Books on the Nightstand: Episodes
Michael’s Short Story Month reading plan. What movies do to books, good and bad. Plus we recommend the new books from Claire Messud and David Sedaris. May is Short Story Month Ann’s been reading a short story a day, all year. That was too much for me to commit to, so I’m just doing it [...]
It’s Edgar Week! The 2013 Edgar Awards will be presented on May 2nd at the Edgars Banquet. In celebration, I speak this week with Daniel J. Hale, Executive Vice President of the Mystery Writers of America. Daniel J. Hale is the Executive Vice President of the Mystery Writers of America, the premier ...
We review the stacks of books we wish we could read right now. Ann and I are always bemoaning all of the books we want to read, books that are piled on our nightstands or bookshelves. If we had unlimited reading time, these are the books we would pick up right now. We thought it [...]
This week, we present the Booktopia Santa Cruz talks from Cara Black and Matthew Dicks. It’s our final two author talks from Booktopia Santa Cruz, finishing up with Cara Black, author of Murder Below Montparnasse, the latest Aimee Leduc mystery, and Matthew Dicks, the author of Memoirs ...
A cool idea for a literary event; keeping up with your favorite author; Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and Ben Okri’s The Famished Road Short Story Salon I recently attended a Short Story Salon hosted by Vanessa, one of our BOTNS listeners in Boston. Seven of us got together and each person brought ...
Fun bookish events to attend; looking back at The Tournament of Books; and our recommendations for The Rime of the Modern Mariner and Wave. First the Fun Square Books in Oxford, MS (which was just named 2013 Publishers’ Weekly Bookseller of the Year!! YAAAYYY!!) is hosting Camp Square Books, May ...
Tupelo Hassman, author of Girlchild, and Simon Vance, famed audiobook narrator, recorded live at Booktopia Santa Cruz. Two Books I Can’t Wait For You to Read, Volume Two is ready to order! Click here to place your order. Please order it via Northshire’s website even if you will be at the ...
This week we talk with Kevin Smokler, author of Practical Classics: 50 Reasons to Reread 50 Books You Haven’t Touched Since High School.     I was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview author Kevin Smokler, who came up with the brilliant idea of revisiting 50 classic works of ...
We’re just back from our sales conference, so we tease you with two books coming out late summer; we discuss the VIDA count; new books The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat and Salt Sugar Fat.   Two books we can’t wait to tease you with Michael and I are just back from our sales ...
This week: Listeners weigh in on their love (or not) of short stories. Back in November, we asked for your thoughts on short stories. Now that we’re into the third month of Project Short Story, we thought it was a good time to hear what you all had to say. Emily from Ohio, wasn’t [...]
This week: Gatherings of book lovers, choosing books for your reading groups, Peter Clines’ Ex-Heroes and Karen Russell’s Vampires in the Lemon Grove. Create your own Booktopia! A few weeks ago we received a voicemail from some friends who had met at Booktopia Oxford last year. They were ...
We hit a million downloads recently. Thank you! This week: literary Kickstarters, Herman Koch’s The Dinner and Ghostman by Roger Hobbs. Two Books I Can’t Wait For You to Read, Volume 2 – Don’t forget to submit your recommendation for two books you love, to be printed in a new volume in April. ...
This week we bring you authors Adam Johnson and Sarah McCoy, “live” from Booktopia Santa Cruz. These were the talks they gave at the Celebration of Authors held at Bookshop Santa Cruz. Reminder! Don’t forget to tell us about your “Two Books I Can’t Wait For You to Read!” Click here to ...
  We really should have called this episode “Nine authors we can’t wait for you to read.” This week, we talk about the books and authors that will be part of Booktopia Vermont, in the hopes that you will want to read these books, even if you’re not attending Booktopia. Our ...
A few updates and reminders; a discussion of a planned library that will have no physical books; Ann recommends Where’d You Go Bernadette?by Maria Semple and I loved Little Wolves by Thomas Maltman Updates and Reminders Project Short Story – Ann has kept to her schedule of reading a new short ...
This week we bring you audiobook narrator Grover Gardner and author Ann Packer, “live” from Booktopia Santa Cruz. These were the talks they gave at the Celebration of Authors held at Bookshop Santa Cruz. Reminder! Don’t forget to tell us about your “Two Books I Can’t Wait For You ...
Announcing our new book project; Do you like to read books when they are newly-published, or wait until they’ve stood the test of time? Then Michael talks about The Dewey Decimal System while I declare my love for Daniel Woodrell’s The Death of Sweet Mister. Two Books you Can’t Wait ...
All about Project Short Story; Our reading resolutions for 2013; We recommend Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter and Tenth of December by George Saunders. Project Short Story Ann recently launched Project Short Story, a year-long celebration of short fiction. We’re announcing it on the podcast because ...
Happy New Year! This week we bring you authors Tayari Jones and Lynne Cox, “live” from Booktopia Santa Cruz. These were their author talks at the Celebration of Authors held at Bookshop Santa Cruz. Michael and I will be back next week with a regular episode, including details of Project Short ...
Reading successes and failures in 2012, our favorite books of 2012, and two books we wish we had read. Successes and Failures My 12 in ’12 Reading Challenge was a great success for many people, just not me. Of the 36 books I hoped to read, I read 15. Ann’s goal of learning to appreciate [...]