The Books We Loved

Today the ladies are joined by library director, Emily, for their 5th Halloween episode, where 90s horror (and more) is discussed! *This episode is recommended for an adult audience*

Titles:

Play Nice, Harrison

Hidden Pictures, Rekulak

Memorials: a novel, Chizmar

Her Body and Other Parties, Machado

Kelly Link books

Per our convo about horror subgenres: Blumhouse horror subgenres

Since it's spooOOOooOoOOOky season, the girls chat about books that skeeved them out.

Books discussed:

Woman in the Window, Finn

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Gaiman

Notes on a Scandal, Heller

The 5th Wave, Yancey

The Address Book, Calle

I-5 Killer, Rule

In this super speedy episode, the ladies share the following titles:

Legends & Lattes, Baldree

The Spellshop, Durst

Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, Dow

A Letter to the Luminous Deep, Cathrall

The Baby Dragon Bookshop, Qureshi

The Phoenix Keeper, Maclean

Have you read John Green's latest novel, Hollywood, Ending? So have we, and we have thoughts. Keegan from Youth Services joins Manda & Olivia to dish about all things Hollywood, Ending.

Happy reading!

Today the ladies discuss the much loved children's classic, Anne of Green Gables and it's author, L.M. Montgomery.

RESOURCES:

• April/May 2023 – Vanessa Braganza, Historian, Harvard University, “The Author of ‘Anne of Green Gables’ Lived a Far Less Charmed Life Than Her Beloved Heroine”

• M. Montgomery Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island website

Today the ladies chat books turned into movies and streaming shows that have come out in the past year (or so). Titles discussed:

Margo's Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe

The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood

Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

East of Eden, Steinbeck

The Marlow Murder Club, Robert Thorogood

The Dog Stars, Heller

Every Summer After(show: Every Year After), Carley Fortune

Vladimir, Julia May Jones

Sense & Sensibility, (the Winslet/Thompson movie), Jane Austen

Remain, Shyamalan and Sparks

This week, as the gals recoup from summer, we'll go back to the beginning. Enjoy episode 1 (again), as the ladies discuss, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

Today the ladies share their recent reads, which cover a broad (and bizarre?) expanse of topics.

Books discussed:

• Dinner with King Tut: how rogue archaeologists are recreating the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of lost civilizations, Kean
• Into the Blue, Brodie
• Let’s Make Bread: a comic book cookbook, Becan & Forkish
• Lucy Knisley graphic novels
• Sunlight Finds You, Moriarty
• The Briar Club, Quinn
• Butt or Face? (series), Lavalle
• My Family and Other Animals, Durell

Podcast mentioned:
The Good Hang with Amy Poehler (with Anne Lamott)

It's pretty much what you'd expect! In this bonus episode, four TPL librarians review the life and legacy of the Queen of Country, our Lady of Literacy, the Chieftess of Charitable Giving, our beloved Dolly Parton.

Today the gals celebrate 100 years of that silly, old bear, Winnie-the-Pooh! Learn about the real-life inspiration, a little about A.A. Milne, and hear some lovely quotes from this timeless classic!

Materials @TPL:

• Finding Winnie: the true story of the world's most famous bear, Mattick, illus. by Blackall
• Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear, Brandreth
• Who Was A.A. Milne?
• Winnie-the-Pooh books/movies

Articles/websites mentioned:

• "90 Weird and Wonderful Facts About Winnie-the-Pooh" (CBC article)
• "The True Story of the Real-Life Winnie-the-Pooh" (History.com article)
• Britannica's "Winnie-the-Pooh"
• "The Adventures of the REAL Winnie-the-Pooh" (NYPL website)

On today's quick episode, the girls share what books they're reading as summer wraps up! Titles covered include:

The Midnight Train, Haig

The Charity Shop Detective Agency, Boland

The Take, Yang

Famesick: a memoir, Dunham

Democracy Awakening: notes on the state of America, Cox Richardson

American Rambler: walking the trail of Johnny Appleseed, Fitzgerald

Today the ladies discuss the wonderfully funny and cheeky children's classic, Matilda, by Roald Dahl. So, get your hair tonic, your hat, and your chocolate cake, and settle in for a silly conversation.

Matilda at TPL:

Book formats

Blu-ray

DVD

Today the girls field a request from Eliza, focusing specifically on "hidden gems." Titles discussed in today's episode include:

KIDS:

Orris and Timble, DiCamillo

The Questioneers series, Beaty:

• Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters
• Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants
• Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion
• Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote
• Ada Twist and the Disappearing Dogs
• Aaron Slater and the Sneaky Snake
• Lila Greer and the Shrieking Shadow

Bunny & Clyde, McDonald

The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class, various authors

A Game of Noctis, Fagan

How to Train Your Dad, Paulsen

One Big Open Sky, Cline-Ransome

Brown Girl Dreaming, Woodson

ADULT:

Wash Day Diaries, Rowser

The Shame, Goodman

Cape May, Cheek

Sigh, Gone: a misfit's memoir of great books, punk rock, and the fight to fit in, Tran

Today the gals review the upcoming movie, The End of Oak Street, starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor.

Today the gals give recommendations for every reader, based on Zodiac signs!

In the order discussed:

AQUARIUS:

Homebound, Elan

Truly Devious, Johnson

LEO:

Half Drowned King, Hartsuyker

Harriet Tubman: the road to freedom, Clinton

PISCES:

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: a therapist, HER therapist, and our lives revealed, Gottlieb

Evening, Minot

VIRGO:

The Maid, Prose

The Gifts of Imperfection, Brown

ARIES:

Best Offer Wins, Kashino

All the Other Mothers Hate Me, Harmon

LIBRA:

The Fortune Men, Mohammad

March (Trilogy -- link is to book 1), Lewis

TAURUS:

The Marlow Murder Club, Thorogood

Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping, Mandanna

SCORPIO:

My Sister the Serial Killer, Braithwaite

Family of Spies: a World War II story of Nazi espionage, betrayal, and the secret history behind Pearl Harbor, Kuehn

GEMINI:

My Education, Choi

The Book Club for Troublesome Women, Bostwick

SAGITARIUS:

Gilead, Robinson

Travels with Charley, Steinbeck

CANCER:

Strangers, Burden

Heart the Lover, King

CAPRICORN:

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde

Titan: the life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., Chernow

Today the girls are joined by repeat-guest, Angie, to discuss Jane Austen's classic, Emma.

Books Angie recommended during the episode include:

Book of Doors, Gareth Brown

Wild Reverence: a novel, Rebecca Ross

The Midnight Library, Matt Haig

Today the gals chat about a podcast favorite, Ann Patchett, and her newest novel: Whistler.

A couple readalikes Olivia shared:

• Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng
• Anything byLiane Moriarty
• The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett

Today the ladies make recommendations based on two patron requests. Titles discussed are below:

• Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel
• Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro
• This Is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
• Circe, Madeline Miller
• Babel, R.F. Kuang
• Mistborn: The Final Empire, Brandon Sanderson
• A Rover’s Story, Jasmine Warga
• Anything by Gordon Korman
• The Second Life of Snap, Erin Entrada Kelly
• When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead
• Pax, Sara Pennypacker
• Stranded, Probst
• Mob Squad, Dawson
• City of Emberseries, DuPrau
• Hatchet, Paulsen
• The Last Kids on Earth series, Brallier
• Anything by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Today the ladies take on C.S. Lewis' beloved 1950 classic, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as part of their Summer Book Club series.

Shoot the girls a messageif you'd like tailored book recommendations.

Today the ladies share a few titles of books they've recently read, or are currently enjoying. Titles included:

James, Everett A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping, Mandanna Here Lies the Librarian, Peck Villa Coco, Greer Adult Braces: driving myself sane, West Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About: a memoir, Klee Go Gentle, Semple