From the Front Porch

Ever wondered why guys aren't in book clubs? Listen as Annie and Grassroots Coffee roaster Peyton Hodges chat about co-ed book clubs, plus Peyton schools Annie on her knowledge of sci-fi literature. Peyton mentions: + Sad Puppies and the 2015 Hugo Awards + Ready Player One by Ernest Cline + Dune by Frank Herbert + Author David Wong + Author Neal Stephenson + Saga + Hark! A Vagrant --- How to rate/review From the Front Porch Full show notes from today's episode and past episodes here. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Small-town virtues to the Oval Office? Jimmy Carter's presidency may have inspired our current political climate, and Annie interviews author Robert Buccellato to find out why. His new book Jimmy Carter in Plains shares insight into President Carter's approachability and how his underdog story and small-town, Southern charm made a lasting impact. + Robert's author page + tour dates + How to rate/review From the Front Porch + From the Front Porch on iTunes Robert is reading Stone Door, a YA fantasy, and Why the Dutch Are Different, a memoir. Full show notes from today's episode and past episodes here. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Annie recaps the books she read in February, including: - Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty - My Name Is Lucy Barton - The Good Goodbye - The Interestings - American Housewife - Opening Belle - Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend Looking for other indie bookstores to support? Annie loves Sundog Books in Seaside, Florida, and The Hidden Lantern Books in Rosemary Beach, Florida. Rate the podcast on iTunes!

Annie and Bookshelf staffer Chris share their love for the Oscars and this year's Oscar-inspired books, plus they chat briefly about Harper Lee and what her death means to the literary world. iTunes || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

Ever read a book you hated? Annie, Rebekah, and Hunter discuss the new suspense novel Perfect Days by Raphael Montes. (Spoiler-free discussion, with five minutes of spoiler-filled bonus conversation at the close of the episode.) The book reaction video Annie mentions is here.

Annie recaps the books she read in January, including several ARCs, a couple of thrillers, and a YA novel. (Full list with titles and authors here.) Instagram || Facebook || Twitter

What are your reading goals for 2016? Annie chats reading resolutions with returning podcast guest Hunter McLendon. Annie and Hunter also make their way through Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2016 Reading Challenge, plus talk about what they're reading right now (him: Americanah; her: The Expatriates). What Should I Read Next? podcast Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Have you ever wondered how your favorite book would play out on-stage? Annie interviews Jana Mohr, president of Thomasville On Stage and Company, Thomasville's community theatre. Annie and Jana chat about TOSAC's upcoming production of A Little Princess, plus why books make great on-stage adaptations. For tickets to A Little Princess, click here. Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

We're back with our first episode of 2016, and Annie's recapping her favorite books of 2015. (You can find the full list here.) Local listeners may want to subscribe to The Bookshelf newsletter, a weekly update on bookstore happenings. Faraway folks, you can subscribe to Annie's monthly musings -- including reading recaps -- here.

Where we're from affects how we read. Annie chats with blogger, podcaster, and aspiring author Science Mike about science, faith, and the many nuances of the South, plus their favorite Thomasville spots and what they're reading right now. (Mike's reading The Last Pilot, and Annie's reading Live from New York.) Mike's website || The Liturgists podcasts || Ask Science Mike podcast

Annie reviews the six books she read in November: Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber; Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner; The Clasp by Sloane Crosley; Flood Girls by Richard Fifield; The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes; You Don't Have to Like Me by Alida Nugent. Facebook || Instagram || Twitter || iTunes

What makes David Sedaris so funny? Annie chats with Atlanta author, blogger, and comic Jim Hodgson about the ever-changing publishing industry, urban fantasy fiction, and Jim's latest book, Ten Thousand Gods. You can find it and his other works on his website, www.jimhodgson.com. Jim is also the founding writer and editor of the Atlanta Banana.

What's on your table this Thanksgiving? Annie and fellow bookseller Chris Jensen discuss food and food writing, including whether cookbooks are becoming obsolete and their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Similar carrot recipe (find the one Chris made in A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen Avid Bookshop Annie loves: Supper of the Lamb, Delancey, A Homemade Life, The Hidden Art of Homemaking, Voracious

What do all those different festivals do for their cities? Annie chats with Laura Beggs, the main street coordinator for the city of Thomasville. They discuss their favorite spots in downtown T'ville, plus Thomasville's Victorian Christmas (details here). Shop online with The Bookshelf here.

Annie reviews the books she read in October, including Tribal by Diane Roberts and Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. Rank and review us on iTunes here. Shop locally -- even from afar! -- here.

Annie and Rebekah list their favorite spooky reads for the season and even recommend a creepy podcast or two (including Criminal, Lore, and The Black Tapes podcast). One Book 2015 website || instagram || facebook

What one book would you make your community read? Annie interviews New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin; they chat about habits, happiness, and Thomasville's One Book 2015 festival. Then, Annie visits with Lauren Basford, executive director of the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce. Gretchen's podcast | One Book website | Chamber of Commerce website

Annie shares her reviews of the books she read in September. One Book tickets and information can be found online here.

Annie chats with the ladies from Open Door Adoption Agency -- Lauren Fielding and Sarah Taylor -- about adoption, Bob Goff, and life in Thomasville. Bob Goff is headed to The Bookshelf on October 1; come snag a copy of his bestselling book Love Does and get it signed! (Like what you heard about Open Door Adoption? Consider donating to their endowment or making a monthly financial commitment to their organization here.)

What do small towns offer for their creatives? Annie chats with Bookshelf favorite, Hunter McLendon, about books and art and life in a small town. Hunter recommends Girls in Trucks (plus references White Oleander and Alice Munro), and Annie gives her review of Shotgun Lovesongs. Hunter's artwork can be found online here, and more information about The Bookshelf's upcoming events are on the store website.

What do you do with grief? Annie chats with author Prissy Elrod turning sorrow into story, navigating the publishing industry -- including her publishing company, Thomson-Shore -- what's next for Far Outside the Ordinary, and why adult coloring books might be the best invention ever. (More information about Far Outside the Ordinary can be found on Prissy's website, and local listeners can meet Prissy at Reader Meet Writer, The Bookshelf's annual author fair this Saturday, September 19.)

Ever wonder what it's like to live as a creative in the South? Annie interviews Emily Arwood, artist-in-residence at the Thomasville Center for the Arts. They chat about Thomasville's art festival, FLAUNT and their favorite books for creatives. Tickets for FLAUNT (launching September 11) can be purchased online here, and Emily's online shop is here. You can find more information about the Artist in Residence program and the Artist Collective at the Thomasville Center for the Arts website.

Annie recaps the books she read in August, including "super science-y" The Martian and R-rated Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes, plus shout-outs to book Instagrammer SJ Shepperd and the hosts of The Popcast. Rank, review, and subscribe on iTunes.

Annie and Jordan talk about their favorite books from childhood and the impact those characters have had on their adult lives, ranging from The Boxcar Children's Henry to Hermione Granger. (Plus, join Annie and find out what your favorite American Girl doll says about you now.)

Annie chats with Florida State University entrepreneur-in-residence Christine Nieves; the two discuss porch swings and creativity, the importance of connection, and life in the new South (hint: it's a lot of storytelling and hard work). Christine also lists her favorite spots in Tallahassee and Thomasville: Quarter Moon Imports, Black Dog, Ripe City Urban Farm, Railroad Square, Fermentation Lounge, Grasslands Brewery, Jonah's, and Sweet Grass Dairy. Follow Christine on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Rate and review From the Front Porch on iTunes here.

Ever wonder what it's like to be a bookseller? Annie chats with new Bookshelf staffer and PhD student Chris Jensen. Their conversation covers everything from MBTI results to Wendell Berry, plus they show their love for their neighbors on Broad Street: Sweet Grass Dairy and Grassroots Coffee.

Annie recaps the books she read in July, including KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST and GO SET A WATCHMAN. (Want more GO SET A WATCHMAN discussion? Check out Episode 14, here.) Rank and review us on iTunes!

Learn about Florida's coastal islands as Annie interviews author and naturalist Sue Cerulean. Sue's newest book, COMING TO PASS, both inspires and informs readers about Florida's coast. In this episode, Annie and Sue discuss what makes this region of the country unique and where to go adventuring (including Birdsong Nature Center, Leon Sinks, Wakulla Springs, St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, and the Ochlocknee River State Park), plus Sue shares some her favorite writers and books, like Janisse Ray's ECOLOGY OF A CRACKER CHILDHOOD.

Annie and Katie discuss the importance of establishing a reading rhythm and debate reading in bed, plus reference book blogger Modern Mrs. Darcy and this fantastic podcast episode by NPR podcast Note to Self. Katie shares her favorite poetry book for young kids, Lullaby and Kisses Sweet, and Annie raves about Kitchens of the Great Midwest. Follow The Bookshelf on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Annie lists the books she read in June, including The Rocks by Peter Nichols, The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. (This episode also includes references to the Emily books by L.M. Montgomery and The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker.

Annie and Katie discuss the events in Charleston and books about race in America; start with Shauna Niequist's original question on Instagram, then read Annie's blog post for a suggested book list. Want to dig even further? Try following the #CharlestonSyllabus hashtag for more recommendations. Review the podcast on iTunes here.

Annie and her husband Jordan discuss extroversion, introversion, and the influence of Susan Cain (and her book Quiet) on our daily lives. This episode have you curious for more? Find out your MBTI results and whether you're a Highly Sensitive Person, plus check out one of Annie's favorite podcasts, The Popcast (hosted by an excellent introvert and extrovert pairing) and Cain's famous TED talk. You can also join Cain's "Quiet Revolution" here. -- Rank and review the podcast on iTunes.

Annie and Katie talk about the Fifty Shades of Grey books and why they're so popular (maybe because we're repressed?), plus they tackle their own literary guilty pleasures, including chicklit and self-help books. Love what you hear? Rate us on iTunes, and vote for The Bookshelf as we try to win a Main Street grant! You can vote here.

Annie reviews the books she read in May, including Mamrie Hart's You Deserve a Drink and Erik Larson's Dead Wake. Don't forget to rank and review the podcast on iTunes here.

Annie chats with husband and frequent podcast contributor Jordan about audiobooks: he loves them, but she's not a fan. Where do you stand? (Some of Jordan's favorites, in case you're curious: Defending Jacob, The Dinner, and Lord of the Rings.) Annie would rather listen to podcasts; some of her favorites: Lit Up, Books on the Nightstand, This American Life, Gilmore Guys, Around the Table, and The Popcast.

Annie and Katie chat about narrative nonfiction, the ones we love and the ones we hate, including The Lemon Tree, author Erik Larson, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Wild Swans, the American Girl books, and the books we're reading right now.

Annie reviews the books she read in April, including A Little Life (reviewed by Books on the Nightstand here) and Emma, part of The Austen Project. Rachel Held Evans' Washington Post article is here.

Annie chats with author and entrepreneur Carrie Rollwagen in this 45-minute interview episode. They chat about local shopping and eating, Leslie Knope, and Amazon versus the indie. (You can follow Carrie on Instagram or Twitter.)

Annie reviews the books she read in March, including Gretchen Rubin's Better Than Before (recapped in its own podcast episode here) and Hey Natalie Jean.

Annie and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra CEO Amanda Stringer chat Tallahassee's first-ever Word of South festival (Ann Patchett, Tony Hale, Julia Reed, J.K. Simmons, and more!), the beauty of Cascades Park, and why Tallahassee might be a new Southern travel destination.

Annie and Katie discuss habit tendencies, the power of Gretchen Rubin, activity trackers, and goal-setting worksheets.

Annie and Jordan tackle literary bracketology, BOOK MADNESS 2015, and John Green.

Annie and author/journalist Jodi Helmer discuss pining for publication in the New York Times, marathon-running nuns, Farm Fresh Georgia, and why writing groups are so important.

Annie and Katie discuss The Localist, kindred spirit Carrie Rollwagen, shopping locally in Thomasville, "perfect as enemy of the good," the future of retail, why it's okay to settle, and what they're reading right now. (Bonus reading: Ronda Rich on why shopping for books in person is always better, John Green on the future of bookselling, why Millennials like to read paper books, and "The Health of the Independent Bookstore.")

Annie reviews the books she read in February, including Bon Appetempt and its author Amelia Morris.

Annie and fellow Bookshelf staffer Sidney Webb chat about book clubs, Bon Appetempt, food-blogging goddess Molly Wizenberg, and other bloggers with books (Design Sponge, Young House Love, Nie Nie Dialogues, Hey Natalie Jean, Ann Voskamp).

Annie and Katie chat about the controversy swirling around the discovery of Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman, what makes Southern stories so special, the truth about book sequels, and the documentary Hey, Boo; plus Annie reviews this year's ABA Winter Institute. (Bonus reading: HarperCollins botched the release of Harper Lee's new novel, the New York Times article about Go Set a Watchmanand the first comments from Tonja Carter, Harper Lee's attorney.

This episode, Annie reviews the books she read in January (eight in all... hooray!). A complete list of titles and reviews can be found on The Bookshelf store blog and in the latest issue of the Thomasville Townie. Author Celeste Ng has a helpful book club guide on her website, and her novel, Everything I Never Told You, comes out in paperback later this year. A free soundtrack inspired by Donald Miller's new book, Scary Close, is available here. Here's a link to that BookPage article about Scott Blackwood's See How Small. More about Carrie Rollwagen's The Localist can be found here.

In this episode, Annie interviews fellow entrepreneur Cadence Kidwell, owner of the new knitting shop The Fuzzy Goat, located in downtown Thomasville, Georgia. They talk about adjusting to entrepreneurship, living in a small town, and knitting vs. reading. - The Fuzzy Goat is on the main street coming into downtown Thomasville. Pay her a visit, and take a class! - Cadence's yarn shop was partially inspired by Fibre Space, a funky store in Alexandria, Virginia. - Downtown Thomasville offers great resources for new business owners in our area; Cadence also took classes through the Small Business Development Center in Tallahassee (which Annie has now bookmarked for her own use). - Knitting classes and community events are a huge part of both The Fuzzy Goat and The Bookshelf. For a complete list of Fuzzy Goat classes, check out their shop website; Bookshelf events are online through their website as well. - New Voyager Trading Company will be familiar to knitters and weavers; Fuzzy Goat partners with them for weaving classes and more. - Guy knitters, be on the lookout! The Fuzzy Goat and Sturdy Brothers have some plans for partnerships in the future.

We're back with Episode 11 of From the Front Porch! This episode, Annie is joined by Bookshelf staffers Sidney and Rebekah; they're talking about the new suspense novel The Girl on the Train -- a book readers are calling the next Gone Girl. They'll talk about whether that's a fair assessment, and why the book would make a fun book club read. (Not discussed? Author Paula Hawkin's ingenious way of marking time in the novel -- perhaps the staff's favorite characteristic of the book.) For information about the author, British journalist Paula Hawkins, Annie recommends this BookPage article, where she first heard about the book. Curious about what the experts are saying? This New York Times review should do the trick. Hey, book clubs: Penguin's done the work for you. Here's a book club discussion guide. Sidney liked Gone Girl better, but truthfully, these are two pretty different novels. The Wall Street Journal compares and contrasts Gillian Flynn's bestseller with The Girl on the Train. -- Like what you hear? Rate this podcast on iTunes.