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On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Sara Osborne, the author of Reading for the Long Run: Leading Struggling Students into the Reading Life and Assistant Professor of English and Director of Classical Education at College of the Ozarks in Missouri. They examine the claims that classical education is elitist and explore how classical schools can position themselves to challenge that perception. Sara shares her journey teaching her children how to read and some of the challenges that come with meeting different students' needs. They dive into anecdotes and insights from her book, including the importance of viewing literacy as an individual journey.
Readers, if you are feeling burned out right now, you are not alone. In our team meeting last week, we talked about the fact that things are hard right now. That's why this feels like a great time to revisit a favorite past episode from another time not so long ago when we were also feeling burned out. Today we're sharing Anne's May 2021 conversation with journalist Anne Helen Petersen, which originally aired back then as Episode 284. Anne Helen writes the weekly email newsletter Culture Study and she knows a lot about burnout because she literally wrote a book about it: Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. In today's episode, Anne Helen shares her personal experience with reading during a grueling season, advice and hope for readers who feel stuck in burnout, and a handful of backlist favorites from her own bookshelves. No matter how your reading life has evolved over the last few years, or even if it hasn't, we think you'll find comfort and insight in today's episode. Find the full list of titles mentioned today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/474. We've been working hard behind the scenes to prepare your 2025 Summer Reading Guide! This year will be our 14th annual Summer Reading Guide, and we kick off the celebration with our live unboxing before continuing with all sorts of bonus reading adventures in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and in our Patreon community. Order your Summer Reading Guide at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to this third Monday edition of a “Rainy Day Conversation around Greatheart's Table.” This episode is a continuation of a conversation that began on March 31 on the reading life of pastors (and other humans). If you missed that first episode you can go back and listen to it first, or you can dive […]
On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading what we want and bookish get togethers Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we check in on our reading lives The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:40 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 2:17 - The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie 4:19 - Warwick's 5:29 - Our Current Reads 8:03 - The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda (Meredith) 13:37 - Confessions by Kanae Minato 14:25 - Mrs. Death Misses Death by Salenda Godden (Kaytee) 15:05 - Foyles Bookstore 19:52 - The Joy of Watercolor by Emma Block (Meredith) 21:43 - The Big Book of Watercolor by Mallery Jane 22:27 - Keeping a Creative Sketchbook by Emma Block 28:36 - House of Frank by Kay Synclaire (Kaytee) 28:48 - Ezeekat on Instagram 28:57 - Ezeekat Press 34:14 - The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst 34:18 - Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune 34:49 - Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard (Meredith) 36:40 - Blackwell's UK 38:46 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard 38:48 - 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard 38:52 - Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard 40:21 - The Resurrectionist by A. Raye Dunlap (Kaytee) 40:38 - Fabled Bookshop 40:43 - Aardvark books 46:04 - James by Percival Everett 47:04 - Our Reading Life Temp Checks 58:54 - Meet Us At The Fountain 59:19 - I wish there was a “previously in” page for series books. (Meredith) 1:00:49 - I wish for a reading repair manual. (Kaytee) 1:02:13 - Safe and Sound by Mercury Stardust 1:02:25 - The Pool Care Handbook by Swim University Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March's IPL comes to you from An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
Jeff is out this week reading on a beach, so we are sharing this rerun from the First Edition podcast in which Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life. Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there are some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Earthdivers and I Was a Teenage Slasher. His new book, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hello, everyone. Welcome to another “Rainy Day Conversation around Greatheart's Table.” Unlike the short content that is normal for this space, in these conversations I invite other voices to share their observations and expertise regarding pastoral practice, ministry, or the Christian life in general. These have been fun to produce, and they have introduced me […]
Over the past few years, today's guest has been on a journey of self-discovery. Florida reader Casey has been working on coming to terms with her perfectionism and along the way, she's been noticing what it means for her reading life. Casey's noticed she tends to save highly anticipated books for later: some uncertain time down the road when circumstances make the timing at long last completely perfect to pick up that book she's really been wanting to read. But Casey knows firsthand that our time is limited, and it is a certainty she'll run out of time to read everything she wants to. So, how to decide what should she read right now, and how can she prompt herself to actually read those books? Today, she and Anne explore these readerly struggles, with special emphasis on finding backlist titles that are a little bit weird, a little bit whimsical, and that just might take Casey by surprise. Find the list of titles mentioned today and leave your suggestions for Casey over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/471. Many of Patreon Community members enjoy the flexibility of Patreon, which lets them tune in to Bonus Episodes and other features on their own schedule. When you join us on Patreon, you'll get our weekly bonuses right in your podcast feed just like our Tuesday morning episodes, and all our live events are recorded so you can take part on your schedule. Patreon is also a tangible way to support everything we do here at What Should I Read Next?. Find out more and join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Unlocking Your Spiritual Growth: Kelle Sparta's Transformative Seer Reading with AmyIf you would like to learn more please book a Discovery Call here: https://kellesparta.com/discovery-call/In this episode, host Kelle Sparta, a transformational shaman and spiritual coach, conducts a detailed spiritual evolution energy review, also known as a seer reading, with guest Amy. Delving into Amy's energy field, Kelly unveils a massive growth cycle, the significance of Amy's aura, and the importance of foundational deconstruction.Key Topics Include:reading root chakraintuitionfeminine energyenhanced creativitynavigating mind on overdrivebenefits of a wild woman embodiment practice for spiritual alignmentpractical advice and actionable stepsdeep dive into personal transformation and energetic clarity00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:47 Starting the Seer Reading with Amy01:29 Encountering a House Ward03:38 Massive Growth Cycle12:49 Channeling and Father's Message17:07 Clearing Energy Blocks32:51 Invisibility and Career Reflections37:14 Understanding Emotional Defense Mechanisms37:58 The Process of Opening the Heart Chakra38:39 Learning to Receive Love from Strangers39:52 Addressing Grief and Emotional Release41:03 Exploring Identity and Self-Perception01:01:29 Embracing the Wild Feminine Self01:11:08 Navigating Empathy and Boundaries01:14:51 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsKeywords:seer readingspiritual energy reviewtransformational shamanempath healingfeminine embodimentchakra alignmentspiritual coachingidentity crisisspiritual awakeningancestral messagesspiritual growth journeyhealing from griefintuitive developmentenergy field readingLicensing and Credits:“Spirit Sherpa” is the sole property of Kelle Sparta Enterprises and is distributed under a Creative Commons: BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. For more information about this licensing, please go to www.creativecommons.org. Any requests for deviations to this licensing should be sent to kelle@kellesparta.com. To sign up for, or get more information on the programs, offerings, and services referenced in this episode, please go to www.kellesparta.com.
The director Steven Soderbergh has just released his second film of 2025: the spy thriller "Black Bag," starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett. In January 2024, Soderbergh spoke with host Gilbert Cruz about some of the more than 80 books that he read in the previous year. (This episode is a rerun.)Books discussed:"How to Live: A Life of Montaigne," by Sarah Bakewell"Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining,'" by Lee Unkrich and J.W. Rinzler"Cocktails with George and Martha," by Philip GefterThe work of Donald E. Westlake"Americanah," by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie"Pictures From an Institution," by Randall Jarrell"Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will," by Robert M. Sapolsky Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life. Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there are some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Earthdivers and I Was a Teenage Slasher. His new book, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.In this episode, we introduce the Spring Reading Challenge, a fun and seasonal way to refresh your TBR with three easy prompts. Victoria shares recommended books for each prompt, designed to help you embrace new beginnings, personal growth, and diverse reading experiences. We also highlight the 2025 Spring Reading Guide, featuring 27 curated books across eight categories.Find the Spring Reading Guide on Substack at Bibliolifestyle.substack.com for even more recommendations.
Every year on the Modern Mrs Darcy blog, Anne shares a post about what's saving her life right now, and today she's joined by team member Shannan Malone to talk about what's saving their reading lives lately. Shannan is our What Should I Read Next Patreon community manager, and also our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club co-host. Today, she and Anne explore the books and habits that are making their reading lives feel good at the moment. While preparing for this conversation, we also reached out to our Patreon community members and invited them to share what's saving their reading lives right now. We loved reading all of those responses, and we've woven a few of those comments into this episode. Shannan and Anne wrap up today by touching on what's saving their lives beyond their reading lives, too. We hope you'll hear an idea or two that helps support your reading life, or share your own observations by leaving a comment over at our show notes page. You'll find that at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/465. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reading more books isn't just about time—it's about making better choices. I'll explain why it's okay to stop reading books you don't love, how to handle a book when it gets boring, and how to find books that match your goals and interests. Let's make reading enjoyable again.Send Me a Text Message with Your QuestionsIMPORTANT LINKS:
Jeff talks to Nnedi Okorafor about her life as a reader. Her new book, Death of the Author, is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're back and kicking off 2025 with our annual Superlatives episode. Today, we're excited to highlight stand-out books from 2024. We've got eight superlatives lined up that highlight our favorites, least favorites and everything in between. Plus, we're looking back on our podcasting journey through 2024 and give you some behind-the-scenes insight to our reading lives. Stick around because we've got two big announcements to wrap things up! Special Announcement (Timestamp 58:20) Link to Announcement video on Patreon Books Mentioned The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton Les Miserables by Victor Hugo James by Percival Everett Martyr by Kaveh Akbar Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst The Wedding by Dorthy West Taiwan Travelogue by Shuang-Zi Yang Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio Private Rites by Julia Armfield Salt Slow by Julia Armfield Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr Emma by Jane Austen Say You'll Be Mine by Nayina Kumar Come and Get It by Kiley Reid Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Quarterlife by Devika Regge Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver The God of the Woods by Liz Moore Sandwich by Katherine Newman Blue Sisters by Coco Melores Also Mentioned Classics We Love & Loathe Episodes Fiction Matters Paperback Summer Reading Guide Liz Moore on New York Times Podcast
Have you winterized your reading life yet? In today's episode, I'm sharing concrete ways to winterize your reading life: to protect and prepare it for the winter season of reading. We'll chat about how to winterize your reading habits, your TBR stack and the ways you connect with other readers over this season, too. You'll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here: https://www.alitlife.com/2025/01/14/how-to-winterize-your-reading-life/ Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Substack community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You'll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co. Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try: https://amzn.to/44wELKN If you'd like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store: https://www.zazzle.com/store/alitlife All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website: http://www.alitlife.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AffinitoLit Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AffinitoLit Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/AffinitoLit
At the start of a new year, we are overwhelmed with the phrase “New Year, new you!” And of course, we want to be better wives, better mothers, and better people. This desire to improve ourselves filters into our reading lives, too. It's easy to justify a lot of our reading if it helps us be better for our families and communities. But what about reading for fun? What about reading fiction? When you're a busy mom, is it worth it to carve out time to read just for the fun of it? And how would you even make that time?But reading for delight is like stopping for water on a long, dusty hike. It's a lifesource for us mamas. Today, RAR Community Manager Kelsey Murphy joins me to talk about how to be refreshed by your reading life.In this episode, you'll hear: How stories nourish us in essential waysWhy you have to give yourself permission to quit books that aren't working for youThe way reframing reading for pleasure will help you make time and model a rich reading life for your kidsLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/you-can-be-refreshed To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium.
Books aren't just a way to escape—they can be tools for real transformation. In this episode, I'll share how I'm using Harry Potter and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to learn French. I'll explain why stories are such a powerful resource for language learning and reflect on how books can help us change the way we live.Send Me a Text Message with Your QuestionsSupport the showIMPORTANT LINKS:
This was my favorite 2024 episode of First Edition, so I thought I'd repost it for you this holiday week. Join me to explore the reading life of U.S. National Poet Laureate Ada Limón. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, edited by Ada Limón In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limón, illustrated by Peter Sis. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I've spent years refining a simple, intentional morning reading routine, and in this episode, I'm sharing what works for me and why it might work for you. I'll walk you through why morning routines are so powerful, what I do each morning, and how this practice has shaped my life. The message is clear: it's not about what's in your routine but that you do it every day with purpose.Send Me a Text Message with Your QuestionsSupport the showIMPORTANT LINKS:
2:00 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 2:26 - @thewilltoread on Instagram 3:55 - Currently Reading Zazzle store 3:58 - Scary Books Are My Jam mug 5:47 - Our Current Reads 6:03 - The Blueprint by Rae Giana Rasha (Bill) 7:30 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjeh-Brenyah 8:03 - Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley 8:05 - Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 9:31 - The Road by Cormac McCarthy 11:57 - The Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (Meredith) 13:26 - The Novel Neighbor 15:30 - The Girls from Corona Del Mar by Rufi Thorpe (Bill, amazon link)) 16:55 - Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe 18:38 - The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe 19:20 - First Contact by Kim Harrison (Meredith, amazon link) 23:00 - Contact by Carl Sagan 23:59 - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell (Bill) 27:32 - Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 27:36 - The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell 28:20 - Instructions for a Heat Wave by Maggie O'Farrell 29:22 - The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden (Meredith) 30:33 - Booker Longlist 2024 30:59 - Booth by Karen Joy Fowler 33:13 - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 33:15 - Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill 33:17 - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati 34:32 - Deep Dive: Bill's Reading Life 35:42 - Currently Reading Patreon 36:18 - Ms. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien 36:30 - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'engle 38:48 - Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and John Rutherford (translator) 38:48 - The Shining by Stephen King 39:56 - The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson 41:17 - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah 41:20 - The Storyteller by Dave Grohl 41:26 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 41:38 - @bookishbetsie on Instagram 47:18 - Dune by Frank Herbert 48:08 - The Road by Cormac McCarthy 48:44 - Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 49:11 - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan 49:41 - Meet Us At The Fountain 49:47 - I wish you'd go into a book blind more often. (Bill) 50:18 I wish that more men would read out loud and find bookish community. (Meredith) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. September's IPL comes to us from Bright Side Bookshop in Flagstaff, Arizona! Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!