From the Front Porch

Episode 10 || Reading Resolutions

We're back after a holiday hiatus! This episode, Annie and Katie discuss their reading resolutions and their words of the year.

- Annie's currently reading -- and loving -- All the Light We Cannot See, with her sights set on more nonfiction in 2015, particularly historical nonfiction. Any books in particular you'd recommend?

- Katie's favorite book for the new year is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (a Christmas gift from husband Scott), and it ties in perfectly with her word of year; any guesses?

- If book clubs aren't your thing -- for shame! -- start an article club, like Katie did with her friends. Tips for hosting your own can be found on Cup of Jo.

- Both Katie and Annie love the concept of setting margins in your life; Hayley from Tiny Twig elaborates in this post.

- It's not too late to determine your own word for 2015! Need help getting started? Try Ali Edwards' blog posts about the One Little Word concept, then hop on over to this 2015 workbook by Susannah Conway. (Annie and Jordan use this for their end-of-year review.)

- Fellow Thomasvillians, Katie's working with some local fifth graders to make MacIntyre Park even better. Take the survey here.

And, as always, you can follow along with The Bookshelf's adventures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Episode 9 || Shonda Rhimes and Med School

Ever wondered if Grey's Anatomy is an accurate portrayal of med school? Annie interviews Sidney Webb, communications specialist at The Bookshelf. Sidney covers shop events and operates the store's social media accounts; in this episode, she and Annie discuss how working at The Bookshelf is a lot like working for a church, and how medical school isn't exactly like Shonda Rhimes says it is (go figure).

- Sidney's in charge of The Bookshelf's online presence; see how she's doing by following the store's social media accounts: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.  

- Check out Thomasville's downtown newspaper, the Thomasville Townie. 

- Some of Annie's favorite bloggers are medical school wives like Sidney: Jolie of Becoming Jolie, who happens to have a lovely Etsy shop, too; Grace of Camp Patton; and Kate of The Life and Writings of Kate Baer.

- Annie and Sidney are lobbying for store manager Rebekah to play the beloved Anne Shirley in Thomasville On Stage and Company's production of Anne of Green Gables. Join our imaginary petition?

Episode 8 || Books vs. Movies

Annie is joined by guest Rebekah Arwood, manager of The Bookshelf in Thomasville. Rebekah and Annie chat about that ever-controversial topic: Is the book better than the movie? The discussion runs the gamut, from the newly-released Gone Girl to The Hunger Games, Great Gatby to Little Women (which Rebekah and Annie both identify as a wintertime classic). 

- Gillian Flynn wrote her own screenplay for her bestselling novel Gone Girl; here are more novelists that could follow in her steps.

- We think Jane Austen would love both The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved, two web adaptations by Pemberly Digital, a company devoted to using new media to adapt classic works of literature. 

- The Bookshelf Film Society meets once a quarter to discuss the film adaptations of books; local film professor Lisa Mitchell guides the discussion each month. Join us!

Episode 7 || Fall Favorites

Snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of tea, because this episode, Annie and Katie talk about married-lady crushes, poetry before bedtime, and turning off the TV. Summer might be for easy, breezy beach books, but fall is all about slower-paced fiction and re-reading the classics. Here are Annie's fall reading recommendations:

- The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant (releases December 15)

-  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

- An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott

- Habits of the House by Faye Weldon

- Anything by Kate Morton

- Dinner: A Love Story by

- I Am Pilgrim by Scott

- Anything by Tana French

And Katie's:

- My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard

- The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

- Happy City by Charles Montgomery

- A Path Appears by Nicholas Kristof

- This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral by Mark Leibovich

- The Gorgeous Nothings by Emily Dickinson

- This Day by Wendell Berry

Looking for more seasonal reads? Check out Anne Bogel's blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, where she's published a great list of autumn-inspired suggestions.

If spooky reads are your thing this month, listen to the latest episode of Books on the Nightstand; Ann and Michael discuss their favorite creepy books of the season.

Interested in Candletime? This blog post explains. (And, in case you're looking for the perfect autumn candle, Thomasvillians rejoice! The Townie shop has -- in Annie's opinion -- the best selections for the season.)

Last, but not least, film lovers: Covey Film Festival is here! Check out a full list of films, and stock up on the books that inspired the movies; we've got a display devoted to them in the shop!

Episode 6 || One Book

In this episode, Annie and her attorney husband Jordan discuss the ramifications of wrongful convictions, a topic central to the plot of Picking Cotton, this year's One Book selection for Thomas County. For the uninitiated, One Book programs celebrate literacy by encouraging entire communities to read the same book; this month, Thomas County is reading the bestselling memoir Picking Cotton. Later in this episode, Katie and Annie list their top One Book suggestions for your community (and for future Thomas County One Book programs) -- it's a more difficult decision than you might think! And, for some extra credit:

- A New York Times article earlier this summer mentioned the increasing "nosiness" behind jury questionnaires; would you be chosen for a jury? Take the quiz to find out. (Spoiler alert: Annie didn't make the cut.)

- Follow along as our small town celebrates literacy and Picking Cotton. Maybe there's a One Book program in your city! Check the Library of Congress' listing here.

- In town and want to join us at the Center for the Arts for our Picking Cotton author event? Tickets are on sale now! Purchase online here.

Episode 5 || A Chat on Education

The podcast is back this month after a brief summer hiatus, and Annie and Katie are talking about their favorite books on education. They're covering Montessori schools and the importance of playing outside, plus how big a role technology plays in today's classrooms. And, this month, Annie's introducing shownotes -- a rundown of everything discussed in this episode.

Books on education you need to add to your list:

- Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner

- Whatever It Takes by Paul Tough

- The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer

- How Children Succeed by Paul Tough

- The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley

What you need to watch: The Up Series, a BBC documentary that follows a group of children from the age of seven until present day. "Give me a child when he is seven, and I will show you the man."

Katie's intrigued by Bill Gates' Big History Project, which aims to give students of all ages an over-arching picture of our world's history. Check it out here.

Turns out intellect is only a small part of how we learn and succeed. David Brooks talks about the "mental virtues" in this article in the New York Times.

Let's lighten up with a look at how our vocabulary is shaped and what words make up your fingerprint.

 

Episode 4 || The Art of Being a From Away

Annie sat down with author CJ Hauser to discuss the ups and downs of living in a small town and what it means to be a "from away" (read: someone not from here. Yes, this is an actual, popular phrase). CJ's new novel -- titled, appropriately, The From-Aways -- was one of Annie's favorites of the summer, and CJ's stories of small town life will feel all-too-familiar to fellow small town dwellers. Also mentioned in this podcast? Gilmore Girls, Jan Karon and Mitford, and why your 20s are harder than you thought they'd be.

Episode 2, Part 2 || How to Use a Cookbook

In Part Two of the eating local podcast, Katie and Annie discuss how to properly read a cookbook. Plus, Annie tells about some of her favorite food memoirs. 

Episode 2, Part 1 || Farm Fresh

Jodi gives Annie the scoop on which Georgia farms will let you spend the night and how to shop at a Farmer's Market. From pig farms and corn mazes to tractor pulls and pumpkin patches, Jodi will give you the 411 on Georgia agri-tourism. 

Episode 1 || Thrive

 

Discussion of Arianna Huffington's new book Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder. 

Katie and Annie chat about how to apply Huffington's principles to their small-town, southern lives-- including what Annie's husband Jordan is doing in the backseat of his car over his lunchbreak and how to cut your carrots in peace. Plus, Annie reveals her graduation and summer picks from Ban'do to Adulting.