Book Cougars Podcast: Two Middle-Aged Women on the Hunt for a Good Read Book Cougars

Welcome to Episode 210, where we have the pleasure of welcoming back Our Mystery Man, John Valeri! For those of you who are new to the Book Cougars, John is a frequent guest. He’s a reader, professional reviewer, and interviewer extraordinaire (check out his BookTube channel, CENTRAL BOOKING). John joins us to not only recommend some hot new mystery/thrillers but also to share insights on the guiding principles of cozy mysteries, making this a conversation you won't want to miss!

This episode is packed with a diverse range of books. We share our thoughts on THE AWAKENING: THE DRAGON HEART LEGACY, BOOK ONE by Nora Roberts, our second quarter readalong pick in our year of reading romance. We also delve into other intriguing reads such as THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS by Laurie Frankel, THE MYSTERY GUEST by Nita Prose, and LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE HAUNTED PLACES by Claire Kann. Emily also read two captivating short stories: “Lucky Girls” by Nell Freudenberger from LUCKY GIRLS: STORIES and “That of Which We Cannot Speak” by Alethea Black from I KNEW YOU’D BE LOVELY: STORIES.

In Biblio Adventures, we recap an exciting Biblio Adventure to Hartford, CT, where we had the privilege of seeing Michael Harriot (BLACK AF HISTORY: THE UN-WHITEWASHED STORY OF AMERICA) in conversation with Percival Everett about his new novel, JAMES, thanks to the Mark Twain House. Chris attended CULTIVATING VOICES: LIVE POETRY hosted by Sandra Yannone via Facebook. Emily binged some PRESUMED INNOCENT movie/series adaptations. At the Book Barn in Niantic, CT, she found a copy of FELLOWSHIP POINT (which we’re both reading this summer) and a fantastic gift for Chris.

Of course, we also talk about what we’re currently reading, want to read, and upcoming #biblioadventures. We hope you enjoy the episode and if so, please consider leaving a review wherever you listen, as it really does help others find us.

Happy Listening & Happy Reading!


https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2024/episode210

Welcome to Episode 209! We were thrilled and honored to talk with New York Times bestselling author, mystery legend, and social justice advocate Sara Paretsky. We talk with Sara about her newly published novel, PAY DIRT, the 22nd installment in her V.I. Warshawski series, founding Sisters in Crime, and so much more. Don’t miss our conversation at the end of the episode.

We pay tribute to the late Canadian author Alice Munro by reading and discussing her story, “Train.” We try to avoid spoilers in our discussion. The story is available online at Harper’s Magazine.

Emily also read “From Outside I Could See” and “The Next Husband Game” from the collection THE GOODBYE PROCESS by Mary Jones (release date 7/30/2024) and “Origin Story” from the ILL-FITTING SKIN by Shannon Robinson. Chris read “Ardessa” by Willa Cather.

We also finished a few novels:
–PAY DIRT by Sara Paretsky
–THE HOUSE THAT HORROR BUILT by Christina Henry
–THE AWAKENING by Nora Roberts

Biblio Adventures include:
– Our Mystery Man, John Valeri, in conversation with author Tom Straw about his new mystery/thriller, THE ACCIDENTAL JOE: THE TOP-SECRET LIFE OF A CELEBRITY CHEF, at R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT
– A panel event, “On Writing: A Panel Discussion with Authors on Their Craft,” hosted by Bank Square Books and the Westerly Library in Westerly, RI
– A poetry reading by Sandra Yannone from her new collection, THE GLASS STUDIO, at the Acton Public Library in Old Saybrook, CT

We also talk about what we’re currently reading, hope to read, upcoming Biblio Adventures, and a bunch of other bookish things.

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Happy Reading!

Welcome to Episode 208, which features a fantastic author spotlight with Sara B. Franklin. Her new biography, THE EDITOR: HOW PUBLISHING LEGEND JUDITH JONES SHAPED CULTURE IN AMERICA, is a must-read. It is not hyperbole to say that everyone reading and eating today has been touched by Judith Jones’s work, and Franklin’s writing is a delight to read.

We had a great Biblio Adventure to Brooklyn with Aunt Ellen. Our goal of making it to THE RIPPED BODICE Bookstore has been achieved, and it was worth the wait!

Many of our listeners were avid followers of or found us through Jenny Colvin’s podcast, READING ENVY: I’ll have what you’re reading. Jenny passed away in May of 2022. We miss her, and know that many of you do, too. To honor her memory, we are joining our BookTube friend SHAWN BREATHES BOOKS (formerly Shawn the Book Maniac) and doing something we think Jenny would love – reading books together! We are each choosing one book from Jenny’s Goodreads lists. The plan is to read the book by July 1st, Jenny’s birthday. We would love for you to join us by reading along with one of our selections or choosing a book of your own. We have a conversation thread on our Goodreads page, and we’ve created the hashtag #illhavewhatyourereading to use on social media. Let's keep Jenny's love for books alive in our hearts and our reading.
In other reading news, you might remember from our last episode that Emily expressed her desire to read Monica Wood’s THE ONE-IN-A-MILLION BOY. And guess what? It magically appeared in one of her beloved Little Free Libraries. Isn’t it a delightful feeling when such serendipitous moments occur? Emily loved the novel. She also read two short stories, “Ernie’s Ark” by Monica Wood from the collection ERNIE’S ARK: THE ABBOTT FALLS STORIES and “Chapter Two” by Antonya Nelson in BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2013, edited by Elizabeth Strout. She savored THE PARIS NOVEL by Ruth Reichl, while Chris unexpectedly found herself engrossed in another book by Cal Newport, DEEP WORK: RULES FOR FOCUSED SUCCESS IN A DISTRACTED WORLD. Both Chris and Emily have been captivated by JAMES by Percival Everett, especially the audiobook narrated by Dominic Hoffman. Everett’s narrative is a brilliant reinterpretation and expansion of THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, and Hoffman’s performance is simply outstanding. Chris has completed her second reading of MOBY-DICK, an endeavor that was as equally challenging and rewarding as her first encounter with the book.

As always, we also talk about what we’re currently reading and hoping to read soon.

Happy Listening and Happy Reading!

Emily and Chris

Welcome to Episode 207. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with rare book dealer and author Rebecca Romney. Her first book was PRINTER’S ERROR: Irreverent Stories from Book History, and she made a significant contribution to the world of romance fiction with her collection, THE ROMANCE NOVEL IN ENGLISH: A Rare Book Survey, 1769-1999. You won’t want to miss our conversation with Rebecca at the end of the episode. Jane Austen fans will be particularly intrigued to hear about her current project!

We have had some genuinely delightful Biblio Adventures since the last episode. Two were joint jaunts: seeing Caroline Leavitt discuss her new novel, DAYS OF WONDER, at R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT, and watching SHIRLEY, a trippy movie about a fictionalized Shirley Jackson based on the novel of the same name by Susan Scarf Merrell. Emily and Aunt Ellen visited Yu and Me Books in NYC’s Chinatown. We also each attended different virtual events through the North Haven Public Library. Chris attended “A Literary Examination of Power and Art” with Xochitl Gonzalez, discussing her books ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST and OLGA DIES DREAMING. Emily attended “The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us – A Sweeping History of Food and Culture” with Smithsonian Curator Paula J. Johnson, discussing the book SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN TABLE. See the episode show notes for links to recordings of both events.

In our reading lives, we finished a variety of books and stories. BLESS YOUR HEART (cozy horror) by Lindy Ryan, DIGITAL MINIMALISM (self-help/productivity) by Cal Newport, and JAMES (literary fiction) by Percival Everett (the audiobook is fantastic!), THE EDITOR: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America (biography) by Sara B. Franklin, PRIDE AND PRESTON LIN (romance) by Christina Hwang Dudley, HOW TO READ A BOOK (literary fiction/romance) by Monica Wood, and two short stories: “Vampires in the Lemon Grove” from the collection VAMPIRES IN THE LEMON GROVE: And Other Stories by Karen Russell and “The Bookeeper’s Wife” by Willa Cather.

As always, we also talk about what we’re reading and hoping to read. We are super excited about an upcoming Biblio Adventure with Aunt Ellen to The Ripped Bodice bookstore in Brooklyn.

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Happy Listening and Happy Reading!

Emily & Chris

https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2024/episode207

Welcome to Episode 206 where we have a fantastic conversation with Rebecca Rego Barry, author of THE VANISHING OF CAROLYN WELLS: Investigations into a Forgotten Mystery Author. One reviewer referred to Barry’s book as a “process biography.” It is true, Barry takes you along on her investigation into the life of Carolyn Wells who, it turns out, wrote more than mysteries. She wrote poetry, plays, screenplays, puzzles, children's books, and a YA series. Wells was also a serious book collector in a time when that pursuit was considered the domain of men. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, this biography would make a great gift.

Along with our friend Kate, we did a buddy read of Carson McCullers’ novella, REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE. This was part of our Biblio Adventure to Nyack, NY where McCuller’s lived for the last 30 years of her life (which wasn’t a very long long life: she died at 50, so she actually lived most of her life in Nyack). We explored the grounds of her home (it is not a public author home at this time) and paid our respects at the Oak Hill Cemetery where Carson is buried next to her mother. We visited Big Red Books, a Little Free Library, Pickwick Books, and the gorgeous Nyack Public Library. (Check out our social media for some pics.)

We also recap our Biblio Adventure to NYC which was metamorphosed by an earthquake in New Jersey that was felt throughout the Northeast.

As always, we talk about what we’ve read, are reading, and want to read. Highlights include PIGLET by Lottie Hazell, THE STOLEN CHILD by Ann Hood (out 5/7), MOBY DICK by Herman Melville, HOW TO READ by Monica Wood (out 5/7), SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY by Edgar Lee Masters, BLESS YOUR HEART by Lindy Ryan, THE EDITOR: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin (out 5/28), and two short stories: “Touchless Bidet” by Omar El Akkad from the collection SMALL ODYSSEYS: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories edited by Hannah Tinti and “A Simple Question” from the collection OLD CRIMES: And Other Stories by Jill McCorkle.

If you’ve been enjoying our podcast, please share it with a friend and consider leaving a review on iTunes or whatever app you use to listen.

Thanks for listening, and Happy Reading!

Chris & Emily

Welcome to Episode 205! April is National Poetry Month and we are here for it. Emily is currently reading YOU ARE HERE: Poetry in the Natural World, a new anthology edited by Ada Limón, and Chris is reading BOATS FOR WOMEN by Sandra Yannone.

Since our last episode, Chris finished listening to WAKE UP WITH PURPOSE! What I’ve Learned in my First Hundred Years by Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt. She also enjoyed the first issue of DEPROG by Tina Horn, Gab Contreras, Dani Strips, and Lisa Sterle, and dipped into RIVER EAST, RIVER WEST by Aube Rey Lescure (long listed for the Women’s Prize). Emily read two suspense thrillers: INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura and WHEN THE CICADAS CRY by Caroline Cleveland, and then went to a happier place with A BAKER’S YEAR: Twelve Months of Baking and Living the Simple Life at the Smoke Signals Bakery by Tara Jensen.

As always we talk about what we’re reading, what we want to read, and Biblio Adventures we’ve been on, like seeing Rachel Slade discuss her new book MAKING IT IN AMERICA: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. and How It Got That Way, at R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT.

Happy Listening & Happy Reading!