Zibby interviews Emmy Award-winning reporter Jen Maxfield about her extraordinary new book More After the Break: A Reporter Returns to Ten Unforgettable News Stories. Jen describes the unrelenting curiosity and profound empathy that drove her to revisit the most memorable interviewees of her career, from Staten Island ferry crash survivor Paul Esposito to domestic violence survivor Tamika Tompkins. She offers us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the demands and challenges of her job and reveals how...
Dec 19, 2022•24 min•Season 15Ep. 63
Zibby speaks to bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth McCracken about her remarkable new novel The Hero of This Book (a Best Book of the Year by Time, People, Washington Post, and more). Elizabeth discusses the autobiographical elements that made their way into the story and then delves into the poignant portrayal of her mother. She also talks about her journey to becoming a successful author (befriending Ann Patchett helped!), the projects she is working on now, and the books on her TB...
Dec 19, 2022•22 min•Season 15Ep. 64
Zibby speaks to bestselling author Rebecca Woolf about her beautifully written and provocative book All of This: A Memoir of Death and Desire, which tells the story of how her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer two weeks after she asked for a divorce and how she navigated feelings of grief and relief after he died. Rebecca shares the most intimate details of her story, from a marriage riddled with lies and infidelity to a widowhood marked by primal desire and sexual experimentation (all ...
Dec 18, 2022•30 min•Season 15Ep. 62
Guest host Julianna Goldman speaks to best-selling author A.M. Homes about The Unfolding , a hilarious and sharp political satire about a family’s unraveling in the wake of the 2008 presidential election. A.M. describes the inspiration behind this story, her interest in American society and culture, and the process of developing a cast of characters whose backgrounds and philosophies differ vastly from her own (like The Big Guy–a politically conservative and delusional white male). She also talk...
Dec 18, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 61
Guest host Allison Pataki interviews health and science journalist Chelsea Conaboy about her groundbreaking and myth-busting new book Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood. Chelsea analyzes the postpartum experience–a time of distress, adaptation, and powerful neurological and hormonal shifts for parents. She also dismantles the dangerous myth of maternal instinct and outlines the sociopolitical areas that desperately need reform in the United States. Finally, she d...
Dec 17, 2022•23 min•Season 15Ep. 60
Zibby interviews internationally acclaimed speaker, renowned podcast host, and bestselling author John O’Leary about his heartfelt and empowering new book On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life. At the age of 9, John survived a near-fatal fire. He shares the gutwrenching details of the accident, the heroic siblings who saved him, the torturous hospital treatments, and the unconditional love that guided him through it all. He also describes the journey from hiding his past to ...
Dec 17, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 59
Zibby speaks to author duo and repeat MDHTTRB guests Alli Frank and Asha Youmans about Never Meant to Meet You , a sparkling new book about two outwardly different neighbors (a Black Baptist kindergarten teacher and a white Jewish cookbook editor) and the beautiful friendship that forms between them. Alli and Asha describe the origins of their writing partnership, the eye-opening conversations they had as they developed their Black and Jewish characters in a time of racial crisis in America, and...
Dec 16, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 58
Zibby interviews award-winning children’s author Hena Khan about Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun, the first book in a humor-filled middle-grade series about neighborhood antics starring Zara, a young Muslim girl and the queen bee of it all! Hena talks about the childhood memories that inspired the story (it involves dreams of breaking a Guinness World Record and a tragic hula hoop incident) and her ultimate goal of adding diversity to children’s literature (she is Pakistani American and Mus...
Dec 16, 2022•24 min•Season 15Ep. 57
Zibby is joined by shamanic energy teacher (and former Federal Judge, U.S. Army officer, and Fulbright Scholar) Karen V. Johnson to discuss her fascinating new book Living Grieving: Using Energy Medicine to Alchemize Grief and Loss. Karen shares the heartbreaking story of her 27-year-old son Ben’s death, and describes the unique way she grieved the loss–by leaving her job (a lifetime appointment!) and embarking on a journey to learn from spiritual leaders in all corners of the world. She also re...
Dec 15, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 56
In this special episode (a live event for the Streicker Center!), Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author Celeste Ng about Our Missing Hearts , a riveting and tender book about a 12-year-old boy’s quest to find his missing mother in a grim, dystopian world. Celeste talks about her book's most prominent elements: anti-Asian racism, the dangers of political extremism, and the power of stories as conduits of memory. She also describes her writing process, the project she paused (but might...
Dec 15, 2022•34 min•Season 15Ep. 55
Zibby speaks to Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated producer, director, and bestselling author Justine Bateman about Face: One Square Foot of Skin , a riveting collection of vignettes about women and aging. Justine reveals her inspiration for this project, how she conquered her fear of aging, the vignette she based on her own experience with face-shamers, and the creative process behind her phenomenal cover. She also talks about her first book Fame and shares that it is being made into a film! (Note...
Dec 14, 2022•33 min•Season 15Ep. 53
Zibby is joined by fashion and beauty insider and debut author Danielle Prescod to discuss Token Black Girl, a sharp and witty new memoir about a Black girl’s racial identity, eating disorder, conditional self-love, and delusions of perfection. Danielle talks about revisiting painful memories–from being racially harassed in all-white private schools to developing bulimia at the age of 12 to struggling with her IVF treatment. She also talks about the business she founded to help beauty and fashio...
Dec 14, 2022•24 min•Season 15Ep. 54
Guest host Julianna Goldman speaks to Ashley Winstead about The Last Housewife, an unputdownable new thriller about a woman’s revenge against a violent and misogynistic cult. Ashley reveals the inspiration behind the story (it involves watching too many cult documentaries and feeling angry in her job as a reproductive health policy researcher) and discusses her book’s most prominent themes: feminism, patriarchy, trauma, power, and romance. She also recommends three phenomenal books and reveals t...
Dec 13, 2022•27 min•Season 15Ep. 52
Guest host Alisha Fernandez Miranda interviews best-selling author Andrew Sean Greer about Less Is Lost, an utterly delightful follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less. Andrew talks about the incredible American road trip he took for book research and his much more confined writing conditions (he was stuck in his Milan apartment during the Italian COVID lockdown!). He also talks about the impact of the Pulitzer Prize on his career, the books on his TBR list, and the odd array of jobs h...
Dec 13, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 51
Zibby speaks to journalist Rina Raphael about her new book The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care , a revelatory, cautionary, and expertly-written study of the modern wellness industry (and its impact on women, especially). Rina describes “wellness” as an ambiguous, fear-mongering marketing tactic leveraged in our hyper-consumerist, productivity-obsessed culture. She analyzes diet culture (and its sneaky disguises–like cleanses), skincare fads, and organic ...
Dec 12, 2022•23 min•Season 15Ep. 50
Zibby is joined by #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Pinborough to discuss her latest novel Insomnia, a heart-pounding, mind-twisting thriller about a successful lawyer who stops being able to sleep and fears she will turn into a monster like her mother. Sarah talks about her journey to becoming a published author and the unexpected, tremendous success of Behind Her Eyes (which you can watch on Netflix!). The two also chat about the books they have read and loved recent...
Dec 12, 2022•25 min•Season 15Ep. 49
In this special episode (a live event for the Streicker Center!) Zibby speaks to national bestselling author and repeat MDHTTRB guest Dani Shapiro about the spectacular, 15-years-in-the-making Signal Fires ( a TIME Best Book of the Year and a Washington Post Notable Work of Fiction). Dani talks about the powerful and unexpected connections between her characters, her profound compassion for them, and her story's complex and kaleidoscopic structure. She also shares her views on life and what happ...
Dec 11, 2022•43 min•Season 15Ep. 48
Zibby interviews repeat MDHTTRB guest Carla Naumburg, Ph.D. about her latest book, You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent, a reassuring and hilarious guide for parents who need to cut themselves some slack. After asserting that there is no such thing as a sh*tty parent, Carla outlines her three core practices (connection, curiosity, and kindness) and shares personal anecdotes to illustrate them. Finally, she and Zibby exchange recent parenting wins and fails (lesson: never trust the thoughts of a hungry or...
Dec 11, 2022•28 min•Season 15Ep. 47
Zibby interviews Alice Elliot Dark about her national bestseller Fellowship Point, a magnificent book about 80-year-old best friends and the grudges, grievances, and coastal Maine landholdings that entangle their families together. Alice describes her admiration of older women (an untapped and underserved market of readers, by the way!), how she developed her complex characters and book structure, and the fascinating story behind the female land ownership theme she explores. She also talks about...
Dec 10, 2022•32 min•Season 15Ep. 45
Zibby speaks to Natasha Sizlo about All Signs Point to Paris, a sparkling and adventurous memoir about her quest to find her astrological soulmate—a man born in Paris on November 2nd, 1968! Natasha talks about the difficult life events that prompted her journey, the amazing online community she grew while abroad, and how the experience strengthened her relationship with her sister (who also went to Paris!). She also talks about being the biggest cynic believer of astrology and spirits (are the v...
Dec 10, 2022•28 min•Season 15Ep. 46
#1 New York Times bestselling author (and repeat MDHTTRB guest) Lisa Jewell joins Zibby to discuss her latest book The Family Remains, the spellbinding, perfectly plotted, and shocking sequel to The Family Upstairs. Lisa talks about her initial reluctance to write this book (she was bullied into it by her fans!), all of her haphazard editorial choices (that are actually just brilliant), and the books she is working on now (including a top-secret, never-done-before project in a brand new genre?!)...
Dec 09, 2022•23 min•Season 15Ep. 43
Zibby talks to author (and former Hollywood actress, screenwriter, and director) Katherine St. John about her latest novel The Vicious Circle, a twisty and unnerving suspense about a woman who inherits a wellness center (or a creepy cult’s home-base?!) in a lush Mexican jungle. Katherine talks about her lifelong love of storytelling, her mandatory book elements (an extraordinary, remote setting and a bit of romance), her immersive brainstorming process, and her plans for TV adaptation. She also ...
Dec 09, 2022•33 min•Season 15Ep. 44
Zibby is joined by repeat MDHTTRB guest, motivational speaker, podcast host, and New York Times bestselling author Neil Pasricha to discuss Our Book of Awesome: A Celebration of the Small Joys That Bring Us Together. Neil talks about how the Awesome series came to be (from a few unfortunate life events, to a positivity blog, to TED Talks and one million copies sold), the carefree structure of his books, and his vision for a multi-voice audiobook. The two also discuss the future of reading in a t...
Dec 08, 2022•26 min•Season 15Ep. 42
Zibby interviews Liz Michalski about Darling Girl: A Novel of Peter Pan , an evocative and dark retelling of the classic we all know and love that explores motherhood, sacrifice, and grief. Liz describes the inspiration behind the book (it involves a horrifyingly vivid dream and a fascination with blood rejuvenation techniques–have you heard of vampire facials!?). She also talks about her protagonists (a worried mom and an angsty teenage son), her publishing journey, and her next book. (Hint: it...
Dec 08, 2022•25 min•Season 15Ep. 41
Zibby interviews National Book Award-winning and bestselling author Julia Glass about her brilliant new novel Vigil Harbor. Julia talks about her unique cast of interconnected characters (some of which reappear from earlier books), the intimidating challenge of working with fantastical and speculative elements for the first time, and the pressing global issues spotlighted in the novel. She also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the audiobook process and reveals who some of the voice actors ar...
Dec 07, 2022•28 min•Season 15Ep. 39
In a hybrid podcast-virtual book club episode, Zibby joins New York Times bestselling author Amy Bloom to discuss In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss, which tells the beautiful and heartbreaking story of her husband’s journey with Alzheimer’s and his decision to pursue a painless and dignified assisted suicide. Amy answers audience questions about the book itself (its structure, humor, and candid honesty) and about experiencing her husband’s rapid decline and death and finding the bravery to put ...
Dec 07, 2022•32 min•Season 15Ep. 40
Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Gabrielle Zevin about Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, a sweeping new novel about love, fame, joy, and tragedy as experienced by brilliant videogame designers and lifelong friends Sam and Sadie. After a quick chat about the iconic game MASH and the Marie Kondo phenomenon, Gabrielle discusses her story’s most striking elements, from Sam’s struggles with chronic pain to Sadie’s abusive relationship with an older professor. Purchase on Amazon ...
Dec 06, 2022•30 min•Season 15Ep. 37
Guest host Allison Pataki speaks to bestselling author and renowned marriage and family counselor Terry Real about Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship, a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling relationship guidebook that critiques toxic individualism and teaches compassion and collaboration. Terry shares several real client stories to illustrate relational mindfulness, thinking individualistically vs. relationally, trauma triggers, and the inne...
Dec 06, 2022•23 min•Season 15Ep. 38
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author Cecily Wong to discuss Kaleidoscope , a beautifully-crafted and expertly fragmented novel about sisterhood, ambition, travel, and grief. Cecily talks about her characters’ experiences with reinvention, the power of an unexpected twist, and her stunning book cover. She also reveals her favorite books, her unorthodox journey to becoming an author, and what it’s been like to write with an 18-month-old baby. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon:...
Dec 05, 2022•24 min•Season 15Ep. 35
Guest host Julianna Goldman speaks to award-winning author Caitlin Macy about A Blind Corner, a sharp and playful collection of short stories about pride, privilege, uncomfortable truths, and ill-fated good intentions. Caitlin talks about her writing and publishing process (her editor was expecting a novel!) and the real-life details that inspired the stories. She also discusses her fascinating Wall Street Journal article about performative social media, emojis, teenagers, and the mental health ...
Dec 05, 2022•30 min•Season 15Ep. 36
