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 epi...
Nov 08, 2021•37 min
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 Patreo...
Nov 01, 2021•31 min
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,...
Oct 25, 2021•36 min
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 Str...
Oct 18, 2021•42 min
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...
Oct 11, 2021•30 min
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 th...
Oct 04, 2021•31 min
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 th...
Sep 27, 2021•39 min
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 u...
Sep 20, 2021•31 min
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 ...
Sep 13, 2021•38 min
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...
Sep 06, 2021•35 min
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 o...
Aug 30, 2021•33 min
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, M...
Aug 23, 2021•32 min
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 Fo...
Aug 16, 2021•11 min
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 Follow ...
Aug 09, 2021•32 min
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 be...
Aug 02, 2021•59 min
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 / Insta...
Jul 26, 2021•33 min
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...
Jul 19, 2021•31 min
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 Ev...
Jul 12, 2021•36 min
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...
Jul 05, 2021•35 min
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:...
Jun 28, 2021•29 min
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 perfe...
Jun 21, 2021•38 min
