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Episode | Date |
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Christopher Golden Scares Us
2233
Kate is dragging her father by the collar to the horror section of the bookstore and the first Thursday of every month for awhile is going to be Horror Thursday on The Book Case. And do we have a treat for our first episode: Christopher Golden! One of the great Godfathers of Horror Lit, Chris has done it all: short stories, screenplays, graphic novels, novels, fan fic...he is a renaissance talent in horror literature. We talk to him about horror, why it works, how it works and why we love it. Trust Kate, this genre has some terrific talent and if you try some of these books, you won't be sorry (scared maybe, but not sorry).
Books mentioned in this week's podcast:
Snowblind by Christopher Golden
Ararat by Christopher Golden
Road of Bones by Christopher Golden
All Hallows by Christopher Golden
The Ferryman by Christopher Golden
The Boys Are Back in Town by Christopher Golden
Tin Men by Christopher Golden
The Pandora Room by Christopher Golden
Cemetery Girl Trilogy by Christopher Golden and Charlaine Harris
Ocean Dark by Christopher Golden
The Stand by Stephen King
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon
The Grin of the Dark by Ramsey Campbell
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Different Seasons by Stephen King
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Jun 01, 2023 |
James Comey Writes a Thriller
2265
Our principal guest this week is James Comey. Yes, that James Comey. Ex-FBI Director James Comey. Some of Hillary Clinton’s supporters think he may have cost her the election in 2016. Comey says that Donald Trump, once president, invited him to dinner and asked for a pledge of loyalty. Comey refused. Trump eventually fired him but his administration denied the president ever made the ask. That, in short, is part of the story of Jim Comey who, after being a U-S Attorney and then head of the FBI, found himself out of a job in 2017 and a controversial figure. What did he decide to do? Well, Jim Comey decided he’d like to spend the rest of his life being a novelist. His first book - a mystery, a legal thriller, and a novel demonstrating his inside knowledge of America’s justice system is “Central Park West.” It’s a good one - not just for a first effort, but a good one, period. He’s a good story teller - he’s a good conversationalist. “Central Park West” will be in book stores May 30th - he talked with us just before publication and he is very much worth a listen just as his book is worth your time. Our friend Otto Penzler of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York published the Comey novel. He joined us as well.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Central Park West: A Crime Novel by James Comey
Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency and Trust by James Comey
A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership by James Comey
Moral Man and Immoral Society by Reinhold Niebuhr
Desert Star by Michael Connelly
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin
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May 25, 2023 |
Alexandra Robbins Studies Teachers
2403
The Teachers: A Year Inside America’s Most Important and Vulnerable Profession by Alexandra Robbins takes us inside the classroom to show us the daily lives of teachers as they fight against incredible odds to educate our young. An eye-opening, and at times shocking look at the American Education system and its inadequacies. Robbins asks the reader to forget all of their preconceived notions of teaching. The joys you think teachers know? They are bigger than you imagined. The difficulty and pain of operating in a system that doesn’t recognize your importance? Worse than you can fathom. Take a listen, read the book, and thank a teacher in your life today!
Books mentioned in this week's podcast:
The Teachers: A Year Inside America's Most Important and Vulnerable Profession by Alexandra Robbins
The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory, and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School by Alexandra Robbins
The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra Robbins
Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power by Alexandra Robbins
The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama and Miracles with the Heroes of the Hospital by Alexandra Robbins
The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley
Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America's Public Schools by Dianne Ravitch
Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools by Dianne Ravitch
The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education by Dianne Ravitch
It by Stephen King
Ararat by Christopher Golden
Snowblind by Christopher Golden
The Boys Are Back in Town by Christopher Golden
Road of Bones by Christopher Golden
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
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May 18, 2023 |
Henry Grabar Parks That Thought
2204
Henry Grabar is a writer for Slate, the online magazine, and he has written “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.” Now you probably are thinking, “I’ve never read a book about parking. A whole book? Come on.” Well, we thought the same thing but we were intrigued. So we read it and were engrossed. It is fascinating! It is funny! And it tells you so much about a subject on which we all have such strong opinions and about which we all suffer such frustrations. Just some facts he relates - major ones like “more square footage is devoted to parking each car (in America) than to housing each person” - and minor ones like Disney World has 45,000 parking spaces. 10 to 20 families lose their cars there every day.” Intrigued? Read on. The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC News. Our bookstore this week is a grandaddy of second hand book stores - Second Story Books in the Washington, D.C. area.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar
Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Writing of Hunter S. Thompson by Hunter S. Thompson
Volumes 1-4 of the Gonzo Papers - Essays by Hunter S. Thompson
The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
The Economy of Cities by Jane Jacobs
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May 11, 2023 |
Dave Barry Makes Us Laugh
2521
Dave Barry's sense of humor should be on display at the Smithsonian; it is truly one America's great treasures. His latest novel, Swamp Story, is set in the back woods of the Florida Everglades. That's all we are going to tell you, because the plot is so wonderfully wild, you wouldn't believe us anyway. Join us while Dave makes us laugh, and then stick around for our conversation with Mitchell Kaplan at Books & Books. As a Florida bookseller, he has important things to say about why bookstores are on the frontlines in the fight against book bans.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Swamp Story by Dave Barry
Big Trouble by Dave Barry
Best State Ever by Dave Barry
Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States by Dave Barry
Lessons from Lucy by Dave Barry
Insane City by Dave Barry
Dave Barry's Complete guide to guys by Dave Barry
Tricky Business by Dave Barry
Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway by Dave Barry
Dave Barry is Not Taking This Sitting Down! by Dave Barry
You Can Date Boys When You're Forty: Dave Barry on Parenting and Other Topics He Knows Very Little About by Dave Barry
The Benchley Roundup by Robert Benchley
Love Conquers All by Robert Benchley
My Ten Years in a Quandary, and How They Grew by Robert Benchley
Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen
Jeeves in the Offing by P. G. Wodehouse
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Go as a River by Shelley Read
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May 04, 2023 |
Brendan Slocumb Finds Hidden Notes
2310
Brendan Slocumb is a renaissance man who writes his novels with a mission in mind. A violin virtuoso, music teacher, clarinetist AND oboist, he is also a best selling author who writes brilliantly about the world of music. His books could be classed as mysteries but they also bring into stark, painful relief the still largely white and privileged world of classical music. He reminds his readers that there is talent everywhere and anywhere, and he reminds us to look and listen closely to what we might ignore with his latest novel, Symphony of Secrets . We then talk to Afa Dworkin, President and Creative Director of the “Sphinx Organization.” “Sphinx” is doing amazing work, making sure that the country's orchestras reflect the diversity of our population. We will go back to bookstores next week, but we wanted to honor Brendan by talking to an organization doing work about which he is so passionate.
Books mentioned in this week's podcast:
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
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Apr 27, 2023 |
J Ryan Stradal is Back in the Book Case
2241
If you aren't seeing the world through the eyes of J. Ryan Stradal's fiction, you are missing out on something truly special. He writes largely about the Midwest, specifically the state of Minnesota as well as food and drink. That may sound limiting, but his talent is without limit and he fills his pages with themes of family and shared humanity. His newest is Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. It is the most personal journey he has ever taken. Take the ride with him, you won't be sorry. Our bookstore this week is Comma, a bookshop, (yes, both the word and the punctuation mark) a new bookstore in the Twin Cities that anyone who lives there should line up to visit.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
The World According to Garp by John Irving
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott
The Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks
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Apr 20, 2023 |
Charles Frazier Sheds Light on American Optimism
2074
Charles Frazier comes across as a writer in love with America. Beyond the rolling plains and purple mountains majesty, he loves the stories of average Americans in extraordinary times and it comes across in everything he writes. His latest novel, The Trackers, is the most modern novel he has ever written and it takes place 100 years ago. His writing captures the optimism of the American ideal, and his descriptive powers continue to astound. We talk to him about his latest, and what it was about the Great Depression that inspired the book. This week, we also include an interview with Dave Eggers and Ninive Calegari, the two founders of 826, a non profit that teaches kids to express themselves through writing.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Trackers by Charles Frazier
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier
Varina by Charles Frazier
Nightwoods by Charles Frazier
The Significance of the Frontier in American History by Frederick Jackson Turner
Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke
A Private Cathedral by James Lee Burke
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Teaching a Stone to Talk by Annie Dillard
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Apr 13, 2023 |
Rebecca Boggs Roberts Unveils Edith Wilson
2099
Has the United States ever had a female president? An easy question to answer. Has it ever had an ‘acting’ female President? Harder to answer. Check out Rebecca Boggs Roberts' very readable biography of Edith Wilson, Woodrow Wilson’s second wife, and make up your own mind. The book is Untold Power: The Fascinating Rise and Complex Legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson. Following her husband’s stroke in 1919, Edith Wilson decided, for reasons she thought critical to her husband’s well-being, to hide the extent of his incapacities from the public, from the press, from Congress, from his cabinet, even from Wilson himself. She assumed some of the powers of the office herself. Could a First Lady get away with such audacity today in the age of social media and intense news media scrutiny? Not a chance. Was her self-justification reasonable? All those questions are what makes Edith Wilson such a complex and controversial character and a worthy subject for Rebecca Boggs Roberts.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Untold Power: The Fascinating Rise of and Complex Legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson by Rebecca Boggs Roberts
The Suffragist's Parade: The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote by Rebecca Boggs Roberts
My Memoir by Edith Bolling Wilson
Wilson by A. Scott Berg
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard
Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill by Candice Millard
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Apr 06, 2023 |
Timothy Egan Rewrites History
1785
This week, we turn to non-fiction and events in a decade of U.S. history that is unknown to most Americans. The 1920’s were known for remarkable social change. In the wake of World War I, there was cultural exuberance, the first real skyscrapers, jazz age, flappers, the Charleston, and also prohibition. There was also a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, and surprising to many, it came in the north. As award-winning journalist Timothy Egan writes in his remarkable new book to be released April 4th A Fever in the Heartland, the Klan held a lot of power in the state of Indiana. As a vicious, sadistic, charlatan, Eagan says the KKK leader David C. Stephenson encouraged millions in Indiana alone to join the Klan. Egan says one in three white men in the state, not to mention women and children, took the oath. And this in a state that had lost 25,000 Union soldiers in the Civil War just 50 years previous. Egan writes that Stephenson thought himself above the law - “I am the law” he declared. But his brutal treatment of one woman, largely unknown to history, Madge Oberholtzer, brought him down and began the disintegration of the Klan, not only in Indiana, but in the rest of the country. It’s a sobering story well told by Egan. One, we felt, worthy of attention by all of us.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan
The Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan
The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
A Pilgrimage to Eternity: From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith by Timothy Egan
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis by Timothy Egan
Lasso the Wind: Away to the New West by Timothy Egan
Breaking Blue by Timothy Egan
The Good Rain by Timothy Egan
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Blue Nights by Joan Didion
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
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Mar 30, 2023 |
Harlan Coben Will Find You
2480
Harlan Coben is as successful a mystery writer as we have in the country today. He is probably known best for his page-turner plots. In his more than 35 books published to date he keeps you guessing throughout. I Will Find You is his latest - just out. And it’s a bit of a departure for Coben as he will tell you - a little more than half way through the book you find out who the bad guys are. That’s rare for a Coben thriller, but none the less gripping and it will still keep you guessing. Also, as you will find in this podcast, Harlen Coben is not only a good writer, but a good talker to boot.
Our book store this week is “[Words]” in Maplewood, New Jersey. By no means is this a typical bookstore - it is one with a highly commendable mission. It has pursued that mission for 15 years and now is participating in a fascinating experiment to further the mission. As a result, it is Harlen Coben’s favorite bookstore and we talk to them this week.I Will Find You by Harlen Coben
Books (and articles) mentioned in the podcast:
Tell No One by Harlan Coben
Win by Harlan Coben
Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
The Key To My Father by Harlan Coben
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/15/opinion/a-work-of-fiction-the-key-to-my-father.html
Marathon Man by William Goldman
The New York Times
Opinion | Opinion | A WORK OF FICTION; The Key To My Father (Published 2003)
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Mar 23, 2023 |
Beverly Horowitz Adapts Heather McGhee for YA
2446
Quite a few of you have written us that you would be interested in hearing from a book editor, so we went out and find one of the best. Beverly Horowitz, Senior Vice President of Delacorte Press which is a division of Random House, joins us for a fascinating talk about what she does and how she does it. She has been editing for decades and recently has taken to adapting popular and important non fiction books for YA readers, a process that also fascinated us. After talking to Beverly, one of her authors joins us to give an author’s perspective on the process: Heather McGhee, the writer of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together. The Sum of Us is not necessarily a “simple” book for YA audiences, it presents complex arguments about how institutional racism hurts our policy making and our economy. How did the two of them work with this book and adapt it to YA audiences? What does Beverly do with an author who won’t take her advice? How does a book go from the author’s printer to the book store shelves? We answer all of that on this week’s episode of The Book Case. Don’t miss it!
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee
Look Homeword, Angel by Thomas Wolfe
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (Born a Crime by Trevor Noah YA edition)
My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor by Sonia Sotomayor
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer
Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
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Mar 16, 2023 |
Michael Schulman Goes To the Oscars
2275
It's Oscar Week! A week we’ll always love… even if we haven’t seen the all the movies. Our guest this week is Michael Schulman, author of Oscar Wars, a definitive bio of the awards ceremony and the organization that created it. From the catfights of Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland to the slap heard round the world, this book has it all. Halle Berry, Frank Capra, Steven Spielberg, John Wayne, Dennis Hopper, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls and Citizen Kanes, they are all here and you don’t want to miss any of them. We loved every moment of this conversation…and we didn’t want you to miss a thing. So, no bookstore again this week, but next week we are back with a bookstore, promise.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion
“Jumpers” by Tad Friend for The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/10/13/jumpers
Hollywood: The Oral History by Sam Wasson
Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson
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Mar 09, 2023 |
Alex Prud'homme Dines at the White House
1994
This week, The Book Case welcomes journalist Alex Prud’homme! His new book Dinner with the President explores the long history of food and American diplomacy. Did you know that the purchase of Pearl Harbor came about because of the first official state dinner ever? Did you know that many believe our involvement in WWII was predicated on a king and hot dog? These are all great stories and this book is packed with them. Find out why Julia Child played and still plays a central role in White House culinary philosophy and what Nixon ate almost every day for lunch….it’s all fascinating! There were so many great stories we didn’t want you to miss any of them, so we forgo a bookstore this week.Dinner with the President by Alex Prud'homme
Books mentioned in the podcast:
The French Chef in America by Alex Prud'homme
My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme
The Cell Game by Alex Prud'homme
The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Fresh Water in the Twenty-First Century by Alex Prud'homme
Hydrofracking: What Everyone Needs to Know by Alex Prud'homme
France is a Feast: The Photographic Journey of Paul and Julia Child by Alex Prud'homme and Katie Pratt
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Mar 02, 2023 |
Rebecca Makkai Has Some Questions For You
1971
Five years ago Rebecca Makkai was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize and the National Book award. Now, in what is a treat for readers, Rebecca Makkai has just released a brand new novel, “I Have Some Questions for You”. It is a marvelously plotted mystery/novel about a podcaster, Bodie Kane, who returns to her prep school to teach a mini-course. One of her students wants to reinvestigate, with a podcast, a murder that occurred when Bodie was a student and for which a school staffer may have been wrongly convicted. The novel investigates the vagaries of memory, the realities of violence against women, and the near-impossibility of reversing a years-old conviction. The book has received considerable pre-publication praise, deservedly so.
And our bookstore this week has a wonderful story. The brand new Beacon Hill Books and Cafe in downtown Boston, at times, has customers lined up to get in. Find out why.
Books mentioned in this week's podcast:
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
The Hundred-Year House by Rebecca Makkai
The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
Music for Wartime: Stories by Rebecca Makkai
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Paige of Beacon Hill by Sarah S. Brannen
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Feb 23, 2023 |
Amity Gaige Knows How to Write Tension
2102
Amity Gaige is our featured author this week - her latest book is Sea Wife. But when we say latest - it’s been out for almost three years. With apologies, we just discovered it. Shame on us. It’s a book about a couple struggling with marital problems who decide (well the husband decides) to buy a sailboat and head for open waters. His wife isn’t crazy about the idea of sailing around the world so they settle on the Caribbean. That proves to be difficult enough. Amity makes marvelous use of foreshadowing. The wife Juliet is writing her remembrances of the sail. Her husband Michael is heard through his log book of the sail. Why? Well that’s part of the mystery incorporated in a good sea yarn. Our bookstore this week is a good one. Book Ends in Winchester, MA under new ownership -- Lauren Tiedemann and Jillian Hartline.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Sea Wife by Amity Gaige
Shroeder by Amity Gaige
O My Darling by Amity Gaige
The Folded World by Amity Gaige
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
What You are Going Through by Sigrid Nunez
The Silent Woman by Janet Malcom
Trust Exercise by Susan Choi
Rabbit, Run by John Updike
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee
The Paris Bookseller by Keri Maher
The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
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Feb 16, 2023 |
Julie Otsuka is a Master of Memory
1909
Julie Otsuka doesn't just write, she crafts. Trained as a painter, Otsuka took up writing as her second career, and man oh man are we lucky she did. Her latest, The Swimmers, is just coming out in paperback and it is one of the most lyrical rich character portraits we have read. Julie joins us to talk about her unique style, and to tell us how she has kept each one of her novels to less than 200 pages. Trust us, each page is packed with beauty. Our bookstore this week is Book Ends in Winchester Massachusetts with its two brand new owners.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka
When the Emporer was Divine by Julie Otsuka
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
Second Place by Rachel Cusk
A Life's Work by Rachel Cusk
The Outline Trilogy by Rachel Cusk
The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway
Camino Island by John Grisham
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Art of Cooking by Jacques Pepin
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Feb 09, 2023 |
Stuart Gibbs is Back in the Book Case
2850
Stuart Gibbs is a man who loves his audience and his audience loves him. He has written six series of books for kids and all them offer a glimpse into the glee that Stuart Gibbs takes in the stories he tells. Whether it’s blowing up whales, going to a secretly run CIA training school for kids or a knight who never meant to become one, Stuart Gibbs takes real pleasure in entertaining his readers. One of his newest passions is turning his best selling work into graphic novels. His first series being turned into a paneled masterpiece is the Spy School series. His collaboration with illustrating Anjan Sarkar took a surprising turn. Our bookstore this week is Read Herring (soon to be New South Books) in Montgomery Alabama.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Moon Base Alpha Series by Stuart Gibbs
Once Upon a Tim Series by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School Series by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School: the Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs
Spy Camp: the Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs
The FunJungle Collection by Stuart Gibbs
Whale Done by Stuart Gibbs
The Last Musketeer by Stuart Gibbs
Hope Wins: A Collection of Inspiring Stories for Young Readers edited by Rose Brock
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews
Jurassic Park by Michael Chrichton
The Deep by Nick Cutter
Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters
Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham
Children of Dust by Marlin Barton
Tell the World You're a Wildflower by Jennifer Horne
Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver
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Feb 02, 2023 |
Ayana Gray Creates New Worlds
2340
Ayana Gray doesn't just write books, she creates worlds. At 29 years old, she is already one of the best selling YA authors on the market (yes, it's ok to be jealous). Her series, which became Beasts of Prey and the more recently released Beasts of Ruin, presents a lush Pan-African fantasy world that will suck you in and won't let go. As page turners with mature themes, these books are the perfect way for The Book Case to start talking about fantasy.
Books Mentioned in the podcast:
Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray
Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner
The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You by The Oatmeal
The Belgariad by David Eddings
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Karabian Red by Ashley N. Silver
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Jan 26, 2023 |
John Boyne Revisits The Past
2112
You may have noticed that most weeks in our ‘rapid fire’ questions to featured authors, we ask if they have a favorite author. Little secret: Sometimes we are looking for ideas. A few weeks ago, John Irving told us he would read anything John Boyne has written just because Boyne wrote it. So we got busy reading John Boyne. It turns out he has a new book released just this past November, All the Broken Places, that is a continuation of sorts of a book released many years ago that was made into a terrific movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, that we both saw and admired. All the Broken Places centers around a now 91 year old woman who deals with the shame she feels knowing her father was commandant of Auschwitz, having tried to hide her past for decades. How that haunts her makes for an engrossing read. Thank you to John!
Our book store this week is Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Books Mentioned in the Podcast:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
All the Broken Places by John Boyne
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
The Absolutist by John Boyne
My Brother’s Name is Jessica by John Boyne
A History of Loneliness by John Boyne
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne
The Boy At The Top Of The Mountain by John Boyne
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne
The Echo Chamber by John Boyne
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
Snow by John Banville
The Singularities by John Banville
The Sea by John Banville
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Clay’s Quilt by Silas House
Southernmost by Silas House
Lark Ascending by Silas House
Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond
The Date from Hell by Gwenda Bond
Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
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Jan 19, 2023 |
David Sedaris is Back in the Book Case
2407
This week it is David Sedaris part two - or David Sedaris redux. We loved our conversation with him and as we said last week, were we to limit the conversation to just one podcast, we’d have to cut out some of the good stuff. This week David talks about his empathy for those who come to hear him speak or who ask him to sign a book, his love for reading appearances, how he tries out new material on audiences, and how those audiences don’t seem to remember any of what he read. Listen to the end for a funny anecdote.
Our bookstore this week is Arundel Books in Seattle - the store David said was his favorite ‘indie’ in the U-S.
Books Mentioned in the Podcast:
Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
Calypso by David Sedaris
Barrel Fever by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020) by David Sedaris
SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris
Theft by Finding: Diaries (1997-2002) by David Sedaris
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Naked by David Sedaris
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
The Collected Short Stories of Tobias Wolff by Tobias Wolff
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Pulp by Charles Bukowski
Babel by R.F. Kuang
Freshwater for Flowers by Valerie Perrin
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
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Jan 12, 2023 |
David Sedaris Journals Gold
1694
David Sedaris is our guest this week and next. Our conversation with him was so delightful and insightful that we could find no way to edit our conversation to just one podcast without leaving out too much of the “good stuff’. David is unique. He writes marvelous essays of observation about modern life drawing much of his material from audiences who come to listen to him read and with whom he spends considerable time interacting. He writes about serious family issues he’s encountered with great humor. He writes about playing a Christmas elf at Macy’s, and how can that fail to draw a chuckle? “Happy-Go-Lucky” is his latest collection of essays. But there are many. We loved everything of his we read. You will too.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
Calypso by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020) by David Sedaris
SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris
Theft by Finding: Diaries (1997-2002) by David Sedaris
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Naked by David Sedaris
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Barrel Fever by David Sedaris
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
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Jan 05, 2023 |
Esmeralda Santiago Dreams Her Reality
2385
It might seem a bit presumptuous to write a three volume autobiography about the first 29 years of your life, wouldn’t you think? But Esmerelda Santiago lived an almost unbelievable first thirty years and writes in such a personal fashion, that reading her story makes you feel as if you’re in the company of a good friend speaking just to you. The first volume, When I was Puerto Rican tells the story of growing up in abject poverty in Puerto Rico with no expectations of anything more. The second volume, Almost a Woman tells of her coming to the United States terrified about what life would be like and through the most improbable of circumstances finding herself in an esteemed school for the performing arts though speaking almost no English. The third volume, The Turkish Lover finds Esmerelda realizing she is a whole lot smarter than the man in her life - applying to Harvard and graduating Magna Cum Laude! How is that for 29 years? If you’re intimidated by three short volumes, just try the first volume and see if you don’t want to go on. And if you’d like to be charmed, listen to Esmerelda’s conversation with us.
Books Mentioned in the Podcast:
When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago
The Turkish Lover by Esmeralda Santiago
Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago
América's Dream by Esmeralda Santiago
The Iliad by Homer
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk
Free Puerto Rico by Pedro Albizu Campos
|
Dec 22, 2022 |
The Holiday Gift Guide
2929
After you’ve bought Sister Sally the alpaca sweater, brother Billy his baseball bat, Mom her mixer and Dad his golf ball retriever, what small presents should you add? A book, of course! Everyone appreciates the thought that goes into giving just the right book. So have no fear, Kate and Charlie are here with what will be our annual “just the right book for everyone’s End-of-year book list.” If you can't find it here, you can’t find it anywhere. Mitchell Kaplan of Florida’s "Books and Books" gives us fiction selections. Bradley Graham of Washington’s "Politics and Prose" on non-fiction, Celia Sack of San Francisco’s "Omnivore Bookstore" on cookbooks, Justin Colussi-Estes of Decatur, Georgia’s 'Little Shop of Stores' on young adult books broken down by age groups, Otto Penzler from New York City’s The Mysterious Bookstore” on mysteries. And best for last, Kate and Charlie ourselves on coffee table books. Why us? Well, we each occasionally drink coffee and we each have a living room table. Oh yeah, and we didn’t want to feel left out. Enjoy! And if you want to give US a present, rate us and write a comment where you get your podcasts. We read ‘em. Happy Holidays listeners! We love you all! We love you all!Non-Fiction: (Bradley Graham)
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Non-Fiction: (Bradley Graham)
Lost and Found: A Memoir by Kathryn Schulz
Path Lit By Lightening: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss
The Great Air Race: Glory, Tragedy and the Dawn of American Aviation by John Lancaster
Waging a Good War: A Military History of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968 by Thomas E. Ricks
Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America by Dahlia Lithwick
Mysteries: (Otto Penzler)
Desert Star by Michael Connelly
A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead
The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries Edited by Martin Edwards
The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly
Coffee Table Books: (Us)
Football: Designing the Beautiful Game by James Bird, Sam Handy, Jacques Herzog, Thomas Turner, Eleanor Watson
The Philosophy of Modern Song by Bob Dylan
African Art Now by Osei Bonsu
The Space Shuttle: A Mission-by-Mission Celebration of NASA’s Extraordinary Spaceflight Program by Roland Miller
Cookbooks: (Celia Sack)
Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, Sarah Leung
What’s for Dessert by Claire Saffitz
BUDMO! Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen by Anna Voloshyna
Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook by Illyanna Maisonet
The Bartender’s Guide to the World: Cocktails and Stories from 75 Places by Lauren Mote
Children’s Books: (Justin Colussi-Estes)
Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett
The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back by Jonathan Stutzman
Everything in Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging by Pauline David-Sax
A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga
Thirteen Witches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
The Sea of Always (Thirteen Witches Book 2) by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
The Star that Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson
Shuna’s Journey by Hayao Miyazaki
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Dec 15, 2022 |
Barbara Kingsolver Grapples with American Poverty
2775
The book is Demon Copperhead , the author is Barbara Kingsolver. That should be enough said. If you read it and don’t come away thinking it is the best book you’ve read this year, it will be among the best. Her book is a prodigious feat on many levels. It is beautifully written. It gives you a sense of a part of America often ignored. It has wonderful characters. It is funny, and she writes it as a parallel to David Copperfield , Charles Dickens' most personal novel. She’s a great writer and a great talker. Give a listen.
Our bookstore this week is Rainy Day Books in Kansas City, where the state line runs right through the center of town.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
King Lear by Shakespeare
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Love & Saffron by Kim Fay
84 Chairing Cross by Road Helene Hanff
Double Agent by Tom Bradby
A Single Spy by William Christie
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
The River of Gods by John Speke
River of Doubt Candice Millard
Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Recieving by Angela Santomero
|
Dec 08, 2022 |
Nelson DeMille Keeps His Readers Guessing
2441
Nelson DeMille - to meet him you’d think of him as the prototypical grandfatherly guy, mild-of-manner with a gentle soul. And you’d be right. It would be most unlikely that you’d also spot him as a guy who has written dozens of murder mysteries, spy novels and thrillers that have gained him a devoted audience. He has devised lots of ways to bump off his characters. You must watch out for those grandfatherly types. With 23 books in circulation and over 50 million sold, DeMille still debuts on the bestseller list with each release, and his latest, The Maze, was no exception. The bookstore this week is also an American institution: The Faulkner House Bookstore in New Orleans. The store sells all kinds of books in a space that also happens to be a Faulkner landmark.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Maze by Nelson DeMille
The Gate House by Nelson DeMille
The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille
The Panther by Nelson DeMille
The General’s Daughter by Nelson DeMille
The Charm School by Nelson DeMille
The Quest by Nelson DeMille
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille
Plum Island by Nelson DeMille
The Lion’s Game by Nelson DeMille
The Lion by Nelson DeMille
The Deserter by Nelson and Alex DeMille
Radiant Angel by Nelson DeMille
Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille
The Sniper by Nelson DeMille
The Hammer of God by Nelson DeMille
Spencerville by Nelson DeMille
Cathedral by Nelson DeMille
By the Rivers of Babylon by Nelson DeMille
The Cuban Affair by Nelson DeMille
Mayday by Nelson DeMille and Thomas Block
Superfudge by Judy Blume
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Absalom, Absalom! By William Faulkner
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Some Go Home by Odie Lindsey
Welcome to our Senses by Odie Lindsey
Collected Stories by William Faulkner
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Dec 01, 2022 |
Kate and Charlie Talk Turkey
2085
Let’s do the math. A human’s average life span: 80 years. Years after Similac and Gerbers: say 75 years. At approximately 1000 meals per year, that’s a lifetime of 75,000 meals. What if you had a different recipe for every one of those 75,000 meals? Celia Sack does. She is one of the owners of Omnivore Books in San Francisco. They sell nothing but cookbooks and books about food and drink. You don’t go into her store asking, “What should I be reading?” but instead, “What should I be cooking or baking?" We ‘drop’ this podcast on Thanksgiving Day when everyone is thinking about food. Celia thinks about it every day. And, of course, we’re all thinking about things to be thankful for, including our listeners. We’re thankful for our chance to talk with Celia. She is a delight.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Small Victories by Julia Turshen
Kitchen Simple: Essential Recipes for Everyday Cooking by James Peterson
The Nutmeg Trail: Recipes and Stories Along the Ancient Spice Routines by Eleanor Ford
The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert
The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy
Mourad: New Moroccan by Mourad Lahlou
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle
The Way to Cook by Julia Child
Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking by Julia Child
The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes and Stories of My Life by Pat Conroy
The Escoffier Cookbook: and Guide to the Fine Art of Cookery for Connoisseurs, Chefs, Epicures by Auguste Escoffier
Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman
Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes by Alison Roman
The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rogers
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Nov 24, 2022 |
Kate Goes to The Brooklyn Book Festival
2540
This week on the Book Case we have two more authors from the Brooklyn Book Festival. You can find Angeline Boulley's The Firekeeper's Daughter on the YA shelves of your local library or bookstore, but the book transcends the genre. She'll talk about how she approaches world-building and gives us a sneak preview of her highly-anticipated new novel coming out next spring. Kate also catches up with Book Case favorite Sidik Fofana and sits down with Jory Southurst, the manager of the bookstore at the Center for Fiction. This episode was recorded at The Center for Fiction. It's a beautiful part of the Brooklyn literary community with classes and events. Their bookstore shouldn't be missed!
Books mentioned in this podcast;
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana
Crazy Horse’s Girlfriend by Erika T. Wurth
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Murder on the Red River by Marcie R. Rendon
The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Babel by R.F. Kuang
A Little Life Hanya Yanagihara
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
Greenland by David Santos Donaldson
A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera
The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
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Nov 17, 2022 |
Cleyvis Natera Finds Joy Unexpectedly
2702
Cleyvis Natera took 15 years to write Neruda on the Park, and you can see why when you read the novel. There many pieces of the book that speak to Natera's life: navigating America with and on behalf of her parents, seeing gentrification slowly creep into the neighborhoods she has loved, the flawed and complex relationships between generations of women within one community. Kate had a chance to sit down with Cleyvis at the recent Brooklyn Book Festival and they talked about how Cleyvis' growth and maturity contributed to the growth and maturity of her novel. We then talk to Book Ends and Beginnings in Evanston, Illinois, a book lovers bookstore in a great college town.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera
When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
The Street by Ann Petry
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Matrix by Lauren Groff
Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close
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Nov 10, 2022 |
John Irving is Back in the Book Case
2402
When this podcast was in its infancy, John Irving joined us to talk about his work and what he described as “his last big novel,” that was, at the time, still being written. It is now “in better bookstores everywhere” as they say. And “big” is something of an understatement. “The Last Chairlift” is close to 900 pages! Is it worth that much an investment of time? If you’re a John Irving admirer—how can you say no? And we are among John’s many admirers. The novel has all of John’s familiar themes: the search for an unknown father, sexual politics, a highly unusual family, ghosts as well as skiing, wrestling and Exeter Academy. John even includes a couple of screenplays as part of the story. Reading “The Last Chairlift” is a significant investment of time, but it is both moving and entertaining. This is our second conversation with John Irving, and he never fails to fascinate us.
Books in this podcast:
The Last Chairlift by John Irving
Setting Free the Bears by John Irving
The Water-Method Man by John Irving
The 158-Pound Marriage by John Irving
The World According to Garp by John Irving
The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Trying to Save Piggy Sneed by John Irving
A Son of the Circus by John Irving
The Imaginary Girlfriend by John Irving
A Widow for One Year by John Irving
My Movie Business: A Memoir by John Irving
The Fourth Hand by John Irving
Until I Find You by John Irving
Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving
In One Person by John Irving
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
A Saint from Texas by Edmund White
A Previous Life by Edmund White
Original Prin by Randy Boyagoda
Dante's Indiana by Randy Boyagoda
The Absolutist by John Boyne
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
A History of Loneliness by John Boyne
The Way Home by Kardea Brown
South of Broad by Pat Conroy
Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch
Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera
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Nov 03, 2022 |
Jon Meacham Rewrites Abraham Lincoln's Story
2672
A quick Google search will tell you there are over 15,000 books about Abraham Lincoln. Do we need another? Well yes, considering that none of them so far has been written by Jon Meacham who is one of America’s best biographers. “And There Was Light” has just been released. It is a most readable 420 page biography of our 16th President and it is timely. America is probably more divided now that at any time since Lincoln’s. Jon writes, “A President who led a divided country in which an implacable minority gave no quarter…has much to teach us in a twenty-first century moment of polarization.” Jon is a great conversationalist. At one point he says, "Some think I’m the love child of Mr. Rogers and Doris Kearns Goodwin.” How is that for a tease?
Books mentioned in this podcast:
And There was Light by Jon Meacham
The Soul of America by Jon Meacham
American Lion by Jon Meacham
Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
Franklin and Winston by Jon Meacham
His Truth is Marching On by Jon Meacham
American Gospel by Jon Meacham
The Hope of Glory by Jon Meacham
Destiny and Power by Jon Meacham
All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
The Wise Men by Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas
Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope
The Warden by Anthony Trollope
Emma by Jane Austen
The Chain by Adrian McKintey
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
|
Oct 27, 2022 |
Doug Bauer Steps Up to Bat
2404
Doug Bauer has written a love story, "The Beckoning World". A man and a woman. A father and son. A love for a more innocent time. A lovely homage to America’s midwest. And a love story about baseball. It’s a simple book really—until it’s not. Boy meets girl. Boy is a promising pitcher. Girl's father says, "You pick: my daughter or baseball." He picks the girl. But then the book veers back to baseball and the protagonist pitcher and his son are barnstorming across America with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Sound implausible? Doug makes it seem perfectly reasonable. The Beckoning World is evocative of the early 20th century, conjures up small town baseball parks (you can almost smell the peanuts), and makes you feel like you know the Babe and Lou. Especially the Babe.
And speaking of small towns, this week’s bookstore is Fact and Fiction in Missoula, Montana. Give it all a listen.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Beckoning World by Douglas Bauer
The Book of Famous Iowans by Douglas Bauer
The Very Air by Douglas Bauer
Dexterity by Douglas Bauer
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Sister Noon by Karen Joy Fowler
Wild Kingdom by Vijay Seshadri
War and Peace By Leo Tolstoy
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch
Body Grammar by Jules Ohman
Killing Custer by James Welch
Penguin Problems Jory John
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
Mother Bruce Book Series by Ryan T. Higgins
Winter in the Blood by James Welch
Perma Red by Debra Magpie Earling
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Once Sentence Journal by Chris La Tray
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Oct 20, 2022 |
Angie Cruz Teaches How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water
2271
Once again it was a title that caught our eye, leading us to a the book that was even more intriguing than the title. The book is How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water. The author is Angie Cruz. The book is a fascinating character study of Cara Romero, a Dominican immigrant who came to this country more than 25 years ago. She needs a job. There are 12 chapters— each a transcription of one of Cara’s meetings with a professional job counselor. You come to know Cara - or do you really? As she talks to the counselor and tells her/him not just about herself but about the immigrant community of which she is a part? A reader, we believe, will thoroughly enjoy getting to know Cara. A listener to The Book Case will enjoy getting to know Angie Cruz.
Instead of an independent bookstore this week we talk to each other about books we’ve read this year that we loved, but might not have been suited to a podcast.
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
Let It Rain Coffee by Angie Cruz
Soledad by Angie Cruz
Widow Basquiat by Jennifer Clement
Incidents in the Life of a Slave by Harriet Jacobs
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
The Lost Kings by Tyrell Johnson
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Head Full of Ghosts by Paul G. Tremblay
Full Throttle by Joe Hill and Stephen King
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Robert E Lee: A Life by Allen C. Guelzo
|
Oct 13, 2022 |
Amy Sarig King Stands Up To Censorship
2699
We have expressed a desire to keep The Book Case non-political. But there is one issue we feel should not be a source of contention - and that is book banning and book challenges. We have been looking for a relatively safe way to approach the issue and think we’ve found it in a book by Amy Sarig King entitled Attack of the Black Rectangles. The "black rectangles" to which she refers are those black stripes that represent redactions of language. Amy writes for young people— target audience probably 11 to 16. But this book reads well for adults as well and addresses an important subject. It is a fictionalized account of an actual book redaction that her son discovered in a school assigned novel about the Holocaust. Amy argues, persuasively we feel, that young people don’t need this kind of ‘protection’ and that it’s a slippery slope from redactions to actual book bans. She has both a lovely book and a powerful argument.
Afterwards we talk with Jonathan Friedman of PEN America who has written a thorough report about how the number of book challenges and bans are growing across the United States at an alarming rate.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King (A.S. King)
Me and Marvin Gardens By Amy Sarig King (A.S. King)
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Dig by Amy Sarig King (A. S. King)
Ask the Passengers by Amy Sarig King (A. S. King)
Reality Boy by Amy Sarig King (A. S. King)
Everybody Sees the Ants by Amy Sarig King (A. S. King)
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
|
Oct 06, 2022 |
Richard Osman Writes Mysteries You Can Sink Your Dentures Into
2479
So you’re in your mid-50s, you’ve got a great career going as a television personality in Great Britain, so what might be enjoyable to do next? Why write a hugely successful series of mysteries of course. And that is what Richard Osman has done. His novel The Thursday Murder Club is about four bold septuagenarian friends who meet to discuss about unsolved crimes in their retirement village. The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed are two riveting extensions of The Thursday Murder Club. Osman talks about casting the film adaptation of his novels and how his mother’s retirement village in England inspired his writing process. The independent bookstore this week is 27th Letter Books and we talk to Erin Pineda, the owner about their incredible story of survival.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Scorpionfish by Natalie Bakopoulos
Gag Reflex by Elle Nash
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry, Jessica Curry and Brittany Jackson
Crescenciana: An Art Book and Memoir by Crescenciana Tan + Kenneth Tan
|
Sep 29, 2022 |
Elizabeth Strout Hears her Characters' Voices
2538
Elizabeth Strout is our guest this week, and our conversation couldn’t be more timely. First, her novel, Oh William! has just been short listed for the Booker Prize - perhaps the most prestigious award for a writer of literary fiction. And second, her latest novel in the Lucy Barton series has just been published - Lucy by the Sea. For those who love her writing, and we are among her greatest admirers, you know that Lucy by the Sea represents a continuation of the series that includes Oh William! The book allows us to see the chaos of the last years through Lucy's eyes, and it's a tumultuous, beautiful journey. The independent bookstore this week is Tattered Cover and we talk to Jeremy Patlen, their head buyer.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
Oh William! By Elizabeth Strout
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
This is Happiness by Niall Williams
The Collected Stories of William Trevor
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Pigeon Feathers and Other Stories by John Updike
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro
Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Just Kids by Patti Smith
We are the Light by Matthew Quick
Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer
|
Sep 22, 2022 |
Sue Miller Examines Marriage, Intimately
2615
Sue Miller is one of America’s finest and most admired authors. From the time of her first published novel in 1986, (The Good Mother), to her most recent, (Monogamy), Sue has developed a legion of devoted readers. Her plots often involve major events, but her greatest skill is the intimate understanding she has of her characters. She knows their head and their heart, or maybe it is that they know hers. How she writes, how she develops those characters, and what they mean to her are all subjects of our conversation. Sue Miller is one of our finest practitioners of literary fiction. We feel honored to have her in The Book Case.
This week, we also talk to the host of “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read," Zibby Owens. She invited us on her podcast, so we returned the invitation.
Books mentioned in this podcast:
The Good Mother by Sue Miller
Family Pictures by Sue Miller
While I Was Gone by Sue Miller
Inventing the Abbotts and Other Stories by Sue Miller
Monogomy by Sue Miller
The Lake Shore Limited by Sue Miller
The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller
The Arsonist by Sue Miller
The Distinguished Guest by Sue Miller
The World Below by Sue Miller
The Story of My Father: A Memoir by Sue Miller
Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller
For Love by Sue Miller
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Short Stories of Leo Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy
Slow Motion: A Memoir of a Life Rescued by Tragedy by Dani Shapiro
Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage by Dani Shapiro
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
|
Sep 15, 2022 |
Nahid Shahalimi Gathers the Voices of Afghan Women
2293
It was just a year ago that the U.S. withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. On that date, Nahid Shahalimi, an Afghan female writer living in Germany, realized that she needed to hurry to record the stories of prominent Afghan women who soon would try to escape their country, or stay and risk death. She did so, and compiled their stories in “We Are Still Here.” The world’s attention has turned to the crisis in Ukraine, but Afghanistan is still there and should not be forgotten, particularly the stories of women oppressed by the Taliban. This week, a conversation with Nahid Shahalimi, as she writes, “Listen to these women. See them. See their commitment to freedom and to their rights."
Books mentioned in this podcast:
We are Still Here edited by Nahid Shahalimi
The Book of Life by Jidda Krishnamurti
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi
The Secret Sky: A Novel of Forbidden Love in Afghanistan by Atia Abawi
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
A House Without Windows by Nadia Hashimi
When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi
Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi
One Half from the East by Nadia Hashimi
The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi
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Sep 08, 2022 |
Stuart Gibbs Takes Kids on Wild Journeys
2233
Stuart Gibbs is this week’s guest and begins what we intend to be a periodic look at children's’ literature, or in the parlance of the day, “kids’ books”. Stuart has five different series of kids’s books in print - all successful, each aimed at the middle grades. His latest Spy School book is just out. Kate and I (grown-up who like to believe) loved it, as did our 12-year-old grandson and nephew, Lang (but then Stuart is his favorite author). To be a successful author of kids’ books we believe you have to be a good writer as well as a bit of a kid yourself. Stuart checks both boxes.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Moon Base Alpha Series by Stuart Gibbs
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School Series by Stuart Gibbs
FunJungle Series by Stuart Gibbs
Charlie Thorne Series by Stuart Gibbs
The Last Musketeer Series by Stuart Gibbs
Poached by Stuart Gibbs
Encyclopedia Brown Series Donald J. Sobol
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe
Superfudge by Judy Blume
The Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster
The BFG by Roald Dahl
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Sep 01, 2022 |
David Koepp Writes Thrillers Differently These Days
2692
Our author this week is David Koepp. You may not realize it, but you’ve been exposed to David’s writing. Probably many times. Did you see the first two Jurassic Park movies? Spider-Man? Indiana Jones? Mission Impossible? David has worked on the screenplays of some of the most successful movies ever. Indeed, movies he has written have sold almost $2.5 billion in tickets. He also writes novels. “Aurora” is his latest. It’s an enjoyable, and even thought-provoking read. Why write novels when you’re so successful with screen plays? How do the disciplines differ? Which is more rewarding? All good questions. We ask them.
Our independent bookstore this week is Interabang Books in Dallas, Texas.
Books Mentioned in the Podcast:
Cold Storage by David Koepp
Aurora by David Koepp
The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
That’s Good! That’s Bad! by Margery Cuyler
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
A Queen to the Rescue: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah by Nancy Churnin
A Girl Named Carrie: The Visionary Who Created Neiman Marcus and Set the Standard for Fashion by Jerrie Marcus Smith
River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Trust by Hernan Diaz
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
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Aug 25, 2022 |
Sidik Fofana Steps Out of the Classroom
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Sidik Fofana has written “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs.” This is his first novel and very much worth a reader’s time. His book is eight interrelated short stories written by residents of a fictional tenement in New York City in a neighborhood going through gentrification. You root for his characters. You identify with their aspirations. But for each of them it is so tough to realize their dreams. For each of them it is so tough to negotiate the realities of every day life. And Sidik knows from whence he writes—for years he has been a New York City public school teacher. Many of his stories, he tells us, come from his kids. “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs” is an excellent book. One small warning—a couple of the stories are written with the voice of the street, but were that not the case, it would not be as authentic. And every inch of this book is authentic. Our independent book store this week is Women and Children First in Chicago—we talk with one of its owners, Lynn Mooney.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fafana
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Birds of America by Lorrie Moore
The Broken Earth Trilogy N.K. Jemisin
“Harlem” by Langston Hughes from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
The Odyssey by Homer
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Native Son by Richard Wright
Trombone Shorty by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews
Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Johnson
Oh William! By Elizabeth Strout
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
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Aug 18, 2022 |
Jenny Lawson is Broken (In the Best Possible Way)
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Jenny Lawson is a funny writer, but that label doesn’t tell the whole story. In her three books, her "parenthetical ramblings" are hilarious glimpses into her razor sharp wit that keep you laughing long after you put the book down. At the same time, Jenny Lawson deals with deep depression that has her also writing about her struggles - sometimes just to stay alive. She writes of the “monster” that at times takes over her mind. That mind works in wonderous ways - not always helpful to her own well being - but wonderous just the same. Our bookstore this week? Well that’s Jenny Lawson’s too. We talk to Elizabeth Jordon, the general manager of Jenny Lawson’s bookstore, Nowhere Bookshop in San Antonio.
Books mentioned in the podcast:
Broken (in the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Twice 22 by Ray Bradbury
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Hurricane Girl by Marcy Dermansky
Florida Woman by Deb Rogers
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
There, There by Tommy Orange
A Visitation of Spirits by Randall Kenan
Stories From the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana
The Hakawati by Rabih Alameddine
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Aug 11, 2022 |
Julia Glass Reimagines the Future
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Julia Glass burst on the writing scene in 2002 when her first novel, “Three Junes”, won the National Book Award for fiction. Her newest novel “Vigil Harbor” plots current problems such as worldwide virus infections, climate change and increasing political violence as they might increase over the next twelve years, and charts their impact on a small town in coastal Massachusetts. Set in 2034, the novel includes a touch of mystery and the supernatural, and is a most enjoyable read from almost any perspective. On the show, Julia speaks about the ways climate change has shaped the novel, her experience writing with a supernatural twist for the first time, and how the book changed with the Covid-19 pandemic started. Our independent book store for this podcast is Keplers, in Menlo Park, California.
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Aug 04, 2022 |
Hernan Diaz Trusts His Characters
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Hernan Diaz is an author, essayist, and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award. His newest novel, "Trust," has just this week been chosen as a finalist for the Booker Prize - one of the most prestigious of literary prizes. The head of the Booker judging panel said many of this year’s finalists involve “the elusive nature of truth”. That certainly would pertain to “Trust”. The book is intricately plotted, marvelously written, and insightful about the world of finance and the singular relationship Americans have with money. Diaz also talks about his writing process, writing a character with an "obnoxious" point of view, and the thrills and perils of releasing a book out into a world. Our conversation took place just before the Booker nominees were announced, but reading ’Trust" and listening to Diaz will leave you with no doubt that this novel deserves the high honor according it by the Booker judging committee. Our independent book store this week is Market Street Books in Mashpee, Massachusetts, a favorite vacation destination.
Books mentioned in the podcast this week:
Trust by Hernan Diaz
In The Distance by Hernan Diaz
A Backward Glance by Edith Wharton
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
I am a Bunny by Richard Scarry
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Old Man in the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Emma by Jane Austen
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Jul 28, 2022 |
J. Ryan Stradal Writes From the Heart
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J. Ryan Stradal is one of America’s finest young authors. His two novels have been out for some time - both highly acclaimed. Another is releasing next year. “Kitchens of the Great Midwest” was his first with “The Lager Queen of Minnesota” following four years later. Publishers conducted a bidding war for ‘Kitchens' - how rare is that for a first work? And it’s been translated into more than a dozen languages. You can argue over which is the better of the two and we have. Both are excellent. Kate likes ‘Kitchens’. Charlie is partial to “Lager Queen”. While these titles may make them sound like food books, they aren't. For J. Ryan food serves as a way of explaining different aspects of humanity, largely around themes of forgiveness. J. Ryan and Kate have been good friends since their college days (we're talking the ‘90s here folks) and she says she loves to listen to him talk. And laugh. You will too.
Since J. Ryan’s books have a Midwest setting and flavor we’ve paired him with Ann Woodbeck, one of the owners of Excelsior Bay Books to be found in Excelsior Bay Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
Elsewhere, California by Dana Johnson
Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brian
Goodnight Loon by Abe Sauer
Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges
Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping by Matthew Salesses
Shoulder Season: A Novel by Christina Clancy
Four Dead Horses by K. T. Sparks
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
This is Happiness by Niall Williams
The Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher
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Jul 21, 2022 |
Anna Quindlen Wants You to Write
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Anna Quindlen can write pretty much anything – years of insightful columns for the “New York Times,” wonderful fiction as evidenced by nine widely-read novels, and non-fiction as well. The latest is her plea for all of us to write. “Write for Your Life” is the book. It’s a small volume but it’s message belies its size. Anna Quindlen wants us writing for future grandchildren and great-grandchildren, for our current loved ones, and even for ourselves. Write letters, keep journals, record your own life history – it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be personal. She asks her readers: If you could have one piece of writing from someone in your life who’s gone, who would that be? When you answer that, you’ll know why writing is so important. As you write, she argues, it may even bring greater clarity about your own problems and thoughts. After our conversation with Anna, stay for Sharon Davis of Book Bound Bookstore in Blairsville, Georgia, population 616. Talk about an act of faith! Opening a tiny town independent bookstore. Talking to Sharon was at the suggestion of one of our listeners, and we appreciate it.
Books Mentioned:
Write for Your Life by Anna Quindlen
Alternate Side by Anna Quindlen
The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Pioneer Women: The Lives of Women on the Frontier by Linda Peavy
Object Lessons by Anna Quindlen
The Holy Bible
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting by Anna Quindlen
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
One Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni
The Gilded Wolves by Roshai Choksi
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
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Jul 14, 2022 |
Jennifer Egan Plays with Form
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Twelve years ago, Jennifer Egan won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel, “A Visit from the Goon Squad.” It was wildly successful and totally original. Now she has written a companion novel - a continuation, if you will - “The Candy House.” The premise is intriguing and while impossible, it lends itself to many opportunities for Jennifer to write in different styles. The premise is that it has become possible for a person to have every one of their memories, since birth, encapsulated in a box and every one of those memories can be recalled. In fact, a person can get access to someone else’s memories if willing to share their own. Every chapter is written in a different style - but all fit together nicely. Pulling that off, and she does, is literary, a feat of no small proportion. You need not have read “Goon Squad” to enjoy “Candy House.” But listening to Jennifer may well make you want to. This week we take a pause from talking to an independent bookstore. Kate and Charlie discuss what they’ve learned from their first ten podcasts.
Books Mentioned:
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The Keep by Jennifer Egan
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Lavender's Blue: A Book of Nursery Rhymes by Kathleen Lines and Harold Jones
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Happy For You by Claire Stanford
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Preston & Child's Agent Pendergast Series
The Power Broker By Robert Caro
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (Yes, Charles Gibson read it. And yes, I am listing it. Sorry, dad.)
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Jul 07, 2022 |
Claire Stanford is Happy For You
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What if an app could quantify exactly how happy you are? That's the premise for Clare Stanford's debut novel, "Happy For You," in which a philosopher leaves academia to work as a researcher for"the third-most popular internet company" where she struggles to find belonging as a biracial woman. "Happy For You,' is a funny story of a woman searching for her identity and a satirical commentary on today's h(app)iness-obsessed world. Plus, a conversation with Mitchell Kaplan at Books and Books.
Other books mentioned in the pod:
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño
The Bernstein Bears Series by Stan and Jan Bernstein
Year of Dangerous Days: Riots Refugees and Cocaine in Miami 1980 by Nicholas Griffin
Big Trouble by Dave Barry
Trust by Hernan Diaz
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Jun 30, 2022 |
David Gergen Knows Politics
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David Gergen says it's time for new American leadership. As a political advisor who served four presidential administrations, Gergen has a perspective on the White House that's unrivaled in the political world. Gergen wrote his new book, "Hearts Touched with Fire," to advise the next generation of political leaders. Maybe that will include you! In President Truman's words, "Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers."
List of books mentioned:
Hearts Touched with Fire by David Gergen
Lincoln at Gettysburg by Garry Wills
The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell
The March of Folly by Barbara Tuchman
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts
To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters
Flying Solo by Linda Holmes
Maine Beer: Brewing in Vacationland by Josh Christie
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
Letters of EB White by EB White (Revised)
Charlotte's Web by EB White
Stuart Little by EB White
Sigh, Gone by Phuk Tron
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Jun 23, 2022 |
Delia Ephron Falls In Love, Again
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Delia Ephron went through hell. Her leukemia almost killed her - so did the treatments to cure it. In “Left on Tenth”, her new book that is on many best seller lists, she writes about wanting to die - pleading with the doctors to let her die. However a doctor, who perhaps knew Delia better than she knew herself, wouldn’t let her. And a late in life, second love, sustained her through the most difficult of times. Delia’s book is inspiring and is testament to the strength of the human spirit and the healing power of love. Now, remarkably recovered, she talks about her ordeal. Listen to her answer of what she wants the rest of her life to be. It will make you smile.
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Jun 16, 2022 |
Introducing 'Reclaimed: The Story of Mamie Till-Mobley'
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You may know the story of Emmett Till. But you might’ve never heard his story if it weren't for one woman: Mamie Till-Mobley. In a new three-part season of ABC News' "Reclaimed" podcast, host Leah Wright Rigueur explores who Mamie Till-Mobley was before she lost her son: a young girl growing up in Illinois. Rigueur traces Mamie's journey after Emmett’s death, and how she turned her grief into a movement that changed the course of American history.
The first two episodes of "Reclaimed" are available now. To listen, follow the show on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3zofsOC), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3PSLBDU), Amazon Music (https://amzn.to/3tgHfNf), or wherever you like to listen.
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Jun 11, 2022 |
Azar Nafisi Reads Dangerously
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Azar Nafisi offers you - a reader - a challenge. It is the title of her latest book - “Read Dangerously”. Azar comes with a unique perspective. She was teaching in Iran when the clerics took over, banned books, and eliminated many of the freedoms that Americans often take for granted. She caused something of a sensation when she wrote “Reading Lolita in Tehran” - contending that reading fiction can be a liberating and even subversive act. Now she teaches in the United States and worries that Americans aren’t reading enough - specifically aren’t reading works that take them outside their comfort zone. What freedoms could we lost if we don’t "Read Dangerously"? Her argument is an important one and very much worth a listen.
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Jun 09, 2022 |
Shelby Van Pelt Makes Her Debut
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Odds are you’ve never heard of Shelby Van Pelt. She is a new author, and as we spoke she was just a week away from the publication of her first novel “Remarkably Bright Creatures”. Strange to say but this is a novel novel and both of us loved it. A writing advisor once told Shelby to try writing from an unlikely point of view - and has she done just that! Her narrator is an octopus. But not just any octopus. Marcellus is a captive in an aquarium and from that vantage point is an observer of we humans. He doesn’t have much respect for what he sees, but his warm, funny and wary narrative will have you hooked from the first page.
As in almost all our podcasts, you’ll also hear from an independent bookseller from somewhere in the country. We believe independent book stores are critical. In this podcast, Otto Penzler of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York talks about mysteries as literature. Believe us, Otto knows mysteries, and is acutely aware that we all love ‘em.
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Jun 02, 2022 |
John Irving Reinvents The Classics
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John Irving has written fourteen novels, is working on a fifteenth, has been translated into more than thirty languages, and is one of America’s most popular and beloved authors. If you’ve never read a John Irving novel, how would John suggest you start? What great American writers does he loathe (spoiler alert, one is considered America’s greatest author) and why did John adopt a model for story telling that was more than a century old? And how does he draw readers into his novels so that they will read the whole book? Our conversation with John is a master class on writing, and how he tackles his craft might surprise you.
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May 26, 2022 |
Dr. Carla Hayden is the Top Librarian
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Dr. Carla Hayden is the Librarian of Congress. In the 222 year history of the Library of Congress there has never before been a female Librarian of Congress, nor an African-American Librarian of Congress. Carla Hayden has broken many barriers. Dr. Hayden comes from a background of having run the Baltimore public libraries and from having a critical role in running Chicago’s libraries. On her first day in the job, what did she want to see, and hold, in the Library’s incredible collection? How can any citizen utilize the Library of Congress? And how can a library absorb 10,000 new items every single day? Carla Hayden holds the most important librarian’s job in the world - and she refers to librarians as the world’s “first search engines."
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May 19, 2022 |
Mary Laura Philpott Writes About Parenting
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Calling all parents - you need to listen to Mary Laura Philpott and read her insightful essays that speak to everyone who ever raised a child. In the vein of Erma Bombeck and Nora Ephron, her new book is “Bomb Shelter” - something she wishes she could build around her two children as they prepare to leave home and begin adulthood. Like all of us, she struggles with the realization she can’t keep them safe. It’s hard to imagine a writer could say something totally original about parenting and yet she does. She is witty and wise and the angst she feels about wanting to keep her kids safe applies to all of us.
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May 12, 2022 |
Niall Williams Tells Irish Tales
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Niall Williams is an Irishman who possesses the Irish knack for telling a great story, and he does this in lyrical prose that will take your breath away. He was living in America, participating in the infamous New York City rat race, when he and his wife decided 35 years ago they needed to go back to the land of their birth, Ireland, and find out if they could write. And can he ever. If you haven’t read “This is Happiness”, you must. Just for the pure beauty of Niall’s language. And if you have read it, you’ll love our conversation as his language and his gentle Irish lilt are delightful.
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May 05, 2022 |
Oprah Shares Her Favorite Books
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How better to begin a weekly podcast on books than with Oprah Winfrey who has, in the last quarter century, done more to get Americans to read than almost any literacy program we can think of. However the beginning of her book club was something of an accident. Oprah tells us why she didn’t believe it had a chance. She tells us what is in her personal, extraordinary collection of books, what she finds the perfect reading environment, and Oprah even takes a suggestion from Kate about how she might change her reading habits. Oprah's enthusiasm for reading has proven infectious to the entire nation, and her enthusiasm for literature is addicting. After you hear our conversation, Oprah will have you wanting to immediately pick up a book. We guarantee it
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May 02, 2022 |
Introducing 'The Book Case'
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Are you stuck in a reading rut? The Book Case, a new weekly series from ABC Audio launching May 2, makes the case for books outside of your usual genre. Wander the aisles of your local bookstore with Kate and Charlie Gibson and meet fascinating characters who will open your appetite to new categories while deepening your hunger for books. The Book Case will journey cover to cover through the literary world, featuring interviews with best-selling authors, tastemakers, and independent bookstore owners.
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Apr 28, 2022 |