From the Front Porch

Episode 148 || November Reading Recap

The holiday season is upon us, which means it's time for us to recap what we read in the month of November. Give thanks! Also, Universal, please consider changing how your lockers work.  Annie read: + Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman (on sale February 27) + The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule + Loving Frank by Nancy Horan + Rosie Colored Glasses by Brianna Wolfson (on sale February 20) Chris read: + Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich Also mentioned: + Mindhunter + Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett This episode is brought to you in part by the city of Thomasville. Come join us for Victorian Christmas, our annual celebration of the holiday in the manner of a Victorian street fair! Mark December 14 and 15 on your calendars and learn more here.  Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our side-podcast Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here. 

Episode 147 || The New Childhood Classics

'Tis the season to start thinking about children's books! What will you buy this year for the young reader in your life? Chris and Annie have some suggestions for you this week, hopefully beyond the old standards--not that there's anything wrong with the old standards! Also, weird moles. Mentioned this week: + Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult by Bruce Handy + Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin + Dragons Love Tacos Too by Adam Rubin + Dough Knights and Dragons by Dee Leone + Franklin's Flying Bookshop by Jen Campbell and Kathie Harnett + The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak + Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems + There's a Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone + This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen + Vegetables in Underwear by Jared Chapman + Little Red by Bethan Woollvin + The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz + Hooray for Hat by Dave Won + Boss Baby by Marla Frazee + Bossier Baby by Marla Frazee + King Baby by Kate Beaton + Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae + God's Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell + Big and Small, God Made Them All by Ben Wilder + The Story Cure by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin This episode is brought to you in part by the city of Thomasville. Come join us for Victorian Christmas, our annual celebration of the holiday in the manner of a Victorian street fair! Mark December 14 and 15 on your calendars and learn more here.  This week's episode is also sponsored by the Paxton House, a historic bed and breakfast in downtown Thomasville. Make a reservation at their website above and follow them on Instagram here! Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our side-podcast Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here. 

Episode 146 || Food for Thought

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we're coming to you a couple days early! Spend time with us, and then spend time with your loved ones. Best of both worlds. This week, Annie and Chris talk about food books, cookbooks, and how feasting structures our lives. Also, bedbugs. Featured this week: + The Comfort Food Diaries by Emily Nunn + Cooked by Michael Pollan + Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community by Wendell Berry + Voracious by Cara Nicoletti + A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg + Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal + The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller + Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin + Dough Knights and Dragons by Dee Leone + Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon + Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist + Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker Follow Joy the Baker here. (Or Drake on Cake here.) This week's episode is sponsored by the Paxton House, a historic bed and breakfast in downtown Thomasville. Make a reservation at their website above and follow them on Instagram here! Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our side-podcast Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here. 

Episode 145 || New Books for Old Souls

Sometimes we talk about old books like they're sacred and have nothing to do with what we're reading day to day, but new books and old books both speak to us, don't they? And sometimes they speak to each other. This week, Chris and Annie discuss some of their favorite classics and their favorite new books as if they are cousins. Of the kissing variety? For instance, if you like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, check out Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett. If you like One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, you may enjoy Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo. If you like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, you may enjoy The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. If you like Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, you may enjoy My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. If you like The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, you may enjoy The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. If you like The Giver by Lois Lowry, you may enjoy Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn.  If you like In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, you may enjoy American Fire by Monica Hesse. If you like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, you may enjoy Blankets by Craig Thompson. If you like The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, you may enjoy Delancey by Molly Wizenberg. If you like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, you may enjoy The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant. November 25 is Small Business Saturday! Come visit us at the Bookshelf and see all of our small business friends. If you can't come to Thomasville that weekend, support your local businesses! Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for our theme music. Listen to more here.  If you'd like to gain access to our exclusive content, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  Full episodes of our show are available here.

Episode 144 || October Reading Recap

It's a week later than usual, but it's a brand new month, which means it's time for a reading recap, our monthly feature in which Annie and Chris briefly review what they read this month. October was long, but we read some great books! Annie read: + Thanks, Obama by David Litt + Sunburn by Laura Lippman + Unbelievable by Katy Tur + Turtles All the Way Down by John Green + Fire Sermon by Jamie Quatro + Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum + Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Chris read: + Pregnant Butch by A. K. Summers + Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel + The First Bad Man by Miranda July Also mentioned: + Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco + Looking for Alaska by John Green + The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Check out their website here.  Find a full back catalogue of our show here. If you're interested in our exclusive bonus content like Unpopular Opinions or our weekly newsletter, you can learn more on our Patreon site. 

Episode 143 || Short Form

Why do so many readers seem to be afraid of short stories? Annie and Chris chat with author and professor CJ Hauser about how short stories are different from novels, how to approach a collection, and why book clubs should embrace shorts.

Stop worrying and love the short story!  Mentioned this episode: + The Collected Stories of Grace Paley + Selected Stories: Andre Dubus + Flannery O'Connor: The Complete Stories + We're in Trouble by Christopher Coake + Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson + Emporium by Adam Johnson + Later, at the Bar by Rebecca Barry + Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout + Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower + CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders + One More Thing by B. J. Novak + Music for Wartime by Rebecca Makkai + Difficult Women by Roxane Gay + Awayland by Ramona Ausubel + Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado CJ's favorite collections: + Nine Stories by J. D. Salinger + Bear Down, Bear North by Melinda Moustakis + St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell Annie's favorite collections: + St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell + Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson + A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor Chris's favorite collections: + No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July + Sorry Please Thank You by Charles Yu + CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders Learn more about CJ and find links to her writing on her website.  Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for our intro music. You can check them out at their website.  This episode is sponsored in part by Fontaine Maury, a branding and design firm with offices in Thomasville and Tallahassee. Check them out at their website.  You can find full episodes of our show on our website. You can support us on Patreon here. 

Episode 142 || A Good Scare

'Tis the season for ~spooky scary~ reads, so Chris and Annie are back to talk about suspense, horror, and why we sometimes need a good scare. Also, WHAT is the title of this book? There's a dog and a creepy neighbor. That's all we've got.  Mentioned this week: + The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney + Goosebumps by R. L. Stine + Are You Afraid of the Dark? + Edgar Allan Poe + Boo to You Too by Elizabeth Rogers + The Littlest Witch by Jeanne Massey + The Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman + The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz + Velocity by Dean Koontz + The Taking by Dean Koontz + Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn + Final Girls by Riley Sager + There's Somebody Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins + Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero + The Likeness by Tana French + The Secret Place by Tana French + The Fever by Megan Abbott + Dare Me by Megan Abbott + You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott + In Cold Blood by Truman Capote + The Lost Girls by Robert Kolker + Who Killed These Girls? by Beverly Lowry + The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule + IT by Stephen King + My Friend Dahmer by John Backderf + Dark Places by Gillian Flynn + It Devours! by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor Thank you , as always, to Forlorn Strangers. Listen to more of their music at their website. Thank you SO MUCH to our supporters on Patreon. If you'd like access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes features, you can learn learn how here. For a full back catalogue of our show, check out our website here.

Episode 141 || What Should I Listen To Next?

Let's face it: when you read a lot, it can be a strain on the eyes. And you can't multitask with a book in your hands. And reading while driving will get you pulled over. Thankfully, the slow march of progress has given us an answer. This week is all about the audiobook. Annie and Chris talk about their experience with and admiration of the audiobook along with some of their favorites. Find them at your leisure on Libro.fm and list The Bookshelf as your partner store! Mentioned this week: + David Sedaris + A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan + Angels and Demons by Dan Brown + Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling + Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane + Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell + The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher + The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson + This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel + Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders + All the Lives I Want by Alana Massey + Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett + Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult + Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert This episode is brought to you in part by Fontaine Maury, a branding and design firm with offices in Thomasville and Tallahassee. View a portfolio of their work and contact them regarding your branding needs at their website.  Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers. Learn more and listen to their music at their website.  HUGE thanks to our Patreon supporters, who allow us time to create fun bonus content. If you'd like to give us a few dollars a month and get exclusive access to our secret projects, check us out here. 

Episode 140 || A Day in the Life

We get lots of emails about what it is we actually do all day. Who are we, exactly, and what does a day in the life of our independent bookstore look like? Annie and Chris are here to walk you through a typical Tuesday at The Bookshelf.  Today's episode is brought to you in part by Fuzzy Goat yarn shop right here in downtown Thomasville, GA. Fuzzy Goat offers a variety of yarns from independent, Southern, and US sources and a wide selection of classes for advanced knitters and novices alike. Check them out on Instagram here. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers. Listen to more of their music on their website.  And thank you SO MUCH to our Patreon supporters. If you would like to support us for a few dollars a month and get rewarded with regular bonus content, check out our site here. 

Episode 139 || September Reading Recap

September was a decidedly not-great month for our intrepid hosts, but at least they got to read some phenomenal books! Join us for our monthly wrap-up and check out our favorite books of the month! Annie read: + I'll Have What She's Having by Erin Carlson + People Like Us by Dana Mele (on sale February 2018) + Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo + Reading People by Anne Bogel + The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Susan Stabile + To Dance with the White Dog by Terry Kay + Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi + When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon + Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan + Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward Chris read: + The Afterlives by Thomas Pierce (on sale January 2018) + The Mothers by Brit Bennett Also mentioned: + Bossypants by Tina Fey + Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher + Grit by Angela Duckworth + The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Thank you, as always, to Forlorn Strangers. Learn more at their website.  For an almost-full catalogue of our old episodes, learn more, or contact us, visit our website.  Thank you SO MUCH to our Patreon supporters. If you'd like to become a patron and access our monthly bonus content, check us out here.