A podcast about the books most people read. Meredith and McCall have been friends for a decade and run Birmingham's oldest independent bookstore, Little Professor. Not feeling at home in the high-brow book communities, Mere and McCall are embracing the fact that they're only "a little bookish." On the podcast they discuss books, Little Professor, and the little things that make them happy. Tune on Tuesdays if you're a little bookish!
The A Little Bookish podcast is a delightful addition to the world of book podcasts. Hosted by McCall and Meredith, this podcast offers a refreshing and enjoyable listening experience for both avid readers and non-readers alike. The hosts provide a selfless view into their lives as business owners, working parents, and book enthusiasts, making it relatable and captivating for listeners.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is the genuine chemistry between McCall and Meredith. Their bubbly and brilliant personalities shine through in every episode, making it feel like you're having a conversation with old friends. Their authenticity and humor make each episode funny, empowering, and informative. Whether they're discussing books or sharing personal stories, their conversations are always engaging and leave you wanting more.
Another great aspect of this podcast is the insight into bookstore life. As owners of Little Professor, McCall and Meredith have a unique perspective on the book industry that they generously share with their listeners. They discuss the challenges of being small business owners, the joys of contributing to their local community, and even offer glimpses into the opening of their new store in Homewood. This behind-the-scenes look at running a bookstore adds depth to the podcast and makes it all the more interesting.
The only downside to The A Little Bookish podcast is that it may not appeal to everyone. If you're not particularly interested in books or bookstores, then this podcast may not be your cup of tea. However, even for non-readers, McCall and Meredith's infectious enthusiasm might just inspire you to pick up a book one day.
In conclusion, The A Little Bookish podcast is an absolute joy to listen to. With its hilarious banter, insightful discussions about books and bookstore life, and the magnetic personalities of its hosts, this podcast has quickly become a favorite among book lovers everywhere. Whether you're sipping coffee while listening or simply looking for some inspiration or entertainment, this podcast is sure to deliver. I can't wait to see what future episodes have in store and join McCall and Meredith on their delightful journey through the world of books.
In anticipation of Indie Bookstore Weekend (April 26-28, 2024), Mere and McCall are sharing 10 reasons to shop with us for Indie Bookstore Weekend! We'd love to see you at either shop if you're nearby in Birmingham, or shop online or through the app! Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell Cultish by Amanda Montell Podcast listeners get free shipping on $25+ orders with code: tracksuit SHOPPING SPREE RAFFLE TICKETS Funny Story by Emily Henry First Lie Wins by Ashley Alston
It's a break in format this week as A Little Bookish shares its first mini-episode. This week Mere and McCall share their Little Things. This minisode might also serve as a checklist of things you can do today to bring you joy, but we'll let you be the judge of that! Some links! Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook Hit Makers by Derek Thompson Cinderella by Remi Wolf Keep it Up by Good Neighbors Higher Love by Kygo and Whitney Houston Every Single Album Podcast Trolls Soundtrack Turning Red Soundtrack Cowboy Carter by Beyonce Too Faced Lip Injection (Size Queen) Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier The Localist Podcast by Carrie Rollwagen Internet Goodness from Mere Emily Henry Release Party!
Who doesn't love an underdog story?! Mere and McCall are back this week to talk about the books with great comebacks, relisient characters, and, sometimes, that one shining moment! Find the full-list of books discussed on our shownotes page! Thanks for listening. Remember to shop with us through the Little Professor app or website!
Abercrombie & Fitch was the forerunner of "free smells" (sorry, Jimmy Johns), and AIM was the original flirty platform of youths before snapchat – join us for more blasts from the past as we talk about nostalgic tent-poles of our growing-up years and chat about nostalgic books. Buy Kate Kennedy's, "One in a Millennial" and join us for book club! Full show notes can be found on our website! p.s. sorry for the delay – technical difficulties this week
It's the end of the month and McCall and Mere are talking about their March highlights! The gals review: - The most sold book(s) this month - Favorite shop moment - The best thing they read - The best thing they watched - The best thing they ate - The best thing they bought Full show notes here: https://littleprofessorbookshop.com/blogs/news/march-in-review
This week Mere and McCall are talking about what they're reading over Spring Break, a quick fly-over of what the Bachelor contestants are reading and what books they would list on a reality-tv profile, plus they talk about a few fiction and non-fiction titles to read that have no shortage of royal drama. Don't miss the events we have in the shop(s) this week! Please share this episode with a friend or leave a star rating on Spotify or iTunes! Thanks for listening :) Complete show notes can be found here.
Here's some irony, McCall and Mere recorded a RomCom podcast and didn't actually talk about any rom com novels. But, they talked about a plethora of things from what makes a great romcom, to a relationship quiz, the common tropes that best describe their current relationships, and books that are not rom coms but are full of love! Plus, a heartfelt little things segment topped off with a little Oscars talk. Whew! Please fill-out our communication survey here! Take the romance quiz & share your results with us! For a full list of books discussed on this episode, please see the show notes!
You're in for a treat this week as Mere and McCall discuss 5 new mystery/thriller novels ranging from cozy mysteries to spooky thrillers! Not only are the ladies talking books but they are also uncovering who would make the best spy, detective, and murderer(!). Complete with a retraction and 4 little things – we hope this episode is one of your favorite hours of listening this week! If you love the episode, please share with a friend or right a review on iTunes. Enjoy :) Here are the shownotes with all books discussed!
Mere and McCall are debriefing the month of February across many different categories on this week's episode! From most sold books in the shop, favorite reads, favorite meals, favorite purchases and more it's a good grab-bag from all things Feb 2024! Mentioned in this week's podcast: The Women by Kristin Hannah First Lie Wins by Ashley Alston How To Know a Person by David Brooks Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross Theo of Golden by Allen Levi Luca Lagotto French Dip Sliders
This week (after a little delay!) Mere and McCall are discussing unpopular book opinions. Prepare to be offended! We had some great feedback on this question from our Match-making event and figured it was a great opportunity to chime in with our thoughts and share some of yours! Stay tuned to hear hot-takes when it comes to books, book club etiquette and more!
The month of love continues with a match-making episode! Mere and McCall match each other to books and then match some LP customers! We cover a lot of books in this episode and all the books we matched can be found here: https://littleprofessorbookshop.com/blogs/news/finding-the-perfect-match Two ways you can support the podcast: 1) Share with a friend 2) Become a Little Professor Member! More info here.
This week Mere and McCall put themselves to the test to see how well they know each other with, "The Newly Wed Game." Plus, resident romance queen, McCall, shares five books for February that range from rom coms to heart break stories. Don't miss another fun episode that is truly just a little bookish. As always, Mere and McCall share their Little Things of the week to end the episode. If you enjoyed this episode would you send it to a friend and/or write a review?! Books mentioned in this episode (if a book says "sold-out on the website order on the the app or come order in the shop!): The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi The Lazy Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston You with a View by Jessica Joyce Talking at Night by Claire Daverly Wellness by Nathan Hill Good Material by Dolly Alderton The Fury by Alex Michaelides Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Literary Fiction Happy Hour Escapist Reads Happy Hour
We're so back, baby! Mere and McCall are back after winter break and are jumping into one of the social media trends from the new year, "the ins and outs of 2024." On this episode Mere and McCall share ins and outs related to work, reading, life, and more. It's a great way to kick-off the new year and begin a new year on the pod! If you enjoy this episode we'd love for you to leave a review and share with a friend!
It's the last episode of the year, and we're so excited to talk about our favorite books of the year! Mere's Picks: How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key It Was an Ugly Couch Anyways by Elizabeth Passererla No Two Persons by Erica Baumeister Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley McCall's Picks: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver All My Knotted up Life by Beth Moore Talking at Night by Claire Daverley Tom Lake by Ann Patchett Wellness by Nathan Hill
It's time for the first-ever, A Little Bookish Cookbook Challenge! Mere and McCall both chose new cookbooks to cook from and they're ready to talk about the cookbooks they chose along with what they enjoy about cooking and cookbooks. This episode will inspire you to dust off your cookbooks, or – even better – inspire you to get a new one! A few things discussed in the episode: Trader Joe's Vegetable Fried Rice Caro Chambers Substack More is More by Molly Baz Cook This Book by Molly Baz The Global Pantry Cookbook by Ann Taylor Pittman & Scott Mowbray Danielle Walker (Against All Grain) Alex Snodgrass (The Defined Dish), (The Comfortable Kitchen) Julia Reed's South Calling All Cooks Chrissy Tiegen In the Kitchen with Antoni Salt Fat Acid Heat Magnolia Table
McCall and Mere are here to help you find the perfect book to gift this holdiay season! Thanks to great listener feedback, they have come up with book recs for the hardest people to shop for in your life! Holiday Rom Com Book Collection Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey Christmas Wish by Lyndsey Kelk The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown Winterton Deception by Janet Sumner Johnson Inhertiance Games by Jennifer Barnes The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin Panzer Leader Judgement at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia by Gary Bass The Matchmaker: A Spy in Berlin Fearless by MW Craven Slow Horses by Mick Herron Poor Charlie's Almanack by Charles T Mungor The Lives We Actually Have by Kate Bowler Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler Every Moment Holy Vol. II Therefore, I Have Hope - 12 Truths that comfort, sustain and redeem in tragedy A Heart that Works by Rob Delaney The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Good Night, Irene by Louis Alberto Urrea The Postcard by Anne Berest Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris Red Rising by Pierce Brown Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia An Impossible Thing to Say by Arya Shahi Nightbirds by Kate Armstrong
Mere is back! This week McCall catches up with Mere via a list of things on her mind. From track suits to savoring the season ahead, it's a winding and fun conversation. A few references include a very specific and memorable episode from The Bear, Mere's campaign for everyone to get a track suit, and much more. Mere and McCall did talk generally about some great books and items to gift kids! Links! Tori Kelly's Joy to The World McCall's top cinematic moment of all time Also, apologies the little guy hitting the high note is this scene Mere's favorite track suit brand McCall's Red Track Suit she's eyeing The Bear Season 2 Episode 6, "Fishes" Jon Klassen Books. Specifically, The Three Billy Goats Gruff & How Does Santa Get Down the Chimney Teen Girl Squad Chris Van Dussen books
This week we're excited to share a heartfelt, and joy-filled episode! Jonathan joins McCall to share some books that shape the way he and Meredith think about creating community hubs. Plus, several team members share their little things that are guaranteed to make you smile and reflect on some small things in your life that are really the big things. A few books discussed: Small is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered Palaces for the People The Coddling of the American Mind The Empathy Diaries Everything Sad is Untrue Share your favorite episode so far to your instagram stories and tag Little Professor to enter to win a $50 gift card.
Buckle up listeners! McCall and Jonathan have a fun and winding conversation from crypto to Taylor Swift and everything in between. Jonathan, co-owner of Little Professor, and husband to co-host Meredith, hops in to share some thoughts on a few non-fiction bestsellers. Going Infinite by Michael Lewis Moneyball by Michael Lewis Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Ride and Staggering Fall by Zeke Faux Glossy by Marisa Meltzer Hidden Potential by Adam Grant Second Mountain by David Brooks How to Know a Person by David Brooks Thank you for listening! We'll be back next Tuesday.
This week Mere and McCall talk about a few exciting store announcements, and spend some time answering a listener question, "how do you decide which books to stock?" Then, the two of them discuss their experience reading Stephen King's, The Shining. So, spoiler alert? We think you'll love hearing their thoughts on this cult-classic regardless if you've read the book. Of course, the gals finish by sharing the little/big things of the week! Helpful links from the episode: Iron Flame!! (Also, the first in the series, Fourth Wing) LOL and an article LP Membership Info & Sign Up Ladybird Taco // Available @ Pepper Place & HWD on Friday & Saturday mornings McCall's articles ... "How Has Big Publishing Changed American Fiction, "How Review Bombing Can Tank a Book Before It's Published" "The Blurb Problem Keeps Getting Worse" The Shining by Stephen King Fairytale by Stephen King Mere's Chili Recipe
This week Mere and McCall chat about some favorite books in the mystery/thriller genre. Plus, they recap the grand opening weekend and unpack some thoughts on what it feels like to get to launch day. Books discussed in the episode: The Creative Act by Rick Rubin Angels & Demons by Dan Brown The Silent Patient by Michaelides Devil in the White City by Erik Larson Rebecca by Daphne du Marier Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins The Guest List by Lucy Foley Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV+ Nate Bargatze SNL Monologue Thanks for listening :)
This week Mere and McCall announce the Grand Opening for the Little Professor Homewood shop and talk about unforseen challenges they've faced over the last week. Plus, Anna Miller, Jamie Durham, and Kathleen Wylie share their favorite Fall 2023 book releases. The episode wraps with an update on the Book-Buddy read + "the little things." Books discussed on this episode: Inheritance Games (Book 1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Hawthorne Legacy (Book 2), The Final Gambit (Book 3), The Brothers Hawthorne (Book 4) The Wild Robot (Book 1), Wild Robot Escapes (Book 2), Wild Robot Protects (Book 3) The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer Let us Descend by Jesmyn Ward Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward The Glutton by AK Blakemore The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl Margaret Renkl Book Event! Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl The Shining by Stephen King
This week McCall & Mere have the Little Professor Pepper Place Store Manager, Tessa, on the pod to talk scary books! The hosts are not big horror readers (shocker), but they are eager to hear why Tessa loves the genre. In the episode Tessa shares three books to choose from for their "buddy read." Plus, all three share the "little things" of the week. We talked about a lot of books, and they're all linked here: Stephen King's Tweet about Catriona Ward The Girl from Rawblood by Catriona Ward Fairy Tale by Stephen King Salem's Lot by Stephen King Hell House by Richard Matheson The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson Muppets Christmas Carol The Shinning by Stephen King The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard Listen to the episode to get 10% off the book Mere and McCall pick for their scary book buddy read!
In the first-ever episode of A Little Bookish, Mere and McCall talk about: Why they're starting a podcast The ups and downs of getting the Homewood Store ready to open in a few weeks The "little things" that are bringing them joy Links from the pod: New Little Professor Location Where Everybody Knows Your Name - NYT Opinion Killers of the Flower Moon Press Conference from Cannes Film Festival with Killers of the Flower Moon cast & crew Christmas Orphans Club Adult Spooky Story Time at Little Professor! And, thank you to our friends at InfoMedia for helping us on our podcast journey!