Best Book Ever Podcast: Recent Episodes
Julie Strauss
Best Book Ever is a podcast for Bookworms! We get to know interesting people by asking them about their favorite books.
My dear friend Mark Lefebvre is back this week to teach me all about Canadian Literature, eh?
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Mark Lefebvre
Website/Instagram
Editor: Emily Zumchak
Website/Email
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Discussed in this episode:
Bob and Doug McKenzie
The Handmaids Tale and Others by Margaret Atwood
Louise Penny
The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis
World of Wonders by Robertson Davies
Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
Generals Die in Bed by Charles Yale Harrison
Farley Mowat
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice
A Matter of Will by Rod Carley
Kinmount by Rod Carley
Lives of Girls and Women and Others by Alice Munroe
Steven Leacock
The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot
The Embroidered Book by Kate Hartfield
The Hollow Boys by Douglas Smith
The Jade Setter of Janloon by Fonda Lee
Changing Vision by Julie E. Czerneda
Flash Forward Robert J Sawyer
Flashforward TV series
Rollback by Robert J Sawyer
Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
All Those Explosions Were Someone Else’s Fault by James Alan Gardner
Eden’s Eyes by Sean Costello
Death Drives a Semi by Edo Van Belkom
The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper
The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart
Samantha M. Bailey
Giles Blunt
Michael Connolly
Linwood Barclay
Into The Fire by Rick Mofina
Hollow Place by Rick Mofina
Requiem by Rick Mofina
Canadian Werewolf Series
The Line Painter by Claire Cameron
The Bear by Claire Cameron
The Last Neanderthal by Claire Cameron
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
The Day The Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
The Color of Heaven by Julianne McClain
Chasing the Wind by C.C. Humphries
Someday I’ll Find You by C.C. Humphries
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
Scott Overton
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
This week's guest is one of my favorite readers, writers and humans on the planet: Mark Lefebvre. Mark has been pushing Terry Fallis' books on me practically since we met, and I'm so glad I finally took his advice. We had a great time discussing political satire, reading slumps, and the differences between American and Canadian humor sensibilities.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Mark Lefebvre
Website/Instagram
Editor: Emily Zumchak
Website/Email
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast, AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
BBE Episode 009 Mark Lefebvre on Earth Abides
BBE Episode 058 Mark Lefebvre on Traveling Music by Neil Peart (this is one of those very rare occasions when Mark and I disagreed about a book, and let me tell you, my friends: saying something negative about Neil Peart in front of Mark Lefebvre was the riskiest thing I have ever done in my life. I am so brave.)
Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
BBE Episode 010 Casey Starnes on Catcher in the Rye
Titles Bookstore at McMaster University
High Spirits by Robertson Davies
John Irving
Steven Leacock
McClelland and Stewart
Pygmalian by George Bernard Shaw
My Fair Lady (1964)
Best Laid Plans TV Show
Dennis Hamill
Operation Angus by Terry Fallis
No Relation by Terry Fallis
Up and Down by Terry Fallis
Poles Apart by Terry Follis
The Candidate (1972)
Three Cheers For Me by Donald Jack
The Long Way Back by Nicole Bart
Number One is Walking by Steve Martin
Harry Bliss
The Canadian Mounted by Mark Leslie
Edo Van Belkom
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
This week I'm so delighted for you to meet Kate Reynolds, also known as The Lavender Librarian. Kate is a passionate advocate of inclusive storytimes for children, and she has some innovative ideas for how to share reading time with kids.
I was initially hesitant when Kate suggested we read a children's book for this episode - afraid that we wouldn't have enough to talk about to fill the half hour. But I was so, so wrong. Talking to librarians is always a wonderful experience, but talking to this particular one about this particular book was extra-specially magic.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Kate Reynolds
Instagram/Facebook/Youtube
Storytime Solidarity - Website/Patreon/Facebook Group
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast, AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond
Roald Dahl
The Babysitters Club
Beverly Cleary
Mr. Rogers
Sharon, Lois and Bram
Sandwiches by Fred Penner
Je suis une Pizza by Charlotte Diamond
123 Andres
Jim Gill
Little Miss Anne
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
Mouse by Art Spiegelman
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Tiffany Hammond’s Instagram
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I am joined by Lisa Petersen, my dear friend since college. We agreed to spend the summer revisiting our favorite childhood classics by Judy Blume, and now we’re back to discuss our feelings about the books as children vs. as adults. Along the way, we talked about banned books and parenting, and how our love for Judy Blume has carried us through the years.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lisa Petersen
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast, AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Judy Blume
The Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling
The Warrior Cats Series by Erin Hunter
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Starring Sally J Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume
Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Blubber by Judy Blume
Deenie by Judy Blume
Forever by Judy Blume
It’s Not the End of the World by Judy Blume
Judy Blume Forever - 2023 film
Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret - 2023 film
Terry Gross Interview
In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
You’ve Got Mail - 1998 film
Also, for fun: 87 Books Featured in “You’ve Got Mail”
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Yolanda Skeete, an avid reader and co-host of Thrillers by the Book Club SoCal, is back on the show with our book club pal Vanessa Vicente. Yolanda and Vanessa are both bookstagrammers living in Southern California who love to review thrillers, nonfiction, romance, and other genres. As mothers ourselves, we have a lot to say about the 2022 Science Fiction novel “The School for Good Mothers” by Jessamine Chan. In this episode, we talk about our experiences, hardships, and joys as mothers, and the discussion ranges from KidLit to Black Mirror to Michelle Obama to questions like “Why aren’t moms allowed to be sexy??”
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Yolanda Skeete
Guest: Vanessa Vicente
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast, AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2022
Maribel’s Year and Others by Michelle Sterling
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds
Creepy Crayon by Aaron Reynolds
The Couch Potato by Jory John
The Bad Seed by Jory John
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Harambe
Black Mirror TV Show
The Sitting Month
The Drowning Woman by Robin Harding
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
The Wife Between Us by Sarah Pekkanen
Judy Blume
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Movie
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
Drowning by T.J. Newman
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
The Best Book Ever Podcast is taking the rest of the summer off to rest, recuperate, and, best of all, to read indiscrimitately.
We'll be back on September 4, 2023, so make sure you have subscribed to the podcast on whatever podcatcher you use.
I'll still send out regular emails with all sorts of bookish news, so make sure you're subscribed to my weekly newsletter HERE.
If you have not yet experienced the joy of the "Court of Thorns and Roses" fandom, we are going to fix that today.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest Panel:
Victoria Snow
Fareya
Instagram/TikTok/Goodreads
Nicole Burton
Instagram/Goodreads
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAR) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Wings and ruin (ACOWAR) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
ACOTAR Wiki
Emma Petersen mentioned the ACOTAR books as “bird porn” when she appeared on the podcast to talk about Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang on Episode 138
A Court of Tattoos and Rosé podcast
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi
House of Earth and Blood: Book one of the Crescent City Series by Sarah J. Maas
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
@Kaykaysbookshelf (an awesome bookstagram account – scroll her saved stories for Sarah J. Mass mini-guides [spoiler free], maps, glossaries, etc. Her account is well worth a visit if you are a fan.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
Daughter of the Moon Goddess: A Fantasy Romance Novel by Sue Lynn Tan
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
The Ballad of Songbirds of Snakes (a Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins
Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I've got my first "three-peat" guest, Marion Hill. Just like in our two previous conversations, Marion introduced me to a book that I wouldn't have picked up on my own, that I sort of dreaded reading, and that I wound up loving and thinking about nonstop after I finished!
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Marion Hill
Website/Instagram
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
The Book of Strange new Things by Michel Faber
The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende
Eva Luna: A Novel by Isabel Allende
Marion’s previous picks on the podcast
Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint, which we talked about on Episode 008
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, which we talked about on Episode 083
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Gilead by Marilyn Robinson
Downward to the Earth by Robert Silverberg
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The Sportswriter: Bascombe Trilogy 1 by Richard Ford
Independence Day: Bascombe Trilogy 2 by Richard Ford
The Lay of the Land: Bascombe Trilogy 3 by Richard Ford
Let Me Be Frank with You: A Frank Bascombe Book by Richard Ford
Be Mine: A Frank Bascombe Novel by Richard Ford
The Kammbia Series by Marion Hill
Marion’s 25 by Marion Hill
Marion’s 25 Volume II by Marion Hill
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ambika Devi
Website/YouTube/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
Fun With Dick and Jane
Lilith by Ambika Devi
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Cupid is a Bastard by Ambika Devi
Journeys Out of the Body by Robert A. Monroe
Danielle Garrett
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Artemis by Andy Weir
The Martian by Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
My guest this week is my beautiful daughter Ella. Ella just finished a semester at the University of Leicester, where she studied the novels of Jane Austen, and we have been talking nonstop about the books versus the movie adaptations, as well as feminism in Jane Austens books, and whether or not Harry Styles can smolder. It's a journey.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ella Strauss
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
1st Annual Kids/YA Episode when Ella told me about Kate Atkinson
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Clueless Movie
Bride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility Movie
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
Here comes the smolder – from “Tangled”
Derek Zoolander’s “Blue Steel”
Here is the Mr. Darcy hand flex scene that all the kids are weirdly obsessed with
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
Eve Ensler
Colleen Hoover
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Bunny: A Novel by Mona Awad
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
My mom is the reason I’m a reader and today she joined me to talk books. She surprised me by choosing a cookbook (she and I are both fiction junkies) but The Pat Conroy Cookbook made for a great chat. We also talked about how we both cut our teeth on trashy novels and the joys of re-reading favorite books. She even spilled some tea about her book club!
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Betsy Dunn
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
The Pat Conroy Cookbook by Pat Conroy
The Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope (this is just one in a whole series of Bobbsey Twins adventures)
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Beach Music by Pat Conroy
The Great Santini by Pat Conroy
The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son by Pat Conroy
Carlsbad Aquafarm
Beaufort, South Carolina really does look like a lovely town
Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home by Ina Garten
Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguingnon
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King
The Water is Wide: A Memoir by Pat Conroy
The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Y'all already know how much I love Canadians, and today you get to hear from one of my favorite ones. I've previously interviewed Erin Walker before on Episode 101: Cookbook-Palooza with the women of the Three Kitchens Podcast. Their mission is to inspire fellow home cooks to try something new and have fun in the kitchen. They take a deep dive into a recipe, giving ideas and tips for making it, and they also talk to interesting guests from the food world. Today I get a solo show with Erin, who is a mother, knitter, lover of the great outdoors and (of course) an avid reader. We talked about the book "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" by Alfred Lansing and let me tell you: this is a jaw-dropping story. Erin is the type of human who likes to do treacherous, outdoorsy things, and I am the type of human who only goes outside to acquire more books. But we agree that this book, and the story of this particular adventurer, is an incredible read.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Erin Walker
Instagram/Facebook/Website
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
(Check out Best Book Ever Episode 049, when Ysaura Vanegas talked to me about The Alchemist)
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
The Strangers by Katherena Vermette
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
(Check out Best Book Ever Episode 024, when Jaimie Morimoto talked to me about Pride and Prejudice)
The Promise by Damon Galgut
(Check out Best Book Ever Episode 089, when Stephen Pelton talked to me about Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf,and we veered into a discussion about Damon Galgut’s books.)
Hell of a Book by Jason Mott
Endurance: My Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
More Than You’ll Ever Know by Kate Gutierrez
Lords of the Bow by Conn Iggulden
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
(Check out Best Book Ever Episode 143, when Katy Leep Arditti talks to me about The House in the Cerulean Sea)
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
(Check out Best Book Ever Episode 089, when Tori Snow talked to me about Hidden Valley Road)
Tastes Like War: A Memoir by Grace M. Cho
(Check out Best Book Ever Episode 110, when Jasmine Vyas talked to me about Tastes Like War).
I was not able to do the Bosom Caresser Speakeasy Episode with the Three Kitchens Gals, but they did it, and it is wonderful. Check it out HERE!
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It's just Julie this week, with an update about my absence and conversation about how my girlfriends have pulled me through this horrible season of life. Spoiler alert: they fed me tacos and wine and led me to the books that are helping me see things differently. As friends do!
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
This also exists as a stage play adaptation, performed on audiobook by Vanessa Redgrave
Jaymi Couch, The OC Book Girl Instagram
Jaymi’s newsletter, Let’s Read Nonfiction
If you are a So Cal resident, don’t miss Jaymi’s amazing So Cal Reads Newsletter, where she links to author and reader events all over Southern California
Geometry of Grief: Reflections on Mathematics, Loss, and Life by Michael Frame
When Your Heart Says Go: My Year of Traveling Beyond Loss and Loneliness by Judy Reeves
This Isn't Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew by Daniel Wallace
Unearthing: A Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets by Kyo Maclear
The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Bozoma Saint John
What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman
So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and Other Grave Concerns by Dina Gachman
One Long Listening: A Memoir of Grief, Friendship, and Spiritual Care by Chenxing Han
Everything All at Once: A Memoir by Stephanie Catudal
How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
My beloved Katy Leep Arditti is back this week, with yet another book that ripped my beating heart straight out of my chest, and left me weeping on the bedroom floor in the wee hours of the night. In a good way. We also chatted about perfume and anxiety and book bans, and how this book needs to go to people who experience all three.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Katy Leep-Arditti
Katy’s Bookstagram/Katy’s Perfume IG Account /Perfume TikTok Account
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Katy’s last appearance on Best Book Ever Podcast
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
Skylar Salt Air perfume
Fog perfume by Henry Rose
Noir Exquis by L’Artisan Perfumaire
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I liked today’s book.
And then I felt very weird that I liked it.
Olivia Day, my guest who brought this confusing, twisty book into my life, is the co-host of the Thrillers by the Book Club pod. She is a long-time lover of thrillers, crime, and mystery stories, and a graduate of International Thriller Writer’s Online Thriller School. Despite the grim thesis of the book we are discussing, Olivia and I had a lot of laughs as we discussed this book. And we drew a pretty effective through-line between the books that represent women’s ultimate fantasies, whether they are sexual or, you know, murderous.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Olivia Day
Instagram/Twitter
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Thrillers by the Book Club Podcast
Chelsea Hofman on the Best Book Ever Podcast: Episode 137 and Episode 108
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
Temper by Layne Fargo
The Collective by Alison Gaylin
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Best Book Ever Episode 013 Asha Sabella on The Last Mrs. Parrish
Heartsick: A Thriller by Chelsea Cain
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Lisa Marie Cabrelli is my dear friend and one of my favorite people on the planet to talk books with, because her insights always knock me out. She came back to the show today to talk about "In the Woods," the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French. Lisa Marie got me hooked on this series several years ago, and I love hearing her brilliant insights about why crime fiction reflects national identity. Tana French writes literary, thought-provoking genre fiction that is deeply immersive and, as I found out, gets even better on re-reads.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lisa Marie Cabrelli
Website/Instagram/Twitter
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Discussed in this episode:
In the Woods by Tana French (Book 1 of the Dublin Murder Squad)
Elizabeth George
Listen to author Aime Austin talk to me about What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George in Episode 047
Ian Rankin
The Inspector Gamache Series by Louise Penny
Tana French’s Intimate Crime Fiction, by Laura Miller, the New Yorker, September 26, 2016
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Ann Patchett’s bookstore, Parnassus Books
This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Severance by Ling Ma
Listen to Lisa Marie’s previous appearance on this podcast, when she talked about Severance on Episode 050
Read "The Descent" by Lisa Marie Cabrelli on Yonder
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Dawn Raffel
Website/Instagram/Twitter
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
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Discussed in this episode:
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
How to Read War and Peace by Dawn Raffel Oprah Magazine, July 2006 (this article really makes me want to give it a shot…)
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Boundless as the Sky by Dawn Raffel
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
The Strange Case of Dr. Couney by Dawn Raffel
Grendel by John Gardner
Beowulf by Seamus Heaney
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Some of you may remember back in episode 107 when I had Maci Nelson on the show. Maci is an avowed bookworm – iand also the host of one of my favorite shows, the Landscape Nerd podcast, a fantastic resource for anyone who is interested in the outdoor world. You might think this is a niche interest of mine, since I’m a known garden geek, but what’s great about the Landscape Nerd is how Maci looks at all aspects of our outdoor spaces – not only which plants grow there, but how we use spaces, how we look at them, evne how they sound. I promise you, even if you are not particularly interested in gardening, you will learn something wonderful when you hear Maci talk to people who care about your landscape.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Maci Nelson
Website/Instagram/Podcast
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Maci’s appearance on the Best Book Ever podcast, when we discussed “Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones
American Society of Botanical Artists
The Art of Botanical Illustration, via Daily Art Magazine
What is Botanical Illustration? via My Modern Met
The Science of Art: Why Botanical Illustration Matters, via National Tropical Botanical Garden
How Art Shapes Our Understanding of Plants and Reveals Wonders Photographs Can Miss, via National Geographic.co.uk
Botanical Illustration is Becoming Endangered, But the Job is Essential, via the Washington Post (no paywall)
Ode to Black Botanical Illustrators
Decolonizing Botanical Illustration, via Draw Botanical
Nirupa Rao: Discovering the Magical World of Botanical Illustration, via National Geographic Society
An Nirupa Rao TED Talk: An Illustrated Kingdom of Real, Fantastical Plants
‘Plant Blindness’ is a Real Thing: Why It’s a Real Problem, Too, via The Conversation
Draw Botanical.com
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Emma Dayton Petersen lives in NYC, and is working towards getting her Masters Degree in Speech Pathology. While studying, she works full time as a Client Success Manager for a life and career coaching company for creatives. She became interested in the field of speech and linguistics during her time as a theater student at CSU, Fullerton. Emma’s dream is to use performance and theater as a tool to help people with communicative disorders. Her love of language is what initially drew her to the short story, “Story of Your Life,” and we had a fascinating discussion about what language is, how we communicate, and if we’d want to know the future.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Emma Dayton Petersen
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Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (this is a book of short stories; the one we discussed today, ‘Story of Your Life’, is the story that the movie ‘Arrival’ is based on.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Arrival movie – this movie is also one of my all-time favorites!
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
The Best Short Stories 2022, The O. Henry Prize Winners, Edited by Valeria Luiselli
The Strand Bookstore
Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption edited by Daniel Jones
Modern Love podcast
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today we welcome back my friend Chelsea Hofman of the Thrillers by the Book Club and Podcast. I think of all of my guest, Chelsea is probably the one whose tastes are the most polar opposite of mine. Thats why it's always such a blast talking to her. Today we discussed a book about murderous dolls that I shockingly did not hate!
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Chelsea Hofman
Instagram/Podcast
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Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Thrillers by the Book Club
Thrillers by the Book Club Podcast
So, You’re Interested in Free Books episode of Thrillers by the Book Club Podcast
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Corduroy by Don Freeman
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Taking Tree: A Selfish Parody by Shrill Travesty
Super Scary Haunted Homeschool with Grady Hendrix
The Last Word by Taylor Adams
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard
A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
What Remains by Wendy Walker
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
My friends, Covid finally caught up to me this week, and holy moly did it ever knock me on my on my butt. So, today I’m sharing a replay episode. This interview with Jeff Adams was one of my all time favorites - he’s a delightful human, a wonderful podcast host, and an incredibly voracious reader. The book we discussed, and this episode, have stuck with me ever since it aired.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Jeff Adams Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Big Gay Fiction Podcast/Big Gay Author Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen
(Part of the Ivy Years Series)
New York City Gay Hockey Association
Trouble Shooter Series by Suzanne Brockman (This is a 19-book series that begins with The Unsung Hero.)
Love, Simon
The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
St. Nachos by Z.A. Maxfield
Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
The Extraordinaries by TJ Clune
Camp by L.C. Rosen
V.L. Losey (Romance author)
RJ Scott (Romance author)
The MM Author Podcast
GRL – Gay Rom Lit Retreat
They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Love, Victor
Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera
The Dreamers Series Adriana Herrera
Book 1: American Dreamer
Book 2 American Fairytale
Book 3: American Love Story
Book 4: American Sweetheart
The Hideaway Inn by Phillip William Stover
The Hockey Player’s Heart by Jeff Adams and Will Knauss
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
A quick episode this week with updates about how you can support the podcast and links to what Julie has been reading on her own time recently.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Join the Best Book Ever Newsletter HERE!
Subscribe for FREE to receive weekly emails with complete show notes, photos of our guests, and updates on what Julie is reading on her own time.
Support the podcast for just $5/month and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter AND a monthly themed curated book list.
Become a Founder for $100 and you’ll receive the weekly newsletter, the monthly curated book list, AND a personal thank you on the podcast AND a Best Book Ever T-Shirt in your favorite color and style.
Discussed in this episode:
Episode 118 Tyler Foley on “The Fool’s Progress” by Edward Abbey, still one of my favorite episodes even though I hated the book
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Episode 125 3rd Annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Survivors by Jane Harper
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Jaymi Couch – Let’s Read Nonfiction
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Douglas Bell is a former magician, engineer, and debut author of the novel “Cakewalk,” a novel about a cisgender man in Texas who falls in love with a transgender woman. Douglas and I talked about his unusual spiritual path, how one book changed his life outlook, and how meditation and reading are both paths to empathy. Douglas joined me to talk about Tessa Hadley’s luminous novel “Free Love,” a piercing domestic drama set in London, 1967.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Douglas Bell
Website/Twitter/Instagram/Goodreads
Discussed in this episode:
Free Love by Tessa Hadley
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by the Dalai Lama
The Houston Zen Center
Cakewalk by Douglas Bell
The National Black Book Festival
WriteFest Houston
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
Bloomsday Literary
The Enigma of Clarence Thomas by Corey Robin
Writers and Lovers by Lily King
Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha Allen
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Married Love and Other Stories by Tessa Hadley
The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks
Headspace
Side note from Julie: Here are two books about meditation that I’ve really enjoyed. These are both very much beginner books for those of us who don’t think we could possibly meditate because we have fidgety monkey brains:
10% Happier by Dan Harris
The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness by Andy Puddicombe
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I’m joined by Kim Sherwood, an author and creative writing lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. Kim’s newest release, "A Wild and True Relation," has the tremendous distinction of a gushing review by Dame Hilary Mantel herself, who said that Sherwood’s book is “a rarity – a novel as remarkable for the vigour of the storytelling as for its literary ambition. Kim Sherwood is a writer of capacity, potency and sophistication.” In addition to that, this April Kim is releasing the first book in a new James Bond trilogy, called "Double Or Nothing," commissioned the Ian Fleming estate. Kim and I had a wonderful talk about these different genres, and what brings these iconic characters to life, and why "Wolf Hall" is the Best Book Ever.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Kim Sherwood
Website/Twitter/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (book 2 in the Wolf Hall trilogy)
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel (book 3 in the Wolf Hall trilogy)
A Wild and True Relation by Kim Sherwood
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Double or Nothing: A Double O Novel by Kim Sherwood
From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
(This one also exists in graphic novel form!)
George Baker
Spare by Prince Harry
Waverly by Walter Scott
Testament by Kim Sherwood
Greenway House – the Home of Agatha Christie
V.I. Warshawski Novels by Sara Paretsky (There are, to date, 21 novels in this series.)
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Aleenah Ansari (she/her) is equal parts storyteller, creative problem solver, and journalist at heart who's rooted in the stories of people behind products, companies, and initiatives. She writes about travel, entrepreneurship, mental health and wellness, and representation in media for Insider, The Seattle Times, Byrdie, and more. You can usually find her searching for murals in Seattle and beyond, reading a book, and planning her next trip to New York.
Aleenah joined me today for a particularly canded discussion about BIPOC representation in our reading life, and the way books and therapy are crucial to our mental health
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Aleenah Ansari
Website/Twitter/Instagram/Linked In
Discussed in this episode:
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Aleenah’s article about the best indie bookstores across the United States
Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores: True Tales and Lost Moments from Book Buyers, Booksellers, and Book Lovers by Bob Eckstein
Word on the Water – The London Bookbarge
More Than Enough by Elaine Welteroth
Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – And Keep – Love by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
Dear Therapists podcast with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
“Twenty Years at Hull House” is the acclaimed memoir of social reformer Jane Adams. It contains unflinching descriptions of poverty and degradation of the Industrial Revolution, and the steps she took to establish housing, food, clean water, and education for the poor of Chicago.
Joining me today is Rebecca Sive, author of three books on women’s politics and power. She’s also a motivational speaker for women’s audiences; a former professor at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and the recipient of numerous awards for her public leadership and service. Rebecca and I talked about how to find rest as a feminist voter, the way every public service is bound up in all aspects of society, and how the messages from Jane Adams’ work, written over one hundred years ago, are still so relevant today.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Rebecca Sive
Website
Discussed in this episode:
Twenty Years at Hull House by Jane Addams
Every Day is Election Day: A Woman’s Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House by Rebecca Sive
Vote Her In: Your Guide to Electing our First Woman President by Rebecca Sive
Make Herstory Your Story: Your Guided Journal to Justice Every Day for Every Woman by Rebecca Sive
Paul Wellstone
Unbought and Unbossed by Shirley Chisholm
Rebecca’s article about Twenty Years at Hull House in Windy City Times
Division Street: America by Studs Terkel
Rebel Bayou by Samuel and Sarah Hyde
The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How it Changed America by Nicholas Lemann
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
We are going a little off script for today’s episode. I’m not sure either one of us would call “Spare” the Best Book Ever, though I’m sure it has plenty of people who would. But it is definitely the book of the week, and a book that I think will come to be seen as a watershed moment in the history of the royals.
Suswati Basu is a multilingual journalist, mental health books show podcast host, and award-winning activist, and one of my favorite guests of the show. I was eager to get her take on this book that has been in the news basically nonstop for the last week, and talk beyond the headlines. Besides settling the score with his family, there are a lot of really big issues in this book, and I was eager to get her take on them. We also talked about the biggest issue for all of us readers – is it actually any good?
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Suswati Basu
Website/Instagram/Podcast/YouTube/Facebook/Twitter
Listen to Suswati talk to me about “The Stranger” by Albert Camus
Discussed in this episode:
Spare by Prince Harry
Suswati’s Review of Spare in National World
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight (co-written by J.R. Moehringer)
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
This week I’m joined by the fabulous Katy Leep Arditti, consumer of all things Thriller and Fantasy, business owner, massage therapist, and one of my favorite book club friends. Friends, Katy introduced me to a book so totally out of my wheelhouse, I actually contemplated not reading it, and just having her on to tell me about it. But I’m so glad I avoided that temptation, because Ordinary Monsters turned out to be easily one of my favorite reads of 2022. It was a delightful talk about the importance of smart heroines, rollicking adventures through foggy London, and surviving tremendous personal grief.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Katy Leep Arditti
Discussed in this episode:
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Thrillers by the Book Club
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
The Bechdel Test
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
BBE Episode 119 – V.P. Morris on Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Ben Onwukwe (audiobook narrator)
Small Town Big Magic by Hazel Beck
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
To kick off the new year with a very special edition of Best Book Ever, my daughter Erin is taking over the hosting duties this week, interviewing me. She asked me all the things I normally like to ask my weekly guests – favorite books, goals for 2023, Mr. Darcy, and everything in between.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Erin Strauss
Discussed in this episode:
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Bo Burnham
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Verity by Colleen Hoover
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Time for an end of year wrap up with my Podcast Twin, Malavika Praseed. Malavika is putting her marvelous podcast on hiatus for the time being while she pursues a Master’s Degree in Fiction Writing. She is one of my very favorite readers, and I always love catching up with her and finding out what books she loved over the past year, and how she thinks her reading life will change now that she’s not running her podcast. As always, it was a great chat, with lots of laughs about serious and not-so-serious books.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Malavika Praseed
Instagram/Chicago Review of Books
Malavika on Best Book Ever Podcast:
Episode 029 Malavika Praseed on “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers
Episode 079 Malavika’s 2021 End of Year Wrap Up
And I went on her podcast once to talk about, you guessed it, My Favorite Book
Your Favorite Book Podcast: Howard’s End with Julie Strauss
Discussed in this episode:
National Book Award Long List
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
A Death in the Family by James Agee
Ethan From by Edith Wharton
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
William Faulkner
Jhumpa Lahiri
Jeff Pearlman
Carson McCullers
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Best Book Ever Episode 089 Stephen Pelton on Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Howard’s End by E.M. Forester
The Hours movie
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Why is Santa Claus Erotica Suddenly So Popular?
All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews
The Pultizer Prize Winners for Fiction, by year
Fuckbois of Literature podcast
Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man: A Girl Friday Mystery by Emily J. Edwards
Chicago Review of Books
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Episode 126 Memoir-Palooza with Denise Massar
Today, I’m so happy to welcome back the very first guest of the show, an amazing writer and reader, and, not to brag, but my best friend and soul sister, Denise Massar. Denise is a memoir junkie, and it occurred to me that mid-December is a perfect time to host a Memoir-Palooza, since so many of us like to give them as gifts over the holiday season, and I thought it would be interesting to hear which ones she liked best over the last year. A lot of the ones we talk about today deal with grief and loss, which also makes a lot of sense to address right now, as the holidays can be rough for a lot of people. Denise is my all-time most trusted memoir resource, and I know you’re going to love hearing her tell me why she thinks Memoirs are the Best Books Ever.
Denise Massar is an author, a mom via birth and adoption, and an adoptee. She writes about parenting, caregiving, racism, and anything else she can’t stop thinking about. As a reader, she’s most interested in stories about women’s day-to-day lives—in the 80s when grade-school classmates were reading Judy Blume, Denise was into Erma Bombeck.
Her essays have been published in RAISE Magazine, TODAY Parenting, An Injustice!, MUTHA Magazine, and Jane Friedman’s blog.
Denise’s memoir, SEARCH HISTORY: A Memoir of Loss, Obsession, and Meeting My Mom at 40, is currently on submission. She is represented by Jacquie Flynn at Joelle Delbourgo Associates.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Denise Massar
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
Denise Massar on Best Book Ever Episode 002
Mothers of Sparta by Dawn Davies
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas
What Comes Next and How to Like it by Abigail Thomas
Episode 097 – Lizbeth Meredith on “What Comes Next and How to Like It” by Abigail Thomas
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom
How We Fight For Our Lives: A Memoir by Saeed Jones
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney
Catastrophe
Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
Spare by Prince Harry
J.R. Moehringer
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It’s time for my favorite episode of the year – our Annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide. I asked a group of young people, ages 8-19, to tell me about their favorite book. As always, their answers were as smart, funny, interesting, and diverse as the kids themselves. I love talking to young people about books, and even if you don’t have any young people to buy for this year, I know you’re going to love hearing these interesting people tell me about their favorite books.
A note: as always, the interviews go in age order, and the older kids talk about books with some very mature themes.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Hope, Age 8
Mysteries in Our National Park: Cliff-Hanger: A Mystery in Mesa Verde National Park by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson
(This is part of a 12-book series all set in national parks across the United States.)
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
(Both Hope and her twin sister Mackenzie talked to me about multiple Magic Tree House books in last year’s episode)
Henry, Age 8
Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar
Holes by Louis Sachar
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger by Louis Sachar
Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar
Supernatural Bear, Age 10
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Dante, Age 10
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ivan movie
The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate
Odder by Katherine Applegate
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series on Disney+)
Dorian, Age 10
Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School Secret Service by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School Revolution by Stuart Gibbs
The Fun Jungle Collection by Stuart Gibbs
Kate, Age 12
My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
The Storyteller’s Death: A Novel by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Jack, Age 14
Maus by Art Spiegelman
Joey, Age 15
The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way and Gabreil Bá
The Umbrella Academy on Netflix
Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang
Paper Girls Series on Amazon Prime
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Terminator Genisys movie
The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Erin, Age 19
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Thrillers by the Book Club Pod
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Skye Pratt Epperson writes about family, history, religion, and fitness. She is working on a memoir about her childhood in Eswatini, Africa, and the varying expectations of the different faiths represented there. Skye joined me today to talk about “Educated: A Memoir" by Tara Westover, that has some remarkable similarities to her own life. I know you will agree that it is fascinating to hear someone with real insight into the school free childhood tell me why “Educated” is the Best Book Ever.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Skye Pratt Epperson
Website
Discussed in this episode:
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
United World College
Glennon Doyle memoirs – Love Warrior, Untamed, Carry On Warrior
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
This American Life
Snap Judgment
This Is Not A Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan
Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich
Future Home of a Living God by Louise Erdrich
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Episode 123 Jessica Bell on “Housekeeping” by Marilynne Robinson
I love noticing book covers, and paying attention to what I like and dislike about them, and it was really run to talk about them with a professional. Today I’m talking to multi-talented book-cover designer Jessica Bell about “Housekeeping” by Marilynne Robinson. Jessica examined the cover of my copy of the book, and we talked about why it worked on me. Even better, we talked about the insides of books, and why this one, in particular, is hard to describe and even harder to forget. It’s a book that sticks with you forever, particularly if you get the quotes inscribed on your coffee mugs!
Jessica Bell is a multi-award-winning author/poet, and singer-songwriter who was born in Melbourne, Australia. In addition to having published a memoir, five novels, three poetry collections, and her bestselling Writing in a Nutshell series, she has been featured in a variety of publications and radio shows such as Writer’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, The Guardian, Life Matters, and Poetica. She is also the Publisher of Vine Leaves Press, and a highly sought-after book cover designer. She currently resides in Athens, Greece, with her partner and son, and a pile of dishes that still don’t know how to wash themselves despite her consistently teaching by example.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jessica Bell
Newsletter/Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Linkedin/YouTube
Discussed in this episode:
Can You Make the Title Bigga? By Jessica Bell
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Home by Marilynne Robinson
Lila by Marilynne Robinson
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Giving Birth to Motherhood by Amie McCracken & Katie Rössler, LPC
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Michelle Cox is the author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series, a mystery/romance saga set in the 1930s Chicago often described as “Downton Abbey Meets Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.” To date, the series has won over sixty international awards and has received positive reviews from Library Journal (starred), Booklist (starred), Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and various media outlets, such as Popsugar, Buzzfeed, Redbook, Elle, Brit&Co., Bustle, Culturalist, Working Mother, and many others. Cox also pens the wildly popular, “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly blog chronically the lives of Chicago’s forgotten residents. She lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three children and is hard at work on her next novel.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Michelle Cox
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/BookBub/TikTok
We are hard at work on our annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide. Do you know a young person who’d like to talk to me about their favorite book? For more information, GO HERE!
Previous Kids/YA Episodes:
2021
2020
And, just for fun, here’s an episode of outtakes from my chats with kids.
Discussed in this episode:
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier
Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series by Michelle Cox:
A Girl Like You
A Ring of Truth
A Promise Given
A Veil Removed
A Child Lost
A Spying Eye
The Interview Show on PBS (filmed at The Hideout Bar Chicago)
My Cousin Rachel film adaptation
Get Out tea scene
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Brina Patel is a freelance content writer, copywriter, and journalist from Sacramento, California. Her writing has appeared in Business Insider, Byrdie, Well and Good, and Verywell Mind. When she isn't putting words to the page, Brina loves curling up with a thought-provoking memoir, making memories in new places across the globe, and spoiling her sassy Maltese. Today, she joined me to talk about this searing memoir of recovery from cancer, and why can be emotionally attached to people we’ve never met just by reading their words.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Brina Patel
Website/Instagram/GoodReads/TikTok/Twitter/LinkedIn
We are hard at work on our annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide. Do you know a young person who’d like to talk to me about their favorite book? For more information, GO HERE!
Previous Kids/YA Episodes:
2021
2020
And, just for fun, here’s an episode of outtakes from my chats with kids.
Discussed in this episode:
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
Suleika Jaouad TED talk (Julie’s note: this is well, well worth watching)
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today’s our lucky day, listener, because one of my favorite guests is back to talk about a book written by another one of my favorite guests. Kenya Goree Bell is herself a steamy romance author and fearless autism advocate who loves to talk books on her own show, the KGB Grown and Sexy book club. Today she joined me to talk about some of the lesser known romance subgenres and the authors we trust to make us care about common and uncommon tropes. And as always, we had a lot of laughs as Kenya told me why “His Revenge Baby” is the Best Book Ever.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Kenya Goree Bell
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook
We are hard at work on our annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide. Do you know a young person who’d like to talk to me about their favorite book? For more information, GO HERE!
Previous Kids/YA Episodes:
2021
2020
And, just for fun, here’s an episode of outtakes from my chats with kids.
Discussed in this episode:
His Revenge Baby by Theodora Taylor
Theodora Taylor on Best Book Ever Episode 046, talking about Warrior’s Woman by Johanna Lindsey
Naima Simone books
Naima Simone on Best Book Ever Episode 113
KGB’s first appearance on Best Book Ever Episode 016, when we talked about Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Ella Maven
Elizabeth Stephens
The Honey Badger Chronicles by Shelly Laurenston
Knud: Her Big Bad Wolf by Theodora Taylor
Lotus Flower Bomb by Kenya Goree Bell
Demon’s Dream: An Unexpected Love by Elle Kayson
Sharonda Isadora TikTok
Beverly Jenkins
Brenda Jackson
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’ve been waiting for someone to choose this book for SO LONG!
Today, V.P. Morris, an award-winning thriller author, joined me to talk about the book everyone loves, hates, or loves to hate. I fall firmly into the love category, and I loved re-reading it to see if Gillian Flynn’s twisty masterpiece holds up to a re-read. Along the way, V.P and I discussed unreliable narrators and why shady women are so interesting.
I have to give you an official spoiler warning: VP and I decided there is really no way to discuss this book without discussing the twists. So if you haven’t read Gone Girl, I suggest you go do it now, and then come back and listen to this episode. It’s well worth your time!
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: VP Morris
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook
We are hard at work on our annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide. Do you know a young person who’d like to talk to me about their favorite book? For more information, GO HERE!
Previous Kids/YA Episodes:
2021
2020
And, just for fun, here’s an episode of outtakes from my chats with kids.
Discussed in this episode:
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
ShadowCast by V.P. Morris
Dead Ringer by V.P. Morris
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Gone Girl Movie
Persuasion – this is the much-reviled latest version
When All The Girls Are Sleeping by Emily Arsenault
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices by Annie Duke
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Tyler Foley is an accomplished actor, public speaker, and coach. He also has the dubious distinction of being the only guest I had to contact in advance of our recording and admit that I hated the book he chose! Tyler is extremely gracious, and we went ahead anyway, which is lucky for me, because it turned out to be one of my favorite conversations ever on this show. Whether or not you decide to read “A Fool’s Progress,” I know you’re going to enjoy hearing Tyler tell me why it’s the Best Book Ever.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Tyler Foley
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/YouTube
We are hard at work on our annual Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide. Do you know a young person who’d like to talk to me about their favorite book? For more information, GO HERE!
Previous Kids/YA Episodes:
2021 Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide
2020 Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide
And, just for fun, here’s an episode of outtakes from my chats with kids.
Discussed in this episode:
The Fool’s Progress by Edward Abbey
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Shack by William Paul Young
On the Devil’s Court by Carl Deuker
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The Power to Speak Naked: How to Speak with Confidence, Communicate Effectively, and Win Your Audience by Sean Tyler Foley
Don’t Sit Under the Grits Tree with Anyone Else But Me by Lewis Grizzard
The Journey Home: Some Words in the Deense of the American West by Edward Abbey
Beyond the Wall: Essays from the Outside by Edward Abbey
Abbey’s Road by Edward Abbey
Mike Birbiglia
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Money Master the Game by Tony Robbins
Get the Hell Out of Debt by Erin Skye Kelly
Of Dreams and Angels by Jared Morrison
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen that I absolutely lost my mind over the book “Darling Girl” a couple of weeks ago. It’s a modern day examination of the Peter Pan fairy tale, in which Wendy Darling’s granddaughter Holly must take on Peter Pan in order to save her daughter’s life. I think it’s such a clever take on the story, with fresh characters and a mature, nuanced look at the real heart of the story.
Today, the author of that marvelous book, Liz Michalski, is here to talk to me about the original Peter Pan and why she wrote her take on it. Along the way we discussed her love of the fantastic in every day life, the joy and grief of sending our adult children into the world, the often tragic life of author J.M. Barrie and how it influenced his strange literary world, and why “Peter Pan” is the Best Book Ever.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Liz Michalski
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Darling Girl: A Novel of Peter Pan by Liz Michalski
Fun with Dick and Jane
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Taproot: A Story About a Gardener and a Ghost by Keezy Young
Disney’s Peter Pan
Peter Pan (2003 Live action movie)
If you are looking for more iterations of Peter Pan, there is also a sort of prequel 2015 movie with Hugh Jackman, and of course, Hook with Robin Williams. They all have really different vibes!
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Thriller author J.P. Choquette writes atmospheric suspense novels with themes of nature, art, and folklore. She started writing "books" when she was old enough to hold a crayon. These were held together with staples and left some painful scratches. When she's not working, you'll find her sipping a hot beverage, reading, or in the woods with her family.
Today J.P. joined me to talk about the modern gothic thriller, “The Stranger Diaries,” a book that hit every one of my literary sweet spots. We talked Anglophilia, gothic literature, books that are thrilling but not scary, and the joys of letter writing.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: JP Choquette
Website/Instagram
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
Agatha Christie Inspector Poirot novels
Monsters in the Green Mountains books by J.P. Choquette
Every reference to Castle Rock in Stephen King books
Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (Book 1 in the Ruth Galloway Series)
The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths (featuring DS Harbinder Kaur from The Stranger Diaries)
The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart
(Interesting side note: when I researched Rinehart’s books, I came across The Bat, a three act-play of hers that is the original inspiration for Bob Kane’s Batman. Reading is AWESOME.)
I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark
Let the Dead Rest by J.P. Choquette
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Like nearly everyone else in the world, I am watching the funeral preparations for Queen Elizabeth II, and the transition to the new King, with great interest. I thought you might like a compilation of my favorite books about the royals, and royally-adjacent fiction that I return to again and again.
In addition to what I have already read, I am also very fascinated by all of the work that writers and activists from colonized countries are providing, and I look forward to broadening my understanding of the points of view of People of the Global Majority. I would love to hear any book recommendations you have, fiction or nonfiction.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style by Elizabeth Holmes.
Our Rainbow Queen: A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and Her Colorful Wardrobe by Sali Hughes.
The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser, and the Wardrobe by Angela Kelly.
The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown
The Palace Papers by Tina Brown
Diana, Her True Story by Andrew Morton
Elizabeth and Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters by Andrew Morton.
Prince Charles: the Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life by Sally Bedell Smith
Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of the Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
The Madness of King George
The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan.
The Fug Girls
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
BBE episode 068 – Lauren Regenhardt on Red, White and Royal Blue
The Secret Guests by Benjamin Black
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Victoria Snow is currently in her second year of grad school, working towards licensure of a marriage and family therapist. A bookstagrammer since 2019, she spends her free time reading an eclectic array of literature. She also enjoys her guilty pleasure of watching reality TV (especially any Real Housewives series). Victoria joined me to talk about the challenges of reading for pleasure while in school, and how to use Net Galley to read early release books. That’s where she found today’s book, “Hidden Valley Road,” a heart breaking true story of a mid-century family torn apart by mental illness.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Victoria Snow
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Thrillers by the Book Club
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
NetGalley
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Naima Simone is a USA today bestselling romance author I’ve admired for so long, and I knew we would have a lot of laughs when we finally got to sit down and chat. We had so much fun discussing the art of a perfect sex scene, which this book is full of, and why she and I are the perfect historical romance fans (spoiler alert: it’s because neither of us are interested in looking up the accuracy of the historical details, so we pretty just go with the flow.) This book is new to me, but I absolutely fell in love with it, and I think I might agree with Naima that “Saving Grace” is the Best Book Ever.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Naima Simone
Website/Instagram/Twitter/ Facebook
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
Episode 16 – Kenya Goree Bell on “Nine Rules to Break” by Sarah MacLean
The Road to Rose Bend by Naima Simone
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Superfudge by Judy Blume
Forever by Judy Blume
Lisa Gardner
John Saul
Nalini Singh
Christine Feehan
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Kristen Ashley
The Thornheart Trials by Sherilee Grey:
A Curse in the Darkness
A Vow of Ruin
Honor’s Splendor by Julie Garwood
Lion’s Lady by Julie Garwood
Castles by Julie Garwood
The LOTR Battle of Helm’s Deep (I totally forgot that the best line of the whole series – “I am no man!” is in this scene, as is Legolas sliding down the elephant trunk!)
Heated by Naima Simone
Black Sheep Bargain by Naima Simone
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
The only thing better than talking to Valerie Francis about writing is talking to Valerie Francis about reading. She is a writer and literary editor who thinks very deeply about story, and we had a blast talking about why Agatha Christie's classic "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is the Best Book Ever.
Note: this episode is spoiler-free!
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Valerie Francis
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Story Nerd Podcast/
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Listen to Valerie talk about Gone Girl on the Story Grid Editor Roundtable Podcast (this is episode one of a seven-part deep dive)
The Inspector Rebus Novels by Ian Rankin (Note: there are 22 Inspector Rebus books, but they don’t have to be read in order)
Knives Out
Listen to Valerie talk about Knives Out on the Story Nerd Podcast
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
The Maid by Nita Prose
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Whenever someone new to my podcast asks me where they should start, I recommend this episode. It’s one of my all-time favorite conversations with one of my all-time favorite people. Since I’m on vacation this week, I thought it was time to reach back into the archive and replay this episode, in the hopes that you will pick up this lovely book.
The only reason I agreed to read another pandemic book was because I totally trust my friend Lisa Marie Cabrelli, who is a writer, academic, and adventurer. She told me I would love it, and she wasn’t wrong. Holy moly. There was so much to talk about.
BTW – you cannot talk about this book without talking about the end. Lisa-Marie and I had totally different interpretations. But I also don’t want to spoil the end for you. So I moved that part of the conversation to the very end, and added a warning so you know when to hit the pause button if you don’t want to hear that part.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Lisa Marie Cabrelli
Website/Instagram/Twitter
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Severance by Ling Ma
The Stand by Stephen King
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Witch Elm by Tana French
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It is so much fun for me when a guest takes me up on the offer to return to the show when they have a new book to talk to me about. Jasmine Vyas is one of my all-time favorite guests, an avid reader with incredible taste. Jasmine primarily focuses on books by underrepresented authors, and she posts reviews books under the handle @bookblanketfort on Instagram, GoodReads, and Storygraph. During the day she works as an attorney and privacy professional and is a mother of three school aged children. Today she joined me to talk about the searing memoir, “Tastes Like War” by Grace M. Cho.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jasmine Vyas
Instagram/Goodreads
Discussed in this episode:
Tastes Like War: A Memoir by Grace M. Cho
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays by Esmé Weijun Wang
Ratatouille – Anton Ego eats ratatouille
Best Book Ever Episode with the Three Kitchens Podcast
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Haunting the Korean Diaspora: Shame, Secrecy, and the Forgotten War by Grace M. Cho
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
Jasmine’s first appearance on Best Book Ever Podcast – Episode 059
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Guests and listeners recommend new books to me every week, and I always intend to read them. But since I only have 24 hours a day, it’s tough to get to all of them. This week’s guest is someone I frequently bump into at my local library, and so she had more opportunities than most to remind me to read her favorite. Ultimately, I cut a deal with her: I’ll read the YA Fantasy book you want me to read, but only if you come on back on the show.
Lauren Regenhardt is the Senior Children's Librarian at the Mission Viejo Library in Southern California. She loves young adult fiction but forces herself to read adult nonfiction and fiction when required. She also enjoys videogames, watching ghost hunting shows, sloths, Marvel, and guinea pigs. She's a strong advocate for mental health services and LGBT Rights, and she loves the challenge of getting young adults and Millennials into their local library.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lauren Regenhardt
Instagram/Twitter/Gamers Read Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why it Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux
Lauren’s first appearance on the Best Book Ever Podcast, Episode 068
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Atomic Habits by James Clear
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
For today’s episode I got to sit down with Chelsea Hoffman and Yolanda Skeete, founders of Thrillers by the Book Club. I can tell you from personal experience that both of these women are sweet and kind in real life, but they have an affinity for, as Chelsea calls it, murder-y books. They found each other online and formed a book club, which has morphed into a real-life book group with 27 chapters around the world. I asked them to join me for a Thriller-Palooza, because I wanted the lowdown on the best of the best in the world of thrillers, and holy moly, did these ladies ever deliver.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Chelsea Hoffman Instagram
Yolanda Skeete Instagram
Thrillers by the Book Club Instagram
Thrillers by the Bookclub Pod
Discussed in this episode:
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall
Dork Diaries by Rachel Ren Russell
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
The Push by Ashley Audrain
His and Hers by Alice Feeney
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead
The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
I Know Everything by Matthew Farrell
Find Me by Anne Frasier
Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver
Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
The Chain by Adrian McKinty
The Island by Adrian McKinty
The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer
Blood Will Tell by Heather Chavez
No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger (releases Nov 8, 2022)
Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger
The It Girl by Ruth Ware
Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard
The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard
My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones (sequel to “My Heart is a Chainsaw;” releases Feb 7, 2023)
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica (releases Jan. 10, 2023)
The Return by Rachel Harrison
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison (releases Oct 4, 2022)
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (releases Jan. 17, 2023)
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
The Maid by Nita Prose
Frightmares by Eva V. Gibson
The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Maci Nelson is a landscape designer, educator, and podcaster. She launched the Landscape Nerd Podcast in 2020, and has collaborated with leaders in landscape architecture, ecology, and art. She is also an avid reader, and she joined me today to talk about “Howl’s Moving Castle,” a book she loves because the landscapes in the animated movie deeply inspired her.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Maci Nelson
Website/Instagram/Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Howl’s Moving Castle Film Comic by Hayao Miyazaki (this is the graphic novel based on the art of the 2004 animated film from Studio Ghibli)
There is also this beautiful companion book of the sketches and concept art from the movie: The Art of Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl’s Moving Castle Movie
Spirited Away Movie
Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
Best Book Ever Episode 098 – Sivan Hong on “The Sense of an Ending” by Julian Barnes
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Becca Syme is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and holds a Master’s degree in Transformational Leadership. She is the host of the Quitcast for Writers and the teacher of the popular Write Better-Faster class. Becca has coached 5000+ authors using success alignment and predictive reasoning to help authors write and market better-faster. She lives in the mountains of Montana where it is always winter and never Christmas. Becca joined me to today to talk about Jennifer Crusie’s hilarious rom-com “Bet Me,” and given that we both have a tendency to think hard about the bigger picture, we got serious very fast. We discussed why representation matters so much, what happens to our lives when our inner perception is wrong, how curvy girl romances have gotten so much more nuanced over the years, and, of course, the best way to make chicken marsala.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Becca Syme
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Patreon/YouTube
Discussed in this episode:
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Writer books by Becca Syme:
Dear Writer, Are You in Burnout?
Dear Writer, You’re Doing It Wrong
Dear Writer, You’re Doing It Right
Dear Writer, You Need to Quit
Dear Writer, Are You Intuitive?
Lucy Foley
Clifton Strengths Finder
Enneagram
Jennifer Weiner
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Penance on the Prairies by R.L. Syme
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Suswati Basu is a multilingual disabled journalist, mental health books show podcast host, and award-winning activist.She has written for the Guardian, Huffington Post, and the F-Word blogs, and has worked for various media outlets such as the BBC, Channel 4 News, and ITV News. She has worked in China, India, and the UK and currently writes on a freelance basis. As a result, she speaks multiple languages including Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi, and Bengali. Suswati has also appeared on BBC Radio's Woman's Hour with Jenni Murray as well as BBC News, speaking in regard to feminist issues. As a survivor and thriver from trauma, living with both mental health and physical disabilities, she began the How To Be... podcast looking at helping mental wellbeing through reading and interviewing authors.
Suswati joined me today to talk about Albert Camus’ “The Stranger,” a classic of Existentialist literature, featuring a disconnected main character who faces consequences for a violent action he committed, even though he evidently has no concept of consequences, violence, or feelings. If you’re my age and you grew up in the States, you probably read this in your high school English class, and all I can tell you is that it’s a totally different book now.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
This episode is sponsored by Lover’s Moon by Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Suswati Basu
Podcast/Website/Facebook/Instagram/You Tube/Twitter
Discussed in this episode:
The Stranger by Albert Camus
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
1984 by George Orwell
Haramacy: A Collecgtion of Stories Prescribed by Voices from the Middle East, South Asian, and the Diaspora by Zahed Sultan
Energize: Make the Most of Every Moment by Simon Alexander Ong
How to Be Sad: Everything I’ve Learned About Getting Happier by Being Sad by Helen Russell
The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country by Helen Russell
Stronger: Changing Everything I Knew About Women’s Health by Poorna Bell
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. The charity links are NOT affiliates, but they are organizations I trust and personally donate money to. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Christina Olson was the real-life woman who inspired artist Andrew Wyeth’s painting “Christina’s World.” It’s considered a master work of American art that inspires a lot of feelings in people, myself included. In the novel “A Piece of the World,” author Christina Baker Kline tells a fictionalized version of the real-life relationship between artist and subject. It’s an emotional and complex relationship and a totally compelling book.
Joining me today is April Bielefeldt, is a Landscape Photographer and one half of the Travel Collective, where she creates videos, showcases boutique guides and tours and shares her knowledge of how to travel like she does. She has a deep love for the USA, particularly the Maine coast, where today’s book is set, and she creates personal itineraries as well as leads small tours. I loved talking with an artist about the connections between visual and literary art, and how sometimes one can change our opinions about the other.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
This episode is sponsored by Lover’s Moon by Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: April Bielefeldt
Podcast/Website/Facebook/Instagram/You Tube
Discussed in this episode:
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline
Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
The Way Life Should Be by Christina Baker Kline
Olson House at Farnsworth Art Museum
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. The charity links are NOT affiliates, but they are organizations I trust and personally donate money to. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Do you believe in ghosts?
Shannon Bailey Grace is the creator and host of the Indie podcast Ghost and Grub. Shannon has a master’s degree in English literature and teaches research and writing at the college level. Her interest in storytelling fuels her love for a good ghost story, and she has a passion for learning about the people and events surrounding each story she tells. When Shannon is not telling ghost stories or traveling to spooky and strange destinations on a constant search to find the world’s best nachos. Shannon joined me today to talk about “Life With the Afterlife” by Amy Bruni, and why ethics are important in ghost tourism.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
This episode is sponsored by Lover’s Moon by Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Shannon Bailey Grace
Podcast/Facebook/Instagram/Twitter
Discussed in this episode:
Life With the Afterlife by Amy Bruni
Kindred Spirits TV Show
My Night in the Most Haunted Hotel in Texas: A Very True Ghost Story by Victoria Mundae
HOW TO SUPPORT GUN REFORM LEGISLATION IN AMERICA
Find your senators here.
Find your representatives here.
I know it can sound intimidating to call a lawmaker. But your calls MATTER. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office of your elected official. The person who answers your call will make note of your message and pass it on to the member of Congress. Their addresses are also listed if you would like to send something in writing. This script is easy to follow:
"Good morning. My name is _____ and I live at _____. I am a constituent and have a deep love for my community and neighbors. I urge Senator/Representative _____, as an elected official who represents me, to protect our safety by leading the way toward gun violence prevention. Specifically, I am asking Senator/Rep _____ to advocate for the The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. Eight) and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 1446). I will be casting my next vote based on his or her legislative response to the gun violence epidemic in America. Thank you for your time."
The highlighted portion is especially important – it’s time we let our lawmakers know that if they don’t vote to keep us safe from guns, they won’t have a job much longer.
Please know that even if you live in a blue state, these calls and letters are still very important.
If you’d like to make a cash donation, I like these two organizations, both of which are rated highly on Charity Navigator:
Everytown.org
Sandy Hook Promise
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. The charity links are NOT affiliates, but they are organizations I trust and personally donate money to. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I love cooking almost as much as I love reading, and, in my opinion, a well-written cookbook can be as much fun to read as literary fiction. LA Son, Well Fed, and Back to Basics are three very different cookbooks that are all a great read in different ways.
With me today are the hosts of my new favorite show, the Three Kitchens podcast. Sarah Somasundaram, Erin Walker and Heather Dyer are longtime friends and passionate home cooks. On their weekly podcast they take listeners along for a deep dive into a recipe. They talk - and laugh - through the challenges, successes and failures along the way as they tackle recipes from around the world with locally found ingredients, right in their own home kitchens. Sarah, Erin and Heather joined me today for a cookbook-palooza – each of them shared their personal favorite cookbooks and what they’ve learned from them. I guarantee you’re gonna be starving by the end of this one. They told me about Butter Tarts (!) and I showed them a naked picture of Anthony Bourdain. It got weird.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
This episode is sponsored by Lover’s Moon by Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Sarah, Erin, and Heather of the Three Kitchens Podcast
Podcast/Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest
Discussed in this episode:
Back to Basics: 100 Simple Classic Recipes with a Twist by Michael Smith
L.A. Son by Roy Choi
Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan
Julie’s Guest appearance on the Three Kitchens Podcast
Three Kitchens Date Night Episode
Three Kitchens Babka Episode
Three Kitchens Oma’s Strudel Episode
Three Kitchens Bánh Xèo Episode
The Chef Show on Netflix (with Roy Choi and Jon Favreau)
Chef Movie
Broken Bread
My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals by Melanie Dunea
Absent in Spring by Mary Westmacott
The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman
The Lost Boys: Inside Muzafer Sherif’s Robbers Cave Experiment by Gina Perry
CONTEST INFORMATION
In celebration of the Best Book Ever 100th Episode, I’m going to invite you to join me in supporting Charnaie Gordon’s work. I’m donating $100 from the Best Book Ever podcast. If you want to help, here’s how to do it.
If you would like make a donation of any amount of cash or gently used books, go to 50 states 50 books dot net slash donate, and email me a screenshot of your donation to bestbookeverpodcast@gmail.com
Or you can promote her on your social media. On Instagram, post something about her work and Tag @50States50Books and me @bestbookeverpodcast. I’m not on TikTok, Facebook or Twitter, but if you promote her work through those channels, just screenshot it and shoot me an email so I can see it.
Everyone who promotes her, whether it’s through money, books, or exposure, and then lets me know about it will be entered into a drawing, and one randomly chosen winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to their favorite indie bookstore. This contest is only open to residents of the United States, no purchase necessary, and is not associated with 50 States 50 Books or any social media entity. The deadline to enter this drawing is June 30, 2022.
HOW TO SUPPORT GUN REFORM LEGISLATION IN AMERICA
Find your senators here.
Find your representatives here.
I know it can sound intimidating to call a lawmaker. But your calls MATTER. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office of your elected official. The person who answers your call will make note of your message and pass it on to the member of Congress. Their addresses are also listed if you would like to send something in writing. This script is easy to follow:
"Good morning. My name is _____ and I live at _____. I am a constituent and have a deep love for my community and neighbors. I urge Senator/Representative _____, as an elected official who represents me, to protect our safety by leading the way toward gun violence prevention. Specifically, I am asking Senator/Rep _____ to advocate for the The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. Eight) and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 1446). I will be casting my next vote based on his or her legislative response to the gun violence epidemic in America. Thank you for your time."
The highlighted portion is especially important – it’s time we let our lawmakers know that if they don’t vote to keep us safe from guns, they won’t have a job much longer.
Please know that even if you live in a blue state, these calls and letters are still very important.
If you’d like to make a cash donation, I like these two organizations, both of which are rated highly on Charity Navigator:
Everytown.org
Sandy Hook Promise
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. The charity links are NOT affiliates, but they are organizations I trust and personally donate money to. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It's our 100th episode! Let's celebrate, but in the middle of the celebration, let's have an existential crisis!
It was tough to be happy this week, but I was able to do it because I had something special in my back pocket: an interview with Charnaie Gordon. Charnaie is a wife, mom, and former Computer Programmer turned full-time Content Creator and Author with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science/Information Technology. She’s also a Distinguished Toastmaster and huge literacy advocate/champion. Her blog, Here Wee Read, is where she expresses her creativity and passion for reading, diverse literature, and literacy. She’s also the founder of a children’s literacy organization, 50 States 50 Books, where her family collects and donates diverse children’s books to deserving kids in each of the 50 U.S. states. We also talked about the changes we've made in our life because of the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear.
Bookworms, there was simply no better way to celebrate 100 episodes than to hang out with Charnaie. Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to learn how you can help me celebrate 100 episodes by helping Charnaie out.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Charnaie Gordon
HereWeeRead Website/Here Wee Read Instagram/50 States 50 Books Website/50 States 50 Books Instagram/Facebook/Twitter
Here Wee Read Podcast
DylPop’s Bookshop
Books by Charnaie Gordon:
A Friend Like You
A Kids Book About Diversity
Discussed in this episode:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer
CONTEST INFORMATION
In celebration of the Best Book Ever 100th Episode, I’m going to invite you to join me in supporting Charnaie’s work. I’m donating $100 from the Best Book Ever podcast. If you want to help, here’s how to do it:
If you would like make a donation of any amount of cash or gently used books, go to 50States50Books.net/donate, and email me a screenshot of your donation.
Or you can promote her on your social media. On Instagram, post something about her work and tag @50States50Books and me @bestbookeverpodcast. I’m not on TikTok, Facebook or Twitter, but if you promote her work through those channels, just screenshot it and shoot me an email so I can see it.
Everyone who promotes her, whether it’s through money, books, or exposure, and then lets me know about it, will be entered into a drawing, and one randomly chosen winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to their favorite indie bookstore. This contest is only open to residents of the United States, no purchase necessary, and is not associated with 50 States 50 Books or any social media entity. The deadline to enter this drawing is June 30, 2022.
HOW TO SUPPORT GUN REFORM LEGISLATION IN AMERICA
Find your senators here.
Find your representatives here.
I know it can sound intimidating to call a lawmaker. But your calls MATTER. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office of your elected official. The person who answers your call will make note of your message and pass it on to the member of Congress. Their addresses are also listed if you would like to send something in writing. This script is easy to follow, though feel free to modify it so you feel comfortable:
"Good morning. My name is _____ and I live at _____. I am a constituent and have a deep love for my community and neighbors. I urge Senator/Representative _____, as an elected official who represents me, to protect our safety by leading the way toward gun violence prevention. Specifically, I am asking Senator/Rep _____ to advocate for the The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. Eight) and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 1446). I will be casting my next vote based on his or her legislative response to the gun violence epidemic in America. Thank you for your time."
(That part in bold is the really important part. It's time we let our lawmakers know that their response to gun violence will decide their future in politics.)
If you’d like to make a cash donation, I like these two organizations, both of which are rated highly on Charity Navigator:
Everytown.org
Sandy Hook Promise
(Note: Some of the above book links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. The links to charities are not affiliates; I get nothing from those. I just want to encourage you to support those who are doing good work in the world. But anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Kelly Pollock has always been the kind of person who asks questions — lots of questions — to anyone who will listen and answer. With a BA in Religious Studies from Northwestern University and an MA in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara (where she wrote a thesis on feminist witches), she has now turned my questioning to history where she digs deep into stories that aren’t getting enough attention.
By day Kelly is the Dean of Students in the Division of the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago, where she has worked since 2004. She lives on the south side of Chicago with her husband, the two best kids in the world, and two senior cats.
Kelly joined me today to talk about “All That She Carried” by Tiya Miles, a book whose language and terminology changed my understanding of how I have always learned about enslaved persons. We also discussed why such a humble object is so profoundly affecting, and how, ultimately, this is a story of hope.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Kelly Therese Pollock
Website/Twitter/Instagram/Unsung History Podcast/Uncorked History
This episode is sponsored by my new book, a werewolf romance called Lover's Moon, written with my dear friend and frequent guest of the show, Mark Leslie. It's a Meat-Cute love story. C'mon, I know that made you laugh.
Discussed in this episode:
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, A Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles
Knitting Brigades of World War 1 (Unsung History Podcast)
The Jackson State Shootings (Unsung History Podcast)
Julia Chinn, wife of Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson (Unsung History Podcast)
Dispossessed Lives: Enslaved Women, Violence and the Archive by Marisa J. Fuentes (this contains Fuentes’ method of “reading against the grain”
Wake: The Hidden History of Women Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall
When Everyone Around You Is Talking About the End, Talk About Black History (Tiya Miles Op-Ed in the New York Times – may have a paywall, but I promise, this is WELL worth a read.)
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder (Book 1 of the Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series) by Dianne Freeman
Fierce and Fearless: Patsy Takemoto Mink, First Woman of Color in Congress by Judy Tzu-Chun Wu and Gwendolyn Mink
Public Faces, Secret Lives: A Queer History of the Women’s Suffrage Movement by Wendy L. Rouse
Recasting the Vote: How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement by Cathleen D. Cahill
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
We Don’t All Need to Talk About Proust
Sivan Hong was a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and former partner at The Bridgespan Group. Today, she authors and illustrates the best-selling children’s book series The Super Fun Day Books, which focus on neurodiverse children who overcome their challenges with perseverance and bravery.
Sivan joined me to talk about “The Sense of An Ending” by Julian Barnes, a book that is really short but packs a real punch. Then we veered into talking about the 900-page doorstopper she is currently reading, and the value of sticking with books even when you don’t love them. Sivan’s determination to finish all books runs counter to my “give it 50 pages and then quit” philosophy, and it was wonderful to hear her reasons why she doesn’t quit the hard books.
TW: This book discusses suicide
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Sivan Hong
Website/Facebook/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes
Books by Sivan Hong:
George J. and the Miserable Monday
Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween
Emily D. and the Fearful First Day
Avery G. and the Scary End of School
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tocarczuk
Ann Patchett
Westport Public Library Bookstore – they have an online shop, so you can support their mission no matter where you live!
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lizbeth Meredith
Website/Facebook/Instagram/Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
What Comes Next and How to Like It: A Memoir by Abigail Thomas
Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters by Lizbeth Meredith
Stolen by Their Father (Lifetime movie based on Lizbeth’s movie)
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
TukTuk for Two by Adam Fletcher
Liane Moriarty
A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas
Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life by Abigail Thomas
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Liam Jenkins
Website/Facebook/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Dylan McFinn & The Sea Serpent’s Fury by Liam Jenkins
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett (there are 41 novels in this series, and the books can be read in any order. But, avid fans have suggestions for different approaches you might take.)
The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett
Mort by Terry Pratchett
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Mind Magic Methods: A Complete Magickal System by Merlin Starlight
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
The Island of Dr. Moreau movie
Origin by Dan Brown
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” is one of those books that I’ve seen my whole life, but never actually picked up. I always thought it was a kids’ book. And it kind of is – it’s definitely assigned in a lot of schools. But many adults claim it as an all-time favorite. It’s often cited as the book that starts people on spiritual journeys. Today I am delighted to welcome poet, actress, and podcaster Sonia Iris Lozada to talk about this famously tiny but profound book.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Sonia Iris Lozada
Website/Instagram/Facebook/Poetic Resurrections Podcast/Chica and the Man Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Follow: Akashic Dreaming Through Time by Sonia Iris Lozada
The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
Inspire Me: Raw by Sonia Iris Lozada
The John Pilate Mystery Series by J. Alexander Greenwood
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I have loved implementing the lessons from “The Artist’s Way” over the years, and it was a delight to talk about it with someone who has an entirely different creative life than I do. Shay Dominguez is a comedian, podcaster, and mindfulness live event creator, and I absolutely loved talking to her about the vulnerability of an authentically creative life.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Shay Dominguez
Website/Instagram/TikTok/Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Yes Please by Amy Poehler (PS – Julie recommends this one on audio!)
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
An Anatomy of An Illness: As Perceived by the Patient by Norman Cousins
High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendan Burchard
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
(PS – for more Liz Gilbert content, we talked about Big Magic in Episode 025!)
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’ve never been a comics reader, and have been looking forward to the day when a guest chose a graphic novel for me to read. Led Bradshaw Brooklyn-born graphic artist who is quickly making a name for himself as one of New York’s up-and-coming black comic book illustrators. As the creator of Jetpulse Comics, his Flagship title “The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse” is a comic book adventure story that was inspired by his son Jacob who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of four. Today Led joined me to talk about “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller, a graphic novel that is considered the best of the genre, and changed how superheroes are viewed in modern pop culture. Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Led Bradshaw
Website/Instagram/Twitter/TikTok
Discussed in this episode:
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee and John Buscema
The Adventures of Jake Jetpulse: Queen of the Goblin Hive by Led Bradshaw
Graphic Artists Led loves:
George Perez
Jim Lee
Todd McFarlane
Alex Ross
Frank Frazetta
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Leah Carey is a Sex and Intimacy coach and host of the podcast “Good Girls Talk About Sex,” where she interviews people who grew up as little girls plus transgender women about their sex lives.
As a coach, she works with people eager to explore new avenues of their sexuality and fulfill their greatest desires, like: learning to talk with current or future partners about sexual desires, diving back into the dating pool after a long time away, having first-time queer experiences, investigating consensual non-monogamy, or learning how to communicate about kink.
I was thrilled that Leah joined me to talk about Kate Stayman-London’s “One To Watch,” a whip-smart rom-com that I immediately pressed on all of my girlfriends to read.
Content warnings: sex and sexuality, brief mention of suicide.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Leah Carey
Website/Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
One to Watch by Kate Staymon London
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon
Maintenance Phase (Aubrey Gordon podcast)
Hedonism II Resort
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Episode 091 Rohit Marawar on “Quiet” by Susan Cain
Rohit Marawar is a father of two, a husband, a physician, and an immigrant. Rohit is also a self-described introvert. But nowadays he feels empowered by introversion and is attuned to its needs. However, this was not always the case.
I had the best time talking to Rohit about living, parenting, and working as an introvert in a world made for extroverts. We discussed “Quiet” by Susan Cain, a book many readers (including me) describe as “life changing.”
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Rohit Marawar
Twitter/LinkedIn
Discussed in this episode:
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Bonus for parents of young people - there is also a YA version of this week’s book: Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids by Susan Cain
The Art and Business of Online Writing by Nicolas Cole
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Jerry Fu is a conflict resolution coach who helps Asian American leaders advance in their career and life journeys. He’s also a voracious and wide-ranging reader, and I was delighted he joined me today to talk about a classic true story of survival and forgiveness, “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jerry Fu
Website/LinkedIn
Discussed in this episode:
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Forgotten Realms by R. A. Salvatore
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X as told to Alexander Hailey
The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Thomas Wolf\
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Forgotten God by David Pleiss Radical
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Dan Heath and Chip Heath
Switch: How To Change Things When Change is Hard by Dan Heath and Chip Heath
Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Dan Heath and Chip Heath
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Dan Fink
Michael Crichton
The Bourne Trilogy by Robert Ludlum
Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Eric Barker
Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Unbroken movie
Unbroken: The Young Adult Adaptation by Laura Hillenbrand
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Between a Rock and A Hard Place by Aron Ralston (the basis of the movie 127 Hours)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I’m thrilled to be joined by Stephen Pelton, artistic director of the Stephen Pelton Dance Studio in London, England. Stephen is, by his own admission, obsessed with Virgina Woolf, and today we talk about “Mrs. Dalloway” through the eyes of a dancer. He tells me how he uses literature in his choreography, and how Woolf is a surprisingly physical artist. I also got a tour of his Woolf-filled bookshelves!
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Stephen Pelton
Facebook/Twitter
Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022
Discussed in this episode:
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Comedian David Mills, who is a mutual friend of ours, appeared on Episode 005 of the podcast, talking about Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw
Eugene O’Neill
The Waves by Virginia Woolf
The Hours movie
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Mrs. Dalloway map of London
The Promise by Damon Galgut
The Good Doctor by Damon Galgot
In A Strange Room by Damon Galgot
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
Discussed in the Patreon Exclusive Clip
Alan Bennett
Vaughn Williams
Johnathan Miller
The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I can't even with how much fun this guest is. Can't. Even. Margit Sperling leads food tours in Madrid! And she's hilarious! And she reads books. I'm not saying she's the coolest person alive, but I'm not not saying it.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Margit Sperling
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
This American Life
Santaland Diaries (Essay read by David Sedaris on This American Life)
You can read all of David Sedaris’ Christmas themed essays in his book Holidays on Ice
Calypso by David Sedaris
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip
Ruta’l Quesu y la Sidra
Stewed cockscomb
My Octopus Teacher
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’ve always thought I was a voracious reader, until I met Liz Scully. Trust me – you really need to hear how much she reads, and how she does it. We also discussed the joys of an audiobook, and how they help us get through books we wouldn’t have attempted on paper.
After that, Liz introduced me to a business strategy book. Even if you aren’t a business person, don’t miss this conversation. “Lingo” is not really about business, but about psychology – why do we buy certain things? Why do we feel comfortable in certain places? Who do we think we are when we buy things? I learned a lot about business in this book, but even more than that, I felt like I learned a lot about myself.
Also, Liz is So. Damn. Funny.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Liz Scully
Website/Instagram/Alter Ego’s Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Lingo: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible by Jeffrey Shaw
Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955 by Harald Jähner
Blackwell’s Bookshop in UK
Devil Wears Prada Blue Sweater Scene
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Anthony Trollope
Charles Dickens
Swans Way by Marcel Proust
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (Narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal)
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I have been dying for someone to choose a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, and author Carly Heath didn’t let me down when she chose to tell me about the delicious tale of old Hollywood, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and why it is the Best Book Ever.
NOTE: I've bleeped out the name of the True Love character, so don't worry! You can listen spoiler free!
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Carly Heath
Website/Instagram/Twitter/YouTube/TikTok/
Discussed in this episode:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath
Lisa Perrin-designed book covers
Rosemaling folk art styles
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Unsted
The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
Tommy Cabot Was Here by Cat Sebastian
Peter Cabot Gets Lost by Cat Sebastian
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
The Likeness by Tana French
The Witch Elm by Tana French
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Jaclyn Desforges is the author of Danger Flower, a poetry collection about nature, sexuality, reverse mermaids and mothering. She’s also the author of Why Are You So Quiet? a picture book about being an introverted kid. Her award-winning poems and stories have been published in literary magazines across Canada. Today, Jaclyn joined me to talk about a book that I have always thought I hated. It turns out, I fundamentally misunderstood “Jane Eyre,” and this was one of those bookish conversations that opened my eyes and made my brain tingle. We also talked Reverse Mermaids, how to understand books differently on a re-reading, and how Jane Eyre is Jaclyn’s own personal Patron Saint of Neurodivergence. Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jaclyn Desforges
Website/Instagram/Twitter
Discussed in this episode:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Danger Flower by Jaclyn Desforges
Why Are You So Quiet? by Jaclyn Desforges
Devolution by Kim Goldberg
Moving to Climate Change Hours by Ross Belot
Gold Rush by Claire Caldwell
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Wild Milk: Stories by Sabrina Orah Mark
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip
Quiet by Susan Cain
Sure enough, there is a Young Reader’s edition of Quiet!!
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Chris Angel Murphy (they/them) is a queer, trans, and nonbinary LGBTQ+ educator and consultant living in Denver, CO, but is originally from Los Angeles, CA. They have a background in social work and LGBTQ+ community organizing. Chris Angel started LGBTQ+ community organizing as a freshman in high school back in 2001 and has been speaking and presenting on various topics ever since. They also have their own podcast, Allyship is a Verb, in which they interview LGBTQ+ community members from various lived experiences and backgrounds. In addition to all that, Chris Angel is just a great conversationalist, fearless when it comes to tackling difficult subjects with love and compassion. I loved this conversation with them, and fell wildly in love with their Best Book Ever, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky. WHAT a book!
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Chris Angel Murphy
Instagram /Podcast/Etsy Store/Website/Gumroad
Discussed in this episode:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Animorphs series
The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self Love by Jonathan Van Ness (Julie’s note: JVN narrates the audiobook version of this book; if you aren’t in love with them yet, you for sure will be after you listen to it!)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower movie
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Sissy: A Coming of Gender Story by Jacob Tobia
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip
PFLAG
Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parents’ Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground by Chris Tompkins
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It’s always a delight to talk to one of the readers I admire most: returning guest of the show Marion Hill. Today, Marion joined me to talk about the sci-fi classic “Parable of the Sower,” and we had a great discussion about repeated readings, what makes a book sci-fi, and how Octavia Butler transcends any genre. Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Marion Hill
Instagram/Website
Discussed in this episode:
The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
(After we recorded this episode, I spotted this haunting graphic novel version of the book)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The Fifth Season by NK Jemison
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
Artpace Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
Wild Seed by Octavia Butler (Listen to Marti Dumas tell me about Wild Seed on Episode 030)
The Little Country by Charles de Lint
Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint (Listen to Marion’s tell me about this book on Episode 008)
Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip
All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I'm talking to Jasmin Darznik, the New York Times bestselling author of The Bohemians, a novel that imagines the friendship between photographer Dorothea Lange and her Chinese American assistant in 1920s, San Francisco. Her debut novel, Song of a Captive Bird was a New York Times Book Review editor’s choice book, and a Los Angeles Times best seller. She's also the author of The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life. Her writing has appeared in New York times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times. I had the best time talking with Jasmin about writing historical fiction, the creative life, and why Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters is the Best Book Ever.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jasmin Darznik
Instagram/Facebook/Website
Note: Most of the book links this week lead to Jasmin’s favorite bookstore, the Book Passage in Corte Madeira. Please shop indies whenever you buy books!!
Discussed in this episode:
The Bohemians by Jasmin Darznik
Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik
The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother’s Hidden Life by Jasmin Darznik
Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange
Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits by Linda Gordon
Montgomery Block, San Francisco
Mary Karr
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Book Passage in Corte Madeira
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
The Oakland Museum – The Dorothea Lange Archive
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korleitz
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip
Fierce Attachments: A Memoir by Vivan Gornick
Men We Reaped: A Memoir by Jesmyn Ward
The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Erica Appelros is a Doctor in Theology and Associate Professor in Philosophy of Religion with more than 20 years of experience as a teacher, coach and speaker, works as an associate professor in philosophy of religion at Lund University, Sweden. She is also a published author in Swedish and in English, and she is dedicated to creating courses, books and workshops to empower people to advance in their growth towards more clarity, knowledge and self-knowledge to live a life with a deeper purpose. She is a lifelong learner and reader, and her university training includes Philosophy, Theology, Mathematics, Biology, Linguistics, Religious Studies, and Horticulture. She is also a certified dance leader in Liberating dance and Sacred dance, a raving reader, a lively language learner and loves playing with clay. I could have talked to her about her background all day, but we also talked about her favorite book – a Swedish classic I’d never heard of, called “The Emigrants,” by Vilhelm Moberg.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Erica Appelros
Website/Twitter
Discussed in this episode:
The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg
Unto a Good Land by Vilhelm Moberg
The Settlers by Vilhelm Moberg
The Last Letter Home by Vilhelm Moberg (Gah! The title alone brings tears to my eyes.)
Bookstore Funchal – Livraria Esperança (do yourself a favor and look up photos of this bookstore. We’re moving to Madeira, right? I feel like we have to move to Madeira.)
The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Ten Lessons for A Post-Pandemic World by Fareed Zakaria
Here’s a clip of Liv Ullman talking about the goodbye scene in the 1973 Emigrants movie
And here’s a clip for a remake of the movie, coming in March 2022
Karl Oskar and Kristina monument in Karlshamn, Sweden
There is a matching one in Lindstrom, Minnesota!
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’m kicking off the New Year with a solo episode – a list of my favorite reads of 2020.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
Romance
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
I love this one on audio, thanks to the incredible voice work of Adjoa Andoh (voice actor for series)
A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
(I mistakenly called this “A Scandal by Any Other Name” in the podcast; forgive my error. It’s part of Sarah MacLean’s The First Rule of Scoundrels series, and I should know better than to try to record a podcast while sick!)
Thriller/Mystery
The Witch Elm by Tana French
Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache Series
Memoir
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
Graphic Novels
In Waves by AJ Dungo
Historical Fiction
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Iliad of Homer
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Fiction
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Severance by Ling Ma
Joanna Balfour on “The Body Papers: A Memoir” by Grace Talusan, Best Book Ever Episode 051
Bel Canto Books, Long Beach, California – ships all over the world, support indie bookstores!
Zenobia Neil on “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller, Best Book Ever Episode 035
Lisa Marie Cabrelli on “Severance” by Ling Ma, Best Book Ever Episode 050
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Malavika Praseed is the host of the Your Favorite Book Podcast, a show with a similar theme as the Best Book Ever, but with a different format and philosophy. She’s been my guest here a couple of times, and I love talking books with her. Today, we got together to talk about what it’s like to ask people about their favorite books. What episodes are our most popular? Which ones are our personal favorites? What genres are we missing? Do we have an unpopular book opinions? Hosting these podcasts have changed both of our reading lives, in mostly (but not exclusively) positive ways, and I had so much fun digging in to the good, the bad, and the ugly of bookish podcasting with her.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Malavika Praseed
Podcast/Instagram/Twitter/Chicago Review of Books
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
Deerskin by Robin McKinley
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Debra Dean
Best Book Ever Episode 26 with Debra Dean
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Best Book Ever Episode 007 with H. Claire Taylor
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Your Favorite Book Podcast with Brandon Taylor
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor
Your Favorite Book Podcast with Malavika’s Mom
(Also, don’t miss Malavika’s episode with her Dad, which is also an absolute delight. I do so love a bookish family!)
Your Favorite Book Podcast with sportswriter Jeff Pearlman
Best Book Ever Episode 071 with Jeremy Patlen
Just Kids by Patti Smith
Barack Obama’s Summer Reading Lists
Liane Moriarty
Your Favorite Book Podcast with Shruthi Swamy
The Archer by Shruthi Swamy
Always Coming Home by Ursula K. Le Guin
Best Book Ever Episode 063 with Mona Kabbani
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Your Favorite Book Episode with Kota Connell-Ledwon
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Your Favorite Book Episode with Maxwell Dunn
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Best Book Ever Episode 047 with Aime Austin
What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
Three Pines Mysteries by Louise Penny
My Cousin Vinny
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Rumors Fleetwood Mac
Black Panther
Elvis Costello The Best Of The First 10 Years
My Autobiography of Carson McCullers: A Memoir by Jenn Shapland
Best Book Ever Episode 029 Malavika Praseed
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Ambria Waller has one of my favorite Bookstagram and BookTube accounts – she’s funny, insightful, and always gives me great reading ideas. Today, she joined me to talk about “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones, an extremely popular book with some extremely unpopular characters. It was so much fun to re-read this modern classic and re-examine it with Ambria.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ambria Waller
Instagram/YouTube
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie
The Street by Ann Petry
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
A Chorus Rises by Bethany C. Morrow
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It’s time for my favorite episode of the year – the Kids/YA gift Giving Guide! I invited a bunch of kids to tell me about their favorite books, and once again these kids are funny, thoughtful, wise, smart, and so interesting. If you have young people to buy for this holiday season, this episode will give you lots of great ideas. If you don’t have young people to buy for, you will still get some wonderful reading suggestions. I’m telling you – kid lit and YA lit is the most innovative writing out there.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
Hope, Age 7
Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne
Buffalo Before Breakfast by Mary Pope Osborne
These books are part of The Magic Treehouse Series by Mary Pope Osborne
McKenzie, Age 7
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne
Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne
Vacation Under the Volcano by Mary Pope Osborne
Earthquake in the Early Morning by Mary Pope Osborne
Monday with a Mad Genius by Mary Pope Osborne
The Supernatural Bear, Age 9
(SNB is a regular guest on the Word to Your Mama Podcast, so if you enjoyed hearing me talk to him, definitely check him out over there!)
The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley-Archer
Book 1: The Time Travelers
Book 2: The Time Thief
Book 3: The Time Quake
Rohan, Age 11
The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey: Graphic Novels of Jewish Wisdom and Wit in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin
Rabbi Harvey Rides Again by Steve Sheinkin
Rabbi Harvey vs. the Wisdom Kid: A Graphic Novel of Dueling Jewish Folktales in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin
Kate, Age 11
Alone by Megan E. Freeman
Jack, Age 13
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Outsiders Movie
The Sun Trail (Warrior Cats Book) by Erin Hunter
(Jack talked to me about the Warrior Cats books in last year’s Kids/YA Episode. If you are looking for an expansive book universe, you can’t beat this series.)
Joey, Age 14
The Generations Trilogy by Scott Sigler:
Book 1: Alive
Book 2: Alight
Book 3: Alone
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan
Game Changer by Neal Shusterman
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Erin, Age 18
Life in a Fishbowl by Len Vlahos
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Lya Badgley has led a fascinating life, and talking to her about the role books have played in her life was a fantastic conversation. She introduced me to the atmospheric thrillers of Lawrence Osborne, who we’ll be hearing a lot more from in the near future – all of his books have been optioned for movies. Lya and I also discussed writers who communicate an immersive sense of place, her life as a rock star, and how she hung on to her humanity while documenting some of the worst atrocities humans have ever committed.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lya Badgely
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
Hunters in the Dark by Lawrence Osborne
The Foreigner’s Confession by Lya Badgely (releases Feb 1, 2022; available for pre-order now)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (Has anyone else noticed how often my guests refer to this book? It’s one of my all-time favorites, too!)
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
The Wet and the Dry: A Drinker’s Journey by Lawrence Osborne
In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel by Vaddey Ratner
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Discussed in the Patreon Exclusive Clip
Cambodian Amok
The Cambodian Community in Long Beach, California
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
What a delight to chat with world traveler and book lover Carol Yee about her favorite book. “The World Unseen” is a slim love story that manages to touch on racial, sexual, and political tensions, while somehow manages to also be a compelling love story. We also discuss how travel and reading are similar, and the rules of Turkish coffee.
One note about our conversation: Carol and I use the word “colored” a lot in the context of the book, which is the correct terminology for the time and place this book is set. When Carol and I talk about this term, we are, in fact, discussing the ridiculousness of these complex and nonsensical forms of racist distinctions. We talk about the traditions of a culture we are unfamiliar with, and grapple with the social implications of such distinctions, and, as always, marvel at the way fiction can bring us to the truths of the lives of other people.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Carol Yee
Website
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
The World Unseen by Shamim Sarif
Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again: How I Became a Citizen of the World by Carol J. Yee
Georgetown University Book Creators Program
The World Unseen (Movie)
I Can’t Think Straight (Movie)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I Can’t Think Straight by Shamim Sarif
Despite the Falling Snow by Shamim Sarif
The Athena Protocol by Shamim Sarif
The Shadow Mission by Shamim Sarif
All Four Stars by Tara Dairman
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
The Many Meanings of Meilan by Andrea Wang
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Bookworms, do you ever think to yourself, “I’m so glad I get to be alive at the same time as this magical person?” That was my exact thought after I talked with Adrian Cepeda, owner of the Golden Lab Bookshop in Queens, New York. His infectious love of books and commitment to celebrating diversity and inclusivity in literature is a joy to behold. Adrian uplifts voices that aren’t always at the forefront of popular literature, so readers can connect with stories they can relate to. In today’s episode, Adrian and I grappled with how we can continue to appreciate classic literature, even if social norms have changed, and how Gabriel García Márquez didn’t invent magical realism, but perfected it. Finally, Adrian nearly gave me a heart attack when he showed me the horror book he’s currently reading.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Adrian Cepeda
Golden Lab Bookshop/Instagram/TikTok
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
(Note: I’m not doing any of my usual affiliate links this week. All of the links for this episode take you to the Golden Lab Bookshop. Thank you for supporting this indie bookstore, not just for the books we talk about on today’s episode, but for any book buying you do! Remember to show our beloved indie bookstores ALL the love this holiday season!)
Discussed in this episode:
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
(If you can read Spanish, Adrian especially recommends this book in its original language.)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Leaf Storm and Other Stories by Gabriel García Márquez
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez
A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes: A Son’s Memoir of Gabriel García Márquez and Mercedes Barcha by Rodrigo Garcia
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Discussed in our Patreon Segment:
Get a personalized book recommendation from the Golden Lab Bookshop
Liane Moriarty
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
My, my, my, how the turn tables.
Jaimie Morimoto is now a Romance reader, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.
We start by discussing what it means when we dismiss an entire genre/hobby/aesthetic because it is largely by and for women. Then we cover the strange experience of cringing at our old favorite books, movies, and TV shows. And we wrap it up with the fascinating history of Monopoly. I absolutely love talking with Jaimie!
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
In this week's Patreon clip, Jaimie and I admit the truth about the authors we tell other people we have read, but have not actually read. We also talk about how easy it is to get into a habit of reading books by people who look just like us. According to Jaimie, “I was reading my own story back to myself over and over.” This clip is available exclusively to my Patreon supporters.
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jaimie Morimoto
Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Discussed in this episode:
Best Book Ever Episode 024 – Jaimie Morimoto on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Best Book Ever Episode 014 – Jeff Adams on The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Best Book Ever Episode 057 – Ellene Glenn Moore on “Bitterblue” by Kristen Cashore
Book of the Month Club
Best Book Ever Episode 043 Jami Albright on The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Having and Being Had by Eula Biss
On Immunity: An Inoculation by Eula Biss
Discussed in our Patreon Segment
Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson
Tolstoy Together: 85 Days of War and Peace by Yiyun Li
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Homie: Poems by Danez Smith
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
What a thrill it was to chat with Robin Whitten, founder and editor of AudioFile Magazine. I rely on their reviews for all of the audiobooks I check out at my library (yes! You can check out audiobooks at your library). Today, Robin and I chatted about how a narrator can bring you deeper into a story or drag you further out of it, how a good narrator can redeem an average book (and vice versa) and why the movie version of The Golden Compass didn’t work. If you have never read The Golden Compass, I highly recommend you take Robin’s advice and experience it on audio. It’s a full cast production and it is truly something special.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Robin Whitten
Website/Twitter/Behind the Mic with AudioFile Podcast/Audiobook Break Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
His Dark Materials Series by Phillip Pullman
Call for the Dead: A George Smiley Novel by John LeCarré
Kate Winslet narrated audiobooks:
The Twits, The Minpins, and The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl
Matilda by Roald Dahl
You’re a Bad Man, Mr. Gum by Andy Stanton
Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
The Golden Compass movie
His Dark Materials television series
Other audiobooks narrated by Sean Barrett (voice of lorick Byrnison)
Neil Gaiman self-narrated audiobooks
Always by Morris Gleitzman
Always is the final book in the story of Felix, the hero of Morris Gleitzman’s Once, Then, Now, After, Soon, and Maybe
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie, read by Alfred Molina and a Full Cast
The Iliad, narrated by Anton Lesser
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Discussed in our Patreon Segment
The AudioFile Magazine Golden Voices
Simon Jones
George Guidall
Gerard Doyle
Laura Lippman
Linda Emond
Robert Bathurst
Jason Culp
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I had a hard time keeping my cool when I chatted with Jeremy Patlen, Director of Buying at Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, Colorado, one of the world’s best bookstores in one of the world’s best cities. Jeremy and I talked about the artist’s life and the cities that sustain it, the joys of opera, and a heartbreaking and beautiful memoir by Patti Smith.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jeremy Patlen
Website/Instagram/Tattered Cover Bookstore
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
Just Kids by Patti Smith
(Also check out this gorgeous Illustrated Edition)
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
Whereabouts by Jumpha Lahiri
Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
Comfort Me With Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl
Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl
Robert Mapplethorpe: The Photographs
The Chelsea Hotel, Manhattan
My Accidental Visit to the Pandemic’s Party Capital (New York Times)
Woolgathering by Patti Smith
M Train by Patti Smith
Devotions by Patti Smith
My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Harlem Shuffle: A Novel by Colson Whitehead
Beautiful Country: A Memoir by Qian Julie Wang
The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina: A Novel by Zoraida Córdova
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
Fuzz by Mary Roach
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
The Magician by Cólm Toibín
Brooklyn by Cólm Toibín
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Discussed in our Patreon Segment
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton
Becoming by Michelle Obama
(FYI - there is also a version of this book adapted for young readers, as well as a Becoming Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice – these would make fantastic gifts for the young readers in your life!)
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and author of ten books, Joyce Fields joined me today to talk parenting, patience, and why she stopped reading fiction. I also got her to share her family favorite recipes. This episode is guaranteed to make you starving.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Joyce Fields
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/TikTok
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
Jump by Steve Harvey
Line of Serenity by Joyce Fields
Mother’s Dozen: An Easy Recipe for Raising Great Kids by Joyce Fields
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I’m joined by the brainy and delightful bestselling sci-fi/fantasy author Lindsey Sparks, who got me to read a book that approximately one million people have recommended to me. Lindsey calls “A Discovery of Witches” a grown-up Twilight meets the Da Vinci Code, which I think is spot on. She also blew my mind when she explained how a good sci-fi or fantasy novel will stand on its own when all fantastical elements are pulled out of it, which in turn made me rethink what I have liked about the few books in those genres I’ve read.
One warning: we delve into the topic of miscarriage in this episode, and how it can be a trigger for many readers, and how hard it is to avoid. I’ve moved this part of our conversation to the end of the podcast, so if this is a topic you aren’t up to, you may want to tap out at about the 20 minute mark. You’ll still get the book chat, but you can skip over the part you are sensitive to.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lindsey Sparks
Website/Facebook/Facebook Reader Group/Instagram/Podcast
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Julie’s appearance on Lindsey’s podcast “No Shelf Control”
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Redemption of Althalus by David Eddings
Dead Witch Walking: Book One of The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison
The Heroine’s Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture by Gail Carriger
The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Ending Series, co-authored by Lindsey Pogue and Lindsey Sparks
Lindsey Pogue on the Best Book Ever podcast
True Blood Television Series
Dead Until Dark: (Sookie Stackhouse Book 1) by Charlaine Harris
Guilty Pleasures: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel (Book 1) by Laurell K. Hamilton
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Virgin River TV Show
The Elemental Mysteries by Elizabeth Hunter
The Martian by Andy Weir
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I met librarian Lauren Regenhardt when I participated in my local “Book Connect” program, and I was thrilled to get a chance to ask so many questions without getting shushed! The Children/YA Librarian told me about how she abandoned her first career for the library and the different types of libraries for different industries. Or, as she puts it, “Libraries in unsuspecting places.” We also talked about why she specializes in Children’s/YA books, how a book can ease anxiety and depression, and the delicious perfection of Casey McQuiston’s hilarious, sexy, and sweet romance, “Red, White & Royal Blue.”
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lauren Regenhardt
Podcast/Twitter/Instagram
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
The Mission Viejo Library
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The Baby Sitters Club Series by Ann M. Martin
The Baby Sitters Little Sisters Series by Ann. M. Martin
The Dog Man Series by Dav Pilkey
Lauren uses NoveList to find readalikes – check to see if your local library offers this service, and if not, you can go directly to the NoveList site to request it.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Fresh off the Boat by Eddie Huang
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The Long Call by Ann Cleves
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
The Selection Series by Kiera Cass
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (great news! This is part of a 3-book series!)
Damaged Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie (this is the first in the 10-book “Like Us” series; the books can be read in any order.)
The Failed Audition: Book 1 in A Circus is Family Series by Becca and Christy Ritchie
Libra by Don Delillo
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Book 1 of the the Lightning Thief Series) by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan Presents This is a series of middle grade books centering on mythology from around the world. Lauren particularly called out these two:
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I don’t need to like the books my guests choose – the whole point is, it’s their favorite book. Not mine. But today someone chose one of my all-time favorites, a book that I honestly think will be taught in lit classes for generations. Today I’m talking to about Brit Bennet’s “The Mothers” with Taevia Norris, the brilliant mind behind Books and Brown Sugar Co., an apparel line designed amplify Black literature. Taevia and I talked about diversifying our bookshelves, and how a good writer helps us relate to a character emotionally even if we have no exterior connection to him or her. Bonus: Taevia has the best idea for how The Mothers should be made on film.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Taevia Norris
Website/Taevia’s Instagram/Books and Brown Sugar Co Instagram
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
@diversespines on Instagram
@WellReadBlackGirl on Instagram
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’ll never pass up a chance to talk to a bookseller! Marianne Reiner of Run for Cover Books in San Diego joined me to talk books today. We talked about the special handwritten notes she adds to the books she sells, and how a non-reading child can become a book obsessed adult if they can only find the right book. We also talked some heavy subjects, including white privilege and the books that make you confront that. Marianne considers “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson to be a fundamental book, and I completely agree.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Marianne Reiner
Website/Instagram/Facebook/Twitter
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
Oprah’s Book Club
Reese Book Club
Read with Jenna
Target Book Club
Susie Morgenstern
The Equal Justice Initiative
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults) by Bryan Stevenson
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers by Michelle Obama
Amnesty International
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
Immediate Family by Ashley Nelson Levy
Learning in Public: Lessons for a Racially Divided America from My Daughter’s School by Courtney E. Martin
Howard Zinn, historian, playwright, and activist
Survivor Tree by Marcie Colleen
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I hope you’re hungry, Bookworms – this episode is going to give you the munchies. Today’s guest Nikki Furrer is the author of “A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis.” She is also a cannabis lawyer, yoga teacher, and cannabis product developer. Nikki joined me today to talk about bookstores and cookbooks, learning to cook well instead of simply following a recipe, and the joys of a just little bit too much salt.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Nikki Furrer
Website/Instagram/Bend and Blaze Yoga
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis: Using Marijuana to Feel Better, Look Better, Sleep Better, and Get High Like a Lady by Nikki Furrer
A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life by Ayelet Waldman
Yoga Nidra
The Colombia Publishing Course
Tana French
Gillian Flynn
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple
Salt Fat Acid Heat Netflix Show
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
Nancy Pearl
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Alice Waters Cookbooks (they’re all brilliant)
We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto
The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution
The Art of Simple Food II: Recipes, Flavor, and Inspiration from the New Kitchen Garden
Chez Pannisse Cooking
Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook
My Pantry: Homemade Ingredients That Make Simple Meals Your Own
The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes and Stories of My Life
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
In her podcast Word To Your Mama, Ritzy Periwinkle showcases diverse voices with common themes of non-linear career paths, normalizing mental health within marginalized communities, women in male dominated spaces, and much more. After years of working in various cubicles in the music industry, she decided to launch Ritzy Periwinkle, a moniker for personal art exhibits, and now a vehicle to provide creative direction, graphic design, illustration, strategic branding and more to a broad spectrum of clients and causes. A proud supporter of culture, justice, and diversity, she is dedicated to ensuring that her role as a strong, Latinx, female creative pays respect to those that helped to pave the way.
Bookworms, I had so much fun talking to Ritzy. Our conversation covered a wide range of topics, including representation in Children’s and YA books, and artist’s need to constantly create, the rewards of therapy, our mutual shame at not reading more Octavia Butler, and the biggest question of all: how can we convince an author to write another book in a series?
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ritzy Periwinkle
Website/Ritzy’s Instagram/Word to Your Mama Podcast/WTYMama Podcast Instagram
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (Attention Bookworms of a Certain Age: click that link to see the modern, updated cover for this classic!)
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera
The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir by Jennifer Lewis
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
Parable of the Sower Octavia E. Butler
Best Book Ever Episode 008, Marion Hill on “Memory and Dream” by Charles de Lint
Octavia E. Butler Landing
Parable of the Sower movie
Discussed in the Patreon Exclusive Clip
Unearthed: A Jessica Cruz story by Lilliam Rivera, illustrated by Steph C.
Moses Sumney
What If… Animated Series
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Why is it that horror writers are the nicest people you’ll ever meet? My guest this week has some theories. Mona Kabbani is a horror fan, writer, and reviewer obsessed with psychology and the human condition. An award-winning author, she emulates the conflict of the good versus the bad and all of the in between in her work while providing an entertainingly horrifying experience. She is a Lebanese immigrant living the American dream in New York City where much of her writing is inspired. Today, Mona joined me to talk about a non-horror book (though I was horrified by most of it) called “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk. We had very different readings of this book, and it was so interesting to talk about how re-reads at different stages of your life make it almost an entirely new book.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Mona Kabbani
Website/Instagram/Twitter
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Fight Club Movie
Vanilla by Mona Kabbani
The Bell Chime by Mona Kabbani
Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Horror Author
Body Art by Kristopher Triana
Leigh Bardugo
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca
The Living Dead by George A. Romero
Creep Show Movie (1982)
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
The Kids and YA Gift Giving Guide (Episode 027) was my most popular episode last year, and it’s not hard to see why – kids are friggen awesome. Today I’m sharing something that’s usually reserved for my Patrons: the outtakes from that episode. I’m gearing up to start work on the 2021 Kid’s Episode, so if you know a young person who likes to read, stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear how they can be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Listen to the First Kids/YA Gift Giving Guide Episode HERE.
These are the books the kids talked about in Episode 27:
Henry:
The Amazing Spiderman World of Reading This is Spiderman by Marvel Press
Charley:
Thea Stilton and the Land of Flowers
Thea Stilton Cloud Castle
Thea Stilton Treasure Seekers
Katie:
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Jaden:
The Pandava Series by Roshani Chokshi
Jaden’s favorite is Book 2, Arusha and the Song of Death
Jack:
The Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter
There are several series; Jack’s favorite is the New Prophecy Series
His favorite book in that series is Warrior Cat: Sunset by Erin Hunter
Miles:
The Geronimo Stilton Books
Miles mentioned the following:
Geronimo Stilton: The Island of Dragons
Thea Stilton: The Land of Flowers
Thea Stilton and The Dragon’s Code
Geronimo Stilton: The Wizard’s Wand
Geronimo Stilton: The Kingdom of Fantasy
Dog Man Books Series by Dav Pilkey
Joey
Scythe by Neal Shusterman (Part of the Arc of a Scythe Series)
Dry by Neal Shusterman
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan
Trials of Apollo Series by Rick Riordan
Generations Trilogy by Scott Sigler: Alive, Alight, Alone
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Story Thieves Series by James Riley: Story Thieves, The Stolen Chapters, Secret Origins, Pick the Plot, Worlds Apart
Jala
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (Part of the First Law Trilogy)
The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
The Wind Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
Erin
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
The Mother Daughter Book Club Series by Heather Vogel Frederick (Erin’s favorite is Pies and Prejudice)
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Ella
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine by Lindsey Fitzharris
Aidan
Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery by Richard Selzer
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery by Henry Marsh
Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphor and Mortality by Thomas Lynch
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Listen, we don’t judge anyone for their book habits. But I came close when I heard about Lori’s book in the bathtub habits. After I revived myself from a dead faint, we discussed the strong female leads in Urban Fantasy books. Lori told me about how she is able to make reading a priority by changing the format of consumption depending on her life stage. And we discussed the sly humor and gender bending in this sometimes hyper-masculine genre.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Lori Ryan
Website/Facebook
Do you know a young person who’d like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!
Discussed in this episode:
The Warrior Chronicles Series by K.F. Breene
Chosen - #1
Hunted - #2
Shadow Lands - #3
Invasion - #4
Siege - #5
Overtaken - #6
The Sutton Billionaire Series by Lori Ryan
The Heroes of Evers Texas Series by Lori Ryan
The Sumner Brothers Series by Lori Ryan and Kay Manis
Dagger for Hire: An Urban Fantasy Serial by Lori Collier on Kindle Vella
Ilona Andrews
Faith Hunter
Jeaniene Frost
Patricia Briggs
Discussed in the Patreon Exclusive Clip
The giant cookie cutter Lori and I bought on our Target sin-spiral is no longer available, but I highly recommend you keep your eyes peeled for one, so it can gather dust in a forgotten drawer of your house, too.
Neck Fans
Oculus Quest VR Gaming Headset
Oculus Quest Bogo
Oculus VR for Good: Traveling While Black
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I've been out of the office for a while, so instead of doing a new interview this week, I wanted to share an episode from one of my favorite bookish podcasts, The Your Favorite Book podcast. If that title sounds familiar, it's because I had the host Malavika Praseed as a guest on my podcast back in episode 29, when we talked about The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. Malavika is, quite honestly, a brilliant book critic and a thoughtful reader, not to mention a truly funny human being. Although our podcasts have a similar premise, she often takes a more critical and even academic approach to the books. I learn something new with each episode I listen to.
When Malavika invited me onto her podcast, we did a deep dive into my all time favorite, Howard’s End. I have both highly personal and critical reasons for loving it so much. And I thought you might enjoy listening to my side of the story. The E.M. Forster classic is both my comfort read and my critical favorite and is, in my opinion, the Best Book Ever.
Please enjoy this spotlight episode of the Your Favorite Book podcast, and I will be back with a new episode next week.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Malavika Praseed
Podcast/Instagram
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Howard’s End Movie Review/Trailer
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
One Day by David Nicholls
The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington
Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Howard’s End Miniseries
Episode 024 of Best Book Ever: Jaimie Morimoto on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice 2005 (Jaimie’s favorite)
Pride and Prejudice 1995 miniseries (Julie’s favorite)
Overlapped topics on our twin podcasts:
Zenobia Neil on “A Song of Achilles” on Best Book Ever
Deedi Brown on “A Song of Achilles” on Your Favorite Book
Jami Albright on “The Hating Game” on Best Book Ever
Rachel Allen on “The Hating Game” on Your Favorite Book
Casey Starnes on “The Catcher in the Rye” on Best Book Ever
Kaylee Craft Mitchell on “The Catcher in the Rye” on Your Favorite Book
Daman Tiwana on “Lean In” on Best Book Ever
Damn Tiwana on “Quiet” on Your Favorite Book
Jasmine Vyas on “Laziness Does Not Exist” on Best Book Ever
Jasmine Vyas on “What We Carry” on Your Favorite Book
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
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Jasmine Vyas is an attorney, a privacy professional, a mother, and a serious bookworm. Which sounds like a Wonder Woman biography, doesn’t it? Interestingly, today she joined me to talk about laziness. Specifically, how toxic the “work harder” mentality can be, and how the book “Laziness Does Not Exist” changed her attitude toward work.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jasmine Vyas
Instagram/GoodReads
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Laziness Does Not Exist by Dr. Devon Price
Your Favorite Book Podcast with Malavika Praseed
The Stacks Podcast
What Should I Read Next Podcast
What We Carry: A Memoir by Maya Shanbhag Lang
Two Spies in Caracas by Moisés Naím
Slouching Toward Bethlehem: Essays by Joan Didion
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge
Britt Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman
Beartown by Frederick Backman
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Discussed in our Patreon Excerpt:
Romana Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary (check out this cute 8-book box set of Ramona and Beezus books!)
The Baby-Sitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin– I found a fun Retro Set and a Graphic Novel collection!
Sweet Valley Twins
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Music lovers, this one’s for you! My dear friend Mark Lefebvre is back, this time to discuss a book written by the drummer of his favorite band, Rush. Neil Peart wrote “Traveling Music” as a meditation on his life, traveling with a rock and roll band, experiencing huge professional wins and terrible personal loss, and all of the music that influenced his life. Mark is a classic Rush fanboy, and it was a delight to listen to his excitement about this book, even when we disagreed about it.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Mark Lefebvre
Website/Instagram/YouTube/TikTok/Twitter/Stark Reflections Podcast
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Traveling Music: The Soundtrack to My Life and Times by Neil Peart
Mark’s previous appearance on the Best Book Ever Podcast
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
Rush
Shock Rock 2 edited by Jeff Gelb
The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa by Neil Peart
Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart
Clockwork Angels by Neil Peart and Kevin J. Anderson
Assembling California by John McPhee
Sinatra Live in Paris
Nina Simone at Town Hall
David Suzuki
Naïda by Scott Overton
The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power by Desmond Cole
The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America by Thomas King
Masquerade: The Complete Series by Valerie Francis
Discussed in our Patreon Excerpt:
Terminal House by Sean Costello
Terry Fallis
Linwood Barclay
Louise Penny
Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer (I never voluntarily pick up sci-fi, but after hearing Mark’s description of this book, I immediately grabbed a copy of this one at my library!)
The Hope Sze Medical Mystery Series by Melissa Yi (an 8-book series that begins with Code Blues: When Medicine Becomes Murder)
Lightning by Dean Koontz
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Ellene Glenn Moore is a Philadelphia based, award-winning writer of poetry, lyric non-fiction, and critical essays. Her book How Blood Works won the 2020 Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize and will be published by Kent State University Press later this year. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy, because I love her careful, thoughtful way with words. Today we talked about the intersection between poetry and fantasy genres, truth and gaslighting, and how a body holds on to trauma.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ellene Glenn Moore
Website/Instagram
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
How Blood Works by Ellene Glenn Moore
The Graceling Realm Series by Kristin Cashore:
Graceling (Book 1) (This one will be available this November as a graphic novel)
Fire (Book 2)
Bitterblue (Book 3)
Winterkeep (Book 4)
Shel Silverstein
Ogden Nash
A.A. Milne
Finding Baba Yaga: A Short Novel in Verse by Jane Yolen
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (Ellene is really enjoying this one on audio)
Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’m so grateful that people like Chris Cochran exist – people with the giant brains for the tech world who are also committed to keeping the rest of us safe from the nefarious criminals. Lucky for us, Chris is a tech geek with a wicked book habit. I loved talking to him about “Ready Player One,” the appeal of gamer culture, and escaping into good storytelling.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Chris Cochran
Website/Instagram /Linkedin
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine
The Art of the Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer by Steven Kotler
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Rocky
The Matrix
Ready Player One movie
Discussed in our Patreon conversation:
Sneakers
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today we’re getting real about mental well-being, and the women who make us laugh in the midst of our pain. We also touched on representation in YA and children’s literature, brutal, scary honesty, and how a person can be brave and terrified at the same time. Ashley Shannon is my own personal Jenny Lawson, is what I’m saying.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ashely Shannon
Instagram/TikTok/Medium
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Didn’t See That Coming by Rachel Hollis
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Harry Potter Boxed Set by J.K. Rowling (Check out this stunning illustrated version)
Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
David Levithan
Nina Lacour
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson
And That’s Why You Should Learn to Pick Your Battles - this is the Jenny Lawson blog post that Ashley and I talked about. Do yourself a favor and read it – it’s one of my favorite pieces of writing ever. Ever. Ever.
Unrelated to our podcast, but I think you should read anyway: this blog post Jenny Lawson wrote about her non-binary daughter.
Broken (In the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson
This is Me Letting You Go by Ashley Shannon
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Michelle Hart is an author and feminine expansion mentor who helps women transform their lives & align with their purpose through pleasure, rewilding, and the art of sensual ritual. She is also one of my dearest friends, and my go-to person when I want to talk about food, chefs, restaurants, or recipes. So I was thrilled that Michelle chose a cookbook as her Best Book Ever. You are going to love this episode, as we go into a deep dive about the perfect biscuit, the perfect egg, and the perfect potatoes, and why “The Food Lab” is the Best Book Ever.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Michelle Hart
Instagram/Twitter
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt Website/YouTube
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
Art Institute of Atlanta – Culinary Academy
Confituras Little Kitchen, Austin, TX
Fixe Southern House Restaurant, Austin, TX
Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
Half Baked Harvest by Tieghan Gerard
Well + Good Cookbook by Alexia Brue and Melisse Gelula
The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton
The Love and Lemons Cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio
Love and Lemons Every Day by Jeanine Donofrio
Graze: Inspiration for Small Plates and Meandering Meals by Suzanne Lenzer
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
We had a fun food/kitchen speed round in this part of the chat:
What foods are always in your kitchen?
What will you never eat, no matter how it’s prepared?
What’s your best restaurant experience?
What’s your go-to meal that you prepare when you want to impress someone?
What food can you not make?
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery
My Octopus Teacher
El Farallon restaurant, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (Holy hell – Michelle was not kidding. Check out the pictures of this place.)
The Boy Who Bakes Espresso Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Episode 053 Swetha Nisthala on “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert
Yet another episode in which I am seriously considering to changing my format to an hour long show. Or maybe two? Despite the fact that it was the middle of the night in India, where she lives, Swetha Nisthala and I could have talked for hours about the books and people and places we love. Swetha calls Elizabeth Gilbert a “Soul Writer,” which is her term for an author who can put complicated emotions into words. We also discussed how her love of Gilbert’s work has seen her through many life changes, how grief comes in waves, and Bookstagram’s response to the Covid crisis in India.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Swetha Nisthala
Instagram/Website/Twitter
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield et. al. (holy moly I had no idea there were so many versions of the Chicken Soup series. 259 books!!)
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Cecilia Ahern
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Swetha’s recommendations if you want to donate to help in India:
KVN Foundation supplies free oxygen concentrators to the needy
Hemkunt Foundation provides oxygen support for whoever needs it
Khushiyaan Foundation: Among other things, they provide free meals daily for underprivileged kids and provide oxygen support for Covid.
Adivasis Lives Matter provides emergency relief material for 10 particularly vulnerable indigenous groups in the remotest forest areas in India
Donatekart for Daily Wage laborers provides groceries and food for daily wage laborers on the brink of starvation
Feeding India by Zomato serves cooked meals to people in need every single day
You can find many other fundraisers to donate on these fundraising platforms:
Donatekart
Milaap
Give India
Ketto
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Switzerland’s History in Indian movies
Bollywood Tour of Switzerland
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you’re shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
It’s no secret that bookstores are my favorite places on earth, and The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles is extra extra special to me. Today I have one half of the sister duo who owns the shop, Leah Koch, with me to talk about "Vision in White" by La Grande Dame of romance novels, Her Royal Highness, Nora Roberts.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Leah Koch of The Ripped Bodice Bookstore
Bookstore/Instagram/Twitter
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Make sure you check out The Ripped Bodice’s Annual State of Racial Diversity in Romance Report.
Leah spoke a lot about her sister/business partner’s love of Historical Romance. Be sure to check out Bea’s fantastic book Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency.
Discussed in this episode:
Vision in White by Nora Roberts (Book 1 of the Bride Quartet)
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts (Book 2 of the Bride Quartet)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (Book 3 of the Bride Quartet)
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Book 4 of the Bride Quartet)
The Newberry Library, Chicago
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
Now I’ll Tell You Everything by Phillis Reynolds Naylor (Book #25 of the Alice Series)
The Ripped Bodice Subscription Box
I Kissed a Girl by Jennet Alexander
Whiteout by Adriana Anders
Uncharted by Adriana Anders
Powell’s Bookstore Portland
Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo
Ripped Bodice Patreon
(Note: All of this week's links lead you directly to the Ripped Bodice catalog, where they can sell you any book, not just romance. Thank you for keeping an indie bookstore in business! )
I was introduced to Bel Canto Books from previous guest of the Best Book Ever, Asha Sabbella, who travels there frequently with her book club. Jhoanna has impeccable taste in book curation, and is a fierce advocate for BIPOC and women authors. Major warning: this episode will make you want to open a bookstore. I have spent many hours – many, many hours – researching bookstore ownership since my talk with Jhoanna.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Jhoanna Belfer of Bel Canto Books
Bookstore/Instagram
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan
Page Against the Machine Bookstore, Long Beach, CA
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Parnassus Books
Emma Straub
Books are Magic Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY (Emma Straub’s bookstore)
Paz and Associates Bookstore Bootcamp
Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett
The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA
BFAB: Boston Filipino American Book Club
America is Not the Heart – Elaine Castillo
In Waves by AJ Dungo
The Hangout, Long Beach, CA
Bookshop.Org
LibroFM
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Underground Railroad TV Series
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Crying in H Mart by Michelle
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
The Broken Country: On Trauma, a Crime, and the Continuing Legacy of Vietnam by Paisley Rekdal
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
The only reason I agreed to read another pandemic book was becuase I totally trust my friend Lisa Marie Cabrelli, who is a writer, academic, and adventurer. She told me I would love it, and she wasn’t wrong. Holy moly. There was so much to talk about.
Lisa Marie and I had different interpretations about the end of the book. But I don’t want to spoil it for you. So I moved that part of the conversation to the very end of the podcast, and added a warning so you know when to hit the pause button if you don’t want to hear that part.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Lisa Marie Cabrelli
Website/Instagram/Twitter
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
Severance by Ling Ma
The Stand by Stephen King
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Yzaura Vanegas is a director, producer and trainer of interactive live events for Nickelodeon and the host, producer and writer of the podcast How About A Story. It’s difficult to categorize the genre of the book she chose to talk to me about today. It teeters somewhere between self-help, motivational, fable, and love story. But it’s also a fictional tale about a journey, and I loved talking to her about how we have read “The Alchemist” over the years.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Ysaura Vanegas
Website/Instagram/Twitter
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe
The Ebony Frame by Edith Nesbit
The Institute by Stephen King
11/22/63 by Stephen King
It by Stephen King
Blood Memory: An Autobiography by Martha Graham
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation
Soft Voice Podcast
I Found a Wormhole Podcast
Limetown Podcast
Crimetown Podcast
My Favorite Murder Podcast
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today's guest Mia Laurenzo, of the SoFlo Weird Show, is a curator of everything weird and wonderful about our most improbable state. The book she chose is nonfiction account about three men who journey through Florida on foot. It’s as nutty and delightful as it sounds.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Mia Laurenzo
Facebook/Instagram/Podcast/SoFloWeirdos Group on Facebook
Travel Documentaries by Mia Laurenzo:
Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled
Weird Florida On the Road Again
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
In the Land of Good Living: A Journey to the Heart of Florida by Kent Russell
Weird Florida: Your Travel Guide to Florida’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Charlie Carlson
Miami International Book Fair
Walkin’ Lawton Chiles (Florida governor candidate who walked through Florida to meet voters)
Swamplandia by Karen Russell
Heather Graham
James Patterson
Florida Congress on Racial Equality (CORE)
Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights by Tananarive Due and Patricia Stevens Due
Orange Blossom 2.0 by Cesar Becerra
In our Patreon Conversation, I asked Mia about her favorite off-the-beaten-track spots to visit in Florida.
Homestead, Florida
Coral Castle, Florida
The World’s Smallest Post Office, Ochopee Florida
The Skunk Ape Research Headquarters
Schnebly’s Winery
Bok Tower Gardens
Mt. Dora, Florida
Mexico Beach, Florida
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
This is one of those episodes that totally changed my mind about a book. I initially didn’t like the book, and didn’t bother finishing it. But chatting with crime novelist Aime Austin changed my perspective entirely. The second we finished talking, I immediately ordered the first book in the series, so I could get the whole picture. Also, if you are a library person, you are going to love hearing about how Aime relies on her local librarians to curate a reading list for her and her son.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Aime Austin
Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Podcast
Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!
Discussed in this episode:
What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George
(This book is 14th, in the Inspector Lynley series, which begins with A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George. Though as Aime explained to me, “What Came Before He Shot Her” is more of a side story than a murder mystery in the series.)
Barbara Kingsolver
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Agatha Christie
Inspector Gamache Series by Louise Penny
The Dublin Murder Squad Series by Tana French
The Witch Elm by Tana French
The Searcher by Tana French
Julia Spencer-Fleming
When He’s Married to Mom: How to Help Mother-Enmeshed Men Open Their Hearts to True Love and Commitment by Kenneth M. Adams, Ph.D.
Sarah Mayberry
Elizabeth Decker
Promising Young Woman
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation
City Spies by James Ponti
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Charles Dickens
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I’ve been lucky enough to take several writing classes from Theodora Taylor, both in person and online. She’s changed the way I look at writing, but makes me forget I am learning because she teaches in such a warm and engaging way. I’m thrilled that I landed her for this episode, where we read an old-school romance, and then grappled with the sometimes problematic nature of our old books.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Theodora Taylor
Facebook/Instagram
Episode Sponsor: Books2Read Pocket Garden
Books2Read has curated a selection of feel-good springtime reads from across the publishing spectrum. From humorous fiction to romantic comedies, heart-warming literature, to feel-good nonfiction. There's even a selection of "happy pocket garden covers" because just looking at those beautiful covers will make you feel the spring sunshine on your face.
Discussed in this episode:
Warrior’s Woman by Johanna Lindsey
Holt by Theodora Taylor
Jahraymecofasola by Jill Scott
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
When You Come Back to Me by Emma Scott
The Spell Book for New Witches: Essential Spells to Change Your Life by Ambrosia Hawthorne
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
By the end of my conversation with Zaiba Hasan, I was offering her the spare bedroom at my house when she visits California. In retrospect it was, perhaps, a little weird, given that we’d only known each other for an hour. But she is that kind of person – warm and funny and smart AF – and I couldn’t help myself. I want to talk books and spirituality and mothering with her all day. But we started with “The Forty Rules of Love” by Elif Shafak – part historical fiction, part modern parable, part love story within a love story. The book, and the conversation, were both treasures.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Zaiba Hasan
Instagram/Podcast
Episode Sponsor: Books2Read Pocket Garden
Books2Read has curated a selection of feel-good springtime reads from across the publishing spectrum. From humorous fiction to romantic comedies, heart-warming literature, to feel-good nonfiction. There's even a selection of "happy pocket garden covers" because just looking at those beautiful covers will make you feel the spring sunshine on your face.
Discussed in this episode:
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Odyssey by Homer
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Facebook Group devoted to The Forty Rules of Love
Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam by A. Helwa
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo and Mike Lowery
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Briana O’Neal lives in the world of books professionally and personally. She’s a college Dean by day, a Ph.D. candidate by night, and a hardcore bookworm in the twilight hours. She fills her free time with live music, old movies and traveling. In the few months I’ve been following her online, she has opened up my reading life. Today, she joined me to talk about the joys of used books, Scholastic Book Fairs, and why “Legendborn” by Tracy Deonn is the Best Book Ever.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Briana O’Neal
Episode Sponsor: Books2Read Pocket Garden
Books2Read has curated a selection of feel-good springtime reads from across the publishing spectrum. From humorous fiction to romantic comedies, heart-warming literature, to feel-good nonfiction. There's even a selection of "happy pocket garden covers" because just looking at those beautiful covers will make you feel the spring sunshine on your face.
Discussed in this episode:
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations by Toni Morrison
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Jazz by Toni Morrison
Tar Baby by Toni Morrison
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
The View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan
The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts
Machinehood by S.B. Divya
The B2Weird Bookclub on Instagram
The City We Became by NK Jemisin
The Dream Blood Duology: The Killing Moon and The Shadowed Sun by NK Jemison
The Inheritance Trilogy by NK Jemison
The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemison (The first book in this series, The Fifth Season, is Briana’s favorite Jemison book.)
While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Rosewater (Book 1 in the The Wormwood Trilogy) by Tade Thompson
I can understand why Briana bought these books based on the covers alone – they are gorgeous!
The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson
The Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompson
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Jami Albright is a born and raised Texas girl and is the multiple award-winning author of the “Brides on the Run” series and the “Small Town Royalty” series, which are fun, sexy, snarky, laugh-out-loud rom-coms. She is also a wife, mother, an actress, comedian, and a devout fan of something called the Houston Texans. I’m not sure what that is, but I always love hanging out with Jami anyway. She makes me laugh and she absolutely blew up my TBR list with her “Best Of” Trope recommendations.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Jami Albright
Website/Instagram/Facebook/TikTok
Episode Sponsor: Books2Read Pocket Garden
Books2Read has curated a selection of feel-good springtime reads from across the publishing spectrum. From humorous fiction to romantic comedies, heart-warming literature, to feel-good nonfiction. There's even a selection of "happy pocket garden covers" because just looking at those beautiful covers will make you feel the spring sunshine on your face.
Discussed in this episode:
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (Jami recommends this one in audio)
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs
Junkyard Cats by Faith Hunter
Faith Hunter
Patricia Briggs
Ilona Andrews
Locked in Love: A Quarantine Novella by Jami Albright
Lightning Round: Jami’s Favorite Romances by Trope
Enemies to Lovers:
The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
Wounded Heroes
Look the Part by Jewel E. Ann
Secret Baby
Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Opposites Attract
Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Time Travel
Parallel by Elizabeth O’Roarke
Intersect by Elizabeth O’Roarke
Over 40
Aftercare by L.B. Dunbar
Male-Male
Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen
Paranormal
Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
Billionaire
Tangled by Emma Chase
Rock Star Romance
Running From a Rockstar by Jami Albright
Lick by Kylie Scott
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Christophe Zajac-Denek has lived a fascinating life. Originally from Detroit Michigan, Christophe was born with a rare form of dwarfism called Cartilage Hair Hypoplasia. He has worked as a TV producer, a drummer in a rock band, an actor, a stuntman. Nowadays, he’s living in Southern California, where he is an avid surfer, photographer, freelance journalist, and the creator and host of the podcast “I’m Kind of a Big Deal,” which focuses on the unique lives of people with dwarfism. He chose the book “Little Legs, Big Heart” by Kristen DeAndrade. This episode is a perfect example of how a book can be a window and a mirror. Christophe related with Kristen’s life – down to the smell of the hospital rooms they’ve both spent a lot of time in. I was forced to reckon with the daily tolls of life with dwarfism that I had been blind to before. He is funny and raw and thoughtful, and I know you are going to love this episode.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Christophe Zajac-Denek
Instagram/Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
Little Legs, Big Heart: One Girl’s Journey of Acceptance, Perseverance, and Growth by Kristen DeAndrade
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Kristen DeAndrade Instagram
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I love chatting with my friend Caraway Carter. Our conversations are always freewheeling adventures about life, love, books, and adventure. I was thrilled that I finally landed him on the show to talk about a book I’ve heard him refer to many times over the years: “Tales of the City” by Armistead Maupin.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Caraway Carter
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
The Marvel Universe movies in order
Babylon 5
Star Wars the Machete order
Great British Baking Show
Nadiya Bakes
Home Town
Prince of Hearts by Caraway Carter in 1001 Dark Nights Book
Kresley Cole
Fated Mates Podcast
Jess Michaels
Tales of the City the Series
Hearts Repaired by Caraway Carter
Queer As Folk
Bridgerton
Band Sinister by KJ Charles
John Sanford
Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delaney
Laura Antoniou
The Eighth Night by CC
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
(Yes, really. We contain multitudes.)
7 With 1 Blow by Caraway Carter
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Harriet Spies Again by Louise Fitzhugh
Sport by Louise Fitzhugh
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
You are going to love "The Heretic Queen," the book that post-apocalyptic fiction writer Lindsey Pogue chose to talk about. It is the most delicious book - every page oozes with sensory detail and palace intrigue. Plus, we talked about travel and the perfect gin cocktail.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Lindsey Pogue
Website/Patreon/Podcast/Instagram/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
Savage North Chronicles by Lindsey Pogue
Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman (Lindsey recommends this on audio)
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (Julie recommends this one on audio)
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride & Prejudice BBC series
Here’s an extra treat for you – the lake scene. I think it’s time you watched it again. “But your good opinion is rarely bestowed and, therefore, more worth the earning.” My god, have you ever heard a better compliment?
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran
Madame Tussaud Michelle Moran
The Second Empress by Michelle Moran
Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran
Lindsey Farleigh
Casey L. Bond
Southside Cocktail Recipe
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
The Locker Room by Meghan Quinn
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Inside Queen Nefertari’s tomb
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Dr. Uzma Jafri is funny, fearless, and exactly the kind of bookish friend I want to sit with at a coffee shop to chat all day about books and life. I had so much fun talking to her about why “Little Women” is the Best Book. Wait until you hear the story about her dad. I’m still not over it.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Uzma Jafri
Podcast/Facebook/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Jen Hatmaker For the Love Podcast
Farheen Abbaas, Episode 012
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Check out this sweet collection of all of the March Sisters Books
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott
Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott
An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott
Boston Children’s Museum
Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House
Walden Pond
March by Geraldine Brooks
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein
A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollestonecraft
It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Auggie & Me by R.J. Palacio
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Geronimo Stilton Series
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
The Yasmin Series by Saadia Faruqi
Changing Hands Bookstore, Phoenix, Arizona
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Little Women 2019
Little Women 1994
Little Women 1933
Here’s a fun examination of all of the different adaptations of Little Women movies.
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Sometimes, I’m so excited to talk to a guest that I’m actually a little bit nervous. Such was the case with Jenifer LaMadrid Rosales, the creator of one of my favorite Bookstagram accounts, @librosytierra. Jen was just as funny, honest, and thought provoking in conversation as she is in her social media. I was thrilled and honored that she joined me to talk about her reading life, and why “A Cup of Water Under My Bed” by Daisy Hernandez is the Best Book Ever.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Jenifer LaMadrid Rosales
Discussed in this episode:
A Cup of Water Under My Bed by Daisy Hernandez
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis
Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi
How the One Arm Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado
Tar Baby by Toni Morrison
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Why would a successful romance writer dive in to epic fantasy? And what is the appeal of that genre? Lyz Kelley is swinging for the bleachers with her new writing genre, and she had a lot to teach me about the genre that I know so little about.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Lyz Kelley
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube
Discussed in this episode:
Magic’s Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
Magic’s Promise by Mercedes Lackey
Magic’s Price by Mercedes Lackey
Nancy Drew
The Hardy Boys
JRR Tolkien
Doctors Without Borders
Harry Potter
The Lion King
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
The Complete Poetry by Maya Angelou
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Blinded by Lyz Kelley
Diana Gabaldon
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Episode 036 Mia Hopkins on “The Proposition” by Judith Ivory
Mia Hopkins is straight up one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. I could talk to her all day about books, baking, mothering, and life in general. The book she chose, “The Proposition” by Judith Ivory, is a sort of gender-swapped take on “My Fair Lady.” I loved reading it, and I really loved talking about it with Mia.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Mia Hopkins
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/The Baker’s Notebook Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
The Proposition by Judith Ivory
The Baker’s Notebook Podcast
Duck, Duck, Porcupine by Selena Yoon
Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
Zenobia Neil on Best Book Ever Episode 035
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Gregory Boyle
Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship by Father Gregory Boyle
Homeboy Industries
Thirsty: An Eastside Brewery Novel by Mia Hopkins
Trashed: An Eastside Brewery Novel by Mia Hopkins
My Fair Lady
Pygmalion myth
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas: A Study in Scarlet Women, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, The Hollow of Fear, The Art of the Theft
The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
Delicious by Sherry Thomas
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Bridgerton miniseries on Netflix
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (The Bridgerton series is over a dozen books long, so if you like this one, you’ve got a great binge ahead of you)
The Indiscretion by Judith Ivory
The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite
The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite
Breathe the Sky by Michelle Hazen
Eternity Street: Violence and Justice in Frontier Los Angeles by John Mack Faragher
The Los Angeles Conservancy
The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael Twitty
Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
Salt Fat Acid Heat Netflix Series
Home Cooking Podcast with Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Paul Hollywood
The Great British Bake Off
Baking with Kim-Joy: Cute and Creative Bakes to Make You Smile by Kim-Joy
Christmas with Kim-Joy: A Festive Collection of Edible Cuteness by Kim-Joy
Proof by Mia Hopkins is in The One Who Got Away Anthology, edited by Kristina Wright
Rosie’s the Vet’s Cookie Chicken
Swedish Princess Cake
Croquembouche
Choux Pastry with Craquelin
Mexican Concha Bread
Japanese Melon Bread
Mardi Gras King Cake
(Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Zenobia Neil and I talked for over two hours, and honestly I could have talked to her for the rest of the day. She is fun and hilarious and smart as hell and just plain interesting. Not only that, but the book she chose immediately went on my list of Top Ten books. It was a great read, and an even better bookish conversation.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Zenobia Neil
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Skylight Books
Skylight is a beloved Los Angeles treasure. Though they are currently closed to in-store browsing, they are still open for online orders. Check out their fantastic lineup of author events, their signed first editions club, or the Coyotes Book Club.
A Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Circe by Madeline Miller
Zenobia of Palmyra
Carroll Avenue (the Victorian neighborhood in Los Angeles where Zenobia grew up)
The Helms Bakery Truck (not book related, but Angelenos of a certain age remember the Helms Bakery Truck with great affection)
The A Team
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
D’aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths by Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
The Iliad of Homer (Zenobia recommends this one on audio)
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Look at this awesome graphic adaptation!)
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Luster by Raven Leilani
Discussed in our Patreon Conversation:
Troy the movie
Circe the miniseries
Clash of the Titans movie (oh, sweet fancy Irishman, there is a version of this movie with heavy metal music and Liam Neeson! Release the kraken!)
Percy Jackson movie
Outlander on audio
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I laughed so hard while recording with Miranda that my daughter actually came into my office to check on me. Miranda officially coined my new favorite book genre: Bumpy Covers. You already know exactly what that means, don’t you? There are certain books you turn to when you can’t deal with the world, and those books frequently have bumpy covers. Miranda cherishes books, and I so enjoyed talking to her about how she lives with them, how she shows them love, how she marks them up, and why “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden is the Best Book Ever.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Miranda Mackie
Discussed in this episode:
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Mark Lefebvre appeared on the Best Book Ever Episode 008
Brene Brown
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Memoirs of a Geisha movie
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way by Jesse Thistle
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo
Rude Awakenings from Sleeping Rough by Peter C. Mitchell
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
This week, I talked to Shari Okeke about "The Hate U Give," fantastic book by Angie Thomas. Shari spoke honestly about being a mixed-race woman, raising-mixed race kids, and navigating a world that tries to silence Black women’s voices. Through her work with the CBC, she gives a voice and a platform to young people on her podcasts. I so enjoyed getting to know her and the frank and thoughtful conversation we shared.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Shari Okeke
Mic Drop Podcast/Doc Project
In our chat, Shari and I talked specifically about a Doc Project episode with Nate Sanders. You can find that episode here:
From Self Hate to ‘Black is Beautiful’: How This Teen is Rising Above the Pain of Racism
Discussed in this episode:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
Squeeze Me by Carl Hiassen
Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedeman
Girl, Woman, Other: A Novel by Bernardine Evaristo
(Note: If you shop for books using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I was thrilled to learn that Suzie Bangoura is as delightful in person as she is online. The book she recommended is from a Sierra Leonean author, and we had wonderful discussion about West African literature and what it’s like to belong to three countries.
Trigger warnings: this book discusses FGM (female genital mutilation.)
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Suzie Bangoura
Discussed in this episode:
So the Path Does Not Die by Pede Hollist
The Crown on Netflix
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style by Elizabeth Holmes
Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola
Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo
Poor by Caleb Femi
Surge by Jay Bernard
Suzie recommends the Instagram account @booksandrhymes, “Joyfully bridging the gap between classic and contemporary African Literature.” Sarah Ozo-Irabor also has a wonderful podcast, also called Books & Rhymes, that pairs books and music. It’s well worth a listen!
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip:
Cassava leaf stew
Jollof Rice
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Talking to Alyssa Archer is always a balm for my soul. In this conversation, we veered from homesteading, the Enneagram, her childhood love of fairy tales, and books that can be a form of healing from trauma. Play close attention to Alyssa’s accent, and how she gets more Texan every time she talks about her homestead!
Trigger warnings: this book does have a rape scene, and Alyssa and I discuss the scene and its aftermath in our conversation. If you or someone you know is a sexual assault survivor, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline for help at 800-656-4673.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Alyssa Archer
Instagram/Lucy Jackson Texas Hill Country Cozy Mysteries
Discussed in this episode:
Deerskin by Robin McKinley
The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh
Best Book Ever Episode 023 (guest Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello discusses E.J. Koh’s book)
The Small Scale Poultry Flock by Harvey Ussery
The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Tess Gallagher
Mary Oliver
Raymond Carver
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
Robin Hobb
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Seer of Sevenwaters (Book 5 of the Sevenwaters Trilogy) by Juliet Marillier
Murder, She Goat by Lucy Jackson
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip:
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
Terry Tempest Williams
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Marti Dumas and I first bonded over our shared love of coffee, books, and writing, and I am thrilled she joined me today. We talked about the vibrant literary scene in her hometown of New Orleans, her visceral connection to the land, writing positive stories featuring children of color as the main characters, and her deep love of the work of Octavia Butler, and why he deeply layered “Wild Seed” is her Best Book Ever.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Marti Dumas
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
Wild Seed by Octavia Butler
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest by Marti Dumas
The Dragon Keep by Marti Dumas
The Little Human by Marti Dumas
Women in the Old West by Marti Dumas
The Babysitter’s Club – this was super fun to research. I found this great Retro Set, containing the original books 1-6, and this delightful graphic novel set.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Blue Cypress Books, New Orleans, LA
Community Book Center, New Orleans, LA
Octavia Books, New Orleans, LA
Tubby & Coo’s Mid-City Book Shop, New Orleans, LA
Plum Street Press
The Complete Patternist Series Box Set by Octavia Butler
Contains; Wild Seed, Mind of My Mind, Clay’s Ark, Patternmaster
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Daemon Voices: On Stories and Storytelling by Phillip Pullman
His Dark Materials Series by Phillip Pullman: Box Set
Contains: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass
Story by Robert McKee
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip:
The Jerk, “Tonight You Belong to Me”
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Malavika Praseed invites guests to talk about their favorite books on to her podcast, “Your Favorite Book.” Sound familiar? She’s my Podcast Twin, and I’m delighted we found each other. I’m a big fan of her work, and I invited her to talk about her favorite book, “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers. But our conversation bounced all over the place, from her fascination with old Southern culture to weird literary crushes to how we deal with casual racism in old books. She’s whip smart and so funny. If you haven’t heard of her before, I know you’re going to adore her after hearing this episode.
The Best Book Ever podcast is going on a holiday break, so make sure you are subscribed so you don't miss our return on January 4th. Until then, we wish you happy and peaceful holidays! We hope you get lots of reading time!
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Malavika Praseed
Linktree to all of her socials and the Chicago Review of Books
Your Favorite Book Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Herzog by Saul Bellow
Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy by Mo Gawdat
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Amy Teegan on the Best Book Ever Podcast
Small Days and Nights: A Novel by Tishani Doshi
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland
The Ballad of the Sad Café: And Other Stories by Carson McCullers
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Clune
Jeff Adams on the Best Book Ever Podcast
The Great British Bake Off
The Stacks Podcast
Novel Pairings Podcast
The Fuckbois of Lit Podcast
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
I was lucky enough to meet Robyn Shipton at a conference, and thrilled that she agreed to appear on my podcast. She is so creative and funny and honest – I could have talked to her all day. Our conversation veered from dreams and music to the definition of the word queer to fort building. It all makes sense. I know you’re going to love this chat as much as I did.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Robyn Shipton
Dreamstalk Podcast/Dreamstalk on Instagram/Dreamstalk on Facebook
The Playlist Challenge Podcast/The Playlist Challenge on Instagram/Playlist Challenge Website
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week: The Tattered Cover in Denver, Colorado
Discussed in this episode:
Biting the Sun by Tanith Lee
House of Pod: Podcast incubation hub in Denver, Colorado
Sabriel by Garth Nix
The Hyperion Series by Dan Simmons
Dune by Frank Herbert
The BirthGrave by Tanith Lee
The Flat Earth Series by Tanith Lee: Night’s Master, Death’s Master, Delusion’s Master, Delirium’s Mistress, Night’s Sorceries
White as Snow by Tanith Lee
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links at Bookshop or at Amazon, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today we’re changing up the format a bit. With the holidays coming up, it’s time to start thinking about gift giving. I invited a bunch of my favorite young Bookworms, ages 5-23, to tell me about their favorite books. I love talking to kids, and I love talking about books – so this episode was an absolute delight to record. I hope you will find plenty of books for all the young people in your life.
Remember your local indie bookstores when doing all of your shopping!
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
Henry:
The Amazing Spiderman World of Reading This is Spiderman by Marvel Press
Charley:
Thea Stilton and the Land of Flowers
Thea Stilton Cloud Castle
Thea Stilton Treasure Seekers
Katie:
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Jaden:
The Pandava Series by Roshani Chokshi
Jaden’s favorite is Book 2, Arusha and the Song of Death
Jack:
The Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter
There are several series; Jack’s favorite is the New Prophecy Series
His favorite book in that series is Warrior Cat: Sunset by Erin Hunter
Miles:
The Geronimo Stilton Books
Miles mentioned the following:
Geronimo Stilton: The Island of Dragons
Thea Stilton: The Land of Flowers
Thea Stilton and The Dragon’s Code
Geronimo Stilton: The Wizard’s Wand
Geronimo Stilton: The Kingdom of Fantasy
Dog Man Books Series by Dav Pilkey
Joey
Scythe by Neal Shusterman (Part of the Arc of a Scythe Series)
Dry by Neal Shusterman
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan
Trials of Apollo Series by Rick Riordan
Generations Trilogy by Scott Sigler: Alive, Alight, Alone
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Story Thieves Series by James Riley: Story Thieves, The Stolen Chapters, Secret Origins, Pick the Plot, Worlds Apart
Jala
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (Part of the First Law Trilogy)
The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
The Wind Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
Erin
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
The Mother Daughter Book Club Series by Heather Vogel Frederick (Erin’s favorite is Pies and Prejudice)
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Ella
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine by Lindsey Fitzharris
Aidan
Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery by Richard Selzer
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery by Henry Marsh
Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphor and Mortality by Thomas Lynch
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Today I am thrilled to be joined by Debra Dean, the bestselling author of four critically acclaimed books, including, “The Madonnas of Leningrad” and “Hidden Tapestry.” Reading Debra Dean’s favorite novel felt like the perfect choice for this moment in time. It is a gentle, comforting book, with bigger themes that reveal themselves slowly. The main character only begins to understand his role in history in retrospect. It was a fascinating read, and Debra is an enthusiastic and wonderful reading partner.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Debra Dean
Website/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
Hidden Tapestry by Debra Dean
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
An Artist of the Floating World By Kazuo Ishiguro
A Pale View of the Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
Nancy Pearl
The Writer’s Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Kate Atkinson (my personal favorite is this one. I’ll be talking about it with another guest in an upcoming episode!)
The Art of the Wasted Day by Patricia Hampl
Moon Jar by Didi Jackson
Powell’s Bookstore
Books and Books in Miami
(Here is the link to all of Debra’s books at her favorite bookstore!)
*Note: in the podcast, you will hear me mention that Debra was initially debating between four books. I asked her about the debating, but forgot to mention the other books! I thought you might be interested to know her other choices:
Continental Drift by Russell Banks
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersbug, Russia
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go support this podcast at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
This week's episode was even more fun than usual, because I got to listen to two best friends talk about their favorite books. Daman Tiwana and Kyathi Thakur make me laugh and think every week on their podcast, "Brown Girls Read," and I was thrilled that I could talk to them together about each of their favorite books.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram
Guest: Kyathi Thakur and Daman Tiwana of the Brown Girls Read Podcast
Instagram/Twitter/Brown Girls Happy Hour
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week
Leigh’s Favorite Books and Bookasaurus, Sunnyvale, California
Discussed in this episode:
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Nora Ephron
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner’s Guide to getting Good with Money by Chelsea Fagan
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao
It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Women’s Libation! Cocktails to Celebrate a Woman’s Right to Booze by Merrily Grashin
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go support the podcast at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Why is this the first time someone chose Jane Austen for this podcast? Isn’t Pride and Prejudice supposed to be everyone’s favorite book? Are people embarrassed to admit how much they love it? Jaimie Morimoto and I delve into the “Pumpkin Spice” popularity of this novel. In addition to that, we serve up a hot take on Mr. Bennet’s parenting style and some redemption for Lydia.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Jaimie Morimoto
Website/Instagram
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week
Magers and Quinn, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Discussed in this episode:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Bridget Jones’ Diary (and don’t forget the wonderful movie!)
Aristotle’s Poetics
Cake Darcy
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Pride and Prejudice (2005 Kiera Knightley version)
BBC Pride & Prejudice miniseries
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Michael B. Jordan
Sandra Oh
Sterling K. Brown
Enola Holmes
Henry Cavill
(Note: If you shop using my affiliate links, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)
Show notes for Episode 023 – Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello on “The Magical Language of Others” by E.J. Koh
Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello is equal parts quick wit and deep thinker. Talking to her was like talking to someone who can see deeper into the ocean than you can, and will gently explain it to you. Marci talks freely about how books saved her life, and this conversation was a balm for my soul after a rough week. I know you are going to love it.
We talked for almost two hours, and I had to cut a lot of it to fit the podcast time restraints. But one thing I don’t want you to miss is that Marci is the program director for the Miami Book Fair. Because of the pandemic, this year the Book Fair is online, which means we all have access to it. The fair is happening November 15-22; make sure you check out the awesome lineup of programs and discussions.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week
Murder on the Beach Bookstore in Delray, Florida
Discussed in this episode:
Hour of the Ox by Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello
The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir by E.J. Koh
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Kundiman: Dedicated to Nurturing Generations of Writers and Readers of Asian American Literature
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Palm Beach Poetry Festival
Natalie Diaz
Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith
The Body’s Question by Tracy K. Smith
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
DMZ Colony by Don Mee Choi
Hardly War by Don Mee Choi
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
There are some people who are so interesting, who have such fascinating lives and jobs, that I can't wait to invite them to the podcast. Then they turn around and scare the life out of me with their book choices. That's what happened with today's guest, Azhelle Wade. Azhelle designs toys for a living, and mentors others in the toy design process. She is sweet and funny and an utterly delightful guest. But the book she chose, "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston, is about a near-catastrophic outbreak of the Ebola virus. I don't read a lot of scary books, but I can honestly say this might be the scariest book ever written. Azhelle and I had a great laugh about my raging anxiety, and then the interview turned surprisingly candid and honest. I know you're going to love her.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Azhelle Wade
Podcast/Facebook/Instagram/Website/Toy Creators Academy
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week:
Sisters Uptown Bookstore in Harlem, New York
Independent bookstores need you more than ever!
Discussed in this episode:
The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus by Richard Preston
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Hot Zone Miniseries
Pandemic Board Game
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
The Art of the Click: How to Harness the Power of Direct-Response Copywriting and Make More Sales by Glenn Fisher
Game Changer: The Story of Pictionary and How I Turned a Simple Idea into the Bestselling Board Game in the World by Rob Angel
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Skip It
Polly Pocket House
Throw Throw Burrito
Doubles (Julie’s Note: I bought this game for my family after talking with Azhelle and it is a BLAST!)
Friendship Bracelet Creator
Scattergories
What Do You Meme? Party Game
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Today, adventure novelist, pilot, and airplane tinkerer joins me to give the definitive answer to the question, "What is the best book ever?" Nathan insists that his answer is the final answer to the question. I suppose after this episode, I'll have to change the name my show to "The Second or Third Best Book Ever"?
I had so much fun chatting with Nathan. There is something magical about listening to someone who has thought so deeply about a book, particularly a book from childhood that still affects him so deeply. I know you're going to love this episode.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Nathan Van Coops
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week: Tombolo Books in St. Pete’s, Florida.
Remember to shop indie!
Discussed in this episode:
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
The Spenser Series by Robert B. Parker - This is a 48-book series. The first book is called The Godwulf Manuscript
The Mackenzie August Series by Alan Lee – This is a 7-book series. The first book is called August Origins
An Unfinished Story: A Novel by Boo Walker
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
(If you have young readers in your house, Born a Crime is also available in a young readers edition, recommended for readers aged 10-12)
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emma Orczy
The Dark Knight Rises (Final movie in The Dark Knight Trilogy)
Faster Than Falling: The Skylighter Adventures by Nathan Van Coops
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Phillip Marlowe by Raymond Chandler (a 7-book series, the first is The Big Sleep)
Harlan Coben
The Friends of Eddie Coyle: A Novel by George V. Higgins
Justified (TV show) based on Fire in the Hole by Elmore Leonard
Louise Penny Inspector Gamache Mysteries
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
The Complete Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Lord of the Rings Boxed Set by J.R.R. Tolkien
Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Cat lovers, rejoice! This is an episode about how a book about a cat led one man to change everything in his life. Chris Burch is a ceramics artist from Colorado Springs, Colorade (I am lucky enough to own one of his beautiful pieces.) In this wide ranging chat, Chris and I talked about the power of art, grief, and family, and how to find your center in ceramics and in life. It was a really powerful and moving conversation.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Chris Burch
Instagram/Etsy Shop
Indie Bookstore Shoutout of the Week: Poor Richard’s Downtown in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Discussed in this episode:
Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale by Gwen Cooper
The Odyssey, by Homer
(Please note that even though they have similar titles, those are very different books!)
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Artist
Richard Heisler
Music:
Patrick Ohearn
Mark Isham
David Lanz
Southwest Art Magazine
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Jess Segraves runs Reading Mountains, one of my favorite Bookstagram accounts. Not only did we discuss her favorite book, but we also dove into the nuances of Own Voices books, buddy reads, and deceptive book covers. The second we finished talking, I hopped on my library's website to reserve every book she mentioned. Get ready - this episode is going to blow up your TBR list.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Jess Segraves
Discussed in this episode:
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adelbayo
What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky: Stories by Lesley Nneka Arimah
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Asian Enough (LA Times Podcast) episode with Viet Thanh Nguyen
Writing About Infertility in a World that Sees Childless Marriage as Tragedy: Ayobami Adebayo on Infertility in the Nigerian Novel, via Lit Hub Brit Bennett Yaa Gyasi A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James The Book of Night Women by Marlon James Louise Penny Dry by Jane Harper Force of Nature by Jane Harper The Lost Man by Jane Harper The Survivors by Jane Harper Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi We are Not Free by Traci Chee When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Cocoa Beach: A Novel by Beatriz Williams Beach Read by Emily Henry Cat Sebastian books KJ Charles books (Julie’s favorite of hers is Band Sinister) Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang The Burning God by R. F. Kuang Big Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self by Alex Tizon The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim The Soul of An Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery (Jess recommends this one on audio) H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald (Julie recommends this one on audio) The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Jess recommends this on audio) The Cutting Season by Attica Locke (Jess recommends this on audio) Bluebird, Bluebird (A Highway 59 Novel Book 1) by Attica Locke Heaven, My Home (A Highway 59 Novel Book 2) by Attica Locke Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (Jess recommends this one on audio) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead Zone One by Colson Whitehead Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe Here Comes the Sun: A Novel by Nicole Dennis-Benn Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn Front Desk by Kelly Yang The Silence of Bones by June Hur (Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Elizabeth Gowing is the author of five books and co-founder of The Ideas Partnership, an NGO which empowers and supports people in need in Kosovo in the fields of education, health and social welfare, and works on cultural heritage and protection of the environment, promoting a culture of volunteerism.
She runs training for NGOs and others on telling the story of making positive change in the world. She is a frequent contributor to Radio 4 and speaker to groups in the UK.
Luckily for all of us, she's also a voracious reader. I am thrilled that she joined me to talk about why "Playing Big" by Tara Mohr is the Best Book Ever.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Elizabeth Gowing
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn
Discussed in this episode:
Playing Big by Tara Mohr
The Ideas Partnership
The Rubbish-Picker’s Wife: An Unlikely Friendship in Kosovo by Elizabeth Gowing
The Books and Travel Podcast: Travels in Blood and Honey – Kosovo with Elizabeth Gowing
Killing Floor (Jack Reacher Book 1) by Lee Child
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Robert Wilton
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
This week we have a very special treat: an author whose book was the subject of a previous episode is here to share her favorite book with us. Dawn Davies, who Denise Massar and I discussed in Episode 002, joined me today to talk about John Irving. We had completely different takes on this book, and the conversation was utterly fascinating.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Dawn Davies
Website/Facebook/Instagram/Whistle Tree Writers/Whistle Tree Writers Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
The Water Method Man by John Irving
Mothers of Sparta: A Memoir in Pieces by Dawn Davies
Denise Massar
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
Corduroy by Don Freeman
The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden Book 1) by Julie Campbell
The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories Collection by Carolyn Keene
The Hardy Boys Starter Set by Franklin W. Dixon
Five Little Peppers: The Omnibus Edition by Margaret Sidney
The Little House (9 Volume Set) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Anne of Green Gables, Complete 8-Book Box Set by L.M. Montgomery
The Little Women Collection by Louisa May Alcott\
Richard Brautigan: Omnibus Collection
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The World According to Garp by John Irving
In One Person: A Novel by John Irving
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior by David H. Hackworth
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield
Lying: A Metaphorical Memoir by Lauren Slater
Show Me All Your Scars: True Stories of Living with Mental Illness, edited by Lee Gutkind
It Didn’t Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Class: A Guide Through the American Status System by Paul Fussell
The Great War and Modern Memory by Paul Fussell
The Next American Essay, ed. By John D’Agata
Kurt Vonnegut: The Complete Novels
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Speak, Memory: An Autobiography Revisited by Vladimir Nabokov
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
The Diary of a Teenage Girl: An Account in Words and Pictures by Phoebe Gloekner
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Kenya Goree Bell is warm and bawdy and hilarious. She was exactly the person I needed to talk to in the middle of a rough week. We talked about reading romances when we were way too young to read them, and the joys of being proven wrong when we discover a romance trope we previously thought we hated. And she made me laugh so hard my side ached for the rest of the day. Plus, her favorite book is an absolute joy of a romance. I know you're going to love this episode!
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon. If you join in September, I'll send you a Best Book Ever Face Mask! I know: masks are the worst. But if you wear these super soft masks from the BBE TeePublic Shop, men will stop telling you to smile more, and start asking you about your books. That's a bookworm Win/Win.
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Kenya Goree Bell
Website/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Looking for Mr. Goodbar by Judith Rossner
The Lonely Lady by Harold Robbins
Jackie Collins
Sweet Valley High
Rapper’s Delight by Kenya Goree Bell
Tess Gerritson
James Patterson
Dean Koontz
Sixteen Candles
Pretty in Pink
Naima Simone
Sally Kilpatrick
Sierra Simone
Cry of Metal and Bone by L. Penelope
Nalini Singh
Laura Thalassa
Love Unexpected by QB Tyler
Your Dad Will Do by Katee Robert
Truly by Carmel Rhodes
Scoring the Player’s Baby by Naima Simone
Holt, Her Ruthless Billionaire by Theodora Taylor
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Rapper’s Delight by Kenya Goree Bell
Lotus Flower Bomb by Kenya Goree Bell
Rapper’s Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Libbie Hawker is one of my very favorite writers, and I was thrilled for the opportunity to have a good long book chat with her. We discovered a shared love of "atmospheric weirdness" in our books, and the fascinating sensory experience she has when reading and writing books. Libbie's favorite book, Dune, is a science fiction classic that I would never have picked up on my own, and it was a blast listening to Libbie explain the layers of it. Trust me, even if you don't like sci-fi, you will love this discussion.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon. If you join in September, I'll send you a Best Book Ever Face Mask! I know: masks are the worst. But if you wear these super soft masks from the BBE TeePublic Shop, men will stop telling you to smile more, and start asking you about your books. That's a bookworm Win/Win.
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Libbie Hawker
Blog/Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
Dune by Frank Herbert (this is the first book, that I read with Libbie)
The Complete Dune Series Set (Books 1-6) by Frank Herbert
The Eye of the World: Book One of the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
Baptism for the Dead by Libbie Hawker
Watership Down
Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand
Henry Darger at MoMA
Ammonite by Nicola Griffith
Octavia Butler
The Goldfinch by Donna Tart
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Duplex by Kathryn Davis
The Silk Road by Kathryn Davis
Madam (Old Seattle Book 2) by Libbie Hawker
E.M. Forster (you know my favorite of his!)
Tessa Dare
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Kyle MacLachlan’s hair in Dune
Dune 2020 (as of this recording, there is no official trailer available, but I did find this very compelling compilation of stills from the upcoming movie)
Jadorowsky’s Dune (documentary film)
Blade Runner 2049
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick (inspiration for Blade Runner movies)
Arrival
Arrival (Stories of Your Life) by Ted Chiang
Adrian Lyne’s Lolita
Stanley Kubrick’s Lolita
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
Dune by Frank Herbert
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Winter by Ali Smith
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables, The Complete Set by L.M. Montgomery
Autumn by Ali Smith
Spring by Ali Smith
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
How to Be Both by Ali Smith
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Jeff Adams got me to do something I've never done before: enjoy a book about sports. Who would have thought? You're going to love this episode. Jeff is a reader and reviewer, and he has amazing taste in books. You are going to love all of the recommendations he has for us.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon. If you join in September, I'll send you a Best Book Ever Face Mask! I know: masks are the worst. But if you wear these super soft masks from the BBE TeePublic Shop, men will stop telling you to smile more, and start asking you about your books. That's a bookworm Win/Win.
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Jeff Adams
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Big Gay Fiction Podcast/Big Gay Author Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen
(Part of the Ivy Years Series)
New York City Gay Hockey Association
Trouble Shooter Series by Suzanne Brockman (This is a 19-book series that begins with The Unsung Hero.)
Love, Simon
The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
St. Nachos by Z.A. Maxfield
Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
The Extraordinaries by TJ Clune
Camp by L.C. Rosen
V.L. Losey (Romance author)
RJ Scott (Romance author)
The MM Author Podcast
GRL – Gay Rom Lit Retreat
They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Love, Victor
Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera
The Dreamers Series Adriana Herrera
Book 1: American Dreamer
Book 2 American Fairytale
Book 3: American Love Story
Book 4: American Sweetheart
The Hideaway Inn by Phillip William Stover
Smart Podcast, Trashy Books
The Hockey Player’s Heart by Jeff Adams and Will Knauss
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
The Astonishing Life of August March by Aaron Jackson
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Wolf Song by TJ Clune
How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters
Pretty Pretty Boys by Gregory Ashe
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
I found Asha Sabbella on Instagram, where she keeps a lovely book review account. She also writes reviews on her blog, ashareads.com. When I asked her to choose her favorite book, she didn't hesitate to choose a twisty thriller with lots of devious characters and a satisfying payoff. We talked about thrillers, reading and writing with sisters, and the joy of reading books by Own Voices authors.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Asha Sabbella
Instagram/ Blog
Discussed in this episode:
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Book of the Month
#bookstagram
Reese’s Book Club
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
The Truth Hurts by Rebecca Reid
The Safe Place: A Novel by Anna Downes
Us Against You: A Novel by Fredrick Backman
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
The Jane Austen Collection
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn
Frankly in Love by David Yoon
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
The Ripped Bodice Bookstore (located in Los Angeles, California, open for online or phone orders)
East Bay Book Sellers (located in Oakland, California, open for online or phone orders)
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Dexter
(Note: some of these are affiliate links. Your purchase helps to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business. Thank you!)
Farheen Abbas is the kind of person you want to be friends with the first time you meet her. She is engaging, quick-witted and energetic. She's my first guest who chose to talk about a book from her childhood, and it was amazing how relevant the book still is today. We ventured all over the place in this wide ranging talk - from Manga to how movies depict slavery to reading difficult books as a child. I know you're going to love hearing from her as much as I did.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Farheen Raza Abbas
Instagram/ Podcast /Radio Caravan
Discussed in this episode:
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Pokemon Classic Chapter Book Collection
Sailor Moon 1 by Naoko Takeuchi
Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 1 by Akira Toriyama
Chobits 20th Anniversary Edition 1 by CLAMP
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Hamilton
Selma
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Origin by Dan Brown
Juliet, A Novel by Anne Fortier
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive clip:
Flight #116 is Down! By Caroline B. Cooney
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
Selma
The Patriot
Harriet Movie
Twelve Years a Slave (PS from Julie – this is also an excellent book by Solomon Northrup, and the audio version is especially gripping)
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
Who Was? and What Is? Books (Note: this link is for a boxed set of 25 books, but the books are also available individually)
Elizabeth Essex is the award-winning author of critically acclaimed historical romance, including Reckless Brides and her new Highland Brides series. Her books have been nominated for numerous awards, including the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and Seal of Excellence Award, and RWA’s prestigious RITA Award. The Reckless Brides Series has also made Top-Ten lists from Romantic Times, The Romance Reviews and Affaire de Coeur Magazine, and Desert Isle Keeper status at All About Romance. Her fifth book, A BREATH OF SCANDAL, was awarded Best Historical in the Reader’s Crown 2013.
When not rereading Jane Austen, mucking about in her garden, walking her beloved dogs, Ghillie and Brogue, or simply messing about with boats, Elizabeth can be always be found with her laptop, making up stories about heroes and heroines who live far more exciting lives than she. It wasn’t always so. Long before she ever set pen to paper, Elizabeth graduated from Hollins College with a BA in Classics and Art History, and then earned her MA in Nautical Archaeology from Texas A&M University. While she loved the life of an underwater archaeologist, she has found her true calling writing lush, lyrical historical romance full of passion, daring and adventure.
Elizabeth lives in Texas with her husband, the indispensable Mr. Essex, and her active and exuberant family in an old house filled to the brim with books.
Show notes:
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Elizabeth Essex
Website/Facebook/ Instagram/Pinterest
Discussed in this episode:
Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
The Poetry of Robert Frost: The Collected Poems, Complete and Unabridged
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
From Cabin Boys to Captains: 250 Years of Women at Sea by Jo Stanley
Most Secret and Confidential: Intelligence in the Age of Nelson by Steven E. Maffeo
Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny (Loose Ends Book 1) by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
After the Scandal by Elizabeth Essex
Mad About the Marquess by Elizabeth Essex
Almost a Scandal by Elizabeth Essex
A Scandal to Remember by Elizabeth Essex
The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas
Book 1: A Study in Scarlet Women
Book 2: A Conspiracy in Belgravia
Book 3: The Hollow of Fear
Book 4: The Art of Theft
Book 5: Murder on Cold Street
The Veronica Speedwell Series by Deanna Raybourn
Book 1: A Curious Beginning
Book 2: A Perilous Undertaking
Book 3: A Treacherous Curse
Book 4: A Dangerous Collaboration
Book 5: A Murderous Relation
Andrea Penrose: The Lady Arianna Hadley Mysteries (6 Book Series) and the Wrexford and Sloane Regency Mysteries (4 Book Series)
During our conversation, we talked about a Jane Austen time travel book, but couldn’t remember the title. Elizabeth suggested it might be The Austen Project: A Novel, by Kathleen A. Flynn. When I went to research it, I found the one that I read: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, by Laurie Viera Rigler. But in case you were not aware of this, bookworms, Jane Austen time travel is a whole genre unto itself. I had no idea. But every month I send out a curated book list, and this month I’ll dive into this previously undiscovered category of books.
Go here to subscribe to my Patreon for only $5 a month.
Patrons also get to hear an exclusive clip, where we discussed the following:
Jane Austen
Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
Jacques Cousteau
Remarkable Creatures: A Novel by Tracy Chevalier (this is the book I read about Mary Anning)
A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare (a Romance novel suggested by Elizabeth; has a character based on Mary Anning.)
We did not discuss the following books, but Mary Anning is such a fascinating person that I’d like to point you to the wealth of books about her, including the following:
Fossil Hunter by Shelley Emling
Jurassic Mary: Mary Anning and the Primeval Monsters by Patricia Pierce
And, there are even more options in kids/Middle Grade books, in case you are interested in sharing Mary’s story with a young person in your life.
Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers and Marta Álvarez Miguéns (Gr. PreK-4)
Stone Girl Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis by Laurence Anhold and Sheila Moxley (G.r K – 3)
The Fossil Girl by Catherine Brighton (Gr. K-3)
Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon by Jeannine Atkins (Gr. K-5)
Mary Anning: Fossil Hunter by Sally M. Walker (Gr. 2-3)
History VIPs: Mary Anning by Kay Barnham (Gr. 4-6)
The Dragon in the Cliff: A Novel based on the Life of Mary Anning by Sheila Cole (Gr. 4-6)
Mary Anning’s Curiosity by Monica Kulling and Melissa Castrillon (Recommended for grades 4-7)
Curious Bones: Mary Anning and the Birth of Paleontology by Thomas W. Goodhue (Gr. 5-6)
Casey Starnes is a Disney blogger, which I think is the coolest job imaginable. She convinced me to re-read a book that used to annoy me - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Casey is a joy to talk to, and it was particularly wonderful to revisit this story with her as a mature woman, as a mother, as a person with a new understanding of mental wellness.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Casey Starnes
Website/Facebook/ Instagram
Discussed in this episode:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye: A Cultural History by Josef Benson
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger
My guest today is one of my favorite book friends, Mark Lefebvre. Despite how much I love talking books with Mark, I really dreaded reading his book choice, because it's a post-pandemic book and I'm a baby. But I'm so glad I went ahead and read Earth Abides. It's a lovely book about what makes us human when everything we know changes.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Mark Lefebvre
Website/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube/Podcast
Discussed in this episode:
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
(side note: Mark recommends this one on audio)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
The Stand by Stephen King
The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
AMC’s The Walking Dead (TV show)
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
City of the Dead by Brian Keene
Dead Sea by Brian Keene
The Body by Stephen King
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
Pilgrim: A Novel by Timothy Findley
Fire by George R. Stewart
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
Active Reader: And Other Cautionary Tales from the Book World by Mark Leslie
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Poison: Stories by Amy Teegan
No Day Like Today by Amy Teegan
Every House is Haunted by Ian Rogers
Awakened: The Ascension Myth Book 1 by Ell Leigh Clarke and Michael Anderle
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
I'm a longtime fan of the thoughtful book reviews that my guest Marion Hill writes. He is possibly the most diverse reader I've ever met - veering around all genres, always willing to try something new and recommend unfamiliar authors and books. I was delighted that he agreed to join me today to talk about why "Memory and Dream" by Charles de Lint is the Best Book Ever.
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Host: Julie Strauss
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Guest: Marion Hill
Website/Instagram/GoodReads/BookBub
Discussed in this episode:
Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint
The Little Country by Charles de Lint
Charles deLint Website
The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner
Ascending (The Vardeshi Saga Book 1) by Meg Pechenik
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Guy Gavriel Kay Website
The Diondray’s Chronicles Series by Marion Hill
Diondray’s Discovery (Book 1)
Diondray’s Journey (Book 2)
Diondray’s Roundabout (Book 3)
Marion’s 25 by Marion Hill
Marion’s 25, Vol. 2 by Marion Hill
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy
The Highway 59 Series by Attica Locke
Bluebird, Bluebird (Book 1)
Heaven, My Home (Book 2)
Larry McMurtry website
Kinky Friedman website
The Little Leaders Series by Vashti Harrison
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History
Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
S.: A Novel by John Updike
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
On today's episode, H. Claire Taylor, one of the funniest people I know, joins me to talk about "The Princess Bride" one of the funniest books every written. Then we veer into men at comedy clubs, astrophysics, and homeschooling. Trust me.
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Claire Taylor
Author Website/FFS Media Website/Facebook
Discussed in this episode:
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Shrek! By William Steig
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
(side note: this book is particularly wonderful on audio)
Dan Brown Masterclass
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut
The Jessica Christ Series, by H. Claire Taylor
The Kilhaven Police Series, by H. Claire Taylor
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny by Kate Manne
The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself by Sean Carroll
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Discussed in our Patreon-Exclusive Clip
Afterlife (Netflix Series)
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill
Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby
Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty
The point of the Best Book Ever Podcast is that I read your favorite book. Here we are, six episodes in, and I already had to abandon that premise. I could not force myself through this book no matter how hard I tried.
We still talked, and it was a great talk. All of my talks with Amy Teegan are great talks - she is a voracious reader, and a genuinely smart and funny person. Even though I hated the book, I was so grateful for the opportunity to have her tell me why she loves it so much.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Amy Teegan
Website
Discussed in this episode:
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Annotated Lolita: Revised and Updated
Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
Edgard Allen Poe, the Complete Poems (including Amy’s favorite, Annabel Lee)
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall
The Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket
Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Episode
Ready Player One by Earnest Cline
On today's episode actor and comedian David Mills joins me to talk about "Five Star Billionaire" by Tash Aw.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
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Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: David Mills
Website/Podcast/Vimeo
Discussed in this episode:
Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw
When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. – Samuel Johnson
Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
Less Than Zero by Brett Easton Ellis
Hello Darlin’! Tall (And Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman
Johnny Woo
Timberlina
Focus People! Podcast with David Mills
Moni Boyce is a writer, filmmaker, poet, and author of contemporary and paranormal romance, not to mention a travel writer who has visited 33 countries. Today she joins Julie to talk about Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, a particularly bittersweet book to read during the Corona Times.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Moni Boyce
Website/Facebook/Instagram /Twitter/Pinterest/Book+Main
Discussed in this episode:
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Taft by Ann Patchett
Run by Ann Patchett
Parnassus Bookstore, Nashville TN (takes online orders and ships! Support indie bookstores!)
Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine (part of the Stillhouse Lake Series)
Business for Authors: How to Be an Author Entrepreneur by Joanna Penn
Today, thriller and romance author (and self-pro claimed science nerd) AJ Scudiere joins me to talk about her favorite book, Enchantment by Orson Scott Card.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Author AJ Scudiere, can be found here:
Website/Facebook/Instagram
AJ’s Romance Pen name, Savannah Kade, can be found here:
Website/Facebook/Instagram
Books discussed in this episode:
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
Clive Cussler
Jack Reacher by Lee Child
Lisa Gardner
The Murder List by Hank Phillipi Ryan
Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett
Angel Fire East by Terry Brooks
Jim Butcher
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Phoenix by AJ Scudiere
Snake Eyes (Nicholas Cage movie)
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Nightshade Forensic Files by AJ Scudiere
The Other Woman by Hank Phillipi Ryan
Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Books discussed in Patreon-Exclusive Episode
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
This week, my Best Book Friend Denise Massar, memoirist, adoptee, and adoptive mom, joins me to talk about Mothers of Sparta by Dawn Davies.
Note: this episode contains discussion of a memoir that includes triggering content, including child pornography and sociopathy.
Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon
Follow the Best Book ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website
Host: Julie Strauss
Website/Instagram/Facebook
Guest: Denise Massar
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Medium/Goodreads
Books discussed in this episode:
Mothers of Sparta by Dawn Davies
Mary Karr, Author and Memoirist
Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
Books discussed in Patreon-Exclusive Episode
Inside Out: A Memoir by Demi Moore
Me by Elton John
In the first episode of Best Book Ever, host Julie Strauss introduces herself and talks about how this podcast came about. She talks a bit about her own reading life, and her favorite book, Howard's End, by E.M. Forster.