Totally Booked with Zibby

Although Renée Rosen's latest book is a work of fiction, she manages to tell the incredible true story of the feud between Alva Vanderbilt and Caroline Astor in  The Social Graces . Set during the Gilded Age, the book comments on the societal absurdities and paradoxes of the era and examines how women were able to create their own way in the world at a time when they had few guaranteed r...

Zibby hosted a meeting of the Peloton Moms Book Club where they were joined by Pam Jenoff to discuss her latest novel,  The Woman with the Blue Star . Pam answered questions about how her career in the U.S. Foreign Service continues to inspire her books, where she draws the line between the real historical stories she uncovers and the fiction she writes, and how she has found time to write el...

Zibby is joined by creator and star of  The Nanny  and founder of The Cancer Schmancer Movement, Fran Drescher, to talk about her 2003  New York Times  bestseller,  Cancer Schmancer,  and how its release changed her life forever. After sharing her journey battling uterine cancer, Fran realized just how common her story was and set out on a mission to help everyone liv...

Award-winning writer, professor, and Zen Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel, The Book of Form and Emptiness. The two talk about capturing the imagination of children's books for adults, how social norms in every culture determine where the line is drawn between creativity and mental illness, and why Ruth sees books as living things. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. A...

Ben Mezrich, the bestselling author of Bringing Down the House  and  The Accidental Billionaires  (which was adapted into  The Social Network ), joins Zibby to discuss his latest thriller,  The Antisocial Network . The book chronicles the GameStop stock scandal that took place earlier this year. Ben discusses why his stories often read very cinematically, his unusual...

"I can assure you that moms do find time to read. At least, my mom did." Zibby is joined by Nathan Harris whose debut novel, The Sweetness of Water , was selected as an Oprah Book Club Pick, was on President Obama's 2021 Summer Reading List, and was longlisted for this year's Booker Prize. Nathan shares why he was initially scared to write a novel set immediately after emancipation, how his mom re...

Zibby is joined by Daisy Dowling, her beloved fourth-grade teacher's daughter, to discuss Daisy's new book,  Workparent . After serving as a corporate executive coach assisting mothers and fathers trying to strike the right work-life balance, Daisy realized there are lessons every working parent can learn. She shares why she made sure to include advice for all types of families, how she struc...

When Jenny Lisk's husband started feeling dizzy one day, they had no idea the cause would be terminal brain cancer. In an instant, Jenny had to become a caretaker to her husband while also figuring out how she was going to parent their two kids as a widow. Now five years later, Jenny hosts the  Widowed Parent Podcast  and has written her first book,  Future Widow , to offer the advi...

"People affect each other in ways you're not aware of and in ways that you're not expecting." Fredrik Backman, the bestselling author of  Beartown  and  A Man Called Ove , joins Zibby to discuss his latest novel,  Anxious People , the #1 bestseller which is now out in paperback. The two talk about the lifelong effects of losing loved ones to suicide, as well as why Fredrik pref...

Zibby is joined by 37-time Emmy award-winning journalist and bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan to discuss her latest novel,  Her Perfect Life . Hank shares which elements of her own life inspired storylines for her protagonist and when she decided to take the leap into writing fiction. Hank also tells Zibby about the inner conflict that arises when breaking a news story and where sh...

Bestselling author of  Big Little Lies ,  Nine Perfect Strangers , and  Truly Madly Deeply , Liane Moriarty (also now known as “the TV lady”) had planned to take a year off to write for herself instead of a deadline, but she ended up creating an entire novel from a single-sentence prompt her sister sent her. Liane joins Zibby to talk about how she came up with the three incredi...

Kristan Higgins, the bestselling author of twenty-one books, joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel  Pack Up the Moon . Kristan shares how her personal experience with grief has shaped her entire life — and, notably, her marriage — and inspired a number of her stories, including this one. She also tells Zibby about how she became a writer when she realized that her love for reading and...

Former NPR reporter and journalist Kat Chow had a fear of death growing up which only made the death of her mother hit harder. In her debut memoir,  Seeing Ghosts , Kat attempts to preserve her mother and her idiosyncrasies while also recounting her family's grieving process. Kat and Zibby discuss the process of mourning and memorializing those who have passed on and how the collective grief...

Zibby hosts a special podcast in honor of the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11th, 2001 with author, mariner, historian, and journalist Jessica DuLong. Jessica’s latest book, Saved at the Seawall , tells the story of the boat lift in the New York City harbor on 9/11 and beyond. Jessica shares what drove her to take action and assist on the water, as well as the individual narratives...

Debut novelist Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström joins Zibby to talk about the inspiration for her book,  In Every Mirror She's Black . Although she received 70 rejections, Lọlá knew her story about three Black women from all walks of life in Sweden was necessary to share with the world and her determination has proven industry gatekeepers wrong. Lọlá also tells Zibby about her experiences wo...

Zibby is joined by Bethany Crandell to talk about her hilarious second adult novel,  See Jane Snap , which began with just the title. Bethany shares what inspired her to start writing young adult novels and when she knew it was time to make the switch to adult fiction. She also tells Zibby how her own family's story offered inspiration for this book and where she sees her writing going next....

Journalist Sophie Brickman joined Zibby to discuss her first book,  Baby, Unplugged , and the way childcare technology can make parents more anxious than at ease. Sophie shares how her husband's love of technology led to them test out a variety of child-centered gadgets, and which among them were actually worth it. Sophie also tells Zibby about how her experience as a line cook in New York Ci...

Lauren Groff, the award-winning author of  Florida,  joins Zibby to talk about her latest novel,  Matrix , which was inspired by the often overlooked medieval female poet, Marie de France. Lauren shares why she wanted to discuss contemporary issues through a historical lens, why her novels often go through four or five very different iterations, and the number one tactic she uses to...

Zibby is joined by the iconic star of the original  The Parent Trap , Hayley Mills, to discuss her time acting with Disney and the stories that are recounted in her new memoir,  Forever Young . Hayley tells Zibby about how her screenwriter son showed her how to shape the narrative arc of her formative years, her experience exploring Walt Disney's archives and private possessions (wh...

Norwegian author and professor Jan Grue joins Zibby to discuss his latest book,  I Live a Life Like Yours , which was originally published in Norway in 2018. They talk about how Jan was inspired to write the book after reviewing medical and bureaucratic files on his childhood that painted a very different picture than his happy memories, and shares how he went about reconciling the...

"It's distressing to realize that you're changing. You can see yourself changing in the eyes of the people closest to you." Zibby is joined by YZ Chin to discuss her first novel,  Edge Case . While the book is not autobiographical, YZ explains which elements of her own immigration journey inspired parts of the story and shared how obtaining her green card allowed her to finally pursue he...

"No one tells you how scary it is to become a mom. You're responsible for a whole other life." Amy Koppelman joined Zibby for an IG Live to talk about her book,  A Mouthful of Air , which is being re-released to celebrate the premiere of its film adaptation, which Amy wrote the screenplay for and directed. They talk about why so many women suffer during the postpartum period in silence, how A...

Principal dancer and choreographer of the American Ballet Theatre James Whiteside joins Zibby to discuss his almost-memoir,  Center Center , which James always knew he was meant to write. The two talk about his eclectic late mother and the impact she had on James and his siblings, as well as his plans for the future now that he is living his childhood dream.  Purchase on Amazon or Booksh...

"The most vital things we do — the best antidote to stress — are actually doing things for someone else." Psychiatrist Samantha Boardman, MD, joins Zibby to talk about the patient who inspired her to pursue positive psychology and the lessons she learned on that journey, which culminated in her new book,  Everyday Vitality . Samantha shares the easiest ways we can all start reviving our own v...

Zibby is joined by mother-son duo Cindy C. Muchnick and Justin Muchnick to talk about their respective books,  The Parent Compass: Navigating Your Teen's Wellness and Academic Journey in Today's Competitive World  and  The Boarding School Survival Guide . Zibby sought Justin's book when her own son went off to boarding school, as it features personal accounts from twenty-six student...