John Valeri, our Mystery Man and host of Central Booking, returns to offer Halloween season recommendations for middle-grade, young adult, and adult readers. Emily has nothing but high praise for THE BOOK OF FORM AND EMPTINESS by Ruth Ozeki. She’s also thrilled to discover author Zoraida Cordóva (THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUİEDA DIVINA), and you’ll have to listen to hear her favorite line from the book. And even though she would have preferred to read cupcake books while on vacation, Emily did finish the dark novel, MRS. MARCH by Virginia Feito for book club. Chris finished listening to Farah Jasmine Griffin’s READ UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature, which is part memoir, part literary criticism, and an exploration of African-American cultural themes. She also had a deliciously creepy experience listening to the sexy Audible Original production of CARMILLA by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. And Chris highly recommends the graphic novel SHADOW LIFE about a 70-something woman who fights death by Hiromi Goto and Ann Xu. It’s also another 10th episode, which means it’s GIVEAWAY time! All you have to do to be entered to win is subscribe to our monthly newsletter, which you can do here: https://www.bookcougars.com/subscriber (If you’re already subscribed, you’re in!)

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Episode 140 - Our Mystery Man Returns with Spooktacular Recommendations

 Episode One Hundred Thirty Nine Show Notes KEY: CW = Chris Wolak and EF = Emily Fine– Currently Reading –The Book of Form and Emptiness – Ruth Ozeki (EF)Shadow Life: When Death Comes Too Soon, Fight Dirty – Hiromi Goto, Ann Xu (Illustrator) (CW)Water I Won’t Touch – Kayleb Rae Candrilli (EF)Like Other Girls – Britta Lundin (CW)Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature – Farah Jasmine Griffin (CW)(audio) – Just Read – Fault Lines – Emily Itami (EF) Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change – Maggie Smith (EF) – Biblio Adventures – Emily went to the Ogunquit Memorial Library in Maine and found an adorable Little Free Library out front that is a replica of the library. It turns out that Chris visited the library five years ago. You can read her blogpost about the visit here. – Upcoming Jaunts –Chris is going to Boston and hopes to visit a bookstore, or two, or more.Emily is heading to Martha’s Vineyard and hopes to visit Bunch of Grapes bookstore, Edgartown Books, Portobello Road bookstore, and go on the prowl for Sister’s Blackwell historical sites.– Upcoming Reads –Mrs. March – Virginia Feito (EF)Bewilderment – Richard Powers (EF)Matrix – Lauren Groff (CW) – Author Spotlight with Janice P. Nimura and 18th Readalong discussion – The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura. The Goodreads discussion thread can be found HERE.Janice also wrote the book Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back.You can learn more about Janice here.– Also Mentioned –Sinking Islands – Cai Emmons Red Hen PressMy Year of Meats – Ruth OzekiElliot Bay Book Co. (sub)TEXT Poetry SubscriptionCopper Canyon PressSally RooneyHaruki MurakamiKeep Moving: The Journal: Thrive Through Change and Create a Life You Love – Maggie Smith God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine – Victoria SweetWoman in the Nineteenth Century – Margaret Fuller Leaving Coy’s Hill – Katherine A. SherbrookeThe Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women’s Rights – Dorothy WickendenWomen in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine – Olivia CampbellIn Falling Snow – Mary-Rose MacCollTestament of Youth – Vera BrittainSunflower Sisters – Martha Hall KellyThe Gilded Hour – Sara DonatiThe Documentary 13thYou can help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link for the monthly membership. (promo code: bookcougars)We are an affiliate of Bank Square Books and Savoy Bookstore & Café, click HERE to start shopping.Bookshop.org – support us and independent bookstores! If you’d like to help financially support the Book Cougars, please consider becoming a Patreon member. You can DONATE HERE. If you would prefer to donate directly to us, please email bookcougars@gmail.com for instructions.Join our Goodreads Group! We have a BookTube Channel – please check it out here, and be sure to subscribe!Please subscribe to our email newsletter here.

Episode 139 - Author Spotlight with Janice P. Nimura

Mothers, madness, alcoholism, researching slave revolts, wilderness guides — Emily and Chris discuss recent books they’ve tackled that range widely in subject matter but are all excellent reads. And guess who showed up yet again? Marilynne Robinson! We know, we know. She seems to be everywhere. Last episode Robinson was mentioned in a biblioadventure with Peter Heller and this episode her writing came up via William Kent Kruger. Reading synchronicities!

Episode 138 - Marilynne Robinson Returns

Emily finished ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy, her #BigBookSummer challenge read. It was a good read, but — phew! — big and intense. Chris read Kate Moore’s new nonfiction release, THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE, the true story of Elizabeth Packard’s battle against her husband and the system that tried to lock her away. Although the women’s rights movement still has a ways to go, some of the books we’ve read recently have been good reminders of how far we’ve come since the 19th-century. During Hurricane Henri, Chris dove into the deep ocean with BELOW THE EDGE OF DARKNESS by Edith Widder, Ph.D. and Emily plunged into pie making with Ken Haedrich’s PIE ACADEMY. She shares a new-to-her pie crust secret. In biblioadventures, we have some early news about Susan Cain’s new book coming out in spring 2022 and Peter Heller’s next novel (the one coming after his new release, THE GUIDE). We talk about so many good reads — this little blurb just scratches the surface! We were thrilled to finally sit down and chat with author and editor, Juliet Grames. We talk about books, editing, food, and more. Listen now!

Episode 137 - Author (and Editor) Spotlight with Juliet Grames

We’ve been having a great reading summer and hope you are, too! In Episode 136 we discuss a slew of different types of books we’re reading, from classics to new releases to some forthcoming novels — LIGHTNING STRIKE by William Kent Krueger and O BEAUTIFUL by Jung Yun (pre-order now or request at your library). Emily was highly impressed by Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, THE PUSH, which Aunt Ellen recommended. She’s also making progress with her #BigBookSummer read, ANNA KARININA. Chris finished BLEAK HOUSE and then dove into two excellent novels, A SOLITUDE OF WOLVERINES by Alice Henderson and RAZORBLADE TEARS by S.A. Cosby. More books and biblioadventures await your listening pleasure! Also, reminder that our next read along is THE DOCTORS BLACKWELL: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women—and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura.

Episode 136 - We Discuss Books by Audrey Audrain, S.A. Cosby, Yang Gee, Alice Henderson, William Kent Kreuger, Jung Yun, and MORE!

Both Book Cougars rave about Jung Yun’s forthcoming novel O BEAUTIFUL (St. Martin’s Press, Nov 9). We’ve been (im)patiently waiting for this novel and we give it a solid four thumbs up! Pre-order it now or ask your library to order a copy, or ten. Thanks to Juliet Grimes for sending us a copy of CLARK AND DIVISION by Naomi Hirahara (Soho Crime, Aug 3). Chris highly recommends this historical mystery set in 1944 Chicago about a Japanese-American family from California that is relocated to the Windy City after being incarcerated in a concentration camp by the U.S. Government. Emily read three very different novels. For a good light summer read, she recommends THE APOLOGY PROJECT by Jeannette Escudero (Lake Union Publishing, Aug 1) and if you’re looking for a page-turning thriller, check out HER PERFECT LIFE by Hank Phillip Ryan (Forge Books, Sep 14). A MOUTHFUL OF AIR by Amy Koppelman was originally published in 1992. Two Dollar Radio has a new edition coming out Aug 17. Emily highly recommends this novel that has been compared to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. This is an intense and compassionate novel about a woman struggling with postpartum depression. In Biblioadventures we were thrilled to go on our first IN PERSON author event since the pandemic moved events online. We ventured to the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library to see Clarie J. Griffen talk about her new biography, A REBELLIOUS WOMAN, about Belle Boyd (1844-1900). The event was held on the library’s front lawn. It was so lovely to once again sit side-by-side listening to an author talk about her work. Chris binged the new HEMINGWAY mini-series and Emily went to the Big Apple to visit Aunt Ellen — of course they visited a couple bookstores. Listen to Episode 135 to hear about all of the above and more!

Episode 135 - Finally, an IN PERSON Joint Jaunt!

Chris and Emily are making progress in their #BigBookSummer classics and diving into some brand-new fiction as well. Emily went on a thrilling, if dark, adventure through Paul McLain’s new novel, WHEN THE STARS GO DARK, and Chris time traveled to meet THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN via Marie Benedict’s and Victoria Christopher Murray’s cowritten novel about Belle da Costa Green. We traveled to several states on biblioadventures, both IRL and though Zoomlandia — from Rhode Island to Massachusettes to Colorado. There’s lots more bookish banter in this episode for your listening pleasure, including the announcement of our 18th readalong pick!

Episode 134 - Announcing Our 18th Readalong!

Emily and Chris recorded together in person in a new space: Emily’s office, AKA the new Book Cougars recording studio! Emily shares her exciting biblioadventures in Colorado and Chris meets up with The Great Gatsby in two books and one documentary. Emily read Beach Read, the novel by Emily Henry, not the concept, and Chris is reading Books for Idle Hours by Dona Harrington-Lueker, about how the concept of summer reading developed in the 19th-century. They’re both diving into their Big Book Summer reads and so much more!

Episode 133 - Recording Together from the New Book Cougars Studio!

Get ready, we reveal our Summer Reading Goals, and Our Mystery Man, John Valeri, stops by to share some of his, as well. Chris takes us along on her biblio adventure to Chicago including her stops along the way. We have a great interview with Gina Barreca, the editor of the flash non-fiction essay collection, Fast Funny Women.

Episode 132 - Author Spotlight with Gina Barreca

We reveal our Big Book Summer Reading challenge books, and a couple of our listeners let us know about their choices, as well. Chris talks about a controversy regarding reader book reviews and Emily got a chance to watch a video with the dynamic duo of John Valeri and Playwright Laura Thoma on the Central Booking YouTube channel. We discuss Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, our joint readalong with Jenny from the Reading Envy podcast.

Episode 131 - Readalong Discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass with Jenny from Reading Envy Podcast

We recorded together for the first time in over a year! It was amazing to sit and talk about books over the kitchen table. Hashtag grateful. Emily went on a whirlwind adventure with Maggie Shipstead’s GREAT CIRCLE and Chris got down with I WILL SURVIVE, song lyrics by Frederick J. Perren and Dino Fekaris, illustrated by Kaitlyn Shea O’Connor. It’s another tenth episode which means it’s time for another giveaway! Listen for details. We also hope you’ll join us in our buddy Sue’s Big Book Summer Reading challenge this year. Listen for details about this, too.

Episode 130 - Author Spotlight with Whitney Scharer and a GIVEAWAY!

On Episode 129 we chat with author Chris Tebbetts about his book, Me Myself & Him, what it is like to co-write books with James Patterson, and how he keeps in touch with his inner child. Chris reflects on a biblio adventure with one of her favorite writers, Sarah Waters, and Emily dives into one of the hottest book releases of the year, Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.

Episode 129 - Author Spotlight with Chris Tebbetts

 Episode One Hundred Twenty Eight Show Notes KEY: CW = Chris Wolak and EF = Emily Fine– Currently Reading –The Age of Light – Whitney Scharer (EF)Leaving Coy’s Hill – Katherine A. Sherbrooke (CW) release 5/4/2021The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power – Deirdre Mask (EF)(audio)– Just Read –Brood – Jackie Polzin (EF)Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story Remaking a Life from Scratch – Erin French (EF)– Biblio Adventures – Chris enjoyed a virtual adventure via a joint event with the Emily Dickinson Museum and The Emily Dickinson Collection at Harvard’s Houghton Library. Emily watched to Lisa Marie Donovan, author of Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger, and Phyllis Grant, author of Everything Is Under Control talk about breadcrumbs. Chris attended an event via the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. The topic was Archiving Lesbian Memory, Stewarding Lesbian Futures. You can watch a recording of the event here. Panelists included:Jen Jack Giesking – A Queer New York: Geographies of Lesbians, Dykes, and Queers, and the website An Everyday Queer New York.Cait McKinney Information Activism: A Queer History of Lesbian Media Technologies and Inside Killjoy’s Kastle: Dykey Ghosts, Feminist Monsters, and other Lesbian Hauntings Briona Simone Jones – Mouths of Rain: An Anthology of Black Lesbian ThoughtShawn(ta) Smith-CruzEmily attended the Reading Across Rhode Island event with Jason Reynolds discussing his book Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, co-authored with Ibram X. Kendi. Emily moderated an event via the Newburyport Literary Festival with Deirdre Mask author of The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power. You can watch a video of the event here. – Upcoming Jaunts –On Saturday, May 1, Chris is signed up to attend an event via the London Library Lit Fest with Sarah Waters in conversation with Hallie Rubenhold. You can sign up for the event here. Emily will be attending a joint event with Chris Bohjalian, author of Hour of the Witch, in conversation with Wally Lamb on May 11 at 6pm via Savory Bookshop and Café / Bank Square Books.– Upcoming Reads –Ghosts of Harvard – Francesca Serritella (CW)That Summer – Jennifer Weiner (EF)– Author Spotlight with Dr. Melissa Homestead –Dr. Homestead’s book is now available: The Only Wonderful Things: The Creative Partnership of Willa Cather & Edith Lewis You can learn more about Dr. Homestead and her other publications here.– 17th Readalong discussion – Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall KimmererThe discussion will drop on June 8th via Episode 131, please get questions/comments to us by June 2nd. The Goodreads discussion thread can be found HERE.The Zoom discussion will take place on Sunday, May 30th at 7:00 p.m. (EST). If you would like to join in please send an email to save a spot.You can find the beautifully bound anniversary edition of the book here. Note: this is in celebration of Milkweed Editions 40th anniversary, not the anniversary of the book which was originally published in 2013.With Jenny / Reading Envy Podcast – we will be reading When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry – edited by Joy Harjo, Jennifer Elise Foerster, and Leanne HoweMore details about the  readalong can be found on the Reading Envy Goodreads discussion thread.Extra Credit: A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver – Also Mentioned –Check out our friend Ryan’s Instagram page: @readbyryan Check out the Lost Kitchen website         To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper LeeOther books by Sarah Waters: Tipping the Velvet, Fingersmith, The Night Watch, The Little StrangerSarah Orne JewettChronicling of America – Library of Congress Newspaper DirectoryThe Professor’s House – Willa CatherGay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of Gay Male World, 1890-1940 – George ChaunceyThe Lavender Scare: The Cold War, Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government – David K. JohnsonEpistemology of the Closet – Eve Kosofsky SedgewickMy Antonia – Willa CatherStylish Academic Writing – Helen SwordThe Minister’s Wooing – Harriet Beecher Stowe You can help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link for the monthly membership. (promo code: bookcougars)We are an affiliate of Bank Square Books and Savoy Bookstore & Café, click HERE to start shopping.Bookshop.org – support us and independent bookstores! Purchase Book Cougars Swag on Zazzle! If you’d like to help financially support the Book Cougars, please consider becoming a Patreon member. You can DONATE HERE. If you would prefer to donate directly to us, please email bookcougars@gmail.com for instructions.Join our Goodreads Group! We have a BookTube Channel – please check it out here, and be sure to subscribe! Please subscribe to our email newsletter here.

Episode 128 - Author Spotlight with Melissa Homestead

On Episode 127 we talk with playwright Laura Thoma about her play, Magpie, which was recently published with Next Stage Press. Chris and Emily recount a joint jaunt to Old Saybrook to visit author Ann Petry’s childhood home. They also stop by the Acton Public Library and visit the metal sculpture in front; is it a cricket, a fly, or a praying mantis? In honor of National Poetry Month, we share a few poetry collections.

Episode 127 - Flies & Magpies: Playwright Spotlight with Laura Thoma

We chat with Luanne Rice about our mutual love of the Long Island Sound and beachcombing for treasures. Luanne also shares a candid account of her experience with emotional abuse and how she came to write about it in her newest novel, The Shadow Box. Chris shares the new Dolly Parton book, STORYTELLER, and we discuss the merits of a singer songwriter winning the Nobel Laureate - think Bob Dylan. Emily learns about how to be a better listener, say what?

Episode 126 - Saltwater in Our Veins: Author Spotlight with Luanne Rice

Chris and Emily discuss books and literary adventures

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