What Should I Read Next?

Everything’s upside down this week - WSIRN guest Jordan Bradley needs help QUITTING books! Years of higher education taught him to just push through a bad reading experience - but now it’s time to recalibrate.

In today’s episode, Anne and Jordan talk futuristic fiction, vast histories, far-flung expeditions, and together chart a course toward Jordan's happier reading ever-after.

Readers, we’re starting to add events to the calendar for summer and fall 2018, and when we’re ready to go public our newsletter subscribers will be the first ones to know Make sure you’re on the list so YOU stay in the know: Sign up at http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Jordan should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Jordan on Instagram, take a peek at Jordan and Raeleen's farm on Instagram, and check out their business WallQuotes.com.

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Today's guest is Roxanne Coady, proprietor of RJ Julia bookstore in Madison, Connecticut and host of the Just The Right book podcast. Years ago, Roxanne did what many of WSIRN listeners have dreamed of doing - she left her old career behind, and started a bookstore.

Join Anne as she investigates how Roxanne found a calling that appealed to her heart rather than her head, emotionally resonant narratives, nonfiction that holds your hand through tough times, PLUS - you'll learn about the origin of book subscription boxes which trust us, you want to hear about.

Readers, we’re starting to add events to the calendar for summer and fall 2018, and when we’re ready to go public our newsletter subscribers will be the first ones to know Make sure you’re on the list so YOU stay in the know: Sign up at http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Roxanne should read next!

Connect with Roxanne: Podcast | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Make sure to check out RJ Julia's Just The Right Book subscription service. 

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Do you ever feel a little out of place in the world of online readers? Perhaps you're more of a dabbler? You might relate to today's guest! 

Dana Hartness is fascinated by “reading culture” but feels like she doesn’t belong because her interests are so far-flung, and most of the time she’d rather just curl up with Netflix. Today, Anne tries to connect the dots between Dana's WILDLY different favorites, and recommend 3 books that will give Netflix a run for its money. 

In this episode, Dana mentions LOVING Anne's daily Kindle Deal emails. You can sign up to get daily deals in your inbox here. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Dana should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Dana and check out her adorable jewelry shop: Instagram | Shop

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Today’s episode is a FESTIVAL of book recommendations for all ages. You might recognize children’s lit enthusiast extraordinaire Sarah Mackenzie from Episode 49 during our Reading for a Lifetime series, when she came on the show to help Anne recommend books to some truly adorable bookish kids. Today, they’re doing more of the same, but Anne also gets to recommend 3 books that Sarah can incorporate into her ADULT reading life when she’s not running Read Aloud Revival or sharing books with her kids.

Do having a reading perspective you've never heard featured on WSIRN? Visit whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest to apply to for the show!

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Rissie should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Sarah: Check out Read Aloud Revival: Website | Podcast | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

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Today’s guest is a reader who loves to laugh. Rissie Lundberg wrote in to the show to tell us she’s been a listener from the very beginning, but has NEVER heard her favorite titles discussed on the air. We knew we had to have her on the show to remedy that situation as soon as possible.

Rissie is a high school math teacher with a bookish bent - she even assigns English literature as math homework! Today, Anne investigates what titles Rissie discusses with her math students, and they chat about books that WON’T make you cry, books rooted in vocation, knockout audiobooks, and much more.

Do having a reading perspective you've never heard featured on WSIRN? Visit whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/guest to apply to for the show!

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Rissie should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Rissie: Instagram

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You might recognize today’s guest if you’re a reality tv buff - Scott Flanary WON season 29 of The Amazing Race! But he also happens to be a huge book nerd, and that’s what we get to talk about today. Scott says his home-base genre used to be chick lit, but after recently discovering a new favorite niche genre, he's ready to travel even further in his bookish journey.

Today I get to chat with Scott about how book clubs can help you connect deeply with your community, book-to-stage adaptations, childhood favorite heroines, and YES I ask some of the questions you reality tv fans have been dying to hear answers to, like… how does an introvert find time to recharge during a hectic filming schedule?

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Scott should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Scott: Twitter | Instagram

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Today’s guests take getting lost in a good book to a TOTALLY different level. Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg host By The Book podcast, a bookish comedy show where they live by the rules of different self-help bestseller, for two weeks at a time. Kristen and Jolenta have lived to the letter of books like The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, The Secret, The Miracle Morning, and more.

Anne's high-stakes job this week is recommending 3 titles for them to live through NEXT. (No pressure.)

Today’s episode includes a very brief discussion of disordered eating. If this is a topic you need to skip for your safety, the discussion starts when the book French Women Don’t Get Fat is mentioned around halfway through the show. Fast-forward three minutes to miss it.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Liz should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Check out By The Book podcast: Website | Apple Podcasts | Twitter

Connect with Kristen and Jolenta on Twitter. 

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Today's guest Elizabeth Smith is an English Major lives a life that will inspire envy in a a lot of WSIRN listeners. She and her family homeschool, run a theatre company, tend a hobby farm, and herd sheep. No more juicy details here though - it’s better when Liz tells it.

Anne and Liz also chat about the BEST way to experience Shakespeare, books for people who thrive on melancholy, and how to get more out of your local independent bookstores.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Liz should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Elizabeth: Blog | Instagram | Theatre Website | Theatre Facebook

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Today's guest Carly Friedman is a working mom, an advisor at her local university, and has a totally unique goal for her 2018 reading life. We'll give you one hint: backlist.

Today Anne and Carly chat about nonfiction titles for people who love to learn, Carly's budding romance with audiobooks, novels with a strong sense of place and time, what moves a book from your bookshelf to your bedside table, and so much more!

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Carly should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

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Anne and today's guest Dena Abramson Babb have a lot in common. Both were the girl in class who loved to choose the heftiest books possible from school reading lists, and now as adults they've infused their family cultures with reading. There's a little something special about today's episode, too - you'll get to snoop behind the scenes of the launch of Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything, because Dena played a special part in the process. 

Discussed in today's episode: nonfiction that transports who into a whole new world, making reading accessible for a dyslexic child, books for self-aware readers, the rhythms of a reading family, and more! 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Dena should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Dena: Website | Facebook

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Today’s guest Rachael Robinson lives in Southern California, but Anne met her for the very first time in her own kitchen. (They'll get to that in the episode). Rachael describes herself as an “extreme” book lover who discovered her reading obsession when her son was born and Netflix just wasn’t cutting it for entertainment. Today Anne and Rachael chat about Rachael's best reading year ever, #BookClubProblems, last-minute cross-country bookish adventures, and so much more.

But make sure to stick around for the end of the show, because as a special treat, Anne got the chance to have a second conversation Rachael and see what she ACTUALLY thought of one of the books Anne recommended to her.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Rachael should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Rachael: Blog | Instagram | Goodreads 

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Readers, if you're intrigued by the behind-the-scenes of the publishing industry, this one's for you. In today's new episode I chat with John August, a screenwriter, devoted reader, and author of a brand-new (or soon-to-be) middle grade novel.

As of this morning, John also has a brand new podcast out in the world: it’s called LAUNCH, and as someone who loves all the details about how books are born, I can’t wait to listen. This six-episode podcast tracks the launch of John’s novel, Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire, John covers it all, from conceiving the idea to landing an agent to the editorial process to printing and pub date to book tour and beyond. We chat a little about the process today, as well as the difference between writing movies and writing books, stories that bridge two worlds, and John's unusual method of working, which is unlike any method I've previously heard of. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think John should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with John: Website | Twitter | Instagram | LAUNCH podcast | Scriptnotes podcast

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Time FLIES when you're reading a good book... and, turns out, when you're podcasting. 

Today marks WSIRN's second anniversary! We thought it would be fun to rewind allllll the way back to our VERY FIRST GUEST, ever-colorful personality and the co-host of The Popcast: Jamie Golden.

Today you’ll get to hear some secrets about what Anne originally had planned for the show (and which of these plans we threw out the window) a totally true bookshop story about Tom Hanks, a literary pop culture lightning round, and Jamie’s pitch for WSIRN: After Dark. Plus, of course, some fresh recommendations to perk up Jamie’s reading life - and maybe yours - in 2018.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Jamie should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Jamie: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Check out The Popcast: Website | Twitter | Facebook

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We asked 14 different podcast listeners how they organize their bookshelves … and we're sharing their ideas with you. (Some readers even provided photos of their methods— link below!)

Ever-popular genre and color organization came up of course, but we also get to hear about the uniquely-displayed special interest book collections some of you have, including a bookshelf entirely dedicated to one specific period of history, and another home library entirely organized with book-lending in mind. And yes, of course, at the end of today’s episode Anne shares some stories about her own shelves.

Click over to the podcast website to see pictures of some of the shelves we peeked into this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know how you organize your own shelves!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram   

Thanks to today's sponsors:

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"I want to read more" is a common refrain in January, so here's some good news: today's episode is full of tips and tricks to help you maximize your time and strategize your next best read!

If you've been listening to WSIRN for a while, you've heard Anne talk more than once about supply-side vs demand-side readers. The brilliant mind behind that concept is author and podcaster Laura Vanderkam, who you may know from her books 168 Hours, I Know How She Does It, and What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, or her new podcast Best of Both Worlds. 

On today's WSIRN episode Laura shares the strategies she uses to improve her own reading life (one of which includes reading War And Peace in the grocery store), a new perspective on free time, her bucket list books, and LOTS more.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram   

Connect with Laura: Twitter | Website | Ted Talk

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Today's episode is a cozy family affair! Anne chats with Emily and Daniela Loose, a mother-daughter duo from New Hampshire who have been reading together for Emily’s entire life. Emily went off to college this fall, and they're learning to navigate the pain of waiting way too long to talk to your book buddy about what you’re reading (texting in all caps about a book you just read is TOTALLY acceptable.)

Topics this week: books for book people, Swedish children’s books, the pleasures of re-reading, and reading Dr Seuss for the first time—as an adult.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram   

2018 Reading Challenge

Readers, get more out of your reading life this year with the 2018 Modern Mrs Darcy reading challenge. The goal of the 2018 Reading Challenge is to read amazing books in 2018. To do that, you need amazing books and time to read them. We can help.

We’ve created 12 categories this year designed to give you the best possible reading experience, and we’ve created free, downloadable tools for you that are pretty, practical, and all kinds of motivating.

Click here to get started and to get your free reading challenge kit. We can't wait to read with you in 2018!

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It's our first guest from Down Under! Today Anne talks books with Fiona Thoms, a party-planning, paleo cooking, PTA president mum of three kids who lives in Sydney, Australia. You may recognize Fiona’s voice from Episode 62, because she recommends two books to Anne in our special What Should ANNE Read Next episode.

Today's topics: the pleasures and perils of the Australian literary life, reading fictional books about real-life travel destinations, how Fiona's life bears an uncanny resemblance to the Liane Moriarty novel Big Little Lies, and more.

See the full list of titles discussed today and tell Fiona your recommendations for what she should read next on the podcast site.

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram   

Connect with Fiona: Instagram

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Today's guest is Annie Spence, author of Dear Fahrenheit 45: Love and Hate in the Stacks, a collection of breakup notes and love letters to books she encounters in her day-to-day as a public librarian.

This week Anne learns all about how Annie became a public librarian. They also discuss the difficulty of recommending books when you’re in a HUGE reading slump yourself, bizarre nonfiction, and seasonal reading patterns.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

Connect with Annie: Blog | Twitter | Book

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Anne kicked off her first visit to Malaprop's Bookstore in Asheville, NC in a big way - a WSIRN liveshow! You can read more details about what the show was like in this Modern Mrs. Darcy post.

This episode is a fast and furious speed round of literary matchmaking for SEVERAL guests at the live event - get ready to live vicariously through your fellow WSIRN fans (and prepare your Goodreads - your TBR might grow 10 sizes today.)

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

Connect with Malaprop's Bookstore: Website | Twitter | Facebook

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Holland Saltsman from the Novel Neighbor in St Louis joins Anne to talk about their favorite books of the year, supporting local bookstores, and the bookish gifts they can’t wait to give and receive this year. Whether you’re shopping for a book lover, making your own wish list, or want to indulge in a whole bunch of readerly enthusiasm, this episode will be a treat.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles and bookish gifts discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU will be giving this year!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

Connect with Holland and The Novel Neighbor: Website | Twitter

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Shannon Navin is a Columbus mom and technology professional who came to Anne with a specific request: to recommend great books that Shannon and her ten-year-old son can enjoy TOGETHER.

Anne and Shannon discuss the magic of bonding over books with children, what you need to have a great reading experience at any age, and what it looks like to establish your own reading life.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Katherine should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

Connect with Shannon: Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

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Today Anne chats with Rider Strong, a director & screenwriter (you might know him from Boy Meets World) who spends free time reuniting with readerly college friends on his books and reading podcast Literary Disco. As a busy dad, Rider says his reading life “needs work”, and the books he wants to read have multiplied from a single shelf to an entire room.

Today Rider and Anne discuss being baffled by YA, the making of a bookish best friend, good TV vs. good books, & much more.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Katherine should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

Give Rider's podcast Literary Disco a listen.

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Alexandra Rodriguez is an English teacher and grad student in the Indianapolis area whose reading life underwent a big change a few years ago. Today, Anne explores how reading 150 books in a year represented a silver lining for Alexandra during a really difficult time, and how a nudge from an old boss pointed her to take her literary life in a new direction. 

Also discussed: Diverse Books Club, books that make you laugh and cry almost at the same time, light-hearted books that carry meaningful lessons, and authors that don’t hold anything back.  

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Katherine should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

Connect with Alexandra at Booked Up Blog - Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram  and Diverse Books Club - Instagram | Goodreads

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Today Anne chats with Katherine Riling, a mom, math teacher, and new Alaska resident whose go-to genre is historical fiction — but she doesn’t want to read it ALL the time. Katherine's three favorites are seasonally appropriate, and have something strangely specific in common…

Also discussed: libraries vs. used bookstores, copycat books that miss the mark, the perfect climate for curling up with a thick book, & more.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Katherine should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

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Anne is joined by a familiar voice -- Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project and, most recently, The Four Tendencies, a new personality framework in which she investigates how different people—or in today’s case, fictional characters—respond to internal and external expectations. Gretchen visited the show last Fall in Episode 52 for KidWeek, as a VORACIOUS reader of children’s literature. But today Anne and Gretchen broadening her horizons to talk about books for all ages -- and books where specific “tendencies” are on display.

Also discussed: literary obsessions, teen historical fiction, human nature, and Gretchen's specialties -- habits and happiness.

 Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Gretchen should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

Connect with Gretchen: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast

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Anne and WSIRN's producer Brenna Frederick take a look back at memorable moments from the first 100 episodes of What Should I Read Next. From behind-the-scenes moments to reading-saved-my-life emails, memorable two-star reviews, bloopers, frequently asked questions, and what Anne wishes she handled differently in the first one hundred episodes. PLUS they give a sneak peek at what lies in WSIRN's future.

Readers, thanks for joining us on this amazing ride, and for reminding us today and every Tuesday why it is so good to be among people who are reading.

Click over to the podcast website to check out the list of past episodes discussed, and leave us a comment to share your favorite WSIRN stories.

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

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This week Anne chatts with Keith Watts, a Seattle resident who credits Star Wars with making him a reader, and Top Gun for making him a history major. Keith and Anne discuss what it’s like to grow up in a house full of books as a kid, and how he later had to assume responsibility for shaping his own reading life as an adult.

Today we get into how and why Keith's preferred reading format has changed with his stage of life, and why he passionately believes one of the most popular books of the last few years is objectively terrible. Anne was especially excited to talk to Keith because he’s devoted to a genre some of you listeners have said doesn’t get enough love here on What Should I Read Next. Today, we’re making amends.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Keith should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

***

Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything released September 19! This is the story of how her long journey digging into 7 popular personality frameworks changed my life for the better, and how you can put those frameworks to work for yourself to make real, lasting change in your life, in your work, and in your relationships without going through quite so many hard knocks yourself. Pick up your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, your local indie, or wherever books are sold.

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Today's guest, Caroline Weaver, is known as The Pencil Lady, because by day she owns and operates CW Pencil Enterprise, a shop dedicated exclusively to pencils and pencil-related goods in Manhattan’s lower east side. 

Caroline loves contemporary literary fiction, books that pack an emotional punch, and that special moment when a book can make her feel something she can’t describe. She and Anne discuss her very personal strategy for finding books perfect for HER, as well as some surprising book-adjacent topics... like the importance of a handwritten letter, and how to pick the perfect pencil for your morning crossword.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles (and pencils!) discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Caroline should read next!

Connect with Caroline & CW Pencil Enterprise: Website | Instagram | Twitter

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything came out September 19! This is the story of how her long journey digging into 7 popular personality frameworks changed her life for the better, and how you can put those frameworks to work for yourself to make real, lasting change in your life, in your work, and in your relationships without going through quite so many hard knocks yourself. Pick up your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, your local indie, or wherever books are sold.

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This week Anne chats with Rikki and Michaela, two Seattle area friends and serious book lovers who knew each other for YEARS before they discovered they shared a love of reading.

In today’s episode Anne, Rikki, and Michaela discuss what it means to live a literary lifestyle, why they believe in reading with the seasons, and how scary it can be to recommend your favorite book to your best friend.

They also explore how they create meaningful, interactive experiences to bring favorite books to life, like their literary dinner parties. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Rikki and Michaela should read together next!

Connect with Rikki & Michaela at The Ardent Biblio: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything released September 19! This is the story of how her long journey digging into 7 popular personality frameworks changed my life for the better, and how you can put those frameworks to work for yourself to make real, lasting change in your life, in your work, and in your relationships without going through quite so many hard knocks yourself. Pick up your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, your local indie, or wherever books are sold.

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Today Anne takes you behind the scenes of how her book Reading People came into being. Guided by questions from newsletter subscribers, we're delving into the intricacies of how the book was made, from working with agents and editors, to how the book got matched up with a publisher, to how the cover was designed. Anne also gets personal with an exploration of her writing habits, what she learned along the way, and even where the initial idea came from.

Get your copy now at your local indie, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, wherever books are sold.

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

If you want to chime in for future episodes like this, you can—just sign up for the newsletter at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/newsletter. 

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We’re in serious countdown mode: Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything comes out on Tuesday, September 19.

This is the story of how Anne's long journey digging into 7 popular personality frameworks changed her life for the better, and how you can put those frameworks to work for yourself to make real, lasting change in your life, in your work, and in your relationships.

Anne had the privilege of narrating the audio version of Reading People herself, and today she's reading the introduction and chapter one just for you.

Pre-order your copy now at your local indie, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or wherever books are sold.

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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In today's episode, Anne and guest Nicholas Siegel cover a lot of ground. MFA fiction is a phrase that has been thrown around on the podcast before; today they dive into what exactly that means. Nicholas also pitches a book in a way that TOTALLY changes Anne's perception of it.

Also discussed: literary magazines, when to finish a book that you're not enjoying, and stories that are perhaps best described as “just plain weird."

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Nicholas should read next!

Connect with Nicholas: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook| Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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In today's episode, Anne looks for small business owner Esther Dairiam's origin story. Like so many great plots, Esther’s turns on an epiphany she had on a trip to Paris five years ago. She left convinced that what her adopted city of Chicago needed was its own destination for culinary books and events, and not finding anything like it already in business, she sought to open that business herself. 

Anne and Esther talk about food, of course, and the way it brings people together. You'll hear lots of cookbook and food titles today, but they also discuss the characteristics of a great memoir, the inclusivity of food AND books, and the favorite books of Esther's childhood.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Esther should read next!

Connect with Esther and her shop Read It & Eat: Facebook |Instagram | Twitter | Website

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today’s guest, Kristin Economos, has an incredible story to tell, one many people will resonate with. After experiencing a season of severe anxiety, Kristin says her return from a decade-long reading sabbatical brought her back to life. She got professional help, and she ALSO soothed her anxiety with books. Fictional stories that transported her to other times and places, and nonfiction reads about mental health and anxiety that taught her strategies and helped her feel less alone. Kristin’s experience with reading kicked off a personal project that she calls her "30 by 30" challenge, which Anne investigates in this episode.

Also discussed: Kristin’s preferred kind of escapist reading, the kinds of books her book club enjoys, and a bookish brunch that will either have you drooling with envy or planning your own.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Kristin should read next!

Connect with Kristin: Instagram

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today’s guest pointed out that we haven’t talked to an abundance of East Coast readers, and today we’re making amends. Karen Weiss is a nurse practitioner in Maine who gets many of her best book recommendations from her teenage patients, and she returns the favor — it's rare for a patient of any age to leave her office without a book recommendation. Karen loves chatting books so much she talked herself into a job at her local independent bookstore, so of course I needed to find out her secret.

We also discuss Karen's take on the book—or books—she hates, stunning writers, well-written mysteries, and the awful feeling when a bestseller betrays you.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Karen should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today’s guest is Bethany Armstrong, a lifelong reader who describes herself as the kind of kid who always had a book in her hand. After studying literature in college, Bethany suffered through a period of bookish burnout. But a surprising thing re-invigorated Bethany’s reading experience... you'll have to listen to find out what it was. 

Today Bethany’s reading life is thriving, and in this episode she and Anne dive into the specifics—they talk about how it’s alllllll about the story, and why it’s important to Bethany to keep the balance in her reading life. And when Bethany shares the book she hates … well, she's sure some of you will want to come after her with pitchforks when you find out what it is.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles and articles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Bethany should read next!

Connect with Bethany: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today, Anne chats with Mary Gaertner, a listener of the show she met at the Popcast Live pre-party. Mary drove to the Louisville show from Cincinnati, and spent the car ride choosing her What Should I Read Next books - 3 books she loved, 1 book she hated, and what she's reading now. When Mary told Anne her books - especially the book she HATED - Anne knew need to come on the show! So … we made it happen.

Mary and Anne discuss copycat books, strong female protagonists, escapism, genres that left them dubious, the special feeling of reading a unique book for the first time, and more!

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Mary should read next!

Connect with Mary's work at Girls On The Run: Website | Instagram

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today is a What Should I Read Next milestone - our very first mailbag episode! We invited our newsletter subscribers and Instagram followers for their burning questions, and Anne did her best to answer. If you've ever been curious about the inner workings of the WSIRN team, what Anne's typical day looks like, what book changed her life, or how to get on the show yourself, today's episode holds the answers to these questions (and MANY more)!

Click here for the full list of titles discussed in today's episode. 

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today's guest is Amena Brown, a spoken-word poet who writes all her poems to jazz music. When she was a little girl, Amena dreamed of becoming a stand-up comedian, and that doesn’t seem like a stretch! Amena brought a lot of big laughs to the show today, as she and Anne discussed their favorite comedic memoirs by fabulously funny women, pushing the limits of a book’s form, and FEELINGS in books that are hard to find words for. Plus, Anne give a book recommendation… that isn’t a book at all.

Anne also announces the winners of the Deluxe Reading Journal Kit giveaway! A huge thank-you to everyone who has left iTunes reviews in the past few weeks - it really does make a difference. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Amena should read next!

Connect with Amena: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Check out Amena's most recent spoken word album.

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Today Anne chats with Aaron White, a runner, content developer, INTJ, and married father of two who lives in Minnesota. Aaron's lifetime favorite book will make some of you jump up and cheer, and maybe make some of you yell back at your podcast player (and not in a happy way). Anne and Aaron discuss that AWFUL FEELING when you’ve read what feels like a bunch of underwhelming books in a row, nostalgic fantasy favorites, and how adding a book to your permanent collection can be a Very Big Deal.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Aaron should read next!

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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Promoting literacy is a both a paycheck and a free-time passion for today's guest. Emily Kinard comes from a family where it’s completely normal for her grandmother and mom to give her book recommendations, and for her to return the favor. And if she sees you a reading a book she loves on the plane, she won’t hesitate to strike up a conversation about it—because there’s nothing like a good book for bringing people together.

In today's episode, Anne and Emily discuss the etiquette of writing in books, #SlowReaderProblems, bonding with strangers over a good book, reading the book before you watch the movie, and more. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Emily should read next!

Connect with Emily: Twitter | Goodreads

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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WSIRN goes international once more! Today's guest is Charity Dušíková, an art teacher and mother residing in a small town in the Czech Republic*.

Anne and Charity talk about the impact of big life changes on their reading lives, what to do when you HATE your best friend’s favorite book, what it takes for a book that collects dust on your shelves to finally get picked up and read, and more. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Charity should read next!

Connect with Charity on her blog. 

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

*Charity asked to add the following footnote: "Ostrava is an industrial city with a history of mining and with a steel industry. Though the mining has ceased, the steel industry is still at work (hence the connection to Detroit). My dear Ostrova has much more to offer than just mining and steel!"

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Anne first met today's guest Shawn Smucker and his wife Maile while they were on an epic cross-country road trip with the whole family, in a big blue bus named Willie. If that sounds like interesting reading, Shawn wrote a book about the experience! It’s called How to Use a Runaway Truck Ramp, and the title is NOT just a metaphor. 

Today Anne delves into the special significance certain books and authors hold for Shawn and his family. Other topics covered include the fascinating art of ghost-writing, journaling's place in the writing life, and multi-sensory reading experiences. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Shawn should read next!

Connect with Shawn: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Books

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram 

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If you’re a longtime listener, you’ve heard from today's guest Donna Hetchler before—she hopped on episode 64 and chatted with Anne about the unconventional way she tracks what she reads, in our special episode devoted to how 15 WSIRN listeners track their books.

In today's one-of-a-kind episode, Anne investigates Donna's plans for a very special road trip. They also discuss stories with whit and whimsy, books that stand the test of time, and Donna also had a unique request when it came to helping her choose what to read next.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Donna should read next!

Check out Donna's blog, I Am Your Rabbit, where she chats about entertainment, personal finance, health, and wellness. 

Connect with Anne:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

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Today's guest is That-Reader-Who-Is-Impossible-To-Recommend-Books-To... because it seems she's read it EVERYTHING! Claire Diaz Ortiz has a very specific favorite genre that makes her go "crazy with excitement", and Anne faces a real challenge finding any titles under that umbrella that Claire hasn't already devoured. 

In this episode, Claire and Anne discuss what it means to be an "obsessive reader" and how to spot others out in the wild, the way our personalities influence how we read, the feeling of hating a book that you know isn't BAD but nevertheless isn't for you, and of course we dive into the genre that makes Claire's heart sing. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Claire should read next!

Connect with Claire:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Connect with Anne:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram

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In today’s episode, Anne chats with Chelsea Humphrey about what a surprisingly broad category "suspense/thriller" actually is. Of course there's some Gone Girl chatter - but they're going deeper, talk about how psychological suspense connects with the various struggles women experience every day.

Also covered: being a sucker for a beautiful book cover and a book with a great map in the front pages, redemptive narratives, and legitimately good romance novels that were not what we were expecting.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Chelsea should read next!

Connect with Chelsea: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

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Why is it SO HARD to describe a book you REALLY LOVE? Anne tries to figure it out with today's guest Cori Jara, a case worker in Eureka CA. Cori is a lifelong reader who loved the written word so much she became a creative writing major. But after college books lost their luster for Cori for a while—reading felt too much like work. So several years ago, she started keeping a detailed spreadsheet about what she was choosing to read. That spreadsheet led to an epiphany: she diagnosed why her reading life had gotten dull, and what she could do about it.

In this episode Anne and Cori talk the prosaic, like what it’s like to move to a town with a smaller library, and the unforgettable—like a book that makes you want to skip dinner, bedtime, and the rest of your life until you finish it.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Cori should read next!

Connect with Cori on Instagram

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

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WARNING: today's episode might make you long for a warm sandy beach, a cozy cabin, or a French villa... wherever your heart longs to vacation, that's where you'll want to be. That's right, Anne is talking SUMMER READING today with the help of WSIRN insider Melissa Klassen! Melissa makes magic happen behind the scenes for WSIRN and the Modern Mrs Darcy blog, so you'll get a little peek behind the curtain. 

In this episode, Anne and Melissa discuss Summer’s big releases, the backlist titles they'll be bringing with them to the pool, their favorite Summer reading memories, and at the end there's a Summer Reading Lightning Round that you won't want to miss. We're also giving you a peek behind the scenes of the SIXTH annual Modern Mrs Darcy summer reading guide! Keep your eyes peeled for the guide's release on May 17th.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know about your Summer reading plans!

Connect with Anne:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram   

Feels like May 17th is just too far away? Tide yourself over with some throwback reading guides from the past 3 years of Modern Mrs. Darcy: 

2016 | 2015 | 2014 

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Today's conversation won't go the direction you're expecting - and we think you're going to love it for just that reason. The guest is Kathleen Grissom, author of the hugely bestselling books The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything. Kathy (she said we could call her Kathy) is a reading discussion pro: she has talked to more than ONE THOUSAND book clubs since The Kitchen House was published!

Today, she and Anne chat about hardcovers versus paperbacks, "reading books like popcorn", historical fiction with a touch of redemption, take a deep dive into Kathy's fascinating intuitive writing process, and of course Anne puts on her matchmaking hat and recommends what Kathy should read next. 

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Kathleen should read next!

Connect with Kathleen Grissom: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

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If YOU have ever dreamed of opening your own bookstore, you’re about to learn exactly how another reader is making that dream come true. Meet Alison Frenzel, a reader from Waco Texas who is in the process of bringing her bookish business idea into the real world! 

Alison and Anne discuss their nostalgic reading habits, what books and chocolate cake have in common, and the extroverted reader's perspective. And when it's time to talk bookshop, Alison has some solid business advice for Anne's favorite fictional bookshop owner, Kathleen Kelly.

Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us know what YOU think Alison should read next!

Follow Alison's future-bookshop, Fabled: Website | Instagram 

Check out Readerly: Shop | Instagram 

Connect with Anne: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WSIRN Instagram  

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