From the Front Porch

The Bookshelf Thomasville

Welcome to From the Front Porch, a weekly conversational podcast on books, small business, and life in the South, produced by The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia.

  1. 3D AGO

    Episode 567 || February 2026 New Release Rundown

    This week on From the Front Porch, it’s a New Release Rundown! Annie, Erin, and Olivia share the February releases they’re excited about to help you build your TBR. When you purchase or preorder any of the books they talk about, enter the code NEWRELEASEPLEASE at checkout for 10% off your order! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 567) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Annie's Books: This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen Olivia's Books: Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra Birdy by N West Moss PostScript by Cory McCarthy Erin's Books: Good People by Patmeena Sabit The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman A Good Animal by Sara Maurer 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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Homeschooled by Steffan Merrill Block. Olivia is reading Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart. Erin is listening to  Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Beth, Cammy Tidwell, Gene Queens, Jammie Treadwell, Joseph Shorter IV, Kimberly, Linda Lee Drozt, Nicole Marsee, Stephanie Dean, and Wendi Jenkins.

    48 min
  2. JAN 29

    Episode 566 || January 2026 Reading Recap

    This week on From the Front Porch, Annie recaps the books she read and loved in January. You get 10% off your books when you order your January Reading Recap bundle. Each month, we offer a Reading Recap bundle, which features Annie’s favorite books she read that month. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 566), or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood  The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller  Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven  Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash  The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits  This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman  Vigil by George Saunders  This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum  The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman  Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block  January Reading Recap Bundle The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller  Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block  Vigil by George Saunders  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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Whidbey by T. Kira Madden If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Beth, Cammy Tidwell, Gene Queens, Jammie Treadwell, Joseph Shorter IV, Kimberly, Linda Lee Drozt, Nicole Marsee, Stephanie Dean, and Wendi Jenkins.

    42 min
  3. JAN 22

    Episode 565: Into the Backlist: Walking With Sam

    This week on From the Front Porch, it’s a new episode of Into the Backlist! Today, Annie changes her focus from new releases to dive into the backlist: the books that came out years ago, the books that didn’t get enough attention, the books you may stumble upon while browsing in an indie bookstore like The Bookshelf. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 565) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Walking With Sam by Andrew McCarthy 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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

    28 min
  4. JAN 15

    Episode 564 || Literary Therapy, Vol. 26

    This week on From the Front Porch, it’s a Literary Therapy session! Our literary Frasier Crane, Annie, is back to answer more of your reading questions and dilemmas. If you have a question you would like Annie to answer in a future episode, you can leave us a voicemail here. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 564) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app. 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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

    1h 3m
  5. JAN 8

    Episode 563 || What Would Jane Austen Read?

    This week on From the Front Porch, Annie shares the modern books she would recommend to Jane Austen, in honor of Jane’s recent 250th birthday. Listen to find out what books Annie would put in Jane’s hands if she walked into The Bookshelf. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 563) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Matrix by Lauren Groff Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs by Heather Lende Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi Tom Lake by Ann Patchett The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor 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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

    30 min
  6. JAN 1

    Episode 562 || Unsung Books of 2025

    Happy New Year! This week on From the Front Porch, Annie chats about the unsung books you may not have heard about in 2025. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 562) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley So Far Gone by Jess Walter Among Friends by Hal Ebbott 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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Land in Winter by Andrew Miller. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

    36 min
  7. 12/25/2025

    Episode 561 || Yes, Virginia

    This week on From the Front Porch, Annie reads the New York Sun reporter Francis P. Church’s timeless response to eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon’s question: “Is there a Santa Claus?” Read the letter from 1897 and learn about its history 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 and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, bookshelfthomasville.com.  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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

    8 min
  8. 12/18/2025

    Episode 560 || Best Books of the Year

    This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter discuss their top 10 favorite books of 2025! Annie 1. A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar 2. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 3. Flashlight by Susan Choi 4. Tilt by Emma Pattee 5. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 6. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li 7. Memorial Days by Geradine Brooks 8. Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 9. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo 10. Awake by Jen Hatmaker Hunter 1. Audition by Katie Kitamura 2. Flashlight by Susan Choi 3. Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones 4. Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel 5. Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor 6. A Guardian and a Thief by  Megha Majumdar 7. Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett 8. Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela 9. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 10. Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez Annie - July picks 1. Tilt by Emma Pattee 2. Flashlight by Susan Choi 3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 4. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li 5. Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld 6. Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks 7. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green 8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 9. Lucky Night by Eliza Kennedy 10. Playworld by Adam Ross Hunter - July picks 1. Audition by Katie Kitamura 2. Ordinary Time by Annie B Jones 3. Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett 4. Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez 5. Among Friends by Hal Ebbott 6. The Wilderness by Angela Flourney 7. Open, Heaven by Sean Hewitt 8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 9. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico 10. Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino 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, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast 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 Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. Hunter is reading Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

    1h 11m
4.7
out of 5
1,203 Ratings

About

Welcome to From the Front Porch, a weekly conversational podcast on books, small business, and life in the South, produced by The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia.

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