
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

Mar 21, 2025 • 27min
Joshua A. Miele and Wendell Jamieson, CONNECTING DOTS: A Blind Life
Zibby welcomes prominent blind scientist Dr. Joshua A. Miele and award-winning journalist Wendell Jamieson to discuss their extraordinary, captivating, and unexpectedly funny new memoir, CONNECTING DOTS: A Blind Life. Joshua, who became blind at a young age, shares how he has navigated the world around him, from the NYC public school system to teenage rebellion to finding purpose as a thought leader and advocate for accessible technology. Wendell and Josh also discuss how they balanced recounting Josh’s shocking early trauma and emphasizing his joyful, resilient life thereafter.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4kRFKOGShare, 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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Mar 20, 2025 • 27min
Georgia Hunter, ONE GOOD THING: A Novel
New York Times bestselling author Georgia Hunter returns to the podcast to discuss ONE GOOD THING, a stunning and deeply meaningful story of hardship and hope that follows one young woman’s journey through war-torn Italy during the Holocaust. Georgia reflects on her connection to Italy, her family’s history, and the extensive research that shaped this novel—including a trip through the towns where her story unfolds. She also touches on the novel’s themes of friendship and resilience, the impossible choices made in times of war, and the emotional weight of writing about the past.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4kzezrRShare, 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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Mar 19, 2025 • 30min
Jennifer Lang, LANDED: A Yogi's Memoir in Pieces & Poses
Zibby chats with author Jennifer Lang about her lyrical, poignant, and funny memoir, LANDED: A Yogi’s Memoir in Pieces & Poses. Jennifer describes how her book is a reckoning—both on and off the yoga mat—with her adopted country of Israel, her cross-cultural marriage to a Frenchman, her merciless midlife hormones, and her imminent empty next. She opens up about the emotional toll of navigating home and belonging and also about releasing a book amid rising antisemitism and the ongoing war.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3XWprpTShare, 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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Mar 18, 2025 • 27min
Jill Santopolo, THE LOVE WE FOUND
Jill Santopolo returns to the podcast to discuss THE LOVE WE FOUND, the long-awaited follow-up to the Reese’s Book Club pick, and New York Times bestselling global phenomenon, THE LIGHT WE LOST. Jill shares the inspiration behind revisiting Lucy’s story, the emotional themes of love, loss, and second chances, and how her own experiences with grief and motherhood influenced the novel. They also talk about the novel’s evocative settings, including Italy’s Lampedusa, the challenges of writing romance and passion within the complexities of adulthood, and how Jill balances her dual roles as a publisher and an author.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Fxj3iFShare, 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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Mar 17, 2025 • 22min
Samina Ali, PIECES YOU'LL NEVER GET BACK: A Memoir of Unlikely Survival
Award-winning author Samina Ali joins Zibby to discuss her harrowing and redemptive memoir, PIECES YOU’LL NEVER GET BACK. Samina describes her near-fatal childbirth complications: unchecked eclampsia led to a major brain injury and coma as she gave birth. She delves into the long and painful recovery, her struggles with memory loss, and what it was like to write this book—structuring it in short, fragmented chapters to mirror how her brain now processes information. Samina also touches on the systemic medical bias that led to her concerns being ignored, the importance of self-advocacy, and how she has reclaimed her life and her relationship with her now-adult son.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3R0IlIqShare, 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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Mar 14, 2025 • 22min
Nicole Graev Lipson, MOTHERS AND OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTERS: A Memoir in Essays
Zibby is joined by Best American Essayist Nicole Graev Lipson to discuss her searingly intelligent, revealing, and nourishing memoir-in-essays, MOTHERS AND OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTERS. She explores the ways in which women are often reduced to societal archetypes and how they, at times, internalize and perform these roles. She also shares insights on beauty standards, motherhood, marriage, authenticity, and self-acceptance, weaving together personal experience with cultural critique.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4kEJfYCShare, 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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Mar 13, 2025 • 27min
Amy Griffin, THE TELL: A Memoir
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK! Zibby interviews her friend, accomplished investor and talented writer, Amy Griffin, about THE TELL, an astonishing and courageous memoir that explores how far we’ll go to protect ourselves, and the healing made possible when we finally face our past. Amy reflects on her buried childhood trauma and what it was like to finally confront her secrets. She delves into the process of healing through writing, the misconception of seemingly perfect lives, the power of vulnerability and connection, and the unexpected ways sharing her truth has deepened her relationships.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3XJnUU2Share, 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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Mar 12, 2025 • 20min
Rochelle B. Weinstein, WE ARE MADE OF STARS
Bestselling author Rochelle B. Weinstein returns to the podcast to discuss her intricate, suspenseful, and completely redemptive new book, WE ARE MADE OF STARS. Rochelle shares the grueling but rewarding process of writing this book (she calls it her "bad boyfriend book"), as it features six points of view and interwoven character arcs. She dives into the novel’s premise—eight strangers spend a transformative week at an idyllic North Carolina inn—and explores the themes of connection, reinvention, and self-discovery. Rochelle also reflects on her participation in ON BEING JEWISH NOW, the challenges of being a Jewish author in today’s climate, and how her writing process has evolved over time.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3FeCdtpShare, 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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Mar 11, 2025 • 27min
Michelle Jungmin Bang, SUN & SSUKGAT, The Korean Art of Self-Care, Wellness & Longevity
Award-winning Korean American eco-entrepreneur and author Michelle Jungmin Bang joins Zibby to discuss her charming, life-changing new guide, SUN & SSUKGAT: The Korean Art of Self-Care, Wellness & Longevity—which also includes Michelle’s gorgeous, hand-drawn illustrations. Michelle describes the severe burnout she experienced while launching a startup that led her to explore traditional East Asian health practices. She reflects on the urgency of preserving cultural health traditions—touching on gut health, the wisdom of ancestral diets, and the simple lifestyle changes (like mindful eating and walking) that can dramatically improve well-being.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/43wLmHRShare, 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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Mar 10, 2025 • 34min
Ione Skye, SAY EVERYTHING: A Memoir
Gen X icon Ione Skye joins Zibby to discuss SAY EVERYTHING, her achingly vulnerable memoir about chasing fame, desire, and true love in the shadow of her famous, absent father. Ione opens up about coming of age in the 80s and 90s, her high-profile romances with the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis and Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz, her struggles with identity and fidelity, and how she ultimately found love and stability. She and Zibby also talk about fame, parenting, aging, and personal growth, with Ione sharing candid reflections on the moments that shaped her.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/43rfh48Share, 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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