Jason Pellegrini's latest sci-fi page turner, “Booth,” tells the story of a death row inmate as he reflects on his life on the day of his execution. The Long Island native who beat out 23 other independent authors to become the winner of JTRB’s previous indie author poll also discusses his decision to self-publish, and his admiration for Stephen King.
Other books in this episode:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
The Never Enders by Michael Sonbert
Everyone has a story to tell. Whether it’s lunch with your co-workers, conversations with friends and family or a romantic date, telling stories helps us be honest with ourselves as well as make a deeper connection with others.
Internationally bestselling author, storyteller, podcaster, and 36-time Moth StorySLAM champion, Matthew Dicks recently stopped by our studios to share his numerous tips and tools to help us all become storytellers with his new book “Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling.”
The elementary school teacher also recounts the first time he took the Moth stage, how he later turned a traumatic event into a cathartic storytelling experience, and even gives us some pointers on how to organize our time better, which is the focus of his next non-fiction book.
Pick up a copy of Storyworthy!
Book-to-movie adaptations are bigger than ever in 2018! We are thrilled to welcome back Cristina Arreola, Senior Books Editor at Bustle to give us the scoop on which books to read before they hit the big screen!
Follow Cristina on Twitter!
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Crazy, Rich, Asians by Kevin Kwan
Where'd You Go Bernadette: A Novel by Maria Semple
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Wondering what to read while the sun is out and the days are long? Roxanne has you covered with twenty-two hand-picked reads from biographies and self-help books to deliciously disturbing novels, beach reads and more!
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by Jeff Goodell
Grant by Ron Chernow
How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson
Dot Journaling―A Practical Guide: How to Start and Keep the Planner, To-Do List, and Diary That’ll Actually Help You Get Your Life Together by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giodarno
Real Friends by Shannon Hale
How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life by Frank M.D. Lipman
Tangerine: A Novel by Christine Mangan
The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations by John McCain and Mark Salter
Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Educated by Tara Westover
The Female Persuasion: A Novel by Meg Wolitzer
Calypso by David Sedaris
Abridged Classics: Brief Summaries of Books You Were Supposed to Read but Probably Didn’t by John Atkinson
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell
Making Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead- My Life Story by Cecile Richards
Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman
Whether you’re hitting the beach or a BBQ, pick up one of these three books this Independence Day! We enlisted the help of friend, author, and storyteller Matthew Dicks to recommend some titles that celebrate the birth of our nation.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia
A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership by James Comey
The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations by John McCain and Mark Salter
Drunken Fireworks (audio only) by Stephen King
We’re more willing to talk about sex than money. New York Times correspondent John Schwartz discusses our discomfort with financial planning in his new book, “This is the Year I put My Financial Life in Order.”
Schwartz (who didn’t have a will until age 58) covers everything from wills and retirement to investments, and more, making this book a must-read for anyone who has put off managing money or establishing a financial future. As Roxanne notes, “John’s willingness to share his family's financial foibles and his path through financial planning is a gift to the rest of us.”
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia.
This is the Year I Put My Financial Life in Order by John Schwartz
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The World Book Encyclopedia
It happens to most of us one time or another. But how do you snap out of the dreaded reading slump? We enlisted the help of Just the Right Book regular Michael Kindness to give us some tips and recommendations.
Books in this episode:
The Oracle Year by Charles Soule
Dictionary Stories: Short Fictions and Other Findings by Jez Burrows
Allison Pearson's latest book, “How Hard Can It Be” has already been optioned for TV by the producer of HBO’s hit series “Big Little Lies.”
The book’s prequel, “I Don't Know How She Does It” sold over 4 million copies and inspired a film starring Sarah Jessica Parker.
Roxanne recently sat down with the bestselling author to discuss her hilarious new book, raising children, and how stay-at-home moms can transition back into the work place.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia.
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Pippi Longstalking by Astrid Lindgren
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Just in time for Father's Day, we hear about bestselling author (and father of four) Michael Chabon's Father's Day plans.
Still need a gift for dad? Pick up a copy of Chabon's new book "Pops: Fatherhood in Pieces".
Pulitzer prize-winning, best-selling author Michael Chabon joined us for a conversation about his new book of essays called Pop's: Fatherhood in Pieces.
Roxanne says “there is no shortage of books exploring the world of motherhood, the good, the bad, and the ugly, but there aren't enough books exploring the world of fatherhood. Along comes Michael Chabon with seven essays that beautifully explore the meaning, the magic, and the mysteries of fatherhood.”
Also, in this episode, we hear some of our listeners’ book recommendations.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia.
Pop's: Fatherhood in Pieces by Michael Chabon
The Sherlock Holmes Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan
The Cuckoo's Calling by J.K. Rowling
Stiff by Mary Roach
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Hellhound on his Trail by Hampton Sides
11/22/63 by Stephen King
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
In Harms Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton
Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks
June is Audiobook Appreciation Month so we enlisted the help of Sharifah Williams from Book Riot to help pick out your next audiobook for those long summer drives!
To purchase any of the audiobooks in this episode just go to Libro.fm or R.J. Julia.
Where'd you Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
We are Never Meeting in Real Life: Essays by Samantha Irby
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Their Eyes Are Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Joanne Lipman, the bestselling author of the book, “That's What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell them) About Working Together” brings her impressive experience as deputy editor at the Wall Street Journal, and editor-in-chief at USA Today to the seemingly age-old conversation of gender equality in the workplace and how men can join that conversation to close that gap.
Roxanne says, “rather than telling women to man up or demonizing men, she approaches the topic by defining the problem in a fresh way and most importantly articulating some strategies and new ways of thinking for both men and women that just might have us moving forward.”
Also in this episode, some book recommendations from Book Riot Associate Editor and fellow podcaster, Sharifah Williams.
Listen to Book Riot's podcast SFF Yeah!
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia.
That's What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell them) About Working Together by Joanne Lipman
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Mem by Bethany C. Morrow
The Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett
We are giving away a $100 gift card to "Just the Right Book" subscription service. It's like having your own personal bookseller! You just go to Instagram.com/justtherightbookpodcast to enter to win!
Books about the LGBTQ community that reflect their lives and experiences as chosen by the expert staff of RJ Julia.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia.
Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager
Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann
The House of Impossible Beauties: A Novel by Joseph Cassara
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages by Saundra Mitchell
No birth certificates, no school, no doctors, no registered existence, and abuse at the hands of one of her brothers. Westover’s first book “Educated” describes how she escaped a traumatic childhood to graduate from Brigham Young, Harvard, and Cambridge University with a PhD.
Also in this episode, Roxanne discusses some of her favorite memoirs and some of yours!
To purchase any of the books in this episode, just go to R.J. Julia.
Educated by Tara Westover
Fifty Days of Solitude by Doris Grumbach
Personal History by Katharine Graham
Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead-My Life Story by Cecile Richards
Running in the Family Michael Ondaatje
With a Daughter's Eye: Memoir of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson by Mary Catherine Bateson
Where is the Mango Princess: A Journey Back from Brain Injury by Cathy Crimmins
The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandra Marzano-Lesnevich
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi and Abraham Verghese
After the Eclipse: A Mother's Murder, A Daughter's Search by Sarah Perry
H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
The Red Parts: Autobiography of a Trial by Maggie Nelson
Roxanne shares 6 of her favorite beach reads to help you kick off your Memorial Day weekend in our first Bookmarks episode of the new season!
Whether its a classic beach read, a political thriller or a short story collection, we've got you covered! "I think about it as this sort of unfettered time to read" says Roxanne.
To purchase any of the books recommended by Roxanne, just go to R.J. Julia.
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti
The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper
The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn
West by Carys Davies
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Last Stories by William Trevor
We start our second season with two-time National Book Award finalist Rachel Kushner. Her new book, “The Mars Room” tells the story of Romy Hall who was serving two consecutive life sentences plus six years at the Stanville Women's Correction Facility in California’s Central Valley.
Roxanne says that the book “informs our understanding of prison life in a woman's correctional facility in thrilling and ironic detail” and “helps us ponder a society that gives rise to these inevitabilities, disappointments, and injustices.”
Also in this episode, we welcome back Lissa Muscatine, the owner of Politics & Prose in Washington DC for our segment “What’s on The Front Table.”
Books in this episode:
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
To purchase any of the books recommended by Lissa Muscatine, just go to Politics & Prose.
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
Beneath a Ruthless Sun: A True Story of Violence, Race, and Justice Lost and Found by Gilbert King
Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman
Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright
Make Trouble by Cecile Richards
Something Wonderful by Todd S. Purdum
The Wine Lover's Daughter: A Memoir by Anne Fadiman
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Happiness: A Novel by Aminatta Forma
Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir by Christopher Buckley
Sharp by Michelle Dean
Educated by Tara Westover
Lessons From Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog by Dave Barry
The President Is Missing: A Novel by James Patterson and Bill Clinton
There Will Be No Miracles Here: A Memoir by Casey Gerald
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Luvvie Ajayi dished on meeting Oprah, moving to the US from Nigeria, and raising awareness of HIV/AIDS among women in our inaugural episode!
The comic phenom and award winning author's first book I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual became an instant New York Times best seller!
Also in this episode, we debuted our very first installment of “What’s on the Front Table” with Lissa Muscatine, former speech writer for Hillary Clinton and owner of the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.
Books in this episode:
I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual By Luvvie Ajayi
The Broke Diaries: The Completely True and Hilarious Misadventures of a Good Girl Gone Broke By Angela Nissel
We Should All Be Feminists By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Hillbilly Elegy By J.D. Vance
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right By Arlie Russell Hochschild
The Fight to Vote By Michael Waldman
Swing Time By Zadie Smith
Amy Dickinson chats about finding love at middle-age, the heartbreak of caring for an ailing parent at the end of life and moving back to her hometown of Freeville, NY.
The nationally syndicated advice columnist's book, “Strangers Tend to Tell Me Things: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Coming Home” is out in paperback now!
Books in this episode:
Strangers Tend to Tell Me Things: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Coming Home by Amy Dickinson
John Grisham revealed just how close he came to ending his writing career when the mega-bestselling author joined us last summer to promote the crime fiction thriller, Camino Island. (now out in paperback)
“If this book doesn’t work, I’m quitting this,” said the former attorney about The Firm, his first major success.
Books in this episode:
Camino Island by John Grisham
The Firm by John Grisham
Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout gives us the scoop on the Emmy Award-winning HBO series based on her book Olive Kitteridge and shares her thoughts on Frances McDormand as the title character. We celebrate the paperback release of her renowned novel Anything is Possible.
Roxanne also talks to super-fan, Kim Nelson-Layman, who got a special surprise when she heard who else was on the phone!
Books in this episode:
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
Check out Kim Nelson-Layman’s Blog!
Daphne Merkin opens up about her battles with depression and offers advice on supporting loved ones struggling with the disease as we welcome the paperback release of her acclaimed memoir.
This is a fascinating conversation with the novelist and critic you won't want to miss.
Books mentioned in this episode:
This Close to Happy: A Reckoning with Depression by Daphne Merkin
Just in time for the paperback release of The Late Show introducing Det. Renée Ballard, a driven young detective trying to prove herself in the LAPD, we reflect on the best-selling author Michael Connelly's discussion with Roxanne at an exclusive live event.
The wonderfully entertaining former crime reporter dished on what's it like being the Executive Producer of the hit TV series, Bosch, inspired by one of his famous characters. Connelly also talked about jazz, how he chose writing over engineering, and of course, his brand-new book series.
Books in this episode:
The Late Show by Michael Connelly
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
In part two of Roxanne’s sit-down with James Forman Jr., the two dive further into James’ first book Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America.
Forman tells us his first-hand story of the criminal justice system from his experience as a public defender and shares his incredulity over his results of Harvard’s Implicit Association Test in this season finale.
Help Us Shape Season 2 & Take Our 5-Minute Listener Survey!
Books in this episode:
Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem by Deborah Meier
The Wall Street Journal says, “If we are going to have a national conversation about race in the United States, a book like [James Forman Jr.'s] Locking Up Our Own ought to set the tone."
The Yale Law School professor, former public defender, and charter school founder brings his experience to the complex minefield topic of race and incarceration in his first book, Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America.
James and Roxanne explored the intricacies of political activism and the role it plays today. They also discuss the current gun debate, the decriminalization of marijuana, and James’ father, the civil rights leader James Forman Sr.
Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of our conversation with James Forman Jr.
Business Insider recently asked a group of Harvard Professors which included Nobel laureates, scientists, economists, and Pulitzer Prize winners to share the single book they think students should read in 2018.
Roxanne tells us, "I love lists because it reminds me of what I should pay attention to."
Harvard Recommended Books:
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Internationalists by Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith
Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Joseph E. Aoun