Shows
What Should I Read Next?Ep 511: Ask Anne Anything: 10 Year Anniversary EditionAcross the years, we've periodically hosted Ask Anne Anything events in our Patreon community, and today you're hearing a replay of our latest gathering. These live events invite our Patreon community members to submit their burning questions, and Anne does her best to answer as many of them as she can.
As we continue to mark 10 years of this podcast and all the books and reading talk we've enjoyed across those years, we thought a live AMA would be a fun way to celebrate. You'll get to hear the range of questions and Anne's answers in this...
2026-01-2758 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 508: Anne's Best Books of 2025We're kicking off 2026 and a year of exciting milestones today! On January 12th, we are celebrating 10 years of our podcast: we'll be sharing a few special podcast episodes to mark this moment. And as you'll hear today, as we move into the rest of 2026, there is plenty more to celebrate.
While today's episode isn't technically part of our anniversary celebrations, it's become an annual tradition over the past few years. Today, Anne is joined by her husband and our executive producer Will Bogel to talk about her favorite reads of the past year.
Find the...
2026-01-0647 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 506: A new way to think about your reading in the coming yearToday's guest has been participating in reading challenges for nearly a decade, and she's putting a unique spin on this tradition in 2026 that you'll hear about today.
Callie Dean lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, where in addition to reading she enjoys playing the violin in the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, writing children's books, and running and baking.
Reading challenges aren't for every reader, but Anne wanted to talk about Callie's 2026 project because it sounds like fun and might help get you thinking about what you want from your own reading life in the year to come.
2025-12-0959 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 500: The little things that add up to a rich reading lifeToday marks a major milestone: the 500th episode of What Should I Read Next!
To celebrate, Anne is joined by two guests today. First, you'll hear her in conversation with our What Should I Read Next Patreon Community Manager Shannan Malone as they explore what's new in our Patreon community space. Then, Anne welcomes one of our previous guests back to the show to talk about how her reading life has evolved since their first conversation nearly two and a half years ago.
Michelle Acierno Loftus joined Anne back in episode 378 to share her experience...
2025-10-281h 01What Should I Read Next?Ep 494: Books brimming with creativity, philosophy, and graceToday we're diving into what feels like a particularly nerdy niche of the reading life as Anne is joined by an expert reader.
Sarah Kellogg is a cover designer at a big five publisher, and today she and Anne are exploring what goes into the art of cover design. Sarah answers many of our burning questions and sheds light on some of the lesser known aspects of her work.
Of course, they also discuss Sarah's reading life and her search for books that balance old and new while infusing creativity and grace into her reading...
2025-09-1659 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 477: A summer reading road tripWe're kicking off Summer Reading Season with our fourteenth annual Summer Reading Guide, coming this Thursday! Today on the podcast Anne is joined by a special guest who is particularly well qualified to go behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide with her: Will Bogel!
Many of you consider Anne's husband Will to be your book twin, and today they're diving into the project and pleasure that is creating the Summer Reading Guide each year. We hope you'll enjoy this peek behind the scenes and that it whets your appetite for this year's Unboxing parties, too.
2025-05-1356 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 474: Burnout and the reading lifeReaders, 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...
2025-04-2248 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 472: Literary + Genre = match made in heavenFinding highly discussable books for book clubs often feels like a full-time job, especially if you're a member of multiple long-standing book clubs like today's guest, Lara. Today, Lara joins Anne to talk about her constant search for fiction that explores the human condition in all its messy glory. She loves these sorts of books because they give her so much to talk about with her fellow readers. Recently, Lara was listening to an episode of our podcast when she heard Anne mention her appreciation for books that are literary AND, as in literary...
2025-04-0153 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 460: Anne's best books of 2024We're kicking off 2025 with a special episode: today Anne is joined by her husband Will Bogel to discuss Anne's best books of the past year. Every week here on the show, we take a personal approach to the reading life, really digging into what readers love, what they don't, and why. Our conversations are about individual readers and their individual taste, so it's not often Anne shines a spotlight on what she loves and why. But Anne doesn't work in a vacuum: her own reading life plays a role...
2025-01-0758 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 459: Reading for quality over quantityToday's guest is feeling stuck between quality and quantity in her reading life. With all of the end-of-year reading reflections happening lately, Anne is here to help if you're also facing this situation.Caroline Hines lives on a Christmas tree farm, which is not really related to today's book-talk, but feels like the perfect setting for our final episode of the year. When she wrote in to get Anne's help, Caroline mentioned that since she started tracking her reading against a numerical goal, she's felt an unwelcome shift in her reading life. Rather than reaching for the...
2024-12-1750 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 456: Timeless meets timely: Anne diagnoses why Ginger loves New England booksDiagnosing readerly dilemmas is one of our favorite things to do around here, and today Anne is helping Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club Community Manager Ginger Horton figure out the answer to a reading question that's been plaguing her.Ginger recently came to Anne with a conundrum: she loves books set in New England, but not every book set in New England. She loves books set in New England autumn, but not every New England autumn book. What is the particular combination of bookish ingredients that makes a New England story a win for Ginger?...
2024-11-261h 10What Should I Read Next?Ep 447: How to fix a chronic three-star situationOur reading community truly spans the globe: today Anne is in conversation with Evie, who is joining us from northern Greece.Evie grew up in Boston and after visiting family in Greece over the years, she moved back herself last year. These days she enjoys the slow pace of life and social culture in her Greek community.Today, Evie would love help reframing her approach to reading and reviewing books, because it's causing her a lot of angst. Lately, she's described herself as a frequent three and one-star giver, and this situation isn't working for...
2024-09-171h 01What Should I Read Next?Ep 440: Anne's midyear reading check-inWith the year just over half way through, Anne is stepping back to see how her reading year is going. Today, she and Shannan Malone are doing a little midyear check-in to see how this year has been going so far reading-wise, and what they are most excited about in the coming months.They consider whether they're actually reading what they want to be reading this year, whether they have any intentions to pivot for fall and winter months, and if or how they reading tastes and desires have evolved since they last checked in on this.
2024-07-3051 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 439: How many book clubs is too many book clubs?In today's episode from the WSIRN vault, Anne is sharing her very first podcast conversation with Brigid Misselhorn. Like so many of our guests, Brigid came to the show through our WSIRN guest submission form. But these days she works on our team as our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. This is fitting, because as you’ll hear in today’s episode, Brigid is totally addicted to book clubs. At the time of this episode, she was an active member of seven book clubs. She really enjoys how participation in these communal reading groups invites memorable conversation and a...
2024-07-2354 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 438: Life is short & my TBR is way too longToday we're excited to continue our mid-summer series featuring our team members! Learning more about our team members and who shares your tastes may help you identify some good books in a way that might not land on your radar otherwise. We hope you love this conversation.Anne is revisiting her very first conversation with Alabama reader Shannan Malone in today's conversation. Since this episode originally aired, Shannan has joined our team as our co-host and contributor, but in today's show, Shannan and Anne go back to where it all began. Shannan has broad taste and high...
2024-07-1647 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 437: An epic birthday bookstore roadtripWelcome back to our July series brought to you by the What Should I Read Next? time machine.This month, we're going back in our archives to share episodes with four of our team members. When these episodes were originally recorded, no one involved had any idea that these readers would be on our team eventually, so it's especially fun to re-listen knowing everything that happened after Anne and these guests first spoke on the podcast.Today we are revisiting Anne's conversation with Donna Hetchler, which was originally Episode 83. In this episode Donna and Anne...
2024-07-0952 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 436: The reality of bookworm problemsToday we are kicking off a summer series from the What Should I Read Next? archives: we're sharing the first episodes and sometimes the very first conversations Anne had with readers that are now members of our team.Many of you know our team members by name, and you have a good sense of their reading tastes, too. But we also know that many of you are new around here, or haven't yet had the chance to listen to all 400-plus episodes, so you don't know our team members as well. Whether you've heard these e...
2024-07-0236 minWhat Should I Read Next?A quick summer note from AnneAnne is here today with a quick message. Our team is taking this week off so we don't have an episode for you today. But don't despair—in today's mini-message, you'll hear a few ideas of where you can find your weekly dose of book-talk, including a great bonus episode featuring team member Shannan Malone and Anne tacking the question "what shouldn't I read next?" and helping patrons take their Summer Reading Guide TBRs and narrow down their list.We'll be back next week with a full episode. In the meantime, we hope you have a stac...
2024-06-2503 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 435: A deep dive through a massive TBRToday's guest is a native Parisian who is planning a road trip this summer to the northern Alps of Italy to escape the Summer Olympics. Corinne Yan is here today to get Anne's help in discovering great audiobooks to pair with this long drive.But before diving into recommendations, Anne and Corinne chat about Corinne's dreamy book job: she works as a book restorer at the oldest French public library, the Bibliothèque Mazarine. Corinne's work allows her to restore a wide range of documents, from 78 CE papyri to Middle Age religious manuscripts to 19th century Napoleon c...
2024-06-1859 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 431: Live from The Bookshelf: Let's talk summer books!Join us today for the second in a series of three live events! While Anne was on the road recently, she had the opportunity to stop by fantastic independent bookstore The Bookshelf, in Thomasville, Georgia, for the first time since 2018. During this live event, Anne spoke with host and owner Annie B. Jones about summer reading alongside a crowd of friendly and enthusiastic readers. Annie and Anne discussed perennial summer favorites and newer titles that took them by surprise. Plus, Anne shares a bit about what goes into creating our annual Summer Reading Guide that came out l...
2024-05-2133 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 429: Live from Word of South: the books we can't stop recommendingAnne recently attended Tallahassee’s recent Word of South Festival of Literature and Music, and today we're sharing her live conversation about all things reading with Festival Director Sara Marchessault and Kati Schardl.Book festivals offer so much potential for discovery, by connecting readers with writers they already love, new authors to experience, and often, books that capture the spirit of the region. Today, Sara, Kati and Anne talk about the books they've been reading lately, the titles they can’t stop recommending to others, the epic fails when these recommendations fall flat, and what they learn about...
2024-05-0750 minWhat Should I Read Next?Ep 424: Books that amaze, amaze, amazeRecovering from a reading slump can be challenging, and today's guest credits a book subscription box for saving her reading life. In today's episode, Anne Bogel is chatting with Tiffany Vicars, a pharmacist, mom and State Fair prize-winning paper crafter in Louisville, Kentucky. Tiffany knows reading is her highest form of self-care, but the past few years have been disruptive to her reading life in both good and challenging ways.Tiffany tried a few approaches to re-boot her reading life, but nothing stuck until she tried out a book subscription box and figured out a w...
2024-04-0257 minWhat Should I Read Next?Anne's best books of 2023Last year, we had so much fun putting together an episode featuring Anne's favorite reads, and it was a listener favorite, too! We're back today with the 2023 edition: Anne is again joined by her husband and show producer Will Bogel to talk all about her reading superlatives from last year.Choosing the best books from a full year of reading is tough as well as fascinating, and today Anne shares her own best, favorite, and most memorable reading experiences of 2023. She'll also take you along in her process of evaluating what she read over the year and...
2024-01-0256 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 412: Anne's Best Books of 2023Last year, we had so much fun putting together an episode featuring Anne's favorite reads, and it was a listener favorite, too! We're back today with the 2023 edition: Anne is again joined by her husband and show producer Will Bogel to talk all about her reading superlatives from last year.Choosing the best books from a full year of reading is tough as well as fascinating, and today Anne shares her own best, favorite, and most memorable reading experiences of 2023. She'll also take you along in her process of evaluating what she read over the year and...
2024-01-0253 min
What Should I Read Next?Super-seasonal reading, all year longToday, Anne is joined by Kim Hewlett to talk about creating a year of seasonal reading. Kim and her family relocated to Iowa a few years back, which led Kim to realize just how much she enjoys pairing books with the seasons. Kim's set a 2024 reading goal to reach for the right books at just the right time, no matter the time of year.Kim's name may sound familiar: last fall Anne spoke with her daughter Noa in Episode 347: A reader's guide to tricky transitions. Today, Kim's excited to talk with Anne about leaning into a year...
2023-12-191h 12
What Should I Read Next?Stories you can't stop thinking aboutOur guest today may be familiar to many of you: Ariel Lawhon was one of Anne's early guests, back in Episode 15, and Anne recently recommended Ariel's new book The Frozen River in Episode 393.Today, Ariel is joining Anne to talk about books and publishing, from Ariel's new release, to the unexpected way her books have aligned with the literary Zeitgeist. They also explore why some stories stay with you long after you finish them, and discuss their mutual love for seasoned female protagonists.Ariel wraps up by sharing some of her favorite books and the...
2023-12-0551 min
What Should I Read Next?Reading around the worldWe love a creative reading project, so when Allison Virtue told us about her global reading project, we couldn’t wait to hear more.Allison lives in Los Angeles, where she's set a goal to read a book written by an author from every country. We've had unique reading projects like Allison's on the show in the past: you may recall Episode 168: A century of good books (in a single year).When it comes to Allison's goal of reading around the world, she’s made good headway so far but she’d appreciate Anne's help in dis...
2023-11-2859 min
What Should I Read Next?What makes you a "real" reader?Today Anne is joined in conversation with Shana Ferguson, a NYC-based stage manager with a particularly bookish concern: she doesn't often feel like a "real" reader. Of course, we think any kind of reader is a "real" reader, so Anne couldn't wait to encourage Shana on her personal reading journey.Shana loves her work backstage, and in her downtime you’ll often find her baking or drinking tea. Sometimes she’ll also have a book in her hands, but as the daughter of dedicated readers, Shana’s struggled at times to have a firm grasp on her own re...
2023-08-1551 min
What Should I Read Next?Anne and Will’s European reading adventuresA long-delayed family trip to Europe doubles as an opportunity to explore the literary landscape of three incredible destinations. Today, Anne and Will are here to tell you all about it.Anne, Will, and their kids recently returned from their visit to England, France, and Spain. In addition to sightseeing, they indulged in some deeply enjoyable literary tourism. Listen in to hear more about their favorite bookstores big and small as well as the authors and titles they enjoyed and discovered along the way.Today's full list of books (and bookstores) mentioned is available on...
2023-07-1855 min
What Should I Read Next?Juicy, big-hearted family novelsYou may know Anne's favorite novels feature complicated family relationships, and today's guest, author Amy Jo Burns, shares Anne's appreciation for this particular type of story.You may know Amy from her novel Shiner and memoir Cinderland, both of which we've talked about on the show. Amy's also a dedicated reader, and her recommendations for smartly written stories and big-hearted family novels often end up on Anne's to-be-read list, too.Anne and Amy dive into a lively conversation today, talking about the titles they both love, sharing recommendations for overlooked gems in this genre, and...
2023-06-0657 min
What Should I Read Next?Intentional steps for unlimited lifelong learningTwo sisters with a lifelong love of reading join Anne to talk about the many ways books have framed their lives.Anne first met Laura Gerald-Simms and Ramona Gavin in 2019 at an event at Bookmarks NC, where their passion for reading led them to make a true bookish connection. Since then, they've stayed in touch, and Anne's excited to welcome them to the show in this long-awaited conversation.Laura and Ramona share their favorite recent reads and talk about the ways books and reading have played crucial roles in their lives, while bringing them joy...
2023-03-2852 min
What Should I Read Next?What should Anne read next?Every week, Anne does a little literary matchmaking with one guest, but today we're flipping the mic and helping Anne discover some books she just might love reading next.The last time we asked our listeners what Anne should read next was way back in 2017, so it's definitely time for another round of crowd-sourced reading recommendations. If you tuned into Episode 367 a few weeks ago, you heard Anne share about her reading life lately, including three books she's loved and one that didn’t work for her, before asking for your recommendations. So many of you responded, and...
2023-03-1446 min
What Should I Read Next?State of the BookstoreHere at WSIRN HQ, we love a great independent bookstore, and it's always especially fun when an indie bookseller joins Anne to talk books and bookstore business. Today, the book party is bigger than ever: Anne is chatting with three booksellers all about what's happening in the bookstore world lately.Joining Anne today are Holland Saltsman, owner of the The Novel Neighbor in St Louis, Missouri; Abbigail Glen, creator of Shelves, an online and pop-up bookstore based in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Annie B Jones of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia. If these names sound familiar, that's...
2023-02-2853 min
What Should I Read Next?Books that check all your boxes + what should Anne read next?Today Anne is in conversation with Keren Form, a self-professed nerd, dedicated board gamer and a fan of fast-moving stories with big themes.This episode originally aired back in 2019 as Episode 193, Rolling the dice on your next read, and was selected by our Patreon community as a guest favorite to bring back this week. Plus, Anne is sharing an update on what Keren did read next and how her reading (and gaming) life is going these days.While Keren has a particular love for sci-fi and fantasy, our conversation today is full of entry points...
2023-02-141h 03
What Should I Read Next?Anne's Best Books of 2022Choosing the best books of a year is always a fun challenge, so today we're flipping the focus and shining a light on Anne's reading life in 2022.In today’s episode, Anne's talking about a selection of the books she loved most in 2022, as well as the themes that showed up most often in her reading life over the past year.Join us as Will (Executive Producer of WSIRN and Anne's husband) takes the host's chair and invites Anne to take a deep dive into the titles that really stood out in 2022, and why she lo...
2023-01-0353 min
What Should I Read Next?Sad Girl Lit Fic and other burnout bustersA registered nurse on the night shift is looking for ways to battle burnout and what it's done to her reading life, and Anne is here to help.We know so many of you have been impacted by the stress of the past few years, and Lexie Hayes is no exception. The last few years of working in healthcare have make it more crucial than ever for her to focus on rest and recovery outside of work, and she's not left with much time to enjoy one of her favorite hobbies: reading!Anne and Lexie...
2022-11-0151 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 342: Everyday reading magic
Readers, today's guest shares a common reader struggle: finding the time to read!Today, Mattie James—a successful business owner and new author, releasing her first book Everyday Magic later this month—joins Anne to talk about her love of reading nonfiction. But as a busy professional, Mattie often finds it hard to make the time to read. She's looking for solutions to make the most of her time reading, even if it's just for a few minutes.Mattie grew up with a love of reading nurtured by her father, and these days she turns to b...
2022-08-0956 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 301: Ask Anne Anything
Readers, as we continue our celebration of 300 episodes of What Should I Read Next, today we are bringing your voices to the stage as Anne and WSIRN team member Leigh Kramer tackle your burning questions!We always enjoy our Ask Anne Anything episodes and the chance to hear what you’re curious about. We hope today's conversation and our answers give you a little more insight into the world of WSIRN. Thank you so much to everyone who sent in a question!Be sure to check out this episode's show notes for a list of al...
2021-09-2840 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 280: Epic journeys, untold stories & guaranteed great reads
After becoming an avid WSIRN listener, today's guest realized she was watching less TV and reading more books. To keep her momentum going, she connected with other listeners, found her favorite reading categories, and now sits down with Anne to chat about a classic WSIRN problem: the compulsion to finish every book she starts.Today we're joined by Stacy Wittenberg, who talks to Anne about that inclination and about a reading challenge she’s taken on for this year. Anne recommends books that will take her on epic historical journeys, plus an audiobook that will have her ne...
2021-04-2741 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 266: Ask Anne Anything: Re-reads, reviews, and recommendation regrets
Readers, it’s the 5th anniversary of What Should I Read Next! Today I'm answering YOUR questions about WSIRN's behind-the-scenes, my personal reading life, and so much more. Thank you for submitting such thoughtful and fun questions! I did my best to answer as many as possible, and you can find answers to frequently asked questions linked in the show notes below. Happy reading!-AnneVisit the podcast website at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/266 to see the full list of titles discussed, an episode transcript, and more.Where to find...
2021-01-1259 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 242: Sharing Good Reads with good friends
Anne is joined by Suzanne Skyvara, Goodreads VP of Marketing & Editorial, and Danny Feekes, Goodreads Managing Editor, to have an in-depth chat about how star ratings, reviews, and other nuggets of information we share online help connect our fellow readers to their next great read, support the authors we love, and change the way we see the world. Anne, Suzanne, and Danny went so overboard with book recommendations that we had to cut 5 or 6 books to keep this episode a manageable length! We’re releasing all those extra recommendations as a bonus episode this Friday for our Pat...
2020-07-1458 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 240: Saving the world, one series at a timeReader and author KJ Dell’Antonia picked up a lot of the wrong books during a difficult time in her life, and those experiences changed her perspective on a hotly debated literary topic: trigger warnings. She talks with Anne about that shift, moving beyond bedtime reading, covert audiobook operations, and how mystery novels could save your local bookstore... Content warning — in this episode, KJ and Anne talk about cancer, specifically breast cancer. It’s not the whole episode, and the conversation doesn’t go into detail, but we want you to be aware before diving in....
2020-06-2344 min
What Should I Read Next?A crate full of summer readsToday we continue our celebration of Summer reading with Zibby Owens, host of the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time To Read Books. Anne and Zibby are chatting about what they’re excited to read this Summer, whether those books are brand new or quite old. Get ready for a slew of summer-ready non-fiction recommendations for your TBR. Click over to the podcast website for the transcript and full list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/235You can visit Zibby at ZibbyOwens.com, and listen to Anne's episode of Moms Don’t Have Tim...
2020-05-1904 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 233: Escaping into someone else's storyAnne chats with education navigator Hanan Al-Zubaidy about literacy in the justice system, and how her work with incarcerated students has been affected by social distancing. Hanan came to WSIRN looking for an escapist reading experience, but she didn’t mean happy endings and rainbows. She escapes her day to day life by submerging herself in someone else’s complex, difficult world (fiction or non!)If you read lists of ‘escapist fiction’ that’s full of peppy romance and thrilling action thinking “ehhh that won’t do it for me,” maybe you’ll find what you’ve been looking for in...
2020-05-0544 min
What Should I Read Next?Really good fiction is about EVERYTHINGAnne is joined by Gaithersburg, Maryland mayor Jud Ashman to give you an insiders’ look at what goes into the planning and establishment of those community book events. At the time of recording, they were still crossing their fingers that they’d get to meet in person at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. Between then and now, that event has been canceled due to COVID-19. (There will be some online programming, so watch the website for more information if you're intrigued.)We're also digging into Jud's eclectic personal reading life, from westerns to middle grade fiction to historical nonfi...
2020-04-2844 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 231: Lush literary novels with page-turning appealToday, Anne's exploring a genre that’s on the rise these days... ecofiction! Reader Katy Yocom is constantly on the hunt for absorbing novels with plots that not only incorporate the natural world, but ones in which the story absolutely depends upon it. Anne's challenge today is to pick 3 well-written titles for Katy that paint a lush portrait of natural life without losing that “page turning” appeal. Click over to the podcast website for the transcript and full list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/231You can read more about Ka...
2020-04-2144 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 229: Works of literary fabulousnessWhy do some books with heavy topics leave you feeling uncomfortable, while other books tackling difficult subject matter make you feel understood and connected to humankind? Today, guest Mandy Lambert and host Anne Bogel pick apart the ingredients of Mandy's favorite and least favorite books to discover the subtle difference between a hard book that pays off in the end, and a hard book that’s just… hard.Click over to the podcast website for the transcript and full list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/229You can hear more...
2020-03-3141 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 227: Putting your money where your literary values areGuest Sterling Hardaway values efficiency and growth in his reading life, which has led him to a hefty serving of nonfiction to learn new exciting things, fiction that sidesteps predictable tropes to deliver a truly unique reading experience, and seeking out authors whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented. Anne's challenge today is recommending 3 books that won’t tread the same old ground, and offer him something new. Click over to the podcast website for the transcript and full list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/227You can keep up with...
2020-03-1741 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 226: Dig in to a feast for your literary sensesAs audiobooks have become more available and more popular over the years, they’ve become a bigger part so many of your daily routines. Today Anne chats with everyday expert Leanne Hunt about the history of audiobooks and her decades-long connection with the format. Leanne came looking for book recommendations that explore the inner life of characters, and lush sensory descriptions of setting and expression, so pull out those TBR lists if you are ready to be truly transported.Click over to the podcast website for the transcript and full list of books mentioned in this episode: htt...
2020-03-1048 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 225: What your neighborhood should read nextWe're always hearing from listeners about connections made either on the show or in the blog or instagram comment sections. Today’s guest Elizabeth Barnhill had one of these delightful stories to share. She popped into Anne's DMs recently to say “Anne, I wanted to let you know that you are a bookstore matchmaker. I was listening to your show 2 years ago when you interviewed Alison Frenzel about opening up Fabled bookshop in my hometown…” We'll can let Elizabeth and Alison share the rest of that story, as they both join Anne to chat about what it’s been like...
2020-03-0343 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 223: Five stars for negative book reviewsAnne has recommended books in translation to many guests in the past, but this week we’re venturing away from reading in English, with Parisian reader Florence Breuvart. Because she reads in both French and English, Florence often gets to choose between reading a work in translation, or reading an author’s words in their original language. Today, Anne's challenge is recommending Florence’s next reads in both languages. Anne and Florence also discuss a very precious personal book collection, what makes a classic a classic, and her ongoing quest to buy fewer books.Click o...
2020-02-1843 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 222: Ordinary lives make extraordinary booksToday we listen in on Anne's recent event in Huntsville, Alabama in collaboration with Snail On the Wall and the Rocket City Moms Book Club. Shannan Malone hosts a conversation about Anne's new book, Don’t Overthink It, and Anne holds a LIVE literary matchmaking session with Erin, a reader from the event audience who loves books about the simple life. We hope you enjoy hearing what WSIRN is like — live and off the cuff.Click over to the podcast website for the transcript and full list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/222
2020-02-1147 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 216: A sneak peek at Don't Overthink ItThe new year is here and that means another milestone is just around the corner. Anne's newest book Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy Into Your Life comes out on March 3rd. In celebration and anticipation on today's episode Anne is sharing chapter 13 Small Shifts Toward Simple Abundance.Anne chose this chapter because there's a funny story in here that inspired the beautiful cover design AND because while most people are familiar with the negative aspects of overthinking—worry, rumination, second-guessing–in the book she also wanted to talk about setting overth...
2019-12-3124 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 214: Deconstructing your best reading year yetToday you get to hear from a guest who is very near and dear to the show, Anne's husband Will.Will has been involved with What Should I Read Next since BEFORE the beginning of the show. First he was the sounding board, then he was the trial guest, then he dropped into your feed for the first time in episode 61—and if you haven’t listened to that yet, start downloading it while you listen to this.But none of that is why we had him back on the show. Will engineered his best read...
2019-12-1752 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 211: Good reads from the Great NorthAnne has a delightful & deep conversation with guest Sarah Bessey about writing personal nonfiction, and what might spur an author to write a book unlike anything they’ve written in the past. Last week, Anne talked about books can expand hearts and minds, and Sarah has so much to share with about what books have shifted her perspectives for the better. CanLit lovers rejoice — they're also touching on the books everyone is talking about in Canada!Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/211...
2019-11-261h 01
What Should I Read Next?Ep 210: Book gifts are the BEST gifts
Break out the wrapping paper, because our yearly WSIRN holiday recommendation episode is here! Listeners wrote and called in to let us know who they wanted to give the gift of reading to this Winter, and today, Anne is joined by Holland Saltsman of The Novel Neighbor in St Louis to recommend the perfect titles for your distractable teens and tweens, reluctant-reader spouses, impossible-to-buy-for parents, and that friend who seems to have already read everything.Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/210
2019-11-1957 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 208: The underappreciated art of literary forgery
Charlie Lovett joins Anne to discuss the enduring power of not only stories but the books themselves, how books connect people of all ages, and of all times, how we can preserve literature for future generations, the joy of a book as a physical object, the art of literary forgery, marginalia, symbolism, and much much more.Anne met Charlie along with 150 other readers at the ever-charming bookstore Bookmarks NC in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as part of an event for the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, where members learn to read better, together, and one of the many th...
2019-11-0550 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 198: Reading for the FUN of it
Ever since Anne visited today’s guest, Annie F. Downs, on her podcast That Sounds Fun a little while ago to talk about Summer Reading, she's been wanting to talk all things books and reading with Annie on What Should I Read Next. It's finally happening - and the conversation is going unexpected places.Anne and Annie are chatting about the author who made Annie a better storyteller, her surprising love for reading what she calls “Dead Men’s writing”, totally fangirling about all the literary good Dolly Parton has done in the world, and Anne recommend a few bo...
2019-08-2748 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 189: Our favorite genre is chapter books
Today’s guests Brenna Sherrill & Ryan Pait describe themselves as platonic soulmates, book-loving best friends who grew up together, went to school together, read together (sometimes out loud!) and even live together.Today Anne, Brenna, and Ryan chat about a truly magical college class, Ryan’s most embarrassing moment meeting a literary icon, the book Ann Patchett thinks EVERYONE should read, and of course Anne recommends three books she think they’ll enjoy reading together and discussing to death, because that’s their style.Becoming a WSIRN patron means LOADS of additional audio content, including weekly b...
2019-06-2553 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 182: Matching the right (audio)book to the right listener
A request we hear a lot at WSIRN is “can we have another episode about audiobooks??” So today, Anne is bringing in Michele Cobb, publisher at Audiofile magazine, to not only help recommend audiobooks for YOU, but to match Anne with her own next great audiobook read.Michele and Anne are chatting about the marriage of a great book with a great narrator, visual and auditory learning styles, jumping off points if you’re still on the fence about reading with your ears, and the key to some truly fantastic and FREE audiobooks you can get your hands...
2019-04-3050 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 181: Taking your reading life from good to great
Today’s guest Holli Petersen has created a very special family book club that might inspire you to pick up the phone and call a bookish loved one as soon as the episode is over. She also totally hated one of Anne's favorite titles for the first 100 pages, before a turn of events melted her heart… Anne has mentioned this title DOZENS of times on the show, any guesses what that title might be?What we love most about WSIRN is putting the right book in the hands of the right reader, so Anne wants to recommend some...
2019-04-2355 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 179: Life is short & my TBR is way too longAlabama reader Shannan Malone has broad taste and high standards, and when it comes to new releases, even authors she’s loved in the past don’t get a free pass… the new book has to earn her love. So today’s episode goes out to all you eclectic readers who love hopping between genres.Anne and Shannan covering the struggle of pinpointing what you dislike about a book that everyone else thinks is amazing, awkward characters for the introverted reader, Shannon’s book club that connects moms near and far through literature, and of course much, much more.
2019-04-0945 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 178: The Next Right Thing for your reading life
Decision-making is a HUGE part of WSIRN's purpose. Podcaster and author Emily P. Freeman is an expert in the art of decision-making (she’s literally written the book on it), but when assigned school reading hijacked alllllll her personal reading time... deciding what to read next for pleasure got a little more complicated.Today, Anne helps Emily find her way back to confident personal reading decisions. Plus, they discuss what to do when you pick up the totally-wrong book by a totally-great author, biographical historical fiction, the first YA book ever written, and Emily’s ne...
2019-04-0256 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 177: When your reading life is a roller coaster
Many listeners and past guests on WSIRN have shared their stories of reading dry spells due to chronic illness, anxiety, and disability. Today’s guest Kate Mitchell has experienced polar opposites in her reading life, going from a period of time when reading was literally her job, to stretches where reading was literally impossible because of chronic illness. Kate is sharing some of the wisdom she’s gained on her roller coaster of a reading life with us all, including practical tips for how to accept reality and adapt your reading life if you’re having a rough go of it you...
2019-03-2645 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 176: Books in the freezer, & other horror stories
WSIRN often helps readers get out of their comfort zones, but today’s guest Mallory O’Meara is taking Anne out of hers. Her wheelhouse is everything bizarre, paranormal, and downright scary. But digging past the surface differences, Mallory and Anne have a lot in common, especially the desire to understand how an author DID that. Today they're chatting about the magic of rereading a favorite book, arguing with critics, how comfort-reading looks way different for different readers, Mallory's pro tips for dealing with the post-scary-book jitters, and a lot more.Click over to the podcast w...
2019-03-1952 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 149: Ask Anne Anything
WSIRN’s producer Brenna Frederick is in the virtual studio today, and she’s bringing an armload of YOUR questions to the table, gathered from email, instagram, and the comment section.What did Anne do with her life before she became a blogger and podcaster? What movie is TOTALLY better than the book it’s based on? How do guests get themselves on the show? Are audiobooks really considered “reading”? They're answering all these questions and more, plus dropping a bunch of book recommendations straight from their bookish heart to yours.Click over to th...
2018-09-0448 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 145: Confess Your Literary Sins
Today we have a special bonus episode for you! Anne's new book I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life comes out in a little less than a month. Today she's reading you the first chapter. And YOU get to play along in a fun, social, and bibliotherapeutic way. The first essay is titled Confess Your Literary Sins, and in it, Anne shares how (and why) readers somehow feel compelled to reveal all the guilty secrets of their reading lives—to her.But she's learned over the years that it feels so...
2018-08-1016 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 139: Snooping other people’s bookshelves + the patron saint of WSIRN
Anne chats with Eric Zimmer, host of The One You Feed podcast, which features interviews with thoughtful people who have big ideas about making a “conscious, creative effort toward a life worth living.”Anne and Eric talk about his favorite comic strip character, embarrassing library visits, books for the meditative reader, the patron saint of WSIRN, noir detective novels, and much much more.Click over to the podcast website to tell Eric what YOU think he should read next, or tell us about your own favorite comic strip character: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/139Fo...
2018-07-0350 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 136: One Great Book
Readers, welcome to our first impromptu and improvised episode of What Should I Read Next!Today Anne tells you a little about our new class, Get More Out of Your Library. Click here for more details, and click here to learn more about the MMD Book Club and sign up before the Wednesday class. In this episode, Anne also tells you a small-world bookish story, and shares One Great Book for your TBR. We hope you enjoy today's episode! We'll be back next week with a new Tuesday episode. ____________________________________________________________...
2018-06-1214 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 125: Gateway books to hook a Netflix addict
Do you ever feel a little out of place in the world of online readers? Perhaps you're more of a dabbler? You might relate to today's guest! Dana Hartness is fascinated by “reading culture” but feels like she doesn’t belong because her interests are so far-flung, and most of the time she’d rather just curl up with Netflix. Today, Anne tries to connect the dots between Dana's WILDLY different favorites, and recommend 3 books that will give Netflix a run for its money. In this episode, Dana mentions LOVING Anne's daily Kindle Deal emails. You can sign...
2018-03-2735 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 124: The challenge of making your reading life your own
Today’s episode is a FESTIVAL of book recommendations for all ages. You might recognize children’s lit enthusiast extraordinaire Sarah Mackenzie from Episode 49 during our Reading for a Lifetime series, when she came on the show to help Anne recommend books to some truly adorable bookish kids. Today, they’re doing more of the same, but Anne also gets to recommend 3 books that Sarah can incorporate into her ADULT reading life when she’s not running Read Aloud Revival or sharing books with her kids.Do having a reading perspective you've never heard featured on WSIRN? Visit wh...
2018-03-201h 00
What Should I Read Next?Ep 118: The rhythm of a reading family
Anne and today's guest Dena Abramson Babb have a lot in common. Both were the girl in class who loved to choose the heftiest books possible from school reading lists, and now as adults they've infused their family cultures with reading. There's a little something special about today's episode, too - you'll get to snoop behind the scenes of the launch of Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything, because Dena played a special part in the process. Discussed in today's episode: nonfiction that transports who into a whole new...
2018-02-061h 01
What Should I Read Next?Ep 117: Literary fiction over US Weekly
Today’s guest Rachael Robinson lives in Southern California, but Anne met her for the very first time in her own kitchen. (They'll get to that in the episode). Rachael describes herself as an “extreme” book lover who discovered her reading obsession when her son was born and Netflix just wasn’t cutting it for entertainment. Today Anne and Rachael chat about Rachael's best reading year ever, #BookClubProblems, last-minute cross-country bookish adventures, and so much more.But make sure to stick around for the end of the show, because as a special treat, Anne got the chance to have a...
2018-01-3041 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 110: When your life resembles Big Little Lies
It's our first guest from Down Under! Today Anne talks books with Fiona Thoms, a party-planning, paleo cooking, PTA president mum of three kids who lives in Sydney, Australia. You may recognize Fiona’s voice from Episode 62, because she recommends two books to Anne in our special What Should ANNE Read Next episode.Today's topics: the pleasures and perils of the Australian literary life, reading fictional books about real-life travel destinations, how Fiona's life bears an uncanny resemblance to the Liane Moriarty novel Big Little Lies, and more.See the full list of titles discussed toda...
2017-12-191h 03
What Should I Read Next?Ep 106: The anatomy of an excellent reading experience
Shannon Navin is a Columbus mom and technology professional who came to Anne with a specific request: to recommend great books that Shannon and her ten-year-old son can enjoy TOGETHER.Anne and Shannon discuss the magic of bonding over books with children, what you need to have a great reading experience at any age, and what it looks like to establish your own reading life.Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Katherine should read...
2017-11-2132 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 105: Reading makes the whole day better
Today Anne chats with Rider Strong, a director & screenwriter (you might know him from Boy Meets World) who spends free time reuniting with readerly college friends on his books and reading podcast Literary Disco. As a busy dad, Rider says his reading life “needs work”, and the books he wants to read have multiplied from a single shelf to an entire room.Today Rider and Anne discuss being baffled by YA, the making of a bookish best friend, good TV vs. good books, & much more.Click over to the podcast website for the full list of tit...
2017-11-141h 01
What Should I Read Next?Ep 102: A new way to think about fictional characters
Anne is joined by a familiar voice -- Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project and, most recently, The Four Tendencies, a new personality framework in which she investigates how different people—or in today’s case, fictional characters—respond to internal and external expectations. Gretchen visited the show last Fall in Episode 52 for KidWeek, as a VORACIOUS reader of children’s literature. But today Anne and Gretchen broadening her horizons to talk about books for all ages -- and books where specific “tendencies” are on display.Also discussed: literary obsessions, teen historical fiction, human nature, and Gretchen's sp...
2017-10-2451 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 101: What Anne wishes she'd known (100 episodes later)
Anne and WSIRN's producer Brenna Frederick take a look back at memorable moments from the first 100 episodes of What Should I Read Next. From behind-the-scenes moments to reading-saved-my-life emails, memorable two-star reviews, bloopers, frequently asked questions, and what Anne wishes she handled differently in the first one hundred episodes. PLUS they give a sneak peek at what lies in WSIRN's future.Readers, thanks for joining us on this amazing ride, and for reminding us today and every Tuesday why it is so good to be among people who are reading.Click over to the podcast w...
2017-10-171h 08
What Should I Read Next?Ep 100: When everyone loves that book but you
This week Anne chatts with Keith Watts, a Seattle resident who credits Star Wars with making him a reader, and Top Gun for making him a history major. Keith and Anne discuss what it’s like to grow up in a house full of books as a kid, and how he later had to assume responsibility for shaping his own reading life as an adult.Today we get into how and why Keith's preferred reading format has changed with his stage of life, and why he passionately believes one of the most popular books of the last fe...
2017-10-1057 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 99: Nobody hates a beautiful book (or a handwritten letter)
Today's guest, Caroline Weaver, is known as The Pencil Lady, because by day she owns and operates CW Pencil Enterprise, a shop dedicated exclusively to pencils and pencil-related goods in Manhattan’s lower east side. Caroline loves contemporary literary fiction, books that pack an emotional punch, and that special moment when a book can make her feel something she can’t describe. She and Anne discuss her very personal strategy for finding books perfect for HER, as well as some surprising book-adjacent topics... like the importance of a handwritten letter, and how to pick the perfect pencil for yo...
2017-10-031h 00
What Should I Read Next?Ep 98: Loving that literary lifestyle
This week Anne chats with Rikki and Michaela, two Seattle area friends and serious book lovers who knew each other for YEARS before they discovered they shared a love of reading.In today’s episode Anne, Rikki, and Michaela discuss what it means to live a literary lifestyle, why they believe in reading with the seasons, and how scary it can be to recommend your favorite book to your best friend.They also explore how they create meaningful, interactive experiences to bring favorite books to life, like their literary dinner parties. Click over to...
2017-09-2654 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 97: How a book REALLY gets made, from idea to the bookstore shelves
Today Anne takes you behind the scenes of how her book Reading People came into being. Guided by questions from newsletter subscribers, we're delving into the intricacies of how the book was made, from working with agents and editors, to how the book got matched up with a publisher, to how the cover was designed. Anne also gets personal with an exploration of her writing habits, what she learned along the way, and even where the initial idea came from.Get your copy now at your local indie, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, wherever books are sold.Conne...
2017-09-1925 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 96: Listen to Anne read Chapter 1 of her new book Reading People!
We’re in serious countdown mode: Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything comes out on Tuesday, September 19.This is the story of how Anne's long journey digging into 7 popular personality frameworks changed her life for the better, and how you can put those frameworks to work for yourself to make real, lasting change in your life, in your work, and in your relationships.Anne had the privilege of narrating the audio version of Reading People herself, and today she's reading the introduction and chapter one just for y...
2017-09-1536 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 95: Really weird stories you should totally read
In today's episode, Anne and guest Nicholas Siegel cover a lot of ground. MFA fiction is a phrase that has been thrown around on the podcast before; today they dive into what exactly that means. Nicholas also pitches a book in a way that TOTALLY changes Anne's perception of it.Also discussed: literary magazines, when to finish a book that you're not enjoying, and stories that are perhaps best described as “just plain weird."Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to l...
2017-09-1253 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 94: Paris epiphanies (and other bookish destinations)
In today's episode, Anne looks for small business owner Esther Dairiam's origin story. Like so many great plots, Esther’s turns on an epiphany she had on a trip to Paris five years ago. She left convinced that what her adopted city of Chicago needed was its own destination for culinary books and events, and not finding anything like it already in business, she sought to open that business herself. Anne and Esther talk about food, of course, and the way it brings people together. You'll hear lots of cookbook and food titles today, but they also dis...
2017-09-0547 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 90: Immersive books that make you want to read them again (for the first time)
Today, Anne chats with Mary Gaertner, a listener of the show she met at the Popcast Live pre-party. Mary drove to the Louisville show from Cincinnati, and spent the car ride choosing her What Should I Read Next books - 3 books she loved, 1 book she hated, and what she's reading now. When Mary told Anne her books - especially the book she HATED - Anne knew need to come on the show! So … we made it happen.Mary and Anne discuss copycat books, strong female protagonists, escapism, genres that left them dubious, the special feeling of reading a un...
2017-08-0144 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 89: Ask Anne Anything!
Today is a What Should I Read Next milestone - our very first mailbag episode! We invited our newsletter subscribers and Instagram followers for their burning questions, and Anne did her best to answer. If you've ever been curious about the inner workings of the WSIRN team, what Anne's typical day looks like, what book changed her life, or how to get on the show yourself, today's episode holds the answers to these questions (and MANY more)!Click here for the full list of titles discussed in today's episode. Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram...
2017-07-2547 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 88: Overlooked books that deserve to shine
Today's guest is Amena Brown, a spoken-word poet who writes all her poems to jazz music. When she was a little girl, Amena dreamed of becoming a stand-up comedian, and that doesn’t seem like a stretch! Amena brought a lot of big laughs to the show today, as she and Anne discussed their favorite comedic memoirs by fabulously funny women, pushing the limits of a book’s form, and FEELINGS in books that are hard to find words for. Plus, Anne give a book recommendation… that isn’t a book at all.Anne also announces the winners of...
2017-07-1848 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 87: Popcorn books, page-turning thrills, and reader regret
Today Anne chats with Aaron White, a runner, content developer, INTJ, and married father of two who lives in Minnesota. Aaron's lifetime favorite book will make some of you jump up and cheer, and maybe make some of you yell back at your podcast player (and not in a happy way). Anne and Aaron discuss that AWFUL FEELING when you’ve read what feels like a bunch of underwhelming books in a row, nostalgic fantasy favorites, and how adding a book to your permanent collection can be a Very Big Deal.Click over to the podcast website for...
2017-07-1146 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 84: You know you're a Serious Reader when...
Anne first met today's guest Shawn Smucker and his wife Maile while they were on an epic cross-country road trip with the whole family, in a big blue bus named Willie. If that sounds like interesting reading, Shawn wrote a book about the experience! It’s called How to Use a Runaway Truck Ramp, and the title is NOT just a metaphor. Today Anne delves into the special significance certain books and authors hold for Shawn and his family. Other topics covered include the fascinating art of ghost-writing, journaling's place in the writing life, and multi-sensory reading experie...
2017-06-2047 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 83: An epic birthday bookstore road trip
If you’re a longtime listener, you’ve heard from today's guest Donna Hetchler before—she hopped on episode 64 and chatted with Anne about the unconventional way she tracks what she reads, in our special episode devoted to how 15 WSIRN listeners track their books.In today's one-of-a-kind episode, Anne investigates Donna's plans for a very special road trip. They also discuss stories with whit and whimsy, books that stand the test of time, and Donna also had a unique request when it came to helping her choose what to read next.Click over to the podcast w...
2017-06-1347 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 82: Obsessive readers and bookish kindred spirit angels
Today's guest is That-Reader-Who-Is-Impossible-To-Recommend-Books-To... because it seems she's read it EVERYTHING! Claire Diaz Ortiz has a very specific favorite genre that makes her go "crazy with excitement", and Anne faces a real challenge finding any titles under that umbrella that Claire hasn't already devoured. In this episode, Claire and Anne discuss what it means to be an "obsessive reader" and how to spot others out in the wild, the way our personalities influence how we read, the feeling of hating a book that you know isn't BAD but nevertheless isn't for you, and of course we dive i...
2017-06-0654 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 75: If Google wrecked your brain, here's what you should read
Today's guest is Dave Harrity, a writer, college professor, and real-life friend of Anne's in Louisville. But there's something else you should know about David, and you have to promise not to click away when we tell you....It’s National Poetry Month, and Dave is a published poet. We know a lot of readers think they’re just not intopoetry... and after this episode if you’re still not convinced, that’s fine! But Anne and Dave's discussion is totally accessible for non-poetry-lovers.Today, Anne and Dave discuss how to read without "consuming", why poetry is j...
2017-04-181h 02
What Should I Read Next?Ep 70: The book Anne can't shut up about
We're delighted to welcome Jessie Weaver on the show for episode 70! Jessie is a married mother of two who loves to read, which sounds pretty normal, right? She lives in the Chattanooga area with her family... AND a gaggle of teenage boys in a private school dorm. Anne and Jessie talk about this very different "lifestyle", how being a dorm parent changes Jessie's reading life, and the brave topic of lifetime favorites. Plus, last year Jessie got most of her book recommendations from the internet and KNOWS she isn’t the only one. What has this meant for her read...
2017-03-1445 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 62: Your TBR will never be the same ...
Hello readers, it's a very special Tuesday! We have officially reached What Should I Read Next's Anniversary episode. It's been a full year since Episode 1! There are 61 episodes under our belt, and in 52 of those episodes Anne has recommended what our fascinating guests should read next. But as the host of this show, she's never sat in the hot seat herself. Until today.For our anniversary, we’re doing this special episode of What Should Anne Should Read Next, so you can hear her talk a little more at length about what I love, and maybe what she h...
2017-01-171h 02
What Should I Read Next?Ep 61: When the plot comes full circle...
Today we’re catching up with the very first guest of What Should I Read Next! Even if you're a longtime listener, you still might not recognize his voice... and that’s because the first time Anne recorded this show, it was on her iPhone, in a moving vehicle, in the middle of nowhere, and the guest? Her husband, Will Bogel. That episode never aired, and the file got trashed a long time ago. But today Will is back to celebrate the anniversary of the show he helped test-drive a year ago! It's been a fun journey so far, and we...
2017-01-1041 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 60: The last page can make it or break it
Happy 2017, listeners! We have a DYNAMIC episode to kick off the WSIRN New Year. Today’s guest is Melissa Joulwan. If you already know Melissa, it’s probably as the author of her popular cookbooks (and Bogel Family favorites) Well Fed, Well Fed 2, and Well Fed Weeknights. But that’s just the beginning of her bio, which is one of the most interesting you'll ever read. She’s a retired Roller Girl. Prague is her favorite city. Duran Duran is her favorite band. And her life is also made better by her husband Dave, sports movies, leopard print, lousy truck stop...
2017-01-0351 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 40: Spouses of Readers Anonymous
When Anne first thought of starting a podcast, her bookstore-owning friend Holland Saltsman was one of the very first people she wanted to have on. And she was one of the first people Anne interviewed for the show. And the audio quality on that recording was so poor Anne was terrified to give it another go for almost a full year.Holland is one of Anne's favorite people to talk books with, because she's smart, and funny, and tells it like it is. She's been excited about this one for a long time. Click over to the podca...
2016-09-2043 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 35: Internet brain, redemption stories, and books with terrible elevator pitches
Our guest today is Katherine Willis Pershey. Katherine is a friend whose taste Anne trusts: she's recommended several excellent titles to Anne over the years (and we talk about a handful of those in this episode). Today it's Anne's turn to do the recommending. If you love books that dive into human nature, authors that approach serious subjects through the back door, a good redemption story, or just excellent storytelling, redemption stories, there's sure to be a book for you in today's episode. Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this...
2016-08-1627 min
What Should I Read Next?Ep 9: The reality of bookworm problems
In this episode Anne chats with fellow bookworm Leigh Kramer. In addition to being a full-time book nerd, Leigh is a San Francisco resident, fried pickle connoisseur, and lifetime White Sox fan.Anne and Leigh discuss the "nearly perfect novel" that Leigh adored and Anne hated, the book Leigh read at just the right time, how it drives Leigh crazy that some readers love a book she loathed, and a variety of very real bookworm problems. Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment...
2016-03-0128 min