What Should I Read Next? Ep 436: The reality of bookworm problems
Jul 2, 2024
Leigh Kramer, an editor and social media manager for Modern Mrs. Darcy, shares her candid love for books and the challenges of being a bookworm. She reflects on her journey as a reader, discussing the perfectly wrong novel for her and the books that shaped her life. Leigh opens up about personal reading goals, especially exploring spiritual memoirs and diverse authors. Their engaging conversation tackles nostalgic book interactions, the impact of literature on identity, and the joys and dilemmas of summer reading.
36:42
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Intro
00:00 • 4min
Nostalgic Journeys: Revisiting Book Conversations of the Past
03:50 • 6min
The Allure of Literature
09:35 • 6min
Exploring Dystopia and Language in 'The Word Exchange'
15:51 • 5min
Reflections on Solitude and Parenthood
20:42 • 5min
Exploring Personal Reading Goals and Themes of Pursuit
25:44 • 2min
Exploring Dystopia and Gaming in 'Ready Player One'
27:31 • 3min
Literary Journeys and Reading Choices
30:07 • 9min
Island beneath the sea
Island beneath the sea
Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende's "Island Beneath the Sea" is a sweeping historical novel set on a Haitian sugar plantation during the time of the Haitian Revolution.
The story follows Zarité, a young enslaved woman, and her journey through love, loss, and rebellion.
Allende masterfully weaves together historical events with fictional characters, creating a vivid and immersive portrayal of a tumultuous period in history.
The novel explores themes of freedom, identity, and the enduring power of the human spirit.
Allende's evocative prose and compelling characters make this a truly unforgettable reading experience.
Tell Me Three Things
Julie Buxbaum
Sacred Pauses
Sacred Pauses
April Yamasaki
Hammerhead
Hammerhead
None
Anika Orrock
The Rosie effect
Graeme Simsion
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez
One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of seven generations of the Buendía family, founders of the fictional town of Macondo.
The novel spans a hundred years of turbulent Latin American history, from the postcolonial 1820s to the 1920s.
It is a tale of love, loss, and the cyclical nature of history, filled with magical realism that blends the supernatural with the ordinary.
The story follows the family's experiences, including civil war, marriages, births, and deaths, and explores themes such as solitude, fate, and the inevitability of repetition in history.
The novel is renowned for its narrative style and its influence on the literary movement known as the Latin American Boom.
The Art of Memoir
Mary Karr
In 'The Art of Memoir', Mary Karr synthesizes her expertise as a professor, writer, and spiritual seeker to provide a comprehensive guide on the art and mechanics of memoir writing.
The book is anchored by excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from fellow writers, offering practical advice on truthfulness, voice, and the structure of memoirs.
Karr emphasizes the importance of honesty, the democratic nature of memoir writing, and the cathartic power of reflecting on the past.
She critiques several influential memoirs, including works by Richard Wright, Vladimir Nabokov, and Maya Angelou, and provides valuable tips for aspiring memoirists on how to stage their stories effectively.
The new Jim Crow
Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Karen Chilton
Michelle Alexander
In this book, Michelle Alexander argues that the U.S.
prison system has created a new racial caste system, where people of color are disproportionately incarcerated and disenfranchised.
She examines the historical and contemporary factors contributing to this crisis and advocates for a more equitable justice system.
Ready Player One
Trivia-on-Books Staff
In 'Ready Player One', Ernest Cline introduces Wade Watts, an 18-year-old living in a dystopian future where people escape their harsh reality through the OASIS, a vast virtual reality world.
The story revolves around Wade's quest to find an Easter egg hidden by the OASIS's creator, James Halliday, which would grant the finder immense wealth and control over the OASIS.
Wade, known as Parzival in the OASIS, must compete against other 'gunters' and the corporate-sponsored Sixers to achieve this goal.
The novel is filled with 1980s pop culture references, adventure, and social commentary, making it a deeply engaging and nostalgic read.
Still Life
Sarah Winman
Still Life by Sarah Winman tells the story of Ulysses Temper, a young British soldier, and Evelyn Skinner, a 64-year-old art historian, who meet briefly in Tuscany in 1944 during World War II. This encounter sets off a chain of events that transforms Ulysses' life and those of the people around him.
The novel spans several decades, following Ulysses as he returns to London after the war, navigates his relationships with his wife Peg and her daughter Alys, and eventually returns to Florence.
The story is enriched by an ensemble of characters, including the eccentric patrons of the Stoat and Parrot pub, and Claude, a witty and charming parrot.
The book explores themes of art, culture, and the power of human connections, set against the backdrop of historical events such as the 1966 Florentine floods.
The Complete Enneagram
27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge
Beatrice Chestnut
In this comprehensive handbook, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD, explores the Enneagram as a tool for understanding personality and achieving personal growth.
The book delves into the nine types of the Enneagram, their three subtype forms, and the paths to liberation.
It provides insights into realizing strengths and weaknesses, facing fears, and manifesting one's highest potential.
The Exchange
John Grisham
The Exchange is a sequel to John Grisham's The Firm, set fifteen years after the original story.
Mitch McDeere, now a partner at a large international law firm, becomes embroiled in a case involving a Turkish company suing the Libyan government.
When his colleague Giovanna is kidnapped, Mitch must navigate a dangerous web of international intrigue to secure her release.
The novel explores themes of legal suspense and global politics.
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" is an allegorical novel that follows Santiago, a shepherd boy, on a journey to fulfill his Personal Legend.
The story blends elements of fantasy and realism, exploring themes of self-discovery, following one's dreams, and listening to one's intuition.
Along his journey, Santiago encounters various characters and challenges that teach him valuable lessons about life and the importance of perseverance.
The book's simple yet profound message has resonated with readers worldwide, inspiring them to pursue their passions and embrace the journey.
The Alchemist is a timeless tale of self-discovery and the pursuit of one's dreams.
The Passage
Justin Cronin
The Passage is set in a near-future world where a government experiment involving a virus from a South American bat species leads to an apocalyptic outbreak.
The virus transforms people into superhuman, vampire-like creatures known as 'virals'.
The story follows FBI agent Brad Wolgast and six-year-old Amy Harper Bellafonte as they navigate this new world.
The novel spans over a century, beginning with the origins of the virus and its immediate aftermath, and then jumping forward 93 years to follow a colony of survivors in California.
The narrative is rich in character development and uses various storytelling devices such as emails, journal entries, and newspaper reports to paint a vivid picture of a world in collapse and the resilience of its survivors.
Today we are kicking off a summer series from the What Should I Read Next? archives: we're sharing the first episodes and sometimes the very first conversations Anne had with readers that are now members of our team.
Many of you know our team members by name, and you have a good sense of their reading tastes, too. But we also know that many of you are new around here, or haven't yet had the chance to listen to all 400-plus episodes, so you don't know our team members as well.
Whether you've heard these episodes before or you're hearing them for the first time, we're certain you'll enjoy these introductions to some of the people who help make the book magic happen around here.
The first episode in our team series originally aired as Episode 9 from all the way back in 2016 as Anne talks with now-Modern Mrs. Darcy editor and social media manager, Leigh Kramer. At that time, Leigh was living in San Francisco, where she identified herself as a full-time book nerd, fried pickle connoisseur, and lifetime White Sox fan. While Leigh lives in Chicago now, she still has strong opinions about her books, which makes for a delightful conversation.
In this episode, Leigh and Anne discuss the nearly perfect novel that she adored and happened to be all wrong for Anne. Leigh also shares the books she read at just the right time and a variety of very real bookworm problems, before Anne recommends titles for Leigh's next read.
This episode was a really interesting time capsule because Leigh and Anne discuss some books that Leigh wouldn't choose and Anne wouldn't recommend for her today. We'll discuss those changes in her reading life more over on Patreon.
Find the full list of titles mentioned today, along with links for other places you'll find Leigh and our team, over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/436.
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