Biggest Little Library: Recent Episodes
Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf
Consider us two friendly librarians in your book bag. We care about connecting our listeners to the ‘just-right’ book. In our podcast, we share our love of reading, our vast knowledge of the diverse titles on the shelf, and the way stories shape our lives for the better.
Episode 118: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 8/27
Amie shares 4 great books she found on Jamie and Robs Goodreads’ lists that are 5 star reads!
Happy August Listeners! We’re taking every Tuesday off for July and August and re-releasing 8 of our favorite Episodes for you to enjoy! Click the button below to head to the Show Notes for Episode 43: Our deep dive into Stephen King novels with Jamie and Rob Stone
Episode 116: Friday Four from the Circ Desk
Taryn and Tami share 4 more great reads in celebration of Native Americans
Happy August Listeners! We’re taking every Tuesday off for July and August and re-releasing 8 of our favorite Episodes for you to enjoy! Click the button below to head to the Show Notes for Episode 44 - A Celebration of Native American Heritage Month
Happy August Listeners! We’re taking every Tuesday off for July and August and re-releasing 8 of our favorite Episodes for you to enjoy! Click the button below to head to the Show Notes for Episode 38 - Our interview with author Ben Rogers!
Episode 112: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 8/6
Episode 112: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 8/6 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Tami is a HUGE fan of audiobooks and is always listening to one on her Libby app. She also manages her Libby audiobook holds so that she always has one ready as soon as she finishes her current listen. It’s easy with Libby - you can swap turns with the person behind you in line and not lose your place, or, you can suspend it for several weeks - so easy!
**Tami’s Recommendations** ***Concrete Rose*** by Angie Thomas (This is part of her series The Hate U Give and gives the backstory about her dad Maverick). ***The Push*** by Ashley Audrain ***At Home: A Short History of Private Life*** by Bill Bryson ***The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America*** by Erik Larson
Happy August Listeners! We’re taking every Tuesday off for July and August and re-releasing 8 of our favorite Episodes for you to enjoy!
Click the button below to head to the Show Notes for Episode 39 - Audiobooks
Episode 110: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/30
Episode 110: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/30 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Taryn gives you four excellent books about women by women for this weeks’ Friday Four. All four are non-fiction titles sure to entertain you!
**Taryn’s Recommendations** ***Maiden Voyages: Women and the Golden Age of Transatlantic Travel*** by Sian Evans ***The Women’s History of the Modern World: How Radicals, Reels, and Everywomen Revolutionized the Last 200 Years*** by Rosalind Miles ***New Women in the Old West: From Settlers to Suffragists, an Untold American Story*** by Winifred Gallagher ***The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women*** by Nancy Marie Brown
Happy July Listeners! We’re taking every Tuesday off for July and August and re-releasing 8 of our favorite Episodes for you to enjoy! Click the button below to head to the Show Notes for Episode 61 - Our Romance Episode with Taryn where she teaches us SO MUCH about the Romance genre!
Episode 106: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/16
Episode 106: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/16 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf This week we re-released Episode 53, our conversation with Debi Stears, Collection Development Manager with the Washoe County Library System, so for your Friday Four, we are sharing four great books we’ve listened to or read on our Libby App.
**Jamie’s Recommendations** ***Boyfriend Material*** *by Alexis Hall* ***Troubles in Paradise (Book #3)*** *by Elin Hilderbrand* **Tami’s Recommendation** ***Dear Martin*** by Nic Stone
Happy July Listeners! We’re taking every Tuesday off for July and August and re-releasing 8 of our favorite Episodes for you to enjoy! Click the button below to head to the Show Notes for Episode 53 - Our interview with Debi Stears, Collection Development Manager with the Washoe County Library System.
Episode 104: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/9
Episode 104: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/9 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf This week on our Tuesday episode we re-released our wonderful interview with Nevada author, Willy Vlautin. What a terrific writer he is and we were so appreciative of his generosity of spirit and his time. For this weeks Friday four, we are celebrating three more Nevada authors: Ellen Hopkins, Robert Laxalt, and Terri Farley. Additionally, we are sharing ***Battleborn: Stories*** by Claire Vaye Watkins.
**Tami’s Recommendations** ***Crank*** (book 1 of *Crank)* by Ellen Hopkins ***Sweet Promised Land*** by Robert Laxalt ***Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to Save Them*** by Terri Farley **Amie’s Recommendation** ***Battleborn: Stories*** by Claire Vaye Watkins **Books Mentioned** ***Glass*** (Book 2 of *Crank)* by Ellen Hopkins ***Fallout*** (Book 3 of *Crank*) by Ellen Hopkins ***Don’t Skip Out On Me*** by Willy Vlautin ***Lean on Pete*** by Willy Vlautin
Episode 077: Interview with author Willy Vlautin ***The Motel Life*** ***Northline*** ***Lean on Pete*** ***The Free*** ***Don’t Skip Out On Me*** *** ***The Night Always Comes*** *** (Latest) Episode 077: Interview with Willy Vlautin Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf We’d like to thank Willy Vlautin for taking time to talk to us. It’s VERY exciting for these Reno High Grads to talk with such an amazing author and musician! All of the links for Willy’s books go to his website to purchase (and have them personally signed by the author too) directly from him - music too! Check his website out at **WillyVlautin.com** for more merchandise too!
We were all so excited to speak with Willy that we all picked books to read, not just his newest title. The rundown of what we individually read looked like this:
Tami Read - Don't Skip Out on Me (Tami has The Night Always Comes, The Motel Life, and Lean On Pete on her TBR line up!)
Rob Read - The Motel Life, Northline, Lean on Pete, The Free, and The Night Always Comes (5 of the 6). Don't Skip Out On Me is now on Rob’s TBR!
Jamie Read - The Motel Life & Lean on Pete (Next up for Jamie is Don’t Skip Out On Me)
Amie Read - The Motel Life & Lean on Pete (Next up for Amie is Don’t Skip Out On Me)
Willy's Favorite Authors John Steinbeck
Raymond Carver
Robert Laxalt
Walter Van Tilburg Clark
William Kennedy
Books Mentioned The Death of Jim Loney by James Welch
Sweet Promised Land by Robert Laxalt
Ironweed by William Kennedy
Sites Mentioned Sundance Books and Music
Willy’s Music Richmond Fontaine
The Delines
Music Influences Punk Rock
The Replacements
Hüskür Do
X
Country Music
What did you Read during the Pandemic? Shoshone Mike by Frank Burgon
Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
The Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
What are you currently reading and writing? He's blurbing books currently!
Jess Walters Books
There are two books in the works - stay tuned! One is about a painter in St John's, Oregon and the second is about a musician, set in Reno, that ends up in Tonopah.
Movie Mentioned Paris, Texas 1984 movie - available to rent on Amazon Prime Video
Show Notes for the Extra Interview on Patreon (Free) Click here to go to Patreon
All time Favorite Authors and Their Books John Steinbeck
Ironweed by William Kennedy
Fat City by Leonard Gardner
Flannery O'Connor
Barry Gifford
Lucia Berlin
Noir Authors Jim Thompson
David Goodis
Charles Willaford
Western Author James Welch
Willy’s Favorite Steinbeck Novels Canary Row
Grapes of Wrath
Of Mice and Men
The Long Valley
The Wayward Bus
Tortilla Flat
Other Books Mentioned Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Kestral for a Knave by Barry Hines
University of Nevada Press Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage by Susan Shillinglaw
Willy is a book purchaser over visiting the library but uses the Libby app and listens to numerous audiobooks
If the world is ending Willy would take his first edition, signed, edition of Ironweed by William Kennedy
Episode 102: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/2 Tami and Amie each share their next two books on their TBR.
Episode 102: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 7/2 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf This Friday we’re looking ahead to the next four books on our TBR lists. Enjoy these!
**Tami’s Recommendations** ***Hour of the Witch*** by Chris Bohjalian ***The Premonition*** by Michael Lewis **Amie’s Recommendations** ***The Heart’s Invisible Furies*** by John Boyne ***Redeployment*** Phil Klay **Books Mentioned** ***Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street*** by Michael Lewis ***Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game*** by Michael Lewis ***The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game*** by Michael Lewis ***The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine*** by Michael Lewis ***Acceleration Hours: Stories*** by Jesse Goolsby
Episode 100: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/25
Episode 100: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/25 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Listener’s it’s our 100th episode!! And we have all of you to thank for our continued success! We love creating content for you and sharing wonderful book ideas you won’t hear about anywhere else - because we aren’t just interested in the newest book on the block! Email us at Tami@biggestlittlelibrary.net or Amie@biggestlittlelibrary.net with show ideas or books you’d love to see highlighted on the show! And now, here are your Friday Four nonfiction recommendations!
**Amie's Recommendations** ***The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History*** by Andy Greene ***Brat: An 80s Story*** by Andrew McCarthy **Tami's Recommendation** ***The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War*** by Malcolm Gladwell **Jamie's Recommendation** ***How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America*** by Clint Smith **Media / Movies Mentioned** My Love on Netflix The Office on Peacock 12 Years A Slave Book and Movie Pretty in Pink - 80s movie St. Almo's Fire - 80s movie **Goodreads** - a bookish website
Episode 099: Nonfiction Books ***Running With Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero*** by Christopher McDougall ***How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS*** by David France ***Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art*** by James Nestor
Episode 099: Nonfiction Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Today’s episode contains 3 Nonfiction titles that Amie, Jamie and Tami have been reading and that we found really interesting - and hope you will too!
Books Mentioned Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Websites for more about AIDS Act Up - The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power
How to Survive A Plague Website
Meditation Benefits Article: 5 Science-Backed Reasons Mindful Meditation Is Good For Your Health by Jill Suttie, October 29, 2018 from Mindful.org
Article: 12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation by Written by Matthew Thorpe, MD, PhD and Rachael Link, MS, RD — Medically reviewed by Marney A. White, PhD, MS — Updated on October 27, 2020 (From Healthline.com
Media Mentioned Halston on Netflix
How to Survive a Plague Documentary - available on Sling TV, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Episode 098: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/18
Episode 098: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/18 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf **Jamie's Recommendation** ***Protest Kitchen: Fight Injustice, Save the Planet, and Fuel Your Resistance One Meal at a Time*** by Carol J. Adams and Virginia Messina **Taryn's Recommendations** ***The Drunken Botanist*** by Amy Stewart ***Peppers of the Americas*** by Maricel E. Pressilla **Tami's Recommendation** ***Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking*** by Samin Nosrat **Books Mentioned** ***How to Break Up With Your Phone*** by Catherine Price ***Tiki Cocktails: Modern Tropical Cocktails*** by Shannon Mustipher ***Smugglers Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum and the Cult of Tiki*** by Martin Cate **Media Mentioned** The Booksellers on Netflix Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix **Sites Mentioned** Moe's Books in Berkeley Chez Panisse in Berkeley Kitchen Arts and Letters in New York City (bookstore) Strand Books in New York City (bookstore)
Episode 097: Cookbooks
Episode 097: Cookbooks! Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf This week we did a deep dive into cookbooks - the history of them, the different types available, and our favorites. This is a great episode for foodies - and those of you that want to be foodies! Guaranteed to make you want to look up and cook a new recipe!
Jamie's Cookbook Picks Thug Kitchen 101 (Vegetarian) by Thug Kitchen
Beard on Bread by James Beard
Forks over Knives - The Cookbook: Over 300 Simple and Delicious Plant-Based Recipes to Help You Lose Weight, Be Healthier, and Feel Better Every Day (Vegetarian) by Del Sroufe
The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secret Recipes from Candace's Kitchen by Candace Nelson
Taryn's Cookbook Picks Taryn looks for Cookbooks that are about Food History and Food Culture
The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen by Chef Sean Sherman
Tami's Cookbook Picks Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer
Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens
Cookie Cookbook by Favorite Recipes Press
Gluten Free on a Shoestring by Nicole Hunn
Amie's Cookbook Picks Magnolia Table by Chip and Joanna Gaines
Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good: A Memoir of Food Love from an American Midwest Family by Kathleen Flinn
Books Mentioned Fannie Farmer 1896 Cookbook - (First cookbook with level measurements) by Fannie Merritt Farmer
Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens
Betty Crocker Cookbook by Betty Crocker
Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Robert C. Atkins
The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston
Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen
The Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Merritt Farmer
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip with Recipes! by Guy Fieri
Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids by Rachael Ray
Joy of Cooking - Bridal Edition
Gluten Free on a Shoestring - Classic Snacks by Nicole Hunn
Media Mentioned The Booksellers - On Amazon Prime
Spotlight - On Amazon Prime
The Great British Baking Show - Netflix
Forks Over Knives Documentary
**Sites to Visit** **James Beard Foundation** **website**
Episode 096: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/11 Amie, Jamie and Tami bring you four more great books to movie adaptations!
Episode 096: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/11 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf This week Amie, Jamie, and Tami bring you four more great ‘books to movie’ adaptations!
**Jamie’s Recommendations** ***Breakfast at Tiffany’s*** by Truman Capote ***The Martian*** by Andy Weir **Tami’s Recommendation** ***The Taming of the Shrew*** by William Shakespeare **Amie’s Recommendation** ***World War Z*** by Max Brooks **Books Mentioned** ***In Cold Blood*** by Truman Capote ***Project Hail Mary*** by Andy Weir ***Artemis*** by Andy Weir ***Pride and Prejudice*** by Jane Austin
Episode 095: Books adapted into Movies Tami - ***To Kill A Mockingbird*** by Harper Lee Jamie - ***Into the Wild*** by John Krakauer Amie - ***I Don’t Know How She Does It*** by Allison Pearson
Episode 095: Books Adapted into Movies Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Today we’re exploring books made into movies. Do you like books made into movies? Are you a ‘read the book first’ kind of person and then go see the movie, or are you a ‘see the movie first’ kind of person and then read the book? We talk all about these dilemma’s on the show today and talk about 3 books we loved AND loved the movies too!
**What Are We Watching?** Tami - Wanda Vision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+
Jamie - 30 Rock
Amie - My Love on Netflix
Books Mentioned Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
Me by Elton John
Into the Wild by John Krakauer
The Wild Truth: A Memoir by Carine McCandless
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson
How Hard Can It Be by Allison Pearson
Movies / Media Mentioned The Crown on Netflix
To Kill A Mockingbird
I Am Number Four
Secret Life of Bees
The Power of One
Rocketman
Bohemian Rhapsody
Into the Wild
Crazy Rich Asians
The Great Gatsby (Baz Luhrmann version)
Ray Bradbury from NEA Big Read - Where he talks about readers being librarian.
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Episode 094: Friday Four from the Circ desk - 6/4 We’ve got four great books where location is central to the story - 2 fiction, 2 nonfiction.
Episode 094: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 6/4 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf In today’s episode, Tami, Amie and Jamie bring you four more titles with strong ‘locations’.
**Amie’s Recommendations** ***A Year in Provence*** *by Peter Mayle* ***French Lessons*** *by Ellen Sussman* **Jamie’s Recommendation** ***Into Thin Air*** by Jon Kradauer (Jamie recommends looking for the illustrated edition) **Tami’s Recommendation** ***Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses*** *by Bruce Feiler*
Interested in more about climbing Mt. Everest? Here are two articles of interest: ***The Story of the First Sherpa to Climb to the Top of Mt. Everest*** by Christopher Rand - The New Yorker, June 5, 1954 ***Want to Climb Mt. Everest? Here’s What you Need to Know*** by Freddie Wilkinson - National Geographic, January 22, 2019 A quick video that address the long lines to summit Mt. Everest"},"hSize":null,"floatDir":null,"html":"
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Friends, I’d (Tami) like to share some information with you regarding a wonderful organization that helps support the communities working on Mt. Everest. A dear friend of mine from college works year round fundraising to supply the Sherpa community with much needed resources. Below is information about this organization, and if you are so moved, a link to donate. Thank you! **The Apa Sherpa Foundation** (linked to website) APA SHERPA FOUNDATION’S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF APA SHERPA IN OVERCOMING ADVERSITY. Apa Sherpa, Tiger of the Himalaya, was born in poverty and rose to become the greatest climber in the history of Mount Everest. Apa struggled greatly to obtain a modest education in his youth. In his pursuit of education, he worked diligently to provide for his family amidst difficult economic circumstances and today endeavors to provide the opportunities he never had to the next generation.
The Apa Sherpa Foundation seeks to build on Apa’s legacy by laying the foundations of strength, starting with where they live in Apa’s home village in Thame, Nepal, and then outwards from there.
With education and experience, individuals go on to lead strong families, communities and ultimately, nations. The Apa Sherpa Foundation embraces all methods, projects and groups working toward this goal.
TO DONATE: CLICK HERE
Episode 093: Books with a strong sense of location / place. Jamie and Tami share two pic’s with you - ***The Great Believers*** by Rebecca Makkai and ***In a Sunburned Country*** by Bill Bryson
Episode 093: Books with great Locations Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Today’s episode is about two books, one fiction and one nonfiction, that have great locations! Jamie read ***The Great Believers*** by Rebecca Makkai set in Chicago and Paris. Tami listened to ***In a Sunburned Country*** by Bill Bryson. We think you’ll love our talk these two books!
What are we watching? Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing - streaming
The Professor and the Madman on Netflix
Fleabag on Prime
Dallas Housewives on Peacock
Chicago Sites Mentioned Chicago Bean
Wrigleyville
Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art
John Hancock Tower
Paris Sites Mentioned Bridge of Locks
Australian Sites Mentioned Uluru
Bondi Beach Australian Lifeguards - World Famous
Chicago Bean
Wrigleyville
Chicago Museum of COnt
875 N. Michigan Ave - formerly The John Hancock Building
Locks on the Pont des Arts Bridge - removed in 2015 due to excess weight stressing the bridge.
Uluru, Australia
Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
**Books Mentioned** ***Travels with Charley*** by John Steinbeck
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson
Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson
Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 years Away by Bill Bryson
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America by Bill Bryson
Lonely Planet Travel Guides
Fodor’s Travel Guides
Media Mentioned A Walk in the Woods Movie
Episode 094: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 4/28
Episode 094: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 4/28 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Today we’re sharing four additional books by Taylor Jenkins Reid. We love her storytelling and have read three of the four highlighted today. These books are so engrossing you might even finish one of them in a day - just like Jamie did with two of them!
**Tami's Recommendations** ***The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid ***One True Loves*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid **Amie's Recommendation** ***Daisy Jones and the Six*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid **Jamie's Recommendation** ***After I Do*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid **Books Mentioned** ***The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle*** by Stuart Turton ***Maybe in Another Life*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid ***Forever Interrupted*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid ***Evidence of the Affair*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid (This is actually a short story) **Media Mentioned** Castaway with Tom Hanks
Episode 091: Round Table Discussion of ***Malibu Rising*** by Taylor Jenkins Reid - publishing June 1
Episode 091: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf Amie, Jamie, and Tami were so excited to get Advanced Reader Copies of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s new book Malibu Rising we decided to devote one entire episode to our thoughts about this gem of a book!
**How did Malibu get its name?** Malibu is named for the Ventureño Chumash settlement of Humaliwo, which translates to "The Surf Sounds Loudly." This pre-colonial village was situated next to Malibu Lagoon and is now part of the State Park.
**Left**: Image of just one of Malibu’s many fires. Urban fires have been on the rise over the last several years.
Here’s a great article from The Guardian (September 2020)about fighting wildfires that are increasingly close to cities.
Wildfires are Striking Closer and Closer to Cities: We Know How This Will End by Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano
Here’s a great article from The New Yorker (November 2018) called A Surfer’s Perspective On Malibu in Flames by Jamie Brisick
**Left:** Tami mentioned that the Mick Riva character reminded her of Dean Martin (second from left) from the Rat Pack. Here’s an image taken at the Cal-Neva Lake Tahoe during the height of their popularity. Great friends - left to right: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.
**Right:** We briefly discussed what makes a book historical fiction vs. general fiction. Here is a thought provoking article about that topic. From Celadon Books:
Bringing the Past to Life has endless appeal to readers of all genres By Jessica Duke.
**Books Mentioned** ***The Most Fun We Every Had*** by Claire Lombardo
The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Episode 090: The Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 5/21
Episode 090: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 5/21 Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf We all enjoyed putting the summer reading guide together for you - our wonderful listeners! We decided to share four more titles with you today on the Friday Four! Amie, Jamie, Taryn, and Tami each shared another book from our guide that we can’t wait to read next!
**Amie's Recommendation** ***London's No.1 Dog Walking Agency: A Memoir*** by Kate MacDougall - available July 6 **Jamie's Recommendation** ***The Reading List*** by Sarah Nisha Adams - available August 3 **Taryn's Recommendation** ***The Hellion's Waltz (Feminine Pursuits Series Book 3)*** by Olivia Waite - available June 15 **Tami's Recommendation** ***Songs in Ursa Major*** by Emma Brodie - available June 22 **Books Mentioned** ***To Kill A Mockingbird*** by Harper Lee
A Ladies Guide to Celestial Mechanics (Feminine Pursuits Series Book 1) by Olivia Waite
Sites Mentioned The British Library in London
Media Mentioned The Bridgertons on Netfilx
Episode 089: Summer Release Guide - Special Episode!
Episode 089: Summer Release Guide - Special Episode Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf We are so excited to share our Summer New Release Reading Guide with you! We’ve been scouring Kirkus Reviews, Blog Posts, and NetGalley looking for books we think you’ll love this summer. Our episode today is about the guide and Amie, Jamie, Tami, and Taryn all share one book they read and loved. (Listen to our Friday Four this week for four more titles from the guide that we are super excited to read this summer!)
4 Picks from the Summer Reading: Tami - What's Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh - available June 22
Taryn - Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Cleghorn - available June 8
Jamie - Did I Say You Could Go by Melanie Gideon - available August 3
Amie - Above and Beyond: Secrets of a Private Flight Attendant by Saskia Swann, Nicola Stow - available June 3
Books Mentioned A Stolen Life by Jaycee Lee Dugard
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Design for Men by Caroline Creado Perez
The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan
How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price
Media Mentioned Ozarks on Netflix
The Social Dilemma on Netflix
Episode 087: Book Bag - two books we recently read from our TBR pile! ***Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America*** by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard ***The Woman in the Water*** by Charles Finch (Prequel to the Charles Lenox Series) Join our patreon site for extra fun stuff and gain access to the podcast early.
Episode 087: Book Bag Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf It was really fun to relax and just talk about two books we recently read - kind of from our TBR pile but definitely books that just crossed our paths and got our attention! Amie and her husband had a drive ahead of them so they listened to ***Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America*** by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. Tami heard about a great British historical mystery from ‘Book Pages’ - ***The Woman in the Water*** by Charles Finch (Prequel to the very popular Charles Lenox Series).
Learn More - Visit the Crazy Horse Memorial Website
**Mount Rushmore Memorial**
**Books Mentioned** ***Killing Lincoln*** by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly
Killing the SS by Bill O'Reilly
Killing the Mob by Bill O'Reilly
Killing England by Bill O'Reilly
Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Beautiful Blue Death book 1 Charles Lenox Mysteries by Charles Finch
Media Mentioned ZZ Top That Lil 'ol band from Texas on Netflix
Younger on Hulu
Downton Abbey on Peacock or Amazon Prime
The Last of the Mohicans on Amazon Prime and Apple TV
Dances with Wolves on Netflix or Amazon Prime
***Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America*** by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard ***The Woman in the Water*** by Charles Finch (Prequel to the Charles Lenox Series)
Episode 087: Book Bag Amie Newberry & Tami Ruf It was really fun to relax and just talk about two books we recently read - kind of from our TBR pile but definitely books that just crossed our paths and got our attention! Amie and her husband had a drive ahead of them so they listened to ***Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America*** by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. Tami heard about a great British historical mystery from ‘Book Pages’ - ***The Woman in the Water*** by Charles Finch (Prequel to the very popular Charles Lenox Series).
Learn More - Visit the Crazy Horse Memorial Website
**Mount Rushmore Memorial**
**Books Mentioned** ***Killing Lincoln*** by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly
Killing the SS by Bill O'Reilly
Killing the Mob by Bill O'Reilly
Killing England by Bill O'Reilly
Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly
Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Beautiful Blue Death book 1 Charles Lenox Mysteries by Charles Finch
Media Mentioned ZZ Top That Lil 'ol band from Texas on Netflix
Younger on Hulu
Downton Abbey on Peacock or Amazon Prime
The Last of the Mohicans on Amazon Prime and Apple TV
Dances with Wolves on Netflix or Amazon Prime
Continuing our theme from Tuesday’s Mother / Daughter episode, we have four books for you - one each from Kris, Amie, Tami and Taryn. All four are great reads!
**Taryn’s Recommendation** ***Sarum: The Novel of England*** by Edward Rutherfurd **Tami’s Recommendation** ***Silent Spring*** by Rachel Carson **Amie’s Recommendation** ***The Paris Architect*** by Charles Belfoure ***The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir*** by Jennifer Ryan **Other Books Mentioned** ***China*** by Edward Rutherfurd
It’s Mother’s Day on May 9th here in the US and we thought it would be the perfect time for Mother / Daughter reads! Amie’s mom, Kris, recommended News of the World by Paulette Jiles and Amie recommended Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan to Kris. Tami read Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver - a book Taryn loves and reads every spring. Tami recommended The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett for Taryn - one of her favorite books!
Books From This Episode Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
Funny stuff we talked about May the 4th be with you!
Which Star Wars Character are you? Click HERE to take the test!
Amie is Luke Skywalker
Tami is Princess Leia
Here’s a great article about the American Chestnut from The New York Times Magazine: Can Genetic Engineering Bring Back the American Chestnut? by Gabriel Popkin
Star Trek Poster from Tami’s Classroom
This is so funny if you’re a ‘Trekkie’!
Star Trek Tribble from Episode: The Trouble With Tribbles
**Books Mentioned** ***Lean on Pete*** by Willy Vlautin
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Circle by Dave Eggers
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett
World Without End by Ken Follett
A Column of Fire by Ken Follett
Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs
The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure
Media Mentioned Star Trek on Netflix
Indiana Jones Trilogy on Paramount+
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
It's A Wonderful Life - Available in Amazon Prime
Call the Midwife on Netflix
Sites Mentioned Grassroots Books
This week we decided to highlight the funniest conversation we had with Josh Hilden, our guest from Episode 03, and give you a selection of books about Owls - or Taxidermy! If you haven’t heard this episode, please click over (Episode 83) and listen - or listen again! That conversation inspired this list - and can you believe Tami’s read the first 3 and Owls of the Eastern Ice in on her TBR??!!
**Tami’s Recommendations** ***Hoot*** by Carl Hiaasen ***Mostly Dead Things*** by Kristen Arnett (Tami talks more about this book in Episode 22 from Season 1) ***Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls*** by David Sedaris ***Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl*** by Jonathan C. Slaght **Other Books Mentioned** ***With Teeth*** by Kristen Arnett **Media Mentioned** Escape to the Chateau - on Peacock TV
Josh Hilden joins us today - he's a favorite librarian friend of ours from our school district. You'll love Josh's perspective on life and reading.
**Books Mentioned**
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
Bleach by Kite Kubo
Full Metal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
Black Butler by Yana Toboso
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy) - Robin Hobb
The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers by Eric Weiner
Fire Keeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai
**Books Josh Loved as a Young Reader**
Johnny Tremaine by Esther Forbes
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
**For Stephen King Fans**
Gretchen McNeal
Darren Shan
Dean Koontz
What book would you want with you if you were shipwrecked on a deserted island?
Lonesome Dove by James McMurtry
Amie and Jamie bring you 4 Great Books themed for National Poetry Month!
February is National Poetry month so our Friday Four are four great selections for you to get your poetry reading on! Amie and Jamie (two amazing poetry fans and English teachers!) bring you their selections this week - from poetry anthologies to a book written in verse, these books are so appealing and we hope you add them to your TBR!
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Jamie's Recommendations
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson by Martha Ackmann
Amie's Recommendations
Babylon in a Jar: New Poems by Andrew Hudgins
Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry - An Anthology of Contemporary Poems selected and with an introduction by Billy Collins
Other Book's Mentioned
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Sites Mentioned
Sundance Books and Music - Reno, Nevada
Poetry with Jamie
Four great books to Celebrate Poetry Month!
This week we are celebrating National Poetry month! There are so many wonderful books about poetry that are so much more engaging than the ‘old’ poets! We have Jamie with us this week for a terrific discussion of a variety of poets and their various formats! Enjoy!
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Episode Books
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay
Whale Day by Billy Collins
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
Poet Sarah Kay
From No Matter the Wreckage we talked about:
Toothbrush to the Bicycle Tyre
B: If I Should Have a Daughter
Mrs. Ribeiro
Four Micro-Histories!
We really enjoyed our Tuesday Episode looking at Micro Histories or, the histories of one thing. That’s a working definition too! We have four more amazing titles for you to add to your TBR pile!
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Tami’s Recommendation
Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World by Simon Winchester
Taryn’s Recommendation
The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Dierdre Mask
Rob’s Recommendations
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World (Book One in the Politics of Place Series) by Tim Marshall
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
Other Books in the Politics of Place Series
A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols (Book Two in the Politics of Place Series) by Tim Marshall
The Age of Walls: How Barriers Between Nations Are Changing Our World (Book Three in the Politics of Place Series) by Tim Marshall
The Power of Geography: Ten Maps that Reveal the Future of Our World (Book Four in the Politics of Place Series) by Tim Marshall
In this episode Tami, Taryn, and Rob read 3 different ‘micro-histories’ and geeked out on the idea of what ‘Micro-histories’ are and how much they love them. This is a terrific episode for everyone who likes to take a deep dive every now and then!
**What is the definition of a Micro-history?** Mono-histories
Seattle Public Library Article on Mono histories
Deep Dives
A History on any single person, place, event, or object. Looking at the world through that one 'thing' and how it influences the world.
Wikipedia Definition: Microhistory is a genre of history that focuses on small units of research, such as an event, community, individual or a settlement. In its ambition, however, microhistory can be distinguished from a simple case study insofar as microhistory aspires to "[ask] large questions in small places", according to the definition given by Charles Joyner.[1] It is closely associated with social and cultural history.
Books We Read For This Episode Cheddar: A Journey to the Heart of America's Most Iconic Cheese by Gordon Edgar
Stiff by Mary Roach
The Domestic Revolution: How the Introduction of Coal into Victorian Homes Changed Everything by Ruth Goodman
Books Mentioned The Cheese and The Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller by Carlo Ginzburg
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
American Cheese by Joe Berkowitz
Milk by Mark Kurlansky
Grunt by Mary Roach
Basque History of the World: The Story of a Nation by Mark Kurlansky
Time for Things: Labor, Leisure, and the Rise of Mass Consumption by Dr. Stephen D. Rosenberg
Sites Mentioned Tillamook Creamery
Olympia Brewing Company - Olympia beer was discontinued in Jan 2021
Cabot Cheese
Jasper Hill Farm Cheese
Quickes Cheddar, Exeter England
Westminster Dog Show
Media Mentioned Raiders of the Lost Ark
What Micro-History Would You Like To Write Rob - The Domestication of Pets and Looking specifically at Dogs
Taryn - Harvey House Restaurants (along the Santa Fe Railroad)
Tami - History of State Fair Food (Food)
We had a great time answering some questions from you, our listeners! We tried to get all the details here but definitely take a listen to get all the answers!
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Book that most changed your life East of Eden by John Steinbedk - Jamie
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay - Tami
Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison -Taryn
The Stand by Stephen King & Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer - Rob (who broke the rules and picked two)
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - Amie
Where should I start with Stephen King? Night Shift or Skeleton Crew
The Stand
What book would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert Island? The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge Trilogy) by Ken Follett - Tami
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley - Taryn
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Rob & Jamie
The Power of One by Bryce Courtney - Jamie
Travels With Charlie by John Steinbeck - Jamie
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - Amie
Favorite Dystopian Books Unwind by Neal Shusterman - Jamie
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld & Plutopia by Kate Brown - Taryn
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - Rob
1984 by George Orwell - Amie
Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness - Tami
Under appreciated books Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin (We interviewed him for Episode 77 - click here) - Rob
Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska - Taryn
Loot by Sharon Waxman & Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish - Tami
Why We Can’t Wait by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.- Jamie
Life is a Verb by Patti Digh - Amie
Sarah J Maas p- click here to read a great interview with Sarah Maas on Goodreads about writing her first adult fantasy.
What Series Have You Dumped? Infinity: Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Tami
Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind - Taryn
Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer - Jamie
Divergent Series by Veronica Roth - Amie
Two books to re-read Sweetness and Power by Sidney W. Mintz & Wild Magic (The Immortals Book 1) by Tamora Pierce - Taryn
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens & Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton - Jamie
The Windflower by Laura London & Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs; The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone & People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks - Tami
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry & In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - Rob
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (Amie talks about Bridge of Clay in Episode 5 here) & Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan - Amie
77 - Interview with author Willy Vlautin
Author of The Night Always Comes (available TODAY), The Motel Life, Northline, Lean on Pete, The Free, Don’t Skip Out on Me
We’d like to thank Willy Vlautin for taking time to talk to us. It’s VERY exciting for these Reno High Grads to talk with such an amazing author and musician (and former Huskie)! All of the links for Willy’s books go to his website to purchase (and have them personally signed by the author too) directly from him - music too! Check his website out at WillyVlautin.com for more merchandise too!
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We were all so excited to speak with Willy that we all picked books to read, not just his newest title. The rundown of what we individually read looked like this:
Tami Read - Don't Skip Out on Me (Tami has The Night Always Comes, The Motel Life, and Lean On Pete on her TBR line up!)
Rob Read - The Motel Life, Northline, Lean on Pete, The Free, and The Night Always Comes (5 of the 6). Don't Skip Out On Me is now on Rob’s TBR!
Jamie Read - The Motel Life & Lean on Pete (Next up for Jamie is Don’t Skip Out On Me)
Amie Read - The Motel Life & Lean on Pete (Next up for Amie is Don’t Skip Out On Me)
Willy's Favorite Authors
John Steinbeck
Raymond Carver
Robert Laxalt
Walter Van Tilburg Clark
William Kennedy
Books Mentioned
The Death of Jim Loney by James Welch
Sweet Promised Land by Robert Laxalt
Ironweed by William Kennedy
Sites Mentioned
Sundance Books and Music
Willy’s Music
Richmond Fontaine
The Delines
Music Influences
Punk Rock
The Replacements
Hüskür Do
X
Country Music
What did you Read during the Pandemic?
Shoshone Mike by Frank Burgon
Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
The Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
What are you currently reading and writing?
He's blurbing books currently!
Jess Walters Books
There are two books in the works - stay tuned! One is about a painter in St John's, Oregon and the second is about a musician, set in Reno, that ends up in Tonopah.
Movie Mentioned
Paris, Texas 1984 movie - available to rent on Amazon Prime Video
Show Notes for the Extra Interview on Patreon (Free)
All time Favorite Authors and Their Books
John Steinbeck
Ironweed by William Kennedy
Fat City by Leonard Gardner
Flannery O'Connor
Barry Gifford
Lucia Berlin
Noir Authors
Jim Thompson
David Goodis
Charles Willaford
Western Author
James Welch
Willy’s Favorite Steinbeck Novels
Canary Row
Grapes of Wrath
Of Mice and Men
The Long Valley
The Wayward Bus
Tortilla Flat
Other Books Mentioned
Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Kestral for a Knave by Barry Hines
University of Nevada Press
Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage by Susan Shillinglaw
Willy is a book purchaser over visiting the library but uses the Libby app and listens to numerous audiobooks
If the world is ending Willy would take his first edition, signed, edition of Ironweed by William Kennedy
4 Pick’s from Oprah’s Book Club Backlist!
This week we decided to continue our picks from Oprah’s Book Club list. Here are four past picks that are sure to please every reader!
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Tami’s Recommendations
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (Kingsbridge Trilogy)
Night by Elie Wiesel
Amie’s Recommendations
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Books Mentioned
World Without End by Ken Follett (book 2, Kingsbridge Trilogy)
A Column of Fire by Ken Follett (book 3, Kingsbridge Trilogy)
The Evening And The Morning by Ken Follett (Prequel, Kingsbridge Trilogy)
Media Mentioned
Pillars of the Earth and World Without End Miniseries
Where the Heart Is Movie
Wild Movie with Reese Witherspoon
Sites Mentioned
Salisbury Cathedral
Episode 075: 2 Picks from Oprah Magazine’s list of the most anticipated books of 2021! The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray and Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead We were talking about celebrity book clubs and how Oprah Winfrey really revitalized the idea of having Book Clubs when she had the Oprah Winfrey Show. This became such a huge success in getting people interested in reading and discussing books again. We looked at her master list starting in September of 1996 and she had 86 books total over the last couple of decades. Other popular book clubs are Read With Reese and Read With Jenna. We just love empowered women empowering other women! Because of this discussion we then looked at what else was going on with Ms. Winfrey and books because we love hunting up new titles! Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead and The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray both come from a list of more than 50 books O Magazine is hotly anticipating in 2021!
Correction From Episode 65: Gilead was not #2 in the Great American Read it was actually number 84. Thank you to listener (and friend!) Shauna for contacting us with the correct information! We appreciate you Shauna!
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Books Mentioned Sunshine Girl by Julianna Margulies
The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray
The Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Circling the Sun by Paula McLaine
West with the Night by Beryl Markham
Media Mentioned Escape to the Chateau on Peacock Channel
Highclere Castle
Where Downton Abbey was filmed - from PBS
Sites Mentioned Château de Chavaniac - Lafayette also known as Le Manoir des Deux Mondes, France
Raaka Chocolate of the Month Club Subscription Info
Episode 74: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 3/26 3 Barnes & Noble Picks and an old favorite by Ariel Lawhon Today we have 3 new titles for you that Amie picked up at Barnes & Noble and a 4th title she loved by the same author!
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Tami’s Recommendations Girl A by Abigail Dean Think Again by Adam Grant Amie’s Recommendations I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon Books Mentioned Room by Emma Donoghue Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant Media Mentioned The Great on Hulu
Episode 73: Book Bag The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré and Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam This week we read two books that will go on our 21 for 21 Reading Challenge! Tami’s book, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carré was published in 1963 - her birth year - oh boy! Amie’s book Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam was a Read With Jenna Book Club Selection from October of 2020! This week we talked a lot about several television series or movies that connected with our books. Check out the episode and the books and shows mentioned below!
Amie loved post-apocalyptic literature - are you curious for more? Check out this article by Megan Hunter on Lit Hub: Seeing the Hopeful side of Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
Rumaan Alam Video Click HERE for a great video of Rumaan talking about his beautiful family and very happy life.
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Books Mentioned Bird Box by Josh Malerman
One Second After Trilogy by William R. Forstchen
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Anthem by Ayn Rand
World War Z by Max Brooks
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
American War by Omar El Akkad
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
The Stand by Stephen King
The Book of M by Peng Shepherd
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam
Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam
Amazon Prime Man in the High Castle
The Patriot
Greenland (Movie) with Gerard Butler
Netflix Spy Craft
British TV Show - Grand Designs
The American's
Apple + For All Mankind
Tami’s Arable Land on Earth Geography Lesson (In the episode I said arid but clearly I didn’t mean desert - I meant arable, available to grow food!) In this episode Tami talked about using an apple to explain the amount of arid land available on earth to grow food to illustrate how little arid land Earth actually has. Here is a PDF of The Earth: The Apple of Our Eye for you to do the same lesson with your students or children.
Soylent Green Movie Soylent Green is a 1973 American ecological dystopian thriller film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, and Edward G. Robinson (in his final film performance following his death in January 1973). Loosely based on the 1966 science fiction novel Make Room! This can be seen on HBO MAX
Episode 072: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 3/19 4 great Spy Books This Friday we are continuing our look at Spy-Guy reads! We’ve chosen four books we think you’ll love by 3 authors known for their spy / international intrigue writing.
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Tami’s Recommendations Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy The Mission Song by John Le Carré Amie’s Recommendations Crescent Dawn by Clive Cussler The Chase by Clive Cussler Books Mentioned Tom Clancy’s Op Center: For Honor by Jeff Rovin The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy The Spy that Came in From the Cold by John Le Carré Media Mentioned Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime The Hunt for Red October Movie Spy Craft on Netflix
Episode 071: Special Guest, Kris Hackbusch, Principal Reno High School Check out our patreon page and become a supporter—early access to all episodes, fun videos, polls, exclusives…it’s all on patreon.
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Questions we asked Principal Hackbusch What do you love about being Principal of this School? How does coaching inform your leadership style? You had a big reading year last year - how many books? What kinds of books did you read last year? Do you have a personal reading goal for this year? Why does reading matter in your adult life and how does it impact you positively? What are your favorite sports picks?
Reno High School Equity Team Book Club Recommendations Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
White Privilege: Essential Readings on the Other Side of Racism by Paula S. Rothenberg
White Fragility: Why its so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo and Michael Eric Dyson
A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O'Connor
Grading for Equity: What it is, Why it Matters, and How It Can transform Schools and Classrooms by Joe Feldman
Principal Hackbusch's Favorites For Kids The Secret of Terror Castle (The Three Investigators #1) by Robert Arthur
Hardy Boys Starter Set - Books 1-5 by Franklin W. Dixon
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
The Giver by Louis Lowry
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
The Odyssey by Homer
Principal Hackbusch's Spy / Thriller Favorites The Terminal List by Jack Carr
The Grey Man by Mark Greaney
Gunmetal Gray by Mark Greaney
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
State of Fear by Michael Crichton
Prey by Michael Crichton
Patriot Games by Tom Clancy
American Assassin: Mitch Rapp book 1 by Vince Flynn
American Sniper by Chris Kyle
Principal Hackbusch's Sports Favorites Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior by Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty
Life on the Run by Bill Bradley
Driven: My Unlikely Journey from Classroom to Cage by Charlie Brenneman
Principal Hackbusch's Leadership Role Book Recommendations The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing The Challenges of Extremem Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
The Starbuck's Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary by Joseph A. Michelli
Award Winning Culture: Building School-Wide Intentionality and Action Through Character, Excellence, and Community by Hans Appel
We Can All Do Better by Bill Bradley
Other Books Mentioned Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Origin by Dan Brown
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The Stand by Stephen King
Media Mentioned Game of Thrones Series
Accelerated Reader and Star Testing Info We briefly talked about using two products from Renaissance Learning. One is Star Testing that gives students a reading comprehension test that gives them a reading level (grade and month) and a ZPD (zone of proximal development) of what level books they should be reading to improve their reading ability. Renaissance Learning is expensive and not the only product available but one that our school district uses.
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Episode 70: Friday Four from the Circ Desk - 3/12
4 Fabulous books by Women!
We are celebrating Women’s History Month this week (all year too!) by providing four books written by women. Super excited to add these to our TBR - hope you are too!
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Tami’s Recommendations
Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey
Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun
Amie’s Recommendations
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Books Mentioned
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Commercial
Bring Home the Bacon, Fry it Up in A Pan - Enjoli Perfume
Book of the Month link
Episode 069: Books by Women
Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson and A Woman is No Man: A Novel by Etaf Rum
Our books this week are by women authors about women. Amie’s book, A Woman is No Man, by debut author Etaf Rum has won several awards: A New York Times bestseller • A Washington Post 10 Books to Read in March • One of Cosmopolitan’s Best Books by POC for 2019 • A Refinery 29 Best Book of the Month • The Millions Most Anticipated Books of 2019! The author, Etaf Rum, an Arab-American voice, takes us inside the lives of conservative Arab women living in America. Tami’s book Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson celebrates the 1930’s in Reno when it was known as the “Divorce Capita of the World”.
Start Here! Here’s a Great Video from YouTube about Reno and it’s Divorce Industry
Tami Read
Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Amie Read
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Uram
See our website for some great photos—described here (while you’re there sign up for our newsletter). We thought it would be fun to add a few images of the North Virginia Street bridge: the original, the destruction of the more than a century old bridge, and the new contemporary bridge. Rumor has it (and a few confirmed sightings) that newly divorced women tossed their rings off of this bridge right after being granted a divorce.
Julia Claiborne Johnson's book also talks about the Divorce Ranches or Dude Ranches where divorce seekers resided for their 6 weeks of required residency. Here are a few pictures of people hanging out on the ranches! There are a couple of postcards too!
Books Mentioned
Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Half the Sky by Nicolas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn
Missoula by Jon Krakauer
Etaf Rum’s Books and Beans
Sites Mentioned - Around Reno – see website for photos!
We mentioned several places around Reno that Julia Claiborne Johnson mentioned in Better Luck Next Time - here are a few images: Top, left to right: Nevada Historical Society on the campus of the University of Nevada Reno, Parkers Western Wear (No longer in business), Pyramid Lake. Bottom, left to right: Reno’s First Airport, The Announcement of the Airmail Hangar being torn down to create the Washoe Golf Course, Lone Star Dude Ranch, Reno.
Media Mentioned
Grand Designs on Netflix and Amazon Prime
Escape to the Chateau on Peacock
Yellowstone on Peacock
The Misfits Movie
The Misfits is a 1961 American drama western film written by Arthur Miller, directed by John Huston, and starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift. The supporting cast features Thelma Ritter, Eli Wallach and Kevin McCarthy. The Misfits was the last completed film for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. For Gable, the film was posthumously released, while Monroe died in 1962.
The plot centers on a newly divorced woman (Marilyn Monroe) and her time in Reno and Northern Nevada, spent with her friendly landlady Isabelle Steers (Thelma Ritter), an old school cowboy (Clark Gable), the cowboy's tow truck-driving and plane-flying friend (Eli Wallach) and their rodeo-riding, bronc-busting friend (Montgomery Clift) in Dayton, Nevada, and in the western Nevada desert in 1960. The Misfits was a commercial failure at the time of its 1961 release but received critical acclaim for its script and performances. Its reputation has shifted over the following years, and many critics now consider the film to be a masterpiece and one of the best films of the 1960s. (from wikipedia)
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Episode 68 – Minisode – The Friday Four – Books about books! Continuing to celebrate ‘Read Across America’ Week we have four books about books for you today on the Friday Four! Could there be anything better? We don’t think so!
Tami's Recommendations What We Talk About When We Talk About Books by Leah Price The Great American Read: The Book of Books: Explore America's 100 Best-Loved Novels by PBS (Foreword by Meredith Vieira) Amie's Recommendations The Lost Art of Reading: Books and Resistance in a Troubled Time by David L. Ulin Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter here.
Links to Things We Talked About: The Great American Read from PBS Bibliophile Note Cards on Amazon Check out our patreon page and become a supporter—early access to all episodes, fun videos, polls, exclusives…it’s all on patreon.
Episode 67 - Read Across America - Library / Book related reading selections
The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman and The Library Book by Susan Orlean
This entire month is National Reading Month and the first week in March is Read Across America - celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Read Across America was launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA) and guided by a committee of educators; NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. While it is a year-round initiative, every month in March has special programming to encourage children to read. Here is an example of week one this year:
8 non-Seuss ideas for celebrate Read Across America
- Monday: Read a book about families.
- Tuesday: Read a funny book.
- Wednesday: Read a book about an inspiring leader.
- Thursday: Read an #ownvoices book.
- Friday: Read a book that celebrates books.
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Tami Read
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
Amie Read
The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman
Central Library Los Angeles, California
The Richard J. Riordan Central Library in downtown Los Angeles is both a leading public research library and a major architectural landmark. Comprised of the original 1926 library now called the Goodhue Building and a 1993 addition named for former mayor Tom Bradley, it ranks with the Bradbury Building and Union Station as a treasure of the city’s historic downtown. The library has been designated a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument (#46) and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The images on our website are of the exterior, highlighting the tiled pyramid with the light of learning at its apex. Next are three images of the fire both internal and external. Susan Orlean is pictured displaying one of the damaged books that was kept in the library and the final two images are interiors after the building was restored.
Click HERE for a link to a YouTube video interview with two librarians that worked at Central Library at the time of the fire.
Books Mentioned
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane
The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins
Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Crime and Punishment by Fydor Dostoyevsky
Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell
Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
Sites Mentioned
The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, California - this place looks PHENOMENAL (Road Trip!)
The UCLA Library - Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 at this library
Media Mentioned
Ray Bradbury video from THE BIG READ - great video!
Read Across America - National Education Association - FAQ’s here
Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Bookmarks on Etsy
Silver Spoon Book Mark
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This week we have a variety of titles sure to please! Amie recently joined the Book of the Month Club and is bringing two hot titles into the library. Tami wanted to share a favorite book about a dictionary (The OED - Oxford English Dictionary) to tie into her Tuesday read. Her last book is a new release from January about a massive blizzard in 1888 - historical fiction, of course!
Tami’s Recommendations The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester. The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin Amie’s Recommendations The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. The Removed by Brandon Hobson Just a quick reminder about our Patreon page: we gave everyone a free look in January - and everything is still available to view! We hope you decide to become a member to support our little podcast! Also, don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter!
Hi Listeners, just a quick reminder about our Patreon page: we gave everyone a free look in January - and everything is still available to view! We hope you decide to become a member to support our little podcast. Also, sign up for our free newsletter!
Also, check out our website! Linked here!
This week Amie and Tami each chose a book that ‘checks off’ a box on their 21 in 2021 Reading Challenge (**click here if you still need one**). Amie chose ***Jack*** by Marilynne Robinson, author of ***Gilead***, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005. Robinson revisits the community of Gilead, Iowa this time telling the story of John Ames Boughton, the beloved, erratic, and grieved-over prodigal son of a Presbyterian minister. Tami read ***The Liar’s Dictionary*** by Eley Williams, a recommendation given to us on **Episode 53** by guest Debi Stears, Librarian and Collection Development Manager for the Washoe County Library System. **Interested in the *OED*** (***The Oxford English Dictionary***)? Here are a few links for those of you who want more information:
About the OED - here
Welcome to the OED Blog - here
Mountweasels - More from the New Yorker here
Books Mentioned The Great American Read: The Book of Books: Explore America’s 100 Best-Loved Novels by PBS from the Great American Read hosted by Meredith Vieira
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Red Wheelbarrow and Other Poems by William Carlos Williams
Patterson by William Carlos Williams
Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
Lila by Marilynne Robinson
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Attrib. and other stories by Eley Williams
Sites Mentioned Carmichael’s Bookstore
Writers’ Workshop - University of Iowa
Washoe County Library
Hi Listeners, just a quick reminder about our Patreon page: we gave everyone a free look in January - and everything is still available to view! We hope you decide to become a member to support our little podcast! Also, don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter!
We are very excited to share with you four FANTASTIC books dealing with three different Presidents: President Thomas Jefferson (3rd), President Abraham Lincoln (16th) and President James Garfield (20th).
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O’Rielly and Martin Dugard Jefferson’s Daughters: Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young America by Kerrison Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
Episode 063: Celebrating President’s Day Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush and You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe Hi Listeners, just a quick reminder about our Patreon page: we gave everyone a free look in January - and everything is still available to view! We hope you decide to become a member to support our little podcast! Also, don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter!
This week, because it’s President’s Day on February 15th, Amie and Tami decided to read two books relating to President’s of the United States.
Tami Read: You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe
Amie Read: Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
Books Mentioned Becoming by Michelle Obama
Everything Beautiful In Its Time: A Seasons of Love and Loss by Jenna Bush Hager
The Complete Personal Memories of Ulysses S. Grant (Volume 1 & 2 together) by Ulysses S. Grant
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
Media Mentioned Jay Leno's Garage episode with Laura and George Bush - clip from YouTube
John Adams Miniseries starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney
Romance recommendations from Tuesday’s guest, Taryn Ruf This week our special guest, Taryn Ruf, brings you her recommendations for the Friday Four. Romance is her favorite genre fiction and she’s read a ton of titles and studied all of the tropes and sub-genres - so many we consider her our expert! Here she explains four, one of which is sure to be your next great read!
Taryn's Romance Recommendations Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (Male/Male Relationship) Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Contemporary) by Talia Hibbert A Rogue of One's Own (Historical) by Evie Dunmore Would Like to Meet (Contemporary) by Rachel Winters Just a quick reminder about our Patreon page: we gave everyone a free look in January - and everything is still available to view! We hope you decide to become a member to support our little podcast. Also, sign up for our free newsletter!
Episode 061: Valentine’s Day Romance with Guest Taryn Ruf * Forever by Judy Blume and * The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
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Also, sign up for our free newsletter here!
On today’s show we have Tami’s older daughter, Taryn, as our guest to teach us all about the differences between the Romance Genre and romantic fiction. We had such a great discussion and WOW are there a lot of books for you to see below!
As we discussed the Romance genre throughout the episode, Taryn gave SO MUCH wonderful information we’ve decided to give you a convenient list right here:
- In Romance, the woman is always the Heroine and the male is always the Hero.
- HEA (Happily/Happy Ever After - story is complete) - HFN (Happy For Now - story continues in a series)
- In a Love triangle the choice isn’t between two men, it's between two life paths for the heroine. The man is metaphorical for these two life paths.
- Romance has a number of tropes, such as - friends to lovers, best friends brother/sister to lover, enemies to lovers, road trip romance (forced proximity on a journey).
- Sub-Tropes: Sick bed, communication mishap, secret identity
- Romance is about the journey not the end!
Romance Genre fiction vs. romantic fiction - What is the difference?
Taryn: Two requirements for Romance: 1)The main plot in the story is the romance between the two characters.2) There must be an HEA or an HFN
romantic fiction example: Beach Read by Emily Read
Romance Genre example: The Bridgertons Series (The Duke and I - Book 1) by Julia Quinn
Why teach genre fiction in high school?
We had an in depth discussion of why teaching genre fiction is important and why it should be included in high school. Choosing to teach the structure of a Romance novel means that you can talk about heroes and false heroes and structure details such as every first chapter sets the universe where the heroine is located and what she must break out of for her happily ever after.
We discussed how Romance novels are ‘feminist’ novels. Here’s a great article from March of 2020 from The Atlantic called The Unexpectedly Subversive World of Romance Novels that sums it up really well.
For this Episode We Read and Discussed: Tami Read: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (Enemies to Lovers - sub trope is rivals to lovers)
Amie Read: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers - Inspirational Romance - extremely famous
Taryn's Romance Recommendations by sub-subgenre Paranormal: Vampires/Witches/Fey/Valkyrie - Immortals After Dark Series - The Warlord Wants Forever (Book 1 of 17 in series) - Kresley Cole
Regency Romances - Bridgerton’s Series (8 books total) by Julia Quinn
Regency Romances - The Duchess Deal (Book 1 of 4) in The Girl Meets Duke Series by Tessa Dare
Contemporary - Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn
Fantasy - A Heart of Blood and Ashes (Book 1 in A Gathering of Dragons) by Milla Vane
The Bride by Julie Garwood
Taryn's recommendations For Amie - Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (unrequited love / best friends brother) by Julia Quinn
For Tami - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Books Mentioned 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy by E.L. James
The Breathless Trilogy by Maya Banks
The Beyond Series Books 1-3 (explicit content) by Kit Rocha
Beautiful Bastard - Book 1 of 10 in series by Christina Lauren
Immortals After Dark Series - The Warlord Wants Forever (Book 1 of 17) by Kresley Cole
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Book 1 of 3 - Love By Numbers Series) by Sarah MacLean
The Return by Nicholas Sparks - romantic fiction
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (kindle edition is currently free)
Lord of the Rings Boxed Set by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Jessa Kane Novellas (Very Explicit-Erotica)
You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria (Taryn said Adriana Herrera by mistake in the show)
Mangoes and Mistletoe by Adriana Herrera
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood
Media Mentioned Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley
Bridgerton Series on Netflix
Hallmark Channel - mass market paperbacks in films
Kindle Unlimited by Amazon - monthly subscription
Audible Plus - monthly subscription
Libraries that sell library cards to out of state residents Brooklyn Public Library subscription
Queens Public Library subscription
Orlando Public Library subscription
Houston Public Library subscription
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This week our Friday Four are four books that we love to reread. There are so many reasons to reread a book: revisit a place, a time, visit favorite characters, the prose is inspiring, it evokes a memory - and so many more reasons! Here are just four that we love. . .
Amie's Recommendations to Reread Before I Fall by Lauren Olliver Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak Tami's Recommendations to Reread People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay Other Books Mentioned March by Geraldine Brooks Tandia by Bryce Courtenay
Hi Listeners, just a quick reminder about our Patreon page: we gave everyone a free look in January - and everything is still available to view! We hope you decide to become a member to support our little podcast! Also, don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter!
This week we decided to celebrate the idea of Groundhog Day by rereading a couple of books from our ‘tween’ years. Amie selected Forever by Judy Blume - a book she had fond memories of - to see if the story still resonated as an adult. Tami chose Watership Down by Richard Adams - she had fond memories of this book making her a ‘reader’ in 7th grade.
We look into the idea of: Why re-read something? What is the attraction to rereading books, potentially, several times in a lifetime?
Here’s a quick article from Barnes and Noble Reads listing 10 reasons to reread books.
Dr. B asked us what books made us readers in Episode 49 - check it out here if you haven’t listened!
Tami's List of Books She’s Reread
The Windflower by Laura London
The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness
Mercy Thompson Series-(Moon Called-Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Alpha and Omega Series-(Cry Wold-Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Amie's List of Books She’s Reread
CLASSROOM CHOICES TO REREAD
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
PERSONAL CHOICES TO REREAD
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Stranded on a desert island, what ONE book would you want with you?
Tami - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Amie - The Book Thief by Markus Zuszak
What would Tami Reread from 2019
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid
What would Amie Reread from 2018
A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles
Books Mentioned
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
Media Mentioned
Groundhogs Day DVD - with Bill Murray and Andie McDowell
Jeep Commercial with Punxsutawney Phil and Bill Murray
We’re excited to bring you a second weekly episode this week! These Friday Episodes are ‘From the Circulation Desk’ - the hub of the library - where we give reading recommendations and check out books! These are four fast recommendations for books you’re going to want to add to your TBR!
Don’t forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a free glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
This week we extend our award-winning books episode with more recommendations:
Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
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See you in the stacks!
This week we are talking about two award winning books we've been dying to read. Amie read The Overstory by Richard Powers and Tami read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
Interested in learning more about the Pulitzer Prize and how it is awarded? Here's their website https://www.pulitzer.org
The Atlantic Magazine reviewed The Overstory by Richard Powers here.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/richard-powers-the-overstory/559106/
Don’t forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a free glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
Books Mentioned
Cadillac Desert by Mark Reisner
Horizon by Barry Lopez
Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Walking to Listen by Andrew Forsthoeful
Evicted by Mathew Desmond
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Vern
The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel and Brit Witter
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
Humble Pi by Matt Parker
There There by Tommy Orange
Tami and Amie's Combined List of Pulitzer Prize Winners Read
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
March by Geraldine Brooks
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
We have a delightful, free newsletter, so don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Click this link.
See you in the stacks!
We’re excited to bring you a second weekly episode this week! These Friday Episodes are ‘From the Circulation Desk’ - the hub of the library - where we give reading recommendations and check out books! These are four fast recommendations for books you’re going to want to add to your TBR!
Don’t forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a free glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
This week we extend our memoir episode with more recommendations:
The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey
The Answer Is: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek
No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
We have a delightful, free newsletter, so don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Click this link.
See you in the stacks!
This week we welcome back two of our favorite people, Rob and Jamie Stone. They are extraordinary teachers and passionate readers. Rob and Jamie first joined us in March of 2020 for Episode 11 where we talked all things baseball - click here for that home run episode! They joined us again for Episode 43 in October 2020 for an amazing deep dive discussion into Stephen King novels - click here for that episode!
New Episodes every Friday that we're calling The Friday Four From the Circulation Desk. These will be short episodes talking about 4 books that have captured our attention
Don’t forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a free glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
Why are we so drawn to reading Memoirs?
Why do people decide to write one - or what makes it marketable?
Here's an interesting article by Avery Rogers from The Stanford Daily about this very topic: Why Read Memoir?
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2018/02/21/why-read-memoir/#:~:text=It%20is%20the%20closest%20we,same%20world%20we%20all%20inhabit.
Jamie and Rob's Combined List of Memoir's from 2020
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Shortest Way Home by Pete Buttigieg
Heavy by Kiese Laymon
Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
On Writing by Stephen King
Me by Elton John
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
I Have Something to Tell You by Chasten Buttigieg
Amie read Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Tami read Picnic in Provence by Elizabeth Bard
Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Click this link.
See you in the stacks!
We’re excited to bring you a second weekly episode this week! These Friday Episodes are ‘From the Circulation Desk’ - the hub of the library - where we give reading recommendations and check out books! These are four fast recommendations for books you’re going to want to add to your TBR!
Don’t forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a free glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
Amie’s - Recommendations
The Beastie Boy Book by Michael Diamond (found on Libby--via audio)
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Tami’s - Recommendations
News of the World - Paulette Jiles
The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
Don't forget to check out our newsletter. There's tons of great stuff in it! Link here.
See you in the stacks!
We are excited to welcome guest Debi Stears, who is the Collection Development Manager for the entire Washoe County Library System here in the Biggest Little City in the World - Reno, Nevada. Debi will be answering all kinds of questions about libraries and how purchasing books works. This episode is loaded with popular book titles you’re going to want to add to your TBR list!
First, and most importantly, don't forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
While there are so many books we mention during this episode, but the top hot books for Washoe County Library System are:
Daylight by David Baldacci - Has the most 'holds' on Overdrive
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Law of Innocence Michael Connelly
The Sentinel by Lee Child
A Time for Mercy by John Grisham
Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer
Anxious People by Frederick Bauchman
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
The Searcher by Tana French
A Promised Land by Barack Obama (250 users are waiting for this title- and they have about 45 copies)
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Greenlights by Mathew McConaughey
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The other numerous titles can be found on our shownotes here: CLICK HERE!
Finally, click here to sign up for our newsletter. Great things live in the newsletter!
See you in the stacks!
P.S. Need a library card?
Please use the Washoe County Library's Website for a library card and so much more! They have the New York Times! www.washoecountylibrary.us
Hello Listeners!
We’re excited to bring you a second weekly episode! These Friday Episodes are ‘From the Circulation Desk’ - the hub of the library - where we give reading recommendations and check out books! These are four fast recommendations for books you’re going to want to add to your TBR!
First, and most importantly, don't forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
Tami’s Recommendations: The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman (recommended by Amie) and 11/22/63 by Stephen King (Recommended by friends Kathy and Rob and borrowed from Kathy)
Amie’s Recommendations: The Shining by Stephen King (recommended by Rob Stone in episode 43) and Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (Recommended by Dr. Julie Begbie from episode 49).
Sites Mentioned
Tami mentioned Masada but she didn’t give details - oops! Masada is an ancient fortification located on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert of Israel overlooking the Dead Sea. It is the site where 960 Sicardii rebels committed suicide rather than be killed or enslaved by Roman troops.For more information on Masada, Israel check out more here. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/masada
Finally, click here to sign up for our newsletter. Great things live in the newsletter!
Amie and Tami wrap up their 2020 reading year with details about their reading goals - the books they loved, their surprise favorites, and books they are still looking to read! This exciting episode includes over 50 book titles that made our reading year truly exceptional. They also launch their 21 for 2021 reading initiative and personal goals for the new year. Here’s to the beginning of Season 2!
First, and most importantly, don't forget to check out our patreon site this month. We're giving all our listeners a glimpse of all the good stuff we offer to supporters. Biggest Little Library Patreon Link
While there are so many books we mention during this episode, our favorites are:
Tami: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, The Institute by Stephen King, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Design for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez, Blink & Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Amie: Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck, and Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
The other numerous titles can be found on our shownotes here--click here
Finally, click here to sign up for our newsletter. Great things live in the newsletter!
See you in the stacks!
The Stones joined us for a lively conversation about memoirs. This content got cut from the final version, so we're dropping it as an extra. Enjoy.
Amie was fortunate to be able to travel to see her daughter currently stationed in San Angelo, Texas, and while there she visited a local indie bookstore and picked up a couple of books for us to read and share.
This month we are pleased to have as our guest, Dr. B, a literacy expert talk with us about literacy, books and choosing the right book! It's one of the best conversations we've had about reading in a long time, and promises to educate and inspire.
Aloha reading friends! This week we decided to throw on a bathing suit, slather on the sunscreen and pick up a tropical read. Since we can't really travel, Christmas in Hawaii felt like the perfect way to celebrate the stacks this month. Join us as we discuss two reads, Sharks in the Time of Saviours by Kawai Strong Washurn and Aloha Rodeo by David Wolman and Julian Smith. These two reads will transport you to paradise on earth.
This week, and all month at Amie’s library, we are being mindful of all that we are grateful for and spreading that gratitude around. With that in mind, we decided to share some books with you that have inspired us in our personal lives - traveling, writing, teaching and more. Enjoy!
Our book bag books this month, coincidentally, have lovely yellow covers! One is a funny and poignant memoir-ish graphic novel for adults and the other a wonderfully satisfying “messy” family story. Give it a listen!
This week we honor all our servicemen and women by reading books related to Veteran’s Day. What a blessing it is to live in this country, and we owe our freedom to those who serve and protect. Join us as we discuss two amazing reads, Combat-Ready Kitchen by Anastacia Marx de Salcedo and The Operator: Firing the Shots That Killed Osama Bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior by Robert O’Neill. Both were fascinating dives into how the military shapes and protects our livestyle.
This week we delve into two powerful reads by or about Native Americans. Amie read a fiction title, There, There, by Tommy Orange, and Tami read a nonfiction title, Killers of the Flower Moon: the Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. Both the reads inspired some good thinking and great conversation.
We couldn’t let October end without reading some Steven King novels and talking about them with our very good friends Rob and Jamie! Rob is a connoisseur of King novels and has Jamie reading them now too! We have a great time discussing what makes King’s novels so exceptional and why we all are enjoying them!
Have you seen The Social Dilemma? Oh my goodness is this Netflix Original documentary eye opening! Talk about a wake up call about our phone use! We decided to take a deep dive into smartphone technology to get a handle on our phones - join us for this intriguing episode sure to make you rethink, and retool, your phone!
Fall and the month of October have so many wonderful books with spooky themes so we decided to pick books that either dealt with ghosts or witches during this Halloween month. We both really enjoyed our choices here and we think you will too!
Our Celebrate the Stacks program for the month of October is Horror, so this first episode of the month celebrates the Horror genre. We have a knowledgeable guest this episode too - Dawn Callahan - she loves (and writes) horror fiction. Join us for a great group of books and a deep dive into horror!
We decided to talk about Audio books this week for our second book bag this month. Audio books are an awesome way to get more of your reading done - whether you use Whisper-sync, check out an audio book from your local library, or have a subscription to a service such as Audible or Libro.fm. Join us for some great titles to listen to!
We are so excited to share this awesome episode with you! We welcome Ben Rogers back to the Huskie Library for a great discussion about being a Huskie, a writer, a reader, and his new book, The Heavy Side. Don’t miss this episode!
Amie and Tami have had books by Jacqueline Woodson on their TBR lists for sometime so we decided to pair them this week into one awesome episode all about Brown Girl Dreaming and Red at the Bone. Terrific Reads!
We took a great little drive north of Reno to Chester, California by Lake Almanor. Amie spends a fair amount of time up here soaking up the sun and playing on the lake! She also visits a wonderful bookstore called: B & B Booksellers right on the main drag - join us for a description and to hear about the books we picked up and read!
Ah, the age old debate, “which is better - the book or the movie?” We read a couple of books and watched the movies / shows so that we can address this polarizing question!
How do you stay motivated to read? Or keep your teens motivated to read? We've got resources to help your teen discover new books, catalog reads, and inspire the reading life!
Amie and Tami will discuss some of the great books they've used in the classroom and how they've used them. From picture books, to compelling stories, to award-winning novels, to personal and professional growth, there's definitely a book for you. Corresponding lessons will be added to our website as an added bonus!
In honor of school starting, this week we focus on adult reads. Since many of our high school students are advanced readers, Amie and Tami will discuss over 20 great adult reads that are perfect for teenager readers and adults too.
This week, Amie and Tami booktalk over 30 YA novels that can't miss. How many times have you heard a young person say, "I hate to read."? Well, these book recommendations will make them eat those words--and they are great reads for adults too.
Join Amie and Tami as they discuss two books they loved in this week's book bag selections, Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano and Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare.
Amie and Tami join the summer fun by selecting and reading beach reads. Amie read the debut author, Jean Kyoung Frazier's--Pizza Girl, and Tami went for the un-obvious--Beach Read by Emily Henry. Find out if these reads sizzled or fizzled.
Grounded yet again, Amie and Tami book travel to Italy. Join us as we discuss Anthony Doerr's nonfiction love letter to Rome in Four Seasons in Rome, and Margaux DeRoux's The Lost Diary of Venice. One book was loved, and one...well, wasn't loved, but both are great reads to take you to Italy.
Join Amie and Tami as they discuss books that are literally red, white or blue. Amie read Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, and Tami read Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson. It's colorful conversation about books.
Join us for a special episode this week. Amie and Tami pause from their regular program to reflect over the year. They discuss their favorite books, they answer questions from listeners, and they reflect on their reading lives. It's an episode full of great recommendations and book ideas.
Join Amie and Tami as they discuss two very different books. Amie will confess that Valentine, by Elizabeth Wetmore, is the best book she's read in years, and Tami will tell you about a psychological thriller that kept her turning the pages, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
Join Amie & Tami as they pair graphic novels with their classic counterparts--To Kill a Mockingbird, The Giver, The Handmaid's Tale, and Speak. This popular genre of books is challenging to keep on the shelf at the library. Amie and Tami discuss the allure of this format and talk about what they loved about their reads.
This month we had to get creative since travel wasn't really in the cards for us. Since Tami had been to Egypt (two decades ago), she decided to read something to reignite her love of that region of the world, The Last Camel Died at Noon by Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Mertz). Amie kept it more folksy as she metaphorically jumped in the truck with John Steinbeck and his dog, Charley, for a ride across America.
This month we have a special guest joining us to talk about all the great LGBTQ titles that have recently been published. Join Amie, Tami and Taryn (Tami's daughter) as we discuss four great reads, The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater, This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett, and How to Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. We'll also give lots of great LGBTQ recommendations.
Join Amie and Tami as they discuss their book bag reads for May, Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips and I.M.: A Memoir by Isaac Mizrahi. While these two books seem very far apart thematically, Amie and Tami find connections and threads that draw them together.