terrified of plane crash stories to read Dear Edward.) The author describes her homage to Little Women as "the story of one young man, four sisters, the secrets that threaten to shatter their family, and a love powerful enough to heal it.” I fell completely in love with the Padavano family, and enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and evolved over the decades and generations. The Chicago setting was also a lot of fun. (I did so much googling for places and locations!) Readers, there are A LOT of difficult things in these pages: it might break your heart, but know that ultimately, it's a redemption story. Coming March 14. More info →Author: Brendan Slocumb
I adored Brendan's debut The Violin Conspiracy and was thrilled to learn we don't have to wait long for his sophomore musical thriller! This is a perfect follow-up that, like Violin, features a character-driven story with a light mystery element that makes readers want to know what happens next. I don't want to give too much away, but know that this story features a professor who uncovers a scandalous secret about the works of a great American composer, and is determined to track down the truth. Brendan's detailed and engaging writing about music and composition makes this one sing. (I couldn't help myself.) Coming April 18. More info → What winter and spring titles look good to you? What forthcoming releases are on YOUR TBR? Please tell us all about them in comments!
The post 9 books readers can’t wait to get their hands on this winter and spring appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
A fresh year full of new releases and reading intentions is always exciting, but with so many fantastic releases last year, it’s likely you may have missed a title (or two) that you might love. To remedy that problem, I’ve invited Andrew Limbong (he/him), the host of NPR’s Book of the Day podcast, to join me in sharing some of our top picks for titles that may not have crossed your path yet.
Andrew’s initial professional dream was to be the world’s pre-eminent William Faulkner scholar, but rest assured that the books we discuss today come from every corner of the bookstore. I loved discovering the titles we had in common as well as books I’d missed, too! We couldn’t help wrapping up with a small sampling of some of the great reads 2023 has in store.
Let us know if you have reading recommendations for Andrew, or if you’ve read any of the titles we talked about today, in the comments section below.
Follow Andrew on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to find and follow your local public radio station.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAndrew Limbong: Ever since I was I think a teenager, I was just in love with American modernism. And all through college I studied Faulkner and Hemingway and Cecilia, like, all those dudes. And I was like, I was going to be the preeminent William Faulkner scholar, and that was the end goal. And it turns out that that doesn't pay that well. You know what I mean?
Anne Bogel: So many listeners are just groaning in recognition in their cars right now.
Anne Bogel [00:00:09] Hey, readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get busy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read.
[00:00:34] Readers, you've heard me talk about our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club around here, so I'm thrilled to share that we now have an app! Get notifications you'll actually want with our new Book Club app. If you're ready for a life giving alternative to scrolling social, our Book Club community is the place for you. Make meaningful connections, chat about what you're reading lately, and get non-sponsored suggestions from fellow book lovers. Of course, that's all on top of our monthly Book Club picks and Regular Classes for Your Reading Life. Get Book Club in your pocket with The Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club app available on both iPhone and Android. Find all the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/app.
Here in January, I'm at what feels like a hinge point in my reading life. Looking back with gratitude and perhaps a touch of anxiety at the year gone by and looking ahead with great anticipation for all the good books on the horizon. Today, we want to stop and highlight some under the radar 2022 titles you fear you may have missed, as well as share a sampling of some of the great reads 2023 has in store. I'm so pleased to welcome Andrew Limbong to the show as my partner for this conversation. Andrew once thought he wanted to be the world's preeminent William Faulkner scholar, and you'll hear a little about that today. But, instead, he's now happily ensconced in the world of public radio, where he serves as a reporter for NPR's Culture Desk and hosts their Book of the Day Podcast. I'm so glad he's joining me today to talk about a host of great reads-- be they past, present or future. Let's get to it. Andrew, welcome to the show.
Andrew Limbong [00:02:01] Hey, and what's up? How are you doing?
Anne Bogel [00:02:03] I am so excited to talk books with you today. Thanks so much for coming on.
Andrew Limbong [00:02:06] Yeah, I'm pumped. I'm happy to be here.
Anne Bogel [00:02:08] All right, Andrew, you are a professional radio person. And I think by extension, because of the shows you do at NPR, we can call you a professional book person. Is that accurate?
Andrew Limbong [00:02:18] I mean, if we're going by titles, sure. Yeah, that works.
Anne Bogel [00:02:23] We only put so much stock in titles around here.
Andrew Limbong [00:02:25] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:02:26] Titles only begin to cover it. But tell us a little bit about what you do at NPR.
Andrew Limbong [00:02:30] So the funny thing about my public radio journey was that it was kind of an accident. The whole game plan was I wanted to be like an English professor. I wanted to be an English teacher.
Anne Bogel [00:02:40] We'd love to hear it, Andrew.
Andrew Limbong [00:02:41] Yeah. I mean, I didn't get there thanks to a couple of reasons. Ever since I was I think a teenager, I was just in love with American modernism. And all through college I studied Faulkner and Hemingway and Cecilia, like, all those dudes. And I was like, I was going to be the preeminent William Faulkner scholar, and that was the end goal. And it turns out that that doesn't pay that well. You know what I mean?
Anne Bogel [00:03:09] So many listeners are just groaning in recognition in their cars right now.
Andrew Limbong [00:03:13] Yeah. You can't go on Craigslist.com and be like William Faulkner scholars, let's see what jobs are open for that. And then I also think I completely goofed on the GREs and I was like, oh-- but, yeah. But meanwhile while I was chasing that dream, I had gotten into public radio and then I started interning All Things Considered. The short story of how I found out about public radio was that I was never one of those backseat baby type kids. I only found out about NPR I think I was like a junior in college or whatever. And then my buddy, they're like, I think I want to be like an engineer in public radio. And I was like, what's that? And they were telling me about it, what it was. And they're the sort of friend I was, like, I could do that better than you. For really no reason. You know what I mean? Complete like Oh, I just heard about this thing that you tell me about. I can do that better than you. That's just so stupid. And so I got an internship at All Things Considered. Again, this is only supposed to be temporary. The whole plan was to go back to, apply to grad school and do that whole thing. But when I realized that that wouldn't pan out, I just started producing more for NPR. I was a producer for a daily talk show called Tell Me More. And then after that show got canceled, I ended up at what's now called the Culture Desk at NPR. I started off as a producer doing a lot of like mixing of the pieces. So for non audio people, it's like the reporter will record the interview and record all the sound and stuff like that and work with the editor to write the script and all that stuff, and then I come in and take the producer's tracks, their voice recordings and all the sound that they recorded and make it all nice and neat and into the package. And so, yeah, that was my job for a while until I started becoming a reporter.
Anne Bogel [00:05:02] Andrew, one of the shows that you are, I'm going to say, responsible for-- but you can correct me-- at NPR, is the Book of the Day Podcast, something that, as you can imagine, holds great appeal for our listeners. So tell me a little bit about your role in that.
Andrew Limbong [00:05:16] Yes, I'm the host of the Book of the Day podcast. And we've been trying to think at NPR long and hard about how to make a sustainable books podcast. And the thing about NPR's coverage of books is that we have so many interviews. All of our hosts have all these different interests and their own sort of tastes, and the producers have their own tastes and everybody's sort of choosing their own thing. And so I'll be real, we produce a lot of content and it's kind of hard for me to even listen to all of it and so I can't imagine. I mean, there might be like-- God bless some of the die-hards out here listening to all Morning Edition every day, and ATC every day, and Here & Now every day. But I think a lot of times these interviews sort of get like lost in the shuffle. It's easy to miss. And so what we do on Book of the Day is that every day we like highlight one of these interviews that we do in the building and just make sure they get their due shine, and make sure that our listeners can really appreciate what they have to say. Because my favorite episodes of the Book of the Day Podcast are most of the time we'll talk about like the buzzy books of the day and especially any news related books. Politicians always come out with memoirs and people will have books touching out on climate change and all that stuff. My favorite stuff is when we go back to the archives and when we can find a reason to pull out an interview from like the eighties and the nineties or whatever, because I find that so illuminating and both hopeful and discouraging. It's sort of like, oh, things don't change. These problems have always been around with us. And then it's like, all these problems, we haven't solved this yet? We haven't figured this one out all these years? So the podcast is a great way of just sitting down with an eight minute or so interview that hopefully you wouldn't have heard anywhere else.
Anne Bogel [00:07:00] Yeah, and I love that you're hinting at the importance and the enjoyment of going back to your archives, although that's a little further back than I expected. We're going a little back in time today.
Andrew Limbong [00:07:11] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:07:12] Andrew, because the nature of your work, you are in conversation with many of the authors who are writing books that we just love to read as What Should I Read Next listeners. Is there a conversation or a moment that particularly stands out that you've been a part of?
Andrew Limbong [00:07:26] Anybody who's done production knows that you have to be with your recording guys before the actual recording starts. On the one hand, you're just like making chit chat. And these are conversations that these authors probably would never remember. I remember I was like 20 something and this is still at my wanting to do the grad school Ph.D. thing, and I was producing an interview with Louise Erdrich. I guess this would have been from the Round House years, and we were just doing soundcheck and waiting for the host to come in. When you do soundcheck in radio you ask them either-- I like asking what their favorite shoes are or what their first car was or like what you had for breakfast and that sort of thing. And we just had a really pleasant conversation and I was just like starstruck she's just a person. She eats breakfast too. And I was like, oh, I'm going to ask her-- you know, Louise Erdrich about whatever it was. I remember there's an interview we were doing with Nikki Giovanni with the phone, and I think she was vacuuming.
Anne Bogel [00:08:33] That's so adorably relatable.
Andrew Limbong [00:08:35] I know. But then I had to be like-- just like a young production assistant, like, "Excuse me Ms. Giovanni, do you mind not vacuuming during the interview?" And of course she did. She was like, oh, yeah, totally. I obviously wasn't going to do this interview, but I was like aaw.
Anne Bogel [00:08:56] Our listeners always say any job with the word book or art in the job description is their dream job. And we hear things like, oh, if I could ask Louise Penny one question or Emily Henry one question, or Tayari Jones one question, what would it be? And it's so true, listeners, this is what we do at What Should I Read Next too when you're checking audio, it's like, "Hey, how's your day going? What'd you have for breakfast? What's your favorite thing about Tuesdays?" I mean, these are the conversations that we actually end up having. You can ask Tayari Jones one question, it's like, "So tell me about your mic."
Andrew Limbong [00:09:24] Yeah. And it's so funny because I don't know if you notice this with the interviews that you do that sometimes it's subtle, but their voice kind of changes sometimes once you hit the record. You know what I mean? Sometimes they'll be like one register and then they do the, okay, so here's my interview voice. And it's fascinating. I find my goal as an interim reporter sometimes is to try to bridge that gap. It's like, let's talk to the person from before we hit record. Is that guy available? Is that dude around?
Anne Bogel [00:09:53] So that you feel like you're talking to the person and not-- I mean, we want our authors to be professional, but yes, to feel like you can crack that veneer and have a conversation like two friends over coffee.
Andrew Limbong [00:10:05] Yeah, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:10:06] Well, Andrew, your job is in a very real sense books, so of course I'd love to hear what is your reading life like these days?
Andrew Limbong [00:10:14] So I live in Baltimore. Before the pandemic, I used to commute down to D.C. every day, and that means I usually have to get up at five. So I figured that when the pandemic hit it was only going to be like a week, two weeks, like the rest of us knew what the hell was going on.
Anne Bogel [00:10:29] I remember those days.
Andrew Limbong [00:10:30] And I was like, I don't want to go sleep in. So I don't want to lose like my sleeping habits or whatever. Oh my God, my morning routine is going to make me sound like such an American psycho jock.
Anne Bogel [00:10:45] I can't wait to hear.
Andrew Limbong [00:10:47] I'll wake up, I'll do the dishes from the night before. I'll work out a little bit and then take a shower. And then I spend a half an hour to 45 minutes reading and that's my reading time in the morning. My wife and I will sit on the couch, we'll drink our coffee and sit and read our books until whoever gets to a natural stopping point first and then gets up and starts breakfast. That's how we started our day pretty much from the pandemic up until relatively recently.
Anne Bogel [00:11:16] I'm happy for you. That sounds amazing. And I'm also a little bit wistful for you because I know what's coming in your life. Okay, carry on. Keep talking.
Andrew Limbong [00:11:24] Two things sort of threw a wrench into that. I've had a marathon in the fall and so I just did some math about when I could run, and so I had to move out to the mornings which meant goodbye reading mornings for a little bit. And now, as it turns out, I'm going have a kid in like February. And so a lot of my mornings have been taken up by we got to get the room together. I've been painting a lot of these weeks. Apparently babies like their rooms to have heat, I hear. That's the word on the street is that the room should be warm, who knows? That's news to me and I got to figure that out now. And so my life has gotten like a scooch bit busier, and I imagine it'll only get busier in the next couple of months. I try to carve out some of my time reading for pleasure when I can.
Anne Bogel [00:12:14] Andrew, what are you drawn to as a reader?
Andrew Limbong [00:12:16] As a reader, my tastes lean towards the literary fiction side of things. I love stories where like a dude is sad, goes on a journey and then it doesn't fix it.
Anne Bogel [00:12:27] I love that description.
Andrew Limbong [00:12:28] You know what I mean? It's like, huh, me doing the stupid thing didn't fix my sadness. Huh, figured that. And then the end. That's generally my taste in books.
Anne Bogel [00:12:39] What is the quintessential a dude is sad book.
Andrew Limbong [00:12:43] The quintessential a dude is sad book, I think Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day. I don't know if you've read it.
Anne Bogel [00:12:51] I have and pretty recently too, actually.
Andrew Limbong [00:12:54] Oh, really?
Anne Bogel [00:12:55] Yeah. I mean, Ishiguro is one of those authors that I feel like I really wanted to read in my lifetime, and I had only read Never Let Me Go. So I've been working my way through his catalog. So I just read that maybe three years ago, but it still feels really fresh because that one hurts. It sticks with you.
Andrew Limbong [00:13:10] Yeah, it's so good. My guy is like-- I don't even know if he's sad. He's just like, huh, let me just go on this road trip or whatever. You know what I mean? And he's just like wandering around and reliving his memories and realizing like, aah, oh, really? You know what I mean? I think that is the quintessential, like, dude is sad type of book. And I'm using dude in a very gender neutral way here. I love anybody being sad.
Anne Bogel [00:13:38] That is interesting to note. Andrew, one of the ways that we often get to know our guests on What Should I Read Next is through the lens of the books that they enjoy and don't enjoy. Like one of our common episode formats is something that we call literary matchmaking, where a reader tells me three books they love, one book they don't, and what they're reading now or just finished. And that's how we get some insight into who you are as a person, as well as what you're drawn to in your reading life. I would love if you could share three books that you love, one you don't and what you've been reading lately. You up for it?
Andrew Limbong [00:14:11] Yes, absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:14:13] Andrew, what's the first book you love?
Andrew Limbong [00:14:15] I'll give you my sort of like the Mount Rushmore.
Anne Bogel [00:14:18] I love it.
Andrew Limbong [00:14:21] I guess there’s only three.Three book Mount Rushmore that have been very like formative in my life. I think my first book we got to take it back to Big Billy Faulks, William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. Shadow Mr. MacMahon, AP English, Midwood High School holding my hand through dear life reading that book. First of all, I don't know what this guy is doing assigning this book to a bunch of 17 year olds. Could not have a more complicated book. But that class really helped me, teach me how to read kind of in a lot of ways. And I hold that book close to my heart because of that. And it showed me how complicated and weird books can get, because I think up until then I'd pretty much read like straightforward narrative books that I read just fine. But this book they showed me almost like a 3D version. Like I've been living in 2D and now I'm in 3D. And I was like, this is what you could do? You're allowed to do this? What? And I'd been obsessed with Off the Wall. I think when I read it, I was like in the middle of playing like Metal Gear Solid 2 on PlayStation 2, which is a really fun game by Hideo Kojima and he's another experimental storyteller. And reading The Sound and The Fury broke my brain in a similar way that playing Metal Gear Solid 2 did.
Anne Bogel [00:15:33] Andrew, you do not even know how relatable that is. I mean, minus the PlayStation 2, but The Sound and The Fury takes me straight back to Mr. Cobb's senior English class, and I can't remember if it was assigned to our whole class or if it was like an independent voice reading that I chose. But I just remember me at his desk going. "Mr. Cobb. Mr. Cobb."
Andrew Limbong [00:15:53] What the hell is going on?
Anne Bogel [00:15:54] Yeah.This is what I think is happening, but there's no way. I love it.
Andrew Limbong [00:15:59] I haven't read it in a minute. Have you reread it in a while?
Anne Bogel [00:16:01] I haven't read it since. I've read a little Faulkner since, but not in the past 10 years. It's been a long time, and I might have felt differently about Faulkner as a high school senior than I feel now.
Andrew Limbong [00:16:12] True. Yeah. Recently, I read Absalom, Absalom and it was good. It whipped. It rocked.
Anne Bogel [00:16:18] I remember trying that one in high school or college. I didn't make it through that one, Andrew.
Andrew Limbong [00:16:24] I have in those early pandemic months a big reading to do list tackling the books that I've tried and failed-- not fail, but trying to [Crosstalk].
Anne Bogel [00:16:34] Is early pandemic the right time for that? I mean maybe it is, but...
Andrew Limbong [00:16:37] I had some free time on my hands and all of a sudden my commute was gone. So I was like, all right, let me tackle this Absalom, Absalom book.
Anne Bogel [00:16:47] Okay. I love that since you are not currently the world's greatest Faulkner expert, that you at least are able to introduce him here. So thank you for sharing that title with us.
Andrew Limbong [00:16:58] Who do you think has that title now? I'm coming at you. All right?
Anne Bogel [00:17:01] It sounds like your days are pretty busy. You've got to get that baby heat.
Andrew Limbong [00:17:07] True, I guess that comes first. Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:17:11] Andrew, tell me about another book that you really love.
Andrew Limbong [00:17:13] This one I read in my twenties, it's Edwidge Danticat, Krik? Krak! It's this beautiful short story collection that I think unlocks a lot of thoughts in my brain about immigration and why people leave their home countries and things like that, and the disconnect of what they're leaving. And it also as a bit of form, I think the short story collection sometimes gets short shrift. And I think this one was like so thematically cohesive in a similar way from like The Sound and The Fury showed what a short story collection could be. It doesn't just have to be like, oh yeah, here's the stories that were published in like The New Yorker and The Paris Review from like '97 to '08 Or whatever. It can be like a much more thoughtful and cohesive book. And it made me just appreciate the form of the short story quite a bit.
Anne Bogel [00:18:09] Yeah. I'm so glad you chose that. What's the final book that you love?
Andrew Limbong [00:18:13] The final book that I loved and we had talked about before, it was The Remains of the Day by Ishiguro. That book got me out of a pretty harsh reading slump I was in just because life gets in the way and stuff like that. I'd been reading pretty much only books for work. And I was not reading that much for myself. I think this might have been after he won the Nobel, possibly, that I decided to pick him up actually give him an honest go. And like I said, it just hit all of my buttons and I've since gone through most of his bibliography. I think I've still got one or two left to knock out. And it's just such a masterful way of looking at memory. That's like the big theme of his work, is looking back at the past and stuff like that. And in a lot of ways you could say the same thing about Faulkner and Danticat, all these people are examining what a previous life looks like and how that impacts them today. And now that I'm thinking about this now, maybe that's also why I love listening to the Book of the Day episodes when we go back to the past so much because history rhymes, right?
Anne Bogel [00:19:23] It's got that wistfulness for the time gone by.
Andrew Limbong [00:19:26] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:19:27] And they're all so beautiful and so sad.
Andrew Limbong [00:19:31] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:19:31] Which sounds like that's your jam.
Andrew Limbong [00:19:33] That does, yeah. I think we were just watching Ramy, this season that’s just came out, with my wife and we were just like, is this pretty much all we watch-- just wistful and sad downers? And I was like, yeah, it's either that or Love is Blind. I think we're just like two sides of the same coin, I guess.
Anne Bogel [00:19:52] It's good to know what you like. Andrew, tell me about a book that didn't land for you.
Andrew Limbong [00:19:56] So after I read The Remains of the Day, I went through the Ishiguro back catalog. And I've loved most of everything that I've read. One I didn't like was Never Let Me Go. So I'd like to hear what you thought about it, because like a part of me I feel like it was a literary writer giving sci fi a shot and not respecting the genre. But I don't know if that vibe fits. It's been a minute since I tried it.
Anne Bogel [00:20:23] I really enjoyed that book. Which speaking of works that are devastating and sad, it's one that I read when I was young and then revisited for our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club recently. And more than almost any other book I've read, that's one where I want to say listeners you do not want to know how the story unfolds until it unfolds in front of you. Usually, I think a spoiler can actually sometimes clue you in to the reading experience. You know what to expect and--
Andrew Limbong [00:20:48] That makes you read more consciously about what goes on.
Anne Bogel [00:20:50] Right it helps you read more closely on your first pass, which might be your only journey through a book. But you don't want to know what's going in there. I hear what you're saying. I can hear that there could be a real argument there that this is an author who's playing at sci fi, but not really respecting the way the genre ought to function. And also, as much as that book got to me and I don't really wish to revisit it anytime soon for that reason, I really love that reading experience.
Andrew Limbong [00:21:14] All right, maybe I'll give it another shot. I've been apprehensive without trying out his other forays. It's such a blurry line. I feel like talking about book genres kind of sometimes feels like talking about music genres. I hate when people when like absolute loser nerds like me are like "That's not post-hardcore. That's actually like indie rock." It's like, bro, who cares? The feelings about Never Let Me Go has had me on pause about reading like Klara and the Sun or The Buried Giant. But maybe I should just do it.
Anne Bogel [00:21:45] I feel like you should just do it. Not because of all the works that you have to choose from Ishiguro is definitely at the very top for you, but because you just said 5 minutes ago that you're really interested in making your way through his entire catalog. So, Andrew, they're waiting for you. Do it! Do it!
Andrew Limbong [00:22:00] I know. All right. Fine.
Anne Bogel [00:22:02] Well, and I also think it can be really instructive. Maybe Never Let Me Go is one that's just not right for you. And when we love an author's works on the whole but there's one book that just doesn't work for us, I think we have the opportunity to learn so much about ourselves as a reader.
Andrew Limbong [00:22:16] Are you a big reading the full bibliography type person?
Anne Bogel [00:22:19] Only occasionally. I had a project in 2022 where I did aim to read through the complete works of some authors I loved. But that was mostly for my own enjoyment not because I have a compulsive need to tick all the boxes in that particular column.
Andrew Limbong [00:22:33] Who are the authors?
Anne Bogel [00:22:34] Well, the ones I was going to read were Elizabeth Strout, Maggie O'Farrell, Tayari Jones, and Dolores Kearns Goodwin. So I did Maggie O'Farrell, love her. Didn't love all her works equally, so that was extremely illuminating for me. Dolores Kearns Goodwin writes these 600 to 1000 page biographies, and I realized I don't want to read those all in a year. I want to read one of those a year. I can read them faster than she can write them and I'll catch up eventually and that I'll be happy. But I still need to finish some Tayari Jones and Strout just a little. I think I have one more book for each.
Andrew Limbong [00:23:08] I feel like you learn a lot more about what you like and what you don't like when you're just bouncing the ball off the same wall. You know what I mean?
Anne Bogel [00:23:15] Yeah, I think that's very true. Oh, gosh. I'm a liberal arts major, Andrew, which I know you're not shocked to find out, but fiction is so infinitely variable, and yet it feels like you're controlling for more variables than you're typically able to do with especially fiction. Andrew, what are you in the middle of right now?
Andrew Limbong [00:23:30] I'm now like lowkey embarrassed about how dad I'm about to sound right now.
Anne Bogel [00:23:34] Andrew, you're about to be a dad. That's okay. Let's hear it.
Andrew Limbong [00:23:38] I know. I am in the middle of Robert Caro's The Power Broker. Like every other DC Dockers wearing dork in the world. I hit 30 and got really interested in city planning. Unfortunately, I'm not cool anymore. I'm washed and I'm into reading about this dude building roads.
Anne Bogel [00:24:04] I have to tell you something. My one nonfiction nerdy niche deep love is urban planning. Although I haven't read that book yet, I think Walkable City by Jeff Speck is my personal favorite. Yeah, all the books about roads and sidewalks and safety and community, I gobbled them up.
Andrew Limbong [00:24:23] Yeah, I think it was only because I got a YouTube video recommended to me by some city planner and my YouTube algorithm is like how to paint rooms and how to fix cities.
Anne Bogel [00:24:34] We should compare playlists.
Andrew Limbong [00:24:40] Yeah. It’s like ‘How to paint rooms’ and like, ‘How to fix cities.’ You know what I mean?
Anne Bogel [00:24:41] If you see anything good that can address the crosswalk situation in my neighborhood, just send them. Send them, and I'll just forward them to my community people.
Andrew Limbong [00:24:49] Yeah. Now with this kid on the way, because I live on kind of a busy intersection, I'm just like, do I go and join a neighborhood committee? Oh, brother. Oh, boy.
Anne Bogel [00:24:59] I mean, reading him leads you to dangerous places. It is true.
Andrew Limbong [00:25:02] Yeah, exactly. I've been chipping away at the Power Broker, and so when I'm in between books I revisit it. I am in the middle of the Power Broker, and I feel like I will be in the middle of it for the foreseeable future it looks like.
Anne Bogel [00:25:15] That is a big book.
Andrew Limbong [00:25:17] Yeah, I'm trying to take it in chunks. But, yeah, it is.
Anne Bogel [00:25:20] Andrew, you have already mentioned that you enjoy going back in the archives of your NPR Author interviews. Well, our listeners are incredibly enthusiastic about reading backlist titles and hidden gems that fly under the radar. And this is in market and often stated contrast to feeling like they see the same titles cropping up on Bookstagram every single day and they feel like they want to seek out the books that really are worthy of their reading time and not just the one getting the big publicity push. So, Andrew, I would like to stop at this not quite hinge point, but close between 2022 and 2023, to talk about some of the wonderful 2022 releases that we really don't want readers to miss.
Andrew Limbong [00:26:04] I'd be remiss not to mention NPR's books we love. What I like about it so much-- and I'm not just being like a company person here-- is that it's not us coming down from on high and be, like, here are the 10 books you need to read in 2022. Instead, it's like 400 plus books that you can use these filters to sort of pick what you like and then find it from there. And also very helpful is that it goes back to like 2013 or whatever. So there's a wide breadth of books to pick. Is that not every book is going to be for you on the on that thing, but everyone should find something to read, especially stuff that's not like long listed for the NBA or whatever, which I like. And so, yeah, one of the books I want to shout out is this book called Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi.
Anne Bogel [00:26:51] No, are you serious?
Andrew Limbong [00:26:52] Yeah. Why?
Anne Bogel [00:26:53] Because that's on my list. I love it. I love that we both chose this. Okay. Tell us about Diary of a Void.
Andrew Limbong [00:26:58] Okay. It's a book by Emi Yagi, I think she's an editor at a women's magazine in Japan. And this book just got translated and published here in the States in 2022. And it's about this woman who works in an office, and she gets so annoyed and fed up by doing all of the unspoken and unpaid labor women often have to do in offices. It's like taking notes at meetings or cleaning up after everybody and stuff like that. And so she just tells everyone that she's pregnant to get out of it. And it's very funny. It kind of actually lowkey reminds me of like Office Space a bit in this sort of like "quiet quitting" that she does. But then I think it gets weird. I've been telling people that I think that she falls for her lie a little bit too hard. But I'm curious about what you think.
Anne Bogel [00:27:48] It gets so weird. It gets a little bit like magical, fantastical.
Andrew Limbong [00:27:52] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:27:53] Yeah, I like that description.
Andrew Limbong [00:27:55] But like I said, it does remind me of Office Space where it's actually very funny and I definitely laughed out loud at a couple of the lines.
Anne Bogel [00:28:01] I love how the premise feels on the one hand a little bit far fetched, but on the other it's just so relatable. I can 100 percent buy that in the moment, telling everybody I know I can't clean your dishes again because I'm pregnant. And like, y'all, your stuff reeks; I can't handle it. Like, completely relatable.
Andrew Limbong [00:28:20] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:28:21] Yeah. But then she really lives into her lie. She wants to make it real. She wants to sell it. And, yeah, it goes into interesting places. I'm so glad you chose this. So, readers, we have tried to do our part here in What Should I Read Next for this not to fly below the radar. We talked about it in episode 336, which is called the Find Your Audiobook Formula. But Andrew, I'm so curious to hear why you think readers may have missed this one. Well, one, there were so many amazing titles in 2022, this huge backlog of pandemic books was being published. There really are more titles available. And also I think that readers either don't pay attention to or are intimidated by works in translation.
Andrew Limbong [00:29:01] Yeah, that's what I was going to say. Translated literature I think has like an uphill fight to climb to get to like the attention that I think could use your help.
Anne Bogel [00:29:10] Yes. And I think that so many readers find it so worth it because Diary of a Void is not like any of the other books you've read this year. And books that really stick with us, that are really memorable are those ones that do have the ability to surprise and delight. So I hope that some of these books in translation and also some of these ones we're calling out today are ones that you will consider putting on your priority to be read list. I can't believe I'm sharing this one, but Lark Ascending by Silas House is one that I have been really surprised to not see and for the sales numbers to be a lot lower than I would have anticipated. And the reason I'm saying I can't believe I'm sharing it is how could you miss a Silas House book? But this one came out in late September. It has serious echoes of The Dog Stars and The Road. It's dystopian. It has a young protagonist who, Andrew, is telling this story as a wistful old man, looking back over this tragic and also beautiful time. But this is dystopian. It's very similar I think in feel, though not in the specific story, to Celeste Ng's new book, Our Missing Hearts, which is selling a bajillion copies. So if you read that and you think, well, now what do I want to read next? I love that vibe. The answer might be Lark Ascending. It's set in the dystopian not too far in the future United States, where fires have ravaged everything. And Lark, this young man, is one of the last teenage refugees to flee Maine where they have sought shelter and enjoyed a really lovely few years to try to find refuge in Ireland, one of the last countries rumored to be accepting refugees. But when he gets there, terrible things happen. So he's just got this beautiful, wistful prose. This is also an LGBTQ+ love story. There's a dog in this book who will steal your heart, a beagle named Seamus. I wouldn't want the reader who's thinking that sounds amazing. If you're thinking that right now, I really want you to check out Lark Ascending.
Andrew Limbong [00:31:11] Yeah. Do you find that there's been a lot of recent not too distant future dystopian novels?
Anne Bogel [00:31:17] Yes. It's been really interesting to me to see how some of the authors I've read for a long time are responding to current events and how that's impacting their fiction.
Andrew Limbong [00:31:26] Yeah, exactly. Because I feel like dystopian novels usually would be like in some far off distant future. And now that timeline is shrinking and shrinking. It's like, "Oh, so like tomorrow."
Anne Bogel [00:31:41] It does make me think sometimes that if I'm going to read dystopian, I want it to be completely unrelatable please.
Andrew Limbong [00:31:49] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:31:50] All right. Your turn, Andrew.
Andrew Limbong [00:31:52] This next book I've got is a philosophy arguments book. It's called Elite Capture How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (and Everything Else) by Olúfẹ́mi O Táíwò. It's one of those leftie books, I think is from Haymarket Publishing. Yeah, Haymarket Books. I picked it up at my-- shout out, Red Emma's. It's at the local radical bookstore where I live. It's a sort of philosophical take on how the language of marginalized people so often gets co-opted by powerful forces to use against said marginalized people. And I think you can see this pretty much everywhere, especially like after 2020 and the protest after George Floyd. And then you see some like major company try to some sloganeering that's like, oh, interesting. But the argument Táíwò makes is that this is almost a pattern that's gone on all throughout history and it's not surprising, but once you start seeing it you can see it everywhere. And I think sometimes philosophy/politics/argument books can be hard to swallow. It's not like a spicy thing to be like, hey, read this kind of a lecturey book. But it doesn't come off as a lecture, I promise. It's a pretty easy digestible read that poses some interesting questions.
Anne Bogel [00:33:10] I love that you chose something from a small press because those books are so easy to miss. They don't have the budget for big publicity. And unless you hear about a book like this from another reader interest or from a bookstore or other outlet you pay attention to, you're going to miss it completely. So I'm so glad you shared that today.
Andrew Limbong [00:33:27] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:33:28] Okay. I want to share-- got to go in a different direction. How about historical fiction? So readers who read a ton of books often love historical fiction. So let me try to slide one end that you might not be familiar with. This is Catherine J Chen's new novel, Joan. It came out in July, and this is the story of Joan of Arc, which Chen obviously has her historical material to work with. And it's interesting the way that she incorporates those more trusted historical narratives into every chapter of her book. But she also gives Joan a really powerful back story here to show why this young woman was able to present herself to her ruler and say, "Majesty, you're saying what you need. I can fight." And what she gives her is a really difficult childhood. Like an abusive father, her sister is sexually assaulted by English soldiers when they enter a village on a raid. And they give Joan this, I would say quiet anger. They give Joan this anger and determination. And Chen really shows how that origin story really impacted her. I thought it was so interesting that this book was blurbed by Hilary Mantel, and I only put so much credence in those blurbs. But I feel like those Wolf Hall titles are such a good comparison here, because they both have just gorgeous, lush, descriptive prose that gives you this immediate visceral feel. You feel like you are right there in the story that happened centuries ago. Yeah. I don't want readers to miss this one.
Andrew Limbong [00:34:59] Yeah. It got, you think it got overshadowed a bit?
Anne Bogel [00:35:01] I think there was just so much coming out that I don't feel like I saw it. I don't think I heard readers talking about it. And, Andrew, our job is to have an ear to the ground about what readers are actually reading. So I hope today we're able to share some that not as many readers are actually reading yet. Do you want to do one more each?
Andrew Limbong [00:35:18] Yeah, sure. My next pick is Kate Beaton's Ducks. It's a graphic memoir. When it came out, there were heads calling it the best graphic novel of 2022 and stuff like that. But I think it's just straight up one of my favorite books of 2022. Full stop. Kate Beaton she did that comic, that webcomic called Hark of Vagrant back in the day. But this is a graphic memoir about her time after college, mining in the oil sands of northern Canada. And it's such a beautiful tale about the economic forces that push people into taking these kind of crappy jobs that, A, are bad for the environment, B, are bad for the land that didn't belong to them. And C, she was there surrounded by men and a lot of heinous and hard stuff happens to her. But Beaton is super empathetic about it. She doesn't excuse and she doesn't forgive, but she gives you a deeper understanding as to why everything like this happened. It's a book that really, really stuck with me ever since I'd read it. And I didn't think easily, like number one with a bullet, my favorite book of the year. And I hadn't seen it on anything like the big lists that people were putting out, and I just want to make sure that get shouted out too.
Anne Bogel [00:36:37] Well, that's exactly the kind of thing we want to hear about today. Okay. The one I want to share is Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe. This is a debut coming of age novel. Andrew, I think it would have been so easy for me to miss this one, because this is a book I was drawn to 100% because of the cover. It caught my eye, picked it up and thought, that sounds great, but I only read so many books and the cover is something I only put so much credence in. But I'm so glad it caught my eye. I mean, it's not that long ago. It's not historical fiction, but it almost feels that way because it feels so much of a different place in time, and that is the housing projects of 1990 Chicago. But this is a wistful-- well, we have a theme going here, a sad and wistful story. A woman who has grown to some degree. (I mean, she's probably our age) is looking back over everything that happened over the course of one summer when she was 11. So there's this group of three girls in the housing project. They formed a comfortable trio and they spend their days double dutching on the hot concrete while their neighbors are all watching. But everyone is about to be displaced because their buildings are being torn down. And if they're lucky, they will be officially transferred to a different apartment block. But a new girl joins the friend group, and that is just the beginning of everything getting massively disrupted, not just in their community that was already happening, but also in their individual friendships and families.
Andrew Limbong [00:37:55] And it's debut.
Anne Bogel [00:37:56] Yeah. And it's small and short. It's 200 pages. Readers, you could have an exquisite reading experience in a economical amount of time.
Andrew Limbong [00:38:07] I love a short book, dude.
Anne Bogel [00:38:08] I love a short book. Some of my favorites of 2022 are long, but a book that feels exactly as long as it's supposed to be. I think it hits you differently if you can read it in a sitting or two on the couch, I think that might make for a stronger emotional impact.
Andrew Limbong [00:38:24] I absolutely agree, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:38:26] But this one has impact. Andrew, it's true that we don't want readers to miss the great books from 2022, but also I can't not be excited about all the great books on the way in 2023. Are there a few titles that you're especially looking forward to?
Andrew Limbong [00:38:43] Yes. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:38:44] Yes, I like that.
Andrew Limbong [00:38:47] We'll see if I get to that come this year. But one of the books I'm super excited to read is this book called The Ringmaster by Abe Riesman. Abe Riesman wrote a pretty great biography of Stan Lee a couple of years ago. I think she comes from like New York mag, where she also wrote a really great piece on Steve Ditko, who's the co-creator of Spider-Man, who's kind of like a low key shadowy libertarian. Ringmaster is a biography of Vince McMahon and his influence over the WWE. And I find, I'm not even like that big of a wrestling person, but I find the world of wrestling so fascinating and how its influence in America, in American politics, American culture is pretty apparent and pretty obvious. And just tracing McMahon's rise to power, I think is a fascinating prism or fascinating lens to look at where we are in America today.
Anne Bogel [00:39:46] Do you know when that's coming out? March. It's coming out in March. I have another March release for you, which is actually a nice follow up to Last Summer on State Street, even though the tone is completely different. This is another Chicago story. It's the new novel from Ann Napolitano, the author of Dear Edward, which readers I know many of you loved. I was too terrified to read because it is a plane crash novel. But this new one is called Hello Beautiful. And this is the story of an Italian-American Chicago family. There are four daughters, and Napolitano has said this is an explicit homage to Louisa May Alcott's classic Little Women. I just finished reading this last week. I did not want it to end. I loved it so much. This is a family story. And it's not just about the family, we meet a lot of other interesting characters who wander into these sisters’ paths, but I just thought this was so well done. If you're looking for something along the lines of a complicated family story with a lot of emotional resonance-- Andrew can you tell what my jam totally is?-- This is a great pick to keep your eye out for.
Andrew Limbong [00:40:46] Well, that's why 2020 was such a big year for you. I feel like there was tons of intergenerational trauma family books.
Anne Bogel [00:40:52] Yeah, a family is sad. That might be my [Crosstalk].
Andrew Limbong [00:40:59] My next book, this is another very extreme. I guess I'm just like all my dad's stuff right now, you know? Another nonfiction book, It's by James Risen. It's called The Last Honest Man. It's a book about a U.S. senator named Frank Church from Idaho. And he's a guy who was vehemently opposed to the Vietnam War, and because of that he got targeted by the surveillance state apparatus in the country. So he was just like out here exposing the NSA and FBI surveilling civil rights leaders. And he was out here showing plots from the CIA to assassinate people and all these other abuses of power from the government. And I'm hoping to get my hands on it. I'm just interested in the world today in which we talk about conspiracy theorists and how unhinged they can be. I think it's easy to forget that, yes, some people out there pulling some shady stuff. And all of that stuff is backed up by rigorous reporting. And it's hard to find yourself like-- I don't know. When people talk about conspiracy theories in a condescending way, sometimes a part of me is, like, well, it's not like they're-- you know what I mean?
Anne Bogel [00:42:17] It seems like there's lots of material for a really juicy nonfiction story here.
Andrew Limbong [00:42:21] Yeah, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:42:23] I really love that you're bringing these kinds of books that you're jokingly calling dad books.
Andrew Limbong [00:42:27] I mean, they are, right? I feel like I'm about to be-- I don't know. It's like all of a sudden my reading tastes is leaning towards like historical dad stuff that I normally would poke fun at and be like, oh, who wants to read that? Boring.
Anne Bogel [00:42:45] I love that you can share those today. Okay. This is not a juicy family story; another book that I cannot wait to read and I have not read yet is coming May 16th from R.F. Kuang.
Andrew Limbong [00:42:55] No, get out of here. I'm going to screencap my screen right here because that was going to be my next book to pick.
Anne Bogel [00:43:01] Really?!
Andrew Limbong [00:43:02] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:43:02] I love it. I love that we're on the same wavelength there. Now, she's the author of Babel, which just came out in August. And talk about a book that did not fly beneath the radar in 2022. I love to see how many readers are gobbling that up. Like that book has burned through our entire team. There's so much to love about that book, but this new book coming in May is completely different. This one has the same kind of writing and insight that so many readers have come to know and love and trust they can expect of R.F Kuang. And this book is set in the publishing industry. It's about two friends (listen to me, use that word with hesitation) who were at the same year at Yale. Their debuts came out the same year in publishing. So when one girl dies, her friend impulsively thinks there's a beautiful manuscript there that's never going to get published, so maybe I should just snag it and maybe I could do something with it, and maybe I'll just use my own name. And I don't know. I can't wait to read it. Andrew, what would you add about this book?
Andrew Limbong [00:44:05] So I think it reminds me two things. It reminds me of light spoilers for season one of Mad Men. But it did give me big like Dick Whitman, Don Draper energy of taking an identity and running with it and seeing what can happen there which I sort of like love that sort of stuff. And also sometimes I like reading negative reviews on Good Reads. And I read I think it was like a two star review on Good Reads that called this book like-- what was it? It was like "Hilarious to anyone who ever needed to close book Twitter and touch grass." And I was like, oh, that sounds like actually a plus in my book. I imagined it's funny like somewhat insider, sort of like if you know, you know type vibe. But I'm just excited to read it. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:44:51] Well, Andrew, I can't wait to hear what you think about Yellowface. As our send off, Andrew, what book will you be reading next?
Andrew Limbong [00:44:59] Well, I've got a copy of this book called Baby 411. That's like all on my bookshelf right now. In case, like, this baby is like turning a weird color; is it time to panic now or whatever? You know what I mean? Hopefully, when I have some actual reading time, I've got Laura Lippman's book Lady in the Lake sitting on my bookshelf. She is a cultural icon here in Baltimore, which I haven't read yet, and I've been excited to dive into her bibliography. I think they just wrapped up filming the TV show here in Baltimore for Lady in the Lake.
Anne Bogel [00:45:33] I didn't know about that. That's fun.
Andrew Limbong [00:45:37] And hopefully I can get through the book before the show comes out. I'm actually been trying to make a concerted effort to get into more sort of like thriller type crime novels stuff. Just because person being ponderous and sad, it's like if I'm in between feelings, I feel like I need something more like propulsive plot wise to keep me going. You know what I mean? And so, yeah, I'm hoping to read somewhere like crime thriller stuff.
Anne Bogel [00:46:02] What's on your radar?
Andrew Limbong [00:46:03] Joe Ide Books, right? That I've been meaning to read. I've been reading, to read. Like, get through Lippman. I think she's. She's got, like, an absurd amount of books under her belt.
Anne Bogel [00:46:12] She does. I think I've read maybe four of them.
Andrew Limbong [00:46:15] And so I think that might be my vibe this coming year.
Anne Bogel [00:46:18] I love it. Okay, Andrew, thank you so much for talking books past, present and future with me today.
Andrew Limbong [00:46:24] Yeah, thank you for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:46:31] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Andrew. Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrewlimbong and while you're at it, Andrew, suggests following your local public radio station as well. We are sharing the full list of titles from today's conversation on our website. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/364. If you are not yet on our email list, pop over to whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to sign up for our free updates and make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. If you want to give us a boost here at What Should I Read Next? headquarters. Thank you. Please give us a five star review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help spread the book love and make it possible for more readers to find our show. Thanks in advance. We are so grateful. Tune in next week when I'll be talking with a British reader and bookish professional who is looking for some titles that will make her laugh out loud and give her the lighthearted distraction she's looking for in her reading these days. Thanks to the people who make this show happen. What Should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski and Studio D Podcast Production. Sara Aeder is our Community Manager. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• The Round House by Louise Erdrich
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner
• Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
Krik? Krak! By Edwidge Danticat
▵ Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
• The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Elizabeth Strout (try Oh William!)
• Maggie O’Farrell (try Hamnet)
• Tayari Jones (try An American Marriage)
• Doris Kearns Goodwin (try No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the Home Front in World War II)
• The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A Caro
• Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time by Jeff Speck
• Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi
• Lark Ascending by Silas House
• The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
• Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (and Everything Else) by Olúfẹ́mi O Táíwò
• Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J Chen
• Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
• Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
• Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe
• Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America by Abraham Riesman
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
• The Last Honest Man: The CIA, the FBI, the Mafia, and the Kennedys–And One Senator’s Fight to Save Democracy by James Risen
• Babel by R. F. Kuang
• Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
• Baby 411 by Denise Fields and Ari Brown
• Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman
Also Mentioned:• NPR’s Culture Desk
• Book of the Day podcast
• All Things Considered
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• NPR’s Books We Love
• Episode 336: Find your audiobook formula
• Red Emma’s
The post Great books you may have missed in 2022 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are your hopes and dreams for the weekend to come? As for me, I still haven’t kicked this respiratory weirdness: I can’t talk right now (for real), so it might be a quiet weekend around here. (If you have any tips for navigating life with no voice, PLEASE share them in comments!) I’m hoping to feel better soon … but meanwhile, my dream for the coming days is to finish three books before Sunday night like I did last weekend, when I likewise spent a ton of time on the couch. A small silver lining to all this prescribed rest?
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: The Romance Novelist Who Faked Her Own Death. (New York Times gift link) This story is WILD. * Novel Problems. (Slate) “Pub day ought to be a time of joy, if slightly nervous joy: A thing you made, and care deeply about, is finally making its way into the world! But for me, and for a lot of other authors this winter, publication day is feeling a little bittersweet. That’s because we’re being published by HarperCollins.” * You Don’t Know How Bad the Pizza Box Is. (The Atlantic) It’s true. I didn’t. * The White Lotus is no vacation. (Vulture) A spoiler-free piece on the popular HBO show. Will and I are two seasons in, and I don’t know, friends. It’s pretty grim. (Did you like it?) * 20 Gifts Any Bookworm Will Love.* (theSkimm*) Thrilled to see My Reading Life in theSkimm! * When we need a quick and crowd-pleasing dinner, this *Turmeric-Black Pepper Chicken With Asparagus stir-fry is usually the answer. (NYT Cooking gift link) One of the reasons we love it is it’s so adaptable: this week subbed bell peppers and carrots for the asparagus. * Your stuff is actually worse now. (Vox) Anyone who’s experienced this (that’s most of us) will feel validated by this explainer. * I signed lots of books at my local indie Carmichael’s Bookstore this week. Order your signed copies here! (Specify “signed copy” in comments in case they sell out the current batch right away: if you want a signed book, we want to make sure you get a signed book!) * 11 Books Becoming TV Shows in 2023. (POPSUGAR) Will you be tuning in to any of these? * 30 Easy Soup Recipes to Slurp All Winter Long. (Food52) I love soup season. * The Conservatives Who Attacked School Boards in 2022 Are Now Going After Libraries. (The New Republic) This is deeply concerning. * I’m still under the weather so I’ve been living my best cozy life, mostly in my beloved American Giant leggings. Some colors of their cotton stretch leggings are 30-50% off right now; get ’em while they’re hot! American Giant is a longtime podcast sponsor: use the code DARCY for 20% off your first order. * What Your Coffee’s Bubbles Are Trying To Tell You. (Mashed) It’s something you may never have considered, but the bubbles in your coffee are actually a very important indicator of the quality of your drink.” * The Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2023. (CrimeReads)
Good for right now: 17 fiction books that feature fresh starts and new beginnings. Anyone else love new beginnings? * 16 jigsaw puzzles to brighten up your winter days. We are very pro-puzzles around here. * 65 recommended reads for those traveling to England (or who want to!).* For when you need armchair literary tourism.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, my guest today is looking for a clean slate when it comes to her reading life this year, and I’m excited to help get get off to a solid start.
Joining me in conversation today is Jada Graff (she/her), an English teacher-turned-business owner who has gone from reading 60+ books a year, to barely cracking open a handful of titles. She is NOT okay with this situation, but she’s not sure how to solve her reading problem. It’s easy for Jada to find books that catch her eye at the bookstore, but once she gets home their appeal disappears and she’s left feeling disappointed.
Jada’s not sure what to do about this situation, so today we’ll explore some techniques she can use to start fresh and rebuild her book stamina in 2023.
Let us know your recommendations for Jada in the comments section below!
Connect with Jada on Instagram
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:08] Hey readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, what should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:45] Readers, if you're looking for a great book to help launch your new year, I've written a few that are perfect for right now. Don't Overthink It is a great choice for the goal-heavy New Year season. This book is foundational reading to help you make easier decisions, put an end to overwhelm, and stop getting in the way of your own happiness. For reading specific support, my Reading Journals, My Reading Life for Grown Ups, and My Reading Adventures for the 8 to 12-year-old set are thoughtfully designed to bring insight, motivation and enjoyment to readers. Grab yours at modernmrsdarcy.com/store or wherever you buy your books.
[00:01:18] Today, I'm pleased to welcome Jada Graff to the show. Jada is a Texas based pilot and garbage business owner. As in, she works in the garbage business, who came to us seeking help with a reading life that's gotten way off course. In 2018, Jada stopped teaching English and gave away all her books, and since then she's been deliberately rebuilding her book collection. The problem is that lately she's found that what sparks joy in the bookstore sounds completely uninteresting once she gets home, and the effect on her reading life could not be more obvious. Jada used to read 60 books a year, but in the past two and a half years, she has only read five. And she is not okay with the situation here. Today, we'll be talking about how Jada can rebuild her book stamina, and find the titles already on herself that will beg her to read them. I am so excited to jump in and help Jada start her next reading year with a clean slate while pointing her towards the plot driven novels and comfort reads that are already right at our fingertips. Let's get to it. Jada, welcome to the show.
Jada Graff [00:02:16] Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
Anne Bogel [00:02:19] Oh, I can't wait to dive in. We could not resist tackling your specific dilemma when it appeared on our submissions form. So thank you for taking a chance and sending it in.
Jada Graff [00:02:28] Yes, Thank you so much. I was so excited to get the magical email from [Inaudible] but this is the submission that fit.
Anne Bogel [00:02:36] Well, I'm so glad. Now, Jada, that is a drastic step-- giving away all your books. Would you tell us more about what happened in 2018 that prompted that decision?
Jada Graff [00:02:44] Sure. So I was a high school and middle school English teacher for quite a few years pre-pandemic, I will say, and I had 1000 book classroom library that was one of my favorite pieces of my classroom. And when it came time for me to leave teaching and actually join the garbage business, I just had such a wealth of material that I wanted to be able to share with some of my other teachers that I had made friends with throughout the years, other people that were just really passionate about getting good books into kids hands in the educational realm. And so I didn't feel like it was right for me to take all of that time and money that I had invested and just take it with me when it would sit on my shelf and not get read. So I actually divided it up among a lot of the different teachers that I had interacted with and gave them everything. And because I taught middle and high school, I had a huge range of middle grade and high school, young adult and I had adult novels and I had novels in Spanish. I just had a huge gamut of things. And I knew that there was no way that I was going to read all of those if they just sat on my own personal shelf. So I went ahead and distributed them among some of my different teacher friends, and that left me with nothing. Which was okay, but I didn't have anything anymore.
Anne Bogel [00:04:15] Now, do you think that's connected to your reading life taking a nosedive?
Jada Graff [00:04:18] I really think the pandemic was probably the driving factor for the fall off of my reading life, but of course, not having those books just right at hand to be able to grab for sure played a part as well. With the pandemic, work for me just got so much busier, I know a lot of people ended up being sent home and being able to work from home, and that was 1,000% not the case for me. I think I worked harder than ever during 2020 and so that took a lot of my normal reading time away. And I think that truly was the biggest factor. But not being able to just walk over and say, "Oh, you know what, I'm going to grab this and read this today we'll see if it works," definitely also played a part in the lack of reading life.
Anne Bogel [00:05:05] Now, I imagine some people now are hearing your story going, oh, yeah, I'm not giving my books away, never, I've thought about it. Can you speak to that real quick?
Jada Graff [00:05:13] It was very hard. And I am very fortunate to have a very supportive family. And I have a husband that is very much on the minimalist side, and I lean more towards the maximalist side. So when it came time to get rid of all my books, of course, he was very excited. He was like, okay, great, we don't have to store all these. We don't have to move all these. We don't have to do any of that. But it was very emotional for me. So I think once I gave them away and I was like, oh, no, I might have made a mistake. I'm glad for what I did. I feel good about what I did, but I'm really sad that I don't have these books anymore. When it was time for me to try to start to rebuild the bookshelf, he's always been very supportive of-- hey, if you want to go to the bookstore on a date night, then let's go. And, oh, you have five in your hand? Perfect, let's buy them all. So it was kind of a catch 22 where it was great to get rid of them and it was nice to shed that weight, especially because there was a lot of books that I knew I was never going to read and either ones that I had never picked up, had no interest in picking up or had read and just wasn't going to pick up again. So it was very freeing and also very kind of daunting to think about the fact that my babies were all gone.
Anne Bogel [00:06:25] Off to live their own lives.
Jada Graff [00:06:30] Yes, absolutely. And I will say it has created a little bit of a hoarder tendency for rebuilding my bookshelf. And every time I see a copy of Art of Racing in the Rain, I buy it. It doesn't matter how many copies I have, I buy another one. I need 17 copies of this book. But then I end up giving them away to friends and things like that because I'm like, "I love this book. I love this book. You need to take it." And we can obviously talk more about that later in the episode.
Anne Bogel [00:06:58] We will. We will.
Jada Graff [00:06:59] It's just funny.
Anne Bogel [00:07:01] Jada, tell me what your reading life is like these days.
Jada Graff [00:07:04] Wow, that's a hard thing to describe. So my reading life lately is a lot of, "Oh, my gosh, this book sounds so great. I'm so excited to read it. I can't wait." And I either get the book through my Kindle or I go and purchase it at the bookstore or I borrow it from the library, and then that is the end of it. Very rarely do I actually start the books that I have been acquiring lately. And even less common is when I finish one of the books that I've acquired lately. And it's been so hard for me to find a book that grabs me. And I think it's a me problem, not a book problem. So I definitely think that there's something to that. But I could also just be picking up the wrong books or a combination of both at this point.
Anne Bogel [00:07:57] Jada, what I would like to do is get straight to talking about the books you love and the books you don't so we can get more insight into what's going on here. Are you ready to do that?
Jada Graff [00:08:06] I am ready.
Anne Bogel [00:08:07] Okay. Well, you know how this works. You're going to share three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately. And we'll figure out what you may enjoy actually picking up, reading, enjoying, even finishing next. These feel like big goals for where you are in your reading life, but we are going to give it our best shot.
Anne Bogel [00:08:27] Jada, what did you bring to the table today? Tell me about the first book you loved.
Jada Graff [00:08:31] So the first book that I brought with me today is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Styne. And I just adore this book. Like I said, any time I see it in a bookstore, at a library sale, I snatch it up and I cannot stop handing it out to anybody in my life that needs a book to read. And I have a hard time explaining exactly why I love this book because I am not truly an animal person. I have never been the person that fawns over dogs and goes, "Aaw, puppy!" That's just never been my life. But I thought this book did such a great job of exploring a wide range of human emotions. And I love the fact that it was told from the dog's perspective because it kind of gave that fly on the wall look into all the different just common parts of daily life; illness and childhood and growing up and working through grief and the dog really having a lot of those same experiences as well. My husband and I had actually talked before about how we think that animals are a lot smarter than most of the time humans give them credit for. And so it was really validating to see that there were other people in the world that felt that way and clearly enough to write a book about it. And it was just so heartwarming and just such a great story. And there's so many scenes that stick with me. And I will say I went to the movie theater when they did the movie adaptation. And I'm not a crier, it's not what I do, but I bawled like a baby during that movie adaptation. And then I went and reread the book and I bawled during the entire thing. And I just love this book so much.
Anne Bogel [00:10:22] That sounds extremely cathartic.
Jada Graff [00:10:24] It was definitely a departure from my normal mode of operation, but leaving the theater all snorty and being like, okay, I should have brought more tissues. And then going back and rereading, which is typically not something I do. I'm not a big rereader, so rereading and having that experience again was really, really, really good. It was really validating and I truly enjoyed that part. Being able to go back and see the scenes again and my favorite characters again, I enjoyed it.
Anne Bogel [00:10:56] Yeah, I know this feels like an outlier for you in your reading life, but it's not at all unusual for our best and most memorable reading experiences to be those outliers that are very different than everything else that we love. And we're going to hold space for that Jada.
Jada Graff [00:11:11] Perfect.
Anne Bogel [00:11:11] Tell me about another book that you've really enjoyed.
Jada Graff [00:11:14] So another book that I really enjoyed, and this is kind of a cheater because it's the whole series, but it's The Bromance Book Club by Alyssa K. Adams. I really enjoyed this because, once again, it surprised me. I typically am not a romance reader. When I was teaching, I had a little bit of the idea of I'm too good for romance novels. I was a little snotty, I will say. But I am a recovering romance snob. I picked this book up and I want to say it was on a recommendation possibly from the podcast. But I picked it up and I just thought it was so great. I had no idea that romance novels, and especially the modern romance novels, actually had depth to them. And there were a lot of times when I would read through and I would be like, wow, other people do have the same type of relationships with their family or they do have the same type of little marriage scenes where you get the little vignette. It's like, oh, my gosh, we've totally had that same conversation sitting at the dinner table. And so it felt so poignant to me in a way that surprised me coming from a "romance fluff novel". And I think like we had said with the other one, the outlier being some of the best, was it was just so surprising. And it cracked me up how the men are actually reading the old school Regency romance novels to try and figure out how to be a better husband. And that just cracked me up to no end.
Anne Bogel [00:12:57] Jada, what is the third book you brought today that you loved?
Jada Graff [00:13:01] So my third book is called Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers and it is by Sarah Ackerman. And this book was so personal to me. And part of that reason is when we used to live in Hawaii, we absolutely adored the island. I adored all of the history, I loved going to all the historical sites. I'm pretty sure when we lived there over the course of a year, my husband went to Pearl Harbor 12 times. And so this book takes place shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when Hawaii has become an occupied space by the United States military that's looking for Japanese sympathizers. It's not necessarily an easy story, but it was so sweet and it had such a wonderful band of characters that felt like they were your friends. And so the story itself is about a young mom and her husband has gone missing. And there's so many rumors that surround the reasons why her husband has gone missing. And, of course, the worst of them being that he is a Japanese sympathizer or that he is helping the Japanese in their attempts to take over the Hawaiian Islands or set up Hawaii as a stopping point for them to be able to continue their war. And they end up meeting one of the Marines that is stationed there, that is made for crowd control essentially. And, of course, there's a love story aspect to it. But one of the things that I loved was there's also this story of the Marines mascot, which is a lion, and they had a real life lion on the island. This part is true. And so that got written into this story. And I loved this because I actually have had a chance to talk to Sarah about this book when she came and visited one of our book club meetings. And a lot of this story was stuff that her grandparents had told her because they lived in Hawaii during World War Two. And so a lot of, although it's a fictionalized account, it is based in reality for this family. And it was just so good, so sweet, such a great story, wonderful writing, but it moves. Like it was snappy, it is quick, It has a lot of really great wit to it, and it also has recipes for the pies that it references. And when read it at Thanksgiving that year, I actually ended up making one of the pies from the book. And it was so good and everybody loved it. It was just so much fun to have that outside connection. So I love when the books can spill over into the real world, too, and I can force my family to be a part of my reading adventures.
Anne Bogel [00:16:06] You know, I have to say that food is a pretty good way to open your arms to including those around you in your reading life.
Jada Graff [00:16:13] Absolutely. It's definitely the easiest way to be like, hey, I made the pie from this book. You have to try it. Now that you love the pie, you have to love the book. Read it.
Anne Bogel [00:16:23] Did it work?
Jada Graff [00:16:25] It did for some of them. Most of my, not 'most of my'. That was a gross exaggeration. There are many people in my family that are not readers, so I don't know that I'm going to get them to read it. But it's okay because I still brought them to dip their toe in the pool of the reading life. So I'm okay with it.
Anne Bogel [00:16:42] Pie is the answer. I hear you. Now, Jada, earlier when we were talking, you said, "Anne, do I just have to pick one book that wasn't right for me?" And what we haven't talked about yet is you do want to read from your shelves. You want to identify, okay, these books were calling to me in the bookstore, at one point they sounded really good. I'd like to find the ones that are already on my shelf that I want to read. Which means you sent me a spreadsheet of the books on your shelf, and I laughed out loud when I was reading this the other day. My kids were like, "Mom, what are you doing? What's so funny?" And it was because I noticed that you put zero stars, exclamation points by one book that you had on your shelves-- I don't know if you still do.
Jada Graff [00:17:23] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:17:23] But with all that as context, Jada, tell me about a book that wasn't right for you.
Jada Graff [00:17:28] So the book that was not right for me is Watership Down by Richard Adams. And sometimes I have a hard time articulating what it was about this book specifically that did not work for me. But when I try to reflect on why I did not finish it and why it got the zero exclamation points stars, I noticed that there's a trend. And so I will say one of the first things that was hard for me was the insanely large cast of characters. If I have to pull out a notebook and pen and create my own diary of who these people are with all of their crazy names, I'm already halfway out of the book. It's just not going to work for me from there. As a general rule, there are exceptions. But another thing that was really hard for me with this book was just didn't seem to have a point. I know this is a beloved children's books for so many people. I mean, it has 4.1 stars on Goodreads. I'm clearly in the minority here, but I just didn't get it. I didn't care about these rabbits. I mean, I'm sorry that your house is being torn down. Progress sucks, but why are we hearing about this? It also had a big map in the front, which is kind of intimidating to me. If I'm going to need a map to be able to understand your story... I just want to be able to read and move through the book and be happy and create my own world. I don't want to have to keep flipping back and forth and going, "Where is this relation to this? Oh, wait... There? Okay." If the map is just like fodder, extra, that's great. But if it's something that's necessary, which I felt like the map was necessary in this book to truly understand the movement of these animals, I'm already out. It's just not working for me. So with the large band of characters, the map, the made up language, could not get into. I, I'm okay with dialectical writing and things like Their Eyes Were Watching God. I absolutely loved that they had the speech written out in the way that it would sound if you were saying it out loud. But for Watership Down, the made up rabbit language, it just didn't seem necessary to me and I just couldn't get into it. It just was not my thing.
Anne Bogel [00:20:01] Jada, that's really helpful. So at this point in your reading life, you are not in a place where completely immersing yourself in a different world (with all the work that that entails) sounds attractive to you.
Jada Graff [00:20:14] That is absolutely correct. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:20:17] Okay. Jada, what have you been reading lately?
Jada Graff [00:20:21] So lately I've been reading nothing-- which is the problem. But really what I've been trying to do is when I went to go visit my brother in North Carolina a few months ago, we decided to form the brother sister book club because I never realized what a reader my brother was, and he always knew that I was, but we just never really talked books before. So this trip was the first time that we really sat and talked books. And one of the books that he has chosen for our brother sister book club (so this will be his second book choice) is Dune by Frank Herbert.
Anne Bogel [00:20:58] Oh, Jada.
Jada Graff [00:20:59] For all the reasons that I really struggled with Watership Down, I'm struggling with Dune. Which means although I say I'm reading it, I'm not. I have tried the written form, I have the audiobook, and the jury is still out. We will see. I'm making an effort because I love my brother and it's his turn, but we'll get back there. And then the other book that I actually just finished last night and I was so proud of myself I actually finished it.
Anne Bogel [00:21:30] Jada, you finished a boook!
Jada Graff [00:21:30] I finished a book. I was so proud. It was The Love of my Life and it was when I actually did hear from the podcast a few weeks ago. I say a few weeks ago. It could have been months ago.
Anne Bogel [00:21:45] Because that's when you listened.
Jada Graff [00:21:46] Yes, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:21:47] That's how podcasting works. It's fine.
Jada Graff [00:21:49] And it was really good. I was really happy with it. I borrowed it from my library on Kindle. And so when my hold came available I was, like, all right, sure, why not? I'm not doing anything else. Let's try it. It actually really worked for me. It was a good book. I will say I'm not going to give it a five star rating, but I for sure was happy with that reading experience, even if it wasn't one of my all time favorite books. I really liked how quickly it moved. I really liked how much I cared about the characters, and I really liked that I didn't guess what was going on and I would be sitting on the couch reading and I would go [gasps]. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:22:30] We're talking about the Rosie Walsh family drama with this strong mystery element.
Jada Graff [00:22:36] Yes. Which I loved that strong mystery element. I was so glad that I didn't just outright guess it. And the the gasping situation happened quite a few times, and my husband would look at me and go, what?
Jada Graff [00:22:49] I was just, like, you're not going to believe it. This book is so crazy. And then I would try to explain it and he'd just stare at me and he's, like, "I guess you just have to read it." I just go back to reading it. It was so nice. And there was actually a couple of times where he commented, he's like, you must really like this book. You're sitting here reading instead of whatever else we were doing that evening or whatever. And he was like, wow, you must really enjoy this. So that is what I'm reading lately. Although right now I've got a pin in it because I finished it, so I'm not sure what to start next, which this episode recording actually comes at a perfect time for that reason. Because now I can just jump right into the recommendations whenever we get off this call.
Anne Bogel [00:23:30] I'm glad to hear it. Jada, if you know, I'd love to hear what the other five books are that really worked for you.
Jada Graff [00:23:37] Okay. So the ones that I have finished in the last few years, let's see. One of them was The Woods by Harlan Coben. And that one was pressed into my hands very forcefully by my friend Stacy. We were at the yarn store one night, and we were knitting, and we were talking about books. And she goes, "Oh, do you like mystery novels?" And I was like, "Well, yeah." And she's like, okay, well, it's not a real mystery, but it has some mysterious elements and it's kind of a thriller. Have you ever read Harlan Coben? And I said, "No, I have never heard of him." And she said, "You must read this book. This is my all time favorite book. I need you to read this." And so I said, "Okay, sure. I will be happy to." And so she handed me a copy and she goes, "This is your copy to keep. You don't need to give it back to me." And it's this big hardcover. She loves this book if she's giving away hardcovers. And it was such a fun read for me. Funny enough, I can't even trul remember the plot. I just know that I really enjoyed it. It also had that kind of thriller, mysterious aspect to it which I guess is kind of a theme for me, something that I enjoy, a question of, well, what happens next? Well, I have to keep reading because I have to know what happened to this person. Where did they go? What are they doing? And so that was another one that I did finish that I really enjoyed. Let's see, what are the other ones that I did finish in the last couple years? It's not really fair to use, but two of the books that I finished and that were the five were the FAA publications for the Pilot Handbook and the Aeronautical Knowledge Guide. So those are kind of two...
Anne Bogel [00:25:31] Oh, Jada, those are two of the five books you finished?
Jada Graff [00:25:32] Those are two of the five books I finished.
Anne Bogel [00:25:35] No, you read books. We're not talking about the accuracy. I'm just saying, wow, that is dire.
Jada Graff [00:25:42] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:25:43] More than I thought.
Jada Graff [00:25:44] The nonfiction books that we're kind of required reading for the pilot license, those are two of my five.
Anne Bogel [00:25:52] Okay. So that's representative. So a good mystery thriller and then you just finished the Rosie Walsh which has a lot in common with that Harlan Coben book, actually. The packaging is different, but the underlying drive is very similar.
Jada Graff [00:26:05] Yes, very much so.
Anne Bogel [00:26:06] And your pilot training manuals you had to read to keep flying.
Jada Graff [00:26:13] Yes. To be able to keep getting up there and leave the ground. One of the other ones that I read was Red Sky Over Hawaii, which was Sarah Ackerman's third book. So the author, of course, that I loved for Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers, Red Sky Over Hawaii was one that I did. And that was actually the book that she met with our book club about. Which I say our book club, I'm no longer in the book club. I joke and say I got kicked out. Really, they told me I was super intense for them. And then they kept choosing books that I had already read and hated, so it was a mutual separation from the book club.
Anne Bogel [00:26:55] I think we need to hear a little more about being too intense for this book club. Give us a really colorful example.
Jada Graff [00:27:03] Absolutely. So I want to preface this by saying the girls that were in this book club with me are phenomenal people. I love them all. We are all still friends. But I was told that I was a little too much when we had our christmas meeting. And funny enough, it was January of 2020, so before everything just went to crap, we were still meeting in person and we were doing our book swap. And we had done our book swap and we were talking about our our January pick, which I think it was Mossad. Yes, it was Mossad by Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal. I thought this book was great and I was talking about the structure and the language and the formatting. And this is a nonfiction book. So it could have been very dry subject material, but it was just so fascinating. And so I thought it was wonderful. And I started talking about the Senate structure and the way that the stories were set up and the fact that each chapter could basically be its own standalone. So this is not one of those nonfiction books that builds on each other necessarily. You don't have to read it linearly. You can read it almost like a vignette style memoir. And when I started talking about the structure and the language, one of the girls looks at me and goes, "Oh, yeah, we don't really do that here. We just talk about if we liked the book or not. You're really intense." And I was like, oh, I'm sorry. I liked it. And she's like, no, it's great. I just had never even thought about the structure of a book before. And I was like, oh, okay, sure. So it wasn't a problem.
Anne Bogel [00:28:59] Thank you, Jada. That's super helpful and really gives me some insight into how you approach the books you're reading. So you were very clear on not wanting to work to figure out what kind of world you were in and what was happening. Like you were talking about Watership Down, that's just like an absolute no for you. And that's fine. But you do still really like the nerdy things like structure and language and in style and tone. You notice those things as a reader and they matter to you.
Jada Graff [00:29:26] Absolutely. And I say that's probably the recovering English teacher in me and for teaching it for so long, I can't help but notice it. And I want a book that is well written. For me, plot will always be paramount. But I need it to be still good writing. I want there to be a clear structure. Even if it isn't always a perfectly linear structure, I need there to be some sort of structure to the book. I don't do well with stream of consciousness, Faulkner style. I want there to be a very set like this is how this book is written. This is how I introduce characters to you. This is where you fit in this world of this story. And those are the type of things that really help anchor me to a reading experience to make sure that I'm not having to, like you said, do massive world building or having to orient myself in this place from someone else's imagination that I don't feel like I have any sort of standing in.
Anne Bogel [00:30:28] That's really interesting. I'm also noticing that you referred to yourself as a recovering English teacher because this is not the water you swim in anymore on a daily basis. You have a different job and it's very actively managing a small business, a whole different scene, whole different setting, whole different lifestyle. And so you expressed, I think, an awareness that you knew that that was definitely impacting your reading life, but you weren't quite sure what to do with that.
Jada Graff [00:30:54] Yes, definitely. I will say that when I was teaching, I felt like I was having some of my best reading experiences that I ever did. And I do think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I was just constantly surrounded by all of these really good and really rich texts that were accessible to me. And then since leaving and giving away all of my books and everything and completely pivoting my life's direction to running the garbage business, it's really taken a lot of what I used to know about myself as a reader and kind of turned it on its head and it's made it really hard to find the rest of those reading experiences again.
Anne Bogel [00:31:38] Mmhmm. Jada, we are going to turn our attention now to putting books on your nightstand and seeing if we can find the ones that are going to end up in your actual hands. You said the final step is actually reading them, which is not happening a lot lately. And you have been deliberately, purposefully rebuilding your bookshelves. And so I have your spreadsheet of the books that you have in your home right now. And I'd love to hear a little bit about how you have chosen these books. How have you assembled this collection that you're working from right now?
Jada Graff [00:32:08] The way that I have assembled the collection that I currently have is kind of haphazard. I would be grossly overstating there being a system (if I were to actually qualify how I've been doing this) other than I see a book and I go, "Oh, my gosh, that looks so pretty," or I will hear about it through your podcast, or I will see a book on Instagram. Or if I have a friend that was like, oh, I read this, I'll be like, oh, you read it maybe I'll read it to you. And maybe that's where a lot of my problem is coming in, is I'm not necessarily doing much vetting before I bring these books into my life and allow them to start pressuring me to read them. But other books are ones that have been on my to be read list for a long time. And when I see them in a store, I'll be like, oh, I have been meaning to read that. Let me grab it now, even if I don't remember why I was meaning to read it or why I was gravitating towards it in the first place. I just kind of grab it and take it with me and it now becomes mine.
Anne Bogel [00:33:09] Yeah. Okay. I want to be very clear for you, Jada, and also especially for you, our listeners. Now we have some episodes where we help readers read from their own shelves and including an episode this fall where our guest is very clear that the goal is to read all the books. And, Jada, what I hear from you is that is not your goal. Is that correct?
Jada Graff [00:33:29] That's correct. If I have the book already, I'm perfectly happy to read it. And, of course, I want to read the things that are on my shelf. But I have no problems with bringing more books into my world. I will read anything, everything, whether it already lives in my shelf or not.
Anne Bogel [00:33:46] Okay. I'm glad to hear that because I think a real key to your writerly happiness and to you not bogging down in the mire of unread books is to not have that kind of expectation for yourself as you are looking at what you might consider reading next. So these are possibilities that you have on your shelf, but they are definitely not have to.
Jada Graff [00:34:04] Okay, perfect. That sounds like a wonderful place to start.
Anne Bogel [00:34:08] Okay, good. Something else that I'm wondering about as you're describing your system is how long is the time gap often between when you are finding the book and bringing it home and actually possibly reading it. If you're unsure where to start late, tell me what happened with the Rosie Walsh book.
Jada Graff [00:34:27] Sure. So that one I remember I was driving to my friend's house to go do a girl's craft day on a Sunday, and I was listening to the podcast and I heard you talking about that book along with the Attica Locke, Bluebird, Bluebird. And I'm hearing you talk about them, I was like, oh my gosh, this sounds so great. And so as soon as I got to my friend Julie's house, I pulled out my phone and I put a hold at the library because I do a lot of Kindle reading. I love reading physical books, but I love my Kindle. And especially right now since I'm in this timeframe of not reading consistently and not finishing books and not knowing if a book is going to work for me, I've been trying to reduce my financial investment in the books if I'm not sure if it's going, or not reasonably sure that it's going to be a homerun. So I logged onto my overdrive and I put the books on hold because none of them were available. And so as soon as the book came available on my library holds last week, I downloaded it and read it almost immediately. But from the time that I put it on my library holds, it was probably about a month and a half.
Anne Bogel [00:35:41] So that's kind of long.
Jada Graff [00:35:42] Yeah, so it was a pretty big gap.
Anne Bogel [00:35:44] Okay. And yet I can also hear you saying that when the hold came in, you still remembered exactly why you wanted to read it.
Jada Graff [00:35:51] Yes, that was one that absolutely stuck with me. And I was like, that's right, this book was one of those that just really captivated me and almost to the point where I was like, I should pull my car over and do it now as opposed to waiting till I got to Julie's, but I just kept driving for a minute.
Anne Bogel [00:36:08] Sometimes that is absolutely the right thing to do. And listeners, let me just remind you now, we put all our books in show notes that we talk about in every episode so you can get your good book recommendations and be safe on the road. We value both things.
Jada Graff [00:36:22] Yes, please do not be trying to rent books from your library or buy them from Amazon while driving. That is so dangerous.
Anne Bogel [00:36:30] I mean, we believe reading is really important, but stay safe out there folks. Okay. So, Jada, here's what I want to do for you. So, one, I want to really acknowledge and honor where you are in your reading life. Reading is not your daily work anymore and that may feel like a sad fact sometimes.
Jada Graff [00:36:50] It definitely is. And I will say that there's a lot of correlation between teaching and running a business where you have to manage people, but there's also a lot of disconnect. And where I used to be able to steal those 5 minutes in between classes to pick up a book that I knew I was really into or whereas I used to be able to have quiet reading time with my students, I've lost a lot of those daily structures with just the change in life and the change of season. And now I don't have those spaces to just fill the 5 minutes because I don't have 5 minutes anymore. The only reading time that I really have is in the evenings when I get home from work after dinner and the house has kind of settled. And so really being able to, I guess, maximize those times with books that are more drawing than the veg on the couch and become a zombie is going to be huge for me.
Anne Bogel [00:37:47] I'm glad you know that about yourself. And you have said in your own words that you believe you need to rebuild your book stamina right now and find the place that reading has in your life. And both those things are totally possible. Also, I think you're really on the right track with identifying the things that you want right now. You've said that you love good character development, plot driven stories that move at a brisk pace. And in your submission, you said that you really prefer comforting in books that you call easy over challenging at this point in your life. And also you mentioned this with the Art of Racing in the Rain, but you gave a couple other examples in your reading life of really loving books that have caught you by surprise with their poignancy. That's one of the reasons you enjoyed the Bromance Book Club Book so much. So sometimes readers have this old and like almost outdated idea of what they like in their reading life, but I think yours is actually pretty spot on. Your self-diagnosis seems to be in the right place. And as I repeat those words back to you, do they ring true about your own reading life?
Jada Graff [00:38:50] Yes, as you say those things back to me, they definitely are ringing true. I used to be willing to put in a lot more mental work into the books that I read. I used to be a lot more willing to stick with a book for longer if I wasn't quite sure if it was going to work for me. And I used to be much more willing to do the world building and all those things in my brain that I just don't have the capacity for anymore. So the comforting reads, the reads that tie up with a nice pretty bow, the ones that don't require a lot of mental work but are still stories worth reading is really going to be what I need at this point in my life.
Anne Bogel [00:39:33] Okay. Well, I've got your spreadsheet, which is not overwhelmingly long because you're putting this together. And I can see things on here that look really promising for you.
Jada Graff [00:39:42] Oh, good. I'm so glad. My greatest fear is that I have a bookshelf of all these books that are all wrong for me, and that if I were to pick up any one of them, I'd be like, Why? Why are you taking up this space on my shelf if you're not going to be it?
Anne Bogel [00:39:59] I think past Jada-- like so many readers and their past selves-- is sometimes impulsive and sometimes puts more weight on what others say was great for them without thinking about if it's going to be great for us. But past Jada also made some really good picks. Do you want to hear what stands out to me?
Jada Graff [00:40:14] Oh, I would love to. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:40:17] The first book that stands out to me, and maybe the one that I would actually recommend starting next is your Maya Angelou collection, Even the Stars Look Lonesome. Now, I could see this on your list. And as you were talking about being too intense for that book club with the Mossad collection, and you were talking about structure and language and how it was vignette style and that really worked for you. Well, you could have been describing Even the Stars Look Lonesome. Do you remember the circumstances under which you picked up this collection?
Jada Graff [00:40:48] I want to say that this is an old library binding where it had been removed from their collection and was set in the donate pile. Because my library, that's a couple of towns over, they have a really great section where when they call from their collection, you go and you donate $0.25 and you take a book. And I want to say this was one of those. And if we're being honest, I probably saw, oh, Maya Angelou, I've always meant to read her. And grabbed it and really did not put much thought into it past that.
Anne Bogel [00:41:25] Oh, have you read her before?
Jada Graff [00:41:27] No, I haven't. I just always have heard of her. And we used to use some of the short texts when I was teaching just to look at very small snippets, but I've never actually read anything by her.
Anne Bogel [00:41:41] Jada, let's begin. Oh, this is a great place to start. So this is a sister volume to her earlier collection Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now. These two works, they are not part of the autobiographical series that begins with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, so they are different in character. But still this is going to be a wonderful taste of Maya Angelou. But just know that when you pick up those other books, that other nonfiction, that those are more a full length book length developed stories where these are those small vignettes. But the way she paints a scene... And she's painting all these scenes about just a variety of topics, this is a real enjoyable grab bag. There's A House Versus Home, there's aging, there's sexuality, there's anger, there's being a woman, being a Black woman, faith and spirituality, there's Oprah Winfrey. I mean, there is a lot here, but what I love about these for you is their immediacy. Like, the first one in the collection is House Versus Home. And what she talks about-- this is not a spoiler-- she tells you right up front pretty sure I would have stayed married if it wasn't for those houses. But it's not in the way you think. It's not like a money pit situation or anything like that, but she walks you through what happened. And in every paragraph this image will blaze in your mind of what she's describing. And I go back and look at the language, like, what is it about the way she's writing that is so perfect that you can just see it exactly? But there is. And it's like she's telling you these really juicy, meaningful stories where you want to hear because it's a good story. It's juicy, but it's also deeply meaningful for some aspect of your life. Even if she's talking about something that might seem a little silly on the surface. And definitely when she's talking about something that you both know is at the bedrock of everything that really matters to being a person in this world. It's also really short in the individual stories within are obviously shorter. I think this is your first Maya Angelou. Maybe this is book seven in your reading life in the past two and a half years. How does that sound?
Jada Graff [00:43:48] I love the sound of this. I appreciate that it has these smaller lengths and the vignette style stories because that seems really accessible and really not intimidating. So I could read a story and set it down for a minute. And then when I do have that little bit of time before bed, before I just completely zonk out, I can still be working towards my goal of reading again and finishing a book. And it sounds so great. And like we had talked about before, I love when the little things that seem silly or seem so minute really have an impact in your everyday life. And that just sounds so wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:44:30] Okay. Next, I'll be honest, this jumped out at me because I knew you loved The Art of Racing in the Rain and that is a dog book. And, Jada, you have proclaimed yourself not to be much of an animal lover, but I still think you could really enjoy Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley. And one of the reasons I love it for you is because I was thinking about what books you may enjoy before I asked you for that spreadsheet and already had Lily on my list before I saw that you had it on your shelf.
Jada Graff [00:44:58] Oh, really?
Anne Bogel [00:44:59] Yes, really. So do you remember how you got this book?
Jada Graff [00:45:03] So I remember that I bought this one at a Barnes and Noble, and it's a Barnes Noble that I don't normally go to. I just happened to be in the area and had to kill a couple moments. And so I went in and I was walking through and I saw this beautiful blue cover. And I think I have the hardback that actually has the book jacket with it and it's this really pretty teal blue, which is one of my colors anyway. So I just I grabbed it and I was looking at it and I started reading the jacket copy and I was like, oh, this sounds kind of good. And I was laughing because, once again, the Art of Racing in The Rain association, I was like, but do I really want another dog? Because if it's like more Garth Stein versus Marley and Me, I could get with it. But I didn't want another Marley and Me or another book that was a dog book for dog sake. And I didn't know a whole lot about this story. I will confess, I have read the first two pages of this book, and I don't know why I didn't continue. I must have just gotten busy with something else. But there's a part where it's talking about which Chris is the hottest Chris in Hollywood, whether it's Chris Pine or Chris Hemsworth, I can't remember exactly which of the Chris's they are.
Anne Bogel [00:46:18] Oh, Jada, you got to go back because it's neither. It's the Ryans.
Jada Graff [00:46:21] No. No, is it really?
Anne Bogel [00:46:24] It is. You're going to have to look and see if I'm telling you true or not.
Jada Graff [00:46:26] Oh, my goodness. Well, then I can't wait. That'll be a quick grab no matter what. But, yes, this one that's all I really remember about it. And so I'm so excited to hear more to reignite why it made it to my shelf because clearly there's some serendipity weaving in here.
Anne Bogel [00:46:43] I hope so. So Lily and the Octopus is Rowley's debut. And of course, The Uncle hit it big. That book was everywhere. So this one many readers don't know about this book, and this is the lightly fictionalized tale of Rowley's last six months with his beloved dachshund named it Lily. And the Octopus, I'm sorry to say, is that brain tumor that ended her life at age 12. And something that's really interesting about this book is the way that Ted is the dachsunds owner in this book and the way, in fact, that everyone in Lily's life describes the octopus like they can see it, like it almost has this quality of magical realism about it. So they take this really scary thing and make it I mean, at first kooky. It gets, the Octopus little scarier as the time goes on. But you love books that surprise with their poignancy. And this one is at once both kooky and adorable and funny and sweet and also really poignant. And I think it could be really great for you. This is definitely so sweet and tender and incredibly powerful for anyone who has ever loved a dog, but also the way that he talks about love and grief and joy and bonding with your dogs and deep conversations over the things you love. The way that Lily talks in the book is really funny. I have to say that I reread this recently and it did kind of (this is just a full disclosure moment) sagged for me around the two thirds mark, and I'm a little afraid it can lose you there. But I want you to know the ending is incredible. Just tell yourself the ending is incredible and maybe you'll love it straight through. And many readers do. But you got to find out how it ends because it's great-- and remember, when you get there that this is autobiographical fiction. It's also a short book on the whole, and that is no coincidence for you. But how does it sound?
Jada Graff [00:48:45] No, that sounds really, really good. Like I said, I don't know why I lost it the first time when I first put it down. And so I'm excited to have this push to pick it back up again, especially because we have to check out the Chris's versus Ryans. But I want to say that I remember one of the things being hard for me was understanding the octopus is the brain tumor. So now that I have a little more context with which to frame that, I think that will make this reading experience and this attempt to work through this book so much better for me. I love to have a a powerful ending. So if nothing else, I will be so excited to finish the book to see what garnered that type of high praise, because I love a book that does end very well. And even if things are not okay, I like when things are wrapped up and ended and they almost have a nice pretty bow on their end. So it just it sounds really great. I'm so excited for that one too.
Anne Bogel [00:49:47] I'm so glad. I think it could be a great fit for you. And finally, I'm a little afraid to do this because I don't want to give you too many books, but you've discovered that you love romance, you are a recovering romance snob. And you have demonstrated by talking about the romance book club, but also with your spreadsheet that I can see that you like series. So I'm going to give you one in the romance genre.
Jada Graff [00:50:11] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:50:12] So this is by Kate Clayborn. She actually writes romance and women's fiction, but she writes stories that are plotty, that are fast moving, have lots of character development and that surprise with their poignancy. And the place I really want you to start, not just because it has a Texas connection, but it does and I like that for you, is Beginner's Luck.
Jada Graff [00:50:33] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:50:33] So this is the opening to her series called A Chance of a Lifetime. And it is about three friends. And we find out very early in Beginner's Luck that these friends buy, they pool their funds and on a whim, they buy a lottery ticket and they win. And for them, it's a life changing amount of money. It's not millions and millions of dollars, but it is enough for each of them to make a significant change in their life. And when they win, you find out these three friends all told each other what they wanted. Let me read you the little quote from Beginner's Luck. This is the moment where their friends are saying what they're going to win, but what they're thinking in their hearts. "Kate said a house, but what she thought was home. Zoe said an adventure, but what she thought was forgiveness. Greer said an education, but what she thought was freedom." And Beginner's Luck is Kate's story. Kate is the one who wants the house. And in this book she is a scientist. She's the most stayed of the friends. And because of her peripatetic childhood, where she moved all over the place and had a lot of uncertainty about where she'd be safe, where would she be, who would take care of her - the answer was mostly her brother-- not her dad, who you will not like in this book. But because of that trauma, she wants to use her winnings to create a home for herself and really find some place where she can put down deep roots in a community. But then this handsome man in a suit, Ben, shows up in his role as recruiter to entice her to leave it all behind and move to Texas, which is not what she wants. But as they keep talking about this potential job, their connection grows. And there's just some really fun features in this book. Like Ben's family, well his father actually owns this architectural salvage business, and lots of scenes are set at the place where they're looking for like little chandelier pieces and knobs that match. And it's a really cool setting. And Kate is living her own life. She's the scientist. But also there's so much time that she spends with her friends and you just get to know the three of them. And I think you're really going to want to like them. And I almost said I think you're really going to like entering this world. I think you're actually a little nervous about entering worlds because it feels like there's a lot of work there, but you're just going to sink right in and be like, yes, this is actually the book club I want to participate in. I'm not too intense for this crew.
Jada Graff [00:52:48] No, that sounds so good. And I don't mind being in a different world as long as it is kind of a more of a reality-based world just because then I don't have to try to orient myself on a different planet or a different realm or anything like that. But this sounds so, so great.
Anne Bogel [00:53:03] No, this one's easy. You're going to be like, where's the address? I'm going to walk in and pull up a chair.
Jada Graff [00:53:09] I've been known to do that. Let's just go drive through the areas and be like, oh, I read about this place. That is also one of the things that I do love, is being able find the places where books have taken place. And so I'm so excited that this one kind of takes place in our backyard.
Anne Bogel [00:53:26] I think these books will be happy in your shelf. And it's not your fault that Texas isn't the place she wants to be, but I hope you enjoy the little visits the story makes to nearby all the same.
Jada Graff [00:53:36] This sounds so, so great. And I do like the idea of starting a series because I used to be very, very reluctant to series, even though I read a ton of them because it always just felt like so much pressure to read all of them and to like all of them and to really want to stay in that space for a long time. But now that I've been having such a hard time finding books that really work for me and finding the time to read, being able to kind of sit with friends over a long period of time with a series sounds so, so freeing. So I don't feel the weight of the series like I used to. I almost see it as a one less decision I have to make, and I just know automatically this is where I'm going and that just sounds so enjoyable for me. So I'm very excited for that recommendation.
Anne Bogel [00:54:30] Yeah, that could be perfect right now. Okay, Jada, I know I shared some thoughts already, but you hadn't heard out the books yet. But of the ones we talked about today, they were Even The Stars Look Lonesome by Maya Angelou, Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley. And the one that's not on your shelf right now, but I think would be happy there, The Chance of a Lifetime series by Kate Clayborn, beginning with Beginner's Luck. Of those books, what are you going to start next?
Jada Graff [00:54:56] So I think I will probably grab the Maya Angelou first because it is on my shelf and it will probably come back to work with me today just in case I can steal a minute or two at lunch or something like that. And then I will absolutely be ordering Beginner's Luck as soon as we get off this call as well because that one is going to come up very quickly. So those will probably be the ones I start with. And then I will get Lily and the Octopus in at some point. Of the three, that's probably number three, but they all just sound so good and it's so hard to choose.
Anne Bogel [00:55:31] Well, you've had a lot of difficulties in your reading life, having to narrow it down from three books that all sound amazing. I mean, that's the kind of difficult decision you actually want to be facing.
Jada Graff [00:55:42] Absolutely. Yes. No, that kind of difficult decision I will make all day.
Anne Bogel [00:55:48] You've got this. Jada, thanks so much for coming on the show to talk about your reading life with me. I think there's hope for your future and I'm excited to hear what happens next.
Jada Graff [00:55:56] Thank you so much. I am so excited to have been able to come on this show and for the recommendations. And I am so ready to get my reading life back on track. So this is going to be the perfect start for that.
Anne Bogel [00:56:09] I'm thrilled to hear it. You got this.
Jada Graff [00:56:11] Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:56:18] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Jada and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Jada on Instagram @BlackVelvetStitches and find the full list of titles we talked about at whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com. Sign up for updates from What should I Read Next HQ and enjoy a weekly roundup of important bookish news. Subscribe at whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Follow our show on Instagram. We are here @whatshouldireadnext. And we love to connect with listeners and fellow book lovers. I'm on Instagram too @annebogel. That's Anne with an 'e', 'b' as in books, 'ogel'. So come on over and join me for pictures from behind the scenes of my reading life.
[00:56:55] Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski and Studio D Podcast Production. Sara Aeder is our community manager.
[00:57:13] Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episodeThe Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
• A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers by Sara Ackerman
▵ Watership Down by Richard Adams
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh
• The Woodsby Harlan Coben
• Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman
• Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service by Nissim Mishal and Michael Bar-Zohar
• Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
• Even the Stars Look Lonesomeby Maya Angelou
• Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now by Maya Angelou
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley
• Marley & Meby Caleb Boatright
• Beginner’s Luck by Kate Clayborn
The post Fast-paced, plot-driven novels to get you reading again appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. (Or today, on the 16th.)
I’ve been reading up a storm lately. I’ve spent a lot of time parked on the couch with some weird respiratory ailment, which I do not recommend—but the bright side is lots of reading time. I typically read a lot this time of year anyway, because right now I’m very much focused on vetting books for our 12th annual Summer Reading Guide, coming this May.
You won’t see those spring and summer 2023 releases featured here today, nor will you see any of the 42 titles from our recent Spring Book Preview featuring January-April releases (though it’s not too late to sign up and access that recorded event in MMD Book Club or our WSIRN patreon community). What you will find is a nice mix of old and new, fiction and non, across a variety of genres. I’ve been parked on the couch, which means my audiobook listening has taken a big hit—but you’ll see one audiobook I just loved on this list.
As always, I compiled my roundup with major assistance from my My Reading Life book journal, so it’s easy to know what I’ve been reading lately. If you’re not currently tracking your reading, I highly recommend it, no matter what method you choose.
I hope you had a good reading month—I can’t wait to hear about your recent reads in comments!
Short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately Author: Cary Elwes
This was a blast! I'm so glad our What Should I Read Next patreon community gave me the push I needed to finally read this. As You Wish is very much a celebration of The Princess Bride, as I expected. But even more than that, it’s a celebration of the creative process, and what that process specifically looked like in the making of this one particular film. In the particular is found the universal; the universal themes that grabbed me in this story were the challenge to pull off something that many said could never be done (in this case, to adapt William Goldman’s novel to the screen), the timeless struggle of the creator to make something great, and the joy that comes with the stars exactly aligning to bring the right people to the right place at the right time to make something special. Of course now I need to watch the movie again. More info →Author: Rebecca Makkai
This 2018 release has sold 250,000 copies and counting, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2018. But I didn't prioritize this backlist book until I read and LOVED Makkai's new-for-2023 release I Have Some Questions for You, which I told our communities all about at our recent Spring Book Preview. In 1985, Yale Tishman loves his job working in the fundraising department of a Chicago art gallery. But as his career takes off, the 1980s AIDS crisis wreaks havoc on his world, devastating his chosen family. Between chapters about Yale's life, we learn his friend Fiona's story, as she travels to Paris 30 years later in search of her estranged daughter. I loved this for its piercing depiction of the gay community in 1980s Chicago, its poignant ode to found family, and the multiplicity of fine art references that had me googling up a storm. Makkai's new book is my favorite, but my reading time with this one was well-spent. More info →Author: Imani Perry
I've had this on my list all year, and now I'm wondering what I was waiting for! In her genre-bending, National Book Award-winning work, Perry crisscrosses the South exploring its heritage and probing its identity, and what both mean for the larger nation. An incomplete list of her destinations includes Annapolis, Appalachia, North Carolina, Memphis, Florida, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Birmingham, where she explores very old history and present day happenings. I thought I had a pretty good grasp of the history of my hometown Louisville, but I was glad to learn a few things in that early chapter. If you enjoyed Isabel Wilkerson's The Warmth of Other Suns or Clint Smith's How the Word Is Passed, add this to your list. More info →Author: Jennifer Close
Let me tell you right off: the title does this book no favors, but if you enjoy family dramas, flag this one for your TBR. I waited tables for a while in my twenties (and think the world might be kinder if everyone was obliged to spend six months in the service industry), yet failed to recognize that the title referenced a common restaurant chore and wasn't signaling a story about someone marrying into the Heinz family. Instead, the plot centers on a close-knit Chicago family and the Irish American bar and restaurant that's been in their family for generations. It seems every Sullivan family member is at a crisis point, and the reader witnesses them working through their life-shifting career and relationship issues against the backdrop of the bar and restaurant, and the Cubs' unexpected World Series-winning season. If you enjoyed We Are the Brennans or The Most Fun We Ever Had, give this one a close look. More info →Author: Michael Kimmelman
One big advantage to confessing your niche obsession out loud is that readers will be sure to let you know when new books are published that might pique your interest! Such is the case with this newly published work featuring 20 walking tours through NYC with architects, historians, and others, 17 of which were published in the New York Times in the pandemic's early days. I enjoyed "walking" through some neighborhoods I already had a healthy working knowledge of, like Forest Hills and Greenwich Village, and learning so much new-to-me history and current tidbits (like about construction of the supertalls). While reading I mapped a hundred locations and googled up a storm, looking for images of the buildings and neighborhoods described in the pages. My one regret is I began this days after our family's recent trip to NYC. More info →Author: Ashley Herring Blake
This sapphic small town romance was a fun holiday break read: the light tone and zippy pace made it easy to fly right through, but serious issues of insecurity, smothering family, and financial distress hover just below the surface. The story opens with a bang: an incident involving spilled coffee and a ruined ivory dress set designer Astrid Parker and carpenter Jordan Everwood up to be instant enemies. (Weirdly, this is the second book I've read this month featuring a pivotal moment in a coffee shop doorway where a spill ruins a white linen dress.) They walk away fuming at each other ... only to find out hours later that they're stuck working closely together on an HGTV reality show. While the design and renovation elements were fun, I most enjoyed the depiction of the solidly-established friend group and queer found family. This is the follow-up to Delilah Green Doesn't Care; I probably would have begun there with the series opener, but since I received book two as a gift I started there and it was fine. Heads up for open door scenes. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Will’s going the homemade route for Friday pizza night (one of our cherished family rituals I wrote about in Don’t Overthink It). I’m trying to take it easy and get over some weird respiratory thing that’s been plaguing me since before Christmas, so can you do me a favor? Will and I just have a few episodes left of Younger, so please send me your best indulgent comfort watching suggestions in comments!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Get ready for Quick Lit! Get your posts ready! In our monthly feature Quick Lit, I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately, and invite you to do the same. Since the 15th falls on a weekend, this month’s edition will take place on Monday, January 16. See you there!
What Should I Read Next turns 7!Our independent literary podcast hit a big milestone this week! We started our birthday month celebration with a special episode devoted to my favorite books of 2022, and this week we kept the party going by welcoming pals Knox McCoy and Jamie B. Golden of The Popcast to the show to talk great books, hated books, pivotal moments, podcasting loves and hates, celebrity book club shade and more. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
If you haven’t yet, now is a great time to support the show through our WSIRN patreon community. Whether you sign up simply to contribute to the tip jar or to gain access to bonus content like our special extra segment with Knox and Jamie today, we’d love to welcome you in patreon. You’ll also get access to this week’s Spring Book Preview. Sign up right here, and thank you!
My favorite finds from around the web: When the Writing Demands Talent and Discretion, Call the Ghostwriter. (New York Times gift link) Everyone is abuzz about Prince Harry’s memoir out this week. This is a great profile of the ghostwriter behind it, as well as others in the field. * This attractive countertop turntable is the answer to my bathroom counter storage woes. * Claire Keegan: ‘I think something needs to be as long as it needs to be’. (The Guardian) Fascinating interview from the author of Small Things Like These. * A not-intimidating guide to meal planning. (Vox) Great tips. * What You Don’t Know About the HarperCollins Strike. (Culture Study) “These pain points result in an absurd amount of turnover, with most employees—people who love books, who enjoy the work, and who want to stay—leaving within their first five years.” * I just renewed my Curology subscription for easy prescription retinol and other skincare. I’ve been a happy customer for years now. * Tipping Is Weird Now. (The Atlantic) Will and I were just talking about this! * We filled our freezer with fresh cranberries just so we could make these meyer lemon and fresh cranberry scones all winter. * TikTok Figured Out an Easy Way to Recommend Books. The Results Were Dubious. (Slate) “There is something thrilling about watching how a book will meet—and sometimes surpass—your expectations, even when you know what tropes it will explore. But that familiarity has its downsides.” * How to Make the Best Homemade Pizza—According to the Pros. (Real Simple.) Will got a pizza stone for Christmas so we’re ready to hear all your homemade pizza tips! * 17 Books About Cities We Read This Year. (Bloomberg) I just loaded up my TBR. * Do you need a one more chapter tshirt? This Etsy shop has so many bookish shirts I love! * 8 inspirational books to read to start the New Year right. (LuxeBook) Great to see Don’t Overthink It* here!
Good for right now: 16 books to cozy up with this winter. It’s the perfect time of year to get lost in a good book. * Revitalize your To Be Read list with this simple method. A game-changer! * 15 propulsive literary mysteries that balance plot and prose. It’s hard to beat an unputdownable mystery combined with a beautifully written literary novel. * 5 favorite recipes for soup season.* Soup is a go-to for our family on chilly, busy nights. I reference this post—and your comments—all the time.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
One of the delights of the reading life is finding an unexpected niche subgenre centered around a topic you didn’t realize you were interested in—until a great book opened your eyes. Fine arts thrillers is one such niche subgenre for me. These are exciting mysteries whose plots revolve around art and drama, sculpture and dance, poetry and theater and more. The fine arts element often deepens my appreciation of a story I love or, sometimes, redeems a story I was otherwise not terribly interested in.
A skilled novelist—one who knows about art as well as the craft of writing—can layer the intricacies of the art world upon a page-turning plot, producing a story that satisfies on multiple levels. I get to learn about museum curation, the practice schedules of classical musicians, or the skyrocketing value of modern paintings, all while getting to know characters immersed in this world and coming along for the ride as they navigate the conflicts specific to their stories.
This subgenre is on my mind again since a fine arts thriller is this month’s selection in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Brendan Slocumb will join us to discuss The Violin Conspiracy on January 24. We’d love to see you there!
8 fine arts thrillers you won’t want to put downSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: B. A. Shapiro
What would you do if one of the stolen paintings from the infamous 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist was dangled in front of you? Claire reproduces famous works of art but she still longs to paint her own work. When a gallery owner asks her to forge one of the Degas masterpieces stolen from the Gardner in exchange for a show at his gallery, she agrees, only to get embroiled in a mystery spanning centuries when the real stolen Degas painting is delivered to her studio—and she suspects it might be a forgery too. She’ll have to outwit collectors and art thieves alike as she races to discover the truth. More info →Author: M.L. Rio
This campus mystery, set in the world of the theater and swimming in Shakespeare, begins at the end: Oliver Marks has just been released from jail after serving a ten year sentence, and he's finally ready to tell the truth. But the truth about what? We slowly learn that ten years ago, Oliver was part of a close-knit group of Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, where the offstage rivalries and romances hold just as much drama as their performances. Their final year—the one that lands Oliver in prison—reads more like one of Shakespeare's tragedies. This page-turning suspense novel is packed with Shakespeare references, and perfect for fans of Donna Tartt. More info →Author: Daniel Silva
In Daniel Silva’s most recent Gabriel Allon spy novel, all's fair in love and forgery: the retired Israeli intelligence officer emerges from a blissful retirement to investigate the suspicious sale of a newly discovered and extraordinarily valuable painting by an Old Master—or so it seems. Allon soon finds himself in the midst of a deadly game of cat and mouse, as he races to prove the existence of a Ponzi scheme in which forged art is the ultimate collateral. The art crime setting made for an enjoyable read. This is book 22 in the series but it stands on its own just fine. More info →Author: Brendan Slocumb
This fine arts thriller begins with a bang: Ray McMillian may be the most talented young musician in the world. Two weeks before the most important competition of his life, he opens his violin case after getting off a flight and discovers his $10 million dollar Stradivarius is gone—replaced by a white Chuck Taylor and a ransom note. I was hooked! Slocumb then takes us back in time to show us how Ray, a young Black man from North Carolina who doesn't have the family wealth or privilege so many of his classical music peers do, fell in love with both music and his great-great grandfather's fiddle, and came to devote his life to winning the Tschaikovsky Competition—and how he came to own a $10 million Strad! We also experience many painful and heart-pounding instances of the racism Ray experiences as a Black man moving through a space that's predominantly white—and how his Blackness is used against him by those who wish to claim his violin as their own. I loved this, and JD Jackson's narration was the icing on the cake. Don’t miss my conversation with the author in WSIRN Episode 351! (This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club January 2023 selection.) More info →Author: Grace D. Li
Five Chinese American college students become justice-driven international art thieves in this Ocean’s Eleven-ish heist novel. When he’s made an offer he can't refuse, MIT student Will Chen recruits four brilliant accomplices—all with looming midterms—to fulfill an audacious goal: to break into art museums in five countries, in order to steal back artifacts that were once wrongfully stolen from China. If they succeed, they’ll receive a life-changing $50 million payout. The heist storyline pops and fizzes, but Li crams in plenty of substance alongside her flashy plot: an exploration of identity and belonging, crushing familial expectations, desires, love, and calling, plus meaningful LGBTQ representation and the seamless integration of pandemic realities. Word to the wise: This reads more Hollywood than real life but you’ll enjoy the ride. (This is a 2022 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick.) More info →Author: Maggie O'Farrell
For her latest historical novel, Maggie O’Farrell drew inspiration from Robert Browning’s poem My Last Duchess, widely believed to have been inspired by Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara. In 1560, a fifteen-year-old girl left Florence to marry Alfonso, becoming Duchess Lucretia di Cosimo de’ Medici d’Este. Less than a year later she’d be dead; the rumor is she was murdered by her husband. This tragic story inspired this puzzle of a novel. Early in the story, as Lucretia sits to have her portrait painted, it’s clear she’s in trouble. She’s unable to give her husband an heir, for reasons that aren't her fault—but that doesn't mean the violent Alfonso won't take his anger out on her. She doesn't know what her husband is capable of, those close to the Duchess tell her, and urge her to develop an escape plan. O’Farrell paints gorgeous scenes in this taut and brilliantly written portrait of what unfolds inside a fraught marriage. More info →Author: Karen Robards
Pablo Picasso made a powerful statement against war with his masterpiece Guernica, painted after the Basque town was aerial bombed during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. The painting serves as inspiration for this historical novel. American Griff first rescues Sibi from the wreckage and then saves her life once more when he advises her not to tell anyone she saw swastikas on the planes. Germany denies any involvement and the Nazis won’t have any qualms in silencing her and her sisters. Sibi goes on to join the resistance as WWII gets underway, doing what she must to protect her family as the enemy closes in. More info →Author: Peter May
In this gritty thriller, the connection between two murders more than 70 years apart lies in da Vinci's Mona Lisa. When Enzo Macleod investigates the death of a man buried beneath a fallen tree, the case quickly becomes mired in the past, drawing him back to Occupied France. Georgette was tasked to safeguard the Mona Lisa from the Nazis after France falls, and she's pursued by those who want to steal it for Hitler and Göring. But does she have the real painting or a forgery ordered by the Louvre? Macleod will need to discover the answer in order to solve the case. This is the seventh book in The Enzo Files series but it stands just fine on its own. More info → What fine arts thrillers do you recommend? Tell us all about them in the comments section!
P.S. 20 unputdownable mysteries and thrillers to keep you glued to the page, 12 bookish mysteries about bibliophiles and bookstores, and 16 page-turning mysteries that aren’t too dark and gloomy.
The post 8 fine arts thrillers you won’t want to put down appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re celebrating seven years of matching books and readers, and my good friends Knox McCoy and Jamie B. Golden from The Popcast are here to join the party!
Since I launched What Should I Read Next back in 2016, I’ve connected with readers from all walks of life, and I’ve enjoyed every single conversation along the way. Today I’m taking a look back at where we began with Knox and Jamie, who were instrumental in helping me launch WSIRN. I’m excited to welcome them both to the show today as talk about where we started, where we are now, and of course, the books we’ve loved (and hated) along the way.
Let us know in the comments if you’re a WSIRN completist, or whether you’re still listening to our backlist catalog. We’d love it if you’d tell us about an episode you especially enjoyed!
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:11] Hey, readers, I'm Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What Should I Read Next?
[00:00:29] Whether you've tuned in for the past seven years or this is your very first episode, I'm so glad you're here. If you'd like to help us celebrate our birthday, one of the best ways to do that is to support our podcast. Check out our What Should I Read Next? merch like our comfortable and conversational t shirts or join us in our Patreon community. The financial support we receive from our Patreon members makes it possible for us to keep creating our show each week. And as a way to say thank you, we share bonus conversations from the cutting room floor, live events, and even more book recommendations from me and members of our What Should I Read Next? team. Learn more at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. Another simple way to support us is to share our show with a friend. Tag your favorite reader in a recent post over on our Instagram account. We are @whatshouldireadnext or share a link from your favorite podcast app. We love welcoming new listeners into our bookish community.
Anne Bogel [00:01:17] Readers, this episode marks seven years of helping book lovers discover their next read. Since I started, What Should I Read Next? back in 2016, I've talked with so many readers on the show. You've heard about 400 voices in this space over all those years. Sometimes those voices belong to names you know and recognize. Sometimes they belong to readers like you. I've enjoyed every single conversation along the way, and today we want to celebrate the very beginning of the show. To do that, I've invited back two readers who were instrumental in getting us off the ground. You may know Jamie Golden and Knox McCoy as the voices behind The Popcast, a weekly podcast devoted to educating you on things that entertain but do not matter. Knox and Jamie were instrumental in helping me launch What Should I Read Next? Knox produced the first 11 episodes of the show, and Jamie was our very first guest on January 12th, 2016. I'm so excited to welcome them both to the show today as we look back at our origins. Share stories you've never heard before and of course, talk all things books and reading. Let's get to it.
Anne Bogel [00:02:19] Knox and Jamie, welcome back to the show.
Jamie Golden [00:02:21] Happy seventh anniversary of the show. What a delight.
Knox McCoy [00:02:24] Congratulations.
Jamie Golden [00:02:26] I know what a big deal. That is a huge deal. The fact that well, for me, it is a huge deal to commit to something for seven years. That's chaotic. I love.
Anne Bogel [00:02:33] It. Well, I mean, look who's talking. The key is you don't know. It's going to be seven years. I'm not sure what I would have thought if you told me back in 2016. In 2022 future Anne is going to be talking with Knox and Jamie about your seventh anniversary. But you all have been at this even longer than we have. How many years has The Popcast been running now?
Jamie Golden [00:02:51] It's nine years.
Knox McCoy [00:02:52] And recently, an extended family member was trying their best was trying their darndest because most time, I just get the, 'are you still doing that blog?' And I'm like, 'sure, I guess I am'. But they were trying they were trying to make a connection and they said, Did you study podcasting in college? And I was like. It just. What? It wasn't a thing. No, I did not.
Jamie Golden [00:03:11] You mean, you mean at YouTube University? Yeah. My brother once said, 'you know what? I'm going to check out your your podcast. I'm going to watch it. What what channel is it on?' I was like, 'Well, no one's trying to support me.
Knox McCoy [00:03:21] Keith was ahead of the game, actually. He was like, There's going to be a big deal in 2022. So, I'm gonna get on that.
Anne Bogel [00:03:25] I'm pretty sure our family members still have no idea how we buy our groceries or pay our mortgage.
Knox McCoy [00:03:30] Same. Yeah, exactly the same.
Anne Bogel [00:03:31] But I think at this point they trust it's probably going to be okay. They just don't understand how.
Knox McCoy [00:03:35] I have alluded to it's money laundering and they seem comfortable enough with that. So we're just gonna let it run.
Jamie Golden [00:03:39] They've watched Ozark, so they're like, that seems right.
Knox McCoy [00:03:42] Like there's no cartels. But, you know, everybody's getting paid what they need to get paid, so don't worry about it.
Anne Bogel [00:03:46] We're so glad you all are here today. We thought you would be the perfect guest for this episode, because not only do you understand what it's like to put in nearly a decade's worth of work in podcasting. Later, we got to talk about what you all are planning for ten, because that sounds big. But both your histories are baked into our origin story here, and it took me a long time to realize that that Knox and Jamie of The Popcast, like you all do your thing together, but in your own ways, you are huge for our show. So thanks so much for coming on and celebrating.
Jamie Golden [00:04:12] You're welcome.
Knox McCoy [00:04:13] You're you're welcome from being the bedrock of your show. Thank you for acknowledging.
Anne Bogel [00:04:19] The cornerstone here live and in person. So I know that Jamie has recently done a big Internet deep dive to assess the question I'm about to ask. But did we already know each other before we met in person at Killer Tribes in 2012? Also, can we take a moment to say this blog conference like I can't believe all the people and projects and connections that came out of that, like little Nashville one day gathering that happened ten years ago.
Knox McCoy [00:04:43] Yeah. Shout out to Brian Lane who put that together. Like, honestly, all of my major Internet relationships, it went to the next level with that conference.
Anne Bogel [00:04:51] And I would have told you I planned ahead and like needed to be there. But when I was deep diving my email to find out what might have happened back then, apparently I bought a ticket the night before at 10 p.m.
Jamie Golden [00:05:01] Wow.
Anne Bogel [00:05:02] I don't remember that at all, but I'm so glad it was a near miss for me. But I'm so glad I was there.
Knox McCoy [00:05:06] Yeah, see, I didn't know you and I didn't know Jamie, but I was aware of both of you. So that was first time meeting both of you. And I knew enough about each of you that I was like, These are people doing things like, I want to make a connection and like, I like the things that they are doing. But yeah, prior to that there had been no like human connection.
Jamie Golden [00:05:24] And I do just want to correct that. I had been a guest host on Knox's blog before.
Knox McCoy [00:05:28] But we hadn't met like in person, right? And we still didn't meet even after we started doing the show for like two and a half years, like in actual person.
Jamie Golden [00:05:35] That's right. We just started a business and then we're like, We don't need to see each other. Why would we need to see each other.
Knox McCoy [00:05:39] Formality.
Jamie Golden [00:05:39] But like for me, I went back digitally and looked and Anne followed me on Twitter in December of 2011 and I was like, Oh my God, because I found your blog because I Jane Austen is my favorite author. She's my security question to many sites and I loved her. And so to find modern Mrs. Darcy, I was like, What is this madness? And I loved it. And you lived in the place where they do a Jane Austen festival. And I just I got very attached to you very quickly. And so then when I got to meet you, it was like I was like, meaningful celebrity in my own brain. It was very fun. I loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:06:14] But this was still back in the day where when you told somebody you were going to a conference to meet people you knew on Twitter, they were concerned for your personal safety. That's right. They thought you were going to go get murdered.
Jamie Golden [00:06:22] Yes. No, 100%. Erin came to that conference. It was our first employee that we had at our company. And I did a ticket giveaway on my blog. And she I made it. So she won because I wanted her to come. So my apologies to all the people that I did not choose because I chose her. And so she ends up co-writing a screenplay with Knox, and she and I launch a podcast for nine episodes and then it fails. And then that leads to me being with Knox on The Popcast.
Jamie Golden [00:06:51] Yeah, that and that's the conference where I met a handful gentlemen, and they were like, Let's go eat dinner at a mexican restaurant and let's decide to get into podcasts and remember being like, Oh, podcasts, no, thank you. I'll go for like the cheese dip, but I'm not going to do a podcast that sounds so stupid. And then here we are, so interesting.
Anne Bogel [00:07:10] Here we are all these years later, and I love how our podcasts have stayed entwined through the years. Does that sound healthy? I definitely mean a healthy, ongoing collaborative relationship.
Jamie Golden [00:07:21] Well, I was going to say we stole an idea from you, but your whole, you know, the whole concept of your show, What Should I Read Next? We did What Should I Watch Next? Our Episode 395. And it was honor of your 10th annual Reader's Guide because your readers, your summer reading guide is iconic on the Internet, and so it was fine to be able to. We actually used you and your own shows that you liked and didn't like. We've had a couple of those episodes, so we really enjoyed stealing from you, So thank you.
Knox McCoy [00:07:47] Yeah. You know, I think you really inspired obviously, like the the heart of the show has always been very curational and not just the show like what you do. And I think that seems so obvious now, like on podcasts to help recommending and curate content, but it wasn't that obvious back then. So I think that's always been like a foundational point of what we're trying to do is cut through the noise of Peacock and Paramount and Amazon and Netflix and be like, actually just watch these shows. These are the good ones.
Anne Bogel [00:08:12] Mm hmm. I remember when you all ran that What Should I Watch Next? episode. Jamie, I think I got a message from you that said, Hey, this is a heads up, not a permission. We're totally doing it. This is happening. I just want you to know, I think you asked me a question, but I don't remember what it was. I was charmed and delighted and could not wait to listen.
Jamie Golden [00:08:29] Yes, because we asked you about shows that you liked and a show that you didn't like. And we did that with our listeners as well so that we could help curate based on that. What should you watch next rather than what you should read next?
Anne Bogel [00:08:39] Which is absolutely singing my song because I read a lot more than I watch stuff. So I'm like Knox and Jamie, by all means, like, give me the special treatment and tell me personalized watching recommendations. That's what I need. I got the books covered, but I want the watch recommendations. All right. I love how we can divide and conquer our media usage here on the internet like listen to The Popcast, listen to us. We got you in all ways.
[00:09:01] I want to take a minute to look back at our origin stories because it's been so long. Now. Will was pointing out to me and he's our executive producer here, that my recollections are a little fuzzy on what actually may have happened. I'm really wondering if I have like rose colored glasses, this whole situation. But Knox, let's start with you, since you produced the first 11 episodes. So my recollection of how that went is I knew you we'd met and I found out from somebody in my podcast, Vox or Mastermind Group, before I even started it, that you had helped at least one other person get a show off the ground by doing things like the audio and helping with scripting. And just really I felt like she described you as a security blanket, I mean, a producer, but also a security blanket. Who'll make it happen. But also tell you if your idea is stupid, you can just save a ton of time. My recollection is we got on the phone and I said, okay, this is how the show is going to work. It will absolutely be 20 minutes every episode, maybe just 18. This is the concept. This is the conversation. What do you think? So I remember you saying, this is a great concept. This is amazing. This will make a fabulous podcast. But I want to know, what do you remember about that conversation? And if I totally deluded myself all these years.
Jamie Golden [00:10:12] You were very verbally abusive initially. And no, I'm kidding you. Actually, this is a pretty dead on. Like you don't have rose colored glasses. This is almost word for word. Prior to starting with you, I had, Ashley and I just bought a house. And when we bought the house, I made sure we closed. And then I resigned my job as a Christian screenwriter because of creative differences. So I was like, I have to be producing. I do copywriting. So that's taking on all these other jobs and had a handful podcast I was helping produce. You had reached out and you kind of gave me the idea that you had. I was like, This is genius, brilliant. Let me know how I can support. The funny thing is, I think especially in podcasting, so many ideas and formats, they have to evolve, you know, because you get the first draft, you know, and it's fine, but it needs a lot of tweaks. I don't other than the time, you know, it being a little bit longer. Episode episodically, your concept was pretty good to go from the beginning, and I don't know that it's evolved that much. So it felt like a thing where I can just kind of help do some things, but I'm not really needed here. So even in the early days, your approach of like reaching out and talking to a lot of different people, not just like, Hey, I'm white lady, I got a book, let's talk about it. And I'll just talk about my book. I always thought that was really creative and smart and I thought that's a kind of separated you. But yeah, I think it was. It's pretty much as you remember it.
Anne Bogel [00:11:32] Oh, I really appreciate that. Thank you for playing into my ploy to encourage you to say nice things about the show, But I'm so grateful for you not only helping us get off the ground, but you also gave us our iconic What Should I Read Next phrase like, I don't know if you even remember this, but you were like, okay, scripting this first episode, we got to close it out. What if every week we shared a different, like warm and fuzzy, bookish quote to end the show? So I sent you the line from Rainer Maria Rilke. That goes, are how good it is to be among people who are reading. And you said, Awesome. We'll close with that in the next week. I sent you a list and you were like, I don't know, I like that first quote. I think you might want to stick with that. And we've closed every single episode with that ever since. I mean, it goes on book darts and tote bags and like all our bookmarks and merch and all the things, it's who we are.
Jamie Golden [00:12:16] Well, again, it was a suggestion. You actually made the good thing. And it was even a surprise for me because when when I read, I was like, that sound, I don't know that person is, but that sounds cool. And then you said the name. I was like, I thought it was Rainer Maria Rilke, So this is great. I'm learning things and she's solving problems. So this is just a wonderful situation. You know, I remember early on, I think a lot of your early guests didn't understand how audio worked. You guys had do a lot of coaching. I think we had to do a lot of coaching of like, no, you can't just like carry around a laptop in a Walmart in recording episode. Like, yeah, definitely sit down. You have to have headphones and stuff like that. But I do remember I think Jamie was booked early on and, you know, obviously she and I had been doing The Popcast together for a few years and I remember who I don't I don't know who was pegged for the first episode, but I remember listening to it and just being like, it's not really, it's really very sizzling, you know, it's not really like, like not that like electric sizzle, like jumping off the jumping out of AirPods. Sounds like what if we.
Anne Bogel [00:13:18] What Air Pods? It's 2015.
Knox McCoy [00:13:19] Oh yeah. The wired, the wired headphones. And I was like, What if we use Jamie? And I think I think you said Jamie specifically said, I don't want to be first. And I was like...
Jamie Golden [00:13:29] I did.
Jamie Golden [00:13:29] ...did Jamie sign a contract? And you said she did not. And I was like, Well, Jamie doesn't get to make that call then, so Jamie's going to go first year, unfortunately.
Jamie Golden [00:13:35] I know. And I because I and the reason I didn't want to go first was not for any other reason than a marketing reason, because I was like, I knew from our own experience that no one listens to that first episode. Like, no, unless you're serial and you're setting a, you know, a Best Buy phone booth moment, no one's going to listen to the first episode. So I was like, Nobody's going to listen to me, and it's gonna be so boring, and then everyone's gonna skip ahead. And so I was like, make me number three, and then you came back and you're like, Hey, you're number one. It's just what it is like. And I and I have trusted Knox with production, obviously for almost a decade. And so I knew he had made the right decision for you. And, and and it was an honor. It was an honor to be it. And I looked back. It was 24 minutes we talked. Can you believe I talked to a person for 24 minutes?
Anne Bogel [00:14:18] That's 6 minutes longer than I remembered.
Knox McCoy [00:14:20] That's incredible.
Anne Bogel [00:14:21] Yeah. Although maybe a third as long as you would have expected that conversation to run.
Jamie Golden [00:14:25] It's impressive. It's impressive. But Jamie. Jamie is always a great guest. And especially with books, I feel like to show the versatility of what the show can be. To have a really fun guest. Not that the other early ones weren't fun, but they weren't. And Jamie is fun. So I just thought, you know, she would do a great job. You obviously did a great job interviewing her, so I was off and running from there.
Anne Bogel [00:14:45] Jamie Did we talk about the show before I invited you to come on?
Jamie Golden [00:14:48] You had emailed me in December and just said, Hey, I'm starting a podcast, and I just replied in all caps. It's about time. If I had known Lizzo, it would have been, It's about damn time, you know, and I would have done the dance. But that's exactly right. Like you had set the format and that it was such a good format and and it has stayed true to who you are in over seven years. And it's a format that works so well when other people are trying to replicate it, they just can't because it really is so perfect to you and to the way that you invite guests to kind of share and have a space to talk about. I think everybody's looking for a space to talk about it, but they have and you incorporate it into the thing. And I love that for that. I remember that being so fine because at the time I, I hated Go Set a Watchman so much.
Jamie Golden [00:15:33] And I wanted to hate on Ready Player One so it was perfect. But, you know, I think because I, I was there for maybe like a month, month and a half ish. And I remember Jamie, they were really trying to, like, accelerate the monetization of what we were doing. But also I was like, I'm not needed here, you know, because I think my gift as a producer and editor is content editing. And I remember listening to like the first ten or 11 and just like I'm just cutting like ums and stuff. She doesn't need it. Someone else can do this. She's fine. If I leave, it's not going to collapse. It's actually going to get better. So I'm more than happy to be able to walk away from this.
Anne Bogel [00:16:08] Okay. So, Jamie, in 2015, you hated Go Set a Watchman, which had just come out like four or five months before. That was a book of the moment, for sure.
Jamie Golden [00:16:17] It was. It was. And, you know, obviously, I'm a resident of Alabama. Harper Lee is an iconic we have very few iconic Alabamians. And so I love her desperately. But that and it's true today. I do not like books that are money grabs and that was a money grab book. And I stand by that when you see people on the Internet who get book deals and you're like, Oh, that's that's interesting. I've never read a caption from you that made that makes sense. So that's amazing that you got a book deal, huh? That's that's weird. I to this day, do not like money grab books unless listen. And I want people to have a be a beach house like girl, wash your bed. Get yourself a beach house. But for me, it can be very frustrating. And that book to me was a publisher wanting to do a money grab off a woman who was dying. So I. And it was not good. I'll stand by that. It was not good.
Anne Bogel [00:17:06] It was phenomenally effective. If those are your goals, but well, I'm glad that you could have the cathartic experience of, like, bashing it on what Should I Read Next?
Jamie Golden [00:17:14] Yes thank you. Thank you.
Anne Bogel [00:17:15] The books you loved, you loved Persuasion. You're already on the record, jane Austen Fan for Life. Me Before You and 11/22/63. Did those books still represent your reading life?
Jamie Golden [00:17:26] 100%. I love a solid romance that's well done and well executed. I love a book in a weird setting. 11/22/63 that has. I love a book with tension and page turner elements that really the plot is moving you fast. And I love a classic. I do. I really do love a classic. And so those books are true to who I am today as much as they were seven years ago.
Anne Bogel [00:17:51] Knox, since you were behind the scenes for the first 11, of course, we had to bring you back about a year later. So you were first on What Should I Read Next in episode 71 called and I think this is a quote out of your mouth, A Super Elegant Apocalypse. It aired in 2017, and you love Station Eleven, Before The Fall, and a Secret History. And we know you hated, really hated Ready Player One and needed to talk about that with your big feelings. So I want to know, do those books still represent who you are as a reader?
Jamie Golden [00:18:17] Yeah, you know, I think so. I think even I guess earlier this year, Sea of Tranquility was a green light of mine, Emily St. John Mandel. And I just. I don't always love time jumps our time, multiple timelines. It's one of those things where you either do a terrible, you do it great. And I think she does it great. So I really like that aspect. And man, you put somebody on a boat or a plane and put them over water. I'm in. I'm all in. Gretta, I'm forgetting the name of the another book, some the great, The Unsinkable Gretta James I think.
Anne Bogel [00:18:48] Oh yeah, the Jennifer E. Smith one, her first adult.
Jamie Golden [00:18:51] I love that. I love anything like that. So Before The Fall, you know, it's not as bubbly as Gretta James, but...
Anne Bogel [00:18:57] Oh no, not quite.
Jamie Golden [00:18:59] Anything like that. Like, it reminds me of The Anomaly which I also read this year, And really, really liked. Or stuff set in high school or college with students. Although I did read If We Were Villains, I think I didn't. I didn't enjoy that as much. But yeah, I think for the most part that represents.
Anne Bogel [00:19:13] Well there was no water.
Jamie Golden [00:19:14] There wasn't water, there was some intrigue. But yeah...
Anne Bogel [00:19:16] I mean, it was set in Chicago right by Lake Michigan. So that was a real missed opportunity. Like to really, like, perfect it for you.
Jamie Golden [00:19:22] I agree. I agree.
Anne Bogel [00:19:23] If you had to choose books today - three loves, one hate. Sometimes we don't use the word hate. We just talk about a book that doesn't work for you. But Knox I mean, I want to hear about a book that you hate today. What would you choose?
Jamie Golden [00:19:37] I'm worried because I feel like this is kind of a beloved book. And I did. I read, I read it and even like halfway through I was like, I'm loving this. I'm freaking love this book. And then I got to the end and I decided I hated it, actually. And it is. We Were Liars. I hate this book.
Anne Bogel [00:19:51] I've never read that book.
Jamie Golden [00:19:53] Okay? It's like people have strong opinions on it. But if you are someone who is oblivious to the subtext of a story and there's a plot twists happening that you can tell, it's happening at page ten that gets paid off in a very underwhelming way. That's the book for you. We Were Liars, so I just didn't enjoy it. I didn't enjoy it at all. And I'm not someone who's like, Oh, I can tell what's going to happen. I never understand what's happening. I'm always like, Oh my gosh, plot twist. I didn't see that coming. But when I can see it coming from page ten on, I think you failed as a writer.
Anne Bogel [00:20:25] That's so me. Like, I'm not often, like, trying to look for the twist. Yes, I just want to enjoy the story. But you can't help thinking about a little is your reading. I'm not good at that. And if I can guess that, it's not a good thing.
Jamie Golden [00:20:36] That's right.
Anne Bogel [00:20:38] Knox What about the books you love?
Jamie Golden [00:20:40] The books I love, I'm going to go just from this year, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow. It's not just like one of your books is one of my favorite of all time. Just the different the creativity in that book of the sort between two people and not turning it into a romantic story, but also using all the different storytelling methods to convey the relationship so good. We Are The Life by Matthew Quick and Now's Not The Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson. I love all of these books so much.
Anne Bogel [00:21:05] Recent Greenlights on The Popcast.
Jamie Golden [00:21:06] Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
Anne Bogel [00:21:07] Jamie, what about you? So you came back in 2018 for episode 114, Missed Bookstore Connections, which is a direct Tom Hanks reference that's so perfectly appropriate for you. Readers you just have to go listen. So you have gone to update your books a little more recently, But I mean, today, three books you love, one book you don't.
Jamie Golden [00:21:25] Well, and they still fall in that same category of what I loved in that episode one, which is I love Lessons In chemistry, mine are to this year as well. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, I mean the dog. I can't, I just can't. And the fact that it's been adapted and is going to star one of my favorite Brie Larson, one of my favorite actresses. I'm so excited. And then River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Gibbon. Just the tenseness, the like. You don't know what's going to happen, but I love it when you're telling a bigger story separate from just the mystery or the thriller element of it. So I loved that book. And then I love a I am a nonfiction documentary. Just I just ride hard for this. And so any book that is going to tell me a story that I maybe haven't fully understood. And so this year and it was a beloved book by many is South to America by Imani Perry.
Jamie Golden [00:22:17] That's a good one.
Jamie Golden [00:22:18] Like I loved, yeah so much. And then the book I hated and I mean it I mean it and I to every person that gave it five stars on Goodreads. I need you to come and meet me for a cappuccino and we can talk about what you saw that I did not see because it got 4.3 stars, over 100,000 ratings. And that is the Handmaiden by Frida McFadden. Frida, this book is so one node, every character is node. Oh, she's fat. And that's it. That's what that's what I know about the mother. Okay, great. And the dad is. Where's the trenchcoat? God, what an awful book. I was so mad. And then I was mad at myself because I needed to finish it because I was like, Well, I do need to know what happens. Does she get stuck in that room? What happens? I don't know. Does she make out with the gardener? I don't know. And it was horrible. It was a horrible book.
Jamie Golden [00:23:08] Did she make out with the gardener? Not a spoiler?
Jamie Golden [00:23:10] No, no.
Jamie Golden [00:23:11] She didn't make out with gardener? Ridiculous. Jamie, have you ever made out with a gardener?
Jamie Golden [00:23:16] Oh, 100%. You know what I am for gardeners. There's just something about...
Jamie Golden [00:23:23] Revise. Revise. Have you met a gardener you haven't made out with?
Jamie Golden [00:23:24] Oh, yeah. My current gardener. Although I'm going to be honest with you. When I told him I was an Alabama fan, he seemed to like it. I think. I think I could do it if I needed to.
Jamie Golden [00:23:32] Keep us posted.
Anne Bogel [00:23:33] Now, is that the classic I'm wanting in my reading life, or is that the romance Jamie? Which genre you seem to slot into? Is this is this a tale for all time, or is this like devour it in an afternoon and then forget about it.
Jamie Golden [00:23:45] This is a thriller. This is a mystery thriller. This is an open door romance.
Jamie Golden [00:23:47] That's right. And I was gonna say, I heard this is an open door book. That's what I heard.
Jamie Golden [00:23:50] 100%. Oh, my gosh. So many open doors things.
Knox McCoy [00:23:54] The genre on Amazon. If you're looking for starts with an 'E', that's all I'll say.
Jamie Golden [00:23:57] Tessa Dare's gonna write this book. That's how. Courtney Milan is going to write this book. That's how great it's going to be.
Anne Bogel [00:24:02] I look forward to featuring this on a future episode of What Should I Read Next? So you know what we do around here? We ask readers three books they love and one book they don't. So it's our birthday. Because it's our birthday. I want to keep with our format. And here are three things you love and one thing you don't about podcasting.
Jamie Golden [00:24:19] I would say, first, I love the lack of institutional control, yet, you know, it's still kind of the old the Wild West a little bit. There's no one who's like, You have to do it like this. It has to sound like this. NPR had NPR voice for a little bit, but I feel like we like we've never abided by that and we're okay. I'm so I like the freedom that that entails. I also like the creative opportunity. It can be as creative as you want it to be. And I love that aspect. I think even like this year we were able to do a behind the scenes of a live show tour episode that was so creatively fulfilling for me, but just being able to be like, Hey, I have an idea. I want to use audio. I want to kind of like tell a story around it, Can we do that? And everyone be like, Yeah, not only can we do that, we'll help support this, but that was great. And even like, you know, we did a episode about Hallmark movies and the ability to write fake scripts and do like a voice talent performing the fake scripts use them in the episode. It's a testament to how creative our staff is, but just I love the that the form of podcasting is so fluid and flexible that we could do that in our listeners. Like that was fun. Like not be like, I can't believe you didn't take a commercial break here or do something weird. And then the last one, I would probably say this tends to get a bad rap because I feel like people only say the word parasocial in a negative way, but I think I do actually like that because it's a way to find connection with people without like messaging them. Be like, Hey, do you want to be friends? You know, they can just listen to you and be like, We kind of have the same sensibility and in a healthy way. I really actually enjoy the parasocial aspect of it.
Anne Bogel [00:25:53] Yeah, I'm just nodding along to all of those and I want everyone to know how good those two episodes you call that were the one about the Hallmark movies and the one about like the documentary style one about your live shows. I think I listen to that twice as a podcaster is so impressive and so well done.
Jamie Golden [00:26:09] It was so great. Just the staff gave us so much good audio to use. And again, just to how talented that our staff is to be able to make that compelling content so shouts to them.
Anne Bogel [00:26:18] Although one of the upshots of that episode is now I think about you all. It really weird times like when my daughter got to fly in her subway sandwich.
Jamie Golden [00:26:25] Oh man, that's not good. Did you make a rap song about it as well?
Anne Bogel [00:26:28] I didn't, but I did think about Evan and his ladybug act. Where was it? Was it Outback?
Jamie Golden [00:26:33] Outback Steakhouse?
Jamie Golden [00:26:34] Yeah. Where? When you travel across the globe, you found that Outback. It was actually excellent. Don't hate on Outback.
Anne Bogel [00:26:42] Jamie, what about you? What do you love about podcasting?
Jamie Golden [00:26:45] Well, you know, I was a podcast listener first before I was a podcaster. And so I love that you can literally find any niche topic anywhere on the globe. Something funny, like I love Maintenance Faze, something to inform. I love Fat Mascara about beauty and skincare, and then, of course, to inspire our friend Emily Freeman, who makes The Next Right Thing. These are shows that are so well done that, again, come from like not stem from an independent place where people just were like, hey, I have this slight expertise in this area. Let me talk about this thing. And then those two rise to the top. I love that. I also love like Knox about with the Parasocial. I love that you get to find a group of folks who enjoy the same freakin weird stuff you enjoy. Like dude, are they obsessed with are Tom and Zendaya engaged? Yes. Let's talk about it. Do they like your obsession with Chris Pine and how unhealthy it is? Yes, I love that. Do they love What We Do In The Shadows, even though Knox doesn't love it as much as I love it? Yes, I can find my people who love that. And so I love that. I love the kindred spirit component of it. And then I really love the quick take chaos of it all. Now, do you end up in a lot of beef with celebrities sometimes? Yes. But I really enjoy that it's genuinely a fun way to make a living. It's genuinely fun and it's hard work and we work hard. But like our staff is a delight. We have a good time and it's one of our core values as a company is to like, genuinely have a good time. And we do. And I love that part of it. So.
Anne Bogel [00:28:14] I resonate with all that so much except for the maybe getting in kerfuffles with celebrities. That hasn't really happened in our particular line of podcasting, but maybe one day you never know.
Jamie Golden [00:28:26] You know, I'm not producing for you anymore, but can I give you a note? Maybe like in 2023. Think about, like, start some feuds with some with some, like high profile authors, you know, just like, put it out there and be like, get some coverage.
Anne Bogel [00:28:35] Just a Twitter war for the like, all press is good press.
Jamie Golden [00:28:38] Yeah. Just be like Stephen King sucks, you know? And maybe he should come on my show and talk about it. You know? Interesting.
Jamie Golden [00:28:45] You can be like Colleen Hoover sells too many books. Why are you all reading Colleen Hoover? What's going on?
Jamie Golden [00:28:48] Is she making too many books to sell a lot of? That's a good question that we should talk about. Yeah.
Jamie Golden [00:28:54] Yeah going to the mattresses Anne.
Jamie Golden [00:28:55] You can take either of those Anne. Free charge.
Anne Bogel [00:28:57] All right. Well, stay tuned in 2023. We'll see how that unfolds. But for my loves, yes, I get to talk about books for my job in endlessly new like always fresh conversations. We're always talking about books and reading, and it's always something different. And I love that. And I could just stop there. But also I don't have to stop there. I am fascinated by what people do and the choices they make, like in any aspect of their life. And I feel like I didn't realize this at first. I thought this was like a healthy intellectual curiosity. But another way to perhaps look at that is I just love to snoop in other people's business, in this case, their book business. And because of my job, people actually come to me and ask me to do that. They say, Anne here is all my dirty laundry and also some of the stuff that I would like feel really good about. And I proud of him. I successes and wins. But also sometimes they're like, Oh my gosh, this is a mess. What does it look like to you? Help me sort it out. I love playing book therapist like I want to be Lucy Van Pelt in the booth with the sign over my head all day long. And then what both of you all said not to sound totally cheesy, but I do really love the intimacy and connection of the medium. And sometimes this comes up in really funny ways, like when I'll get a text or DM from a reader who's listening to What Should I Read Next? And they'll ping me. And it is clear that they feel like we are in the middle of a conversation because they've had my voice in their ears and we're just we're talking, we're talking about something that matters. And like so on Media Ray I get this comment about something that I maybe said a year and a half ago. If they're going through a back list, which I love, never stop listeners listen on the back list, but I love how that's really a testament to how people feel like they know you, they feel like they're in conversation with you and like I'm recording at home. I was gonna say in my slippers, I'm wearing sneakers today, so high fives to me, seven years professional now, but often I'm podcasting at home in my slippers. People are listening while they walk or drive or wash their makeup off at the end of the night. And even though we're alone in our houses doing our thing, we still feel so connected. And I love how that's possible with podcasting.
Jamie Golden [00:30:59] Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Jamie Golden [00:31:01] I love that you can be a podcaster and listen to podcasts without wearing pants. It is magical. Like right now. Who knows if Anne pants on? I don't know. I can't see. And I like that. I like a no pants job. What a gift.
Anne Bogel [00:31:14] It is a gift.
Anne Bogel [00:31:17] Okay. I'm about to ask you something you hate about podcasting. And I got to confess, I could come up with a longer list than I thought I could.
Jamie Golden [00:31:26] Uh oh. Uh oh. Someone has feeling. Love this. Let's go.
Anne Bogel [00:31:29] All right, Knox, what do you think?
Jamie Golden [00:31:30] When I saw this, I had two initial things. Number one, the discovery of them. I feel like the discovery is so limited right now. It's really just word of mouth. There's not a good apparatus. It's like, if you like this, you should probably like this. And I think related to that, the coverage of podcasts, it feels so limited. For something that has been pretty established and I think most the coverage seems to be pretty focused on celebrity shows or like lofty ideas, important ideas, you know, And I think those are good. But there's also a whole genre and the whole like subsection of podcasts that are doing interesting and creative work. And I think even, you know, there's I'm thinking the first person who, like really made a name for themselves covering podcasts, and I feel like they despise the medium. If like it was like, I can't believe I'm doing this instead of something else. And they they brought that energy to it. So I wish there was more of a robust offering of perspectives. And even like, you know, I think specific to both of our shows, someone talked about the business of podcasting in a way that's not like Jason Bateman and his buddies got like a bunch of millions to do the show. It was like, how do people who aren't, you know, super hot and famous, how do they make that work? I would be interested in listening to stuff like that.
Anne Bogel [00:32:36] And I'm just going to call out an episode that you did a couple years ago now called The Business of The Popcast that like that did astoundingly well on Apple charts, didn't it? And I think that's why because people want to know. People don't understand that, like my mom and my mother in law, how do they buy their groceries? Are my grandkids okay? They seem to be clothed and fed, but like, can I be sure that this is going to continue? I'm going to point them to your episode. I don't know why I didn't do that before Knox.
Knox McCoy [00:33:00] You're right. I think there's a lot of interest in intrigue and how it works. So I don't know if we'll do another one of those again, but I think it is a it's a fascinating to make as it is to listen to. I would say.
Anne Bogel [00:33:09] Jamie, what about you?
Knox McCoy [00:33:10] Well, you know, this might be specific to us. We have a primarily female audience, which we love that again, it pays our mortgage. So we're very grateful for that. But what happens a lot to us in public so people will sweetly come up to you. And I literally was on a trip in Italy, and a person came up in the Rome airport and was like, Hey, I'm a BFOTS. I listen to The Popcast and it was so precious and lovely and, you know, and I had been on a plane for 9 hours and looked great, looks great. But I will say there are often men who will seek us out to specifically tell us that their wife loves the show and they think that is being the most generous compliment of their lives. Like, Hey, my wife she like loves you.
Knox McCoy [00:33:56] But I don't listen. My wife listens.
Knox McCoy [00:33:58] I don't listen because I'm too busy listening to Joe Rogan. But she is really into you guys and your voice is in our house all the time. It's like just just say, Hey, our house loves The Popcast. Like, that's all you have.
Knox McCoy [00:34:11] You can do that.
Jamie Golden [00:34:11] You don't have to you don't have to go out of your way to be like, I would never listen because I've got TV or movies, what a waste of time. I wish we didn't even have a television. Listen. Like calm down, calm down.
Knox McCoy [00:34:23] Also, Jamie true or false, you may or may not have almost run over a listener in a Chick-Fil-A parking lot. Care to comment on that?
Jamie Golden [00:34:29] That is a true story. And she leaned out the window and did not curse me out. And just like I'm a BFOT, I would have been honored to be hit by you and your car. It was very nice. I would say the other thing, you know, to speak to us is we're not a huge fan of celebrities who start podcast because it always feels like you can't get an acting gig.
Knox McCoy [00:34:49] Feels like their safety school, you know?
Jamie Golden [00:34:51] Yeah. And so then it to me what it does is it, it reduces what and I think there are some celebrities who do make some great podcasts, but for the most part it is a since we can't get a gig and I'm dating a property potato brother, then should I just recap the show I used to be on ten years ago and those were really successful. So I also maybe I'm frustrated with podcasts listeners.
Knox McCoy [00:35:14] And I'll do this until I get like a Sharknado movie and then I'll just bounce in as I'm not super committed to it, but it's like I understand the reality of it, of brand awareness. Like would you rather try and understand to this to where people are that are not famous or it's, you know, A.C. Slater from Saved By the Bell is doing a podcast. Well, I understand that is and I'll listen to that. So I understand the appeal of it, but it's like, I don't know, it's annoying. It's just annoying. It's just basically annoying is that it's not okay to say is that fair? Because I think it is.
Anne Bogel [00:35:39] I think that's fair. Okay, So Spicy takes over later. But still, I always get asked how I feel about celebrity book clubs. And just generally speaking, I think the consolidation of power, interest money in the media industry, it's not good. It's not good for readers, it's not good for listeners, it's not good for the landscape.
Jamie Golden [00:35:56] Who do you hate more, Jenna Hager or Reese Witherspoon?
Anne Bogel [00:35:59] Oh.
Knox McCoy [00:36:00] Great question, Jamie. That's a great question.
Anne Bogel [00:36:01] I couldn't tell you what either of them have picked for the past three months. I mean, not to brag, but...
Jamie Golden [00:36:06] Is that the shadiest shade Anne has ever given?
Knox McCoy [00:36:09] I thought she was going to avoid answering, but that answer is probably the most savage one that she could give.
Jamie Golden [00:36:13] Brutal.
Anne Bogel [00:36:13] But I do know that when I see like, Oh. Jenna picked this book. My tastes do tend to align with her as more than some of the other celebrity books.
Knox McCoy [00:36:23] Is that because you think they're bad like trash just as people? Or do you think they are more prone to being influenced by connections, friendships, relationships, to recommend certain things?
Anne Bogel [00:36:33] Well, I know that the literary agents I talk to say it's super political. Like Jenna Bush Hager is not sitting in a room with a stack of novels saying what she likes best.
Knox McCoy [00:36:41] How dare you? And how dare you? She is a reader and a leader, I believe.
Anne Bogel [00:36:46] She's a reader and a leader. I mean, look, I need somebody to help me sort through like my teetering stack of 200 books over there in the corner that I might cover. So I totally get it. But, yeah, I don't know what that is. I mean, I love how it is the Wild West and when a bunch of celebrities start podcast because they can't get into a C film that does less like the Wild West and more like the old ways of doing things that we maybe didn't love.
Knox McCoy [00:37:08] Mm hmm.
Anne Bogel [00:37:09] All right. So we on our show talk about three things we love and one thing we don't and I didn't really realize until maybe yesterday how similar that is to your all's podcast style. I mean, you have a way to talk about things you love and hate, and one of you also to tell us about it.
Jamie Golden [00:37:22] So we have a topic, a main topic for the episode, and then we do let's do some lights and we do red lights and green lights. And our red lights can be specific to pop culture. It can just be Knox being in a weapons or fistfight with a neighbor.
Knox McCoy [00:37:36] Who knows?
Jamie Golden [00:37:37] Who knows? Yeah. So who knows where it's going to go? And then our green light is always something pop culture that we've loved a book, a movie, a TV show, a podcast, an album, something that we've really loved because we are trying to create a curation. So, like, you can go to knoxandjamie.com and you can see our greenlights sorted by genre, sorted by who recommended it because we we do know how hard it is when there are hundreds and hundreds just like books. There are hundreds and hundreds of TV shows being made every year. How do you know what's good? How do you not waste your time? We're hoping to help in that way.
Anne Bogel [00:38:08] I love it. Can we do some lights?
Jamie Golden [00:38:11] Let's do some lights.
Anne Bogel [00:38:12] Okay. So I would love to hear some green lights from Knox, do you want to get us started? And I brought mine as well.
Knox McCoy [00:38:18] Absolutely. So I'll go broad and then I go specific. The first one I'm going to say really thoughtful, produced audiobook experiences. I remember this, this moment a couple of years ago, but Reading Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell, it wasn't just, you know, most audiobooks are just like, I'm reading the text boom. And then, This was an Audible Production and that's it. But I think when you listen to Daisy Jones and the Six or Bomber Mafia or something like that, you see the opportunity and potential of what if you just thought a little bit more about this, What if you played with the sound shaping a little bit? What if you used different voices and cast that a little bit? I think that's the next frontier that we're really going to see blown out. But you can tell a difference when someone really cares about that aspect versus when they're just like reading the words and like trying to get that done with. So I love a really thoughtfully produced audiobook experience. And then speaking of that, a recent green light and a book I loved is Liberation Day by George Saunders. I just love George Saunders in general. True stories in general. So this is a great fit for me. But you know, he reads part of it. Jenny Slate is in there. Tina Fey, Michael McKean, Jack McBrayer, Stephen Roots, and they're just really great voice contributions to this really clever short story set up. So those two are my biggest greenlights that I've got.
Anne Bogel [00:39:32] Those sound amazing. Also Liberation Day has been hanging out in my library app for forever and I haven't started it yet, so thank you.
Knox McCoy [00:39:38] I think it's a much better listen than a read just because there's just aspects, the little nuances of the story that I think are best experienced audibly versus with the words.
Anne Bogel [00:39:48] I'm here for it.
Jamie Golden [00:39:49] I'm going to go broad as well and book related. The enemies to lovers trope, put it in my literary veins. Listen to me and look the word lovers. As Liz Lemon has said, it does buy me out unless it's between the words 'meat' and 'pizza'. But look, like I mentioned, Me Before You, Pride and Prejudice, The Hating Game, Beach Read, The Unhoneymooners. Like I love it so much. The movies if you're looking, if you're somebody like me who loves any enemies to lovers, Palm Springs, Set It Up, how to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, Leap Year. An underrated movie that I genuinely love. Warm Bodies. You want a vampire? Enemies to lovers? Let's go. When I get a happily ever after from that, like I am looking forward to the next season of Bridgerton because they have become enemies.
Knox McCoy [00:40:37] I was gonna ask. I feel like Bridgerton. The whole premise is we gonna hate each other and then we gonna love each other.
Jamie Golden [00:40:41] Oh my gosh. And we're going to rip our clothes off in a gazebo. Yes I love it.
Knox McCoy [00:40:46] To show we burn for you. And we just got stung by bee. We'll breathe each other's mouth's really...
Jamie Golden [00:40:49] God. I'm going to reach for your hand as you get into a carriage, and then I'm gonna [Inaudible].
Knox McCoy [00:40:53] Incredible.
Jamie Golden [00:40:53] God, that's my. That's my drug of choice, for sure.
Anne Bogel [00:40:57] Well, I would say I haven't watched that yet, but now I don't need to right? That's everything.
Knox McCoy [00:41:00] You don't need to. You don't need to. Yeah, it's good.
Jamie Golden [00:41:02] No, you don't. You know, Or you can just, you know, find the scenes on TikTok. Save them. You know what I mean?
Anne Bogel [00:41:07] Jamie, you said earlier you hated a money grab, So I'm going to share a book that came into my house that at first I thought was a money grab, and I might have kind of sighed and rolled my eyes to my husband and been like, Oh, now she's really popular in the US. Like she had a book nominated for the Booker. It's now they're going to go publish some story that's ten years old just to make some money. But then I read it and I was like, Oops, never mind. So I'm going to choose as my Green Light reissued editions of older works like Claire Keegan's Foster, which was just published in late 2022 in the U.S. for the first time. I'm sorry, I thought it was a money grab, but it turns out it is a gift to readers everywhere looking for good stuff and who want more of a certain kind of story that's modern. Like the characters are pretty contemporary, but it has an old fashioned sensibility and her stories are really shorts. Oh my gosh. Can that be a corollary Green Light? Short works that just deliver so much emotional bang for the buck? Nella Larsen's Passing, another one that got like the new McMillan Tiny Blue adorable Edition treatment. And is it a new book? No. Are they promoting it like it is? Yes. But is that still a service to readers who, like, really appreciate these older works when they haven't been put in front of them? Because like, people aren't always going to go digging for the stuff they want to read, right? Like because all the new books are on bookstagram. But as these new books are coming out and it's causing readers to read great stuff that's been around a while, they're discovering for the first time, I'm going to say I'll be generous with a not a money grab but a service to readers.
Knox McCoy [00:42:34] I think that's a great point of like, there's so much coming out all the time if you just want to like reintroduce them to me because maybe I was busy in 2021 and like, I didn't see in like November what came out. If you want to like hit me up, back up with that. I'm okay with that. I'm okay.
Anne Bogel [00:42:50] Like, I got to tell you, one of the tensions of like being a podcaster in this space and probably you on the pop culture space is part of me thinks, well, if you wanted to find a certain thing, you would go find it. But most of me in my brain lives in the real world and knows that's not how it works. Like I need someone to say Anne here, let me put this in front of you and explain it to you carefully and tell you why you will love it. Like, that's really what I need to hear. And part of what I feel like we do on our show.
Knox McCoy [00:43:14] Yeah, I think now more than ever, people just need direction and not expertise, like artistically, but just like you and listen, you're never going to be a peacock, you're just not, so don't like, don't sign up for it.
Anne Bogel [00:43:24] So my next one is tangentially book related. I mean, you can buy in a bookstore, but it's completely podcast related. And that is I have a Rhodia Reverse Notebook, without which I don't think this podcast would be possible. It enables me to think and have thoughts to share when talking to people and What Should I Read Next? It's eight and a quarter inch square spiral bound. I like dot grid option, but you can get a graph paper version as well. The paper is fine and a little bit slick. It's got a sheen to it, which basically means you can write really fast and take notes about the book you don't want to forget to recommend 20 minutes from now or that topic you want to circle back to. And I love it so much.
Knox McCoy [00:44:00] I have a functional question. So when you're reading, you're like that. You have that next to you and you're like, this is a great page or line?
Anne Bogel [00:44:06] Oh no, this is a podcasting and meeting notebook Knox. This is not a reading notebook. That's ridiculous.
Knox McCoy [00:44:12] Can you walk me through the reading notebook like situation? Like, what do you do? Are you just like, no, I'm reading. I'm not like, note taking or are you like, here's like how I if you want to go back to something, what what's your process to do that?
Anne Bogel [00:44:23] Okay, this sounds like a dedicated episode of What Should I Read Next?
Knox McCoy [00:44:26] I'm sorry.
Anne Bogel [00:44:29] We're total nerds. We can talk about this stuff for hours and hours and hours. I read a lot more on my Kindle than I used to. Especially I read a lot more e galleys of books that haven't come out. I used to read most of those in print, so I've become like, surprisingly to me, a big fan of that highlight section, because you can search, you can scan, you can export. I love it. But other than that, I do write freely in books, though only books that actually belong to me. No writing in library books around here. I love book darts. And if something is really important, if I think I want to write a blog post about this than my high tech system, as I email myself a picture of the page that says Anne...
Knox McCoy [00:45:02] Nice.
Anne Bogel [00:45:03] ...you Want to write a blog. I know. Nice super high tech. You want to write a blog post about this and this is your exact idea. And here's the spot on the page that I'm gearing you towards. Because otherwise the things that seem so genius, like in the moment, I totally forget by the next day.
Knox McCoy [00:45:15] No, I think that's a really smart way to go about it, because when we bought our most recent house, it was older and the family had kind of taken it over as an estate situation. And there was a huge book collection and we bought it like as a part of the house. And in the margins there's all these like little notes and it's my favorite thing to go back and all these super old books and like, read them.
Anne Bogel [00:45:34] It's a good thing I didn't know that house was for Sale or I might have bought your house just for that library.
Knox McCoy [00:45:38] How dare you. How dare you.
Anne Bogel [00:45:39] Move to Tennessee just for it.
Knox McCoy [00:45:41] I'll bottom page dog ear a page where I'm like, That's a great paragraph or That's a great idea. So if I'm ever like looking for something to read and I see like a like a book with bottom page dog years, I'll just go look at that page and reread like whatever inspired me because I can't think of another because I just don't want to read a book with a pen and like a paper that feels like homework.
Jamie Golden [00:46:00] Well, and I want to commend you and for not being like the thing I use is called My Reading Life. Colon by Anne Bogel, which I really love because I haven't I haven't always kept track of my books. I just read it and then put it in a notes app and say this is a green light for the future. And I'll put the date. Like, if it is an ARC, I'll say, okay, this is going to be in March, you know, But I don't always keep track as well. And I love those people who have like one of your staffers, Lee, who she just keeps everything just so beautifully kind of tracked. And I love that.
Knox McCoy [00:46:33] You know what Jamie because you're like, if it's meant to be with me, it'll say my heart. Okay, I want to go back to it. It'll be here forever with me.
Jamie Golden [00:46:39] That's right. And forget the ADHD that I even read that book. That's right. That's right.
Anne Bogel [00:46:44] My heart is tickled like that and not to be trusted. See, the thing is, in my reading life, sometimes I'll read a quote in a book and I'll be like, Yes, I want to remember that forever, and I'll go write it down immediately. But usually it's not clear if that's going to be like one of the top six quotes in the whole book that I want to stay forever until I get to the end. So that's my process. At the end I go through, I'm like, Which of these quotes do we really want to keep?
Knox McCoy [00:47:07] Oh, no, I'm done. Last word. Gone out of here. Get to The Bookshelf. I'm moving on, baby.
Jamie Golden [00:47:11] Bye bye. Another one of my reading Greenlights is I am very much into journalist who write long form nonfiction, and that has been my. And this year one of my favorite books was that Rachel Aviv wrote Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds On The Stories That Make Us. And she's a writer at The New Yorker, and she just did this beautiful book about how do people handle crisis and stress, particularly when it comes to their mental health, because she herself was put in an institution at age six, and it is such a fantastic book, but it's also Patrick Radden Keefe. It's five Days of Memorial, Bad Blood, she said. The Yellow House, The Escape Artist, A recent green light on The Popcast, Anything by Jon Krakauer You know, I just really love the way that journalist I mean, some of them are better authors. They're writing better fiction in nonfiction than some fiction writers are.
Knox McCoy [00:48:01] Even like Michael Lewis. It's just like when he's doing something like, I mean, whatever, like, let's do it.
Jamie Golden [00:48:05] Oh, Michael Lewis for life. Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:48:07] I got to ask, do you enjoy doing the red lights as much as the green lights? More than the green lights.
Knox McCoy [00:48:12] More. Yeah, green lights. Just like here's some of I'm an information broker with red lights. I'm a passion broker. You know what I mean? Like, that's what I'm doing here. So, yeah, I take a lot of happiness in that.
Anne Bogel [00:48:22] Bring it Knox. What did you bring?
Knox McCoy [00:48:24] I'll do a baby one in a grown adult person one I don't like it when characters are dialoguing and they keep saying each other's name like if you like. Anne I don't like when characters are dialoging Anne and when they keep saying their name Anne. I just felt like, that's so weird and stupid. And people don't talk like that in real life. And it takes me out of it and it makes me annoyed. And I also, grown adult person, red light is I don't understand why the publishing industry makes you buy the physical book and also makes you buy the audiobook separately. Why are we not bundling that? That is an experience that should be experienced together, but they are cash grabbing it and separating it and it makes me so mad. I don't understand it.
Jamie Golden [00:48:54] Capitalism.
Knox McCoy [00:48:55] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:48:55] Oh my gosh. Capitalism is actually listed as one of my red lights.
Knox McCoy [00:48:59] Wow. Just like for this show, or like in life.
Anne Bogel [00:49:02] Well, probably in life, but for this show.
Knox McCoy [00:49:04] I love it. Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:49:06] I'm still processing the fact you used dialoguing as a verb. I like that.
Knox McCoy [00:49:09] Okay. Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:49:10] Yeah. You know, characters just dialoguing.
Knox McCoy [00:49:12] It almost sounds like you were trying to attack me Anne. To be honest with you.
Jamie Golden [00:49:16] You did.
Knox McCoy [00:49:16] Thank you Jamie for confirming and back me up. I did use it as a verb, and I just don't like it Anne when people say that, they're thinking about something Anne. And then Jamie, I don't know if you agree with that, Jamie, but when Anne was thinking it's just like it's too much names. Yeah, we know each other, babe. Why are we doing this? Ridiculous.
Jamie Golden [00:49:32] You slept together in the previous chapter.
Knox McCoy [00:49:34] There's an open door scene where it was a gardener and you and you know each other. I know you do biblically and like authentically.
Jamie Golden [00:49:40] That's right. For me. Okay, so my Red Light, book related is a book set in the woods. Here's the thing. Let me tell you, nobody's been to the woods. I know that you are listening right now. You're like, Oh, no, I have totally been to the woods? No, You went to an art festival in a preserve that is not the woods. You wore Adidas slides on a marked path in a state park. You did not go to the woods.
Knox McCoy [00:50:02] What if it's magical in the woods? Do you like that?
Jamie Golden [00:50:03] No, no, Listen to me. You look on Good Reads right now. And you search for Woods in the title. It's 26,000 books because authors think the woods, they're like. And I get it. Like, I do get that the woods lends itself to like maybe like horror, bears, a woodsman who's going to put an ax in your back. And I mean that both ways. You know what I mean, but also I get enchanted with like, we're all like, Oh, no, let's go. Let's build a ten book series on these elves. I get it. But I just think. Would you be interested in these elves if they were at a Trader Joe's and they were getting the last of the cookies?
Knox McCoy [00:50:39] The elves in the condominium. It would still be a story.
Jamie Golden [00:50:42] That's right. And I get that. Like, we're like, No, but sometimes it's a forest. Now that's a classy it's still Winnie the Pooh. He has no pants on in the forest. Okay. And then Red Riding Hood. I think that's the perfect example of how dumb the woods are. First of all, they don't even give her a name. She's named after what she's wearing. I'm going to be named Spanx Leggings. It goes to the woods. No, that's ridiculous. So it's for me, it's a red light across the board. I would rather like Knox. I'd rather be in a plane on an island. I'd rather be even than, like, in a weird.
Knox McCoy [00:51:14] You wanna be in the desert?
Jamie Golden [00:51:16] I like a desert. Yeah, yeah. I like an apocalypse. But listen, don't. No one's in the woods.
Anne Bogel [00:51:22] So, Jamie, I thought this was just about you not wanting to be outside. And at first, I thought we were going in different directions. But that is where we ended up, right?
Jamie Golden [00:51:29] How dare you. Just because I'm indoorsy. Just because I'm indoorsy versus outdoorsy.
Anne Bogel [00:51:34] I respect that. It's fine. I mean, the last book I read set in the woods, people got murdered. I mean, I guess that can be a good story, but it doesn't make me want to go in the woods.
Jamie Golden [00:51:41] These Authors are all acting like they've been to the woods. They haven't been to the woods either. They drove through a national forest on an interstate like they've not been there, just like I have. And that's what I think is happening. It's kind of like the Gospels in the Bible. None of them write their own. They just wrote what Mark read. And they were like, I'm gonna add a flourish like that. Things nice. Mark did the one book and then everybody else built off of Mark's book. That is what's happened. One person wrote a woods book and they're like, Well, that seems like what the woods are like, so I'm not even going to go there. I'm going to stay in my no pants guest room where I write books and I'm going to pretend that I went.
Knox McCoy [00:52:15] Shout out to Jamie for dropping a low key Plato's allegory of the cave right now, but not like needing to say it's allegory of the cave, you know, so like, just credit you.
Jamie Golden [00:52:23] I knew that you knew it and you would eventually say, cause I was like, What books have ever been written about the woods? All of them, But none of them I can't remember.
Anne Bogel [00:52:30] So bringing Plato to the masses, this is the thing that entertains but doesn't matter.
Knox McCoy [00:52:34] Yeah.
Jamie Golden [00:52:35] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:52:35] Cool. Makes sense. All right, So I said that capitalism was on my list, but I'm not going to go in that direction. If I did, we could talk about strikes and labor practices and authors needing a platform to publish a really good book. But we're not going to do that.
Jamie Golden [00:52:46] Harper Collins.
Anne Bogel [00:52:49] Maybe it'll be resolved by January. Who knows? We're hopeful. I want to go with dystopian novels that are way too believable for my like if I'm going to read about the world being on fire, just the burning down around us with doom and despair and gloom and death and shortages of all the yeah, then I want it to feel unrealistic. So like the new Celeste Ng Our Missing Hearts, a little too believable. The new Silas House novel Lark Ascending, where basically the fires in the West Coast just slowly take over the whole country until everything is on fire is like, Oh, yeah hard no, this is. I mean, I read the book. I love the book. I didn't stop reading the book. And it's a great book. But if these dystopian novels, if they could just dial up the fantasy meter a little bit, I would be a lot more comfortable.
Knox McCoy [00:53:38] I agree. It's like, what if feral pigs organized? I can read that story. I'm not threatened, no problem.
Anne Bogel [00:53:43] That doesn't keep me awake at night.
Knox McCoy [00:53:45] But pandemic stuff, it's a little too soon. Let's don't do that right now.
Jamie Golden [00:53:49] It's like The Displacements. I love that book, but it was like Florida's gone from a hurricane. And it's like, I think that got to happen. Like, we all have to live in Oklahoma.
Knox McCoy [00:53:58] This weekend. We don't know. You know, like, let's just don't do that right now. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:54:01] No there are some books where when I'm reading it, Ooh, I can totally see that happenning is a compliment. But like, that is not a thought I want to think when I'm reading something grim. No, thank you.
Knox McCoy [00:54:12] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:54:12] Okay. I want to toss in a little bonus. So one of my favorite books of the year Will pointed out that the hardcover cost $32.50. I am not okay with that. Mm. No, thank you.
Jamie Golden [00:54:24] Does it come with, like, a a drink and a bookmark? Like inside the hardback?
Anne Bogel [00:54:29] No, but it comes with paper, which is really expensive these days. And why everything is so expensive and so. Supply, demand, global supply chain paper shortages. I get it. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. That's too much.
Knox McCoy [00:54:40] No it's too much. It's ridiculous.
Anne Bogel [00:54:42] Knox and Jamie, thank you so much for coming to join us for our seventh birthday celebration. There truly is no one we'd rather celebrate with, and I'm really excited about what the future holds for all of our podcasts. So you are coming up on ten. Like, do you have are you already making plans for what that's going to look like?
Jamie Golden [00:54:57] Oh, that's sweet that you think that I will allow us to plan that far ahead.
Anne Bogel [00:55:04] Oh. There's definitely a whiteboard somewhere. I know it.
Knox McCoy [00:55:06] Oh, yeah. There's an Excel doc with a lot of ideas. So this is ten and 500 episodes. So we have two big things to figure out this year.
Jamie Golden [00:55:13] We do. And we just we just hired our 10th staffer and so we're very excited for what 2023 may hold. And this is a great way to start off the year for sure.
Anne Bogel [00:55:24] I can't think of a better way to do that. So thank you again for joining us and my hope for all of us as we embark on another year of podcasting, is that our conversations can continue to be I don't know. How do you describe your conversations, you probably want spicy conversations. What's the additive you go for?
Knox McCoy [00:55:39] One of the fun developments of the show is it started really as like observational about pop culture. I think there's more of a familiarity that the listeners are used to now, whereas like there's running realizations that they have that us as hosts, not just us, you know, and as we get to incorporate our stuff, like they know things about them. So they're bringing that understanding awareness to the listening process. So it allows us to be more of who we actually are instead of professional podcast hosts. You know.
Anne Bogel [00:56:04] I love it. Well, as we move into the future, may our conversations be insightful and fascinating and delightful. Our edits too because that part is rough and. And our parasocial and real life communities be as life giving and just so daggone fabulous as they have in the past.
Jamie Golden [00:56:23] They've been so good. I would love for that.
Anne Bogel [00:56:25] Here's to another year and thank you all so much.
Jamie Golden [00:56:28] Cheers. Happy birthday!
Knox McCoy [00:56:29] Thank you. Happy birthday.
Anne Bogel [00:56:35] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Knox and Jamie. Connect with them over at knoxandjamie.com. See all the details of the books and everything else we talked about today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com. If you enjoyed my conversation with Knox and Jamie today, join us on Patreon for a special bonus episode that's airing this Friday. Make sure you get to listen. Pop over to Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext to get started as a supporter of our show and enjoy more than 150 bonus episodes, curated book lists and more. Subscribe today to get our weekly newsletter in your inbox. It's the best way to keep up with everything happening here at What Should I Read Next? That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Make sure you're following along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What should I Read Next? is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski and Studio D podcast Production. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke, Ah how good it is to be among people who are reading. Happy reading everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Persuasion by Jane Austen
• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
• 11/22/63 by Stephen King
• Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
• Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
• The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E Smith
• The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier
• If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• We Are the Light by Matthew Quick
• Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan
• South to America by Imani Perry
• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
• The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell (Audio)
• Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Audio)
• Liberation Day by George Saunders (Audio)
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
• Foster by Claire Keegan
• Passing by Nella Larsen
• My Reading Life by Anne Bogel
• Strangers to Ourselves by Rachel Aviv
• Patrick Radden Keefe (try Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks)
• Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
• Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
• She Said by Jodi Kantor
• The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
• The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland
• Jon Krakauer (try Into Thin Air)
• Michael Lewis (try Moneyball)
• Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
• Lark Ascending by Silas House
• The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger
Also mentioned:
• The Popcast
• WSIRN Ep 1 with Jamie Golden
• Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide
• WSIRN Ep 71: A super-elegant apocalypse with Knox McCoy
• WSIRN Ep 114: Missed bookstore connections with Jamie Golden
• The Popcast Ep 478: Hallmark Movies Explained
• The Popcast Ep 450: Behind the Scenes of the PMG
• Maintenance Phase
• Fat Mascara
• Emily Freeman
• Palm Springs
• How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
• Leap Year
• Warm Bodies
• Bridgerton
• Rhodia Reverse notebook
The post Our seventh birthday celebration appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How are you feeling about your first weekend of the new year? Around here we’re celebrating a family birthday, and some of us are going to see the Pride and Prejudice play by Kate Hamill. And of course I intend to squeeze in some good books and maybe some baking between now and Monday morning. We might take down our Christmas tree—but no promises.
I hope your weekend sets the right tone for the whole year, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Drop in to our MMD Book Club 2023 Kickoff and Open House—and join us for Spring Book Preview!We’re all about fresh starts and new beginnings, so yesterday we gathered in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club to start the new year right! This live event was a ton of fun, and also offered members both brand-new and years-old an enjoyable overview of what we’re all about in Book Club, and how to get more out of our extensive offerings.
Because this event brilliantly answers our #1 FAQ—but what exactly happens in MMD Book Club?—we’ve made this video accessible for YOU!
Join us for a bookish good time, then visit this page to sign up and join us. (The very next thing you’re going to want to do is download the brand new app that makes it easy for members to carry Book Club in their pockets! We talk all about that in the video.)
Now is a great time to sign up, and not just because it’s the new year! Our exclusive Spring Book Preview is right around the corner, on Tuesday, January 10. This is one of our most popular events of the year and you don’t want to miss it! Get in on the action by signing up here.
My favorite finds from around the web: How to read more: Advice from authors, experts and readers. (The Today Show) I’m always interested in seeing how other people answer this question. * I just reordered two of my favorite winter skincare favorites: Glossier’s Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream and Body Hero Dry-Touch Oil Mist. (But I WISH I’d remembered I was running low on their cult favorite Boy Brow while I was already getting free shipping!) * What’s it like to own a bookstore in our digitized age? (Washington Post gift link) Great interview with Wigtown, Scotland bookstore owner Shaun Bythell. (Don’t miss my story about visiting Wigtown!) * Eight podcasts to help you achieve your goals for the new year. (MSN) Love the What Should I Read Next mention! * These J.Crew Factory artist tees are my go-to for winter layering. My frayed collection needs freshening up, so I’m stocking up while the price is right! I’m also loving these happy stripes and this cheerful red blouse. * Barbara Walters’s Superpower Was Fairness. (Vulture) Her interviews always felt like an event, especially when I was growing up. Such a legacy. * 62 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2023. (Electric Lit) R.O. Kwon is back with her annual list of anticipated reads. * 7 Habits of Seriously Stylish People (That You Can Steal for Yourself). (Stylecaster) An old friend is a fashion buyer and she swears by the idea that you can find great stuff almost anywhere. I think of her often when I’m shopping! * It’s a Wonderful Life. (Home Culture) An unexpected takeaway from the classic film about the recent Southwest Airlines debacle. * This Entire Bookstore Is Dedicated to Black Food Writing. (Bon Appétit) I love a good niche bookstore. * Hacked to Bits. (Eater) “It’s not the orders themselves that are the problem, it’s the entire culture of expectations around them — that a drink a stranger literally made up online should be second nature to a server, and that it should take the same amount of time to make as an iced coffee… It’s the divide between whether something is allowed, and whether it’s actually a good idea.” * This is why streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, and HBO Max keeps getting more expensive. (The Verge*)
Don’t miss these posts: 12 novels that play with the concept of time. The sky is the limit when it comes to our imagination on this topic! * 45 sources for great decaf coffee. I had to switch to decaf a few years ago and you all came through with the recommendations. * 15 inspiring and practical books to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions*. If you want to actually keep your New Year’s resolutions, these books will help you follow through.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love to do a little bit of reflection at year’s end (or, in this case, the year’s beginning), but I don’t make it complicated. Around my house we’ve been using the same two questions for over a decade to help us take stock of the year gone by.
They are:
- What worked for me last year?
- What didn’t?
Today I’m sharing a few of the things (from significant to shallow) that worked for me in 2022, which was another rough year, but not without its bright spots. (I’ll share my list of what didn’t work in the newsletter, same as last year, and the year before that. Sign up here if you’re not on the list.)
I’ve been using these reflection questions for fifteen-ish years now, and blogging about them since 2013. Some things have changed little over the years, while some of my long-ago changes are now thoroughly incorporated into my life. (For example, 2013’s “taking a photography class” and “setting up designated office space for myself.”)
I’ve learned so much over the course of doing this for many years, and have accumulated a vast array of things that continue to work well in my life. This is undeniably a good thing, and also a bit of a blogging challenge: I want to write about the new, not the same old (and incredibly important) things year after year! Of course good sleep and exercise continue to be crucial, and I still love that Will remains on Team Decaf, and my family is still puzzling up a storm. (Perhaps this is why the What Worked for Me archives remain entertaining and interesting reading: check out my recent lists from 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.)
But this year, more than ever, I kept an eye out for the unexpected, whether they seemed significant and lofty or incredibly prosaic. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after doing this exercise for years: serious or silly, it’s all fun—and often, strangely profound—to notice.
Hair masksModern Mrs Darcy is a place where we value great books and great mascara, so let’s start with the quotidian. Which isn’t to say it’s a small thing, because when I can find solutions that make hair care simpler and more pleasant, every day is a little bit easier.
I’ve had hair masks in my bathroom drawer for years, but this year I finally started using them—and they’ve made such a huge difference! I don’t think they make my hair look different, but they do make it faster and easier to style.
The one I use most regularly are my customized pre-shampoo mask from Prose and the K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask, which I use sparingly according to the package directions. I also like the Olaplex Hair Perfector (No. 3), but I haven’t used it as often this year. (My bathroom drawers have gotten too full, so I’m trying to use more products all the way up to make space. The Olaplex will get its turn soon!)
Finding the right fit in therapyTherapy feels quite different from hair products—but in both cases, it was all about finding the right fit. Several of my family members switched therapists this year (sometimes more than once), and in every instance the change has been unspeakably good.
Finding the right professional is a total pain. It takes research and a lot of trial and error to find the provider who gets you, understands what needs to be done, and has the skills to do it. But once you find the right person, it feels so worth it.
Therapy is all about good foundations, which brings us to …
Creating (outdoor) spaceIn 2022 Will and I finished a project we’ve been kicking around for YEARS: we’ve enjoyed a nice backyard since we moved to our current home nearly six (!!!) years ago, but there wasn’t really any place to be in it. No obvious place to lounge or linger, to enjoy a good book on a sunny afternoon or eat dinner with the family or have drinks with friends on a cool autumn night.
We changed that this year. In 2021, we made a plan, and by late summer 2022, we finally had our outdoor space. First the stone was laid, and then we did the tedious work of finding practical and comfy furniture to create what basically feels like an outdoor living room.
Longtime readers know I’m an urban planning and design nerd. I thought about A Pattern Language often during this project; I theoretically understand why defining an outdoor space makes it feel inviting. But I’ve still been surprised at just how great this simple change has been. Now, when it’s even a little bit pleasant out, Will and I head outside to drink our coffee, work, eat dinner, you name it. The kids love it, too, whether they’re doing their homework, listening to music, or hanging with friends. I can’t wait for spring to come so we can head back outside again. (We found some killer comfy outdoor seating but still need a nice coffee table and some new dining options, so if you have any you love, tell me in comments?)
Getting the right tools for the job Speaking of a solid foundation: this year we repaired or replaced a few kitchen tools that we use practically every day, and it has made such a big difference. The biggest payoff has come from replacing our twenty year-old chef’s knife. It’s probably been dull for years and I just didn’t realize it until this fall, when I noticed that I was dreading what the fairly routine task of chopping onion.
Some knives are meant to last a lifetime, but our two decades-old knife was NOT—and replacing it (with this model) makes the daily chore of making dinner so much more pleasant. We also replaced our much-loved and worn-out nonstick skillet, sharpened up our paring knives, and added a few serrated knives to our arsenal. Because we have a big family of two adults and four kids we cook nearly every day; it’s nice to have the right tools for the job.
The right tools, part 2Speaking of the right tools for the job: I am not a linear thinker, but this year I’ve found myself creating more spreadsheets than I ever have before to organize the scads of information I want to easily scan, reference, and sort. Spreadsheets have never been my go-to … until 2022.
As you can imagine, books and book-related info feature prominently in these spreadsheets. Between the Modern Mrs Darcy blog, the MMD Book Club, the What Should I Read Next podcast, and our WSIRN patreon, I have so many ideas, and so much interesting data, to keep straight!
My reading lifeI read fewer books in 2022 than I did in the two years prior, and I think that’s a good thing. Three more things that are working: reading on the kindle, my reading journal, and stories about complex family relationships. I talk about all this more in the new episode of What Should I Read Next: Anne’s best books of 2022.
Coffee shop workI can’t believe I’m sharing this as a new thing, because, pre-pandemic, I worked in coffee shops several times per week. I’ve written whole books in coffee shops! But not recently.
However, in 2022, I rediscovered—or perhaps, simply remembered—the focusing power of getting out of the house (and away from all the related distractions) and into an inviting space where I can focus on one dedicated project. Sure, this worked well for work (I’ve written plenty of blog posts like this one in coffee shops this year) but it also worked great for personal projects, and not just my own. My kids enjoy coffee shop work for similar reasons, and together we logged dozens of hours at our local establishments working side by side or collaboratively on reading deadlines, big-deal essays, and applications for colleges, scholarships, and special programs.
More outdoor spacesThis year the city installed a tiny new sidewalk in my neighborhood. It’s just one block long, but it connects two of my favorite places to walk and it’s made a profound difference in my everyday life. It may not sound like a big deal, but I am still actively grateful for it five days a week.
Great peopleMy amazing team, smart and generous colleagues, friends who helped keep my world intact. I couldn’t have made it through 2022 without them. (What also worked: the voxer app, again, which helped me connect with all of the above even during the most hectic times.
I’d love to hear what worked for YOU in 2022, and what didn’t, and why. Tell us all about it in comments.
P.S. I’ll be sharing what DIDN’T work for me in 2022 in the newsletter this weekend. Click here to make sure you’re on the list.
The post What worked for me in 2022 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Happy 2023, everyone! For our first episode of 2023, we’re trying something new, something I can’t believe we’ve never done before. For many years now, I’ve shared my favorite reads of the year here on Modern Mrs Darcy, as I did here with my favorite books of the year and favorite audiobooks of the year. Now, for the first time, we’re doing so on the blog. Of course it’s always fun to take one more shot at the difficult task of deciding what I loved best in a really great reading year, but I especially enjoy the opportunity to share more color and nuance for the why of my selections than I’m able to relay on the blog.
To tell you a bit more about what I loved and why, I invited my husband and WSIRN Executive Producer Will Bogel to host today’s show. With his help, I’m taking you on a guided tour of my 2022 reading life, from the genres I was most drawn to, the themes I found myself returning to again and again, and the titles I loved the most.
We cover a lot of ground today, and share a different selection of titles than I previously did on Modern Mrs Darcy. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Let us know in the comments if any of these books were on your own best list for 2022, or if you’re planning to pick up one (or a few) of these in 2023.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:17] Hey, readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader, What Should I Read Next? We have a special episode for you today. I'm sharing the books I loved most in 2022, with a little help from my most frequent reading companion, my husband, and What Should I Read Next executive producer Will Bogel.
Today I'm talking about my favorite books of 2022. But if you're a member of our Modern Mrs. Darcy book club, you recently got to hear from the entire What Should I Read Next team about their top reads of the year. Our December best books gathering was a blast. But if you missed out, don't despair. Over in our book club community, we have big book bashes like this all the time and we record all our events so you can watch them on your schedule. Our Spring Book Preview, in which I share 42 noteworthy titles coming out from January to April, is just a week away. Now is a great time to become a book club member to enjoy community, classes and conversation with people who love to read as much as you do. Find out more and sign up at Members,modernmrsdarcy.com. Of course, I shared a few of my favorites and our team best books events, but in today's episode we're talking about the wide ranging variety of titles I loved most in 2022. Will is sitting in the host chair today, which means I get to share what my reading life was like, what themes hold up most often, and what titles really stood out and why.
Will Bogel [00:01:53] So let's get to it and welcome to the show.
Anne Bogel [00:01:57] I'm happy to be here.
Will Bogel [00:01:58] I'm happy to be here. This going to be fun episode. I think listeners will enjoy it a lot, but this is actually fun conversation for me too, because we talk books quite a bit and I know what you're reading most of the time. I usually read a little quicker than I can keep up with where I'm like, wait, what are you reading now? But I don't think we recap the year much.
Anne Bogel [00:02:18] No, we really don't. I mean, we do it in our team best books events. And then I feel like I have these conversations with you when I say things like, William, I need your help verbally processing. Come with me and verbally process what my best book of the year was. Like I need somebody to talk this through with so I can figure out what I think. But other than that, no. We have lots of sit downs about what worked in this past year and what didn't and what are your highs and lows. But we don't really do that for our reading lives.
Will Bogel [00:02:43] Well, so I don't know if this was a high or low or what worked or didn't. But you mentioned the other day that you've not read nearly as much as you have in previous years.
Anne Bogel [00:02:52] No, actually, if we were to chart my reading since 2020, we would show a precipitous decline year after year, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Will Bogel [00:03:03] No, I wouldn't think so. You've talked to a couple of people that didn't read anything in 2020 and then they sort of recovered. But we also know there are a lot of people that read a ton, and so I'm not surprised that it's a little bit different.
Anne Bogel [00:03:17] Yes, I think what we've heard on the show is that readers respond differently to stress. And in 2020, I had a really hard year and I ended up reading a lot. I went into my introvert recovery book cave and read like a book a day during some really hard months. So I don't think I've ever read as many books as I did in 2020. I read 300 books that year. And in 2021 I read 250. And as we're recording this, the end of the year is approaching but is not quite here. And I'm just barely over that 200 mark-- barely, which is still a lot of book 200.
Will Bogel [00:03:58] Two hundred. Yeah, that's still a lot of books.
Anne Bogel [00:03:59] But it's a lot less than the past couple of years.
Will Bogel [00:04:02] So we're not at the end of the year. It's mid-December, but we're talking about your best books of the year. And in our team, we've seen a couple of articles from different people that have put out their best books of the year, even just like a couple of weeks ago already. How do you feel about like not getting to the end of the year and having to name the best thing you read?
Anne Bogel [00:04:22] Well, you know what this reminds me of? Is the talk I gave at the Strand about my at the time new release, Don't Overthink It when it came out in 2020. And the topic was don't overthink your reading life. And something I shared there was the thing that keeps me from just total clenched up, paralyzing fear about recommending superlatives and talking about my best books is that there's always another episode, there's always another blog post, there's always another opportunity to read something that I really loved. And I'm not a major media outlet whose best books of time will stand forever and be referenced decades to come, like, oh, this was a New York Times noteworthy book of 2021. I know that I can give myself a little grace. And when I started looking for my best books of 2022 that I was going to share here and that I was going to share on the blog, I really started looking in late December. And as it turns out, I didn't read anything I really loved. Like that was my top 5 to 10% of reads in late December. I thought about including Emily Saint John Mandel's Sea of Tranquility. I did really enjoy it, but it didn't quite elevate to the very tiptop of books I read last year. But I have the freedom to do that. Like there's never not an opportunity for me to talk about a book I loved. So when it comes to that question, those are the things I tell myself to make myself feel better.
Will Bogel [00:05:42] To feel better, yes. Because you feel terrible if you left off a favorite book.
Anne Bogel [00:05:46] Which I do every year. Every year I'll realize, oops, that one didn't make it into my reading Journal or somehow I didn't get into the blog post. That does happen. But we have opportunities here to talk about great books like 325 days a year. You'll hear about it. Keep tuning in, you'll hear about the books that I love.
Will Bogel [00:06:05] So you're talking about missing things. How do you keep track? Like, how do you know what is your favorite?
Anne Bogel [00:06:10] Well as we sit on the couch and read together, you see me log the books in my reading journal. So I used to record these in my life term where at minimum I would jot down the title, author, dates read, and then I'd put a little star next to the ones that I really, really love. So now I use the My Reading Life Book Journal, which many of you have seen and you use and you love and thank you so much if that is you. And to those of you who have not seen this, let me tell you what it's like. So the My Reading Life Reading Journal has 100 book logs, each has its own page, which is what you may expect. But there's also a do it yourself table of contents that just occupies a few pages in the very front of the book where I get to see in just a span of it's actually three pages, all 100 books that are logged in the journal. So when it comes to assembling my favorites, I just scan that list and I can see all the books I read. And now my reading does span more than one journal, and I'm fine with that. But I can see what I read, see how I felt about it. But also along the way, if I finished a book and said like, oh, yes, that was an incredible reading experience, I put a little star next to it. So it's really interesting. I automatically include on my best of the year long list all the books that got stars. But it's interesting to go through and see the ones that I didn't star at the time, but that I know, oh, hey, I read that book in February and I found myself thinking about it, talking about it, or recommending it. So a book staying with me over the period of months and years is the sign of a really significant read, so I capture that as well. And then I just look at all those handwritten notes I've made on my legal pad with all these titles and face the difficult decision of separating reading experiences I really enjoyed from the top of the top.
Will Bogel [00:08:04] The very best. Yeah. So you're talking about one star on that that page where you highlight them. I keep track of mine and put a star rating on what I read. And it is funny when you get to the end of the year and you're like, okay, well that was weird. I said that was four stars and I don't even remember what it was about. It clearly was a great reading experience at the time, but maybe not the best book I read if I don't remember that much about it. So I did get to talk about my best books of the year during the 10 best books event in the book club. And you shared a couple, but how many did you bring today?
Anne Bogel [00:08:36] This might be a self preservation strategy, but I didn't actually count them up. I think there might be about 20 titles in front of me.
Will Bogel [00:08:45] Okay, well, are you ready to get into your books?
Anne Bogel [00:08:48] I'm ready.
Will Bogel [00:08:49] So I asked how you tracked these and know which ones are your favorite, but how did you pick them?
Anne Bogel [00:08:54] Well, at first I made a list of all these titles I loved, but the end of the year or the beginning of a new one is a good time to step back and assess and say what is really working for me. And it was so interesting to see the different themes that kept emerging, like, the kinds of books. Some of my favorite books, like, I have a little category here that's just kind of one offs, books that were just out of character that I don't know how to categorize. And I really enjoy reading the occasional book that makes me go, I never read anything like that. But I could also see some very definite patterns in my reading. If you've listened or read for a long time, you know this. I always love a really juicy story about a complicated family, and I read a lot of those kinds of books in 2022. I read a lot of books in translation this year on purpose, and a couple of those made their way to the top of my reading list. I read some really excellent nonfiction. I have one category called really long and totally worth it. To a small degree, one of the reasons I read fewer books in 2022 was I spent a lot of time reading books that were really, really long. So instead of finishing four books in a week, I finished one. And you know if I only finished a book in a week-- like that's an amazing pace for a lot of people-- that feels really slow for me. I have so many to get through, how I'm going to do it if I spend eight days reading a single book. But many of that, not all of them. But many of them I was so glad I spent that time with. But then I have a balancing category of short and sweet. I feel like I read several books that just really packed a huge punch in this really tiny little literary package. And then another few [Inaudible]. I have notes that say these titles are really great stories that I happened to fly through.
Will Bogel [00:10:41] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:10:41] That's a little bit-- it's not completely all over the place.
Will Bogel [00:10:46] You read pretty widely. So that's not surprising to have that much variety.
Anne Bogel [00:10:50] I might read widely, and yet I could see that one common theme that I came to again and again was people making sense of their life and their relationship, and that really showed up in a lot of these different categories.
Will Bogel [00:11:01] Okay. Well, if you broke them down by categories, what's the first group of books you want to talk about?
Anne Bogel [00:11:07] The one that stood out the most to me. Like if you said, "Anne, if you had to tell me in one phrase what you read and what kind of book you read in 2022?" I would say it was those complicated family stories and some of my best books of the year were absolutely here. So the first book I read in 2022, which really got my reading year off to a great start, was Memphis by Tara Stringfellow. And if you read our Summer Reading Guide, this may sound familiar because this is one of the first books I knew would definitely go in the 2022 Summer Reading Guide. And this is such a great family saga that spans three generations of black women living in the historic city of Memphis, Tennessee, from 1937 to 2003. And I also really love the story behind the story here, because Stringfellow, who is a prize winning poet (this is her first novel) her grandfather was a World War Two veteran who served as the first black homicide detective in Memphis before being lynched by his own all white police squad. And her grandmother was among the first black nurses in Memphis. And that family history really influenced her characters on the page and the things she puts them through in this book. Oh, this was so hard to read and also so beautiful. I did not want to put it down. It really set such a good tone for the year to come. And, William, you have also heard me say many times on the couch, "Oh, my goodness. It's another story about a painter. It's another story about an artist." Like what is up with this weird trend? This was also one of the first books I read last year that featured a painter and an aspiring wanted to be professional artist as a main character, and I thought that was really interesting. It set the tone for the year in more ways than one.
Will Bogel [00:12:43] Well, that is amazing for the first book to be one of your best. It can also set you up where you're like, wow, it's all downhill from here. So I'm glad to hear you say that set up the rest of the year really well. Because you could also look and go, man, I read one great book and then nothing's matched it.
Anne Bogel [00:13:01] You know, that's a real possibility. But you know that I tend to be an optimist when it comes to reading. I feel like there are always so many great books on the horizon is just a question of finding the ones that are going to be perfect for me. And luckily there were lots of these complicated family stories coming out in 2022, and the one I really loved was French Braid by Anne Tyler. This was also in the Summer Reading Guide, and this was another multi-generational family story. Although, unlike Memphis and unlike a lot of the stories I really love this year that share these characteristics, this one just gave little vignettes that happened in this garret family history settled in Baltimore as so many of Anne Tyler stories are. But every 10 years you get a little glimpse at what the current generation was up to right now. So the story begins in 1959. It ends in the early days of the COVID 19 pandemic. And I just love when an author can portray something like a conversation that unfolds over an ordinary Tuesday night at dinner. And make you go, oh, wow, I can see how that conversation changed this family's trajectory. I just really love this book. And if you're a regular, What Should I Read Next listener, I know that I recommended this on the podcast. Another family book I really loved that at this point I feel like I have talked about it multiple times, so I will keep it short, is Lucy By The Sea by Elizabeth Strout. This came out in the fall. This is her pandemic novel and I loved it so much. Another book that I didn't even capture on this list, but another Elizabeth Strout one I loved early this year was the audiobook of Oh William!, which precedes Lucy By The Sea. I would totally read those as a duo, consider them part one and part two in the same story. I really enjoyed that for the same reasons. A question I get asked regularly that sometimes kind of stumps me because there's no easy way to search for this is what are some good books that incidentally show people parenting really well or wrestling with being good parents? And I didn't know I was seeking that out when I picked up these Elizabeth Strout novels, but I really enjoyed those books, I think, for that reason.
Will Bogel [00:15:03] So through those being a duo, do you recommend reading Oh William! first?
Anne Bogel [00:15:07] Definitely. These are in the Lucy Barton books and now Elizabeth Strout has written four of them and I don't think you need to go all the way back to My Name is Lucy Barton, but the events of Oh William! and Lucy By The Sea are so intimately tied and they're both so short too. It does feel like volume one and two of the same edition. I don't know if Elizabeth Strout agrees, but that's definitely my experience as a reader and my recommendation. Oh, gosh, actually I have three books here that are very long and totally worth it, although they're not even in that category. They're in the family novel category. I really enjoyed rereading The Arsonist City this Year by Hala Alyan and I just read this again recently. We hosted her in Modern Mrs. Darcy book club, which is the reason I picked it back up again because I hadn't read this novel since it first came out in early 2021. I listened the first time, I read it in print the second time, and I think I enjoyed it even more the second time through. I just loved the multi-generational story so much. This one is also very much about complex sibling dynamics, which I really enjoyed. Will, you and I talked about how a really fun pairing that was completely inadvertent that I enjoyed right here at the end of the year was my two books in a row that just both happened to revolve around Irish-owned family bars.
Will Bogel [00:16:28] Right.
Anne Bogel [00:16:29] Those were We Are The Brennans. And I think this is going to be the one 2023 release that I talk about today, because usually when I compile my best books, even if some of the best books I read aren't coming out until 2023, I'll leave those off the list and just talk about the ones that you can read now that were published in 2022. And, honestly, it's a way that helps me keep my list a little bit shorter when I'm trying to make the agonizing decisions of choosing favorites. But The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane was another book that's not coming out so spring, but it's about a family that owns a bar and all the complications involved there of. And I really enjoyed not only each of those books, but that inadvertent pairing.
Will Bogel [00:17:08] Yeah, that's fun to have an accidental book flight like that. And you recommended that I read I will say one of those, but I don't know that I remember which.
Anne Bogel [00:17:15] Okay. I think what I said was I know that family stories are not completely your jam like they are mine. But if you were interested in the idea of reading a book that is set in a bar owned by an Irish family, like if that setting piece is compelling enough for you to want to pick it up for that reason, I got two for you to choose from.
Will Bogel [00:17:37] I don't think that's my jam, but I have liked a lot of the family sagas stories that you've passed along my way: The Nest, A Place For Us.
Anne Bogel [00:17:46] That's interesting because I remember some books that are among my lifetime favorites like Maggie O'Farrell's This Must Be the Place. And I remember you liked it and you gave it maybe like three stars, but I'm not sure if that's out of four or five now.
Will Bogel [00:18:00] Well, right. I remember really liking that.
Anne Bogel [00:18:03] Did you? Okay. I was thinking It's fine for you. Okay. Well, maybe just [Crosstalk].
Will Bogel [00:18:08] It's possible that I was comparing it to how excited you were and it wasn't that exciting to me.
Anne Bogel [00:18:12] No..
Will Bogel [00:18:13] Because I do know that is one of your favorites, like, just ever. So those are our family stories. So what's your next category?
Anne Bogel [00:18:21] Next, I wanted to share two books in translation that I really loved, and I've talked about both of these on the podcast. But readers, you know that I talk about so many books on the podcast. This is our opportunity to revisit and reiterate the ones that I love the most, not just the ones I thought would be perfect for the guest I was talking to. So the first one I chose came out in late summer. It's called Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi. This is translated by David Boyd and Lucy North. Is this an interesting time to say that people think my last name is Boyd all the time, but it's just because I can't write my Gs and my Ds in cursive.
Will Bogel [00:18:55] Oh, only in print? Only when they see your name like when you write it?
Anne Bogel [00:19:00] In cursive. People say Anne Boyd all the time.
Will Bogel [00:19:03] No, that makes sense.
Anne Bogel [00:19:03] That my handwriting is bad?
Will Bogel [00:19:04] To me who's had his name my entire life. So that's not so surprising to me.
Anne Bogel [00:19:10] So you will hear this about this book a little more in an upcoming What Should I Read Next episode. Because I don't feel like I saw this anywhere and I loved it so much. So the premise of this book is so great. There's a 34-year-old woman, her name is Miss Shibata, and she takes a job at a factory where she works mostly with men. And in this position, she's the only woman in her department. So her colleagues expect her to do the things that they think a woman should do, like serve the tea, and do the dishes, and just sundry other menial tasks that don't have anything to do with her actual job. And I know that I am just one of many women who found that so very relatable. And one day she sat up and she's like, "No, I can't clear your stinky, dirty dishes because I am pregnant and I have morning sickness and I am actually going to vomit if I don't get away from the smell right now." But the thing is she's not pregnant, but she just told everybody at work that she was pregnant. And they're like, oh, my gosh, really? And she's like, oh, it's only five weeks. So she has about as much time as she possibly can to figure out how she's going to play this out. And the direction of the story goes is just clever and subversive and also very weird in a wonderful kind of way. I really enjoyed it.
Will Bogel [00:20:27] I remember you talking about that it was clever, but what's the name of it? Because when you gave the title I did not remember this book at all.
Anne Bogel [00:20:33] Diary of a Void. And something readers that you will have to deep dive a little bit is how clever the plays on words are. If you're reading this in the original Japanese, that is worth a Google if you're interested in picking this up. I also read a lot of French novels this year, so a book that I really loved is by Valerie Perrin. It's called Fresh Water for Flowers. And one of my favorite books in 2021, maybe two of my favorite books were by Maylis de Kerangal Painting Time and the Heart. And I just really loved the sensibility of those works and was interested in reading more French fiction specifically in 2022. So this one, William, I think you would say this doesn't sound like me.
Will Bogel [00:21:19] I don't know what it sounds like cause I don't remember you reading this book either way.
Anne Bogel [00:21:22] Well, I listened on audiobook.
Will Bogel [00:21:24] Okay. It's hard for me to tell when you listen.
Anne Bogel [00:21:25] Right. I mean, you can see me listening and you can probably see me going, like, am I sending off the don't talk to me vibes because I just want to know what happens next, and I just want to finish the chapter before I move on with my day. But this story revolves around a woman named Violette, and her job is to work as a cemetery caretaker for the cemetery in a small French town. And I don't typically gravitate towards the dark, but fortunately for me, Violet doesn't see the cemetery as a scary place, but is a garden of souls where she gently tends the dead and really cares for those who come to pay them tribute. So this story is so sad, but also really tender and contemplative. And it really combines the heavy and the light, the highs and the lows. And it's about friendship. I love friendship as a primary or secondary plot and loss and love and new chances. There's a little bit of poetry in the book. I really enjoyed it and I know I talked about this on What Should I Read Next. And I did listen on audio, which was a little tricky in places because the narrative jumps through time and sometimes I had to back up and say, wait, where am I in the story? What is happening? But I still loved experiencing the story in that format, not least because I never studied French. I studied Spanish and German, and I do not know how to pronounce these names in these places. And as a reader, I'm able to enjoy the story so much more if I know I'm getting those details right. This book has such an amazing opening. So if you're curious, if you want a taste, just search online and just read the very opening chapter. I was just transfixed right from the beginning. I loved the voice and couldn't wait to hear what was coming next.
Will Bogel [00:23:11] That's fun. And that's interesting that two of your best books of the year were both in translation. So what's the next category?
Anne Bogel [00:23:17] Next, I have the very generic category of nonfiction which I think covers a lot of ground here. The first one I read early in the year. Oh, goodness, I have set myself up to see an Irish name and I don't think I can do this. But readers, I'm going to try. So this book is A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ghriofa. This is a good time to remind you we put every title in the show notes, and I listened to this on audio.
Will Bogel [00:23:45] I was just going to ask after the conversation about the French towns and stuff, did you listen to the Irish?
Anne Bogel [00:23:51] Yes. And I'm so glad I did, because there is so much poetry in this book, which I'm afraid I lost some of you. But let me just say, this is so good. The story is not like anything I've ever read. And I love when I can say that about a book, like the uniqueness I think is a big reason why it stood out and why it stands now on my favorites list. But it's part memoir, part meditation on the female creative process, part biography of a long dead Irish poet. Plus, it's a translation of the poet's best known work, and the story was just so immersive. At the beginning, I didn't realize it was a memoir. I thought it was a novel. And I could have read the whole thing and completely believed that the author had just created a completely realistic character. But this really gave me a glimpse inside a writing mind. Like, here we have a modern Irish poet who's grappling with her brilliant predecessors and also trying to figure out her place in the world and what it means to be a creator. And she talks a lot about her children and she talks a lot about the pain of losing a pregnancy that is in this book too. And I loved it so much. Talking about it now makes me want to read it again immediately.
Will Bogel [00:25:04] That is so interesting. It just have that much going on in one book.
Anne Bogel [00:25:08] Yes. Although it's not long and it doesn't feel scattered. It just feels completely like what it needs to be.
Will Bogel [00:25:16] Well.
Anne Bogel [00:25:17] Another book that I feel like was cooked up just for me is Also A Poet by Ada Calhoun. This one kind of jumped out at me because I really loved Why We Can't Sleep was about Gen Xers, especially Gen X women, and why it feels so stinking hard sometimes. So this was a book we featured in a Winter Spring Book Preview a couple of years back. So I remember reading that and enjoying it. But then when I started reading the publicity on this book, I was so intrigued and I think read it the next day. I discovered because of that prerelease publicity, that Calhoun is the daughter of art critic Peter Schjeldahl. And I've been quoting him for years, especially at modern Mrs. Darcy book club, because he has a certain approach he takes to [Inaudible] what he calls immediately hospitable. And this is another book that is just completely genre bending in a way I really enjoyed. So it is a memoirish look at Ada Calhoun's complex relationship with her father, who she makes look like a fascinating man and a completely terrible parent, except they are still very much in relationship. And, will, you know that I am fascinated by that dynamic, by people who have just what can be at times really horrible relationships, but who still maintain that bond. So it's all those things, but it's also a profile of sorts about the poet Frank O'Hara, who I knew nothing about. But I just devoured this book. I wrote in my journal, or I wouldn't remember. But I finished this in 36 hours and immediately was like, oh, yeah, this is definitely going to be one of the best things I read this year. Top 5%. Easy. And I don't say that very often.
Will Bogel [00:26:56] Well, I remember you liking it that much. This is also a book that sounds like it has a lot going on between the the memoir aspects about her dad and then your connection to his work as an artist and then the poet as well. So I remember you talking about that, but I didn't realize you read it that fast.
Anne Bogel [00:27:13] I did. And after I finished this, I really wanted to read more from Calhoun. So I hopped on Libby and saw That Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give was available. I'm trying to think if she referenced it in the pages of Also A Poet or if I just thought, you have an interesting perspective on relationships; tell me more. But I just flew through her essay collection on marriage, relationships, infidelity, divorce, and also personal growth. And I didn't realize that this book was inspired by, based upon her viral Modern Love column that has that same title. But I highlighted this so much. I really think this is an example of a book that I was prime to read right then. And to anyone who's intrigued by reading about relationships, especially marriage, I just have to tell you that, like, Will, you and I have now been married 22 years. That's kind of a long time, but not exactly according to some of the people in the pages of this book. But if I had read this 20 years ago, I would have been completely horrified. But, instead, I was just so intrigued and nodded along. And sometimes I thought, oh my goodness, I wouldn't want to live like that. Or I just can't understand quite that perspective, but I still really enjoyed her walking me through these topics. I loved it so much. Actually, I think that is true of all my nonfiction. It's very much story driven. These are just really fascinating stories. This is not like let me learn about an important topic through a nonfiction book. This is like, oh, tell me something riveting.
Will Bogel [00:28:48] So for those keeping count at home, does Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give count as one of your best books?
Anne Bogel [00:28:53] Definitely. In fact, I'll just tell you, it's one of the books I shared at our team best books.
Will Bogel [00:28:58] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:28:59] Which is saying a lot because I loved Also A Poet, but I think this one surpasses that just a little tiny bit for that right book at the right time factor. I need to thank the What Should I Read Next Patreon community for my next favorites. And sometimes there's so much on my nightstand that I do succumb to a little bit of writerly paralysis. So there was a point the summer where I finished an audiobook and I just had no idea what to read next. I had so many possibilities that were already downloaded in my Libro.fm app, and apparently I was just really tired and couldn't decide. So I popped into the What Should I Read Next Patreon community and said on the fly, "Hey, this is the situation. This is what I just read. Tell me what to read next. I'll do it." So that led me to Becoming Duchess Goldblatt. The author is anonymous. This had been on my radar for a while, but I hadn't read it yet. I had actually been under the mistaken impression that this was a work of comedy, but it turns out that misconception was keeping me from a good book that was completely wrong. So I plunged in as advised, knowing little about the book, but definitely intrigued by the inclusion of Lyle Lovett as a narrator. It just made no sense to me. I knew he played himself, but it just didn't make any sense. So many of you already know this, but this is a memoir written by an anonymous author who explains how and why she came to operate the pseudonymous Twitter account at Duchess Goldblatt. So it sounds like, okay, this is a book about social media, but it's not. It's about being in a hard place and grief. And, William, It's actually about people making sense of their relationships. I know you're shocked.
Will Bogel [00:30:43] Surprised.
Anne Bogel [00:30:44] Yeah. And it's really about finding community and connection in your three dimensional life, but also in unexpected places like in this case, Twitter. And it covers the heavy and the light. It made me teary. It made me laugh out loud on my walks. I loved it so much. Actually, I loved it so much that we're reading this in February in Modern Mrs. Darcy book club, we're pairing it with Platonic by Marissa G. Franco, which is very much about friendships and relationships. It's going to make such a good pairing, and I'm really excited to keep spreading the word about this book and find myself some more friends I can talk about it with. Can I share one more nonfiction title?
Will Bogel [00:31:18] Yes. What's your one more nonfiction title?
Anne Bogel [00:31:21] I have Tell Me Everything: The Story Of A Private Investigation by Erika Krous. I have a little bit of a hard time talking about how much I loved this book in the same way that it can be hard to talk about true crime podcasts. Not that I listen to any because you know me, but I guess I listened to serial back in the day, but that was the beginning and end of my relationship with true crime. But just as a reading experience, I found this is [Inaudible] as any thrilling novel. And it's a really fascinating blend.
Will Bogel [00:31:55] Is this a story about the P.I.?
Anne Bogel [00:31:56] Yes.
Will Bogel [00:31:57] So this was a summer reading guide pick, right?
Anne Bogel [00:31:58] Yes, it was. So it came out in March. I read it probably early last winter, but the beginning just hooked me immediately. She said, I became a private investigator because of my face. And I think the concept of some people just having the kind of bearing in demeanor and appearance that strangers just start pouring out their secrets to you because they can't help themselves. I was just so intrigued by that opening. But she talks about how that character trait, (which she had never actually liked because it can be kind of weird to have strangers baring their souls to you in the grocery checkout line) leads her to a job. What happens in the beginning-- and I just thought the setup was amazing, like, you can't make this stuff up. If you did, you would get paid the big bucks to write novels. But this is nonfiction. She's in a bookstore. She and a stranger reached for the same book. And all of a sudden this attorney is talking about how unhappy he is in his job and how he thinks he's going to quit, but he's not sure what to do. And then he goes, oh, my, why am I telling you? I could get fired if anybody finds out. You can't tell anybody. And she says, "Oh, it's fine. People tell me these kinds of things all the time." And he says, "Wait, really? I want to hire you. I want you to research my cases." So this is how she becomes a private investigator. But many of us know from the news the horrible things that happened at the University of Colorado Boulder involving the football team and sexual assault. And after a variety of cases in which Erika Krouse learned to do the work of a P.I to research the background on these cases. Her boss takes on a new clients who were sexually assaulted by college football recruits and decides that he doesn't only want to prove to school was aware of, but that it was complicit in the program's culture of violence. So, so crucially important to all of us. But Krouse has her own history of sexual abuse, and so she knew it was a really bad idea for her to take this case, but she felt like she couldn't not do it. So in the pages, she talks about the case, but she also talks about her own personal history. So in this book, the lawsuit in her own story moved forward in tandem. And you see how her past trauma and its present repercussions just nestle up alongside the investigation. And it's just so good. It's very much in the same vein like the emotional tenor and the content of Chanel Clayton's Know My Name, another book that really was hard to read sometimes but really loved and feels really important.
Will Bogel [00:34:19] Yeah, I remember this being a hard read and a hard topic, but you did feel like, as you said, the beginning about the true crime just handled really well.
Anne Bogel [00:34:30] It doesn't feel provocative. And I also really appreciated how the ending was gently hopeful. That was not necessarily expected, but deeply appreciated at the end of a story like this.
Will Bogel [00:34:40] So that was Tell Me Everything?
Anne Bogel [00:34:41] Yes.
Will Bogel [00:34:43] Okay. I know that was your one last nonfiction? What's the next category?
Anne Bogel [00:34:47] Really long and totally worth it.
Will Bogel [00:34:50] This is the one I've been waiting for. So I can totally appreciate what you're saying about not really wanting to read long books or feeling like you've committed all this time to a too long book. And it's always exciting to hear one of those penned out as just a great read. So I know one of these. How many do you have?
Anne Bogel [00:35:08] I have two and I've talked about both of these on the podcast. I'm going to keep it short and sweet, but I loved Babel by R.F. Kuang. So good. And I loved another book you really loved; Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.
Will Bogel [00:35:21] That was one I was counting on. Yes, I love Demon Copperhead as well. And you really had to talk me into reading it because it is long and I shy away from long books, less so about like I've committed so much of my reading time to that one thing, but more about sometimes they get bogged down and it's long and I'm not resolving quickly I kind of lose interest.That one just really caught my attention.
Anne Bogel [00:35:42] Well, you were at a real disadvantage here because I read the [Inaudible] before it came out on my iPad and so the length was largely invisible. But you read the doorstop hardcover where you can see at a glance, oh, that is a big book. That's going to take me weeks..
Will Bogel [00:35:57] And not just see, when I was holding it I could feel like it is an actually heavy book.
Anne Bogel [00:36:02] Well, I was really glad that you enjoyed it as much as you did. I was really glad you gave it a try. And also I was really glad you enjoyed it as much as you did, especially because I did really urge you to read this one. I thought you'd really enjoy it. Like sometimes you heard me talking about We Are The Brennans and the Half Moon and say, "Oh, I think this might be right for you if aliens appeal to you." But with Demon Copperhead, I think I was basically like read this next.
Will Bogel [00:36:28] Yeah. And you've recommended a lot of Barbara Kingsolver to me and I have only read I think one of hers previously.
Anne Bogel [00:36:36] I didn't remember that I recommended past books before. This is definitely my favorite of hers now, and I don't think that's just because it's the freshest. Now, after really long and totally worth it, how about some short and sweet books.
Will Bogel [00:36:49] To balance out?
Anne Bogel [00:36:50] Exactly. The ones I'm about to share will add up to maybe half the length of Demon Copperhead. The first I read early in the year is The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka and this book is so original. Once again, I've never read anything like it. So this book is many things all at once. The story begins with the collective narrative of the devoted regular swimmers at a community pool. Oh gosh, it's been a long time now, so I can't quote it. But it's like we gather early, we go to the lanes, we know no one understands us. We know no one understands why we need to be here and do this thing with a regularity we do as much as those of us who were at the pool together. You know, we swim our laps, we check our goggles, all that. So that collective third person is so unusual and just really, really interesting to read when a writer can do well. But in the story, one day a crack appears in the bottom of the pool and the pool close for repairs. And so the swimmers can't gather for their laps anymore and they're completely thrown off their routine. They just spend the beginning of the book telling you collectively how much swimming means to them. Not just that it's something they love to do, but the regularity and routine are deeply important to each of these swimmers. But now they scatter and they go their own ways. So we see a little bit of the individual swimmers and we see them bump into each other at places like the grocery store and not recognize each other because they're used to seeing each other at the pool. And that felt so true to life. I really appreciated that. But we learned that no one is more affected by this disruption to routine than Alice, who is elderly. And her story from that point takes over the narrative. So I felt like I had been reading this like, oh, clever, like making me kind of chuckle story about these swimmers at a pool who are united by their just fierce love for this niche interest. Suddenly it becomes this just completely devastating portrait of encroaching dementia. And you know that I have watched someone suffer from dementia and, oh, this story. I mean, I went from like kind of giggling at the way Otsuka portrayed the swimmers at the pool to just weeping finishing the final pages. It was beautifully done and so moving. And also it was really difficult to read.
Will Bogel [00:39:06] And I remember you talking about that difference, the switch, and it sounds like that could be a little off balance, but you really did finish thinking this this was so beautifully done, the transition and then attaching to Alice as a character.
Anne Bogel [00:39:23] Yes. And one of the things that we always seek to do on What Should I Read Next is to describe what the reading experience is like so you can decide if you want to have that experience. And this is an experience some of you will definitely want too. You want to hop in the pool and see what that's like and take this ride with Julie Otsuka. And some of you will say maybe I'll check in with you in five years. Maybe I will never read that book. I feel like such a nerd, but I do really love to see how writers accomplish the things they do on the page. And Otsuka is just a master of the tiny detail that makes the story, that really makes it real in front of you. That makes you go like, oh, yes, that is exactly what that is like. And whether they were witty and fun or heartbreaking, she just nails the tiny details in this story.
Will Bogel [00:40:16] That sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:40:17] I loved it. I feel like I should keep my short and sweet list short. So let me tell you about Foster by Claire Keegan. William, I just read this not this long ago, so you watched me go wow. This book is less than 100 pages and that's in small format, large font. This is actually a short story that came out in 2010. When I first saw that they were repackaging a short story, I thought, well, oh, isn't it interesting to see how [Inaudible] press is seeking to capitalize on the success of that work while there is an audience receptive to Claire Keegan. But as soon as I started reading this, I was so grateful that they did that, so I had the opportunity to read this. It's never been published as a standalone book in the U.S. before, but talk about master of the small details. This is a short story. I've seen it called a novella in some places. But it is really short, you could definitely read this in a sitting. I happened to read it in two, but only because I started it very late at night and had the self-control to put it down and then finish the next day. But it is a short story, but it feels so packed full of life. Her writing is really lush and she does get those details right that make you feel like you are standing on the drive in rural Ireland watching this anxious young girl get taken by her father to live with a distant relative that it seems like she has never met. But her mother is preparing to deliver another child. The family is stressed out. The family does not have the resources, financially or otherwise to care for the children they have, let alone a new one. So they are trying to ease their load by leaving their daughter with a distant relative. I read this with my heart in my throat and it's just so good. It's so good. That's all I'm going to say about that. My final one is only 38 pages. This is also a newly re-issued short story that came out in book form. It's only 38 pages, but there's an introduction by Zadie Smith that is longer than the actual short story. This is Recitatif by Toni Morrison. Yes, I think it had to be that long or they wouldn't be able to package it as a book.
Will Bogel [00:42:20] Thirty eight pages doesn't make a book, yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:42:22] No, that font has to be enormous and like picture book size. So the introduction by Zadie Smith is amazing, but don't think of it as an introduction. I think it gives too much away. So read the story first and then go back to the beginning and read the introduction.
Will Bogel [00:42:37] That's good to know.
Anne Bogel [00:42:38] That's a good thing to know. So this is a brain bender by design. It's this ingenious little puzzle box of a story, and it's about two girls named Twyla and Roberta. One is black and the other is white. And when they are eight years old, they meet in a shelter and become wards of the state. And we find out that it's because one of their mothers danced all night and the other is sick with an unspecified illness. So during the four months they spend together at the shelter, they become fast friends. And then we see after they leave their paths intermittently cross during the following decades, and we see what they're up to and a couple distinct moments in life. But the question Toni Morrison is asking her readers is which character is black and which is white? And this question has never been answered, though readers have hotly debated it for decades now. And this is the kind of book where you get to the end and you want to go back to the beginning and read again and then go back to the beginning and read again.
Will Bogel [00:43:33] Well, at 38 pages you can do that.
Anne Bogel [00:43:35] Yes. And then your book club could wrestle with this story forever.
Will Bogel [00:43:38] That's so interesting. What year was it originally published?
Anne Bogel [00:43:41] It was originally published in the eighties, but early this year was the first time it was released as a standalone book. And I was kind of kicking myself for not picking it up until now because it's been sitting on my shelf for a year, but I was glad I finally got to it. All these short and sweet books I felt were just an amazing use of a tiny amount of reading time. Just such a memorable reading experience from just a tiny amount of time.
Will Bogel [00:44:08] Yeah, that's great to have those really compact stories that still provide all the pleasure of a full length novel. So you told me you have a couple more books that I remember, actually, a couple of titles that you said you flew through. Think you can fly through a couple of descriptions for us here at the end?
Anne Bogel [00:44:27] Yes, I can. So I loved and inhaled these books. I just read them so fast. The first was the Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. And I listen to this on audio. When I think of reading this book, I picture myself in our upstairs laundry room just folding clothes. Because when I'm doing like a lot of dishes or cleaning the baseboards or folding clothes, it's because I have something good to listen to. There is no other reason that I want to do that work. It's narrated by J.T. Jackson, who is phenomenal. I'll listen to him read anything. And this story, it's a fine arts thriller, is just unlike anything I've ever read. And I didn't know this at the time, but Brendan Slocumb and I get to do an event together. You've heard him on the podcast in our book club favorites episode from Bookmarks and Z, and she's our Modern Mrs. Darcy book club selection author in January. So we get to talk to him. And I loved it so much. Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman is, I think, maybe the only romance novel among my favorites. This was just the right book at the right time for me. I picked this up at an indie bookstore. That's Birmingham's little professor on vacation this summer. We were on our way to the beach, and it was just the perfect, smart and sexy beach read. The main character is a writer. This is a celebrity-normal person romance, which seems to be a trend now. It's one I really enjoy and I read the story so fast. Just really strong writing, the format was interesting, strong narrative drive. It was just tons of fun.
Will Bogel [00:45:56] That was a great stop. And I remember you feeling rewarded by picking that up right before we got to the beach.
Anne Bogel [00:46:02] Yes, it was perfect. And then I told you that when I go through my reading journal at the end of the year, something I'm really looking for are books that I think about all the time that have really stuck with me. And a great example of a book like that is Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins Valdez. This is so timely, more timely than Dolen Perkins Valdez could have expected when it released early this spring. It's loosely inspired by a real life groundbreaking court case. And I'm not going to say more. I'm just going to say I loved it so much. And I have this one book, Will, that's not in a category that I want to tell you about.
Will Bogel [00:46:41] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:46:42] And I feel kind of torn because is this one of the very best books I read this year? I don't know, maybe. But it's one that I find myself thinking about all the time. So I want to share it here. And that is a Bluff by Michael Curtis. This is definitely a What Should I Read Next made me do it read because I picked this up on the recommendation of Julia Whalen. She narrated the audiobook. And so when we chatted for that episode, she described his work as really great books that don't get the recognition they deserve. If you want to construct an irresistible and bogel book pitch, this author does not get the attention they deserve, definitely going to be in there. But at first this book reminded me of another nonfiction book I really enjoyed this year, and that is Maria Konnikova The Biggest Bluff, which is about learning to play poker. Actually, I read several books about card sharps this year and this is one of them. So our protagonist is a 20 something magician who gets into financial trouble and decides that the only way to raise the extra cash she needs-- no other option-- is to learn to cheat at cards. So she finds a mentor who will teach her how to manipulate the deck and deal from the bottom and dupe fellow players into giving her all their money. But then the stakes keep changing and she decides actually she's going to embark on a really big con. But I think the reason I keep thinking about this book is that the story that I thought I was in kept changing. So at first I thought I was reading a heist book, but at a certain point and I didn't even recognize this until Brenna pointed out to me, at a certain point it takes a turn that feels more akin to the horror genre. And I think you probably remember sitting next to me reading in bed and I might have like tossed the Kindle away and got like, oh, that's not what I thought was going to happen. I'm done with this story. Oh, my goodness. What in the world? Do you remember that?
Will Bogel [00:48:43] I remember you going back to it. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:48:44] Yeah, I did. So it takes this turn that's abrupt and grisly, and I just was not expecting it. And I thought, what am I even doing reading this? Julia Whalen, what have you done to me? But then I decided to pick it back up and the reveal that was to come just made me forget everything and made me so glad I picked it up.
Will Bogel [00:49:06] I remember you thinking it was really worth it. And I remember you talking about it at the time. But I'm surprised that you're saying that it stuck with you like all year and that you're still thinking about it.
Anne Bogel [00:49:16] Well, I didn't see that at the time. And that's why I'm talking about it now, is because at the time I thought, well, that was a lot more entertaining and a lot different than I expected. But something we say a lot on What Should I Read Next is those reading experiences that are atypical for us tend to be the ones that really stick with us. And this is such an excellent example of a reading experience like that that I had to share it here. That's Bluff by Michael Curtis.
Will Bogel [00:49:42] The uncategorizable.
Anne Bogel [00:49:43] Yeah, I mean the wild card. The scrappy book that won't let itself be forgotten.
Will Bogel [00:49:50] Well, that was a lot of titles. I'm glad you got to share all of those with us.
Anne Bogel [00:49:55] This is fun. I don't usually get to talk so much about books I loved in a What Should I Read Next episode. You know we are all about matching the right reader to the right book, and usually I'm the one doing the matching, not gushing about my favorites. So thank you, Will. And thank you everyone to let me do this today. It was a lot of fun.
Will Bogel [00:50:11] It was fun. And we're always glad to hear what you're reading and especially what you have loved this year.
Anne Bogel [00:50:16] We are. But you know what I'm kind of bracing for right now is all the comments that are going to say, Anne, I can't believe you didn't talk about fill in the blank with 89 different titles that I probably could have mentioned today and did not. It was a good reading year.
Will Bogel [00:50:35] Well, readers, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. And if you have titles you think Anne should have included, you can find the full list of books we talked about at whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/361 and you can leave your comment there to tell us which titles you had hoped Anne would include.
Anne Bogel [00:50:50] And to keep up with my favorite reads throughout the year, follow me on Instagram. I'm there at an @Annebogel. Follow our show's Instagram account. We are @WhatshouldIreadnext.
Will Bogel [00:51:03] Make sure you're on our email list to get weekly updates on the show, as well as a weekly roundup of bookish links we found entertaining and also shares what she's been reading and loving in that newsletter. Sign up at whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Anne Bogel [00:51:16] Make sure you're following on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast wherever you get your podcasts and make sure you tune in next week because it is our What Should I Read Next anniversary. So fellow podcasters, friends and What Should I Read Next alums Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden of the Popcast are joining me so we can celebrate our seventh anniversary in style. You do not want to miss it. Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next is created each week by Will Bogel, Holly Wielkoszewski and Studio D Podcast Productions. Thanks also to our new What Should I Read Next community manager Sara Etter.
Will Bogel [00:51:54] Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
Anne Bogel [00:51:57] William, do you want to do the honors?
Will Bogel [00:51:59] Yes, I do. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading everyone.
Anne Bogel [00:52:06] Happy reading everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel
• Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
• My Reading Life by Anne Bogel
• Memphis by Tara M .Stringfellow
• French Braid by Anne Tyler
• Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
• Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout (Audio edition)
• The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan
• We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
• The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane
• Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi
• Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin
• Painting Time by Maylis De Kerangal
• The Heart by Maylis De Kerangal
• A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa (Audio edition)
• Also a Poet by Ada Calhoun
• Why We Can’t Sleep by Ada Calhoun
• Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give by Ada Calhoun
• Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous
• Platonic by Marisa G Franco
• Tell Me Everything by Erika Krouse
• Know My Name by Chanel Miller
• Babel by R. F. Kuang
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka
• Foster by Claire Keegan
• Recitatif: A Storyby Toni Morrison
• The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb (Audio edition)
• Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
• Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
• Bluff by Michael Kardos
• The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova
Also mentioned:
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• 2022 Summer Reading Guide
• WSIRN Patreon Community
• WSIRN Ep 351: Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!
• Little Professor bookstore
• WSIRN Ep 340: The secret life of an audiobook narrator with Julia Whelan
The post Anne’s best books of the year appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How is your final weekend of the year shaping up? Around here we’ve been reading up a storm and watching piles of holiday movies: most recently the whole family loved Something from Tiffany’s, which vastly exceeded our expectations. (If you have any good recs, please share them in comments!) This weekend we plan on more of the same, plus enjoy visits with friends and a holiday celebration we postponed due to illness.
I hope this collection of interesting reads and favorite things sets the right tone for your weekend.
My favorite finds from around the web: All Hail Dead Week, the Best Week of the Year. (The Atlantic) Living it and loving it! * How Publishers Make Old Books New Again. (Publishers Weekly) An interesting glimpse behind the curtain. * Without a Doubt, These 8 Nail Colours Will Be Everywhere Next Year. (Who What Wear) So pretty! These shades remind me of my longtime favorite OPI Dutch Tulips. * The new year is almost upon us … so get your fresh new reading journal now! Or this adorable option for younger readers. (If you like the sound of a signed copy, order from Carmichael’s Bookstore.) * We’re drowning in old books. But getting rid of them is heartbreaking. (Washington Post gift link) “Despite the advent of the digerati and eBooks, hardcovers and paperbacks continue to flood the market for readers who prefer the look and feel of physical books, the weight in their hands, the pleasure of turning a page.” Relatable. * This “out of office” sweater made me giggle. * The Year in Sequels. (The New Yorker) “But there are other reasons for going back to the well. Amid the chaotic present, the past offers escape, a sense of coherence….The pleasure sequels provide is the pleasure of endlessness.” * Why You Need to Try Tubing Mascara. (Southern Living) The product all my friends are talking about these days. Have you tried it? While I do indeed like the Trish McEvoy tubular mascara I got in a beauty Advent calendar, I’m not sure I like it as much as the non-tubular mascara from Ilia I’ve been using lately. * On the Gift of Longhand. (The Millions) “When you write with a fountain pen, you experience writing as a truly physical activity, one that affects all your senses.” * Cormac McCarthy Loves a Good Diner. (New York Times gift link) “His novels are full of food scenes, often in modest digs. Why do they resonate so much?” (I loved spying the reference to The Toast—how I miss it!) * I love a little greenery to brighten the dreary days: this faux eucalyptus wreath is darling. * Researchers say time is an illusion. So why are we all obsessed with it? (NPR) I find these questions fascinating—even if they make my head hurt. * What Can We Learn from Barnes & Noble’s Surprising Turnaround? (The Honest Broker*) “If you want to sell music, you must love those songs. If you want to succeed in journalism, you must love those newspapers. If you want to succeed in movies, you must love the cinema.”
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
At the beginning of the new year I love to look back on where we’ve been, and blog happenings are no exception. I recently shared the 12 most popular posts of 2022, as determined by the numbers, but “popular” doesn’t necessarily mean “best” or “favorite.”
These are the posts of 2022 that I personally liked the most, the ones that mean a lot to me, the ones I find myself referring to all the time. I picked them for different reasons: because I remember the inspiration, because I’m fond of the idea or the writing, or because the comments section is fabulous.
My favorite posts of the yearIn no particular order …
- 10 things saving my life right now.
“My family has been in a brutal season and it feels like the hard stuff demands my full and complete attention. And yet. When I stopped to consider—really consider—the small things that are saving me, I made a list. It took me a week to do it, but I have it, and it’s not short.”
2. 8 (mostly) little things I’m loving for winter.
I love these occasional roundups of everyday things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness, and this edition is particularly joyful.
3. Buy the flowers.
All about the mindset shift that enabled me to stop denying myself the things that don’t cost much but make me very, very happy. This is a re-run but I still just love it and think about it all the time. The comments section remains lively, as well.
4. Books I’m glad I came back to.
I kicked this post idea around in my head for ages, tinkering with the concept and trying to decide if I had “enough” books to make a list for you. I absolutely did. I love this post about books I initially abandoned but ended up loving. The comments section is also (unsurprisingly) pretty great.
5. Nerdy nonfiction for readers who love to learn.
I read way more fiction than nonfiction, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a good nonfiction list!
6. 12 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Scotland.
Our friends Mel and Dave recording What Should I Read Next, #331: Strong sense of summer with Will and me had us all nostalgic about our 2018 trip to Scotland. This literary tourism book list was the next best thing to abandoning all stateside responsibilities and returning asap.
7. 12 recommended reads for those traveling to Maine (or who want to).
I always keep an eye out for serendipity in the reading life: the inspiration for this book list was born when I read several stories in a row that all happened to be set in Maine.
8. A different kind of life-changing read.
When, last summer, I put down my novel to go purchase the specific brand of pen that had just been mentioned in the text, I knew I couldn’t be the only one whose life had been impacted in an extremely specific way thanks to a book. I so enjoyed brainstorming other times that had happened in my life and sharing them with you here. This is one of those posts that I was would take me only twenty minutes to dash off, but it ended up taking hours to get the story right. (Worth it.)
9. Assigned reading we actually enjoyed.
This post was inspired by a vacation conversation with my teenage children, who—for reasons I do not remember—began dishing on which assigned high school books they loved, and which they despised. This post is the result.
10. Favorite items in my spring-to-summer wardrobe.
What can I say? I love a good style or skincare post. A reader once said she loves how MMD is the place where she can find a good book and a good mascara, and that’s true thanks to posts like these—and their comments sections!
11. What niche subgenre do you love?
After stumbling upon a few highly specific and highly enjoyable reads this summer, I had to turn the question to you. I love posts like this.
12. MORE extra-long books worth reading.
It’s fair to say we like big books around here. This was a fun list to put together! I especially enjoyed hearing your thoughts (and big feelings) about big books in the comments section.
13. Quick Lit.
Because we host Quick Lit on the 15th, month in and month out, it never gets a time in the spotlight. But this monthly practice is one of my favorite things we do here.
Comment sections I loved:1. What was your first job?
Inspired by my daughter’s first job and a subsequent campfire conversation with friends.
2. How do you choose your vacation reads?
Because readers need to know (and I wanted to share).
3. WSIRN #353: Sad Girl Lit Fic and other burnout busters.
The comments section is pure gold, full of insightful recommendations and comments saying “I have found my people!”.
4. Which authors do you wish you could have dinner with?
A fun and wide-ranging conversation inspired by our November Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club selection.
5. The little luxuries that make you feel pampered every time you use them.
This comments section has brought me so much joy (and a few really stellar holiday and birthday gifts, like this sparkle maple syrup).
P.S. The most popular posts of 2022 are right here. For more superlatives: check out my favorite books of 2022 and my favorite audiobooks of 2022.
The post My favorite posts of 2022 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love year-end wrap-ups and superlatives, no matter the subject. And I’m always fascinated to see what readers are drawn to. Maybe that’s why I can never resist a good “popular posts” list, and why I’m always so curious to see what qualifies as “popular” around here. For our purposes today I’m defining “popular” strictly in terms of pageviews: these are the 12 posts that garnered the most pageviews during the calendar year beginning January 1, in order, most to least.
It’s always interesting to see what ends up on this list, because “popular” doesn’t mean “best.” I’m always surprised to see what makes the list, and what doesn’t, and hope you enjoy seeing what winds up on top.
Perennially popular posts on Modern Mrs DarcyI’ll start with a few posts that have consistently wound up in the top ten these past few years, mostly due to popularity in Google search. (Google search prioritizes old content: it’s no coincidence these posts are all at least several years old.) They are:
• 100 stocking stuffers that will actually be appreciated, don’t feel like a waste of money, and won’t be broken/destroyed/forgotten by New Years. This post consistently starts going gangbusters every October (which is just one reason we now update it each year).
• Unputdownable: 17 books I read in 24 hours or less (because they were just that good), because apparently readers are always on the hunt for pageturning mysteries and thrillers. (If you think this post could do with an update: I agree! I’d love to do that in 2023.)
• 9 books you should have read in high school that are totally worth reading now. Readers’ interest in “classic” literature isn’t going away anytime soon.
• What I learned from living with all-white walls for a year. Google search loves this post, written one year after we moved into our new-to-us 1912 home.
• 20 short novels you can read in one day. Because apparently readers are always in need of an easy win for their reading lives.
• 25 fascinating true stories you didn’t learn about in history class. These stories read like novels, and will make you eager to know what happened and how it fits into your previous understanding of the event or era.
Now for the posts that are newly popular this year.
The most-read posts of the year on Modern Mrs Darcy1. 16 series to read after you’ve run out of Louise Penny novels.
I’m far from the only one in search of a great mystery series to keep me occupied while I’m waiting for the next Inspector Gamache novel to come out. We refreshed this post this year with more recommendations. Don’t miss the comment section for even more! Also don’t miss my conversation with Louise Penny in What Should I Read Next Episode 357: Welcome to Three Pines.
2. 12 favorite Book Club selections that have stood the test of time.
Readers are always on the hunt for great book club novels. In this post we feature Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club picks that have incredible staying power: they’re tried and true, both crowd-pleasing and endlessly discussable.
3. The 2022 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide.
Every year since 2014 I release an abbreviated, essentialist version of the Summer Reading Guide featuring five (or, this year, six) titles that are hugely entertaining, have broad appeal, and cover a variety of topics, themes, genres, and perspectives. It’s no surprise that this year’s version was a hit with the readers!
4. 10 new historical fiction books by beloved authors.
Avid readers love historical fiction, and they hit up this post in droves! If you’re in the mood for historical fiction, keep an eye out for these new releases from favorite writers in the genre.
5. 10 things saving my life right now.
This themed post and gathering at the midway point of winter has been an MMD tradition for more than a decade. “My family has been in a brutal season and it feels like the hard stuff demands my full and complete attention. And yet. When I stopped to consider—really consider—the small things that are saving me, I made a list. It took me a week to do it, but I have it, and it’s not short.”
6. 8 great Audible alternatives for audiobook listeners.
Lots of people ask about alternatives to Audible so we put together this handy list.
7. 33 historical fiction books avid readers can’t get enough of.
We asked our community of readers what their favorite historical novels were and they certainly delivered. The comments are a goldmine, too!
8. 6 audiobooks I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lately.
Because so many readers are always on the hunt for not just good reads but good listens, I shared an assortment of recommendations in that format.
9. MORE extra-long books worth reading.
It’s fair to say we like big books around here.
10. Standout new audiobooks for summer listening.
We gathered a collection of standout new-for-2022 audiobook releases I enjoyed listening to for Audiobook Appreciation Month, featuring a nice variety including literary fiction, romance, memoir, historical fiction, and more.
11. My favorite books of 2022.
Who can resist an annual favorites list? Not me—and not you.
12. 8 beautiful, practical cookbooks you’ll turn to again and again.Tastes change over time and so do the cookbooks I keep in regular rotation. These are my new go-tos.
P.S. For more superlatives: check out my favorite books of 2022 and my favorite audiobooks of 2022.
The post The most popular posts of 2022 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
My sincere hope is that, wherever you are, whatever you’re up to, whatever you celebrate—you have a lovely few days ahead of you. My family is just back from a whirlwind trip to NYC (more about that in a coming newsletter, so subscribe if you haven’t) and now it’s really and truly time to hang some ornaments on the tree (I’m not sure what happened this year) and finish the wrapping and then crash on the couch and bask in the glow of the twinkle lights.
This is our final Links I Love of the year, and I hope you enjoy this collection of interesting reads and favorite things.
My favorite finds from around the web: How to Enjoy the Holidays Your Way. (The Atlantic) Great advice on creating new traditions and actually enjoying the holidays. * How a Great Audiobook Narrator Finds Her Voices. (The New Yorker) I love this profile of Robin Miles. * The new year is almost upon us … so get your fresh new reading journal now! Or this adorable option for younger readers. (If you like the sound of a signed copy, order from Carmichael’s Bookstore.) * The Muppets sit down with Brett Goldstein to reminisce about making The Muppet Christmas Carol. (Entertainment Weekly) In case you missed it. * New makeup fave: these lip liners from Lady Gaga’s line Haus Laboratories are fantastic and a total steal. I never would have tried them had a stylish friend not told me to order them immediately! * The Murky Path To Becoming a New York Times Best Seller. (Esquire) “It’s frustrating when you get the actual numbers of what every book on the list sold and a book with lower numbers is higher on the list.” * The Biscuits on ‘Ted Lasso’ Are Legendary—& We Got the Recipe. (Food52) I can’t wait to try this. * Have we fallen out of love with celebrity memoirs? I still love them but not every celebrity needs to write one. * A Totally Normal Interview With Author Emily St. John Mandel. (Slate) When Will told me about this I said, Wait, what?! * Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta. (NYT Cooking gift link) A winter staple in my house. (We often leave out the ricotta because my kids object to this specific variety of deliciousness.) * Secrets of the Christmas Tree Trade. (Curbed) The deep dive into the NYC Christmas tree industry I didn’t know I wanted. * How to Survive in Broken Worlds: Jesmyn Ward on Octavia Butler’s Empathy and Optimism. (Literary Hub) “When I discovered Butler’s work, I discovered myself. I saw myself in her characters, empathized with them as they struggled to live in untenable worlds: in untenable circumstances. I knew they knew the taste of ash, the black scramble of floodwater.” * 12 Widely Repeated Phrase Origins, Debunked. (Mental Floss) Which of these most surprised you? * The End of The USA Today Bestseller List. (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books) Such a loss. * Why you should really stop charging your phone overnight. (ZDNet*) The more you know.
Don’t miss these posts: A literary tradition like no other. All about our family’s Christmas literary tradition inspired by the Icelandic Jólabókaflóðið. * You don’t need another reading challenge. Hear me out. * How to make a book page wreath, and more book art ideas.* If you’re perfectly happy with repurposing old books, this post is for you.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
With our library decked out in twinkle lights and cozy blankets piled next to my reading chair, I plan on reading as many pages as possible in the coming weeks—but I also hope to carve out time for great stories, well-told in a different format: the small screen.
Hygge season is an inviting time to enjoy a new-to-you show or rewatch a longtime favorite movie. Today, for your bookish viewing pleasure, I’m sharing a list of television shows and movies with a literary touch. Featuring literary inspiration, bookworm characters, and endearing stories, these shows will suit solo watching sprees or movie night with the whole family.
What are you watching this time of year? Help us build our To Be Watched list in the comments.
LOS ANGELES – OCTOBER 24: “Let The Games Begin” (l-r) Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore, Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore. (Photo by Mitchell Haddad/CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images)Gilmore Girls It’s easy to miss a book reference here and there from the fast-talking mother-daughter duo and their Yale-educated family, but you don’t need to catch them all: list-makers with a special attention to detail and a love for this show cite over 339 books read by Rory alone. Whether you’re watching this early 00’s show for the first time or the seventeenth, it’s fun to pick out the literary Easter eggs both on screen and in Amy Sherman-Palladino’s punchy dialogue. And, at least in the early seasons, you’ll likely see yourself in Rory, the introverted bookworm who would rather be reading.
Younger Sutton Foster stars as a 40-year-old empty nester seeking to reenter the world of publishing she left behind as a young mother. The problem is no one will hire her—until she lies about her age and begins to impersonate a 28-year-old up-and-comer. Working at Empirical Press offers her character Eliza an opportunity to climb the ladder as an editor, as well as engage in juicy office drama and a potential romance. The show doesn’t get everything right about publishing, but it’s frothy, fun, and offers a glimpse at how a book gets made and marketed.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie SocietyBased on the fan favorite historical novel of the same name, this 2018 film brings to life the story of a London-based author and the close-knit community of Guernsey, who exchanged letters and came together through their shared love of literature. Lily James and Michiel Huisman star as the central romantic pair in this bittersweet yet ultimately hopeful story about the power of books to unite us, even during the darkest days.
Gina Rodriguez as Jane Villanueva on the Nov. 17 episode of “Jane the Virgin.” Credit…www.cwtvpr.comJane the VirginInspired by telenovelas, this romantic and heartfelt drama follows Jane, her love interests, her family, and her dreams of becoming a bestselling romance author over the course of five seasons. Jane adores Isabel Allende and swoons at the chance to share her own stories with an audience. Come for the bookish main character and stay for the family dynamics as Jane, her grandmother, and her mother make an intergenerational home together. (Bonus: you can actually read Jane’s debut historical romance Snow Falling.)
MatildaThis weird, magical, and humorous 1996 classic adapts Roald Dahl’s book to the screen. Danny Devito (the director) stars as Mr. Wormwood and also narrates Matilda’s journey from quiet, shy bookworm to powerful, confident girl. He voices lines directly from the book, such as: “Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.” I had no idea there was a musical version coming out December 25th, 2022, starring Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull!
LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 1: Angela Lansbury stars as mystery writer and crime solver Jessica Fletcher on the CBS television crime drama series “Murder, She Wrote.” Image dated: January 1, 1990. Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)Murder She WroteAngela Lansbury’s sweater-wearing author-turned-detective dominated the television lineup from 1984 to 1996. Each episode features a tight mystery with Maine resident Jessica Fletcher on the scene. Whether she’s visiting her niece, enjoying a single’s cruise, or attending a play, murder seems to follow this amateur sleuth wherever she goes. Cozy, iconic, and a little bit silly, this show is perfect for readers who loved The Thursday Murder Club or Magpie Murders.
HeartstopperMy daughter adored this coming of age romance series in graphic novel format; the show is supremely charming and sprinkled with literary references. One of the sweet side characters, Isaac Henderson, brings a book everywhere with him. While watching, see if you can spot his current reads in each episode and connect the dots to possible themes in the show; a book can communicate so much as a prop! Bookish best friends aside, this adorable LBGTQ+ show deserves all of the praise for its sincere depiction of growing up and finding your identity.
Beauty and the BeastI think we all know why Belle falls in love with the Beast: without a doubt, it’s thanks to the castle’s ginormous library. I’m partial to the animated classic, but for live action fans, the newer version starring Emma Watson provides plenty of magic, music, and totally gorgeous bookshelves. In either film, Belle’s nose is stuck in a book—and Belle, we can totally relate. Who cares if the townspeople think you’re weird if you can ignore them and read all day?
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY – ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” stars Tyler James Williams as Gregory, Janelle James as Ava, Quinta Brunson as Janine, Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara, Chris Perfetti as Jacob, and Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa. (Pamela Littky/ABC via Getty Images)Abbott ElementaryRemember the elementary school teacher who let you read under your desk when you finished your homework early? The teachers of Abbott Elementary are sure to let their students do the same … when they’re not busy fighting bureaucracy, scrounging up school supplies, or working out their own relationship dramas. Like Parks and Recreation, this show has a whole lot of heart and heaps of wholesome laughs. You don’t need to be a teacher to identify with one or more of these characters—but the show might take you back to your own public elementary school days, and prompt you to thank your favorite teacher from back when.
The BooksellersA documentary on antiquarian booksellers immediately puts me in mind of a Charlie Lovett novel. These collectors of rare books not only find one-of-a-kind editions to sell; they also save precious pieces of history through research, ownership, and preservation. In an hour and a half, you’ll learn more about this fascinating corner of the bookish world through interviews and walk-throughs in some of the most beautiful literary spaces. You can practically smell the old books through your screen.
Cary Elwes and Robin Wright as Westley and Princess Buttercup in a scene from 1987’s “The Princess Bride.” Alamy Stock PhotoThe Princess BrideAs tricky as it is to satisfy all six members of my family on movie night, this 1980s classic did just that. Satire, slapstick humor, and a fairytale storyline combine in this hilarious tale of the Dread Pirate Roberts and his one true love Buttercup. We laughed, we gasped, we recited our favorite lines the next day. Fairytale inspiration aside, I love how the movie frames the story: a boy is home sick from school, and his grandfather comes over to read to him while he recuperates. At first reluctant to set aside his video games, the boy agrees, and he gets swept up in his grandfather’s read-aloud.
Miss PotterRenee Zellweger was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Beatrix Potter in this star-studded biopic. Potter narrates the film as we follow her from her spinster abode to the publishing house of the Warne brothers. Thanks to her new friend Norman, her children’s books move forward in the publishing process, and we get to see the small but important choices that go into book design: covers, binding sizes, and bookstore window displays. Of course, we know how popular Potter’s stories are to this day, but her personal journey reveals much about her passions and values.
84 Charing Cross Road Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins play our favorite reader and bookstore owner duo, Helene Hanff and Frank Doel. Full of Britishisms, friendship, and bookshop delight, this movie adaptation stands out as a cult classic among many readers. Sweet (but not syrupy) and tinged with sorrow, this film will make you want to write a note of thanks to your favorite book seller, or make plans to visit an English bookstore someday.
Meg Ryan as Kathleen Kelly in You’ve Got Mail. Image courtesy Warner Bros. and Alamy Stock Photo. © 1998 Warner Brothers. Photo: All Star Picture Library.You’ve Got MailOur appreciation for Nora Ephron runs deep on the Modern Mrs. Darcy team. For a seasonal treat, try her 1998 rom com featuring children’s bookstore owner Kathleen Kelly and big box store CEO Joe Fox who’s putting her out of business. Now, don’t fret. The bookstore plot line might make you a little mad (you’ll find solidarity in WSIRN Episode 77: How to save the shop around the corner), but the epistolary romance, sweet bookish moments, and Meg Ryan’s wardrobe will make up for it.
Do you have a favorite bookish television show or movie? Share them with us in the comments.
The post 14 feel-good shows and movies for book lovers appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, when today’s guest first told me about her the feisty family reading competition she participates in each year, I knew I wanted to hear more—and to share this festive tradition with all of you!I met!
Courtney Haggerty loves sports, Disney, and of course, reading. When she’s not working as a 3rd grade teacher in Louisville, Kentucky, she’s reading multiple books at once, which provide both entertainment and stress relief. Her frequent reading makes her a strong candidate in each year’s heated literary competition, and with 2023 just around the corner, she’s eager to start the year with a strong foundation of titles to draw from. I’ll help Courtney identify books she’s likely to enjoy that will also gently invite her to branch out from her favorite genres.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve got ideas for Courtney, too!
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabAnne Bogel [00:00:08] Hey, readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader. What should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
[00:00:39] Readers, if you haven't picked up bookish gifts for everyone on your list just yet, you've still got time. Share the gift of reading with presents you won't have to pack and ship like a membership to our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. With options for monthly, quarterly or annual memberships, a Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club membership gives the gift of a better reading life through community classes and conversation. Plus, it's something you can do together, keeping you connected to your friends or loved ones throughout the year. Purchase a gift membership for your favorite reader at Modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
[00:01:10] Readers, when I met Courtney Haggerty in a Modern Mrs. Darcy meet up earlier this year, I was agape at her story of her family's annual high stakes reading competition. Today, she's joining me on the show to talk all about it. Courtney is a sports aficionado, Disney World superfan and third grade teacher in Louisville, Kentucky. She reads multiple books at all times, even when waiting in line at Disney and turns to the words on the page for entertainment, for general mental health, and sometimes as a coping mechanism when her favorite sports team is in a tough spot. Thrillers and mysteries are Courtney's go to genres, and she also enjoys long books that make her feel like she has really accomplished something when she's done with them. Looking ahead to the New Year, she's interested in branching out into more nonfiction, historical fiction and family dramas. What Courtney needs today is a solid foundation for her 2023 reading list, so she can start the year off right and maybe get a jump on her family's fierce literary competition. I hope to give Courtney some recommendations to build a base for the year to come and equip her with some promising picks that she will enjoy reading while she moves up that reading contest leaderboard. Let's get to it. Courtney, welcome to the show.
Courtney Haggerty [00:02:16] Hello. Thank you for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:02:18] Oh, it's my pleasure. Thanks so much for hopping on. Now we got to meet I think it was during the Modern Mrs. Darcy readers weekend; is that right?
Courtney Haggerty [00:02:26] Yes. We had a meet up here in Louisville.
Anne Bogel [00:02:29] Where we both live, but had never connected before. And so we got to Heine brothers and to the bookstore and take a bunch of photos and talk about books, including your family's literary competition.
Courtney Haggerty [00:02:39] Yes. Our favorite thing to do in our family is read.
Anne Bogel [00:02:44] Now, first of all, tell me about being a third grade teacher.
Courtney Haggerty [00:02:47] It's great. In third grade we're kind of building a love for reading. Hopefully they have built that foundation of reading already, so it's just really putting those right books in their hands, too, to make them really love to read.
Anne Bogel [00:03:02] Yeah. What do you wish every adult knew who has a child in their life that they are interested in seeing fall in love with books and reading? Like, what do you wish you could tell them? What do you tell them sometimes?
Courtney Haggerty [00:03:13] I just say let them read what they want to read. Don't put parameters around it. If they are a very excellent reader, if they want to read a picture book and they're a little older for it, let them read it. It does not matter what they read, just that they are reading.
Anne Bogel [00:03:34] Yeah. Is that what you tell your nieces and nephews?
Courtney Haggerty [00:03:37] Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:03:38] I think you mentioned that you were like the fun book aunt in your family.
Courtney Haggerty [00:03:42] Oh, yes!
Anne Bogel [00:03:43] Well, they are lucky to have you. So, Courtney, how would you describe your reading life at this point in the year?
Courtney Haggerty [00:03:49] Well, I think right now when I'm in the middle of a school year, my reading takes a little bit of a slowdown just because I don't have that much time. And it's really hard after a hard day of work to relax and to focus on a book. So that's kind of where I am right now. When we've got school breaks, I'm able to really focus and all I do is read and do things. But when I'm in the school year, I have so much more to think about than just that book. My mind is always on so many things. So right now it's slowed down, but I'm still in the middle of several great books.
Anne Bogel [00:04:35] We're going to hear about that. Now, I don't remember what we were talking about at Heine Brothers when the talk turned to intense reading practices in people's lives and in people's families. Do you remember how we got there?
Courtney Haggerty [00:04:49] I don't. I think I always like to bring up our family reading contest. When I interviewed to be a part of the education program at my university that I went to, I brought up that reading contest. It's just like, "Hello, my name is Courtney and this is what my family does." Like, we all kind of do that. It's just kind of a great conversation starter.
Anne Bogel [00:05:16] So how long has this family reading contest been part of your life?
Courtney Haggerty [00:05:20] Well, let me look, I have my binder that we put all of our titles in. We started in 2005, so I was in high school. I actually had to ask my grandmother. My grandmother started it. She is a retired school librarian. And I actually called her last night to figure out, really, why did we start this? Because we were all readers, really. I've been a reader forever. So what it started with was that my aunt claimed that she read over 50 books a year and my uncle was like, oh, there's no way you do that. She's like, I would do it. Absolutely. My grandmother overheard it and so she just decided that we were going to track our reading. And so at Christmas in 2004 she gave everyone in the family we call it our handy dandy notebook. It's a miniature binder. And she told us that you are to write the title, a brief synopsis and how many pages? And she said that next Christmas in 2005 at Christmas, whoever read the most books would get a dollar per book. So we have been doing that for, well, I guess this is 17 years now. And it's a family tradition-- it really is.
Anne Bogel [00:06:54] That is amazing. Okay. So looking back, how has it shaped your reading life?
Courtney Haggerty [00:06:59] Well, it's really interesting when I look back because I was 15 when we started. So back then-- and I have like the list from every year-- I did really well when I was in high school. And then when I went to college, it really kind of slowed down. I think there are a lot of other things to do when in college. And then once I graduated college and started my career, it got back to being a lot more. And I see years where school was a little tougher, like my first year teaching where I didn't read much. Whereas, I'm a pretty veteran teacher now that I'm able to kind of do work and then read and balance those together.
Anne Bogel [00:07:45] Give me a feel for how many family members are participating in this contest every year.
Courtney Haggerty [00:07:49] It's really a race of 3 to 4 of us every year. My aunt, my mom and my brother and I. My brother has a master's in English literature. So he's a huge reader. My mom and my aunt and I. It's kind of between the four of us at the moment. But I have little cousins now. They were two and not born yet when we started. And so later on my grandmother let them join the contest and they got a quarter a book, regardless if they won the contest or not. I never got that chance, which I'm still a little bitter. My brother and I are 10 and 14 years older than my oldest cousin, so they had that division. And now that my youngest cousin is 15 and so she is now in the adult division because we started when I was 15. So it could be a different competition this year because my cousin Kate is a huge reader. She actually won the Bookworm Award for her freshman class last year, so it could be a tough competition this year.
Anne Bogel [00:09:01] Wow. Okay, so grandma was a librarian.
Courtney Haggerty [00:09:04] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:09:05] I feel like I've spoken so much on this podcast about quality over quantity that I just have to acknowledge this is a quantity based competition, and yet it doesn't feel like that's doing anybody any harm.
Courtney Haggerty [00:09:17] No, I was thinking about that. I've been talking to my family about that because I know that's something that you talk about. And, for us, we would read regardless if we were doing this contest or not. And we read quality literature. We don't just read short books to get our numbers up. We read the books that we want to read. And if we don't win that year, that's okay because we had good books we read anyway.
Anne Bogel [00:09:45] Yeah. It sounds like grandma knew this would really bolster enthusiasm for reading and also for this locus for the family to connect around.
Courtney Haggerty [00:09:53] Absolutely. And it's been pretty competitive. It's fun every Christmas Eve to just hear about what we've read. And for a while we were all reading some of the same books. So what's been fun lately is that my mom and I are now able to share books together, and my grandmother and I are going to start buddy reading the new Demon Copperhead book together. So we read and talk about books all the time. That's our number one conversation starter.
Anne Bogel [00:10:33] Do you all review each other's handy dandy notebooks at the end of the year?
Courtney Haggerty [00:10:36] Well, no. We used to. The first few years gran made sure we had to have that synopsis. But now that we've done it so long, we don't have to do the synopsis anymore. It's just a list of the books now.
Anne Bogel [00:10:57] Courtney, tell me about the year that you won.
Courtney Haggerty [00:11:00] Oh, it was last year.
Anne Bogel [00:11:06] You didn't say that at Heine Brothers.
Courtney Haggerty [00:11:08] Yeah, it was just last year.
Anne Bogel [00:11:10] I'm impressed you didn't just gloat.
Courtney Haggerty [00:11:15] I had 75 and I think it helped that I was home a lot more. We were teaching from home. We didn't go back into the classroom till March last year, so I could read a lot more. But I was not with my family for Christmas last year. I was away. And so I had to call in my number. And so I got a little sandwich bag of ones. I've never been so excited. I had never won before. That was my best year, I think.
Anne Bogel [00:11:53] I hope your family rejoiced at your accomplishment.
Courtney Haggerty [00:11:57] Well, I think they were a little irritated that they lost.
Anne Bogel [00:12:01] Hey, you told us it was intense.
Courtney Haggerty [00:12:03] Yeah, it is. It is intense. I think that was my best number. This year I'm getting close to that number.
Anne Bogel [00:12:13] Any hope for a repeat?
Courtney Haggerty [00:12:15] Oh, absolutely not. Somebody has far exceeded the number. I will not reveal the certain number because they might listen. But let's just say we have got somebody in the triple digits.
Anne Bogel [00:12:30] I'm just sitting here smiling at your family competition. That sounds like such a fun way to make reading, which can be a solitary activity, into this really fun communal activity. Like that sounds like a blast. Courtney, any final thoughts that you would share with those who are intrigued by this idea?
Courtney Haggerty [00:12:48] I would just say make it your own, too. We are a different kind of family with this, but you can do it any way you want to. If you don't want to do money, you could always-- I'm always kind of sad that we didn't do a family baking contest where the winner gets to write their name on a spatula. I'm kind of sad we didn't have, like, a trophy or something. That's something I think would be fun to pass something to every year. I'm sad we didn't do that. That's my one regret with this.
Anne Bogel [00:13:23] So looking ahead to 2023-- so 2022 this is not your year for the competition, maybe 2023 will be. But I know no matter what you want good books to read and we want to get you set up for the year ahead.
Courtney Haggerty [00:13:36] Sounds good.
Anne Bogel [00:13:37] So what I love to do is hear about the books you loved and don't and then just add a few titles to your list that may give you a good start for 2023.
Courtney Haggerty [00:13:45] Yeah, I'm excited.
Anne Bogel [00:13:48] Okay. Courtney, how did you choose your favorites?
Courtney Haggerty [00:13:50] Well, I have. It's hard for me to pick my favorites because I feel like every time I read a book and I enjoyed it, I'm like, well, that's my favorite. So I picked ones that really stayed with me through since I've read them, I've finished these. It's been a while since I've finished some of these and they're still with me, so that's why I picked them.
Anne Bogel [00:14:15] I love it. That's a great way to pick. Let's jump in. Tell me about the first book you loved.
Courtney Haggerty [00:14:21] Sure. The first book I picked was Bear Town by Fredrik Backman. This book it just hit me in all the different feelings. It had the sports component, which I love, but it also was a true look at a town. And I love that. I love this small town dynamics. Living in Louisville, it's a big city, but it's still small town in ways. So I really enjoyed that and it really stuck with me.
Anne Bogel [00:14:52] Can I tell you that's what my grandma always said when I was growing up. She'd say, "It looks like a big city, but if you do anything terrible I will hear about it in 7 minutes." Actually she told me that as a warning.
Courtney Haggerty [00:15:07] I grew up in Lexington, so it was the same thing in Lexington, too.
Anne Bogel [00:15:11] So reading about this small town with a totally different experience than the one you have had in your life was really part of the attraction here?
Courtney Haggerty [00:15:20] Right. And now I have to admit, I haven't read the rest of the books yet in the series. I'm so behind on current reads like that. And I'm one of those that I don't want things that I love to end. So some of my favorite shows I still haven't watched the series finale because I don't want it to be over, so I'm taking it pretty slow.
Anne Bogel [00:15:48] I really admire that. And you are far from alone. There are so many who save that last book because they don't want to live in a world in which they don't have any more, for example, Frederick Borgman books to read. I might be the opposite. I just gobble them up greedily and then I'm sad there's nothing more awaiting me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. There's room for all of us in the reading life.
Courtney Haggerty [00:16:08] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:16:08] And that last one was 700 something pages.
Courtney Haggerty [00:16:11] I know. It's on my shelf. I'm just not ready yet.
Anne Bogel [00:16:17] There are multiple ways in which you have a lot to look forward to.
Courtney Haggerty [00:16:19] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:16:21] Okay. That's Bear by Frederick Bachman. Tell me about another book that has really stuck with you.
Courtney Haggerty [00:16:25] My next one is I'll Be Gone In the Dark by Michelle McNamara. This was an investigative, journalistic look at the Golden State killer, and I thoroughly enjoyed this. I love a true crime show, but I really enjoy a true crime book, even though I am the biggest scaredy cat around. The true crime does not bother me. I wanted to be a lawyer for a long time, and so that kind of intrigues me. And I love a journalistic look in a book. I love that kind of point of view. I don't know what it is about that, but I love a good investigation.
Anne Bogel [00:17:07] I have been scared about this book. So how long ago did you read this?
Courtney Haggerty [00:17:11] Actually, I just read it this summer. I finished it on my plane ride back from Boston in June.
Anne Bogel [00:17:18] So that has been a while now. So now, as you look back, what are the parts of the book that's still l run through your mind at times?
Courtney Haggerty [00:17:26] I think it was the way that it became personal for the author and how she spoke about the victims and those who were affected by this. It made them feel like real people. And I think in some true crime, it can be so far removed-- you can feel really removed. But they just seemed like regular people and you felt how they felt. And I thought it was a really good book and really interesting. I like to hear all the procedural parts of investigations and things.
Anne Bogel [00:18:07] Is that true in fiction and nonfiction?
Courtney Haggerty [00:18:09] Oh, yes. I love a good procedural in fiction and nonfiction. Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:18:15] Okay. I'll remember that. Courtney, what did you choose to complete your favorites list?
Courtney Haggerty [00:18:20] So the last one I picked was Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman. And this was a fiction telling of the college admissions scandal. And I went on a bit of a theme a couple of months ago and I read three books on this topic. And this one, though, was a little different. It was basically showing how intense the parents get their children to achieve their dreams for them-- not necessarily the child's dream, but what they want for their child. And so I thought it was really interesting. I'm quite a bit past college, but to watch my cousins go through the college process and things and see how they have to be independent and make their own choices. But in this book it was the total opposite. The parents were were doing some really downright awful things to get them into schools.
Anne Bogel [00:19:24] This is a thriller, isn't it? This is the one I've read yet.
Courtney Haggerty [00:19:27] Yes, it is.
Anne Bogel [00:19:29] I believe it's really suspenseful.
Courtney Haggerty [00:19:31] Yes, it is.
Anne Bogel [00:19:32] It think it portrays people making really questionable choices.
Courtney Haggerty [00:19:37] Absolutely. And I think I am a real rule follower and breaking rules really gives me anxiety. So, for me, I think that's why I like reading those kind of books too because I'm like, well, I'll never do that. So it's so perfect to me that I'm like, it's just so intriguing to me because I'm like, well, that is so far beyond what my real life is. Yeah, it was very questionable, lots of questionable decisions.
Anne Bogel [00:20:08] Okay. So in reading fiction you can see how some people grew up in tiny Swedish villages and how some people bend, maybe break the rules, and both are just like, huh? And totally voyeuristic how might people choose to live.
Courtney Haggerty [00:20:21] Right.
Anne Bogel [00:20:22] Courtney, tell me about a book that didn't feel right for you.
Courtney Haggerty [00:20:26] The one that did not work for me was Normal People by Sally Rooney. And truth be told, any Sally Rooney book does not work for me. I'm probably in the minority here, but I just feel like nothing happens. I just feel like there's just no real drama. It doesn't keep my attention.
Anne Bogel [00:20:50] Courtney, so many people are yelling, I know, at their car speakers right now. People have loved Sally Rooney on the podcast before and people have said this work is absolutely not for me and that is all fine, but we want to hear why it doesn't work for you. She loses some people because they just can't do it with her lack of punctuation marks.
Courtney Haggerty [00:21:08] Well, I don't think it's the punctuation thing for me because I teach third grade. I don't see punctuation marks in writing. I'll be honest. That's a real struggle for my kids. It was just boring. I don't know what it was. I just didn't see the point. I was just like, okay, well, that was fine. It was just not exciting. I don't know why it doesn't work for me because they say she's like the author for millennials, and I am quite a millennial. I mean, my age is right there. I'm a bit of an old soul, and maybe that's why it just does not-- and I've read more than that one of hers. I've read Conversation with Friends too, and I just had the same feeling. I just didn't really see the point.
Anne Bogel [00:22:04] Well, even among millennials there are still readers who love character driven books and still others who love a plot driven novel. People read for different reasons. And her books are very interior. I'm wondering if that is a factor in that not work for you.
Courtney Haggerty [00:22:19] It could be. And I like a character driven, I think. I go back and forth I think, oh, maybe I like character driven. And then I'm like, no, maybe I'm plot driven. I like anything that really holds my attention and it just doesn't work for me. And I have yet to read her newest one because I'm just like, well, I'm not going to like it probably.
Anne Bogel [00:22:42] Okay I'm thinking about Normal People, which I read for the first time not that long ago. And I'm just thinking about how much of the plot in Normal People is about characters not taking action. It's about them not doing their thing, but you know as the reader they're supposed to do. Like that would be the right thing to do for the relationship, for themselves, and they don't do it. And that is the story, that they didn't do the thing that needed to be done. But it sounds like it's not that you were frustrated that they didn't take action, you were just like, come on, can something please happen already?
Courtney Haggerty [00:23:16] Yes. That is exactly kind of how I felt. Yes. Like, let's get something going. Come on.
Anne Bogel [00:23:25] So a story about the devastations of inaction is just not going to be your thing because nothing happens. That's the point.
Courtney Haggerty [00:23:33] Right. Or let them make that decision and then let's see the fallout from it or the consequences. I don't mind seeing that. I just felt bored by those books.
Anne Bogel [00:23:46] Courtney, what have you been reading lately?
Courtney Haggerty [00:23:50] I just finished Bad City by Paul Pringle.
Anne Bogel [00:23:53] Oh, I don't know this one.
Courtney Haggerty [00:23:55] It has a longer title. Paul Pringle is a journalist in Los Angeles. And it was about how there was quite a scandal with the University of Southern California. Again, another campus setting where some bad things really happened with the dean of the medical school and how the university covered it up. And it had multiple scandals in it, which I find fascinating. Again, that investigative journalism type of of novel is something that I really enjoy. I think it just takes me out of my boring life and it gives me a little excitement, but I really enjoyed it. That was my last read. I finished that in line for the ride the Disneyworld [Inaudible].
Anne Bogel [00:24:57] Was anybody else reading in line?
Courtney Haggerty [00:24:59] No. I've not seen many people read in line, to be honest. But it doesn't bother me. It keeps the line going. I go by myself, so I don't really have anyone to talk to. So it's a perfect time for me to read.
Anne Bogel [00:25:15] I love that you're able to do that. Courtney, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
Courtney Haggerty [00:25:19] I would love some books that really take me away. I love a novel or a book where I can go to a different place. I think that's with Bear Town. I've never been to Sweden. It's somewhere where it's so different from where where I live now. And I love a good escape.
Anne Bogel [00:25:44] I see that in the books you enjoy. Are you still on the hunt for more historical fiction and family dramas and maybe nonfiction for the year ahead?
Courtney Haggerty [00:25:52] Absolutely. I love a good historical fiction. I am a big history nerd. I love the History Channel and I love anything history. I love a good dual timeline of historical fiction. That's a big conversation in our family. I'm the only one that really enjoys the dual timeline.
Anne Bogel [00:26:15] I love that you know that about your family members, because most people wouldn't be able to say that about their parents and aunts and uncles and cousins.
Courtney Haggerty [00:26:24] Yeah. When my aunt comes and I have my bookshelves are stacked full and every time she comes, she looks for one and she'll be, like, "Is it dual timeline?" And I'm like, yes. She's like, "Nope, not going to do it." It's a known thing. If I recommend a book and it's dual timeline, they don't usually like it. But I love a dual timeline.
Anne Bogel [00:26:47] Which means that you need to get recommendations from those other than your family members.
Courtney Haggerty [00:26:52] Right.
Anne Bogel [00:26:52] Okay. Courtney, tell me a little bit more about what you'd like to be reading, because I know that you told me that you often read a lot of new books, but you read them on about a six month delay by the time you see them out there in media and then get them from the library. Is this a rhythm you like? Are you looking to read more or more new? All that.
Courtney Haggerty [00:27:13] My family likes to call me a book collector, but I'm not a book collector in the sense of I collect the same book or classics. No. I like to go to bookstores every week. They know me at Carmichael's. Now I go every Sunday morning and I pick a couple of books every week. But do I read them when I get them? No, I have stacks upon stacks everywhere. But I'm still reading those on Libby, so I get behind on my reading. So it doesn't matter to me when I read them. I just feel like I'm always behind the current trends.
Anne Bogel [00:27:52] And that doesn't bother you? It's fine. You just want good books to read.
Courtney Haggerty [00:27:55] Exactly. Yeah. I love being surrounded by books, whether I've read them or not, I guess.
Anne Bogel [00:28:03] I bet they love you at Carmichael's. Listeners, that is our local independent bookstore here in Louisville.
Courtney Haggerty [00:28:09] They do. And they know I'm a teacher now. So every Sunday morning they're like how was your week at school? It was fine.
Anne Bogel [00:28:19] It's so kind. I love to hear it. So Courtney, you're interested in reading more nonfiction family dramas and historical fiction. You especially love a book with a dual timeline. We've talked about how you want something to happen in your stories. You may like character driven books, but you want some action as well. And I'm just really remembering how you went on that college admissions campus novel spree and really enjoyed it. And you love investigative journalism and procedurals, whether that procedural aspect is incorporated into fiction or nonfiction. And we want to find you some good books to set you up for success in this cutthroat family reading competition in 2023. Although you're happy when you're reading books you enjoy no matter what, it doesn't matter if you take home the cash at the end of the year.
Courtney Haggerty [00:29:04] Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:29:04] Which is a great place to be. Okay. That being said, can we start you with a really short one that you get an easy entry into your notebook. Okay. So there's a little novella, maybe even a short story length book by Claire Keegan. She wrote Small Things like These last year. And this is just pure speculation on my part, that based on that success and the award nominations it received that's why the same publisher has put out this new book. It's called Foster, and it came out this fall. It'll be at Carmichaels right now. They'll have it for you on the shelf.
Courtney Haggerty [00:29:38] I have seen it. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:29:39] Yeah, it is really pretty. So have you read it?
Courtney Haggerty [00:29:41] I have not, but I've heard it's wonderful.
Anne Bogel [00:29:45] I'm so glad to hear. I haven't seen it anywhere, but I'm so glad to hear that. So this is very short. It comes in at less than 100 pages, even though the format is small and the text is kind of big. But it really packs a punch. This book takes you on an emotional journey even though there's not a lot of space to work with. I want to call this historical fiction, but I'm not sure that it is. The time period is never clearly stated. At first it felt like it happened a long time ago to me in rural Ireland because there's a chamber pot in a room and some of the things happening in the kitchen made me think like, oh, this is old. But then we find out that the family watches the television news every night. So I'm like, oh, well, this isn't as old as I was thinking it might be. I may have to read again and do some deep investigation and see, like, are there any references I missed that would let me know? Like, Clare Keegan, could you just tell us when this is set? It doesn't matter to the story. I'm just curious as a reader. But this little book begins with an anxious child, a young girl. And again, it's never stated how old she is. I'm picturing in the neighborhood of like 8 to 10 years old, but her father is taking her to leave with, I believe, her mother's relatives that she has zero familiarity with. She doesn't greet them by name. She doesn't run up and hug them. You don't get the impression they've seen her before. But you find out that her mother is expecting another child and the family is taxed, and the family is really struggling financially and everybody is exhausted and not getting the work done. And this couple has agreed to foster her (and no, I didn't understand the meaning of the title until until I realized, oh, that's what this book is actually about) to lighten the load until her mother has the baby and recovers a little bit from childbirth. And this book, Courtney, stuff happens in this book. It's narrated from the child's perspective. But this is not like one of those precocious children's stories. She's narrating her experience, and so she has this naivety that lets you see things with the innocence of a child. But she's also very emotionally astute. She notices immediately, like, this couple that I'm living with, something sad has happened here. But also this is a house that's free and easy. And there's discussion about secrecy and shame and the line between and how this new family she's living with. Like, there is no shame here. It unfolds over the course of one hot summer where the girl talks about being a little bit out of time. Like where I am right now, I can't be what I've been before, but I'm not going to be here long enough to turn into what I could be. And I don't want to tell you how it ends or the discoveries that are made along the way. But this is a journey that happens in a small space, and I think you'll be glad that you chose to take it. How does that sound?
Courtney Haggerty [00:32:38] That sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:32:40] Okay. I also want to tell you and everyone, this is a small format book that I read it in two short sittings and it was wonderful. But you could read it in the time it takes you to drink a cup of coffee if you don't just, like, pour it back. But this is small format, and it's the perfect size for like a gift exchange or a small token. Or if you want to read something by the fire on a chilly evening, it could be really nice for any of those things. Okay. That's Foster by Claire Keegan. I want to slide in a book to your college admissions. I'm picturing this little like nook on your bookshelf where you have the stack of books that's going to get bigger. This book is not about a scandal exactly, but it touches on that. And I didn't mention that I have a high school senior, so I have been living that college admissions life; although, I can see how parents can become deeply invested in that. I might have thought the books along those lines are too close to home for me right now. I'm living it. I do not need to read anything else about it. But then accidentally I picked up this book that's not coming out until February-- I think it comes out February 14th-- and I wanted to read it because it's from the tiny reparations imprint at Dutton. And forgive me everyone if this sounds super nerdy, but publishers have their own personalities and I found that I really like the personality of this new publisher.
[00:34:06] This is Phoebe Robinson's imprint at Dutton. And this imprint they say it's highly curated. There's only a half dozen books out right now. And they publish literary fiction and nonfiction and essay collections. And their goal is to highlight and amplify unique and diverse voices and to publish books that not only reflect the current conversation, but also push it forward. And that is mostly tiny reparations, direct wording there. And I've really enjoyed their books and this new one, it became available to me and I knew I wanted to read it. So I just thought, why not now? And then I found out on like the fourth page that the protagonist as a job helps high school seniors get into college, mostly by helping them write their college admissions essays. And I thought, what universe? Are you kidding me? But apparently the universe wanted me to be able to tell you about this on this timeline. So it's called Gone Like Yesterday by Janelle Williams. And it is the story of Zara. She's in her early thirties and she is a college prep coach and she talks throughout the book about how people don't understand what it is that she does unless they are very much in that world or know someone who has been. But she lives in New York, she moved there from Atlanta. And what she does is help mostly rich white kids (Zara is black) get into college. And these are the parents out of girls with bright futures who are just like stomping on the ethics of how everything should work here. But Zara doesn't really admire them either. She's just not really relishing helping these kids get into the Ivy League. She's not finding a lot of joy and purpose in it. But at the very beginning of the book, she takes an Uber ride that kind of changes her life. So two things. This Uber driver connects her to her niece, who is a black high school senior who goes to a white super competitive prep school. And she wants to get into Stanford.
[00:35:51] But this family is not able to pay a college prep coach like herself. She works for 75 bucks an hour to help writer essay and she volunteers. You can see her in the text not saying out loud to this family, but to herself, why did you do that? Like, why would you offer to help this girl for free? What are you thinking? But one of the reasons she does it is when she is in the backseat of this Uber car, she sees a cluster of gypsy moths in the car and they're singing songs to her. And what you find out is that she has always been followed by gypsy moths, and they are always messing with her, and they've been at it since she was a kid. And they're fluttering around and they're always singing songs, but nobody else can hear the songs. And so I was, like, this is very interesting. Where is this going to go? So Courtney, this is a book about a college admissions prep coach who connects with this young girl, this high school senior, who also has a bit of the dreamer and a bit of the magic about her. And when Zara's brother disappears back in Atlanta, they go on a journey together with the Uber driver as well, because he's got a car, obviously, to take them from New York to Atlanta and they learn the story of the moths and the story of their respective families in ways that are deeply transformative. And it is definitely magical. Like those moths matter a lot. I notice the flap copy of the book tells you what the moths represent. Readers. I don't know if you want to know what the moths represent because it's not revealed till pretty late in the book. You might just want to discover this on that journey yourself. But Courtney, how is this sounding to you?
Courtney Haggerty [00:37:21] That sounds fantastic. I wish it were out already.
Anne Bogel [00:37:24] I wish it were, too. I wish you could go to Carmichael's and get it this weekend. But I know that you have plenty to read, so I'm not too worried about that. Okay. I thought maybe a nice family drama would be good for your shelves. But instead I want to recommend, I think, a pair of books. And one is so perfect for you that I wouldn't be the tiniest bit surprised if you have read it already. And that is Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krauss. Do you know this?
Courtney Haggerty [00:37:54] I have that on Libby right now I think as one of my holds.
Anne Bogel [00:37:59] This is a great book for you. It blends memoir and true crime. It's about a landmark sexual assault case that takes place on a college campus. And while it's never identified in the book, the journalists say that it's clearly identifiable as the University of Colorado at Boulder. But this is such an interesting narrative where she tells her personal story and the reasons why it was totally wrong for her to take the case, she had history of sexual assault. So why would she be professionally wading into those waters? But she does. She works for an attorney as a private investigator. She investigates cases for his firm and he takes on a new client who was sexually assaulted by college football recruits at this school. And he wants to prove the school was not only aware of, but complicit in the program's culture of violence. And she says to herself this is a bad idea. This could potentially be terrible for me, but I can't resist the prospect of securing justice and making the perpetrators pay for what they did to the student and to so many others. And you watch the lawsuit in this story move forward and what that does for her and what happens in the case. I mean, we both know why it's on your list. How does that sound to you?
Courtney Haggerty [00:39:14] It sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:39:16] I imagine with the frequency of Libby holds you have coming in that maybe perhaps you don't read everything that comes through. Tell me if I'm wrong. I know that happens to me and I don't use nearly as many Libby holds as you do. But I would definitely clear the decks and make time for this one.
Courtney Haggerty [00:39:35] I will. It sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:39:36] Okay. And I hate to give you another book that's not coming out until February, but I'm going to do it because it's too perfect for you and you really need to know about it. Is that okay?
Courtney Haggerty [00:39:47] Absolutely. I love any book recommendations I can go get at Carmichaels in a few months. Absolutely.
Anne Bogel [00:39:55] So Rebecca Makkai who was a Pulitzer finalist for her novel The Great Believers that came out five-ish years ago, maybe for years, has a new book coming out. This new one is set at an isolated New Hampshire boarding school where the protagonist went to school in 1995 where one of her classmates was murdered back then. So the narrator, her name is Bodie, she has grown up. She's become a professor, she's become a professional podcaster. And she does a lot with true crime and Hollywood on her podcast. So now she's back to teach a special short session of class to high school students. Basically she pays someone, even though she knows she shouldn't, to investigate that 1995 murder and do a podcast about it because Bodie (that podcaster protagonist professor) she has some questions. And there's this specific person she has a lot of questions for. And that is a teacher who taught back then that she thought was never fully investigated the way he should have been. It's such an interesting self-aware exploration of true crime and education, and close professorial student relationships and feminism. And I'm not entirely doing justice to this, but I think this ticks so many of your boxes. It's called I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai and it comes out in February.
Courtney Haggerty [00:41:29] That sounds so good.
Anne Bogel [00:41:33] It's going to be great for you. And it's a longer one. I know you love that feeling of accomplishment with a longer book. This isn't super long, but it's about 450, which is not fast.
Courtney Haggerty [00:41:43] That's my favorite.
Anne Bogel [00:41:45] Okay. Courtney, I didn't give a lot for you to choose from right now. But available to you right now you have Tell Me Everything by Erika Krouse, and you have that available to you. It sounds like right now. And then Foster by Claire Keegan that's waiting for you at Carmichaels. What do you think you'll read next there?
Courtney Haggerty [00:42:03] I think I'm going to start with Tell Me Everything because I have that right now on my Kindle. And then I think this weekend I'll head to Carmichael's and get Foster.
Anne Bogel [00:42:12] I love it. I can't wait to hear what you think. And then I'm really excited for you to have these books to look forward to. Gone Like Yesterday by Janelle Williams And then I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. I think those are both right up your alley.
Courtney Haggerty [00:42:22] Can't wait. Sounds great.
Anne Bogel [00:42:24] Me either. Courtney, thank you so much for coming on and talking books with me today.
Courtney Haggerty [00:42:28] Thank you for having me, Anne.
Anne Bogel [00:42:29] Oh, it's been a pleasure.
[00:42:36] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Courtney, and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Let us know today at whatshouldIreadnextpodcas.com. That's also where you'll find all the books we talked about today. Every week we take a look at some of our favorite podcast moments and engage in spirited book talk on our Instagram page @WhatshouldIreadnext. We love it when you share our post to your own stories and help your friends figure out what they should read.
[00:43:00] Follow me on Instagram too. I'm there @Annebogel. Stay in the loop for all our What Should I Read Next happenings when you sign up for our weekly newsletter. Visit: WhatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to make sure you never miss an update. Follow along on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts. We're taking next week off so our team can enjoy a holiday break. But with over 350 episodes in our podcast backlist, we hope you'll find a delightfully bookish listen to Enjoy. We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode to kick off a new year of literary delight.
[00:43:36] Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What should I read next is created each week with production assistant Holly Wielkoszewski and editing and sound design by Studio Podcast Productions.
[00:43:46] Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman
▵ Normal People by Sally Rooney
• Bad City: Peril and Power in the City of Angels by Paul Pringle
• Foster by Claire Keegan
• Gone Like Yesterday by Janelle Williams
• Tell Me Everything by Erika Krouse
• I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
Also mentioned:
• Carmichael’s Bookstore
• Tiny Reparations Imprint
The post A high-stakes family reading competition appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Last week I shared my favorite books of 2022. Today, I’m sharing my favorite audiobooks and podcasts. This year I didn’t duplicate titles on these lists so make sure you check them both out!
When choosing my favorite audiobooks, I especially want to celebrate audiobooks that elevate the reading experience. Did a narrator bring a little something extra to the story, something I couldn’t have gotten from reading in print? In my mind, that is the mark of a truly great audiobook.
For me, an additional mark of a great listening experience—of any good book, for that matter—is that I’m still thinking about the story, even months later. Bonus points to any book that makes me want to run another mile, fold another load of laundry, or sit in my car in the driveway so I can keep listening.
2022 was once again a great year for audiobooks; these are my very favorites. This list is representative of my listening habits: I love immersive novels and intimate memoirs in my ears, and that’s exactly what populates this list.
Now let’s talk favorites—and please, share YOUR favorite audiobooks in the comments section!
All books featured here were chosen because I loooove them. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. More info here.
My favorite audiobooks of the year Author: Elizabeth Strout
This was the right book at the right time for me; I listened to Kimberly Farr's excellent narration on audio, and loved it so much I named it one of the things saving my life in the winter season. It's a reflective, often wistful narrative, voiced by Lucy Barton about her first husband William, whom she has—against all odds—remained friends with after their marriage ended many years before. I blew through this in two days because I was transfixed by Lucy's thoughtful, even arresting thoughts about what makes relationships succeed or fail, what it means to be a family, how one conversation can change a relationship and even a life, and how a single revelation about a person may transform our understanding of who they are. A word to the wise: this book made me burst into tears in my kitchen at one point when it touched on a topic I wasn't expecting to encounter, so maybe be mindful of where you listen? I also loved and adored Lucy by the Sea, which continues this story. More info →Author: Doireann Ní Ghríofa
I read this arresting nonfiction work in January and have been thinking of it often all year long. "This is a female text:" These beginning words are repeated, over and over, throughout. But what to say about this story, how to define it? Words fail me here, because it's so unlike anything I've ever read: part memoir, part meditation on the female creative process, part biography of a long-dead Irish poet, plus a translation of the poet's best-known work. If you're stirred by the offer of gaining a glimpse inside the mind of a modern poet grappling with her brilliant predecessors, this absolutely belongs on your TBR. I'm so glad I opted for Siobhán McSweeney's perfect narration: otherwise I would have been baffled by the Irish pronunciations. This book went straight on my Best of the Year list, and ever since I read it I've been recommending it non-stop. More info →ChirpAuthor: Kirsten Miller
"The gift arrives after the curse ends." In this wild and wonderful feminist revenge fantasy, three women in their use the unique new abilities that arrived with perimenopause to bring a killer to justice. Nessa comes from a long line of women who are able to hear the voices of the dead. Jo can now channel her rage into actual fire. And Harriett's abilities with plants now surpass that of the most seasoned gardener. After the police refuse to take action, the women team up to investigate the death of a young woman, and soon discover she is one of many: an alarming number of women have disappeared near their well-to-do town in recent years, and someone is trying to cover up the crimes. Nessa, Harriett, and Jo resolve to do whatever it takes to expose the town's dark secret and make the perpetrators pay ... and to say anything else would be spoiler-y. Brash, bold, boatloads of fun, and thrilling as read by narrator January LaVoy, who brings the rotating perspectives to life. More info →Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz
I started reading this in print back in the spring, but it wasn't until I picked up the audio version narrated by Julia Whelan several months later—at her urging—that the story really grabbed me. This is the decades-long story of a wealthy Brooklyn family and their triplets—the smart one, the weird one, and the girl—conceived with the help of IVF. For a bevy of reasons this family never quite gelled, and the siblings carry not a trace of affection for each other. Everything changes when the triplets reach college age, and their mother, yearning for some semblance of familial love, decides to thaw the fourth and only remaining embryo and have another child. The arrival of that child—the latecomer—blows up the whole family. Julia called Korelitz's follow-up to The Plot "the definition of a brilliant slow build," and I so enjoyed watching her patiently set up the explosive reveal at a Martha's Vineyard birthday celebration that takes place in September 2001. An unexpected bonus was the thread of modern art that runs through the book: I googled so many artists and works along the way! More info →Author: Daniel Nayeri
This is my most recent listen on the list and a worthy edition—I'm glad I could sneak it in before the year ended! I opted to listen after a wide variety of readers with wildly disparate tastes all gushed about this book, specifically recommending the audiobook. Our narrator for this epic is a 12-year-old Iranian-born named Khosrou, who now lives in Oklahoma and is known as Daniel, and the tales he spins are drawn from his rich family history, ancient Persian folklore, and sometimes from the extraordinary and ordinary moments of his middle school life. "Every story is the sound of a storyteller begging to stay alive," Daniel tells us, perhaps explaining why he puts his whole heart and soul into the tales he weaves for his audience. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious book, and while the books are by no means readalikes, I thought often of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime while I was listening. More info →Author: Valérie Perrin
The audiobook version wasn't an unqualified win with this favorite, because it got a little tricky in places where the narrative jumps through time and I found myself wanting to flip back and forth to get oriented. Despite this, I'm glad I listened instead of going with the print edition. After loving the works of Maylis de Kerangal in 2021, I wanted to explore more French literature, and I've had Perrin in my sights because she's published by Europa, a publisher I love for translated works. (Hildegarde Serle translates this one.) When Fabled book buyer Elizabeth Barnhill gave me a nudge to read this, I was only too eager to jump in! I was hooked by her English language debut from the lyrical and utterly surprising opening passage, in which narrator Violette grounds us in her work as a cemetery caretaker. She sees her setting not as a sinister place but as a garden of souls where she gently tends the dead and those who come to pay them tribute. The achingly sad and touching story unspools over more than twenty years, yet always felt immediate, even urgent, mixing love and betrayal, drama and resilience, friendship and loss, drama and resilience, even poetry to great effect. More info →After finishing a mediocre audiobook this summer, I had no idea what to listen to next, and popped over to our What Should I Read Next patreon community to ask for recommendations. Our patrons pointed me towards this book, which had been halfheartedly lingering on my TBR for a while. I had been under the mistaken impression it was a comedy work, but I was soon to discover how mistaken I was. I plunged in, as advised, knowing little but definitely intrigued by the inclusion of Lyle Lovett as a narrator. (All I will say is: he plays himself.) Forgive me if you already know this, but this is a memoir, written by an anonymous author, who explains how and why she came to operate the pseudonymous twitter account @DuchessGoldblat. While ostensibly about a social media account, it's really about finding and forming community, the power of friendship in difficult times, the painful and lingering effects of a difficult childhood, and the redemptive possibilities of creativity and generosity. This was superb on audio, as narrated by Gabra Zackman, J. Smith-Cameron, and, of course, Lyle Lovett. More info →Author: Brendan Slocumb
This fine arts thriller begins with a bang: Ray McMillian may be the most talented young musician in the world. Two weeks before the most important competition of his life, he opens his violin case after getting off a flight and discovers his $10 million dollar Stradivarius is gone—replaced by a white Chuck Taylor and a ransom note. Slocumb then takes us back in time to show us how Ray, a young Black man from North Carolina who doesn't have the family wealth or privilege so many of his classical music peers do, fell in love with both music and his great-great grandfather's fiddle, and came to devote his life to winning the Tschaikovsky Competition—and how he came to own a $10 million Strad. We also experience many painful and heart-pounding instances of the racism Ray experiences as a Black man moving through a space that's predominantly white—and how his Blackness is used against him by those who wish to claim his violin as their own. I opted for the audiobook because I love JD Jackson's voice: that was absolutely the right decision for this book. More info →Author: Angie Cruz
Talk about an audiobook that elevates the listening experience! This is the story of Cara Romero, a fifty-something Dominican woman who loses her factory job in the Great Recession and is forced back on the job market. She opts to participate in a workforce re-entry program, which consists of twelve sessions with a job counselor. In those sessions, Cara sits down and tells the job counselor about her life—and it's those first person accounts that comprise the bulk of the novel! The audiobook is highly produced like a podcast might be: you can hear ice rattling in people's cups and doors creaking open on squeaky hinges—and that's on top of Kimberly M. Wetherell and Rossmery Almonte's fantastic voice acting. More info → What are your favorite audiobooks of the year? What did you love to listen to this year?
P.S. My favorite audiobooks and listening experiences of 2021, my favorite listening experiences of 2020 and my favorite audiobooks of 2019. New to audiobooks? Try these 7 ways to discover your audiobook style. And don’t miss my favorite books of 2022.
The post My favorite audiobooks of 2022 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Well, we’ve almost made it through the end-of-semester march. Our fourth kid finishes school for the year today, and not a moment too soon: with three kids already off school Will says our entire family basically has senioritis. We’re ready for a break!
I’m hearing from many of you that you’re already setting your reading life intentions for 2023. How fun! We are not hosting a reading challenge for 2023; our Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Life Challenge is your evergreen guide to plan your reading life as you think about the year to come (or anytime). This helpful resource also includes the complete list of all the reading challenge prompts we’ve ever used, going back to 2015.
This weekend I hope to get ahead of the wrapping, bake cookies from our Holiday Cookie Exchange, and take a nice long walk or two. I hope you have something you’re looking forward to this weekend: may the coming days be filled with grace, peace, rest, and good books.
My favorite finds from around the web: The 103 Best Book Covers of 2022. (Literary Hub) See any of your favorites? * Why the ‘Kindred’ Series Makes Big Changes From Octavia Butler’s Landmark Novel. (Shondaland) I adored the book and am eagerly awaiting this adaptation. It will be interesting to see what viewers make of these changes. * I fell in love with this liquid blush this fall—and then I was flabbergasted when my daughters told me the brand, Rare Beauty, is Selena Gomez’s line! This week I tried the lipstick, and my hair stylist raved about the mascara when I saw her this week. * What It’s Like to Work on a Lifetime Christmas Movie. (Vulture) “A cynic could say these films feel paint-by-numbers. But no two snowflakes are alike, even when those snowflakes are movies called A Christmas Prince, Christmas With a Prince, and Inventing the Christmas Prince. And for superfans, pointing out the similarities and differences is part of the fun.” * 13 Holiday Classics Turned Into Cookies. (Food52) This is a fun idea! The Latke Cookies are especially intriguing. * Legally bookish: Reese Witherspoon and the boom in celebrity book clubs. (The Guardian) Some celebrity book clubs seem to be better than others. * Not a Stranger, Not a Friend: The Second-Ring Relationships Our Cities Need More Of. (Strong Towns) “Most meaningful change in cities happens with people who are neither strangers nor friends. They are neighbors. * The Trader Joe’s Dessert Ina Garten Calls ‘Absolutely Delicious’. (Tasting Table) Spoiler alert: it’s the Apple Tart. * Why 250 book industry workers are on strike at a publishing giant. (Fast Company) This article came out last week but the HarperCollins employees are still on strike. I hope the publisher will meet their reasonable demands as soon as possible. If you want to support the strike, you can sign this Solidarity Open Letter (Google Form)—no publishing background necessary; all readers are welcome. * Your Section-by-Section Guide to Storing Foods in the Fridge, From the Upper Shelves to the Crisper Drawers. (Martha Stewart) * The Best Crime Novels of the Year: 2022. (CrimeReads) I enjoyed several of these. * An end-of-life doula’s advice on how to make the most of your time on earth. (Vox*) “Engaging with our mortality when we have the bandwidth to do so can offer clarity that in the long term infuses our lives with more joy and meaning.”
Don’t miss these posts: 20 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Iceland. It’s almost time for Jólabókaflóðið! You don’t have to exchange Icelandic books in order to do your own Christmas book flood but it’s a good excuse for some literary tourism. * 25 delightfully distracting jigsaw puzzles to occupy your mind and boost your mood. Calling all puzzle lovers. * 16 short books to knock out your reading challenge.*
Behind the scenes at What Should I Read Next:We’re still pinching ourselves over WSIRN Episode 357: Welcome to Three Pines featuring the one and only Louise Penny. While we discussed the 18th installment of the series, A World of Curiosities, our conversation is spoiler-free is suitable for both Penny Pushers and those who are new to Inspector Gamache.
There have also been a few changes on the WSIRN team. Our producer Brenna Frederick shifted to a different role on our team as our graphic designer and video editor going forward. We’re grateful for all of her work on the podcast, as well as that of sound designer Kellen Pechacek, as we begin working with Studio D.
Sara Aeder is now serving as our new WSIRN Patreon community manager! You may recognize her from WSIRN episode 276. Her first Patreon bonus episode is a good opportunity to get to know her better.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
This month has been full of review and reflection on my reading life, as I’ve compiled not only this monthly collection but also my favorite books of 2022 and favorite audiobooks of the year (coming Monday!).
I always consult my My Reading Life book journal when I compile my monthly Quick Lit round-up, so it’s easy to know what I’ve been reading lately. This month I’ve continued some of my fall trends, both planned and unplanned: a healthy mix of fiction and nonfiction, a steady flow of books that are twenty-plus years old, and, unexpectedly, a large proportion of Irish works or books tied to Ireland.
Lately I’ve also read some very good books that are coming out in winter and spring 2023—but you won’t hear about those until our Spring Book Preview! That’s coming January 10, 2023 for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and WSIRN Patreon communities. For now I will simply report that there’s lots for readers to look forward to in the year to come.
I hope you had a good reading month—I can’t wait to hear about your recent reads in comments!
Short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately Author: Daniel Nayeri
This may be one of my favorite audiobooks of the year! I opted to listen after a wide variety of readers with wildly disparate tastes all gushed about this book, specifically recommending the audiobook. Our narrator for this epic is a 12-year-old Iranian-born named Khosrou, who now lives in Oklahoma and is known as Daniel, and the tales he spins are drawn from his rich family history, ancient Persian folklore, and sometimes from the extraordinary and ordinary moments of his middle school life. "Every story is the sound of a storyteller begging to stay alive," Daniel tells us, perhaps explaining why he puts his whole heart and soul into the tales he weaves for his audience. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious book, and while the books are by no means readalikes, I thought often of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime while I was listening. More info →Author: Sara Nisha Adams
Our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club members chose this as our December 2022 selection, and I'm grateful for the nudge to finally read it! In her debut novel, Adams explores howbooks intersect with our lives in unexpected ways and lead to unexpected friendships as well. Thanks to a handwritten list of books found between the pages of To Kill a Mockingbird, a teenage library worker named Aleisha connects with the elderly Mukesh, a lonely widower who yearns for a better relationship with his granddaughter, an avid reader. Aleisha shares the list she found, and the two lonely readers find solace in reading and discussing each title. Deeply moving, sad and sweet, this literary tale serves as a reminder of the power of books to heal, empower, and connect us to one another, with a strong through-line on the importance of mental health. (On that note, content warnings apply.) More info →Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
I'm a longtime fan of the Bromance Book Club series, and this new holiday romp sure goes down easy. The fifth book in the series is once again set in Nashville, this time centering country music superstar Colton Wheeler (whose job is "to make other people happy. Even if it killed him") and immigration attorney Gretchen Winthrop (who, being from the wealthy Winthrop family, "carried the toxic gene of chaos and greed that infected everyone who came in contact with them"). I loved the country music setting, and being from Kentucky, where bourbon is king, reading about the sordid dealings of a Tennessee whiskey family was a whole lot of fun. You don't have to read this entire series in order, but you may enjoy the added context (who are these guys and how did they come to form a romance book club?) that comes with reading at least the first before starting this one. More info →Author: Tracey Lange
I've especially been drawn to big-hearted, juicy family dramas this year, and this one did not disappoint. Five years ago, Sunday Brennan left her small New York hometown, abandoning her parents, three brothers, and devoted fiancé with no explanation. In the present, after a wildly uncharacteristic episode of binge drinking lands her in the hospital, her brother convinces her to come home for a little while to recuperate and help with the Irish American family's struggling bar. Not everyone is thrilled to see the prodigal daughter, and her reappearance eventually causes all kinds of long-held family secrets to finally come pouring out. I loved this for its portrayal of complex family dynamics (especially among the four siblings), its sweet tale of young love, the ever-interesting setting of the bar, and its hopeful—but not tidy—resolution. More info →Author: Niall Williams
It was only upon perusing my reading journal that I realized how much Irish fiction I've been reading lately, including this 1997 debut novel from the Dublin-born Williams. While the story isn't terribly old, it feels decidedly old-fashioned. The story unspools slowly; the plot is anchored by four life-changing letters written decades apart. First we meet 12-year-old Nicholas Coughlan, whose father soon announces he's received a calling from God to quit his job and become a painter, with tragic and unforeseen consequences. In another part of Ireland, young Isabel Gore is a poet's daughter, whose life is upended when her beloved and talented brother suffers a terrible seizure that make his planned future impossible. We know the two are destined to connect, and Williams methodically (perhaps miraculously?) weaves their paths together. One of my favorite books of 2021 was Shirley Hazzard's The Transit of Venus; the tone of Williams's story reminded me very much of Hazzard's. More info →Author: Neil Pasricha
I've had the pleasure of knowing Neil Pasricha ever since we met up at Union Square on March 5, 2020, and exchanged elbow bumps in greeting before recording a podcast in the wild. This new book, a follow-up to the 2010 sensation The Book of Awesome, continues with the original's purpose to identify small pleasures, write them down, and focus on gratitude (very much in the vein of yesterday's and related posts). The magic of this book is the way shared small pleasures make you light up inside with recognition: the smell of a library, when a stranger laughs at a joke between you and your friends, completely nailing the timing on that avocado. This is a fun book to read through a few entries at a time over a month or to leave on the coffee table to dip in and out of when you need a pick-up. More info → What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I like to keep a list in my journal of the (mostly) little, everyday things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness these days. I love assembling these interesting and often strange assortments in these recurring posts of stuff I love. We’ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, and the outsized delight I’m taking in my cooking endeavors is evident in this assortment.
Lentil soups My family loves lentil soup: we’ve made Ina Garten’s Lentil Vegetable Soup for nearly twenty years now. But recently we tried two new recipes for lentil soup—using new-to-us varieties of lentils—and they’ve become instant hits!
The first is this Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage (that’s a gift link from NYT Cooking). This soup was so easy, and it was a big hit with the whole family. Next we loved Milk Street’s Turkish Red Lentil Soup. I know a hearty soup can stand on its own as a meal, but our favorite thing is to serve these with grilled cheese on the side. That makes a substantial winter dinner, and ensures that we have enough soup left over to enjoy for lunch the next day.
The MMD Holiday Cookie ExchangeOur cookie exchange has brought me so much joy! This is the cookie comments section that keeps on giving: I’m returning to it frequently, and finding so much inspiration and practical guidance there.
I can’t think of the last time I’ve been so excited about baking: thanks so much for your generous (and delicious!) suggestions.
My newly acquired deep frying prowessOkay, perhaps “competence” is more like it, but I’m absurdly proud of myself! I’ve always been terrified of deep frying, but for reasons I can’t explain I decided I was going to tackle this Pickle-Brined Chicken Sandwich recipe (another NYT Cooking gift link: as you may guess, we subscribe and use their recipes a lot). At first I thought I would do some kind of shallow pan-fry or air fryer roast instead of actually deep frying the chicken, because I don’t deep fry. Ever.
But then I thought: why not give it a try? I expected it to be difficult, as well as a splattering mess, and was truly surprised at how simple and relatively neat the whole process was. I don’t think I’ll ever be a regular deep fryer, but it’s nice to know I can if I want to.
Bar Keepers FriendSpeaking of splattering messes: we’ve been happily using this kitchen cleaner for years but it’s on my mind because I just bought a new one. This inexpensive cleaner is great for cleaning up all manner of kitchen uses, but it’s indispensable for keeping our white farmhouse sink looking great: it’s the best two bucks I spend to keep our kitchen looking shiny and new.
Three weeks of mealsEarlier this fall Will and I were really struggling to come up with dinner ideas that the whole family liked (or liked well enough to bother making). Meal planning felt like it was taking way too much creative energy: it was so hard to come up with a week’s worth of meals at once!
But then one Sunday I had a counterintuitive thought: since it was so hard to come up with a week’s worth of ideas, why not take advantage of already being in a meal planning state of mind and look further ahead? Will and I brainstormed three weeks of meals at once, the second and third weeks growing increasingly fuzzy in concept (e.g., “something with pasta and chicken”), but by golly, it’s easier to edit a fuzzy plan than start from scratch.
We’ve been keeping a rolling three week list for several months now, and it’s working for us. (This section in my journal is helping a ton.)
Dawn PowerwashAnother kitchen hero you all recommended when we bought our air fryer last summer. This specialized soap makes air fryer cleanup so much easier, and it’s also great for all kinds of messy, greasy dishes and similarly despoiled surfaces. Thank you all for putting it on my radar!
Smells on the stoveNice smells around the house make me really happy, and this time of year it brings me such joy to fill a small pot with a cinnamon stick, orange peel, peppercorns, and cloves (or pomegranate peels, star anise, bay leaves) and let it simmer away on the back of the stove.
Tamarind sauce (and knowing what to do with it)The last time I was at Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, I made it a point to purchase the Maggi brand of Tamarind sauce. I had read it was crucial to have this particular brand for a recipe I wanted to make … but once I got home I couldn’t remember what the recipe was!
Sometimes Instagram really comes through for me: when I asked you why I might have bought it, you answered. It turns out I was preparing to try a quick and easy chickpea bowl from Jenny Rosenstrach’s cookbook Weekday Vegetarians. (Thankfully that basic recipe is also available online right here.) Jenny calls for frying the chickpeas on the stove, but I’ve been making them in the air fryer for hands-off cooking, which leads us to …
A few not-so-little things I mostly share small things bringing me outsized amounts of joy in this space, but we’ve made a few bigger purchases that are making us too happy not to share. First, about that air fryer: we have a family of six, including four teenagers, and while we loved the sound of an air fryer, we didn’t want to sacrifice the counter space. After much debate Will found an air fryer that flips up when not in use, which means a much smaller footprint: the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Digital Air Fry Toaster Oven. (We got ours at Costco, but it’s also available on Amazon.) We love it—for quick lunches, for kids’ hot snacks, even for mealtime cooking.
We also bought a new chef’s knife for the first time in twenty years. My mom gave us this Cook’s Illustrated top pick shortly after we got married (twenty years ago!) and it served us well for many years. But, unlike some of the knives out there, it turns out this model was not designed to last forever. We’d reached the point where it never got—and definitely couldn’t stay—sharp, not even after being professionally sharpened. (I still highly recommend it: it’s inexpensive and easy to use and lasts a long time—just not forever.)
We finally replaced our chef’s knife with this model and I cannot overstate the difference it makes. Because knives dull slowly, it took us a while to realize just how much our old knife had worn down, but now that we’ve remedied the situation the difference is drastic. Routine tasks like chopping onions (we chop so many onions in the winter) had become a real drag, and now it’s a breeze. A word of warning if you replace your knives: we do have to be careful now, because this thing, as promised, is SHARP.
And finally, our trusty immersion blender died after a similarly long life. After doing the research we decided not to replace our Cuisinart but instead tried this somewhat fancier Breville model, and we are very happy with it. This time of year we use it most often for soup making, like for the black bean chili and golden cauliflower soup in this post with our longtime favorite recipes for soup season.
What (mostly) little things are bringing YOU a disproportionate amount of happy in the kitchen lately? I’d love to hear in comments.
P.S. A book lover’s best tips for buying wine and 9 tasty teas to warm up your winter days.
The post 8 little things I’m loving lately: kitchen edition appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We all have different goals for our reading lives, and in today’s conversation, you’ll hear some great ideas to figure out what you want to make happen—and how to actually do it—as we head into a brand new reading year!
Today I’m welcoming Laura Vanderkam back to the show! You might know her as the time management and productivity expert behind books like 168 Hours and I Know How She Does It, or her newest book, Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. Laura’s also a friend, and was my guest in WSIRN Episode 112: Your best reading year yet.
I’m so pleased Laura could come back today to talk with me about tackling big reading projects, how to choose the titles we give our time and attention, and finding ways to bring more joy and ease into our reading lives while still enjoying a meaningful reading experience.
Connect with Laura on Twitter and Instagram, and visit her website at LauraVanderkam.com.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabLaura Vanderkam [00:00:00] I will say, you can start a project at any point. I mean, people are so like, well, if I started it January 1st and then it didn't work out, I have to wait until the next January 1st to start-- which is not true at all. You can restart on January 21st. You can start on March 30th. Whatever you want to do, you're still reading something in a year or in six months or whatever you want to give yourself.
Anne Bogel [00:00:21] Hey, readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next. Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader - what should I read next? We don't get bosy on this show. What we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Readers, we've shared a ton of great gift options here at What Should I Read Next this season? Everything from our two gift recommendation episodes to our 2022 Modern Mrs. Darcy gift guide and so many posts in between. But maybe the best gift for your loved one is the gift of reading together. This season, give your favorite reader a membership to the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. Choose from three, six or 12 month gift memberships and your loved one will enjoy bookish community with fellow readers, monthly events like author talks and read alongs and endless book talk in our active conversation forums. This is a great place to spend some time with others who love a good book. Purchase a gift membership for your favorite reader or tell someone who's buying you a gift this year to check it out at Modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.
[00:01:29] Look, we all know how great it is to serendipitously stumble into the perfect read, but a great reading life doesn't just happen. With the new year just around the corner, many of you are thinking about your goals or plans when it comes to reading. You're thinking about what you want to make happen in your reading life. And you are going to love today's conversation because that is what we are talking about. I'm so pleased to welcome time management and productivity expert and my friend Laura Vanderkam back on the show today. Laura lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and five kids. She hosts the Before Breakfast Podcast and co-host Best of Both Worlds. She runs and plays piano and sings soprano in her church choir. Laura, I love that detail. Not only is she a dedicated reader, she's the author of book you know, and that we've talked about on the show, like 168 Hours and I Know How She Does It. Her newest book, Tranquility By Tuesday: Nine Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters, came out this fall. And I liked it so much that after I read an early copy, I wrote an endorsement for it- even though nobody asked me to. We all know that nobody relishes writing endorsements, so that is really saying something. Laura last joined me on the show in episode 112, Your Best Reading Year Yet. And today we're back to talk about tackling big reading projects and actually enjoying them along the way, embracing the limitations of reading time and what that means for the titles we pick, and bringing more joy and ease into our reading lives while still enjoying a meaningful reading experience. Let's get to it. Laura, welcome to the show.
Laura Vanderkam [00:02:53] Thank you so much for having me back. I'm delighted to be here.
Anne Bogel [00:02:56] It's a pleasure. I did not realize when we talked about you coming on-- because you and I talk all the time. We're in a writing group, we touch base, and I really enjoy that. But episode 112 was almost five years ago. Your podcast was brand new. This was several books and at least one child ago. A lot has changed.
Laura Vanderkam [00:03:14] A lot has changed. But, yeah, that was a great episode. I know we talked about how to make more time to read, how people could fit reading into their busy lives. And I'm always amazed at how many books people do manage to read. And I know we all want to find time for more. So it was a fun conversation.
Anne Bogel [00:03:31] Yes, we do. It was fun to relisten to that episode, which I just did. And readers, it holds up and we talk about important things like realizing if you're the kind of person who's going to read every day no matter what, or if you only read if you have a really great book you're looking forward to. And we talk about how there's no right or wrong answer and just recognizing what kind of person you are and adapting accordingly. Also, we talked about your bucket list books in that episode and it was so fun to hear about the books. I remember you saying you wanted to read and I know at this point in your life that you have now read them. And I hear myself say things like, oh, I've been meaning to read The Count of Monte Cristo. And now I know I did that. I did that last year. And I followed your advice a little bit to do it just bite sized pieces. It's fine, you'll get through. But Laura, something I really love about your work is that you have this whole attitude that something is better than nothing. And, you know, hope. And I feel like in the reading life denial is often a strategy. Or I won't think about all the books I can't read before I die, so I'll just pretend it doesn't exist. Or I don't want to think about all the hours I can't spend reading, so maybe I'll just go watch some Netflix. And, look, we love Netflix, but that is not a strategy that is going to help you read more books. And I think you have such an interesting perspective because, first of all, you're a very linear, analytical thinker, which is very different than my approach reader. So I always appreciate your insights into their reading life, but also because of what you do. You talk to so many people about how they actually make the things they want to happen, happen in their lives. And you also get to hear about all the ways that we get in our own ways when it comes to those same things. Let's start by talking about your new book. So In Tranquility by Tuesday, you have these nine rules for bringing more calm and joy into your days. There things you do every week. You've been talking about your Tranquility by Tuesday. Did you say scorecard? Is that what you called it?
Laura Vanderkam [00:05:27] Yeah, I would give myself a scorecard every week how I did on the nine rules. And some weeks are better than others. You said something is better than nothing. Progress over perfection. But generally I do find that if I follow the rules, the week tends to go better.
Anne Bogel [00:05:42] These rules are so interesting. And readers, I highly recommend you check out the book because these rules are applicable to the reading life-- I think many of them-- but also the rest of your life. So you can get things under control so you have time to read. The rules like give yourself a bedtime three times a week as a habit. The one that I think about the most because it was the one that was the most poignant to me, was one big adventure and one little adventure every week. And readers may not have heard all these rules yet, but I'm so curious to hear. In the feedback you've heard from people who participated in your study to write the book and from people who have read the book, now that it's out in the world, what is the role that you are finding has most surprised people, has most helped them make positive change in their life?
Laura Vanderkam [00:06:24] Well, I definitely think that the adventure one because it doesn't sound like a time management rule. People are like, well, time management; you're going to teach me how to have shorter meetings or how to clean out my inbox, or how to make time to read and things like that. And so the idea of adding new things into your life, and particularly things that are about making life more memorable, doesn't necessarily seem like it might fit within the genre. But the idea is that much of adult life is the exact same day to day. We get up, we get everyone ready, we get off to school or work, we do whatever we have to do, collect everyone at the end, go through the march of dinner and bath and bedtime and TV, and maybe reading for your listeners. But these are all things that happen day after day, and there is nothing wrong with routine because it makes good choices automatic. But when too much sameness stacks up, then whole years sort of disappear into these memories sinkholes. Like, where did the time even go? I have no idea. And this idea of having two adventures a week is about combating that sense that time is blending into itself. So each week you do one big adventure, something that takes 3 to 4 hours, think half a weekend day, one little adventure, which can be less than an hour doable on a lunch break, doable on a weekday evening, just as long as it is something out of the ordinary. And I find that this rhythm strikes a good balance between having cool, memorable things in our lives. But it isn't going to exhaust or bankrupt anyone or upset the good habits that we already have. And I think a lot of people have really taken to this idea. They're like, well, it sounds doable. I want to make my life more interesting. I feel like life is boring. How do I do that? Well, here is a very practical way to give yourself something to talk about.
Anne Bogel [00:08:07] Yeah, it's so interesting hearing you say that. I think about all the conversations I've had with readers over the years. You're gathering data on how they use their time, and I'm gathering data constantly about how they engage with their reading lives. And I find over and over again that the books that readers love the most, the one they choose as favorites on the show, the ones they call lifetime favorite reads, are often the books that delight because they feel perfect for that reader, but also that surprise. So often readers start describing a favorite book by saying, "This isn't what I usually read," or "This isn't a book that I thought I would enjoy, but I took a chance on it. It was outside the ordinary." And I think that outside the ordinary is one reason that it was so memorable and so impactful for exactly that reason. It wasn't like the best of the stack of mysteries for a reader who loves mysteries. It was that book in the total opposite corner of the bookstore that they really loved that really stood out.
Laura Vanderkam [00:09:05] Yeah, we all need adventures in our lives. And whether that is literary adventures or actual happening adventures, it's just something that jars us out of the routine, out of the sort of mindlessness that can be how we experience day to day life. And so anything that can jolt you out of that is probably going to stick a little bit deeper.
Anne Bogel [00:09:26] Yeah. Now, something I really noticed with the adventures is that they do require planning. The planning isn't necessarily fun, but something that you have talked about in your work for maybe decades, plural now, is that it's worth putting in the effort. And, wow, does that have implications for their reading life! You talk about the difference between effortful fun and effortless fun. And I think those two categories apply so much to reading as well.
Laura Vanderkam [00:09:57] Yeah. I generally include reading as effortful fun. And this is rule number nine in Tranquility by Tuesday. The idea is that when a spot of leisure time appears, challenge yourself to do something that is effortful before effortless. Even the busiest people have some quantity of leisure time. The problem is that much of it is short in duration, or it's uncertain like how much will I have? When is it going to occur? Or it happens at low energy times like at night after your kids go to bed, after you've done your chores, that sort of thing. And screen time fits these constraints incredibly well, which is why even very busy people wind up spending quite a bit of time on Netflix, on social media. And, again, nothing wrong with that. As you said earlier, we love Netflix. The problem is, for many people, it winds up consuming the bulk of their leisure time because it is so effortless. Now, obviously, your listeners are making time to read already and probably in many of these longer chunks of time. But certainly we can read in the little ones too. I mean, one of the things that people who really get through a lot of books tend to be doing is using those small chunks of time that they have a book accessible. And so if they find themselves waiting for a phone call to start or waiting for the carpool to bring their kids back from soccer practice, the first thing that comes out is a book. And, yes, it may only be 2 minutes, it may only be a few pages, but those few pages add up. Most people have about at least 30 minutes of those chunks of time through the day. And if you think about adding 30 minutes a day to your reading life, many people can get through 20 pages in that amount of time. So if you are doing that seven days a week, that's another 140 pages. That's a book every two weeks that's added to your tally that you're getting through. And you're not sacrificing anything to make it happen. It was just using those little chunks of time that that were not being used before. Although, I suppose, generally I consider reading to be effortful fun, but probably for all of us there's some reading that is more effortful than others. And we probably don't want to do all effortless reading. I mean, probably better to do effortless reading than not read at all. But if you do want to do some effortful reading, you might think about how you could do that earlier in your day or earlier in your leisure time to make sure that you do it before you kind of go to the tried and true that you know is going to be an enjoyable experience.
Anne Bogel [00:12:20] That's so interesting. And, yes, you were reading my mind. We've been talking lately about how I've been helping my high school senior with her college essays. And, y'all, if you've not been through this process with your children of navigating college admissions, it is effortful and also can be a little bit draining. So I found myself at the end of a day, having finished a book that morning, needing to choose what to read next. And I was tired and my Kindle was all loaded with-- I'm reading titles for our Spring Book Preview and I'm just starting to peek at Summer Reading Guide titles while it's still fall and I have time. I'd really like to get some of these onto my I've already read this list. And what I had was this whole list of in-depth, meaty, serious, weighty literary fiction. And, Laura, I did not want to do it. I didn't know the story. You know, it's so much easier to be in the middle of a book. And it's easier for me to read a heavy novel when I am not dog tired and I just thought I don't want to. Then I remember that Abby Jimenez had a new romance novel out that was waiting for me. That felt effortless in that moment. Like, just sucks me right in. Easy, easy, easy. And so even though I sat down and I read for 90 minutes, that was easy. But I appreciate you pointing out doing the effortful early. So, in this case, reading early in the day could help. But I think that for me-- and readers, I'm so curious to hear what you think you can tell us in show notes-- often the effortful part isn't necessarily the reading we're already emersed in, but it's deciding what to read. And just strategically planning to tackle that decision when our brain is fresh can really help. This is something we've talked about on the show a lot recently as readers are dealing with just burnout from this time of year, but also the past few years and the accumulated effects.
Laura Vanderkam [00:14:18] Definitely. Planning helps everything, and I know we don't necessarily all like to plan our leisure time, but it's the idea of having a workable to-be-read list. If you know what you want to read next, it's easier to pull that book up if you have it available. It's easier to choose that over other things you might do with any spot of time. And planning is how we're going to tackle some of those bigger works. You want to read The Count of Monte Cristo. It's probably not going to occur to you to pull that up while you're waiting in line at the grocery store or something like that. You're going to need a plan to get through it, to keep yourself motivated through the whole thing. And so, I'm always trying to convince people to plan their leisure time and sometimes people feel like that is defeating the whole point. But I tend to think that we get more out of it when we've done that decision making process at a time when we feel like making decisions, or at least we've told ourself, this is the time I'm making decisions. And then as you're going about your daily life, you can just follow your marching orders. You don't have to use at least that part of your brain.
Anne Bogel [00:15:23] If you told me I was going to enjoy my leisure time 10 times more, which is a real possibility when it comes to scanning the list of weighty literary fiction, or like sinking into the new romance novel that I can't wait to read, I'd invest that time upfront. I just want to know that it's worth it, since the planning does not feel indulgent the same way reading a good book can. Laura, when you were talking about how those little moments add up and if you're just reading 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes a day, suddenly you're reading half a novel a week, that makes you a reader. That makes you a habitual reader. But something I've noticed consistently is that when it comes to the reading life, you are constantly doing the math. You are a huge advocate of not finishing books that don't feel like they're worth your reading time. And when I've seen you make this argument in print and with your voice on your show, it all comes down to the math. Would you tell us more about that?
Laura Vanderkam [00:16:18] Absolutely. It's about figuring out how many more books are you going to read in your life. And I think most of us don't really think about that.
Anne Bogel [00:16:28] No. What we were saying about hope and denial.
Laura Vanderkam [00:16:29] Hope and denial. It's like a limitless number. But it's actually not even as many books as will fit in a small library. If you live 50 more years (like we can all hope) and maybe you're younger listeners, that's quite possible, but many of us that would be pushing things a wee bit. And if you're going to read, let's say, 100 books a year, which again is a huge total for most people, that would be 5000 more books you would read in your life. I think for many readers, that is the maximum number that we are going to be aiming for. Many of us, it's going to be less. If you read 50 books a year and you live 50 more years, that's 2500 books. So, again, it's just not that many. And so the problem of having one of those books be a book you didn't want to read, well, there's two problems, really. I mean, one is that it's taking the place of some other book that you might have enjoyed far more if you have used the time to continue reading it. But the problem gets even worse than that because when we have a book that we're not really enjoying and not getting into, we tend not to choose reading as what we do in our leisure time. You're sort of resisting it a little like, oh, well, I could pick up that book or I could go to Netflix. I could do something else, anything else, really, because it's not feeling like you are enjoying it. And that means your tally of total books will be lower because you're not using that leisure time as reading time. So it's not just that it takes the place of one book that you could have enjoyed, it might take the place of two or three books that you might have enjoyed. And as we are only talking 2500 to 5000 books in our total lifetime, that is a pretty big cost. So I know many of us really like the idea of finishing things, but when you look at the opportunity cost that way, it can feel a little bit more stark.
Anne Bogel [00:18:24] Yeah. For me it's so much about opportunity cost, just like you're saying-- but not always. For a long time I thought if I started that book, I have entered into a contract and a "good reader" is going to finish that book because she started that book and that's how we do things in this world. But then I came to realize the time I spend on that book is time I can't spend on a book that is more, to me, deserving. So that means I shut it and tell myself I can come back to it later, but now is not the time.
Laura Vanderkam [00:18:57] Yeah. And as your listeners well know, we do like to finish things. And when it comes to taking on projects and habits, I'm actually usually very careful about saying whether I will do something or not precisely because I do want to finish it. I really hate canceling or quitting things. But that idea of being very careful what you take on can be helpful in terms of big projects or things at work or anything like that. It's a lot less helpful when it comes to your reading life because if you know you have to finish everything you start, you're not going to try books that are outside your comfort zone. You're not going to try that book that maybe could be good but maybe not be the one that could wind up being your favorite because you're going to have to march through the book one way or the other. So I think, yes, we like to go with stuff that we've started, we'd like to finish it, but the opportunity cost of not choosing a great book because you know you're going to have to finish it and won't be able to abandon it is high as well.
Anne Bogel [00:19:55] Yeah. And just to point out what else you could be missing with that approach, I talk to readers sometimes who say they only want to read five star books or they only want to read sure things. And the problem with that goes back to the big adventures and little adventures we were talking about and the surprise and delight. If you know what you are going to get then you can like it, but it's not going to be one of your lifetime favorite reads because it doesn't have that element of unexpectedness that really makes books memorable, that really puts them at the top, the tippy top of all the books you've read in your lifetime.
Laura Vanderkam [00:20:30] And maybe it would help to have that same mindset of one big adventure, one little adventure is about pacing. It's about putting in some adventures while still leaving our good routines intact. And so you might want to have something like that with the rhythm and the routines of reading books. So maybe you say for every nine books of my usual sort that I read, I'm going to read one that's out in left field. Maybe that's whatever the right rhythm feels like to you. But by having that sort of general rule for yourself, you can still enjoy your reading, make sure you're getting a lot of what you like and leave yourself open to possibility.
Anne Bogel [00:21:05] Yeah. Something that we've talked about a lot in our seasonal book previews and our Summer Reading Guide with our Patreon and Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community, is we're always looking for those staples that avid readers love. Historical fiction, literary fiction, mystery, memoir. But we're always keeping an eye out for those wild cards that are difficult to categorize, that aren't the kind of books we usually talk about, or that I usually read because we need some wild cards in our life every once in a while. Keep things interesting.
Laura Vanderkam [00:21:35] We all need wild cards in our life. Very true.
Anne Bogel [00:21:39] Laura, when we talked five years ago, you had a growing list of bucket list books that you had ticked the box on. You talked about Kristin Lavransdatter and War and Peace and the Count of Monte Cristo. Wait, was that just mine or was that one of yours as well? .
Laura Vanderkam [00:21:57] That was just yours. I actually haven't read it yet.
Anne Bogel [00:21:58] Okay. Well that leads to my question, which I'm so curious to hear at this point. I know that you have some lofty ambitions for your reading life, and we'll talk about that more, but I'd love to hear what your current list of bucket list books looks like.
Laura Vanderkam [00:22:10] Well, this year I have been reading through all the works of Shakespeare. That was my big reading project for the year. So after having read War and Peace in 2017 and then talking to you for an early 2018 episode, I went and reread it during 2021. I read War and Peace at the pace of one chapter a day for the entire year, well up till December 27 because it turns out to have 361 chapters. But we're talking close. And then I started on my Shakespeare project for 2022. So every day I read about three pages in my gigantic Illustrated Shakespeare compilation, and I'm getting through it. We are recording this in late fall and I am about 5/6th of the way through and I have really been enjoying that. So that was something that was on my bucket list that will be almost crossed off this year.
Anne Bogel [00:22:59] I was shocked when you first told me about your Shakespeare project because reading all that--it was what-- 39? It's been a long time since I've been in college English.
Laura Vanderkam [00:23:08] I don't know exactly how many. And we included the shorter works. He has some long poems, the sonnets, the entire canon.
Anne Bogel [00:23:18] That sounds like a lot of words to me. That sounds incredibly ambitious. But when you said how many pages a day it was, I was flabbergasted because it was not that many Laura. So talk to me about doing the math for Shakespeare.
Laura Vanderkam [00:23:28] Yeah. Well, the basic math was that I have this book, which curiously my husband [Inaudible] he picked it up in Stratford on Avon when he was like traveling in college or something.
Anne Bogel [00:23:40] It sounds like a great souvenir.
Laura Vanderkam [00:23:41] Yeah, it's a souvenir that's been on our shelf for years. Anyway, it's 1024 pages. And so if you do the math, you divide 1024 by 365, you get about three. And the print is tiny. Like, it's not like reading three pages in a modern novel, which you could do in like 2 minutes. It does take like at least 10, usually more like 15 minutes to get through those three pages. But that's not much. Ten to 15 minutes every day for a year, you can get through the entire work of an incredibly prolific writer's entire life. It's quicker to read than it is to write. I guess even though he wrote quite quickly as well. But, yeah, it's been a great project and I guess that's the funny thing to think about it. If you could dedicate 15 minutes to this a day, you could read through all the works of Shakespeare in a year. I'll put that out there if anyone wants to take that on as a project. It's really not that big a deal. You can do it. I would recommend probably having some sort of guide or companion to it, but even just reading the Wikipedia articles on each play before you read it is probably going to be enough to help you know what you're encountering.
Anne Bogel [00:24:57] Because of what I do, I don't think I'm easily intimidated by a reading project; but I was so struck by how Shakespeare in a year sounded so daunting. But when you broke it down into those tiny pieces, it really wasn't. And it's not like that's your entire reading life the whole year.
Laura Vanderkam [00:25:13] No.
Anne Bogel [00:25:13] That might have been what I anticipated, but not at all. I'd love to hear more about your reading projects. It seems to me that that's a way that you've really been drawn to and found works for accomplishing these loftier reading goals.
Laura Vanderkam [00:25:27] I think it's a process that's good for accomplishing pretty much any goal. Any big goal can be broken down into small steps, and ideally the steps are small enough that you don't feel a whole lot of resistance to them. But if you are able to just keep going, it is the process of keeping going that allows you to make huge progress on anything. And so with Shakespeare, 15 minutes a day is not much. But doing 15 minutes a day for 365 days means you get through all of it. Same thing with War and Peace; any individual chapter only took 5 to 10 minutes to read. They're very, very short. But if you are setting out to read War and Peace, it looks daunting because there's like 1400, 1500 pages. You have hundreds of chapters. Oh, my goodness, how am I ever going to get through all of this? Well, if you have a long enough time frame, you can get through just about anything. And I've done projects along these lines with writing as well. You know, that if I can write 100 to 200 words a day on something, well then in the course of a year that's 36,500 words to 73,000 words, right? If that's 100 to 200 words a day. If you do it absolutely every single day, that's certainly a book length. If somebody was looking to write a book, writing 200 words a day would get you there. And 200 words is nothing. I mean, it's the amount of words that's in an email that you send about any random thing. Most people have probably written 200 words in emails by like 9:05 a.m.. So it's really not that much if you have a long enough time frame and you just keep going. Now the just keep going part, that may be harder. I do maintain again that if it is small enough, you don't feel a whole lot of resistance to it. Most people manage to brush their teeth every single day without a whole lot of resistance to it, complaining about it, feeling overwhelmed, like, oh my goodness, I'm going to have to be brushing my teeth every single day for the rest of my life. It's like, yeah, okay, tell me something else that doesn't sound so bad. So, hopefully, you can choose a reading project that's like that. And that's how you can get through some really big stuff.
Anne Bogel [00:27:40] Well, and whether you're talking about reading or writing, when you're doing it every day, you don't forget what just happened. You don't lose the plot. It's easy to literally pick up right where you left off.
Laura Vanderkam [00:27:52] Yeah. And you have to choose the right thing. So as I'm figuring out what my reading project is going to be for 2023, that has been the criteria. I mean, one that it is worth doing. Like it needs to be books or an author that is worth devoting that amount of time to over the course of a year that it has stood the test of time, but also that it would be doable, right? That in a couple minutes a day I could get through all of it. My current thought-- we'll see if I stick with this, people can check in with me, but I think of reading through all the works of Jane Austen because I haven't read all of them. And so that would be something that could take the year if I read it a very little bit each day, including the six novels and the Juvenilia or whatever you call it. That would be a project.
Anne Bogel [00:28:38] Laura, I haven't read them either.
Laura Vanderkam [00:28:41] Okay. Even [Inaudible] speaking to Modern Mrs Darcy.
Anne Bogel [00:28:45] I just haven't read the Juvenilia, I haven't read all of the juvenilia. I've read, I believe, everything else. But, yeah, I mean I could finish that by the end of January. Easy peasy.
Laura Vanderkam [00:28:56] Yeah. That's true.
Anne Bogel [00:28:57] But then again that wouldn't be much of a project.
Laura Vanderkam [00:28:59] Well, and so I want to leave space for other things too. I mean, this is just a project that helps me do some reading in the morning to get through some of these bucket list books. And I know that Jane Austen has her own inherent pleasures in these novels and so probably it's the kind of thing that could go quicker if I decided to do so. But Shakespeare was fun at times, too. I mean, there's some really long monologues that are less so, but there's some really funny parts as well. I think it's the kind of thing that could be done at a little bit of day and that would allow me to keep going through, even though some parts and maybe some of the novels have a little bit parts that might be harder to get through otherwise.
Anne Bogel [00:29:41] I'd love to hear some of your thought process. Like, do you recall any of the potential projects that you have at one point or another considered and then decided didn't feel right, didn't meet your standards, that you weren't quite as excited enough about to commit to?
Laura Vanderkam [00:29:56] I had to think about it to come up with Shakespeare, but I had been meaning to reread some of the plays that I hadn't read in a long time. I was thinking, oh, that's another thing I could put on my what should I read next list. And then I was like, well, I could do all of it. If I look at this, there's 1,024 pages in this book. Clearly I could get through it in a year and it meets the criteria of being something I haven't read-- most the plays. Well, now I have, but at the time I had not and it would be worth doing. I mean, clearly Shakespeare has stood the test of time. So that's how I chose that. I've thought about reading books like Count of Monte Cristo. The whole false accusation plot thing is just not my favorite. I've seen Les Mis. A lot of people say Les Mis would be a book that would be worth reading over the course of a year. I've seen the musical, I don't know, I haven't really liked what I've sort of dabbled in on Victor Hugo. I know it's great. I know there are people who have built their whole career studying it. There are people who love these sorts of things. It's the 5000 books phenomenon. You have to be careful of what you are choosing.
Anne Bogel [00:31:04] Well, Les Mis takes up six of them. And as someone who has read the unabridged Les Mis, I can't say I'm feeling inclined to talk you into it. And if the unjust accusation plot in the Count of Monte Cristo gets you, then the wildly out of scale punishments in Les Mis just feels a hair's breath away.
Laura Vanderkam [00:31:26] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:31:26] I'm curious to hear, as you hear from readers about the kinds of projects they've taken on and broken down into bite sized chunks, do you have any interesting ones to relay?
Laura Vanderkam [00:31:35] So a lot of people have told me that they've chosen the Bible and people might ask, well, why am I not doing that, like, why would I not read that? In part probably because I've read pretty much 90% of it. And so I could see reading through it again, but it wouldn't be necessarily approaching it for the first time, which is kind of the fun of doing some of these year long projects. A lot of people did that. Some people have done series of big works. They don't just choose one work to go through over the course of the year. They might say, well, I want to get through Count of Monte Cristo and like Les Mis and Moby-Dick and like one other or something. And maybe that's the way to go as well. If you truly think that it would be doable in more than three pages a day, then that suggests that you could do it. But the thing about reading project is you want to have some sort of theme to it. And so all the works of one author has a certain consistency to it that would be good or all books of a certain kind. But I do know that a lot of people did do War and Peace after I mentioned it. It's really convenient. What can I say? It's one of those books that if you say you've read, people forever will think you're a serious reader.
Anne Bogel [00:32:50] I still haven't read it.
Laura Vanderkam [00:32:52] I'm sure you'll get through it at some point.
Anne Bogel [00:32:54] I mean, maybe. It's going to take a slot or six on that list.
Laura Vanderkam [00:32:59] That's true. It might not be one of the 5000. And so, yeah, there it goes.
Anne Bogel [00:33:02] I'll just watch the movie. It's the same thing, right?
Laura Vanderkam [00:33:04] More or less.
Anne Bogel [00:33:05] I kid. I kid mostly. Laura, what would you consider your current bucket list books to be right now that you're still looking to experience for yourself?
Laura Vanderkam [00:33:15] Well, definitely the Jane Austen books are on the list.
Anne Bogel [00:33:18] Have you read any of them?
Laura Vanderkam [00:33:20] I have read most of Pride and Prejudice. I got to say, I got bogged down in the middle so I skipped over some parts before getting to the end. So I need to go back and rectify my error there. I've read a lot of Virginia Woolf, but not all of Virginia Woolf, so that's something that I'll probably get through. I'm vaguely tempted by Proust, but I know that is a long, big project, so I would have to get my head around whether that was worth doing. So those are the kind of writers I'm looking at. I have read a bunch of books that might theoretically make it onto a list like this. Like I read Ulysses. I read it twice. I actually kind of enjoyed it. I read Moby-Dick. I'll actually throw Moby-Dick out there as one that people might consider reading if you're looking for an old novel. Herman Melville is occasionally very wordy. You have to remember he's writing this before people had cable, before they had Netflix. This was their entertainment to fill time and so you're like getting this whole set piece on whale oil or whatever else is going on. But it's actually a really good read in many case. Like, much of the time I was like, what's going to happen next? And these characters are fascinating and I'm learning about whaling, so I would put that out there as a more accessible book than you might imagine.
Anne Bogel [00:34:34] I got to say, the bar is not particularly high on that one in my book. More accessible, it wouldn't take much.
Laura Vanderkam [00:34:41] Yeah, exactly.
Anne Bogel [00:34:44] Laura, as we're going into the New Year, I'm thinking about this as someone who's interested in a reading project and also who pivoted hard from her reading project last year. So in 2022, I wanted to become a completist for more of the authors whose works I know and love. And for example, one of those authors was Doris Kearns Goodwin. She's one of the best nonfiction writers writing today. I love her work. I don't typically read 1000 page history books. I'm more of a fiction and memoir reader, but every time I read her work, I'm so glad I spent time with her. And so I thought, I have four or five Doris Kearns Goodwin books I haven't read, I should read them all. And I quickly realized I don't always want to be in the middle of a Doris Kearns Goodwin book. I want more of a rhythm to my reading life, where I'm reading those occasionally, but not all the time because I would be reading all the time to finish those 4000 pages in a year. A four year-- one DKG a year does not sound as catchy as a one year reading project. So with that experience fresh in my mind, and having talked about the compulsion some of us feel to finish when we start, I'd like to hear you talk not only about choosing a project, but also pivoting if you recognize it's not quite working.
Laura Vanderkam [00:36:06] Well, you do want to choose something that you can stick with. And I will say you can start a project at any point. People are like, well, if I started it January 1st and then it didn't work out, I have to wait until the next January 1st to start, which is not true at all. I mean, you can restart on January 21. You can start on March 13th. I mean, whatever you want to do, you're still reading something in a year or in six months or whatever you want to give yourself. And I agree, there's something awesome about being a completist. And often people's catalog of work is amazing. Sometimes it turns out that you read some of their work and some of their other work is less awesome. I don't know, or at least less accessible. I'm having that feeling that that might happen with Virginia Woolf because I read some of the novels and loved them. To The Lighthouse is one of my favorite works of all time. And then I read The Waves and I'm like, oh, this is getting a little bit out there. And I think some of her work may have gone more in that vein as she was stretching the boundaries of what one did with the English language and being all artsy with that. And so part of me thinks that I don't want to take that on because I don't want my experience of To the Lighthouse to be diminished by reading stuff that I then really don't like and have to wade through. So, I think, put some serious thought into it. Ask yourself what you would be really happy to have read and if it's something that is doable in small enough chunks that you don't feel a huge amount of resistance to it. And so for many people, things like War and Peace or Shakespeare or the Bible are all books that we probably do say we want to have read in our lives. And if it is the case, then you may as well give it a shot. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I actually had a blog reader tell me that they had done a Bible in a year project and had abandoned it at like day 300. I mean, so she had gotten through almost the entire year, but she felt like it was such an obligation by the end that she wasn't feeling like that was how she wished to approach the Bible. And so she stopped the project so that she come back to it later. And I totally get that. I totally get that. So you you are free to quit at any point, even with a long term project. But if you are going to make it through a big work, this may be the way to do it. It's a way to make something big more accessible.
Anne Bogel [00:38:26] Yeah. And I just think that you're talking about Shakespeare and the Bible. I'm thinking about how when I finally read Middlemarch, which was a bucket list book for me, all of a sudden all these references in books I was already reading became visible to me and they just completely gone over my head before. So when we talk to readers who are thinking about biting off a big project that's oriented around the classics, sometimes for them to understand how this reading experience will continue to serve them well as they read contemporary fiction and nonfiction being published that references these works. But if you haven't read them or you don't understand the reference, it goes straight over your head. But knowing that the rest of your reading becomes richer because you persevered, that can be really galvanizing for a lot of readers.
Laura Vanderkam [00:39:07] It can be. I mean, I'm seeing this all the time with Shakespeare, who is quoted and referenced all the time and you don't even know it's him. And sometimes it's just random coincidences that I was reading one of the stories-- I forget which Henry it was-- but it says the game's afoot. That's the phrase that comes in there, the game's afoot, which is something that Sherlock Holmes it's in there all the time, too. And even feeding off of that, I was reading this book, This is Not a Book about Benedict Cumberbatch, which is a memoir of loving Benedict Cumberbatch's work. Of course, he played Sherlock Holmes in the Netflix series. And so she makes that offhand reference to the game's afoot. And I'm like, whoa, that's... You know, going through Sherlock, going back through one of the King Henry plays, it's just everything feeds on it and everything feeds on Bible references, too. And so when you do know that that's where it's coming from, it does open up all sorts of insights into literature that you wouldn't necessarily have otherwise.
Anne Bogel [00:40:08] Yeah. Laura, we are on the cusp of a new year, a new reading year. So even though you could start a project any time, there is something-- I was going to say magical about January 1st. There's nothing magical about January 1st, and yet it can feel like a fresh start for a lot of readers. So for those who are looking to bring more joy, more satisfaction, I think more confidence is a big thing for a lot of readers. They know they want to have a better reading life. They know what they want to feel a little more committed. They know they want a plan, but it just feels so big and squishy and they're not sure how. But Laura, you were the queen of breaking things down into bite sized pieces. Progress, not perfection. Something is better than nothing to start. I'm curious to hear your gut reaction to just a couple of things that pop into your mind for inspiration, encouragement moving forward.
Laura Vanderkam [00:40:58] Yeah. Well, I mean, there's nothing wrong with trying.
Anne Bogel [00:41:04] Wait, hang on, how often do we not believe that? It sounds so straightforward.
Laura Vanderkam [00:41:09] Nothing wrong with trying. I mean, it may not work, but it might and you won't find out unless you do try. So if there is a book that you have been wanting to read or want to have read, which is perfectly fine as well, you may as well try in 2023. And you're better off choosing a smaller number and actually getting through them than having a list of 200 huge books you want to read in 2023, which probably won't happen. And also, just be realistic about how much time you can devote to this and when you will want to devote to it. So I do my reading project reading in the morning. I mean, much of my reading of normal stuff occurs later in the day, like at night before I go to bed. But I don't have the wherewithal to approach Elizabethan English at 10:30 p.m. at night. I don't know what I'm reading at that point. And so that has to happen in the morning when my brain is a little bit more fresh, when I am sitting down in my office getting ready to start my workday. But think about how much time you could devote to it. And it doesn't have to be a lot. Maybe you can devote 10 to 15 minutes to it and think about what you could get done in that amount of time and what you think you would mostly enjoy doing. Then see if you can just stick with it. We want to keep with things long term, but take it day by day. So think about each day and say, well, when can I do it and am I going to do it today? And before you quit, you may as well say, well, can I just do today? I can always quit tomorrow. But if I could do today, that would be great. And then I can make a decision on whether to quit. And often you just need to get through that next day and then tomorrow it's not that big a deal to do another 10 minutes. And then the next day maybe it's not that big a deal to do another 10 minutes. Much of this these big project, these big books, are in many cases really good. Like they've stood the test of time because people do like to read them and they enjoy the stories. Tolstoy, for instance, still has amazing things to say about the human condition 100 years, 200 years after the events are taking place. Shakespeare has survived because people see in these plays human nature reflected, that we all love and hate and want revenge and we make mistakes. And as a result of mistakes, terrible things happen. Or hopefully make mistakes but still bring things back and have a good time afterwards anyway. So these are all things that people enjoy. And so often, if you can convince yourself to just do another day, you'll be happy that you did.
Anne Bogel [00:43:47] I love that. There's nothing wrong with trying. Laura, are there any other practices or strategies that you anticipate being essential to your reading life in the years to come?
Laura Vanderkam [00:43:59] Well, doing the effortful before effortless, I'm a big fan of e-books. Precisely for that reason, many people don't walk around with a book in their back pocket or in their purse. But most of us do have our phones with us constantly. And so if you have ebooks on your phone, it is just as easy to open an e-book as it is to open your email app or one of the social media apps. And so that can open up a lot of time as well. And so I'm always trying to get myself to do that. I vastly prefer reading on paper, but I have to be realistic. I'll read on paper at night before going to bed the book that's on my bedside table, but I won't do that through the day. I won't do that while I'm out and about in my life. And so I need to get over the fact that I prefer to read on paper and just go with the electronic versions if that makes it easier to read. One of the other Tranquility by Tuesday rules that might be helpful for people who are considering a big reading project is actually things don't have to be daily. So I know you and I have been spending much of this episode talking about how doing something every single day for a little bit can add up. And that is totally true. But if your life is such that you would prefer to do something a couple times a week, that can be a habit too. So maybe it's that you want to devote three 30 minute chunks of time to your reading project every single week. Well, that might actually be more doable for many people than doing 15 minutes every single day. I don't know. You know, your life looks as it looks and you know what would work best for you. But one of the Tranquility by Tuesday rules, rule number four is that three times a week is a habit. And I find that this is a much more accessible and doable way to think about habits because many of us can't do big things every single day. People are, like, I want to exercise, but I can't go to the gym every single day. It's like, well, who said you had to? Do it three times a week. That is a pretty regular exercise routine. You want to eat family meals, doing family meals three times a week. I think it can be part of your identity. We're a family that eats together regularly. You're playing the piano. You practice a piano three times a week. You are still going to make progress. You can be a piano player in three times a week. Maybe you want to do a reading project that involves reading something three times a week and that can be fine too, whatever you think you will stick with.
Anne Bogel [00:46:17] Laura, I love that and I love that the spirit behind these rules again is that they're meant to not be some standard to stick to because it's the standard, but they're meant to empower you to be satisfied with how you spend your time. And around here, that often means your reading time.
Laura Vanderkam [00:46:36] Yeah. Well that was the whole point of the Tranquility by Tuesday rules, is that I'm not going to tell somebody how to live their life. These are suggestions that I tried out on 150 people. I had them do them for nine weeks and people's lives got better. They were more satisfied with their time afterwards. And so if all these other people experienced greater joy and satisfaction in their life, maybe you will too. So think of them as as ideas that Laura is suggesting- if you don't like rules. But if you do like rules, then you're welcome to take them as rules and see how you're doing week to week. Again, progress, not perfection.
Anne Bogel [00:47:08] Laura, thanks so much for joining us today. I really enjoyed hearing how you bring your analytical eye and data-driven approach to this aspect of our lives where we tend to shy away from taking that view, but can really benefit from having some honest conversations and also some really practical strategies for getting more out of our reading lives.
Laura Vanderkam [00:47:28] Well, thank you so much for having me. I always hope that people can spend more time on what matters and less on what doesn't. I definitely think reading is one of those things that really does matter. So I'm always grateful to hear that people are finding more space for it in their lives.
Anne Bogel [00:47:40] We think so too. Thanks so much.
Laura Vanderkam [00:47:42] Thanks for having me.
Anne Bogel [00:47:49] Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Laura and that our conversation today has given you inspiration and maybe even a plan for your own reading life. Find Laura on Instagram and Twitter at Lvanderkam and at her website lauravanderkam.com. Check out her podcasts Best of Both Worlds and Before Breakfast wherever you listen to What Should I Read Next.
[00:48:10] For links to all those things and to Laura's books, plus the full list of titles we talked about today, visit whatshouldIreadnextpodcasts.com/ 359 for all the show notes. Share Your Love or our podcast by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. We appreciate every kind word and your reviews truly help new listeners find our show. A five star rating and review is an excellent way to spread the book love. We'd love to show up in your inbox with our weekly email newsletter where I share book news and tell you what I am reading lately. Sign up at: whatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
[00:48:44] Find us on Instagram for peeks behind the scenes, snapshots of book stacks and photos from my literary life. I'm at@Annebogel and the show is @whatshouldIreadnext. Make sure you're following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tune in next week when I'll be coaching my guest with 2023 Reading Prep to set her up for her family's feisty annual reading competition. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rocha said, "Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam
• I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam
• Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
• Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• William Shakespeare (Try The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works)
• Jane Austen (Try The Complete Novels of Jane Austen)
• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
• The Bible
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
• Marcel Proust (try Swann’s Way)
• Ulysses by James Joyce
• Doris Kearns Goodwin (try The Presidential Biographies: No Ordinary Time, Team of Rivals, the Bully Pulpit)
• The Waves by Virginia Woolf
• This Is Not a Book about Benedict Cumberbatch by Tabitha Carvan
Also mentioned:
• Before Breakfast Podcast
• Best of Both Worlds Podcast
• WSIRN Episode 112: Your best reading year yet
The post Making big reading goals a reality appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What a reading year it’s been! 2022 saw the publication of so many wonderful books: I loved SO MANY and once again had a terrible time narrowing down my list to a reasonable, shareable number. After much obsessing and crossing-outing I’ve finally landed on fifteen superlative titles I read in print, which I’m sharing today, and nine superlative audiobook selections, which I’ll share next week.
That makes for a total of two dozen favorites, which is undoubtedly a lot, and yet represents only 10% of the books I read this year: the year isn’t quite over but I expect to come in at about 220, which is fewer titles than I’ve read the past few years. In 2020 I read 300 books, which I thought was too many. (I tell you why in that year’s favorite books post.) In 2021 I read just over 250.
Why did I read fewer books this year? It wasn’t because I didn’t have seemingly endless enticing options in front me! I believe my relatively low tally is partly due to the fact that in 2022 I made a concerted effort to not shy away from long books: I read many novels and narrative nonfiction works over five hundred pages, and several nearly twice that long.
I haven’t run the numbers, but I also believe I read fewer total pages in 2022. For various personal and professional reasons, I read an absurd number of articles this year: and while these pieces are often interesting and enjoyable, they don’t get logged as books read. I also dedicated a whole lot of what used to be reading time to helping my kids with homework and college applications.
I know some of you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say that nothing has impacted my reading time this year as much as those college applications! My second-born is a high school senior this year, and since her brother already went through this process two years ago, I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong: every kid has their own path, and my daughter’s chosen field of study (and its specialized schools and programs) requires much more of its senior applicants than those my son, a happy history major, demanded. This means that instead of reading on the sofa for an hour each night this fall, I was often reading through program requirements, essays, or sample portfolios. And that’s on top of regular homework help for all three kids still living at home. It was my pleasure to offer assistance, and also, as someone who enjoys reading (and, in a very real way, needs to read for work), it’s important to understand where my time goes, and which factors impact my reading life.
I may have had less reading time this year, but I’m satisfied with how I spent it. I read so many good books, and while I once again enjoyed a pleasing variety of old and new across a whole lot of genres, I couldn’t help but notice the frequency with which I gravitated towards stories of complicated relationships.
For this year’s favorites list, I once again prioritized books with staying power and emotional resonance; ones with admirable craft, that I enjoyed reading, and that I found myself returning to in my mind—even long after I finished the book.
I track my titles in the My Reading Life book journal, and put a simple star by especially noteworthy titles. Despite my best efforts at record-keeping, I’m probably forgetting a favorite here, because I always do. Luckily I’ll have plenty more opportunities to talk about books I love!
I would love to hear your favorite books of the year in the comments section.
All books featured here were chosen because I loooove them. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. More info here.
My favorite books of 2022 Author: Hala Alyan
We're beginning with one of just two rereads on my 2022 favorites list. We hosted author Hala Alyan in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club several weeks ago, so I read this again to prepare for our conversation—I think I enjoyed it even more my second time through. This is the multigenerational story of the complex Nasr family, with its Syrian mother, Lebanese father, and three adult children in Brooklyn and Beirut. I loved how the nearly five-hundred page length gave Alyan room to explore each family member in all their complexities—the secrets each is hiding from the others, the long-held hurts and resentments simmering just below the surface, the exasperating familial dynamics they all seem powerless to overcome. If you love dual timeline historical fiction or books about sibling relationships, take a close look at this one. More info →Author: Julie Otsuka
This new 2022 release made me an instant Julie Otsuka fan: I laughed, I cried, I dove into her backlist. This slim story begins with the collective narrative of the devoted regular swimmers at a community pool. But one day a crack appears in the bottom of the pool and it's soon closed to the swimmers. No longer able to gather for their laps, the swimmers are forced to individually deal with the grave disruption to their routine‚ and no one is affected more than elderly Alice, whose story takes over the narrative. The surprising pivot from snappy social commentary to a devastating portrait of encroaching dementia is effective and moving. Otsuka is a master of the tiny details throughout, be they witty or heartbreaking. More info →Author: Anne Tyler
This may be Anne Tyler's 24th novel, but it's only the third or fourth I've read. This Summer Reading Guide selection offers a funny and wise meditation on the enduring imprint of one’s family of origin. The multigenerational story portrays life with the Garrett family of Baltimore over a sixty-year span, beginning with a rare vacation in 1959 and ending in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In vignettes set every ten years, the common thread is the little kindnesses and cruelties that characterize the family, along with their constitutional inability to share their true thoughts and emotions with each other. In the final pages, one character compares the indelible imprint of his family to his daughter’s French braid: “That’s how families work,” he says. “You think you’re free of them, but you’re never really free; the ripples are crimped in forever.” The family may be exasperating, but the book is anything but. I loved this. More info →Author: Claire Keegan
Like so many readers, my first introduction to Keegan's work was her 2021 novella Small Things Like These, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Following the success of that work, Grove Press just released this 2010 story as a standalone book in the U.S. for the first time. This tender story is at once heartbreaking and life-affirming; and though it's a short story it's lush, full, and packed with life. It begins on a hot summer day in rural Ireland, when an anxious child is taken by her father to live with a distant relative for a time, in order to ease the burden on her mother as she prepares to deliver another child. The story is just under a hundred pages but Keegan takes you on a journey: I read this with my heart in my throat, and found it to be a true testament to what a gifted writer can do in a small space. More info →Author: Erika Krouse
There's not a lot of nonfiction on my favorites list, but I found this arresting blend of memoir and true crime about a landmark sexual assault case as unputdownable as any thrilling novel. “I became a private investigator because of my face,” Krouse writes in her opening lines. No matter where she goes or who she meets, perfect strangers tell her things they’ve never told anyone else. To her great surprise, this inconvenience turns into a job offer when a local attorney hires her as a PI to investigate cases for his firm. When the attorney takes on a new client who was sexually assaulted by college football recruits, he sets an audacious goal: he wants to prove the school was not only aware of but complicit in the program’s culture of violence. The prospect of securing justice and making the perpetrators pay compels Krouse to take the case, despite her own history of sexual abuse. As the lawsuit—and the story—move forward, her past trauma and its present repercussions nestle up alongside the investigation in the narrative, to great effect, and build to a stirring, stunning, and gently hopeful ending. More info →Author: Ada Calhoun
More nonfiction, but this is every bit as much a family saga as any novel I read this year. Thanks to the book's pre-release publicity, I discovered Calhoun is the daughter of art critic Peter Schjeldahl, who I've been quoting for YEARS (especially in MMD Book Club) about his approach to works that aren't "immediately hospitable." Calhoun's new genre-bending book is a memoir-ish look at their complex relationship—and also a profile-of-sorts about poet Frank O'Hara. I couldn't resist that description, devoured it in 36 hours, and knew it would land on my Best of the Year list. By the time I closed the last page I'd googled a hundred things about NYC history and requested ten books from my local library. Fascinating, devastating, vexing, illuminating. More info →Author: Tara M. Stringfellow
I love a good story-behind-the-story, and this 2022 Summer Reading Guide selection delivers: Stringfellow’s grandfather was a World War II veteran who served as the first Black homicide detective in Memphis—before being lynched by his own all-white police squad. Her grandmother was among the first Black nurses in Memphis. This dual legacy of excellence and injustice permeates the novel as it traces a legacy of violence and matriarchal strength through three generations of Black women living in this historic city from 1937 to 2003, with the events of 9/11 serving as a key plot point. The novel unflinchingly portrays both Memphis's strong communities and grim history of racism and violence, yet also lovingly and fiercely conveys the resilience, grit, love, and joy of the women and their community. This was one of my first reads of 2022 and it set such a good tone for the year to come! It's also one of the many books about artists and painters I enjoyed this year. More info →Author: Ada Calhoun
After reading and loving Also a Poet I was eager to read more from Calhoun, and blew through this essay collection on marriage, relationships, infidelity, divorce, and personal growth that came into being because of her viral Modern Love column, and made a hundred highlights along the way. This book would have horrified me when I was younger, but Will and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary this year: we're hardly newlyweds. To give you a taste: "'The first twenty years [of marriage] are the hardest,' an older woman once told me. At the time I thought she was joking. She was not." Or this: "Even good marriages sometimes involve flinging a remote control at the wall." I loved it. More info →Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
A timely and gripping work of historical fiction loosely inspired by the real-life groundbreaking court case of Relf v Weinberger. In 2016 Memphis, distinguished Black doctor Civil Townsend prepares to retire. First she must journey to her hometown of Montgomery to make peace with the past and tell the truth of it to her own daughter. In alternating timelines, Civil reveals all that unfolded in 1973, when she was a young and idealistic nurse, stepping into her first job at a reproductive clinic serving Black women in her community. She cared deeply for the girls under her care, but grew alarmed at what she was called upon to do: administer experimental and perhaps unnecessary treatments to young patients without their understanding or consent. When the unthinkable happens to one patient and she is sterilized without consent, Civil becomes involved in a landmark lawsuit. This 2022 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection is a moving story and a testament to fiction’s power to influence hearts and impact lives. More info →Author: Elissa Sussman
Talk about the right book at the right time! I picked this up at an indie bookstore on vacation this summer and it was the perfect smart and sexy beach read. The story unfolds in two timelines: back then, Chani Horowitz wanted to be a serious writer but she's stuck writing puff pieces for popular outlets, something her more literary colleagues (and novelist boyfriend) sneer at. But then, she lands a gig interviewing A-list movie star Gabe Parker, her biggest celebrity crush and the next James Bond. Fast forward ten years: The Profile (as it came to be known) launches her career, but Chani still feels conflicted about it, wondering if she would even have a career without Gabe. So when his publicist asks her to revisit Gabe for a second interview, she wants to say no ... but she's also desperate for him to answer the questions that still linger for her ten years later, the ones she never wrote about or disclosed to anyone. I flew through this: strong writing, interesting format, great narrative drive, tons of fun. More info →Author: Gabrielle Zevin
This 2022 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide selection is an intoxicating and wholly unexpected epic of love, art, belonging, betrayal, and friendship. This is the story of Sam and Sadie, two childhood friends who meet in a hospital game room in 1986. They come from completely different worlds, but bond immediately over video games. Eight years later, as students at separate Boston colleges, the pair reunite and bootstrap a Tempest-inspired video game that becomes an unexpected blockbuster, cementing their future as game designers but bringing upheaval into their personal lives. I don’t have much interest in video games but I adored this book, which is ultimately about creativity and ambition, astonishing success and what comes after, and the inevitable hurts and disappointments of a life-defining friendship. More info →Author: Emi Yagi
This Japanese debut (translated by David Boyd and Lucy North) was just published in the U.S. last week; I describe it in more detail in What Should I Read Next Episode 336 ("Find your audiobook formula"). The premise hooked me immediately: when 34-year-old Ms. Shibata begins working at the cardboard tube manufacturer, she initially finds it a welcome change from her old job, where sexual harassment was a constant threat. But she quickly realizes her new position has problems of its own: as the only woman in her department, her colleagues expect her to serve the tea, do the dishes, and sundry other menial tasks unrelated to her actual work. Then one day, fed up with waiting on the men, she impulsively tells them she can't clear the tea: she's pregnant and the smell makes her nauseous. The thing is, she's not pregnant—but because her work life instantly gets a whole lot better, she determines to find a way to keep the ruse going for the whole nine months. A satisfying blend of clever, playful, and subversive. More info →Author: Elizabeth Strout
Another reread, but that hardly counts since while I've now read this book twice, both readings were in 2022. I sat down with this book, Strout's latest in the loose Lucy Barton series, on a Saturday afternoon—and I read the entire thing without getting up because I couldn't bear to put it down. It is a pandemic story, following Lucy as she escapes with her companion from New York City to the coast of Maine. The conversations in this book are about the pandemic, but also about the fragility of life and what it means to be in relationship with others, and I found it touching, tearful, and ultimately life-affirming. More info →Author: R. F Kuang
When MMD Book Club hosted Peng Shepherd in August to discuss The Cartographers, Peng raved about this new fantasy release from the author of The Poppy War trilogy (which I haven't yet read, should I?). It's a cool 545 pages in hardcover, and WOW does she put every one to good use. The publisher calls it “a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”—if that sounds a little cerebral for you, don’t worry, it’s easy to get swept up in the story. Kuang's historical fantasy takes place primarily in 1830s Oxford, where the workers at the translation institute Babel literally fuel the British Empire by combining their language skills with precious silver bars. While I loved the academic setting and band of four fast friends, her engagement with the complexities of race, power, and privilege are what really ground the novel. There's also a lot of philosophizing about the art of translation and discussion of what the practice actually involves, which I found insightful and fascinating (especially in light of my recent stack of translated reads). More info →Author: Barbara Kingsolver
I always look forward to a new Barbara Kingsolver, and this one is her best yet. 2021 Anne might be surprised to hear 2022 Anne say that, because when I first learned her new book would be a David Copperfield retelling, I was less than enthusiastic. I needn't have worried: I was hooked from the first chapter. Damon Fields, known as Demon Copperhead for his red hair, grows up impoverished in the southern Appalachian mountains in Virginia. We first meet him at age 11 and then follow along as he watches his mother become addicted to opioids, enters the foster care system, and later wrestles with substance abuse himself. Just as David Copperfield was an impassioned work of social activism, this update examines the ravages in southwestern Virginia and how the people Demon loves and identifies with are oppressed by those who have power. At 560 pages, this story feels like an investment; I found it to be worth every page. To answer a frequently asked question: no familiarity with Dickens's original is required but if you have read it, you’ll appreciate her updates. More info → What were your favorite books of 2022?
P.S. Grab yourself a copy of the My Reading Life book journal to track your favorites in the year to come. Plus my favorite books of 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016 (that year I kept it to 7—how did I do that?).
The post My favorite books of 2022 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? My college kid is back home, which means all my babies are here for a whole month and I love it. (Daisy is likewise ecstatic.) It also means we need some great cozy dinner recipes: if you have one you love, please tell us in comments! We’ll also be on the hunt for quality fun-for-the-whole-family entertainment options if you have any to spare.
I’m also planning to do some more baking this weekend: I found so much inspiration in our MMD Holiday Cookie Exchange! Last weekend, thanks to your comments, we tried the chocolately World Peace Cookies and they were DELICIOUS. (Has anyone tried the 2.0 version? I want to try that just as soon as I can track down cocoa nibs!) I have about a dozen tabs open with your suggested recipes and am excited about what I’ll bake next.
I hope this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind. May your weekend be filled with grace, peace, rest, and good books.
My favorite finds from around the web: A new writer tweeted about a low book signing turnout, and famous authors commiserated. (NPR) Sometimes good things happen on Twitter. * Daisy Jones & The Six* Kicks Off a Tension-Filled Show In New First Look. (E! News) Who’s excited? * How to Make Charcuterie Actually Look Cute on a Cheese Board. (Food52) Great tips. * 11 Mysteries and Thrillers That Are So. Much. Fun. (Crime Reads) Sign me up! * New favorite thing: this sparkle maple syrup. I’ve gotten so many good ideas from this glorious list of little luxuries! * John Krasinski’s Kids Think Emily Blunt Married Him “Out Of Charity” Because They’re Convinced He Works In An Office. (Buzzfeed News) Hilarious. * 12 Tips From a Rare Books Expert to Keep Your Books Looking Great. (Mental Floss) I am never doing some of these things, sorry/not sorry. I don’t mind if my books look like I actually read them! * How do you find your favorite lipsticks? (MMD) I jotted down several colors to try from the comments section. * The 25 best movies of 2022. (Vox) See any favorites here? * ‘AudioFile’ Magazine’s Best Audiobooks of 2022. (Publishers Weekly) * These Stuffed Shells filled with Spinach and Ricotta were a hit for family dinner. (NYT Cooking gift link) We subbed manicotti for the shells because that’s what my grocery had in stock and they were delicious. * Instagram Is Over. (The Atlantic) I miss the old Instagram. * I love this for a gift idea, because: plants! Get two unique, organically-grown succulents every month with a Succulent Studio subscription. Snag this holiday deal and receive three plants + free shipping for $5. * In Remote Alaska, Meal Planning Is Everything. (Eater) Such a different way of life.
Don’t miss these posts: 24 winter holiday romances that will make your season bright. These winter holiday romances will take you from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve! * Elevate your reading experience with these favorite bookish things. Are you looking for more comfort and joy in your reading life? * 10 series kids love (and their parents do, too). * 20 riveting wilderness mystery and suspense novels.* These gripping tales about detectives, park rangers, and hikers are perfect for enjoying indoors, preferably in front of a cozy fireplace.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Reading is a solitary activity, but there’s nothing better than telling someone about a great book you just finished, talking about that twist (!!), or awaiting a much anticipated new release. That’s but one of the many reasons I’m grateful for the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. This is the place where we enjoy the pleasure of reading together, and get more out of our experience through community, classes, and conversation.
I’m amazed by all we packed into this year, and excited about what we have in store on the horizon! Please enjoy this “year in the life” look at some of our 2022 happenings and highlights. As we look forward, we’re also looking ahead: with our popular Team Best Books of the Year coming up mid-December, our January kickoff, and our exclusive Spring Book Preview, now is a great time to jump in! Click here to join us in our one-of-a-kind community, and enjoy this look back at 2022.
JOIN TO START YOUR READING YEAR RIGHT!JanuaryWe often say MMD Book Club is the place where we are learning to read better, together—and we believe rereading is one way to read better. We’ve welcomed so many new members over the years, we wanted to invite them to revisit past standout selections. We kicked off the year with not one book recommendation, but SIX! Members got to “choose their own reading adventure.”
FebruaryMany readers shape their year with goals, challenges, and projects. We hosted our Hallmarks of a Great Book Project session early in the year in order to offer copious examples of book projects meant to give purpose and structure to a reading life. If you’re the kind of reader who loves homework, you’re in good company around here. Many of our events and classes come with worksheets, including this one!
We also hosted author Liz Moore for a fascinating discussion on her novel The Unseen World.
MarchIn March, we talked about books that make us laugh and books that make us cry. Author Amy Poeppel joined us for a session entitled Let’s Talk About Funny Books where we discussed the serious business of writing books that make us laugh out loud. I’m still thinking about her “rule of threes” and why three produces more comedy.
In MMD Book Club we seek to balance the heavy and the light: our main selection for the month was the memoir The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander, and we enjoyed a meaningful conversation about love, art, and grief.
April flight picksAprilA first-ever for the MMD Book Club: we created an exclusive poetry collection. There was rich conversation as we dove deep into the meanings of some beloved poems, both classic and modern. Poetry lovers and those brand new to poetry learned from each other, and from our two experts: poet and professor Tania Runyan and spoken word poet Amena Brown.
Join Us for Journaling is a new regular member event where we set aside an hour to catch up on our reading life reflections together. These are simple, but so valuable for “appointment” reading and reading life maintenance. Plus I usually learn some genius move in the chat, like one member who shared how she checks the Library of Congress page for themes if she’s stuck.
MayEvery May brings the best book party of the year with our Summer Reading Guide Unboxing. Book Club members get access to an exclusive Summer Reading experience including a 90-minute unboxing session where Anne talks about each book she chose and why. This year, we offered two different times for our unboxing, plus a watch party.
We also hosted author Bethany C. Morrow to talk to us about So Many Beginnings and a Little Women watch party as well.
JOIN BEFORE OUR SPRING BOOK PREVIEW!JuneJune was jam packed with bookish helps. In our Bookworm Problems session, we gathered to troubleshot common problems that plague readers. Then we explored popular genres with a deep dive into memoir and historical fiction in our Kickstart Your Reading life mini-series.
Mary Laura Philpott, author of Bomb Shelter, joined us to talk about how she sent herself to “story school” and a real-time peek at how Frank the Turtle was doing.
Anne, Ginger, and Shannan during our Book Club Readers’ WeekendJulyA personal highlight for me came with our Readers’ Weekend in July. So many of you joined us virtually, and a few of you booked yourself into a hotel or AirBnb and devoted an entire weekend your reading life. On my way to Louisville, I met up with readers and Book Club members at Novel bookstore in Memphis, Joseph-Beth in Lexington, and Carmichael’s in Louisville for coffee and bookstore browsing.
We also talked with Lessons in Chemistry author Bonnie Garmus this month. We love when authors bring us show & tell, like Bonnie did!
AugustPart two of our Kickstart Your Reading Life series focused on mystery, to go along with our main selection, The Cartographers. We talked with author Peng Shepherd at the end of the month. We enjoyed an illuminating conversation and she also shared a few truly excellent book recs!
We observed our fourth annual Austen in August, reading Sense & Sensibility and watching the film together. Plus, we hosted self-professed anglophile Caitlyn from Geraldine + Virginia for a Regency-era history lesson and tea party to enhance our Austen reading experience.
SeptemberIf you love the Summer Reading Guide, you probably also look forward to our seasonal Fall Book Preview, an unboxing event packed with books we’re excited to read for fall. (Get ready for our Spring Book Preview in January!)
In our 10 Ways to Organize Your Library class, we talked about why your systems matter, how to identify if they work for you, and how to adapt in different situations.
Our September selection, Breaking Bread with the Dead was filled with rich discussion, along with our flight pick for Shakespeare in September, The Taming of the Shrew. It was so much fun to watch 10 Things I Hate About You, a Taming of the Shrew inspired 90s romcom, together.
October 2022 selectionOctoberWe got delightful nerdy in our 10 Things You Want to Know About Literary Awards class. While it’s absolutely possible to have a vibrant reading life without knowing the ins and outs of book awards, it is fun to know what kinds of works get recognized, and why.
We also read a literary family drama, The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan, and talked with the author as she shared why the city of Beirut haunts and beguiles her, how talking about books can be so very difficult for readers and writers, and… you guessed it, some juicy show and tell for her next project.
NovemberOver the years, we’ve been asked one question more than any other: how can I be a great book club host? Team members contributed our best tips in our 10 Hallmarks of a Great Book Club Experience class. We covered everything from picking a great book, inviting fellow readers, asking good questions, setting rules, and, of course, food.
Show notes are one of my very favorite parts of MMD Book Club. After any live event, we send out an email packed with links to recommended books, playlists, and yes, often lipstick colors. This month was a favorite because after talking with author Alissa Wilkinson about our November pick, Salty, those show notes were full of great links for conversation-starting mugs, favorite writing tools, beloved cookbooks, films & audiobooks, and THAT salad dressing.
We just hosted our first ever readalong, inspired by Louise Penny’s new release, and I can’t let November go by without mentioning a highlight of my reading year, participating in a Community Pick of The Overstory. We enjoyed rich conversation that felt like English class in the best possible way.
These community picks sprout up often, anytime a few readers want to come together to talk about a book, new or old, in addition to our official main picks and flight picks.
DecemberIf all this so far sounds like the kind of place you want to be, readers, now would be the perfect time to join! We’ll be talking to author Sara Nisha Adams today (December 8th) for a spoiler-free conversation about her book The Reading List. (If you miss it or can’t join us live, no worries—we record all our classes, author talks, and book discussions for our members!)
Still to come this year on December 15th, we’re hosting our MMD team’s Best Book of the Year event, where we each share a very favorite book (or two or three!) we’ve read and loved. This is one of the most fun—and rewarding—events we host all year, and I can’t wait for our 2022 edition.
Perhaps this post has you thinking, “I’d love a community like that.” Well, we’d love to have you join us! We have gift memberships available, whether you wish to be the recipient or you’d like to give a friend the gift of reading together.
JOIN US FOR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR!We have a wonderful time in MMD Book Club: members say our time together is always a bright spot in their days and weeks. We hope to see you there. Happy reading, everyone!
About the authorGinger Horton is the Book Club Community Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are literary fiction and classics. You can find Ginger on Instagram posting as herself @gthorton or in the MMD Book Club account @MMDBookClub
The post A Year in the Life: A Look Back at 2022 in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
A good story is an experience, and many of us—myself included—enjoy the extra layer of bibliophile enjoyment provided by a book about books. I cannot get enough of plots set in publishing, authorial main characters, books within books, and love stories that unfold in the stacks.
In this book list featuring books about books and reading I’ve gathered fifteen titles for book lovers to read when they need a heaping dose of bookish charm. This collection of titles crosses five different genres and features a mix of recent novels, backlist favorites, and heartfelt nonfiction.
With book-centered plot lines and characters who love reading as much as we do, these books will capture your attention as a reader and inspire your devotion as a bookworm. One of the titles is this month’s selection in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Sara Nisha Adams will join us on December 8 to discuss The Reading List. We would love for you to join us.
Do you have a favorite book about books and reading? We would all appreciate you sharing your recommendations in the comments section.
Books about books from (almost) every genreSome links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Bookish Fiction Author: Alan Bennett
This fictional homage to the late Queen Elizabeth II will delight anglophiles and bibliophiles alike. When an unnamed (but not well-disguised) Queen goes for a walk, her corgis stray into a bookmobile library parked near the Palace, so she feels obligated to take a book to be polite. The Queen finds a newfound obsession with reading—so much so that she begins to neglect her duties as monarch. You can read this one in a few hours, but the power of reading to transform even the most uncommon of lives and the numerous book recommendations (from Jean Genet to Ivy Compton-Burnett to the classics) will stay with you much longer. More info →Author: Jason Mott
More than one year later, I’m still thinking about this 2021 Summer Reading Guide selection that features poignant and stylish prose and the ever popular literary trope: a book within a book. The story unfolds in two strands, the first featuring a Black author on a book tour for his bestselling novel Hell of a Book. No matter what city he goes to, someone wants to know what he thinks about the most recent tragic police shooting on the news. But the author is afraid of saying the wrong thing. It’s not just that he wants to keep the focus on book sales (though he does), but also because he experiences daydreams so vivid he can’t always tell the difference between imagination and reality. His story converges with that of a young Black boy called The Kid who is invisible to everyone but the author, setting up one hell of an ending. More info →Author: Sara Nisha Adams
A story of how books intersect with our lives in unexpected ways, and occasionally lead to unexpected friendships, as well. Thanks to a handwritten list of books found between the pages of To Kill a Mockingbird, teen library worker Aleisha connects with Mukesh, a widower who wants a better relationship with his avid reader granddaughter. Aleisha shares the list she found, and the two lonely readers find solace in reading and discussing each title. Deeply moving, sad and sweet, this literary tale serves as a reminder of the power of books to give us strength and connect us to one another. Content warnings apply. (This is our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club selection for December 2022.) More info → Literary Mystery Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Often cited as a modern classic in translation, this dark, historical, and magical novel is a lifetime favorite of several readers I know with great taste. It's a mystery, a love letter to literature, and a beautifully written masterpiece. I'll confess I had a hard time getting into this sweeping story at first, but after I got oriented I couldn't turn the pages fast enough: I loved the 1940s Barcelona setting, the rich cast of characters, and the surprising twists and turns the story took. If you're looking for a book in translation to broaden your reading horizons, consider this atmospheric novel originally written in Spanish and translated by Lucia Graves. More info →Author: David Foenkinos
Imagine a library filled with unpublished manuscripts, countless novels that never came to be. In the tiny village of Crozon, a small town librarian collects and cares for these unloved manuscripts. While on holiday, a renowned French editor visits the library and stumbles upon an undiscovered masterpiece, which she and her author boyfriend soon discover was written by a small-town French pizza chef. She champions its publication and turns it into an instant bestseller. Readers everywhere swoon for the book and the story behind its publication, but one snobby literary critic questions the book’s origins, and resolves to get the real story. (Is it weird to say this plot thread reminds me of Ratatoille?) Funny and endearing, a quirky mystery for book lovers, and a great read for anyone who fancies a peek into the publishing industry. More info →Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz
An audacious literary theft sets the plot in motion for this unputdownable thriller. Jacob Finch Bonner found modest success with his critically-lauded debut, but now he’s totally blocked. His agent keeps pestering him for the second novel he’s supposed to deliver, but the truth is he hasn’t written a word in years. But then he decides to do a terrible thing: he steals another writer’s brilliant story idea, writes the book, and zooms to the top of the bestseller list. He’s sure he’s gotten away with it. But then nine months later, he gets an ominous note that says only, “You are a thief.” This twisty thriller about a washed-up novelist driven to desperate acts will keep you enthralled until its shocking conclusion. More info → Readerly Romance Author: Emily Henry
In WSIRN Episode 332: Beach Reads for Book Lovers, Emily Henry told us her goal for this book was to write the ultimate comfort read, and nothing says comfort like books, bookstores, and Nora Ephron-inspired chemistry. Successful literary agent Nora Stephens’s colleagues call her the Shark, but Nora doesn’t care. She's (mostly) at peace with who she is, plus she’s proud of fighting for her clients—even if that same fierceness has always spelled disaster for her love life. When her beloved sister Libby persuades her to take a sisters’ trip to the too-cute-to-be-real hamlet of Sunshine Falls, Nora is gobsmacked to encounter her professional nemesis Charlie Lastra, a famously grumpy and inconveniently handsome editor. Soon the sparks are flying—and Nora has to keep reminding herself she hates his guts, lest she succumb to their undeniable chemistry. A heartwarming love letter to readers, and a moving exploration of family, ambition, love, and belonging. This steamy rom com is open door. More info →Author: Tia Williams
I read this book in anticipation of moderating a panel at the Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors that included Tia Williams (which was a BLAST, and you can listen to the recording thanks to bookish podcast magic!). Described as a “romance novel with serious depth,” the early pages are set at a literary festival, where bestselling writers Eva and Shane are reunited after nearly twenty years apart, in front of an audience of delighted readers. Nobody knows the two have met before, or that they were high school soulmates before they were wrenched apart due to circumstances neither fully understands. This was a lot of fun and also insightful about the complexities of romantic and family relationships, with a summer-in-NYC setting I particularly enjoyed. A couple of content notes: this is open door and includes addiction and self-harm, as Williams shows her characters working through trauma in order to find both healing and their way to each other. More info →Author: Julia Whelan
Perhaps the most “meta” book on this list, Whelan’s long-awaited sophomore novel responds to the tired objections of romance skeptics and takes us deep into the world of audiobook narration. Actress-turned-narrator Sewanee is still recovering from a terrible accident that scarred her inside and out when she’s cast alongside the sexy and secretive Brock McKnight in a coveted project. Whelan clearly enjoys playing with the genre’s familiar tropes—snowed in, just one night, mistaken identity. With wittily named chapter titles (don’t miss them!) and great supporting characters, this sometimes steamy romance shows our heroine forgiving herself and finding true love. With Whelan narrating her own work, audiophiles are sure to enjoy listening to this one—but don’t forget your headphones as it is open door. More info → Bookish Fantasy Author: Cornelia Funke
Originally written in German and translated by Anthea Bell, this fantastical children’s novel features characters who literally jump off the page. Maggie and her dad Mo live the literary dream: he repairs books, and she reads as many as she can get her hands on. One dark and eerie night, a mysterious figure visits their home and throws their cozy existence into chaos. Mo takes Meggie on the run, soon revealing his secret talent for reading stories into real life—but what gets pulled into reality must be replaced, leaving a trail of unfortunate mishaps in Mo’s past. Can Meggie save her father—and the characters he’s displaced—before a storybook evil villain takes control of the narrative? Whimsical, bookish, and suspenseful, this novel is perfect for young-at-heart readers or a family read aloud. More info →Author: Alix E. Harrow
There’s so much to love about this novel: it's a literary mystery, a book about books, a coming-of-age story, and a tale of suspense and revenge. Neglected by her guardian, January Scaller spends her days surrounded by antique treasures in a sprawling old mansion. She keeps to herself, stays quiet, and explores the grounds, when she happens upon a magical old book. What follows is the story of a young girl finding belonging and adventure in the pages of a book—and across many lands and secret worlds. This debut made the list of our favorite MMD Book Club selections that have stood the test of time. More info →Author: A. J. Hackwith
Incredibly clever, imaginative, and a book-lover’s dream: the first book in the Hell’s Library series introduces us to the world of unfinished stories…in hell. Claire, the head librarian, finds herself “well suited for damnation” as she performs her job of shelving, repairing, and watching over the books. When part of Lucifer’s Codex randomly appears in her wing, it launches a quest for both hell’s librarian and heaven’s angels. A ragtag band of book-wranglers, a battle of good and evil, and a terrifically twisty plot make for an unputdownable series opener. Among the many perks of backlist reading: the next two books are available now. Check it out if you enjoyed Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series. More info → Nonfiction for Book Lovers Author: Helene Hanff
Charming, comforting, and bittersweet, this classic memoir is a must-read for bibliophiles. It’s now common to support small bookstores across the country thanks to the convenience of online storefronts, but decades ago Helene Hanff corresponded with the owner of Marks & Co via letters to purchase her desired volumes, a whole ocean away. In a short 106 pages, you’ll follow their continued relationship as it turns from bookshop patronage to abiding friendship over the course of 20 years. Pick it up when you need a quick read full of literary references, acts of kindness, and cheeky humor. More info →Author: Anne Bogel
Reading isn’t just our hobby or a way to pass the time–it’s a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can’t imagine life without them. With you (book lovers) in mind, I (a book lover) wrote a collection of essays by turns wistful, funny, inspiring, and entertaining. I wax poetic on the magic of the library next door, bookworm problems, the books that made me fall in love with reading, and an "instructive" piece on how to organize your bookshelves that would fit right in at McSweeney's. I’m partial to the pretty cover for shelving or gifting, but I also narrated the audiobook version myself (thanks to copious cups of tea). More info →TargetAuthor: James Mustich
Reading 1000 books may sound daunting at first, but Mustich’s enthusiasm for every title in this volume is contagious. This fun doorstop of a collection (and I say "doorstop" with affection) includes titles I expected (all six Austen novels) and titles I didn't (Make Way for Ducklings, Into Thin Air, The Hunt for Red October). The book also includes numerous shorter reading lists, thorough indexes, and a checklist so you can see how many on the list you have read. Jim joined us on What Should I Read Next, where he gave ME three book recommendations. That special episode makes a perfect audio companion for perusing this lovely tome. More info → What book about books and reading would you add to this list? There is no such thing as too many bookish recommendations: stack yours up in the comments section!
P.S. Stay cozy and bookish with 20 wonderful books about books and bookstores or 10 books about books and reading. In the mood for a suspenseful story? Try 12 bookish mysteries about bibliophiles and bookstores.
The post 15 books about books for bibliophiles appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today I’m helping a listener who loves seasonal reading figure out her winter specific to-be-read list so she can make the most of her library holds list in the coming months.
Lara Bulger (she/her) loves a good story, whether it’s on the page or on the screen, and I had so much fun talking about the art of book-to-screen adaptations with her today. Lara’s also here with a flurry of literary struggles she needs my help with, and our conversation today tackles a bunch of them, lightning round style. With a long Canadian winter on the horizon, I’m excited to help Lara make a plan for a great winter reading season.
Connect with Lara on Instagram and Goodreads, and listen to her podcast, Watch The Film With Us.
I want to take a moment today to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to Brenna Frederick, who has served as our What Should I Read Next producer for many years now. Brenna is shifting into a different role on our team, and will be serving as our graphic designer and video editor going forward. I am so grateful for everything Brenna has contributed to the show over the years—and grateful that her insights and creativity will continue to be evident here, even though you won’t directly hear from her as often in this space going forward.
I’d also like to thank sound designer Kellen Pechacek for the hard work he’s put in alongside Brenna these past few years: he has made our show sound so good! As that chapter comes to a close, I want to say how grateful I am for all he’s done here.
Please join me in thanking Brenna and Kellen for everything they’ve contributed to What Should I Read Next: the comments section below is a great place to share your gratitude and appreciation.
Subscribe to WSIRNTranscriptEmailDownloadNew TabWSIRN - Episode 358, Lara Bulger
Lara Bulger [00:00:01] My library holds list, I found a little bit overwhelming over the past year. My library allows me to get up to 100 books on hold, so I was really taking advantage of that limit. I decided to get it down a couple of months ago and the easiest way to do that was sort of methodically work through it by season. So I knocked out a bunch of books that I felt were sort of in the same category. But, the problem is the holds list is still going up.
Anne Bogel [00:00:29] Hey, readers, I'm Anne Bogel and this is What Should I Read Next? Welcome to the show that's dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader. What should I read next? We don't get bossy on the show - what we will do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we'll talk all things books and reading and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest. We want to begin with a welcome to all the new listeners who have joined us lately. We are so glad you're here. Every week, we take a personalized approach to the reading life, connecting readers with books that are exactly right, right now. These are evergreen conversations, so I encourage you to check out our backlist of episodes. We've got lots of Bibliotherapy and great book recs ready and waiting for you. I'd also like to pause to say a big bookstore sized thank you to our team member Brenna Frederick, who served as our What Should I Read Next producer for many years now and has been instrumental in guiding our podcast as we've grown. We wanted you to know that Brenna is shifting into a different role here, but remains a beloved and valued part of our team. Here at What Should I Read Next HQ, we are grateful for everything she's done and also the many, many titles she's added and will continue to add to our TBRs. We'd also like to thank Kellen Pechacek for the hard work he's put in alongside Brenna these past few years. He's done a top notch job with our sound design, and while that chapter is coming to a close, we are so grateful for all he's done for What Should I Read Next.
[00:02:08] Readers, so many of you talk to me about reading seasonally, whether that summer book that feel bright and beachy or fall titles that said anywhere on the spectrum between brooding to spooky to terrifying. Today's guest, Lara Bulger, is a seasonal reader who has most of the year figured out except for winter which is vexing her. She's stuck when it comes to identifying her winter reading vibe. Lara lives in Toronto, where she devotes much of her time to her passions of film and reading. With a long Canadian winter on the horizon, Lara is looking forward to identifying literary possibilities for the coming season and especially wants to leverage her library holds list for the winter months. I am so excited to dig into Lara's reading life. Our plan today is to help Lara answer some nagging questions she's been puzzling over in her reading life and, of course, help her make a plan for a great winter reading season. Let's get to it. Lara, welcome to the show.
Lara Bulger [00:03:04] Thank you so much for having me. This is incredibly surreal for me because I have listened to the podcast for so many years. I think this was actually the first podcast that I ever listened to on a regular basis back in my third year of undergrad, I think I was 2015, so it's incredible that I'm actually here today.
Anne Bogel [00:03:23] Wow. I'm so honored. What made you finally think, 'you know that could be fun to be a guest?'
Lara Bulger [00:03:30] Well, I had always wished to be a guest. I think at the beginning when I started listening, I thought that it was all people in the industry or people you know, people who had like a way in. And then I realized that was not the case. And I did submit, I think, one application before. But I know you are always overwhelmed by how many people want to be on the show. So I was just glad that this was the one that was chosen.
Anne Bogel [00:03:55] Oh, now I want to go back in the What Should I Read Next time machine and look at that early submission.
Lara Bulger [00:03:59] I am curious. Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:04:01] Well, I'm so glad you did. And something that we often say on the show is timing is everything when it comes to putting in that submission. So I'm excited to help you find your winter reading mood. And we'll talk about that more as we go on. Something else that really stuck out from your submission was how much you loved the city you're in now. Can you tell me a little more about Toronto and what it is you do there?
Lara Bulger [00:04:24] Sure. So I was born and raised here, but I've gone away for school. So I did my undergrad in London, Ontario, and then I did my masters in Kingston, Ontario. I'm currently doing my Ph.D., also in Kingston, but I decided to stay in Toronto for this degree, just partially because it was possible because of COVID, but also in a Ph.D., you get a lot more sort of time to do your own research. You don't have to be on location at the school as much, but I also just love being here. I feel like the city has kind of shaped my interests. So I'm studying film and I don't know if I would have been as interested in films I am if not for the film festivals in the city. Toronto's home to the Toronto International Film Festival, and I think it's how I became invested in film. So it's really cool to be able to actually stay in the city and attend the festival every year. Toronto's just a great spot for all things arts. We have an amazing opera company, ballet, symphony, other book festivals as well. I like to think of it as the best place to be in Canada if you are into the arts.
Anne Bogel [00:05:44] Oh, I love it. Lara, I got to snoop your Goodreads, as you know, because of a specific request you have for your reading life. And it was so evident the influence your place has on the books that you're choosing to read and that catch your eye. I really enjoyed seeing that.
Lara Bulger [00:05:57] That's funny to hear because I actually was just thinking yesterday that I've been-- I don't think consciously-- but subconsciously trying to read more Canadian books or books by Canadian authors. And just yesterday, I'm sure we'll get into this later, but I finished an amazing book by a Canadian novelist and I'm thinking, wow, I got to read more books by Canadian authors because the same thing, in 2021, one of my favorite books of the year was also a Canadian author. And I'd never actually put in any effort to read books from here. I need to work on that.
Anne Bogel [00:06:27] Well, I can't wait to hear what it is that you just finished that you loved. And I'm so glad that you're finding good reads from your homeland. We have a lot of enthusiastic Canadian guests and also Canadian listeners who participate in the Canada Reads in your program and beyond. So I'm glad to hear that that's something that's becoming increasingly important in your own writing life. Tell me a little bit about what your reading life looks like these days.
Lara Bulger [00:06:49] Well, I do read a lot on audio, but I think-- well, it's probably about evenly split between audio and physical books. I don't read on a Kindle or E-books or anything. I need the physical book in my hand. And I also just generally love trips to the library, so getting a big haul of books I really look forward to that. Most of what I read on audio is nonfiction. I just find that easier to keep track of what's happening. But in terms of physical books in the fall, I'm really loving reading a lot of sort of mysteries and kind of darker, creepy books. This past summer I was also reading a lot of fantasies and romances. So, as I said, I'm sort of going through this seasonal thing, which I didn't used to do in the past. This has been fairly recent, just the past couple of seasons. But one book that I finished just yesterday is called The Wonder by Emma Donoghue. And it's funny because I was only incentivized to read this book because the film adaptation was premiering at TIFF and I didn't get to see it, but I was at the library and they had it there so I picked it up on a whim. And I loved it. I was so surprised because it didn't sound like something that I would really be interested in. But the atmosphere, it takes place in Ireland and sort of the Irish sensibilities were so captivating and so visceral. I could really see it taking place in my mind. I don't know if you've read this book or any other Emma Donoghue books, but I was at the library again yesterday and there was another book by Emma Donoghue which just came out a couple of months ago. So I picked that one up on a whim as well. I have no idea what it's about, but I thought she can't do any wrong.
Anne Bogel [00:08:40] So she wrote Room, right?
Lara Bulger [00:08:41] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:08:43] But the one I've read by her is The Wonder, which I read when it first came out. And this is not meant to be a play on her earlier like smash best selling book. But when I think of that book, I picture it taking place in a dark, small, kind of dirty room where all the action is. But that was years ago. Is that even remotely accurate?
Lara Bulger [00:09:04] Yeah. I would say the majority of the book it takes place in-- it's not really a house. I mean, it's a home for this family, but it's very sort of ramshackle and very dark and dirty. And this is like 1850s Ireland, so there's no electricity. But I would say that's a pretty accurate portrait of where the book takes place.
Anne Bogel [00:09:26] With one of the books that's on your reading list that I think may be a good pick for you, it's really interesting that we're talking about The Wonder and that's all I'm going to say about that right now.
Lara Bulger [00:09:35] Okay.
Anne Bogel [00:09:36] But maybe we'll come back there.
Lara Bulger [00:09:38] I'm intrigued.
Anne Bogel [00:09:39] Lara, when you started reading seasonally, was that something that you consciously decided to embark on or was it something that you did without even realizing it and then finally noticed, oh, something has changed in my reading life.
Lara Bulger [00:09:54] I hadn't thought about this before, but I'm trying to develop a theory here. I found a little bit overwhelming over the past year my library allows me to get up to 100 books on hold, so I was really taking advantage of that limit. And I just I decided to get it down a couple of months ago, and the easiest way to do that was sort of methodically work through it by month, which turned into by season. So I knocked out a bunch of books that I felt were sort of in the same category in the summer and the same with the fall. But winter is looking a little bit more daunting because I think that I really put off some of the bigger books, the heavier books, a lot of nonfiction as well. So I think it was just in an attempt to get down that library holds list. And also because I love doing things seasonally.
Anne Bogel [00:10:47] So when you say that you've reduced your library holds list from 100 to 65, it's not just that you culled it, it's that you've read those books.
Lara Bulger [00:10:55] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:10:56] Oh, wow. Well, how's that felt?
Lara Bulger [00:10:59] Really good. But the problem is the holds list is still going up. So it's kind of like a “take two steps forward and one step backward.” It's slow progress because every so often, of course, I'll be at the library and I'll pick something up that wasn't on my holds list or I'll hear you recommend something on the podcast that I really want to read. I'm trying to be a little bit more selective these days, but it is tough. I did get it down to 60 and now it's back up to 65, so slow progress.
Anne Bogel [00:11:33] You're moving in the right direction. Listeners, we all knew what she was going to say, right? Of course, you're adding to it. Okay, Lara, I am really excited to get into the nagging questions in your reading life-- I think we might do a little lightning round for those-- and to hear about what your seasonal reading vibe could be. Are you ready to like begin identifying what those might be by examining your taste through the lens of what you enjoy and what you don't?
Lara Bulger [00:11:58] Yes, I am so excited to hear your insights and I'm sure you'll think of things that I hadn't even thought to link together.
Anne Bogel [00:12:05] Well, I hope that's the case, and I hope with nothing else our conversation as you come away thinking about your reading life in a new way. Well, you know how this works. You're going to share three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately. And then we will choose three books to give you some more momentum and progress in the right direction on declining that library holds list. So, Lara, let's jump in. Tell me the first book that you love.
Lara Bulger [00:12:33] So Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman is one of my favorite books. And I actually reread this I want to say a bit over a year ago, it was the summer of 2021. And I haven't reread books in a long time. I just don't do that anymore as much as I love some books. But this one something about I think it was because I rewatched the film and so I felt like I needed to go back and read the book. And the first time I read it, I actually listened to it on audio, which was a great experience, but I needed the actual tangible book. I needed to like read the words with my eyes. And I loved the way that the romance was treated in this book. It was sort of like a very, very slow and gradual. And it felt very honest and real. I think the atmosphere was a big part of this one too because you feel like you're in Italy in a villa just sunbathing and it feels so real. I don't know how else to describe it. Just the romance was so beautiful. And also even the family dynamic, the main character has a really great relationship with both of his parents. And all of the characters were just lovely. It just it felt like sort of sinking into a warm bath. That's the only way I can think about it. Even though it's not altogether a happy book, it feels so comfortable and comforting. And I also love the sequel Find Me, which I think that's a hot take. I don't think a lot of people love that one, but I do.
Anne Bogel [00:14:14] I didn't know that and I haven't read that.
Lara Bulger [00:14:16] Yes, I would highly recommend that one, although it's not really about the main characters. It kind of features them. But, yeah, Call Me By Your Name. Just one of my favorite romances of all time.
Anne Bogel [00:14:26] Yeah, that book-- and I mean, Call Me By Your Name-- it just feels sun drenched to me. It's got that slanting afternoon light kind of vibe about it. I know that you have said you're fascinated by the adaptation process of watching the movie after you've read the book, and this seems like a good time to hear more about that, Lara.
Lara Bulger [00:14:49] So this one I actually saw the film before reading the book.
Anne Bogel [00:14:53] And you don't usually do that.
Lara Bulger [00:14:55] No, I rarely. I only do that if I don't think I'm going to like either counterpart. So this one from the trailer, for whatever reason, I didn't think it looked like a film for me, but I ended up seeing it because everybody loved it and then I loved it so much that of course I had to go back and read the book. This past TIFF Festival, I actually read a couple of other books in anticipation of seeing the film at the festival and that's usually the way that I like to do it. I always like to compare them, but keeping the book front of mind because that is of course the the original. But for this one it actually worked well, I think, because the film and the book were both so strong. I didn't regret not having read the book before seeing the film.
Anne Bogel [00:15:46] Now lots of readers get pretty feisty about how the film is not true to the book. And as someone who knows a lot about these things and has done, I imagine a lot of deep thinking about it, I'd love to hear if you have any tips for those of us who want to enjoy the adaptations, but maybe find ourselves getting a little crankier about changes than we wish that we did.
Lara Bulger [00:16:17] Well, I think a lot of it has to do with the casting, which is really tough because characters are so subjective to readers. I could picture someone completely different in my mind than you. And so even from the outset when a film is announced and you can look up on IMDB who is playing the characters, you could get really upset with the vision that the director has. I don't know how to get around that, but I think just sort of coming to terms with the fact that that cast is the way it is and not necessarily changing your perception of the character to fit that actor, but understanding that it is an entirely different entity and the characters are a slightly different version. I also don't love watching trailers before a film, so especially if I'm very attached to a book, a lot of the time I will not watch the trailer before seeing the film. I find that if I don't have that sort of preview, I can go in without any preconceptions and that helps the experience a little bit. But, yeah, just understanding that they're entirely different and everyone is going to have a different relationship between the book and the film.
Anne Bogel [00:17:40] Yes, something that helped me a lot was when Knox McCoy on the Popcast when they did an episode about book to film adaptations and said, hey, these are different media trying to do different things. That really helped me a lot. Like, nobody's waving their magic wand over the book and making it actually come to life like it happens in some great novels we really enjoy. That's not what's happening. It's a whole different thing.
Lara Bulger [00:18:02] Yeah, I should listen to that episode.
Anne Bogel [00:18:04] I also like your advice for radical acceptance on the casting. You cannot change this. This is the deal. Choose how you wish to proceed. Lara, tell me about the second book that you love.
Lara Bulger [00:18:17] So this is called Light Seekers by Femi Kayode, and I was so surprised by this book. I love being surprised by a book because I haven't heard anything about it. And still to this day, I haven't managed to convince anyone else to read this book. Even the reviews on Goodreads are insufficient. I just haven't had anyone to talk to about Light Seekers. But this was a mystery. Again, very atmospheric. This book takes place in Nigeria. It's about a Nigerian-American psychologist who is sort of tasked with being a detective on a case where three university students have been tortured and murdered publicly. And the way that it unraveled was so fascinating. I do love mysteries, but I am often disappointed with them. I think that this was the author's very first book. So I was just shocked by how good it was and how no one was talking about it, the way that it all played out. I wasn't able to guess what was going on throughout. The characters were so good. I mean, the main character, the way that the psychologist thought was so interesting and I loved the setting here. I feel like we're really seeing like a push for Nigerian authors. And I'm so happy about that because so many incredible books have come out of Nigeria that I read recently. But I think that this was my favorite.
Anne Bogel [00:19:59] Is it characteristic of your reading life that you like to learn about a place and a culture through the fiction and perhaps nonfiction that you pick up?
Lara Bulger [00:20:07] Yes, definitely.
Anne Bogel [00:20:09] Okay. So things I'm noticing about this book is that this really starts like K.O., like drops you into the middle of a story that is in progress. So there's been a murder that you know has happened. And he's got all this marital drama right at the beginning. And all of a sudden, we have a man in the weeds. And I'd love to hear how that impacts you as a reader. We were just talking about Call Me by Your Name and how that is almost like languid in feel and this is totally different. I'd love to hear a little about that.
Lara Bulger [00:20:39] Yeah, if I remember correctly, I think the first chapter or the first couple of pages was actually showing someone's cell phone video of the events that occurred. So the actual killing of these students, you see what happens before you are actually introduced to any of the characters. You're just thrown straight in and I imagine it might be very jarring. But for me being introduced to what happened so quickly was such an effective way to grab my attention and then quickly being followed up by meeting the main character who I just thought it was so interesting how it was a psychologist, not a detective. And he's kind of thinking what am I doing here? How am I going to be able to solve this case? This isn't usually what I do. But because of that, he's able to think about the events in a different way and the relationships between the people living in the town and what precipitated these events. It was such a different way to do a mystery and because of that, I loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:21:45] Okay. Lara, what else is on your favorites list?
Lara Bulger [00:21:48] So I knew I wanted to include a nonfiction book because I think I read a lot of nonfiction, at least a third of my reading life. But this one really, really, stood out to me. So it's called Consumed by Aja Barba. And I actually read this for school. I was taking a course on consumerism and I follow Aja on Instagram. She mostly focuses on fashion and the fashion industry and the problems with it, so I knew that that this book was like at the top of my list. And the fact that I was able to factor it in as a school related book was just perfect for me. But she really discusses in depth the problems with the fashion industry, how we got to where we are today both from an environmental standpoint, the destruction that's being wrought by how much clothing we are constantly buying. And then also from an ethical standpoint, who is actually making our clothes? What are they being paid? Where are they in the supply chain? And then also why it is that in the first place we've sort of got ourselves into this mess of constantly consuming. And thinking about the deeper problems and not just shopping, but why we shop and what has facilitated this kind of industry and the growth of this industry.
Anne Bogel [00:23:21] And I'm noticing that this nonfiction book really marries the very practical, like reader do this and don't do that, but also the really big picture. Like, there's the introduction where she says, this is why this matters. But chapter two is something, like, we got to talk about colonialism before we go any further.
Lara Bulger [00:23:40] Yeah, absolutely. She's grounding it in the history of all of these different countries. She is American, but she's laying out all the roots of the problem colonialism, capitalism, and then not proposing a band aid solution, but saying the way that we need to rethink absolutely everything, all of the structural problems here.
Anne Bogel [00:24:05] Lara, I'm really forming a picture of you as a reader as someone who wants the whole picture, who wants to know the why and the how and what happens next. Does that resonate?
Lara Bulger [00:24:15] Yeah, absolutely. I think that's why I read so much nonfiction. If I can find a book that delves into the why and how, as you say-- I think one time you recommended a book called The True Cost, which is also about the fashion industry-- I'm always looking for those explanations through reading.
Anne Bogel [00:24:33] That's good to know. And I wonder if we'll see how that is reflected or not in the book that didn't work. Would you tell me about that?
Lara Bulger [00:24:42] Yeah. So this one was a real disappointment for me because I thought it was going to be, I guess, a mystery. This was called The Push by Ashley Audrain. And I had two close friends who this was in their like top books of the year, both of them. So I was thinking, okay, this didn't originally appeal to me when I first heard the storyline, but it if two people both loved it, whose tastes I generally trust, then I should probably give it a try. And I think even like a quarter of the way in, I was not enjoying myself and I was starting to dread. I was listening to it on audio actually. I'm not sure why I chose that. I don't usually do that for fiction. But I think it's probably because I wasn't very excited about it, so I sort of wanted to just knock it out. I started dreading listening to it and I just there was something about the way I felt about knowing what was going to happen because I didn't know exactly how things were going to play out, but I knew they weren't not going to play out well. Slowly things are sort of falling apart for this woman. You sort of get a sense of her back story. She did not have a very happy childhood. And I think it sort of even goes back many generations. We sort of see what happened to the women in her family and the trauma they endured. So the main character, she has a daughter and she just gets the sense that there is something wrong with this child. But she also thinks maybe it's all in her head. Her husband doesn't believe her about the child. And you know as the reader that there is something deeply wrong going on. And I just had such a sense of dread of finding out what was happening and I didn't want to know. And I find this happens for me sometimes with film and books. I just cannot continue if I have this overwhelming sense of dread. And it's not that I have a problem with heavy books or dark books, but something about this book just wasn't for me and I had to put it down at about the halfway point. And I looked up what happened because I was curious how it played out, but I physically couldn't push myself through reading this book.
Anne Bogel [00:27:16] Lara, you mentioned the film in your submission that conjured this same kind of feeling. Would you tell us about that?
Lara Bulger [00:27:22] Yeah. So Marriage Story is another good example of this. And people are shocked when I say this because I know everyone loves Marriage Story. I think it was nominated for a bunch of Oscars. I don't remember if it won best picture. But the sense of dread that I felt about the story, it's just about this relationship falling apart. These two people who things are getting worse and worse between them, their relationship. And you know it's not going to end well. And I just felt this overwhelming sense of dread and I didn't want to know what happened next. I just couldn't put myself through that, so I had to stop watching halfway through. And I haven't found anyone else who's had that same experience with this film.
Anne Bogel [00:28:09] Wait, really?
Lara Bulger [00:28:10] Yeah. Everyone that I've spoken to loved it.
Anne Bogel [00:28:14] Oh, Lara, let's talk. I hated Marriage Story. I watched this on an airplane because I was thinking I'm by myself, this is getting nominated for a bunch of awards. Two hours, what else do I want to do with my time here by myself? Oh, my gosh. So I had read the critical reviews just gushing about how this was a completely realistic portrait of a marriage falling apart. And at the time, I think this was maybe 2018, which I've been doing What Should I Read Next for a couple of years at this point. I should I should have known to stop and think, yes, Anne, but is that the kind of thing that you enjoy? And the answer is no. A realistic portrait of a terrible and rapidly deteriorating marriage, no, I don't want to hear about that. I don't want to see that. It doesn't matter who it's fictional. But that kind of realism of that kind of content is not something that I wish to bring into my life fictionally. So I can be your one person because it's never just you, but it really helps to connect with somebody who feels the same way even if we know intellectually that we are not alone.
Lara Bulger [00:29:21] Oh, that is so good to hear. That is so validating.
Anne Bogel [00:29:26] Okay, so the theory I'm working on here is that you read and enjoy books that really like plainly portrayed terrible things happening to people. Like Light Seekers is based on an actual event of terrible things happening in the real world, but your main character is moving toward some kind of satisfying resolution. And I think perhaps these are realistic depictions of terrible things that don't have any hope of that are just really not right for you. And I think the realism and the no hope of any sort of satisfying resolution, I think those two things together mean that that's not a book for you right now. Maybe that will never be a book for you. What does that sound like to you when you hear that?
Lara Bulger [00:30:16] Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I need some kernel of hope. I do. I really like a good resolution at the end of a book or film. I need it to not necessarily wrap up nicely with a bow and an unrealistic manner, but I need some kind of resolution.
Anne Bogel [00:30:36] Okay. Lara, what have you been reading lately?
Lara Bulger [00:30:41] Before TIFF, I wanted to read a couple of the books that were being adapted. So I read On The Come Up, which is by Angie Thomas, who also wrote The Hate U Give which I loved. And I think I like The Hate U Give better. But On The Come Up was a lot of fun because it's about a young woman who wants to be a performer. She wants to be a rapper. I think the part that I enjoyed most was her writing. Her songs, I thought were really, really, strong. I know that it's an older author, but I'm just thinking, wow, if someone at age 15 or 16 or whatever age she was able to write this on the fly because a lot of it is improvisation, I thought that was so interesting. So I enjoyed On The Come Up not as much as The Hate U Give though. And then I also read Women Talking, which is a Miriam Toews book, which is also at the festival, and I enjoyed this. It's one of those books where it all takes place in one day. So it's about a small Mennonite community, and there's been assaults on many of the women repeatedly. And the women have to decide what to do. Do they stay or do they leave? How do they deal with their faith in the face of what has happened to them as a community? So I thought it was really interesting, but it almost felt like not enough. It's sort of the tip of the iceberg. And there was just so much that could have been discussed. I feel like this could have been such a longer story and it's just a tiny, tiny bit. It's just sort of one day of conversation about what to do, and it touches on so many different elements. So I enjoyed it, but it didn't quite feel like enough for me.
Anne Bogel [00:32:40] So you have the why and the how. The whole book is really about what happens next, what should happen next.
Lara Bulger [00:32:45] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:32:46] But you would have liked more answers to that question.
Lara Bulger [00:32:48] Yes, I need the answers. And then, lastly, I just got to throw in Daisy Jones and the Six because I loved this book and I was so surprised because I didn't like Malibu Rising that much. I mean, I enjoyed it, but I think because that was my first book by her. People loved Taylor Jenkins Reid. And so Malibu Rising was the first book that I read by her and I enjoyed it, but I didn't really get what the hype was about. So we went back and read Daisy Jones and the Six because among other reasons it was being adapted into a mini series and I loved it. I was so surprised by how much I loved it. And now I'm thinking, wow, this book was worth the hype. Maybe all those other books that I've been putting off because I don't think they're worth the hype actually are worth hype.
Anne Bogel [00:33:35] What elements did you most enjoy about it?
Lara Bulger [00:33:38] Well, I have to say the characters. Everyone says this, but you actually find it difficult to believe that the events didn't take place, that this is not based on a real band because the people feel so real. The characters, the emotions they're going through, the way that this band is covered and everything that they went through, the way that they wrote their songs, it just felt so real. And even reading the lyrics, I love that. And afterwards I couldn't stop listening to--
Anne Bogel [00:34:14] Okay, my one guess is Fleetwood Mac.
Lara Bulger [00:34:16] Yes, Fleetwood Mac. Because apparently it was roughly based on the story of that band and how they got together and how they fell apart. So, yeah, I couldn't stop listening to Fleetwood Mac and I cannot wait to see this adaptation.
Anne Bogel [00:34:32] I feel like they've been talking about it for so long that I was wondering if it's actually going to happen. But you know things about film. You were at TIFF. Like, this is coming.
Lara Bulger [00:34:40] It is coming. Every so often I look up when is it coming out or like who has been cast lately? Because I need to know.
Anne Bogel [00:34:48] Okay. We're going to talk about what you may enjoy reading next. I have ideas. Lara, this is a different experience for me because usually I'm thinking of all the books. But you sent me a list of how many?
Lara Bulger [00:35:01] I think there was about 60 library holds.
Anne Bogel [00:35:05] Yes. So I had a better idea going in of where our conversation may lead than I usually do. But also you have some nagging questions in your reading life that we wanted to explore. And how do you feel about a lightning round?
Lara Bulger [00:35:17] I would love that.
Anne Bogel [00:35:19] Let's go.
Lara Bulger [00:35:20] Okay. So I haven't managed to find any young adult books that have really worked for me in a long time, and I am struggling with why that is.
Anne Bogel [00:35:30] Okay. My first thought is, I wonder if you've grown as a reader and you're used to reaching for a certain kind of YA book and yet you're not the reader you were five years ago, but you're reaching for the same books. That's one possible idea. Another possibility is that you're reaching for YA as a genre and knowing that you've enjoyed lots of YA in the past, but there's so much variety within every genre that maybe even though you've enjoyed YA you're not reaching for the types of novels that you enjoy. Two possibilities. What's your gut reaction?
Lara Bulger [00:36:06] This isn't what you're saying, but what I'm hearing is that I used to be a YA reader and maybe I'm not anymore. I know that's not what you're saying, but...
Anne Bogel [00:36:18] Yeah, that is true. You weren't so far beyond the age range of the genre when you were reading not that long ago, and now you're reading with a different lens. And that's bound to impact the way that you approach these books and these characters. And we know that you really care about your characters.
Lara Bulger [00:36:32] Yeah. Okay. So I have been wondering about this both in film and in books why some romances work for me and why others really do not.
Anne Bogel [00:36:43] I think the answer is both simple and complex. Is that we often enjoy as readers and film watchers and diner outers and athletic pursuers and any number of travelers. We may often like something within a certain category, but that doesn't mean we like everything within a certain category. And so thinking about those other issues, those other topics, those other themes, the nuances of character can help us. Like, does it have an existential sense of dread like in a romance? Hopefully not. But that does exist in some literary fiction. And we may enjoy lots of literary fiction, but we do not want to read books that talk about that, and that's okay. But being able to identify those things can help lead us toward books we do really enjoy. I would encourage you to think about are there certain authors? Is there a certain kind of tone? Is there a certain trope that you really enjoy or really, really don't? Is it about writing style? Is it about character? Is it about relatability? These are some questions I would encourage you to consider.
Lara Bulger [00:37:48] Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Okay. And then the big question, why are there some books, for example, The Push, that I just physically cannot push through? What is it about those? I think you kind of answered this before.
Anne Bogel [00:38:07] What do you think?
Lara Bulger [00:38:09] Well, it's the lack of hope. I think the knowing that there will not be a resolution, at least not one that is acceptable to me.
Anne Bogel [00:38:20] Yes. And to that, I'd add sometimes it's the lack of resolution where even when the book ends, you're still left feeling like the sword is dangling over the characters. It hasn't dropped yet, but it feels like it's going to. So the author is just prolonging that sense.
Lara Bulger [00:38:34] Yeah.
Anne Bogel [00:38:34] And there is a whole category of-- I mean, with thrillers you often begin a book and you're in the middle of an action and you know more than the character does. And you can see that things are shaping up badly, which The Push is a rather extreme example of a book that does have that sense of dread. But that would be something worth knowing about yourself as you're considering what to read next. If you're reading about a character in peril, especially if you know more about the bad situation than they do, that could just be really uncomfortable for you. Maybe in five years you'll enjoy those books. I kind of doubt it. Maybe you will. You don't have to write these off forever, but knowing right now that's really not working for me. I can't physically finish those. And if you're not assigned to read something in school, you get to choose what you want to read and you don't want to have that horrible feeling. And that is well and good and fine.
Lara Bulger [00:39:23] Thank you for validating for me.
Anne Bogel [00:39:26] Do you need a permission slip? Because I'll write one.
Lara Bulger [00:39:28] I think just because people were so appalled when I told them I couldn't get through The Push or Marriage Story. I mean, there's some books that people don't get through and that are widely understood if it's like a really, really, long book or something maybe a lot older that's harder to get through. But these two, I think, really surprised my friends.
Anne Bogel [00:39:52] You don't want to watch other people's pain. That's fine. Totally fine.
Lara Bulger [00:39:54] Yes.
Anne Bogel [00:39:55] Lara, thank you for playing lightning round with me. And now can we talk about what you may enjoy reading next?
Lara Bulger [00:40:01] Please, yes.
Anne Bogel [00:40:04] So, Lara, you have theories on what you think may suit this season.
Lara Bulger [00:40:09] I do. When I picture winter books, I think of just sitting with a really large hardcover paperback. I do not have a fireplace in my apartment, but that's sort of where I picture sitting with long socks, with something really hefty, larger book, maybe something nonfiction that I can really dive into. That's the image I have in mind. Whether or not that plays out, I don't know yet.
Anne Bogel [00:40:39] So you're thinking perhaps nonfiction and heavier books. Does that feel freeing to you or does that feel restrictive to think about making nonfiction your default for those months?
Lara Bulger [00:40:48] It actually feels freeing, I think, because not that I haven't let myself read nonfiction in the summer and fall, but it just didn't really fit into what I had envisioned for those two seasons. So, yeah, I sort of feel like I have a backlog of nonfiction to get through.
Anne Bogel [00:41:04] Okay, Lara, you loved Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman. Light Seekers by Femi Kayode and Consumed by Aja Barber. Not for you was The Push by Ashley Audrain, a Canadian author. I don't know that we mentioned that.
Lara Bulger [00:41:23] Oh, is she? I didn't even know that.
Anne Bogel [00:41:25] But that doesn't overcome the dread. You are not morally bound to enjoy every book published in your country by a fellow Canadian. Lately you've been reading On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, Women Talking by Miriam Toews and Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. And we talked about books that may suit your vibe. Not all of these are for your winter reading vibe, but I want you to know about them all. The first one is nonfiction that would be perfect for winter. And Lara, I'm just reminding you that I'm choosing from your library holds list. You have so much good stuff on here. So let me start by saying some of the books that we are not going to talk about today that made me think, oh, yes, she is going to enjoy those. Cast by Isabel Wilkerson. The Fruitful Setting that takes place in Toronto. A Good War by Seth Klein. Hidden Valley Road. Medical Apartheid. Can I recommend medical apartheid? Would make an amazing pairing with Take My Hand by Dawn Perkins Valdes from the Summer Reading Guide.
Lara Bulger [00:42:24] Book flight?
Anne Bogel [00:42:24] Yes, that would be amazing together. There's more. We could keep going, but I'm really excited about the books that you have picked out for yourself. I think you have a lot of faith in your instincts most of the time, and I just want to say, yes, those sound great. One of the books I really want to highlight for you is called A Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make and Keep Friends. This is by a psychology professor at the University of Maryland. Her name is Marissa G. Franco. And the core idea to this nonfiction read is that friendship, platonic friendship, even though it doesn't get nearly the attention that romantic love does in books and film, that it's still crucial. Not still crucial. It is so crucial in order for us to live healthy and fulfilling lives. She really says We don't talk enough about this and we're going to start right now in this book. So what she does is she starts by making a case for why platonic friendship matters. But most of the book is about the how. And to go into this, she uses a combination of data and anecdotes. You should know what you're getting into, especially because you're in a Ph.D. program. This is popular psychology. It's very accessible. It is not academic. That will be a relief to some readers and kind of a disappointment to others who want to get more into the nitty gritty and the data. And I can see from your list of books that a lot of what you have on your radar that you're planning to read and a lot of what you have read and enjoyed has been pretty academic. This is not that. But in this book, she lays out the three attachment styles. Some of us are securely attached, some are anxiously attached, some are avoidant. And then she demonstrates how each of us may have come to adopt that style. And it all goes back to your childhood. And then she shows how that plays out in our adult friendships. So I like this for you because much of this is very theoretical, like, what are we doing here? How do we get here? Much is very practical. She is giving tips, guidance, advice on how to develop better and deeper friendships. And she says this is something we're missing today. She talks a lot about Americans being in Maryland. But I don't know if you think that Canadian friendships are much different, but Americans have a lot fewer close friendships than they did 30, 50 years ago. So some of her guidance is about mindset. She gives advice like assume people like you instead of assuming that they don't. And some is really action oriented. Like there's lots of talking about the need to take the initiative when seeking to form and really solidify adult friendships. But I like this for you because it's interesting information. It would have an effect on your life. And also you love stories. You read a lot. You read widely. You read a lot of fiction. Reading this book will impact the way you perceive relationships and relationship dynamics between characters in the books that you are reading. And I think that'll be fun for you. How does that sound?
Lara Bulger [00:45:19] Yeah, that sounds great. This one, I mean, as soon as I heard of it, I don't remember who is from like a Goodreads list or I think you recommended it as well. I was like, Yep, that one's going on hold for me. It is something I was definitely looking forward to.
Anne Bogel [00:45:37] Okay. Now we're going to move on. I'm going to give you a duet of books because they've both got a Harry Potter connection. So the first you didn't need me to put it on your radar, but I'm just cosigning this. It's Madly Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman. So I imagine you know the deal. I loved it when I first read the announcement that his diaries were being published. The subhead was, It's okay. He wanted them to. That was the intention. And he started these in the mid-nineties. And, yes, they were written with the intention of future publication. So this is so obvious for you. You're studying film. You love it. It means a lot to you. One critical review I've read of this book, which at the time that Lara and I are talking, is not out yet. We haven't read it unless you have it in. Lara, do you have it in?
Lara Bulger [00:46:21] I don't have it in.
Anne Bogel [00:46:23] Yeah, me either. Too bad. Like, there is so much about the industry, the actors, the behind the scenes of the productions. Apparently, he really loved to gossip. I wouldn't have guessed that about Alan Rickman, but there's so much insider film stuff in here. I totally see why this is on your library hold list. Is there anything you'd like to add to that?
Lara Bulger [00:46:46] Alan Rickman seemed like such a lovely person. I know you can't really tell with famous people who you'll never meet, but you just get a sense that he's so wonderful. And I was so excited to see that this was not on my radar at all. I had no idea he was keeping diaries. But this sounds like it'll be a lot of fun.
Anne Bogel [00:47:10] I hope so. And to sneak into my film duets, I think Evanna Lynch's memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and the Glory of Growing Up. I can really see how this ended up on your list. So you know that this is by the Irish actress who many of you listeners know as Luna Lovegood. Despite the fact that we know her as Luna, though, this memoir has is not about Harry Potter. It's not about it Luna. It has just enough of the Harry Potter years in there. But this is primarily a memoir about her experience with anorexia. And readers, some of these stories are gut wrenching. And actually some of you may want to flip forward a couple of minutes right now as we talk about it. But what many didn't know until this memoir came out, I think a little over a year ago, was that in her pre Harry Potter years, beginning at the age of 10 or 11, Evanna Lynch read a diet on the back of a cereal box because diet culture is everywhere and she starts restricting as a way of staving off womanhood. This may sound a little bit like Janette McCarty's memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, which has been everywhere this fall. Definitely different family of origin story. But that restricting is a way of postponing like normal human development is a common thread, so it details that time all the way through her time spent at an inpatient treatment facility and her road to recovery, which she considers to be ongoing. She introduces this idea at the very beginning of the book that we have this compulsion to turn every story into a fairy tale. But she really resists that and goes on to say that she believes in the kind of fairy tales that have depth, complexity, profundity and moments of darkness that birth a fiercer belief in the light. I read one review that says reading this book felt like you're just in a tumble down into Evanna's pensive. Like just everything feels so immediate and urgent as she portrays what happened and what was going on in her mind.
[00:49:12] And anorexia memoirs are often criticized as being how to manuals for those who could find that kind of disordered eating behavior tempting. And this one she very specifically sought to avoid talking about numbers, are talking about methods, but mostly she's talking about what was going on in her mind and in her heart. And she talks about wrestling with needing to overcome so much self-hatred in order to really feel she become the creative person that could be that actress, that could be Luna and beyond. Title is really interesting. So it's called The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting. And the idea here is that she's always loved butterflies and butterflies are beautiful and glorious and she always loves to see them. But the only way to really see a butterfly long term is to kill it and pin it down. And she said she's trying to capture the goodness in her life, that is the antithesis of what she sought to create. So to bring this back around, Lara, you said that you really love The Wonder by Emma Donoghue, which is the story of the church's attempt to prove a miracle when a young Irish girl claims that she's living without eating. She's shunning on nutrition and just carrying on and it is fine. Is this the same thing? No. But is the timing of perhaps these two books in your life, like, really interesting? I think maybe. Okay. So Alan Rickman, Evanna Lynch, how do those sound to you?
Lara Bulger [00:50:49] Well, I don't actually think I knew too much of what Evanna Lynch's book was about. I like her as a person, so I had put it on hold. But I think that hold had been there for a long time. And I knew the sort of rough contours of her life story, but I didn't know that that was the main thing that the book was about. So, yeah, that sounds really interesting. And I don't know if you could tell how big a part of my life Harry Potter is just based on the fact that I have two memoirs from Harry Potter actors in my library holds list. But it's kind of funny because we didn't talk about that at all in this conversation, and yet somehow that came to the fore in any event.
Anne Bogel [00:51:30] I'm glad we're talking about it now. Finally, I have a fantasy novel for you. This will notbe a December and January read if you go nonfiction and heavier books, but I think it could be a really good one for you. And I'd be so interested in hearing how this book lands, knowing that fantasy as a genre hasn't really lately. Maybe that's because of the specific books you've been picking up. Maybe it's because YA fantasy hasn't felt right lately. But I'm excited about what you may think about this one, which is R.F Kuang's new release that came out last summer. It's called Babble. It has a very long subtitle. So Babel or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators Revolution. Okay, you said ooh! What's going on?
Lara Bulger [00:52:17] I don't think I've heard anything about this one.
Anne Bogel [00:52:20] Let me tell you. So this is historical fantasy. The publisher calls it a thematic response to the secret history and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. And if you're thinking that sounds a little cerebral, don't worry, it's so easy to get swept up in this story. Or maybe author of The 10,000 Doors of January, Alex Harrow. Maybe her description sounds more accessible. She says it's the secret history on the scale of empire. It's Jonathan Strange with teeth. So in this book, if you meant you wanted to read literally heavier books in the winter months, this one is just over 500 pages. So maybe we could sneak it in that way. But in this book translation-- and that is taking a text in one language and rendering it into another-- becomes actual magic. And Kuang doesn't explain how it works until a good way into the book, but basically this world of her creation which is almost London in almost the 1830s, but there are some very important differences. This world it runs on the combination of bars of silver, like the precious metal, plus language used in a very specific way. And it is mostly set in in London and Oxford. So in this world, the British Empire is literally powered by silver. And so the British Empire always needs more silver, and that leads to problems. And at the heart of these problems is a young man named Robin Swift. He was born in China. He was raised by a wealthy man in London. And then he got sent off to Oxford as he's been preparing his entire life to do, to work as a translator at Babel.
[00:54:07] This is the Institute of Translation at Oxford, where when he begins his work, he starts optimistic, thinking like, oh, my work, my translations bring people together. But he slowly comes to realize that because of the colonial system that his work is always in service to, an act of translation is an act of betrayal. So many readers are going to love this for that dark academia vibe. In reading this book, I kept thinking of our episode with Garry Rovenon [Sp]. It was episode 327 called Brilliant Books That Ask Big Questions. What he loved was like a quiet kind of sci-fi novel that could really wrestle with big philosophical questions about being a human in this world today. So fantastical fictional setting in the service of engaging deep, meaningful, relevant questions. And I think this book does that so well. R.F. Kuang is talking about the complexities of race and power and privilege and revolutions. And I think this has those realistic issues that matter like the why, the how, the what does it mean? But it's wrapped in this fantastical package in the slightly-- not off kilter, but the slightly magical 1830s, London and Oxford. I think this could be fun for you. How does that sound?
Lara Bulger [00:55:31] Yeah, it reminds me a bit of Ted Chang stories. I read one of his short story collections, Exhalation and I don't know something about the way you're describing it reminded me of I think it's the first or the second story in that series. But the thing about Ted Chang's stories is they're just short stories. And for most of his short stories, I wish they were like a full novel length. And this you said it's 500 pages. So this sounds perfect.
Anne Bogel [00:56:02] Also for anyone who reads translated works, there is-- perhaps unsurprisingly-- a lot of philosophizing about the art of translation. Does that some boring philosophizing? It's not at all. There's a lot of spirited discussion about what's at stake. There's a lengthy conversation about the word Heimlich in German. Which my son is studying German in college, so I had to like text him the whole paragraph to be, like, okay, they're talking about your language. But what does it mean and how the nuances are different in every language? And how many of us have this idea that there's a direct one to one correlation, not just in words but in ideas, when we're moving from one language to another and how, no, that's not the case. And there is a lot of discussion of what the practice actually involves and how translators are making these decisions. And so these spirited conversations may be happening among fictional characters in 1830s, not exactly Oxford, but it still provides lots of really relevant insight for anyone who reads translated literature and is thinking about, well, what's involved? How did that book come to be in my hand so that I can read it? I think it could be good, nerdy fun for you.
Lara Bulger [00:57:11] Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun.
Anne Bogel [00:57:15] Lara, we talked about a lot of books today. But of these final four, we talked about Platonic by Marisa G. Franco. We talked about our two Harry Potter books, Madly Deeply Alan Rickman Diaries, and the Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch and then Babel by R.F. Kuang. Of those books, three of which are on your library holds list, one of which I'm sorry to say, I ticked your count up just a little bit. What sounds good? What do you think you'll read next?
Lara Bulger [00:57:45] I might go with Platonic. I think I was so excited to hear about that one for the first time and also something about the fact that it's so new. It's really got me excited.
Anne Bogel [00:57:57] I'm excited you're excited. Are you going to save it till winter or are you going to read it now?
Lara Bulger [00:58:02] I think I'm going to read it now.
Anne Bogel [00:58:03] I love it. Thanks so much for talking books with me today. This has been a joy.
Lara Bulger [00:58:07] Thank you so much. This has been amazing.
Anne Bogel [00:58:12] Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Lara. And I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Find Lara on Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph at LaraBriann. And find the full list of titles we talked about at WhatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/358. Get our weekly newsletter in your inbox. Each week, I share a few pieces of bookish news I enjoyed, tell you what I've been reading and give you updates on what's happening here at What Should I Read Next? Sign up at WhatshouldIreadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. Another great place to keep up with our show and with me is on Instagram. I'm there @Annebogle. Our shows page is What Should I Read Next. Follow along for bookish fun episode quotes and clips, Patreon sneak peeks and more. Follow along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify Overcast wherever you get your podcasts. Tune in next week when I'll be talking with returning What Should I Read Next guest and time management expert Lara Vanderkam about tackling big reading projects while bringing more joy and ease into our reading lives.
[00:59:16] Thanks to the people who make the show happen. What Should I Read Next is created each week with production assistants by Holly Walker Chaefsky [Sp] and Editing and sound design by Studio D Podcast Productions. Readers, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, "Ah! How good it is to be among people who are reading." Happy reading everyone.
Scroll back to topSign up to receive email updatesEnter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered byBooks mentioned in this episode• The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
• Room by Emma Donoghue
Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman
• Find Me by André Aciman
Lightseekers by Femi Kayode
Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism by Aja Barber
▵ The Push by Audrey Audrain
• On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• Women Talking by Miriam Toews
• Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
• The Fruitful City by Helena Moncrieff
• A Good War by Seth Klein
• Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
• Medical Apartheid by Harriet A Washington
• Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
• Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends by Marisa Franco
• Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickmanby Alan Rickman
• The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch
• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
• Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• Exhalation by Ted Chiang
Also mentioned:
• Toronto International Film Festival
• The Popcast Ep 391: Book to Movie/TV Adaptations
• Marriage Story film
• WSIRN Ep 327: Brilliant books that ask big questions
The post Book-to-film adaptations and seasonal reading vibes appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
For many, many years I was a minimalist makeup kind of girl: the “no makeup” makeup look was the only kind I wanted. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve started to have a lot more fun with makeup—especially when it comes to lipstick.
I was talking with a friend recently about my small but mighty lipstick collection (small for obvious reasons, mighty because I love every one of these colors so much!), and was reflecting on how I found the ones I use the most. Ten years ago, my favorites were all ones I chose myself: I bought them in person after trying them on. But I realized that is only true of one of my current favorites.
That got me to wondering: where and how do you find your favorite lipsticks? Here’s a quick peek at my go-to lipsticks and how I discovered them.
The drugstore find: Cover Girl Outlast All-Day Lip Color with Topcoat in shades 621 and 555. I picked out these exact shades at Target after a local makeup artist raved about this lip color and these shades in particular, which she loved for their subtlety and versatility. I’m going to pass along the tip she gave me: use the clear gloss that comes with it so your lips don’t dry out!
The launch party gift: Sephora #Lipstories in #28 Popsicle Lips. I LOVE this whole line of Sephora Collection $9 lipsticks (they’re 30% off today thanks to the sale that ends 12/11), but this cheerful red is the one that started it all. Because we (briefly) talk about lipstick at 90% of our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club events, one thoughtful reader brought this as a gift to my Don’t Overthink It launch party. This color is bright, happy, and easy to wear: I took to it immediately!
The fruits of an internet deep dive: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Sexy Sienna. I want to start by saying I never do this, but is that protesting too much? Because of my skin tones, I have long been drawn to lipsticks in the coral family, and I wanted to find something akin to a shade Jennifer Aniston frequently wears. So I googled up a storm, and finally found an interview with her makeup artist that pointed me towards this warm, friendly neutral. I know we have a lot of Charlotte Tilbury fans around here but this is the only product of any kind I own (so far).
The gift from a chic friend: Westman Atelier Lip Suede in Les Rouges. This lip palette was a very nice gift from a friend who cheekily describes herself as a Westman groupie. I particularly like how the colors can easily be combined: the fuchsia + tomato red is my most-used blend.
The one I bought the (er, my) old-fashioned way: Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Bichette. The Westman Atelier line is getting easier to find (now it’s even at Sephora) but before it was everywhere, I jumped on the opportunity to try it when I visited a CosBar while traveling. I use this product most frequently as a lipstick, even though it’s technically a “blush stick”: a big part of its appeal is that I can and do use it for cheeks, lips, and eyes which makes morning makeup easy, easy, easy—especially when I’m on the road. I love this layered with Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Garçonne for fall and winter.
Now it’s your turn to share. What are your favorite lipsticks and, importantly, how did you discover them?
P.S. Tried and true beauty and skincare products I never want to be without, and 13 skincare favorites for winter weather.
The post How do you find your favorite lipsticks? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I hope your first December weekend is shaping up great! Around here we’re going to a show, celebrating a birthday, and baking some cookies with your incredible inspiration—the MMD holiday […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I well remember the anticipation of my first holiday cookie exchange. It was happening in my house, in the formal dining room (fancy!), and my whole Girl Scout Troop of […]
The post The Modern Mrs Darcy Holiday Cookie Exchange appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Books are a reliable option when it comes to gift-giving, but figuring out what book is right for which reader can be tough! That’s why we’re here. We’ve gathered a […]
The post 15 giftable books for every reader appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, many of you know and love the Inspector Gamache mystery series, as well as its home territory, the quaint village of Three Pines in Quebec. Today I am so […]
The post Welcome to Three Pines appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This morning in the shower I used a body wash that smells like heaven. Or, more precisely, like violet leaf, pepper, and sandalwood. One reviewer said the scent evokes “the […]
The post The little luxuries that make you feel pampered every time you use them appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? We’re enjoying Thanksgiving break at my house, starting the day with a late breakfast of coffee and leftover pie. Today we’re lighting the tree […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Aotearoa New Zealand*: the land of hobbits, sheep, rugby, and tramping (that’s long-distance hiking). This island nation is a bucket list destination for many. From its beautiful vistas to its […]
The post 16 recommended reads for those traveling to Aotearoa New Zealand appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest loves finding “comfort reads” that soothe her anxiety, like cozy mysteries that are light on murder and heavy on charm. If you’re also in the mood for […]
The post Sink into your next cozy read appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today I’m thrilled to welcome our team member Chelsey Feder to the blog. Two things you need to know about Chelsey: the first time we met in person she […]
The post Stylish sweaters for your winter wish list appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re feeling festive around here: Thanksgiving break starts for three of my four kids (pity the fourth, right?) this afternoon, and they are ready for a break! Around here we’re […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
After I share the bookish holiday gift guide each year, someone inevitably asks what I’m giving or hoping to receive this year. Today I’m sharing a round-up of gifts I have […]
The post 20 favorite gifts to give and receive appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I am not a wine expert. (How’s that for an opening?) But I do enjoy the process of buying and trying wine, most of the time. Many people find the […]
The post A book lover’s best tips for buying wine appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, get your pen and paper ready, because today is our ultimate gift recommendation episode for readers of all ages. I always love teaming up with another professional book-lover to […]
The post Highly giftable picks for your favorite readers appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. I’ve been reading a lot lately—a nice […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Our weekend forecast is for clouds and rain—wonderful weather for reading, writing, and baking! I’m hoping to finish this hefty novel in time to tell you about it in Monday’s […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love the idea of stocking stuffers, but it’s too easy to feel like the usual items are just highly packaged crap that will be trashed, broken, or forgotten by […]
The post 100 stocking stuffers that will actually be appreciated appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I’m delighted to welcome our team member Leigh Kramer to the blog. Leigh is a longtime friend who serves as Modern Mrs Darcy editor and What Should I Read […]
The post 24 winter holiday romances that will make your season bright appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest reached out before attending her very first literary festival, because she had some questions and trusted I would have some answers! Christina McCormick (she/her) has always been […]
The post Book festivals for beginners appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s no surprise adult book lovers enjoy giving bookish gifts to everyone, young and old. Thankfully there’s no shortage of great gift ideas for kids who love to read. This […]
The post The 2022 MMD gift guide for bookish kids appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I never wanted to be one of those people who couldn’t wait for the weekend … but I’m so glad it’s the weekend! My college kid is coming home, we’re […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
You know the old question: if you could invite five people, past or present, to a dinner party, who would you invite? I’ve been pondering the author-specific version of this […]
The post Which authors do you wish you could have dinner with? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Have you started your holiday shopping yet? This time of year always sneaks up on me so putting together our annual gift guides is my way of getting a jump […]
The post The 2022 MMD gift guide for book lovers appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, if you’ve been overwhelmed and dealing with burnout in life (and reading), you’re not alone. Today’s guest is Lexie Hayes—a registered nurse who works the night shift. The last […]
The post Sad Girl Lit Fic and other burnout busters appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I hope you’ve had a good week. This weekend we have lots of plans by our new post-pandemic standards. Today I’m cooking up some chili (I think I’ll riff Mel’s […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When I was growing up, there was nothing I loved more than an extra-long book. In fact, I felt a good book couldn’t be long enough. After all, if a […]
The post MORE extra-long books worth reading appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When you think about all the clothes you’ve ever loved to wear, which garments rise to the top? My mind immediately goes to two ends of the spectrum: fancy dresses […]
The post What’s your all-time favorite piece of clothing? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s episode is chock-full of book recommendations for the young readers in your lives. We love creating each year’s gift recommendation episode. This year we decided to double the […]
The post Bookish gifts to delight kids and teens appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? We have big plans around here, with lots of theater and visiting family and (I imagine) the new Taylor Swift album playing nonstop. I […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
In Jules Verne’s adventure novel Around the World in Eighty Days, the main character and his valet accept a bet from friends to circumnavigate the world. Besides the time devoted […]
The post Travel around the world with these 20 novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, last month I traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina for the Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors—and today we’re bringing the festival to YOU! When festival chair Beth Buss (whose […]
The post Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks! appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. I’ve been reading a lot lately, yet […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m taking a hike, finishing a book (or maybe two!), and lending an editing eye for college applications essays. I hope you have […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s that time of year! The time when I start replenishing my puzzle hoard as the weather cools down. We are bona fide puzzle fans; when we were in Boulder […]
The post 25 jigsaw puzzles to treat yourself or someone you love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love stories of families brought together by reading, so today’s conversation with octogenarian and lifelong reader Barbara and her daughter Adrienne, a Tennessee-based plant- and book-lover, was a real […]
The post Book mail keeps us together appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Will and I are kicking things off with Friday planning coffee and I’m hoping to squeeze in a hike before Monday comes around. […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When you feel a scholarly urge to pick up a classic this season, you may automatically find yourself reaching for a beautiful and sophisticated-looking edition. But might I persuade you […]
The post 10 absorbing classics for your Autumn audiobook queue appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, my guest today is on the hunt for books that provoke her curiosity, make her think, and show her the beauty in the world. Our conversation today is sure […]
The post Cancelling Netflix rebooted my reading life appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? The kids are off school Monday, so we’re trying to plan something fun, something productive, plus cross one lingering task off our to-do […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Because so many readers are always on the hunt for not just good reads but good listens, I thought it would be fun to share an assortment of what I’ve […]
The post 8 audiobooks I’ve enjoyed lately appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today I’m joined on the podcast by reading advocate, author, and creator of @hereweeread Charnaie Gordon. Through her work as a reading advocate, Charnaie has been helping families diversify […]
The post Thank Oprah for my reading life appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love a book that changes my life, a book that makes a practical difference in how I spend my days or use my time or approach my relationships. I […]
The post A different kind of life-changing read appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m listening to a great audiobook so I plan to do ALL THE LAUNDRY, plus exercise serious restraint at a reliably fabulous used […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Each region of the United States has its own literary flavor. Authors writing regional literature capture that flavor by exploring the landscapes, traditions, and culture of their home states. Lately, […]
The post Get a taste of Southern literature with these 15 sensational novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
A few weeks ago, my family engaged in the usual end of summer tradition: back to school shopping. I have to confess I was more excited about that than the […]
The post School supplies for grown-ups appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, it’s become a tradition to bring our team onto the podcast in the summer to share our favorite reading experiences of the season. We spend a LOT of time […]
The post Our team’s favorite summer reads appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m catching my breath after the first week back to school, plus helping my college sophomore get settled into his campus apartment in […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I love talking books with my podcast guests each week, and I also love coaching them through whatever reading-related struggle they’re facing at the moment. Today’s guest has a […]
The post No shame in our book game appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. I’ve read more than usual this past […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We’re visiting with family and enjoying a break from the heat, with highs in the 80s instead of the perpetual 90s. And I […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s that time of year where the heat and humidity make me despair fall will ever arrive … but it sure helps to have autumnal events to look forward to. […]
The post Mark your calendars for Fall Book Preview, Trivia Night, and more this fall appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s no secret I love fiction about complicated families. When I stopped to think about my favorites, I realized how many of those complications are due to family secrets and […]
The post 20 notable novels featuring family secrets appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, if finding time to read is one of your biggest struggles, you’ll love today’s conversation. My guest today Mattie James is a successful business owner and new author, releasing […]
The post Everyday reading magic appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m finishing a good book, visiting friends, and enjoying another day at the beach! I hope your weekend is full of the energy […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Many years ago, two Canadian readers—one a friend, one a blog reader—convinced me to give Louise Penny a try. I was hooked on the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series from […]
The post 16 series to read after you’ve run out of Louise Penny novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
At What Should I Read Next HQ, we celebrate being a community of readers—whether you grew up as a bookish child, or became a reader as an adult, you’re in […]
The post Growing up bookish: your favorite reading memories appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, it’s hard to believe this but my next book My Reading Adventures: A Book Journal for Kids comes out tomorrow! Thank you to everyone who has preordered. It makes […]
The post Last chance to get the preorder bonuses for My Reading Adventures: A Book Journal for Kids appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m wrapping up a busy week and am counting on some quality family time in the hot hot sun, along with some quality […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love when a book whisks me away to a different time and place—if only in my mind. In recent weeks I just happened to read several stories all in […]
The post 12 recommended reads for those traveling to Maine (or who want to) appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I like to keep a list in my journal of the (mostly) little, everyday things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness these days. But also, a few things happened […]
The post 9 (mostly) little things I’m loving for late summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Joining me on What Should I Read Next today is the multi-talented Julia Whelan! Julia is the author of My Oxford Year, and her new book, Thank You For Listening […]
The post The secret life of an audiobook narrator with Julia Whelan appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m getting ready for the Readers’ Weekend we’re hosting in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club—which means I need to decide what I’m going […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I love to discover a good story, well told—in any genre. And I especially love it when a good book opens my eyes to a whole world of writing I […]
The post 13 novels featuring female characters in STEM appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest has looked forward to finishing grad school and freeing up more time for pleasure reading, but now that she’s done with school, she’s run into an unexpected […]
The post I’m not that reader anymore appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. My collection of recent reads is longer […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, you’re not dreaming: it’s not the weekend quite yet! Since we’ll host Quick Lit on Friday, July 15, I thought you might prefer to have this collection of interesting […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s show is a collaboration many of you have asked for, and I’ve long had on my wish list. I’m thrilled to be chatting with Craig Getting and Andrew […]
The post This episode is Overdue appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? I hope you have a lovely few days ahead of you, and I hope this collection of interesting reads and enjoyable things helps ease […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’m a huge fan of audiobooks, and finding a rhythm for listening with my ears has brought great enjoyment to my reading life these past few years. (Thanks to the […]
The post 15 MORE celebrity memoirs read by their authors appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest makes heavy use of her library to deal with her most significant bookish challenge: anything that feels like a list of required reading! Rebecca Freeman calls herself […]
The post TBR solutions for an extreme mood reader appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We’ve hosted birthday gatherings this week so around here we’re hoping to put the house back together and catch up on both laundry […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This spring, when I was vetting titles for the 2022 Summer Reading Guide, I just happened to read two wonderful books whose plots revolved around espionage. Not only did these […]
The post 12 high stakes spy novels that will keep you turning the pages appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m making preparations for a family birthday celebration, and hopefully finishing my book in progress! It’s going to be hot, but I’m hoping […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
June is Pride Month, a time to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising that took place in 1969, a key moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and a time to celebrate and […]
The post 20 favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Recently my family went on a five-day camping getaway and in preparation, I did something highly unusual for me: I “saved” a book I couldn’t wait to read for the […]
The post How do you choose your vacation reads? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, we’re celebrating audiobook month today! My guest Jackie Branz loves tuning in to a perfectly selected audiobook while she works as a gardener and florist on a private estate. […]
The post Find your audiobook formula appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, something I especially enjoy about my work is that it leads me to explore all kinds of different books and genres. The past several years, as I’ve been working […]
The post 12 middle grade novels that unfold over summer break appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Will and I are celebrating our anniversary, and looking forward to a break from the heat on Saturday and Sunday before the temperatures […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. Thanks to our recent camping trip—where I […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: biography, memoir, and a few fun novels appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest enjoys reading books in both English and her native Spanish, as long as they’re stories that will stick with her and give her characters to root for! Andrea […]
The post My best friends are fictional characters appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re still unpacking and doing laundry from our recent camping trip … but we’re also making time to visit with family […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
My family just put in a patio so we could enjoy spending more time outside and we’re hoping to grill even more in the summer. It gets HOT here in […]
The post 3 offbeat summer grilling favorites appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’ve often said reading is my favorite hobby, my introvert coping strategy of choice, and a comfort when life becomes overwhelming. Over the last few years, I’ve read piles of […]
The post 10 captivating memoirs about life’s ordinary (yet extraordinary) moments appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest is looking for ways to feel less lost while exploring a new-to-him genre, and I’m excited to help him gain some fresh perspective on his reading life! […]
The post Floundering with fiction no more appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, two weeks ago I shared the 2022 MMD Summer Reading Guide with subscribers, kicking off my favorite reading time of the year. This year’s guide includes 42 titles (or […]
The post The 2022 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m unplugging for a bit, heading outdoors with my family, and spending time with friends. I hope you have something to look forward […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s hard to believe but it’s been many years since I last talked about swimwear here. Part of that must be that a good swimsuit can last for years, which […]
The post My swimsuit and coverup wishlist appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I listen to audiobooks year-round but I have to admit there’s something special about listening to a great read in the summer. Perhaps that’s because it seems like listening opportunities […]
The post Standout new audiobooks for summer listening appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, whether you’ve got a trip planned this summer or you’re seeking some inspired armchair travel, today’s conversation will fuel your wanderlust. Today I’m joined by Lynette Calleros, a travel […]
The post Vacation reading appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s been a hard week, friends. We released the Summer Reading Guide (yay!) while I was a little bit sick. Now we’re celebrating the end of my kids’ school years […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
With an abundance of new and much-anticipated historical fiction books gracing the shelves, how’s a reader to choose what to read next? Avid readers read LOTS of historical fiction, and […]
The post 10 new historical fiction books by beloved authors appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, if you’re looking for even more summer reading suggestions, today’s guest is here to help! Emily Henry is a familiar name around here, between People We Meet on Vacation—a […]
The post Beach Reads for Book Lovers appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today we’re welcoming summer in style, along with a bright and beautiful new reading season: the ELEVENTH annual Summer Reading Guide is here! If you subscribe to our emails, it […]
The post The 2022 Summer Reading Guide is here! appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
My team and I are tired this morning because we were up late talking about great summer reads! Unboxing was a delight—I’m so happy so many of you could join […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
We’re big fans of literary tourism around here. Books can take you places you’ll never physically visit, and can help you prepare for long-planned trips. I always love hearing that […]
The post 12 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Scotland appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, around here we’re getting excited for the official kickoff to summer reading season (that’s our 2022 Summer Reading Guide, of course), so it was a treat to create today’s […]
The post Strong sense of summer appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. I’ve had a great reading month! April […]
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you looking forward to this weekend? I’m hoping to make some progress on an interesting book —I’ve only read 80 pages in five days, which is not much […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I’m excited for the days of reading on the front porch with Daisy at my feet and a cold Spindrift in my hand. And then discussing all things books […]
The post It’s more than a book club appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Grab a new (or new to you) book and your favorite beverage. It’s almost Summer Reading Guide time! Whether you’re by the pool, having a picnic, in your favorite reading […]
The post Two favorite summer drink recipes for summer reading season appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, after life took her in a few other directions, my guest today entered into her current career as a third and fourth grade teacher, where she loves finding the […]
The post Fascinating lives, fascinating stories appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Happy Oaks Day! It’s Derby weekend here in Louisville, which means the kids are off school, the groceries are overflowing with red roses and mint, and there’s a party feel […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
When it comes to YA retellings, the nostalgia factor is real—at least for adult readers like myself. I can’t seem to resist a fresh take on a familiar story, when […]
The post 12 remarkable YA retellings for readers of all ages appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, our podcast community literally spans the globe, and today I’m chatting with our first Norwegian guest, Lisa Sølvberg! Lisa’s been a reader her whole life, and as an adult, […]
The post Make your reading hours count appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What’s in store for your weekend? I’m looking forward to a combination of work and play these next few days. I hope YOU have something to look forward to. My […]
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Independent Bookstore Day is this weekend! This special day, which was first marked in 2015, is a time to appreciate, support, and celebrate independent bookstores. I’m a big fan of […]
The post 8 independent bookstores I want to visit appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I didn’t know I wanted to know about the history of indigo dye or the science behind a perfect wine pairing—until a few fellow readers recommended the right books. After a few pages of captivating research and pithy prose, I couldn’t stop reading!
Many of you share my love of learning and embrace unlikely topics in your quest for knowledge. No matter your niche interest (in my case: urban planning), reading is the perfect way to nourish an investigative mind with new and fascinating information.
In today’s collection of delightfully nerdy nonfiction, you’ll find expert writing, engaging stories, and easy-to-absorb details about topics you never thought you wanted to learn about.
You don’t need to be an avid nonfiction reader to enjoy the titles on today’s list. Many readers suggest listening to these selections in their audiobook format, making the listening experience as podcast-like as possible. Or, if you’re feeling especially nerdy, go ahead and pretend you’ve been assigned reading for class; the author becomes your instructor. (For better or worse, you’ll have to assign your own homework.)
No matter how you approach nonfiction in your reading life, I hope you find your next nerdy read on this list—and we can’t wait to hear your favorite topics to learn about in the comments!
Find a new niche interest in these 10 nerdy nonfiction books Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Mary Roach
Well-known for her popular science nonfiction and unique storytelling voice, Mary Roach somehow manages to make the mundane—and the outrageous—feel accessible and fascinating. In this 2010 release, she explores how humans survive in space. To decide how to handle basic bodily functions and wild what-ifs, space engineers and scientists devise all sorts of detailed tests to bring intergalactic conditions to earth. Roach takes us behind the scenes of these bizarre experiments to answer questions about gravity, bodies, and daily life in space. If you’ve read The Martian by Andy Weir and wondered just how much of it is based on facts, this book holds the answers. More info →
Author: Jeff Speck
If you’ve been a blog reader for a while, you may know that my particular nerdy niche is urban planning. I love reading about how seemingly simple infrastructure like sidewalks, city parks, and even intersections affect our daily lives in big ways. This is one of my go-to urban planning recommendations. Speck is a bit of a contrarian: at its heart, the book isn't about walking at all. Instead, Speck aims to show how we can deliberately plan urban spaces to be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting. At a deeper level, Speck reveals how our spaces shape our behavior, whether or not we're aware of it. Pragmatic, relevant, and completely fascinating. More info →
Author: Mark Kurlansky
How does one take a look at their dining room table, find the most common item on it and think “I’d like to write a book about that?” I marvel at the inquisitive minds and research capabilities of authors like Mark Kurlanksy, who’s written about oysters, paper, milk, and salt—common items that have shaped history. Salt seems basic and downright cheap today, but it once served as a valuable item in trades, inadvertently launched entire cities, funded wars, and shaped society as we know it. From world history to culinary techniques to cultural traditions, salt's influence is surprising and vast—and Kurlansky shapes it into an enjoyable read with incredible storytelling and journalism. More info →
Author: Bianca Bosker
You don’t need to be a wine drinker or an aspiring sommelier to enjoy this book. After my husband read it, he put this in my hands and said, "read this so we can talk about it." (A surefire way to hook me into picking up a book!) The author quit her job as a journalist and dove headlong into the wine industry, giving herself a year to become a master sommelier. I appreciated the nice mix of science, story, and humor here, and understand the comparisons to Mary Roach and Anthony Bourdain. Fun and funny, plus it inspired us to step out of our comfort zone at the local wine shop. More info →
Author: James Nestor
What could we possibly learn about the body’s most intuitive, essential function? A lot, as I was surprised to find out. Journalist James Nestor argues that going back to the essentials of active, intentional breathing can help us feel and move better through our day to day lives. Nestor traveled the world to collect stories and practices to help us reconnect to our breath, from ancient yoga breath work to local choir school exercises. Combining these stories with scientific research from pulmonology, biochemistry, and physiology, Nestor crafts a compelling case for paying closer attention to our breath and adding corrective measures. I've already noticed better posture at my desk and better timing on my runs from putting some of these tips into practice. More info →
Author: John McPhee
Our Book Club community manager and nonfiction lover Ginger found this title among James Mustich’s 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die. In this slim volume, McPhee shares everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about oranges. The seemingly ubiquitous fruit is rich with history and its importance in the realms of climate, geography, economics, and nutrition will surprise you. McPhee’s engaging voice will make you feel like you took an exciting class field trip to the Florida orchards. You’ll never look at an orange the same way again. More info →
Author: Amanda Montell
What Should I Read Next producer Brenna described this as “compulsively readable” and finished it in 24 hours because she kept wanting more. Montell is both a linguist and a passionate nerd about words and language. Here she investigates why people join and stay in cults—not through mind control but through the power of language. In addition to shaping dangerous cults worthy of documentaries, “cultish” language has infiltrated our everyday lives in start-up culture, exercise programs, and modern marketing. Montell narrates the audiobook, creating a podcast-like experience perfect for fans of The Allusionist. More info →
Author: Kassia St. Clair
Lucy Knisley described this as “a wonderful stress read” on What Should I Read Next Episode 270. Kassia St. Clair presents colors we encounter in our clothing, in our floral arrangements, and in famous paintings and uncovers information I wouldn’t even think to inquire about. Part essay collection, part detailed history, each chapter features a vivid picture of a color, then explains where and how it originated: when people started using it, how they were using it, and how they created it in the first place. A mesmerizing read that will have you seeing the world a little differently. More info →
Author: Joe Cox
This recommendation comes from devoted White Sox fan Leigh Kramer. Without her endorsement of this book, I never would have known just how many major league pitchers came close to throwing a perfect game—or that a perfect game is even possible! Cox profiles the pitchers who missed a perfect game by mere inches and technicalities. Sports fans will fall in love with their stories of the heart, hard work, and twists of fate—and nerdy readers will delight in these human stories full of little known facts and statistics. More info →
Author: Peter Wohlleben
German forester Peter Wohlleben writes with such adoration for his topic. Plants are living things—I know this because many of them live in my house and thrive in the same conditions I enjoy with plenty of food, water, and sunlight—but Wohlleben reveals how trees are like real, living families. They grow in families, communicate their needs to one another, and lead long, healthy lives because of their support systems. I’m a reader who loves metaphors, and I can sense this book is full of lessons to be applied to my own family life. If you’re a lover of long walks through the forest, fresh air, and ecological literature, this informative book is for you. More info →
What nerdy nonfiction topic do you love to read about? Please share it along with your book recommendations in the comments!
P.S. Learn something new with 12 narrative nonfiction books to satisfy your sense of adventure or 15 absorbing nonfiction books to inspire your inner scientist.
The post Nerdy nonfiction for readers who love to learn appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, if you’ve ever dreamed of opening a bookstore, you’re going to love our show today.
Today’s episode features a delightful conversation with Abbigail Glen, the owner of Shelves, an online and pop-up bookstore based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Abby’s worked hard to bring her vision to life and create a bookstore and reading community where reading truly is a lifestyle, and I had so much fun talking with her about the process.
Abby grew up in southwest Philadelphia, where she had a pivotal reading experience as a young reader, and her passion for books was born. I loved hearing about Abby’s discovery of the power of reading, her journey to opening a bookstore, how she made this dream come true, and why it doesn’t look exactly how she thought it might.
We also talk about the books Abby picks for her reading subscription program and how she makes these decisions, why she’s jealous of middle grade readers right now, and the three books she just can’t stop recommending. We’d love to hear if you’ve read any of these books—tell us in the comments!
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Find Abby online at the Shelves Bookstore website, Instagram, or Facebook page.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
ABBIGAIL: Some of the books that these middle graders and stuff get to like read and the effort that’s being put into these stories, I’m like man, y’all are getting quality. [ANNE LAUGHS]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 328.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, if you enjoy listening to the show each week or reading our blog posts over at Modern Mrs Darcy, you will love our weekly newsletter!
Inspired by our show, each week I share three things I love, one thing I don’t, and what I’m reading now—although sometimes, let’s be honest, given the state of the world lately, I’ve been focusing on things bringing readers joy and perhaps skipped over the bummer sort of news some weeks.
If you are already on the list, next month our 2022 Summer Reading Guide will land right there in your inbox, ready to inspire your summer reading adventures. If you think you’re on the list but you’re not sure, make sure to check your promotions folder or other filters so our emails land in your main inbox.
If you don’t yet get those emails this the PERFECT time to sign up because you’re not gonna wanna miss that Summer Reading Guide: this year’s edition is a delightfully curated compendium of suggestions and guidance for what you might love to read this summer, from shiny new releases to paperback favorites you’ll feel zero guilt about taking to the beach, the pool, or even just the bathtub.
Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to get all of the book news, behind-the-scenes peeks, and more, including the 2022 Summer Reading Guide when it drops. I can’t wait to share it with you!
Readers, today’s guest firmly believes that reading is a lifestyle—and she’s created a bookstore experience and reading community that fulfills this motto.
Abbigail Glen grew up in southwest Philadelphia and had a life-changing reading experience as a young adult that set her on her current path. Today, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she owns the online and pop-up bookstore Shelves. I loved hearing about Abby’s journey to opening a bookstore, how she made this dream come true, and why it doesn’t look exactly how she once thought it might. If you’ve ever dreamed of opening a bookstore or wondered what it might be like to do so you’ll hear so many fascinating details in today’s conversation.
Abby and I chat about the book that changed her life, the riches of the middle grade genre in 2022, and what it takes for a book to find its way to the right reader. Abby also shares three tantalizing recommendations for titles she can’t help recommending to every reader right now. I had so much fun talking with Abby; I think you will be delighted by our conversation, too.
Let’s get to it.
Abbigail, welcome to the show.
[00:03:03]
ABBIGAIL: Thank you for having me.
ANNE: It’s my pleasure. I’m so excited. Now you know that one of our big values here at What Should I Read Next HQ is bookish delight and enthusiasm and that reading isn’t just something you do as part of your life, but that it permeates your entire life. You run Shelves bookstore, and at Shelves you have the motto, “reading is a lifestyle.” And you refer to yourself as Charlotte’s friendly neighborhood bookseller. I’m so excited to talk to you today about all the details of how you started your business and what it’s like to recommend books to a community face-to-face in ways that are sometimes unconventional.
[00:03:38]
ABBIGAIL: Yes, I’m excited as well, and yes, I do call myself Charlotte’s friendly neighborhood bookseller and it has stuck.
ANNE: Before we get into the details, tell me this: have you always been a reader?
ABBIGAIL: Always been a reader for as long as I can remember. You know, I grew up in southwest Philadelphia and I distinctly remember us having this cabinet on our indoor front porch area, like the foyer area where we had all these books and a lot of the books at that time were books that were full of multiple stories, multiple children’s story rhymes and I feel like by the time I came into the picture, I’m her second child, they were already there ‘cause we also were a home that had a full encyclopedia set so …
ANNE: Ooh.
ABBIGAIL: And I know people probably don’t even know what an encyclopedia is, but …
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I’m old enough to know.
ABBIGAIL: Those were always there and we definitely utilize our local library a lot, too. So I’ve always just been someone that enjoyed books. I don’t know if it just simply was like being drawn to the browsing experience because I do still to this day enjoy browsing the library, even as a bookseller. It’s very hard for me to walk into a library and not just wanna browse. I know the library offers so many services, you know, you can use their computers. You can … So many things, but like it’s very hard for me to not walk the aisles and browse and look at the books. The experience of it. I’ve always enjoyed the experience of getting a new book, even if it’s something I have to return later.
ANNE: I’d love to hear a few more books on your shelf from when you were young. What nurtured your love of reading back then?
ABBIGAIL: When I was innocent in mind and spirit [ANNE LAUGHS] I enjoyed [LAUGHS] Roald Dahl. He’s the author of Matilda and James and the Giant Peach. I also read … Who was that … Berenstain Bears had a couple of chapter books. Not a lot ‘cause they were mostly picture books, but they did come out with a couple of chapter books, so that was in my honestly, my early middle grade years, and then eighth grade I read this book called Flyy Girl.
I don’t remember how I came across Flyy Girl, but I read it and I remember it changed my life because it was first book that I saw myself and the girls in my neighborhood, and people talk about representation. That at the time, I wouldn’t have used the term representation not because I didn’t know what it mean, it’s just not the word that folks were using to describe seeing themselves in a book, at least not that I knew of, and, but Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree. It was based in Philly, and so it really did speak to the experiences of growing up as a, you know, young, Black woman in the inner city, like you know, and Philly really does not have an outer city. Philly is Philly.
But to this day, like Flyy Girl, I always tell people that was the thing that kept me reading. Because it’s not that I would have strayed away from reading, but I’ve been a reading buddy before for the local library here and I do tell people that what a child reads in middle school will determine a lot of times if they end up continuing to read into high school because middle grade is such a transitionary period for kids. It’s like that pre-adolescence, but they’re still very much a young child. And so I used to encourage parents like you should really let your child read what they want to read that’s obviously age appropriate, but if it’s a graphic novel, let it be a graphic novel because by you trying to dictate what you think they should read, I said you could really deter a child from the beauty of reading, because reading is supposed to be an experience that everyone can enjoy, so by you telling a child or a person that, you know, a book can only be a book if it's formatted this way and if it has chapters that start from one … You don’t mean any harm, but you could be doing some harm.
ANNE: I appreciate those words for our listeners and I’m so glad you weren’t deterred from your love of reading at that stage.
ABBIGAIL: No, I was not.
ANNE: After you read Flyy Girl, how did that influence your expectations of what a book could be?
ABBIGAIL: We call it, you know, in the Black community a hood classic. It was amazing. It was too grown for me at eighth grade, but baby, that just opened the door. Oh, after that I was reading all types of … They deemed it urban fiction at the time. There really wasn’t a young adult genre that we knew of, so honestly you were kinda stuck. I’m glad that that was my turning point for sticking to reading because it really just helped me wrap my head around the experience of adolescence.
There was a point at my adulthood where I remember looking up the statistics in Philly as far as just like you know the different groups of people there, ethnic groups, race, minority, and the reason why I did this is because growing up, you know, I didn’t have an experience where I was the only. That experience happened for me in college being the only Black student in a room, and Philly that was never the case. I always went to schools where Black kids were the majority. Reading books like Flyy Girl and a lot of the books that, you know, I read as a result of the Black Expressions Subscription I signed up for actually gave me a greater appreciation for storytelling by, you know, Black authors and what our experiences are no matter where we are in the country or in the world.
Had I continued to only, like, read books that never spoke to my experience as a Black child, then later Black woman, I actually think that would have harmed my viewpoint than helped it because then I wouldn’t be able to say to my customer like I know how important it is to see yourself on the page. Again at the time, I didn’t make such a big deal out of it because I wasn’t necessarily looking for myself on the page. You’re not … I didn’t know that’s what I needed to look for. I stumbled upon Flyy Girl. Again, I forgot how, but I stumbled upon it and then it wasn’t until I became an adult and again I started reading all kinds of stuff. I said well man, I’m really glad that, you know, the thing that kept me reading was a book about you know, a young Black girl in Philly, and then all books after that about other Black women and men growing up in inner cities and or places that were predominately Black because it really helped me understand the importance now when you hear marginalized groups say wow, you know, I never read a book and saw myself on the page because I know what it’s like to see myself on the page being 13. I would be like oh, yeah. Ooh, yeah, that is important. Like I probably wouldn’t be able to say that as a bookseller like without, you know, it more being a political thing, like that’s the right thing to say. No, I know what that truly means. That actually had a big impact on my decision to continue being a reader.
My reading palette has changed. So I like reading, you know, a lot of different things and getting exposure, but I will always know that my decision to be on even the path that I’m on came out of the fact that at that turning point years I picked up something that happened to be filled, the pages were filled with a Black girl that looked like me and I didn’t realize the impact that would have until now here I am at 33. Like I just feel like there’s so much good stuff out there. We didn’t have all this when I was growing up. Some of the books these middle graders and stuff get to like read and the effort that’s being put into these stories, I’m like man, y’all are getting quaaalityyy. [ANNE LAUGHS] And I’m thankful that I had a mom who from a very young age always gave me a choice to go to the library, a choice to participate in a book fair and pick what I wanted up. My mom was just very happy to see me reading.
[00:11:18]
ANNE: As hard as it is to look around and go like, where was this when I was growing up? There’s also something that feels really good about that, too. Especially I imagine, in your line of work.
ABBIGAIL: Yes. When it comes to the young adults and stuff like that, I do … let that child pick up that book. Please do. Let them pick up that book.
ANNE: I chuckled at what you wrote to us about how you [ABBIGAIL LAUGHS] were a member of a book club in high school. Not a book club, but a book subscription.
ABBIGAIL: Yes. When we were growing up, we got – my mom got Jet magazine and I loooved Jet. Jet was this small, Black publication, little small magazine. It looks like a mass market paperback book, that kinda small but just a little bit bigger. At some point over the course of my young life of pursuing these magazines, I came across an insert about a monthly book subscription called Black Expressions. Now I have no idea if Black Expressions was limited to one magazine publication or if it was just a service that was advertised in various Black magazines.
Either way, I was impressed and I filled it out. I was raised by a single mother. My father was in the picture, he just wasn’t present all the time, and so he would support us financially when he remembered to, and we would say that money … that’s how I had a little bank account, and I believe that was how I was paying for it. Books used to come for me and doing like a book swap with my girlfriends after school every month, and it was such a great experience.
ANNE: I love the mental image of young Abbigail [ABBIGAIL LAUGHS] just checking the mailbox going is today the day? Is my book here? Is my book here?
So it’s clear that you’re talking to people all the time who really value reading and want to do it for themselves as a lifestyle, but also like to pass that on to the next generation in their lives and in their neighborhoods …
ABBIGAIL: Yes.
ANNE: Which is so wonderful, and I imagine that all you’ve been saying about reading right now and what it means in the place it can and should have in our lives permeates the way that you choose books that others read because you chose them, which is you know, a privilege I imagine and a big responsibility. So let’s fast forward a little bit to the present day when you own and operate an online and pop-up bookstore called Shelves. I’m sure we could talk all day about this question. [ABBIGAIL LAUGHS] I’d love to hear how this business came to be.
[00:13:38]
ABBIGAIL: Pre-coming to Charlotte, so I’ve been living in Charlotte for six years. I moved down here in March of 2016 in a little rental car. I used to work in HR. I was an HR business partner. I had always said to myself that I wanted to open a bookstore. That would always be in the back of my mind; however, I chose to prioritize paying off debt instead because I said if I do the bookstore, or do any big life event, you know, in the future, being debt free would be a big, big, big springboard for me instead of having to you know, how to juggle, you know, managing a small business and you know, paying back student loans because technically Shelves is my second small business.
I had a little small business called Mustard Seed Career Professionals where I would help people with their resume writing and all that stuff and it was a good way to, you know, just test the waters of running a small business at a very, very, very low scale, figuring out if I had what it takes to kinda you know, maintain customer relationships and do good work. They something that was always on the back of my mind was always getting out of debt. Still I was already on my debt free journey. I said to myself like, girl, when you do a bookstore, which you know you want to do, like make sure you do it when you finish this debt journey because all you’re gonna do is be thinking about like ooh, you know, I made $500. How much of that can I put towards the student loans? So and I didn’t want - I didn’t want to do that, so I’ve always wanted to start the bookstore. The subscription was first thing I also wanted to do was like …
ANNE: Oh.
ABBIGAIL: It’d be so cool to do a book subscription, yeah like I had that in mind, but again, I was so focused on getting out of debt. Even when I looked into getting a website done, the company I reached out to about designing the website then, I was like how much can I get with $500? They were like not much. [BOTH LAUGH] So I was like yeah, girl, just stick with your plan of getting out of debt first before you start any of like, any more business stuff.
ANNE: Well, and it sounds like because of that personal and practical goal, you had a lot of time to nurture and really refine your dream of opening this bookstore.
ABBIGAIL: Exactly. So when I got here to Charlotte, I got another HR job, you know, I got to do exactly what I wanted to do in terms of focusing in employee engagement and communication. I still would daydream about opening a bookstore and the subscrip — all these … I would daydream about it. I would be at the job and I would be working and I’d daydream. [SIGHS WISTFULLY] Once I get out of debt, like I should really like stick with this thing.
So in 2018 I decided to attend a free small business workshop hosted by Mecklenburg County here in North Carolina by owning a small business and doing business with the county. And it was a great session at the local community college here. I told myself that I was going to launch Shelves, I think it was in 2020 I think I said that. I was like I would be out of debt by then, and I’m gonna bank. I’m gonna state my money. I’m gonna be stacking my money and I’m gonna be able to get me a building and all this stuff.
So I kept the name Shelves close to my heart. I didn’t tell anybody. I wrote it down in my journal and a year later, I paid off my last debt and I start talking to one of my girlfriends here about like girl, I wanna open a bookstore. I wanna open a bookstore eventually and all this stuff. So she said to me, how come you can’t start that now? Like you could, why can’t you do like a pop-up somewhere? I was like, what? She said, yeah, like you talking about doing book fairs and you know all this, and she’s saying you don’t have to kinda wait. You can kinda like start messing around with this stuff now and I just ran with that. And I started looking for more small business workshops and I found this small business workshop at the local library. Shout out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg library system, and I’m the only person that attend. So you have these two business owners in front of me. It was an all day session and I got undivided attention from two people.
[00:17:24]
ANNE: Wow.
ABBIGAIL: They brought in current business owners in Charlotte to sit down with me and to listen to my business idea and to give me advice on things to consider.
ANNE: Oh, that’s amazing.
ABBIGAIL: I know. So now I feel like okay, now I know where to buy books at. I have my LLC paperwork that came in by mid-May. All of these things I’m doing and I’m like oh my gosh, who’s gonna let me come into their place of business and sell books? Then I just start reaching out to random coffeeshops and I remember one of my former coworkers says, you know, there’s a coffee shop around the corner called Queen City Grounds. You should check out them and see if they would be willing to have you. Just check them out. They’re really nice around there. So I met with one of the owners and we set the date.
The first pop-up I had was on June 22nd, 2019 at Queen City Grounds in uptown Charlotte. When I went to set up, I had I think 60 books total. I was so nervous that my friend, the one who recommended me to do the pop-up, she came out and helped me set up and I said I need you to buy a book right now so I can make sure I even know how to check people out. [ANNE LAUGHS] That’s how we got started and it felt so natural.
When I was there, it felt natural to talk to people and let people choose their books because I’m that type of bookseller. I don’t hover. I tell you like hey, these are like the different things we have to offer. If I see that you are not readily picking up books off the shelves, that’s when I come back over and say like, just tell me what you like to read and I can put in the right direction. It was a journey and I can’t believe it, like June of this year will make it three years and we’ve since obviously now evolved into not just pop-ups but online and not just online still, but we have monthly book subscription, and not just monthly book subscription, but we carry our own line of merch and our merch is really good and it’s popular.
[00:19:13]
ANNE: [SIGHS] Your merch is so great.
ABBIGAIL: Yeah, I’m like ..
ANNE: It’s so great. I’m glad to hear readers are finding it. Readers, we’ll put links to all this in show notes. Abby, I would be so delighted to walk through the doors of a local coffee shop [ABBIGAIL LAUGHS] and discover there’s a pop-up bookstore. Oh, that would make me so happy. But now how can Charlotte-area readers and visiting readers, how can they know where to find you? Cause bookish surprise is a wonderful thing, but I know that we want to seek you out.
ABBIGAIL: First of all, we have an events page on our website and our events page always have our pop-ups listed and then we always include the information in our newsletter, which goes out once a week. We always post on social media that we’re having a pop-up and we tag the place we’re going to be at. Most of our pop-ups are at our partner site, Enderly Coffee Company in the west Charlotte area, and it’s been working. People, you know, come, they show up, they shop, they have a good time. It’s fun. We meet a lot of new customers. We also meet most of our online supporters, so …
ANNE: Oh, that’s great.
ABBIGAIL: Yeah. That’s a great thing, too, with the pop-up. They’re like I’m such-and-such and I’m like, oh yeah, just shipped an order!
ANNE: [LAUGHS] Oh, that’s so fun. I’m going to be in the Carolinas this spring…
[00:20:19]
ABBIGAIL: Oh really?
ANNE: So I’m hoping I can come see you in person.
ABBIGAIL: Nice.
ANNE: That is wonderful that you don’t need to be local to Charlotte or the Carolinas to be a part of Shelves Bookstore because you do have this large online presence.
ABBIGAIL: Yes. Yes. The subscription is also proof of that because we have subscription members as far west as California, as far south as Florida and as far north as New Jersey.
ANNE: I feel like that’s a challenge, listeners. [BOTH LAUGH]
Abby, you went from a kid waiting to get her book subscription in the mail to an adult who sends out book subscriptions to readers all over the U.S., and I know you put a ton of effort into choosing great books for your subscribers. Can you give us a taste of what kind of books you really love? Maybe ones you’ve really enjoyed recently? And if they really landed with you reading is a lifestyle subscribers as well, well, that would be fun to hear.
ABBIGAIL: One of the books that I remember really unanimously love is Kai Harris’s debut novel What The Fireflies Knew. We had the pleasure of having Kai Harris come and speak to our members about her book and we were having an entire little joke about like do we call them firebugs or fireflies or do you call them lightning bugs ‘cause I grew up calling them lightning bugs [ANNE LAUGHS] and she said for the sake of the title of the book, they called it fireflies, but the book really was written from the perspective of a young girl. She was 11 – 10 or 11 in the book. The author managed to really write from the mindset of a child. Folks said it put them back in the mindset of what it was as a child and the way you think as a child. So yeah, What The Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris.
ANNE: Okay, Abby, you made that sound fantastic. Give us another one, please.
ABBIGAIL: Another really good book [LAUGHS] and as I remember I’m cracking up because everybody was just describing it in the same ways. It’s called The Fortune Men. So that’s historical fiction based on a racial incident, I think it’s in Wales where this Somalian man who happens to be Black was accused of attacking a Jewish woman. Again, he’s an immigrant in the country he’s in. It really shines light on some racial disparities that are happening – that happens in other countries ‘cause we always hear America, America, but again America isn’t the only place that, you know, there’s discrimination happening against marginalized groups.
And this book was one of the finalists for The Booker list and we selected this as our historical fiction pick for January and those who got it, oh my gosh, this was the consensus from those who read it. It’s based on a true story, so you already know what’s going to happen. They just still weren’t able to cope with what was going to happen, and they said it’s because the author wrote the book in a way he just thought that no matter what, he was going to be absolved and proven innocent, and he was not. But you know that’s going to happen at the end. You know that but again, what pulled them in is because she wrote his character in a way where he just was so convinced that like oh, they’re going to do me right by.
[00:23:30]
ANNE: And that just makes your heart clench.
ABBIGAIL: So yeah. The Fortune Men.
ANNE: I’m laughing ‘cause as a reader that is what I want to know, like what do other readers think? What is their reading experience like?
ABBIGAIL: Yes. We send out a lot of debut novelist stuff, which is really cool, on top of that, but the goal is to expose our readers to books that they probably would’ve otherwise not come across on their own or picked up on their own. There are politics in publishing.
ANNE: Oh yeah.
ABBIGAIL: Not every book gets the same marketing dollars, so you know, there are tons of books that come out each week, but you would never know if you don’t follow that author or if you’re not following the latest book recommendation list, which again, typically will be comprised of books that have marketing dollars behind it because not every book is an Indie Next nomination.
ANNE: Yeah.
ABBIGAIL: I’m working on behalf of the reader and because I want to always pick great books for our members I’m deep diving for these books. I’m looking to see like ooh, is this a debut? Ooh, what would that … And I smile when I’m selecting books for like my members, I’m like oh yeah, I think she’ll really like this.
[00:24:35]
ANNE: [LAUGHS] Oh, I love that. And can I just add that in my own experience as an author it was fascinating to see like how that side of publishing works, but it was also really disillusioning to discover like all those most anticipate, best upcoming soon, can not wait are just publicists emailing each other and marketing dollars pay for publicists and it takes more than that for books to find their way to the right readers. I mean, it takes the work you’re doing, and I just – I love the sound of that. Okay, can I coerce one more crowd-pleasing book recommendation from you?
ABBIGAIL: [LAUGHS] Oh, gosh, yes! And another one I want to share with you is called A Play For the End of the World. So that fit two genres for us. Love and relationships and historical.
ANNE: [GASPS] Ooh, I love that that’s a genre for you, love and relationships.
ABBIGAIL: So it’s about the relationship between these two men who are Holocaust survivors. They get to New York City, but again they have this trauma that they’re both carrying around. One is older than the other. They made a way for themselves in New York, etc. etc. There is a gentleman from – who lives in India, who is doing a play based on the time period of when these two men were coming up in the – during the Holocaust. So one older man wants to be a part of helping the play come to life in their present day. So he travels to India to be with the professor there who is putting this on.
The younger guy, Jaryk, he meets a woman in New York. She’s from the south. She’s living there. So he’s in this relationship, yet he’s also trying to pick up the pieces of what happens to him, and when I tell you [ANNE LAUGHS] When I found it, I said oh my gosh, like I really hope people, they love this because I love it just by reading the synopsis of it. And when I tell you they loved it, it was such a treat to have the author on the call because they had all the questions for him. And he really took his time with this book. A Play For the End of the World I would recommend that like for those who love the romance too, it will pull at your heartstrings with that, but again you also have the historical context. Definitely check it out.
ANNE: Abby, in a real sense, reading is your job.
ABBIGAIL: Yeah.
ANNE: What are you reading this summer? [ABBIGAIL LAUGHS] What are some titles that you know are on your list?
[00:27:05]
ABBIGAIL: I want to finish The Witcher series. Started watching The Witcher in December and after that I said I need to read the book and I finished book one and I need to start book two. I have book two with me and I need to start that. So that’s my goal is to finish The Witcher series this summer. I would like to read Will by Will Smith ‘cause I have heard nothing but good things about it. I’m a fan of, you know, Will Smith’s work. I’m a fan of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith separately as actors and actresses. I’ve always enjoyed the films and stuff that they’re in and you know, I’m really proud of Will Smith …
ANNE: Yeah.
ABBIGAIL: Especially coming out of West Philly and me growing up in southwest Philly. I’m really proud of what he’s accomplished, and I want to read Viola Davis’s new memoir, too. I really love reading people stories about their lives, and not business ‘cause I had somebody ask me that the other day like oh, you know, would you have business books to recommend? I really believe that the best stories come out of people who just try and figure stuff out and they were using their gifts, their god giving gifts, and they just kept doing what came naturally to them, like that led them to where they ended up.
When grit meets the gift, that can do more for you than you spending time trying to figure out like how to go about it the cookie cutter way, the way that was already set by somebody years ago ‘cause there … You realize that there are multiple ways to get to where you need to get to, not to where they got to, but where you need to get to. And because I believe everybody’s journey is their own, if you are reading business books because you are trying to rush to get to the end goal, I feel like that you might end up getting to … You might end up getting to your peak, but you’ll get to it in the wrong season and then you fall off of the hill sooner than you were supposed to.
ANNE: I love the way you describe that.
ABBIGAIL: You know, people have to appreciate the slowness in your journey, too. Appreciate the steadiness, but the slowness of it, like I truly believe that slow and steady wins the race. So I’m taking my time, you know, bringing back to when I launched Shelves. When I envisioned Shelves, I envisioned it as a physical bookstore. That was how I envisioned it for … It was my friend who told me girl, you should do a pop-up. I could have turned my nose at that idea because, again, I had only envisioned it as a physical bookstore, but instead I said, you know what, that’s a good idea, let me try it. And then I kept doing it and doing it, even though I really didn’t feel like I knew what I was doing most of the time, but I kept doing it because I was already sold out to the serving people through a bookstore, even if it had to be as a pop-up.
Fast forward to the pandemic starting, all the physical businesses have to close their doors. I remember in that moment like God, I don’t know how I’m going to make money. ‘Cause I didn’t have online at the time, so I said I don’t know how I’m going to make money, but man, you know, I’m also glad that, you know, I’m not over here having to figure out how I’m going to pay my overhead for a commercial space. Well that June, things took off for us, which also happened to be our anniversary month for us. So our one year anniversary month, we had an influx in orders because of the unrest concerning the murder of George Floyd and I said I need to now invest in doing an online. I got online set up and that came with its own trials and tribulations. Then here it is online now open a new door.
If I would have turned my nose to the pop-up, pivoting has been my saving grace and because of that my decision to remain open. I literally am living in a prayer, I feel like. Some of the stuff we’ve been able to accomplish. I’ve been sitting over here like wow, and we’re still technically only a pop-up and an online bookstore.
ANNE: Well, Abby, thank you so much for inviting us to join you on your journey vicariously today and I know that you’re not more of a podcast person by your own description, so thank you for pivoting over to What Should I Read Next. It was a joy to hear about your business and the journey you’ve been on and where you are now and also thank you for those enticing book recommendations. I know they’re going to end up on a lot of reader TBR lists this summer.
ABBIGAIL: [LAUGHS] Thank you.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Abby today, and I’d love to hear what YOU think she should read next. Visit Abbigail’s online bookstore at shelvesbookstore.com and follow along for news from Shelves and info on those pop-up shops on instagram. She is @shelvesbookstore. Check out the full list of the titles we discussed today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/328.
As podcasters, five-star reviews are our love language! When you take a quick minute to give us a five-star review in Apple Podcasts you fill our bookish hearts with joy, plus spread the book love by helping other readers find the show. Thanks in advance for taking the time. It really does make a difference.
Connect with us and our Instagram community of readers at whatshouldireadnext, and follow me at annebogel. That’s Anne with an E, B as in books, O-G-E-L.
Make sure you’re getting our weekly newsletter in your inbox, including our must-have, upcoming Summer Reading Guide! Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Follow us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, and more. Tune in next week, when I’ll be talking with a reader from Norway who’s looking for books in one of MY favorite genres, and I can’t wait to give her some ideas.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• Matilda by Roald Dahl
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
• Berenstain Bears chapter books (try The Berenstain Bears’ Nature Rescue: An Early Reader Chapter Book)
• Fly Girl by Omar Tyree
• Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine (try Night of the Living Dummy (Classic Goosebumps #1))
• What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris
• The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed
• A Play for the End of the Worldby Jai Chakrabarti
• The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski (#1 The Last Wish)
• Will by Will Smith
• Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis
Also Mentioned:
• Black Expressions Subscription
• Jet magazine
• Shelves Bookstore
• Queen City Grounds
• Shelves Book Subscription
• Shelves Events
The post Reading is a lifestyle appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We have some fun stuff planned, including attending opening night for a school theater production, cheering on our favorite runners at a track meet, and welcoming our college kid home from school for a few days. I hope you have something to look forward to, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: * Mary Laura Philpott on Facing the Unexpected and Absurd with Humor. Lovely conversation between Mary Laura Philpott and Maggie Smith. I adored Bomb Shelter—one of our summer MMD Book Club selections!
-
A Bookstore Revival Channels Nostalgia for Big Box Chains. “Chain box stores were big businesses, sure, but they were also a crucial third space for casual hangouts and serendipitous run-ins that metro suburbs, smaller cities and rural places often lack.”
-
Revlon updated my favorite blow dry brush and made it even better with more customizable options.
-
Books For All: NYPL Supports the Right to Read Banned Books. The New York Public Library is making a few commonly banned books available nationwide via a free e-reader. No library card necessary.
-
We Tested 4 Famous Lasagna Recipes and the Winner Blew Us Away. I suddenly feel the need to make lasagna.
-
The Invention of Jaywalking. Because I can’t resist a good urban planning read.
-
‘It Feels Like the 36th of February. I Only Count the Days of War’. Heartbreaking accounts of four Ukrainian women.
-
My teen daughter ordered the cutest wire-wrapped stone ring and daisy seed beed necklace from Etsy!
-
An Exhaustive Guide to Sustainable Shopping.
-
Textual Healing: The Novel World of Bibliotherapy. “Proponents of bibliotherapy firmly believe in the potential of literature to provide people the language to help them make sense of their experiences.”
-
The Nocturnals. I might be an introvert but I’m not nocturnal so reading this made me feel like an anthropologist.
Don’t miss these posts: * 12 bookish mysteries about bibliophiles and bookstores.
-
Louisville City Guide. Bookmark this for future travels to my hometown.
-
10 comforting classics to read after you run out of Jane Austen novels. When I crave a classic after reading tons of new releases, Austen is my go-to. Here’s what to read when you’ve run out of Austen novels to devour.
Upcoming Events: * Whether you’re a seasoned lover or poetry, or approaching the form for the first time, we’ll explore poetry together in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club with special guest Amena Brown—poet, author, and comedic storyteller—sharing inspiration without the intimidation.
-
May 19: Summer Reading Guide Unboxing: This is the best book party on the interwebs! In a ninety-minute live session, I reveal every title in the Summer Reading Guide, and tell readers why I chose it. This event is for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club members and What Should I Read Next Patreon community members. Members get the guide in their inboxes just after the Unboxing—which means they get it four days early. They also get an expanded guide with exclusive content, including additional titles, extra book lists, and more fun bonus content.
-
May 23: 2022 MMD Summer Reading Guide releases! Details here.
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Timing is everything: this maxim holds as true for my reading life as for the rest of my life. I firmly believe that setting aside books that are all wrong for you right now is one of the two best things you can do for your reading life. (The second is to track the books you read.)
I regularly put down books that don’t feel right for me, or don’t feel right for me right now. Some readers are aghast at the idea of not finishing a book they cared enough about to begin, but I believe persisting to finish a book when the timing is wrong isn’t fair to the book or its reader. Some books don’t merit your attention in the first place, but far more often in my own reading life I DNF (that is, Do Not Finish) a book because of the timing.
How might the timing be wrong? Maybe I’m not yet ready to appreciate a good book. (Picture 8th grade Anne reading Les Mis, unabridged: she needed to grow up a little bit to get it.) Maybe I’m in the wrong frame of mind. (Do I want to read a book about someone dying right after a loved one has died? Nope, nope, nope.) Maybe my own setting means I can’t give the book the attention it deserves. (If you’ve ever tried to read in the doctor’s waiting room with television news blasting over your head, you know what I’m talking about.)
DNFing doesn’t always mean a book isn’t for me, and I don’t want to miss out on a good book because of bad timing. That’s why I keep a list of books I’ve abandoned in the back of my reading journal (my list is actually on page 180 of My Reading Life, on one of the quotes pages designed to be versatile for purposes such as these). This list doesn’t serve as a record of poor decisions; instead, it’s to jog my memory about unfinished books that I may (or may not—that’s true, too) wish to revisit in the future.
This isn’t just lip service: there are countless books I initially struggled with that ended up being favorites, and I’m sharing a sampling of those titles with you today. These are titles that I put down early on in the reading process, but picked up again because I (rightly) suspected the problem was one of timing.
Sometimes I resumed reading after a pause of just a few weeks, sometimes it took me years. Sometimes I needed to be in a different geographical setting, sometimes I needed a different headspace. Once or twice a change of format did the trick, as you’ll see.
(I’m not the only one in my house who doesn’t always enjoy a good book on the first attempt: my husband Will just finished Dune, on his second attempt. Months ago he began and quit twenty pages in because his attention span was not cooperating, and resolved to return when he could give the book the focus it needed. He did, and he’s glad he did.)
There are so many books I could have shared in this list. I hope you enjoy this chosen assortment, and that it helps you reflect on giving a book or two another try.
Books I’m glad I came back to Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Amor Towles
I started reading this book in the summer of 2016, pre-publication and before many readers I knew had read it. I remember trying to read my galley poolside, while my then 6- and 9-year-olds splashed up a storm nearby. I struggled mightily through the opening, because the book needed (and deserved) more focused attention than I was giving it. I put it down and returned to the book a short while later, at home this time—and that's when it grabbed me. In this well-loved historical novel, Towles tells the story of Count Alexander Roskov, an aristocrat convicted by the Bolsheviks for crimes of state (involving poetry). His punishment is house arrest, confining him to a small room inside the elegant Metropol Hotel. Towles show us how, over many decades, the Count builds a life for himself after his walls literally close in. With a vividly drawn setting, endearing characters, and stylish prose, this novel lingers in readers' minds long after the final page. More info →
Author: Celeste Ng
I had a very hard time getting into this book—which I later came to LOVE—and I am 98% sure the reason is I started reading it on an airplane. (I'm an anxious flyer, and despite my love for all things literary, vastly prefer movies and podcasts in-air.) Once I got back on the ground it felt like a completely different story. The novel opens with a house on fire, literally. It belongs to a suburban family, and it wasn't an accident: as one character reports, "The firemen said there were little fires everywhere." But who did it, and why? That's the setup for this literary thriller, which explores what happens when an itinerant artist and her daughter move into a seemingly perfect Ohio community, and thoroughly disrupt the lives of its residents. More info →
Author: Peter Heller
The circumstances of my first attempt at this book are fuzzy: I vaguely remember returning the hardcover to the library, unread, after struggling through a few dozen pages. A few years later, after talking to Peter Heller for a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club author event, I gave it another try—and I'm so glad I did! I flew through it and loved it. For better or worse, this is a pandemic story, about a pilot named Hig who is one of the few survivors of a devastating flu. But when he receives a random transmission on the radio, he begins to dream of what might exist beyond life on the hangar. I found this to be a captivating story, and a tender examination of the landscape between hope and despair. More info →
Author: Lily King
I distinctly remember beginning this novel on a dreary winter Saturday when I was a little bit sick and a lot exhausted. I'm so glad I gave it another chance when I was recovered and well-rested! This much-anticipated follow-up to King’s award-winning 2014 novel Euphoria follows Casey Peabody, who is mourning the sudden death of her mother plus a messy break-up in 1997 Massachusetts. Lost without direction, 31-year-old Casey waits tables to make ends meet while she works on her novel in a tiny, dingy rented room. While her friends have given up on their artistic ambitions in favor of stability and the next phase of life, Casey still harbors creative dreams and firmly grasps her youth. When she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle, it becomes all the more difficult to balance her art with "real life," and she just might reach her breaking point. I absolutely adored the exuberant ending. More info →Chirp
Author: Brit Bennett
The follow-up to Bennett’s smashing debut The Mothers—was worth the wait—even if I had to wait a little bit for the right reading mood to truly appreciate it. Identical twins Desiree and Stella grew up in a town so small it doesn't appear on maps. They're closer than close, so Desiree is shocked when Stella vanishes one night after deciding to sacrifice her past—and her relationship with her family—in order to marry a white man, who doesn't know she's black. Desiree never expects to see her sister again. The twins grow up, make lives for themselves, and raise daughters—and it's those daughters who bring the sisters together again. It's a reunion Stella both longs for and fears, because she can't reveal the truth without admitting her whole life is a lie. Bennett expertly weaves themes of family, race, identity, and belonging into one juicy, unputdownable novel spanning five turbulent decades. More info →
Author: James McBride
I initially had a tough time focusing on this one and it was all because of timing and format. I started it in February 2020 and, in the wake of the coronavirus that March, the print copy wasn't keeping my attention. Several months later I decided to try the audio version, narrated by Dominic Hoffman, and I couldn't couldn't stop listening! The story begins with a shooting: it's 1969, in the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn; a beloved drunk deacon named Sportcoat wanders into the courtyard and shoots the drug dealer he'd once treated like a son point-blank, in front of everyone. After this jolting beginning, McBride zooms out to show the reader how this violent act came to take place, exploring the lives of the shooter and the victim, the victim's bumbling friends, the residents who witnessed it, the neighbors who heard about it, the cops assigned to investigate, the members of the church where Sportcoat was a deacon, the neighborhood's mobsters (and their families). All these people's lives overlap in ways that few understand in the beginning, and McBride's gentle teasing out of these unlikely but deeply meaningful connections—and the humor and warmth with which he does it—is what captured me. More info →
Author: Shirley Hazzard
You may have heard me say how much I loved this book—one of my favorites of 2021—but have you heard me say how very difficult it was for me to get into? For the first 75 pages I was terribly bored and couldn't even tell the two sisters apart. But by the end, I thought it to be one of the best books I'd ever read, with a spectacular—if devastating—ending. And then I flipped to the beginning to start again (and this time, I was RIVETED). I knew going in that Hazzard's husband once remarked that no one should have to read this book for the first time; read it and you'll see why. First-time readers should know that Hazzard knows what she's about, that it takes her ten years to write novels because each sentence is constructed with care, that this story, ostensibly about love and family, is every bit as much about power. More info →
What books are you glad you gave another chance? Please tell us about your reading experience in comments!
The post Books I’m glad I came back to appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest is a professional word nerd who shares some favorites with more than a few of our WSIRN team members!
Gary Robinaugh has always been fascinated with language and how it works. In his work life, he studies the ways language and the brain work together to help us communicate, and what happens when these pathways get interrupted.
Language also plays a big role in Gary’s leisure pursuits: he turns to books for both the enjoyment and the introspection they offer. He’s constantly looking for titles that will open doors and compel him to see familiar ideas from a fresh perspective.
Given his search for the unknown in his reading life, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Gary loves science fiction for its unique ability to ask “what if?”, but he doesn’t limit his reading to this genre, and he’d love my help finding some new paths to follow in his reading selections.
I loved my conversation with Gary, and today I recommend some books that are right up his reading alley, as well as a few that will definitely take him in some new directions. If you have a suggestion for Gary, let us know in the comments section below!
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
ANNE: This was a Valentine’s Day book? [GARY LAUGHS] Wow. Okay.
GARY: That is kinda funny now that I think about it. We definitely don’t choose the books based on like how well they fit with Valentine’s Day. [ANNE LAUGHS]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 327.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, we are just one month away from the most wonderful time of the year: it’s almost Summer Reading Guide time!
One month from today, on May 19, our patreon community gets a first look at the 2022 guide. We host our annual live unboxing event, and it all happens before the Summer Reading Guide releases to the public the following week.
Early access to the Summer Reading Guide is just one way we say thank you to our patrons for their support of the show: it’s an event we all look forward to as the start to summer reading season! Unboxing is like a big book party where we talk about the books in the guide, why they might be right for YOU, why I love them so much, and what old and new titles we’re all excited to read this season. We have a BLAST with the community of readers that join us to kickoff summer reading!
Mark your calendars for May 19th, become a patron at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext, and get ready for a great book party to kick off a great reading season.
Readers, today’s guest is a professional word nerd. When his submission came in and our team saw his book selections, several of our team members said, ugh, I have found my book twin and we couldn’t wait to hear what he and I would talk about today.
Gary Robinaugh has always been fascinated with language and how it works. He’s built a career researching how communication skills are impacted by brain damage, specifically by a condition called Aphasia.
When Gary’s not at work, he’s still asking questions about how language affects the way we think, and this theme, as you’ll hear, shows up in his reading life: he’s constantly looking for titles that will open doors and compel him to see familiar ideas from a fresh perspective.
Growing up in a family that loved science-fiction, it’s not surprising that Gary still enjoys this genre today—but he’s not here searching for aliens or space opera. What Gary REALLY loves is the power of quietly introspective books that ask “what if?” and explore the big questions of human nature.
Today I serve up some suggestions that are exactly what he’s looking for, and—as you’ll hear—some he wasn’t expecting AT ALL.
I loved my conversation with Gary today about a genre we don’t discuss as frequently here on the podcast, and I share titles that will offer any reader an invitation to explore new ideas and reconsider how they think about the world around them.
Let’s get to it.
Gary, welcome to the show.
[00:03:08]
GARY: Thank you.
ANNE: I’m so excited to talk this morning and get into your reading life. Gary, what brings you to What Should I Read Next right now?
[00:03:15]
GARY: I think I decided to fill out the form not because I thought you would actually choose me [LAUGHS] but I thought it would be an interesting like reflection on, you know, what are the three books that I would choose and what I have to say that might be interesting to someone. I’m just always so impressed at how it just seems like there’s no way you’ll have the right books at the top of your mind, but then you always come up with something.
ANNE: Wow. No pressure, Gary.
GARY: [LAUGHS] I’m just 100% trust.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I am fascinated by personality typing systems and it hadn’t occurred to me that we had put like a self-reflection tool onto the Internet. [GARY LAUGHS] I thought it was a submission form but readers, you can gain some insight into your own self and your reading life by doing this.
GARY: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay, now Gary, now I’m actually looking at it because we did get your submission and actually it was my husband who was like this is good, and then Brenna and Holly said yes, we need to talk to him. In fact, both of them were saying I think he might be my book twin.
GARY: Yeah. Yeah. I talked to Brenna yesterday and I got two book conversations out of this, so.
ANNE: I am so glad to hear it. Gary, where are you in the world this morning?
GARY: So I’m in Austin, Texas. I came to Austin to do a doctoral program at the University of Texas. I’m a speech pathologist and I’m doing a doctorate in speech language pathology as part of the aphasia research and treatment lab at UT. We study how communication skills are impacted when someone has a stroke or dementia that damages the brain, and so we research how speech language therapy can help those people.
ANNE: Tell me about deciding to make that your life’s work.
GARY: So I studied linguistics, deciding what I wanted to do in my undergraduate, I was looking at English and ended up going into linguistics just cause I’m really fascinated with language and how it works and specifically got really interested in how our brain processes and how we produce language, which kinda led me into - into the field of speech pathology I guess. I took an intro course in speech pathology and they showed a video of someone with aphasia and a clinician working with them and it was just like one of those moments, you know. I just knew that’s what I wanted to do.
[00:05:49]
ANNE: Gary, for those who don’t know, would you tell us a little bit about what aphasia is and what your role will be in research, treatment, whatever direction you’re looking to take this with your doctoral degree?
GARY: So aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage to the left-side of the brain, typically due to a traumatic brain injury or stroke or disease, and aphasia can affect understanding of language and spoken language, as well as reading and writing in a variety of ways, depending on what areas of the brain are affected. So one person with aphasia might have no trouble understanding speech, but have difficulty thinking of the right words to say, and another person with aphasia may speak in sentences that don’t quite make sense to people or struggle to understand when others speak.
The research lab I’m a part of actually does a lot of work with people who have a disorder called Primary Progressive Aphasia or PPA, which is when someone gradually loses communication abilities due to a neurodegenerative disease. While cognitive functions like memory may be affected as the disorder progresses, aphasia is, you know, the first and most prominent symptom. So the research we do focuses on understanding aphasia and finding ways to support communication for those people with aphasia and their families.
ANNE: Okay. So you are a word nerd by profession is what I’m hearing.
GARY: Definitely a word nerd, yes.
ANNE: Does that exist alongside your reading life or does it color everything about it?
GARY: That’s a really interesting question. I think that it probably does color my reading interests, but I’m not sure exactly how.
ANNE: Okay, interesting. I hope that we hear more about that as we keep talking today. Gary, what were your origins as a reader? Have you always loved books and reading?
GARY: Yes. As a kid, I loved science fiction. I think that was kinda my first love in the reading world. I remember reading Dinotopia with my mom. She would read the books to me. The original books by James Gurney have these illustrations of this world where dinosaurs live alongside humans and I just remember being completely captivated by those illustrations. They’re like seared into my memory. So I think as far back as I can remember I’ve loved science fiction and fantasy and definitely was part of my family culture. We had bookshelves full of science fiction books. My dad is a big sci-fi reader, and so always had options there.
[00:08:27]
ANNE: So you grew up in a household surrounded by science fiction books. After your early start with Dinotopia, what did you move into next? How did you begin exploring other worlds?
GARY: Isaac Asimov I think is one of the earliest authors that I remember reading on my own, which is kinda a weird start for a third or fourth grader, but …
ANNE: Oh wow. I was picturing a teenage Gary with that Asimov book, yes.
GARY: Yeah, so I guess that was available, you know, on the bookshelves so that’s what I …
ANNE: [LAUGHS] Pay attention, parents.
GARY: [LAUGHS] Like I remember one book in particular, Nightfall by Isaac Asimov. It’s like this world with five suns or something like that and every thousand years or so there’s a night because of an eclipse or something and people just freak out [ANNE LAUGHS] because they don’t know what darkness is. The power that science fiction has to explore an idea, you know, explore like our psychology in a way that you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.
ANNE: What is it that you find so compelling about that? Is that something you’re able to articulate?
GARY: I don’t know. I think I kinda have an interest in psychology and philosophy and theology, and so science fiction to me kinda feels like a playground where you can play with different ideas and different contexts.
ANNE: So it sounds like you find it just very intellectually compelling, like that’s a lot of fun for you to go exploring in these other worlds.
GARY: That’s definitely the kind of science fiction that I gravitate to. The more intellectual exploring ideas rather than like more action side of science fiction.
[00:10:05]
ANNE: The ones that say like what if, and what would that mean for humanity.
GARY: That’s the perfect way to describe it, yeah.
ANNE: Yeah. Okay. Books that ask what if. So you said that’s the kind of science fiction you like. Which authors do you think are really emblematic of that approach?
GARY: Some authors that come to mind are Ursula K. Le Guin. I think she is like a master of the what if question, like what if there was this world that, you know, actually has a socialist system that worked really well? Or what if there was this world where gender was fluid and what if there was a world where the whole world was a forest? You know, so she’s an author that comes to mind. So another author that comes to mind is Cixin Liu, and I’m probably pronouncing that wrong, but the author of The Three-Body Problem.
ANNE: Uh huh. We’ll put it in show notes, readers, so you can find it.
GARY: Reading his books, it really feels like he has all these what if questions that he just wants to play around with, you know, a lot of them are kinda like beyond my understanding of physics, but he’ll just have all these weird scenarios that he plays out in his books. So I guess Ursula K. Le Guin and Cixin Liu are a couple that come to mind.
ANNE: Okay, well I’m interested in hearing more about the kind of science fiction and other books that really works for you, Gary. Are you ready to talk about your books that you brought today?
GARY: Yeah.
ANNE: I feel like I’m inviting you to the circle for show and tell. You were talking about the playground so maybe that’s not a bad metaphor to run with. [GARY LAUGHS]
Okay. Well you know how this works. You’re going to tell me three books you love, one book you don’t and what you’ve been reading lately, and we will talk about what you may enjoy reading next. Gary, how did you choose these books for today?
GARY: I couldn’t decide if I wanted to do three books that represented the range of what I read, you know, not just science fiction. I ended up going with three science fiction or at least science fiction-adjacent books because I thought it kinda represented really well where my like literary home is, like where I feel most comfortable and where I’m most likely to really love a book.
[00:12:16]
ANNE: Tell me about the first book you love.
GARY: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. This one was recommended to me as a teenager I think by my best friend growing up from back in kindergarten. Like as a side note I noticed with all these books that they all have a connection to like people who are close to me in my life so I think that’s maybe part of, you know, what makes a book really meaningful to me is just the connection it has to other people and discussing the books with other people.
So The Sparrow is a first contact story. So the earth receives this signal from a nearby solar system. They’re able to determine that there’s this planet with intelligent life sending out the signal. For some reason that I can’t totally remember [LAUGHS] the Jesuits, like the Roman Catholic order of priests, are able to put together an expedition first before anyone else to send to this planet, and the main character of the book is a Jesuit priest who’s also a linguist, so I of course like ideally connected with him.
ANNE: [GASPS] Oh. Of course.
GARY: The book actually has two timelines and one Emilio is the sole survivor of this mission. So it’s kinda after the mission that has gone horribly wrong but we don’t know exactly how traumatized and has completely lost his faith, then in the other timeline we’re following the expedition as it, you know, travels to lands on the planet and makes contact with this alien species.
I connected with the main character as a linguist, but also a person of faith. Someone who’s really introspective about their faith. I connected with that and have noticed a pattern in my reading life that a lot of my favorite books feature characters that are, you know, a priest or someone of faith who is really introspective about their faith or who goes through some kind of challenge to their faith, like Emilio does in this story.
ANNE: Okay, so even in these fictional stories set in space.
GARY: I think especially in these fictional stories. It kinda removes it, puts it in this completely different context. It could be different if we were talking about a story of a Jesuit priest just in whatever everyday situation. Like that might be interesting to me too, but I think it’s especially interesting when you put it in this completely new context and give people a new way of exploring, you know, what it means to believe in God.
[00:14:59]
ANNE: Because then you could be in the playground of ideas and not …
GARY: Definitely.
ANNE: Grounded in the exact particular, like you might be tempted to do were it say a memoir. And I believe you enjoy reading those as well.
GARY: I do, yeah.
ANNE: Now I’m remembering when the book came out, the reviews that [LAUGHS] had headlines like Jesuits in space! [GARY LAUGHS] So you are really drawn to a book like this that speculative, you know, sci-fi with these deep philosophical questions. Have you read the sequel Children of God?
GARY: Yeah, it was good. I don’t know that it had quite the same impact on me. I don’t think this is too much of a spoiler to say that in the sequel Emilio goes back to the planet, works through some of the trauma and faith crises that he had, and I also found that really compelling.
ANNE: Mmhm. And actually I’m glad you used the word trauma because lots of readers feel really blindsided by some of the very hard things that happen pretty late in that book. That’s – that’s all the detail I’m going to give you readers.
GARY: Yes.
ANNE: But it might be nice for them to know that that is processed more in the second book. Okay, that’s The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Gary, tell me about the second book you love.
GARY: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I don’t feel like I can actually summarize this book. To give any of the summary would spoil it I think.
ANNE: Yes, I agree.
GARY: It is kinda a coming-of-age story. It’s written from the perspective of Kathy, who’s one of three friends and she’s telling this story kinda looking back, and one thing you kinda notice early on is that she’s not an entirely reliable narrator, or at least her perspective you can tell is like there’s something odd about it. So I’ve read three books by Kazuo Ishiguro and all of them kinda have this in common. He uses this narrator that you can’t entirely trust to slowly unravel the mystery at the center of the story, and he does it in just the most masterful way. Actually my wife Annalie and I have this Valentine’s Day tradition. We’ll recommend a book to each other a couple months ahead of time.
[00:17:15]
ANNE: Uh huh.
GARY: And then on Valentine’s Day we go out to dinner and we discuss the two books that we recommended to each other.
ANNE: This was a Valentine’s Day book? [GARY LAUGHS] Wow. Okay.
GARY: Um. [LAUGHS] That is kinda funny now that I think about it. We definitely don’t choose the books based on like how well they fit with Valentine’s Day. [ANNE LAUGHS] More about you know what we think they like, what would make a good discussion. We had read The Buried Giant together so I knew she would like it, and I really needed someone to talk about [LAUGHS] the book to.
ANNE: You know, it’s interesting that we’ve discussed your background in linguistics because one of the things that’s so odd when you’re reading deliberately odd in Never Let Me Go is the way Ishiguro uses words that you are very familiar with in ways that deliberately obfuscate what he’s talking about.
GARY: Yes.
ANNE: Words you know, meanings you don’t. As the meanings become clearer, the story does as well. I’m not surprised that you were really drawn to that.
GARY: So I think that’s really what gives that quality of feeling, you can tell something’s a little bit off, but you don’t know quite what’s going on. Even though most of his stories are really slow burns, like they take awhile for things to actually happen, they’re just so compelling because you just want to know what’s going on, like why is this so odd or mysterious and you just want to keep reading until you find out.
ANNE: I love it. I love that you have someone to talk about books and these deep, philosophical questions with.
GARY: [LAUGHS] Me too.
ANNE: Do you find when reading these books that what happens after is as important to your reading experience as what happens during?
[00:18:50]
GARY: Absolutely. Yeah, I think all of these books are ones that the conversations that I had about the books were just as meaningful as the reading experience.
ANNE: Gary, what did you choose to complete your favorites list?
GARY: So the last book that I chose was The Story of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang.
ANNE: Uh huh.
GARY: I would say as my like current favorite author to read. I’ve read both of his short story collections a couple times in the last couple of years. I picked up this book originally because I loved the movie Arrival. The first contact story which is another story about a linguist. The movie is based on the title story of this book, The Story of Your Life. I loved the movie. I loved the story more.
In this story, The Story of Your Life, aliens have arrived. The government brings in this linguist Louise Banks to figure out what they’re trying to communicate, figure out their language and as she’s learning this alien language, it really changes the way that she thinks and so again you have this like really fascinating way of exploring this question that linguists talk about all the time, how does the language we learn and the words that we use, how does that affect the way we think? And so this story takes that and kinda extends it I guess.
Specifically I don’t know if this is a spoiler or not, but this language is nonlinear unlike any human language, and so that completely changes the way that this linguist is able to think about the world. So that story felt like it was just tailor-made for me. [LAUGHS] Science fiction and linguists aspects and Ted Chiang really dives into the story more than the movie, into like the specifics of how she breaks down this alien language. But that wasn’t even my favorite story in the collection.
The first story in the book is about a man who’s … So he’s working on building the tower of Babel and they’ve kinda reached heaven at the beginning of the story, which is really fascinating and then there’s another story called “Hell is the Absence of God” set in this world where everyone knows that God and Hell exist and who goes where and there’s actually occasional angel visitations. The main character in this story, his wife dies during an angel visitation and so he develops this hatred for God. But also he knows that his wife went to Heaven and the only way that he can get to her is to love God. I just think Ted Chiang is the master at like setting up these scenarios to explore human psychology and faith and you know, those big what if questions.
[00:21:58]
ANNE: Yeah, I can really see why you’re drawn to his stories and that viewpoint he’s writing from. Okay, Gary, tell me about a book that was not right for you.
GARY: The reason I chose this book is not that I hated it or anything. I actually liked a lot of things about this book. It was just that it had a lot of the elements that I look for in science fiction, but it just didn’t come together for me. So the book was Appleseed by Matt Bell. Published pretty recently I think. Just in the last year. This book had like magical elements as well as science fiction elements. It had multiple timelines, which is actually something I usually enjoy when you have like woven stories together.
But one of the timelines is like 1800s Frontier America. One of them is in like a near future climate related apocalypse. One is very far future. And this book actually, it reminded me a little bit of The Overstory weirdly by Richard Powers, which also has climate change themes that focus on ecology and has the weaving narratives, but where I really loved The Overstory, Appleseed just wasn’t for me. I was confused a lot of the time about what was going on in the story and it was a little heavy handed I thought with the message sometimes and I just didn’t feel like all of those different elements were tied together very well by the end.
ANNE: So I’m not familiar with Appleseed, but we’ve talked about how you do love science fiction books that ask deep philosophical questions, but you don’t necessarily want them answered in words that are very explicitly articulated but answered in the story. Posing the question is important but also what is and isn’t left up to the reader, the answer, and how they interpret it and feel about it, like that really matters to your reading experience.
GARY: Yeah, I would definitely agree about that. I think that’s what really leads to those meaningful conversations that for me are part of the reading experience when a book leaves the questions a little bit open for interpretation, yeah.
ANNE: Okay, ‘cause then you have something to talk about.
GARY: Exactly.
ANNE: What have you been reading lately, Gary?
GARY: I had a pretty good start to the year. I’ve read a few recently that I really liked. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. A story about a monk and a robot becoming friends, so you can’t really go wrong there, like [ANNE LAUGHS] just a fun, thoughtful story about finding meaning in life. Other books that I’ve read Matrix by Lauren Groff, was one that surprised me. I picked it up just because I had heard several people recommend it. The writing in that book was just phenomenal. It’s about 12th century nuns, which is not, you know, my typical topic for a book, but it was just a really compelling read. I read it in a couple days.
Another book I read was All Systems Red by Martha Wells. I feel like I lean more towards the deeper, philosophical sci-fi. This one was more of an action sci-fi. It was a fun short read, but I didn’t love it I guess. It wasn’t one that I thought a lot about since. I’m currently starting Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. I really enjoyed All The Light We Cannot See and kinda the complex storyline weaving together that the author does so I trust the author and I’m kinda along for the ride. Yeah, enjoying it so far.
[00:25:48]
ANNE: Gary, what are you looking for in your reading life right now?
GARY: I read a lot of research these days, which makes it hard to enjoy sitting down and reading a book. At least for me and so these days I read primarily audiobooks. And when I do sit down with a book, it’s usually a graphic novel. I have a hard time finding graphic novels that I really love. I’ll read and enjoy them but they don’t stick with me and I would love to find a graphic novel that I really connect with in the same way that, you know, I connected with those three books that I chose today. I read a few graphic novels. I would still say I’m kinda a beginner in that genre. It’s really tricky to find one where the art and the story and the dialogue come together for me. One science fiction graphic novel that I read that did that for me was Slaughterhouse-Five, an adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut book by Ryan North.
ANNE: I’ve heard great things about that.
GARY: It was really excellent, like in its own right, not just as an adaptation of the original. But otherwise, you know, there are other graphic novels in other genres that I’ve enjoyed, but would really love to find some science fiction that I could connect with.
ANNE: Gary, you’ve mentioned that while you chose your favorites from the science fiction genre, you do read a fair amount of other genres and fiction and also a fair amount of nonfiction. I’d love to hear a little bit more about what that looks like.
GARY: So specifically in nonfiction I do enjoy memoirs and books about faith. I like reading about faith traditions other than my own. So I am LDS and have in the last decade or so had some kinda shifts in the way I think about and relate to my own religion. I really enjoy reading different perspectives from other faith and wisdom traditions as well as books about people who’ve gone through transitions in the way that they think about their faith. So authors that come to mind there are Pete Enns, Rachel Held Evans. So authors that take a look at their own faith journeys to use a cliche and how the way they think about their own religion has changed.
I’ve also been trying recently to get into more like nature essay writing without much luck. When I can get into those essays, I really enjoy them. It kinda feels like a little bit of work. I feel similarly about essays and nature writing in particular that I do about poems in that when I can take the time to really spend time with the writing, I get a lot out of it and I feel like it’s good for my soul I guess, but it’s sometimes hard to put in the work.
[00:28:51]
ANNE: Interesting. Is there a book in that genre that you’ve especially enjoyed lately?
GARY: I have read and enjoyed recently Wendell Berry and enjoyed his essays and poems about an agrarian lifestyle and …
ANNE: And he does not write science fiction, although I imagine that he sets his stories in worlds that are different from your own, but he also likes to ask those deep philosophical questions in his stories.
GARY: Yeah, I haven’t read any of his fiction. I don’t know if you’d recommend those or not.
ANNE: Based on the kinda works you’re drawn to, I absolutely would. The feel of the stories I think has a lot in common with the works you’re really drawn to in the science fiction realm. I’d give it a try. And you don’t need to read his stories in order necessarily. He has some really slim volumes. It would be easy to pick up and just dip in, see what you think.
GARY: Yeah, that sounds good.
ANNE: When I heard people complain about Berry’s fiction, it’s often about it being quiet. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue for you at all.
GARY: Yeah, I like quiet.
ANNE: Alright, I’m glad to hear it, and I’m glad to hear that you, you know, you know that about yourself as a reader and you have a good idea about what that means as you’re choosing books to pick up.
Now we’re eyeing some graphic novels to pick up, and I – those … Mm, it’s not a quiet genre in my experience, which I don’t think is as broad as yours, but does that ring true?
[00:30:13]
GARY: It does and maybe that’s why I have a hard time. Like I have picked up some graphic novels that I might describe as quiet.
ANNE: Uh huh.
GARY: That I’ve enjoyed, so I haven’t thought about that as a criteria but I think – I think you’re right that there tends to be a lot of violence in the more sci-fi stories, which kinda turns me off and so maybe that’s part of what’s making it trickier.
ANNE: Well as we move forward here, looking for some graphic novels you may love, there’s one book that we have to talk about and maybe looking for some nature writing, like what I’m definitely keeping in mind as some of our favorite reading experiences are. Sometimes things that we feel like oh, this book was like customized assembled for me based on my like specific reading preferences and criteria, but sometimes it’s a work we didn’t see coming, you know we didn’t even know to ask for it or look for it, but we ended up reading it and we’re like ah, this is exactly what I wanted. I think we talked about that surprise and delight factor. Books that surprise us are not necessarily the ones that have all the characteristics we typically enjoy. So those are definitely two things I’m keeping in mind.
So based on your loves, they were The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang, and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, and then not for you was Appleseed by Matt Bell. You wanted more – more open ended questions even though it did have a lot of the elements you really do enjoy. We’re going to choose some books for your TBR that might fit right in there.
GARY: Sounds good.
ANNE: What I want to do is I want to give you some options of series that may be worth exploring. You’re not looking for like 42 book series ideally, correct? Like short sci would be good or even standalones?
GARY: The more contained storytelling, yeah.
ANNE: Okay. So I’m just going to suggest several that I think may be a fun pick for you in the graphic novel realm, but you’re looking for a graphic novel right now. That is really working in your reading life if you’re reading in print and I’d love for you to have some promising leads to investigate, to see if it may hit that magical blend of art plus story plus dialogue that really would characterize your favorite graphic novel or graphic novel series.
[00:32:28]
GARY: I think you’re really onto something with preferring quieter books ‘cause a lot of my favorite graphic novels are much quieter and not in that science fiction genre.
ANNE: Brian K. Vaughn has a series called Paper Girls. It’s six volumes. It’s illustrated by Cliff Chiang. It’s got this major nostalgia vibe because it’s set in the ‘80s and there’s four girls on the same paper route in the Cleveland area and you know, one day they come across something scary in the neighborhood and they have to fight to save their town, but I mean, that is not quiet, philosophical sci-fi, like that is an action story and I wanted to make sure that you had at least seen and had the opportunity to judge for yourself like some of the like big really well, no, really formative series for the genre, like Planetary and Saga.
GARY: I have checked out Saga. I have not heard of Planetary.
ANNE: It’s older. I mean like now it is – it is complete and has been for years. I think it premiered like in the late ‘90s, but definitely like really influential in the genre. Total critical darling, but that does not mean like lots of readers have read it, even though it has like a massive cult following. You know, check it out for yourself. See what you think.
GARY: Yeah, yeah, I’ll check that one out. I’ve also seen the Paper Girls. I think I would like the art in those ones. From the little that I’ve seen, it kinda has a Stranger Things kinda vibe to it.
ANNE: Yes, that comparison gets drawn a lot.
GARY: That definitely seems like one worth checking out.
ANNE: For a sci-fi series We3 by Grant Morrison is a series that is now finished in one collective volume if you’d like to get it that way, but it is also thoughtful and sweet and introspective. It features really adorable animals. There’s three innocent little pets. There’s a dog, a cat, and a rabbit. They have been converted into deadly cyborgs by the bad guys, by a military weapons program. That could - that’s definitely more in the sci-fi realm.
Sea of Stars by Jason Aaron is a series featuring space truckers. which sounds like really big and brash, but the protagonist tells you like no, the reality is it can be boring as anything, but it’s set very much in that world. But I’m also wondering about going again like more introspective, something by like say Tillie Walden, On a Sunbeam is a space story but the focus here is really on the relationships as much as it’s set in this like really imaginative world. But she has really beautiful art and while there’s definitely like forward drive momentum in her stories, but the emotions, the feelings, the big questions are very much what’s at the heart of the story.
[00:35:17]
GARY: That sounds good.
ANNE: I feel like there’s so much we could talk about. We could talk about spiritual memoir and stories featuring characters that are deconstructing and reconstructing and there’s a lot to explore there, and we could talk about nature writing, which I think we’re really going to do, but first we need to talk about a book that directly addresses primary progressive aphasia in the plot.
GARY: That’s surprising yeah, surprising that I haven’t heard about it.
ANNE: You know that’s not the kinda thing like you can search for super easily.
GARY: Yeah, I guess not.
ANNE: I guess you have to talk about it in a place like this. [GARY LAUGHS] So this is contemporary fiction and it was published in 2016. The book is called The Forgetting Time. It’s by Sharon Guskin and at the beginning of the story we have a mother, she’s in New York. Her son is four years old and she just knows that he is not like other kids. She became pregnant while on vacation in Trinidad, like didn’t know the father well. Has never seen him since, but now her child is four and she’s a single parent to him. She’s never been a parent before but she knows that her son is not like other kids. He’s terrified of the water, which is like okay, she can go with that, but he’s always asking for his other mother. At night, he always wants to go home, even when she’s like putting him to bed at night.
One night she has this late night bourbon fueled internet session and she stumbles upon the work of an eccentric scientist and starts to think that maybe like it’s not all in her head and maybe her kid is mentally okay, but maybe he has lived a previous life. And actually she thinks not only has he lived a previous life, but maybe he’s actually died in a previous life. That sounds a little far fetched and you kinda have to like suspend your belief and go for it.
[00:36:58]
GARY: Sure.
ANNE: If you’re going to dive into this book, but the plot does really resist like simplistic solution and easy answers as you like dig further and further into this story. Where the aphasia comes in is that she connects with this eccentric scientist who very quickly becomes her only hope because he is the only one who doesn’t think she is out of her mind to be thinking the things she’s thinking about her son and what might be going on here and she talks to this doctor who for many years has been studying kids like her son who seem to recall details from lives previously lived. This doctor is having troubles of his own. He has been diagnosed with aphasia. He has primary progressive aphasia.
GARY: Huh.
ANNE: You may be able to imagine that even before the diagnosis and the resulting difficulties that are impacting his work every day and just he knows are getting worse, like he definitely feels like he’s in a race against time and you will come to that story and specifically his story with a very different perspective than the vast majority of readers of this book and I’d be very interested in hearing what you think as it does become a race against time, but he’s written this book for the general public. He’s hoping it would preserve his legacy and he just needs one more case study, and of course he thinks oh, this little boy could be his case study so they could become each other’s salvation, but only if he’s able to keep doing the work before the aphasia encroaches more. And I’m wondering as you hear this premise, does that sound interesting to you?
GARY: That sounds fascinating. Particularly the part about the doctor who is like you said in a race against time and that all sounds really fascinating.
ANNE: I think you might be the right audience for that book, but not for a way that Sharon Guskin ever foresaw I imagine and it’s called The Forgetting Time. And now I wanna take you into a nature writing direction. You’re intrigued by the idea. You’ve tried some and it doesn’t work. I want to recommend the book that is a little on the long side. The book I have in mind is called Underland: A Deep Time Journey and it’s by the British author Robert Macfarlane. I read one review who said something like he has basically single handedly revived the fine British tradition of literary natural history writing.
GARY: That name sounds familiar.
ANNE: He’s written quite a few books and usually he is above the ground. He’s writing about mountaintops, like Mountains of the Mind which could also be a good pick for you, The Lost Words — oh, which might actually have your name on it. The Wild Places, but there’s something that sounds really compelling for you about going below the ground because we’re still very much on the earth and he’s still writing about the natural world and yet it feels very other worldly as he describes like in great detail a system of caves he tunnels through to write one section of the book that still has me like kinda cringing and ducking [LAUGHS] as I’m describing it to you cause I don’t think I have claustrophobia until I read something like this.
But he goes all over the world writing about these really interesting places under the ground and he says that he wants to write about — that he wants to explore — what lies beneath the surface of the earth, yes, but also what tends to lie beneath the surface of our minds.
And he has this very interesting approach, like almost twofold where he’s definitely writing about the physical things he sees and their history and their province and their origins. The actual caves, the actual fungi, and yet he’s also writing about what it means for humans. Not just like its effect on our natural world and our continuing as a species but also like philosophically, what does it mean to know these things exist and how should we be thinking about them? And what does it mean for how we move forward? I think he’s writing again in a different genre, but he’s asking the kinds of big questions that you’ve really enjoyed and writing in a style that really works for you. How does that sound?
[00:41:03]
GARY: Tell me if I’m wrong, but it sounds a little bit like the nonfiction version of The Overstory or like a similar vibe.
ANNE: Yes and no. I feel like Powers is like a little more clever and a little zippier, and Robert Macfarlane’s style is to just like really sink in.
GARY: I see.
ANNE: And then sink some more.
GARY: That sounds great.
ANNE: Okay, so we hit on several graphic novel series and standalones. We talked about On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden, the We3 comic series by Grant Morrison. We talked about the old series Planetary and Saga. We talked about Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughn. It’s possible I’m leaving one out there, but we talked about those graphic novels. We hit The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin and then we ended with Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane. Gary, of all the ground we covered, what do you think you may pick up next?
[00:41:55]
GARY: I can’t not read Forgetting Time right away. [ANNE LAUGHS] It seems like very specifically up my alley, so I feel like I need to check that one out.
ANNE: Well I’m so curious to hear what, you know, what given your course of study, your actual life’s work, I’m so curious to hear what you think. Gary, this has been so wonderful. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
GARY: Thank you.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Gary, and I’d love to hear what YOU think he should read next. For the full list of the titles we discussed today, visit our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/327 (that’s 327).
Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter and make sure you’re on the list when the 2022 Summer Reading Guide releases next month. That’s at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
We’re active on Instagram at whatshouldireadnext, and I have my personal account at annebogel. That’s Anne with an E, B as in books, O-G-E-L. Connect with us and tag us in your reading-related posts so we can see what you’re reading lately.
Make sure you’re following in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and more. And tune in next week, when I’ll be talking with a lifelong reader who turned books into her vocation as her city’s Friendly Neighborhood Bookseller.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• Dinotopia by James Gurney
• Nightfall and Other Stories by Isaac Asimov
• Ursula K. LeGuin (try The Left Hand of Darkness)
• The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
• Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
▵ Appleseed by Matt Bell
• The Overstory by Richard Powers
• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• Matrix by Lauren Groff
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #1)
• Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• Slaughterhouse Five: The Graphic Novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Ryan North (story) and Albert Monteys (illustration)
• Peter Enns (try The Evolution of Adam)
• Rachel Held Evans (try Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church)
• Wendell Berry (try Jayber Crow)
• Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
• Paper Girls: The Complete Storyby Brian K. Vaughan (story) and Cliff Chiang (illustration)
• Saga by Brian K. Vaughan (story) and Fiona Staples (illustration)
• The Planetary Omnibusby Warren Ellis (story) and John Cassaday (illustration)
• We3 by Grant Morrison (story) and Frank Quitely (illustration)
• Sea of Stars series by Jason Aaron (story), Dennis Hallum (story) and Stephen Green (illustration) (#1: Lost in the Wild Heavens)
• On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
• The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin
• Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert MacFarlane
• Mountains of the Mind by Robert MacFarlane
• The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane (story) and Jackie Morris (illustration)
• The Wild Places by Robert MacFarlane
The post WSIRN Ep 327: Brilliant books that ask big questions appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This weekend feels full to the brim. I hope you have something to look forward to, and that you find restoration and rejuvenation over these short days. To those celebrating Easter, Passover, and Ramadan: may your observance be meaningful and life-giving.
Mark your calendars! We just announced key dates for this year’s Summer Reading Guide! We’re deep in planning and I couldn’t be more excited. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2022 guide.
My favorite finds from around the web: * Don’t miss the brand-new edition of Quick Lit, featuring short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately.
-
New Yorkers Returned Almost 100,000 Old Library Books After Late Fees Were Eliminated. WOW.
-
When It Comes to Friendships, It’s OK to Be the Planner. “Your gift is logistics and coordination. Other people have different gifts. Appreciating that makes it possible to enjoy friendships more.”
-
ALA Releases Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021.
-
I used to make lemon meringue pies on the regular, but this weekend I’m making my first in many years! This is my recipe of choice.
-
Ignoring a Text Message or Email Isn’t Always Rude. Sometimes It’s Necessary. (gift link) “In these exhausting times, when so many are overburdened with family responsibilities, stress, grief and anxiety, perhaps we should let go of the outdated, demanding requirement to participate in ceaseless back-and-forth conversations.”
-
Favorite items in my spring-to-summer wardrobe.
-
How Barnes & Noble went from villain to hero. (gift link) “To independent booksellers, the enormous chain was once a threat. Now it’s vital to their survival.”
-
We order these easy-to-wear drying patches on repeat at my house.
-
AudioFile Presents: Inside Pride and Prejudice. An event with Jane Austen’s fifth great-niece that explores the author’s legacy and what it’s like to be the last Austen descendant to live in the house where she wrote, and goes behind-the-scenes on the Pride and Prejudice audiobook.
-
Such a cute and easy-to-wear spring dress.
-
The Grief Artist. “In art and grief there are days you’re not proud of, days the emotions turn ugly, days the images don’t turn out the way you want. But that’s the human in us, and it belongs in the process.”
-
More Suggested Reading About Ukraine.
-
These ’90s Shows Were More Groundbreaking Than You Think. Oh, how I loved Felicity and My So-Called Life.
Don’t miss these posts: * Give your reading life a quick boost with these 21 short and satisfying novels. When your attention span is short or your reading life feels lackluster, try a novella! It might just be the pick-me-up your reading life needs.
-
5 common triggers for highly sensitive people, and 5 antidotes to help them. Here’s what HSPs need to feel calm, content, and collected during these overstimulated times.
-
3 poetry anthologies to try for National Poetry Month. This is a great time to read poetry!
Upcoming Events: * April 28: Let’s Talk Poetry with Amena Brown: Whether you’re a seasoned lover or poetry, or approaching the form for the first time, we’ll explore poetry together in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club with special guest Amena Brown—poet, author, and comedic storyteller—sharing inspiration without the intimidation.
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
I’ve been reading up a storm around here! I’m in the thick of Summer Reading Guide preparations, which means I’ve been reading a ton of new-for-2022 releases, but you know I like to bring in some backlist for balance—even if it’s just a little bit.
I was on the road last week visiting colleges—and bookstores—and my conversations with booksellers influenced what I chose to read, as you’ll see below. (I also left signed copies and bookplates in my wake: order those from Main Street Books in Davidson, Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville, and Bookmarks NC in Winston-Salem. That’s the Bookmarks new release table pictured above.)
I’ve been logging books at a steady clip in my reading journal. In fact, this month I filled up my old journal and switched over to a new one! I talked a little bit about how I made the switch in this short video.
This isn’t everything I’ve been reading lately: I recently shared a collection of six audiobooks I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lately; don’t miss that post!
I can’t wait to hear about your recent reads in comments.
Short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately
Author: John Green
I asked Patreon supporters which audiobook I should listen to next for a recent bonus episode and this won in a landslide. I went into this not knowing much about John Green’s personal history, and was surprised to learn that he’d nearly become an Episcopal priest and that he held an early and formative job at Booklist magazine. Each topic he reviews here—Canada geese, sunsets, the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest—is a jumping off point to reflect upon something else, something deeper. Green’s lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression is thoroughly and tenderly documented; it was these moments of deep personal reflections that I enjoyed the most. I’m glad I read it in the audiobook format; Green is an excellent reader of his own work, and the audiobook contains several essays that don’t appear in the print edition. I’ve often said the sign of a great book, to me, is that, long after I turn the final page, I keep thinking about it. More info →
Author: Crystal Wilkinson
I've been a fan of Kentucky poet Crystal Wilkinson since reading her excellent novel The Birds of Opulence several years ago and was eagerly anticipating this new collection, which combines poetry and prose to great effect. Wilkinson seamlessly covers so much ground here—joy and heartbreak, love and trauma, heritage and family, Prince songs and plenty of food. Favorites include the poems Dance and Heritage, and the prose piece Praise Song for the Kitchen Ghosts. Don't miss the striking illustrations by her long-time partner, Ronald W. Davis, which punctuate the text. More info →
Author: Beth O'Leary
You may know O'Leary from works like The Flatshare and The Switch; I've been looking forward to her latest, just out April 12. This is a tricky one to discuss without sharing massive spoilers, which also means it would make an excellent book club read! The premise is this: three women are stood up by the same guy on Valentine's Day—one for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner. As the story unfolds, the reader gets to know each woman, plus the no-show, and slowly begins to figure out what might have happened on that terrible day. This felt like a romantic comedy in the beginning, but gradually gave way to a deeper and surprisingly touching story of love, forgiveness, and second chances. More info →
Author: Julie Otsuka
This new 2022 release made me an instant Julie Otsuka fan: I laughed, I cried, I'm now eager to go back and read everything she's ever written. The story begins with the collective narrative of the devoted regular swimmers at a community pool. But one day a crack appears in the bottom of the pool and it's soon closed to the swimmers. The swimmers, no longer able to gather for their laps, are forced to individually deal with the grave disruption to their routine‚ and no one is affected more than elderly Alice, whose story now takes over the narrative. The surprising pivot from snappy social commentary to a devastating portrait of encroaching dementia is effective and moving. Otsuka is a master of the tiny details throughout, be they witty or heartbreaking. More info →
Author: Blair Fell
When Adah at Main Street Books in Davidson told me this book forever changed the way she sees the world, I couldn't start reading fast enough. This is the story of Arlo, a 23-year-old DeafBlind man whose world opens up when he meets his new interpreter Cyril as he begins courses at the local community college. Arlo's devout Jehovah's Witness guardians disapprove of Cyril because he's agnostic, gay, and inexperienced with DeafBlind clients, but Arlo takes to him immediately; he's never had such a fierce advocate in his corner. Thanks to Cyril, Arlo soon learns that the love of his life, who he never expected to see again, may not be out of reach after all. Fell has been an ASL interpreter for the Deaf for nearly twenty years; his fascinating and enlightening descriptions of the methods and ethics of interpretation absolutely made the story for me. More info →
Author: Shauna Niequist
This collection of short essays and vignettes was my "right book at the right time" read this month. My copy is thoroughly dog-eared and highlighted, and I texted a dozen real-life friends one particular passage from the book. (I talk more about this in this week's new episode of the What Should I Read Next podcast, called "Fiction is my first love.") The book centers on Shauna's midlife experience of having to reconsider many things she thought she knew for sure, and find new ways to live, work, and be in the world when our long-held beliefs and methods fail us. (How interesting to read this on the heels of Adam Grant's Think Again.) Along the way she discusses love and friendship, trauma and loss, parenting and being parented, reading (so much reading!), and moving to Manhattan. I loved it. More info →
Author: Kai Harris
I'm so glad I read this on the recommendation of a bookseller who's joining me on What Should I Read Next (episode coming soon!). It's from Phoebe Robinson's new Tiny Reparations imprint—I'll be keeping an eye on their future titles. This coming of age story unfolds over the course of a single summer, as narrated by 10-year-old Kenyatta, whose family is in upheaval. After her addict father dies and the family loses their Detroit home, her mother sends her and her sister to live with their grandfather in Lansing, where she begins to discover the world is not what she once believed it to be. I found this to be a moving exploration of family, identity, and race. Harris beautifully voiced her young book-loving protagonist; the many references to Anne of Green Gables were apt and touching. A note for sensitive readers: several content warnings apply that are not evident from the publisher's description; please do your research before diving in. More info →
What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Because so many readers are always on the hunt for not just good reads but good listens, I thought it would be fun to share an assortment of what I’ve been enjoying lately in that format.
When it comes to a great listening experience, I’m looking for a great story, well told. I generally prefer fiction and memoir on audio, but I’m willing to take a chance on other genres. In this format I especially appreciate lush descriptions and atmospheric settings, and a fast-moving plot is a plus (though not a requirement) in this format.
I hope this assortment introduces you to your next audiobook read. You know I’d love to hear YOUR favorites in comments!
6 recent audiobook listening experiences I recommend Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Ross Gay
I was nudged to read this by a future What Should I Read Next guest (airing April 12), who named it a favorite and offhandedly said she'd heard the audio was great. I needed a new audiobook, having just finished my previous listen, and downloaded it immediately on the strength of that small mention. Poet Ross Gay started recording the small joys in his life for a year, the simple things we often overlook. The essays range from short paragraphs to longer meditations about everything from pickup basketball games to his garden. He reminds us to find delight in the every day, even in spite of life’s injustices and difficulties that so often come our way. In fact, I was struck by how often life's joys nestle right up alongside life's disappointments, failures, and even terrors—both in this collection an in my own life. Thoughtful, poetic, and powerful. Read one essay a day or gobble it up when you need a boost. Narrated by the author. 5 hrs. More info →
Author: Elizabeth Strout
This was the right book at the right time for me; I listened to Kimberly Farr's excellent narration on audio, and loved it so much I named it one of the things saving my life this winter. It's a reflective, often wistful narrative, voiced by Lucy Barton about her first husband William, whom she has—against all odds—remained friends with after their marriage ended many years before. I blew through this in two days because I couldn't stop listening to Lucy's thoughtful, sometimes arresting thoughts about what makes relationships succeed or fail, what it means to be a family, how one conversation can change a relationship and even a life, and how a single revelation about a person may transform our understanding of who they are. I was thrilled to read recently that Strout's next novel, due in September, will continue Lucy and William's story through the early days of the pandemic. 7 hrs. More info →
Author: Doireann Ní Ghríofa
"This is a female text." These beginning words are repeated, over and over, throughout. But what to say about this story, how to define it? Words fail me here, because it's so unlike anything I've ever read: part memoir, part meditation on the female creative process, part biography of a long-dead Irish poet, plus a translation of the poet's best-known work. If you're stirred by the offer of gaining a glimpse inside the mind of a modern poet grappling with her brilliant predecessors, read this immediately—and strongly consider listening to Siobhán McSweeney's perfect narration. This went straight on my Best of the Year list, and ever since I read it I've been recommending it non-stop. 7 hrs 51 min. More info →Chirp
Author: Mary Lawson
I’ve been making my way through Mary Lawson’s backlist because in 2022 I resolved to become a completist for more of the authors I love. Lawson excels at slice of life novels; here her sharp eye falls on two generations of farmers in Ontario: brothers Arthur and Jake in the 1930s who are torn apart when a new woman comes to town and Ian, part of the next generation in the 1950s. Lawson doesn’t shy away from depicting sibling rivalry or just how far obsession can go, or the devastation WWII wreaks in their tiny northern town. This was wonderfully written and also incredibly difficult to read, because brutal things befall seemingly every character, beginning, middle, and end. If you decide to pick this up, know that you're in good hands with Lawson's writing—and also that you're undeniably reading a tragedy. My own listening experience was stunning, even though I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" this book; it was too hard for that. Narrated by Brendan McMurtry-Howlett and Frank Cox-O'Connell. 10 hrs 50 min. More info →
Author: Rebecca Serle
Funny thing: I'd been thinking about reading this, and finally decided to begin when I found out Lauren Graham read the audiobook, perhaps because the epigraph is from Gilmore Girls. But then I got swept up in the story and wanted to finish as quickly as possible so I switched to print. Ha! When twenty-something Katy loses her mother to cancer, she loses her best friend in the world, and she has no idea what to do next. She makes the difficult decision to travel to the Amalfi Coast—painful, because she and her mother had planned to take this trip together. At a charming hotel in Positano, Katy imagines what her own mother's visit must have been like many years before, when she first visited the hotel in which Katy is finding solace. But then—Katy's mother appears, in the flesh, though she isn't yet Katy's mother, because she's just thirty years old. This was touching and tender and I inhaled it in a day. My favorite Rebecca Serle to date. 6 hrs 21 min. More info →
Author: John Green
I asked Patreon supporters which audiobook I should listen to next and this won in a landslide. I went into this not knowing much about John Green’s personal history. I was surprised to learn that he’d nearly become an Episcopal priest, and that he held an early and formative job at Booklist magazine. Each topic he reviews here—Canada geese, sunsets, the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest—is a leaping off point to reflect upon something else, something deeper. Green’s lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression is thoroughly and tenderly documented. It was these moments of deep personal reflections that I enjoyed the most. I’m glad I read it in the audiobook format; Green is an excellent reader of his own work, and the audiobook contains several essays that don’t appear in the print edition. I’ve often said the sign of a great book, to me, is that, long after I turn the final page, I keep thinking about it. I’m still thinking about this one. 10 hrs 3 min. More info →
What have you been listening to lately? Fill up our audiobook TBR lists in the comments.
P.S. 7 Ways To Discover Your Audiobook Style, 15 super short audiobooks you can finish in four hours or less, and 15 of your favorite narrators, plus 35 books they narrate.
The post 6 audiobooks I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lately appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
My daughter has been eager (to put it lightly) to enter the working world for some time, and this month she got her first job. After months of research and planning and dreaming and one nerve-wracking interview, she’s working the counter at a local bakery and she LOVES it—the business, the bustle, the TIPS!
We’ve been telling friends and family about her big milestone and sending out photos of her in her uniform. They all want reports on how it’s going. Some have even visited her at work, so they can see her in her element and ask her to ring them up for cookies and cupcakes.
These conversations often lead places I didn’t expect, though perhaps I should have. As it turns out, hearing about my daughter’s first job leads many people to reminisce about their own entry into the workforce. Not the pay-the-rent kind of jobs they had later, but the early earning opportunities of their teenage years.
When I was a teenager, I dreamed of a job like my daughter’s! I wanted to punch in a time card, wear a uniform, earn a regular paycheck I could take to the bank. But I didn’t do that till college. Instead, I babysat. I babysat ALL THE TIME. On weekend mornings, my dad recruited me to work in his law firm, replying to the incoming mail on the weekends while his paralegal was off. Both jobs paid well—better than my friends were making at the movie theater or ice cream shop—but I still romanticized the idea of getting a JOB job, one with a schedule posted on the wall, a monogrammed polo, and coworkers. (In hindsight, I think this last point was most important, but did I see that at the time? Of course not.)
In my college years I continued to babysit (which, truly, was the best job I could have had then). And I also got my first job with a time card, at the college library (I know you’re shocked!), where I worked the checkout desk and shelved returned books. My library job didn’t require a uniform, but it did provide regular paychecks, which I took great satisfaction in promptly depositing despite the hourly rate being half that of babysitting.
In my early twenties, I finally got a job that required a uniform, though I was old enough then that the idea had lost its charm. (And honestly, the company-laundered logo shirts I had to don for each shift were always a little bit stinky.) I waited tables for a time in the evenings, after I finished at my day job, an experience that I still, twenty years later, think of often, for all it taught me about not just coping with stress on my feet, but about being a good (kind, fair, gracious) customer.
My daughter goes to her fourth shift at the bakery today. The experience is still shiny and new; she’s still learning the ropes. But she’s so excited about all she has time to learn while she’s still in her high school years. I’m excited for her. I’m a little bit jealous. And, even though I know not every shift will be pure delight (if only!), I’m glad I get to watch her go through it all.
What words of advice would you offer my daughter for her first job? What was YOUR first job? We want to hear everything in comments!
The post What was your first job? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re taking care of some business, celebrating a birthday, and visiting a nature preserve our friend is building (so cool, right?) I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of good reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: * How Jason Reynolds Distinguishes Y.A. Books From Adult Fiction. I love the way he talks about his work. (Gift link.)
-
Netflix Sets Liz Tigelaar To Adapt New York Times Bestseller ‘The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’ Into Feature Film.
-
My new favorite spring sweater. (The medium is a great fit for me.)
-
The Baby-Sitters Club Wasn’t Enough for Netflix Anymore. Disappointing news, with interesting insight into how these calls get made.
-
Madeline Miller: ‘Reading Ayn Rand was like being dipped in slime’. I grinned my way through this whole interview.
-
The Final Recipe: Assembling Boston Cream Pie with Ina. I’ll confess: this made me tear up a little. A fabulous and fitting ending to an ambitious and joy-filled project.
-
Ukraine’s Vivat Publishing House Fights to Survive. “All of our efforts are being directed to help readers and the citizens of Ukraine to make sense of the events happening to them, to help them avoid becoming a victim of Russia’s hostile propaganda and the fake news, which has flooded our country.”
-
5 ways to style a striped tee for spring. Fresh, fun looks, even though this post isn’t brand-new.
-
Celebrate National Craft month! Get your Craftsy Premium Membership for only $1.49 for your first full year (normally $89.99). (You might not guess it from the brand name but Craftsy features quite a few classes for writers as well.)
-
We’ve Underestimated Sprinkles. There’s so much I didn’t know!
-
The Joy Of Researching Historical Fiction. It’s always interesting to learn about someone’s research process.
-
I just impulse bought one of these adorable goldfish plants, my first plant purchase in over a year!
-
Advice on Life and Creative Integrity from Calvin and Hobbes Creator Bill Watterson. Love this.
Don’t miss these posts: * 14 introspective literary fiction books that are excellent on audio. Ever have to remind yourself you’re listening to fiction? These audiobooks are more like page-turning memoirs!
-
11 books that are better in the spring. These books have themes that coincide with earth’s bursting to life after a long, cold winter: books about renewal and rebirth, about second chances and making things new.
-
37 fun, useful, and generally worthwhile gifts for your kids’ Easter baskets.
Upcoming Events: * March 30: The Light of the World book discussion: Time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander!
- April 7: Poetry 101 with Tania Runyan: April is National Poetry Month! Learn the why and how of reading poetry from poet and author of How to Read a Poem Tania Runyan. This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club class.
- April 28: Let’s Talk Poetry with Amena Brown: Whether you’re a seasoned lover or poetry, or approaching the form for the first time, we’ll explore poetry together in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club with special guest Amena Brown—poet, author, and comedic storyteller—sharing inspiration without the intimidation.
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Paris has always captured the hearts and imaginations of writers, artists, and readers. So many now-classic authors including Edith Wharton, Ernest Hemingway, and James Baldwin wrote novels while visiting the City of Lights; contemporary authors of my acquaintance have traveled to Paris for inspiration, research, or for extended writing retreats. Artists in all mediums dream of creating, eating, and walking their way through the streets of Paris.
Many readers are eager to visit this literary (and foodie) paradise as well. (I certainly am—I haven’t been since I was seventeen years old, and I am itching to get back for a grown-up visit!) My hope is that this list will make you even more excited about your next trip or provide a safe and affordable means of escape via armchair travel.
To send you off on your literary adventure, I’m sharing fifteen stand-out titles that I’ve read and loved or that are sitting on my To Be Read pile. There are countless books about Paris (hurray!) and there’s no way to include them all here. We’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments.
15 books that will take you to Paris Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here**.
Author: David Lebovitz
If you're the type that tends to over-romanticize the City of Lights, let David Lebovitz snap you back to reality. As an American expat who chose to move to France, he loves Paris—but he also has no qualms about exposing the ridiculous, baffling, and frustrating side of le France. (I still laugh when I think of his claim that he didn't REALLY feel like he belonged until the day he put on dress pants and a freshly ironed shirt to take out the trash). Lebovitz's niche is food writing, and while you'll hear plenty of stories of navigating the city, you'll also find food on nearly every page. Plan to be inspired to make (or at least eat) French favorites like warm goat cheese salad, chocolate mousse, and macarons. A perfect read for those who have lived in Paris, been to Paris, or just want a good laugh. More info →
Author: Julia Child
Child was 36 when her husband's job necessitated a move to Paris just a few years after WWII. This is the story of how she fell in love with the city and its cuisine—and it all began with the restlessness she experienced upon arrival. Child found herself at loose ends in the city, with no job or other obligations, and so began she began shopping the French markets, falling in love with the French approach to food, and finally enrolling in cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu. This joyful memoir is full of life: Julia’s tales will entertain, inspire, and make you laugh out loud. More info →
Author: Julie Orringer
This book first landed on my radar when a What Should I Read Next guest chose it as a favorite. (That's Episode 157 with Georgia Hunter: The stories behind the stories we love to read.) When a Hungarian-Jewish architecture student arrives in Paris with a letter he promised to deliver, he unwittingly begins a complicated relationship with its recipient. Spanning 1937 to 1945 in both Paris and Budapest, this historical fiction debut explores Hungary’s role as allies to Germany during WWII. At 786 pages, this is a TOME so I’ve been putting it off ... but feel free to talk me into reading it now in comments! More info →
The story behind this story is heartbreaking: Irène Némirovsky, a Ukrainian Jew, was a bestselling author in Paris when she began working on this novel in the early 1940s. In 1942, she was deported to Auschwitz, where she died one month later. She had written the first two parts of this planned five-part novel before her arrest, which were hidden in a suitcase. Her daughters had the manuscript for years, not knowing what they possessed, until they finally took a look and did not find the journals they expected. They published this sixty-four years later, as translated by Sandra Smith. The connected vignettes explore the exodus from Paris before the Nazi invasion, as well as the German occupation of a small village. This is possibly the earliest work of fiction about World War II. More info →
Author: Muriel Barbery
This novel has been languishing on my TBR list for years; in fact, the a gorgeous Europa edition has been sitting on my "priority reads" cart for ages! My readerly friends are split: some love it, some hate it, some say it's over their heads. I've been intending to read it and see for myself. I've been warned that the characters are pretentious and often unlikable, but that I'll come to see them as endearing, and may appreciate the underlying message that art and beauty give life meaning. (I've also been told not to give up until Mr. Ozu shows up.) There's nothing like a translated work (this by Alison Anderson) to fully immerse yourself in some armchair travel. More info →
Author: Ernest Hemingway
The best part of Hemingway's classic memoir may be the setting: 1920s Paris. In this series of sketches, Hemingway remembers what it was like to be a young, struggling artist in Paris during that time, surrounded by a host of literary greats including Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sylvia Beach, Ezra Pound ... the list goes on. The prose is quintessential Hemingway: spare and precise, with every word pulling its weight. (No wonder so many writers cite this slim volume as a favorite.) Pick this up if you want to feel city life leaping from the page. More info →
Author: Ann Mah
Ann Mah’s delectable memoir is a rich account of culinary—and expat—life in Paris, City of Light and city of her dreams, where she sinks in for three glorious years when her diplomat husband is stationed there … that is, before he gets reassigned to Iraq, alone, stranding her in an unknown city. You’ll cheer her on as she tentatively explores Paris, dabbles in its cuisine, and begins to build her own community far from home. We had such fun reading this together in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and chatting with the author last year. This recent memoir echoes My Life in France and would make an excellent companion read. More info →
Authors: Allison Pataki, Owen Pataki
Allison Pataki has a well-deserved reputation for writing excellent historical fiction. Here she tackles the French Revolution with the help of her brother Owen Pataki. Tracing the effects of the Revolution and Terror on the lives of two linked Frenchman, Pataki explores courage, democracy, and love, while emphasizing why the Revolution's lessons remain important today. Featuring cameos from pillars of history such as Louis XVI, Robespierre, and Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, and making historical events feel immediate, as the best fiction does. More info →
Authors: Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb
Though the title is Christmas-y, this epistolary novel, which tells the story of a great romance, is wonderful for any time of year. When the Great War begins, Evie believes (as do many others), that it will all be over by Christmas. As her brother Will and his friend Thomas leave for the front, they make plans to meet for a holiday in Paris when the war is resolved. As time passes, Evie feels helpless and struggles to find a way to help the cause, while Will and Thomas experience the trials and terrors of war. The letters between Evie and Thomas are candid and heartfelt. Highly recommended for fans of For fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Audiophile alert: I hear this one is excellent in that format. More info →
Author: Roshani Chokshi
My friend Leigh describes this as "Six Of Crows meets Ocean’s Eleven meets The Librarians, with a dash of Indiana Jones." Full of mystery and adventure, this YA historical fantasy set in the glittering world of 1899 Paris is part heist, part treasure hunt. In this world, the Order of Babel rules. Some people are divinely gifted with Forging affinities, allowing them to change or enhance creation. Séverin, the denied heir of House Vanth, delights in reclaiming the items sold off from his House and tracking down Order items for those who will pay him and his crew of friends. I'm told the series gets better and better. More info →
Author: Chris Pavone
This is Pavone's exciting second installment of the Kate Moore series, which began with The Expats. (It stands alone well enough, but I wouldn't complain if you read them in order.) Kate's family is now happily settled in Paris; the story begins on a day like any other in the city—until a massive terrorist attack begins. But Kate soon realizes things are not what they seem and that somehow the truth involves her family. If your reading experience is anything like mine, you'll race through the pages of this espionage thriller! More info →
Author: James Baldwin
Baldwin's iconic novel explores desire, love, and identity in 1950s Paris. James Baldwin draws on his own Parisian experiences and travels and constructs the most beautiful sentences. The story follows David, a young American in Paris whose girlfriend just left him. Following her absence, he explores his own sexuality and grapples with modern masculinity, social expectations, and guilt. There's so much to unpack in such a short classic. More info →
Author: Alexander Chee
This glittering novel of the Paris Opera is full of drama, intrigue, and secrets, and features a memorable main character. Lilliet Berne (inspired by the real-life opera singer Jenny Lind) is the leading soprano, the best of the best and a shining star. She craves an original role, but when one is finally offered to her, she's shocked to find it's based on a secret from her past—a secret that only four people know. Who could have betrayed her? Seeking the truth in her memories, she recalls her life as an orphan and the countless transformations she underwent along the way to beginning her opera career. The book is thoroughly grounded in its 19th century Parisian setting, and almost reads like a novel from that era. (Though be warned: Chee doesn't use quotation marks!) More info →
Author: Esi Edugyan
This Man Booker Prize finalist has been on my TBR list since I read Washington Black. Edugyan's historical fiction story spans WWII Paris and 1952 Berlin, but the vivid depiction of salons, cafés, and jazz clubs lands this novel on the Paris list. The Hot Time Swingers are about to make it big when the Nazis forbid them to play. Hieronymus Falk, their star trumpet player, is arrested and never heard from again. Falk was Black, a German citizen, and considered a musical genius at the age of 20. Years later, Falk's band members take a journey from Berlin to Paris, revealing the intricacies of the events leading up to Falk's arrest. More info →
Author: Janet Skeslien Charles
A dual timeline story based on the librarians at the American Library during WWII. In 1939 Paris, Odile has a dream job at the library when Nazis march into Paris. She joins the Resistance with her fellow librarians but she’s staggered by betrayal before the war ends. In 1983 Montana, Odile is befriended by her teen neighbor and reluctantly begins to share about her past, leading to an unexpected connection. Readers keep telling me to read this and with two different copies in the house and the audiobook downloaded to my phone, I don’t have an excuse not to follow through. More info →
Which books set in Paris have you read and loved? Tell us in comments!
P.S. Here are 130 recommended reads for those traveling to New York City, 65 recommended reads for those traveling to England (or who want to!), and 20 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Iceland.
The post 15 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Paris appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, stories of family reading connections always bring a smile to my face, and we’ve embraced a bit of a grandparent-grandchild trend lately! Last week, Houston told us about her grandmother signing her up for her first library card, and today’s guest is a grandmother who’s helping her grandkids grow into readers.
Joanne Booy’s life has taken her to some interesting places, and she’s carried her love of reading with her across continents. Whether she was making a pilgrimage to the nearest bookstore in Kenya or working as a teacher librarian in Canada, reading has helped her connect with the world around her.
When the Covid-19 lockdowns came to their town in Canada, Joanne started sending her four grandchildren regular library deliveries, so they’d never be without a book in their hands. Picking out books for younger readers can be a challenge all its own, so Joanne and I talk about how she selected the books she sent them, and how this simple act kept them close during a challenging time when they couldn’t be together in person.
Of course, we also talk about what Joanne’s reading lately, and what she’s looking for right now. And, I think you’ll enjoy our conversation about Joanne’s favorite author, who also wrote the book she hated, and what that might mean for her reading life.
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Curious to see what Joanne reads next? Peek into her reading life at her blog.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
ANNE: Well, you know, fine-free is the new trend.
JOANNE: They actually are fine-free, but they've lost a few books. [BOTH LAUGH]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 324.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, when you pre-order my new kids’ book journal, My Reading Adventures, before the book comes out on August 2, you and your 8-12 year old readers will receive bonus gifts! We’ll send you custom stickers to enjoy now, an exclusive reading list featuring my top series to read with kids (just in time for spring break!), and a downloadable guide for parents with tips to encourage young readers.
Plus, when you pre-order My Reading Adventures now, you’ll know the journal will show up at your door in the midst of that hectic, end-of-summer, back-to-school season when your kids need some extra delight and you need a break! It’s a gift for your young reader and your future self.
Learn more and pre-order your copy at modernmrsdarcy.com/kidsjournal.
Readers, our guest last week started a lifelong library love affair thanks to her grandmother, and today I’m talking to a grandmother who is nurturing the next generation of readers!
Joanne Booy has lived around the world in the midst of diverse peoples and cultures, but one thing’s always been the same: her love of reading. Whether she was making a pilgrimage to the nearest bookstore in Kenya or working as a teacher librarian in Canada (where she now lives), she’s always turned to reading as both a diversion and a way to create connection.
When her community was faced with Covid lockdowns, Joanne took on the role of book genie to her four grandchildren, ensuring they received a steady supply of library deliveries when they couldn’t leave the house. Joanne and I chat today about the art of finding the right books for eager young readers, and how curating her grandkid’s reading selections gave her an enjoyable window into their world and helped strengthen their connection during a difficult time.
And we dig into Joanne’s own reading life, her search for titles that are well-written and life-affirming, and why she HATED a book written by one of her favorite authors. I leave her with recommendations for reading gems that I think she’ll connect with across a variety of genres.
Let’s get to it!
Joanne, welcome to the show.
[00:02:32]
JOANNE: Hi, Anne. It's great to be here.
ANNE: Joanne, what brings you to What Should I Read Next today?
JOANNE: I thought about it over the years. I've listened to your podcast for quite some time. I just never thought I was interesting enough, but then [ANNE LAUGHS] when I started doing a new bookish project during the pandemic I thought oh, that might be kinda timely.
ANNE: Well I am looking forward to hearing more about that. Joanne, what are you typically doing on a Tuesday morning when the show comes out?
JOANNE: I'm usually sewing. I listen to the podcast while I'm sewing. I'm a quilter and I have to say that your voice is probably stitched into quite a few quilts.
[00:03:05]
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I am honored. Thank you very much. And where are you in the world?
JOANNE: Well, I live in Canada. Just outside of Toronto, but we lived many years overseas. My husband's an international development worker, humanitarian aid worker, and we're retired now, but we lived for 20 years in two different countries in Africa and six years in the U.K.. Through my life I've had to adapt to change and challenges and it's kinda been a theme in my life, so I've been thrown out of my comfort zone quite a few times. [LAUGHS] But I've always managed to keep books as part of the journey.
ANNE: Could you tell us a little more about the different places you've lived, and especially how your reading life has followed you around the globe.
JOANNE: So when we were first married, we moved to Sierra Leone and we lived in a tiny remote village. We had no electricity. No running water. This is of course before cell phones and internet, so even though I didn't read much as a child. My reading really got rooted in those six years because it was actually our default form of evening entertainment. The sun would go down at 6:30 and we'd sit by buggy kerosene lamps and read our books. [LAUGHS]
So books were very precious. We didn't have many of them, so when a book arrived, we all read it and even our project colleagues read it and we would have impromptu book club conversations when we saw each other. Those six years were really foundational for my husband and I, and living with scarcity for six years really made me learn not to take things for granted.
After that we moved to Tanzania. We lived for 13 years. Then we lived in a city with more infrastructure and an international school, but still no libraries or bookstores in English language and no TV at first for quite a few years. My sister-in-law actually gave me three of the first Harry Potter books and I didn't know what they were. I put them aside for Christmas. Then my son had malaria and he was recovering and really bored, and so I pulled those books out and gave them to him. Well he just ripped through them. Loved them. We all ended up reading them and after that we were very excited to, you know, make our annual trip to Nairobi to get another installment. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: Tell me about the bookstore in Nairobi.
JOANNE: Well it was nice. It wasn't Disneyland. [LAUGHS] We had -- you know, they had the latest, then you know, Arusha is also the doorstep to the Serengeti, another game parks with African wildlife and, you know, for most people going on a Safari or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, which is very near to us too is a trip of a lifetime and when our kids were little, they thought it was perfectly normal to go to see elephants and giraffes and zebras on the weekends. In fact, when our oldest daughter was very little, she misnamed one of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles The Lion, The Witch, and the Warthog. [ANNE LAUGHS]
So yeah, my bookish pursuit there in Arusha was actually building a used book library. Our church had a book cart with a few books on it and I asked people to donate more and it grew to a wall and a number of shelves, and then the Church built a new building and I got a purpose built room, so that library in that church is still functioning to this day.
[00:06:16]
ANNE: Joanne, how did you happen to settle in Canada?
JOANNE: When the kids were 14, 16, and 18, we actually moved back to Canada. I thought I might go back and get a library science degree, but I got offered by a weird set of circumstances, my dream job. I became a teacher librarian for eight years in a private high school where our two younger kids attended and I just loved sharing the joy of reading and helping students find good information.
And then the school built a brand new library and I got to help design it, so that was amazing. They gave me this gorgeous atrium space where I helped build an open concept, multi-purpose space with group work and computers and lots of books of course and window seats. So that made the job even better. Settled into the new space and I love the job even more, but you can probably guess what happened next. We had to move again.
Happily we moved – our kids were grown up now – but we moved to England, which was amazing. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to be there. We lived there for six years. We lived in the cutest little historic town that you've ever seen. It was called Eton. It was right across the river from Windsor Castle. I could open my bedroom curtains in the morning and see Windsor Castle tower and the Royal Standard would be flying and I would know the Queen was in.
A fantastic place to live for a while, but I was still really sad and a little bit grumpy about losing my library job that I loved so much, but you know, such is the love of books. So I have a reading log. My husband suggested that I turn the log into a blog, and so that's when Joanne's Reading Blog was born, and eleven years later it's still growing strong.
ANNE: Well congratulations. But now you're back in Canada.
[00:08:00]
JOANNE: We are, and we moved back to Canada again when the grandchildren started to arrive, and then a couple of years later the pandemic hit and we were in to lockdown. Libraries were closed. We couldn't see our children, even though they lived right across town. Our poor kids were going crazy. They were trying to work from home and they were you know, taking care of their kids. It was really frustrating for me as an Oma – I'm an Oma because I'm Dutch – I couldn't go over and help like I used to, and so I had to get creative and I came up with an idea.
I got their library login and started putting picture books on hold for them to collect curbside. It was really fun for me. It was fun for my librarian heart and healing for my Oma heart and it was something they had no time for, so I actually – I'm still doing it. You know, the libraries are open now, but I'm still doing it because it really was a lot of fun and it is still a lot of fun.
Our daughter jokes that she can tell what's happening in the family by the books that I order, so you know, Berenstain Bears Go Camping or Toilet Tales or Very Cranky Bear [ANNE LAUGHS] or whatever, so ... So I actually – it's a little bit nerdy – but I do have to check in regularly with their account and I do their renewals, but I do draw the line at paying overdue fines, so.
ANNE: Well, you know, fine-free is the new trend.
JOANNE: They actually are fine-free, but they've lost a few books. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: Okay. It's still very expensive to lose books. Joanne, how old are your grandchildren now?
JOANNE: They're ... Actually, well the oldest one just turned five today, and then there's ...
ANNE: Aw. Happy birthday.
JOANNE: One was born in December and there's a two year old and a three year old. Four grandchildren under the age of five, so family dinners are chaotic, but it's lovely. They're lovely.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Last week I talked to Houston Luke who talked about how her grandmother gave her good books to read and that was absolutely formative in her reading life and now it's so wonderful to get to talk to the grandmother who's doing the formation in her young people's reading lives. So your grandchildren already love books, but you and I both know how difficult it can be to keep a child who loves to read surrounded by good books because they go through them so quickly. Even if they do love to read the same ones over and over again, they go through them so quickly.
You have a lot of familiarity with this from many different roles you've filled in your life. Tell me a little bit about what's so tricky about matching up great books with kids who want to read, but don't necessarily know what they want to read? I think a lot of young parents or educators or childcare providers are really surprised to realize you can't just walk into a library and grab a stack and go, and I just remember when my children were young – I was pretty young when I had my children – I remember going into the library and looking at the thousands of books surrounding me in the children's section and thinking I have no idea how to tell what's good. Like if I know what I am looking for I can find it on the shelf but I don't know what I'm looking for and I don't know how to know.
[00:10:58]
JOANNE: And it's actually particularly difficult with picture books because they will have some on display in the library, but most of them are spine facing out and there's no way you can figure out ,you know, which books they are on the shelf. It's very difficult with picture books.
ANNE: Mmhm. And you can pull them off the shelf one at a time, but that is very time consuming, especially if there isn't a pandemic on and you have said children with you who don't necessarily [LAUGHS] want to watch you vet all the titles they might take on with them.
JOANNE: That's right. They may not pick the books that you may want them to pick, right? [LAUGHS] That's the other option. It's good if they can pick some of their own, of course, but this way I can really target authors that I know they like and good authors and I keep a spreadsheet so, you know, I track a little bit. I talk to them. I find out what they like. I think about what's going on in their life and what they might like to read about and it's worked really well. It's actually just a nice project for me. I enjoy it a lot.
ANNE: I think we find, especially during the pandemic, that so many people are reading and looking for books not just for themselves but for others in their lives. Do you have any tips for those who are looking for books for the young readers in their lives?
JOANNE: I think it's just being aware of authors to, you know, research that online. Go to your favorite bookstore online and look at their staff picks. Look at book lists. I'm sure there's other blogs that focus on children's books. I just zoom around a bit on [LAUGHS] Google and look at what the latest greatest is. I also have ... There's a bookstore in Michigan that has great recommendations, so I get their newsletter. Brilliant Books.
[00:12:32]
ANNE: Who are your grandchildrens' favorite authors?
JOANNE: The two year old loves singing along with Raffi's songs for a while. The five year old loves dinosaurs and rockets and beginning to get ready to read, so Pete the Cat [ANNE LAUGHS] is a favorite and I actually scored and by accident got a read along that he was amazed with. He thought it was magic, right, that the book was reading to him. [LAUGHS] All by itself. And his sister loved that too, so yeah, it's a little bit luck, you know, and it's a little bit just trying different things and I'm sure there's a lot of things that don't resonate with them, but that's where communication helps and I read to them when they come over so I kinda know what they like.
ANNE: So it sounds like you are an avid user of the holds system.
JOANNE: Yes. I keep my list, my TBR list on Goodreads and I work the list from both ends. [BOTH LAUGH] So I get the older books from the library print copy and that way I can keep them for a long time. I can keep renewing them, and then the latest greatest I put on my ebook and I can just have them all suspended and let them go one at a time, and then I also listen to audiobooks, nonfiction while I'm sewing along with your podcast. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: So latest and greatest. That's a phrase you've used a few times. What do you have in mind when you say that?
JOANNE: I guess the recommendations I hear on your podcast, book lists that I look at, new books that have come out.
ANNE: New, promising titles. Okay. Joanne, we're going to get into your reading life. How did you choose the books that you're going to talk about today?
JOANNE: Well generally the books I picked represent the type of gems that I'm always looking for, so this is really hard because there's a lot of them because I am always looking for those gems that are well written, wise, life affirming, you know, reveal a slice of humanity, have a bit of humor, good pacing, plotting, surprising in some way. I like a straightforward style in a book.
I guess the authors that I'm thinking of with these types of books are William Kent Kruger, Mary Lawson, Matt Haig, TJ Klune. Across the genres you can find books with a perspective that you appreciate. Kent Haruf is another one. And so that's generally what I'm always looking for and so that's what I look for to choose my books, but specifically I picked one African connection, one U.K. connection, and a picture book.
[00:15:00]
ANNE: Well, Joanne, you know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately and we will talk about what you may enjoy reading next that will … That was quite a robust list you have of what you're looking for in a book. I think I'm really getting a picture already of what you're looking for, and I can't wait to see how that's represented in these actual titles.
JOANNE: Great, I'm excited.
ANNE: Tell me about your first favorite.
JOANNE: Okay, my first favorite is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. That's my African connection, which might be a little confusing since it's set in North Carolina, but I'll get to that in a minute. I love this book because it focused on Kya, who was abandoned by her whole family and she had to survive all by herself in an isolated situation. She grew up in the marsh and it's fascinating how the marsh became her emotional and physical sustenance. The town people just didn't understand her and she was very marginalized by them and they were I think they didn't understand her, so they were afraid of her and called her the marsh girl.
Now the beginning of the book there's a murder of course becuase of who she is, the town thinks that she did it, and there's a court case and I won't say more about what happens in the book, but there's some beautiful surprises at the end. The writing is beautiful and it's just one of these immersive stories that just carried me along.
The African connection is this is Delia's first novel, but when she was younger, she and her husband were wildlife photographers in Africa, and so she experienced isolation there and also a real connectedness with nature that Delia was able to bring to a different – totally different context in Where the Crawdads Sing in North Carolina. So I thought that was very clever and I really thought she wrote the isolation really well. I've experienced isolation myself and I think that really came through well.
ANNE: That is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Joanne, what did you choose for your second favorite book?
JOANNE: Okay, my second book is the U.K. connection, so it's The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon. This book is funny. [SIGHS] Quirky. Charming. It has deep and sharp insights into human behavior, so it's set in a small town England. It's part whodunit, part coming of age about the secrets behind every door and it captures British suburban life so well. The story is during a heat wave on a small British culdesac in 1976, a woman goes missing, and two young girls decide to investigate. The girls tackle both simple logistics but also be existential questions while they search and investigate to find out what happened to Mrs. Creasy.
And so this book put me right back on our little street in Eton where we lived. It's just a very quirky, charming, beautifully written. There were so many sentences that were really about ordinary stuff, but I wrote them down because they were just so well crafted and showed such an insight into humanity. The author is a British psychiatrist and so she brings a really neat element to the book that way.
She's written another book that did exactly the same thing called Three Things About Elsie, which is about a seniors home and so she brought a lot of deep insights into that experience with that, so the book is also completely funny. There's hilarious situational comedy, but also it features classic British quick wit, you know. The British have a great sense of humor and that just shines through in this book, so it's a neat combination of funny and serious because Joanna Cannon also has a memoir about her own story of burnout as a healthcare worker called Breaking and Mending, which I haven't read yet but I want to because I think it's hugely relevant right now.
[00:18:53]
ANNE: That's so interesting. I didn't know about her memoir. Another book with a connection to a place you've lived. That is The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon. And Joanne, what did you choose to complete your favorites list?
JOANNE: I chose a picture book. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Charlie Mackesy himself says that the story is for eight or eighty. Sometimes I feel I am both. [ANNE LAUGHS] It has exquisite illustrations. They're just simple sketches really but they're accompanied by some really simple words to live by and yet even though everything is super simple and sorta looks unfinished, there's a beautiful perspective that's communicated. A bravery, acceptance, friendship, kindness, resilience. It's – it's really life affirming and very real. It doesn't … It's not like a hallmark card, and the sketches are like I said a bit unfinished and imperfect, which is kinda like us all, you know. We're all a work in progress and we all get scared. We all are unsure about things and we're all in need of a bit of kindness and I just – I just love the book for that. I bought many copies and given them to people I love because it's just a book that you will pick up often in your life.
ANNE: Yes, I've heard so many people say that that one was ... I don't know if fun for the whole family is the word, but yes that eight to eighty is actually quite an adept description that people are finding to be true in their own reading lives. Oh, what led you to pick that one up?
[00:20:24]
JOANNE: I don't actually know how this came across. I should keep better notes of where I find books. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I don't know. Sometimes it's nice to feel like the right book just dropped out of the sky for you.
JOANNE: It's true. Books have a way of finding us at just the right time. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: That was The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Now, Joanne, tell me about a book that didn't land right for you.
JOANNE: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, and you know, it had all the elements. It should have been a favorite of mine. I bought it because of all the elements that I thought I would connect with and I just didn't. Patchett is a favorite author of mine. I love Bel Canto. State of Wonder has the best snake story I've ever read.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I have to say that's not a category I keep in my reading log. [LAUGHS]
JOANNE: Well you haven't lived in Africa, right? [LAUGHS] I'm Dutch. I love books with houses that are a character in the story. I love that Patchett has a bookstore. I love family sagas. I should have liked this book and I just didn't connect with it. I don't know why. I - I think I might try to listen to it in audiobook form. I mean Tom Hanks might raise it up a level for me. We'll see. I think also the obsessiveness of Danny and Maeve sitting in the car so much just began to annoy me and bore me. [ANNE LAUGHS] You know, maybe it was just because I had no patience with them after all the houses I've won and lost in my life. [LAUGHS] I don't know.
ANNE: Tell me about the importance of connecting with a book for you as a reader. What does that feel like to you?
JOANNE: Honestly, I think it's a bit magical. My disappointment might have been my expectation, you know. You kinda expect all authors to give you the same perspective or the same feeling when you read the book and that's not always the case, so I think my expectations may have been unfair in this case. I don't know what the connection is but I know when I read it and I have this feeling like I can relax and be ... I'm in the hands of a good author. I know that the story will keep me going and I have that early on, so if I'm not feeling that connection, I usually often don't finish the book, but The Dutch House I had bought, so I finished it. [BOTH LAUGH]
[00:22:41]
ANNE: So does it have to do with the characters themselves? Is it more about a feel from the story?
JOANNE: I think it's a gut thing. There are authors that have a perspective and it maybe points to something beyond the story. That may be what I'm looking for is some kind of meaning or wisdom or something beyond the story itself. That helps.
ANNE: Joanne, that's so interesting and I think you really have an opportunity here to learn more about yourself as a reader because you know that you've loved Ann Patchett in the past and have really connected with at least two of her previous books. You mentioned Bel Canto and State of Wonder. I'd really be interested in hearing what comes up for you were you to reflect upon why this one lacked that when the other two hadn't because clearly it's more than just an author whose work you feel you can really relax in and sink yourself into, and that's one of the nice things about reading books that are about similar topics or that have similar themes or that are written by the same person because it really gives you an opportunity to say okay, it's not the author. It's not the style. There's something in the story that either really works for me or doesn't, and so this is your opportunity to see what that could be.
One of my reading intentions for this year is to become more of a completist. I know I've talked about this on the podcast, but Maggie O'Farrell is one of my favorite authors and in the fall, I read every one of her books and it really let me understand how her style developed, but also I would tell you I really like her style, but now that I've read her work, especially her earlier work, I can say ooh, this is where it worked for me, but this is where it didn't and why it didn't, like what was missing, maybe it was a character.
Maybe it was an idea, like she has one story that's kinda a ghost story and I really wanted her to lean all the way into that, and she didn't. She let it go. The book may be exactly what the author wanted it to be, but not what I was interested in the author exploring. So just noticing like well what did I really want the author to explore and why? And how is the actual story different? Like that really gives me insight into myself as a person too, but also really as a reader, so I do think you've given yourself an opening to find out more about what you enjoy.
JOANNE: Mmhm.
ANNE: Because sometimes it can be something as simple as like I just didn't like that character and I didn't like spending time with them. The end. Easy, easy. Or the subject matter made me squidgy. It was either too close to home or it was completely unrelatable and I just wasn't ready to go that far yet. There's no right or wrong answer but I think you have the possibility of some answers.
[00:25:13]
JOANNE: It could be different for every book too, and every genre.
ANNE: Oh, absolutely.
JOANNE: You know. Perhaps I need to examine that a little bit more, but also like The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, I actually started that book and bailed on it, and I left it at the cottage and a year later it was still at the cottage, so I picked it up again and I loved it.
ANNE: It's so interesting how that happens.
JOANNE: You know, how do you account for that? It happens all the time.
ANNE: Well we're talking in early 2022. I feel like every book that I have disliked in the past [LAUGHS] in the past two years, I've just stopped and asked myself, was this not right for me, or was it not right for me right now? Was this book hard to follow, or is my poor overtaxed brain not able to follow a perfectly well written story right now? That is a real question.
JOANNE: And sometimes you're dealing with a book hangover, so, you know. [ANNE LAUGHS] That's why ... You know, when I get a really great book that I love, I have trouble picking up another one, and what I do then is I read another one from a series that I'm in and that really helps me to reset and is good medicine for a book hangover.
ANNE: I just want to read another great book. [JOANNE LAUGHS] Sometimes it's great to sit with a book we enjoyed. I'm glad you found something that works for you. Okay, so not right for you, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Joanne, what are you reading right now?
JOANNE: Well, right now in Canada we have Canada Reads coming up and I always read the five books that are on the shortlist and put them on my blog and give the readers a little bit of a foretaste of what's coming. Canada Reads is a nationwide book debate and I'm really proud that Canada does this. So five celebrities choose five books that they champion. They sit around the table in four days and debate which books should be the book that all Canadians should read. And at first it's very polite, you know, Canadians are pretty polite. [ANNE LAUGHS] But by the end of the week it gets pretty heated. [LAUGHS] Because people are passionate about their books and there's often the books that are chosen for Canada Reads often celebrate diversity, cultural diversity, Indigenous stories, refugee stories, so these are important books, LGBTQ stories. It's a wide range usually, so it's very hard to decide sometimes which story matters more than another story, but it's the annual battle of the books and we love it.
[00:27:40]
ANNE: Now I think the Canadians are really doing something right here because I know so many readers who are Canadian and even plenty who aren't who make it a practice to read all five Canada Reads picks every year. That's just a good number. That is completely doable. A little bit of a challenge, but completely doable. And I think it's so interesting that you mentioned that celebrities pick the books, and I know that that is very much on purpose because they wanted it to feel accessible. It's not literary scholars who are picking the books.
JOANNE: Right. Right. Right.
ANNE: But people, I mean, as much as you may or may not feel like you relate to, you know, some of the celebrities who are choosing books, perhaps more so than the literature scholar who uses big words when you're just like I – it was a great story. [LAUGHS] What else can I say? What is it that you love about the Canada Reads process? What do you think that they're doing really right that gets so many people excited about books that they might not pick up otherwise?
JOANNE: Well I think just the fact that this is aired nationally and it really promotes reading. It highlights a number of books that otherwise wouldn't get read. It's just a great conversation and it's a national conversation and it makes me really proud actually. You know, it's like a literary survivor. One book wins, but all five books are well promoted and I think read more in Canada because of it and it's just a very exciting thing to be a part of. When it's not pandemic, our daughter and I go and get free tickets and go to the studio audience to listen to the debate, and it's just a great experience.
ANNE: Oh, that sounds so fun. So what books have you read so far from the 2022 shortlist?
JOANNE: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan is on the list. I've read Five Little Indians by Michelle Good. Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez, which is a neighbor in Toronto. There's two – I have one more to go. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Oh, great. So I have What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad on my list.
JOANNE: Yes.
[00:29:34]
ANNE: And then I - I am not familiar with Life in the City of Dirty Water. At least not yet by Clayton Thomas-Müller.
JOANNE: That's the city of Winnipeg and that's a memoir. That's a story of his life in a memoir. He's Indigenous and it's his journey, so it's a bit similar to Michelle Good's book, but her book is fiction and his is memoir, and that makes it very challenging too for the celebrities because some of the books are fiction, some are memoir, and it's not a level playing field always when you're debating, you know, someone's lifestyle as opposed to someone's imagined story, even though of course there's truth. We know there's truth in fiction. [LAUGHS] Lots of it, but yeah, it makes it quite challenging for the debate.
ANNE: Well luckily, it doesn't have to be easy to get lots of people excited about reading these books. If you were a judge and you had to choose today, and I know you haven't read them all, which one would you pick?
JOANNE: It would be between two. I really enjoyed ... [ANNE LAUGHS] Yeah, I know. [LAUGHS] I'm not following the rules. I think Five Little Indians might have squeaked a little bit past Scarborough for me, but both of them were very well done. You know, I feel like I'm a better person after reading it and maybe that's a benchmark of a good book.
ANNE: Perhaps it is. Joanne, what do you want more of out of your reading life right now? What are you on the lookout for?
JOANNE: I'm quite happy with the way I'm choosing books to read, although you know, having a reading blog, I'd like to think that I'm not pressured by that in terms of what I chose to read next. But I think I am, if I'm honest, and to me, you can't read fourteen books in a series when you have a blog because everyone would be terribly bored and you know, sometimes you're posting a lot and people are saying oh, you know, you're posting a lot. Aren't you doing anything else? Or you know, you're down the rabbit hole with a backlist and you're not really posting very often, so all, those factors are perhaps weighing on me a little bit more than I thought they were, so yeah. I'm always just looking for gems across all genres.
ANNE: Well I would invite you to consider what's the point of the blog, who is it for, why did you start it. I can't tell you what the answers to those questions are because this is your creation. I love you, listeners, but if I felt beholden to the podcast in that it dictated everything I was reading and then I don't think this podcast would nearly be as interesting or joyful to listen to, so it's your reading life. You are the boss of it and however that comes across on the blog I think people could learn to live with.
[00:32:03]
JOANNE: That's very helpful and I do think that's true for me. I don't generally recommend books. I just post on books I'm reading and give my opinion and it's up to the other person to read it or not. I'm not – you know, I will say I love this book. Maybe you will too. I won't ever say you will love this book.
ANNE: Wait. Hold on a second. Let's go back to the origin story here. You said that it was a reading log that turned into a reading blog.
JOANNE: That's right.
ANNE: You write seven book reviews in a series in a row if you want to. [BOTH LAUGHS]
Okay, Joanne, so let's take a look at what we've got. You loved Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, The Troubles with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon, and The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Not for you, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, despite having the best snake story you have ever read. You didn't feel a connection to it. And maybe – maybe you'll think about why after we hang up.
Currently you're reading the Canada Reads picks, and you are always on the lookout for well written, wise and life affirming, unsentimental, surprising. They reveal a slice of humanity. They often have some humor, and page turning is also a plus. And gems of all genres will always be welcomed on your library holds list. [BOTH LAUGH] We could go so many different directions but I think I want to start with a picture book. Can we do that?
JOANNE: Oh. Yeah, for sure. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Okay.[LAUGHS] And I know you read widely, which means maybe you've read all of these. Maybe you haven't, but I think it's worth finding out.
JOANNE: So many books. There's so many books, you know, you can't read it all. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Okay. Now this is a picture book for grownups. It is not for kids, and that could be confusing, readers, because a lot of times you see a picture book at the bookstore and you think oh, you know, I know who these books are for, but this is not for your grandchildren. This is for you. It's actually a whole series at this point. I think there's seven books. A seven book series. The book I have in mind is by Nick Bantock. It's called Griffin and Sabine. Subtitle: An Extraordinary Correspondence. And it came out in the early '90s. Is this a series you're familiar with?
[00:34:15]
JOANNE: No, I have never heard of it.
ANNE: Oh, I'm so glad to hear it. [JOANNE LAUGHS] Okay. This is … I think the publisher says at the beginning that it's partly a romance, partly a mystery, and completely a work of art, and it is completely beautiful. The illustrations are really striking, but you can see that for yourself. Let's talk about the story.
The whole story is told as correspondence on a series of postcards. This is how it begins. This postcard is addressed to Griffin Moss. He's an illustrator in London, and it's from a woman named Sabine. She lives on an island far, far away. So she writes, Griffin, it's good to get in touch with you at last. Could I have one of your fish postcards? I think you were right, the wine glass has more impact than the cup. Signed, Sabine in the South Pacific. Now, Joanne, I know this doesn't mean anything to you, but it means a lot to Griffin who's going I work alone in my studio in London illustrating these postcards. How in the world does this woman know that I toyed around with a different version of it that did have a cup and not a wine glass? Like nobody sees me, right? What in the world?
So he writes back to her and they strike up a correspondence and in the course of this discover that they share some kind of magical bond and Sabine has been able to follow his creative process inside his studio for quite some time now and so as they exchange these – I keep wanting to call them letters – as they exchange these postcards, they get to know each other and you can see the love look intimacy increasing and you get these beautiful illustrations like the one with the wine glass. It looks like a goldfish has just leapt straight through a glass and left it shattered. It's just beautiful, but they develop a friendship, and then you hold your breath as you find out what's going to happen next.
As they make plans to take it deeper and perhaps off the what, off the postcard? How do we say that? [JOANNE LAUGHS] But this is a small – I mean, it's just like 50 pages and Bantock wrote follow ups that came out every few years until just in the late 2010s so you will be able to see more of their relationship continue. You get your answer to what happens next. But these are so easy to read so quickly. Life affirming, surprising, slice of humanity, some humor, page turning. You can turn these pages so fast, although I'll imagine you'll want to stare at the postcards for a good long while.
JOANNE: Mm. Yeah.
[00:36:39]
ANNE: I think this could be a lot of fun for you. What do you think?
JOANNE: It sounds great! Yeah, it reminds me a little bit actually of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. Have you read that?
ANNE: No, but my kids love that series.
JOANNE: Yeah. I mean, all of the things that you've mentioned are kinda like that one too and I think you know anything with beautiful illustrations and a great story, I'm in for it. That sounds great.
ANNE: I'm so glad. I do want to be clear though. Don't read this to your five year old. This is a picture book for grownups.
JOANNE: Okay. Got it. [BOTH LAUGHS]
ANNE: [SIGHS] I want to try one. It's a past Canada reads selection, which makes me think the odds of you having read it are strong, but it's The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline.
JOANNE: I have not read it. I think that was done before I started reading all five on the shortlist. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I am not sad to hear that. This came out in 2017. This book has elements of hope and joy and humor, but they are not the leading adjectives I would use to describe this book. This is by Dimaline, another Indigenous writer. So this is sometimes called a Clive Hyde book as well, so this is YA. It's a dystopian story and it's about a group of young Indigenous teenagers who are fleeing for their lives in what are often like [LAUGHS] hard stuff in scenes. In this fantasy and dystopian I think as I said world. They are sought after so that their dream-carrying bone marrow can be harvested and used for ill.
So Frenchie has learned how to survive in the wild, and he is part of a band of teens who are attempting to move north in order to survive, but climate change has caused absolute chaos around the world, collapse of civilizations itself and also obviously the physical landscape, but they have to press on because they have to evade the recruiters who make your loved ones disappear forever.
This is a rough story. These teenagers are not in a good place and yet Dimaline has spoken eloquently about how there is certainly light through the bleakness and the dystopian landscape she has created and like there's still a community and there's still teens who see themselves as the future and they're still teens and adults reading this book who can see themselves as part of the future we're creating together and of course the dreams are so symbolic in this book. I'll leave that to you to discover, but there is certainly hope throughout, and if you enjoy this, Dimaline's follow up, Empire of Wild, just came out in the fall. I haven't read my copy yet. It's on my bookshelf, but I'm really looking forward to it.
[00:39:18]
JOANNE: Sounds great. I love YA and I think, you know, I love the idea of a Canadian book. You're recommending a Canadian book to me that I haven't read. That's amazing. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I am thrilled to hear it. That was The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. And now I'd like to try a book that I didn't envision talking about today, but I think could be a really good fit for you because as you were describing The Trouble with Goats and Sheep that it is set in England, reminded you of your time in Eton. You described it as quirky and charming and funny and serious at the same time and being very wise and life affirming. It made me wonder if you have read Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason.
JOANNE: No. I have not.
ANNE: Okay. I am glad to hear it. It came out I believe in early 2021. It came out about a year ago. On the surface, it doesn't sound like this book would be anything other than emotionally crushing. This is a story of 40 year old Martha. She talks about the time a bomb went off in her brain when she was a teenager and ever since that time she's been coping with an unnamed mental illness and it appears with a ... I can't remember if it's a blank line or if it's just called X in the novel. The illness is never named and if you read it and you think, that's so interesting. I wonder why she made that choice. You can look up interviews with the author Meg Mason and she speaks about it at length. It's extremely interesting.
Martha is not necessarily an always likable protagonist. She completely lacks a filter. She can be cutting and super rude, just creating emotional havoc on those around her, but Mason really does a beautiful job in this book of avoiding a heavy tone and through Martha's perspective, just exploring the nuances of severe mental illness, and she gives you this interior perspective of how it might feel like it to live within the grasp of one.
So the subject matter is often bleak, but Martha's inner narrative is so often just hilarious. Also she has just a really spunky saucy sister whose name is Ingrid and when they get together they are hysterical. I also really appreciated that the ending is really poignant and hopeful. It's a beautiful book. It's pink and red. It's really striking and it looks almost cheerful. It doesn't really indicate some of what can be really triggering content for some readers, so please be mindful, Joanne and everyone, when you pick this one up, but gems across all genres, quirky and charming, funny and serious at the same time, wise and life affirming. I think this could be a good selection for you. How does that sound?
[00:41:54]
JOANNE: That sounds great. I actually like unlikeable characters. [LAUGHS] And I'm okay with a little dark. Things shine through when there's a serious subject and you know, I love … I think humor helps us to be able to tolerate dark subjects in a way. I think Matt Haig does that really well in his books. If you have a bit of humor, we can kinda take a distance in a way and it helps us keep things in perspective, so it sounds great.
ANNE: Yes, I think the comparison to Matt Haig is a good one. I don't want to be too hard on our Martha though. She can certainly be unlikeable, like sometimes you'll go Martha! How could you?
JOANNE: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: And you know she's coping with this unnamed mental illness, but even though she can be, as she would describe it, just awful to those around her, oh, your heart just goes out to her, but that is not the core of her personality, so even though she doesn't always behave in unlikeable ways, you are rooting for her in this book.
JOANNE: That sounds great. I think Martha sounds like a character I might like to get to know.
ANNE: I hope so. Joanne, of those books we discussed, they were Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock, The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, and Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. Of those books, what do you think you'll pick up next?
JOANNE: Well they all sound great, but I think I might start with Sorrow and Bliss.
ANNE: Well I'm excited to hear it. I hope you feel a real connection with that story and I look forward to hearing how it goes for you.
JOANNE: Great. Thanks, Anne.
[00:43:18]
ANNE: Oh, Joanne. This has been a delight. Thanks so much for talking books with me today.
JOANNE: Well thank you. I really enjoyed it.
[CHEERFUL EXIT MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Joanne, and I’d love to hear what YOU think she should read next. Do that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/324, where we’ll also share the full list of titles we discussed today.
Readers, I talked with Joanne today about how she keeps track of what she’s reading (and the books she’s sending to her grandkids), and if you’re looking for a system to keep track of your own reads, I’ve got the solution for you! I mentioned my new reading journal for kids earlier in the show, and my reading journal for adults is designed to support your reading adventures and help you discover something new about your own reading life. Learn more at my website, modernmrsdarcy.com
Keep up with the show with our weekly newsletter. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to make sure you never miss our news and never miss an episode.
Make sure you’re following us on Instagram, too! We’re at whatshouldireadnext, and see what I’m up to at annebogel. That’s Anne with an E, B as in books, O-G-E-L.
Make sure you’re following us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and more. We’ll be taking a break next week, but we’ll be back the first week of April, when I’ll be chatting with a reader embarking on a special new reading project and looking for some books that will break her out of her comfort zone.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (#1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
• Berenstain Bears Go to Camp by Stan & Jan Berenstain
• Toilet Time: A Training Kit for Girls by Janet Hall
• The Very Cranky Bearby Nick Bland
• Raffi (try Baby Beluga)
• Pete the Cat series by Kimberly and James Dean (try Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party)
• William Kent Kruger (try This Tender Land)
• Mary Lawson (try A Town Called Solace)
• TJ Klune (try The House in the Cerulean Sea)
• Matt Haig (try The Midnight Library)
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Trouble with Goats and Sheepby Joanna Cannon
• Three Things about Elsie by Joanna Cannon
• Breaking and Mending by Joanna Cannon
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
△The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (audio version narrated by Tom Hanks)
• Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
• State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
• Maggie O’Farrell (try This Must Be the Place)
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
• Five Little Indiansby Michelle Good
• Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
• What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
• Life in the City of Dirty Water by Clayton Thomas-Muller
• Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondenceby Nick Bantock
• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
• The Marrow Thievesby Cherie Dimaline
• Sorrow and Blissby Meg Mason
Also mentioned:
• Brilliant Books
• Canada Reads
The post WSIRN Ep 324: Gems across all genres appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? Last night we grilled for the first time this year, so it’s really starting to feel like spring around here. Tomorrow I’m looking forward to watching my college kid’s first track meet (that I get to see, at least) and having a special family dinner. And finishing a good book, of course!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of links and things I’m enjoying these days help ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: * ‘Abbott Elementary’ Partners With Scholastic to Provide Free Book Fairs at Underfunded Schools. (My whole family love this show!)
-
23 New And Upcoming Novels With Disabled Main Characters. March is Disability Awareness Month. Are any of these books on your radar?
-
How adorable is this little hedgehog tape dispenser?
-
These unread books have a long shelf life — as decor. Not all books can be repurposed; I’m glad there’s a second chance for some.
-
This versatile cardigan is a spring wardrobe staple.
-
What If We Just Stopped Being So Available? “Having multiple obligations and priorities means that we are, all of us, in a perpetual state of delay on something, and apologizing for that fact feels like having to apologize for your standard mode of being.”
-
I’m loving the new spring colors for these American Giant slub tees, my absolute favorites. (Because they sponsor What Should I Read Next I have a code for you: Get 20% off your first order when you use promo code DARCY.)
-
Timeless or trendy? How to avoid impulse buying and choose items you’ll love for the long-haul. “People consistently choose neutral designs over bold ones because they believe vibrant colors or patterns will become irritating over time. But when the researchers measure people’s satisfaction with their choices later, it turns out the exact opposite is true.”
-
The Underground Story of Slow Cooking. Great food history.
-
How Angry Should Other Writers Be About Brandon Sanderson’s $22 Million Kickstarter? This is really shaking up the publishing industry.
-
This Ina Garten tart is a perfect dessert for a spring weekend. (We often just plunk a bunch of sliced fresh fruit right on top.)
-
FirstLeaf is offering special spring savings just for our readers! Get your first 6 award-winning wines personalized to your tastes and delivered to your doorstep for $29.95 with code DARCYSALE.
-
Scientist Reveals How Stonehenge Likely Worked At Long Last. Fascinating. What does it feel like to be someone who can figure this stuff out?
Don’t miss these posts: * 18 fresh and flirty contemporary romance novels for your TBR. I’m not the only one who turns to romance novels for comfort and escape!
-
20 board games to beat the rainy day blues. When we tire of doing jigsaw puzzles on the coffee table, it’s time to pull out the board games.
-
15 audiobooks read by your favorite celebrity narrators.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
This post is brought to you by impatience. I have long said that Austen fans everywhere deserve a truly wonderful Persuasion adaptation. These past two years I’ve been delighted as promising adaptations were announced to be in the works.
But after the exciting announcements were made, we entered the no-fun waiting stage. I can’t imagine Austen would approve of me whining about the long wait until the (not-yet-announced) release dates, and so in the meantime, I’d like to point you toward my favorite versions.
Some Jane Austen adaptations are phenomenal; some are more likely to leave you feeling like you squandered two hours. Here’s my guide to the best versions.
Emma
At a Christmas party several years ago, I spent two hours trying to figure out which of my friends I should set up with the guests in attendance, and came home in the mood to watch this version of Emma with Romola Garai. It took me weeks to catch the irony.
This is my favorite version of Emma; it’s not even close. Although I did enjoy the 2020 film starring Anya Taylor-Joy, especially since we watched it together in the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club.
Kate Beckinsale makes a fine Emma in this version. I liked Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma at the time, but tried a re-watch recently and couldn’t get through it. Romola’s version is perfect, and Jonny Lee Miller makes a great Knightley. (I was surprised by that, too!)
Sense & Sensibility
Andrew Davies—who brilliantly adapted the 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice for tv—took a similar (read: sexy) approach with his 2008 version of Sense & Sensibility. (See: Dan Stevens chopping wood in the rain.) Actress Hattie Morahan, who played Elinor, refused to watch Emma Thompson’s 1995 performance prior to filming for fear it would either influence her performance or absolutely paralyze her.
This adaptation is fun to watch and quite true to Austen’s story, although it does have a few added scenes, like a duel between Brandon and Willoughby.
2008 is quite good, but Ang Lee’s 1995 version with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet is a classic, even if it’s not the most faithful to the book. This is the one I find myself watching most often.
Mansfield Park The world is still waiting for a Mansfield Park adaptation that does justice to the book. Neither modern adaptation (1999 or 2007) is worth your time. Read the book while you’re waiting on Hollywood. (Or, if I have any say in the matter, the BBC.)
Northanger Abbey
Andrew Davies strikes again. This 2007 version starring Felicity Jones and JJ Feild (and a young Carey Mulligan—I didn’t realize it was her until I saw the credits!) bring’s Austen’s lampoon of Gothic novels to life in a perfect 86 minutes. Don’t worry about the terrible Amazon reviews—those people don’t know what they’re talking about.
Pride and Prejudice
The 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice is the best Austen adaptation, hands down. It’s a faithful adaptation, with gorgeous scenery and brilliant acting. Jennifer Ehle is a marvelous Lizzy and to legions of fans Colin Firth is and will always be Mr. Darcy.
But the 2005 edition with Keira Knightley has its charms. It’s lush and rich with imagery. (Mr Collins proposing in front of a ham? Perfect.) This adaptation ushered a new generation into Jane Austen fandom, which is worth a lot.
Persuasion Both modern adaptations are worth watching, but neither is amazing. Of the two, the subdued 1995 version with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds most resonates.
The 2007 version with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones has more energy, but that’s not necessarily a good thing: it has a truly terrible ending, in which Anne Elliot’s marathon jog through the streets of Bath culminates in what is a strong contender for the worst kiss in the history of movie kisses.
I’m eagerly awaiting the TWO upcoming Persuasion adaptations: one set for Netflix, starring Dakota Johnson ~~and the other featuring Sarah Snook.~~ (Update: thanks to helpful readers, I’ve learned Sarah Snook’s adaptation is unfortunately not to be. We’re counting on you, Dakota.)
What’s your favorite Austen adaptation? What would you add to this list? Tell us all about it in comments!
P.S. Also worth viewing: 5 favorite Jane Austen-inspired romantic comedies and worth reading: 30 Jane Austen-inspired books for Janeites of all ages. And worthy listening: What Should I Read Next Episode 298: A reading life with no regrets features a relatable Austen scholar who sheds light on WHY we care so much about Austen adaptations—and which ones she and her undergrads love most.
The post My favorite Jane Austen film adaptations appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, one of the most common requests we hear from our online community is for mystery series recommendations, so if you’re in that camp, you’ll definitely want to listen in to today’s conversation!
Houston Luke’s been a reader since her grandmother signed her up for a library card at the age of two, and while she loves reading broadly, she always has a mystery on her nightstand.
But with only a few titles left to read in the well-established series she’s loved, Houston is looking for a new character-led mystery series (or ideally, several) she can devour. I’m here to help stock her mystery shelves with some multi-book series featuring characters she’ll connect with and evocative settings that invite her into the story.
Do you have a mystery series to recommend to Houston? Let us know in the comments!
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Connect with Houston on Instagram to see what she’s been reading lately.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
ANNE: Series are a sort of security blanket, and you can take a break for a few books, or a few dozen books, but …
HOUSTON: But why would you want to? [ANNE LAUGHS]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 323.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, with everything going on in the world right now, it’s nice to know there are concrete ways to support the people and things we love. One small action that has a big impact is pre-ordering books from your favorite authors.
My new book journal for 8-12 year old readers called My Reading Adventures comes out on August 2, and it’s available for pre-orders now. By pre-ordering this book, you’re telling publishers and retailers that you are invested in books like this, and you want to do what you can to help prevent shipping delays, inventory challenges, and the other problems plaguing the publishing industry in 2022. Some can’t be avoided entirely—like, say, a shipping container sinking to the bottom of the ocean—but by pre-ordering, you’re sending an important message of support to your favorite authors, and believe me when I say, it truly makes a difference.
Find out more about My Reading Adventures at modernmrsdarcy.com/kidsjournal. That’s modernmrsdarcy.com/kidsjournal.
Readers, today’s guest loves reading mysteries, but as she approaches the end of several well-established series, she has her own mystery to solve: what to read after she’s all caught up on Louise Penny?
Houston Luke was given her first library card by her grandmother when she was just 2 years old, and reading became one of her true loves. (As a geologist, Houston’s the first to tell you that her other true love is rocks! You’ll hear about that today.) Houston grew up in a reading household and was introduced to a wide range of genres, and as an adult, she still reads broadly, but one type of book is always on her nightstand: mysteries that let her play both Sherlock and Watson.
Houston’s read many of the well-known and well-loved character-led mystery series that we’ve discussed here on the podcast, including Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Louise Penny’s Gamache, and now she’s looking for a new detective she can connect with. Because Houston MUST have a mystery going at all times, she's looking for an established multi-book series—or better yet, several of them—that will pull her into the world and let her get to know the characters, while making it easy to know what she's reading next. My recommendations today will give her a full caseload to investigate!
Let's get to it.
Houston, welcome to the show.
[00:02:50]
HOUSTON: Thank you so much. I'm glad to be here today.
ANNE: What made you think it might be fun to come on?
HOUSTON: Oh, I wanted to come on, I think since I started listening to the podcast, which was about, I want to say, about four years ago now. I kinda came in late to the game, and I had started work at a lab at my university where we were kinda in like by ourselves in like very monotonous work for hours at a time and one of my co-workers had recommended me getting on podcasts and audiobooks to kinda fill that dead space while I watched machines just kinda spin. [ANNE LAUGHS]
So I ended up kinda just started looking at everything and she gave me several other podcasts that ended up finding What Should I Read Next because I actually used to grow up in Thomasville, Georgia, and so I knew of The Bookshelf and then whenever I started following them, they mentioned you, and so that's kinda how I got connected to all the book podcasts people.
[00:03:52]
ANNE: Oh that's so fun. Well thank you Annie Jones and all the friendly folks at The Bookshelf. Now tell me more about that lab because I'm not sure any other guest has previously said while listening to podcasts in my laboratory. I like it.
HOUSTON: Probably one of the best jobs I've had. I was a student employee at the University of Georgia in a laboratory called the Center of Applied Isotope Studies in which they utilized chemical makeup of different elements to kinda help with archeology digs. When they would go back and do kinda analysis on either like artifacts or other organic materials from dig sites and that would end up kinda giving them a lot of background information that they wouldn't just know from any written documents and stuff like that.
ANNE: Okay, Houston, what is an isotope lab? I mean you told us a little bit about how it's applied, but I don't even know what to ask with my liberal arts degree, not a science one.
HOUSTON: I worked specifically with the elements strontium and lead because they could be used the most in different types of metals and archeological objects. And so we would get either shells or bones or clay pots and we would break them down using different types of acid to get them down to where we would only have one element in front of us, and then it would get put into this machine called a mass spectrometer and basically what happens is that isotopes are the different types of proton to neutron levels in an element.
So you have carbon 14, but you also hear of carbon 16, and that's just because they have more electrons than the other one, and so they can actually measure how many of the different levels of those different isotopes in that element there are, and that can also tell them location and different types of information about archeological digs because they're very particular to what a certain area of the world.
So every location on the globe has its own specific isotope reading, and so when you put it in the mass spectrometer, which basically just kinda like throws the elements around and the heavier elements will kinda get pushed out and counted separated from the lighter elements and then that ratio is what they use to locate where this person may have lived their whole life or if they moved during their lifetime, that's kinda what it ends up telling you.
[00:06:20]
ANNE: I'm often asking our guests like is there a moment when you just fell in love with reading? But what I really want to know first is was there a moment where you fell in love with geology, where you thought like yes, I can see myself doing this for decades?
HOUSTON: One thing that like even people growing up with me would tell you, I would pick up rocks literally all the time. I was that kid like all kids love rocks at some point during their upbringing and will just stick them in their pockets and you have to find them during laundry day. [ANNE LAUGHS] And I just never stopped really.
It never really occurred to me I could do it until I was applying to colleges 'cause I was thinking I would go for a literary degree and then it was like you could be a geologist and I was like oh, I can? [LAUGHS] I'll do that then. [ANNE LAUGHS] As I started doing the classes, even with life happening, every which way you go, I just kinda felt like yeah, that was what I needed to do and wanted to be just where it went.
ANNE: Okay, now I do want to know. Was there a moment where you remember just falling in love with the written word?
HOUSTON: I'm trying to think 'cause honestly books have just always been a part of my life. When I was born, my family were huge readers and specifically my grandmother kinda spearheaded that in our family and so she … From the moment like you could hold a book we were at the library. And it wasn't until college, I actually was in Athens setting up my own library card at their public library system and it's the PINES library system here in Georgia, and they were like oh, you already have a library card with us. And I was like I don't think I do. What are you talking about? And they were like yeah, it got set up in '97, and I had to go back and think about that my grandmother apparently got me a library card when I was two years old.
ANNE: Ohh.
HOUSTON: As soon as I was able to like sit up basically she was like yup, you're going to be a reader.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] How else has your grandmother's love of reading affected your reading life?
HOUSTON: Definitely like she would take us to the library, like everyone in our family was taken to the library since they could walk basically, so she kinda got everybody at least would read something. So like my mom and her siblings, they each kinda have their own genre that they stick to, but she really kinda was always like you should have a book with you at some point. You might not read it, but you're definitely going to want to read it eventually, but her strongest genre that she would go to was mysteries. She had mystery books all the time in her house and she loved mystery shows and just everything like Murder She Wrote was big growing up for me. [LAUGHS]
[00:09:02]
ANNE: Yeah.
HOUSTON: We would just read a lot of Agatha Christie. That became a comfort for me if I read murder mysteries was like this is my relaxing environment.
ANNE: I think it's been so interesting to see how mysteries have become even more popular in the pandemic. I mean, obviously they’re a very popular genre and a stable in many readers reading lives, but during the past few years when so much for so many of us has been so out of our control and out of our hands and we don't know how it's going to end, you can pick up a murder mystery. 375 pages. A problem is presented. It is worked through. It is solved. It is over. Super satisfying. But I don't have to tell you that. [HOUSTON LAUGHS] I'm guessing you already know.
HOUSTON: I really do. I enjoy … I think the way I sometimes would describe it is I like being Sherlock and Watson. Because I … [ANNE LAUGHS] I really want to try and figure it out for myself but then someone has to walk me through it to know if I'm right or not, so I'm always sitting there like tell me what it was. What did I miss?
ANNE: Houston, tell me what your reading life is like these days. I know that you mentioned a strong love of audiobooks and of mysteries. How else would you describe your reading life?
HOUSTON: I will pick up probably any book that strikes my fancy and see if I like it or not. Like I said, all of my family members each kinda read their own genre and when I came in I was an only child and kinda the only grandchild and only niece and nephew for kind of a long period of time so everyone wanted to share what they did with me.
My mom was in to fiction and any kind of fantasy novel that could just be light and fun and while my grandmother obviosuly did a lot more of the murders and procedure books and then my two uncles both are very different. One reads kinda nonfiction exclusively, and so he can help me find very good nonfiction books and so some of my favorite books actually have the nonfiction surprisingly enough. And then the other uncle was like into sci-fi and all like the really high fantasy, more obscure titles.
So there's like almost nothing off the table except horror just because books will stay with me, so anything that will like actually kinda make me scared and like true crime especially, even as much as I love mysteries, is a little too wild for me [ANNE LAUGHS] and it'll just escalate with me.
[00:11:25]
ANNE: Oh, I love that reading is a family affair for you guys and that your grandmother and your uncles set you up with such a strong foundation. Houston, I would love to hear examples of a nonfiction book you picked up because your uncle found it, or a high fantasy book where the same thing happened.
HOUSTON: Well, obviously Lord of the Rings. My uncle actually ended up having like three copies of the whole series, like just three separate copies, and finally he was like I don't need three. You should read these, and of course that opens the door to Tolkien and all of that world so, kinda no turning back there. And with nonfiction there's an author named Simon Winchester who writes exclusively about geological events, like historic, geological events. My uncle's pulled books for me from his kinda reading that he's like you should read this.
ANNE: Well, Houston, I'm really excited to see where today's conversation takes us. I know you have a literary dilemma that I am really excited about digging into more. But first we're going to explore more of what you enjoy in your reading life book wise. Are you ready to dive in?
HOUSTON: I am.
ANNE: You know how this works. You are going to tell me about three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately and we will talk about what you may enjoy reading next. Houston, how did you choose these books for today?
HOUSTON: So obviously I chose anything that was very murder mystery, but I also tend to say I'm a very cozy mystery person, so for me it is all about the lead character in my murder mystery books. I chose kinda widely from my entire life of reading where these are kind of the books that like will have stayed with me and all of them are from kind of different points in my life, so I think they each kinda really helped me focus in on what makes me love these books so much.
ANNE: When you say cozy mystery, what are the qualities you have in mind?
HOUSTON: For me I think it's definitely like you obviously have a murder mystery going on, but a cozy mystery are armchair mysteries – I've also heard them called that – is going to be the same location basically through all the books and you're going to have the same lead detective through all the books.
I really like kinda that sense of I know who I'm going to be with and where I'm going to be during the story, and then they're really kinda more heavy on the characters and everyone around in the mystery kinda takes a backseat but it kinda drives the catalyst of everything that's happening in the story, but we're not solely like obsessed with who did it in this sense. It's kinda going to be unfurled through the character interactions through the rest of the book.
[00:14:11]
ANNE: Right because your friend the detective or the officer or whatever has their own life to live and you need to know what's happening in it.
HOUSTON: Exactly. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Alright, that's super helpful as we dive in. Tell me about the first book you love.
HOUSTON: So the first book I picked is obviously starting back at my first kinda intro to cozy mysteries. She is the queen of mystery for a reason. Agatha Christie. Poirot is really the one that I connect with the most just for some reason I love him more than even the smart bowl. So obviously from his books I chose Murder on the Orient Express because I just don't feel like anything is ever going to hold a candle [LAUGHS] to that mystery and how it comes about because especially it's kind of one in the semi middle of all her books that she wrote, so it's not her first book so you have a pretty good idea of his character by that point, and you're familiar with him.
So how he responds to everyone that he's having to speak to in this investigation and it's one that also really kinda tries on his world beliefs about what his job is in the world and you know him so well that you're sitting there wrestling with him about the decisions he has to make. The end for me was probably one of like the most interesting book endings I've ever read and I recommend it to people all the time to be like you should definitely read this one.
ANNE: What else made this such a great reading experience for you?
HOUSTON: I'm trying to think, like I'm trying not to give it away. I don't know if there's [ANNE LAUGHS] anyone who hasn't read the book to be perfectly honest, so I don't know how much I could give away if people just already know, but it kinda breaks the traditional like point A to point B to point C murder mystery while still having all the elements. It made it for a very unique storytelling experience, which I feel like Agatha Christie also was like really good at as she establishes basically the entirety of this genre and then would sit there and be like I'm going to change it though. [LAUGHS]
[00:16:14]
ANNE: Houston, you love audiobooks, so I feel it's important that we put on the record here that I only listened to this for the first time in the last five years. I've never read this Christie novel, but so many friends, especially writer friends have said like she is the queen. This one is the best. What are you even doing, Anne? [HOUSTON LAUGHS] So I did. I finally listened, and I listened to the Dan Stevens narration, and it was wonderful.
HOUSTON: Oh, I didn't know he narrated it. That would probably be like such a good narration for the book.
ANNE: It was good. Okay, I'm so glad that you loved it and that obviously you had to start there. Was it difficult to choose your other books?
HOUSTON: Not really that hard actually ‘cause like especially my second one was not hard at all. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Oh, tell me about it.
HOUSTON: So my second one I feel like I want to call her the contemporary queen of mystery is Louise Penny.
ANNE: Mmhm.
HOUSTON: I found Louise Penny actually right after I started listening to What Should I Read Next. It was like the second podcast episode I listened to in real time that you started talking about Louise Penny, and I was like well that sounds fun. I like murder mysteries. I'll give her a chance. I have not looked back after listening to the first one. [ANNE LAUGHS]
I was in that lab and found Still Life, her first book, on audio when they were still read by Ralph Cosham. Rest in peace. That was like still kind of a hard thing to deal with, with his passing, but whenever I read that I just fell in love with the entire Gamache series, but I felt like I had to at least narrow it down to one book.
But my choice was actually All the Devils Are Here which was her next to last current book out. I also wanted to establish that Bury Your Dead was my favorite. That was book five in the series and that was seriously my favorite all the way up to All The Devils Are Here, which is book fifteen. [LAUGHS]
[00:17:57]
ANNE: All The Devils Are Here is the Paris book, yes?
HOUSTON: Yes. So it's the one they actually do like I said they kinda went out from their cozy mystery element of being in the same place to a different location. Bury Your Dead also kinda leaves Three Pines when I think about it, so I don't know what that says about my list now.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] It's still the same characters. They just take trips every other novel. But it's the one set in Quebec City during winter carnival I think.
HOUSTON: Correct, yes.
ANNE: Okay. I'm glad to hear you liked Still Life right away. Listeners, what I often say about this series is Still Life is slow to develop. The murders in book two and three are kinda weird, and then the series really hits it stride in book four, but it's now been a long time since I've read those early books. I don't know, what was your experience like, Houston?
HOUSTON: I think especially also starting with audiobooks made a very different impression 'cause when you get a good audio narrator, that's going to change your perspective of the book, which you talk about on the show I feel like a lot, and Ralph Cosham just really did bring those characters to life and then the specific recordings that they did ‘cause I believe she works with MacMillian Audio, they have interviews almost every end of the book with Louise Penny herself.
ANNE: Oh, really?
HOUSTON: Yes, and so it was kinda like I would finish the book and then she would kinda debrief with me about the book is what it feels like.
ANNE: Yeah.
HOUSTON: She kinda was talking about how the first four books were the only things she thought she was going to write and they were each set in a different season of Canada, so it was like winter, spring, fall, and summer. Probably about like ten or eleven books with her and Ralph Cosham having little interviews with one another at the end of each audiobook gave a lot more depth and life to the books so it almost kinda feels like the characters in the book are real people and I have to remind myself that they're not. [LAUGHS]
[00:19:55]
ANNE: I do enjoy those interviews at the end of some audiobooks, but I don't know that I've heard one for a Louise Penny novel. I know that Ralph Cosham was beloved by listeners, but then he died before Louise Penny was done with the series. That’s an awkward way to put this, but after his death Robert Bathurst has taken over and what do you think of those audios, Houston?
HOUSTON: So actually going back to those little debriefs of Louise Penny, the first audiobook after Ralph Cosham passing, before the audiobook even started, they had a recording with Louise Penny in which she kinda was telling fans of the books who had been listening specifically to her books through audio only, which I was one of those people, she kinda sat down with us and was like Ralph Cosham is my best friend. I miss him dearly, but we want to keep giving you all like a very good experience, so we went through the ringer trying to find someone to replace him and so we have ultimately chosen Robert Bathurst and she's kinda like here's my seal of approval. You're okay. You're in good hands, and so I think that definitely made me give him more of a chance to listen to his audiobooks ‘cause I probably would have just stopped listening.
ANNE: I love the way you described that. She sat us down. [LAUGHS]
HOUSTON: Well, she did. It was the first thing, like usually it starts with kinda like the introduction of the audiobook company, but it was like her voice first going like okay let's talk.
ANNE: Aww, that makes me wanna go listen, Houston.
HOUSTON: It does.
ANNE: And track down book eleven and listen to Louise Penny's pep talk.
HOUSTON: And I think for me like kinda knowing that she cares that much about her books also makes me wanna care about the books.
ANNE: Uh- huh. Okay, so the series. You love it. Now you're what, sixteen, seventeen books in?
HOUSTON: Yes, I actually just got from the library off hold the latest book. So The Madness of the Crowd I am kinda in the beginnings of that book and I'm a little bit sad about it 'cause I know it's not her last book. At least I hope it's not her last book that she's going to write for us, but it means I've caught up 'cause I've spent probably about like three years going through the audiobooks. The first ones, all the old backlist titles, I could get just kinda immediately from the library.
[00:22:07]
ANNE: Yeah, yeah.
HOUSTON: And then started as they got newer and newer had to wait longer and longer for the audiobooks.
ANNE: And now you have to wait for the actual book to be written and published.
HOUSTON: Yeah, now I have to wait and it's going to be such a weird ...
ANNE: Aw, that's such a bummer. [LAUGHS]
HOUSTON: It feels weird after like getting to just read her books whenever I wanted to on audio and now I'm like oh, huh. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I mean, it's amazing and terrible to be caught up.
HOUSTON: Yes. [LAUGHS] Exactly.
ANNE: Well I know many listening right now completely identify with your experience there. Houston, what did you choose to complete your favorites list?
HOUSTON: The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. So this book series is set in a British retirement village where all of the four main characters are in their 80s and 90s. They solve murders that happen around the town that their little retirement community is attached to, kinda just for fun. I just truly fell in love with the characters. They're presented first off like oh, they're old and doty and here they are now in a retirement community and it really is like no, we still have interests and we know how to have fun and we're going to prove you all that we're still way smarter than you. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: I haven't read the second one yet but I did listen to the first one on audio. Is that how you read this book?
HOUSTON: I bought it when it came out 'cause it was one of the books my book club chose to read.
ANNE: [GASPS] You read this in print?
[00:23:33]
HOUSTON: Yes, I did read it in print.
ANNE: I'm so surprised.
HOUSTON: I know.
ANNE: Okay, tell me more about that.
HOUSTON: So I had to be able to start and stop it a little bit more so I could follow what our chapter readings were, so as an audiobook like I can't do that, like if it's going I'm not going to stop it. [LAUGHS] 'Cause even in like the printed version I think I would still read ahead 'cause I just had to know what happened.
They wouldn't do it to be mean, but the characters definitely like to trick people into thinking they were like not as like capable as they truly were and for some reason I found that just delightful and just wanted to see how [ANNE LAUGHS] they would pull the wool over someone's eyes in the next scene.
ANNE: I remember listening to book one. I think it begins with the young detective dropping in on the group that becomes known as the Thursday Murder Club and she thinks oh, I'm going to go talk to seniors about, you know, security and to lock their doors and to watch out for themselves and be savvy and not get fished on the Internet. [LAUGHS] Instead they have all these like super detailed questions about like solving murders and her slow dawning realization about what she's stepped into is just so delightful.
HOUSTON: It really was.
ANNE: There's some pretty grisly stuff in The Thursday Murder Club, but it sounds like that's okay for you when it's wrapped in this package.
HOUSTON: It definitely is. It's not like the main focus of my book, I can kinda jump over I feel like hard things, but I do think a lot of the books kinda more heavy elements are tied so closely to the characters and I feel very much for these characters that I'm like okay, I'm going to sit here with you 'cause you have to go through it.
ANNE: I'm a little surprised at Thursday Murder Club because, Houston, I've been developing this picture in my mind of you as a reader of lengthy, ongoing series that'll keep you busy for a good, long time. As we're speaking now, there's just two books, and there's a third one planned. Planned for release in September of 2022, so knock on wood because publication dates continue to be disrupted for very strange and uncontrollable for reasons. That's not the like oh, 20 books to look forward to kinda series that I thought you might be gravitating towards. Tell me more about that.
[00:25:39]
HOUSTON: So I chose Thursday Murder Club to kinda show how character really is something that means a lot to me, like I think I talked about it with Gamache and Poirot, just how connected and how much I wanted to sit with the characters is kinda one of the things that helps me gravitate 'cause as soon as the second book came out I grabbed it up and read it, but then of course like with Louise Penny now that I am caught up, it's like, oh no, what do I do now [ANNE LAUGHS] that I've read them?
ANNE: Series are a sort of security blanket. You always know what you can read next, and you can take a break for a few books or a few dozen books, but ...
HOUSTON: But why would you want to?
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I think that says a lot about your reading personality, Houston.
HOUSTON: Probably. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: So today we want to find you some new murder mystery series, but first to help us narrow it down, tell me about a book that wasn't right for you.
HOUSTON: The book that I picked that wasn't right for me was A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn, which I've actually heard on the show has been people's favorites and so I was kinda curious about that for me. It just did not draw me in and I think the main reason is because the protagonist that's solving these mysteries that are presented to her – the best word I can choose is unapproachable, like you don't really want to sit down and have tea with her is the way it makes me feel.
I really did not care what happened to her in her book, kinda going back to that character development, like I kinda want to be the Watson as well. Like I want to stay with you in this book and as annoying as some characters can be, there's always something that's still likable about them, like Poirot's kinda very rude to people when he really think about it in [ANNE LAUGHS] his books. But you still like him 'cause you know he's not a bad person. Her character was just so selfish and really did not care about people around her. It felt like that it was all about her, and I was just like not for me.
ANNE: Okay. So in A Curious Beginning, which you're right, that has been a guest favorite and a book I've recommended to guests who are really drawn to her as a heroine in the Victorian era as in convention flouting, I don't care what you think, like badass, butterfly-catching Victorian, you know, take your opinion and shove it lady detective. I mean, she's got some strong like enneagram-8 energy.
[00:28:06]
HOUSTON: Yes. [LAUGHS] Very much so.
ANNE: But I hear you describing scholarly, methodical detectives who are going to walk you through their very detailed and logical thought process and you really enjoy that puzzling aspect of it. And they’re also like inside their worlds and not like hammering against it.
HOUSTON: That probably is it 'cause I love like you said the cozy like here is your city you are in. Here is the person you are with. We also kind of one other books that kinda think of are the Alan Bradley’s Flavia De Luce mysteries. Her little town of Bishop's Lacey, like I could probably sit here. I've only read three of his books but I could name you probably every one who lives in Bishop's Lacey. But I can't even remember [ANNE LAUGHS] the other characters in Veronica Speedwell.
ANNE: Houston, what have you been reading lately?
HOUSTON: Lately I've been reading The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry.
ANNE: Oh, I don't know that one. Tell me about it.
HOUSTON: So I actually heard about it from Strong Sense of Place podcast. I'm just going to do all the name drops in my episode.
ANNE: Oh, hi, Mel and Dave. That's so fun.
HOUSTON: So I do love all their recommendations and this book specifically kinda takes us back to a lot of literary characters that are more familiar 'cause in this story basically one of the characters has the ability to read characters out of their stories, but they're always a little bit in the guise of how he interprets their character from the author's writing. And then the catalyst of this book, 'cause this won't give super cool away, characters are popping up he has not been reading out of the book, and so him and his brother have to start kinda solving this mystery of like why these characters are showing up if it's not him.
And it kinda explores a little bit about literary theory and just kinda what your interpretation of books are and how you like and read the books that you do. So I think it's been kinda this really exploration of the love of reading but through the guise of this like very fantasy but fun novel about what's happening with these characters coming to life. I have gotten like I mentioned The Madness of the Crowd by Louise Penny.
[00:30:27]
ANNE: Uh huh. And how's that feeling?
HOUSTON: It makes me want to read it slower, so I actually listen to audiobooks at 1.3, which shaves off actually a lot more time than I even expected it would, which means I will probably finish the book faster than I want to and I don't want to finish.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] That is a commerisatory laugh. I hear ya. I mean, it's going to be a happy day when you get to finish a new Louise Penny novel, but also a sad one for reasons we have discussed.
HOUSTON: Especially this one I think 'cause I know there's not one going to be automatically waiting for me at the end of finishing it, and so then I have to wait for the book to come out and then I have to either wait for it on hold to get the audio at the library or I might just go like buy the audiobook for that one just so I don't have to wait that time.
ANNE: Houston, let's talk about what you're looking for in your reading life right now. You're looking for more murder mystery series that … I want you to finish. How would you describe it specifically?
HOUSTON: So I definitely would like to find more maybe backlist titles of murder mystery series that I have just not been able to stumble across, and especially ones who authors have probably a lot of books that would allow me to get through them because especially with Thursday Murder Club and the Louise Penny books, I'm kinda now running out of murder mystery books. I still have the Alan Bradley books to get through. With his series I'm kinda going through them slowly, trying to make them last 'cause there's only nine in his series.
But I definitely need books to kinda have and I especially after writing down all of my lists I've realized all of my murder mystery books take place in England [LAUGHS] with very, very English protagonists and it does seem to be like the English got a hold of the cozy murder mysteries [ANNE LAUGHS] that have more of the elements I like the best but I think it would also be just really cool to be able to spread out from England and get other nationalities in that as well, so from different perspectives and different areas and not just like the solely anglocain set of murder mysteries that would also be a good way to broaden what I've been reading in that genre alone.
[00:32:46]
ANNE: Okay, so the series springing immediately to mind, they're English. They're Canadian. We might talk about them anyway, but duly noted.
HOUSTON: I think maybe more like unusual characters as the protagonist 'cause I also, I don't know if it's just is not going to be something we can fix or not fix but they also tend to all be male protagonists and I don't know if there's like finding ways to get more diverse and even the protagonists because the three I listed kinda had male protagonists and the one I didn't like was the only female protagonist really on my list.
ANNE: Uh huh.
HOUSTON: I kinda don't want it to be like I don't like female detectives. I'm like I don't know. I just didn't like this female detective. [LAUGHS] Maybe that too.
ANNE: Okay, Houston, let's see what we can do here. You love Murder on the Orient Express and a whole bunch of other works of Agatha Christie, All the Devils Are Here and all the Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny, and then a newer series, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Not for you, A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn, and the Veronica Speedwell series because you have a pretty solid idea of what you enjoy in murder mysteries. It has a lot to do with what the protagonist is like and what the protagonist's relationships and world is like and that isn't quite what you were looking for.
Lately you've been reading your final Louise Penny book. Hopefully not the final Louise Penny book, but the final one out right now that you have not yet read, The Madness Of Crowds, and The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry, and you're looking for some more series and if they featured female protagonists and/or they were not set in England. It sounds like you’ve read a ton of English mysteries and then Louise Penny, your favorite, happens to be Canadian. But to branch beyond those cultures and that geographies would be welcome. Does that sound right to you?
HOUSTON: Yes it does.
ANNE: Okay, and we talked a little bit about the kinds of protagonists you enjoy and I mean, the good news is that I do think there are a fair number of series out there that can keep you happy for a good, long time and I want to start with a long running series that I'm sorry to say is set in England. Can we do that?
HOUSTON: Yes. We can definitely talk about them. [LAUGHS]
[00:35:08]
ANNE: Okay. Okay. And there's several, I mean, I mean there are other authors that we could certainly talk about but this is my favorite for you and I think also for Louise Penny fans. This is a long running series by Deborah Crombie. It's the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series and it has been running for a good, like your lifetime basically. Her first book, A Share in Death, was published in 1993. I don't know if she intended to write a series when she got going, but a new book has come out every two to four years since that time. The 19th book in this series is slated for publication in February 2023. Even if you catch up and read the first 18, like she – like Louise Penny is still writing and I think this series holds a lot of appeal for fans who do enjoy that Inspector Gamache series.
I especially love how the Scotland Yard police work is only half the content, but I'm getting ahead of myself. So the protagonists in this series are Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. And I don't want to give any spoilers away as the series develops, but when the series begins, Duncan Kincaid is the London-based Scotland Yard detective and Gemma James is his assistant who's eager to demonstrate that she has the chops, like to do great police work, like what it seems like all the men around her and she feels like she really has to prove herself.
The first book is A Share in Death and it's set at a posh, because it's British, so it's posh resort where Duncan Kincaid happens to be on holiday, but you know when a Scotland Yard detective goes on holiday in a novel, I mean, you know, what's going to happen and that is a body is found in the resort pool and the local detective says oh, suicide. Easy. Done. Over. But Kincaid is certain there is more to the story and Gemma pops over to help.
That is just the beginning of this long running series, but as the series progresses, I mean, this is true from the beginning but you get like more and more details and more of like a fully built out, oh these people are my friends and neighbors, how are they doing, what are they up to feel as the series progresses. You get so much storytime dedicated to the detectives and their colleagues' personal lives, the dramas, the romantic entanglements. So for that reason I would really recommend reading these in order, but I think this has a whole lot of what you are looking for. Characters that you really get to know over a long, long time. You get really deep in their lives and you get to come along as they do their work and solve the contained crime that exists in every novel. How does that sound?
HOUSTON: That sounds great, especially the reading them in order part ‘cause I probably would have done that anyway but knowing that it's acceptable in this is great. [BOTH LAUGH]
[00:37:48]
ANNE: You know, I'm glad you said that because the way you were describing your approach to these series, I just assumed you were reading them in order but that's – it's good to have that out in the open on the table but I do think that would be a really good fit for you, Houston.
Next I want to go to Canada, but we're going to Toronto, not Quebec, so it's a little bit different, but these are more contemporary. I wish I knew if the series was still ongoing. I want it to be for what it's worth, but again this series takes its name from the two detectives at the core of the book, and just like Deborah Crombie, this series features a male detective and a female detective working in tandem. But there's something just really fun about those partnership duos that often have their own like little troubles and triumphs that make for such interesting reading, but this is the Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty mysteries series by Ausma Zehanat Khan. Are you familiar with these, Houston?
HOUSTON: I have not, but it already sounds super great with the author 'cause I'm assuming she's from the Pakistan area of Toronto.
ANNE: I know that her heritage is South Asian and I know that she has written about the specifics in her like wonderful author's note, or if you look up her bio, but I like that appeals to you right off because that is really crucial to these books actually.
Esa Khattak and his assistant Rachel Getty are part of the special unit, I think it's called Community Policing in the Toronto force, and what their unit does is represent the needs and interests of minority communities in Toronto, but with their presence in those communities they also represent law enforcement to them as they’re solving thorny and complex crimes that take place in those communities.
And actually I think you would really relate to the author's personal background because what she says is that when she begin this series I'm going to say like 2016 ish, give or take a year or two, she grew up loving crime novels and crime TV and she really enjoyed reading about, you know, the whipsmart detective probably with the tortured past [HOUSTON LAUGHS] that was informing like his understanding of how people were going to act and the emotions driving these terrible crimes, but what she said is she hadn't seen a lot of people in these books that she loved so much with backgrounds like her own, and she's written these detective novels and she's also written a lot of fantasy novels which I think is so interesting. I haven't read her fantasy work, but in this series, her two detectives who very much work together and you get their whole personal back stories.
The first book of the series – it's called The Unquiet Dead and in this book the two are called in to investigate what again was just in A Share in Death looks like an accidental death. A wealthy local man dies, but it slowly becomes apparent that the roots of this crime ... it's not just an accident. It goes far deeper and far further into the past than the detectives could ever, than anyone could have dreamed.
There are five books in this series and I think I mean these are really excellently done procedurals but I think that extra layers could be another point of interest. They're called upon to investigate crimes often in the Muslim community of Toronto, the way they navigate cultural and political divides as they work to solve these crimes, I think you could really enjoy that.
[00:41:15]
HOUSTON: That actually sounds amazing 'cause I do love in Louise Penny books how layered some of the stories get so that sounds actually just so fantastic.
ANNE: Okay good I'm glad to hear it. Okay so I know that we can't stay in the same parts of the world as we chose in other series. I'm not going to do America either, although there is a YA series that I think you may really enjoy. How about Italy?
HOUSTON: Ooh, that sounds great.
ANNE: Do you know the Auntie Poldi series?
HOUSTON: I actually do. My mom got the first one of these books and read it. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I'm thinking about Auntie Poldi because they are as much there's some kind of bloody crimes that happen in these books because they are murder mysteries they have a lot of heart and humor. They have a lighthearted feel. Auntie Poldi, the protagonist and [LAUGHS] self-appointed detective here, she's a Bavarian widow who moves to Sicily from Germany I think. Mario Giordano is German. These books are written in German and we're reading them translated into English. I assume that you're not reading the German. I was a German minor in school. I could actually aspire to that, but that's not – that's not my current plan. [HOUSTON LAUGHS]
She is 60 when the first book begins. That's called Auntie Poldi and The Sicilian Lions, and the story is narrated by her nephew and just the narration is really clever. Auntie Poldi is completely over the top and now I'm actually wondering if this is going to be a good fit for you. I think her nephew brings like a more like hard nosed like let's be logical, auntie perspective to it. The two of them together are a lot of fun. Michael narrates the first book and he is just really funny and he's got the dry humor of narrating his aunt's escapades that is really fun.
In this first book her handy man goes missing and she decides she has to find him for multiple reasons. Some of which are selfless and some of which she's like really interested in getting her guy back so he can finish the project. And there's a sexy police comensario and a whole bunch of quirky Italian friends. She had moved to Sicily feeling old, washed up, depressed, but this quest to solve the crime and I don't know what the “and” is. Her quest to solve the crime like really brings her back to life and reminds her of what she loves about it, so you do have her personal story dovetailing with the murder plot.
So this is definitely escapist. It's funny, but it feels very akin to The Thursday Murder Club to me in a different setting. There are four books in this series right now. I don't know if there are plans to continue but that would at least keep you busy for a thousand pages. [HOUSTON LAUGHS] How's that sound?
[00:43:53]
HOUSTON: That sounds actually pretty nice and I know that my mom still has the book. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I'd love to hear what you think if you end up picking that up. Okay, Houston, we talked about The Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series by Deborah Crombie, The Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty series by Ausman Zehama Khan, and The Auntie Poldi series by Mario Giordano. Of those books, what do you think you might pick up when your Louise Penny runs out?
HOUSTON: I'm really curious about The Unquiet Dead book set in Toronto and I think that's going to be the one I pick up next.
ANNE: Houston, this has been great. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
HOUSTON: Thank you so much for having me today.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Houston, and I’d love to hear what YOU think she should read next. We share Houston’s instagram account, as well as the full list of the titles we discussed today, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/323.
We hope you already get our weekly What Should I Read Next newsletter (if not, you can sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter), but we also share lots of reading goodness each week on the Modern Mrs Darcy blog. If you are not yet subscribed for updates to this lifestyle blog for readers, do that today at modernmrsdarcy.com/subscribe.
Tune in next week when I’ll be talking with a grandmother who made it her mission to support her family’s reading health and happiness during recent pandemic lockdowns. Make sure you’re following us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and more so you never miss an episode.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Simon Winchester (Try Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883) Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (audio version narrated by Dan Stevens)
• Still Life by Louise Penny (audio version narrated by Ralph Cosham)
All The Devils Are Here by Louise Penny (audio version narrated by Robert Bathurst)
• Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny (audio version narrated by Ralph Cosham)
• The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny (audio version narrated by Robert Bathurst)
• The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman (#1 The Thursday Murder Club)
△ A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell series)
• Alan Bradley Flavia de Luce series (#1 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie)
• The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heepby H. G. Parry
• Duncan Kincaid &Gemma James series by Deborah Crombie (#1 A Share in Death)
• Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty series by Ausma Zehanat Khan (#1 The Unquiet Dead)
• Auntie Poldi series by Mario Giordano (#1: Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions)
Also mentioned:
• The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia
• Murder, She Wrote
• Strong Sense of Place podcast (Anne talked to SSoP hosts Mel Joulwan and Dave Humphreys in WSIRN Ep 219: Required reading revisited!)
The post WSIRN Ep 323: Series to cure your Louise Penny hangover appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month.
My reading year got off to a slow start (e.g., it me took ten days—a long time for me—to finish my first book of 2022). But I feel like I’ve been reading at a brisk clip since then, something my reading journal confirms. That’s in spite of the fact that I’ve abandoned two books at the 100-page mark in the past month.
I’ve been reading widely of late—a balance of fiction and non, a nice amount of backlist titles, a few new releases, and while today’s Quick Lit list doesn’t capture it, much of my reading time has been spent with forthcoming books. (If you’re thinking that’s because it’s Summer Reading Guide preparation season, you’re absolutely right!)
I’m using the My Reading Life book journal, of course, which is what you see pictured above. Instead of using the habit tracker to track the number of days I read per month, I’m using it to track the number of books completed. (i.e., no matter when I began a book, I note it for the month I finished it.
This is just a sampling of the books I’ve read since our last round of Quick Lit. I highly recommend tuning into my podcast What Should I Read Next to hear more about my recent reads. In a show about books, I can’t help but discuss my current reading, plus forthcoming releases that aren’t ready to be shared on the blog but are perfect for podcast conversations!
(I also share what I’m currently reading in our weekly podcast newsletter: if you aren’t already signed up, click here to get on the list.)
I can’t wait to hear about your recent reads in comments.
Short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately
Author: Amy Poeppel
I've been itching to revisit this 2020 Summer Reading Guide selection since I first read it two years ago, and finally got to do so last week, in preparation for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club conversation with Amy Poeppel about reading and writing funny books. I love to re-read because I notice details that escape me the first time. The story focuses on an empty-nester who plans the summer of her dreams—only to have work, romantic relationships, and family life all fall apart before it even begins. In this reading I was struck by how thoroughly Jane Austen this story felt, perhaps because people's eyebrow-raising behavior provides ample opportunity for humor. I wish I could say that on my second I noticed the story was structured as a waltz, but Amy had to point that out herself before I could see it. Laughter is therapy, and this was a great book to read right now. More info →
Author: Lola Shoneyin
This book was a delightful surprise; I laughed, I cried, I GASPED as I read. This contemporary Nigerian novel focuses on the happy-enough household of Baba Segi, where his three wives and their children have learned to live in relative harmony. But when Baba Segi takes a fourth wife—this one a university graduate—her arrival throws the family into chaos. It's no spoiler to say the wives steal the show! The story is told in rotating points of view, and we get to know each woman's personality and personal history in turn as matters come to a head. A heads up for sensitive readers: content warnings apply; please research before reading. More info →
Author: Rosie Walsh
I'm so glad I picked this up on the recommendation of bookseller friends. The premise is this: Emma and Leo have been happily married for ten years when Leo, an obituary writer, takes on an assignment at work. As an esteemed obituary writer, one of his jobs is to draft advance obituaries for well-known individuals so they're ready, should they be needed. As a noted marine biologist, Emma ranks an advance obit—but when Leo begins researching his wife's life, he quickly discovers the truth doesn't match the story she's told him. He doesn't even know her real name, and she's never breathed a word to him about the first love of her life. The multiple points of view Walsh employed served the story perfectly; I raced through this book to learn the truth alongside Leo. Two notes: I began this on audio, but quickly switched to print, a change I think was for the best. And while details would spoil the plot, sensitive readers may want to research this book's content warnings before diving in. More info →
Author: Adam Grant
I wasn't planning on reading this ... until our MMD Book Club community manager Ginger raved about it at our team's best books of the year event. In his latest release, organizational psychologist Grant argues that we may collectively admire confident and quick thinkers, but the far more valuable skill—especially in today's rapidly changing world, is the ability to question—and even unlearn—what we know. Whether we're talking about workplace success, interpersonal relationships, medical questions, or parenting teens, we're far more likely to reach satisfying (and often, correct) answers if we're willing and able to rethink everything we thought we knew. I took ample notes on this book, and I plan to revisit them regularly in the future—both signs of a worthwhile read. More info →
Author: Rebecca Serle
Funny thing: I'd been thinking about reading this, and finally decided to begin when I found out Lauren Graham read the audiobook, perhaps because the epigraph is from Gilmore Girls. But then I got swept up in the story and wanted to finish as quickly as possible so I switched to print. Ha! When twenty-something Katy loses her mother to cancer, she loses her best friend in the world, and she has no idea what to do next. She makes the difficult decision to travel to the Amalfi Coast—painful, because she and her mother had planned to take this trip together. At a charming hotel in Positano, Katy imagines what her own mother's visit must have been like many years before, when she first visited the hotel in which Katy is finding solace. But then—Katy's mother appears, in the flesh, though she isn't yet Katy's mother, because she's just thirty years old. This was touching and tender and I inhaled it in a day. My favorite Rebecca Serle to date. More info →
What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
The post What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? I’m excited to welcome my college freshman home for a few days, which lessens the sting of the approaching winter storm and Sunday’s Daylight Savings clock reset.
I hope you have something to look forward to, and that this collection of intriguing links and happy things helps you ease into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web: * 20 Must-Read Nonfiction Books by Women. In case you’re looking for something to read for Women’s History Month.
-
I always dreamed of visiting my ancestral home of Odessa. But not like this. Heartbreaking.
-
My daughter makes these crispy chewy chocolate chip cookies so often I think it’s fair to call them our house recipe.
-
Speaking of favorite recipes: 8 beautiful, practical cookbooks you’ll turn to again and again.
-
Get 3 audiobooks with a 30-day free trial from Audiobooks.com! This is a great way for beginning listeners to experiment with the genre.
-
Endurance: Shackleton’s lost ship is found in Antarctic. Incredible! (Check out our related book list: Take a trip to the icy Arctic with these 8 awe-inspiring nonfiction books.)
-
I’m loving these cheerful spring florals! Also loving that J.Crew brought back their original schoolboy blazer. File both under “classic for a reason.”
-
A Path to Well-Being: Recognize the Importance of Time. This weekend’s time change might be a good opportunity to examine your daily rhythms.
-
Area 7-year-old embarks on noble quest to read all 3,000 picture books in the library. Love this!
-
My girls have loved their Ipsy subscription for trying new makeup and skincare, something that’s especially fun to do when the seasons change.
-
Why Everyone Is Always Giving Unsolicited Advice. “That is what “likes” and comments and “friending” has done to our brains. We all think we are Ann Landers.”
-
This Rifle Paper Co. swimsuit (yes really!) is sooo dreamy, as are these darling pajamas. (I love my Summersalt suit: this is the style I have; I chose the long torso option.)
-
Little Free Library Launches Mobile App. Very cool!
Don’t miss these posts: * 15 immersive historical fiction books about overlooked events. You probably didn’t learn about these events in history class!
-
Try the Bakewell tart, and other rules I’m learning to live by. My husband Will and I traveled to Scotland in December 2018 for an amazing literary adventure. Our time there was magical, though I do have a handful of regrets. Some were beyond our control, but one was completely preventable…
-
20 celebrity memoirs read by their authors.
-
20 extra-long and totally readable books. In case you’ve been wanting to tackle a looooong book.
Upcoming Events: * March 30: The Light of the World book discussion: Time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander!
-
April 7: Poetry 101 with Tania Runyan: April is National Poetry Month! Learn the why and how of reading poetry from poet and author of How to Read a Poem Tania Runyan. This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club class.
-
April 28: Let’s Talk Poetry with Amena Brown: Whether you’re a seasoned lover or poetry, or approaching the form for the first time, we’ll explore poetry together in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club with special guest Amena Brown—poet, author, and comedic storyteller—sharing inspiration without the intimidation.
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Sometimes people assume that because I love books, I must hate tv. Let me assure you this is not the case. I love good storytelling in any format, and there’s wonderful storytelling to be had on the small screen.
When our kids were younger, Will and I enjoyed making our way through a show one or two episodes at a time after they went to bed. Now that they’re older—our youngest just turned twelve—there is no such thing as “after bedtime.” That means we’re more often on the lookout for shows that will please two parents, two high school girls, and one sixth grade boy. (My oldest is a college freshman, so he’s not often home for family tv nights.)
It’s not easy to find shows we all love—so when we do, I want to shout them from the rooftops! Your mileage may vary, but these two shows are making us happy these days.
Abbott Elementary
I mentioned this in my recent list of 8 (mostly) little things I’m loving for winter, and it bears repeating here. If you love Parks and Rec, give Abbott a try. In the same mockumentary style, it takes us inside a Philadelphia public school, focusing primarily on the staff and their relationships, though the kids are always present in a meaningful way. We all love it because it’s fun and funny and smart—we laugh SO HARD when we watch together—and, at the same time, it’s warm-hearted and kind. I adore the earnest and idealistic Janine (played by Quinta Brunson), but my very favorite scenes feature Gregory (played by Tyler James Williams). And I didn’t even tell you about my other six favorite characters!
Based on this description, if you’re inclined to try it—do it! I think you’ll like it. My only complaint is that we’re all caught up and need to wait for new episodes. (We’re watching on Hulu, which is a free perk that comes with our cell phone plan.)
Central Park
I would never have considered this show had my brother not recommended it, but he did, we gave it a try, and it stuck. (My youngest is just old enough for this show, but we probably wouldn’t have watched it together a year ago.) This animated adult sit-com about the manager of New York’s Central Park and his family—and their inadvertent war with the crabby billionaire who wants to buy the park and fill it with condos and retail. The delightfully silly show airs on AppleTV+ and features an impressive cast full of names you likely recognize. The scenes with billionaire Bitsy and her much-maligned help Helen, as played by Stanley Tucci and Daveed Diggs, have us in stitches.
The show just came back from a long hiatus with several new episodes; we were a little worried after yawning through the first two, but the newest episode called “The PAIGE-riarchy!” had us in stitches.
Have you seen either of these shows? What would you recommend we watch next? What other shows have you been enjoying lately? Tell us all about it in comments!
The post What are you watching? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’ve been thinking lately about the way tastes change over time. Whether due to lifestyle changes, your growing family’s needs, or simply a shift in mood, what we like from year to year (or month to month) continues to evolve. That’s true of so many things: food, books, clothes, you name it.
Several years ago I shared a list of my go-to cookbooks. I love a good cookbook: there’s something special about tech-free meal-planning from the comfort of my couch. I love to curl up with a good cookbook and read it like a novel—although if I come away with recipes I actually want to make for weeknight dinners, so much the better.
When I recently revisited my list of old favorite cookbooks, it brought me back to that very specific time in my life. My kids were younger and had different food sensitivities. (SO MANY food sensitivities, it felt like then.) The cookbooks in our regular rotation reflected that state of being.
I still rely on many of those cookbooks, but I’ve welcomed additional ones into our kitchen since then. The kids are older now—one is IN COLLEGE, for goodness’ sake—and my teenage kids have favorite cookbooks of their own. We have different favorite meals these days; we no longer need to avoid gluten or dairy like we once did. It’s no wonder I rely on a new rotation of cookbooks right now. (And let’s not forget how many fabulous new cookbooks have been published these past few years!)
Here’s what hasn’t changed: I still have seasons of creative kitchen experimentation and seasons of cooking for survival. I’m especially grateful to have go-to recipes for those stressful seasons, as well as new-to-me recipes to try when we’re in the mood for something we haven’t had a billion times already.
It doesn’t hurt that my favorite cookbooks are both beautiful and practical. I hope you’ll see some of your own favorites here and maybe a new one or two to add to your kitchen. And, of course, you know I’d love to hear all about YOUR favorites in comments—and so would your fellow readers!
8 beautiful, practical cookbooks you’ll turn to again and again Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Deb Perelman
My introduction to Deb Perelman of the fantabulous food blog smittenkitchen.com wasn't via the usual route: I found out she was speaking at my local library, a friend told me I should go, I took her advice and found Deb and warm and funny and smart, and only then did I look up her website and her first cookbook, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. This follow-up contains more than a hundred real recipes for real people, gorgeously illustrated. Family favorites include her versatile party cake recipes, magical blueberry muffins, and spinach, mushroom, and goat cheese slab frittata. More info →
Author: Ina Garten
I’m a big fan of Ina's approach to cooking and resultant recipes. My Barefoot Contessa cookbooks are well-loved and notably worse for wear. I still can’t believe she had a book on comfort food ready and waiting for a pandemic-induced return to home cooking. We love the giant crinkled chocolate chip cookies and chicken pot pie soup. I can vouch for it being a great book for home cooks, from beginners to pros. Hearty dinner dishes like cheesy chicken enchiladas and perfect beef stew are fabulous, but we've pulled this off the shelf most often for the giant crinkled chocolate chip cookies and applesauce cake with bourbon raisins, two dessert recipes we've made again and again. More info →
Author: Jenny Rosenstrach
Fans of Rosenstrach’s cookbook Dinner: A Love Story will love her latest offering. Her family decided to limit their meat consumption to the weekends and turn to plant-based meals during the week—reducing meat intake is an easy way to combat climate change. This cookbook contains 100 recipes, as well as what Jenny and her family learned along the way. This cheerful cookbook contains great ideas for approaching dinner as well as recipes to prepare. Our hands-down favorite recipe is the leek and mushroom tart, which we make for weeknights and served as part of our Thanksgiving spread. More info →
Author: Samin Nosrat
If you enjoy sitting down with hefty cookbooks and reading them like novels, it’s especially easy to do here. The first half of the book consists entirely of enjoyable stories and explanations about the cooking process, as Samin examines how each of the key elements—salt, fat, acid, and heat—affect a dish. I especially enjoyed the way she drew from her experience at Chez Panisse, sharing stories of kitchen disasters that happened because one of these elements had gone horribly awry. Once you understand the essentials, Samin leads you into the recipes held in the book's second half. This book made me want to get cooking, and the gorgeous illustrations and flavor wheels make it particularly fun. Favorites include garlicky green beans, slow roasted citrus salmon, and panzanella variations for all seasons. More info →
Author: Priya Krishna
When we discussed cookbooks worth of completely cooking your way through, Indian-ish ranked multiple mentions. Inspired by her mother's creative recipes that combined the traditional Indian recipes of her childhood with American favorites (like spaghetti), Priya Krishna shares fun, everyday recipes that can only be described as "Indian-ish." I love reading my cookbooks like novels, and Krishna shares funny and endearing family memories in between recipes. Favorites include roasted Aloo Gobi, Malaysian ramen, and garlic and ginger chicken. Will is dying to try the white bean stuffed poblanos soon. More info →
Author: Vivian Howard
Like many cooking enthusiasts, we met Vivian Howard through her Netflix series A Chef’s Life, “a show about people, place, tradition and family told through the lens of food.” Howard's newest cookbook, filled with simple recipes that highlight the way she actually cooks at home every night, as opposed to at her fancy award-winning restaurant, caught my eye at the local bookstore. She’s insistent these simple recipes will change the way you cook. She made a believer out of me: I especially love her methods for spicy tomatoes and preserved lemons—and her style is just plain FUN. I most often cook the core recipes for her "flavor heroes," they're perfect every time and do, in fact, make everything else we make taste better. More info →
Author: Chungah Rhee
If you’re familiar with Chungah Rhee’s blog of the same name, you know this is aptly titled. After discovering her site years ago, it quickly became one of my go-to destinations for dinner recipes because her recipes are always tasty, and they always work. This cookbook includes the recipes she’s most well-known for, as well as new ones created for this print edition. This is my go-to whenever I’m looking for something quick, easy, and full of flavor. Favorites include one-pot garlic parmesan pasta, bang-bang chicken, and slow-cooker french dip sandwiches. More info →
Author: Sam Sifton
I was thrilled when Sam Sifton released this collection of the best recipes from the NYT Cooking website and app, which he founded. This cookbook is all about the principles behind cooking. There’s an ingredient list but no measurements. The instructions are easy to understand, leaving you free to adapt and adjust the components of each recipe to your taste. I made the grilled broccoli weekly during the summer months, and we also recommend kitchen-sink rice and beans, multiple grilled cheese variations, and instant ramen, back-of-the-fridge style, More info →
What are your favorite cookbooks? Tell us in comments!
P.S. My go-to cookbooks, Contemplating a creative challenge (plus 10 shelf-worthy cookbooks), 20 fantastic and flavorful food fiction reads, and 20 tasty and tantalizing food memoirs.
The post 8 beautiful, practical cookbooks you’ll turn to again and again appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today’s guest is an oil and watercolor painter who appreciates the power of both art and books to tell a story.
Gina Ariko Marioni grew up in a family of immigrants and artists, and as a child she embraced reading as a way of understanding more about the world around her. While she’s traditionally loved a good coming-of-age story or a tale set in the art world, recently she’s found her reading selections mostly fall into two categories: extremely serious and weighty non-fiction and breezy, escapist, easy-to-read novels. Gina’s not happy about how black and white her reading life has become, and she’s looking for some help in expanding her palette.
In our conversation today, I offer Gina some ideas for the complex, introspective stories that spark those feelings of surprise and delight she’s looking for in her reading life right now.
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
See what Gina is reading and painting by following her on on Instagram and her website, ginaariko.com
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
GINA: She was one of the first writers to write books in the English language, like for a younger audience, and so there was like these other components obviously I wanted to bring into it and some of my classmates were like why did you pick that? That's a kid's book. I could tell they were not impressed with my topic. [ANNE LAUGHS]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 322.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, sometimes we all need a little extra inspiration, even in the parts of our lives that normally bring us uncomplicated joy—like reading! If you’re feeling like something’s not quite right in your reading life these days, I have a recommendation for some bibliotherapy.
My book I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life is the perfect collection of short essays to remind you why you love to read. I’d Rather Be Reading celebrates the simple yet profound pleasures of being a reader, like reading under the covers with a flashlight, organizing your bookshelves again, and finding your book people. If you haven’t yet read it, this might be the perfect time. I’d Rather Be Reading is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or an independent bookstore near you.
Today’s guest has a deep appreciation for art as a way of telling a story—whether it’s through the creativity of the written word, or in her own career as an oil and watercolor painter.
Growing up in an immigrant family, Gina Ariko Marioni had an early encounter with the limitations of language, and came to love reading as a way of understanding more about the world around her. You'll often find her with a coming of age or multigenerational family story in her hands, although perhaps unsurprisingly, she also loves tales set in the world of art.
But Gina’s found that in recent years she’s gotten unintentionally stuck between two reading extremes. Her reading selections bounce back and forth between extremely serious and weighty non-fiction and breezy, escapist, easy-to-read novels—and she’s not happy about how much of the bookstore she’s leaving undiscovered in the process. While she wants to keep both of these categories in her reading life, she’s also missing the complex, introspective stories she’s enjoyed in the past and wants to expand the range of her reading to be less black and white.
But Gina’s found that in recent years her reading life’s becoming increasingly black and white. Her selections bounce back and forth between serious, weighty non-fiction and fluffy, escapist, easy-to-read novels, and she’s not happy about how much of the bookstore she’s leaving unexplored in the process.
Gina’s here today for my help in finding new books to add to her palette. I’ve got ideas for stories that will invite her in and leave her with that sought-after feeling of surprise and delight.
Let’s get to it.
Gina, welcome to the show.
[00:02:43]
GINA: Hi Anne, thank you so much for having me.
ANNE: Oh, it's my pleasure. I can't wait to talk books and your reading life. Gina, what made you think coming on What Should I Read Next could be a good time right now in your reading life?
GINA: I read more books than I ever have last year. Like with a lot of people, the pandemic, I had more time at home than ever before, and it was like a way to escape. When I was looking into this year, I want to be a little more selective with the books that I'm reading. I found that I kinda went into extremes with my reading life. I would either chose like books with these really heavy nonfiction books, educational, and historical, and just these really big topics, and then I would swing to the other side, like I would read one of those. It would be like an emotional, heavy read, and then I would lean toward like usually like a romance novel or a YA, like a really easy read. A light fiction read and I'd read one or two of those, and then pick up another like big, heavy book and there's not anything wrong with either those categories. I really liked a lot of books I read last year but I feel like there's a hole in the middle and I'm having trouble figuring out where exactly to look for them because I just keep going into really far on one side of the spectrum, and really far on the other with nonfiction.
[00:04:02]
ANNE: Ooh. Okay, so [GINA LAUGHS] you're familiar with the I'm picturing your books like weighted on a fulcrum. My physics vocab isn't so great. [GINA LAUGHS] Is that accurate? Do you know? [LAUGHS] But the middle ground is not commonly traversed. Okay. I'm excited to dig in. First, tell me a little bit about what you do when you're not reading. You mentioned spending time at home, which I imagine hints at [GINA LAUGHS] employment in the before outside the house?
GINA: Yeah.
ANNE: I'm watching Station Eleven and so [BOTH LAUGH] there's a lot of talk about the before and I thought oh yes, that sounds right right now.
GINA: Oh, yeah. I'm a full time working artist, so and I work out of my home. I have like a studio that's just a spare room in my home. So yeah, I work mostly with oil painting and watercolors.
ANNE: You have to tell me more about your work. How did you get into that?
GINA: I've always loved painting and actually same with reading. My childhood definitely was a lot of coloring and books. That's like all I wanted to do. [LAUGHS] My ojiisan and my obaasan, my maternal grandparents, they're both professional artists in Japan. My mom is an immigrant from Japan, and so I was really fortunate growing up. I got to spend like every other summer at their house and in their studio, and so really I was just like around their artwork. I thought their paintings were so cool and beautiful. I was like I want to be an artist. I want to be like them. So that had a big influence on me, and then when I got to college I started a double major in English and in studio art. Definitely continued the trend of loving [LAUGHS] books and art.
There’s such a big language barrier between me and a lot of my relatives. My Japanese language skills are pretty weak. A lot of my relatives do not speak fluent English. Like my grandparents didn't really speak any English, and so I was aware from a very early age the limitations of language. As much as I was really fascinated by and reading books, I kinda saw that overlap in where one left off and the other picked up, and so one reason I also really leaned into art, other than I just ... It's pretty and it's fun and I liked making pictures as a kid. Particularly when I was with my grandparents it felt like where the language barrier meets, my being interested in art and my being able to paint alongside them and show them my artwork and look at theirs seemed like it picked up kinda where that left off and it made me feel like I'm in this family, too, and it was a way to like express between each other where the language kinda left off.
[00:06:31]
ANNE: How amazing to come from a family of working artists. Did that make it easier to envision that it could actually be done? 'Cause I know that's not the message given to many younger students interested in pursuing that professionally.
GINA: Yes, it totally did. [LAUGHS] I always had that in the back of my mind, and I went to school in the Bay Area, so a lot of like tech and business students and kinda like what am I doing here? [ANNE LAUGHS] Like in the art department, like everyone else is talking about like their internships and stuff and I was like ...
ANNE: Oh, this sweet little art student [GINA LAUGHS] who thinks she can make it in the world.
GINA: But then yeah, in the back of my mind I was like Jiji and Baba did it. Like I know it's possible. I know there are people out there who are working artists.
ANNE: What medium do you work in?
GINA: I work mostly in oil painting and just in the last year I've started getting really into watercolors also and that's been really fun.
ANNE: Listeners, we will put links to Gina's work in our show notes so you can check it out with your eyes [GINA LAUGHS] and not listen to us describe it. Gina, you mention the limitations of language and how that's really fueled your interest in creating art yourself. I'd love to hear more about the intersection of your reading life and art in your life.
GINA: I love reading books that have [LAUGHS] either literal art or artists in it, like art history books on like the nonfiction side or like biographies. I love van Gogh's letters. There's other artists, but he's probably the most famous one. People who aren't [LAUGHS] interested directly in art history, he was a very prolific writer. He wrote tons of letters to his brother and his friends, and we have those, so I love stuff like that, but even books that are not so on the nose about art.
[00:08:01]
ANNE: So when it comes up in your work, or when it comes up in your reading, that makes you happy.
GINA: Oh, yeah. And just in a bigger picture, books that maybe just like inspire creativity or I really like coming-of-age stories, and I think that's kinda for the same reason like figuring out who you are, what you want to say about yourself, I feel like that also ties in. It's to how I think about what I'm trying to do when I'm in front of the canvas or reading a book. I feel like that translates too, so I think that's why I tend to grab ... Like I said at the top, I read a lot of YA books. I think that's part of why I'm drawn in that direction also.
ANNE: So I know we're going to get into the polarity you see there but, Gina, you said on our submission form, and that's the one at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest that you see both books and art as a form of storytelling. I would love to hear more about that.
GINA: Yeah, I do see both as a form of storytelling and communication. It is funny. I have a very bizarre, distinct memory. One of the trips we went when I was probably around ten years old, I was doing some like errand-running with my mom, so we were in like the city square, basically realizing that I'm illiterate in Japan. I think we were on a city bus and I was just kinda staring out the window and usually back home, you know, I'm like reading billboards, just to pass the time and stuff. It occurred to me, not only can I not read anything, but it's like a different alphabet. Japanese alphabets based on like Chinese characters, so it's not even like letters I can see, let alone words I can read, and it was kind of a jarring experience. I kinda went through the rest of our outing looking at the grocery store, like I can't read any of the labels on the food. I can't read anything, and had a feeling of like oh, this is what it feels like if you're illiterate.
ANNE: Which is probably an experience that you [LAUGHS] may not remember having at any point in the country you grew up in. And how old were you when that happened?
GINA: I was probably around ten.
ANNE: What did you like to read when you were a kid?
[00:09:57]
GINA: I read so much when I was a kid. [BOTH LAUGHS This is probably no surprise, but I loved books with ferocious, independent girls. [ANNE LAUGHS] Mandy by Julie Andrews, Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women. I loved Jo March. She's probably my favorite. Elizabeth Bennett, too.
ANNE: I'm glad to hear that. And what about now? [GINA LAUGHS] What do you tend to pick up these days?
GINA: I mean, I read all kinds of stuff like I said, fiction and nonfiction and light and heavy but I'm trying to be more intentional reading contemporary, underrepresented authors as well. The last several years I'm really happy I'm back in reading shape. [BOTH LAUGH] And like really enjoying reading for its own sake. Like I've always loved art and books and everything, but the couple years, and I don't know if other people on your show have had this experience, especially as an English major, but the couple years right after school, I barely read at all. I think I got a little bit burnt out of being like assigned reading. Also for me I had kinda an experience of [LAUGHS] I think when I look back on it feeling like little bit of judgment and snobbery built into like you have to like this type of book.
Some of the seminars, especially near the end of my time at school, I felt judged if I talked about ... Like if I admitted I liked other books. Even the book I ended up writing my senior thesis largely around The Secret Garden, and that is a children's book but my [LAUGHS] my topic was on like the transcendental themes that the book used from like the generation or two before the book was written. It was written in 1910 or something. I can't remember exactly but the early 1900s, the emergence of children's literature. She was one of the first writers to write books in the English language, like for a younger audience, and so there was like these other components obviously I wanted to bring into it and some of my classmates were like why did you pick that? That's a kid's book. I could tell they were not impressed with my topic [ANNE LAUGHS] and kinda like looking down on me for it and I was like okay, well I think [LAUGHS] I think there's interesting things here to look at and just because it has a younger audience doesn't mean it's not interesting, or not worth looking at.
ANNE: She was a pioneer by golly. [GINA LAUGHS] I mean come on. How - how did it turn out? That project?
GINA: I got an A on my thesis. [ANNE LAUGHS] So it was good. But just stuff like that and honestly I had it on the art side too, but it took me a little while and really a couple years after that to kinda figure out like when every book I'm reading is not either assigned to me or something that I have to propose in front of my like classmates, what stuff do I like to read? What kind of art do I like to look at and make?
[00:12:42]
ANNE: I mean, you know this. It's definitely not just you. I think it's something that a lot of graduates from whatever – whatever it is they're graduating from – don't realize that they're walking off a cliff in a way. That all of a sudden they're about to have total control of their own reading life, without even really thinking about the fact that someone else, I mean, if you're a student, has always been telling you what to read. Maybe not exclusively been telling you what to read, but then you reach this point in your life where somebody's not telling you what to read, then maybe you're not reading and that takes a lot of people by surprise.
GINA: It took me by surprise. Like definitely the year after like I don't know if I read a single book. It was also like I was transitioning to like my first nine to five job and stuff, but I do specifically remember it sounds like something like being wow, like I used to read so much. I'm not reading anymore. I never had the experience of, feel like I had to make myself read or be like what book am I going to read now 'cause I didn't have anything lined up.
ANNE: Okay, but you did it 'cause we're talking about [GINA LAUGHS] your reading life here today. Gina, you said it's real easy for you to go two places with your books. Would you tell me more about that?
GINA: Yeah, I mean especially this last couple years. [LAUGHS] When we're in lockdown and stuff, I find that I'll gravitate toward nonfiction and I'll get hooked on a certain topic and then want to read like a whole bunch more books about that. It'll kinda take over my reading life for a couple months. Let me see. Recent ones were like I read a bunch of books on like the food industry and like chef memoirs. Once I read one that interested me, I want to know more about this and I'll find like five more books [LAUGHS] on that topic. I read early in the pandemic, I read a bunch of like founding father biographies, which I'd never particularly had an interest in or thought I did but I read one and then I was like well I need to know more now [ANNE LAUGHS] and read like four more. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: What was the one that set you down that path? Do you remember?
GINA: It was Alexander Hamilton's.
ANNE: Okay.
[00:14:35]
GINA: The one Hamilton, the musical.
ANNE: The Chernow one, yeah?
GINA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
ANNE: Okay. Okay. So a thousand pages wasn't enough. You had to keep going.
GINA: [LAUGHS] I know. That one was so big too. Oh, the other one was I read a bunch of like I escaped a cult [LAUGHS] genre of memoir and those were just so fascinating, but again, they're heavy to read. They're heavy reads. At the time I was like okay, I'm like full of reading these. [LAUGHS] I don't have a big appetite to read something that I know is going to take a lot out of me again, and so it's just kinda easy to go back toward YA or romance novels. I read a lot of romance novels last year. [BOTH LAUGH] I didn't really start reading romance novels until the pandemic either. [LAUGHS] These are delightful. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Yeah.
GINA: So I'll kinda swing fully the other way in and I don't want to be bashing on that genre at all. I've really enjoyed reading them, but I think it's kinda left a gap in the middle and I know that there's so much more good fiction out there and when I do come across it usually cause other bookish friends of mine will be like have you read this yet? I didn't know where to find it, or I feel like there's this whole like middle ground, especially for fiction that I'm not aware of and I think I'm just not really looking for it because in my mind I'll only turn to fiction when I already feeling a little bit like full, and so I'll just swing far to the other side.
ANNE: So you've got a pendulum going. So you're going between your rotating nonfiction topics, the ones you get hooked on. Like you really enjoy the experience, but then it feels like you feel like you need a break from topics that can tend to be heavy and serious and pretty academic.
GINA: Mmhm.
ANNE: Which you really enjoy, but you can feel like you're ready to swing to the other side and take a break and have an escapist reading experience and so that's when you go to romance. Or I think YA, too, you mentioned earlier.
GINA: Yeah.
[00:16:25]
ANNE: So in fiction those are the genres you’re most acquainted with, and those are the books you know how to find for yourself but you know there's more and you'd like to explore it.
GINA: Yeah.
ANNE: Okay, it sounds like you spend a lot of energy finding great nonfiction and exploring. I imagine you enjoy that process and we just want to learn how to do that in fiction as well. But I imagine it can be really overwhelming because you know you know these genres and I imagine you have a fair amount of experience in choosing the books and you know kinda what catches your eye and you've worked out for you, like what's been a great reading experience, what hasn't. That's guiding you now but you haven't done it in other genres.
GINA: Yeah, and I think now that we're talking about it too, it's easier to do for nonfiction. I think I get stuck also because like if I read one [LAUGHS] founding fathers biography for example or something, especially like more niche areas, like authors will reference other books or other people in that subject and it's easier to find what to read next if I'm interested in that. I can very easily find other books that I know for sure will overlap with the one I just read and will continue on. When I find a really good fiction book that I like, unless the author wrote multiple books or something, there's not like a built-in way to find other books that feel like that one. Books set in the same time period, or on the same theme could be totally, totally different.
ANNE: I mean, I think that's absolutely right that it's easier to find nonfiction than fiction for that reason you said. If you love a founding father biography and you want to read more, you look for more founding father biographies.
GINA: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: But so many search algorithms work exactly the same way for fiction. If you love a book about two sisters set against a backdrop of war in the 1860s and you start looking for similar recommendations, like that's what you get, but that's not what you want, like you want a feeling or an exploration of themes.
GINA: Yeah.
ANNE: Or even more like I mean like on What Should I Read Next readers’ favorite books are often those that just surprise and delight them, and it's really hard to search by the filter of surprise.
[00:18:25]
GINA: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: And delight. Okay. Well I'm glad you're here today. Gina, I can't wait to hear more about fiction picks that are squarely lined up with your interests in theme and setting and the kinda tone you enjoy in your reading. What that looks like for you as we like kinda step outside the genres that you enjoy but know really well and just want to explore a little bit further. I'm not saying we have to totally like step outside your comfort zone [GINA LAUGHS] and we'll probably going to focus on fiction just because you do have an easier time finding nonfiction you love.
GINA: Yeah.
ANNE: But that's - that's just my working theory. We'll see where this takes us, and you know what we're going to do to find out what you may enjoy reading next, and that is dig into your reading life.
You know how this works. You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we'll talk about finding some … Middle ground sounds like a compromise. We don't mean that at all. [GINA LAUGHS] But we'll talk about the new territory you may enjoy exploring. Gina, how did you choose these books?
GINA: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. So that's fiction. The other two are nonfiction.
ANNE: Interesting.
GINA: Like we said earlier I can't remember how it came on my radar, but this was definitely one of those books that surprised and delighted me. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Ooh.
GINA: And it checks a lot of boxes of what we were saying earlier. It's a YA coming-of-age story. So Felix is 17 in New York City. He's Black and trans and queer. When you're introduced to the book, it's his last summer of high school. He's like preparing to apply for colleges, still trying to figure out his like gender and sexuality and just general who likes me? Who doesn't like me? Like with his classmates and stuff and then also he's applying - he wants to be an artist and so he's in this like fancy summer arts program putting together a portfolio to apply for college.
And so like surface level, like the literal artist stuff was fun. [LAUGHS] And he's in this program with other kids and so like hearing his process of figuring out the art he wants to put together for his portfolio and kinda like comparing it to some of his classmates, the art that they're making, that was like a fun plotline, but underneath that, it just really tugged at my heartstrings. It was such a sweet book. He was such a vulnerable character. It's also like him falling in love for the first time. It was so sweet and there was so much heart in the book. That's what like really drew me in. I loved that this was a contemporary author and like an underrepresented author. The writer Kacen Callender, they are nonbinary and Black.
[00:21:02]
ANNE: Alright, so this ticks a lot of your boxes, so the grappling with identity, the you know, the coming-of-age, figuring out who you are, what you want to say, and the actual art on the page was kinda a fun bonus. Okay, Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. Gina, that was your one fiction pick. Tell us about another book you love.
GINA: So the next one I picked is by Ross King. It's called The Judgment of Paris and I'm a huge Ross King fan. I've read a lot of his books. If you're not familiar, he writes basically art history. This one in particular, Judgment of Paris, is a nonfiction book about this like social, political climate in Paris in like the early 1800s that like birthed the impressionism movement basically. So all the big names in impressionism, like Manet, Monet, Cézanne, Reinor, Dagas, those guys all knew each other in real life. It was like a relatively small arts scene at the time was like pretty controversial, very different from like the style of art that was presented beforehand. It was a whole thing, and so [LAUGHS] there's a couple reasons why I picked this book. Obviously there's like the art history component.
Ross King, like I said, I could've picked a couple other of his books too. [BOTH LAUGH] He's a really – he’s a really entertaining writer. The reason why I chose one of his books in the first place is because it's hard to find art history that doesn't feel academic, that doesn't feel like you're reading a textbook. He is a really good nonfiction writer. I don't know how he does it. He's got a great way of finding like narratives to the story he's telling and like picking out the right quotes from people and putting in like the right anecdotes to where it's entertaining – it's like entertaining to read and you happen to be like learning about like a niche subject.
He's great, and this book in particular, even if you're not an art historian [LAUGHS] or think you're that interested in art I think impressionism is so ubiquitous like everyone's kinda familiar with that style of art. It's by far probably the most popular. Still it's been like a 150 years later. But kinda take for granted like why does everyone recognize this style of painting? How did it get to be so famous? Almost kinda like The Beatles, or something. [BOTH LAUGH] So it's kinda interesting to go back and like learn about like where it came from, how it was received at the time it was introduced. So I found it to just be like a really fun book and I think even if you're not like specifically interested in art history, it's entertaining and it like happens to be about art history.
[00:23:33]
ANNE: Yeah. That's a great description. Have you read any of his novels?
GINA: No.
ANNE: Okay, you know more about Ross King than I do, but I believe that he's of late specialized more, maybe exclusively on the nonfiction, but he has some novels that may be 20 years old at this ...
GINA: That is ringing a bell but I haven't actually looked at them.
ANNE: You could read them and see what you think. You could decide if he actually – [GINA LAUGHS] he found the genre he belongs in or if you would like him to write another one for you today. I just thought that might be fun to explore.
GINA: I totally forgot about that.
ANNE: That's why we're talking. [GINA LAUGHS] Okay, so that was The Judgment of Paris by Ross King. What did you choose as your final favorite book?
GINA: Yeah, I chose Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner and I heard about this book on your show. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Oh, I'm so glad to hear it. So you know how I feel about it.
GINA: Yeah, and this one came out last year. [LAUGHS] When you recommended it on one of your earlier episodes, I don't even know if it was actually out yet.
ANNE: Oh, so you had to wait for it.
GINA: Yeah. I loved this book. My whole family now loves this book. [LAUGHS] Michelle Zauner, she's half Korean on her mom's side. Her mom is like an immigrant from South Korea and then her dad is white. She grew up in America. It's a book about grief. Her mom dying of cancer when Michelle's like in her mid-20s. That experience of like watching her mom kinda slip away and then once her mom is gone. It's called Crying in H Mart, H Mart is like an Asian grocery store, and so a lot of the book is around the author turning to Korean food and like recipes that remind her of home to kinda bring her that comfort in the smells of the food cooking in the kitchen like she was a little girl and her mom making these foods for her.
So [LAUGHS] I was going to say that she writes very plainly, and I mean that in the best way. She just kinda puts it all out there on the page. It's vulnerable, open direct way of explaining these like really complicated feelings that she's going through and it mirrors my family. Michelle's relationship with her position in her family mirrors mine, and so coincidentally, my family has a food blog that my mom started and it's kinda for the reason why Michelle, like – it's called Crying in H Mart because she's at the grocery store and she starts crying because she can't remember like what exactly what ingredient she's supposed to use. My mom had a feeling that something like that would happen to us, like years ago, and so she like transcribed some of the recipes she had from my grandma and my great-aunts.
[00:26:07]
ANNE: Yeah.
GINA: Like family recipes. For whatever reason at the time, she was like what if something happens to me? You guys aren't going to have these recipes. One, they're in Japanese. [LAUGHS] And also, like she translated them into English and then she also like put notes or put adaptations for like if you're making them in America, like and you need to get the ingredients in America. [LAUGHS] Like what you need to do. And that's been a family project for like years now.
ANNE: Aw, that's so fun.
GINA: It started off just with like the handful of recipes she had, like my great-aunt used to own a ramen shop in Japan and like my mom's childhood recipes from her mom. Now it's just like this big collection of like all of our friends and family recipes. For a lot of immigrant families or children of immigrants, like food is the most immediate way to bring that sense of comfort in home and familiarity back. That is certainly true in my case, and like my family's case, but it also stood out to me.
Know My Name, Chanel Miller's book. She's also like half Chinese and half white. I read that book last year and there was a scene when she was really upset and she just walked to the grocery store and next thing she knew in her kitchen she was making dumplings, and I totally recognized that. Like I do that too, like the presidential election week, I was like so, so stressed. Like what's going to happen? [LAUGHS] Before we knew the results and I like made like 200 gyozas. [ANNE LAUGHS] Like I just bought a bunch of ingredients for like Japanese dumplings. I know I'm starting to [LAUGHS] get a little off-topic here, but I was … Just it really struck a chord for me. I shared it with my mom and my sister. I was like you guys gotta read this book. My mom read Crying in H Mart and as soon as she finished it, she texted me, she was like I'm starting it again. And she read it twice in a row, like she finished it.
[00:27:51]
ANNE: Ohh.
GINA: And she read it back again.
ANNE: Oh, that really says a lot about what that book meant to her. Alright, that was Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Gina, tell me about a book that wasn't right for you.
GINA: I had a hard time thinking of a book that was like oh squarely was not for me, or didn't like. So the one I picked is The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and yeah, so this is a romance novel. When I started sharing more that I was like reading romance novels, I connected with a couple other girlfriends who were like oh my gosh, me too! And it was kinda fun. I think a lot of readers in this genre, there's still kinda like a stigma on it or people are like embarrassed, but started sharing some, and this – this title in particular, like multiple people were like well, have you read The Kiss Quotient yet? Like oh, that's a great one.
And so I got like multiple recommendations for it and I don't know why, it just didn't – I didn't relate to the main character, like at all. It just didn't click for me, and I was kinda disappointed just that it didn't land, I was like oh. [LAUGHS] I also felt bad because it seems like everybody else liked it and just for whatever reason it didn't click for me. And it does check boxes and I'm not surprised my friends recommended it. It has like an Asian American lead woman. It's on the like empowering, uplifting side. I mean, romance is also like a lot of it is just kinda subjective. It just didn't do it for me. I just couldn't really relate to her. I don't think I finished this one. I read like probably like three quarters of the way through or something but then I was like I'm really like forcing myself to keep reading this and I don't need to finish it. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: You said something about not connecting with the main character. Is that something you like to do when you're reading in this genre?
GINA: Hm. Yeah, I suppose so. Well this is interesting now that we're talking about it because I think like I said the coming-of-age or like deep introspection work that happens, even in like a wider genre, like a lot of YA books are, they're a lighter reads, but like the turmoil the protagonist is going through, they're really digging into like who am I? [LAUGHS] Like how do I feel about this? And with my memory of reading Kiss Quotient was totally opposite for what I usually like when I turn to those genres I think.
[00:30:02]
ANNE: And you really enjoy like an introspective exploration.
GINA: Mmhm.
ANNE: I also wonder if this might have been more accessible for you if you hadn't been told over and over again that it was like right up your alley and exactly what you love. I wonder if expectations had been set a little bit differently if you might have felt differently about the book.
GINA: Probably. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: So that's The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Gina, what are you reading now?
GINA: I just finished Midnight Library, like earlier this week, by Matt Haig, I think, and that's a fiction book. I really liked that one. I also recently read The Gunkle. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Yeah.
GINA: By Steven Rowley, I think. I really loved that one also. There's like a goofiness to the plot, but they're also dealing with grief. I cried at the end which took me by surprise because like the first half of the book, there's a lot of humor. The emotional toil at the end took me by surprise, but like in the best way, like I really enjoyed reading that one. And then on the nonfiction side, let's see, I read For Small Creatures Such As We by Sasha Sagan, who's Carl Sagan's daughter. That was a beautiful book. I really enjoyed that one. And Cultish by Amanda Montell. The full title is Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism.
ANNE: Yeah.
GINA: And that was a super interesting book. She just announced like a week ago that her next book is like picked up, like under way, so I'm super excited. [LAUGHS] I'm super excited for that.
ANNE: Gina, I've got some ideas, but tell me, what are you looking for in your reading life right now? Tell me more about operating in your either/or approach to fiction. I mean, I think what we're looking for is that interesting, deeply compelling contemporary fiction that you know is out there, that you stumble upon occasionally, but not something you gravitate towards. Oh, although something I didn't say though is The Midnight LIbrary and The Gunkle were not two books I expected you to mention based on what you said you typically read.
[00:31:59]
GINA: Mm.
ANNE: Is that - does that represent an attempt to branch out?
GINA: Yeah, so like reading lately I've been actively trying to introduce some more balance. [LAUGHS] And I've been really happy so far with like I really liked both of those fiction books. I'm definitely looking for fiction, I think I just need more help in that area. I just love the feeling of being pulled into a good fiction book. You know, that's just more of a variable that's hard to pin down when you're like searching in the fiction section.
ANNE: Alright.
So, we're basing this on the books you loved, which were Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, The Judgment of Paris by Ross King, and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Not for you The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, and we talked a little bit about why that might be.
You know, this is always tricky for me, like I feel like I'm always telling guests like don't be – don't get nervous. You'll be fine. You'll be fine, but like I have to recommend books that you might like at the end! [GINA LAUGHS] Ahh! But I feel good about this one 'cause it doesn't come out until April, so I don't think you'll have found it yet, and it's right up your alley. Oh, and listeners, just a note, it doesn't come out until April right now, but again, supply chain issues mean that pub dates are once again changing with great repeatedly, so hold that loosely, but the book I have in mind for you is Memphis by Tara Stringfellow. I do feel like I should ask, is this on your radar? Is it one you know?
GINA: No, I haven't heard of it.
ANNE: Well this is new contemporary fiction. You might – this might be slotted as literary fiction. It's definitely finely crafted. This is a new work. This book has a deeply compelling plot, interesting story, family saga. There's a strong coming-of-age thread. Young, Black girl in Memphis dreams of being an artist. So you have this family line and Stringfellow's family was her inspiration for this story. Her grandfather was a World War II veteran, came back to Memphis, Tennessee and was the first Black homicide detective in that city. Her grandmother was one of the very first Black nurses in Memphis. The editor of this book describes this as the dual inheritance of injustice and excellence that came from her family.
So this is the story of one American family, but also I read the e-galley that has the editor's letter in the front and she says that this is also the Black fairy tale that Tara grew up wanting to read. So it tracks three generations of women set in this historic city. I don't know if you've been to Memphis, but I think you'll feel like you have after reading this. [GINA LAUGHS] At least the Memphis from like 1950s to about 2002. This young woman, the third generation in this family of strong Black women has to decide if she's going to let this history of vengeance in her family and in her own life going back to when she was very young define her or if it's going to be love and her work and her hope for the future.
There are hard things in this book, so readers, do check out that content warning if you might remotely be a sensitive reader, but oh, there is so much here. From like interesting tidbits about the histories and the cars and the buildings, there's one mention that had me running to Google, two characters were born the year of the bird flu pandemic in '57 and I was like oh, oh is that – is that real? [GINA LAUGHS] And then there's some civil rights events that happen in the city that I wanted to see like how closely is that tracking, which person are they talking about. There's a wonderful neighbor character, some of the supporting characters who know and interact with this family are just phenomenal.
[00:35:28]
GINA: That sounds amazing. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I'm so glad!
GINA: I do love multigenerational, like family story, too, and that aspect really appeals to me and I think having family kinda spread out around the world I did think a lot about like legacy’s kinda a heavy word [LAUGHS] but where did I come from? Like how did my family ... I'm just very interested in that, and I love those kinds of books like Pachinko, yeah.
ANNE: I'm so glad to hear it. [GINA LAUGHS] I hope you enjoy it. Okay next we have a historical novel. I'm glad you said Pachinko cause we're going back in time [GINA LAUGHS] that makes me think you're willing to do it.
The book I have in mind is Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie. This is a debut. It came out three-ish years ago. It's set in Kyoto in 1948. It's about a young girl who is the daughter of an upper class Japanese woman and an African American GI who was there overseas for the war, so in the opening pages this young girl, her name is Nori, her mother has had enough of trying to make a life and care for her daughter. It is not working out so what she does is she drops her at her aristocratic grandparents doorstep with a small suitcase and a note, and this young girl has never met these grandparents, but it is time for this girl to be taken care of and so her mother does the only thing she knows to do and that is put her literally on their doorstep.
And they're not real keen on this idea, the grandparents, because to them this daughter is born of a shameful match. She was born out of wedlock and the way they treat her is just appalling. She's rarely allowed out of her room. That's how they care for her, but then one day her half brother comes to live on their estate and being just a kid, he shows her the famous glimmer of love and compassion and friendship and her isolated world, not the world her mother imagined that she was dropping her into, just begins to crack open a little bit and she begins to experience a more connected, fulfilling life through her brother who brings good things into her life, but like there are still like plenty of complications that make for plenty of plot developments.
So this is definitely a book that has its elements of heartbreak. It's obviously difficult to read about terrible things happening to children. There's so much life, love, earnest and also misdirected, and just so many fascinating explorations of themes, of family, of culture and what happens when these two elements come together. I think there's a lot there you'd find really interesting. Hopefully it has the appeal and the exploration of fascinating topics in it that you really love in your nonfiction, but through the lens of a story. How does that sound to you?
[00:38:12]
GINA: Oh, I love that. As you were describing it, it reminded me. My friend, she's mixed, white and Filipina, she’s told me about this book.
ANNE: Oh, really?
GINA: So I have heard of it, but I haven't read it yet, but I didn't know like the backstory of it and I'm glad it came back up because I kinda forgot about it. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Alright, well, thank you, friend, for planting the seed.
GINA: Yeah! [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I'm thinking about going YA and art and graphic memoir for your third. What do you think?
[00:38:40]
GINA: Ooh. Okay, I'm really excited. Also, I've only read a couple graphic … I just read Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
ANNE: Oh, yeah.
GINA: But I've only read like a couple books like that and I really liked that one and it's also just an area I don't … I'm not very familiar with.
ANNE: Well let's branch out. The one I have in mind for you is Almost American Girl by Robin Ha. This is a graphic memoir and a coming of age story. I'm glad you said you liked those. That must have planted a seed in my brain. So this is a book about a young girl. She's 14. Her name is Chuna. She is raised by a single mother in South Korea, and then one day her mother says we're going on a trip! We're going outside of Korea, which is something that they do, like regularly together. They travel, I think it's once a year to a country outside of Korea to a vacation, so it's not that weird that they're going to Huntsville, Alabama. They have certainly traveled far and wide before, and her mom says you know we're going for a trip. If it goes well, we might be gone a long time, and that is how she ends up moving to Alabama when her mother gets married to a Korean man living there. She gets picked up at the airport and he's like come meet the family! [LAUGHS] And Chuna's like ...
GINA: Oh my gosh.
ANNE: What?! [GINA LAUGHS] That is the beginning of her as a 14 year old in the '90s moving all at once in one swoop without even realizing it's happening from Korea to America, and Ha says that was probably the most difficult time of her life and like everything changed completely after that year, and in this graphic memoir she's writing about how she managed to come through that experience, those formative years, with a new country. [GINA LAUGHS] A new home, a new instant family with a stepdad and step siblings about her age and a new identity of being a Korean American. She said in interviews that now she loves and embraces, but like that's a lot for a 14 year old. In this graphic memoir, something else we see is the way that art and comics really ground her. When she was living in Korea, she read Korean comics and also she loved manga, that Japanese comics.
GINA: Mmhm.
ANNE: And when she moved to the States, manga was just becoming popular and a lot of kids were coming into it and it was the only thing that she felt like she had in common that she could actually talk about with these American teenagers. And in the pages of the graphic memoir, she talks about how amazing that I came from halfway around the world and they'd been here the whole time and we'd both love this same thing. You see her like grow up and become an artist and go to art school. This book ends with her moving to the D.C. area for her next step in education. Really figuring out all of a sudden like whoa, where am I? Who am I? Who do I want to be? in a really interesting way that you see explored here. You get to see her find her way as an artist. I'm excited to hear that you haven't read much in this format 'cause we're hopefully trying new things today, and I hope you maybe like the sound [GINA LAUGHS] of trying this one. What do you think?
[00:41:34]
GINA: Yes! Oh my gosh, I love the sound of all of these. [LAUGHS] I'm so – I'm so thrilled. And that last one, too, I mean, I'm really excited by all three of them.
ANNE: Of the books we talked about today, Memphis by Tara Stringfellow, Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie, and Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, of those books, I know that one of them doesn't come out until April, but what sounds good? What do you think you'll read next?
GINA: I think I'm going to look for Almost American Girl just because I can find that one now. Oh man, I'm so excited. [LAUGHS] These are great.
ANNE: I'm so glad to hear it. Gina, I enjoyed this so much. Thank you for talking books with me today.
GINA: Thank you for having me. This was wonderful.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Gina, and I’d love to hear what YOU think she should read next. See what Gina is reading and painting by following her on on Instagram at ginaariko (that’s G-I-N-A A-R-I-K-O) and her website, ginaariko.com. Find the full list of the titles we discussed today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/322.
If our show is on your weekly must-listen list, thank you. Please share it with a friend! We recently posted a fun template to our Instagram highlights (we’re there at whatshouldireadnext). Just fill it out to share your favorite episode of our show, where you listen to the podcast, and more about your reading life. We’d love to see your replies: be sure to tag us (and your favorite reading buddies!) in your story.
Help others find our show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts.
Make sure you’re on our email list to get weekly updates on the show and the wider reading world. Sign up at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Make sure you’re following along in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and more. Tune in next week, when I’ll be talking with a guest who’s looking to sleuth out some stellar mystery recommendations.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh by Vincent Van Gogh
• Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
• The Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Anne of Green Gablesby L. M. Montgomery
• Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott
• Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Felix Ever Afterby Kacen Callender
The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism by Ross King
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
• Know My Name by Chanel Miller
△The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• The Guncle by Steven Rowley
• For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World by Sasha Sagan
• Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
• Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie
• Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir by Roz Chast
• Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir by Robin Ha
Also mentioned: • Station Eleven TV series
The post WSIRN Ep 322: The art of a great reading experience appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
How are you feeling about your weekend? I’m watching the news with my heart in my throat, and at the same time I’m looking forward to the unseasonably warm weather we’re expecting here tomorrow. What a world. I hope you have something to look forward to—perhaps something that brings you peace and joy—these next few days.
My favorite finds from around the web: * Understanding the Ukraine Crisis: A Comprehensive Reading List.
-
22 Books By Trans And Nonbinary Authors To Get Excited About In 2022. Seems like a good time to boost this book list in light of what’s happening in Texas and Florida. Several of these are on my priority ARC shelf and I’m looking forward to diving in.
-
Quinta Brunson on reviving broadcast TV’s mockumentary genre with Abbott Elementary. Our whole family LOVES this show.
-
More fun for the whole family: my kids (ages 12-16) and I LOVED The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, which you recommended here in links several weeks ago. What should we watch next?
-
Because I have huge feet and walk a ton, it’s not easy to find comfortable, good-looking shoes that work for me. So I’m especially grateful to have found these cheerful and classic Ivory Dot Points from Rothy’s for the spring-like days we’ve had this week. Because they’re a podcast sponsor, use this link to get $20 off your first purchase.
-
In the Beginning Was the Blurb. Ever wondered how author blurbs on books work or the many feelings the industry has about them? This piece has you covered.
-
My third book Don’t Overthink It turned two yesterday!
-
I’m common as muck and spent £150 in a Michelin star restaurant to see if it was worth it. Delightful account from a British woman. (I have had one similar experience myself and found myself nodding along with her conclusions. I wrote all about it in Don’t Overthink It!)
-
This wool and cashmere spray for sweaters is a spring essential—I wouldn’t want to put my sweaters in storage without it!
-
Two Poems from Ukraine’s Rock-Star Poet Serhiy Zhadan. Beautiful and timely.
-
March is National Craft Month! To celebrate Craftsy has lowered the price to only $1.99 for a 1 year premium membership (normally $89.99). This is one of the lowest prices they have ever offered: start your premium membership here.
-
Ina Garten’s Cookbook Sneak Peek Has Instagram Drooling. And me.
-
On Winter. “If the idea that cold weather ‘hardens’ us into rugged individualists seems irresistible, the experience of the snowstorm, here and now, provides an opportunity for a glimpse into what community life should look more like.”
-
Why book banning is back. Great in-depth overview of this issue.
-
What Are Preserved Lemons And Why Are They in Soo Many BA Recipes? We love preserved lemons. I make my own; details are here.
-
News anxiety: does reading the news leave you feeling anxious for hours? You could have a “sticky mind”. Helpful to consider.
New arrivals!
Remember when I told you about those great preorder bonuses for My Reading Adventures, and how excited I am that my publisher said YES when I asked for delivered-to-your-mailbox stickers as a bonus? Well. I got my own care package in the mail this week, including samples of those stickers, and they are SO MUCH FUN. My only problem is going to be stopping my kids from sneaking them off to school and giving them to all their friends!
The journal comes out August 2, and when you preorder your copy for the young reader (age 8-12) in your life, you get fun stuff in your inbox and your mailbox before the book releases! Click here for all the details, including the lowdown on those bonuses, order links to buy your copy wherever new books are sold, and the form to claim your preorder bonuses.
Don’t miss these posts: * A whole stack of middle grade books you can read in one weekend. Perfect for Middle Grade March!
-
The star of our special breakfasts: easy 20-minute frittata. This is one of our long-time staple recipes!
-
8 great Audible alternatives for audiobook listeners. Many readers want to try audiobooks, but it’s easy to be intimidated by the number of choices we have now.
Upcoming Events: * March 9: Let’s Talk About Funny Books: A Conversation with Amy Poeppel: What books make us laugh? In this deep dive into the funny books genre, we’ll talk about what makes a book funny, how a story balances drama and humor, and how a writer injects serious moments of catastrophe and tragedy with humor. We’ll also be joined by Amy Poeppel, author of Musical Chairs. (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.)
- March 30: The Light of the World book discussion: Time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander!
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Happy book birthday to my third book Don’t Overthink It, which came out two years ago today—after several years of contemplation, and right on the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In some ways, it was the worst possible timing for a book release. But in other ways, it was perfect. Going into the coronavirus-fueled chaos and confusion of spring 2020 (and summer, and fall, and up to this very minute), I was and am so grateful that I had spent the previous years learning and writing about strategies to avoid overthinking, and glad to be able to offer the book as a resource to so many, right when they needed it.
Today, to mark this anniversary, I’m sharing this post, originally published in early 2020, that highlights one of my favorite sections of the book. But more than that—if I hadn’t written about this core idea of simple abundance here on the blog many times before, I don’t think there would even be a book called Don’t Overthink It. It was that important to the book’s development.
I hope this reminder to buy the flowers—or whatever the happy equivalent is for you—finds you well, and in a place where you’re overthinking less than you were two years ago. If you haven’t yet read the book, I hope you enjoy this taste of its contents.
Happy reading, friends! Thanks so much for your support of my work, and your support of this book through two tough years.
See that photo above? It’s a $1.49 daffodil bouquet from Trader Joe’s, but this photo means something to me because of all the history behind it. That photo is important to me because of what you don’t see: the mindset shift that enabled me to stop denying myself the things that don’t cost much but make me very, very happy. The shift that finally let me actually BUY THE FLOWERS.
There was a time when I would never buy myself flowers, just because, unless I really “needed” them. (And by my definition, I would never need them.) It’s not that I couldn’t afford a $4 bouquet, it’s that whenever I thought about making a purchase like this, my inner critic would pipe up to say, Is this really necessary?
I hate that this inner policing is something with which many people—especially women—continue to struggle.
I have a book coming out called Don’t Overthink It. What I’ve learned is that we know overthinking pulls our thoughts in unhelpful directions, as we pursue threads of worry, remorse, or regret. But we may not realize that overthinking also prevents us from welcoming good things into our lives. We think our way out of happiness, over and over. We cut ourselves off from life’s small pleasures, talking ourselves out of potentially good things and wasting a lot of mental energy in the process.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We can treat ourselves gently, and with kindness. We can give ourselves permission to enjoy something that exceeds the minimum we need to get by. We can appreciate the good things in front of us without feeling guilty about them.
Readers, I shared these thoughts on Instagram last week, and asked readers to answer the question, What small things bring YOU joy? What are the things that don’t cost much—sometimes don’t even cost anything—but deliver an outsized amount of happiness.
For me, that means buying the grocery store flowers. I pay a little more for pens that are a pleasure to write with. When I’m feeling really indulgent, I pay extra for guacamole.
I loved reading your answers. (Talk about a little thing that brings me great happiness!) Some of the things you mentioned on Instagram were:
- An afternoon cup of coffee or tea
- Local honey for tea
- Souvenir bookmarks
- Hot epsom salt soaks
- Good pens
- Woodwick candles
- Eating off the “good” plates
- Spending extra for decent toilet paper
- “Fancy” yogurt
- Cooking magazines
Here are a few comments that made me smile, in readers’ own words:
• “Last time I bought flowers, I bought two bouquets. Then I gave the second bouquet to the cashier and asked her to gift it to the woman behind me in line. It was double the pleasure hoping that she would enjoy the flowers as much as I did.”
• “Sometimes just an afternoon coffee or even a Diet Coke with lunch instead of water can turn my day around ”
• “I bought the nail polish color I’ve been eyeballing for two years but my inner critic wouldn’t let me buy it because it was more than I would pay for nail polish. But I bought it and I LOVE IT.”
Readers, I would LOVE to hear what small things bring you joy. Leave a comment below telling us all about it?
And even better, we’d love to see a photo of your favorite small indulgence—a simple thing that brings you a whole lot of happiness. Please share on your favorite social media platform, using the hashtag #buytheflowers (even if your thing isn’t actually flowers) so we can all oooo and ahhh and get inspired.
I can’t wait to see what you share.
P.S. I’d love for you to hear more of this story in my own words: click here to listen to me read Chapter 13 of Don’t Overthink It, called “Small Shifts toward Simple Abundance.” Happy listening!
The post Buy the flowers appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I often hear from readers who aren’t sure poetry is for them. They find it intimidating, perhaps, or obscure or nonsensical or any number of things. As with all categories and genres of books, you simply have to find the right ones for you. Or sometimes, as the case may be, you need to approach it from another angle.
There are a number of poets who write more than poetry. They pen memoir, nonfiction, YA, literary fiction, and beyond. Just as poets put a lot of thought into the specific words of their poems, they put that same care into their other work, making for evocative, lyrical reads. And if you see that a poet has narrated their own audiobook? That is almost always the way to go if you’re an audiobook lover.
This month the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club will be discussing The Light of the World, a memoir by poet Elizabeth Alexander. Reading this work again recently got me thinking about other nonfiction and fiction books by poets. It seems especially appropriate to share this list now since National Poetry Month is happening in April. Consider this an invitation to experience another side of poets’ talents. Once you’ve read their fiction or nonfiction, try picking up one of their poetry collections and see if that might opens up a new world of poetry to you.
12 evocative nonfiction and fiction books by poets Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Mary Karr
In this, her third memoir, Karr delves into her experience of alcoholism and getting sober. She also shares stories from motherhood and how she, as a lifelong agnostic, chose to convert to the Catholic faith. Karr’s memoirs are often rightly referred to as master classes in the art of memoir but she got her start in poetry: her roots are evident in the way she chooses each word with great care. More info →
Author: Elizabeth Alexander
In Alexander's words: "The story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and is not a tragedy but rather a love story." In Alexander's words: "The story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and is not a tragedy but rather a love story." The author's husband, an artist born in Eritrea, died just four days after his fiftieth birthday. A few years later, poet and creative writing professor Alexander looks back on their life together, their love, and the impact of that loss in her life. This beautifully rendered story is easy to read in a single sitting, and while sad, it exudes joy. Heads up for audiophiles: Alexander's narration of her own work is magnificent. More info →
Author: Hala Alyan
Author of four books of poetry, Alyan's debut novel follows three generations of a Palestinian family from the Six-Day War of 1967 to 1990 Kuwait to Beirut, Paris, and Boston. The story opens with Alia's wedding, when Alia's mother, Salma, reads her future in the coffee grounds left in the bottom of her cup and sees both turmoil and travel. While she keeps her premonitions secret, they nevertheless come true as the family is uprooted by war and loss. A lyrical tale of assimilation and the importance of family. More info →
Author: Lola Shoneyin
Described by the publisher as “Big Love and The 19th Wife set against a contemporary African background”, this story introduces us to Baba Segi and his happy-enough household of three wives and seven children. But when Baba Segi takes a fourth wife, this one a university graduate, her arrival throws the family into chaos. An exploration of polygamy and all its complexities, this is the Nigerian poet’s debut novel. (Heads up for sensitive readers: please check for content warnings before diving in.) More info →
Author: Elizabeth Acevedo
At our MMD Book Club author event, Elizabeth Acevedo told us that her books are best read in both audio AND paper format so that you can hear and see her poetry. This one is written in prose, but it's just as poetic and vibrant as her novels-in-verse. Liz narrates her own audiobooks with incredible talent and voices seventeen-year old single mother Emoni, who's always been told she has a magical touch in the kitchen. She dreams of a career as a chef but she doesn't have the time or money for her school's new culinary arts class, not if she's going to still be able to work part-time and provide for her child. She's torn in a lot of directions but her passion for food is clear. This novel captured my heart—and made me want to bake! Acevedo creates fabulous characters to root for: I was cheering Emoni on as I listened. More info →
Author: Saeed Jones
Award-winning poet Jones's remarkable coming-of-age memoir about being a Black gay man from the South is told in a series of moments and scenes from his childhood through young adulthood. It’s a searing portrait of race and identity and the struggle to become who we truly are. The audiobook, read by the author, is excellent. His highly anticipated next book of poems, Alive At The End Of The World, releases fall 2022. More info →
Author: James Baldwin
James Baldwin's iconic novel explores desire, love, and identity in 1950s Paris. The story follows David, a young American in Paris whose girlfriend just left him. Following her absence, he explores his own sexuality and grapples with modern masculinity, social expectations, and guilt. Baldwin draws on his own Parisian experiences and constructs the most beautiful sentences. There's so much to unpack in such a short classic. While Baldwin may be best known for his fiction and essays, he also wrote poetry and plays. More info →
Author: Clint Smith
In his first full-length nonfiction work, poet and journalist Smith explores the legacy of slavery in the United States, and to do so he takes his readers on a tour of sorts, visiting nine physical monuments crucial to that history, like Jefferson's Monticello, the Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, Angola Prison, New York City, and finally Senegal's Gorée Island. Each visit is packed with stories from both past and present, as Smith examines the site's history and explores what that means for us today. This is a stunner. I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by the author. More info →
Author: Doireann Ní Ghríofa
"This is a female text." These beginning words are repeated, over and over, throughout. But what to say about this story, how to define it? Words fail me here, because it's so unlike anything I've ever read: part memoir, part meditation on the female creative process, part biography of a long-dead Irish poet, plus a translation of the poet's best-known work. If you're stirred by the offer of gaining a glimpse inside the mind of a modern poet grappling with her brilliant predecessors, read this immediately. This is going straight on my Best of the Year list. I listened to the exceptional audio version, narrated by Siobhán McSweeney. More info →Chirp
Author: Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Award-winning poet Nezukumatathil’s blends memoir with what she’s learned from the great outdoors in her debut essay collection. She extols the virtues of wonder and curiosity as she conveys facts about insects and plants and her own experience growing up as a nature-loving brown girl. This wonder carried her through her family’s many moves from Kansas to Arizona to New York and Ohio. Accompanied by illustrations from Fumi Nakamura, Nezukumatathil’s perspective will leave you inspired. More info →
Author: Marcelo Hernandez Castillo
A timely memoir about displacement and uncertainty, prize-winning poet Castillo shares his experience growing up undocumented in the US. He was 5 when his family crossed the US border from Tepechitlán, Mexico and 15 when his father was deported. He was finally able to get his green card when he was 26. Castillo gives an unflinching account of his family’s encounters with a draconian system in their quest for a safer, better life and the ripple effect these unforgiving policies had on them all. (Heads up for sensitive readers: this deals with child abuse and domestic violence.) More info →
Author: Cathy Park Hong
Poet and professor Hong’s essay collection is a mix of memoir and cultural criticism, exploring a range of issues, from race to female friendship to depression. She examines her relationship to the English language as the daughter of Korean immigrants and the “minor feelings” that arise at the discrepancy between the so-called American dream and her lived experience. Gorgeously written and thought-provoking. More info →
Do you have any favorite nonfiction or fiction books by poets? Please share in the comments section!
P.S. A few of my favorite poetry collections (and a promising bedtime ritual) and 3 poetry anthologies to try for National Poetry Month.
The post 12 evocative nonfiction and fiction books by poets appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I’ve hinted at this for months now, and I’m thrilled we can finally make an official announcement in print. My next book My Reading Adventures: A Book Journal for Kids, is coming your way on August 2, 2022!
I had so much fun creating this journal for young readers. You probably know about my reading journal for grown-ups; this companion journal was part of the plan from the beginning and I can’t wait to get it in your hands—and your kids’ hands!
I’m a book journaling advocate for all ages. I’ve been keeping my own reading journal for nearly ten years now and oh, how I wish I’d had one when I was a kid! My Reading Adventures will be fun for the kids in your life now (target age range: 8-12) and will remain a wonderful time capsule when they’re older. Most importantly, the process of journaling and the activities and book lists in My Reading Adventures will support them as they grow into even more adventurous and eager readers.
If you are using and enjoying My Reading Life you’ll love letting your young reader join you for journaling, and thinking about what they are reading now and what they want to read.
Give a gift to your future self My Reading Adventures comes out on August 2, 2022, right as school is getting ready to start. Back to school is a busy time of year, so do yourself a favor and preorder now so you don’t have to think about it then! (You’ll also get some fun bonuses when you do so; more about that in a sec.)
By preordering, you also do a great service to authors and booksellers. Long story short: global print difficulties and continuing supply chain issues are the worst; your preorder goes a long way towards mitigating their effects on My Reading Adventures and any other books you’re eagerly anticipating.
Reading lists and stickers and book mail, oh my! Long story short: I begged my publisher to send you stickers in the actual mail as a preorder bonus, and to my surprise and delight: they said yes!
Everybody loves stickers—and so we collaborated to design a colorful sheet of stickers that work beautifully in the pages of My Reading Adventures and can be enjoyed right now by your child! (Check out the interior previews on our book page and to get a better idea of how your child can put those stickers to good use in their journal.) If you prefer to hang on to those stickers and give them to your child along with the journal in August, we promise not to tell.
When you preorder you also get two exclusive downloads: a guide for parents on how to encourage children’s reading adventures, and a book list featuring five of my favorite series for parents and children to read together.
To get your bonuses, preorder the book and fill out the form on this page.
The fine print: digital bonuses are available worldwide and will be sent immediately upon form submission. Stickers are available for U.S. preorders, while supplies last.
How to preorder Preordering is easy! Order your copy from your favorite on- or offline retailer, wherever new books are sold, including your favorite independent bookstore. (Most make it easy to preorder online or by phone. Use this ISBN: 9780736983099.)
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookshop
- Books-a-Million
- Book Depository
- Christianbook
How to claim your bonuses: After you preorder, take your receipt and go to this page. Scroll down to “Preorder Bonuses” and enter your information below. (If you don’t take this step, we have no way to deliver your bonuses, so make sure you fill out the form!)
That’s it! You should get a confirmation email with your bonuses almost immediately.
Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for your support of My Reading Adventures!
The post Announcing my next book: My Reading Adventures: A Book Journal for Kids appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Think about who narrates your favorite fiction audiobooks. How often is it the author?
I’m willing to bet the answer is: not very. Because writing books and performing books aloud are very different skill sets, voice actors typically narrate audiobooks.
It’s not terribly uncommon for authors to read memoirs and nonfiction works. For example, I narrate all my own audiobooks, and a key reason is that so many readers know my voice from my podcast. You can bet I’m not the only one who reads her own work for this reason! But it remains rare for authors to narrate their own novels.
The best audiobooks aren’t a substitute for actual books; instead they enhance them, adding layers to the reading experience. Novelists know how to tell a good story but that doesn’t mean they’re the best one to perform it.
That’s why I’m always intrigued when authors narrate their own novels for the audiobook edition. It’s a unique joy to listen to a wonderful novel, narrated exactly as the author herself envisioned.
Over the last year I happened to listen to a handful of wonderful audiobooks narrated by their authors. The first few listens were accidental, and then I began to seek them out. Some of the authors mentioned in today’s book list narrate most, if not all, of their own work, whereas others have only narrated the one.
In keeping with our 2022 philosophy of shorter book lists, we’re focusing on literary fiction today. But there are plenty of fiction authors of all genres who narrate their own work. We hope you’ll share your favorites in the comments. If you’re interested, we’ll share more author-narrated works by genre in the future, and chiming in with your favorite author-read audiobooks helps us share more great books with you.
10 powerful works of literary fiction narrated by their authors Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
The plot of Kingsolver's 2012 novel revolves around climate change, and a young Tennessee woman and a butterfly colony who both stray from their typical flight paths. When Dellarobia sees something inexplicable in nature, her experience stokes tension between religious leaders, scientists, politicians, and climate change experts with different views on what exactly she witnessed. Suspenseful and page-turning, I thought this finely crafted novel had many wonderful moments and an unsatisfying ending—which would make it perfect for a book club discussion. Though it's unusual for novelists to read their own work, Kingsolver's lyrical voice perfectly suits her prose. 16 hours 56 minutes. More info →
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Many call this the best book they ever read. Hosseini's critically acclaimed, bestselling novel is about an unlikely friendship between two boys growing up in Afghanistan, a setting richly portrayed by the Afghan-American author. One boy comes from a privileged family, the other the son of that family's servant, and so even though they grew up in the same household, they come from different worlds. Part coming of age story, part history lesson, and ultimately a tale of atonement and redemption. A note for sensitive readers: this book includes a pivotal difficult scene that is disturbing to many readers; please do your research before reading. 12 hours 1 minute More info →
Author: Donna Tartt
The story begins with a murder, and the lonely, introspective narrator devotes the rest of the novel to telling the reader about his role in it, and how he seemingly got away with it. But how much of his story is really what it seems? The setting is a small Vermont college, the characters members of an isolated, eccentric circle of classics majors, who murder one of their own. Opinions differ widely on Tartt's debut novel: it's a compelling—and chilling—tale, but there's not a single likable character. Tartt narrates the audiobook herself. 22 hours 3 minutes. More info →
Author: Mohsin Hamid
In this finalist for the 2017 Man Booker Prize, two young people meet and find love during a time of great political unrest in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. As violence simmers and then explodes into war, they survey their options and make the difficult decision to flee the city, perhaps taking advantage of the rumored doors that open almost magically into other lands, like Syria or San Francisco. An evocative story improved by the restrained element of magical realism, and strongly reminiscent of The Underground Railroad. 4 hours 42 minutes. More info →
Author: Toni Morrison
This iconic southern gothic novel isn't an easy book to read, but persevering readers will be rewarded with one of the most important and beautifully written historical novels in the American canon. Sethe escaped slavery and fled to Ohio, but her memories stay with her, as does the ghost of her baby. Though she attempts to bury her past, Sethe is thwarted at every turn—most of all when a young woman shows up at her door, bearing the same name as the ghost baby's headstone: Beloved. 12 hours 3 minutes. More info →
Author: Lauren Groff
Lauren Groff moved back to her home state of Florida a decade ago, inspiring this collection of eleven short stories about the state she calls "the cradle of American bizarreness in every possible way." It’s centered around the history, ecosystem, and psyche of Florida through carefully drawn characters that are wives, mothers, and homeless women, beset by dangers everywhere—some unseen, and some patently obvious (snakes, alligators, hurricanes). While Groff has numerous novels to her name, this short story collection is the only work she's narrated. 8 hours. More info →
Author: Anne Enright
This reflective and often pained retrospective examines a complex mother-daughter relationship. Daughter Norah's musings are prompted by a graduate student who comes calling, seeking insight into the life of her mother, the brilliant Irish actress Katherine O'Dell. The style is almost—but not quite—stream of consciousness, as Norah examines her mother's early years as an actress, her sudden and enduring fame, and then her encroaching mental illness. I loved this book for its voice: Norah is a remarkable narrator of her mother's story, and I loved the sly way she lets her own story slip into the frame. Anne Enright’s performance is equally remarkable. I don't think I would have enjoyed the print version nearly as much. 8 hours 4 minutes. More info →
Author: Sue Miller
This wistful and often sad story about marriage, happiness, and family centers around the thirty-year marriage between Graham and Annie. Graham owns a bookstore, and much of the couples' life revolves around bookstore events (they meet at an author event!). Early in the book—this is not a spoiler—Graham suddenly dies. During the following year a grieving Annie reflects on their life together, in the process tripping over new information about him and their marriage, causing her to question the very foundations of their relationship. 10 hours 54 minutes. More info →
Author: Louise Erdrich
Erdrich based her Pulitzer-winning novel on the life of her own grandfather, a Chippewa Council member who worked as a night watchman and who traveled from rural North Dakota to Washington, D.C. to fight against Native dispossession of their tribal lands. In the story's most suspenseful storyline, the night watchman's niece sets out for Minneapolis to find her sister, who is widely believed to be in danger. The story is beautifully, lovingly drawn: I was enraptured, and rooting so hard for these characters. Erdrich has now narrated five of her own novels; her work is wonderful in that format. 13 hours 32 minutes. More info →
Author: Miriam Toews
This moving and funny story portrays three generations of women trying to find love on their own terms. When nine year old Swiv is expelled from school for fighting, she starts spending her days with her frail grandmother who has an unconventional approach to at-home schooling. She tasks Swiv with writing letters to her absent father, who seems to have abandoned his daughter and pregnant wife—and in these letters, a book's worth of complex family history and present struggles is revealed. A bighearted novel with an undercurrent of sadness, with wisdom far beyond its 9-year-old narrator's years. Toews also performed the audiobook for her 2017 work A Complicated Kindness. 6 hours 19 minutes. More info →
We focused on literary fiction today. What would YOU add to this list? What are your favorite fiction audiobooks narrated by their authors in any genre?
P.S. Audiophile alert: 13 engaging audiobooks read by their authors and 20 celebrity memoirs read by their authors.
The post 10 literary fiction audiobooks narrated by their authors appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, today’s guest is here to get some help with a struggle that feels more and more universal these days: combating distraction and reconnecting with the sensation of being totally lost in a good book!
Hannah Gorrie grew up as a voracious reader, but in her adult life she feels like something is broken in her reading life, and she’s not happy about it. While she’s always loved reading long books, lately she’s struggled to find the desire to pick up a doorstopper, or even to stay fully engaged with a shorter read.
Hannah reads widely and only draws the line at a handful of themes, and she especially loves fast-paced stories with compelling characters, interpersonal drama, and political intrigue. I’m here to help her find some ways to recover her reading groove with some titles that she’ll find captivating.
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Connect with Hannah and she what’s on her nightstand at Goodreads.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
HANNAH: I was put off by it at first, just the size of it, especially … She gave me a small paperback. [ANNE GASPS] It was so – I mean, it was like four inches thick. [ANNE LAUGHS] I'm like how? No! [BOTH LAUGH]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 318.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, if you’ve loved using my reading journal, My Reading Life, I have exciting news for you: this summer, I’m launching a version made specially for young readers!
My Reading Adventures is the ideal companion for kids’ reading adventures, especially for the 8-12 year old set, and is designed to help instill a lifelong love of reading. It’s filled with fun lists of book recommendations for different genres and interests, creative reading-related activities, and space to record what they’ve read and what they would like to read next!
Pre-order a copy now before it releases this August, and learn more at modernmrsdarcy.com/kidsjournal
Readers, I’ve heard from so many of you that you’re battling distractions in your reading life more than ever before. Today’s guest Hannah Gorrie is in that boat, and she’s hoping I have some tips to share. (Spoiler alert, readers: of course I do.)
Like so many of us, Hannah grew up as a voracious reader, but as an adult she’s lost some of the passion that used to propel her reading life. Today, she’s looking for concrete ways to reclaim the sensation of being completely absorbed by a good book. In the past Hannah loved reading loooonng books—as you’ll hear from her favorites—but recently she’s struggled with any book longer than 250 pages. She’s not happy about it, and she’s here to get some help in rebuilding her reading stamina.
When she’s choosing what to read next, Hannah says a book’s genre is merely incidental: she reads widely, especially enjoying stories that feature wacky characters, political intrigue, and high drama, but as you’ll hear there are some themes that make her draw a hard line. We explore all that today. I’m excited to recommend titles that will captivate her attention and help her find her reading groove again.
Let’s get to it.
Hannah, welcome to the show.
[00:02:35]
HANNAH: Thank you. I'm thrilled to be here.
ANNE: Hannah, we'll dig into this more as we get into the episode, but you voiced a concern about your reading life that I am hearing with increasing frequency from among our listeners and from readers everywhere. I'm not sure if you knew what good but also concerned company you're in in your reading life, but I'm excited to explore that today.
HANNAH: Yeah. I had an idea and part of what had me submit this particular issue is because a lot of my friends who also are big readers are experiencing it as well, you know, we're all in our late 20s, early 30s, used to be big, big readers in our teen years and early 20s even, but as reading stamina being able to sit down with a paper book or you know, Kindle or what have you, and read for more than 15, 20 minutes without our attention being pulled away has been super challenging. So I do have some friends who are interested in hearing our conversation, too.
ANNE: Oh, I think there are many readers listening today who are interested in what's going on there and maybe what we can do about it. But first tell me a little bit about yourself. Where - where are you in the world, and what are you typically up to on a Tuesday morning?
[00:03:43]
HANNAH: Well, I'm currently in central Illinois which is where I am originally from, but I grew up on the east coast in Maryland. Been there for most of my adult life as well. I recently moved back to Illinois to be closer to family. During the pandemic was when that happened. It seems like a good time to reconnect and invest in my relationships, so it's been a good transition. I work at the university here in town, so I am usually at my desk. We're hybrid working these days, so I'm either in the office or at home.
ANNE: What's your area of interest at the university?
HANNAH: I am in computer science and I should say I am not a researcher or a teacher. I am a support staff. So I got into this job because I was interested in project management and writing 'cause I originally studied animal science. I have always been interested in animal welfare. I spent over a decade volunteering and working at a horse rescue, different humane societies, things like that. So that's what I was, you know, interested in when it was time to go to school, but then my early career ended up being biomedical research support.
And during my time there it was super fulfilling, but I found I really like the pieces of my job where I got to write, so I went back to school to study English, hoping to maybe stay in that research field, but do a little more of the grant writing and technical writing, but while I was there I got a job in administrative support at the university and I just loved it. I loved working with the professors and the students, facilitating education, so when I graduated I stayed put in that job and then when it came time to move, the university is here in town, so that seemed like a no brainer to start looking there. So I'm really enjoying where I'm at now and I do get to do some writing as well as project management kinda stuff. [ANNE LAUGHS] Yeah.
ANNE: I'm really resonating with your path because my background was in the legal field and I finally realized wait, [LAUGHS] if your favorite part of the job is writing about boundary disputes, maybe it's about the writing actually.
HANNAH: Yes!
ANNE: Well I'm glad we're finding our way. [HANNAH LAUGHS] Hannah, do we see any of these interests reflected in the books you like to read?
HANNAH: Mmm. Animal science for sure, and agriculture. So I'm a pretty omnivorous reader and a big mood reader, so you know, the genres that I go for are kind of all over the place, but when it comes to nonfiction, I really enjoy memoirs by researchers and scientists and environmental science and animal science. Authors like Sy Montgomery who will do like investigative journalism pieces about different species. Those I really tend to like. I do not appreciate … For my own reading life, I stay away from fiction that has to do with animals. I read Where the Red Fern Grows when I was nine and was just completely traumatized by the sad –
[00:06:24]
ANNE: Well they're not all that ... I'm just speechless thinking about how to … No hyperbole I think goes too far Where the Red Fern Grows in just destroying your heart.
HANNAH: Yes. So tragic. So I never really sought out animals in fiction as a subject but when it would happen, when I would come across that as a subject, it was almost always super traumatic and cruel and awful, you know, the animal always comes to a heart wrenching end. So I usually stay away, but definitely in nonfiction, I do appreciate animal science.
ANNE: Right now my brain is going straight to the website, Does the Dog Die? where you can look up sad endings and things like this online. Doesthedogdie.com just file that away for later.
HANNAH: I didn't know that existed!
ANNE: Also I have to say that my brain is immediately going to science in fiction which is specifically what you said [LAUGHS] you didn't want to read. Although … although I'm just making a note just in case for later.
HANNAH: Mmhmm.
ANNE: Hannah, tell me more about your reading life right now. What do you tend to pick up and how do you end up choosing it?
HANNAH: I really appreciate magical realism, historical fiction. The genre, it tends to be incidental. I really appreciate any story that has a really good fast-paced, compelling plot and lots of character development. I don't necessarily need to like a character. I read The Queen's Gambit recently and I was so impressed that I was able to – the author like ... I loved the story, but I did not like a single character and I was like alright, that's good. [LAUGHS] They've done a good job.
ANNE: How was that in book form?
HANNAH: I enjoyed it. I read it first before watching the Netflix series and I thought the Netflix series did it justice. I listened to the audiobook when I would drive and it was a nice, kinda smooth listen. I really enjoyed it.
[00:08:18]
ANNE: So I hear you say plot. You love a solid plot.
HANNAH: I do like it to be fast-paced. The books that I've chosen today are pretty fast-paced and the one that didn't work for me was too slow. You have an acronym for when you quit a book before finishing it. I can't remember what –
ANNE: Oh, the DNF.
HANNAH: DNF. That's what I'm thinking of. So, I recently … I used to be very type A and very much like you have to complete everything that you pick up, but I saw that I would stop reading altogether and when I would analyze like why don't – why don't you read anymore? It was usually because there was a book that I wasn't very enthusiastic about. I hadn't given myself permission to move past, and you know, honestly, actually I think I listened to a couple of your podcast episodes where you had discussed that it's okay. [LAUGHS] It's okay to let it go. It's okay that it wasn't for you. Don't spend your time on things that aren't right for you. So I tried it once and twice, and it felt good and I, you know, then picked up a book that I was in the mood for and was able to sustain, you know, that reading habit easier. That's what did it, I think.
ANNE: This seems like an especially good time to experiment with setting books aside just because we are now nearly two years into a pandemic, but so many readers who previously had not thought themselves to be the personality that could set aside a book that they had committed to by reading the first page were better able to understand through experience what it means to be reading a book that might be right for you, but is not right for you right now. And I think that really empowered a lot of people to experiment with setting things aside, telling themselves it was temporary, although we're still in the pandemic, so I don't know if we've [LAUGHS] all have had the opportunity to return to some of those books where we said no, not during a pandemic.
HANNAH: Yeah, absolutely and that's been true for me as well, and what's helpful too is knowing that I am a mood reader and that things are so tumultuous right now and I might not have the attention span or books that are super heavy topics that I am interested in. It's been easy for me to say not right now and to not throw the book away and to never read. That has been super helpful.
ANNE: Well, Hannah, we're going to dive into the particulars of your reading life and you know how we're going to do that.
You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately, and we will talk about what you should read next taking your current readerly concerns in mind. Now how did you choose these today?
[00:10:43]
HANNAH: Analyzing what my reading life is currently like and what I wish it would be again, I was thinking back to times that I was super engaged, could not set the book down, and I also picked longer books because part of my current reading life that I am dissatisfied with is that I am intimidated by longer books. Anything that's over like 250 pages, I'm probably not going to commit to. I definitely rely on the fuzzy feeling of finishing a book. I get a lot of satisfaction of watching the bookmark move through the pages [BOTH LAUGHS] closer and closer.
But these books are ones that stand out to me when I look back on my reading life as favorites. I also like tend to not remember books that I've read off the top of my head. You know, as I browse through my Goodreads list of past reads, I'm like oh, yeah, that one. That one was amazing. But these three also stand out as off the top of my head books, so I felt like those were super notable.
ANNE: What did you choose for your first book?
HANNAH: So my first book is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It was one that my mom read before me and brought to me and was like you must read this book. I think I was 19 at the time. I was like okay. That's really long. What's it about? You know, tell me more. Convince me, and she said well, it's historical fiction about a village that builds a church, or a cathedral.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] There's a sales pitch for you.
HANNAH: Right. [LAUGHS] I'm like no thank you. That sounds terrible. [LAUGHS] She is a reader that I trust for sure and then she brought it up a couple more times, not anymore compellingly I should note, [ANNE LAUGHS] but she did keep bringing it up, so finally I just I had ... I spent the summer house sitting for a couple of basset hounds. I had a lot of time on my hands. I was like I might as well just give it a try, and oh my goodness, when I look back on that summer, all I think of is this book because that's all I did. Oh, I was so gripped by it, and I loved the sprawling timeline of multiple characters and multiple generations. There was so much space to develop the characters. I think from what I remember the plot wasn't super fast-paced, but there was enough drama and the inter-politics of, you know, the nobles versus the villagers and the priests, it was very compelling. So yeah, I really gobbled it up, and I've not reread it. It's always been one that I've wanted to reread.
[00:13:08]
ANNE: Are you so curious about what you would think now?
HANNAH: I am, but you know what, I also like that kind of is what keeps me from rereading it also. What if it does not stand up to my memory of it?
ANNE: Your description of your early reading experience is so relatable because I think I was 17 when I read this, and I'm trying to remember why I would have picked it up, but I remember telling friends at the time, they're building a cathedral and it's so good. [LAUGHS] Like I just don't know - don’t know how to describe to you why.
HANNAH: Yes. I don't have words for like how to make it super compelling, so yeah, I give my mom a lot of grace on that one.
ANNE: We love you, Hannah's mom. We really do.
HANNAH: [LAUGHS] Thank you so much for bringing this book into my life, yes.
ANNE: But I mean, I think actually, so it's a village building a cathedral – that sounds boring – but you hinted at like the politics and the drama and there's so much conflict and they're embarking on this epic quest that as I recall they talk in very lofty terms, and there's all these people who are dedicated to committing an achievement that will last longer than they do for the people who are coming ... Like you know, the stakes are really high in this book. They're not just building something 'cause that sounds kinda boring. But it's not boring on the page. As my 17 year old self thought.
HANNAH: Absolutely, and like the cathedral feels incidental even. It kind of stands in place as things happen around it and it comes into play in those inter-politics to some extent, you know, of course there's some obvious ones like how do they afford it, or you know, who is for and against it? Obviously the priests want it to be built, but even why? Why do they want it to be built in a specific place when it's a super tumultuous time and
ANNE: Wow, there's so much to fight about. Lots of good fodder…
HANNAH: Yes.
ANNE: For plot development. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. What did you choose for your second book, Hannah?
[00:14:50]
HANNAH: My second book is The Stand by Stephen King, which was another one that a friend brought to me and was like you must read this book. [ANNE LAUGHS] She knew I was a Stephen King fan. I had read his shorter novels.
ANNE: I'm laughing 'cause I've been meaning to read this for ten years.
HANNAH: Oh, absolutely. So when I recommend it to people now it's always like I know it's a huge commitment. I know it's scary, but please read it. [LAUGHS] I was put off by it at first just the size of it. Especially she gave me a small paperback. [ANNE GASPS, LAUGHS] I mean it was like four inches thick. I'm like how? No! [BOTH LAUGH] I didn't want to hold this thing!
ANNE: We can put like a hundred words on your thumbnail at that print size.
HANNAH: Yes, exactly. So I ended up picking up the audiobook at some point years ago and I loved it so much I've reread it every year since.
ANNE: All 500 hours of it?
HANNAH: Exactly. Exactly.
ANNE: Surely it's less than 50.
HANNAH: It might have been 45. It was very close. I picked it up actually because when I was a lab technician I had so much time to listen, like my whole eight hour workday I could be listening to audiobooks. I was looking to maximize my audiobook listening time [ANNE LAUGHS] and I was like well this …
ANNE: Pennies per chapter.
HANNAH: That's exactly right! What I love about it is that the book that you start reading does not feel like the book that you end with. It feels like it could be a trilogy. The flavor is very different from start to finish at about like three different points. So when you start you're zooming in on different characters around the country as they're getting to experience this mystery illness, and I will say, maybe not the best book to read during a pandemic. It is a little triggering. I reread it last year and was like hm, this feels very different. So you know, you meet many of the characters right away. It happens very quickly. Lots of people start dying. You're following the characters as they experience kinda a post-apocalyptic wiping out of their communities and they're left with you know, what do I do? Where do I go? You know, what is my purpose now?
And then what I feel like is the next flavor, they're coming together, meeting each other, and trying to learn what happened and where do they find other communities? So again that kinda post-apocalyptic, which I will say also is not my jam. I do not really enjoy apocalyptic stories, so this one is also kind of an anomaly to me, but part way through the book there's then kind of a supernatural element where they are, they're dreaming either about the Walkin' Dude who's kinda the dark figure or ...
[00:17:34]
ANNE: From the terrifying cover editions I've seen? I'm assuming.
HANNAH: Exactly. Yes. Or they're dreaming about Mother Abigail who is more of the bright light, and they're drawn to either side, so at that point you have no idea what to expect what's coming next. Are they going to be in ... Are those two sides going to be in conflict? Are they just going to kind of live their lives harmoniously separately from each other? But you know there's so much more to come because you're only 20 hours in to your 49 hour audiobook. Kind of the third and final flavor was coming into conflict and the inter-politics, the morality, you know, one side versus another what they stand for.
It's a little religious I will say too, like it's not a denominational religion, but it definitely plays heavily into the good and bad morality of either side. The choices that they end up making, but what I really loved about it, in addition to kind of that sprawling narrative, was again the space to develop the characters and that you follow and learn about characters on either side. There are some characters that are totally neutral that you know I didn't find myself rooting for or against but were very rich to the story, but certainly then ones that you just loved to hate. [ANNE LAUGHS] Ones that you just fall in love with and hope nothing bad happens to. Stephen King is not gentle with his characters, so there's always a risk [LAUGHS] that you're going to lose the one you love.
ANNE: Have you read his memoir, On Writing?
HANNAH: I have not. It is on my to-do list.
ANNE: Okay. I would really recommend that to you. You're interested in writing. You've read works by Stephen King, so I think you'll connect to it like hearing how the story that you really enjoy ... You know, one of your favorite books ever, he talks about how he got to a certain point in the story – I don't know which flavor this would be – I think probably he got through the first two, and how he just didn't know where to take it next, and so he walked and he walked and he walked and finally it occurs to him … I don't know if this is much of a spoiler or not because I haven't read the book, but finally it occurs to him what he's going to do to blow his plot open. I think you'll enjoy reading that, but also just knowing your interest in developing your own writing, many readers pick it up for that specific reason.
[00:19:40]
HANNAH: Yeah. I do – I really appreciate that. Thank you. I will look into it. Something I will say about King's writing is he often struggles to really tie it in, tie the ending up. I often read his work just for the journey [LAUGHS] and not for the conclusion. [ANNE LAUGHS] If it ends satisfyingly then that is a bonus. I feel like this is one that he ended well. For anyone who's familiar with Stephen King and is unsatisfied with his endings, I feel like this one is good. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: That is The Stand by Stephen King. Hannah, what is your third and final favorite?
HANNAH: My third is American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I read this one last year. It really gave me hope that I can be really drawn into books [LAUGHS] and not want to put them down, that I am not broken as a reader.
ANNE: You're not broken.
HANNAH: Not broken. It's totally I just haven't found the right books. So this was one. My best friend from elementary school, we grew up reading together. We exchanged, we lent each other our favorite books for Christmas last year.
ANNE: Oh, how fun.
HANNAH: Yeah. So she's in Maryland, and so we went ahead and mailed each other our favorite books and she sent me American Gods, and she said Hannah, this is for you. That's just all she said. She didn't tell me anything about the plot, and again it's just a giant book [BOTH LAUGH] and I knew that it was going to suck me in. I trusted her completely. I knew a little bit about the story, so I waited actually, a really long time, until I had the energy and attention and availability to really get into it and I'm so glad that I did because I really got to savor it.
The story follows the main character Shadow who like within the first handful of pages, his life is falling apart. He's just been released from prison for something that, it's not clear, I don't believe what he's in prison for. It sounds like he might be covering for somebody. But anyway, he's released from prison and his wife dies. So he's kind of unanchored, floating around, trying to figure out what his, you know, life is going to be like next and he's approached by a man named Wednesday who offers him a job as his bodyguard, or his assistant or something, just I'm going to pay you to come with me and protect me, and he says, you know, what the heck. Let's go for it.
It follows his journey with Wednesday. They're meeting lots of crazy, wacky characters. He's not sure what Wednesday is doing, but he's traveling around to visit different people to ask them to help him. It's all about mythology, so the main characters tend to be characters from Norse mythology, which was super satisfying. If you've read Neil Gaiman's Norse mythology, he really draws on those characters pretty heavily, so that was the most fun for me. The constant little hits of dopamine of oh, I recognize that character and oh, I know who that is. It is one that I will only recommend to certain people that I know have that interest.
It turns out I don't think this is a ... Like, it's … Wednesday is trying to recruit fellow Gods, old Gods, not just Norse ones either, some are Egyptian. Some are from Indigenous people's mythology. Some African nations mythology and he's trying to recruit the old Gods to fight against the new Gods, and the new Gods are representative of social media and television. You know, the things that modern society are paying attention to, worshiping in a sense. So even though the timeline, it's pretty short, there's just so much of that backstory and context that he draws from that is just so enthralling for me. I really, really enjoyed it.
[00:23:24]
ANNE: American Gods by Neil Gaiman, which is downright short at 500 something pages compared to your first two picks.
HANNAH: Just a breeze. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Hannah, tell me about a book that wasn't right for you. You've already hinted at why it didn't work, but let's hear all about it.
HANNAH: So I chose Ian McEwan's Atonement. This was a book that I tried three or four times to read. I don't know why. I think it caught my attention. When it came out I was a late teenager. I thought pretty highly of myself as a reader and so this was super popular, you know, I was seeing it in all the bookstores. People that I knew were reading it. Oh, I couldn't get into it. I tried and tried and it was too slow. The language was beautiful, but that does not do it for me.
So over, you know, a couple of years and again this was during my time when I was a completionist, so it really bothered me that I had not gotten through this book, but I truly didn't get past a couple of chapters each time. It did not hold my attention. The characters were not likable. The characters weren't very deep, you know, you follow the main character and have her thoughts and experiences, but I didn't like her. I didn't find her compelling, so yeah, it did not check the boxes for me and a few years ago I finally gave myself permission to stop trying.
[00:24:39]
ANNE: Everything I have to say next is spoiler filled. [HANNAH LAUGHS] I mean, if you listen to episode 299 with Michael Clark "playing genre hopscotch" is what that one was called, I just talked about how that book made me mad. It made me angry. Hannah, what are you reading right now?
HANNAH: I just finished Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen on audiobook, and this was one that I was skeptical of, stayed away from forever, but that a lot of my good reader friends had read and strongly recommended. I did not want to read it because I mean, the title alone. I'm like oh no. Elephants. [BOTH LAUGH] And then you know, knowing that it's about a circus, you know, a circus elephant and a veterinary in the circus in the 20th century, I was like oh no, this is going to be nothing but cruelty and tragedy and I'm going to hate it, but I went ahead. I needed something relatively short.
I absolutely loved it. I was so pleasantly surprised. I loved the character development and not that there wasn't tragedy and cruelty and sadness, but it was not as overwhelming as I expected it to be. The plot moved so fast and there was such compelling emotional characters and the relationships with each other and then the ending, I felt like there were two endings, really, and both of them were so satisfying. [ANNE LAUGHS] I ... Yeah, I definitely left with a really good feeling about that one, so I really ...
ANNE: I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
HANNAH: Yeah. Really appreciated that. On paper, I'm picking through two books. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. I was really excited that this book was doing so well and was so popular. I really love to support Indigenous artists and authors, so my brother and sister-in-law just gave me a beautiful hardcover copy of this book. It follows an Ojibwe girl living on a reservation who goes undercover to help unearth I believe it's about unearthing like the drug ring 'causing a lot of strife on her reservation and for her people. I am moving through it very slowly. [LAUGHS] Because again that attention span really does not keep me in place for very long, but what I've read so far I've really enjoyed. I think it's a young adult book as well, actually.
[00:26:54]
ANNE: Mmhm.
HANNAH: So there's that. And the other one is Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America edited by Ibram X. Kendi. It's a collection of … Feels like essays. I don't know really what the correct terminology is, but a collection of essays by different artists, historians, writers, about different points in history, telling the African American history story and it begins with 1619 and comes up to 2019. So even though it's a very long book, it's broken into really small pieces and feels more approachable that way.
ANNE: Now, Hannah, what would you like to be different in your reading life right now?
HANNAH: I would really like to want to read for the sake of reading rather than I find myself not reading and wanting to develop a reading habit because I know I do enjoy reading. One of my favorite things to do is collect books, and that's been a lifelong thing. There are pictures of me at like four years old sitting in bed with just a stack of books taller than me. It's always been about collecting, but I would really like to be reading books that completely have my attention and that I find myself thinking about and can't wait to get back to when I have the time, rather than trying to develop a reading habit like an exercise.
ANNE: So you want to read books that pull on your attention even when you're not reading like these books did. I don't have an answer, but I do know that like 17 year old Anne reading The Pillars of the Earth for fun in humanities class when she was supposed to be paying attention, it is a different reader than today's Anne that is drawn to different things and honestly has a very different attention span that has been impacted by forces that I just did not forsee back in the late 90s [LAUGHS] and I'm interested in hearing more about how you think you got to this place with your reading stamina and attention span, like what do you think the factors really are that have brought you to this moment in your reading life? Wow, that sounds like a big epic thing, like we're about to like ...
HANNAH: It does.
ANNE: Dig out the cornerstone.
HANNAH: Like therapy. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: On a lighter note, like what are your thoughts about this?
[00:29:06]
HANNAH: I feel like I first saw my reading habit decline classically when I went to school for English and I was reading all the time because I was told to. Books that I didn't necessarily enjoy. Got a little burnout and that was about 2018. Things like social media and TV and I do like to play video games, that those like super easy like junk food for your brain, I find myself when I sit down and read and then turn to something else, it's one of those things. And then certainly at this point with the pandemic, I think I haven't really found my feet as far as what I know I will appreciate and enjoy. There are so many books that I've accumulated and sound interesting to me that I will collect and put on my reading list that when it's time to choose a new book to read, I struggle to find one that is compelling and not tragic.
ANNE: So you've got a lot of factors going on. You're in a different place than you were. You're reacclimating to what life looks like right now as your 30 year old self, and also you have these larger societal factors like truly working against you in ways that are [LAUGHS] not to go all apocalyptic 'cause you don't like that. [HANNAH LAUGHS] But in ways that truly are not doing your reading life any favors. Do you know the book Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman?
HANNAH: I have never even heard of it.
ANNE: That's a good one. So he describes himself as a recovering productivity hack, but I want to talk to you a little bit about his chapter called “The Impatience Spiral.” So, well first of all, let's talk about the book. It's called Four Thousand Weeks, which is about how long you and I will be alive on average. That's true for humans. The subtitle is Time Management for Mortals. His theory is if we don't understand truly that we don't have limitless time, we won't be able to make the decisions about how we want to spend those four thousand weeks, and so approaching your life realistically is the only way to derive satisfaction from the things you actually choose to do.
But this chapter's called “The Impatience Spiral,” and in it he talks about I'm sure you've heard how when manufacturers started coming up with time saving devices, the pundits said, what will we do with all this leisure? But we know that that is not a problem that many of us have, [HANNAH LAUGHS] like it seems like the more time we seem to have, the more we try to pack into it. And we end up feeling behind even though we're getting more done than before. But he talks about what this might mean for our reading, but he says that since the beginning of what he calls the modern era of acceleration, we've not been responding with satisfaction with the time we're saving, but just with agitation that we can't make things move faster still.
What this means for our reading life is even though we're accustomed to being able to do things faster like even you talked about watching Netflix, like if I'm watching something on YouTube, I'm probably watching it with my plugin that lets me watch it at 1.4 instead of the regular speed. He said [LAUGHS] this has done terrible things for so many of our experiences of reading and I'm quoting here, "Over the last decade or so, more and more people have begun to report an overpowering feeling whenever they pick up a book that gets labeled restlessness or distraction. What is actually best understood is a form of impatience, a revulsion at the fact that the act of reading takes longer than they'd like."
And what he says is that reading is one of those things that you can't speed up much without qualitatively making the experience something other than what it ought to be. 'Cause reading is the sort of activity that largely operates according to its own schedule, not according to ours. And this can be really frustrating, but he talks about even if we may have time to read that we may just feel like too impatient to really give ourselves over to the task and the way we need to to actually enjoy it and let the words penetrate our brains and make sense have they have to do when you're reading a book because that's how it works.
I'm sharing that, not to be depressing, but to say it's not just you, and I think until we as readers know what's going on, like we truly have been primed and inclined to welcome interruption instead of, I mean, I imagine 20 year old Anne was just curled up on the couch with Pillars of the Earth and she was just reading and it was fine. I wasn't like oh, I better go see what's in the fridge. There certainly wasn't a phone in my pocket pinging away or that I could pull out to Google something in my book. Actually I don't know that there was really ... We had dialup. You know, I wasn't even Googling cathedral pictures 'cause it was too dang slow and there wasn't that much out there on the Internet.
[00:33:44]
HANNAH: That's pretty prohibitive, yes.
ANNE: So it's a different ... I mean, it is a different space. And I think understanding, like this is what's going on in my brain at least will help you know what you're dealing with, instead of being like oh, what is wrong with me? I just don't like books anymore 'cause that's not it.
HANNAH: Mmhm. Yeah. That's tremendously insightful. I feel like that really speaks to what's going on with me, for sure.
ANNE: So I don't know for you what the answer is to that, but I know for me, it can look like I'm just going to go in this room and read without my phone and I'm going to get up at 2:30, when an alarm that says … Like it's going to go off at 2:30 that tells me I don't need to think about anything until I hear that pinging in the kitchen and then I'll get up. But that helps me create like a little bit of safe space to relax and not feel like I have to monitor what's happening out in the world, but just to focus on my book. And sometimes you'll find that the book is maybe not the place that you want to put your focus for that amount of time, and that's its own question, but we're going to try to find books you love today to at least make that part of the equation simpler. I don't know why I'm trying to make reading math, but you work in computer science so I think that's not going to totally repeal you.
[00:34:48]
HANNAH: [LAUGHS] No. I'm not scared by it.
ANNE: So with that in mind, let's talk about what you may enjoy reading next, and there's many different directions we could go because there's so much stuff that you enjoy which is really a great position to be in, but let's try to find you three amazing books for right now for your uninterrupted reading time. I really hope you haven't heard about this 'cause I would love to be the one to tell you about it. Nonfiction, came out last summer by Elizabeth Letts. It's called The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse and Their Last Chance Journey Across America.
HANNAH: I have not heard of it, Anne.
ANNE: Oh, this makes me so happy. She has written books like The Perfect Horse and The Eighty-Dollar Champion. If you have heard of her that may be why, although she's written novels as well. This is a 300 page ... That's over your 250 that you're struggling with right now but this is not a long book.
HANNAH: Still approachable.
ANNE: This is a real life, truth is stranger than fiction adventure story. You said that you didn't like characters that were boring or superficial. That is not what you're going to get here. Your protagonist is Jackass Annie, this is her actual nickname. The story is set in the 1950s when Annie is in her early 60s. She is told that she only has a couple of years to live, and so she decides that she knows what she's going to do with it. She's going to go on a journey on horseback from the middle of America to the California coast, and she has her reasons and everybody thinks she's crazy. [LAUGHS] Commentary in the book is a man might be seen as adventurous or bold or brave, and no, nobody thinks Annie is any of those things, but she is determined.
So in actual life, she did interviews with journalists before she got started. Some in the world at the time read about her story, but there are newspaper clippings along the way that were used to write this book. Annie kept a journal, which is fascinating, and she happens to be in historic places at historic times in a way that you truly can't make up, like she was in Kansas between Beavercreek and St. Francis when a road crew had just finished a road and she gets to be the first person to test drive the highway because she just happened to be in town.
The writing style is I think what it needs to be to tell a story that doesn't need a lot of embellishment to be really fascinating and I think the edition of the animals that you love in nonfiction, nothing terrible is going to happen, I think is just an extra little bonus here. How does that sound to you?
[00:37:14]
HANNAH: That sounds terrific.
ANNE: That is The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse and Their Last Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts. Hannah, there's so many directions we could go here. Something that we haven't talked much is series, but I just want to point out that if you want that epic feel from a book that has lots of time and space to unspool quite a story, like a good trilogy could really do it for you.
HANNAH: It's been a long time since I've invested in a series, but I'd be up for it.
ANNE: Have you read The Lost Queen by Signe Pike?
HANNAH: I have not, but it sounds familiar. I think a friend may have brought this up at some point recently.
ANNE: Okay. I like it. Now the good news and bad news is this is a planned trilogy, but only two books are out so far, and I'm imagining that the next book is coming out in 2022 or 2023 based on the pace. It's not a complete trilogy right now. I don't know what your friends told you, but this is often described – actually, the thing that kinda sold me on it before I picked it up is that it is Outlander meets Camelot. Fantasy novel but also thoroughly historical as Signe Pike rifts on real history to create her fictional story.
You listen to audiobooks. Maybe not as much as you did when you could listen eight hours a day as a lab tech, but I listened to this one an audio. Toni Frutin was the narrator. I so appreciated hearing her skillful pronunciation of the ancient Scottish names and places which I'm quite certain I would not have gotten right in my own head just looking at the words on the page.
The Lost Queen of the story is Languoreth. She is a real 6th century Scottish Queen whose twin brother inspired the Legend of Merlin. There's so much history and magic and when you were talking about American Gods by Neil Gaiman and the mythology there, it was really giving me The Lost Queen vibes. The setting and tone just make for a really moody and escapist read. This is a story you can really immerse yourself into that has ancient magic, complex politics, tribes and villages clashing like you have in Pillars of the Earth and also clashing religions. They all conspire to create a really intriguing story, and this definitely will remind you of the ancient Arthurian legend.
[00:39:27]
HANNAH: Ah, that sounds right up my alley. Very excited for that one.
ANNE: Kay. The Lost Queen and The Forgotten Kingdom are out. Book three will not be too much longer, I hope. But that's going to run you about a thousand pages so that's probably enough for the time being.
HANNAH: Yeah.
ANNE: That was The Lost Queen, and subsequent books, by Signe Pike. Now I have what might be a little bit of a stretch book. Have you read any Isabel Allende?
HANNAH: No, I don't think so.
ANNE: Okay. I think – I think the talking about historical fiction and magical realism and sweeping multigenerational stories and also maybe because a reader was just telling me there's going to be a Netflix series about not just based on one of her novels, but about Allende's life that is in production right now, coming soon. I mean, she is prolific. She starts a book every year on January 8th, her catalog is full and full of various genres that she's written in various languages. The one I'm tempted to go with for you is The House of the Spirits, which was published ... Actually it was published about the time The Pillars of the Earth, not to like keep hammering that, but …
HANNAH: Oh, right. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: So we're going to say The House of the Spirits, which is actually her debut novel. The background here is fascinating. She began writing this as a letter to a family member to talk about her history as I have heard, and she is actually present in this story because especially the last section is precisely autobiographical, but she does draw a lot on her own history and I didn't realize when I read the book the first time, when I was in college, there was someone in my freshman English seminar, which was Writers on Writing – maybe we can talk about that some time – who was obsessed with Isabel Allende and was reading all her novels in order. She'd have a lot more to read if she were starting that today instead when I was a freshman at William & Mary.
But I never heard of her and was so intrigued and started finding out more, but I didn't realize when I read it the first time that she is the goddaughter of Chile's first socialist president, who was her father's cousin. That familial connection might just be like a little bit of interesting background, but The House of the Spirits is a multigenerational family saga about the Trueba family. Esteban is a big deal in his country. You know, he's wealthy. He's respected, and then their children and their children, and so across these generations you go to the family estate in the Chilean countryside. You have romance and politics and clashing ideologies and [LAUGHS] what wealth and a lack thereof and what that does in the family and the community.
Allende is known in her mostly earlier works, though that's not categorically true, for a thread of magical realism that isn't an enormous part of the story, but it is definitely present and you mentioned that that is an element you really liked. I think you may enjoy reading her work, and I think this could be a good place to start. Although certainly her ... She has a memoir that just came out last year, or more contemporary fiction that some of it is even set in the States. I think that is worth it as well, but I do like the sound of this generational epic for you. That is The House of the Spirits. How does that sound?
[00:42:37]
HANNAH: That sounds great, and I think you were right that I would probably have overlooked it on my own, but knowing some details about how it's constructed, that sounds really appealing to me.
ANNE: I'm happy to hear it. Okay, Hannah, of the books we talked about today, they were The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts, The Lost Queen and the rest of the trilogy by Signe Pike, and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. Of those books, what do you think you'll read next?
HANNAH: I think I'll probably start with The Lost Queen, but I'll definitely look into all of them. They sound really great.
ANNE: Well I'm happy to hear it, and I hope you enjoy them. And I wish you well on your adventures in both reading and building that reading stamina.
HANNAH: Thank you so much, Anne.
[00:43:19]
ANNE: Hannah, this has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for talking books with me today.
HANNAH: Thank you. I had such a good time.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Hannah, and I’d love to hear what YOU think she should read next. Visit our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/318 for the full list of the titles we talked about today.
If our podcast brings you bookish joy each week, we’d be grateful if you’d spread the book love! Giving your favorite episodes a star on Overcast helps other listeners discover our show.
Keep up with us on Instagram at whatshouldireadnext for highlights from our weekly episodes, shelfies from our headquarters, and reminders of upcoming events.
And follow me on Instagram at annebogel, that's Anne with an E, B as in books, O-G-E-L for peeks into my reading life.
Our weekly newsletter includes a short wrapup of three things I’ve loved (and one thing I haven’t) and what I’m reading lately. Sign up to get yours at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter.
Please follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and more. And tune in next week for more readerly recommendations.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• Sy Montgomery (try The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness)
• Where the Red Fern Growsby Wilson Rawls
• The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
The Stand by Stephen King (audio version)
• On Writing by Stephen King
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
• Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
△ Atonement by Ian McEwan
• Water for Elephantsby Sara Gruen (audio version)
• Firekeeper’s Daughterby Angeline Boulley
• Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019: edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortalsby Oliver Burkeman
• The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across Americaby Elizabeth Letts
• The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts
• The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts
• The Lost Queen by Signe Pike (audio version narrated by Toni Fruten)
• The Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike
• The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
• The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende
Also mentioned:
• Does the dog die
• WSIRN Ep 299: Playing genre hopscotch
The post WSIRN Ep 318: You can fix your reading life appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What are you up to this weekend? We are snowed in here in Louisville, but we’re making the most of it with comfort foods, good books, and hopefully a movie the whole family can enjoy. (Do you have recs that will please 12-16 year olds, plus their parents? Please share them in comments!)
My favorite finds from around the web: * An 8-Year-Old Wrote a Book and Hid It on a Library Shelf. It’s a Hit. Such a cute story! (Gift link.)
-
Why “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Is the Biggest Disney Hit Since “Let It Go.” For everyone else who can’t get the song out of their head: this is why.
-
Book Bans Are Targeting the History of Oppression. “What’s more, the sanitization of history in the name of shielding children assumes, incorrectly, that today’s students are untouched by oppression, imprisonment, death, or racial and ethnic profiling.”
-
We are LOVING these dresser drawer organizers we bought for an organizing project in my daughter’s room.
-
Nicola Yoon, J.Elle, And More Share Their Thoughts On Black Love And Why Joyful Books Are Necessary. Great interview.
-
The Finely Pressed, Death-Defying World of Extreme Ironing. I didn’t know I wanted to know about this.
-
Mapping fictions: the complicated relationship between authors and literary maps. I love a good book map. This exhibit sounds amazing.
-
TV’s buzziest shows aren’t trying to trick viewers anymore. Have you noticed?
-
Yesterday’s snow day baking: applesauce cake with bourbon raisins.
-
My Year of Reading Every Ursula K. Le Guin Novel. What an interesting book project!
-
The Best Bread in Every State. I was pleased to see my local bakery made the cut for Kentucky.
Don’t miss these posts: * 101 powerful books to celebrate Black History all year long. February is Black History Month and I hope this list helps broaden your TBR throughout the year.
-
Let’s talk about highly sensitive people. Learn what this term means and how it can help you better understand yourself and others.
-
10 giftable books to share with friends on Galentine’s Day. One of the best days of the year!
Upcoming Events: * February 10: Patreon Livestream: Anne and team member Holly will talk about what they’ve been reading lately, answer questions from patrons, and recommend books. These events are always a BLAST! Join Patreon for more details.
-
February 12: Galentine’s Weekend Watch Party: Watch parties are so much fun! Buy, borrow, or rent the 1999 romantic comedy Notting Hill, then join us as we all press play at the same time. We’ll use the Zoom chat feature to share our thoughts as we watch together! (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.)
-
February 24: Live chat with author Liz Moore: Time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of The Unseen World with author Liz Moore!
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
I’ve been singing this song for a long time now but it’s worth repeating. Tracking the books you read is one of the best ways I know to improve your reading life. A book journal not only helps capture the history of what you’ve read, it helps you learn more about yourself—as a person and a reader.
While I believe every reader benefits from doing this, a physical journal is not required. If you love your digital method, that’s fantastic! Stick with it.
However, if you’ve been thinking about whether a book journal is right for you or if you’re already a journal devotee, I hope this will serve as inspiration. All you have to do is figure out how creative you’ll want to be with the format.
You can make your book journal as simple or as elaborate as you want, both with the tools you use and how complex you make your interior. If you’d rather work with a pre-set design, then pick up a copy of My Reading Life. If you’re interested in setting up your own format, then a notebook is the way to go.
I personally enjoy using—at least periodically—a wide variety of journaling tools. It keeps things interesting and—as a lifetime pen geek—it’s a small way to add pleasure to the process.
I hope you enjoy this collection of book journaling tools I’ve used over the years. I’d love to hear about your own favorites in comments!
Journals: * My Reading Life: A Book Journal is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to set up their own system. I designed this journal to help you reflect on the books you are currently reading and to help you decide on and plan for the books you want to read.
-
The Leuchtturm 1917 journal is the gold standard of bullet journalers because of its thick paper, numbered pages, and extra bookmark. I prefer the dotted. (lined | dotted | squared | plain)
-
The Moleskine is another favorite journal, available in a wide variety of sizes and colors.
-
Rhodia journals are high quality, with smooth paper, and come in a variety of sizes and shapes. I buy these at my local bookstore—the spiral reverse book is my favorite for brainstorming and note taking. (bound | spiral )
-
A regular notebook from any big box store will get the job done.
Pens: A cheap promotional pen will work just fine but I’m a pen nerd and can’t help but share my favorites.
-
The Pilot G-2 is a classic gel pen, easy to find and inexpensive. I prefer the finer .38 tip. (.5 “extra fine” | .38 “ultra fine”). I also love the similar Pilot Juice, which I find to ghost a bit less than the G-2. (I’m also having fun color-coordinating the numerous colorful Juice colors with the ROYGBIV interior of My Reading Life!)
-
The Pilot Precise V5 is a smooth roller ball pen that draws a satisfying deep black line. I especially love the extra fine point retractable version.
-
The Uniball Signo Micro 207 is another inexpensive, smooth-writing pen.
-
Staedtler Triplus Fineliners are fine felt-tip pens available in a wide variety of beautiful colors. I especially love the grey shades for journaling because they write like pens but look like pencils on the page. (black | multi | grey)
-
The Pilot 4 Color Gel Ink Multi-Pen has been bringing me joy lately.
-
Sakura Microns are favored by sketchers because they write well on all kinds of paper, and the colors are intense.Also available at JoAnn Fabrics. (black variety pack | multi)
-
Pilot FriXion fineliners are favorites; they’re similar to the Staedtler fineliners but write a little softer.
-
Papermate Flairs are fantastic and versatile felt-tip pens. The tropical colors are my favorite.
-
Sharpie pens are long-time favorites (fine point for journaling, please). (blue | multi)
-
Le Pens are fun and colorful, with a sleek barrel design.
-
Gellyrolls are my favorite for accenting my journal, and are also our go-to birthday gift for the younger set. (The moonlight collection is our favorite.) (moonlight | glaze | stardust)
-
My Lamy Vista fountain pen is perfect for those who want to dip their toes into the world of fountain pens. I hardly ever use this in my book journal, but it’s great in Rhodia notebooks.
Pencils: I’m a pen girl, myself, but I also love a good pencil.
-
The classic yellow Ticonderoga offers the best bang for the buck.
-
The Blackwing is the typical gateway to the wider world of finer pencils; my favorite is the Pearl. I buy mine at my local bookstore.
-
My favorite pencil sharpeners are the KUM Wood Cutter and the Mobius & Ruppert brass sharpeners.
Extras * Address and envelope guide—a handy tool for those of us that have trouble writing in a straight line. I use a Lettermate, which is no longer in stock, but there are plenty of other great options at Paper Source or your local bookstore.
- Book darts have my heart, forever and always.
-
Post-its, because I use them like this.
-
Washi tape can double as a book dart and is an easy way to decorate a page or mark important pages for reference.
If you want more book journaling tips, Book Journaling for Book Lovers is included free with MMD Book Club membership or non-members can purchase it for $15.
Do you have a pen you’d rather not live without, or a pencil you adore, or other book journaling tools you swear by? Tell us about them in comments.
The post Book journaling tools for every reader appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Today marks the halfway point of winter. This isn’t an easy month—or an easy season—for many of us. My adversarial relationship with February goes way back; I know I’m not the only one.
To collectively beat back the gloom, today we’re sharing the things—big or small—that are saving us right now.
The idea comes from Barbara Brown Taylor’s wonderful memoir Leaving Church. In it, she tells the story of how once she was invited to speak at a gathering, and when she asked for her topic, this was her host’s request: “Tell us what is saving your life right now.”
It’s a good question. Most of us know what’s killing us, and can articulate it, if asked. But it’s harder—less natural, less intuitive, less practiced—to note what’s giving us life.
We’ve been revisiting this question here on MMD for a decade now, always at the halfway point of winter.
Friends, this was hard for me this year. When I posed the question to myself last week, my initial answer was: not a single blessed thing. My family has been in a brutal season and it feels like the hard stuff demands my full and complete attention.
And yet. When I stopped to consider—really consider—the small things that are saving me, I made a list. It took me a week to do it, but I have it, and it’s not short. This is an incomplete sampling of what I jotted down.
1. The basics. This feels almost too obvious to name and I’m going to do it anyway. Focusing on the solid foundation of eating well, exercising regularly, and sleeping plenty, as detailed in my post on what worked for me in 2021, helps.
2. Sunny days. Another basic. As I type it’s pouring rain here in Louisville and we’re waiting for an ice storm to roll in, but this past week we’ve had snow on the ground and sun in the skies, and the combination is welcome to my light-deprived eyes. The dreary days get to me over the winter, and sunshine—even when it’s infrequent—helps a ton.
3. Emotional support hamsters. I already introduced you to my daughter’s hamster Phoebe (if you haven’t yet seen the short video go watch it, she’s adorable). Last week my son had a birthday and all he wanted was another hamster friend, and Cloe entered our family. (Cloe is pronounced like “Chloe,” I didn’t choose the spelling, ha!) These little guys are such a delight to have around, and the two of them together? The cutest.
4. My funny kid. Readers, my kids are FUNNY. And I have one in particular who seems to be deliberately honing his skills as a young comedian, and he brings so many needed and well-timed laughs to our household.
5. Baking. For a variety of reasons, we’ve been baking more than we have since early pandemic days. Our household favorites are these cheddar dill scones and these lemon and cranberry scones; if you have favorite recipes to share I’d love that. I also made this apple crisp recipe for the first time in years and I can’t even tell you how good it was.
6. Puzzles. I wasn’t going to say it, because I always say it, but by golly, I love my puzzles. Two recent completions are pictured: Sibley Backyard Birding and Michael Storring’s Cuba. (You do know we have several puzzles posts, right? Check out these favorites, and these.)
7. Bedtime chats with my girls, and phone calls with my college kid. Do I often stay up a little later than I mean to because I’m talking with my teenagers? Yes. Is it worth it? Also yes.
8. The moka pot. We’ve had this Bialetti coffee contraption for ages, but have never used it more than we have this past month. We’re making lattes at home and delicious strong coffee (espresso-like, though it’s not technically espresso); it doesn’t take much time or effort yet it feels like such a luxury.
9. New projects. While I love my ongoing work, I find so much energy in a new project. It’s something to tinker with, something to look forward to.
10. A great book at the right time. I recently began Elizabeth Strout’s newest release Oh, William! on audio and devoured it in two days. I’m not sure why I waited so long to pick it up; it was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases and yet I never seemed to get around to it last year. The tone of this lovely and introspective literary novel was exactly right, and right for right now.
What’s saving your life right now? Share your own blog or Instagram post below in the comments section.
P.S. 2019’s saving-my-life reflection (with a little help from Rick Steves), and my favorite and kinda-weird-to-read-right-now post on what’s saving my life. Last year I wrote about laundry, really! Plus survival strategies for winter, my least favorite season.
The post 10 things saving my life right now appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, you know how much I love recommending books each week, so this episode is extra fun, because today’s guest also recommends a few reads to me (and our entire reading community!)
Shreyasi Desai, who also goes by Cece, grew up in India where her parents nurtured a love of stories fueled by potentially not-age-appropriate mysteries and Indian mythologies. Today, Cece lives in the U.K., where she still enjoys a good mystery, but also reaches for books that grapple with serious topics and fully draw her in to the reading experience.
During our conversation today, Cece shares some Indian mythologies and adaptations that I can’t wait to explore, and I suggest some stories that fit her desire for engaging and angsty tales she won’t want to put down.
Content Warning: while it’s not the focus of our episode today, my conversation with Cece touches on themes of domestic and sexual abuse. If you know that these themes may be difficult for you, please take care of yourself by listening with caution, or simply give this episode a pass and tune in next week.
To see what Cece reads next, follow her on Goodreads, or leave your own recommendations for Cece in the comments.
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Connect with Cece on Instagram and see what she’s reading lately on Goodreads.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
SHREYASI: I started reading when I was about maybe six or seven and I started with Matilda. [ANNE LAUGHS] For a brief moment, I do genuinely think I believed you could read a lot and then developed really strong mental powers. [BOTH LAUGH]
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 317.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Every week we’ll talk all things books and reading, and do a little literary matchmaking with one guest.
Readers, if you haven’t checked out our Patreon community, it is a perfect time to join us, because our first virtual event of 2022 is coming up on THURSDAY, February 10th! These quarterly live events are casual gatherings where I invite a member of our team to join me in the literary hot seat, and we talk about books, we answer your questions, and we offer personalized book recs on the fly. It is a great place to connect with
fellow readers in our community and it’s a whole bundle of fun.
If you haven’t yet, join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. You can tune in for our upcoming event, and you’ll have instant access to our bonus content archives, including mini episodes, reading lists, and more. And, as a patron, you’ll help shape our show, from voting on episode ideas to submitting your own stories to be heard.
I hope you’ll join us on Thursday February 10th at 1 pm ET. (And if you can’t make it live, no worries, we always record these for you.) We hope to see you there! Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.
We all come to the reading life for different reasons, but whether you favor escapist beach reads or nonfiction deep dives, you’ve probably experienced the way the right book makes the world feel big and full of new ideas.
Today’s guest works in a field where the way language is used directly impacts perceptions and outcomes, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Cece Desai enjoys books that are written with precision and she doesn’t mind engaging with difficult stories.
Cece grew up in India reading myths and mysteries with her parents, and as an adult now living in the U.K, she’s looking for elaborate, lyrical stories that will draw her in and, ideally, teach her something along the way. I loved chatting with Cece about underrated and exciting Indian mythologies she often recommends, and I get to recommend three titles to satisfy her search for serious, angsty and brave stories.
Let’s get to it.
Shreyasi, welcome to the podcast
[00:02:50]
SHREYASI: Thank you so much, Anne. I'm so excited to be here.
ANNE: Cece, you also go by Cece.
SHREYASI: Yes.
ANNE: Where are you in the world right now?
SHREYASI: I am in the United Kingdom. I'm in Nottingham, and I am currently sitting for my Phd here at the University of Nottingham. I'm currently specializing in forensics pragmatics, and I've always wanted to be in some way related to the forensics field and I knew that from a very young age when I was maybe 15 or 16. So I was born in India and when I turned 18 I moved to Scotland for university to study forensic biology and psychology, and then as soon as that got over I moved on to a doctorate.
ANNE: Forensics pragmatics are two words I've not heard put together before. What does that mean?
[00:03:35]
SHREYASI: I don't think anyone puts them together. I just put them together now because I couldn't think of another way to describe what I do. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: Well I love it. Tell me more.
SHREYASI: I basically look at figurative language in the speech of survivors and victims of sexual crime. The way people talk, specifically in legal settings, in front of law enforcement authorities or in front of a jury makes a huge difference to how they're perceived and case outcomes and even the amount of punishment that their perpetrator gets. It's one of the leading factors, and victim perception is so important anyway, and that's what I'm trying to find out is the kind of impact of figurative language because we use it so often in everyday conversations. I'm trying to figure out what that means for a victim who responds from trauma, what that means for them to speak in a specific way in court and how that means other people will perceive them.
ANNE: That sounds completely fascinating. What remains to do to receive your Phd?
SHREYASI: I've literally just finished my draft and now it's a couple corrections and formatting really, so I'm supposed to submit this month.
ANNE: So I would imagine that the repercussions of studying the way language is used and what it means and the intent behind it and the possible outcomes from the words that are chosen, I imagine you don't read like you used to before you began your studies.
SHREYASI: Yeah. I mean, it has changed, but I read better and I … Unfortunately, but when I was younger I had a lot of patience for books that weren't written beautifully or convolutedly. And I find that I have lost that patience. I can't – I don't just pick books out of a bookshelf and go, oh I might try that, and you know, I now wait for recommendations or I wait for something that looks very, really compelling that I know is going to have everything that I'm looking for 'cause I do read a lot for work and then that means I'm usually tired of reading, although I have discovered audiobooks this year and that's been a game changer for me.
ANNE: Oh, I'm so glad to hear it.
SHREYASI: I didn't know whether I would get along with that format 'cause I am a reader, specifically. Even if you show me like an image and there's a caption underneath it, I'll read the caption before I look at the image, so I'm much of a reader so I didn't know if I would get along with audio, but I really did and I can read while doing a lot of other things which really helps.
[00:05:55]
ANNE: Let's start by going back. Have you always loved reading?
SHREYASI: Yeah. Ever since I can remember I think I've always loved stories if that makes sense. I started reading when I was about maybe six or seven and I started with Matilda. [ANNE LAUGHS] I thought oh, what a brilliant life this girl has, and for a brief moment, I do genuinely think that I believed that you could read a lot and then develop really strong mental powers. [ANNE LAUGHS] So that might have contributed to reading a lot, but I mean, I started reading Matilda, but before Matilda, I remember my dad is a big mystery reader and it's really weird because he either reads philosophy or he'll read mystery. There's no in between. And he would tell me Agatha Christie plots and we would try and make me guess who the murderer was and this was when I was five or six. I'm very surprised I didn't have any nightmares because of that book, but to counter that, my mother would kinda tell me stories from Hindu or Indian mythology and yes, I've always grown up around stories and then as soon as I could kinda comfortable read because English is my second language, I could comfortably read in English, I just started.
ANNE: Something that we really were curious about on your submission here at What Should I Read Next headquarters was how you really believed that Indian mythology stories are vastly underrated, how convoluted and exciting – those are your words – a lot of Indian mythology is. I wondered if you might be able to recommend a few stories to me and to our listeners.
SHREYASI: 100%. This is [ANNE LAUGHS] this is the dream. This is why I'm here, Anne. They’re, of course, they're so underrated and I can completely understand why. I mean, in India, and I know in some other South Asian countries, they're not so underrated predominantly because these are their stories. I mean, this is where these stories come from, so for us and for some other South Asian people and countries, it's the normal thing that we've grown up with. For a lot of people Indian, Hindu, especially, so these stories bleed into religion so they're almost like, you know, your grandmother would tell you these stories and then your mum would tell you these stories and you hear them all around you.
And I know that they're underrated especially in the West because of accessibility and kinda understanding where these stories come from and the sentiment and the themes. And that's precisely why I think I've not been able to get into Greek and Roman mythologies, that I'm quite intimidated by what themes they must be. Even the names, I think. When I hadn't moved here to the U.K. I wasn't sure if I was pronouncing them right and I think the names and the places had ... And the pronunciation of them had a huge impact on your reading experience of course, so I can understand that these can be intimidating, but I have great suggestions 'cause I have thought about this for a while now. [ANNE LAUGHS] I've always thought, my dream has been I'm going to meet a friend and I'm going to start this conversation. They're going to be like really? Tell me more! And that's of course never happened.
[00:08:54]
ANNE: Until today.
SHREYASI: Until today, exactly. So here I am. And I think one of the most accessible authors is someone you've recommended books by before.
ANNE: Oh no! This means I can't recommend it to you! Okay. [CECE LAUGHS] I'm wondering if I know who you're going to say.
SHREYASI: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and she's written Mistress of Spices and she's written Before We Visit The Goddesses, but she has also done a very intensive amount of research into the two main Hindu mythology epics, which are the Mahabharata and then the Ramayana. And she's written both of them from the viewpoint of the female protagonist, and these are all very kinda male-centric, male-heavy stories where the men are kinda the driving force and while there are all sorts of characters, there’s many female characters, there's trans characters as well, but the men are kinda the dominating force. They're the ones who go to war. They're the ones who win them, but what she's done is taken these stories and she's twisted them around and said well, while the men were doing these things, what were the women doing?
And the first one is called The Palace of Illusions, which is the Mahabharata from the perspective of Draupadi, who’s the female protagonist in that epic, and the second one she's done – and she took years to come out with this because I remember reading Palace of Illusions when it first came out, and I kept waiting for her to come up with the Ramayana version. I think it was a couple years ago, maybe 2019, 2020. So she's done quite a bit of research and a lot of hard fact goes into making these stories beautiful, so the second one is called The Forest of Enchantments, the Ramayana from the perspective of Sita, the main female protagonist there.
ANNE: I've only read The Forest of Enchantments, I haven't read The Palace of Illusions yet.
[00:10:42]
SHREYASI: Personally I thought The Palace of Illusions was much better. Just 'cause I'm personally very biased to words, the Mahabharata, that as a story, it's a lot grayer. It's a lot more convoluted. That's the beautiful thing I think about Indian mythology stories. I don't know. Maybe mythology in general, but specifically because I know Indian mythology, Hindu philosophy predominately ascribes this kinda holistic divinity to people, right. It says whatever you do in the end you are divine, and when you do that, and I think it's true for writing in general as well, when you ascribe this kinda endgame divinity to characters you can then play around with morality. You can make them do horrible things and it's still okay because in the end it's not the person, it's the actions. It just makes everything more fun. If you or readers are kinda familiar with what goes on, there is Kamala Subramaniam writes a beautiful version and she's very true to the actual epic. It would be very similar to reading, maybe the Iliad. It's a long epic and its language, but she's translated beautifully.
Another version that I recently read was from the perspective of the people who lost the war. The Mahabharata is about a war and two sets of cousins fight it, and then lots of stuff goes on and it's very complicated about who's actually good and who should actually win the war 'cause you can never tell 'cause they all seem just as bad and just as good as each other. But it's called Ajaya and it's by this writer called Anand Neelakantan and he's another Indian writer and he's kinda written a fictionalized version of the Mahabharata, but from the perspective of Duryodhana who ultimately loses the war and whose story is never been talked about before, so that's really interesting.
'Cause that's again a story that you get from the perspective of somebody who's a villain, and who you know, presumably if you know the epic, you know is the villain in the epic but then is presented as your hero and it blurs the lines between what is good, what is evil? What is moral? What is immoral? That's really interesting. If you want something that's really faithful to the original, I would recommend Kamala Subramaniam's work and if you want to read fictionalized versions, which are, you know, fun things being done with the epic if you already know the original, then yeah, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and Anand Neelakantan. They're really good starting points.
ANNE: Listeners, I want to remind you that today, as in every episode, we don't want you to stress about writing important things like you know book titles down as you listen. The full list of titles mentioned in this episode is listed at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/317.
Cece, thank you again. I really enjoyed hearing about those recommendations and I'm so interested in hearing more about your reading life and of course you know how we do that around here.
[00:13:37]
SHREYASI: Mm, yes. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: You're going to tell me three books you love, one book you don't, and what you've been reading lately and then good gracious, I have no idea what you may enjoy reading next, but we're going to figure something out. [CECE LAUGHS] How did you choose your favorites for today?
SHREYASI: So I chose my favorites based on my favorites from my five star reads from last year.
ANNE: Ooh.
SHREYASI: Or which is 2021. I’ve just realized that coincidentally the three favorites that I picked are nothing like my reading life. They're so different from what I usually read but there's some properties that they have in common or in common with my general reading life that make them so special to me, even though they're not kinda the genre that I would usually approach.
ANNE: Okay, well I can't wait to hear.
SHREYASI: Shall we get into the first one?
ANNE: Yes, please.
SHREYASI: Okay. So my first pick is The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. This is, I think, my first fantasy book as an adult. I would never pick a fantasy just because they intimidate me. I don't like worldbuilding. [LAUGHS] That says it really bluntly [ANNE LAUGHS] to sound like a boring person, but [LAUGHS] I like a familiar world. I like to know where I am 'cause then I can imagine things and I think what attracted me most to this book is the fact that it has this plot which it really depends heavily on these really complicated cons that are carried out by this cast of conmen Robin Hoods who steal from the rich and then use it themselves or give to the poor and you know, they're kinda good guys at heart, but thieves.
It seems really interesting because what they do is it's so elaborate and it's so nice to read something that elaborate because kinda the author throws you in the middle with the structure as well because it kinda goes back and forth in time and it also goes back and forth in focus so it'll focus on what the worlds like for one chapter, and then you're like can I just get to that point where you left it last time? ‘Cause it was so interesting and you kinda snapped off the narrative there and moved on to something else and you're just you're burning to read what happened where he cut off last time and it just ... It just keeps you going. It keeps you going and, yeah, you never put it down and that's how you finish it in a couple days.
[00:15:49]
ANNE: [LAUGHS] That's how you finished it in a couple days.
SHREYASI: Well, yeah. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: I've still have not read this and yet it's been a favorite on the podcast before, so listeners, if you want to hear more about it, Aaron White chose it on episode 87 called "popcorn books, page turning thrills, and reader regrets," and I think it's been on my TBR since that day, so thank you so much for bringing it back to my attention.
SHREYASI: Oh, it's brilliant.
ANNE: I'm gonna keep thinking about what these books being outliers in your reading life and yet being five star reads is going to mean for what you may enjoy reading next.
SHREYASI: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: But for now, tell me about book two.
SHREYASI: Book two is In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado and this is just ... I can't even describe how I feel about this book because I bought this book first and foremost because the cover was neon orange. That's the sole motivation.
ANNE: Really?
SHREYASI: I saw it ... Yeah. I saw the cover and I thought this would look nice on my shelves and ...
ANNE: My cover was not neon orange. You know, I'm always fascinated by the difference between the British and American covers.
SHREYASI: Yeah. I think it might be the British version, but it was neon orange and I picked it and I thought I'm gonna give it a go and it arrived and I just opened to look into it and see what was in there. Usually I just open a book and read a couple pages to see if, you know, if I wanna read it now or I want to read it later, and then I didn't stop. I just finished it, four hours later, three and half hours later, I got out of that world and it was – it was a different world outside. It's so beautiful and I know that this can mean … Beautiful writing can mean boring things for some people, but it's just so beautifully done, there's no other way to put it.
So Carmen Maria Machado talks about – this has lots of trigger warnings here by the way, and lots and lots of abuse, sexual, domestic, psychological. It's a memoir first and foremost where she talks about her experiences of multiple kinds of abuse in a same-sex relationship. This is very important academically for me personally because it doesn't have language.
Same-sex relationships, we talk about them in terms of positive because we're still working towards entirely accepting them and we're working towards integrating them seamlessly into our lives, so we tend to talk about them as positives and we tend to ignore the fact that they're also human relationships, that things can go wrong, and she gives words to these situations beautifully, and she uses metaphor throughout so she talks about this relationship as a dreamhouse, and then she talks about different metaphors every single time.
So every chapter, and there's really small chapters. Really some of them are just a sentence. Some of them are like a paragraph or a page and she talks about the entire narrative of her relationship through exclusively metaphors and it's just beautiful to see how she does it because it's difficult to do. I mean, I really appreciate the craft that that took. I'll be sitting and writing a chapter of my thesis and it's just normal words and I'm thinking I don't know how she did it, and that fascinates me.
[00:18:51]
ANNE: Did you pick it up... No, you didn't pick it up for work. You picked it up because of the orange cover.
SHREYASI: Six months after I read it I've now integrated it into my thesis. Yeah, I mean, it's shocking 'cause I really didn't pick it up for that reason.
ANNE: Tell me more about this book being beautiful. Because I see what you mean, and yet I'm struggling for words because harrowing is the first word that might come to mind for me. I wonder if it's something to do with the way she uses language, which just suits the story so incredibly well, and I read it on audio where I feel like I absorbed the story like completely, but I don't notice the structure as much. I just remember the second person. It felt like she was talking to me
[00:19:29]
SHREYASI: Yes.
ANNE: And it just put you inside the story in a way that was perfect and deeply unsettling at the same time.
SHREYASI: And that's what I mean by beautiful is it's just what she's accomplished and I think a lot of people don't realize that when you write about things that people don't talk about, that haven't been talked about even academically a lot, it's very difficult to find words for it because we find words for things through experience and through other people talking about it and through cultural relationships. However, if we've never heard of something being spoken about, we don't know how to describe it, and I'll give you an example here.
I was born and brought up in India. I spent a long time in Scotland. My accent sounds like this right now in English, but there are still some words that if I haven't heard them being said by a Scottish or an English person, they come out Indian 'cause I have no frame of reference for what that word would sound like in this accent, and she's done that with a life experience, which is exponentially harder to do 'cause it's not like you can't just imitate an autobiographical emotional experience.
There's an amazing part in the book where she talks about the dreamhouse, the relationship as a choose your own adventure, and the most harrowing part of that chapter is you keep picking responses to certain situations and she says okay, go to that page. Okay, go to that page, and the more you try and bring yourself out of the situation you as the experiencer as well the reader, it's like quicksand. The more you get sucked into the situation, and that's exactly how you would feel being a victim.
What she's done is incredible because she's made people who have no experience of being a victim empathize in such a great manner that you feel it yourself. It's a lived experience for you now. That's to a much lesser degree than what she's obviously gone through or that any other survivor goes through, but now we know how it feels like something, when something feels like it's sucking you in and you can't get out and you know you should but you can't.
ANNE: We know that some readers hear beautiful language and they ... You mentioned that's code for boring, but …
SHREYASI: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
[00:21:36]
ANNE: It sounds like a good description for you in calling this book beautiful is that it hits in exactly the right place.
SHREYASI: Definitely.
ANNE: What did you choose for your third book, Cece?
SHREYASI: I don't think it's happy. I think all the fun and happiness [ANNE LAUGHS] ended with Locke Lamora. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Hey, one for three isn't terrible.
SHREYASI: My third book is Levels of Life by Julian Barnes.
ANNE: Yeah, not a happy guy. His books, that is.
SHREYASI: This … Specifically this one I think. The other ones can be quite funny sometimes if you're British especially. Okay, I'm not going to say beautiful 'cause that just ruins everything. [ANNE LAUGHS] I'm having a hard time describing this book because I don't actually know what it is 'cause it ... So it's a book that's been written by Julian Barnes in the immediate aftermath of the death of his wife of I think 27 years, and this is kind of a roadmap to experiencing grief and that sounds like you don't want to ever do it, but it works because it's not melodramatic, and it's really, again, I think the format of this book is so special because it's just ...
You start off and it's written in three distinct parts, and the first part you start off kinda in a narrative nonfiction space and he kinda just drops you and he's talking about 19th century balloonists, and by balloonists I mean, people who fly in hot air balloons or at least attempt to, and he talks about these people and how they achieved such an unlikely pairing of balloon and flying and fire. You put together two things that haven't been put together before and the world has changed, and that is kind of a precursor or a metaphor for him, how his world changed when him and his wife came together.
Then you've got the next part, which talks about, which kinda reads like historical fiction where you kinda read about these two characters who were in love with each other but it didn't end exactly the way that you would expect it to end. Seemingly has nothing to do with anything that he wants to talk about, and then you get to the last part and this is where kinda his memoir section begins, where he talks about his wife and he really talks about personal experiences and he ties everything in together so perfectly and you think how could these things ever be unrelated? Of course ballooning and grief are related. Of course.
And he ... The way he describes grief as well is so surreal. It genuinely feels like you are grieving and I feel like that's quite an unpleasant space for a lot of people, but it can also be quite cathartic, which I'm assuming is why he wrote it in the first place. There's sections of that book that I - I listen to it on audio and he narrates it which is just the icing on the cake really because he ... You can hear him in the exact manner that he meant for these words to be said and read and heard and it's just perfect.
[00:24:27]
ANNE: I didn't know that Julian Barnes ever read his own work. Cece, it's time to go in a different direction. Tell me about a book that was not right for you.
SHREYASI: Ah, here we go. I have so much to say about this one.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I can't wait.
SHREYASI: [LAUGHS] Okay, so the book that was not for me and I don't want to say hate 'cause I didn't hate it. There was a part of it that did keep me going but it just ... I would just never read it again or anything like it again, and the book is Less by Andrew Sean Greer.
I couldn't figure out why I didn't like it for the longest time. I just thought I ... First of all I couldn't understand what the book was trying to do 'cause I felt like ... He felt a lot of emotions but none of them were deep enough 'cause I like gravity and there was none in that book, and then I remember a while after I read Less, I read In the Dream House and I remember Carmen Maria Machado, she said something to the effect of places are never just places in a piece of writing. If they are, the author has failed. Setting is not inert. It is activated by point of view.
And then it kinda came together for me and I understood that I didn't like that book because in that book I think Arthur Less kinda travels around the world to get over a failed relationship or a lost love or something like that, can't exactly remember, and everywhere that we go, places just remained places. At least for me personally. I just felt like there was no point of view, and I've written this in my review of the book – I keep a little book log – written in there that it looks like the places were described from photographs and I just didn't feel like I was there. I didn't get to experience anything with that one. It just didn't hit home for me for some reason.
[00:26:06]
ANNE: This is one I really enjoyed and I'm trying to think how it is differentiated from In the Dream House in levels of life. It's – it's a very different way of storytelling. Very different tone. Very different sort of emotional resonance I think, and we're going to keep all those things in mind.
SHREYASI: Okay.
ANNE: Did it make you realize anything about the books that you do end up loving?
SHREYASI: I think I just like really serious books. I have to go through a lot of trauma for me to call it an enjoyable experience for some reason. I don't know.
ANNE: Instead of having someone like try to make light of it.
SHREYASI: I think that's just me as a person in general because I would much rather acknowledge something weighted rather than brush it away.
ANNE: That is good to know. What have you been reading lately?
SHREYASI: Well I was put in a massive reading slump by the Count of Monte Cristo.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] I read that this year too for the first time.
SHREYASI: I mean the book was so great [ANNE LAUGHS] but the aftermath was horrible, and it was because of this podcast that I picked it up 'cause I heard so many people say so many great things about it. I kinda went for the audiobook version 'cause it was 62 hours and I thought well maybe listening to it will make it less intimidating and I think that was a great decision because Bill Homewood reads it who has this perfect French accent and this perfect English accent and all the names were like cakewalk because I heard them and it was … It added to my experience and it was just, it was fantastic.
So yeah that was a reading slump bit, but this year also very recently, the end of December, I completed the final Sherlock Holmes book. I completed the entire series this year 'cause I really wanted to kinda read that 'cause I hadn't, I read it in bits and pieces, I've read some short stories but never the whole series start to finish so I did that.
ANNE: How many Sherlock Holmes books are there? I don't even know.
[00:27:50]
SHREYASI: Nine. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: And what inspired that interest?
SHREYASI: I just wanted to read a lot of mystery stuff 'cause I think I read heavy books and then I want to read something lighter, but I don't like to read romance, so I read mysteries, so at least it's murder. This is – this is making me sound really horrible. I'm quite …
ANNE: [LAUGHS] Please, you don't sound horrible. You sound like somebody who knows what she likes.
SHREYASI: [LAUGHS] I do. But I think you might get concerned calls about my mental health eventually, but.
ANNE: [LAUGHS] You're not the first person to say that here.
SHREYASI: But yeah, I do, I do tend to kinda be into mystery and thriller and I've been quite disappointed on the mystery front with all the new stuff, and I quite like Christie, so I thought I would go back to the old legends.
ANNE: Mmhm.
SHREYASI: And start there since I was being disappointed recently.
ANNE: And how's that working out?
SHREYASI: It was interesting because I got to examine the kind of pioneer of this genre, of this kind of story at work, but I knew that I wouldn't be kinda blown away because I had seen the progression of that genre and of course it gets better with time and of course people do more innovative things with the genre as it’s gotten bigger and more people know about it.
ANNE: Yeah. You're not seeing the innovations in real time.
SHREYASI: Yeah, so it was interesting and I do like that I read it. I don't know that I would read [LAUGHS] them again. It was fun, but yeah, I'm really happy that I did read them.
[00:29:17]
ANNE: Okay, Cece, this is the question I'm almost afraid to ask. What are you looking for in your reading life right now?
SHREYASI: I'm looking to read things that teach me something and that make me engage deeply, and very specifically I think I’m looking for stories from and by and about people of color. Preferably they wouldn't be focused on diaspora stories because I feel like I'm very much still rooted in my country and diaspora stories explore lots of nostalgia, and I don't have that feeling of nostalgia yet so I can't relate. I just want to hear people of color stories doing normal everyday things.
Recently I read Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud, which is about people in Trinidad and Tabago. I started reading it and I thought okay, this is about a different community, and then I realized it was about an Indian community! [LAUGHS] In Trinidad and it was so interesting because I said I know I just said preferably not diaspora stories but I think I mean more is not diaspora stories that are focused in the West maybe, you know, America or Britain or Canada. If they are diaspora stories I would like to include different countries like maybe Indians in Trinidads, stuff like that. Or just people in their kinda home country and their natural habitat where they don't have to worry about the immigrant experience, if that makes sense.
ANNE: Yeah, it's so interesting. I just hadn't thought of diaspora stories in that way before, how they do have that element of nostalgia so often.
SHREYASI: I think the people who the book does talk about, I think they see it more clearly as nostalgia because there’s, you know, there's smells and textures described and how smell and texture are described as an obvious are a given is very different from a smell or texture described for nostalgia. I don't know if I could pinpoint it exactly but I have noticed that you describe things differently when you mean nostalgia.
ANNE: It rings true, but I never – I never put that together. I'm really grateful that you pointed that out. Okay, so you are looking for books that teach you something that make you engage deeply and you love to read stories by people of color, not diaspora stories. A lot of different directions.
SHREYASI: Oh, I'm so excited for this part. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: Since you were just talking about Ingrid Persaud's book Love After Love, you know, there are many ways in to a great book like many things that can interest us about a book and the place isn't necessarily the first one I would want to go to except that we were just talking about Less that setting really does matter to you and you found that that particular setting was unsatisfying.
There's a really great book that came out last year, uh maybe two years ago now, by Celeste Mohammed. It's set in Trinidad. It's called Pleasantview. I want to connect this in my brain also to Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, but this might be a bridge too far. I think the book of hers I recommended most often on the show Before We Visit the Goddess is a novel in stories, and Pleasantview is a novel in stories as well. We've talked about structure a little bit, and Celeste Mohammed has published some pictures of her notebooks where she breaks down like what needs to happen in the book and the various themes she's bringing together like the white envelope and endangered species, the runaway and I think you could have a lot of fun with that.
But this is a book very authentically set in Trinidad and something that she really wanted to do in this book is to dispel myths about life there. Island life in general and the people who live there, and also to show where Caribbean and North American ideas and interests come together. So you wanted a book that could teach you something and I think you could have a lot of fun with this one. It is a novel in stories. There are almost twenty of them. So you've read a book set in Trinidad recently. I have to tell you though, there is no city named Pleasantview, at least to her knowledge.
SHREYASI: Okay.
ANNE: But it does say that there was one specific town in the northern part of the country that she had in mind when she wrote the stories, and the specific city has always been an important transportation hub. It's been a crossroads between people and cultures. She's spent some time living there and that's really important to the story as well. Mohammed has talked about how Trinidad is a melting pot of cultures and the story also feels like what makes it come together so well is the various threads that she's pulling together and I really don't want to give too much away because I know that one of your most amazing reading experiences was you grabbed the orange cover off the bookshelf and took it home with you.
SHREYASI: Yeah.
ANNE: But there's a lot about moving, about finding a new home, both in an actual place and emotionally as well. I think it has a lot of what you're looking for. How does that sound to you?
SHREYASI: That sounds amazing. You had me very, very interested at emotional home.
[00:34:18]
ANNE: I'm glad to hear it. Cece, my list of jotted titles I thought you might enjoy, there's a lot of memoirs here and at first I was thinking that was unusual but actually two of your three favorite books are memoirs.
SHREYASI: Those are also the only two I've read the entire year.
ANNE: What, really?
SHREYASI: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Oh, that's so interesting. But that is directly where my brain is going. I'm thinking of Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford. Is this a book you've read or familiar with?
SHREYASI: I've never even heard of this one.
ANNE: This is a new memoir that came out last Spring in the United States. I believe she's a journalist. The first pieces I read by her were actually profiles of other, I guess you could say like celebrities or well known people and I think that's so interesting because the author is not invisible when they're writing about someone else. You know a lot of their own tone and personality comes through, but she is a Black journalist now turned memoirist who grew up in small town Indiana in a single parent household because her father was incarcerated during most her childhood. She doesn't know why, and this book is the story of her growing up, and she also grew up in a home where domestic violence was an ever present thread and something that she experienced.
As we've talked about the books you've really enjoyed, something I've noticed is that you really appreciate when authors are very precise about their experiences, when they're able to capture it in a way that feels true and also that feels accurate. That feels like something that's really important to you, and you also really love, you mentioned this with Carmen Maria Machado, when people are brave enough to write about things that aren't talked about because we know intellectually that that does everyone a disservice when we don't talk about the hard things, and yet to talk about hard things in a memoir that goes on bookstore tables like that's … Maybe it's not another kind of bravery but it's a kind of bravery that just seems so hard. [LAUGHS] It seems so hard to do and I think that's why so many people are so grateful for a book like this.
So this is Ashley C. Ford's story growing up in circumstances that she just knew she wasn't supposed to talk about. Her dad was in prison. Nobody told her why, but she knew that wasn't something that you just go like talking about at school because it was like a shameful secret, and she writes about other hard things in this book that I know you've read about that before, but listeners should know that there are definitely, there's plenty of sensitive content in this book, and yet I think you are going to be really glad you read it.
She doesn't use the figurative language so much like In The Dream House does, but she has such a gift, a well-honed talent of describing very precisely emotions in such a way where you go like oh, yes, that's exactly how it is. Something else in this book she talks about a lot is forgiveness in a way that's really powerful. Ah, it's beautiful, and I think you'll really enjoy it. I'm not sure what else to say about it, but Cece [CECE LAUGHS] how does it sound?
[00:37:14]
SHREYASI: I'm so sold. I'm so sold. I think, yeah, you're right about the precision thing because I hadn’t noticed it about myself, but I think I appreciate when a writer especially can kinda put things into words exactly because I feel like that's their whole purpose is to talk about things in a way that nobody else can talk about them.
ANNE: I like the way you put that. That was Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford. And finally, we're going to do a fantasy. How does that sound to you?
SHREYASI: Ooh. Okay.
ANNE: The book I have in mind is Girl, Serpent, Thorn. It's by Melissa Bashardoust. Is this one you know?
SHREYASI: Nope again. I haven't heard of any of these books.
ANNE: Perhaps you've heard of her debut. It's called Girls Made of Stone and Glass. But either way, this is based on a Persian epic.
SHREYASI: Ooh.
ANNE: This is a fairy tale that has oh, gosh. Well first it has a really striking cover. You might reach out for it at the bookstore if the snake doesn't [CECE LAUGHS] scare you away. There's snakes and I think there's roses on the cover. It has girls who are literally poisonous. Demons that are terrifyingly dangerous and a kingdom in peril. And it's inspired by the Persian epic the Shahnameh.
So in this book there's a cursed princess who's been living safely inside her family's palace walls and not allowed to touch anyone because she is poisonous for 18 years. But her twin brother is getting married and as the day approaches the palace guards capture this demon. He taunts her and says that he may be able to tell her how to break the curse where she can actually touch people again, where she can actually be free. Where she can actually leave the palace. So of course this is extremely tempting to her. She does not get her freedom so easily because then the story would be over and what would we read about? [CECE LAUGHS] But when she does – when she does try to get her freedom through this demon, she's plunged into personal crisis and the kingdom is plunged into peril again as well and there's lots of political intrigue and she's soon forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself and knowing these choices aren't just going to affect her, but like the entire kingdom hangs in the balance.
So something that I think you'll find really interesting here because we've used words like structure and voice and point of view, it's such a perfect form for this story Melissa Bashardoust is telling here I think you'll find it really interesting. I'm so sorry to say there's a fair amount of worldbuilding here but it's done really gracefully. [CECE LAUGHS] Really gently. I don't think you'll feel lost and disorientated. I think you'll like get it and feel like you're in the world from the beginning and the prose is also really lovely and lyrical which are things we know that you appreciate.
[00:39:55]
SHREYASI: Yes.
ANNE: That is Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust. How does that sound to you?
SHREYASI: That sounds very intimidating. I'm not gonna lie. [ANNE LAUGHS] But um...
ANNE: Oh, I think it's actually a YA novel. Does that change anything for you?
SHREYASI: Oh, no, it's a worldbuilding that's intimidating and I think just fantasy in general because I feel like it's just so much fun that I might not [LAUGHS] have fun with the fun. [LAUGHS]
ANNE: Um, I think this is more angsty than fun. Does that help?
SHREYASI: Oh, yeah, that helps. [BOTH LAUGH]
ANNE: Cece, of the books we talked about today, they were Pleasantview by Celeste Mohammed, Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford, and Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust. Of those three books, what do you think you'll read next?
[00:40:39]
SHREYASI: Oh, I think I'm going to go with Somebody's Daughter. My first memoir of 2022. To that ... Yeah, that's really exciting to me.
ANNE: I think it sounds like a really good fit for you and I can't wait to hear what you think. Cece, thank you so much for talking books with me today.
SHREYASI: Thank you so much for having me. This has been so exciting and a great start to my New Year.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Cece, and I’d love to hear what YOU think she should read next. Connect with Cece on Instagram at Cece, C-E-C-E, Desai, that’s D-E-S-A-I), and her goodreads account is linked in our show notes, where you can also find the full list of the titles we discussed today. That’s at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/317.
Readers, we are getting pretty close to reaching a big milestone on Instagram of 100,000 followers, so if you’re not yet following us at whatshouldireadnext, we’d love to have you join us there (or share our account with a friend!) This is a great place to keep up with what’s happening on the podcast with visuals and in our Modern Mrs Darcy community as well.
You can also find me on Instagram, at annebogel. That's Anne with an E, b as in books, O-G-E-L. This is where I share reading updates, photos of Daisy, our book-loving lab, and most recently [LAUGHS] photos of our newest family member, emotional support hamster Phoebe.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter to make sure you never miss an episode. Each week, I’ll share a short roundup of 3 literary loves plus what I’m reading lately.
If you loved this episode, we’d be thrilled if you’d share it with a friend, or give it a star on Overcast, which helps other listeners discover our show.
Please make sure you’re following us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and more. Tune in next week for more readerly recommendations.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• The Mistress of Spicesby Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• Before We Visit the Goddessby Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• The Palace of Illusionsby Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• The Forest of Enchantmentsby Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• Mahabharataby Kamala Subramaniam
• The Iliad by Homer
• Ajaya: Roll of the Diceby Anand Neelakantan
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
Levels of Life by Julian Barnes (audio version narrated by Julian Barnes)
△Less by Andrew Sean Greer
• The Count of Monte Cristo (audio version narrated by Bill Homewood)by Alexandre Dumas
• The Complete Sherlock Holmescollection by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Agatha Christie (Try Murder on the Orient Express)
• Love after Love by Ingrid Persaud
• Pleasantview by Celeste Mohammed
• Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
• Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
• Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
Also mentioned: • WSIRN Ep 87: Popcorn books, page-turning thrills, and reader regret
The post WSIRN Ep 317: Myth, murder, and a massive book hangover appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What does your weekend look like? Around here we’re visiting with family and (finally) putting away holiday decorations. Will and I hope to finish watching Station Eleven—just one episode to go. (Are you watching? I have thoughts!)
My favorite finds from around the web: * I Left Your Favorite Book Off That List On Purpose. I feel seen. (Ha!)
-
‘Fleabag’ Director Harry Bradbeer To Direct ‘Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine’ For MGM And Hello Sunshine. Fingers crossed this is good!
-
Apropos of this week’s organizing adventures: these have long been my favorite organizers for shallow desk drawers.
-
How Taking a Daily Walk Can Help You Feel More Connected to Your Community. This has proven true in my own life.
-
Emma Straub on Opening Her Bookstore, Books Are Magic. “Can you believe that bookstores exist? Heaven on earth—places full of books that you can bring home with you, to keep forever, or to give to someone you love.”
-
Two years into the pandemic, Yale’s ‘happiness’ course is more popular than ever. Anyone else thinking about signing up?
-
The Most Valuable Thing I Can Teach My Kid Is How to Be Lazy. (Gift link.) “Laziness is more than the absence or avoidance of work; it’s also the enjoyment of lazing in the sun, or in another’s arms.”
-
I’ve worn this cozy sweater nearly every other day since I got it a month ago. (It’s been FREEZING and it’s now the warmest sweater I own!)
-
8 Foodie Memoirs and Novels for Readers Who Love Food as Much as Books.
-
The secret MVP of sports? The port-a-potty. Who knew?
-
Are You Bugged When People Organize Books By Color? “If I’m on a bookshelf team at all, it’s this one: Having books in your house is awesome! Display/organize them however you wish.“
-
9 amazing iPhone tricks that most people don’t know about. I had no idea about most of these!
Don’t miss these posts: * 15 propulsive literary mysteries that balance plot and prose. It’s hard to beat an unputdownable mystery combined with a beautifully written literary novel.
-
45 sources for great decaf coffee. I had to switch to decaf a few years ago and you all came through with the recommendations.
-
30 books featuring happy couples who met past age 30. Because the world needs love stories with happy endings featuring characters who aren’t teens and twenty-somethings.
Upcoming Events: * February 1: Hallmarks of a Great Book Project: How do you design a project for your reading life? We’re going to explore the different ways readers create structure for themselves while still allowing flexibility and freedom and ease. We’ll be sharing examples of a few of our own reading projects for the year, in the hopes that it will inspire you to think about something fun and life-giving you could do for your own reading life. (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.)
-
February 10: Patreon Livestream: Anne and team member Holly will talk about what they’ve been reading lately, answer questions from patrons, and recommend books. These events are always a BLAST! Join Patreon for more details.
-
February 12: Galentine’s Weekend Watch Party: Movie TBD. (This is a Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club event.)
-
February 24: Live chat with author Liz Moore: Time for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club discussion of The Unseen World with author Liz Moore!
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
The post Links I love appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
It’s almost time for one of my favorite Modern Mrs Darcy traditions.
Winter has never been my favorite season. It’s cold, it’s grey, it too often brings colds or worse, and usually brings a bit of cabin fever—but of course this year the dread of illness is something else entirely, and that “stuck inside” feeling is next-level.
And so to beat back the dreary days, this winter I’m remembering how helpful it’s been in the past to keep a list—a literal, physical list—of the things that are saving my life right now.
The idea comes from author Barbara Brown Taylor. In her memoir Leaving Church, Taylor tells about a time she was invited to speak, and her host assigned her this topic: “Tell us what is saving your life right now.”
Most of us know what’s killing us, and can articulate it, if asked. (My list is SO LONG right now, friends.) But few of us stop to note what’s giving us life.
Taylor says it’s too good a question to not revisit every once in a while: what are the things—big or small—that are saving us?
Every season carries its unexpected challenges and joys. Sometimes the challenges nearly crowd out the joys; sometimes (perhaps, I hope, please say yes) it’s the other way ’round.
Our lives reflect what we persistently think about. This practice calls me to pay attention to what I’m dwelling on, and to intentionally look for the good. It calls me to see not what’s killing me, but what’s saving me.
Next Wednesday is February 2, the halfway point of winter. For many years now, we’ve been joining together to combat the winter doldrums by making our lists of the things that are saving our lives, and sharing them here.
On February 2, I’ll share my list—and you’re invited to share yours, too: in the comments section you can link to a blog or social media post, or simply type your list there for us to read.
This can be a hard season, but by pausing at its halfway point to share the things that are helping us through it, we’ll lighten the load.
I can’t wait to hear what’s on your list.
P.S. We’ve engaged in this practice for nearly ten years, but now I can point to my book that touches on the subject. For more about intentional practices like this one, pick up a copy of Don’t Overthink It and flip to Chapter 7, “Tend Your Garden.” My hope is that this book can be one of the things that brings you joy, peace, and life.
The post What’s saving your life right now? appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.
Readers, I’ve already shared my best books of 2021 with you all, but today we’ve brought the whole team together to share our collected favorites from the past year!
While we talk books behind the scenes all year long, it’s always a treat to share our entire team’s voices with all of you. With the wide range of reading tastes among our team, the resulting list of titles is a smorgasbord of bookish delight.
Our conversation today debuted as a live event in our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community, but the podcast episode includes some bonus contributions from two of our team members who couldn’t join us live. Our selected favorite titles include compelling non-fiction, inspiring sci-fi, unputdownable mysteries, fiction that feels like meeting with an old friend, and more. We’d love to hear which books you’ve added to your TBR—leave us a comment in the show notes to tell us what caught your interest from today’s episode!
Listen to What Should I Read Next? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app—or scroll down to press play and listen right in your web browser.
Subscribe to WSIRN
Transcript
Download
New Tab
[CHEERFUL INTRO MUSIC]
ANNE: Hey readers. I’m Anne Bogel, and this is What Should I Read Next? Episode 316.
Welcome to the show that’s dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader: What should I read next?
We don’t get bossy on this show: What we WILL do here is give you the information you need to choose your next read. Most weeks I ask one guest to share three books they love as part of our conversation, but this week we’ve turned the mic around and asked the What Should I Read Next team to share the books they’ve loved the most over the past year.
It’s a new year, which means it’s almost time for our first Patreon livestream chat of 2022. Our podcast is unscripted, but it is edited—and that is NOT true for these chats, in which we are live, freewheeling, unedited, confessional, and I'm just gonna say we're gonna call it delightfully honest. You get to ask us anything bookish or not, request personalized book recs that we answer on the fly [LAUGHS] which is an interesting challenge, and have fun hanging with people who love books as much as you do.
If you haven’t yet, join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext, where you’ll unlock bonus content, gain access to exclusive events like these, and catch fun and surprising glimpses into our creative process. Sometimes our patrons play a role here, chiming in on episode titles or contributing their own reading stories and suggestions for the show. This community is fantastic, and our live events are more fun than we can say.
Come experience one for yourself: join us for our upcoming livestream chat on Thursday, February 10th at 1 pm Eastern Time. (If you can’t make it live, no worries, we always record these.) We hope to see you there! Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext for all the details.
Readers, I love sharing my favorite reads each year on the blog, and my joy is multiplied when our entire team comes together to share their own. We recently gathered with the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community to share our Best Books of 2021—and today, we’re excited to share that conversation with you.
While we talk books behind the scenes, among our team members, all year long, it’s always such a pleasure—and sometimes a shock—to hear which books make the final cut. As a bonus, today’s episode includes the most-loved books from team members who weren’t at our live event, but still wanted to share their favorite books with all of you. So whether you’re listening again or for the first time, you’ll hear something new.
The titles we discuss are truly all over the literary map, featuring odes to onions, inspiring sci-fi, unputdownable mysteries, and fiction that feels like meeting with an old friend. No matter your reading tastes, I think you’ll hear something that catches your interest in today’s show.
Let’s get to it.
ANNE: Hello, everyone! Today we are going to do something that is going to sound just inconceivable to some of you, and I can understand that. We are actually going to celebrate what happened in 2021, at least at it pertains to our reading lives, and we're going to do that with a healthy portion of our team here live and I have to tell you while you all are listening to our team members talk and share their best books, we're going to be doing the same. I've got my notebook ready. I've got my pen uncapped and I can't wait to hear what everyone says. I know what some of the books are, but I don't know all of them and I'm really looking forward to finding out. Ginger, you have the honor of kicking us off. Take it away.
[00:03:37]
GINGER: I am so excited to kick off our best books event this year with a really unconventional sorta niche pick. If 1960s priest foodie sounds good to you, you might like this. It is Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon. Father Capon sent me off ten pages in spending 45 minutes with an onion. Yes, that is right. Just me, a knife, and an onion. As an aside, he recommends a full hour, but I only made it 45 minutes mostly because I had other commitments, but even what I thought would be a good discipline for me but not terribly interesting wasn't even enough time in the end, so don't worry if you're interested in reading this, you won't be totally on your own. He gives instructions for where to cut and where to hold and how to say the various colors, but this practice was transformational.
So for one thing I had never realized that once you get that papery skin off, which is itself beautiful – I kept a piece of onion skin magneted to my fridge for a week after this – once you have that peeled off, you basically have a giant pearl in your hand. Have you guys looked at a peeled onion recently? They are so astoundingly beautiful, and I keep these common vegetables in a dark corner of my pantry for heaven's sake. The world is marvelous and food is marvelous and Capon is there to make us see that, and that's what he really shines at, helping the reader to see, to slow down in the kitchen in pursuit of the good life of food.
So the subtitle on this is A Culinary Reflection and I think that's what he has done for me. He has helped me to slow down. He says in the book there are more important things to do than hurry. Now I have a confession. I'm not ... I don't particularly love cooking. I'm not particularly good at it and mealtime just comes around so relentlessly, multiple times a day, the indignity of it all. I love convenience foods and I love store bought desserts to be honest, but he taught me if I dislike a task or if a task bores me to slow down, not to speed up, to make it simpler or if I can't make it simpler, to make it fancier.
So like unloading the dishwasher as a meditation, stacking the plates up just so, to take the time to put the sour cream in a dish sometimes just on a random week night instead of doling it out from a plastic container on the table. Just really to slow down and notice, so I don't know about you but I need more of that in my life. I will never look at a simple onion the same way again. And after reading this, I went looking for similar meditations. What else was I speeding through in life not noticing? I ended up with a whole list of similar exercises, just a meditation in noticing if you will.
Lest I make this sound esoteric and not practical, he gives loads of intensely practical advice throughout, recipes and the tools for the home cook. An ode to all the uses of baking soda in the kitchen. A timeline for a dinner party that makes so much sense. And now if you need any further inducement, the modern library edition I have has an introduction by series editor and friend of the book club, Ruth Reichl.
Okay so it's unusual for me that my top two favorite books would be nonfiction, but it is not entirely without design. So last year I noticed in my top ten favorites a higher percentage of them were nonfiction to the ratio for the raw nonfiction numbers that I had read, so I deliberately added in more nonfiction in 2021, realizing that I often enjoy nonfiction but I don't reach for a lot of it. So I can't talk best books without mentioning Think Again by Adam Grant. You may already be following him on social media.
This book has influenced my own life, my thoughts, my relationships, my conversations, and you all know I love a book that literally changes my life, as in how I live and speak and move in the world. His posture of humility is just what we could use more of, and I especially appreciated that it in nonfiction where so much of self-help kinda genre kinda is I figured it all out. Do this. So this is one I need to reread every year, which makes it a best book.
And I did already mentioned Washington Black on my patreon runner's up bonus episode, but I can't not mention it again here briefly because I loved it so much. I've been talking about it and pushing it into friends' hands and I just can't not mention it to you friends. It is a rip-roaring story with heart. Several of those readers that I have foisted this book upon have been immediately put off or at least concerned by the early pages, so you should know that this one starts off following a young enslaved boy, so it is not without hard things, but we follow Wash as he enters a world, a new world, a new identity that is swashbuckley and full of hope.
So speaking of things that are really fun and have heart, I have the privilege to introduce to you our spreadsheet guru and data queen, Donna. I got the chance to talk to her a few weeks ago about her favorites, and Brenna has worked her magic to bring this video to you. So take it away, Donna.
[00:08:18]
DONNA: This is Donna Hetchler and I am the spreadsheet guru at Modern Mrs Darcy and I'm very excited to be here and talking about my favorite book of the year, except I'm gonna talk about four! [LAUGHS] But I'm going to do it very quickly and very sneakily.
Okay the first book I want to mention is Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout. This truly was my favorite book of the year. I could not possibly talk about it in a couple of minutes, so I'm just gonna throw it out there. I think Elizabeth Strout is a genius and I hope everybody reads her. The second book I want to talk about is Keeper of the Lost Cities, which is by Shannon Messenger. It's a middle grade fantasy series and I mentioned it when we did our best books of the summer, so I won't talk about it again but I loved it so much I just had to give it a little shout out here.
Two books that I also really loved this year, this also a fantasy series. I've only read the first one. It's The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. This is book one in the Wheel of Time series. You've probably been hearing a little bit about the Wheel of Time because it's a new series on Amazon Prime, that is why I picked it up. This is really a classic epic fantasy. There's actually 14 books in the series, so I'll be honest with you, I almost didn't pick this up. I was very intimidated by it. I think it's about 700 or 800 pages and all of them are really long, but I'm so glad that I did. It really made me nostalgic for fantasy that I read in high school and it has those classic elements.
There's a quest. A journey. It's a coming-of-age story, and these young men and women think that they are just going to live their life in this little village, a simple life, and then pretty soon they're on this epic quest dealing with good and evil monsters, magic, their own skills that they did not know they had, backgrounds that they didn't know that they had. I'm just really having fun with it. I will say it's a little bit slow paced. I'm doing it on audio, which has really helped me out, but it was just ... It was such a good reminder to me to not turn down a book [LAUGHS] just because of a preconceived idea, you know, like it's too long or it's too many books in this series, etc. I just went for it and I love it and I'm looking forward to the next 13 books! [LAUGHS]
And then the last book that I will talk about which also very much surprised me. This is The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. I would have never picked up this book. I did this through a buddy read. It's a set of essays, which is honestly not really my thing. The author is really mostly known for his YA books, which is also really not my thing. [LAUGHS] That title, I didn't understand it. I don't know that word, so I wouldn't have picked this up off the shelf, but I'm so glad that I did.
This set of essays, it has a bunch of kinda every day topics, some of them are Canada geese and scratch-n-sniff stickers, sunsets, and yet there's a throughline there that I really connected with, which is … Anthropocene basically means how humans are impacting the earth and that's the throughline in these different essays. He's very clever, how he brings that theme in. He doesn't hit you over the head with it. It's very subtle, but it's actually quite moving, but I found myself laughing. I was crying at points. It was just the book that I needed at this time, if that makes any sense.
I have recommended this book to some other people and every single person I have recommended it to has said it has been a five star book for them. By the way, that ... I bring up the five stars on purpose. At the end of each essay, he actually will give a certain number of stars to each thing, so it's kinda fun seeing like what will he rank diet dr pepper? It's very well done. I think you'll love it and that's my last book that I loved in 2021. Bye!
[00:13:01]
SHANNEN: Donna! That was wonderful as usual. Donna and I talk books all the time and it's awesome. So my reading year and my best books, I read over a hundred books this year and I have notes here if I keep looking down. I'm not talking about all a hundred, so don't be scurred. My reading year read the gamut and I visited some old favorites. I talked about genres that I didn't normally read until this year. I read a very short book. I read a very long book, and those are apart of my contenders. I kept a running list of best books and I'm only going to discuss three of them. I discussed three in the bonus episode and I am going to mention one that I talked about in that bonus episode because I really, really, really want everyone to read it! And it is Address Unknown by Kathrine Kressmann Taylor. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Everyone just go get it. Go read it. That's all I'm going to say.
Now, Donna, talked about not turning down a book because it's too long, and I don't read long books. I think everyone kinda knows that about me and my second best book was the longest book that I've read in a very long time. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. This book is intended as a paean to books, and I didn't know what that word meant, so I had to look it up, and according to Merriam Webster, a paean is a joyous song or hymn of praise, a tribute or thanksgiving, a work that praise and honor its subject, and it did that for books for me. 622 pages. It's long, but I was involved. I was here for it. It spans time. It starts in Constantinople in the 1400s, ends in sci-fi territory. I was here for everything.
I was in a reading funk before I started it and this held my interests so much and brought me out of the reading funk. I will say I am not an Anthony Doerr fan. All The LIght We Cannot See I did not read because I don't read war books and I did start Four Seasons in Rome and he was a bit verbose for me, but this ... It was great. Vivid descriptions. I was wherever he was describing.
I plan on rereading this book and I purchased the Barnes & Noble special edition, which didn't have the dust jacket and it also has a very nice essay from Anthony Doerr about the book. It has gold foil on the top and a ribbon bookmark. It was a special treat for me. If you would like to escape, this is the book for you and I did bring a favorite quote because I always like to have favorite quotes. He said, "In a life you accumulate so many memories. Your brain is constantly winnowing through them, weighing consequences and bearing pain." And I just liked the way he phrased that so much.
Okay, my best book of the year. I think if I were to ask in chat what my best book of the year was, people would be able to tell everyone because I've talked about it so much, but I love it so much and I'm gonna talk about it again. I read this book February 7th and it has stayed my best book throughout the entire year. Yes, yes, Carrie is right, it is Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers.
For those that don't know, it has an intriguing premise, a nonbinary teen monk who has the life they’ve imagined. They've done the thing that they set out to do but they aren't happy and they embark on a personal quest and meet a robot. I adored the writing, love the style, but this book left an emotional and spiritual impression on me that I really was not expecting. Of course, it's a soft hug of a book. It says it's okay if you're not okay. Lash your guts. I was not okay and I'm not sure I'm okay now, but it encapsulated all the feelings that I have had, the longing to be somewhere else, do something else, or not. It's just a general dissatisfaction.
It was sci-fi. I don't normally read sci-fi until this year when Brenna brought Becky Chambers to us at last year's book club event. I've jumped on this version of sci-fi and I just love this book. One thing that she talks about is the nonbinary monk is the monk of a god of small comforts, Allalae. That got me to thinking, is my god the god of small comforts? And I hope desperately that they are and, um, yeah, I needed this. I needed this so much. I've read it three times. It was the first book that I read in 2022, so you know I started my reading off right. It is the first in a series. I cannot wait for the next iteration and have already pre-ordered it. I've turned a quote of this book into my theme for 2022. “It is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don't need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to live.”
[00:18:23]
BRENNA: Hello, everybody. My name is Brenna. I'm the producer at What Should I Read Next. I had a pretty good reading year. I think it was around 120 books that I read. That's too many to choose from, especially when so many of them were really excellent and I feel like there's plenty I could talk about.
My main pick is The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey. It came out, I believe, February 2021 but I read it like at the very beginning of January. It was my first book that I read in 2021 as an advanced reader's copy. It was also the last book that I read in 2021. I didn't intend to do that, to have that sorta closed loop reading experience. I just had this desire to read it again. I was thinking about some of the themes in it, and this is such a fitting book to have that reading experience with of a closed loop 'cause that's very much the feeling that the book itself gave me.
I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot. I'm so sorry. If you need a plot to sell you on a book, I just can't give it to you because I think that it's so excellent when you go in not knowing anything. Allowing this book to hit all of the twists and turns of which there are many on the page and all very effective, it sings. It's so good. It is sorta a speculative, just very slightly futuristic science fiction. The psychological thriller, you're going to recognize the world. Like it's the world that we live in just with a few significant technological advances, but we're still on earth. We still ... Like everything is the same except that we move forward in a couple of very specific sciences. And the person who advanced those sciences is our main character, Evelyn.
The character building of Evelyn I feel was incredible and so detailed and nuanced and stretched out across the book. It's in first person and she is not a reliable narrator and the longer you get into the book, the more you start to realize that you are not getting an unbiased view of what's happening and the other people in the story and it's delicious. I love an unpredictable narrator, but it's also a both compassionate and foreboding study of this main study of Evelyn. Some of the questions that she has to face in the book, questions of ethics, morality, relationships, you learn about her as a character through the way that she tells the story.
As she also starts telling you a little bit about her background about growing up, about her family of origin, her mother, her father, which by the way, trigger warning is necessary – there is a background of abuse here – Gailey connects, you can see how Evelyn's background is informing how she makes decisions, how she sees the world, how she feels about other people. All of that is tied together, and getting back to the loop, one of the big themes that Gailey explores in The Echo Wife is cycles of abuse. Repeating cycles. Breaking cycles. And the ending gave me chills. I wanted to start reading the book again. By the end, you know so much more than you knew at the beginning so you just want to turn it right back to the first page again and reread it knowing everything that you know now.
So that is my first pick, my top pick, my favorite reading experience from the year. But it is not the only excellent reading experience I had. I talked about a couple of my other top picks from the year in a patreon bonus episode. I shared three titles in that episode, including one that I'll just throw out there here. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, incredible. Just fast-paced. Exciting. Action filled. Explosive, young adult sci-fi novel that is unlike any other young adult novel I've ever read. I'm not big on young adult. I loved Iron Widow. I'm really excited for the next book in the series.
But another book that I wanted to highlight is Cultish: the Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. I saw this book a lot online. It has this really pop-y cover that I think looks really cool, looks all these bright colors and a big UFO on the front. Amanda Montell is a linguist. She's just really clearly obsessed with her area of study, which can sometimes lend itself to really overly academic language I think, but her books are so chatty. She writes in a very relatable, easy-to-read way but she doesn't abandon nuance. So you get lots of information but it's fine, you feel like you're talking to a friend about this particular interest they have and they're just really good at telling a story, so you learn a lot, but you're having a great time. That's what it felt like to read.
Cultish is about the science of cult influence from the mild to the severe and hat's how the book is constructed, like the early chapters are about less destructive cults like influences in our world and then it goes up to really big names that you have likely heard Jonestown, Scientology, and because Amanda Montell is a linguist, she is focusing here on how cults and cultish groups or environments use language to change how we think about them, how we think about ourselves, and as methods of control, very interesting.
I came away with so many little facts that I wanted to share with somebody. I read Cultish in print, but I read her other book last week on audio and she narrates her own audiobooks and that combined with her writing style make the audiobook kinda feel like a podcast. I really incorporated a lot more nonfiction than usual into my 2021 reading and Cultish was the most fun I had. I hope some of you pick up these titles and give them a shot because I loved them.
[00:24:28]
HOLLY: So my name is Holly. I am the newest member to the Modern Mrs Darcy/What Should I Read Next team and I work as the media production assistant. I definitely had a hard time as always narrowing down my best books of the year. I feel like this year I had a lot more of three and four star books than I normally do, but there were still a couple real standouts. So I'll just go through those today. I've got two picks and an honorable mention.
My first book that I would have to say and if you are a patron on our patreon page, you have already heard me talk about this book, but it's Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. I already read her young adult novels, but I was actually given this as a recommendation from my sister-in-law who just said it was phenomenal and picked it up and it is right up my alley. I love fantasy. I love worldbuilding. I love anything that's set in sorta a reimagined historical world or reimagined world that could be our own but is maybe just a little bit different, and Rebecca Roanhorse takes this amazing fantasy story and sets it in a sorta Columbia, pre-Columbian middle America setting, so it's dealing all sorts of mythologies that I'm not familiar with as a reader and it's just a really nice antidote to all of the western European forest fantasies that I've read and enjoyed and just gives it a totally different experience, so she's got a sequel coming out next year called Fevered Star. Can't wait to read it.
Okay, so book two will be no surprise to anyone that's been following the show for awhile because I actually got my recommendation from What Should I Read Next long before I came to work here on this book and this is The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I picked this up simply because I was looking for books that were good on audio and it was recommended as one and I had some audible credits to burn and I said well, I'll trust the recommendation and give this one a try.
I think that I appreciated it even more having had the experience like so many of us did of listening to Amanda Gorman give the speech at the inaugural celebration in January because it definitely evokes the same kind of listening experience. It takes this incredible coming-of-age story of this young woman and it's told in this incredible cadence of her voice where it feels like she's talking to you as a person individually. I could be sitting across, you know, hearing her story over a cup of coffee but also that she could be on a stage performing or reading from this incredible and present text, so I have never had that type of experience before, only previous audio audiobook listening was history or nonfiction or you know, adventure stories or even general fiction, so this was a whole new frontier in audiobook experiences for me and definitely stands out as something I will remember along past the end of the year.
I'm going to give an honorable mention to one other book, which is A Spindle Splintered by Alix Harrow. It's a really tiny novella, so it's super easy to knock out and there is also a sequel coming in the next year for that book, but again, similarly to Black Sun, it has that element of fantasy and mythology. In this case, it's taking the tale of Sleeping Beauty and re-imagining that through a modern lens and kinda a multiplied lens I would say. I love Alix Harrow's writing. She was great in the Ten Thousand Doors of January and I really enjoyed the Once & Future Witches, so it was kinda a no brainer to pick up her new book, but I particularly enjoyed it I think because it was such a short, easy read. She has a great voice that comes across in her narrator. It was unexpected in ways that I had appreciated and I think it would be a fun read for anyone.
[00:28:12]
LEIGH: Hi everyone. My name is Leigh Kramer and I am the editor and social media manager here. I had a pretty good reading year last year. I did notice however that I had significantly fewer five star reads than usual. I'm not really sure what that's about, but I did still have plenty of amazing reads. In fact, I came up with 45 titles for my favorite book lists in 2021 so, you know, I was not hurting. I'm going to share about a couple with you today, however.
So the first is Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers. This is a gorgeous contemporary fiction debut. I just absolutely loved it. It's one of those debuts where you just kinda marvel that this is what the author has kicked things off with. So this is about Grace, a 28 year old biracial lesbian who just finished her Ph.D in astronomy according to her strict driven plans. Grace is one of those characters that, you know, she just kinda charges ahead and things work out the way that she wants them to. Except things are not working out the way that she planned at all, and she doesn't know where to work. She doesn't know what to do next with her job search. She just really has no idea what is going to happen, which is a very foreign concept for her.
So she goes to Las Vegas with a couple of her friends, kinda in an attempt to cheer her up and she wakes up married to a stranger. [LAUGHS] So you know, she kinda freaks out. Not only has she woken up married to a stranger but that stranger has already left. Yuki, her new wife, leaves a note that is just about all that Grace can remember about all that she knows and so in addition to Grace figuring out the job search, now she has to figure out what does she do with this woman that she apparently married?
Grace is a messy character, which makes for a really great emotional arc. She is kinda the character that you can't help but root for as she is just trying to work through her past, trying to figure out what her next steps should be. Making sense of why did she marry Yuki? Should she stay married to her? They live on opposite coasts. Yuki is a really great character in her own right. She spends these magical yearning stories on a radio show so that people will feel less alone, and Yuki's stories were some of my favorite parts of this book that's just so, so beautiful, and what really stands out is just getting to watch Grace find herself along the way and seeing what comes of her plans and the things that she did not plan.
Second book I wanted to share today is A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King. This is Pride & Prejudice but make it burlesque. I am pretty over Austen retellings. I hardly ever read them, but every once in awhile I will give an especially interesting premise a chance and I am so glad that I tried this one out. It is just so fun and engaging and I loved seeing the choices that the author made around the original material and you know, she left out the stuff that I don't care for in Pride & Prejudice and made some really interesting choices with how she adapted things.
Bennett is an executive assistant by day and a stage kitten at a burlesque club by night. Darcy is a private wealth manager who is advising his friend Bingley about investing in the club. They have palpable chemistry and they have one of the hottest first kisses that I've read in awhile. This is open door, very steamy. Kinda a slower burn, you know, so there's that side of things, but really what I loved about this is it is a fascinating examination of intimacy within burlesque, you know, who Bennet is on stage versus who she is with Darcy, I don't know, I just loved it. The story just completely captivated me. There is fantastic found family element. You know, instead of sisters we have the different performers at the club. I loved that whole world. There's fantastic secondary characters. I would read a whole book about Ming who is the Mary character from the original. It was just a really fun read and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author does next.
And then really quickly I just wanted to mention How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith. This has been covered on the blog and the podcast, so I don't need to go into a lot of details but I did want to mention it because not only is it a favorite from 2021, it is one of my all-time favorite reads. It's just a truly stunning nonfiction book and I highly recommend it.
[00:33:11]
WILL: Hello, hello. I'm Will and I really had a hard time doing this. I didn't feel like I had a very good reading year and so I was like I have no idea what books to bring. It's just a tragedy. I didn't read as many books, but then I also, I read my first zero ... I think it's my first zero stars. I just ... I hated it. But the good point of keeping a reading journal is I was able to look back and I did find a couple books I really did love this year.
The first one, chronologically that is, is Chasing the Thrill by Dan Barbarisi. This is a great book about just a crazy story. So Forrest Fenn, an eccentric, let's say, art collector and business owner in the southwest wrote a book with a puzzle poem in it that he buried a treasure out in the Rocky Mountains somewhere and for ten years people have been searching for this. They've also been calling him a fraud and all this stuff. So I was aware of this story and I knew that this past year, I guess, it was 2020, someone finally claimed they found it. So I was aware of that and then Anne saw this come across some list, like hey, there's a book coming out, and asked if I wanted it, and I was like of course I want it. But also how in the world did they get this book out so fast cause someone just found it, so clearly Dan Barbarisi has been working on this for awhile.
But it turns out he's not just a journalist who's been working on it, he was actually searching for the treasure for a number of years, so it has a great memoir feel to it 'cause a lot of is his search and how he got involved in it, and then also this sorta the tricky part of how do you interview people, how do you ask questions, how do you talk to Forrest Fenn as a journalist when you're also looking? And it just has some really quirky characters, and it made the whole adventure a lot of fun, and it does have a pretty satisfying conclusion as far as he meets the guy who found the treasure, Dan actually gets to go and see in what was in the box, and so even though it was kinda rushed out on the heels of the discovery, it does have a pretty great conclusion.
The next one, and this is definitely the book that I knew was probably the best book I've read. I just ... It's been such a year last year was. I didn't remember I read it this year. So this is Crow Lake by Mary Lawson. I don't remember when this was written, but it was not new. I found this at a used book sale and I picked it up on very little information, like a cover a little blurb on the back and I loved it. Prepping for this, I couldn't even really tell you if I remember what it was about. It just had this amazing sense of place that this family story of folks that are both, they love the place, right? It's a beloved home community in Crow Lake but also feeling trapped by it as well and so there's this family dynamic of who gets out and who stays and what are the responsibilities to the family and all that. Mary Lawson has several books that I'm ready to just complete them all. I've only read one other since then but I would definitely recommend Crow Lake from 2002.
And then the last one, and this is funny, Ginger and I were talking this right before we started. I talked with Ginger this summer, I think, it was the team best book of the summer so far, something like that, that we got paired up and she and I were talking about Crow Lake. That was a book that I brought 'cause I read it earlier in the summer, and then she mentioned The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf, which is like a pretty thick solid hardback here but it's 100+ pages of notes. This lady has done amazing research. When she says the invention of nature, it literally explains how we understand what nature is. Alexander Humboldt whose name Humboldt is all over all kinds of things from the redwood forests, you know, some grove to a college out there in California, to squid. There's a giant squid called the Humboldt squid. It's named after him.
He is a polymath. I don't know if that's the right word for scientist, but somebody who's good at everything, so back before scientists were specialized like he did astronomy. He did geology. He did botany, like just all this stuff, traveled all over the world at a time when that was not easy, but the book, Andrea Wulf does such a good job. It reminded me a lot of Susan Wise Bauer if you know anything about her idea of history and how we should integrate things that are happening across the world and across disciplines. I had no idea all of the things that were happening at the same time in different parts of the world, except this guy knew everybody. He was a part of all of them. She does such a good job of just combining all those elements and sorta pulling in different things that you didn't even know you wanted to know.
[00:37:21]
ANNE: Alright, it's my turn. I really wanted to share books with you that weren't in the list of books that I shared on the blog for my favorite books of the year, and I'm careful to say favorite and not best because best is … Well, they're both relative, aren't they? But best makes it sound like best for you, favorite just means from me. And I thought this wouldn't be so hard because I often, maybe always, accidentally, exclude one or two favorites from my list just because I forget about it. Not to tease you but I thought one direction I could go with is to share one of my 2022 favorites that doesn't come out until 2022 but that I read in 2021 that I loved so much, but I'm pretty sure we're going to read two of those as main book club selections and I'm not ready to talk about those. And then I thought oh! I know what I left off my favorites list. I have to talk about that one, but I kept looking and no, sure enough those books were on my favorites list. So here's what I decided to do. I shared two books that I mostly forgot about that may ... You know, favorite, favorite is a tier. It's not just a book. We're going to go into this deeper in a moment, but y'all are asking how do we choose our favorites and I follow the same rule that I tell our guests on What Should I Read Next. These don't have to be your best of the month or the year or the decade or a lifetime, just tell us about three books you love.
My first one is Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz and it's funny, I kept calling this the Magpie Murders and sometimes the book lover I was talking about with this book would be like no, no, it's Magpie Murders, and I thought well, does it really matter that much? As it turns out, yes, it does matter, and that was a lot of fun, but I wanted to read this based on very little. I hadn't read any reviews. I didn't see it at the bookstore. It came out something like 2017, 2018. It's been out a while, but the thing that sold me on this book was really that the universe wanted me to read it.
I know you have had the experience and if not, I know you're longing to when you hear me say this, of having so many readers in a tight period of time with very different tastes in backgrounds all say [GASP] Magpie Murders? You haven't read Magpie Murders? You must read Magpie Murders! And something that really extra sold me on it was so often these people saying this were writers, but writers of all different stripes, and y'all, writers are very weird and sometimes extremely particular about what they read. We all have our quirks and pet peeves and when mystery writers and romance writers and women's fiction writers and nonfiction writers were all saying you haven't read Magpie Murders? I was intrigued.
In one sense, this book is an homage to Agatha Christie. It's a mystery that takes place in a small town in England, written in a way that feels very true to Christie's hallmark style. Did I tell you I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing? Also I'm going to give you serious vibes from a rereading class from last week. So I sat down, I started reading the book, we're in the ‘50s something terrible – somebody's been murdered in small town Britain, and you know, it's fine. It's whatever. I'm interested but I'm not really sure why everyone has raved about this book, but then – Will's here, he can vouch for this – I was sitting on the couch. I turned my page on my Kindle and I went [GASPS] because I realized at about the halfway mark that what I'd been reading when the book began wasn't the book. I mean, it was the book, but it was a manuscript in the book, so when I turned to the next page, all of a sudden the point of view was that of the contemporary editor sitting in her fancy London office going what a second, where's the last chapter? I have to read the last chapter. Like this book is going to sell ... No, has sold I think for a fortune. Where's the last chapter?
And the author of the book within the book is conventionally missing and so suddenly there's a mystery and it's so clever about books and reading and the publishing industry as well 'cause the editor has seen a lot in her day and she's pretty cynical about how things can go down and about crabby authors and cranky editors and her boss who only cares about the one thing and then the agents who are always trying to outgun her, and there's a lot of fun to be had in that regard, but you can almost like feel her roll up her sleeves and say now, this is a mystery, maybe the first mystery ever that an editor is uniquely qualified to solve. I use this word sparingly but it was stylish and a lot of fun. And then just in the past month I decided you know what I need? This is not something I say a lot at this point in my reading life. I need the sequel. So that was Magpie Murders.
My next book, Kate Clayborn. Beginner's Luck. It's the first book in her Best of Luck series and these are romance novels and they're so fun and you just want all the people to get their happy endings. Something else I love about these stories is that these women’s and men’s lives are 3-dimensional. They have friends and families and the story centers around a group of friends and interesting workplaces and I just love all the details that make these feel so real. Now the series itself is about a group of three women, all in their 20s, who do something extremely uncharacteristic and go into together on a lottery ticket and they win. And it's not like a 900 million jackpot, but it's enough money that it does make a difference in their lives, even if they're not ready to retire forever and never work again and they all don't chose that option. But they did win the lottery and the short little summary of how that happened and what each woman wanted after at the very beginning of Beginner's Luck, the first book in this series is just oh, it's so touching.
Kit is a scientist who loves her job, even though many people would not love some of the specific things about it. Ben is a successful recruiter who also is from the small town that Kit has made her home. His dad owns an architectural salvage place, a fascinating, fun backdrop to read about, and is very important in this story, and they end up meeting when he tries to recruit her and lure her to Texas to work for this big fancy tech company, but she doesn't want that. But she does want to fix up her old house she bought with her lottery winnings, and he has the little drawer pull she needs and it's just, they have an adorable meet up that he fumbles horribly, but then he wins her heart ... Well, he wins a second chance with just the right pulls for her lab filing cabinets and we're off from there. The three friends all feature in each story and I just love seeing female friendship on the page together. It's not always perfect, or it wouldn't be real, but it's so good.
So I read these actually I think right after Thanksgiving, maybe Thanksgiving Eve. I had all these books I wanted to read in theory, but nothing that felt right for right then, and then I thought, what am I in the mood for? And I ended up picking up Kate Clayborn's short little novella about winter, and I thought I just want to read Beginner's Luck again, and then I read the series and then I read Love Lettering and then I read Love at First, so one book turned into six that I read again, but were so good. They were absolutely worth picking up again and it was such a delightful reading experience.
Okay my final one is Hell of a Book by Jason Mott just because it was such an incredible reading experience. I picked it up, vetting it for the summer reading guide. This one was in the summer reading guide and I did not know anything about it at this point. I didn’t know anyone who read it. Oh my gosh, but I finished it and I really needed to find somebody to talk to. I know I pinged some of you and said have you read that yet? Would you please so we could talk about it? Please please please?
So I went in not having a clue what to expect and it starts like a madcap caper. There is a Black author on book tour. He has written a publishing sensation that sold a gazillion copies called Hell of a Book, which he said makes it real easy to talk about, you know with critics and interviewers because it's a hell of a book! That's what everyone says, and he is streaking naked down the hallway trying to escape the husband of one of his book tour conquests who … I forget how the husband, but he's like running naked through the hotel, ends up at the front desk trying to get a room key wearing his birthday suit, the front desk person's like I need some ID and he grabs ... It’s … I picture it being People magazine from the nightstand, and like look, this is my face. Is this enough? And she's like I guess so! Here you go, dude. Have fun. It felt like a movie that I would want to watch, but started to see there was more going on with this author and with this story and it unfolds in several strands.
The first is this Black author on book tour promoting his book, Hell of a Book. He's way in demand. The thing is selling like hotcakes. His agent is thrilled with him. His publisher loves him. It's going great, but no matter what city he goes to, someone wants to know what he thinks about the most recent tragic police shooting on the news, and no matter what city he goes to, he's in the hotel, same lobby, same breakfast (at least it feels the same) and there's the news on and there's been a tragic police shooting, again, and he doesn't want to talk about it. He's afraid he'll say the wrong thing. He feels like it's just going to keep happening. Why do people want to hear what he says? And of course I mean, he wants to keep the focus on book sales, but it's way more than that. It's because he's not quite sure what his relationship to reality is like right now or has been ever because he experiences these daydreams so vivid he can't always tell the difference between imagination and reality.
One day he comes down to breakfast at the hotel and there's a young Black boy sitting across from him. He comes to call him the kid, and the author's pretty sure that he's the only one who can see him. So those strands converge along with that of another Black boy growing up in rural North Carolina. I'm not going to tell you how, but I mean, this book is so unconventional and creative. So poignant and feels like the book for right now but also really timeless. This won the National Book Award maybe six weeks ago. The winner of a really impressive shortlist was some of the other books we talked about today. I was thrilled to see that for him and for Hell of a Book.
[CHEERFUL OUTRO MUSIC]
[00:47:34]
ANNE: Readers, what a wonderful roundup of the books our team loved this past year. No matter where your reading life took you in 2021, I hope you’re feeling inspired and energized to thoughtfully approach the year ahead. We are happy to be right by your side as you do so.
As always, find the full list of the titles we discussed today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/316. We’d love to hear what books you loved best in 2021, so while you’re there leave us a comment and let us know your bookish superlatives for the year.
Keep up with the latest What Should I Read Next scoop with our weekly newsletter. Sign up for that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter for our short and sweet updates.
If you love listening to our show each week, share your favorite episode with a friend or give your favorite a star on Overcast–that helps other Overcast listeners find What Should I Read Next!
Follow us on Instagram at whatshouldireadnext and follow me at annebogel. That is Anne with an E, B as in books, O-G-E-L. Please tag us in your stories if you share a post or an episode excerpt, and thanks in advance for those shares.
Make sure you’re subscribed in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, wherever you get your podcasts.Tune in next week for more readerly recommendations and good talk about all things books and reading.
Thanks to the people who make this show happen! What Should I Read Next is produced by Brenna Frederick, with sound design by Kellen Pechacek.
Readers, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening.
And as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” Happy reading, everyone.
Scroll back to top
Sign up to receive email updates
Enter your name and email address below and I'll send you periodic updates about the podcast.
powered by
Books mentioned:
• The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection by Robert Farrar Capon
• Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
• Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
• Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
• The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (The Wheel of Time series #1)
• The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
• Address Unknownby Kathrine Kressmann Taylor
• Cloud Cuckoo Landby Anthony Doerr
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• The Echo Wife by Sara Gailey
• Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
• Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
• BlackSunby Rebecca Roanhorse
• Fevered Starby Rebecca Roanhorse
• The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
• A Spindle Splinteredby Alix E. Harrow
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• The Once and Future Witchesby Alix E. Harrow
• Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
• A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King
• How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
• Chasing the Thrill by Daniel Barbarisi
• Crow Lakeby Mary Lawson
• The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf
• Susan Wise Bauer (Try The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome)
• Magpie Murdersby Anthony Horowitz
• Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
• Beginner’s Luck by Kate Clayborn (Chance of a Lifetime Series #1)
• Love at First by Kate Clayborn
• Hell of a Book by Jason Mott
Also mentioned:
• WSIRN Ep 291: The best books of summer (so far)
• Patreon Bonus Episode #126: What makes a favorite book?
• You Don’t Need Another Challenge
• Bonus Episode #126: Turning the page…
• My Favorite Books of 2021 Blog Post
• Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club
• Bookshop Book List
• Amazon Book List
The post WSIRN Ep 316: Books we loved in 2021 appeared first on Modern Mrs Darcy.