From the Front Porch

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. 

Episode 138 || Fall Literary Lineup

Annie's back from SIBA, and we're here to let you in on a long-distance version of the Fall Literary Luncheon we hosted in the Bookshelf last week. Here's what we're recommending for the fall! + Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward + Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng + Artemis by Andy Weir + The Senator's Children by Nicholas Montemarano + The Glass Eye by Jeannie Vanasco + Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks + Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie + My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent + Five-Carat Soul by James McBride + The Floating World by C. Morgan Babst + Grant by Ron Chernow + An Odyssey by Daniel Mendelsohn + The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers + Blood at the Root by Patrick Phillips + What Unites Us by Dan Rather Also mentioned: + Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward + Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng + The Martian by Andy Weir Support us on Patreon here.  Listen to previous episodes here.  Learn more about Shelf Subscriptions here. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers. Learn more here.

Episode 137 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 9

Annie, Hunter, and Emily are back with another volume of Love It or Loathe It, our show within a show in which we have a book club-style discussion about a divisive book. This week: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon. Also mentioned this week: + The Blondes by Emily Schultz + Looking for Alaska by John Green + The Big Sick + Master of None + The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson + Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi + Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith + Twilight by Stephanie Meyer Special mid-credits guest appearance by Margery K. Bear.  Thank you, as always, to Forlorn Strangers. Learn more at their website.

Episode 136 || Reading in the Age of Prestige Television

We've survived the hurricane and the new Bachelor announcement, and we're back with another conversation on books, TV, and life in the South. The 2017 Emmy Awards air on September 17, and so many of the honorees this year are adapted from books! We've got thoughts and opinions. Also, Seth Meyers is blond. Mentioned this week: + The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood + The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu + Hagseed by Margaret Atwood + The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta + The Leftovers on HBO + Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty + Big Little Lies on HBO + Before the Fall by Noah Hawley + Fargo on FX + Fargo by the Coen Brothers + Legion on FX If you liked The Crown on Netflix, you might enjoy: + The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan + Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan + China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan + Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan If you liked The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu, you might enjoy: + Children of Men by P. D. James + Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler If you liked This is Us on NBC, you might enjoy: + The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney + Modern Lovers by Emma Straub + Adopted by Kelley Nikondeha + Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate If you liked Westworld on HBO, you might enjoy: + Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick + Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie If you liked Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix, you might enjoy: + The Girls by Emma Cline + The Assistants by Camille Perri If you liked Stranger Things on Netflix, you might enjoy: + Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero If you liked Master of None on Netflix, you might enjoy: + Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari + Read Bottom Up by Neel Shah and Skye Chatham Learn more about Forlorn Strangers on their website.  Support us on Patreon here.

Episode 135 || Campus Tour + Nothing Stays the Same!

Welcome to the brand new month of September! School is back in session, Fall is (kinda-sorta) in the air, and change is afoot. Check out our new podcast website and see all the new, special content we've been making just for you! Also, Nick and Vanessa? Donezo.  Mentioned this week: + The Secret History by Donna Tartt + Liberal Arts + Shadow of the Lions by Christopher Swann + A Separate Peace by John Knowles + Looking for Alaska by John Green + The Fault in Our Stars by John Green + The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach + Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld + Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan + Friends from College  + Tribal by Diane Roberts + Tribe by Sebastian Junger + Against Football by Steve Almond + The One and Only by Emily Giffin Learn more about Forlorn Strangers at their website. Support us on Patreon here. Find your favorite books in our online store.