Readers, we added a last-minute introduction to today’s podcast about what we do and why we do it, especially in light of the current anguish we’re experiencing in the United States following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and subsequent needed protests. We hope you’ll listen.
Today’s guest Elyssa Gould is an academic librarian and “recovering English major,” whose goal is to get caught up on her own backlist while she’s separated from her natural habitat, the library. And you know me, when I hear “English major” my ears perk up. Today we’re shuffling around Elyssa’s 100 or so unread books into a few smaller stacks, for a self-styled literature curriculum that should keep her busy at home for as long as necessary.
I hope that sounds delightful, not daunting, because in my book, book flights are a ton of fun. Let’s get to it!
Let’s get to it!
You can admire Elyssa’s handcrafts at Instagram.com/elyssamakes
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Books mentioned in this episode:
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♥ The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
♥ The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
♥ Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl
▵ Paris In Love by Eloisa James
● Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
● City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
● The Paris Hours by Alex George
● The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pere
● Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You by Dolly Parton
● Felicity by Mary Oliver
● The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions by Emily Freeman
● Writers & Lovers by Lily King
● Blood Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton
● Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee
● Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
● The Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel
● The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
● Author Flannery O’Connor (try this collection)
● Author Sylvia Plath (try her Collected Poems)
● Author Sue Monk Kidd (try The Book of Longings)
● Author Barbara Kingsolver (try Unsheltered)
● Author Lisa Ko (try The Leavers)
● Author Anne Lamott (try Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life)
● The Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor
● Author Eudora Welty (try The Collected Works)
● Florida by Lauren Groff
● Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Also mentioned:
● Pantsuit Politics podcast
● WSIRN Ep 43: Fiction FOMO and curing Hamilton hangover, with Sarah Stewart Holland
● @TheUnreadShelf on Instagram
● WSIRN Ep 158: The life-changing magic of clearing your unread shelf with Whitney Conard
● WSIRN Ep 178: The Next Right Thing for your reading life, with Emily Freeman
● Reading is better when it’s done wine tasting style
● WSIRN Ep 7: Books that uplift and inspire, the books that “hook” you, and filling the Brown Girls’ Bookshelf, with Osheta Moore
● WSIRN Ep 186: Finding the book that feels like it was written just for you, with Lamar Giles
● WSIRN Ep 162: The best bad ending you’ll ever read, with Traci Thomas
Thanks to this week’s sponsors:
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What do YOU think Elyssa should read next? And have you ever built a book flight from your own shelves? Tell us about it in the comments!
Love this podcast. I would recommend Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr that I heard about on this podcast. I loved it, and it jumped up to one of my top twenty books of all time.
Yes, I absolutely love that book! One of my favorite memoirs (along with Save Me the Plums, actually).
The book on the Vanderbilts wasn’t listed. Was the title A Well-Behaved Woman? You might also like A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table which has been mentioned on WSIRN before, of course. She’s in Paris in this memoir.
What is the name of the book and author that Anne mentioned that was about a woman riding out a hurricane? I looked in the show notes and couldn’t find it. Is it maybe in one of the short story collections? Thank you!
It’s one of the stories in Florida, by Lauren Groff.
Sounds like you might have “Delicious” by Ruth Reichl on your shelf – that’s a great story that includes magazine publishing, a mystery involving James Beard, and all the great foodie haunts in NYC. I’ve read it twice! Also try “On Rue Tatin” by Susan Herrmann Loomis, who moved to France with her family to start a cooking school.
I love your “Book Flight” recommendations! Especially the food one 🙂 I also studied abroad in Paris (for a short time) so I am curious to check out The Paris Hours! (I’m a recovering French major… who can no longer speak French, ha!)
Anne, thank you for your opening statement on this episode. I appreciate your candor and sensitivity to what is happening in your city and our country.
A wonderful food/Paris memoir is Mastering the Art of French Eating; Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris by Ann Mah. It is delightful, and ticks many boxes on Elyssa’s favorites list!
And also 2 by David Leibovitz -Drinking French and The Sweet Life in Paris.
Anne, I agree with Deborah-thank you so much for your words at the beginning of the episode. Very well said. I’m also a “recovering” English major (jealous Elyssa went the librarian route) and loved this episode so much – a bright spot after a dark weekend. I was ecstatic to hear you recommend my absolute favorite book: Their Eyes Were Watching God. It is the only book I re-read, and sometimes I just open it at random to enjoy the language & imagery. Hope Elyssa enjoys it!
I, too, am a recovering English major with an automatic “must have” gut reaction for books about and set in Paris and France. I do have to disagree about “Paris in Love” by Eloisa James. I loved it! I liked experiencing what it would be like to pick up and live in Paris for a year. Lest you think that I have a blind eye when it comes to Paris-set books, I didn’t feel the same way about “Almost French” and “A Garden in Paris.”
Enjoyed the episode. I have also been drawing from my hard copy TBR as well!
Anne- Thank you for The beautiful way you addressed the current crisis in our nation regarding race and injustice. We’ve all heard a lot over the last few weeks but your comments were honest compassionate and empowering. We really appreciate you!