Podcasts about brazos bookstore

 On Tuesday's show: We learn about the progress of some bills regarding bail reform being considered in the waning days of the Texas Legislature.Also this hour: We discuss the complicated, cloudy future of the Texas Lottery, which has been under fire over a scheme that essentially allowed gamblers to purchase every single lottery combination possible and guarantee a jackpot win. Then, ahead of an event at Brazos Bookstore on May 27, author and poet Ocean Vuong shares lessons from working in fast food and considers what drives acts of kindness between strangers. Those themes are explored in his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness.And some Houstonians might visit Galveston during the upcoming holiday weekend, and there are a number of intriguing historic sites to check out on the island, if you're so inclined. We learn more about some of them from Tristan Smith, the author of A History Lover's Guide to Galveston.

Notes and Links to Mirin Fader's Work      For Episode 257, Pete welcomes Mirin Fader for her second Chills at Will visit, and the two discuss, among other topics, her love of contemporary fiction, how her second book's release is different than that of her first, seeds for her latest book-Dream, about the great Hakeem Olajuwon-coming from her previous blockbuster about Giannis Antetokounmpo, her finding stories within stories while researching the book, and the wonders and legends of Hakeem Olajuwon, from his start in handball and soccer to the ignorant and racist ways he was often viewed, to the role that discipline, creativity, and his faith play in his daily life.       Mirin Fader is a senior staff writer for The Ringer. Her first book, Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion, was a New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller. She has profiled some of the NBA's biggest stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and LaMelo Ball, telling the backstories that have shaped some of our most complex, most dominant, heroes. Fader wrote for Bleacher Report from 2017 to 2020 and the Orange County Register from 2013 to 2017. Her work has been featured in the “Best American Sports Writing” series and honored by the Pro Basketball Writers Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the Football Writers Association of America, and the Los Angeles Press Club.    Buy Dream   Mirin Fader's Website   See Mirin on Tour!   At about 2:50, Mirin discusses her love of fiction and beloved contemporary texts, including Tommy Orange's latest, and Sudanese writer, Rania Mamoun's latest At about 4:40, Mirin responds to Pete's question about any sort of competitiveness within writers in Mirin's cohort, and Pete and Mirin stan Wright Thompson  At about 6:30, Pete highlights Demar Derozan's recent book and Mirin's profile of him for The Ringer At about 9:45, Mirin gives background on her profile of Bronny James and what “lane” she focused on for the piece At about 12:30, Some all-time NBA rankings! At about 14:45, Pete cites the book about Giannis and its lasting greatness At about 15:05, Pete asks Mirin about the run-up to her second book and feedback At about 16:10, Mirin mentions the nostalgia associated with Hakeem Olajuwon At about 17:30, Mirin talks about the “unheralded” nature of Hakeem, as well as the emergence of international basketball players, particularly with African players, for which he was a “prequel” At about 19:25, Mirin gives background on Ben Okri's quote for her epigraph and its connection to Hakeem and devotion and creativity At about 20:10, The two discuss the book's Prologue and LeBron James famous trip to train with Hakeem in 2011 At about 22:40, Henri Yranndo and his importance to Hakeem and his spiritual resurgence is referenced At about 24:00, Mirin discusses her wonderful experiences in going to Hakeem's mosque in Houston At about 25:00, Pete asks Mirin to expand on Hakeem as a “hidden one,” and connections to a hadith quoted from the Koran At about 26:30, The two discuss the book's beginning, and Mirin talks about the bustling city of Lagos, Hakeem's childhood (and later American media racism in describing his youth), and how his father taught him to be proud of his size At about 29:10, Mirin talks about Hakeem's early athletic feats outside of basketball, and how he was “recruited” to finally give in and play basketball At about 31:20, Pete and Mirin reflect on the sad fact that so many interviewees for the book have died recently and how this affects her urgency to get stories on paper At about 32:35, Mirin responds to Pete's wondering about how Hakeem's 1980 Nigerian National Team appearance affected his growth At about 34:10, The “Dream Shake” and Yomi Sangodeyi's greatness and tutoring are explored At about 35:00, Christopher Pond and the supposed origin story of Hakeem's Univ. of Houston landing, as well as problematic parts of the story are probed At about 38:50, Mirin talks about Hakeem's time in Houston and the city's growing Nigerian population  At about 40:10, Mirin expands upon the ignorant and racist ways in which Hakeem was written about, especially in his earlier years, and she shares the story of how him “changing his name” Was emblematic of his humble nature At about 42:55, Mirin highlights how Hakeem was never seen as a draft mistake, even though he was drafted over Michael Jordan, and Pete cites Frank Guidry's book on Houston and how the Forde Center helped Hakeem improve greatly as a Rocket At about 44:15, Pete cites Hakeem's moving letter referenced in the book, and how Mirin charts his rediscovering his faith through some amazing and makes it clear that he never “converted” to Islam At about 46:45, The two reflect on and express the amazement and respect for Hakeem's Ramadan fasting during his playing days At about 47:45, Pete and Mirin stan Hakeem's unforgettable series against David Robinson  At about 48:45, Mirin talks about how Hakeem's faith calls for him to not display iconography and show humility and how the book's cover satisfied the requirements of being respectful  At about 50:45, Mirin shouts out Brazos Bookstore and Skylight Books as good places to buy her book, and shouts out her first tour        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.       I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Deesha Philyaw, Luis Alberto Urrea, Chris Stuck, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writing and writers that have inspired their own work. I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 258 with Porochista Khakpour, the critically acclaimed author of two previous novels, Sons and Other Flammable Objects and The Last Illusion; a memoir, Sick; and a collection of essays, Brown Album. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bookforum, Elle, and many other publications. Her latest book, a chaotic and satirical stellar work, is Tehrangeles. This episode will air on October 22. Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

On Tuesday's show: CenterPoint Energy faced another hearing on Monday related to its response to power outages caused by Hurricane Beryl. We find out what was said before a Texas State Senate special committee and the potential implications.Also this hour: For more than a decade, Joe Holley has written a column called Native Texan for the Houston Chronicle, which tells the stories of some of the known and unknown legends of Texas. The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer has a new collection of some of those columns called Native Texan: Stories from Deep in the Heart. Holley joins us ahead of an event at Brazos Bookstore tonight.Then, with the Olympics underway, we continue to share examples of some of the summer Olympic sports played in Houston, continuing with a visit to West Houston Archery.And we continue our series on museums and other attractions to visit around the area with a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

On Monday's show: Some 200,000+ CenterPoint customers are still without power following Thursday's dramatic storm. We discuss the restoration efforts and other looming energy grid threats this week.Also, we preview a town hall discussion tonight between HISD Superintendent Mike Miles and four graduating seniors from high schools impacted by his new policies. Asher Lehrer-Small, who covers K-12 education for Houston Landing, will be moderating the discussion, and he joins us to preview it.Event Info: Doors open at 6 p.m. with the town hall beginning at 7 p.m. The conversation is a general admission, pay-what-you-can, ticketed event, with a suggested cost of $5. Tickets are available at thehobbycenter.org.We also talk with University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs about the process of restoring power after Thursday night's severe weather left many Houstonians without.Also this hour: Adam Higginbotham, the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl, discusses, his book, Challenger, which offers a dramatic, minute-by-minute story of the space shuttle Challenger disaster. Higginbotham will be in town for a Brazos Bookstore event on Monday night.Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers your pet care questions.And we get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We learn about Texas Letters, an anthology of letters written by people in solitary confinement in Texas prisons. Its creator, Damascus James, joins us ahead of a Brazos Bookstore event on May 19.And we listen back to a conversation with Rev. William Lawson, the founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston's Third Ward. He died Tuesday at the age of 95.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Writer Anne Lamott, who recently turned 70, shares the revelations she's had over the years about love and how her idea of love and the forms it takes has changed since she was younger. She'll discuss her latest book, Somehow: Thoughts on Love, at a sold out Brazos Bookstore event tonight at Christ Church Cathedral.And acclaimed fashion designer and costumier Bob Mackie talks with Houston Public Media's Ernie Manouse about his career. Mackie designed attire for many celebrities, including Cher. The musical based on her career is on stage at The Hobby Center through April 28.

We're joined today by Mark Haber of Coffee House Press (formerly of Brazos Bookstore in Houston). Mark is the author of two novels, Reinhardt's Garden and Saint Sebastian's Abyss, and the forthcoming novel Lesser Ruins, as well as a forthcoming novella, Ada. We chat about his work as well as Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald, translated by Anthea Bell. A quick note that there was some construction noise we didn't detect during the recording but did get picked up by our mics. We've eliminated it to the best of our ability, but if you hear a bit of an odd thrumming in the background or our voices crackle, it's not your ears.This is a fantastic and wide-ranging conversation, really digging into a lot of what makes Sebald's work unique (and how it does or does not influence Mark's own work). We discuss memory, liminality, style, surveillance and organization, the lack of literary feuds on TikTok, and more.Titles/authors mentioned:W.G. Sebald (all of it, but especially):Vertigo, A Place in the Country, and Campo SantoSergio Chejfec: The Dark and My Two WorldsJavier MaríasFranz KafkaD.H. Lawrence: Lady Chatterley's Lover, The Rainbow, and Sons & LoversAnthony Trollope (like, all of him)Juan Jose Saer: Scars and The Sixty-Five Years of WashingtonKazuo Ishiguro: The UnconsoledFollow Mark on Instagram (@markhaber) and follow Coffee House on Instagram (@coffeehousepress) and Twitter (@Coffee_House_). And be sure to pre-order Lesser Ruins from your preferred indie bookseller!Click here to subscribe to our Substack and find us on the socials: @lostinredonda just about everywhere.Music: “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs

On Tuesday's show: Houston City Council is considering extending the hours for paid parking downtown. And TxDOT is ending its agreement with a private company to run the toll lanes on State Highway 288. We discuss both stories. Also this hour: Houston-area author Leah Lax talks about her new book, Not From Here: The Song of America, which features stories about her Jewish roots interwoven with local immigrant accounts of coming to the United States. We speak to her ahead of an event at Brazos Bookstore on April 4. Then, on the heels of the Houston Open, we explore Houston's golf culture. And we revisit a 2014 conversation with Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr., who died last week at the age of 87.

On Friday's show: We learn about some recent developments in education, including some concerns about the way the written portion of some STAAR tests will be graded in the future and news about declining student enrollment at HISD since the pandemic. Also this hour: Three years after a deadly winter storm knocked out power across Texas, what has changed -- and what hasn't? Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week, including Drake, 50 Cent, and several others musicians all being registered to vote at the same house in Katy. And writer and former Houstonian Suzette Mullen discusses her new memoir, The Only Way Through Is Out, which explores her decision to come out later in life. She's holding a book signing at Brazos Bookstore on Feb. 22.

On Wednesday's show: From the New Hampshire primary, to the Supreme Court's ruling against Texas on border authority, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Writer and former Houston poet laureate Leslie Contreras Schwartz talks about her memoir, From the Womb of Sky and Earth, which is a lyrical exercise in coming to terms with the abuse she suffered growing up and transitioning to becoming a mother herself. She discusses the book at a Brazos Bookstore event tonight. And this year's Oscar nominations are out. That comes on the heels of awards announced by the Houston Film Critics Society, and two of their film critics talk about their favorite movies of 2023.

We were honored this past week to welcome back renowned author Walter Isaacson for a Special Edition COBT episode. Walter is a Professor of History at Tulane University and a Distinguished Fellow at the Aspen Institute. He is also a good friend and someone with whom we are always thrilled to visit.   In his wide-ranging career, Walter has served as the Editor of TIME magazine, Chairman and CEO at CNN, and CEO of the Aspen Institute. As you may know, Walter has previously written on other fascinating people including Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs and Henry Kissinger. Most recently, he has published his latest work entitled "Elon Musk." Mike Bradley, Todd Scruggs and I were so excited to visit with Walter and hear his unique insights on his time spent with Elon, discuss the overall process of researching and writing the book, and dig in to unique anecdotes about Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter (X). We three read the book in preparation for the discussion and can absolutely recommend it. We learned a ton!   Walter begins our conversation by sharing his personal interest in writing Elon's biography as the next feature in his series of books highlighting individuals ushering in a new era. Walter shares the course of events that sparked the book, starting with a two-hour phone call followed by a tweet from Elon that confirmed his appointment as his biographer. Elon's tweet put Walter on the roller coaster of being by Elon's side for two years, witnessing everything from business meetings and interactions with his family to rocket launches and late night factory line visits. We discuss the internal purpose and sense of mission that drives Elon, the urgency he expects from everyone around him, and his unique appetite for risk. Walter and the book take us on a journey from Elon's childhood days in South Africa to emigrating to Penn to PayPal to SpaceX and up to and including his experience buying Twitter. With a lot of stops along the way! Walter shares the risks Elon took with building and launching the first at-scale private rocket company and the complicated situation he found himself in with Starlink satellites, especially in Ukraine. For those of you who are interested, we previously had the opportunity to visit with Trey Mendez, Mayor of Brownsville and tour SpaceX and found the SpaceX stories particularly interesting (episode linked here). When we weren't talking SpaceX and everything that came with it, we of course discussed Tesla, Elon's plunge into AI, what Elon refers to as "the algorithm," and many other aspects of one of the world's most impactful people. We want to thank Walter profusely for sharing his time and thoughts with us. He clearly had a fascinating firsthand experience pulling together what is an absolutely gripping read.   For those of you in Houston, Brazos Bookstore in partnership with Halliburton Labs and Veriten is hosting a live open-to-the-public discussion with Walter on Sunday, November 12th the Ballroom at Bayou Place at 5:00 PM CT. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available linked here.   We look forward to seeing Walter in Houston and hope you enjoy the book and discussion as much as we did! Our best to you all.

On Tuesday's show: The energy transition -- we see incremental changes here and there in our daily lives, like more electric cars on the road. But is that transition happening fast enough for us to meet our climate change goals? We learn what a new report has to say. Also this hour: Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold discusses efforts to establish a constitutional convention, why we should pay attention to that movement, and how, if it succeeds, it could lead to radical changes in our system of government. Feingold is the co-author of a new book called The Constitution in Jeopardy, which he'll discuss at Brazos Bookstore on Friday. Then, perhaps you've heard of "quiet quitting" – the trend of some employees doing just the absolute bare minimum required to keep their job. Well, there's an employer trend out there called "quiet cutting" – it involves moving employees around into new roles or hours in the hopes they'll eventually quit so you don't have to pay severance. It's rife with ethical and sometimes legal ramifications as we learn from a local HR expert. And French artist Laure Prouvost talks about her new exhibition at the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University, featuring surrealist installations that evoke the natural world and the environmental challenges we place on it.

  On Friday's show: We learn how Amtrak is exploring a partnership with Texas Central to advance a proposed high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas, a decade-long vision to operate a bullet train between the state's two largest cities, which appeared to have stalled and is potentially moving forward again. Also this hour: Amid Artemis, the Webb telescope, and the recently announced NASA+ streaming service, has the space agency – and by extension, Space City – gotten its mojo back? We discuss with space industry analyst Laura Forczyk. Then, from Travis Scott's planned concert in Houston, to a baseball announcer removed from the booth for stating mere facts, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And Dr. Sayed Tabatabai, a San Antonio kidney specialist whose writing went viral on Twitter during the pandemic, tells us about the experience and his book about it, These Vital Signs. He has a book signing event on Saturday at Brazos Bookstore.

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, questions@townsquaretalk.org or @townsquaretalk. For the full hour, we're joined by New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center, who discusses the release of her new book Hello Stranger, an enduring and endearing romantic comedy set in Houston. Center also shares details of her career and her journey to get her first book published, how we judge romance novels by the wrong standards, and the upcoming release of the film adaptation of her book Happiness for Beginners, scheduled to be released July 27, 2023, on Netflix. Katherine Center is going on tour for her new book, Hello Stranger. Blue Willow Book Shop is hosting a book signing event tonight, July 11, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Presbyterian Church. For more information, click here. Center will also appear at Brazos Bookstore on July 12, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. For more information click here.   Guest: Katherine Center New York Times Bestselling Author, Hello Stranger Town Square with Ernie Manouse is a gathering space for the community to come together and discuss the day's most important and pressing issues. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, and other apps

This episode is brought to you by… you? Reach out to us at admin@houstonmom.com if you or your business would like to sponsor an episode of The Cold Coffee Club, so we can give you partnership options! Jenny and Ashley are reminiscing about the past… favorite shows, biggest teen heartthrobs, all the things from the good ole days! But what will truly take you back is our incredible guest, Kayla Olson, who shares details about her highly anticipated, new book, The Reunion. This romantic gem is a must-read! “When two former teen stars reconnect at the reunion for their hit TV show, they discover their feelings for one another were not merely scripted in this charming and heartwarming novel perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne.” Must-read, right?!? Get your copy now! And don't miss seeing Kayla Olson at her book signing event at Brazos Bookstore on January 19th at 7pm with fellow awesome author, Katharine McGee! “Cream & Sugar” Recommendations: Regal Cinemas have awesome deals on Tuesdays that are perfect for day dates or fun with the kids during breaks from school! Houston Moms “House Blend” Posts: Becca Vidrine wrote “Safety with Kids: A Practical Approach” which is all about teaching kiddos to be prepared for anything and aware of everything! The Cold Coffee Club wants to hear from you! If you're a local business owner, media personality, author, influencer, or someone who just has some great insights into Houston, let's have a chat! Email us at admin@houstonmom.com and tell us about yourself! Maybe we can get you on an episode!

Why buy your holiday gifts from Amazon or big-box stores? You'll find cooler stuff at locally owned businesses — and patronizing them helps keep Houston interesting. M-K-T in the Heights. Anvil Cards. Murder By The Book. Brazos Bookstore. Blue Willow Bookshop. Celebration Company. Cacao & Cardamom. Crumbville, TX. Erica DelGardo Jewelry Designs. Rocambolesc. Goode Company. JED's Finest. Clark's Jerky Instagram. Kuhl-Linscomb. Subscribe to our daily newsletter, Hey Houston for more Holiday ideas! Our Instagram is the place to see what Houston is all about! Keep up with us on Twitter! And if you want to reach out for your own ideas, text us or better yet leave us a voicemail at +1 713-489-6972 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  On Thursday's show: Ed Young, the longtime pastor of Houston's Second Baptist Church, is under fire for making political statements during a sermon last Sunday. Some have even called for the removal of the church's tax-exempt status. But is that likely? And what role does religion play in modern-day politics -- and what role should it? Also this hour: Mary Beth Rogers, the former campaign manager and chief of staff for the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards, reflects on her life in politics and shares stories from her new memoir, Hope and Hard Truth: A Life in Texas Politics. She'll be in Houston Sept. 20 for an event at Brazos Bookstore. Then we discuss efforts to seek transportation equity for people with disabilities with Gabe Cazares, the new executive director of LINK Houston. Plus: We meet Bao Ong, the Houston Chronicle's new food columnist.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the Biden administration can end the so-called "Remain in Mexico" immigration policy. The decision is a setback for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who sued the Biden administration when the White House tried to rescind the policy. A local immigration activist responds to the news. Also this hour: The high court's opinion in that immigration case came on the final day of the Supreme Court's term, one that included controversial rulings on abortion, guns, and the environment -- all of which demonstrates the impact of a more conservative court on the nation. We reflect on the recently concluded Supreme Court term with local experts.  Then, from homeownership growing ever more out of reach for renters to a new explanation for why fish rained from the sky over Texarkana last December, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of week. And Houston writer Chris Cander talks about her latest novel, A Gracious Neighbor. She has a book launch event with Brazos Bookstore at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church July 6 at 7 p.m.

Welcome back to Part II of Keri Blakinger's story: a top-level ice skater who, after her skating career fell apart, fell apart herself. Keri ended up living on the streets shooting and selling heroin until 2010 when she was busted carrying Tupperware full of it. Now, after two and a half years in prison, she lives in Houston covering prisons herself as a top-level journalist for the Marshall Project. Tonight, Keri will be celebrating the release of her new book at Brazos Bookstore. The location: 2421 Bissonnet Street Street in Houston, a moderated conversation with Keri from 6:30 to 7:30. Her memoir Corrections In Ink can be found here: Corrections In Ink: A Memoir Also, you can purchase a copy to donate to a prisoner, if you like. Find that link Here! We've got our Insta up and running! You should tag us with your Houston pics! Send 'em Here! For more Houston news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here. Want something a little more intimate than social media? Leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chiquis's newest book, “Unstoppable: How I Found My Strength Through Love and Loss,” and “Invencible” (in Spanish), is available starting Tuesday, February 8! Chiquis talks about a few key takeaways, including her divorce, opinions about the media, body image and more. She also shares the reason behind writing the book.   Chiquis's book tour details: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 | 4:00 PM ET Premiere Live Signing for Unstoppable/Invencible *This is a virtual event with signed books available by Premiere Collectibles.   Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | 6:00 PM CT Books-A-Million/Grapevine, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, #408, Grapevine, TX 76051 This is a ticketed in-person event with signed books available by Books-A-Million/Grapevine.   Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 7:00 PM CT Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002 *Chiquis Rivera in conversation with Joey Guerra, music critic at the Houston Chronicle. This is a ticketed in-person event with books available by Brazos Bookstore.   Saturday, February 12, 2022 | 2:00 PM PT Barnes & Noble/The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036 This is a ticketed in-person event with signed books available by B&N/The Grove. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, questions@townsquaretalk.org or @townsquaretalk. Comicpalooza, the largest pop-culture convention in the Southern United States, is coming back to the George R. Brown convention center on July 17 - 18. Houston First walks Town Square through convention post-COVID safety protocols and the work it takes to organize an event for an estimated 45,000 attendees. Ernie Manouse will host live interviews with Danny Trejo on Saturday, July 17th and Ron Perlman on Sunday, July 18th at Comicpalooza. Guest: Michael Heckman Acting President & CEO of Houston First  Comicpalooza President Houston has a long history of comics fandom going back to the 1960s, including Houstoncon, one of the first comics book conventions debuting 1966. Local comic book experts share how their subculture changed over the years, and the power it to influence pop culture today. Guests: Richard Evans Owner Bedrock City Comics Company Special advisor to the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Past president of the American Association of Comic Book Collectors The Houston Spider Local superhero and helps charities and children Danny Trejo has one of the recognizable faces on screen, many of which have faced gruesome ends. Before becoming an actor, the Machete star's personal life looked like the hardened characters he plays today. Trejo shares how he came to this turning point in his new book, Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood. Brazos Bookstore is hosting a live virtual book event with Daniel Pena, moderating a conversation between Steve Buscemi and Danny Trejo on Wednesday, July 14, at 7:00 pm. Guest: Danny Trejo Author of Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood Actor, Machete, Breaking Bad, Spy Kids, and more, record holder of the most on-screen deaths of any actor Owner of Trejo's Tacos Town Square with Ernie Manouse is a gathering space for the community to come together and discuss the day's most important and pressing issues. Audio from today's show will be available after 5 p.m. CT. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, and other apps.

Veronica Esposito joined Chad and Valerie Miles to continue talking about Granta's second list of "Best Young Spanish-language Novelists." They talk about some of the recent Spanish reviews—and criticisms—of the list, about writing the periphery, about science-fiction and the differences between the 2010 list and the 2020 one, and much more.  Upcoming Granta events include one on May 20th at 5pm ET on Zoom, sponsored by the Brooklyn Public Library, and a Hay Festival event on June 4th. The Brazos Bookstore event on Women in Translation that Veronica is moderating will take place on July 8th, and stay tuned to Granta Español for more! This episode's music is "Long in the Tooth" by Budos Band.  If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and other places. Or you can always subscribe by adding our feed directly into your favorite podcast app: http://threepercent.libsyn.com/rss

Tony Diaz interviews Maria Hinojosa about her new book: "Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love And Hate In A Torn America." Listen to this great interview, read the book, and then meet legendary journalist Maria Hinojosa live, Saturday, October 10, 2020, at 2 pm, on a Facebook Live Show on the FB page of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say. Brazos Bookstore is our book partner: https://www.brazosbookstore.com/book/9781982128654 You can't get your book signed, but some folks will get their "book clicked." Purchase the book ahead of time, email us, and you might get picked to join Maria on the FB Live broadcast and get a pic of you holding up your copy of "Once I Was You" with Maria Hinojosa herself! Tony@NuestraPalabra.org. Link to the FB invite for her charla with Nuestra Palabra: https://fb.me/e/4QwNVCfTq This is our way of re-inventing Hispanic Heritage Mont and Book Signings to get through the COVID-19 shut down for the Ultimate Hispanic Heritage Month! #UHHM. Every district is a Latino District. We answer only to our community. Please budget a donation to KPFT, and make it support of Latino Politics and News today. Visit www.kpft.org. Thanks to our crew: Roxana Guzman, Communications Director Leti Lopez Rodrigo Bravo, who mixes our radio shows Laurie Flores Al Castillo Tune in every Tuesday from 2 pm to 3 pm for Latino Politics and News with Tony Diaz 90.1 FM KPFT, Houston. Livestream www.KPFT.org. That's followed by Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say at 6 pm to 7 pm CST. 90.1 FM KPFT, Houston. Livestream www.KPFT.org. Tony Diaz also appears on What's Your Point on Fox 26 Houston, Sundays at 7 am. www.NuestraPalabra.org www.Librotraficante.com Livestream: www.KPFT.org.

The Reading Envy Pub is crammed full of people who want to share their recent projects, where they go for book ideas, and more. Jenny will probably sneak out and let them have the episode, but first she'll talk a little about the last 199 episodes - where do guests come from, and how often? Which books has Jenny read lately but not managed to share about? Please enjoy this bonus episode to celebrate 200. Download or listen via this link: Reading Envy 200: Reading Envy Turns 200 Subscribe to the podcast via this link: FeedburnerOr subscribe via Apple Podcasts by clicking: SubscribeOr listen through TuneIn Or listen on Google Play Or listen via StitcherOr listen through Spotify New! Listen through Google Podcasts Books mentioned:    Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid These Ghosts are Family by Maisy Card Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo An American Sunrise by Joy HarjoSorcery & Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline StevermerHow to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) by Barbara Kingsolver A History of my Brief Body by Billy-Ray BelcourtThe Long Walk by Stephen King Bellevue by David OshinskyThe Good Luck Stone by Heather Bell Adams So You Want to be a Novelist by Jon Sealy The Merciful by Jon Sealy Other mentions:GoodreadsScotiabank Giller Prize Governor General’s Literary AwardsCBC - The Next ChapterBBC Radio 4 - Open BookBBC Radio 4 - A Good ReadTwo Crime Writers and a MicrophoneTartan Noir PodcastLiterary FrictionYou’re BookedpodcastWomen’s Prize for FictionSimon Mayo's Books of the YearBook Cougars Reddit - /r/books, /r/fantasy, /r/what’s that book, /r/suggest me a book Sword and LaserReading GlassesDeep Vellum Brazos Bookstore (Houston) Haywire BooksCostaPrize The BookerPrizes The StellaPrize Stonewall Book AwardsLAMBDA LiteraryAwardInternational Dublin Literary AwardSaturday Morning with Kim Hill on Radio New Zealand Tom Merritt’s booksBookmarks section of LitHub NetGalley Edelweiss @princejvstinPatreon.com/princejvstinNerds of a FeatherSkiffy and FantySFF AudioLitsy BookRiot The Get Booked PodcastBookRiot For Real PodcastBookTube - ComfyCozyUp, Booksaremysociallife, Poptimist (David Yoon), Audrey from Perpetual Pages The Librarian is InKCRW BookwormBacklistedPodcastShawnthebookmaniacSavidgeReadsBook Women - readers community Slightly Foxed- the Real Readers QuarterlyStuck in a Book - Simon Thomas Tea or Books? - Simon Thomas So Many Damn Books A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast Shelf Wear podcastShelfWear youtubeBookRiot All the BooksNYT Book review podcastCrimeReadsLiterary Hub Dylan Thomas PrizeNational Book AwardThe Morning News Tournament of BooksMillions Most Anticipated Books Related episodes:All of them!  Stalk me online: Jenny at GoodreadsJenny on TwitterJenny is @readingenvy on Instagram and Litsy

On Friday's Houston Matters: Elena Marks, president of the Episcopal Health Foundation, speaks with News 88.7 reporter Sara Ernst about a new survey showing some racial disparities among Houstonians impacting personal health. Also this hour: The new METRORapid Silver Line is now in service. Is METRO forgoing future light rail projects in favor of a bus rapid transit system? And book clubs aren't able to meet in person during the pandemic but that doesn't stop... Read More

Ten men have already died while searching the jungles of Uruguay for a reclusive writer, Emiliano Gomez Carrasquilla, who Jacov Reinhardt believes knows the key to understanding melancholy. Carried in circles through the jungle on a stretcher, the narrator recalls how Reinhardt fueled himself with copious amounts of cocaine, built himself an outrageous castle with fake walls and trap doors, and cared nothing for the safety of those those around him, including Ulrich the dog killer, Sonja the one-legged former prostitute, and the unnamed narrator himself. The only thing that really mattered to Reinhardt, according to his amanuensis, was his search for the essence of melancholy. Mark Haber is the author of Reinhardt's Garden (Coffee House Press, 2019). He was born in Washington DC and grew up in Florida. His first collection of stories, Deathbed Conversions, was translated into Spanish in a bilingual edition as Melville’s Beard. His debut novel, Reinhardt’s Garden was longlisted for the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for a Debut Novel and was listed as one of the Texas Observer’s Best Texas Books of the Decade. He lives in Houston, Texas, loves reading and Vietnamese soup, and is operations manager and a bookseller at Brazos Bookstore in Houston. If you enjoyed today’s podcast and would like to discuss it further with me and other New Books network listeners, please join us on Shuffle. Shuffle is an ad-free, invite-only network focused on the creativity community. As NBN listeners, you can get special access to conversations with a dynamic community of writers and literary enthusiasts. Sign up by going to www.shuffle.do/NBN/join G.P. Gottlieb is the author of the Whipped and Sipped Mystery Series and a prolific baker of healthful breads and pastries. Please contact her through her website (GPGottlieb.com) if you wish to recommend an author (of a beautifully-written new novel) to interview, to listen to her previous podcast interviews, to read her mystery book reviews, or to check out some of her awesome recipes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten men have already died while searching the jungles of Uruguay for a reclusive writer, Emiliano Gomez Carrasquilla, who Jacov Reinhardt believes knows the key to understanding melancholy. Carried in circles through the jungle on a stretcher, the narrator recalls how Reinhardt fueled himself with copious amounts of cocaine, built himself an outrageous castle with fake walls and trap doors, and cared nothing for the safety of those those around him, including Ulrich the dog killer, Sonja the one-legged former prostitute, and the unnamed narrator himself. The only thing that really mattered to Reinhardt, according to his amanuensis, was his search for the essence of melancholy. Mark Haber is the author of Reinhardt's Garden (Coffee House Press, 2019). He was born in Washington DC and grew up in Florida. His first collection of stories, Deathbed Conversions, was translated into Spanish in a bilingual edition as Melville’s Beard. His debut novel, Reinhardt’s Garden was longlisted for the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for a Debut Novel and was listed as one of the Texas Observer’s Best Texas Books of the Decade. He lives in Houston, Texas, loves reading and Vietnamese soup, and is operations manager and a bookseller at Brazos Bookstore in Houston. If you enjoyed today’s podcast and would like to discuss it further with me and other New Books network listeners, please join us on Shuffle. Shuffle is an ad-free, invite-only network focused on the creativity community. As NBN listeners, you can get special access to conversations with a dynamic community of writers and literary enthusiasts. Sign up by going to www.shuffle.do/NBN/join G.P. Gottlieb is the author of the Whipped and Sipped Mystery Series and a prolific baker of healthful breads and pastries. Please contact her through her website (GPGottlieb.com) if you wish to recommend an author (of a beautifully-written new novel) to interview, to listen to her previous podcast interviews, to read her mystery book reviews, or to check out some of her awesome recipes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keija Parssinen graduated cum laude from Princeton University, where she studied English literature and received a certificate from the Program for the Study of Women and Gender. She earned her MFA at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote fellow, a Teaching and Writing fellow, and the student editor of the Iowa Short Fiction contest. After finishing the program, she won a Michener-Copernicus award for her debut novel, The Ruins of Us, which was published in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Italy and around the Middle East. The novel was long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize, was chosen as Book of the Month by National Geographic Traveler, and was selected as a Best Book of the Middle East Region by Turkey’s Today’s Zaman newspaper. In Fall 2019, it was published in Arabic by the Syrian Ministry of Culture. Her second novel, The Unraveling of Mercy Louis, won an Alex Award from the American Library Association, was chosen as Book of the Month by Emily St. John Mandel, and was selected as a Best Book of the Year by the Kansas City Star, Lone Star Literary Life, Missouri Life, Vox Magazine, and Brazos Bookstore. Her short fiction, essays, and reviews have appeared or are forthcoming in The Southern Review, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Review of Books, the Lonely Planet travel-writing anthologies, World Literature Today, Slate, The Arkansas International, The Brooklyn Quarterly, Slice Magazine, Salon, Five Chapters, the New Delta Review, Marie Claire, Off Assignment, and elsewhere. Her work has been supported by fellowships and residencies from Hedgebrook, the Corporation of Yaddo, the MacDowell Colony, Ragdale, the Vermont Studio Center, Playa Summer Lake, the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities, and The Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow, where she was a My Time Fellow. Keija was born in Saudi Arabia and lived there for twelve years before her family moved to Austin, Texas. She is an Assistant Professor of English at Kenyon College and lives in Ohio with her family. Wendy Taylor Carlisle was born in Manhattan, raised in Bermuda, Connecticut and Ft Lauderdale, Florida and lives now in the Arkansas Ozarks in a house she built in 1980. She has an MA from The University of Arkansas and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of The Mercy of Traffic (Unlikely Books, 2019), Discount Fireworks (Jacaranda Press, 2008) and Reading Berryman to the Dog (Jacaranda Press, 2000.) Chapbooks include They Went to the Beach to Play (Locofo Chaps, 2016), Chap Book (Platypus Press, 2016), Persephone on the Metro (MadHat press, 2014), The Storage of Angels (Slow Water Press, 2008), and After Happily Ever After (Two River Chapbooks, 2003.) Her work appears in multiple anthologies.

Chad and Tom are joined by Mark Haber from Brazos Bookstore and author of the forthcoming Reinhardt's Garden (October 1, Coffee House Press). They talk a bit about Translation Bread Loaf (two thumbs up) and about a special poster for anyone who buys the First 100 from Open Letter, before trying their best to breakdown a nonsensical metaphor that Chad heard at this weekend's The Ladder Literary Conference. They also talk about Reinhardt's Garden, Mark's influences, the voice of the main character, and Chad's "Five Tools for Authors" post. (Also: See the "Five Tools for Translators.") Then, they recommend a slew of books to check out: Hold Fast Your Crown by Yannick Haenel, trans. by Teresa Lavender Fagan Riots I Have Known by Ryan Chapman  The Remainder by Alia Trabucco Zerán, trans. by Sophie Hughes The Incompletes by Sergio Chejfec, trans. by Heather Cleary The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresán, trans. by Will Vanderhyden Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming by László Krasznahorkai, trans. by Ottilie Mulzet "The Revised Boy Scout Manual" by William S. Burroughs  Time Is the Thing a Body Moves Through by T Fleischmann Axiomatic by Maria Tumarkin Banshee by Rachel DeWoskin Feeble Minded by Ariana Harwicz, trans. by Annie McDermott and Carolina Orloff The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levy The Promise and Forgotten Journey by Silvina Ocampo, trans. by Suzanne Jill Levine, Jessica Powell, and Katie Lateef-Jan Monsterhuman by Kjersti Skomsvold, trans. by Becky Crook That Other World: Nabokov and the Puzzle of Exile by Azar Nafisi, trans. by Lotfali Khonji Nikolai Nikolaevich and Camouflage by Yuz Aleshkovsky, trans. by Duffield White Anatomy. Melancholy. by Edy Poppy The MVP Machine by Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik  This week's intro music is "Scream" by Stef Chura, and the outro music is "Sweet Sweet Midnight" from the same album, but featuring Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest.  As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles you’d like us to read and analyze (or just make fun of), send those along as well. And if you like the podcast, tell a friend and rate us or leave a review on iTunes! You can also follow Open Letter, Riffraff, and Chad and on Twitter and Instagram (OL, Riffraff, Chad) for book and baseball talk. If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and other places. Or you can always subscribe by adding our feed directly into your favorite podcast app: http://threepercent.libsyn.com/rss

A conversation with Ben Rybeck of Brazos Bookstore in Houston, TX.

Those offences which proceed from the misconduct of public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust... as they relate chiefly to injuries done immediately to the society itself - Alexander Hamilton Author and lawyer Barbara Radnofsky takes us through the mechanics of impeachment and how it relates to the world today. A lawyer since 1979, Barbara Ann Radnofsky is a mother, wife, teacher, mediator and arbitrator. In 2006, after 27 years of law practice, Barbara Ann left Vinson and Elkins as Head of the Alternate Dispute Resolution Section to become the first woman Texas Democratic U.S. Senate nominee and later the first woman Texas Democratic Attorney General nominee.  Barbara Ann was honored as the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas in 1988. Practicing on both sides of the docket, she has been listed for more than 25 years in  "Best Lawyers in America" in multiple areas, including dispute resolution. Barbara co-founded the  Houston chapter of the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues and has served on numerous local charitable boards and as a volunteer peer mediation teacher in public and private schools.   She and her husband are active in supporting the Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation, enabling museum displays of the Scrolls and commissioning publication of a Scrolls volume. She serves with several of her co owners on the Board of the Brazos Bookstore. To find out more about "A Citizen's Guide to Impeachment" please visit: www.mhpbooks.com Also visit: www.brazosbookstore.com   To learn more about Houston Money Week visit: www.Houstonmoneyweek.org   http://www.cheatsheet.com/personal-finance/how-schools-can-improve-their-personal-finance-education.html/ Financial Advisor Magazine Articles: http://www.fa-mag.com/news/advisors-stay-the-course-amid-monday-s-market-drop-22864.html?section=3  http://www.fa-mag.com/news/on-it-s-80th-anniversaryadvisors-consider-social-security-s-impactfuture-22784.html?section=3 You can listen live by going to www.kpft.org and clicking on the HD3 tab. You can also listen to this episode and others by podcast at: http://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/moneymatters or www.moneymatterspodcast.com #KPFTHOUSTON #HoustonMoneyWK #barbararadnofsky

This week, Mark Haber of Brazos Bookstore and the Best Translated Book Award committee joins Chad and Brian to talk about the next seven stories in Mercè Rodoreda's collection. Although they touch on a number of them, a lot of time is spent focusing on "Carnival" and the literary antecedents to Rodoreda.   Both Selected Stories and Death in Spring are available through the Open Letter website ,and if you use 2MONTH at checkout, you'll get 20% off.   Feel free to comment on this episode--or on the book in general--either on this post, or at the official GoodReads Group.   Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Mark Haber to learn more about contemporary literature and bookselling.   And you can find all Two Month Review posts by clicking here.   The music for this season of Two Month Review is "Montseny" by Els Surfing Sirles.   And please rate us on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) and/or leave a review!

This week, Mark Haber of Brazos Bookstore and the Best Translated Book Award committee joins Chad and Brian to talk about the next seven stories in Mercè Rodoreda's collection. Although they touch on a number of them, a lot of time is spent focusing on "Carnival" and the literary antecedents to Rodoreda.   Both Selected Stories and Death in Spring are available through the Open Letter website ,and if you use 2MONTH at checkout, you'll get 20% off.   Feel free to comment on this episode--or on the book in general--either on this post, or at the official GoodReads Group.   Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Mark Haber to learn more about contemporary literature and bookselling.   And you can find all Two Month Review posts by clicking here.   The music for this season of Two Month Review is "Montseny" by Els Surfing Sirles.   And please rate us on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) and/or leave a review!

Epigraph Episode nine has finally dropped! We speak with the lovely and talented Benjamin Rybeck, Marketing Director and Events Coordinator at Brazos Bookstore and author of The Sadness.   Introduction   [0:30] In Which Emma and Kim Have a Sponsor and Make Terrible Puns, Plus Ben Invents the Phrase “Page Turner” Currently drinking: screwdirvers with Stolichnaya, inspired by Sabbath’s Theater by Philip Roth This episode is actually brought to you by a sponsor! Books & Whatnot is an excellent and informative newsletter for booksellers; it’s quick to read and filled with tips! Brought to you by Beth Golay. Check out the newsletter archive here. Follow on Twitter at @booksandwhatnot. Ben is reading: Nick Flynn’s memoirs, Maggie Nelson, The Other Side by Lacy Johnson, and Madeline E. by Gabriel Blackwell Shout-out to cool indie publisher: Outpost 19! Emma is reading: … spreadsheets? No, but seriously, she finally started Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel—but also the apocalypse causes her some anxiety, so she might have put it down. Kim is reading: Uprooted by Naomi Novik, Shrill by Lindy West When Kim started reading Uprooted, Emma was like Kim recalls possibly the best customer interaction ever, in which a male teacher from an all-girls school requests recs for a primer on feminism; Shrill by Lindy West, We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche, and Rad American Women A-Z by Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl (illus.) are among her recs. New & Forthcoming Books We’re Excited About Underground Airlines by Ben Winters (pubs July 5 2016) The Well-Stocked and Gilded Cage by Lawrence Lenhart (pubs Aug 2 2016) Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn (pubs July 19 2016) The Sunlight Pilgrims by Jenni Fagan (pubs July 19 2016) Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty by Ramona Ausubel The Crimson Skew by S.E. Grove (pubs July 12 2016) Collections: Birds Bones and Butterflies by Leah Sobsey (pubs July 12 2016) What do you do when a customer asks for a happy read?  Emma tries to make them into a romance reader and, if that fails, recommends Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Kim recommends graphica (though Emma’s first three thoughts when she says graphica are Watchmen, Persepolis, and Fun Home—not the happiest of reads…) Chapter I   [21:21] In Which Ben Walks Into a Bookstore and Receives a Job, Coins the term “litizen,” and Says the Word Smartypants a Lot. Plus Emma Freaks Out About Events Coordinators/Drunk Booksellers’ Guests Not Reading Harry Potter Longfellow Books of Portland, Maine was Ben’s childhood bookstore. We discuss the joy of bookstores, record stores, and video stores—half-retail and half-cultural places where you go to meet friends and discover gems. Ben’s advice for getting a job at a bookstore? Walk into said bookstore with no intention of getting a job (it worked for him!) Learn more about Brazos Bookstore here. They do “down and dirty highbrow” bookselling. In Houston this summer? Here are a couple fun things going on: Houston Shakespeare Festival Summer of Kubrick Have you heard about this new Harry Potter book coming out? Kim imagines that it will be mostly about ennui of adulthood, and compares it to Ben’s book The Sadness.  Chapter II   [37:46] In Which Ben Pitches His Book Succinctly—It’s a Book About Film and Failure— and We Discuss Adulting “Booksellers as adults is a strange thing; you’re asking people to become adults and go out into the world where their primary relationship to anything in their lives has been sitting alone in a room…that’s not going to end well.” Chapter III   [44:34] In Which We Speculate Alice Munroe’s Drinking Habits, Declare Adult Connect-the-Dots as The Next Big Thing, And Bring Up the Fact That Ben Hasn’t Read Harry Potter Again Ben wants to drink with John Updike to see if he’s as insufferable a person as Ben finds him as a writer. Kim mocks his reasoning. His second choice is Alice Munroe (who may or may not listen to this podcast? We’re pretty sure she doesn’t. But we can dream.) Ben’s bookseller confession is he doesn’t keep up with trends—but it’s ok, Emma and Kim haven’t read Knausgaard or Ferrante either. Ben’s Station Eleven/Wild/Desert Island Books 2666 by Roberto Bolaño Collected Stories of Joy Williams How to Read a Film by James Monaco Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace ALL the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling Go-to Handsells Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson Faces in the Crowd, The Story of My Teeth, and Sidewalks by Valeria Luiselli Impossible Handsells Thrown by Kerry Howley (shout-out to the awesome small press,Sarabande Books) Don’t Suck, Don’t Die by Kristin Hersh  Chapter IV   [1:01:12] In Which We Talk About Where We Can Be Found On the Internets & Remind You of Our Awesome Sponsor (Books & Whatnot) Shout out to Kramer Books in Washington, DC Hey, remember Books & Whatnot? Ben subscribes, we subscribe, and you should subscribe too! Check out Ben on twitter at @BenjaminRybeck or give him a shout atben@brazosbookstore.com. Don’t forget to read his book, The Sadness, which has been compared to the new Harry Potter book (by Kim, on this episode). Did you know you can enjoy our wit and charm on Twitter? Follow us at @drunkbookseller. Kim also occasionally tweets from @finaleofseem. Emma can be found at @thebibliot and also on Book Riot, where she writes articles which are both nerdy and informative! If you know a bookseller who would love to spend a few hours drinking and chatting with us, have them shoot us an email at drunkbooksellers@gmail.com. Finally, if you like the show, you can rate/review us on iTunes & subscribe using your favorite podcatcher.

This week's podcast features a true roundtable discussion, with Tom and Chad being joined by Caroline Casey from Coffee House Press, Mark Haber and Jeremy Ellis from Brazos Bookstore, Stephen Sparks from Green Apple Books, and Danish author Naja Marie Aidt (Baboon, Rock, Paper, Scissors) to discuss the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute. One of the funniest podcasts to date, they break down what Winter Institute is, why it's so important for the future of bookselling, and what various publishers get out of attending. They also make fun of all the crappy crutch phrases you find in jacket copy.