BOOKED SOLID: A New Canaan Library Podcast for Adventurous Readers Across All Genres

Kathleen and James welcome special guest Kat to the podcast to discuss R.F. Kuang’s historical fantasy epic, Babel. Tune in for a discussion on empire, colonialism, and revolution, as well as everyone’s favorite bad dad, Professor Lovell. Will James and Kat’s enthusiasm for the book win over fantasy skeptic Kathleen…or will it get lost in translation? Please take our survey to help us make Booked...

Kathleen and James join forces to pull off one last job… talking about Leigh Bardugo’s excellent fantasy heist, Six of Crows. James fails to keep his cool and cracks under the pressure. Kathleen discovers she enjoys fantasy heists and tries to reconcile this fact with the person she thought she was. The stakes are high, but the rewards are higher in this episode of Booked Solid. Please take our su...

Kathleen and James get together and explore an incredible retelling of a myth that fully realizes its characters in new and exciting ways. James reveals that he is a verifiable fanboy for Greek mythology while singing this novel’s praises. Kathleen welcomes James to the podcast and tries to keep things on track. They both agree that everything is better after Odysseus dies. Please take our survey...

Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen and Sam dive into a truly unique book--a mixed media, collage in verse that tackles both the Covid pandemic and being a black youth in today's America. Let's celebrate national poetry month with powerful words that create visceral responses. Kathleen frightens Sam while gesticulating with a knife and almost admits that she loves poetry. Sam shares her passion for altered books and struggl...

This month, we read the graphic memoir, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. Join Kathleen and Sam as they grapple with Spivak pronouns while discussing this quietly brave story about life outside of binary privilege. Tune in to hear about love, support, and asexuality. Let's disturb the universe and embrace the many ways to self-identify. We will do hard things, quote poetry, and even admit to a crush. P...

Like Addie LaRue, Booked Solid was unable to tell our story, but Sam finally gets the tech issues sorted out while Kathleen warms up to magical realism. Loneliness and beauty abound in this tale about immortality and untethered humanity. Could you find solace in art? Is being a muse enough? Are ideas wild? Join us as Kathleen finds comfort in being forgotten while Sam gets uncomfortable with her i...

Kathleen finally convinces Sam to read one of her favorites and redeems herself from a world of predictable happy endings. This is not a therapy session but is it a cry for help? Kathleen wonders if you have to be morally compromised to live the life that you think you should be living. Sam gives Kathleen the moniker "tiny steps toward darkness." Come learn how to trade a paperclip to eventually b...

Kathleen & Sam are back to discuss The Midnight Library--a book that tackles life choices and regrets in a quirky and philosophical thought exercise. Sam is not convinced that there is no place like home but embraces Stephen Hawking and string theory (and apparently double negatives). Kathleen confuses us with her post pandemic enjoyment of predictable endings. Listeners beware. Spoilers and surpr...

Sam & Kathleen wrap up the season with great ideas for summer reads and ponder humanity, philosophy, and veganism while grappling with an endearing, warm fuzzy fantasy read. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Book...

Celebrating our One Author New Canaan visit by Jacqueline Woodson by embracing her unique voice in poetic prose. Kathleen and Sam consider unreliable memory and discomfort reads, upcoming poetry month and summer books. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles...

Sam embraces a sequel and Kathleen ponders the Zombie Adjacent in a satirical alternate history of the Civil War. Let's get pumped for One Author New Canaan--Jacqueline Woodson! Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our...

A tiny town with super-sized hockey. A master of character study is the best cocktail party wingman. Speaking out and the fall out. Books in translation. Find out about the technicality that keeps New Canaan as the reigning Girls Ice Hockey Connecticut state champions for three years in a row. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what impr...

Our episode's special guest, Megan Mabee's article in Book Riot: "How the Hunger Games Prequel Helped Me Realize I've Changed."     Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Cana...

Our podcast glows up and embraces young adults, new adults, and the forever young adult at heart. Listen in as we discuss Alice Hoffman's latest installment--a prequel in the Owen's family of powerful witches. Let's get excited for Lit Lunch while Kathleen drops a bomb on us. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can ma...

Kathleen and Sam are back to talk about Elizabeth Acevedo's recent book. Quiet YA and "This is why we can't read nice things." Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library...

Existentialism. Measured trauma and violence. One-ups-manship. We will burn the tape and keep the ashes. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Murder. Trauma. Souffle. Abandoning Democracy. Join teen librarians Kathleen & Sam as they discuss Courney Summer's Sadie Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library webs...

Join teen librarians Kathleen & Sam as they discuss Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Join teen librarians Kathleen & Sam as they discuss Jesse Andrews's Munmun Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Renaissance Paintings. Books in verse. Embrace Trauma. Be Judith. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.