What Should I Read Next?

Today’s guest Mary Laura Philpott is an essayist, bookseller, and a big fan of memoirs of people living “everyday lives”. She certainly has experience with an interesting “everyday life” as a Book Enthusiast at Large—yes, that is her job title—for Parnassus Books in Nashville.Anne and Mary Laura chat about the reading and writing life, working through her readerly guilt of hating beloved childhood classics, and the delight of a book flight (or as Mary Laura would say, "reading symphonies").Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/195Connect with Mary Laura: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Catch up on all of the episodes in Volume II of OGB my short-form podcast where we explore just one great book in 10 minutes or less. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Nicole Mattke, a clear and driving plot isn’t the most important thing. She loves beautiful, introspective writing that makes her think about everyday emotions. She also spent a year roaming a hotel, doing a job that sounds like it belongs in the pages of a novel. Today Nicole shares some of the stories she heard during her time there, and the literary community-building project she started and has continued to this day.Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/194Follow Nicole and her sister's reading lives on Instagram @bibliosisters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keren Form is a self-professed mega nerd who loves everything from LOTR, and board games, and epic science fiction. Today, Keren and Anne chat about what it really means to be a nerd, and how her wholehearted enthusiasm has sent her on many life-enriching adventures. If you hear “science fiction” or “fantasy” and think “nope, not for me,” you might still find something to love in this episode — Anne's recommendations could just as easily be recommendations of a history lover, or a crime drama fanatic, or a romance-loving YA fan. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/193You can follow Keren’s travels and gaming enthusiasm on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rita and Xoe Amer are a mother-daughter duo who have bonded over books since Xoe was young. She’s all grown up now, but the shared love of reading remains. Today Anne, Rita & Xoe discuss their reading and writing roots, hidden literary gems from the past, and the great conversations that come from bad books.  Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/192You can check out Rita and Xoe's mother-daughter podcast, Foibles, at foibles.podbean.com or by searching "Foibles" on your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever finished a GREAT book, then realized it left behind a hole no other book will ever be able to fill?Today’s guest is Andy Serrato, a reader who fell into the arms of a mega-popular series with a welcoming fandom and enough pages to smother yourself in… and ever since, she’s struggled to break her obsession and pick up new books in different genres.Anne's doing her best to get to the core of what delights Andy about this series, and open a portal to other reading worlds that will be just as satisfying in new and exciting ways. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/191You can find Andy on Instagram @Andyserratom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest has reached a crossroads in her reading life, and she’s come to Anne looking for a jump start for this new season.Beth Wallen describes herself as a lifelong learner, and she’s about to have more time open up in her schedule to challenge herself, learn new things, and dive deeper into topics that already fascinate her. This is truly a precious opportunity, and Beth really has the guts to go against the grain of her usual reading taste, which makes for interesting and exciting literary matchmaking!Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/190 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guests Brenna Sherrill & Ryan Pait describe themselves as platonic soulmates, book-loving best friends who grew up together, went to school together, read together (sometimes out loud!) and even live together.Today Anne, Brenna, and Ryan chat about a truly magical college class, Ryan’s most embarrassing moment meeting a literary icon, the book Ann Patchett thinks EVERYONE should read, and of course Anne recommends three books she think they’ll enjoy reading together and discussing to death, because that’s their style.Becoming a WSIRN patron means LOADS of additional audio content, including weekly bonus episodes of One Great Book, monthly behind-the-scenes episodes, audio of certain live events, like Anne's recent conversation with Celeste Ng, and now we can add FREE AUDIOBOOKS to that list! For a limited time we’ve partnered with Libro.fm to give all Hardback-tier supporters a free audiobook! Summer is made for audiobook listening, so this is the perfect time for you to become a new patron. Go to patreon.com/whatshouldIreadnext to join in the fun! Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/189You can find Brenna and Ryan on Instagram, @ryanpait and @brennasherrill. You can find Ryan’s writing at The Houstonian and the Chautauquan Daily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we meet Michelle Moreno, who I hope will inspire anyone out there who wants to make their bookstore dreams a reality. Anne got to talk to Michelle right after her very first pop-up shop, while she was still on the high of her first time putting books directly into the hands of her community. Anne and Michelle are discussing the books she chose for her first foray into handselling, the high of putting books directly into the hands of her community, the connection she finds between reading and plant care, and the moment she found her identity - on a bookshelf.Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/188You can browse Michelle's book-and-plant shop on Instagram @la.maceta.store Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hannah Christmas is a stay at home mom whose reading life changed forever when she had a baby. Not only how much she read, or when she read, but the big-picture long-term-plan way she wanted to share her love of reading with the world.Today Anne and Hannah chat about the treatment for a serious overdose of books set in New York City, fresh blood in the bookselling world, literary handcrafts, and much much more.Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/187You can check out Hannah’s literary embroidery at etsy.com/shop/EmbroiderhouseFive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lamar Giles joins Anne to chat about his two great literary loves: children’s books, and... horror novelist Stephen King? If you don’t think those things go together, Lamar is prepared to talk you into changing your mind, and maybe about more than just that.Get ready for a great chat about transcending stereotypes, how books can build up the self-worth of young readers, great novels where the setting becomes a character in its own right, and so so much more. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/186You can discover more about Lamar’s books at www.lamargiles.com, follow him on Twitter @LRGiles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices