In this special weekend re-release, Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Min Jin Lee about Pachinko, a gorgeous, page-turning saga (and National Book Award finalist!) about four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family fighting to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan. "A powerful meditation on what immigrants sacrifice to achieve a home in the world. Pachinko confirms Lee's place among our finest novelists."― Junot Díaz "An exquisite, haunting epic...moments of shimmeri...
Jul 08, 2023•30 min•Season 17Ep. 74
Guest host Julie Chavez interviews litigator and debut author Logan Steiner about After Anne: A Novel of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Life , a stunning and unexpected portrait of the creator of one of literature’s most prized heroines, Anne of Green Gables. Logan shares how, as a young adult, the Anne books inspired her to be creative and live more authentically. What really pushed her to write, however, was her brother’s sudden death eight years ago. She and Julie also talk about motherhood (and her ...
Jul 07, 2023•33 min•Season 17Ep. 73
Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most influential observers of happiness and human nature, Gretchen Rubin, about her latest groundbreaking book, The Four Tendencies, which analyzes four personality types based on how we respond to expectations: upholders, questioners, obligers, and rebels. Gretchen and Zibby examine the four tendencies as they relate to parenting and relationships, and Gretchen offers the best advice on managing all types (mainly the rebels!)....
Jul 06, 2023•33 min•Season 17Ep. 72
Zibby interviews English professor and author Cassandra Jackson about The Wreck, a luminous, lyrical, anguished, and wise memoir about her quest to understand a family secret–a car crash that killed her father’s mother, sister, sister-in-law, niece, and first wife before she was born. Cassandra describes what her childhood was like, not knowing what had happened, and then explains how, years later, she put the tragedy together, piece by piece. She was shocked by how little she really knew about ...
Jul 05, 2023•31 min•Season 17Ep. 71
Zibby is joined by clinical psychologist and author Sarah Mandel to discuss Little Earthquakes, a beautiful, brave, and thought-provoking memoir about her extraordinary journey with Stage Four breast cancer while pregnant with her second baby, and the insights into life, death, trauma, and healing that she gleaned. Sarah talks about the terrifying experience, from finding a lump and being diagnosed hours before giving birth to beating cancer in three months and falling into a dissociated state, ...
Jul 04, 2023•25 min•Season 17Ep. 70
Zibby speaks to author Kelly McMasters about The Leaving Season, a nuanced, heart-wrenching, and astoundingly gorgeous memoir in essays about "leaving"–a place, a job, a home, a version of oneself, and, particularly, a marriage. Kelly describes her life before, during, and after her divorce, revealing that it ultimately helped her as a mother. She also talks about the bookstore she opened in rural Pennsylvania (and the heartbreak of having to close it), the financial struggles she has faced in t...
Jul 03, 2023•30 min•Season 17Ep. 69
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby chats with Billboard, ACM, and CMA Award-winning country music star Sara Evans about Born To Fly, her powerful, personal, and humorous memoir about fame, loss, divorce, faith, and finding love again. "Fans will devour this book, but many readers are likely to enjoy this warm, approachable read." (Booklist) Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/444nCZj Subscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here . Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here . Ho...
Jul 02, 2023•32 min•Season 17Ep. 68
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby speaks to comedian, essayist, blogger, and TV writer Samantha Irby about Wow, No Thank You, the unflinching, riotous, hysterical, relatable, edgy, and unabashedly raunchy collection of essays that quickly became a #1 New York Times bestseller. "She writes with such wisdom about our culture and such honesty about herself. And nobody—but nobody—is funnier. Every time I read Irby, I feel freer.”—Glennon Doyle "Her unapologetic embrace of all caps and jokes ...
Jul 01, 2023•33 min•Season 17Ep. 67
Zibby interviews actress and screenwriter Jana Savage about Wildflower, a beautiful coming-of-age film that follows Bea Johnson from birth to graduation as she navigates life with two neurodiverse parents, starring Kiernan Shipka, Alexandra Daddario, and Charlie Plummer. Jana describes her path to screenwriting (she acted for many years prior) and then shares how she, Matt Smukler (the director), and the Morning Moon production team turned a difficult, real-life story into a poignant, darkly hum...
Jun 30, 2023•29 min•Season 17Ep. 66
Zibby interviews marine biologist and author Beth Ann Mathews about her thoughtful and provoking new book Deep Waters: A Memoir of Loss, Alaska Adventure, and Love Rekindled. Beth talks about her husband’s stroke and the impact it had on their lives as sailors, scientific researchers, and all-around adventure-seekers. Zibby reveals she is on an Alaska literary kick, and Beth shares what it was like to live there for twenty years. She also talks about her writing process, revealing she took metic...
Jun 29, 2023•28 min•Season 17Ep. 65
Guest host Julie Chavez speaks to author Charlotte Maya about Sushi Tuesdays , the memoir about the loss of her husband to suicide, and her search for answers, acceptance, and family resilience as a young widow with two small children. Charlotte discusses the meaning behind Sushi Tuesdays –the day she dedicated to self-care after her husband’s death and the name of the blog she started as she navigated the “mess of grief, mothering, childrearing, and widowing.” She also talks about her late husb...
Jun 28, 2023•28 min•Season 17Ep. 64
Zibby speaks to award-winning author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai about Dust Child, a powerful and hauntingly beautiful saga about two Vietnamese sisters, an American veteran, and an Amerasian man whose lives intersect in surprising ways, set during and after the war in Vietnam. Nguyễn reveals how her experience working with veterans, reuniting war-separated families, and bringing former enemies together (in addition to her own memories of the war) inspired this novel. She also describes the lives of aba...
Jun 27, 2023•29 min•Season 17Ep. 63
Zibby interviews novelist and award-winning audiobook narrator Julia Whelan about Thank You For Listening, a poignant, charming, and witty rom-com about a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator who, after a tragic accident, is on a journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance. Julia reveals the parts of the book that are actually autobiographical and shares what it was like to lose her father at a young age. She also talks about friendships, audiobook narrating (how it relates to...
Jun 26, 2023•30 min•Season 17Ep. 62
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Pamela Redmond about Older , the hotly anticipated sequel to the beloved Younger (which became a hit seven-season TV series starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff!). Pamela's next three books will be published by Zibby Books! "I loved every bit of this novel and finished it with a giant smile on my face!"—Jodi Picoult Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3r35FLO Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3CL...
Jun 25, 2023•28 min•Season 17Ep. 61
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby speaks to social activist, entrepreneur, and author Jodie Patterson about her memoir The Bold World, which tells the brave, raw, honest story of how she shifted her way of thinking to support her transgender son. 'I did not want my interview with Jodie Patterson to end. The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation is one of my favorite memoirs of the whole year and probably of all time."—Zibby Owens “A courageous and poetic testimony on family a...
Jun 24, 2023•35 min•Season 17Ep. 60
Zibby speaks to writer and book critic Bethanne Patrick about her brave, clear-eyed, and honest new memoir Life B: Overcoming Double Depression. Bethanne describes her life-long struggle with double depression and the life-changing treatment that has finally allowed her to feel joy. She also discusses the power of books as empathy-builders and then reveals how she slowly built a career around them. (She’s @TheBookMaven on Twitter and has over 200K followers!) She finishes off with her best advic...
Jun 23, 2023•29 min
Guest host Julie Chavez interviews New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis about The Spectacular, a thrilling story of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams set against the glitz and glamour of Radio City Music Hall in the 1950s. Fiona talks about the real-life Rockette who inspired this story and the extensive research required to make it come to life, from interviewing dancers to touring Radio City. After revealing some Rockette secrets, Fiona shares the location of her next book (i...
Jun 22, 2023•33 min•Season 17Ep. 58
Zibby interviews British debut author and model Eirinie Carson about The Dead Are Gods, a raw, striking, and beautifully intimate new memoir–a love letter and time capsule– that explores grief, Blackness, and recovery after the death of her dearest friend Larissa. Eirinie describes what Larissa was like and reveals how a never-ending eulogy, essays she wrote to process her grief, and emails unexpectedly turned into a book. She also describes the novel she is working on now (it involves postpartu...
Jun 21, 2023•25 min•Season 17Ep. 57
Zibby speaks to book publicist and debut author Amelia Possanza about Lesbian Love Story, a riveting, inventive book that weaves together memoir, archival nonfiction, and fictional passages to uncover seven lesbian romance stories that were written out of history. Amelia defines what the word lesbian means to her and explains how and why she decided to explore these stories of untraditional relationships and lesbians rejecting mainstream norms. She also talks about her queer swim team, her comin...
Jun 20, 2023•24 min•Season 17Ep. 56
Zibby interviews British-Nigerian debut author and book editor Ore Agbaje-Williams about The Three of Us, a mesmerizing, sharp, unputdownable domestic comedy told brilliantly over the course of one day about the long-standing tensions between a husband, his wife, and her best friend that finally come to a breaking point. Ore describes her book-filled childhood, her career in publishing, and her genius agent who guided her through many, many book ideas before The Three of Us came to be. She also ...
Jun 19, 2023•29 min•Season 17Ep. 55
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author Kevin Kwan about Sex and Vanity, a riveting and brilliantly funny comedy of manners that explores privilege, culture, romance, and extravagant fashion! “With this sparkling confection of a potboiler, Kwan more than delivers on the promises of his title, and he does so with tongue planted firmly in cheek.”— The New York Times "A summer romp with a satirical sting."— NPR "Deliciously modern... drama, diamonds, an...
Jun 18, 2023•29 min
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby interviews lawyer and entrepreneur Meena Harris about Kamala and Maya's Big Idea, a beautiful and empowering picture book about two sisters who work together with their community to make changes in their playground, inspired by a true story from the childhood of the author's aunt, Vice President Kamala Harris! "An inspirational reminder to choose courage over fear. A must-read for little girls around the world." — Elizabeth Warren “I love this book—the p...
Jun 17, 2023•25 min•Season 17Ep. 53
Zibby speaks to feature film writer and New York Times bestselling author Holly Goldberg Sloan about Pieces of Blue, a compelling, humorous, and bighearted page-turner about a family attempting to restore a ramshackle beachside motel–and their own lives! Holly describes the conversation that inspired this novel, her childhood of international moves, the theme of loss in her stories and her life, and all the difficult, tragic moments she has experienced that have filtered into her writing. She an...
Jun 16, 2023•29 min•Season 17Ep. 52
Zibby interviews 4-time Grammy nominee Justin Roberts about I’ll Be Your Polar Bear , a warm, heartfelt picture book about the lengths parents will go to comfort and protect their children. Justin reveals this book was inspired by a lullaby he wrote and then shares his fascinating career trajectory–from Montessori preschool teacher and divinity studies graduate student to 16 albums, Grammy nominations, and several books based on songs. He also describes the book editing process, his wonderful co...
Jun 15, 2023•18 min•Season 17Ep. 51
Zibby is joined by Emmy Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Luke Russert to discuss Look for Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself, a rich and compelling travel memoir that transports the reader to the world’s most fascinating cities while also meditating on loss, grief, and a search for home. Luke describes the moment he decided to quit his prestigious NBC News reporting job to travel the world and what he learned about himself when he finally stopped following...
Jun 14, 2023•23 min•Season 17Ep. 50
Zibby interviews debut author and law professor Deepa Varadarajan about Late Bloomers, a funny, witty, and big-hearted novel about an Indian American family that is turned upside down when the parents split up after 36 years of arranged marriage. Deepa discusses her favorite themes (parenting, divorce, dating in old age, and finding the courage to start over), her love of teaching, and her long publishing journey–from developing her character Suresh in a writing workshop more than twenty years a...
Jun 13, 2023•23 min•Season 17Ep. 49
Zibby speaks to debut author Nicole Cuffy about Dances, a spellbinding new book about a Black ballerina who is promoted to the top tier of her ballet company and, while navigating her sudden propulsion into fame, becomes consumed with finding her missing brother. Nicole describes her love of ballet, every step of her writing process (she’s a meticulous researcher and planner), and the first novel she wrote that never made it out into the world. She also speaks openly about her eating disorder, s...
Jun 12, 2023•28 min•Season 17Ep. 48
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Ann Napolitano about Dear Edward, a transportative, haunting, and surprisingly uplifting novel about a twelve-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash. It is now streaming as an Apple Tv+ series starring Connie Britton. Zibby: "This book is a huge sensation. It's a December 2019 Book of the Month Club pick and a Read With Jenna Pick. Ann spent 8 years writing this riveting novel, and I got to tal...
Jun 11, 2023•26 min•Season 17Ep. 47
In this special weekend re-release, Zibby interviews instant New York Times bestselling author Lori Gottlieb about Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, a delightful and transformative book that sold over a million copies and is being developed as a television series. “Authentic . . . raw . . . an irresistibly candid and addicting memoir about psychotherapeutic practice as experienced by both the clinician and the patient.”— New York Times "Provocative and entertaining . . . Gottlieb gives us more t...
Jun 10, 2023•33 min•Season 17Ep. 46
Zibby interviews violinist and debut author Ling Ling Huang about Natural Beauty, a piercing, razor-sharp novel about a young musician who gets a job at a high-end beauty store in New York City, where things take a dark turn. Ling Ling shares her sources of inspiration: her own job in a beauty store, a deep love of music, fascination with beauty standards and the industry that capitalizes on them, and an interest in the topics of consumerism, self-worth, and identity. Finally, she describes her ...
Jun 09, 2023•24 min•Season 17Ep. 45
