A VERY SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE: We read Murder on Sex Island by Jo Firestone, suggested to us by friend of the pod and talented comedian Jo Firestone! It’s not YET a bestseller, but we jumped at the chance to cross-examine the author and dig down deep on why they made the weird choices they made. Fake teeth? A blonde wig? Is Sex Island just Love Island??? We had to know more. This book comes out TODAY (October 17) and you can buy it here: https://a.co/d/i7unYOs - Jo self-published so YES you can l...
Oct 17, 2023•2 hr 20 min
THE sex manual of 1969 (yeah baby) is also one of the all time best selling books EVER in America. Yeah, if you were breathing in 1969, odds are: YOU READ THIS BOOK. But is it a radical, liberal education on "fun sex" or a truly disturbing attack on women, aging, and homosexuality that you cannot even FIND in libraries today? We have award-winning podcast host and best-selling author DAN SAVAGE (instagram.com/dansavage/?hl=en) on the cast to help us find out. Spoiler: We find out VERY quickly. K...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 16Ep. 5
Again listener Ashleigh C convinced us to read a Patterson book because Dolly Parton co-wrote it as “it’s very loosely autobiographical.” So we took on 17-week NYT bestseller by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. There’s a companion country album? Yes please. We also have special guest - comedian, showrunner and fellow Pennsylvanian Leo Allen, the man behind such classic shows as Nathan For You, Review with Forrest MacNeil, Jon Benjamin Has a Van and yes, even Saturday Night Live. Plus: he’s a HU...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Thanks to Ashleigh C who rudely predicted that Clara and Sarah would really like Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, a NYT bestseller for April 2023. But yes Ashleigh, Sarah was mad it wasn’t horny the whole time. We also have special guest - comedian and actress Caroline Cotter, who has appeared on late night shows from Conan to Late Night with Seth Meyers. So we knew she would love to whine about this on. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who re...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Season 16Ep. 3
A blue-skinned woman? A rural Appalachian library? A murderous mule? All this and more when the MBC ladies tackle the NYTs bestseller "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek." Hee-haw, we reckon! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 16 reading list: Red...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 16Ep. 2
With Red, White & Royal Blue coming out on Amazon Prime, you know we had to read the NYT bestseller that started it all! A gay prince and son of a president? Yes please…. But wait… oh god… oh no… Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 16 reading li...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 57 min•Season 16Ep. 1
BOOOOOKSSSSS!!! Announcing our Season 16 book list and promo. Season premiere August 8! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 16 reading list: Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson Ro...
Jul 25, 2023•6 min
Mean Booker Mike E. Recommended this NYT bestseller because “its got suicide and incest and hostages!” So we said yes to reading Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving - but were pissed about the 20-hour audiobook! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the Season 15 re...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 15Ep. 8
Mean Booker Jenny D recommended this NYT bestseller. Jenny said: "So i havent personally read. This is a book that gets alot of hype like all of hers.” Then she proceeded to lavish us with compliments so how could WE NOT DO THIS BOOK? We’re joined by Maggie Bowyer and Savannah Crews, hosts of the Baked & Bookish podcast. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary meri...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Season 15Ep. 7
MBCer Suzanne told us to use our scientific method on Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, a book which as of now has spent 38 weeks on the NYTs bestseller list. It looked like a romcom, it smelled like a romcom, and, dear listeners, spoiler alert, it WAS NOT a romcom! We are joined by photographer and occasional bad book reader Beckie Hawkins (@woodfieldphotography on Insta) who luckliy keeps us on track and provides the only valuable insights this entire episode. Mean Book Club is four ladie...
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 15Ep. 6
Mean Booker @unredactedani told us to read this Reese Witherspoon pick because she “can’t recommend the book to anyone IRL for reasons that will become obvious if you consider it for your podcast.” Ohhhhh, mysterious. We had to know more. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every T...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 15Ep. 5
Mean Booker Michelle B told us to read the NYT bestseller because “the premise sounds enticing… this totally goes off the rails and was a complete disappointment.” Wrong Place Wrong Time (a misleading title), spent 5 weeks on the bestseller list and was a Reese Witherspoon club pick in 2022. It's got time travel, a murderous nerd son, and mom guilt. So if it sucks, how did it get so popular?? We dive in with our special guests, Kelli McAdams and Susan Reach of the super fun Book Squad Goals podc...
May 09, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 15Ep. 4
This NYT bestseller was recommended by MBC fan Kathi who simply stated it’s “a rather bad one.” But once we saw An Absolutely Remarkable thing was written by the brother of John Green (The Fault In Our Stars) - we were intrigued. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! H...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Season 15Ep. 3
This NYT bestseller was recommended by TWO fans: Barbie Steele and Gillian Tobin. They told us The Silent Patient was a snooze and was written by a failed screenwriter. How could we resist? We are joined by author Jason Yamas (Tweakerworld) who assured us that although this book wasn’t literature, it was certainly “literary.” Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary mer...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 15Ep. 2
Hello MBCers!! We are thrilled to be back for season 15!!! This week we read Divergent by Veronica Roth! It's a dystopian YA novel set in the WINDY CITY, but not the Windy City that you know and love. A different one. A worse one. And! We! Hated it! If you're tuning in for the first time, Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's per...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Season 15Ep. 1
BOOOOOKSSSSS!!! Announcing our Season 15 book list and promo. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 15 reading list: Divergent by Veronica Roth The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green Wrong Place Wrong Time ...
Mar 14, 2023•8 min
You can thank MBC fan “Dan” for this rec: “I think it’s awful and ham-fisted, the most unsubtle and condescendingly written book ever.” You want us to take down a classic? We love a challenge! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 14 reading list: Ver...
Feb 07, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 14Ep. 8
Fan @Thor_Reviews_Beer on instagram asked us to “read and rip World War Z” by Max Brooks - a NYT bestseller. He said please and thank you so we decided to oblige. After all, aren’t zombies totally in right now?! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every (other) Tuesday! Here’s the Season 14...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 14Ep. 7
You can thank our special guest Zach Noe Towers (@ zachnoetowers ) of the Good Morning, Sodomites! podcast for this rec. It’s one of those books on everybody famous’s top ten list.. but has anybody actually read it? Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Seas...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Season 14Ep. 6
Hey, book'os! We are back! This week we accidentally read Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. "Accidentally," you say? What? How? Allow us to explain... on ze cast. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 14 reading list: Verity by Colleen Hoover Cherr...
Dec 27, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Season 14Ep. 5
You can thank MBC fan Dave O. for this rec: “It is everything you hate about White Suburban Women's Book Club literature, from a ‘modern day’ storyline to melodramatic dialogue to heavy-handed symbolism.” Plus, it’s been a NYT bestseller for more than 110 weeks and has sold more than 3 million copies? Uh, count us in! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's...
Dec 13, 2022•1 hr 45 min•Season 14Ep. 4
You can thank MBC fan Alessandra Rosso for this rec: “I read this book a year ago and still talk about how bad it is… And the men… feel like giant Ken dolls for the women to transport, pose and pretend to interact with.” Plus, it’s a NYT bestseller set in NYC during 9/11? Uh, count us in! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's per...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 43 min•Season 14Ep. 3
A murder book with recipes? CHECK PLEASE! We read Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke - and it somehow was a NYT bestseller! How? Why? We had to find out! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 14 reading list: Verity by Colleen Hoover Cherry Chee...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 44 min•Season 14Ep. 2
Co-hos, welcome! Today we break down the ultimate MBC book pick - so bad it’s… good? We read Verity by Colleen Hoover!!! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 14 reading list: Verity by Colleen Hoover Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke In Five Y...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 54 min•Season 14Ep. 1
Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the book list for Season 14 - (almost) all fan recommends: -Verity by Colleen Hoover -Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke -1984 by George Orwell -Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate -Klara and the Sun by Ishiguro -Think A...
Oct 18, 2022•6 min
Rec’d by pod fan Elise who told us that this book is “truly terrible” and “an insult to 9/11.” Turns out it’s also an insult to literature! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the book list for Season 13 - all fan recommends: - Survive the Night by Riley Sager - ...
Sep 27, 2022•1 hr 48 min
Rec’d by pod fan Gus Stephens who told us that the author “pees on a dog in the first few pages and frames it as a good thing.” Amazing! A crazy successful football coach whose politics are questionable and lessons are even more confusing! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tue...
Sep 13, 2022•1 hr 25 min
This one’s for our Canadian fans! Michelle Boucher says this alt-right psychologist “promoted an all-meat diet, said he was awake for a month straight” and is basically a sexist monster! Although TECHNICALLY not a NYT bestseller because it was only published in Canada, this book looked too juicy to not discuss. Turns out it’s horrible in more ways than one! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books tha...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 38 min
Thanks to special guest Jake Cornell who showed up to scream about this science romance. Big ups to Neha Kennard who told us she was "truly heartbroken about [this] garbage-sounding book becoming really popular” - a NYT bestseller! Neha was offended for all her friends in STEM and wanted us to share in her outrage. AND SHARE WE SHALL! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable lit...
Aug 16, 2022•1 hr 29 min
Welcome back, book nerds! Thanks to Abigail who told us to read this “fun but bad palate cleanser” about time-traveling lesbians that is somehow a NYT bestseller! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the book list for Season 13 - all fan recommends: - Survive the ...
Aug 02, 2022•1 hr 32 min
