Here's something to talk about at your next book club! BookTrib.com’s new deal with the Girly Book Club sends four books from select publishers to 50 U.S. book clubs every month. BookTrib’s Jim Alkon describes the four titles in the program’s inaugural package.
Books in this episode:
The Mapmaker's Daughter by Katherine Nouri Huges
Eight Goodbyes by Christine Brae
The Drum That Beats Within Us by Mike Bond
Darling Girl by Terry H. Watkins
BookTrib is a community of readers created by Meryl Moss Media.
Looking for more books to add to your TBR pile?! Here at JTRB Podcast, we are pleased to have such amazing & knowledgeable friends on our show to share what they are reading and loving! During this special episode, we revisit some of our favorite book experts.
Co-founder and President of The Book Report Network, Carol Fitzgerald
Click here to listen to the full episode!
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
Manhattan Beach (Audio) by Jennifer Egan, Heather Lind (Read by), Vincent Piazza (Read by)
The Dirty Book Club by Lisi Harrison
Need to Know by Karen Cleveland
Disclaimer by Renee Knight
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Suzanne’s Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris by Anne Nelson
Girly Book Club founder, Erin Woodward
Click here to listen to the full episode!
The Nix by Nathan Hill
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Strange Fits of Passion by Anita Shreve
One Day Closer: A Mother’s Quest to Bring Her Kidnapped Daughter Home by Lorinda Stewart
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
R.J. Julia COO, Lori Fazio
Click here to listen to the full episode!
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
The Last Equation of Isaac Severy: A Novel in Clues by Nova Jacobs
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
Arts and Culture Reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Ellen Gamerman
Click here to listen to the full episode!
White Houses by Amy Bloom
The Kremlin’s Candidate: A Novel by Jason Matthews
Come Nineveh, Come Tyre: The Presidency of Edward M. Jason by Allen Drury
Sunburn by Laura Lippman
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Want to get more done without sacrificing what you care about most? Last spring Charles Duhigg joined us to talk about his latest book, “Smarter Faster, Better: The Transformative Power of Real Productivity.” “People often get tied up in being busy, rather than being productive,” says Duhigg.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, Harvard Business School and Yale graduate is also the author of “The Power of Habit,” which has spent over two years on the New York Times best-seller list.
Also in this episode, we hear from Cathy Langer, the director of buying at the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver Colorado for our segment, “What’s on the Front Table.”
This episode was originally released May 2017.
Books in this episode:
Smarter Faster Better: The Transformative Power of Real Productivity By Charles Duhigg
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business By Charles Duhigg
Hiroshima By John Hersey
Red Sky at Morning By Richard Bradford
American War By Omar El Akkad
Trajectory: Stories By Richard Russo
Anything Is Possible By Elizabeth Strout
My Name Is Lucy Barton By Elizabeth Strout
Borne By Jeff VanderMeer
Crime and Punishment By Fyodor Dostoyevsky
A Prayer for Owen Meany By John Irving
Our segment, “What’s on the Front Table” features booksellers, owners, and buyers from some of the best indie bookstores in the U.S.!
On a special edition of Just the Right Book Podcast we take you on a cross-country road trip to some of our favorite bookshops from past episodes! Are you ready? Let’s go!!
What is your favorite independent bookstore? Write to us at info@justtherightbookpodcast.com or message us on our Facebook or Twitter page.
Forever Words: The Unknown Poems By Johnny Cash
The Secret History of Twin Peaks By Mark Frost
Listen to the full episode with Andrew Brennan here!
Savage Country by Robert Olmstead
The Origins of Creativity by Edward O. Wilson
Listen to the full episode with Brian Wraight here!
Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C.
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Listen to the full episode with Lissa Muscatine here!
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell
Listen to the full episode with Gael LeLamer here!
Murder By The Book, Houston TX
The Child Finder: A Novel by Renee Denfeld
The Address: A Novel by Fiona Davis
Brazos, Bookstore, Houston, TX
A Legacy of Spies by John le Carre
Listen to the full episode with McKenna Jordan from Murder By The Book & Benjamin Rybeck from Brazos Bookstore here!
Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Listen to the full episode with Casey Coonerty here!
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing
Senator John McCain recorded the last chapter of his book, The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations earlier this year and all of us at Just the Right Book thought the finest tribute would be to honor the true American patriot in his own words.
Sarah Jessica Parker who is best known for her iconic role as Carrie Bradshaw is also a producer, designer, and now a publisher, recently launching her own imprint, SJP for Hogarth. In a rare and revealing interview, the Sex and the City star opens up to Roxanne on several hot topics. They discuss not only the imprint, but the series’ impact on the role of women in society, the importance of pay equality for working mothers, and recent movements #MeToo and #TimesUp.
Roxanne and SJP were delighted to discover that they had several book interests in common, even swapping book recommendations. Parker says her mother instilled in her the valuable habit of reading at a young age. “You couldn’t leave the house without something to read,” she tells Roxanne. SJP continues the routine to this very day, never walking onto a set without a book.
Sarah Jessica further encourages everyone to pick up a copy of the first book on her imprint, “A Place for Us” by Fatima Farheen Mirza, which is the story of a traditional Indian-American family in California torn between traditional and modern values.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, please visit RJ Julia Booksellers
A Place for Us: A Novel by Fatima Farheen Mirza
His Favorites: A Novel by Kate Walbert
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein by Jamie Bernstein
The World as It Is: A Memoir of The Obama White House by Ben Rhodes
In part two of Roxanne’s powerful sit-down with Mark Salter, the two dive further into The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations, the latest collaboration between Senator John McCain and his longtime aide, speechwriter and friend, Mark.
Salter shares his first-hand story of McCain's 2008 run for president, including his VP choice, and we hear Senator McCain himself read the last chapter of the memoir.
Mark Salter is the author, with John McCain, of several books, including Faith of My Fathers and their latest, The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations. Mark served as Senator McCain’s Chief of Staff, and is often described as McCain's adviser, confidant and alter ego.
Salter recently joined Roxanne for an intimate conversation in the historic town of Castine, Maine to discuss his thoughts on the Trump presidency, foreign policy, his latest collaborative memoir with the Arizona Republican, and more.
Roxanne says, "...We are given a front seat perspective on the most critical issues of our time... and the story of a man, restless, idealistic, heroic, patriotic, and fiercely committed to our country and its citizens."
In Part 2 of this exclusive conversation, Mark Salter shares his first-hand story of McCain’s 2008 run for president. Plus, we hear Senator McCain himself read the last chapter of the memoir. Check it out here!
This summer we have been introduced to a bunch of new and exciting literary voices and with the dog days finally winding down there's a handful you won't want to miss!
We are delighted to welcome David Canfield, Book Critic and Reporter at Entertainment Weekly to share some of his favorite debuts. Chances are at least one of them will wind up being a author you choose to follow for many years to come.
Books in the episode:
There There: A Novel by Tommy Orange
The Incendiaries: A Novel by R.O. Kwan
From the Corner of the Oval: A Memoir by Beck Dorey-Stein
Cherry: A Novel by Nico Walker
Fruit of the Drunken Tree: A Novel by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
This episode was originally released in April 2017. Look for a NEW episode of JTRB Podcast next week!
Book podcasting legends, Michael Kindness and Ann Kingman from “Books on the Nightstand” joined Roxanne in the “Just the Right Book” studios last Spring to chat about books they are reading. They also give more than a dozen recommendations for your TBR list!
Books in this episode:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas By John Boyne
The Hearts Invisible Furies By John Boyne
Endurance By Scott Kelly
Exit West By Mosin Hamid
The Underground Railroad By Colson Whitehead
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House By John Mechum
American War By Omar El Akkad
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley By Hannah Tinti
The Good Thief By Hannah Tinti
The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit By Michael Finkel
50 Days of Solitude By Doris Gumbach
Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship By Michelle Kuo
Standard Deviation By Katherine Heiny
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. By Judy Blume
Hang on to that sunscreen, summer's not over yet! Whether you are planning an end of summer getaway, or need ideas on where to go, Buzzfeed's Books Newsletter Editor, Ciera Velarde has five books to inspire your next vacay!
More books that make you want to book a trip ASAP!
Books in this episode:
What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding: A Memoir by Kristin Newman
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Great Alone: A Novel by Kristin Hannah
In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri
No Baggage: A Tale of Love and Wandering by Clara Bensen
“What is the book that changed your life?” That is the question Roxanne loves to ask all of our guests. “The stories are often poignant, personal or funny”, says Roxanne “and inevitably they become a list of books that you are dying to read.”
On a special edition of Just the Right Book Podcast, we take a look back at some of our favorite stories from past episodes. Looking for a new book recommendation? We have 17 suggestions for you to choose from!
What is the book that changed your life? Write to us at info@justtherightbookpodcast.com or message us on our Facebook or Twitter page.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, please visit RJ Julia Booksellers
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Aleph-Bet Story Book by Deborah Pessin
The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem by Deborah Meier
The Sherlock Holmes Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The World Book Encyclopedia
Notes from No Man’s Land: American Essays by Eula Biss
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Pippi Longstalking by Astrid Lindgren
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time by Jeff Speck
The Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett
Two Serious Ladies by Jane Bowles
Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Make a Difference by William Macaskill
Grab your backpack, pencils, and books, it's time to head back to school!
We enlisted elementary school librarian and Book Riot contributor Ashlie Swicker to help you and your family get ready for the new school year!
Check out Ashlie's website Be Your Own Lady and follow her on Twitter & Instagram!
Books in this episode:
Mae's First Day of School by Kate Berube
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers
School's First Day of School by Adam Rex
Romance is one of the most successful genres in publishing despite often being overlooked by both the mainstream media and the publishing world.
Jaime Green is a writer, editor and teacher who has has written about books for Slate, Vulture, Thrillist, BuzzFeed and many others. She now joins The Gray Lady as the new romance columnist for The New York Times Book Review.
Roxanne says "Jamie's column shows that romance novels can be smart and fun and explores how they fit into today's world culturally and politically."
So, whether you favor Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy or prefer the modern day rom-com hunk, you are sure to find the perfect romance recommendation in Jaime's new column!
Books in this episode:
Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV by Lucas Mann
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Notes from No Man's Land: American Essays by Eula Biss
Monday July 30th is National Paperback Book Day! We are thrilled to welcome back Anne Bogel, the creator of the popular blog Modern Mrs. Darcy and the host of one of our favorite book podcasts, What Should I Read Next?.
Anne gives us five great choices for your purse, beach bag, briefcase, or nightstand.
Books in this episode:
Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais
The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon
The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve
Reese Witherspoon has a reputation for celebrating women's stories through "Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine" so its no surprise that the Legally Blonde actress has optioned Gail Honeyman's novel for the big screen.
The first-time author opens up to Roxanne about how a milestone birthday inspired her to pursue her dream which led to her multi-award winning book "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" about loneliness and the importance of human connection.
Roxanne says that Gail "...finds a way to balance the light and the dark while being utterly hilarious."
From Singapore to New England, Roxanne reads listener emails from around the globe! Our fans have amazing taste in books and we are thrilled to share some of your picks!
Please continue to write to us and share your book recommendations! Email us at info@justtherightbookpodcast.com !
Books in this episode:
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering American on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Frequent guest, Penguin Random House sales rep and former Books on the Nightstand host, Michael Kindness is back to share some of his favorite reads just in time for your summer vacation!
Roxanne says Michael “…has a special place in my heart and R.J. Julia’s and has not only a wide range of reading interests but he’s particularly adept at describing books in a way that makes you want to read them.”
Get even more book talk from Michael Kindness by listening to to Ep 9, Ep 20, Ep 32 & Ep 46 of Just the Right Book Podcast.
To purchase any of the books in this episode, please visit RJ Julia Booksellers
Bonfire: A Novel by Krysten Ritter
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha
The Gunners: A Novel by Rebecca Kaufman
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Real Friends by Shannon Hale
The Hunting Accident: A True Story of Crime and Poetry by David L. Carlson and Landis Blair
Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
Providence: A Novel by Caroline Kepnes
You: A Novel by Caroline Kepnes
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