What Should I Read Next?

Charlie Lovett joins Anne to discuss the enduring power of not only stories but the books themselves, how books connect people of all ages, and of all times, how we can preserve literature for future generations, the joy of a book as a physical object, the art of literary forgery, marginalia, symbolism, and much much more. Anne met Charlie along with 150 other readers at the ever-charming bookstor...

This week's guest is Jennifer Pai, a reader with a particular soft spot for anything that could might be called spooky. Whether it’s thrilling suspense, witchy fantasy, or outright horror, she’s here for it. Anne and Jennifer chat about atmospheric reads, sleeper hits, gleefully enjoying books other people hate, and the perfect October reads to pair with a comfy blanket and mug of hot cider.  Clic...

Jerrell Everett is serious about creating her ideal reading life. When Jerrell had kids and found herself picking up books less and less, she took action to maintain her reading life by enforcing a routine. And when she decided it was time to branch out from her comfort zone of nonfiction and introduce more novels into her rotation, she took action again… by reaching out to WSIRN for help.  Today,...

Readers, sometimes podcasting doesn’t go as planned. Schedules conflict, last-minute emergencies strike, the flu sneaks up on us, Anne loses her voice during pollen season… and any of those situations can end with a guest cancelling their recording at the last-minute. That happened recently here at What Should I Read Next HQ, and we needed someone to record on short notice, RIGHT AWAY, to avoid a...

Today Anne talks books with David Krohse, an Iowa reader who’s woven a love of literature into all aspects of his life — the waiting room of his chiropractic practice, the bar with a group friends, and quality time spent with his wife. David loves larger than life nonfiction, especially if it reads like an intense thriller, so Anne is hooking him up with exactly that.  Click over to the podcast we...

In today’s episode, Anne talks with Emily Carter about a genre they both used to think they were too smart to be reading. When Emily entered a season when she was busy and stressed, and she discovered that the genre she’d once categorically dismissed was full of books that were exactly what her lackluster reading life needed. Fellow repentant "book snobs" will relate to this conversation about wha...

In today's double-feature, Anne chats books with sisters Mia & Micah. But unlike most of our episodes with multiple guests, they aren’t looking to find titles they’ll enjoy together. Mia & Micah already read the same books frequently, so we’re looking to individualize their reading lives with totally separate recommendations.  Mia is looking to introduce a little romance to her bookshelves… withou...

Today, Brian Eichenberger dives straight into a hotly debated issue, discussing horrible books that taught him and Anne lessons they still think about allllll the time. Brian is the kind of reader who wants to chew on big ideas, follow characters from childhood to old age to see what makes people tick, and who loves big juicy family sagas. But he also has a taste for the unusual, so Anne recommend...

In today's milestone 200th episode, Anne and her producer Brenna catch up with the guests of 8 fan-favorite episodes to see what recommendations were hits, which flopped, and what changed in their reading lives after the show. Some guests approached their bookshelves with fresh eyes, some overcame their genre fears, and some realized that stepping out of their comfort zone just wasn’t what they we...

The WSIRN intro sounds straightforward enough - Anne chats with a reader about books they love, books they hate, and books they could pick up next. Simple. But long-time listeners know this show was originally supposed to be a tight 20 minutes… and today, each episode is easily twice that long. It turns out, a person’s reading taste reveals a lot about who they are as individuals, and digging into...

Ever since Anne visited today’s guest, Annie F. Downs, on her podcast That Sounds Fun a little while ago to talk about Summer Reading, she's been wanting to talk all things books and reading with Annie on What Should I Read Next. It's finally happening - and the conversation is going unexpected places. Anne and Annie are chatting about the author who made Annie a better storyteller, her surprising...

Today’s guest, Amelia Mattingly, went through a gut-wrenching experience that ripped her book collection away from her – shelves and all – along with countless other precious signifiers of home. As a result of this experience, the books she craves are different now, and every book purchase feels weighty. Anne is connecting Amelia with three books that will hopefully take some of that heaviness off...

Today you’ll get to know Anudeep Reddy, a reader who grew up in a competitive school environment where engaging books were in short supply, so he had to get creative with his reading from a young age. He’s an imaginative reader who appreciates the escapist quality of a good novel, but has struggled lately to find books that call out for him to live between their pages.  Fantastic escapist reading...

Today’s guest Mary Laura Philpott is an essayist, bookseller, and a big fan of memoirs of people living “everyday lives”. She certainly has experience with an interesting “everyday life” as a Book Enthusiast at Large—yes, that is her job title—for Parnassus Books in Nashville. Anne and Mary Laura chat about the reading and writing life, working through her readerly guilt of hating beloved childhoo...

For Nicole Mattke, a clear and driving plot isn’t the most important thing. She loves beautiful, introspective writing that makes her think about everyday emotions. She also spent a year roaming a hotel, doing a job that sounds like it belongs in the pages of a novel. Today Nicole shares some of the stories she heard during her time there, and the literary community-building project she started an...

Keren Form is a self-professed mega nerd who loves everything from LOTR, and board games, and epic science fiction. Today, Keren and Anne chat about what it really means to be a nerd, and how her wholehearted enthusiasm has sent her on many life-enriching adventures. If you hear “science fiction” or “fantasy” and think “nope, not for me,” you might still find something to love in this episode — An...

Rita and Xoe Amer are a mother-daughter duo who have bonded over books since Xoe was young. She’s all grown up now, but the shared love of reading remains. Today Anne, Rita & Xoe discuss their reading and writing roots, hidden literary gems from the past, and the great conversations that come from bad books.   Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://...

Have you ever finished a GREAT book, then realized it left behind a hole no other book will ever be able to fill? Today’s guest is Andy Serrato, a reader who fell into the arms of a mega-popular series with a welcoming fandom and enough pages to smother yourself in… and ever since, she’s struggled to break her obsession and pick up new books in different genres. Anne's doing her best to get to the...

Today’s guest has reached a crossroads in her reading life, and she’s come to Anne looking for a jump start for this new season. Beth Wallen describes herself as a lifelong learner, and she’s about to have more time open up in her schedule to challenge herself, learn new things, and dive deeper into topics that already fascinate her. This is truly a precious opportunity, and Beth really has the gu...

Today’s guests Brenna Sherrill & Ryan Pait describe themselves as platonic soulmates, book-loving best friends who grew up together, went to school together, read together (sometimes out loud!) and even live together. Today Anne, Brenna, and Ryan chat about a truly magical college class, Ryan’s most embarrassing moment meeting a literary icon, the book Ann Patchett thinks EVERYONE should read, and...

Today, we meet Michelle Moreno, who I hope will inspire anyone out there who wants to make their bookstore dreams a reality. Anne got to talk to Michelle right after her very first pop-up shop, while she was still on the high of her first time putting books directly into the hands of her community. Anne and Michelle are discussing the books she chose for her first foray into handselling, the high...

Hannah Christmas is a stay at home mom whose reading life changed forever when she had a baby. Not only how much she read, or when she read, but the big-picture long-term-plan way she wanted to share her love of reading with the world. Today Anne and Hannah chat about the treatment for a serious overdose of books set in New York City, fresh blood in the bookselling world, literary handcrafts, and...

Lamar Giles joins Anne to chat about his two great literary loves: children’s books, and... horror novelist Stephen King? If you don’t think those things go together, Lamar is prepared to talk you into changing your mind, and maybe about more than just that. Get ready for a great chat about transcending stereotypes, how books can build up the self-worth of young readers, great novels where the set...

Most weeks on What Should I Read Next, I’ll do a little literary matchmaking with one guest… but this week, I’m joined by the show's producer, Brenna Frederick, to hook SEVERAL What Should I Read Next listeners up with their perfect Summer read. Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/185 Find your next great Summer rea...

Today’s guest is Will Schwalbe, devoted reader and host of the But That's Another Story podcast. Will believes if we all asked the question “what are you reading” more often, it could change the world, and has a few absolutely delightful literary superstitions... Anne and Will chatting all about the downside of conquering your TBR, misremembering poetry, bookstore serendipity, and Will’s attempt t...