Podcasts about bel canto books

Jocelyn Chung is a Taiwanese-American graphic designer and writer whose new children's book "When Love Is More Than Words" was just released this week! In this episode we of course discuss the book, including its inspiration being a beautiful real life realization she had with her grandfather, all the fun Taiwanese easter eggs, and more, and also discuss her recent journey of claiming her Taiwanese citizenship and starting a life and community in Taiwan, and how all of this helped her feel at home within herself in reflecting on her own identity. If you've had a chance to check out "When Love Is More Than Words," what did you think about it? If not, what stood out most to you from this episode? Let us know in our comments on social media! "When Love Is More Than Words" is available everywhere books are sold, and if you happen to live in Southern California, Jocelyn wanted to especially plug a local bookstore called Bel Canto Books in Long Beach. You can follow Jocelyn on Instagram at @jocelynschung and on her website at www.jocelynchung.com Follow us on Instagram at @whereareyoufrompod and on TikTok at @butwhereareyoureallyfrom ------- If you're interested in the Mandarin course for ABCs/ABTs that Jocelyn references in the episode that Angela co-founded ("Real You Mandarin"), check what the course is all about at www.realyoumandarin.com and use promo code "whereareyoufrom10" for 10% off as a thank you for being a listener of the pod. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/butwhereareyoureallyfrom/support

The smell of ink on paper. The handwritten staff recommendations. The plan to only buy one book, and the inevitable exit with five. Visiting a brick-and-mortar bookstore is not just a serotonin-releasing individual experience. Bookstores build community among the aspiring writer employee, the bookworm regular and everyone else who has “an attachment to the store and the store to them.” That's according to Evan Friss, author of “The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore.” We'll talk with Friss and with some California bookshop owners about the communities they serve, and we'll hear from you: What's your favorite bookstore? Why? Guests: Evan Friss, professor of history, James Madison University; author, "The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstores Brad Johnson, owner of East Bay Booksellers in Oakland Jhoanna Belfer, owner and head booknerd, Bel Canto Books in Long Beach

In this episode, I chat with Ann Seaton, Co-Executive Director of the California Independent Booksellers Alliance. Anne brings the narrative of indie bookshops to life, highlighting how they serve as cultural hubs in their communities.Discover the steadfast mission of CALIBA to bolster the diverse fabric of independent bookstores, and learn why your choice of where to buy books can be a powerful statement in sustaining local gems. We also delve into the Mosaic Committee's efforts to foster inclusivity and representation in literature, celebrating BIPOC bookstores and their enriching contributions.Prepare to be inspired as we uncover the pivotal shifts within the indie bookstore scene and scrutinize the crucial role of forward-thinking millennials in this transformation. It's more than just a conversation; it's an homage to the community pillars that are independent bookshops, and a call to action for listeners to become a part of the story that keeps these cultural cornerstones thriving.California Independent Booksellers AllianceThe Paris Bookseller, Kerri MaherBlack Lives MatterAmerican Dirt, Jeanine CumminsUnderground Books, SacramentoBel Canto Books, Long Beach, CALessons, Ian McEwanEpitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm, David M. Masumoto Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I'm chatting with Jhoanna Belfer, the owner of Bel Canto Books in Long Beach, California.Bel Canto Books, is a proud woman- and BIPOC- owned independent bookstore. Founded by Jhoanna Belfer, a Filipina-American poet and former hospitality executive, Bel Canto Books offers a curated selection of fiction, nonfiction, and children's books, organized around a theme of the month, in particular celebrating books by women and people of color. Bel Canto BooksSupport the show

In this new series, Daily Forty-Niner staff will introduce a variety of books that are written by female authors in celebration of Women's History Month. For this episode, guest host Aziza Gomez discusses and reads The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison is a prolific author, she wrote 11 novels as well as children's books and essay collections. The Bluest Eye was her first novel published in 1970 and she was the first African- American woman to win the Nobel prize in literature. Morrison writes the story of a young black girl named Pecola who grew up following the Great Depression. The novel is about how she feels and is constantly thought of as "ugly" due to her mannerisms and dark skin. As a result, she develops an obsession for blue eyes which she equates with "whiteness." If you are interested in reading The Bluest Eye, it is available at the University Library here at CSULB, or at your local bookstores in Long Beach, such as Bel Canto Books. This special series will continue throughout the month of March and new episodes will drop every Tuesday. Like, comment, and follow us on your favorite platform for more content! Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4HJaqJe... Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1488484518/... Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/daily49er

In this new series, Daily Forty-Niner staff will introduce a variety of books that are written by female authors in celebration of Women's History Month. For this episode, guest host Leila Nunez goes over one of her personal favorites, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Jeannette Walls is an incredible writer and her memoir The Glass Castle is a spectacular, true story about growing up with adversity. The audience is introduced to the struggles Jeannette faced in her childhood and her adulthood, such as neglect and abuse, as well as the situations of the members in her family. This memoir is such a great read written by a powerful and inspirational woman. If you are interested in reading The Glass Castle, it is available at the University Library here at CSULB, or at your local bookstores in Long Beach, such as Bel Canto Books. This special series will continue throughout the month of March and new episodes will drop every Tuesday. Like, comment, and follow us on your favorite platform for more content! Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4HJaqJe... Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1488484518/... Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/daily49er

Author Mia Manansala joins me in the Corner to chat about Homicide and Halo-Halo, her second Tita Rosie's Kitchen mystery. Tune in to find out how Mia develops her delicious recipes. Hear beauty pageant secrets and learn why pageants are important to the Filipino community. Congratulate Mia on her nomination as one of Chicago's best! Find Mia at https://www.miapmanansala.com/. Sign up for her newsletter and get recipes. Buy Homicide and Halo-Halo at: Bel Canto Books https://shopthehangout.com/collections/bel-canto-books/signed-books Murder by the Book https://www.murderbooks.com/book/9780593201695 The Book Table https://www.booktable.net/book/9780593201695 Centuries and Sleuths https://www.centuriesandsleuths.com/book/9780593201695 Signed books or bookplates may be available at these indies! On Friday, February 11, 2022, watch Mia in conversation with Kellye Garrett at a Murder by the Book event. More details at the bookstore's website: https://www.murderbooks.com/manansala Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode. If you enjoy the show, please leave a 5-star rating or review. Web: https://thecozycornerwithalexiagordon.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecozycornerpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/podcast_cozy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcast_cozy/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/alexia_gordon/the-cozy-corner-with-alexia-gordon-podcast/ Support the podcast on Patreon! Gain access to patron-only posts, thank you gifts, and giveaways! A donation of as little as $3/month gets you a shout-out on The Cozy Corner. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/AuthorAlexiaGordon and thank you for your support. Find me, your podcast host, at: Web https://alexiagordon.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexiaGordon.writer Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexiagordon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexiagordonauthor/ Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/alexiagordon/poc2pov

Author Mia Manansala joins me in the Corner to chat about Homicide and Halo-Halo, her second Tita Rosie's Kitchen mystery. Tune in to find out how Mia develops her delicious recipes. Hear beauty pageant secrets and learn why pageants are important to the Filipino community. Congratulate Mia on her nomination as one of Chicago's best! Find Mia at https://www.miapmanansala.com/. Sign up for her newsletter and get recipes. Buy Homicide and Halo-Halo at: Bel Canto Books https://shopthehangout.com/collections/bel-canto-books/signed-books Murder by the Book https://www.murderbooks.com/book/9780593201695 The Book Table https://www.booktable.net/book/9780593201695 Centuries and Sleuths https://www.centuriesandsleuths.com/book/9780593201695 Signed books or bookplates may be available at these indies! On Friday, February 11, 2022, watch Mia in conversation with Kellye Garrett at a Murder by the Book event. More details at the bookstore's website: https://www.murderbooks.com/manansala Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode. If you enjoy the show, please leave a 5-star rating or review. Web: https://thecozycornerwithalexiagordon.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecozycornerpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/podcast_cozy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcast_cozy/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/alexia_gordon/the-cozy-corner-with-alexia-gordon-podcast/ Support the podcast on Patreon! Gain access to patron-only posts, thank you gifts, and giveaways! A donation of as little as $3/month gets you a shout-out on The Cozy Corner. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/AuthorAlexiaGordon and thank you for your support. Find me, your podcast host, at: Web https://alexiagordon.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexiaGordon.writer Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexiagordon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexiagordonauthor/ Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/alexiagordon/poc2pov

Author Mia Manansala joins me in the Corner to chat about Homicide and Halo-Halo, her second Tita Rosie's Kitchen mystery. Tune in to find out how Mia develops her delicious recipes. Hear beauty pageant secrets and learn why pageants are important to the Filipino community. Congratulate Mia on her nomination as one of Chicago's best! Find Mia at https://www.miapmanansala.com/. Sign up for her newsletter and get recipes. Buy Homicide and Halo-Halo at: Bel Canto Books https://shopthehangout.com/collections/bel-canto-books/signed-books Murder by the Book https://www.murderbooks.com/book/9780593201695 The Book Table https://www.booktable.net/book/9780593201695 Centuries and Sleuths https://www.centuriesandsleuths.com/book/9780593201695 Signed books or bookplates may be available at these indies! On Friday, February 11, 2022, watch Mia in conversation with Kellye Garrett at a Murder by the Book event. More details at the bookstore's website: https://www.murderbooks.com/manansala Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode. If you enjoy the show, please leave a 5-star rating or review. Web: https://thecozycornerwithalexiagordon.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecozycornerpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/podcast_cozy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcast_cozy/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/alexia_gordon/the-cozy-corner-with-alexia-gordon-podcast/ Support the podcast on Patreon! Gain access to patron-only posts, thank you gifts, and giveaways! A donation of as little as $3/month gets you a shout-out on The Cozy Corner. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/AuthorAlexiaGordon and thank you for your support. Find me, your podcast host, at: Web https://alexiagordon.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexiaGordon.writer Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexiagordon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexiagordonauthor/ Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/alexiagordon/poc2pov

I'm kicking off the New Year with a solo episode – a list of my favorite reads of 2020.   Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram       Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.   Discussed in this episode:   Romance Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert I love this one on audio, thanks to the incredible voice work of Adjoa Andoh (voice actor for series) A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean (I mistakenly called this “A Scandal by Any Other Name” in the podcast; forgive my error. It's part of Sarah MacLean's The First Rule of Scoundrels series, and I should know better than to try to record a podcast while sick!)   Thriller/Mystery The Witch Elm by Tana French Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache Series   Memoir Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang   Graphic Novels In Waves by AJ Dungo   Historical Fiction The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller The Iliad of Homer The Rose Code by Kate Quinn   Fiction The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Severance by Ling Ma Joanna Balfour on “The Body Papers: A Memoir” by Grace Talusan, Best Book Ever Episode 051 Bel Canto Books, Long Beach, California – ships all over the world, support indie bookstores! Zenobia Neil on “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller, Best Book Ever Episode 035 Lisa Marie Cabrelli on “Severance” by Ling Ma, Best Book Ever Episode 050   (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you're shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

I'm kicking off the New Year with a solo episode – a list of my favorite reads of 2020.   Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram       Do you have a book you want to tell me about? Go HERE to apply to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast.   Discussed in this episode:   Romance Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert I love this one on audio, thanks to the incredible voice work of Adjoa Andoh (voice actor for series) A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean (I mistakenly called this “A Scandal by Any Other Name” in the podcast; forgive my error. It's part of Sarah MacLean's The First Rule of Scoundrels series, and I should know better than to try to record a podcast while sick!)   Thriller/Mystery The Witch Elm by Tana French Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache Series   Memoir Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang   Graphic Novels In Waves by AJ Dungo   Historical Fiction The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller The Iliad of Homer The Rose Code by Kate Quinn   Fiction The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Severance by Ling Ma Joanna Balfour on “The Body Papers: A Memoir” by Grace Talusan, Best Book Ever Episode 051 Bel Canto Books, Long Beach, California – ships all over the world, support indie bookstores! Zenobia Neil on “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller, Best Book Ever Episode 035 Lisa Marie Cabrelli on “Severance” by Ling Ma, Best Book Ever Episode 050   (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you're shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

The Go-Go's were the first all-female band to have a number-one record of self-penned songs with Beauty and the Beat, a feat unrivaled to this day.  A winning combination of punk, surf rock, and sugar in the raw, they were integral to the musical landscape of the 80s.  Kathy Valentine was part of that experience, slipping into the bassist spot just as the band tipped into national success.  But for all of the fame and money, Valentine makes it clear that being on stage with her friends and playing music was, genuinely, All I Ever Wanted.  Listen as Martha and Christian swoon for Valentine's masterful and moving memoir about her upside-down relationship with her mother, her love/hate relationship with Merle Haggard, and what it's like to have your best friends break up with you. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Here with me this week is Bel Canto Books founder and bookseller, Jhoanna Belfer. In this episode we discuss her journey from hospitality to bookseller and owner of Bel Canto Books, her passion for reading and books, and navigating her emerging bookstore during COVID. Links discussed: The Hundred Dollar Start UpAnn Patchett and Parnassus booksA Promised LandBecoming

"TAKE.  MY.  TEARS.  AND. THAT'S.  NOT.  NEAR-LEE ALLLLLLLLLLL, TAINTED-", oh, come on.  You know. That song.  Soft Cell's Tainted Love spent 43 weeks on Britain's Billboard charts and ranked #5 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders.  You've probably heard the song yourself once or twice, whether it be on the dance floor or while ordering a Subway sandwich make-it-a-meal combo.  You've also probably heard of Marc Almond, but who was the other guy, the one pressing the buttons and twiddling the knobs?  He has a name, and it's Dave Ball, someone who really likes collecting keyboards, name-checking his numerous synthesizers, and raiding the hotel mini bar.  What's it like to have an entire career built around a song you didn't write?  Dave Ball tells Christian and Martha in Electronic Boy.  (Seriously, though: where did our love go?)If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

I was introduced to Bel Canto Books from previous guest of the Best Book Ever, Asha Sabbella, who travels there frequently with her book club. Jhoanna has impeccable taste in book curation, and is a fierce advocate for BIPOC and women authors. Major warning: this episode will make you want to open a bookstore. I have spent many hours – many, many hours – researching bookstore ownership since my talk with Jhoanna. Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram   Guest: Jhoanna Belfer of Bel Canto Books Bookstore/Instagram   Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!   Discussed in this episode: The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan Page Against the Machine Bookstore, Long Beach, CA Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Parnassus Books Emma Straub Books are Magic Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY (Emma Straub's bookstore) Paz and Associates Bookstore Bootcamp Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA BFAB: Boston Filipino American Book Club America is Not the Heart – Elaine Castillo In Waves by AJ Dungo The Hangout, Long Beach, CA Bookshop.Org LibroFM Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber     Discussed in our Patreon Conversation These Precious Days by Ann Patchett Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Underground Railroad TV Series All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr Crying in H Mart by Michelle Miracle Creek by Angie Kim The Broken Country: On Trauma, a Crime, and the Continuing Legacy of Vietnam by Paisley Rekdal (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

I was introduced to Bel Canto Books from previous guest of the Best Book Ever, Asha Sabbella, who travels there frequently with her book club. Jhoanna has impeccable taste in book curation, and is a fierce advocate for BIPOC and women authors. Major warning: this episode will make you want to open a bookstore. I have spent many hours – many, many hours – researching bookstore ownership since my talk with Jhoanna. Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram   Guest: Jhoanna Belfer of Bel Canto Books Bookstore/Instagram   Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!   Discussed in this episode: The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan Page Against the Machine Bookstore, Long Beach, CA Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Parnassus Books Emma Straub Books are Magic Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY (Emma Straub’s bookstore) Paz and Associates Bookstore Bootcamp Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA BFAB: Boston Filipino American Book Club America is Not the Heart – Elaine Castillo In Waves by AJ Dungo The Hangout, Long Beach, CA Bookshop.Org LibroFM Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber     Discussed in our Patreon Conversation These Precious Days by Ann Patchett Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Underground Railroad TV Series All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr Crying in H Mart by Michelle Miracle Creek by Angie Kim The Broken Country: On Trauma, a Crime, and the Continuing Legacy of Vietnam by Paisley Rekdal (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

Spoiler alert: 2020 was the absolute worst. Like many industries, publishing took a tool throughout the pandemic, leaving many authors unsure of what was going to happen with their work. In this episode, Jill and Michael go back and take a closer look at some of the 2020 titles they hope find a second life in 2021!Featuring:The Blackbird Girls by Anne BlankmanWe Dream of Space by Erin Entrada KellySummer by Ali SmithThe List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca SteadConjure Women by Afia AtakoraBaby Monster by Andrea PfeifferStand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica KimThis episode is sponsored by Bel Canto Books.

Whoa-oh here he comes!  Before there was Whole Foods, there was Whole Oates, the musical mash-up of Daryl Hall and John Oates (and eventually just Hall & Oates).  A duo whose look was perennially out of touch, their music has nevertheless remained in heavy rotation, heavily sampled, and  referenced for close to 40 years.  To most people John Oates was the lucky sideman, but John begs to differ in his Change of Seasons.  Pick up your Philly Cheese Steak as Martha and Christian wade through the most famous mustache in rock and roll history and discover the man behind "She's Gone", the man who builds log cabins, and the man behind "the 'stache."  This episode is guaranteed to make all of your dreams come true (HOO HOO). If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

What is a fandom? Are they good or are they bad? When is it time to say goodbye to a fandom you once loved? We take a deep dive into all thing fandoms in this special crossover episode with Why Are You Like This' Jaimi Ryan and Austin Williams!This episode is sponsored by Bel Canto Books.

Some achievements speak for themselves: Climbing Mt. Everest.  Discovering Fire. Creating the planet Earth.  To this pedigree another can now be added: Reading Steven Patrick Morrissey's List of the Lost.  Few readers have done it, although many have tried.  Recipient of the Literary Review "Bad Sex Award," and described by The Times as "unreadable in places", literature's Bermuda Triangle has disappeared most explorers who have attempted to navigate Bigmouth's 118 pages.  Can our overly-educated hosts do it?  Do they have the snob-chops to dare???  Join our intrepid hosts on this  special episode as they draw upon all of their reading super powers and sail headfirst into 118 pages of the Mancunian vortex that is Morrissey.  This episode will open your eyes, and you will never be the same. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

We were all beautiful once, especially Sebastian Bach, who was so good looking that James Hetfield had to touch his face just to believe it was real.  But beauty fades for everyone, especially if someone from a biker gang puts you in a headlock and rearranges your nose.  Listen as our hosts do time with Sebastian Bach on Skid Row, learning about his daily vocal exercises, his unexpected stint on Broadway, his child-like enthusiasm for KISS, and what it's like to meet your heroes (Spoiler alert: DON'T).  Be advised, this episode paints a picture of the days gone by, and you may realize that being 16 was as good as it gets.  Cue guitar solo. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Did you know that apart from being one of the most-charted female vocalists of all time, Dionne Warwick genuinely enjoys smoking cigarettes?  In good times, in bad times, that's what this podcast is for.  Smoke em if you got em as Christian and Martha discuss Dionne's love letter to herself, My Life, as I See It, wherein she lovingly details the size, shape, and weight of every award she's ever received; the Bee-Gees hit songs she didn't want to record; and what it's like to cross The Bridge to Tomorrow at Oprah's house. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

If, on the eve of success, you were kicked out of a band you'd help to start, sent home on a greyhound bus with not a penny in your pocket, you'd probably give up the game.  Not Dave Mustaine.  With nothing but his ambition, fiery red mane, and battle ax in hand, Dave overcame the abandonment of his family, the betrayal of Metallica, and the suburbs of Costa Mesa and Whittier, California, to form Megadeth and kill em all.  Yes, it's another story of sex, drugs, and rock and roll; but it's also funny, sad, and smart, and to one of our hosts, maybe one of the best memoirs yet.  Learn from this seminal figure how to screw up a date with Belinda Carlisle, how to deal with flakes of rust in your eye, and, mostly, how to persevere, as Christian and Martha discuss Mustaine. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Lenny Kravitz has sold over 40 million records. He has married and divorced a Huxtable. But perhaps his greatest achievement is reducing hosts Martha and Christian to tears.  How can someone once named Romeo Blue, whose autobiography belongs in the Young Adult section of the bookstore, who had the most privileged childhood in rock--how can that someone have turned our hosts into salty puddles?  Find out for yourself; the flower-power love of Lenny's Let Love Rule might be the therapy you need.If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Few musicians can say they grow more beloved with each decade, but Willie Nelson can.  His bandana is eternal; his braids are mystic.  Even if you don't know his music, you know that Willie smokes his weed, never stops touring, and is an American icon.   Get on board Willie's never-ending smoke-filled tour bus with Martha and Christian as they discuss his many wives, many singing partners, and how he just might be the only American to ever beat the IRS. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Well done, Patti Lee.  You were best friends with Robert Mapplethorpe.  You dated Sam Shepard while living in the Chelsea Hotel, the counter-culture mecca of the 60s.  Morrissey, Michael Stipe, and The Library of Congress revere your debut album Horses as a cultural "landmark."  And your book Just Kids won the National Book Award. But have you really accomplished anything if Martha or Christian thinks your book was pretentious navel-gazing? But which host?  Why?!  Find out all of this and more as Martha and Christian get astride Just Kids and ride it for all its worth. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Galaxie 500.  Luna.  If you've never heard of these bands, don't worry, you're just most people.  But to a small segment of the population, very little compares to the acquired taste of Dean Wareham's two bands and his guitar playing in particular.  Join Christian and Martha as they explore Dean's Black Postcards, wherein Dean narrates the tragic demise of the former group, the mild success of the latter, and how falling in love with one's new bassist doesn't strengthen marital vows.  LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED: listening to this episode may cause Galaxie 500 memorabilia to cover your walls, and it isn't cheap. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Audience members routinely spat  on Billy Idol as a member of Generation X.  Gross?  Yes.  Punk?  Even more so.  Orgies in the studio, near-death motorcycle rides, and combustible relationships--no one can deny that Billy Idol ate the Punk-Rock Kool-Aid straight from the packet.  Martha and Christian sink another book and delve behind the most famous sneer of the 80s in Billy's Dancing with Myself.If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Joy Division's tragic demise should have permanently snuffed out its band members' careers.  But Bernard Sumner, armed with drum loops, programmed beats, and a Blue Monday, emerged from those ashes to create an upbeat New Order, sell millions of records, and wind up in a John Hughes film.  How does it feel, to read Bernard Sumner's autobiography through and through?  Find out as Christian and Martha become heavenly persons today and review Bernie's Chapter and Verse. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Peter Hook was bass player for New Order and Joy Division.  And apparently he took copious notes along the way.  But does his book have "Substance"?  Listen as Christian and Martha get their trousers wet, wading through over 700 pages of Hooky's dive into Manchester, the Hacienda, New Order, crazy band managers, and the musings of this bass player who now spins records for a living. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

When Bernard Butler quit Suede and took his prodigious musical talent with him, Brett Anderson could have licked his wounds and quit.  Instead, he soldiered on a with a 17-year old guitar wunderkind and pushed Suede to bigger chart success--sort of.  Listen as Christian and Martha discuss Brett Anderson's second memoir Afternoon With The Blinds Drawn, wherein Brett lays bare the diesel-and-gasoline story of Suede. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

For a brief moment the songwriting team of Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler were untouchable, flying into the sun with Suede, a group the press famously described as the best band in Britain even before their debut LP had even been released. (And yes, the album was that good). But mid-way through the recording of their sophomore classic, the duo bitterly split, and neither one got custody of the creative spark.  Listen as Martha and Christian discuss the sci-fi lullaby of Brett Anderson's Coal Black Mornings and the tragedy of what could have been.If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

After the success of Take It Like a Man, Boy George waited twenty years to go Straight. Listen as Martha and Christian read and discuss his career as a DJ, the never-ending dramas of his heart, his musical Taboo, and how a soccer-mom named Rosie O'Donnell wound up in behind the scenes of it all. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

As founding member of Culture Club, Boy George landed like a cultural grenade.  Learn how George O'Dowd took his rags and turned them into a costume of riches, and how this self-described Queen learned to "Take It Like a Man." If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Punk icon, muse of Andy Warhol, lead singer of Blondie, and one-time Playboy Bunny, Deborah Harry was the face of the 70s.  But do cheek bones a good memoir make?  Join Martha and Christian as they look Deborah in her oft-painted eyes and Face It."If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Against all odds Phil Collins--"patron saint of ordinary blokes"--went from child actor to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.  Join Christian and Martha as they take a look at him now and discuss Not Dead Yet.  Soo-Soo-SOO-DEE-YO! If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

It turns out that the key to Wham! and George Michael's success was the other guy in the band, Andrew Ridgeley. Who knew? Find out why a great attitude just might be the key to pop stardom as Christian and Martha discuss Andrew Ridgeley's “Wham! George Michael & Me.”If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

John Taylor and Duran Duran, with their music and good looks, dominated MTV and the walls of millions around the world.  But being a rock star with the face of a super model doesn't come without its temptations, and John was tempted by them all.  Save a prayer for Martha and Christian as they delve into John Taylor's "Pleasure Groove", emerging with their diagnosis of Duran Duran's founding member.If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

In a musical career that spans over four decades, Chrissie Hynde has made a strong mark in the annals of rock history. In this episode, Christian and Martha discuss her tumultuous life story, and how she went from growing up in Akron, Ohio to forming one of the most popular bands in music.Chrissie Hynde on NPR talking about her autobiography.If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Christian and Martha discuss Johnny Marr and his book Set The Boy Free.  Blessed with musical genius and perhaps the best attitude in the music business, Marr left an indelible mark on music as The Smiths co-founding member, and the hosts discuss how his tale is told. If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support. 

Like or loathe him, Morrissey is a living musical legend.  His lyrics may be immortal, but can the same be said of his prose?  Christian and Martha settle the issue as they discuss his notorious autobiography.If you enjoyed this episode, click here to purchase your own copy of the book. We are partners with Bel Canto Books, and we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support.