Explore every episode of the podcast Novel Pairings
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 153. Dishing our opinions on the hottest summer books of 2023 | 03 Sep 2024 | 01:07:57 | |
As the summer reading season comes to a close, we’re turning our eyes to fall. With Chelsey on maternity leave, we’ve made some thoughtful adjustments to our plans and structure here at Novel Pairings. Our goal is to ensure that we stay connected and continue to foster the amazing community we’ve built together. The best way to stay connected this fall is through our Patreon community; we’re excited about the bonus episodes, discussion based classes and book club events we have planned! On today’s episode, we revisit last summer's buzzy book reviews from our Patreon archives. Each summer, we sit down for a conversation where we share our thoughts on the latest buzzworthy books we've read. Today, we're re-airing last summer's discussion on popular titles, which features some unconventional opinions on well-known works. Follow us on Instagram @novelpairingspod and subscribe to our newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com. Books Mentioned The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’ Donaghue The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Saddiqi Congratulations, the Best is Over by R. Eric Thomas Talking at Night by Claire Daverley Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo Also Mentioned Chelsey's Recipe for a Summer Romance Reading Guide Sara's Reading in Public newsletter on long books and active attention
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| 152. The Custom of the Country Book One Recap | 11 Jun 2024 | 01:15:20 | |
In today's recap episode, we discuss Book One of The Custom of the Country (that's chapters 1-10 if your book is not divided into books). This episode includes detailed discussion of the plot and characters introduced in this first section of the novel, so spoilers abound. We discuss our initial impressions of the unforgettable character that is Undine Spragg, how well this book would translate to the screen, a close read of a mythology reference, and what we've learned about parenting from this portion of the novel because we desperately want to avoid raising Undines! Some more background on this episode: twice a year, we choose a big bucket list classic to read together as a community. For every book we read, we dust off our English teacher skills to break down plot, themes, style, and more in recurring recap podcast episodes. We have our Big Book Summer Read Along of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables on the horizon and we’d love for you to join us! We do know that it can be hard to sign up for a subscription community if you don’t know what you’re getting so we wanted to give you a taste for what we do in our Patreon Classics Club by putting two of our recent recap episodes here on the main feed. Over the winter months, we read Edith Wharton’s The Custom of the Country and we think it would make for a great summer read if you haven’t read it yet. If you love these two episodes, head over to our Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings. Enrolling at the $10 Literature Scholar level will get you access to the rest of our Custom of the Country recap series, the corresponding classes, our entire Odyssey recap series from last summer, and all of our previous bonus episodes and class recordings. Plus, you'll get access to our current summer recap series of Les Misérables. Books Mentioned: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Eloise at The Plaza by Kay Thompson Also Mentioned:
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| 143. Seasonal book pairings for new releases in spring 2024 | 05 Mar 2024 | 00:50:54 | |
Today, Chelsey and Sara share their most anticipated spring book releases paired with backlist selections. After listening today, your TBR will be filled with delightful fiction, thrilling mysteries, historical romance and literary books from favorite writers, all releasing between late February and May. As always, our go-to pairings will keep your spring both entertaining and engaging.
If you love our recommendations on the podcast, we have even more books to share over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings. Listeners can also stay in the loop with all things Novel Pairings by giving us a follow on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting public scholarship! Books Mentioned: Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrush The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett Sirens of Sussex series by Mimi Matthews The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn by Mark Twain Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Great Expectations by Charles Dickens This Other Eden by Paul Harding A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay by Octavia Butler The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler How Long ‘Til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley The Oracle of Delphi by William J. Broad The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee House of Mirth by Edith Wharton A Gamble at Sunset by Vanessa Riley Also Mentioned: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Episode 141: Bookish Pairings for our favorite period dramas
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| 54. Pride and Prejudice retellings, sequels, and pastiche | 30 Mar 2021 | 00:50:01 | |
We couldn’t close our immersive Pride and Prejudice experience without sharing a bunch of book recommendations for readers who want to stay with Elizabeth and Darcy awhile longer. Today, Chelsey and Sara share their favorite and least favorite Pride and Prejudice pastiche, sequels, adaptations, and retellings.
For more Austen nerdiness, including a class on Jane Austen and a bonus episode on Regency customs, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com. Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Get two audiobooks for the price of one from Libro.fm. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS and support independent bookstores.
Sequels, Pastiche, and Alternate Perspectives The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going (Amazon) Longbourn by Jo Baker (Amazon) Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James (Amazon) The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley (Amazon) The Heiress by Molly Greeley (Amazon) First Impressions by Charlie Lovett (Amazon) The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow (Amazon) Cozy Classics (Amazon) Babylit Counting (Amazon)
Retellings Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (Amazon) Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (Amazon) Heartstone by Elle K. White (Amazon) Pride and Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev (Amazon) Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev (Amazon) Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal (Amazon) Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding (Amazon) Unequal Affections by Laura S. Ormiston (Amazon)
Also mentioned Why are so many romance novels set in the Regency period? Regency romance recommendations | |||
| 53. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Part Two | 23 Mar 2021 | 01:16:19 | |
In today’s episode, Chelsey and Sara discuss Part Two of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and share their contemporary pairings for romantic and insightful books that feature similar themes. We talk about the sweeping drama, swoony moments, and satisfying ending of the second half of Lizzie and Darcy’s love story, with plenty of nerdy asides. This episode covers Chapters 35-61 or Volume II, Chapter 12 - Volume III. For more Austen nerdiness, including a class on Jane Austen and a bonus episode on Regency customs, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com. Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info.
Skip to the pairings with this timestamp: [49:35]
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below: . . . . . . . . Chelsey’s Pairings The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going (Amazon) The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa (Amazon) Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert (Amazon) Sara’s Pairings Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (Amazon) Red , White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Amazon) The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner (Amazon)
Sara's pick of the week: Austenland Chelsey's pick of the week: Austen ASMR room | |||
| 52. Backlist pairings for our most anticipated Spring 2021 book releases | 16 Mar 2021 | 01:00:58 | |
We’re back with another TBR toppling episode! Today, Chelsey and Sara pair brand new and upcoming spring book releases with backlist titles that share similar themes, plotlines, or settings. We haven’t read all of these new releases, so our pairings are based on speculation and best guesses. If you pick up any of the books we mention today, we’d love to hear about it! Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Check out our show notes to see every title in this episode on our blog. For more literary content, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com Get two audiobooks for the price of one from Libro.fm. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS and support independent bookstores. Books mentioned: These links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, Novel Pairings will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! Out in March 3/2/2021 Infinite Country by Patricia Engel (Amazon) Fiebre Tropical by Juliana Delgado Lopero (Amazon)
What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster (Amazon) The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet (Amazon) There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset (Amazon)
3/9/2021 Brood by Jackie Polzin (Amazon) My Antonia by Willa Cather (Amazon) Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unswerth (Amazon)
The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred by Chonda Prescod-Weinstein (Amazon) Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (Amazon) Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Amazon)
The Salt Fields by Stacy D. Flood (Amazon) The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (Amazon) Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward (Amazon)
3/16/2021 That Way Madness Lies by Dahlia Adler (Amazon) His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler (Amazon) Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust (Amazon) The Radical Element by Jessica Spotswood (Amazon) All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Saundra Mitchell (Amazon) Because You Love to Hate Me by Amerie (Amazon)
Lolita in the Afterlife by Jenny Minton Quigley (Amazon) Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov (Amazon) Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (Amazon) Excavation by Wendy C. Oriz (Amazon) My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (Amazon) Living with Shakespeare by Susannah Carson (Amazon)
3/23/2021 There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura (Amazon) Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (Amazon)
3/30/2021 Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge (Amazon) Everything Inside by Edwinge Danticat (Amazon)
Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce (Amazon) Let Us Dream by Alyssa Cole (Amazon)
Libro.fm Reads The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins Culture Warlords by Talia Lavin Here for It by R. Eric Thomas
Out in April 4/6/2021 Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi (Amazon) Snowpiercer by Jaques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette (Amazon) Stream Snowpiercer or Parasite
Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian (Amazon) Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (Amazon)
4/8/2021 Hamlet by Gillian Flynn Anything in the Hogarth Shakespeare project
4/13/2021 Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin (Amazon) Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (Amazon) Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (Amazon) Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (Amazon)
4/27/2021 Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Salfe (Amazon) Ellen @reading_theend Life After Life by Kate Atkinison (Amazon) Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore (Amazon) The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab (Amazon)
Out in May 5/4/2021 The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel (Amazon) Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Amazon)
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead (Amazon) Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead (Amazon) Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead (Amazon) Circling the Sun by Paula McLain (Amazon) Amelia Earhart by Doris Rich (Amazon)
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon (Amazon) Beloved by Toni Morrison (Amazon) Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark (Amazon)
5/25/2021 While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams (Amazon) The Coyotes of Carthage by Steven Wright (Amazon)
The Guncle by Steven Rawley (Amazon) Be Frank With Me by Julia Claybourn Johnson (Amazon) Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (Amazon)
Out in June 6/1/2021 The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (Amazon) Passing by Nella Larsen (Amazon) The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell (Amazon) | |||
| 51. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Part One | 09 Mar 2021 | 01:18:58 | |
In today’s episode, Chelsey and Sara discuss Part One of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, including fond memories of reading the book and in-depth character analysis. (Plus plenty of gushing about Darcy and Elizabeth and MORE). We’d love for you to read along with us this month! Part One covers Chapters 1-34 or Volume I-Volume II, Chapter 11. You can listen to this episode before reading to guide you through Part One or after reading to feel like you’re in book club! For more Austen nerdiness, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. The Annotated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, annotated and edited by David Shapard Teacher Scholarships for Oxford Summer Program: https://www.esuus.org/esu/programs/study_abroad_for_teachers/programs_1/oxforduniv/ Learn a Regency dance: Sparknotes Character Analysis: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/characters/ The Proposal Scenes: Picks of the week: The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After by Elizabeth Kantor The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on Youtube | |||
| 50.5 Five tips for reading Pride and Prejudice (or any Austen novel) | 02 Mar 2021 | 00:32:18 | |
We’re sharing our top five tips for reading Jane Austen’s novels with you, whether you’re a frequent re-reader or new to her work. Today’s episode is meant to help you get the most out of any Austen novel, but we hope you’ll read Pride and Prejudice with us this month! To celebrate one year of podcasting and the launch of our new Patreon community, we’re enjoying all things Austen for the whole month of March with discussion episodes and a bunch of bonus content (available for our Classics Club members on Patreon). To sign up, go to patreon.com/novelpairings and listen in to hear about our plans for the Classics Club this month. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info and connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. March 9th Episode: Part One (we’ll discuss Chapter 1-34 or Volume I-Volume II, Chapter 11) March 23rd Episode: Part Two (we’ll discuss the rest of the book and share our pairings)
1. Listen to the audiobook Amazon: Rosamund Pike Libro.fm: Kate Redding, Emilia Fox, Elizabeth Klett and Karen Savage
2. Research some Regency customs (and more in our upcoming Patreon class!)
3. Investigate Jane Austen’s writing style
4. Use Sparknotes, LitCharts, or Schmoop
5. Watch a film adaptation Our favorite: 1995 BBC series on Hulu Most popular: 2005 film on Peacock or Amazon Prime Throwback: 1980 film on Amazon Prime
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| 50. Quarterly Favorites: the stand-out books we read in Winter 2020-2021 | 23 Feb 2021 | 00:41:06 | |
Today, Chelsey and Sara share some stand-out titles they read over the winter season, including amazing audiobooks, short story collections, and page-turning romance. These quarterly wrap-ups include reflections on our winter season, previews of what’s coming up, and a bunch of book recommendations. We can’t wait to hear what you think of our favorites from the quarter. Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Books mentioned:
Chelsey: Whiteout by Adriana Anders (Amazon) Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert (Amazon) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (Amazon) The Toni Morrison Book Club (Amazon) Wintering by Katherine May (Amazon) Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (Amazon)
Sara: My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland (Amazon) On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee (Amazon) Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha Blain (Amazon) Disability Visibility, edited by Alice Wong (Amazon) Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (Amazon)
Also mentioned: The Head on HBO Max Deesha Philyaw on The Stacks Podcast
Spring lineup: March 9th & 23rd: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen April 6th: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin April 20th: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut May 4th: In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez May 18th: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery | |||
| 49. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter and twisted Gothic fairytales to read in one sitting | 16 Feb 2021 | 01:00:33 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. This collection of twisted, Gothic fairytales is perfect for fans of Rebecca, Jane Eyre, or Edgar Allan Poe. We’re keeping this episode spoiler-free, though we do discuss specific aspects of several stories. We loved connecting this collection across literary movements, explaining the heroine’s journey, and (as always) recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including short story and poetry collections.
Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Skip to the pairings with this timestamp: [35:15]
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below:
Books mentioned: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (Amazon) Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier (Amazon) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (Amazon) Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories (Amazon) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Amazon) 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James (Amazon) The Witch Must Die: The Hidden Meaning of Fairytales by Sheldon Cashdan (Amazon)
Chelsey’s Pairings Burning Girls and Other Stories by Victoria Schanoes (Amazon) Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (Amazon) A Universe of Wishes, ed. by Dhonielle Clayton (Amazon)
Sara’s Pairings Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link (Amazon) Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado (Amazon) The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (Amazon)
Picks of the week: Chelsey: Promising Young Woman (19.99 on Amazon Prime) & Wolfwalkers (Apple TV) Sara: The Witch Must Die: The Hidden Meaning of Fairytales & Singing Bones Podcast
Also mentioned: Gail Carriger’s Heroine’s Journey | |||
| 48. Fairytale retellings for readers of all ages | 09 Feb 2021 | 00:45:44 | |
Today, Sara and Chelsey topple your TBR lists with fairytale retellings for every type of reader. They reminisce about the book that sparked their love of retellings and discuss why fairytales are still so appealing to adult readers.
You can find titles and links for every book mentioned in this episode at novelpairings.com. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Books mentioned: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (Amazon) The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (Amazon) Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (Amazon) The Princess Test by Gail Carson Levine (Amazon) Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (Amazon) Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Amazon) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (Amazon) Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (Amazon) Austenland by Shannon Hale (Amazon) Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer (Amazon) Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust (Amazon) Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (Amazon) Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly (Amazon) A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (Amazon) Thorn by Intisar Khanani (Amazon) House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (Amazon) The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (Amazon) Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory McGuire (Amazon) The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (Amazon) Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi (Amazon) Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno Garcia (Amazon) The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg (Amazon) My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me by Kate Bernheimer (Amazon) An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (Amazon) The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (Amazon) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (Amazon) The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (Amazon)
Also mentioned: SSR Podcast Episode 12: Ella Enchanted Gail Carriger’s Heroine’s Journey Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey More heroine’s journey resources
Up next: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter | |||
| 47. There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset and ambitious family stories that span generations | 02 Feb 2021 | 00:55:59 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset. We loved this Austen-like Harlem Renaissance novel, and we kept this episode spoiler free in the hopes that it’ll encourage you to pick it up! Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, with a mix of historical fiction and satire.
Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Skip to the pairings with this timestamp: [33:15]
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below:
Books mentioned: There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset (Amazon) Passing by Nella Larsen (Amazon) [30:39]
Chelsey’s Pairings
Pride by Ibi Zoboi (Amazon) [36:06] This Lovely City by Louise Hare (Amazon) [42:23] Becoming by Michelle Obama (Amazon) [49:18]
Sara’s Pairings
On Beauty by Zadie Smith (Amazon) [33:33] No One is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts (Amazon) [39:35] Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour (Amazon) [45:52]
Picks of the week: Chelsey: How WWI Sparked and Artistic Movement that Transformed Black America [53:30] Sara: New Yorker article on Fauset (by Morgan Jerkins) [52:09] and Women of the Harlem Renaissance by Cheryl A. Wall [52:40] | |||
| 46. Love letters to books: nonfiction books about the reading life | 26 Jan 2021 | 00:42:19 | |
Readers, today’s episode is inspired by Helene Hanff’s love of books, nonfiction, and observation. We’re sharing a bunch of nonfiction books about books, reading, and readers. Some of these are longtime favorites and others are on our endless TBR lists. This episode is extra nerdy, a little nostalgic, and supremely bookish. We hope you find a title to add to your TBR today. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates on what we're currently listening to. Nonfiction loveletters to books 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (Amazon) Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence (Amazon) Ex Libris by Michiko Kakutani (Amazon) A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders (Amazon) I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel (Amazon) The Possessed by Elif Batuman (Amazon) Well Read Black Girl edited by Glory Edim (Amazon) The Dark Fantastic by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (Amazon) Bezi @beingabookwyrm The Library Book by Susan Orlean (Amazon) Susan Orlean on Twitter Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (Amazon) Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman (Amazon) Bibliophile by Jane Mount (Amazon) Diverse Spines by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount (forthcoming) The Toni Morrison Book Club by Juda Bennett, Winnifred Brown-Glaude, Cassandra Jackson, Piper Kendrix Williams (Amazon) Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Anne Boyd Rioux (Amazon) My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland (Amazon) Books Promiscuously Read: Reading as a Way of Life by Heather Cass White (Amazon)
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| 142. The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton | 27 Feb 2024 | 01:20:01 | |
In today’s episode, we’re wrapping up Wharton in Winter with a conversation about The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton. We focus on Undine and question whether she’s a signature unlikable heroine or an anti-hero. Our conversation also digs into the other dynamic characters, themes of motherhood, greed, marriage, business, and Edith’s incredible writing. Every plot point builds to a bigger narrative in this timely classic. At the end of the episode, we share our complementary pairings , and we hope you add one to your TBR pile!
If you loved our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have even more content to enjoy over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
Shows Mentioned: Mad Men Breaking Bad Selling Sunset Downton Abbey
Books Mentioned: Italo Calvino Vanity Fair by William Thackeray The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh There Is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset Emma by Jane Austen Free Food For Millionares by Min Jun Lee These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage by Stephanie Coontz One Woman Show by Christine Coulson Wahala by Nikki May Trust by Hernan Diaz | |||
| 45. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff and charming books for devoted bibliophiles | 19 Jan 2021 | 00:56:42 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff, the ultimate comfort read for bibliophiles. Chelsey can’t believe she hadn’t read it sooner, and Sara revels in her rereading experience. We cover everything from the epistolary form to Helene’s unique reading habits to the satisfaction of a bittersweet ending. Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, with a mix of charming memoir and plucky historical fiction.
Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Skip to the pairings with this timestamp: [30:05]
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below:
Chelsey’s Pairings: Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life by Annie Spence (Amazon) Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce (Amazon) Dinner with Edward: An Unexpected Friendship by Isabel Vincent (Amazon)
Sara’s Pairings: Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (Amazon) Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Reread by Michiko Kakutani (Amazon) My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland (Amazon)
Picks of the week: The Repair Shop (Netflix) The Crown (Netflix)
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| 44.5 Anticipated book releases for winter 2021 and backlist books to read while you wait | 15 Jan 2021 | 00:53:14 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are ready to topple your TBRs with highly anticipated winter releases and backlist books. Our goal is to hype up the buzzy new books and under-the-radar releases while offering pairings that are easier to get at the library (or more affordable in paperback). There are a TON of titles mentioned in today’s episode, so be sure to visit our show notes at novelpairings.com to find full lists of every book we talked about. Find show notes HERE. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Books mentioned (affiliate links): January 5 The Push by Ashley Audrain (Amazon) Long Bright River by Liz Moore (Amazon) Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour (Amazon) Members Only by Sameer Pandya (Amazon) Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant (Amazon) Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (Amazon) Outlawed by Anna North (Amazon) True Grit by Charles Portis (Amazon) Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (Amazon)
January 12
The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O’Donnell (Amazon) Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (Amazon) The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (Amazon) The Captive by Fiona King Foster (Amazon) Scribe by Alyson Hagy (Amazon)
January 19
The Divines by Ellie Eaton (Amazon) The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams (Amazon) The Girls by Emma Cline (Amazon)
January 26
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes (Amazon) The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (Amazon)
February 2
The Removed by Brandon Hobson (Amazon) Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson (Amazon) Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich (Amazon) My Year Abroad by Chang Rae-Lee (Amazon) The Idiot by Elif Batuman (Amazon)
February 9
A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett (Amazon) A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn (Amazon) The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite (Amazon) My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh (Amazon)
February 16
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey (Amazon) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (Amazon) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (Amazon)
March 2
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (Amazon) Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan (Amazon)
March 9
Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology by Jess Zimmerman (Amazon) The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (Amazon)
There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset (Amazon) | |||
| 44. Short Story Club: The Hunter's Wife by Anthony Doerr and wintry books to cozy up with this season | 12 Jan 2021 | 00:52:06 | |
Today in Short Story Club, Chelsey and Sara are discussing “The Hunter’s Wife” by Anthony Doerr. This wintry, atmospheric story is absolutely absorbing and highly discussable. We talk about the beautiful writing, the unique structure, and some problematic aspects of the characters and plot. We do discuss spoilers in our Short Story Club episodes; you can find a copy of the story to read online from The Atlantic to join in and read before listening. Plus, as always, we’re recommending a few pairings that fit the atmosphere, themes, and setting of today’s short story.
The short story: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/05/the-hunters-wife/302198/
Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Books Mentioned: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson (Amazon) How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams (Amazon) The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X by Les Payne (Amazon) Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (Amazon) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Amazon) Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr (Amazon) My Antonia by Willa Cather (Amazon) Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich (Amazon)
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below:
Chelsey’s Pairings: A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter (Amazon) Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing (Amazon) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Amazon)
Sara’s Pairings: Devotions by Mary Oliver (Amazon) The Bear by Andrew Krivak (Amazon) The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich (Amazon)
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| 43. Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde and books that center intersectional feminism | 05 Jan 2021 | 00:56:17 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde. This collection of essays, speeches, and other writings is highly discussable and totally re-readable. We loved diving into this seminal Black Feminist text, though our conversation today barely scratches the surface of all there is to learn from Lorde’s ideas, language, and poetry. Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a beautiful novel in verse and one of Chelsey’s recent favorite YA reads. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription and support independent bookstores. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Books Mentioned: Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall (Amazon) Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (Amazon) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (Amazon) Skip to the pairings with this timestamp: [32:42]
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below: Chelsey’s Pairings: How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective, edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (Amazon) You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Amazon) I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown (Amazon)
Sara’s Pairings: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (Amazon) A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (Amazon) Make Me Rain by Nikki Giovanni (Amazon)
Picks of the week: Episode 359: The Lady Gang & Traci Thomas discuss White Fragility Part 1 | |||
| 42. Superlatives for underrated, surprising, and well-loved books we read in 2020 | 29 Dec 2020 | 01:00:24 | |
Instead of the “best books of the year” or our “favorite reads from 2020,” we’re sharing 12 bookish superlatives to highlight some underrated gems, popular favorites, academic reads, and more. Whether you love dark and moody literary fiction or genre-bending contemporary stories, we hope you find a new title to add to your TBR list today. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or purchase a gift. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates on what we're currently listening to. View all of our recs and shop our links on the blog. Books mentioned (affiliate links): We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry (Amazon) Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn (Amazon) Beach Read by Emily Henry (Amazon) Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony (Amazon) Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer (Amazon) You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat (Amazon) Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (Amazon) Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (Amazon) Little Weirds by Jenny Slate (Amazon) One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (Amazon) Beloved by Toni Morrison (Amazon) On Beauty by Zadie Smith (Amazon) The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (Amazon) The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans (Amazon) Lovely War by Julie Berry (Amazon) The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Amazon) A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier (Amazon) The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda (Amazon) Writers & Lovers by Lily King (Amazon) Sisters by Daisy Johnson (Amazon) The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (Amazon) Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (Amazon) | |||
| 41. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and contemporary book recs inspired by the March sisters | 22 Dec 2020 | 01:00:58 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. We share what we admire about Alcott and her iconic children’s classic, as well as the reasons why it doesn’t hold a fond place in our readerly hearts. We know that many readers adore this sisterly, warm-hearted book, so we’ve backed up our opinions with extra-nerdy analysis. Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including books about the writing life and one of Sara’s favorite moody books from this year. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or purchase a gift. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Books Mentioned: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Amazon) Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (Amazon) Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Amy Boyd Rioux (Amazon) So We Read On: How the Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures by Maureen Corrigan (Amazon) March by Geraldine Brooks (Amazon) Also mentioned: Episode 40 with Annie B. Jones
Skip to the pairings with this timestamp: [36:14]
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below: Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Extra Picks: | |||
| 40. The joy of nostalgic reads and books that Jo March would love with Annie B. Jones, owner of The Bookshelf | 15 Dec 2020 | 01:08:10 | |
Today, Chelsey and Sara talk about their favorite books from childhood, Little Women fashion, and family stories to read this winter with Annie B. Jones, owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville and host of the bookish podcast From The Front Porch. There’s lots of nostalgia, laughter, and book talk in this episode, plus tips for helping your favorite local bookstores thrive during trying times. Note: this episode includes some spoilers for Little Women. A special treat: Right now, listeners of Novel Pairings can get 10% off their purchase of a shelf subscription with the code NOVELIDEA2020. This 10% off code applies to shelf subscriptions only, and it lasts through January 31, 2021. Support our podcast AND Annie’s beautiful bookstore by using our affiliate link to get a Librofm subscription and selection The Bookshelf as your bookstore. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or purchase a gift. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram, Twitter, or subscribe to our newsletter. Find show notes on our blog. Follow Annie on Instagram, follow The Bookshelf on Instagram, and find From the Front Porch wherever you download your podcasts.
Books mentioned:
Our book list includes a mix of affiliate links and links to The Bookshelf inventory. If you want to own one of the books we talked about today, we hope you consider supporting The Bookshelf with your purchase.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Little Women by Louisa May Alcott An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza The Mothers by Brit Bennett Franny & Zoey by J.D. Salinger From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konig Bloomability by Sharon Creech Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Amy Boyd Rioux Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Ex Libris by Michiko Kakutani HRH by Elizabeth Holmes Passing by Nella Larsen Emma by Jane Austen
Also mentioned: “The Baby-Sitters Club Taught Me Everything I Needed to Know About Literary Fiction”
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| 39. My Antonia by Willa Cather, plus books about community and survival to read this winter | 08 Dec 2020 | 00:58:07 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing My Antonia by Willa Cather with a special guest: Michelle Timmins, English literature student and Novel Pairings assistant extraordinaire. There’s plenty to discuss in this wintry classic, including stunning imagery, surprising connections to an American Girl Doll, and where Cather’s novel fits into the American literary canon. Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a Western, an arctic memoir, and a nonfiction book about grief.
Books Mentioned:
My Antonia by Willa Cather (Amazon) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Amazon) Casino Royale by Ian Fleming (Amazon)
Also mentioned: Deconstruction Theory
Shop the pairings with our affiliate links below:
Michelle’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Chelsey’s Pairings:
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| 38. The Best Audiobooks We Read in 2020 | 01 Dec 2020 | 00:53:17 | |
Have we mentioned how much we love audiobooks? We’ve both been avid listeners for a long time, but between pandemic life and Sara’s Aspen Words reading, this has been a banner year for audiobooks. Today, we’re each sharing twelve of our favorite listening experiences. With a mix of literary fiction, romance, nonfiction, and YA, today’s episode has an audiobook recommendation for every reader. Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or purchase a gift. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates on what we're currently listening to. View all of our recs and shop our links on the blog. Chelsey's Favorites: Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm The Switch by Beth O’Leary // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Here for It: Or How to Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas. // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Sara's Favorites: The City We Became by NK Jemison // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Members Only by Sameer Pandya // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Stamped The Remix by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X Kendi // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Intimations by Zadie Smith // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit // Amazon // Bookshop The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Black Sunday by Tola Rotimi Abraham // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Annaparra // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm The Remains of the Day // Amazon // Bookshop // Libro.fm
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| 37. Quarterly Favorites: the best books we read in Fall 2020 | 24 Nov 2020 | 01:01:19 | |
Today, we reflect on our favorite reads from the last three months. These quarterly reflections might be our favorite episodes to record. It’s lovely to take time to consider our favorite episodes, our favorite reads, and what we’ve learned over the course of the season. We’re sharing a bunch of book recommendations in this episode; shop our recs here. Visit our podcast pals Heaving Bosoms! Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our newsletter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or purchase a gift.
Books mentioned: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia Luster by Raven Leilani Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell Like Lovers Do by Tracey Livesay On Beauty by Zadie Smith Intimations by Zadie Smith Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust The Next Great Jane by K.L Going The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance She Come by It Natural by Sarah Smarsh All My Mother’s Lovers by Ilana Masad How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafa
Winter lineup:
December My Antonia by Willa Cather Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
January Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
February There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter | |||
| 141. Bookish pairings for our favorite period dramas | 13 Feb 2024 | 01:02:55 | |
Reading The Custom of the Country this winter has felt like stepping into the most lush, dramatic, and marathon-worthy period piece–so today we’re sharing some of our favorite period dramas and pairing them with excellent books for cozy winter reading. We discuss the appeal of watching historical fiction versus reading it, the throughline from reading Dear America books to watching Downton Abbey as a comfort show, and the complex nature of colorblind casting. We hope you find a new, or old, TV series or novel to enjoy after listening to today’s episode. PS: if you hear some odd background noises in this episode, just imagine little toddler feet stomping above Chelsey's head!
For more pairings, classes, and nerdy conversation join our Patreon community! Go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up today.
Don’t miss our FREE weekly newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com.
Shows Mentioned: Downton Abbey Poldark Miss Scarlet and the Duke Gentleman Jack The Gilded Age Bridgerton Queen Charlotte The Crown Outlander The Empress The Great The Good Lord Bird The Underground Railroad Reign
Books Mentioned: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin Longbourn by Jo Baker Poldark series by Winston Graham Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn Knockout by Sarah Maclean Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas Sarah Waters The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan The Davenports by Krystal Marquis Fiona Davis Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin Jane Austen The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan The Countess by Sophie Jordan Victoria by Daisy Godwin Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan Shakespeare’s history plays Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett The Lost Queen by Signe Pike Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton James McBride John Brown by W.E.B. DuBois The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Beloved by Toni Morrison Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward The Water Dancer by Ta Nehisi Coates Royal Diaries series My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, et al Alison Weir Philippa Gregory Margaret George
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| 36. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told by Alex Haley, with Traci Thomas of The Stacks | 17 Nov 2020 | 01:13:27 | |
Today, Traci Thomas of The Stacks podcast joins Chelsey and Sara to discuss The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm, X, as told by Alex Haley. We loved diving into this iconic nonfiction classic with our favorite nonfiction expert, and we’re so excited to share this conversation with you.
Follow The Stacks on Instagram Join The Stacks Book Club on Patreon Shop The Stacks merch Shop Traci’s book recs
Follow Novel Pairings on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our newsletter. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or purchase a gift. Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending a bunch of contemporary pairings to read along with this classic.
Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x
Traci’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Chelsey’s Pairings:
Also mentioned:
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| 35. A 2020 Gift Guide for every literary taste | 10 Nov 2020 | 00:46:12 | |
It's holiday shopping season! Today we're pairing giftable books with fun items for readers with varied tastes. Build your holiday shopping list or your personal TBR with gift ideas for Austenites, fantasy readers, history buffs, and more. Find every title and gift item we mentioned on our gift guide blog post.
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| 34. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and twisty, atmospheric mystery novels | 03 Nov 2020 | 01:10:43 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. We’re sipping some red wine while we talk about this classic locked-room mystery and pair it with some atmospheric, page-turning reads. We discuss Christie’s legacy in the mystery world (and her impact on literature in general), what we look for in the mystery genre, and that wild ending.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a Japanese mystery in translation and a Christie-inspired campus novel.
We do discuss some spoilers in this episode, but we’ll give you fair warning.
Books Mentioned: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware . . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-and-then-there-were-none
Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Picks of the Week: Chelsey: The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jane Ashford Sara: Clue | |||
| 33.5 Discussing the new Netflix adaptation of Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, starring Lily James and Armie Hammer | 30 Oct 2020 | 00:43:06 | |
Readers, today we have a special treat, a bonus episode! We watched the new Rebecca adaptation on Netflix, and we have OPINIONS. We’re talking about how we feel about DuMaurier’s original, what we loved about the movie, what we hated, which spooky and suspenseful movies we’re excited to watch this Halloween weekend, and what we’re currently reading. Did you watch the new movie? What did you think?
P.S. We discuss the movie in depth, so spoilers abound!
Tell us on Instagram or Twitter.
Be the first to know about future bonus episodes. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Support our show AND independent bookstores. Use our Libro.fm affiliate link to get an audiobook subscription for yourself or as a gift.
Watch Hitchcock’s Academy Award winning adaptation here.
“Lily James Looks Like an American Girl Doll in Rebecca”
Lily James stars in The Pursuit of Love
Books mentioned:
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier The Winters by Lisa Gabriele Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell | |||
| 33. Reading challenges and books for every fall reading mood with Courtney Wallace, The Incessant Bookworm | 27 Oct 2020 | 00:59:36 | |
Today we are thrilled to welcome Courtney Wallace, also known as The Incessant Bookworm on her blog, Youtube, and Instagram account where she shares what she’s reading, tips for the reading life, and reading challenges. We’re chatting with Courtney about her back to school reading challenge, how reading challenges influence her reading life, AND we’re pairing our favorite fall activities with a bunch of book recommendations.
Courtney’s back to school reading challenge // Anne of Green Gables read-a-long // and read around the world challenge.
Connect with Courtney:
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Ulysses by James Joyce Belgravia by Julian Fellowes Waiting for a Scot Like You by Eva Leigh Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam A Brush with Death by Ali Carter Harlem Shadows by Claude McKay We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia Jackaby by William Ritter Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders Inferno by Dan Brown The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin A Taste of Sage by Yaffa S. Santos With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi October Sky by Homer Hickam The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova How Much of These Hills is Gold by C. Pam Zhang The Good Girl by Mary Kubica The River by Peter Heller An Elderly Lady is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert
Fall-themed ASMR Channels | |||
| 32. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and eerie books to read with the lights on | 20 Oct 2020 | 01:08:47 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. We admit to some bad English major habits in this episode, and we get super nerdy with a discussion on Gothic novels and the Romantic literary movement, modern horror, and the history behind Mary Shelley’s iconic monster. We also make some surprising modern connections across science, ethics, and social media. If you’re in the mood for eerie, spooky, and not-too-scary reads this month, get ready to take note of our pairings in this episode.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including graphic novels and absorbing nonfiction.
Shop our pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-frankenstein
Sign up for Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings
What to read or skip in Frankenstein:
. . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings:
Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Picks of the Week: Chelsey: Penny Dreadful on Showtime/Netflix Sara: Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge Illustrations: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626725003 | |||
| 31. Short Story Club: Horror Story by Carmen Maria Machado and spooky book recommendations | 13 Oct 2020 | 00:50:32 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing “Horror Story” by Carmen Maria Machado for this season’s installment of Short Story Club. Each quarter, we choose a short story that’s widely available and discuss its genre, themes, and important moments before recommending books to pair with it. For spooky season, we decided to go with a fresh, new voice we both love. This super short “micro story” felt like the right balance of spookiness for two readers who don’t love horror. Of course, we end up taking a bit of a deep dive into the horror genre anyway. If you read the story and join us for this mini book club, please let us know what you think of the story!
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six pairings, including a modern gothic novel and a few scary short story collections.
Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-horror-story
Books mentioned: In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin . . . . . . . .
Shop the pairings:
Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Also mentioned:
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| 30. The Crucible by Arthur Miller and witchy books to read this fall | 06 Oct 2020 | 00:59:30 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are kicking off the spooky season by discussing The Crucible by Arthur Miller—a play about the infamous Salem witch trials. We get pretty nerdy in this episode. Full of drama, history, and high school English class nostalgia, this play was so much fun to talk about! Chelsey shares details from her immersive high school reading experience, Sara shares memories of teaching the book (and the movie), and we share absorbing reads to pair with the themes, history, and tone of the play. Plus, we discuss implications and complexities for discussing and teaching this play during the Me Too era.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a comedic novel set in the 1980’s and a murder mystery set on the Plymouth Plantation.
Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/witchy-novel-pairings-for-the-crucible . . . . . . . . . . . . Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Picks of the Week: Chelsey: You Must Remember This Episode 14 Arthur Miller, “After the Fall” Sara: The Unobscured Podcast
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| 29. Campus novels to read in the fall and why we love books about school | 29 Sep 2020 | 00:54:36 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are toppling your TBRs with campus novels. We know this back to school season is weird for students, teachers, parents, and the rest of us as we navigate new seasons during a pandemic. So let’s go back to school safely with books that take place at school, that revolve around learning or academia, and that give us the new school supplies, crisp fall leaves, sharpened pencils feeling.
We have so many books on this list...all sorts of tones and types! Don’t worry about writing everything down; we have links to all of the books mentioned in our show notes. It’s very possible we won’t get through all of the books we want to on this episode, but we’ll have an even more complete list of campus novels on our new blog: novelpairings.com.
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novelpairingspod/
Shop our Campus Novels list on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/campus-novels-83ca9b6c-710c-436f-a0cb-af159a5ac6b7
Use our referral code to get TWO audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings
Classics The Secret History by Donna Tartt Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner Possession by AS Byatt A Separate Peace by John Knowles Mysteries If We Were Villains by M.L Rio Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova The Likeness by Tana French Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas Young Adult The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart (@allisonreadsdc) We Are Okay by Nina Lacour Bloomability by Sharon Creech (@anniebjones05, The Bookshelf) Dear Martin & Dear Justyce by Nic Stone Magic Campuses A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik The Magicians by Lev Grossman Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Campus Romances Real Life by Brandon Taylor Normal People by Sally Rooney My Education by Susan Choi The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Miscellaneous On Beauty by Zadie Smith Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro | |||
| 28. Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich, books by Indigenous authors, and intergenerational family stories | 22 Sep 2020 | 01:03:16 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich, which we selected for our back-to-school season as “a book we wish we read in high school.” Love Medicine is a novel made up of interconnected stories that span generations of two families: the Kashpaws and the Lamartines. The stories deal with small family dramas, and huge ones, depicting characters’ past romances and relationships as these families interact over decades. There’s drama, humor, spirituality, and history in between the pages, and we have six incredible books to pair with Erdich’s masterpiece.
Shop our Backlist Recs on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/anticipated-fall-reads-2020-backlist-pairings Use our referral code to get TWO audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings (We’re currently listening to: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and The Pull of the Stars, Barn 8, and Migrations).
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a brand new YA release and a well-loved favorite.
This episode is spoiler free and well-suited to listening before, during, or after you read Love Medicine. . . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-love-medicine
Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Other books mentioned: LaRose by Louise Erdrich The Nightwatchman by Louise Erdrich The Round House by Louise Erdrich Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo
Picks of the Week: Chelsey: Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga Sara: This Land Podcast
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| 140. Five tips for reading television and movies with a critical lens | 30 Jan 2024 | 01:16:29 | |
Today we’re sharing five tips for “reading” your favorite (or least favorite) TV shows and movies. These close reading tricks will help you get more critical while you watch television, which we hope prompts more engaging discussions with your friends and family. We’re using The Buccaneers (Apple TV) as our main example in this episode, but you don’t need to watch the show in order to listen. In fact, if you like episodes in which we get a little sassy, well, this one’s for you. We also share questions to make you a more critical viewer, what we’re reading with a literary lens, and book recommendations to pair with The Buccaneers show. We’ve included a bunch of resources in our free weekly newsletter, so be sure to visit novelpairings.substack.com to supplement today’s listening. For more public scholarship and continued literary learning, sign up for our community at patreon.com/novelpairings. We would love to see you in our classes and book club meetings! Books mentioned: The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton Anna K by Jenny Lee Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan The Great White Bard by Farah Karim-Cooper The Fifth Avenue Rebels series by Joanna Shupe Also mentioned:
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| 27. Anticipated Fall 2020 Reads and backlist books to pair with them | 15 Sep 2020 | 00:57:12 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are back to topple your TBRs with highly anticipated fall releases and backlist books. We know hardback books are pricey and library waitlists for the hottest new releases are long, so we’re going to be pairing the books we’re most excited to read this fall with older books that are easier to get your hands on. There are about 60 titles mentioned in today’s episode, so be sure to visit our show notes at novelpairings.com or our shop at Bookshop.org to find full lists of every book we talked about. Shop our Backlist Recs on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/anticipated-fall-reads-2020-backlist-pairings Use our referral code to get TWO audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings Books mentioned: Luster by Raven Leilani (9/1) Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney Normal People by Sally Rooney Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (9/1) The Mothers by Brit Bennett Daddy by Emma Cline (9/1) The Girls by Emma Cline Florida by Lauren Groff Sabrina & Corina by Kali Farjado-Anstine Lot by Bryan Washington Recommended for You by Laura Silverman (9/1) Tweet Cute by Emma Lord By the Book by Amanda Sellet Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (9/1) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Pride by Ibi Zoboi His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie (9/1) Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivers (9/1) Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole (9/1) The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin Jack by Marilynne Robinson (9/15) Lila by Marilynne Robinson Gilead by Marilynne Robinson The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (9/15) Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (9/29) How to Stop Time by Matt Haig Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo (9/29) The Best Worst Man by Mia Sosa Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman (10/6) Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem by Stacy Schiff The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab (10/6) A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde She Come by It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs by Sarah Smarsh (10/13) Natural Acts: Gender, Race, and Rusticity in Country Music by Pamela Fox Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth (10/20) Dare Me by Megan Abbott Jane in Love by Rachel Givney (10/27) The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn Austenland by Shannon Hale Cobble Hill by Cecily Von Ziegesar (10/20) Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger I Wanna Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom (11/17) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
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| 26. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and books about The American Dream | 08 Sep 2020 | 01:14:05 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We both read this in high school, had mixed feelings, came back to the text later, and still have mixed feelings! Plus some pretty strong opinions about Gatsby himself, Fitzgerald’s writing style, the prominence of this text in pop culture and in the classroom, and the narratives we repeat in American history class. We had a lot of fun recording this episode, and we can’t wait to hear all of your thoughts on Gatsby.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a Jazz Age novella and plenty of literary fiction.
We do discuss some spoilers in this episode, but as with all of our episodes, we still think that readers can enhance their experience by listening before, during, or after the reading experience.
Books Mentioned: So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures by Maureen Corrigan Passing by Nella Larsen . . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-the-great-gatsby
Chelsey’s Pairings:
Sara’s Pairings:
Picks of the Week: Chelsey: The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton Sara: Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry, Ep. 245 of What Should I Read Next | |||
| 25. Quarterly Favorites: The Best Books We Read in Summer 2020 | 25 Aug 2020 | 01:03:20 | |
We love to take time to reflect here at Novel Pairings. Each season, we stop and consider our favorite episodes, our favorite reads, and what we’ve learned. Today we’re sharing some personal updates, gushing about our favorite reads of the summer, and giving listeners a peek at what’s to come in the fall. Shop our Quarterly Favorites on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/quarterly-favorites-spring-2020/ Use our referral code to get two audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings
Books we both read: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo [14:03] The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [16:45] The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham [18:24] The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavincencio [21:27]
Chelsey: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert [29:17] The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin [36:15] We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry [40:52] The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan [47:10] Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh [55:25]
Sara: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell [25:50] Heavy by Kiese Laymon [32:45] Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan [38:13] The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner [44:52] One to Watch by Kate Staymon-London [50:34] | |||
| 24. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien and fantasy novels for readers who love strong characters and complex worlds | 18 Aug 2020 | 01:13:02 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. We’re not shy about sharing our lack of experience with the fantasy genre. It’s not the go-to genre for either of us, but we love to branch out and try new literary things. This book delighted us in some surprising ways and helped us figure out what exactly we love—or could do without—in fantasy novels.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a fast-paced fantasy set in NYC and a beautiful book for map-lovers.
We avoided major spoilers in this episode, so feel free to listen before or after reading in order to enhance your reading experience.
Books Mentioned: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey The Magicians by Lev Grossman . . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-by-j-r-r-tolkien
Chelsey’s Pairings: The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin [40:57]
Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan [51:11] The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss [59:18]
Sara’s Pairings: The Lost Queen by Signe Pike [45:40] Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James [54:00] The Dictionary of Imaginary Places by Alberto Maguel, Gianni Guadalupi, and Graham Greenfield [1:01:48]
Picks of the Week: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas A Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin | |||
| 23. On Campus with Novel Pairings, a preview of our back to school fall season and books that feel like Autumn | 11 Aug 2020 | 00:30:17 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are sharing the lineup for Novel Pairings’ fall season. We share our plans for an extra nerdy back-to-school-inspired season and which books we selected to feature. The books include a book seemingly everyone read in high school, a spooky listener’s choice, and a classic mystery novel. All of the books were chosen to fit with different fall reading moods and learning opportunities in mind.
To shop all of the books in the fall lineup, and more, visit our Bookshop storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings
SPOILERS AHEAD
Scroll down for links to our six fall classics: . . . .
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich The Crucible by Arthur Miller Beowulf or Frankenstein (Listeners’ Choice) And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
In the Woods by Tana French The Likeness by Tana French
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
Coming up: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien | |||
| 22. Like Water for Chocolate and mouth-watering fiction books about food, cooking, and romance | 04 Aug 2020 | 00:58:59 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are kicking off Women in Translation Month by discussing Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. This romantic, sensuous novel was so much fun to discuss, and our pairings include some of our absolute favorite books! We can’t wait to hear what you think of these pairings.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a novel in verse and another classic in translation.
We avoided spoilers in this episode, so feel free to listen before or after reading in order to enhance your reading experience. . . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-like-water-for-chocolate
A Burning by Mehga Majumdar Beheld by Tarashea Nesbitt
Chelsey’s Pairings: American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera [39:00] The Virgin and the Rogue by Sophie Jordan [45:10] With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo [52:13]
Sara’s Pairings: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez [34:12] Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev [42:13] The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende [48:26]
Picks of the Week: @thedefineddish “Pass the Dish” series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat | |||
| 21. Book & Wine Pairings with Jamise Harper and book recommendations from our recent reads | 28 Jul 2020 | 00:44:13 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting with Jamise Harper of @spinesvines and @diversespines. Jamise is a champion for independent bookstores, for authors, and for the books she loves. We’re delighted to have her on the podcast today to share more about her Literary Wine Down interviews on Instagram live, her favorite books, and the perfect wine pairings to match summertime reads. We had so much fun gushing about our favorite books and authors with Jamise and hope you enjoy listening to our conversation.
Follow Jamise: @spinesvines and @diversespines To shop all of the books in the summer lineup visit our Bookshop storefront or shop the individual links below: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings Support Jamise’s favorite D.C. bookstores:
Purchase a #diversespines mug: https://www.idealbookshelf.com/products/mug-spines-vines-diversespines
Books mentioned: Native Son by Richard Wright Beloved by Toni Morrison Jazz by Toni Morrison Sula by Toni Morrison Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams Miracle Creek by Angie Kim Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward The Color Purple by Alice Walker White Teeth by Zadie Smith American Marriage by Tayari Jones Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Book & Wine Pairings:
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson + Cabernet Caste by Isabel Wilkerson Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo + Rosé Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory + Rosé The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Where to Begin by Cleo Wade + Malbec Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi + Merlot Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Recent recommendations:
Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert The City We Became by N.K Jemisin The Fifth Season by N.K Jemisin Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Passing by Nella Larsen Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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| 20. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and romantic Black feminist heroines | 21 Jul 2020 | 01:03:37 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the perfect book to discuss on a sweltering summer day. Sara read and did not finish this classic in high school. We talk about where she stopped and why, and how we both have a greater appreciation for this work as adults. We gush about Hurston’s writing, bond over our love of Janie the dreamer, and share some tips for approaching this seminal work of southern literature.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a celebrity memoir and narrative nonfiction.
We will get into some spoilers in this episode, but we must say, we both read summaries prior to reading and think it benefited our reading to know more information going in. Having a prior awareness of plot helped us take in the dialect and rhythm of the story and allowed us to admire Hurston’s writing all the more. . . . . . . . . . . Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-their-eyes-were-watching-god
Chelsey’s Pairings: Indigo by Beverly Jenkins [43:03] Rebel by Beverly Jenkins We’re Going to Need More Wine: Stories that are Funny, Complicated, and True by Gabrielle Union [48:13] Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall [55:30]
Sara’s Pairings: Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward [38:20] The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson [45:30] Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde [51:07] | |||
| 19. Short Story Club: All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury and descriptive dystopian novels | 14 Jul 2020 | 00:43:57 | |
Today, in “Short Story Club,” Chelsey and Sara are chatting about “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Brudbury. This short story is about a group of young schoolchildren living on Venus, who have never seen the sun in their lifetime. It’s about sacrifice, the pain of nostalgia, bullying. It’s super short but packed with stunning detail and emotion. Our discussion includes:
Plus, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with this story, including an award-winning fantasy and a dystopian YA novel.
Past short story episodes: “Roman Fever” by Edith Wharton
Mentions: The October Country by Ray Bradbury
. . . Pairing spoilers ahead! . . . . . . . . . . . . Chelsey’s Pairings: The Martian by Andy Weir [30:12] & Artemis by Andy Weir [30:50] The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin [33:39] The Dry by Jane Harper [37:30]
Sara’s Pairings: Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah [31:42] Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman [35:22] Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson [38:58]
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| 18. The Odyssey by Homer and mythology retellings for adventurous readers | 07 Jul 2020 | 01:02:28 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Homer’s The Odyssey. Sara reveals her nerdy middle school obsession, Chelsey has strong opinions on defining “the classics,” and we have a LOT of fun discussing the complicated character of Odysseus. You don’t need to have any knowledge of mythology or The Odyssey in order to enjoy this episode.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a business book and a book in translation. Show Notes: Edith Hamilton’s Mythology “Siren Song” by Margaret Atwood “ Penelope” by Carol Ann Duffy The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy Madeline Miller: Circe and The Song of Achilles Gareth Hinds graphic novel The Odyssey Bull by David Elliot . Pairings spoilers below! . . . . . . . . . Chelsey’s Pairings: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger [39:05] The Martian by Andy Weir [44:36] Dare to Lead by Brene Brown [51:35]
Sara’s Pairings: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood [35:40] The Songs of the Kings by Barry Unsworth [41:15] Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera [47:05]
Pick of the Week: Chelsey: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow recommended by Bezi @beingabookwyrm Sara: Rick Riordan Presents | |||
| 139. The best, the backlist, and the buzziest books of 2023 | 09 Jan 2024 | 01:15:45 | |
It's time for our annual Superlative Soirée! (Okay, so we've never called it that before, but it fits, right?!) Today Chelsey and Sara share their favorite and least favorite books of 2023, plus everything in between. YOU helped us come up with some creative categories to cover in this official wrap-up episode, and we can't wait to hear what you think of the titles we discuss. To get your very own superlative printable, subscribe to our newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com--and to join us for Wharton in Winter, go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up. We're so excited for the year ahead! Find us on Instagram @novelpairingspod. Shop for your 2024 TBR through our Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings Books Mentioned: The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg Gone Girl & Rebecca Wellness & To the Lighthouse Congratulations, the Best is Over! By R. Eric Thomas Wellness by Nathan Hill Disoriental by Negar Djavadi Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park The Employees by Olga Ravn One Woman Show by Christine Coulson The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton The Pleasing Hour by Lily King Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sheriff Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls Blind Owl by Sadeq Hedayat The Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal Doomsday Book by Connie Willis Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop All the Right Notes by Dominic Lim Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Saddiqi Big Swiss by Jen Beagin Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett Tom Lake by Ann Patchett Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Loot by Tania James North Woods by Daniel Mason
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| 17. Buzzy Summer Books and backlist titles to read while you wait on your library holds | 30 Jun 2020 | 00:56:14 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are toppling your TBRs with backlist books to enjoy this summer. We know hardback books are pricey and library waitlists for the hottest new releases are long, so we’re going to be pairing some of 2020’s most exciting books of summer with older books that are easier to get your hands on. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novelpairingspod/ Shop our Backlist Recs on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/buzzy-summer-books-and-backlist-favorites Use our referral code to get TWO audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings Books mentioned: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones An American Marriage by Tayari Jones American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld Abigail Adams: A Life by Woody Holton Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton All Adults Here by Emma Straub A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory Dreamers series by Adrianna Herrera (American Fairytale #2) Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado Friends and Strangers by J Courtney Sullivan A Room with a View by EM Forrester Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Other mentions: | |||
| 16. Passing by Nella Larsen and books about complicated sisterhood | 23 Jun 2020 | 01:01:22 | |
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Passing by Nella Larsen. Published in 1929, Passing is a book about two women: Clare and Irene, who grew up in the same middle class Black community in Chicago and come back into each other's lives as adults. Irene is living in Harlem with her husband, a successful doctor, while Clare has left the family and friends of her youth behind to marry a white man and pass as white. Clare and Irene’s bond is built on a shared past and a deep mutual affection, but also curiosity and jealousy over the lives each of them might have had. As their lives become more and more intertwined the tension builds, and a sense of impending doom makes this book impossible to put down.
Our discussion includes:
Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic, including a literary thriller and one of this summer’s buzziest books.
This episode will be mostly spoiler-free, except for a brief discussion of the ending. We’ll warn you in advance before we get into it, and timestamps are listed below.
Show Notes: Pairings listed below! . . . . . . . Chelsey’s Pairings: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite [40:48] Black is the Body by Emily Bernard [47:05] The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert [53:17]
Sara’s Pairings: Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson [37:50] Born a Crime by Trevor Noah [43:14] The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [50:00]
Pick of the Week: You Must Remember This podcast “Passing for White, Merle Oberon” 13th the Ava DuVerny documentary | |||
| 15. Literary Throwbacks and reading YA for fun: a chat with Alli Hoff Kosik of The SSR Podcast | 16 Jun 2020 | 00:48:05 | |
We’re excited to welcome our first guest on the podcast today! Alli Hoff Kosik is the host of the SSR Podcast, where she breaks down an old school read from her tween and teen years with a special guest every Tuesday. Today, we’re chatting about classic and contemporary YA lit, the magic of middle grade, how childhood books stick with us into adulthood, and more. As always, we’re offering some novel pairings—this time with classic kid lit or YA books and contemporary adult reads. You can find the SSR Podcast wherever you download your podcast episodes. Follow Alli on Instagram and Twitter and say hello! PS: Congratulations on 100 episodes, Alli! Listen to Chelsey and Alli talk about Tuck Everlasting on Ep. 34 Listen to Sara and Alli talk about Jacob Have I Loved on Ep. 87 . . . . . Books mentioned: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne The Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar . . . Pairings: Little Women & The Most Fun We Ever Had The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks & Fleishman is in Trouble The Baby-Sitters Club & Most Likely . . Guest Rec: | |||