From the Front Porch

Episode 203 || Best Books of 2018

We made it! Thanks for everything you've given us, 2018, but we're moving on. Before we do, though, we've compiled our own end-of-year list to share with our listeners. What were your favorite books this year?  Annie's favorite books of the year: + Hey Ladies! by Caroline Moss and Michelle Markowitz+ Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman + My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite + Fire Sermon by Jamie Quatro + Educated by Tara Westover  + The Female Persuasion by Meg Woltizer + The Ensemble by Aja Gabel + Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver + There There by Tommy Orange + A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Chris's favorite books of the year: + The Afterlives by Thomas Pierce + There There by Tommy Orange + Calypso by David Sedaris + The Oracle Year by Charles Soule + The Western Wind by Samantha Harvey Chris's unofficial aggregate of the internet's favorite books: + The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai + There There by Tommy Orange + Educated by Tara Westover + Circe by Madeline Miller + The Incendiares by R. O. Kwon + A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza + That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam + Florida by Lauren Groff + How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee + Melmoth by Sarah Perry 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 202 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 16

Annie is joined once again by frequent guest contributors Hunter and Emily to discuss Puddin' by Julie Murphy. 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, including the first fifteen installments of Love It or Loathe It, here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 201 || Live with Knox McCoy

Annie sits down with Knox McCoy, co-host of The Popcast and author of The Wondering Years, in front of a LIVE audience to talk about books, faith, and pop culture. Order Knox's book here. Learn more about The Popcast 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 200 || Mailbag, Vol. 4

We did it. The big one. Here we are at our 200th episode, and we've only got YOU to thank. This week, Annie and Chris answer your questions, some about themselves, some about books, some about The Bookshelf, and some just about life.  Jacey Verdicchio's Start Your Podcast guide is here. We've had a blast making 200 episodes of From the Front Porch for you. We're going to continue after this, obviously, but thank you so much for getting us this far. We've got exciting things ahead. 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 199 || November Reading Recap

Thanksgiving is over, so it's the holiday season (the holiday season) and time to recap the books Annie read in November! + The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (on sale in January) + A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi + Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller + My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite + From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 198 || In the Kitchen

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! (Thagsgibbon, if you’re in the know.) Chris and Annie are enjoying the holiday by talking about some excellent new cookbooks—perfect gifts for the aspiring chef in your life. + Milk Street Tuesday Nights by Christopher Kimball + Eating Well: Soups+ Cook Like a Pro by Ina Garten + All About Cake by Christina Tosi + Cravings: Hungry for More by Chrissy Teigen + Potluck by the editors of Food & Wine + Now and Again by Julia Turshen Find all these great books at The Bookshelf 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 197 || The Newsroom

The world is a very confusing place even in the most stable of times, and everyday people depend on journalists and other writers to figure out and lend some structure to the swirling facts and details of our lives. This week, Annie and Chris salute the heroes of nonfiction and hope to introduce you to the large and fascinating conversation about how we tell the truth.

Listen to Robin Young's Here and Now interview with the cast of The Lifespan of a Fact here. + In Cold Blood by Truman Capote + The Lifespan of a Fact by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal + Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota + Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen + All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward + The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman + So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson Find all these great books at The Bookshelf 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 196 || Great American Read: Revisited

Thanks to the efforts of PBS, we now have a definitive list of America's favorite books. Annie and Chris are now recapping and providing their commentary on the top picks of PBS's Great American Read.  You can learn more about The Great American Read at PBS's website. Send your Mailbag questions to podcast [at] bookshelfthomasville [dot] com.  America's top five picks were: + The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien + Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen + Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling + Outlander by Diana Gabaldon + To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 195 || October Reading Recap

Okay, everybody. Spooky season is over, so Annie and Chris and back to walk you through what they read this month.  Annie read: + The Winters by Lisa Gabriele + Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier + Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis + If I'm Being Honest by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley + The Editor by Stephen Crowley + Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver + I'll Be There For You by Kelsey Miller + Nine Perfect Strangers by Lianne Moriarty + To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer + The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.  

Episode 194 || Halloween Seasonal Reads

Okay, so sometimes scheduling things weeks in advance is hard, and it turns out it's NOT the week of Halloween, but Annie and Chris have a great list of books to get you in the mood for what is objectively the best fourth-quarter holiday! Also, honk honk. We recommend: + Foe by Iain Reid + The Witch Elm by Tana French + The Widow by Fiona Barton + The Child by Fiona Barton + The Winters by Lisa Gabriele + Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier + The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware + In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware + Final Girls by Riley Sager + The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager + There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins + The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack + Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry + The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule + I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara + Are You Sleeping? by Kathleen Barber 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 Chris and Annie's Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.