A Pair of Bookends

Hannah MacDonald
  • 1.0 (1)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

A weekly bookish podcast hosted by Hannah MacDonald. Join us for monthly Book Club episodes - read the book at your own pace and then listen to us deep dive with the author! Our Debut Spotlight series is to put the freshest authors and their work firmly on your radar and in our new series we bring you a monthly culture round up of all the recommendations we've collected over the previous month of consuming. Follow us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram and @apairofbookends on Twitter and TIk Tok.

  1. S7 Debut Spotlight-10. Natalie Adler (The AIDS crisis, Queer Community & Ghosts)

    4d ago

    S7 Debut Spotlight-10. Natalie Adler (The AIDS crisis, Queer Community & Ghosts)

    For the final episode in season 7 of our Debut Spotlight series, Hannah was joined by author & editor Natalie Adler to discuss her debut novel Waiting On A Friend, which you can buy here (US) and here (UK). In this episode they discuss the AIDS crisis, the research that helped Natalie to explore this subject, how relevant it still is and how dangerous medical misinformation can be. They also dive into the beautiful friendships of this book and the importance of Community, especially for Queer people. Aswell as this they talk about the work its taken to get to publication, how she immersed herself in 80s New York and of course, a ton of book recommendations for you.  Apologies for the change in audio quality halfway through (for Hannah), laptop/mic/port issues, very boring but apologies all the same! If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Natalie via Instagram & natalie-adler.com Books & other mentions in this episode:  New Skin by Sarah Wang Let The Record Show by Sarah Schulman The Undying by Anne Boyer https://lithub.com/why-does-sickness-feel-so-isolating-when-everyone-is-sick/ Russian Doll (2019) Natalie Adler- Waiting On A Friend Research People in Trouble by Sarah Schulman Rat Bohemia by Sarah Schulman Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor, 1980–1983 by Tim Lawrence Fear City: New York's Fiscal Crisis and the Rise of Austerity Politics by Kim Phillips-Fein Waiting on a Friend: The Playlist YouTube- 5ninthavenueproject Voyagers by Meg Charlton The Red Sacrament by Sara Hinkley Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    58 min
  2. Sarah Gilmartin, author of 'Little Vanities' on Betrayal, Actors & Explosive Scenes

    Jun 3

    Sarah Gilmartin, author of 'Little Vanities' on Betrayal, Actors & Explosive Scenes

    For today's episode Hannah was joined by returning guest of the pod Sarah Gilmartin to discuss her latest novel Little Vanities which you can buy here. In this episode they discuss how Harold Pinter's Betrayal influenced this novel, why betrayal and desire are such great themes for writers to explore, long covid and illness, some great books by Irish authors & much more! If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Sarah via LinkedIn or via her books:  Dinner Party by Sarah Gilmartin Service by Sarah Gilmartin Other mentions in this episode: The Woman in the Water by Henrietta McKervey Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Home Economics: A Memoir by Caitríona Lally Eggshells by Caitríona Lally  Wunderland by Caitríona Lally Betrayal by Harold Pinter Old Times by Harold Pinter The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Smile by Roddy Doyle The Sopranos (1999) Rituals by Danielle McLaughlin Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    42 min
  3. May Book Club with Cecile Pin: Space, Ambition & Sacrifice

    May 27

    May Book Club with Cecile Pin: Space, Ambition & Sacrifice

    For our May Book Club episode, Hannah was joined by author Cecile Pin to discuss her latest novel Celestial Lights which is out now and you can buy here (UK) and here (US). In this episode they discuss Space and the amount of research that went into this novel, Ambition & Sacrifice, picking sides with your characters plus lots of recs including new books, classics, documentaries & more! If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Cecile via Instagram  You can buy her previous novel Wandering Souls here. Books & other mentions in this episode: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates Revolutionary Road (2008) Free Solo (2018) The Fabelmans (2022) The Odyssey (Emily Wilson translation) Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Future of Humanity by Michio Kaku Past Lives (2023) Middlemarch by George Eliot Les Miserables by Victor Hugo The Devoted by Catherine Cho Lost in the Jungle (2025) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro The Employees by Olga Ravn The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel To The Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    39 min
  4. S7 Debut Spotlight- 9.Brooke Averick (Anxiety, Crushes & Turning Thirty)

    May 20

    S7 Debut Spotlight- 9.Brooke Averick (Anxiety, Crushes & Turning Thirty)

    For the latest instalment in our Debut Spotlight series, Hannah was joined by author, podcaster & comedy and lifestyle creator Brooke Averick to discuss her debut novel Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It which you can buy here (UK) and here (US). In this episode they discuss anxiety, therapy, platonic love, niche crushes, romance & romantasy novels and more.  If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Brooke via Instagram, Tik Tok & you can listen to Brooke and Connor Make A Podcast here. Books & other mentions in this episode: Heated Rivalry House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J.Maas House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City #3) by Sarah J.Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J.Maas Throne of Glass by Sarah J.Maas Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Book Lovers by Emily Henry The Office: Superfan Episodes Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    28 min
  5. S7. Debut Spotlight- 8. Charlotte Paradise (Chronic Illness, Sex Hierarchies & Film Recs)

    May 13

    S7. Debut Spotlight- 8. Charlotte Paradise (Chronic Illness, Sex Hierarchies & Film Recs)

    For the latest instalment in our Debut Spotlight series Hannah was joined by author Charlotte Paradise to discuss her novel Overspill (spoiler free!) In this episode they discuss why chronic illness/chronic pain will always appear in Charlotte's work, the hierarchy of sex, 'growing around the grief', how screenwriting affects her novel writing and Charlotte shares lots of film recs with us!  If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Charlotte via Instagram or Tik Tok. You can buy Overspill here You can watch Chronic here Books & other mentions in this episode: Strange Girls by Sarvat Hasin bookbaruk.com Dying For Sex (2025) Before Sunrise (1995) The Outrun (2024) Sorry, Baby (2025) How to Have Sex (2023) If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025) Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    42 min
  6. S7. Debut Spotlight- 7. Eden McKenzie-Goddard (Windrush Scandal, Music & Bajan Culture)

    May 6

    S7. Debut Spotlight- 7. Eden McKenzie-Goddard (Windrush Scandal, Music & Bajan Culture)

    For the latest instalment in our Debut Spotlight series, Hannah was joined by author Eden McKenzie-Goddard to discuss his debut novel Smallie. In this episode they delve into the Windrush scandal, how the Windrush generation were mistreated, the dehumanisation of immigrants & more. They also discuss his route into publishing, the impact of music on his writing and the music & literature Eden has been inspired by. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Eden via Instagram or via emgoddard.net Buy Smallie here. Sign the Windrush legal aid petition here. Books & other mentions in this episode: Don't Alert The Stans podcast Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler Afrori Books The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin rum.gold Elmiene Kindred by Octavia E. Butler The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy Small Island by Andrea Levy Every Light in the House Burnin' by Andrea Levy Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    55 min
  7. Books to Screen: Heated Rivalry with Hannah Beer

    May 4

    Books to Screen: Heated Rivalry with Hannah Beer

    Happy Bank Hol! For a bonus bank holiday treat, I'm giving you this week's Books to Screen episode early. For this instalment, I was joined by the iconic author Hannah Beer to discuss and dissect all things Heated Rivalry and boy are we obsessed...  In this episode we discuss all things from the incredible sex scenes to the parent/child relationships & their impact on each character, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as the perfect castings, how the book and TV adaptation are in conversation plus so much more.  If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us over on Patreon. You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Hannah via Instagram, read her Substack here. Buy I Make My Own Fun here (UK) and here (US) Books & other mentions in this episode: The Talented Mr.Ripley (1999) Little Women (1994) The Other Bennet Sister (BBC Iplayer) Romeo & Juliet (1996) The Wedding People by Alison Espach Enough Said (2013) Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Boy Parts- Play Wuthering Heights (2026) Tell Me Lies (Disney +/Hulu) Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid Game Changer by Rachel Reid Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO Max/Sky) Spare Parts Podcast- Jacob Tierney Episode Tonsil Hockey Podcast https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a69638125/heated-rivalry-sex-scenes-intimacy-coordinator-interview/ Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) It's A Sin (Channel4) Yellowjackets The Long Game by Rachel Reid I'll Believe in Anything- The Making of Heated Rivalry by Jacob Tierney See you back at the cottage for season 2! Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    1h 26m

  8. Apr 30

    Children's Booker Prize 2027, Afrori Books & Support Indie Bookshops!

    This is a free preview of a paid episode: Listen in full here. Full details on Children's Booker Prize 2027: thebookerprizes.com/the-childrens-booker-prize Support Afrori Books: afroribooks.co.uk You can follow us via Instagram, X & Tik Tok.  You can follow Emma Hinds via Instagram Let us know your thoughts by emailing us apairofbookendspod@gmail.com or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

    17 min
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About

A weekly bookish podcast hosted by Hannah MacDonald. Join us for monthly Book Club episodes - read the book at your own pace and then listen to us deep dive with the author! Our Debut Spotlight series is to put the freshest authors and their work firmly on your radar and in our new series we bring you a monthly culture round up of all the recommendations we've collected over the previous month of consuming. Follow us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram and @apairofbookends on Twitter and TIk Tok.

Information

  • Creator
    Hannah MacDonald
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    204
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Hannah MacDonald
  • Show Website
    A Pair of Bookends

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