From the Front Porch

Episode 134 || August Reading Recap

August is over, and we're ready to celebrate. Annie and Chris are back to talk about the books they read in August, despite--or maybe in spite of--how terrible the month of August is. Also, can the old Taylor please come to the phone? Chris read: + nothing + life gets in the way + part of How to Stop Time by Matt Haig Annie read: + Final Girls by Riley Sager + The Glass Eye by Jeannie Vanasco (on sale October 3) + There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins + Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka + The Misfortune of Marion Palm by Emily Culliton + Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong + Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker + The Party by Robyn Harding Also mentioned: + Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood + Brain on Fire by Susannah Calahan + Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins + Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty + Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford + Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple + Seven by Jen Hatmaker + For the Love by Jen Hatmaker + The Dinner by Herman Koch There are changes on the horizon! Stay tuned!  There's one day left to sign up for September's Shelf Subscription pick, so check out our store website for more details!

Episode 133 || Three Books and a Movie

We're hungry, so let's plan out a menu. This week, Chris and Annie have prepared a few "book flights" for you, and these are the tasting notes. We're also calling them "mini-syllabi" because books talk to each other, and it's the coolest thing. Also, a dyed-in-the-wool Slytherin. Annie's "Fear and Trembling" syllabus: + Final Girls by Riley Sager + Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka + Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng + Scream  Chris's "A Space Odyssey" syllabus: + The Martian by Andy Weir + The Wanderers by Meg Howrey + The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber + Gravity Annie's "Not Another Teen Movie" syllabus: + Dumplin' by Julie Murphy + You'll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein + Dare Me by Megan Abbott + The DUFF Chris's "Kubelko Bondy" syllabus: + The End We Start From by Megan Hunter + The First Bad Man by Miranda July + Spider-Woman by Dennis Hopeless  + The Babadook Annie's "Slightly Romantic" syllabus:+ Extraordinary Adventures by Daniel Wallace + This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance by Jonathan Evison + The Rosie Project by Graeme Simison + Dan in Real Life Chris's [bonus] "Cruise Ship" syllabus: + "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" by David Foster Wallace + "My Honeymoon, or A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Either" by Tina Fey + "Our Perfect Summer" by David Sedaris Chris's "The Earth is Alive" syllabus: + Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard + Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry + The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien + An Inconvenient Truth OR Mad Max: Fury Road OR Waterworld Annie's "Campus Tour" syllabus: + Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld + Shadow of the Lions by Christopher Swann + The Secret History by Donna Tartt + Dead Poets Society OR Liberal Arts Chris's "Apollo and Dionysus" syllabus: + The Birth of Tragedy by Friedrich Nietszche + The Secret History by Donna Tartt + Brave New World by Aldous Huxley + Black Swan Annie's "Family Dysfunction" syllabus: + The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney + Commonwealth by Ann Patchett + Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny + The Family Stone  Learn more about Bookshelf Bucks on our store website. 

Episode 132 || Back to School

It's that time of year again, and we can't believe it. Annie and Chris talk about some of their favorite books for emerging readers and sit down for an interview with one such reader. Also, the importance of haircuts and a pregnant pause (or three).  Mentioned this week: + Miles Morales, Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds + The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey + Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney + Dog Man by Dav Pilkey + Theodore Boone series by John Grisha + Treasure Hunters series by James Patterson + Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale + Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler + Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer + Hatchet by Gary Paulsen + The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle by Bill Myers + A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle + The Austin Family Chronicles by Madeleine L'Engle + The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis + Bloomability by Sharon Creech + The Wanderer by Sharon Creech + The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg + From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg + Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson + An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott + Little Women by Louisa May Alcott + The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain + Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery + A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein + Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein + The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein + The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer + All-of-a-Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor + Bobbsey Twins series by Laura Lee Hope + Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace + Encyclopedia Brown series by Donald J. Sobol + Nimona by Noelle Stevenson + Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare + Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson + Hamster Princess series by Ursula Vernon + I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis + Time Warp Trio series by John Scieszka + The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne

Episode 131 || Shelf Subscription Sneak Peek

Don’t get scared of the word “change.” Annie and Chris are joined this week by the rest of the Bookshelf staff. Ashley, Maddie, and Kate are here to talk about Shelf Subscriptions and what you can expect when you choose one of us to pick out a brand new book for you. Also, let’s take bets on which Office alum is Mindy Kaling’s baby daddy. Annie’s picks are for fans of: + The Mothers by Brit Bennett + Forty Rooms by Olga Grushin + Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Chris’s picks are for fans of: + Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders + Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel + A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Maddie’s picks are for fans of: + Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel + The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman + The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemison Kate’s picks are for fans of: + The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee + The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell + Pachinko by Min Jin Lee Ashley’s picks are for fans of: + Paper Towns by John Green + What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons + This Is How It Always Is by Lauren Frankel Magali’s picks are for fans of: + The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle + The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien + Tlll We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis Learn more about Shelf Subscriptions at our store website. If you would like to advertise your business on From the Front Porch, email Annie at annie [at] bookshelfthomasville [dot] com.

Episode 130 || July Reading Recap

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. And even though that might not be exactly how podcasts work, Chris and Annie are here to tell you about what they read in July. Also, Bookshelf Bucks are here! Check out the store website to learn more and start your tab! Annie read: + The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante + Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy + The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry + Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood + What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons + The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder Chris read: + The End We Start From by Megan Hunter (on sale November 7) + Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett Also mentioned: + Dumplin' by Julie Murphy + It Devours by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor + Frances and Bernard by Carlene Bauer + The Mothers by Brit Bennett + Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi + Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Episode 129 || Read It Again, Sam

Do you really know a book from reading it just once? Annie and Chris weigh in on re-reading and why they do it--or don't. Is there a value in re-reading or is it a waste of time? Are there some books that deserve to be read more than once and others that don't? Also, move over, Schrödinger. We've got our own theoretical cat experiment. "Finding out what happens is the least part of reading." Mentioned this week: + Historia Regum Britanniae by Geoffrey of Monmouth + Little Women by Louisa May Alcott + An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott + Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott + Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott + the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling + the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis + The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien + The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald + The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger + Brave New World by Aldous Huxley + To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee + The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins + Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel + Paradise Lost by John Milton + The Human Condition by Hannah Arendt + The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon + The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe + Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff + Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Check out Shelf Subscriptions, a new monthly book delivery service from The Bookshelf, on our website and sign up for fresh picks from Annie, Chris, and the rest of The Bookshelf staff!

Episode 128 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 8

It's a book club-style discussion about Patricia Lockwood's new memoir, Priestdaddy. Annie and regular podcast contributors Emily McKenna (of You're Maker) and Hunter McLendon discuss what they loved and loathed about Lockwood's poetic style, her relationship with her parents, and her complicated upbringing in the Catholic faith.

You can purchase Priestdaddy here. 

Other books mentioned include:

Liars Club

Prozac Nation

BossyPants

Yes Please

Is Everyone Hanging out without Me

The Essex Serpent 

Episode 127 || What Did I Read Last?

You've got a whole stack of what you're going to read next, but what kind of record do you keep of what you've already read? Chris and Annie chat about what they've read recently and how they keep track. Spoilers: It's not G**dr**ds. Also, is Tobey Maguire the worst actor of his generation? Keep those iTunes and Stitcher reviews coming! We're well on our way to our goal, and we want to give you a special prize if you get us to 150 on iTunes.

Episode 126 || Politics and Prose?

Happy Fourth from the Front Porch! Annie and Chris are here to talk about their favorite fake news--which is to say political fiction. Also, fireworks, hot dogs, and the day summer just goes downhill.  New and upcoming: + The Golden House by Salman Rushdie (on sale in October) + The Senator's Children by Nicholas Montemorano (on sale in November) + Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (on sale in August) + The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close Backlist: + Before the Fall by Noah Hawley Non-fiction: + This Town by Mark Leibovich + Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco + Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow + Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman

Episode 125 || June Reading Recap

It's hot as something down here in the South, and Chris and Annie are back to talk about what they read in June. It was a light month of the highest quality. Also, Chris Pine: hot or not? And happy anniversary, Harry Potter.  Annie read: + The End We Start From by Megan Hunter (on sale November 7) + Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson (on sale July 11) + Heating and Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly (on sale October 10) + Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (on sale (on sale September 12) + Theft by Finding by David Sedaris + The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante Chris read: + Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu Hey, did you know that we read and recap books in literally every episode of this podcast, not just the ones labeled "Reading Recap"? I just want to make sure that you do because we have so many recommendations for you all the time always and want you to enjoy!