
Totally Booked with Zibby
Hi! I'm Zibby Owens, host of Totally Booked with Zibby (formerly Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books). In my daily show, I interview today’s latest, bestselling, buzziest, or underrated authors and story creators whose work I think is worth your time. As a bookstore owner, publisher, author and (obviously) podcaster, I get a comprehensive look at everything that’s coming out and spend my time curating the best books so you don’t have to. Stay in the know, get insider insights, and connect with guests like I do. Every single day.FYI, my show has won many awards! It was one of Oprah's top literary podcasts - twice! - and has been downloaded 15 million+ times. With 2,000+ episodes to choose from, you'll never run out of book talk. For more information, go to zibbymedia.com and follow me on Instagram at @zibbyowens. If you love the show, please rate and review it. And go buy the books!(Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.)
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Latest episodes

Apr 18, 2025 • 29min
Jackie Goldschneider, THE WEIGHT OF BEAUTIFUL: My Battle with Anorexia and Journey to Recovery
Jackie Goldschneider, star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, chats with Zibby about THE WEIGHT OF BEAUTIFUL, the courageously candid memoir about her decades-long battle with anorexia and public journey to recovery. Jackie shares the origins of her disordered eating—from generational food trauma to cultural diet obsessions—and the emotional toll it took on her family, body, and joy. She and Zibby both reflect on their experiences with food, body image, and painful pressures of perfection. Finally, Jackie reveals what she’s working on next!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4jfPEbSShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 17, 2025 • 25min
E.A. Hanks, THE 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road
Zibby chats with Vanity Fair and New York Times contributor E. A. Hanks about her sparkling, heartfelt, poetic new memoir, THE 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road, which follows her solo, cross-country journey across the American southwest. E. A. Hanks shares the inspiration behind the road trip and then delves into her complex relationship with her mother, whose journals and poetry become part of the emotional terrain of the book. She also talks about grief, identity, navigating trauma, and the ongoing effects of her unconventional childhood.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/42xPNjvShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 16, 2025 • 30min
Dr. Becky Kennedy, THAT'S MY TRUCK!: A Good Inside Story About Hitting
Beloved parenting expert, clinical psychologist, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Becky Kennedy chats with Zibby about her highly anticipated debut picture book, THAT’S MY TRUCK!, which tackles one of the most common parenting challenges: hitting. Dr. Becky shares the inspiration behind the book, the psychology of hitting, and the power of addressing kids’ behavior with empathy rather than punishment. She also shares her shift away from traditional parenting methods and the Good Inside philosophy she developed, which focuses on skills over punishment and has become a popular parenting movement.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4jbHr8vShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 15, 2025 • 30min
Lake Bell, ALL ABOUT BRAINS: A Book About People
Acclaimed actress, screenwriter, and director Lake Bell joins Zibby to discuss her debut picture book, ALL ABOUT BRAINS, a joyfully whimsical exploration of all the ways people and their brains are different. Inspired by her own children, Nova and Ozzy, and their experiences with neurodivergence (including epilepsy, ADHD, and dyslexia), Lake shares the emotional journey that led her to write this empowering book. She and Zibby connect over shared parenting challenges and the importance of reframing diagnoses as superpowers. Lake also dives into her own struggles with dyslexia and how it shaped her creative process as a filmmaker and writer.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4j3w02BShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 14, 2025 • 22min
Judith Viorst, MAKING THE BEST OF WHAT'S LEFT: When We're Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered
Writer and poet Judith Viorst, who is now in her nineties, joins Zibby to discuss MAKING THE BEST OF WHAT’S LEFT: When You’re Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered, a funny and poignant reflection on aging, widowhood, and the lessons she’s learned since losing her husband of over sixty years. With her trademark wit, wisdom, and unflinching eye for the agonies and absurdities of ordinary family life, Judith talks about life’s later chapter (the “Final Fifth”), touching on grief, community, and rediscovering identity beyond being a wife. She also reads from her devastatingly tender poem, “Stop Being Dead.”Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Ej0z5eShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 11, 2025 • 29min
Dara Horn, ONE LITTLE GOAT: A Passover Catastrophe & PEOPLE LOVE DEAD JEWS: Reports from a Haunted Present
Dara Horn, winner of three National Jewish Book Awards and Kirkus Prize finalist, joins Zibby to discuss her irreverent, moving, and hilariously deadpan graphic novel for young readers, ONE LITTLE GOAT. Dara explains how she uses a talking scapegoat and a never-ending Seder to bring ancient stories to life for readers of all ages. She shares her childhood obsession with the passage of time and her deep connection to the Jewish tradition, and then dives into her acclaimed book, PEOPLE LOVE DEAD JEWS, touching on the shared themes between the two books: memory, Jewish identity, and how history lives on in us.Purchase on Bookshop:One Little Goat: https://bit.ly/4lrcajoPeople Love Dead Jews: https://bit.ly/42st4WkShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 10, 2025 • 24min
Vicky Nguyen, BOAT BABY: A Memoir
Zibby interviews NBC News correspondent and anchor Vicky Nguyen about her funny, nostalgic, and poignant new memoir, BOAT BABY. Vicky describes her family’s daring escape from communist Vietnam and her unlikely journey from refugee to reporter, sharing personal stories of resilience, identity, and family. She recounts unbelievable moments—like recognizing her uncle’s murderer while dining in a San Jose restaurant—and reflects on how she has navigated marriage, career, and motherhood. The conversation also touches on fate, trauma, and triumph, including a quiet Me Too moment.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/42CD8wYShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 9, 2025 • 27min
Colum McCann, TWIST: A Novel
New York Times bestselling Irish author Colum McCann joins Zibby to discuss TWIST, an urgent and utterly compelling novel about a journalist reporting on the underwater cables that carry the world’s information—tiny fiber-optic tubes that carry words, images, memes, voices… Colum unpacks the mind-bending reality that 95% of our global communications travel through fragile cables at the bottom of the ocean. He shares the real-life inspiration behind his maritime thriller, blending geopolitics, underwater espionage, and the deeply personal story of a man in recovery. The two explore themes of repair—both technological and emotional—and the fragile threads that connect us all.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4clSR6SShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 8, 2025 • 30min
Jessica N. Turner, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS: Rise from Disappointment, Regain Control, and Rebuild a Life You Love
Zibby interviews content creator, speaker, and bestselling author Jessica N. Turner about I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS, a manifesto of hope that will empower you to transform your circumstances and move forward with intention and purpose. Jessica shares the inspiration behind this book—navigating the unexpected end of her 16-year marriage after her husband came out as gay and learning to grieve, heal, and rediscover herself. She and Zibby reflect on friendship, resilience, body image, and the power of self-love, and Jessica offers practical, compassionate advice for anyone navigating an unexpected turn.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4jk6l5gShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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Apr 7, 2025 • 26min
Jayne Mattingly, THIS IS BODY GRIEF: Making Peace with the Loss That Comes with Living in a Body
Disability advocate, eating disorder recovery coach, and debut author Jayne Mattingly chats with Zibby about THIS IS BODY GRIEF, a groundbreaking guide to mourning and accepting one’s ever-changing body. Jayne shares her experience of becoming disabled after a rare neurological diagnosis, navigating 19 brain and spine surgeries and a total hysterectomy, and grappling with the emotional toll of losing the body she once knew. Together, they explore the concept of “body grief”—a universal experience that touches those facing illness, aging, disability, eating disorders, and more. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3RGs23HShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books.
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