Beyond the Desk

In this grab bag episode, librarians Elizabeth and Sarah talk about recent reads—mainly mysteries and memoirs—as well as giving themselves permission to give up on a book and grab another from the to-read pile. They also share how they discover books and why you should try listening to audiobooks on the Hoopla app, which is free to access with your library card.

Titles discussed in this episode include: Committed by Adam Stern, the TV series In Treatment, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, Cultish and Wordslut by Amanda Montell, The Guest List and The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, One by One and The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware, Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, and Miracle Creek by Angie Kim.

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Librarians Elizabeth, Sarah and Desirae chat about Zakiya Dalila Harris’ popular novel that offers a behind-the-scenes look at book publishing and blends horror elements, humor and social commentary. Our conversation touches on hair and how it relates to identity, femininity and professionalism.

Titles discussed in this episode include: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, False Witness by Karin Slaughter, Pet Sematary by Stephen King, Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, and Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour.

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Librarian and host Sarah chats with Lauren Fox, local author of Send for Me, which follows four generations of women from 1930s Germany to contemporary Milwaukee. Fox talks about writing her first historical novel, her great-grandmother’s letters that inspired the story, and what it was like to have Send for Me picked as a Read With Jenna book and answer readers’ questions on the TODAY show.

Titles discussed in this episode include: Send for Me, Still Life With Husband, Friends Like Us, and Days of Awe, all by Lauren Fox. Also mentioned: Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi, The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, and The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel.

Read Lauren Fox’s Lit Hub essay, about sharing family history with the next generation, here: https://lithub.com/our-family-stories-are-the-bridge-between-nature-and-nurture/

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Enjoy reading cookbooks for leisure? Why not try a cookbook memoir? Listen in as host Elizabeth and guest Mary discuss their new and old favorites in this genre. Books discussed in this episode are Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl, People Who Love to Eat Are Always the Best People and Other Wisdom by Julia Child, Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food by Ann Hood, Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley, Midnight Chicken: & Other Recipes Worth Living For by Ella Risbridger, Jew-ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch by Jake Cohen, Savage Feast: Three Generations, Two Continents, and a Dinner Table by Boris Fishman, Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking by Bill Buford, Eat a Peach: A Memoir by David Chang and Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, by Michele Zauner. 

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

In this episode, hosts Elizabeth and Sarah talk about their new favorite historical mystery series, Abir Mukherjee’s Wyndham & Banerjee Mysteries, set in 1920s India. It speaks to themes relevant to today’s readers, such as addiction and PTSD, even as its setting offers a delightful escape.

Titles discussed in this episode include: A Rising Man, A Necessary Evil, Smoke and Ashes, and Death in the East, all by Abir Mukherjee. Also mentioned: Sujata Massey’s Perveen Mistry series; The Ibis Trilogy by Amitav Ghosh; The Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast; and the Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series and the Malabar House series, both by Vaseem Khan.

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Host Sarah and guest Adam chat about terrific books by LGBTQ+ authors, just in time for Pride Month. Plus, we share the prizes you can win for reading with the library when participating in WAPL’s Adult Summer Reading Program.

Titles discussed in this episode include: Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett; Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin; Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski; Memorial by Bryan Washington; Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan; Ziggy, Stardust & Me by James Brandon; and The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi.

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Join us for the second episode in which Elizabeth is joined by guest Sarah R. to discuss fiction with a focus on the relationship between mothers and daughters, just in time for Mother's Day. Also, our new Nonfiction book club is starting in June, so don't forget to register!

Books discussed in this episode include: Saturday by Oge Mora, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, The Mommy Book by Todd Parr, Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick, The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain, Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage, Send for Me by Lauren Fox and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Hosts Elizabeth and Sarah, both librarians at West Allis Public Library, talk about books based on a true story. Plus, we welcome you to the library, and beyond its walls, for National Library Week. Titles discussed in this episode include: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, Georgia by Dawn Tripp, A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline, Euphoria by Lily King, The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones, Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris, The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore, Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore, and Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.

Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay