The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison

In this unforgettable memoir, Sarah LaBrie opens her novel "No One Gets to Fall Apart" with a devastating phone call from her grandmother—her mother was found on the side of the road, in the midst of a psychotic episode brought on by schizophrenia. Despite the incredulous journey that follows to discover the history of mental health in her family while juggling her own struggles, Sarah remains incredibly optimistic leaving Jennifer to ask just how she does it. Find out how the failure of one of Sarah's novels ultimately led her to find and pursue her true desire and why we should, too in this memorable episode of The Bookshelf of Jennifer Morrison.

Imagine getting a call as a teenager that your mother has gone to rehab and all she's left you is a $20 bill, your little sister, and several pets to take care of. That's only one of the many stories Crysta Bilton tells in her memoir, "Normal Family: On Truth, Love and How I Met My 35 Siblings". Yes, you read that right, along with growing up with her lesbian mother who was an alcoholic cult member, Chrysta discovers her biological father was a serial sperm donor and decides to host a "reunion" with dozens of her siblings. Jennifer dives in with Chrysta to relive her misadventures, past relationships that shape us, and how Chrysta was able to find peace with her mother through her writing. 

The third time is indeed a charm as author Melanie Finn joins Jennifer once again to discuss one of her earlier novels, "The Gloaming". This story follows Pilgrim Jones after her husband leaves her for another woman, she's involved in an accident in a small town in Switzerland, tragically leaving 3 children dead. Filled with guilt, Pilgrim escapes to Africa, befriending a series of locals dealing with their own pasts. The town also seems to be spooked by the presence of a spirit, and Pilgrim can't shake the feeling she is being followed. Jennifer and Melanie discuss defining the line between authors' personal experiences and fiction, the discomfort in feeling the ambiguity in the good and evil of characters, and how accepting wasting time writing may be the best thing you can do. 

On this episode, Jennifer is joined by friend and singer-songwriter, Taylor Goldsmith, lead singer of the band Dawes. Brought together by their mutual love of our book of the month, "Pay As you Go", the two have the opportunity to discuss the novel with author Eskor David Johnson. A rollercoaster of an epic, the story follows Slide on his tumultuous journey to find an apartment in the fictional city of Polis. Eskor, Jennifer and Taylor share their creative influences on bringing worlds to life whether it be through writing, film or song.

In this episode, Jennifer is joined by Nora Lange, author of the novel "Us Fools". Auspiciously timely, Nora's story focuses on the relationship between two sisters growing up in the rural mid-west during the farming crisis of the 1980s. Often isolated, the sisters educate themselves and learn from one another as they ultimately escape to Chicago, facing a seemingly failing world. Nora and Jennifer discuss the parallels in "Us Fools" to raising daughters in our society today, and the importance of cultivating your own trauma story in order to experience re-growth. 

In our Season 3 opening episode, Jennifer Morrison joins her THIS IS US co-star Griffin Dunne to discuss his new memoir, "The Friday Afternoon Club". From getting expelled the day before his stage debut, to memories with Carrie Fisher, you'll find out why 3 years on set with Griffin wasn't enough to hear all the stories he has to tell. With a family interwoven deep into Hollywood history, the behind the scenes of his writing is just as intriguing and spectacular as the book itself. 

Motherhood, ghosts, intergenerational trauma—find out how these themes serendipitously fit into Jennifer's life while starring in THE PENELOPIAD at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and coming across the novel, MOTHER DOLL by author Katya Apekina. Jennifer and Katya discuss how these themes and storytelling devices help audiences process life decisions, dealing with grief, and taking on new roles (in more ways than one), in our exciting 20th episode of THE BOOKSHELF with Jennifer Morrison. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIA: Get 30% off your purchase Link: www.helloamia.com AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription or 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot. Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

An avid fan of theatre, each season Jennifer features a play for the book club—stories that transport, inform, and inspire and this selection is no different. Join Jennifer in conversation with barrister-turned-playwright-turned-novelist: Suzie Miller, writer of the Olivier AND Tony Award-winning play, "Prima Facie". Suzie shares how the state of the legal system compelled her to tell this powerful story, how she made the transition from fighting in court to writing on the page, and what we can do to elicit real change for justice in our future.

Join Jennifer in conversation with author, poet, and screenwriter Fatimah Asghar to discuss their first novel, "When We Were Sisters". A finalist of the 2023 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award, the story follows 3 orphaned sisters who despite losing everything, find home in one another. Fatimah shares their own life experiences as an orphan, and how they have survived navigating both the publishing world and Hollywood as a writer on Disney's "Ms. Marvel". Find out what life advice (there's a lot!) Jennifer will take from both the novel, and this incredible interview with Fatimah Asghar. The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

Join Jennifer this month in conversation with author Christine Lai to discuss her novel, "Landscapes". Through a series of narratives and essays, the story follows Penelope in a not-too-distant and unfortunately, very probable future in the English countryside, now devastated by heat and drought. While most are keen on surviving, Penelope is tasked with archiving works of art that have outlasted post-apocalyptic weather in a ruined country home scheduled for demolition. Find out why Christine's writing opened Jennifer's eyes to the art world as they discuss just what is worth saving for future generations or is the question itself, like art—subjective?  The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

This month, The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is honoured to welcome our very first returning guest—author Melanie Finn, to discuss her novel, THE UNDERNEATH. The story follows Kay, a former journalist who decides to spend the summer in rural Vermont with her husband and two children. Based on her own experiences as a journalist, Melanie and Jennifer discuss how her own small town influenced this thrilling story, how desperation and even love can turn seemingly unsuspecting individuals to commit unforgivable acts.

It's spooky season and what better month to escape into an epic fantasy novel? This October, Jennifer's pick is "Deep Sea Feline" written by author Dave Hurlow. Join Jennifer and Dave as they explore his process of creating magical realms, the fairy tales that inspired his writing, and find out why Jennifer describes his story as one filled with "hope of biblical proportions"... The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

It's a new year, and in our first episode of 2024, Jennifer sits down with writer and poet Reyes Ramirez, a finalist of the 2023 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award. Reflecting his parents' immigration journey, "The Book of Wanderers" is a collection of short stories following several (creatively named) characters facing harrowing but similar experiences. Find out why Jennifer says the book helped her to empathize, and expand as a person, as well as what we can do to create real change in the present—to avoid Reyes' imagining of the future in "The Book of Wanderers".  The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

"All Day is a Long Time" author, David Sanchez, tells Jennifer Morrison the elevator pitch for his novel: a "pseudo-autobiographical book about a young man in Florida who struggles with drug addiction". An incredibly brave tale, written by an equally fascinating person. Jennifer talks with David about his debut novel, how his story differs from most surrounding the theme of addiction, and how a class in poetry shifted his path of becoming a doctor—to becoming a writer. The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

On this episode, Jennifer discusses DISORIENTATION, a novel written by Elaine Hsieh Chou, a finalist for the 2023 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award. DISORIENTATION follows the story of Ingrid Chou who, while procrastinating writing her thesis, stumbles upon a peculiar note that changes the course of her research and life. Jennifer and Elaine discuss how she was able to tackle important yet heavy subjects while keeping the audience constantly engaged with never-ending laughs, twists and turns. Can we ever break free from the story structure of beginning-middle-end? Or are all our lives just the shape of a curve whether you're surviving a war, writing an award-winning novel, or just a snail in a diorama? The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

Welcome to Season 2 of The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison. In this exciting first episode, Jennifer meets with Zain Khalid, author of Brother Alive, winner of the 2023 New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award. Jennifer and Zain cover everything from growing up in their hometown libraries, to global affairs that inspired Zain's novel, to the perfect notebook and pen combination every aspiring writer needs. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF for the following offers from our wonderful sponsors: Seed - 25% off your first order Freda - 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Beam - 35% off a subscription -OR- 15% off a one time purchase Amigo Roasters - 15% off

In the final episode of our inaugural season, Jennifer discusses LVOE, an unforgettable collection of poems and illustrations on life sand love with the anonymous poet, Atticus. Jennifer finds out how being vulnerable and posting his poems on instagram sparked a book deal, their shared love of antique typewriters, and the importance of remaining present in our everyday lives. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions.

This week, Jennifer discusses the dark, feminist thriller The Hare with author Melanie Finn. Despite the heavy themes, Melanie hopes the reader will be able to finish the novel feeling empowered by protagonist Rosie's story. Find out why Jennifer gets a gold star for deciphering exactly what Melanie set out to write in this unforgettable journey of discovery, survival, and humanity.The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions.

This week, a new friendship blossoms in Jennifer's interview with playwright Amy Berryman. Amy reveals that her interest in the climate mixed with her love of writing planted the seeds for her play, Walden. But as Jennifer and Amy discuss the complicated relationship between the twin sisters in the play, a genuine friendship forms. By the end of the interview, Jennifer not only exchanges numbers with Amy, but also signs up for her writing workshop. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions.

This week, Jennifer discusses The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu with author Tom Lin, finally giving her the opportunity to find out just how Tom was able to tackle such a broad scope of landscapes and characters in his writing that takes the reader on a poetic journey of epic proportions. Tom reveals how his novel began with an idea to feature an Asian protagonist within a traditional western, and resulted in his debut novel about a young, orphaned boy trained to become a deadly assassin in The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions.

This week's guest, Brandon Taylor, author of Filthy Animals tells us how he went from a PhD scientist researching stem cells to an MFA in creative writing. Tune in as Jennifer and Brandon discuss the similarities in both fields, the importance of critical thinking, and both embracing and challenging your passions. Filthy Animals is a collection of intertwined short stories that covers everything from ballet to explorations of love and navigating the complexities of connection and loneliness. 

After inviting musician and friend Kristine Flaherty aka “K. Flay” to choose a book for JEN'S BOOKSHELF, Jennifer and K. Flay sit down to discuss her selection, All My Puny Sorrows written by author Miriam Toews. The novel follows the bond between two sisters, topics of depression, family dynamics and what it really means to call a place “home”. Find out why K.Flay wants to share this book with as many people as possible, and what happens when Jennifer has an in-depth conversation with a fellow book lover and someone who has (somehow) read more books than her. 

One of The New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award finalists in 2022, Dantiel W. Moniz joins Jennifer Morrison in conversation on her novel, Milk Blood Heat. Centered on intergenerational tales of human connection, race, womanhood, inheritance, and the elemental darkness in us all. Set among the cities and suburbs of Florida, each story delves into the ordinary worlds of young girls, women, and men who find themselves confronted by extraordinary moments of violent, personal reckoning. Jennifer and Dantiel discuss their personal connections to these topics as well as the very visceral emotions they evoke not only in the reader, but how Dantiel's current life experiences resonate with her novel and continue to evolve into the stories she writes today. The Washington Post said, “...Reading one of Moniz's stories is like holding your breath underwater while letting the salt sting your fresh wounds. It's exhilarating and shocking and even healing.” Find out why Jennifer is adding this impactful novel to her permanent collection, in this episode of The Bookshelf. 

Jennifer Morrison sits down with author Alexandra Kleeman. Having missed the NYPL Young Lions Award Ceremony to teach a class, Alexandra discusses having to survive a blackout over several days at the college with her students, an eerie introduction to discussing her novel, Something New Under the Sun. One of the “best books” of The New York Times Book Review, Time, and Los Angeles Times, Alexandra's novel transports us to the not-too-distant future where we follow Patrick, a novelist, to Hollywood to oversee the film adaptation of his book. Void of the glamour he expected with drought, wildfires and corporate corruption abound, he teams up with the starlet of the film to investigate this darker side of Hollywood. Living in Los Angeles as a child and fascinated with the contrasts of the city and nature within, Alexandra and Jennifer discuss how today's current environmental emergencies influenced her writing, how we tend to cope, and if we can prevent her story from becoming a reality in our future.

In this episode, Jennifer Morrison sits down with author Mateo Askaripour to discuss his debut novel—an instant New York Times Bestseller: Black Buck. Published in 2021, Black Buck is a satirical story about a young man given a shot at success at a mysterious, cult-like tech startup with the reader along for the ride. Based on Mateo's real-life career experiences in New York City, Jennifer discovers just how Mateo rose up the ranks from an intern to a director at 24 years old managing 30 people and making a six-figure salary in only a few years within the harsh Wolf of Wall Street environment and how his optimism allowed him to not only survive, but thrive in order to bring us Black Buck.

In our very first podcast episode, Jennifer Morrison discusses the novel "I Will Die in a Foreign Land" with author Kalani Pickhart, recipient of the 2022 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award. Join Jennifer in conversation with Kalani as she delves into her process as a writer and what inspired her to create what has become one of Jennifer's favorite novels—and the perfect subject for our inaugural episode of The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison.