From the Front Porch

This week Annie recaps the books she read in September. Recommended for You by Laura Silverman The Harpy by Megan Hunter His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer Everything Beautiful in Its Time by Jenna Bush Hager Just Like You by Nick Hornby Scandalous Witness by Lee Camp Evil at Lake Seminole by Steven Epstein Cobble Hill by Cecily von Ziegesar A full transcript for today’s episode is available here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Cobble Hill by Cecily von Ziegesar. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free media mail shipping on all your online books orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined by Jordan Jones, her husband who also happens to be an attorney and personality typing expert. Today, they’re chatting about the Enneagram and making book recommendations for each type. Enneagram 1: East of Eden by John Steinbeck or Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski Enneagram 2: Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel or A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Enneagram 3: The Best of Me by David Sedaris or Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell Enneagram 4: The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon or The Harpy by Megan Hunter Enneagram 5: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry Enneagram 6: Sea Wife by Amity Gaige and Text Me When You Get Home by Kayleen Schaefer Enneagram 7: City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert and Here for It by R. Eric Thomas Enneagram 8: Untamed by Glennon Doyle and A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett Enneagram 9: What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons and Hey Ladies! by Michelle Markowitz and Caroline Moss A full transcript for today’s episode is available here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Boy-Crazy Stacey by Ann M. Martin and Jordan is reading The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free media mail shipping on all your online books orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined by friend and bookstagrammer from @shelfbyshelf, Hunter, to discuss their top ten reads of the year thus far. The books mentioned in today’s episode are available for purchase from The Bookshelf: Annie’s Top Ten 1. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 2. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 3. House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister 4. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb 5. A Burning by Megha Majumdar 6. The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 7. Here for It by R. Eric Thomas 8. One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London 9. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid 10. Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Hunter’s Top Ten 1. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 2. Fairest by Meredith Talusan 3. Real Life by Brandon Taylor 4. How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang 5. The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 6. Kept Animals by Kate Milliken 7. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 8. Shiner by Amy Jo Burns 9. Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid 10. Cleanness by Garth Greenwell and I know You Know Who I Am by Peter Kispert Also mentioned: Memorial by Bryan Washington, Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland, Daddy by Emma Cline, and What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez. A full transcript for today’s episode is available here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Memorial by Bryan Washington, and Hunter is reading A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free media mail shipping on all your online books orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined this week by cousin, friend and former Bookshelf staffer, Ashley Sherlock. The two will pair books with some of their favorite TV shows. The books discussed today can be purchased online from The Bookshelf: Britt-Marie is Here by Fredrik Backman (matched withTed Lasso on Apple TV+) Long Bright River by Liz Moore (matched with Ozark on Netflix) Three by D.A. Mishani (matched with You on Netflix) Swamplandia! by Karen Russell (matched with Tiger King on Netflix) Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (matched with Gilmore Girls) I Think You’re Wrong, but I’m Listening by Beth A. Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland (matched with The Politician) Savage News by Jessica Yellin and Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen (matched with The Morning Show on Apple TV+) One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (matched with Married at First Sight) Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel and All Adults Here by Emma Straub (matched with Schitts Creek) Layoverland by Gabby Noone, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (matched with The Good Place) The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller (matched with The Great British Bake Off) Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood and Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (matched with Fleabag) The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy (matched with Love on the Spectrum on Netflix) The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames (matched with The Baby-Sitter’s Club on Netflix) The Bright Lands by John Fram (matched with Lovecraft Country on HBO) A full transcript for today’s episode is available here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Claudia and Mean Janine by Ann M. Martin, and Ashley is reading A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free media mail shipping on all your online books orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined by friend and fellow royals aficionado, Courtney Kinsey to discuss the book Finding Freedom. Courtney and her sister Betsy host the podcast, I Do Declare! The book discussed today can be purchased online from The Bookshelf: Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand A full transcript of today's podcast can be found online here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Recommended for You by Laura Silverman, and Courtney is reading The Guest List by Lucy Foley. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free media mail shipping on all your online books orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Is August really over? It’s hard to believe it’s that time again, but here we are! This week, Annie recaps her reads during the month of August. All of the books mentioned on today’s podcast can be purchased online at The Bookshelf: Stand All the Way Up by Sophie Hudson Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam The Resisters by Gish Jen From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Here She Is by Hilary Levey Friedman. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week, Annie is joined by Olivia, The Bookshelf manager, children and young adult lit specialist and leader of Dumbledore’s Army, to discuss books kids like to read. The books mentioned on today’s podcast are available for purchase through The Bookshelf: Alien Superstar by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Middle School Bites by Steven Banks Confessions of a Dork Lord by Mike Johnston A Flicker of Courage by Deb Caletti Mightier Than the Sword by Drew Callander and Alana Harrison The Day I Was Erased by Lisa Thompson Voyage of the Frostheart by Jamie Littler The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer Allies by Alan Gratz Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer Coo by Kaela Noel From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is still reading Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and Olivia is reading The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week Annie discusses how to start a book club and includes the view point of several of her book club friends. The books mentioned on today’s podcast are available for purchase through The Bookshelf: I'd Rather Be Reading by Ann Bogel The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin Becoming by Michelle Obama Writers and Lovers by Lily King Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Educated by Tara Westover We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson The Dry by Jane Harper Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok Recursion by Blake Crouch Wild by Cheryl Strayed Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week Annie is joined by special co-host Kendra Adachi of the podcast The Lazy Genius and author of the soon-to-be-released The Lazy Genius Way. The two of them talk bookshelves, pandemic reading habits, and, of course, the release of Kendra’s new book, which you can preorder from The Bookshelf. You can preorder Kendra’s book, which releases on August 11, and then join us for a “Books and Blandly Handsome Men” conversation on August 27. Tickets for the virtual event are $10, or free with the purchase of The Lazy Genius Way from The Bookshelf. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone and Kendra is reading The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

It’s the end of July already! This week Annie reviews the books she read in July. The books mentioned in Annie’s recap are available online at The Bookshelf: Tiny Imperfections by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London True Story by Kate Reed Petty The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan Mary Anne Saves the Day by Ann M. Martin Dawn and the Impossible Three by Ann M. Martin From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading Betty by Tiffany McDaniel. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week, Annie shares her journey of becoming, and being, the owner of The Bookshelf for the past seven years. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading The Bright Lands by John Fram. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week, Annie and friends Julie Anna Helms and Courtney Kinsey share their casting selections for the characters in Emily Henry’s Beach Read. Please go to Julie Anna’s Instagram account and vote for your casting picks! From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi. Julie Anna is reading Heir Affair, and Courtney is reading A Burning. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie is joined by her mom, Susie Butterworth who shares her suggested PG books for sensitive readers. All of the books discussed in this episode can be purchased at The Bookshelf: Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano Anne of Green Gables by by Lucy Maud Montgomery Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Henry Educated by Tara Westover The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner Stand All the Way Up by Sophie Hudson Little House on the Prairie collection by Laura Ingalls Wilder Betsy-Tacy Treasury collection by Maud Hart Lovelace Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland Boston Girl by Anita Diamant All-of-a-Kind Family Book Series by Sydney Taylor We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith Mother to Son by Jasmine L. Holmes Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor The Crosswicks Journal Series by Madeline L’’Engle A Rhythm of Prayer by Sarah Bessey Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading Tiny Imperfections by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans and Susie is reading Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week Annie recaps all of her June reads. The books mentioned in today’s podcast can be purchased at The Bookshelf: The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown Check Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu Check Please! Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland Home Before Dark by Riley Sager The Lightness by Emily Temple A Burning by Megha Mujumdar Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman Claudia and the Phantom Phone Call by Ann M. Martin The Truth about Stacey by Ann M. Martin From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined this week by her well-traveled friend and fellow entrepreneur, Morgan Thomason. Morgan is the designer behind Winsome Paper, a whimsical stationery brand. Annie and Morgan help listeners travel through books this summer as most of our travel plans are a bust (for now). The books discussed on today’s podcast are available for purchase from The Bookshelf: London picks: Ordinary People by Diana Evans 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams Europe picks: L’Appart by David Lebovitz The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais The Vacationers by Emma Straub Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante America picks: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan Next Great Jane by KL Going Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Other hot summer vacation picks: Tangerine by Christine Mangan Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry The Dutch House by Ann Patchett Annie’s Summer TBR list: Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and Morgan is reading Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty by Kate Hennessy. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie’s tackling more readerly dilemmas in this week’s episode. Leave your own bookish conundrum via voicemail by going to fromthefrontporchpodcast.com/contact. Reading People You and Me Forever Garlic and Sapphires A Woman Is No Man A Place for Us Mother Land Delancey House Lessons I Capture the Castle Happier at Home Strangers and Cousins This Is Where You Belong Hidden Art of Homemaking Anna Karenina East of Eden A Little Life Poisonwood Bible Theft by Finding From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie’s reading A Burning by Megha Majumdar. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined by Robbie Hopkins, a former teacher/librarian, now homeschool dad. Robbie is a music and literary aficionado, and shares his summer playlist based on some of Annie’s anticipated summer reads. You can listen to the playlist on Spotify here. The books mentioned in today’s episode can be purchased or preordered from The Bookshelf: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld The Lightness by Emily Temple Beach Read by Emily Henry Nothing Can Hurt You by Nicola Mae Goldberg Mother Land by Leah Franqui The Bright Lands by John Fram Let's Never Talk about This Again by Sarah Faith Alterman A Star Is Bored by Byron Lane The Switch by Beth O’Leary Of Bears and Ballots by Heather Lende From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown and Robbie is reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

It’s hard to know what to say, so this week’s episode is unusually short, focused instead on sending you toward resources we hope might be helpful as we grieve and learn together. You can find several titles geared toward racial justice on our store website, including: How to Be an Antiracist, Just Mercy, and I’m Still Here. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sales of these titles and more are being donated to the Equal Justice Initiative. Traci from The Stacks Podcast and Jaime from Absorbed in Pages posted excellent lists of fiction and nonfiction titles addressing anti-black racism and anti-racism. Fiction Nonfiction You can listen to The Stacks podcast here, and if you want to support Jamie and Traci directly, consider purchasing through Bookshop: Jamie’s Bookshop page Traci’s Bookshop page Other resources: Black Coffee with White Friends Mockingbird History Lessons Black Coffee with White Friends book list More than ever, it’s important to support black-owned small businesses; below are links to a few bookstores owned by people of color, and a more comprehensive list can be found here. Brave + Kind in Georgia The Listening Tree in Georgia The Lit Bar in the Bronx Loyalty Bookstore in D.C. Books and Crannies in Virginia Semicolon in Chicago Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia

This week, Annie recaps the fourteen books she read during the month of May, all of which can be purchased on The Bookshelf’s website: Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker American Royals by Katherine McGee You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld Beach Read by Emily Henry Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin Sea Wife by Amity Gaige All Things Reconsidered by Knox McCoy Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin (Buy your own Babysitter’s Book Club bundle here!) The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is finishing The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

NOTE: There’s a small audio glitch in today’s episode, and you may hear it pop up when Annie's speaks. It’s not you; it’s us, and it should be resolved next week. Annie is joined today by friend and fellow book club member Julie Anna Helms. You may know Julie Anna from her popular bookstagram account, @julieannareads, where she specializes in “Who Would You Cast?,” an Instagram story series where she partners with her followers to brainstorm casting her favorite books. This week, Julie Anna joins Annie on the front porch to cast one of Annie’s favorite books of the year, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. You can purchase The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, I’m reading Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin; and Julie Anna just finished reading The Grace Year by Kim Liggett. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Annie and cousin, friend, and former Bookshelf staffer Ashley Sherlock share their thoughts on quarantine reading. What is one supposed to read during a global pandemic? The following are Annie and Ashley’s recommendations. All of the books mentioned in today’s podcast are available at The Bookshelf: The one who wants to pretend everything is fine: How To Be Fine by Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer; The Office by Andy Greene; Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman The new homeschooler: Matilda by Roald Dahl; Bloomability by Sharon Creech The graduate with no graduation: Here For It by R. Eric Thomas; Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas // Booksmart on Hulu The one freaking out: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox & the Horse by Charlie Mackesy;The Folded Clock by Heidi Julavits The one doomsday prepping: The Road by Cormac McCarthy; The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker // The Leftovers on HBO The one planning her post-pandemic party: The After Party by Anton DiSclafani; The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker The one dreaming of a trip she’ll never take: Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin;The Vacationers by Emma Straub // Home on AppleTV The one who cries every day at 3:00: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead; Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman The one whose family is driving them crazy: All Adults Here by Emma Straub; The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson or The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney The one whose wedding got postponed: Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams; Strangers and Cousins by Leah Hager Cohen From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas and Ashley is reading The Office by Andy Greene. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

Annie is joined today by my friend Hunter McLendon to talk all about personal libraries. What books do we buy, which do we borrow? What titles stay on our shelves forever and which ones make their way to a donation bin? The books mentioned in today’s episode can be purchased on The Bookshelf’s website. The New York Times' piece about celebrities' bookshelves is here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Hunter is reading Writers & Lovers by Lily King. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

This week, Annie recaps the eleven books she read during the month of April, all of which can be purchased on The Bookshelf’s website: Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan (released June 30, 2020) The Return by Rachel Harrison Siri, Who Am I? by Sam Tschida (released January 12, 2021) An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Bloomability by Sharon Creech The Herd by Andrea Bartz The Guest List by Lucy Foley The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey Lucky Caller by Emma Mills The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord Other books mentioned: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Writers and Lovers by Lily King Ten Blind Dates by Ashley Elston The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion Option B by Sheryl Sandberg A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is still reading You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

This week, Annie chats with Bookshelf staffer Lucy all about her favorite baby books and books for mom and moms-to-be, including: Great with Child How to Raise a Reader Giraffes Can’t Dance The Read-Aloud Family Who Sang the First Song Don't Forget to Remember You Nest with Me Because Cribsheet Expecting Better Let Us Pray The Word of the Lord If There Never Was a You From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie's reading The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey. Lucy is reading The Splendid and the Vile. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

This week on From the Front Porch, host and owner of The Bookshelf, Annie Jones, has a special guest joining her to tackle an important listener question: What should the royals be reading? Annie’s friend Courtney Kinsey is a fellow royals enthusiast, an avid reader and book club member, and a podcaster in her own right, co-hosting the show “I Do Declare!” with her sister Betsy. The books mentioned on today’s episode are available for purchase on The Bookshelf website: The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan American Royals by Katharine McGee Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot Dear America series Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn Gone with the Windsors by Laurie Graham Recommendations for Harry and Meghan: Burnout by Emily Nagoski (for Meghan) Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (for Harry) This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (for Harry) Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis Recommendations for Queen Elizabeth: A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Recommendations for Charles: All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg Recommendations for William and Kate: East of Eden by John Steinbeck (for William) Untamed by Glennon Doyle Melton (for Kate) From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, I’m reading You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe. Courtney is reading The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Today, it’s time for another round of Literary Therapy. If you’re new here, Literary Therapy is a recurring episode series in which Annie plays the Dr. Frasier Crane or the Lucy van Pelt to listeners’ literary ailments. As mentioned in the episode, you can get book recs from the following: Hunter Mclendon at @shelfbyshelf Tyler Goodson at @tylergoodson Laura Tremaine at @laura.tremaine Mary Laura Philpott at @marylauraphilpott The books mentioned in today’s episode can be purchased on The Bookshelf’s website: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner East of Eden by John Steinbeck The End We Start From by Megan Hunter The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani The Explanation of Everything by Lauren Grodstein Francis and Bernard by Carlene Bauer Loving Frank by Nancy Horan The Ensemble by Aja Gabel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza A Separate Peace by John Knowles The Mothers by Brit Bennett From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Annie and Olivia sat down in the middle of the chaos to talk about The Bookshelf’s reading challenge (of sorts!) for 2020. We covered all sorts of categories, with a variety of books: A Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende The BFG by Roald Dahl There There by Tommy Orange The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer The Round House by Louise Erdrich This Is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow Brief Answers to Big Questions by Stephen Hawking Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb A Man Called Ove by Frederick Backman Wild by Cheryl Strayed The Case of the Velvet Claws by Erle Stanley Gardner Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith The Other Side of the Coin by Angela Kelly Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkienn The Martian by Andy Weir The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon Bread and Wine; Bittersweet; Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl Flour + Water by Thomas McNaughton The Apprentice by Jacques Pepin Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain Illegal by Eion Colfer Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Aliyy We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez The Great Gatsby and Flappers and Philosophers by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry Heartbreaker by Claudia Dey Seven Days in Augusta by Mark Cannizzaro Believe It by Nick Foles The City Game by Matthew Goodman Open by Andre Agassi Find your Bookish bingo card here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie's reading Friends & Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Today, Annie recaps all the books she read in March. The books mentioned in today’s episode are available at The Bookshelf: Most Likely by Sarah Watson Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams Weather by Jenny Offill Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz Untamed by Glennon Doyle A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight The Silent Treatment by Abby Greaves Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Friends & Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Annie is joined this week by her husband, friend, audiobook listener, and fellow basketball enthusiast Jordan Jones. The NCAA tournament may have been canceled -- a true tragedy in the Jones’ house -- but they’re still debating The Bookshelf’s bestsellers in their annual March Madness episode. They hope their conversation brings a little light and levity to what’s been a stressful couple of weeks. Where the Crawdads Sing vs. Educated The Dreamers vs. The Other's Gold Nickel Boys vs. Furious Hours I Miss You When I Blink vs. When You Read This All This Could Be Yours vs. The Dutch House Evvie Drake Starts Over vs. The Lager Queen of Minnesota Ask Again, Yes vs. Daisy Jones & The Six Stars of Alabama vs. The Dearly Beloved Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is finishing Untamed, the new memoir by Glennon Doyle. Jordan just finished Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Annie is joined by Robbie Hopkins, a former literature teacher, avid reader, and frequent Bookshelf customer. Today, the two are previewing some spring titles that should be on your radar, but it’s being done a little bit differently—literature meets music. Tap or click here for the full Spotify playlist. The books mentioned in today’s episode can be purchased online from The Bookshelf: Separation Anxietyby Laura Zigman All Adults Here by Emma Straub Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel The Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves (preorder—released 4/7) The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (preorder—released 3/24) How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang (preorder—released 4/7) Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould (preorder released 4/14) Siri, Who Am I? by Sam Tschida (preorder—released5/5) After the Last Border by Jessica Goudeau (preorder—released 4/28) Afterlife by Julia Alvarez (preorder—released 4/7) Deacon King Kong by James McBride Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading Most Likely by Sarah Watson, the creator of The Bold Type. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

This week Annie and guest, Hunter McLendon of @shelfbyshelf, bring you the first Backlist Book Club of 2020. The discussion revolves around Geraldine Brooks' March. All of the books discussed today can be purchased from The Bookshelf: March by Geraldine Brooks Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Louisa May Alcott: A Personal Biography by Susan Cheever The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Annie is reading The Office by Andy Greene and Hunter is listening to The Dutch House by Ann Patchett on Libro.fm. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

This week Annie recaps the books she read in February, all of which can be purchased on our website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com: My Eyes Are Up Here by Laura Zimmerman Writers & Lovers by Lily King Layoverland by Gabby Noone March by Geraldine Brooks The Office by Andy Greene The Holdout by Graham Moore Here for It by R. Eric Thomas Handle with Care by Lore Ferguson Wilbert Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy Live from New York by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales Do You Mind if I Cancel by Gary Janetti Defending Jacob by William Landay The Body in Question by Jill Ciment Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, as mentioned in today’s episode, Annie is finishing up Here for It by R. Eric Thomas. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Today, Annie is diving into listeners’ bookish dilemmas with some literary therapy. Topics include romance novels, tackling nonfiction, genre shame, and, of course, Little Women. Pretend Annie is coming to you live from Seattle, because she is Annie Jones, and she is listening. Want to leave a voicemail for the next round of Literary Therapy? Email [email protected], or leave a voicemail here. Bossy Pants by Tina Fey Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe Dead Wake by Erik Larson The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson Inheritance by Dani Shapiro Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls Know My Name by Chanel Miller I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Americana by Bhu Srinivasan An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino 27 Dresses by Jesse Russell Olive Again by Elizabeth Strout The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy by Ann Boyd Rioux March Sisters by Kate Bolick, Jenny Zhang, Carmen Maria Machado & Jane Smiley Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading Handle with Care by Lore Ferguson Wilbert. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

SURPRISE! We know it’s Tuesday, but we thought you’d enjoy this bonus episode of FTFP, where Annie and Olivia debrief about Winter Institute, an annual conference held for members of the American Booksellers Association. Here’s a link to “Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores,” by Ryan Raffaelli. Some books Annie brought home: The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg The Harpy by Megan Hunter Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West A Good Family by A.H. Kim Broken People by Sam Lansky Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club by Megan Gail Coles The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Siri, Who Am I? by Sam Tschida From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here on Thursday.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Annie and her two special guests — Ashley Sherlock, cousin, friend, and former Bookshelf social media guru, and Hunter McLendon of @shelfbyshelf — discuss the book To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han and reminisce about all the literary crushes they’ve had and what literary crushes say about you. Most of the books discussed today can be purchased from The Bookshelf: Looking for Alaska by John Green Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (4th book) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott White Oleander by Janet Fitch Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Impulse by Ellen Hopkins Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli Emma by Jane Austen A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Normal People by Sally Rooney Emily Novels by L.M. Montgomery Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman The Secret History by Donna Tartt Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett To Kill A Mockingbird by by Harper Lee Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D productions for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week Hunter is listening to Flowers in the Attic and Ashley is listening to Such A Fun Age on Libro.fm. This week, Annie is reading Writers & Lovers by Lily King, and she adores it. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Annie and fellow book club member and Oscar enthusiast, Callie Sewell, deep dive the 2020 Academy Awards and what it means for our reading lives. The books discussed during the podcast can be purchased from The Bookshelf: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt Caging Skies by Christie Leunens Meg & Jo by Virgina Kantra We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld I Wear the Black Hat by Chuck Klosterman March by Geraldine Brooks Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy by Ann Boyd Rioux A Separation by Katie Kitamura State of the Union by Nick Hornby The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D productions for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie is reading -- Super Host by Kate Russo, which will be available June, 9, 2020, and guest, Callie is reading — The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

On this week’s episode of From the Front Porch, Annie recaps all the books she read in January. These can be ordered or pre-ordered through The Bookshelf website: We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel We Ride Upon Sticks by Quam Barry All Adults Here by Emma Straub Follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D productions for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. This week, Annie’s listening to Know My Name by Chanel Miller, which you can listen to on Libro.fm. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon.

Happy New Year! We are so excited to bring you the first episode of 2020! Annie and Hunter Mclendon, a regular From the Front Porch contributor and bookstagrammer at @shelfbyshelf, honor Greta Gerwig and Louisa May Alcott, by diving into the genius that is Little Women. Find Kevin Porter’s review of Little Women can be found here. What is Hunter reading this week? He is reading -- and loving -- Real Life by Brandon Taylor (pre-order here!) and Annie is reading Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin, which is out on February 18 and can be pre-ordered here. A special thanks to Dylan Garven and his team at Studio D Productions for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the prefect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

In our final episode of 2019 (and the decade as a whole!), Annie and Bookshelf staffers Olivia and Lucy sit down to talk through their favorite titles of the year. These are the books that meant the most over the last 12 months: Annie's List: 1. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 2. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 3. The Dearly Beloved by Carla Wall 4. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout 5. Family of Origin by CJ Hauser 6. Normal People by Sally Rooney 7. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane 8. Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey 9. The Current by Tim Johnston 10. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Olivia's List 1. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern 2. A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher 3. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 4. All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker 5. The Line Tender by Kate Allen 6. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson 7. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia 8. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson 9. This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews 10. The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas Lucy's List: 1. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell 2. Furious Hours by Casey Cep 3. The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey 4. Stars of Alabama by Sean Dietrich 5. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger 6. The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan 7. The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman 8. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 9. The Innocents by Michael Crummey 10. The Organs of Sense by Adam Ehrlich Sachs -- As we close out 2019, we're so grateful to our listeners for playing such a large role The Bookshelf's success. Every purchase, every like, every comment, every email means the world. Special thanks to Chris Jensen for his work on From the Front Porch over the years. We're so grateful for his contribution to The Bookshelf and the podcast, and we wish him nothing but the best in his next endeavor. This episode of From the Front Porch was produced by Dylan Garven at Studio D Productions. Our new theme music -- a hint of what's to come in 2020 -- is by Simeon Church. Annie's got some fun things in the work for Patreon; support us there for more bonus Bookshelf content coming in 2020. From the Front Porch is going on a brief hiatus; new episodes will launch Thursday, January 30.

In our final Seasonal Reads of 2019, Chris and Annie run through some reads (and movies) for the Christmas season and chat about the Christian season of Advent. + A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens + A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote + A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas + Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris + Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle + One Day in December by Josie Silver + Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory + The Meaning is in the Waiting by Paula Gooder + Miracle on 10th Street by Madeleine L'Engle Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalog of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here. This was unexpectedly Chris's last episode, but please know he appreciates your support over the years.

A new month means a new look at what books Annie and Chris were able to read in the last one. And folks, it was pretty light. Annie read: + Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodeser-Akner + Born a Crime by Trevor Noah + Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout Chris read: + The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges + The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

Hunter joins Annie once again for the fifth installment of Backlist Book Club. On the docket this week: Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. Follow Hunter and his own Backlist Book Club here. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

On this milestone episode of From the Front Porch, Annie and Chris answer YOUR questions--from what we're getting our parents for Christmas to what to read your kids at bedtime to how we track our reading! Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

Chris and Annie take a personal deep-dive into a few literary characters they may or may not resemble, and what that ultimately means to them. You can read CJ Hauser's "Just (Un)Like Me" at The Millions. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

We’re moving some things around in our traditional Thanksgiving-season episode calendar to bring our our food and cookbook episode at the BEGINNING of the month so that you can prepare for the holiday with some of our new favorite recipes. You can find all of the following books for sale (or preorder) in The Bookshelf's online store. + The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt + Dining In by Allison Roman + Nothing Fancy by Allison Roman + Cravings: Hungry for More by Chrissy Teigen + Let Me Feed You by Rosie Daykin + Indian-ish by Priya Krishna + Eat Joy by various authors + South by Sean Brock + Son of a Southern Chef by Lazarus Lynch + The Saltwater Table by Whitney Otawka Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

Happy Halloween! Spooky Season will soon be over, but Chris and Annie are here to walk you through what they read in October. You can find all of the following books for sale (or preorder) in The Bookshelf's online store. + The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman + Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra + Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow + East of Eden by John Steinbeck + Miracles (And Other Reasonable Things) by Sarah Bessey + 21 Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks + Do You Mind if I Cancel? by Gary Janetti + The Preacher's Wife by Kate Bowler Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

It's officially Spooky Season, if you can believe it, and Annie and Chris sound absolutely manic this week as they record their third episode in a row to bring you some of their favorite books of the season! You can find all of the following books for sale (or preorder) in The Bookshelf's online store. + The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman + A House of Ghosts by W. C. Ryan + The Secret Place by Tana French + The Witch Elm by Tana French + Dare Me by Megan Abbott + The Fever by Megan Abbott + The Crucible by Arthur Miller + Final Girls by Riley Sager + The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager + The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz + The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack + The Winters by Lisa Gabriele + The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry + Melmoth by Sarah Perry + Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse + We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson + The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like Annie's author interviews, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

Hunter joins Annie once again for the fifth installment of Backlist Book Club. On the docket this week: John Steinbeck's East of Eden. Follow Hunter and his own Backlist Book Club here. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

Since talking about censorship wasn't hard enough, we've taken it upon ourselves--at listener behest--to talk about one of the hardest, most personal things there is: faith. These are some of the books that got us thinking and growing and changing, and we hope, at the very least, that they are useful to your journey. You can read Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux and Daniel Cox's piece on 538. You can listen to the "Apocalypse Now" episode of NPR's Throughline podcast here. You can listen to our old, old episode on "grief literature" here. Also, The Life of Pi came out in 2002, which we know now! + Leaving Church by by Barbara Brown Taylor + A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis + Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon + The Life of Pi by Yann Martel + A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza + Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl + Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle + Christ and Culture by Richard Neibuhr + Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans + The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry + The Explanation for Everything by Lauren Grodstein + Small Blessings by Martha Woodruff + Hogfather by Terry Pratchett Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.

Somebody wake up Green Day because September is over, and we’re back with our customary reading recap. You can find all of the following books for sale (or preorder) in The Bookshelf's online store. + Little Weirds by Jenny Slate + All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg + Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur + She Said by Jodi Kandor and Megan Twohey + Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the use of our theme music. Learn and listen more here. Listen to a full back catalogue of our show here, and, if you're interested in some exclusive content like our Unpopular Opinions, consider supporting us on Patreon here.