Shoulda Books

Jay Putnam (1/2 of the iconic Couch Boys duo from the Perfect Person podcast) stops by to talk about Gabriel García Márquez, Annie Proulx, rediscovering the love of reading, and a book that might be the best thing I've read all year.   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   books discussed below. these are affiliate l...

It's the spookiest month yet for the Shoulda Book Club as we dive into the book that launched Stephen King's career, CARRIE.    Check out the Patreon version to hear me discuss how this book made me feel as a homeschooler: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstore...

Boozing in Brooklyn™️ continues with writer and creator Marston Quinn. We discuss facing our mortality, learning to cook, and living life to the fullest even in lousy circumstances.    Follow Marston on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marstonquinn/?hl=en   Follow Marston on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarstonQuinn   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Pa...

Earlier this year, The Guardian published a (non-definitive) list of the 100 best novels of all time. Today, my friend Danny Laplaza joins me as we try to drink for each book on the list we've read. This one goes off the rails (like every good drinking game should), and we end up in a place I didn't expect…but couldn't be happier to find.   The Guardian's list: https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng...

Sense and Sensibility is over 200 years old. But it speaks to the current moment in ways both obvious and surprising. In this episode, I explore some of the ways this book has become even more relevant in recent years, and in a Shoulda Books first (and probably last), I attempt to do some math.   Sense or Sensibility... What if Jane Austen Had to Choose?: https://lithub.com/sense-or-sensibility-wh...

Blake Lefray (from the excellent YouTube channel Below the Fray) joins the show to chat about Dr. Strangelove, mass market paperbacks, suburban feuds, and more.   Follow Blake's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BelowTheFray   Follow Blake's substack: https://belowthefray.substack.com/   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c...

today, I'm revisiting some of the Christian fiction that shaped both me and some of the listeners. if you grew up going to youth group and checking Plugged In to see how many swear words The Bourne Supremacy had…this episode is for you. topics discussed include The Shack , Babylon Rising , the John Birch Society, Frank Peretti, and more.   check out my new short film "Green Sky Bastards", starring...

author and screenwriter (and my former boss on many a set) Amanda Mortlock joins the show to talk about her steamy new novel Strange Bedfellows , the tropes she can't stand, His Dark Materials , and possibly the most whimsical heist of the century.   in the ad-free, extended version, Amanda and I discuss our shared lore in the halcyon days of Verizon's Go90 streaming service. check it out on the S...

today I'm talking about the most challenging book I've read so far in 2026, Toni Morrison's Beloved .   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission....

filmmaker Jason Nguyen talks mythology, Cormac McCarthy, and the…interesting place where he loves to read most.   follow Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonnguyentv/?hl=en   check out Room 105: https://room105media.com/ for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https:/...

Will Witwer returns to answer listener questions, respond to hot book takes, and rant/rave in general about our "twist-based" society.   follow Will on Instagram because he's going to learn how to dunk: https://www.instagram.com/wwitwer/?hl=en for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: h...

Today, I'm examining Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey , comparing it to the film, and taking a look at the relevance of oral storytelling in a world where no one reads anymore.   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   "Democracy, Neo-Orality, and the Unraveling of Political Norms: What Can We Social and Polit...

Author (and former literary agent for the Try Guys) Jessica M. Felleman stops by the Boston Bureau to discuss Mary Oliver, solarpunk, local poetry, staying ON (not in) Cape Cod, and her debut novel "Last Kiss of Summer".   In the Patreon bonus segment, Jessica talks about working with the Guys to sell their NYT bestseller The Hidden Power of F*cking Up, and about working with Eugene to sell his up...

Luke Goebel ( Kill Dic k, the films Causeway and Eileen ) shares 3 books that influenced his writing, and he almost shares his phone number, too.   Kill Dick is available everywhere via Red Hen Press   Check out Tyrant Books: https://nytyrant.com/   Find out more about the Alano Club of Portland: https://www.portlandalano.org/ Find out more about Bridgeway Community Health: https://bridgewayrecove...

Today, I'm going over the 16 books I've read so far in 2026, and I'm sharing some of the ways I've found more time for reading.   To learn how you can help fight tuberculosis, visit: https://www.pih.org/ and https://tbfighters.org/about Science agrees that audiobooks count as reading: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/03/audiobooks-dont-really-count-as-reading-think-again/ for early, ad-...

Sarah Bonsignore joins the pod to discuss airport mystery authors, zipless f*cks, the magic of bugs, and more.   Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petesybon/?hl=en   Follow Sarah on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@petesybon   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks books discussed below. these are affi...

We finish out Modern Spring (in the middle of summer) with Min Jin Lee's Pachinko . There's a lot to love about this book…but is it really worth reading?   for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support loca...

Kirsten King, author of the deliciously unhinged novel "A Good Person", stops by to discuss Eve Babitz, John Waters, and prepping for the apocalypse.   For the extended, ad-free version where Kirsten reminisces on the golden (and I do mean golden) days of BuzzFeed, subscribe to the Shoulda Books Patreon or purchase the episode for $3 here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks Follow Kirsten on...

Ryan W. Garcia (Try Guys, Big Nate , Krapopolis ) graciously allows me to record in the lovely studio for his podcast Big Theatre Kid Energy. We discuss leveling up, reading the signs of the universe, and protecting your voice when you're out there in the podcast mines.   Follow Ryan on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muchosgarcias/?hl=en   Follow Big Theatre Kid Energy: https://www.instagram...

Zachary Donohue is the co-writer of the horror film Passenger, in theaters now. He shares 3 books that shaped him and his career, even though none of them are technically horror books.   Check out the ad-free, extended episode–where we discuss Stephen King a bit more–over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   Follow Zachary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donohuezach/   Go...

Khaled Hosseini's debut novel The Kite Runner has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 2003. What made it achieve such a stratospheric level of popularity? Is the story just that good? Or is there something else at play?   Review by Harvey Thompson https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/03/kite-m25.html   for the ad-free version of this episode, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon...

Rainie Toll explains why "The Giver" and "The Catcher in the Rye" are more similar than you might think. We also talk about mushrooms, OCD, John Green, and why it's okay to not finish a book.   On the Patreon version of this episode, we talk about life since we both got laid off. Sign up today, or purchase the episode for $3, at  https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks   books discussed below. the...

Jimmy Wong (Game Knights, the Command Zone, Try Guys, Video Game High School) shares the 3 books he thinks you should read. We end up discussing how he surprised himself with his own paternal instincts, won a jet ski on the Price Is Right, redefines God as he gets older, and much more.   follow Jimmy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jfwong/?hl=en   check out Game Knights: https://www.youtub...

Enjoy this bonus episode from the Shoulda Books Patreon. Every month, we compare a film to the book it was adapted from. Sign up today to unlock more episodes like this.   My grandmother passed away this past weekend, so I've been taking a step back this week to focus on spending time with my family. I'll be back next week with a classic episode. Thank you very much for all of the kind wishes, eve...

Annie Rauwerda, the mind behind one of my favorite Instagram accounts (Depths of Wikipedia, go check it out) joins me to share way more than 3 books you should also check out. We talk Robert Moses, literary gossip from the 1920s, cartoons, the internet, and the recent passing of a bottle of amaro.   for the ad-free, extended version of this episode, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://w...