Today’s guest Mary Laura Philpott is an essayist, bookseller, and a big fan of memoirs of people living “everyday lives”. She certainly has experience with an interesting “everyday life” as a Book Enthusiast at Large—yes, that is her job title—for Parnassus Books in Nashville. Anne and Mary Laura chat about the reading and writing life, working through her readerly guilt of hating beloved childhood classics, and the delight of a book flight (or as Mary Laura would say, "reading symphonies"). Cli...
Aug 06, 2019•53 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast For Nicole Mattke, a clear and driving plot isn’t the most important thing. She loves beautiful, introspective writing that makes her think about everyday emotions. She also spent a year roaming a hotel, doing a job that sounds like it belongs in the pages of a novel. Today Nicole shares some of the stories she heard during her time there, and the literary community-building project she started and has continued to this day. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this...
Jul 30, 2019•48 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast Keren Form is a self-professed mega nerd who loves everything from LOTR, and board games, and epic science fiction. Today, Keren and Anne chat about what it really means to be a nerd, and how her wholehearted enthusiasm has sent her on many life-enriching adventures. If you hear “science fiction” or “fantasy” and think “nope, not for me,” you might still find something to love in this episode — Anne's recommendations could just as easily be recommendations of a history lover, or a crime drama fa...
Jul 23, 2019•52 min•Ep 193•Transcript available on Metacast Rita and Xoe Amer are a mother-daughter duo who have bonded over books since Xoe was young. She’s all grown up now, but the shared love of reading remains. Today Anne, Rita & Xoe discuss their reading and writing roots, hidden literary gems from the past, and the great conversations that come from bad books. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/192 You can check out Rita and Xoe's mother-daughter podcast, Foibles, ...
Jul 16, 2019•54 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever finished a GREAT book, then realized it left behind a hole no other book will ever be able to fill? Today’s guest is Andy Serrato, a reader who fell into the arms of a mega-popular series with a welcoming fandom and enough pages to smother yourself in… and ever since, she’s struggled to break her obsession and pick up new books in different genres. Anne's doing her best to get to the core of what delights Andy about this series, and open a portal to other reading worlds that will b...
Jul 09, 2019•33 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest has reached a crossroads in her reading life, and she’s come to Anne looking for a jump start for this new season. Beth Wallen describes herself as a lifelong learner, and she’s about to have more time open up in her schedule to challenge herself, learn new things, and dive deeper into topics that already fascinate her. This is truly a precious opportunity, and Beth really has the guts to go against the grain of her usual reading taste, which makes for interesting and exciting lite...
Jul 02, 2019•45 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guests Brenna Sherrill & Ryan Pait describe themselves as platonic soulmates, book-loving best friends who grew up together, went to school together, read together (sometimes out loud!) and even live together. Today Anne, Brenna, and Ryan chat about a truly magical college class, Ryan’s most embarrassing moment meeting a literary icon, the book Ann Patchett thinks EVERYONE should read, and of course Anne recommends three books she think they’ll enjoy reading together and discussing to de...
Jun 25, 2019•53 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast Today, we meet Michelle Moreno, who I hope will inspire anyone out there who wants to make their bookstore dreams a reality. Anne got to talk to Michelle right after her very first pop-up shop, while she was still on the high of her first time putting books directly into the hands of her community. Anne and Michelle are discussing the books she chose for her first foray into handselling, the high of putting books directly into the hands of her community, the connection she finds between reading ...
Jun 18, 2019•41 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast Hannah Christmas is a stay at home mom whose reading life changed forever when she had a baby. Not only how much she read, or when she read, but the big-picture long-term-plan way she wanted to share her love of reading with the world. Today Anne and Hannah chat about the treatment for a serious overdose of books set in New York City, fresh blood in the bookselling world, literary handcrafts, and much much more. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: htt...
Jun 04, 2019•51 min•Ep 187•Transcript available on Metacast Lamar Giles joins Anne to chat about his two great literary loves: children’s books, and... horror novelist Stephen King? If you don’t think those things go together, Lamar is prepared to talk you into changing your mind, and maybe about more than just that. Get ready for a great chat about transcending stereotypes, how books can build up the self-worth of young readers, great novels where the setting becomes a character in its own right, and so so much more. Click over to the podcast website fo...
May 28, 2019•48 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast Most weeks on What Should I Read Next, I’ll do a little literary matchmaking with one guest… but this week, I’m joined by the show's producer, Brenna Frederick, to hook SEVERAL What Should I Read Next listeners up with their perfect Summer read. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/185 Find your next great Summer read in the Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide: https://modernmrsdarcy.com/summer-reading-guide-2019...
May 21, 2019•50 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest is Will Schwalbe, devoted reader and host of the But That's Another Story podcast. Will believes if we all asked the question “what are you reading” more often, it could change the world, and has a few absolutely delightful literary superstitions... Anne and Will chatting all about the downside of conquering your TBR, misremembering poetry, bookstore serendipity, and Will’s attempt to convince ANNE to read a super ambitious classic she just haven’t had the nerve to pick up yet. Cli...
May 14, 2019•48 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast Karuna Riazi, is here to talk about magic. The magic of carrying a book in your bag that can teleport you to another world, the magic of a beautiful translation, and the magical pairing of a hot cup of tea and a good story. Anne and Karuna also chat about pen names, how to keep a book journal if you’re a total perfectionist, and a host of other things, but at the root of it all is everyday magic, and the books Anne recommends Karuna pick up next are totally on-theme. Click over to the podcast we...
May 07, 2019•56 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast A request we hear a lot at WSIRN is “can we have another episode about audiobooks??” So today, Anne is bringing in Michele Cobb, publisher at Audiofile magazine, to not only help recommend audiobooks for YOU, but to match Anne with her own next great audiobook read. Michele and Anne are chatting about the marriage of a great book with a great narrator, visual and auditory learning styles, jumping off points if you’re still on the fence about reading with your ears, and the key to some truly fant...
Apr 30, 2019•51 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest Holli Petersen has created a very special family book club that might inspire you to pick up the phone and call a bookish loved one as soon as the episode is over. She also totally hated one of Anne's favorite titles for the first 100 pages, before a turn of events melted her heart… Anne has mentioned this title DOZENS of times on the show, any guesses what that title might be? What we love most about WSIRN is putting the right book in the hands of the right reader, so Anne wants t...
Apr 23, 2019•56 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest is reading speed-demon Liberty Hardy, professional book nerd and host of Book Riot’s All the Books podcast. Together, Liberty and Anne are going deep into a book labyrinth, discussing truly committed bookworm questions like “how do you avoid back strain while reading for hours on end?”, “how do I smuggle 1000 books out of my house safely?” and “what does Kate Atkinson’s grocery list look like?” They're also playing a Tom Stoppard-inspired literary game that miiiight destroy your TB...
Apr 16, 2019•56 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast Alabama reader Shannan Malone has broad taste and high standards, and when it comes to new releases, even authors she’s loved in the past don’t get a free pass… the new book has to earn her love. So today’s episode goes out to all you eclectic readers who love hopping between genres. Anne and Shannan covering the struggle of pinpointing what you dislike about a book that everyone else thinks is amazing, awkward characters for the introverted reader, Shannon’s book club that connects moms near an...
Apr 09, 2019•45 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast We have a new podcast! WSIRN is about helping readers find their next read. In each episode, the recommendations are geared toward a particular reader’s style, and Anne always looks for titles they haven’t read before. Our new podcast is a short format show called One Great Book. In every episode, Anne pulls one standout selection off her personal bookshelves and tell you all about it. She's highlighting books she loves that you may have missed or forgotten about, but that you’ll be glad to disc...
Apr 02, 2019•4 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast Decision-making is a HUGE part of WSIRN's purpose. Podcaster and author Emily P. Freeman is an expert in the art of decision-making (she’s literally written the book on it), but when assigned school reading hijacked alllllll her personal reading time... deciding what to read next for pleasure got a little more complicated. Today, Anne helps Emily find her way back to confident personal reading decisions. Plus, they discuss what to do when you pick up the totally-wrong book by a totally-great aut...
Apr 02, 2019•56 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast Many listeners and past guests on WSIRN have shared their stories of reading dry spells due to chronic illness, anxiety, and disability. Today’s guest Kate Mitchell has experienced polar opposites in her reading life, going from a period of time when reading was literally her job, to stretches where reading was literally impossible because of chronic illness. Kate is sharing some of the wisdom she’s gained on her roller coaster of a reading life with us all, including practical tips for how to a...
Mar 26, 2019•46 min•Ep 177•Transcript available on Metacast WSIRN often helps readers get out of their comfort zones, but today’s guest Mallory O’Meara is taking Anne out of hers. Her wheelhouse is everything bizarre, paranormal, and downright scary. But digging past the surface differences, Mallory and Anne have a lot in common, especially the desire to understand how an author DID that. Today they're chatting about the magic of rereading a favorite book, arguing with critics, how comfort-reading looks way different for different readers, Mallory's pro ...
Mar 19, 2019•52 min•Ep 176•Transcript available on Metacast Michelle Wilson has noticed a specific character type that is missing from her bookshelves... and she is on the hunt for more. She and Anne chat about characters age 50+ in possession of NO magical powers, yelling at characters who make terrible decisions, reading as broadly as possible, and what it's like to be in not one, not two, but THREE book clubs (mmmmmaybe more.) Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/175 Wha...
Mar 12, 2019•43 min•Ep 175•Transcript available on Metacast Guest Kate Daley is a house painter from New South Wales, Australia, who has been living for the past two and a half years... in a camper van! Today she chats with Anne about the genre that sent her into an intense reading rut, a family reading competition, and where she manages to fit a home library in while living in cramped quarters. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/174 You can connect with Kate on Instagram...
Mar 05, 2019•39 min•Ep 174•Transcript available on Metacast After a year of focusing on reading over 100 books while recovering from a running injury, today’s guest Natalie Van Waning is sprinting enthusiastically toward many readers’ worst nightmare: Looooooong books. We're talking doorstop, tweak your wrist getting them off the shelf, 40-hours-on-Audible long books. Natalie asked Anne to help her focus on quality instead of quantity, so get ready for sweeping multi-generational sagas, tour-guide novels, and heart-tugging family stories. Click over to t...
Feb 26, 2019•49 min•Ep 173•Transcript available on Metacast Sean Larkin is a self-proclaimed “slow reader”, stay-at-home-parent, and freelance photographer. If you don’t relate to 100-book reading goals or refreshing your feed for the latest book news, Sean is the kindred reading spirit you’ve been waiting to hear from! Anne chats with Sean about the book that made him nostalgic for a time period before he was born, calculating price-per-page at the library book sale, the longstanding bookish obsession he’s passing on to his wife and kids, and much more....
Feb 19, 2019•48 min•Ep 172•Transcript available on Metacast Ready for a trip to Scotland? Today Anne sits down in-person with Ruth Andersen, a brand new bookseller in Wigtown, Scotland, to chat about what it's like to live in a "book town", Ruth's return to school after 50 years, and the delicate balance of stocking a used bookstore's shelves. Because this episode was recorded in the shop, during business hours, you’ll get to experience some of the bookshop atmosphere… like the ding of the bell on the door, creaky floorboards, even customers shopping in ...
Feb 12, 2019•45 min•Ep 171•Transcript available on Metacast This week Anne chats with Anna LeBaron, author of the memoir The Polygamist’s Daughter, about how literacy kept her going through a difficult childhood, and how as an adult she turned being an author’s biggest fan into a full-time career. You’ll hear how nonfiction put her dearest fractured relationships back together again, her tips for being a “patron of the arts” on a budget, and the redemptive nature of memoir-writing. Anna asked Anne to pair her with some novels that would convince her fict...
Feb 05, 2019•48 min•Ep 170•Transcript available on Metacast Meet Phimy Truong and Erika Thi Benjamin, best friends who share both a passion for work that creates positive change in the world AND practically identical reading taste (as you’ll hear, one of their favorites is shared). Today Anne, Phimy, and Erika chat about the book that taught them radical self-care, how literature has helped them dive more deeply into understanding of their heritage, fictional characters who move between cultures, and the community building work Phimy and Erika are doing ...
Jan 29, 2019•54 min•Ep 169•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest Tara Nichols is giving herself an eagle-eye view of the last century’s literary landscape. Her mission is to read one book published each year between 1920 and 2019. The challenge brings with it a lot of important questions… what is worth her time? Is it better to read the big important book from a given year, or the title she thinks she’ll enjoy most ? And the question she’s hoping to answer after the year is over… has literature changed in all this time? Anne's challenge? Pitchin...
Jan 22, 2019•49 min•Ep 168•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest, Erin Morris, is tackling a book challenge with her child this year, and the impact on his imaginative life and her literary life has been no less than remarkable. If you have little ones, this episode is going to make you want to drop everything, pull them close, and enjoy a good book together. Anne and Erin also discuss making reading fun and stress-free for ADULTS because not every book has to be a learning experience, serious topics treated with respect, and Anne match Erin wit...
Jan 15, 2019•43 min•Ep 167•Transcript available on Metacast 
