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On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: poolside reading and friends who know your reading tastes Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: it's finally time to let you know the bookish friends' best books of 2024! 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) . . . . 2:30 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 6:42 - Our Current Reads 6:47 - Tempest by Beverly Jenkins (Kaytee) 10:31 - Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Meredith) 19:41 - The Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb (Kaytee) 19:56 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 21:40 - Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb 24:19 - Campfires & Corpses by Nikki Weber (Meredith) 28:10 - Woodworking by Emily St. James (Kaytee) 28:45 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 31:59 - This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead (Meredith) 37:33 - Bookish Friends' Best Books of 2024 40:11 - The Women by Kristen Hannah (#4) 40:13 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (#4) 40:17 - Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being In Love by isthisselfcare (#4) 40:40 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (#3) 40:45 - Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (#1) 40:47 - All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (#1) 43:36 - James by Percival Everett 43:37 - Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy 43:38 - The Wedding People by Alison Espach 44:35 - In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn 44:57 - The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin 45:13 - All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby 45:30 - You Are Here by David Nicholls 45:31 - The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali 45:47 - Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner 46:23 - The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (#1 disliked) 46:26 - The Fury by Alex Michalides (#2 disliked) 46:30 - Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (#3 disliked) 46:33 - The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (#3 disliked) 46:47 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang 46:48 - Starling House by Alix E. Harrow 46:56 - I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid 47:05 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 47:13 - The Husbands by Holly Gramazio 47:15 - All This and More by Peng Shepherd 47:30 - The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett 49:18 - What Happened to Nina by Dervla McTiernan 50:13 - Meet Us At The Fountain 50:17 - I wish to press This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch by Tabitha Carvan. (Kaytee) 50:19 - This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch by Tabitha Carvan 52:38 - Shawnathemom on Instagram 54:31 - I wish book slumps weren't a thing. (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. May's IPL is a new indie to the rotation - Dog Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. 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!
When someone steals a Black classical violinist's priceless family heirloom on the eve of the most important competition of his career, he must unravel a web of greed, racism, and long-buried secrets to reclaim his rightful legacy. The Violin Conspiracy is a gripping mystery that explores the power of music, resilience, and the fight for justice in a world that refuses to see his worth. Let's get LIT!
The New York Times calls Brendan Slocumb "the maestro of mystery," and we couldn't agree more! One year after the release of THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY, Brendan visited Crime Time to talk with our magnificent Hank Phillippi Ryan about his latest suspenseful novel, SYMPHONY OF SECRETS. Hosted by Trisha Blanchet
I'm offering a FREE Five Day Challenge starting March 25. Seeking Work-Life Balance, for the WORKING, LIVING Musician. We'll meet on zoom (or you'll enjoy the replay) every day to look at how you could intentionally rebalance your pillars of MONEY, TIME, and JOY and thrive in your creative career! Register here Today you'll hear my interview with Brendan Slocumb, whose life was changed by the books he wrote during the pandemic! I read the Violin Conspiracy a year or so ago, on the recommendation of a non-musical friend. When your thriller, based in the world of classical music, is picked up and enjoyed by people outside of our insular little world, and when it has something really important to say about money and family and race and music and about the world we live in now - that is something we should all be paying attention to! Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in music education, concentrations on Violin and Viola. For the past two decades, he has been a public and private school music educator from kindergarten through twelfth grade, teaching general music, orchestra and guitar ensembles. His students were often chosen for district and regional orchestras. In 2005, Brendan was named Teacher of the Year for Robert E. Lee High School; he has been named to Who's Who of American teachers, and is a Nobel Teacher of distinction. Brendan also serves as an educational consultant for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Music has always played a major part of Brendan's life. He believes that it's a life-saving force, and a gift we should always offer our children. When he was nine, he started playing violin through a public school music program. Friends he grew up with are today sitting in jail; when they were out running the streets, he was in rehearsals. When they were breaking into people's houses, he was practicing Dvorak and Mozart. His violin opened the door to opportunity, and he ran through it. Since then, Brendan has performed with the Washington Metropolitan Symphony, the McLean Symphony, the Prince George's Philharmonic, and the Alexandria Symphony. He has served as the concertmaster for the NOVA-Annandale Symphony Orchestra and regularly performs chamber music with members of the Alexandria Chamber Music Society. He maintains a private music studio teaching lessons to students on violin, guitar and piano. Brendan believes that everyone can learn to appreciate and love music, and that it can be a new way of communicating, building bonds, and connecting with people who may look, sound, or speak differently. In 2022, Brendan published his first novel, THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY (Anchor Books), a GMA Book Club Pick, the riveting story of a young Black musician who discovers that his old family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius: when it's stolen on the eve of the world's most prestigious classical music competition, he risks everything to get it back. In 2023, Brendan published his second novel, SYMPHONY OF SECRETS (Anchor Books), about a music historian who discovers that the world's greatest composer may have stolen the music from a neurodivergent Black woman – and the powers-that-be will do anything to silence the historian. Brendan is now at work on his third novel, to be published in early 2025. You can find Brendan at his website, or follow him on Instagram @brendanslocumb Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review! Thanks for joining me on Crushing Classical! Theme music by DreamVance. You can join my email list HERE, so you never miss an episode! I help people to lean into their creative careers and start or grow their income streams. You can read more or hop onto a short discovery call from my website. I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there!
The Kirkwood Library's One Author One Kirkwood event featured bestselling author Brendan Slocumb. This week's podcast contains clips from the evening. Alvin Reid was the moderator. He and Brendan discussed the two titles, The Violin Conspiracy and The Symphony of Secrets. It was a wonderful, fun-filled night. Listen to learn more about Brendan and his two novels.
Sarah and Cynthia discuss the novel The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. Join us in The Reading Lounge while we discuss this episode's book of choice and enjoy the signature cocktail. Symphony 2 oz Gin 1 oz Fresh lemon juice .5 oz Triple Sec 1 oz Cranberry Juice (we used 100% cranberry juice - use juice cocktail if you like your libations a bit sweeter) Mix in a shaker with ice and garnish with a lemon twist
Sara and Katie enjoy a glass of wine and chat about Brendan Slocumb's beautiful debut, The Violin Conspiracy.
Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Hannah Gabel, Literary Director of the Texas Book Festival (TBF). Gabel, who joined TBF in March of 2023, discussed the process for selecting authors for the festival which is being held November 11 -12. She also shared some of her favorite books including BABEL by R. F. Kuong and THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY by Brendan Slocumb, and we also talked about her popular Instagram account bookmarkparty.Diverse Voices Book Review Social Media:Facebook - @diversevoicesbookreviewInstagram - @diverse_voices_book_reviewTwitter - @diversebookshayEmail: hbh@diversevoicesbookreview.com
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 & you can read our affiliate disclosure here. I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with the incredibly talented Fiona Davis, author of the upcoming novel The Spectacular. Set in New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall, this mesmerizing tale follows a determined woman who defies her father's wishes to chase her dream of becoming a Rockette. Fiona shares her inspiration and amazing firsthand resources, revealing the sisterhood she uncovered while researching for her captivating book.For fellow book lovers, Fiona generously offers two fantastic recommendations to add to your reading list: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, a thrilling story of a black classical musician on the search for his stolen Stradivarius, and Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison, a perfect beach read set in the past with a strong female lead. Happy Reading!SHOWNOTES AND BOOK LINKShttp://WhattoReadNextBlog.comCheck out our YouTube Channel;https://www.whattoreadnextblog.com/youtubeMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/sunnyLicense code: 0RDRBKGH6NGQCAXR
In his new novel, “Symphony of Secrets,” Brendan Slocumb once again tucks a mystery inside a musical thriller. But underscoring the plot are some big questions about our culture. Whose music gets heard and honored? Who gets to claim the ownership and rewards of a song? And who gets to tell the story of how that music came to be? Slocumb's protagonist is Bern Hendricks, a musicologist thrilled to be given the chance to authenticate a just discovered opera, attributed to his musical hero, Frederick Delaney. But as he investigates the long missing masterpiece, Hendricks uncovers the true source of Delaney's genius — a neurodivergent Black woman named Josephine Reed, who was never credited for her work. Will he be able to right history's wrongs? Or will the powerful musical establishment erase Reed's genius a second time? Slocumb's debut novel, “The Violin Conspiracy,” was a book club favorite. This week, Slocumb returned to Big Books and Bold Ideas to talk with MPR News host Kerri Miller about the messy ways music is written and how to decipher the line between borrowed and stolen. Guest: Brendan Slocumb is a musician, a music educator, a novelist and host of the podcast, “How Music Can Save Your Life.” His latest book is “Symphony of Secrets.” Use the audio player above to listen to the conversation. Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations.
Novelist Brendan Slocumb joins us to discuss Symphony of Secrets (Anchor, April 18), a vibrant musical mystery from the author of The Violin Conspiracy (2022). Kirkus: “A scholar discovers his favorite composer's secret in this page-turning thriller….Sophomore novels don't get much better than this” (starred review). Then our editors join with their reading recommendations for the week.
In Episode 139, Brendan Slocumb talks about his sophomore novel, Symphony of Secrets, and the inspiration behind it. He shares a fascinating look into musical history of the 1920's, his unique approach to writing musical thrillers, and how he balances musical detail with readability. He also delves into the exploitation of musicians in the industry and how many are simply lost to history. Plus, stick around to hear Brendan's book recommendations. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights The story behind Symphony of Secrets and the composer who partially inspired it. Brendan's unique approach to writing and his goal to become the “Stephen King of musical thrillers.” The pressure of writing a second book so soon after such a successful debut (The Violin Conspiracy). How Brendan blends musical analysis and character development without overwhelming the reader while staying true to the story. The exploitation and appropriation of musicians and their work in the music industry. Why he chose to make a main character neurodivergent and his experience with teaching neurodivergent music students. His inspiration for the badass character Eboni. The title changes for both of his books, including the original title for Symphony of Secrets. A bit about his upcoming third book and a potential fourth book in the future. Brendan's Book Recommendations [28:38] Two OLD Books He Loves A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:51] Riker's Calling by Rico Lamoureux | Amazon [30:08] Two NEW Books He Loves Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:15] Sea Change by Gina Chung | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:54] One NEW RELEASE He's Excited About Closer by Sea by Perry Chafe (May 23, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:54] Last 5-Star Book Brendan Read Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:32] Other Books Mentioned Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb [0:56] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [1:03] Don't Know Tough by Eli Cranor [31:47] Other Links Currently Reading Podcast | Minisode: An Interview with “The Violin Conspiracy” Author Brendan Slocumb About Brendan Slocumb Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok Brendan Slocumb was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and holds a degree in music education (with concentrations in violin and viola) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. For more than twenty years he has been a public and private school music educator and has performed with orchestras throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Brendan Slocumb has a seat in the hyperspace universe of the Zoom Damn Library to talk his new historical musical thriller Symphony of Secrets, and of course some Violin Conspiracy, getting into creating a world of historical music, how his violin discipline helps him as a writer, and more. Plus, he gets to talk up his debut panel friend Eli Cranor's Ozark Dogs, and how the literary world has welcomed him. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: book therapy and reading as cardio Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: planning a reading retreat with all the details The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 1:41 - Bookish Moment of the Week 1:57 - Better Help (go to another podcast you love to get a referral code if you're interested!) This one is my personal referral 4:25 - Drowning by TJ Newman 4:30 - All Things Murderful is a Currently Reading Patreon Benefit 4:47 - Falling by TJ Newman 6:55 - Current Reads 7:00 - Platonic by Marisa G. Franco (Kaytee) 7:23 - The Life Council by Laura Tremaine 11:58 - Red Clocks by Leni Zumas (Meredith) 14:31 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 16:21 - Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray (Kaytee) 19:34 - The Black Cat Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin (Meredith) 19:41 - Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin 20:01 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 24:43 - Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (Kaytee) 24:58 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 27:14 - Sarah's Bookshelves 28:09 - All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Meredith) 33:07 - Gretchen Rubin's post about guard shadows 34:05 - Reading Retreat Reconnaissance 39:34 - Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson 44:46 - Snackle Box 50:46 - The Life Council by Laura Tremaine 50:48 - Platonic by Marisa G. Franco 57:18 - Meredith's Mug Warmers 59:44 - Death at the Dive Bar Game 1:02:30 - Meet Us At The Fountain 1:02:46 - I wish for a “Reading Blinders” invention (Kaytee) 1:03:01 - Book Neck Light 1:03:03 - Noise Canceling Headphones 1:05:05 - I wish that other readers could deeply explore a book you love together (Meredith) 1:05:13 - Journey to Three Pines debuts on Friday! 1:05:40 - Still Life by Louise Penny Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading
Fresh off his successful debut and Good Morning America Book Club pick “The Violin Conspiracy,” Brendan Slocumb is back with his next classical music mystery – “Symphony of Secrets.”
In Episode 138, author Rebecca Makkai discusses I Have Some Questions for You, her latest novel that explores societal issues such as racism and wrongful incarceration through the lens of a crime story. This was a five-star book for me and looks to be *the book* of 2023 so far! Rebecca shared how she engaged with readers using click-bait style headlines and created a sense of intimacy through the second-person point of view. She also goes behind the scenes of how she pitches her new book ideas to her agent and publisher. Plus, Rebecca gives us her book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights A spoiler-free glimpse into her latest book, I Have Some Questions for You. What inspired her to start writing the book, including the initial wave of the #MeToo movement and the public's fascination with true crime. Insider knowledge about when she shares her work with agents and publishers. How she blended elements of crime within her literary fiction novel. How she uses click-bait style headlines to draw readers in from the opening of the book and throughout the story. Why Rebecca used the second-person point of view and how that created an intimate connection between readers and the protagonist. How she used student testimony and gossip to shape the narrative and delve into issues such as racism, sexism, and abuse. How she reconciled the viewpoints of the '90s with modern perspectives in her novel. A sneak peek of what Rebecca has planned next, including a hint about her upcoming book, and learn about her 84 Books Project. Rebecca's Book Recommendations [30:43] Two OLD Books She Loves The Door by Magda Szabó | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:57] We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:32] Two NEW Books She Loves If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:34] The Guest Lecture by Martin Riker | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:06] A Book With Which She Has a Complicated Relationship London Fields by Martin Amis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:11] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine (June 13, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:52] Last 5-Star Book Rebecca Read Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:09] Other Books Mentioned The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai [1:05] The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai [1:58] The Hundred-Year House by Rebecca Makkai [2:01] Music for Wartime by Rebecca Makkai [2:02] The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht [7:01] All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay [9:43] When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain [12:09] The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson [34:29] The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson [34:39] The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan [42:02] Time's Arrow by Martin Amis [42:47] Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy [45:39] The Upstairs House by Julia Fine [48:02] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [48:51] The Ensemble by Aja Gable [48:53] About Rebecca Makkai Website| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Substack Rebecca Makkai is the author of the novels I Have Some Questions for You, The Great Believers, The Hundred-Year House, and The Borrower, and the story collection Music for Wartime. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, The Great Believers received an American Library Association Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, among other honors, and was named one of the Ten Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times. A 202 Guggenheim fellow, Makkai is on the MFA faculties of the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe and Northwestern University, and is the artistic director of StoryStudio Chicago. She lives on the campus of the midwestern boarding school where her husband teaches, and in Vermont.
Welcome to the Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement I've got BIG NEWS! If you've been interested in joining our Patreon Community, but have yet to sign up — a 30-day free trial starts today! This is for new patrons only and sign-up continues for the next 7 days. Hurry and check out my Patreon page for more information! One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here! Highlights We have some debut authors and a few sophomore novels — one 14 years in the making! Catherine's picks are still leaning more literary, including getting herself into a 700+ page book! Sarah's spring has a variety of genres and micro genres. Two books Sarah has already read and loved from spring selections. Plus, their #1 picks for spring. Spring 2023 Book Preview [5:19] April Sarah's Picks: The One by Julia Argy (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:01] Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:00] The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants by Orlando Ortega-Medina (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:08] If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:00] Catherine's Picks: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:43] The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:48] Searching for Savanna by Mona Gable (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:08] May Sarah's Picks: Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:35] The Marriage Act by John Marrs (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:22] Catherine's Picks: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:52] Dances by Nicole Cuffy (May 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:56] The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (May 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:16] Other Books Mentioned The One by John Marrs [8:32] One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London [10:17] The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun [10:27] Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal [10:59] The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal [12:52] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [14:32] The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris [21:46] All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay [22:17] Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann [25:25] Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [27:14] This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper [28:14] Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese [30:59] A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara [31:48] Watergate by Garrett M. Graff [31:58] Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner [34:23] The Passengers by John Marrs [41:19] Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell [43:17] The Guncle by Steven Rowley [46:18] The Editor by Steven Rowley [46:32]
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: a deliciously beautiful book subscription and some middle-marriage mayhem Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we are trying a new Boss My TBR Segment! The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 2:19 - Currently Reading Patreon 3:44 - Bookish Moment of the Week 4:01 - Fairy Loot Book Only Box Adult and YA 4:21 - Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim 5:04 - Scythe Series Three Book Set by Neal Shusterman 5:25 - Cinder by Marissa Meyer 9:43 - The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 10:31 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck 11:16 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas 11:18 - Current Reads 11:29 - Laura Tremaine 11:38 - Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson (Kaytee) 14:00 - Jason's Birthday Carrot Cake Recipe 14:05 - Sour Cream Apology Cake Recipe 14:45 - Black Cake Recipe 15:41 - Aurora by David Koepp (Meredith) 20:45 - Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood (Kaytee) 20:54 - The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood 20:56 - S4E21 Our Top Ten Books 24:47 - Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes (Meredith) 24:51 - A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes 27:00 - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 32:39 - For Every One by Jason Reynolds (Kaytee) 35:43 - All That is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay (Meredith) 37:44 - Defending Jacob by William Landay 39:19 - The Local by Joey Hartstone 39:32 - Elizabeth Robinson Barnhill Meredith's co-host for All Things Murderful (patron content) 40:10 - Deep Dive: Boss My TBR #1 40:18 - S3E6 Are You Book Bossy? We Are! 41:35 - Kiara's Books: 41:46 - The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 41:54 - Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo 41:57 - Light from Uncommon Stars by Rya Aoki 42:01 - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 42:04 - The Change by Kirsten Miller 44:17 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 47:32 - Shawnna's Books: 47:40 - 11/22/63 by Steven King 47:42 - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry 47:44 - Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler 47:46 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 47:49 - The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer 50:31 - Meet Us At The Fountain 50:39 - I wish everyone would follow goodreads_reviews on IG (Kaytee) 51:04 - Anne of Green Gables by LMM Montgomery 51:10 - All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox 51:29 - Lobinzona by Romina Garber 51:56 - I wish The Treehouse Series starting with The 13 Story Treehouse by Andy Griffith for MG would be more widely read (Meredith) Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading
Today we hear from Matt Witten, a TV writer turned novelist, as he shares his journey to becoming a successful writer. From promising himself to keep writing during a challenging time in his life, to writing for hit TV shows and getting published, Matt's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion. He shares insights into the TV writing process and his experience writing novels, including his latest project for the Hallmark mystery channel. Discover the discipline and love that drives Matt to write every day. Plus, a look at Brendan Slocomb's novel, The Violin Conspiracy. Hear my thoughts on the mystery surrounding the stolen violin and the backstory that makes it an even better book. Buy "Killer Story" by Matt Witten: https://amzn.to/3E1cQYv Buy "The Violin Conspiracy" by Brendan Solcumb: https://amzn.to/3xlYVc4 _ Produced by the Greenville Podcast Company. Books & Looks is a project of Views on Books.
In episode 15, we feature The Violin Conspiracy, by Brendan Slocumb, and; The Haunting of Aveline Jones, by Phil HickesVisit our Bookshop.org site for all our featured books!For today's Hot Writing Tip, we talk about how to be on the look out for word tics and filler words in your manuscript. Support the showWebsite: https://www.writerswithwrinkles.net/Threads: @WritersWithWrinklesInsta: @WritersWithWrinklesTwitter: @BethandLisaPodSupport Writers With Wrinkles - become a subscriberEmail: Beth@BethMcMullenBooks.comWriters with Wrinkles Link Tree for more!
Katie Gutierrez joins me for a spoiler-free discussion of her debut novel, More Than You'll Ever Know, which is a character study about a complex and fascinating woman behind a highly unusual crime. This is a deeply layered story touching on topics surrounding gender, motherhood, marriage, and the current fascination with true crime. Also, Katie shares her book recommendations — including 3 upcoming new releases! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights The incredible true story that was Katie's original inspiration for this book. The author Anaïs Nin's role in developing More Than You'll Ever Know. Katie's thoughts on writing a strong, but polarizing female character. How Katie incorporated motherhood and perceptions of motherhood into the story. What it was like marketing, and choosing a cover for, this unique genre mash-up of a book. Plus, Katie shares a bit about her next book! Katie's Book Recommendations [30:40] Two OLD Books She Loves Shadows of Pecan Hollow by Caroline Frost | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:01] Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:19] Two NEW Books She Loves The Girls in Queens by Christine Kandic Torres | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:25] Beasts of the Earth by James Wade | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:03] One Book She Didn't Love Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:40] Three NEW RELEASES She's Excited About Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine (June 13, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:56] Carmen and Grace by Melissa Coss Aquino (April 4, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:01] The Night Flowers by Sara Herchenroether (May 2, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:11] Last 5-Star Book Katie Read The Revivalists by Christopher M. Hood | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:21] Other Books Mentioned The Diary of Others: The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin, 1955-1966 by Anaïs Nin [6:29] Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins-Reid [11:29] Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward [32:29] Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë [37:04] In Cold Blood by Truman Capote [38:36] The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab [40:34] Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia [40:41] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [40:48] Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor [48:05] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton [49:34] About Katie Gutierrez Website | Twitter | Instagram Katie Gutierrez is the author of the national bestselling debut novel More Than You'll Ever Know, which is also a Good Morning America Book Club pick for June 2022. She is a National Magazine Award finalist whose writing has appeared in TIME, Harper's Bazaar, The Washington Post, Longreads, and more. She has an MFA from Texas State University and lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and their two kids.
When authors and readers come together, it's always a good time, and today's episode is no exception.Today, we're sharing our recent Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club conversation with Brendan Slocumb, who joined us in January to discuss his musical thriller (and our January 2023 book club pick), The Violin Conspiracy. You might recognize Brendan from Episode 351, Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks! as part of that excellent panel discussion with Tia Williams, Andrew Sean Greer, and TJ Klune.Today, Brendan is back to chat with Anne, our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club Community Manager, Ginger Horton, and our Book Club co-host, Shannan Malone. Our conversation today covers a whole range of topics, from music to comic books, and of course we ask about Brendan's recent reads and his future novels. Whether or not you've read (or want to read) The Violin Conspiracy, you'll love listening in to our (spoiler-free!) conversation today. Find the list of titles and other resources mentioned today in our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/366.If our conversation with Brendan today has you thinking more, please, we'd love to have you join us for ALL our author chats over in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, our gathering spot for readers of all ages, and home to classes, conversation, and community. Come on over and say hello.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Elizabeth and Sir Walter give Anne a tour of the house in Bath. Mr. Elliot comes to visit and charms the whole family. Distant cousins of noble rank cause a stir in the Elliot household. Sir Walter's favorite hobby is people watching and counting how many beautiful faces he sees. What we're reading/watching/listening to: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, Either/Or by Elif Batuman, When we Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut, Annie Ernaux, Sister Wives We have a twitter! We have a TikTok! Email us: Janeaustenculturenight@gmail.com Hosted by Laurel Nakai and Akina Cox Music and Production by Laurel Nakai Artwork by Akina Cox Music in Ad by JuliusH
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are sharing our top ten reads of 2022! Can you guess where we overlap? This is a GREAT stack of books and we are so thrilled to share it with you. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 2:31 - Currently Reading Patreon 6:41 - Send your questions for Meredith and Roxanna to currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com by JANUARY 4 7:09 - Our 2022 Reading Recap 13:00 - CR Season 5: Episode 20 18:11 - NetGalley 25:23 - Kindle Oasis 27:25 - Book Darts 29:02 - Murder at Black Oaks by Philip Margolin (Meredith's lowest rated read) 29:13 - The Harbor by Katrina Engberg (Meredith's 2nd lowest rated read) 29:58 - Children of the New World by Alexander Weinstein (Kaytee's lowest rated read) 30:05 - PangoBooks 30:36 - The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye (Kaytee's 2nd lowest rated read) 33:50 - Our Top Ten Ranked Reads of 2022 33:58 - Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert (Meredith) 35:04 - Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel (Kaytee) 35:21 - Circe by Madeline Miller 35:22 - Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 35:23 - The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd 36:11 - The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Meredith) 37:21 - World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Kaytee) 38:37 - The Appeal by Janice Hallett (Meredith) 40:59 - Breathe and Count Back From Ten by Natalia Sylvester (Kaytee) 41:04 - CR Season 5: Episode 14 42:41 - The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher (Meredith) 46:14 - The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (Kaytee) 48:09 - The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier (Meredith) 48:17 - The Popcast 51:11 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (Kaytee) 52:57 - In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden (Meredith) 55:58 - I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt (Kaytee) 57:32 - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (Meredith) 1:00:06 - Love and Saffron by Kim Fay 1:00:07 - A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers 1:00:08 - A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna 1:00:13 - Downton Shabby by Hopwood DePree 1:01:15 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Kaytee) 1:02:10 - An Unlikely Story 1:03:05 - A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (Meredith) 1:04:53 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb (Kaytee) 1:07:20 - Babel by RF Kuang (Meredith #2, Kaytee #1) 1:14:32 - An Immense World by Ed Yong (Kaytee #2) 1:16:13 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (Meredith #1) Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading
Brendan Slocumb talks about The Violin Conspiracy, the impact of racism, his writing process, and how his rigorous musical training prepared him for publishing.
When a great-great-grandfather's violin turns out to be a Stradivarius, a rural Black child's future opens up. Author Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb joins host Krys Boyd to talk about his novel, “The Violin Conspiracy.” It's a thriller, which explores class and race in contemporary classical music circles and involves the theft and ransom of a treasured instrument, a family inheritance called into question.
Our 2022 year-end reading roundup continues today with our Best Books of 2022 Genre Awards with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and we have a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Backlist Read in 2022, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, this year I'm sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah's Bookshelves Live Patreon community! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Check out my 2022 Holiday Gift Guide! My 2023 Reading Tracker is out! This year, the Tracker will ONLY be available to $7/month Superstars patrons (i.e., I will no longer be selling it for $14.99 here on my website). Learn more about the Tracker here and become a Superstars Patron to purchase here! Highlights My thoughts on 2022 for the podcast — including top episodes based on download stats. Overview of Susie's and Sarah's 2022 year in reading — including trends and stats. Favorite books of the year: overall and by genre, including the SBL Patreon Community's picks. 2022 Genre Awards [18:13] Sarah The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:42] Finding Me by Viola Davis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:18] The Golden Season by Madeline Kay Sneed | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:39] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:19] Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:36] Dilettante by Dana Brown | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:35] Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:27] Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:53] Bad City by Paul Pringle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:27] Never Simple by Liz Sheier | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:20] The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:01] Upgrade by Blake Crouch | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:52] More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:22] The One by John Marrs | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:51] Susie Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:04] Solito by Javier Zamora | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:53] Vladimir by Julia May Jonas | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:15] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:53] Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:10] Cover Story by Susan Rigetti | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:21] Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:16] Trust by Hernan Diaz | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:16] Dilettante by Dana Brown | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:45] Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:57] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:24] The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:59] The Change by Kirsten Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:07] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:57] Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:48] All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:44] We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:49] The Storyteller by Dave Grohl | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:03:08] Patrons Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:06] Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:14] Finding Me by Viola Davis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:41] Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:11] Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:21] Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:17] Bad City by Paul Pringle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:53] Finding Me by Viola Davis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:33] Book Lovers by Emily Henry | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:06] Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:36] The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:31] Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:46] Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:23] Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris | Amazon | Bookshop.org [55:43] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:00] All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:04] Beartown by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:03:54] Other Books Mentioned Love & Saffron by Kim Fay [9:41] People Person by Candice Carty-Williams [9:51] Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley [11:09] Flight by Lynn Steger Strong [11:12] Trespasses by Louise Kennedy [11:13] The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab [20:45] The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller [20:53] Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid [23:36] The Winners by Fredrik Backman [23:47] Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott [25:50] I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy [25:57] Honor by Thrity Umrigar [29:40] Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson [29:50] The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka [29:53] Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [30:44] Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt [35:47] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [39:17] The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell [42:04] These Precious Days by Ann Patchett [43:38] How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, LPC [44:42] Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid [47:13] Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez [49:19] The Bodyguard by Katherine Center [49:22] Dark Matter by Blake Crouch [50:02] Recursion by Blake Crouch [50:03] The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger [51:50] How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu [52:22] Babel by R. F. Huang [52:42] A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross [53:55] The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna [54:03] Hide by Kiersten White [54:25] Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon [55:38] Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez [57:54] The Cartographers by Peng Shepard [58:14] The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes [1:00:27] The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes [1:00:31] Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow [1:02:24] These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant [1:04:20] Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh [1:04:36] Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer [1:04:44]
It's time for the most fun episode of the year: SECRET SANTA! In typical fashion, Kayla's coming in hot with evidence, Libby has thoughts, Emily has suspicions, and Becky has no idea. We've got some great books and some great mysteries lined up for you, so enjoy the holiday chaos :) and don't forget to read The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb for Emily's final fan club book club pick, coming up on January 3 in the new year. Thanks for listening! Grab your BATC merch (perfect stocking stuffers!) here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we've discussed on this episode and past episodes at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Check out our website for more information about the fan club, any anything else at https://www.booksandthecitypod.com. You can also subscribe to our newsletter there, and send us a note at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com-------------> Emily's pick: All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami (17:50-26:49) https://www.europaeditions.com/book/9781609456993/all-the-lovers-in-the-night On Emily's TBR: Breast and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami Libby's pick: Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun (27:50-42:43) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Kiss-Her-Once-for-Me/Alison-Cochrun/9781982191139 On Libby's TBR: Milkman by Anna Burns Becky's pick: The Cloisters by Katy Hays (42:53-51:37) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Cloisters/Katy-Hays/9781668004401 On Becky's TBR: The Circus Train by Amita Parikh Kayla's pick: Anxious People by Frederik Backman (51:38-58:56) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Anxious-People/Fredrik-Backman/9781501160844 On Kayla's TBR: The Family Game by Catherine Steadman Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions are our own.
Hey! Don't forget to stop by Ink48 Hotel in Hell's Kitchen this holiday season to donate your gently used books, so that Book Fairies can help redistribute them to underserved communities in NYC & Long Island. Also, join Emily in the New Year to discuss her (last!!!) book club pick, The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. After these announcements, we're chatting (for too long) about our Spotify Wrapped, including plenty of conspiracy theories. And after all that: the books :) today, it's a buzzy pop culture novel, a play, historical fiction, and a weird but great kind of fantasy situation. Thank youuu for listening! You can get your BATC merch (perfect stocking stuffers!) here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we've discussed on this episode and past episodes at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Check out our website for more information about the fan club, any anything else at https://www.booksandthecitypod.com. You can also subscribe to our newsletter there, and send us a note at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com-------------> Kayla's pick: Anon Pls. by Deuxmoi (20:52-33:00) https://www.harpercollins.com/products/anon-pls-deuxmoi?variant=40169936257058 On Kayla's TBR: Angels of the Pacific by Elise Hopper Emily's pick: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee (33:01-42:28) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/295009/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf-by-edward-albee/ On Emily's TBR: Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin Becky's pick: The Wilder Women by Ruth Emmie Lang (42:38-50:21) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609878/skin-of-the-sea-by-natasha-bowen/ On Becky's TBR: The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester Libby's pick: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (50:22-1:04:28) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/612385/hamnet-by-maggie-ofarrell/ On Libby's TBR: The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions are our own.
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
#PodcastersForJustice Violinist and lauded debut novelist, Brendan Slocumb, spoke to me about how both music and writing saved his life, the darker side of the classical music world, and his debut "The Violin Conspiracy." Brendan Slocumb is an accomplished violinist and concertmaster who has performed with major symphonies, has a degree in music education, and has over twenty-five years of teaching in the classroom and in his private studio. His critically acclaimed debut novel, The Violin Conspiracy, has been described as, "Part mystery thriller, part character study of a young Black man trying to make his way in the world of classical music..." It was a GMA Book Club Pick and named a Publishers Weekly Top Ten Mystery/Thriller, NPR's Books We Love 2022, Audible's 13 Best Debuts of 2022, and earned two Goodreads Choice Award nominations for Best Debut Novel and Best Mystery Thriller. Publishers Weekly called the book "[A] gripping debut. . . . Slocumb sensitively portrays Ray's resilience in the face of extreme racism. The author is off to a promising start.” Brendan hosts the podcast How Music Can Save Your Life, is a Nobel Teacher of distinction, and serves as an educational consultant for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Stay calm and write on ... Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Brendan Slocumb and I discussed: How he finds time to tour, write, practice for his string quartet, and teach students for an upcoming recital Why the Pandemic forced him to become a prolific novelist What it's like to sign your first paperback for a fan The importance of practice, routine, and banging out 3000 words a day Why writers need to walk, stretch, and hit the gym And a lot more! Show Notes: brendanslocumb.com The Violin Conspiracy - By Brendan Slocumb (Amazon) How Music Can Save Your Life Podcast Brendan Slocumb on Facebook Brendan Slocumb on Instagram Brendan Slocumb on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our 2022 year-end reading roundup starts today with Best Books of 2022 Superlatives with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). This year, we're splitting our wrap-up into two episodes: Superlatives and Genre Awards (coming in mid-December). We have 17 Superlatives categories for you, including Most and Least Deserving of the Hype, Biggest Surprise, the Book I Hated that Everyone Else Loved, and more! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Check out my 2022 Holiday Gift Guide! My 2023 Reading Tracker will be coming out in early December! This year, the Tracker will ONLY be available to $7/month Superstars patrons (i.e. I will no longer be selling it for $14.99 here on my website). Become a Superstars Patron here! Highlights Our best books of the year from 17 categories, including: Most and Least Deserving of the Hype Underrated Gems Favorite Fiction and Nonfiction on Audio The Book You Flew Through Biggest Surprise Best Heartwarming Book A 2022 Book You Missed, but Plan to Read 2022 Superlatives [5:27] Sarah Carris Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:13] Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:16] Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:39] Bad City by Paul Pringle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:30] More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:33] Cover Story by Susan Rigetti | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:08] Finding Me by Viola Davis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:07] The Winners by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:20] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:09] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:27] The Local by Joey Hartstone | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:31] Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:48] People Person by Candice Carty-Williams | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:18] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:53] Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:51] Love and Saffron by Kim Fay | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:47] Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:08] Susie Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:17] The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:12] When We Were Bright and Beautiful by Jillian Medoff | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:17] Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:21] Trust by Hernan Diaz | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:31] Every Summer After by Carley Fortune | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:23] Solito by Javier Zamora | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:28] We Spread by Iain Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:48] Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:37] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton (December 6, 2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:52] The Winners by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:44] Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:40] Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:54] We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:11] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:14] Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:17] This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:57] Babel by R. F. Kuang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:44] Other Books Mentioned Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [7:24] The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (December 6, 2022) [12:51] Vladimir by Julia May Jonas [19:10] The Measure by Nikki Erlick [23:30] Beartown by Fredrik Backman [28:39] Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering [32:42] Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering [32:43] The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz [33:31] The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz [33:33] Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton [36:00] Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh [38:30] About Susie Boutry Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend's blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 125, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I are back for our 2nd annual Debuts Special. Today we're sharing our favorite debut novels from 2022 (so far)! Plus, we discuss our reading stats for debuts this year and we talk about some upcoming sophomore novels (and their debuts) that are on our radar. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights We discuss why debut books often feel more polished. A full breakdown of our 2022 debut-related stats. Debuts we love, divided into three categories: Favorite Debuts of 2022 (so far) Favorite Backlist Debuts Upcoming Sophomore Novels Favorite Debuts of 2022 (so far) [8:47] Sarah Never Simple by Liz Scheier | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:57] More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:43] Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:14] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:52] Susie Groundskeeping by Lee Cole | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:05] Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:37] Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:57] We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman (November 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:31] Favorite Backlist Debuts [33:18] Sarah Finding Freedom by Erin French | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:21] The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:41] Susie A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:14] Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:57] Upcoming Sophomore Novels [44:30] Sarah Debut: Don't Know Tough by Eli Cranor | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:44] Upcoming: Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor (April 4, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:59] Debut: His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:46] Upcoming: Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie (June 13, 2023) | Amazon [49:05] Susie Debut: Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:32] Upcoming: Old Flame by Molly Prentiss (April 11, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:54] Debut: The Push by Ashley Audrain | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:40] Upcoming: The Whispers by Ashley Audrain (July 2023) [50:54] Other Books Mentioned Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus [9:24] The Measure by Nikki Erlick [9:35] Corrections in Ink by Keri Blakinger [9:39] Cover Story by Susan Rigetti [9:50] Nowhere Girl by Cheryl Diamond [10:39] The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells [10:43] Inheritance by Dani Shapiro [10:45] Writers & Lovers by Lily King [13:12] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett [15:11] Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff [37:32] The One by John Marrs [39:56] The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker [40:32] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [43:29] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton (December 6) [43:58] Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich [45:56] When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister [48:22] About Susie Boutry Blog | Instagram Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend's blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
This episode is part of an interview series for Miami Book Fair, where members of Team Micro interview authors appearing at the fair about their work. For more information about their programming and to check out the incredible roster of authors appearing this year, visit miamibookfair.com. And be sure to follow them at @miamibookfair and #MiamiBookFair2022 for more updates. Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was born in Yuba City, California and was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in music education, concentrations on Violin and Viola. While at UNCG, Brendan was the concertmaster for the University Symphony orchestra and served as the principal violist. He performed with numerous small chamber ensembles, including flute and clarinet choirs, and in the BESK string quartet. M.M. Kaufman is a fiction writer based in Georgia. She is a Fulbright Scholar and earned an MFA in the University of New Orleans' Creative Writing Workshop. She is currently the Managing Editor at Rejection Letters and works on the team for Micro Podcast. Her fiction is published with The Normal School, Hobart, Metonym Journal, Sundog Lit, Daily Drunk Mag, (mac)ro(mic), HAD, Olney Magazine, the Miller Aud-cast, Pine Hills Review, and elsewhere. Find her on Twitter @mm_kaufman and on her website mmkaufman.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join us for an important and absolutely riveting discussion with Brendan Slocumb about his best-seller, The Violin Conspiracy! This interview was a no-holds-barred discussion about race, appearance, bias … and the world of classical music. How can we respond to racism and oppression - is respectful discussion enough? What about the role of anger? You don't want to miss Brendan's thoughtful commentary on the power of music, and the importance of mentoring young people. He offers a musician's perspective on how we can experience music to its fullest. We cover dysfunctional families, pursuing your gifts, and overcoming obstacles. “Remember why you started doing what you're doing!”
IN THIS EPISODE Donate to ISBM! https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/international-society-of-black-musicians Check out our website: https://www.isblackmusicians.com Black Excellence: Nombulelo Yende https://oper-frankfurt.de/en/ensemble-guest-artists-opera-team/opera-studio/?detail=919 Piece of the week: Arpeggione Sonata - Franz Schubert
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Roxanna are discussing: Bookish Moments: unhauling books and chatting live with a favorite author Current Reads: dystopia and middle grade and funny memoir and fantasy and graphic novels and murder Deep Dive: the lessons we learned from certain sections of the bookstore The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes over our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 1:11 - Bookish Moment of the Week 1:18 - Pangobooks 2:48 - Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 4:40 - Half Priced Books 5:12 - Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard 6:17 - Fabled Bookshop 7:00 - Current Reads 7:08 - The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan (Kaytee) 7:16 - Tattered Cover Bookstore 8:30 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 12:23 - The Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White (Meredith) 14:25 - Hide by Kiersten White 16:33 - The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry 17:03 - The Vampiric Vacation by Kiersten White 17:58 - Downtown Shabby by Hopwood DePree (Kaytee) 20:18 - Scribd 21:06 - The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Meredith) 25:46 - Anne of West Philly by Ivy Noelle Weir (Kaytee) 25:48 - The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir 26:05 - Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy by Ivy Noelle Weir 26:35 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 29:22 - Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard (Meredith) 34:05 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard 34:06 - 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard 34:08 - Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard 35:10 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 36:03 - Deep Dive: If (Genre) Taught Me Anything 44:29 - Meet Us At The Fountain I wish every book came with an interactive experience. (Kaytee) 44:44 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brenden Slocumb 44:46 - I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt 44:54 - Shine Bright by Danyel Smith 45:39 - Downtown Shabby by Hopwood DePree 46:59 - Booth by Karen Joy Fowler I wish Blackwell's had a section just for popular books with different international covers. (Meredith) 47:36 - Blackwell's UK Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading
IN THIS EPISODE Donate to ISBM! https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/international-society-of-black-musicians Check out our website: https://www.isblackmusicians.com https://www.gbnews.uk/news/beethoven-performance-axed-as-british-singers-refuse-to-back-down-to-us-orchestras-covid-mask-demands/354905 https://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article264573161.html https://www.npr.org/2022/08/19/1118413834/classical-musicians-with-ties-to-placido-domingo-arrested-in-buenos-aires https://www.duncanwilliamsvoicecompetition.com Black Excellence: Jason Amos https://www.bostonpublicquartet.com/jason-amos
IN THIS EPISODE Donate to ISBM! https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/international-society-of-black-musicians Check out our website: https://www.isblackmusicians.com https://www.clevescene.com/news/transgender-employee-files-healthcare-lawsuit-against-cleveland-orchestra-39531389 https://www.npr.org/2022/08/17/1118010206/placido-domingo-linked-to-criminal-ring-in-argentina-prosecutors-say https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/solange-knowles-becomes-first-black-woman-compose-music-nyc-ballet-rcna43412 Black Excellence: Dr. Vernell Bennett-Fairs https://www.loc.edu/about-us/the-president/ Piece of the week: Piano Quintet in C minor - Ralph Vaughan Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3na3sPQXmHA
IN THIS EPISODE Donate to ISBM! https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/international-society-of-black-musicians Check out our website: https://www.isblackmusicians.com Join us for book club: https://bookshop.org/books/the-violin-conspiracy-9780593584125/9780593315415 https://www.thespco.org/blog/the-spco-appoints-two-new-orchestra-members-andrew-brady-principal-bassoon-and-daniel-orsen-viola/ https://theviolinchannel.com/saint-paul-chamber-orchestra-creates-new-role-to-boost-diversity-in-programming/ https://www.thestrad.com/news/new-composers-in-residence-at-bard-college-conservatory-of-music/15237.article Black Excellence: Clarence Hines https://clarencehines.com/bio Piece of the week: Tzigane - Maurice Ravel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWmTTudtlbY
IN THIS EPISODE Donate to ISBM! https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/international-society-of-black-musicians Check out our website: https://www.isblackmusicians.com https://cw7michigan.com/news/local/violin-portage-target-violinist-solicit-money-donation-westnedge Black Excellence: Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle https://miamioh.edu/cca/academics/departments/music/about/faculty-staff/musicology/tammy-kernodle/index.html Piece of the week: March Slave - Pytor Ilych Tchaikovsky https://youtu.be/5poSw7tFLB4
IN THIS EPISODE Donate to ISBM! https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/international-society-of-black-musicians Check out our website: https://www.isblackmusicians.com Join us for book club: https://bookshop.org/books/the-violin-conspiracy-9780593584125/9780593315415 https://email.kultureshock.net/t/r-E6E7D0FF65EDF9972540EF23F30FEDED https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/honors/ https://hub.americanorchestras.org/2022/07/25/black-pearl-chamber-orchestra-receives-300k-grant-will-perform-and-record-music-by-emerging-composers/ Black Excellence: Dontay L. Douglas https://www.dontayldouglas.com/about Piece of the week: Don Juan - Richard Strauss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_um5yLJx-RM
[REBROADCAST FROM FEB. 24, 2022] A debut novel is a page-turning story of an elite Black violinist whose rare and expensive instrument is being held hostage on the eve of the most prestigious music competition in the world. Author Brendan Slocumb, himself a classical musician and a music educator, joins us to discuss the novel, titled The Violin Conspiracy. We're featuring it as part of our ongoing series highlighting debut authors, "2022 Debuts."
Alison Stewart, host of WNYC's All Of It with Alison Stewart, joins to discuss what makes a great "summer read" and shares some of her picks. For the "it" books of summer that everyone is talking about, check out Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh and Tracy Flick Can't Win by Tom Perotta. Looking for non-fiction? Alison recommends The Family Roe: An American Story by Joshua Prager and Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality by Tomiko Brown Nagin to learn more about the history behind some of the most important political issues today. And if you need a real escape from reality, pick up The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez or Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. → EVENT: Tune in for All Of It's Get Lit radio event with Jennifer Weiner and musical guest Lara Downes on Thursday, July 28th at 1 pm ET! For more information on the event, and how to sign up for next month's book club, click here.
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who talk in any spare minute that we have. This week we are talking about what we literally read in May! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org. Open the Book: Mutual Books: Something Wilder by Christina Lauren Book Lovers by Emily Henry Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus The Change by Kristen Miller Traci's Books: The Golden Couple by Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman Ellie's Books: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Summer's here and it's time to head to the beach and bring a great book with you! Joining us to recommend some great summer reads is Bradley Tusk, the founder of the brand-new bookstore P&T Knitwear. Tusk is also the CEO and co-founder of Tusk ventures. We will also take calls about what summer reads you're loving right now. Recommendations from Bradley: Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocuumb Fake by Erica Katz Let's Not Do That Again by Greg Ginder The Adventures of Herbie Cohen: World's Greatest Negotiator by Rich Cohen Recommendations from listeners: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub The Hourglass Throne by K.D. Edwards Love Marriage by Monica Ali The Lonely Londoners by Samuel Selvon Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic by Lennard Vickel The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgård Bewilderment by Richard Powers All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Showbiz by Mel Brooks Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama by Bob Odenkirk Hiding in the Spotlight: A Musical Prodigy's Story of Survival: 1941-1946 by Greg Dawson Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times by Jonathan Sacks Hello, Goodbye: 75 Rituals for Times of Loss, Celebration, and Change by Day Schildkret Faron Goss by Diane Lechleitner
“Thank you.” A very special edition of Chatter kicks off at the Gaithersburg Book Festival in blistering heat and wonderful book fans. Torie and David have a great chat with Brendan Slocumb, classically trained and internationally acclaimed violinist. He also weaves a great mystery tale of ambition and resilience in “The Violin Conspiracy.”
This week, I'm joined by fridge organization and meal prep and planning guru, Kristen Hong, author of Fridge Love. She shares great food storage tips as well as some of her favorite reads! Books Talked About:Fridge Love by Kristen HongEnd of the World House by Adrienne Celt Big Magic by Elizabeth GilbertLike a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayerThe Love you make by Peter Brown and Steven GainesThe Violin Conspiracy by Brendan SlocumbOther Books Mentioned:Dark Matter boy Blake CrouchI am Pilgrim by Terry HayesGeiger by Gustaf SkördemanPachinko by Min Jin Lee. Vera Kelly: Lost and Found by Rosalie KnechtWhere to find Kristen:@hellonutritarian InstaFB @hellonutritarianHellonutritarian.comThank you to this week's sponsor, Athletic Greens. To sign up and earn a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D and 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase, visit:athleticgreens.com/EMERGINGSupport the show
Brendan Slocumb spent most of his career as a performer and teacher, but this year released his first book, a mystery called "The Violin Conspiracy." The novel is a reflection of Slocumb's experience in the classical music world, where Black musicians comprise less than 2 percent of orchestras nationwide. Geoff Bennett spoke with Slocumb to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Today's spoiler-free minisode includes a conversation between Kaytee and author Brendan Slocumb. Brendan is the author of The Violin Conspiracy, a coming-of-age and mystery novel rolled into one, and a book that captured me with every word. You've heard me gush about the book, now listen to my conversation with Brendan to hear about: How much his main character overlaps with him Growing up in a musical family Writing a violin as a character Naming inanimate objects The real life racism situations The teachers that influenced him and changed his life Some strange facts about music competitions and instrument thieves Being a GMA book club pick Playing Carnegie Hall The next project (and the next!) Some Violin Conspiracy miniseries tidbits And of course: a book he wants to press into your hands. Minisode show notes are not timestamped, but linked titles are below for you to peruse. These are affiliate links, which kick back a small percentage of your purchase to the podcast, which helps support the show! The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb How Music Can Save Your Life (Brendan's Podcast) Brendan playing Carnegie Hall The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead Connect with Brendan: on Instagram at @brendanslocumb, on Facebook, Twitter or at his website Contact the show at currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com. You can find Kaytee on Instagram @notesonbookmarks and Meredith @meredith.reads. You can visit our website at www.currentlyreadingpodcast.com
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: too busy to read and leaning into non-fiction Current Reads: When Meredith finished edits on this episode, she called it a spicy meatball, and that's certainly true for our current reads. Deep Dive: What we do about backlist books that don't have the same standards as our modern sensibilities. Book Presses: a few middle grade gems that you don't want to miss As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! New: we are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your dishwasher detergent!) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 1:36 - Bookish Moment of the Week 4:26 - My Life in France by Julia Child 5:29 - Current Reads 5:45 - Isaiah Dunn is my Hero by Kelly J. Baptist (Kaytee) 5:55 - Novel Neighbor Bookstore 6:57 - My Storied Year by Katie Proctor 7:42 - Anthem by Noah Hawley (Meredith) 7:54 - Before the Fall by Noah Hawley 8:08 - An Unlikely Story Bookstore 12:49 - Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam 15:15 - The Library At Mount Char by Scott Hawkins 19:06 - Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (Kaytee) 23:02 - The Fine Print (amazon link) by Lauren Asher (Meredith) 28:41 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb (Kaytee) 28:57 - Fabled bookshop 32:50 - Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard (Meredith) 33:00 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard 33:01 - 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard 36:18 - Deep Dive: When Backlist Gets “Cringey” 36:26 - Holli's Instagram @shelfsisters 37:14 - Birds, Beasts and Relatives by Gerald Durrell 39:06 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 39:42 - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 41:13 - Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 44:02 - Forever by Judy Blume 44:35 - Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume 45:44 - Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben 52:28 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 52:58 - Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson 53:18 - Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene 55:42 - email us at currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com 55:51 - Books We'd Like to Press Into Your Hands 56:05 - My Storied Year by Katie Proctor (Kaytee) 56:21 - Isaiah Dunn is my Hero by Kelly J. Baptist 57:28 - The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty (Meredith) 1:00:31 - The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast