Who among us wouldn't benefit from adding more fun to their lives in 2023? We've got an expert here to help you do just that! The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life by Dr. Mike Rucker
In our second annual “best books” episode, I invite my dear friend Carla Jean back to run down the best books of 2022, nonfiction and fiction—and what we’re both looking forward to reading in 2023. Here are the books mentioned in the episode (there are a LOT of them!): Books Carla Jean Wrote: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: How the Swampers Changed American Music by Carla Jean Whitley Birmingham Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Magic City by Carla Jean Whitley Balancing Act: Yoga Essays by Ca...
What an honor it was to chat with one of my teenage heroines about THE most important of topics -- total body health and wellness. This is a conversation you won't want to miss. Come for the valuable information, and stay for Lo's passion about health and wellness. It's impossible to not be motivated for a healthier 2023 after listening to this conversation. Love Yourself Well: An Empowering Wellness Guide to Supporting Your Gut, Brain, and Vagina by Lo Bosworth...
It only took us 80 episodes, but finally -- we're exploring true crime! Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century by Roseanne Montillo
We are all about to enter the holiday season, a chance to spend ample time with family. This is great -- unless it's not. Today I chat with renowned psychotherapist Julia Samuel -- who many of you may know as a dear friend of the late Princess of Wales -- about navigating family dynamics, grief, and so much more. For my U.S. listeners, it's truly a conversation worth listening to on your way to Thanksgiving this year! Every Family Has a Story: How We Inherit Love and Loss by Julia Samuel...
Alzheimer's disease is devastating across the board -- to the one diagnosed, and to his or her loved ones and caretakers. Today, for our season five finale, we tackle a tough topic, but one that matters: Alzheimer's disease, sometimes referred to as "The Longest Goodbye." The Longest Goodbye: A Family's Hope-Filled Journey Through Alzheimer's by Shelly Calcagno...
I promise this isn't slowly morphing into a music podcast, but this book was too good to not share with you! What does the Billboard Hot 100 chart mean not just to American music, but to American culture? We dig in! The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music by Tom Breihan Also, check out "The Number Ones" column on Stereogum!...
This one is a BIG DEAL for me -- it's Melody Beattie! The author of perhaps the most well-known self-help and relationship book of all time, Codependent No More, on MY show! Unbelievably cool. Melody has rereleased the book 30 years after its 1992 revision, and 36 years after its original publication. If you've read it, it likely changed your life -- and if you haven't, grab a copy and prepare to close the book changed for the better. Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start...
What an absolute delight it was to talk to an American hero -- a former U.S. Secret Service agent who served five presidential administrations, from Eisenhower to Ford. You won't want to miss Agent Clint Hill's stories about traveling around the world with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, chronicled in his new book. My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy by Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin Hill...
We are on a music kick over here -- and today we're chatting about Stevie Nicks. Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks by Simon Morrison
Brian Wilson is one of the most influential and iconic artists of the 20th century. What impact has he had on music and on culture, and who is he as a man, not just a musician? God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, and the California Myth by David Leaf
Friendships are a force -- but why are friendships harder to come by as adults? And why do we not find them as important as, say, romance? We delve deep into the power of friendship in today's episode. Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make--and Keep--Friends by Dr. Marisa Franco
Today, we unpack the impact belonging -- or not belonging -- has on our lives. It's a crucial and critical part of the human experience, and Rachel is lucky to have THE belonging expert, Geoffrey Cohen, on the show to discuss. Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides by Geoffrey L. Cohen Also check out The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by a talent we lost far too soon, Marina Keegan...
Boundaries are essential to living your best life and feeling empowered -- but, when it comes to enforcing them, the deck seems to be stacked against us, especially if you're a woman. Brave Boundaries: Strategies to Say No, Stand Strong, and Take Control of Your Time by Dr. Sasha Shillcutt
The twenty-first anniversary of September 11, 2001 is this week -- may we never forget the sacrifices made. Five Floors Up: The Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNY by Brian McDonald
Someday, that glass ceiling will shatter -- and we may be closer than we think. Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House...Yet by Ali Vitali
This week, Rachel would rather be delving into a time capsule of life in Los Angeles in the 1960s alongside then-married couple Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward. Everybody Thought We Were Crazy: Dennis Hopper, Brooke Hayward, and 1960s Los Angeles by Mark Rozzo Also check out An Unexpected Appearance by 13-year-old Isabelle Addo-Yobo!...
This week, Rachel would rather be reading about how to get to the life she wants -- one day and one very important question at a time. How Are You, Really?: Living Your Truth One Answer at a Time by Jenna Kutcher Jenna is a podcaster, herself -- her Goal Digger podcast is a must listen.
This week, Rachel would rather be reading about liking herself rather than depending on others to do so. This is such a powerful book and conversation! Liking Myself Back: An Influencer's Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Acceptance by Jacey Duprie
This week, right in the heart of baseball season, Rachel would rather be reading about the Bronx Bombers. Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't deny their power. The Franchise: New York Yankees: A Curated History of the Bronx Bombers by Mark Feinsand
This week, Rachel would rather be reading about her writing inspiration -- the one and only Nora Ephron. Nora Ephron: A Biography by Kristin Marguerite Doidge...
This week, Rachel would rather be reading about one of the most influential forces in both fashion and culture, the one and only Anna Wintour. Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell...
Tonight on Showtime, a brand new and FANTASTIC anthology series premieres: "The First Lady." It zooms in on three First Ladies in particular -- Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama. (All of whom have written memoirs, by the way!) To break it down, Rachel invited C-SPAN's Susan Swain to chat about these three women and the Office of First Lady. Check out C-SPAN's phenomenal First Lady coverage here, then add the accompanying book (below) to your list. First Ladies: Presidential Histo...
In 2016, Ian Halperin wrote a book about the Kardashian family -- and my oh my, SO MUCH has happened since then! The next chapter for the world's most famous family begins tomorrow, with their new show, "The Kardashians," set to premiere on Hulu. So Rachel sat down with Ian to talk to him about it, and we got an exclusive we weren't expecting! (But were more than happy to receive.) Heads up: There are a few choice words used in here, so we're putting the "E" tag on this episode and advising you ...
First of all, in case you didn't know this already, Rachel is a graduate of Kansas -- so ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK! But, even though her team won the NCAA college basketball championship this week, she was still torn up over Coach Mike Krzyzewski's final game being a loss to, of all teams, North Carolina in the Final Four. So she rung up the guy who literally wrote the book on Coach K, Ian O'Connor, to hash it out. Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski by Ian O'Connor...
For the season four finale, Rachel would rather be reading about a paradigm shift in our understanding of anxiety and mental health. This book is an absolute game-changer and a must read. The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body's Fear Response by Dr. Ellen Vora We'll be on hiatus for a while -- never hesitate to reach out at helloidratherbereading@gmail.com! So proud to be part of this community with you....
This week Rachel would rather be reading about how to become a better leader through digging into community. Mastering Community: The Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves Us from Surviving to Thriving by Christine Porath
This week Rachel would rather be talking to her new friend Madeleine about letting yourself off the hook and shelving today's to do list -- and learning how to NOT do the thing today. I Didn't Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt by Madeleine Dore...
This week Rachel would rather be reading about life as an heiress -- one can dream, right? Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies by Laura Thompson Stay tuned after the chat for some spring book picks, everything from fashion to beauty to memoirs to social change and more!
This week Rachel would rather be reading about the three women who married a generation of Kennedy men -- Jackie, Ethel, and Joan. What were their lives like as the women of Camelot? Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot by J. Randy Taraborrelli
