Books with Betsy

bookswithbetsy
  • 4.8 (25)
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Books with Betsy is a podcast that celebrates the reading life of all readers. Each week, Betsy interviews a different person about their reading life. Listen for book recommendations, reading tips, and to join in the joy that reading brings. And remember, anyone who reads is a reader.

  1. 4D AGO

    Episode 85 - Lock In and Understand with Madeline Blair

    On this episode, Madeline Blair, founder and editor of the literary magazine Sabr Tooth Tiger, talks about her development as a lover and writer of poetry, how balancing reading online publications can run up against her day job, and how she discovers new pieces to read. You also get to hear me have a bit of an existential crisis in real time which happens every time I think about how much content there is out there to read.    Sabr Tooth Tiger   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  The Sisters by Jonas Hassan Khemiri  There is No Place for Us by Brian Goldstone   Books Highlighted by Madeline: Crossing the Water by Sylvia Plath  Ariel by Sylvia Plath  Wicked by Gregory Maguire Monsters, Clowns, and the Holy Fool by Satori Na The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio  Letters to Milena by Franz Kafka The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath by Sylvia Plath   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams by Sylvia Plath  Girls That Never Die by Safia Elhillo  The Diary of Anaïs Nin by Anaïs Nin  The Intentions of Thunder by Patricia Smith  Poems 1962-2012 by Louise Glück  Selected Poems of Frank O’Hara by Frank O’Hara  Men in the Off Hours by Anne Carson  Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bzaterrica  Dubliners by James Joyce  The Idaho Four by James Patterson & Vicky Ward  The Wild Fox of Yemen by Threa Almontaser

    1 hr

  2. DEC 15

    Episode 84 - Crying on the Brown Line with Francisco Rafael Peralta-Cerda

    On this episode, Francisco Rafael Peralta-Cerda, a fellow Read & Runner, talks about his work building a love for reading as a high school teacher, how his mom encouraged him to read when he was little, and a possibly surprising genre that he has fallen in love with this year. We also discuss his hesitation to read in public but also the attempt to dispel the myth of the performative male.    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga The Sisters by Jonas Hassan Khemiri    Books Highlighted by Fransico: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky  Eragon by Christopher Paolini Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini  We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos  The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey  Inkspell by Cornelia Funke  Batman by Tom King  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald  Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut  Coraline by Neil Gaiman  The Defining Decade by Meg Jay  What Happened to Millenials by Charlie Wells  Looking for Alaska by John Green  Heartstopper by Alice Oseman  A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin  Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady  Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos

    48 min

  3. DEC 8

    Episode 83 - Creating Space with Deirdre Harrison

    On this episode, Deirdre Harrison, Executive Director of SitStayRead in Chicago talks about how her understanding of relationships affects her reading life, the joys of being a little free library steward, and shares deep thoughts about how her organization fits into the literary lives of everyone she interacts with. She also tells some really incredible stories about her experiences with SitStayRead that will emphasize the importance of literacy learning for young children.    SitStayRead   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan  Flesh by David Szalay    Books Highlighted by Deirdre: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer  The Secret History by Donna Tartt The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt  The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld  Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene by Donna Haraway   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley  Motherhood by Lisa Marchiano LCSW  Thirty Million Words by Dana Suskind The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson  Caste by Isabel Wilkerson  Viktor Frankl Recollections by Viktor E. Frankl  The Pelican Can! By Toni Yuly  The Cool Bean by Jory John & Pete Oswald  Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis  Twilight by Stephanie Meyer  Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

    1h 4m

  4. DEC 1

    Episode 82 - Visionary Alchemy with Antonio Michael Downing

    On this episode, Antonio Michael Downing, author and host of CBC’s Next Chapter, talks about his early reading life with his grandmother in Trinidad, how his work affects his reading life, and the types of authors that are speaking to him now. We talk about his two books, Saga Boy, a memoir, and Black Cherokee, his first novel.     Black Cherokee  Saga Boy  The Next Chapter    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai  Endling by Maria Reva  Isola by Allegra Goodman   Books Highlighted by Antonio Michael: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin The Sellout by Paul Beatty Salt by Earl Lovelace Dubliners by James Joyce Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Deep Secrets by Niobe Way   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner  Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy  KJV Bible  Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin  The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin  Finnegans Wake by James Joyce  Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky  Ulysses by James Joyce

    1h 3m

  5. NOV 24

    Episode 81 - Book Club - Martyr!

    On this episode, Jesus, Emily, and Brian from Off Color Book Club join me to discuss the most recent Off Color Book Club book, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar.    My Book Club Guide If you’re interested in joining the Off Color Book Club in the future, we will not be meeting in December but will meet on Tuesday, January 20th to discuss Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. All are welcome!

    1h 10m

  6. NOV 17

    Episode 80 - Reading as a Mom with Julie Palazzolo

    On this episode, Julie Palazzolo, a mom who is finding her reading life to look differently than it has in the past, talks about how audiobooks have been a huge part of her reading life, the ways she brings reading to life with her kiddos, and how important and amazing children’s books are. Julie also gives a lot of great children’s book recommendations for many difficult topics.   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown The Director by Daniel Kehlmann   Books Highlighted by Julie: Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block Never Lie by Frieda McFadden  Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Night by Elie Wiesel The Invisible String by Patrice Karst Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder I Said No by Kimberly King Wasteland by Francesca Lia Block  No Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell & Lauren Elizabeth Stauble    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld  Delirium by Lauren Oliver  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins  Divergent by Veronica Roth  The Not-So-Friendly Friend by Christina Furnival  Into the Game! Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #1 by Nick Eliopulos  Who Would Win? By Jerry Pallotta  The Housemaid by Freida McFadden  Necklace of Kisses by Francesca Lia Block  The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix  Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough  Ghost by Jason Reynolds  The Invisible Leash by Patrice Karst  The Invisible String Backpack by Patrice Karst  The Invisible Web by Patrice Karst  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein  The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister  Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks  It Happened to Nancy by Beatrice Sparks A Hug From Above by Pamela Quinn  On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman

    1h 2m

  7. NOV 10

    Episode 79 - Ways to Escape and Ways to Learn with Jen Price

    On this episode, Jen Price, of Travel Books and Movies, discusses her life that involves a great deal of travel, how she incorporates reading into travelling, and her book club that has a brilliant idea about how to choose books. We also get into some of the shared perils of being feral readers.    Travel Books and Movies Blog Jen on Instagram Travel Books and Movies Facebook Group Reading Retreat Guide/Newsletter Bon Voyage Book Box    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  Katabasis by R.F. Kuang  Pan by Michael Clune   Books Highlighted by Jen: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg  Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides  Travels of Terror by Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini  The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown  The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg  The Girl from Donegal by Carmel Harrington  A Journey to the New World (Dear America) by Kathryn Lasky  The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown  What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman

    51 min

  8. NOV 3

    Episode 78 - Absolute Freaks with Taylor Thornburg

    On this episode, Taylor Thornburg, multi-media creator and fan talks about how to plug in to the local literary scene, his connection to physical media, and how he loves authors that are just entirely out of the box. We also talk about a lot of the great benefits of the Chicago reading life.    Agathe, 6:00 p.m. to 7:27   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy’s reading:  Katabasis by R.F. Kuang  Flashlight by Susan Choi    Books Highlighted by Taylor: Ubik by Philip K. Dick  In Praise of the Stepmother by Mario Vargas Llosa  White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link Lapovona by Ottessa Moshfegh My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante  Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Herscht 07769 by Lázló Krasznahorkai Schattenfroh by Michael Lentz  The Instructions by Adam Levin The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey  Bluets by Maggie Nelson  The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis  The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien  Frindle by Andrew Clements  Severance by Ling Ma  Bliss Montage by Ling Ma  Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon  All Fours by Miranda July  My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh  Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh  Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace  Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah  North Woods by Daniel Mason

    1h 9m
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4.8
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Books with Betsy is a podcast that celebrates the reading life of all readers. Each week, Betsy interviews a different person about their reading life. Listen for book recommendations, reading tips, and to join in the joy that reading brings. And remember, anyone who reads is a reader.

Information

  • Creator
    bookswithbetsy
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Books with Betsy

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