This week on Book Gang, we’re joined by Julie Buntin, whose new novel Famous Men plunges us into the heart of literary ambition, tangled mentorships, and the shadows that linger from girlhood into adulthood. Through candid storytelling and sharp insight, Julie unpacks the inspiration behind her groundbreaking new work, what drew her to the hallowed halls of campus settings, and how she writes into the gray areas of power and agency.

Famous Men traces the story of Will, a young woman shaped by family secrets and the gaze of powerful men. As Will moves from an oppressive childhood to the lure of literary circles and a complicated mentorship with a celebrated older writer, Buntin explores the aftermath of exploitation, the murkiness of agency, and the search for meaning in identity. This novel refuses easy answers and invites readers to reckon with the uncomfortable spaces where self-knowledge is finally forged. For readers who want to hear from a writer who prioritizes craft, this episode is for you!

In this week’s episode, we discuss:

📚 Writing Through Life’s Upheavals: Julie opens up about the nine-year journey between her debut and Famous Men, reflecting on how motherhood, shifting priorities, and the realities of publishing shaped her creative process. She discusses the challenges of returning to a manuscript after life-changing events, and how the evolving literary landscape—less media coverage, more grassroots reader communities—has transformed what it means to connect with an audience.

📚 The Power of Setting: Julie reflects on why campus novels—and the charged spaces of creative writing programs—continue to fascinate her as both writer and reader. She shares what’s unique about academic environments, how they incubate both ambition and vulnerability, and why they’re the perfect crucible for stories about coming of age and questionable mentorships.

📚 Power, Vulnerability, and Retrospective Voice: At Famous Men’s core is Will—a narrator whose sharp self-awareness is complicated by the forces that shape, trap, and sometimes free her. Julie discusses the delicate craft of writing a character who is both in control and deeply lost, and how the novel resists simple narratives of victimhood or complicity.

BONUS BOOK LIST: This week’s bonus book list offers readers 18 novels set in schools, giving you fresh worlds to explore in academia. I’m astounded by how many new releases have back-to-school energy, and I hope you enjoy browsing these selections. Patrons of the show will receive a printable book list and a bonus spoiler chat with Julie.

Meet Julie Buntin

Julie Buntin‘s new novel, Famous Men, is out now from Random House. Her debut, Marlena, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize, released in ten territories worldwide, and named a best book of the year by over a dozen outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR, and Kirkus Reviews. She is the co-editor of Notes to New Mothers, a collection of dispatches from postpartum life by sixty writers and artists. Previously, Buntin was an editor and director of writing programs at Catapult. Now, she writes and teaches in Ann Arbor, where she is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.

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2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

BOOK CLUB PODCAST FOR SEPTEMBER: DAVID JOY INTERVIEW (THOSE WE THOUGHT WE KNEW)

NEW BOOK LIST: 18 NEW NOVELS SET IN SCHOOLS

Famous Men by Julie Buntin

Marlena by Julie Buntin

Notes to New Mothers by Rebecca Knight & Julie Buntin

Lucian Freud

Meghann Stephenson

Ana Luisa Corrigan

The Animators by Kayla Ray Whitaker

Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Ray Whitaker

The Good Mother Myth by Nancy Reddy nf

MacDowell

Zuckerman Unbound by Philip Roth

Contrapposto by Dave Eggers

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee & Walker Evans

Marion by Leah Rowan

Half a Life by Jill Ciment

Consent by Jill Ciment

Life with Picasso by Francois Gilot & Carlton Lake

The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud

Trust Exercise by Susan Choi

My Education by Susan Choi

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David Joy joins our September Book Club to discuss Those We Thought We Knew, a powerful novel about the fractures and reckonings in contemporary Appalachia.

Today, I’m honored to welcome renowned storyteller David Joy to Book Gang for a searching, unflinching conversation about Those We Thought We Knew, our September Book Club selection for the MomAdvice Book Club. David brings sharp honesty and lived experience as he examines the histories, power structures, and personal reckonings that shaped his fifth novel. Together, we explore how the legacy of the South, the responsibilities of storytelling, and the risks of crossing boundaries animate both his work and his life.

Those We Thought We Knew plunges us into a North Carolina mountain town wrestling with its past and present after the murder of a young Black artist. Through a chorus of voices—each rendered with nuance and empathy—Joy asks what it means to confront inherited stories, who gets to claim a place, and what’s lost or found when we finally face the truth.

In this week’s thought-provoking episode, we discuss:

📚 Writing Across Boundaries: David reflects on the long, winding road to Those We Thought We Knew, the decade the idea simmered, and the moment a real-life encounter cracked open the novel’s heart. We explore how he approached writing across lines of race, gender, and power—what it demands of the writer, what risks it carries, and why vulnerability and humility are at the center of authentic storytelling.

📚 The Power and Responsibility of Perspective: We dig into the process of shaping a novel with six distinct voices, and the growth required to hold so many lives on the page at once. David shares how working with an authenticity reader challenged and deepened his portrayal of characters whose experiences differ from his own, and how constructive critique—not ego—can transform a story.

📚 The Weight of History—Personal and Regional: Our conversation turns to the complexities of Southern identity, the pride and pain of inheritance, and how personal reckonings about race and history make their way from the dinner table to the page. David opens up about confronting family mythologies, the discomfort of unlearning, and the importance of sitting with hard truths.

BONUS BOOK LIST: This week’s bonus book list is a deep dive on David Joy—featuring all five of his novels, his memoir, and books for understanding the Appalachian South. Discover more about Joy’s storytelling roots, recommended reads on the region, and more ways to get to know the voices shaping contemporary Southern literature.

Meet David Joy

A twelfth-generation North Carolinian, David Joy grew up along the Catawba River and has spent the last 22 years in the mountains of Jackson County. Place-driven and deeply rooted to Appalachia, his work has been translated into six languages. In 2023, his debut novel was adapted to film starring Billy Bob Thornton and Robin Wright. Joy is the author of five novels, including Those We Thought We Knew (winner of the 2023 Willie Morris Award and the 2023 Thomas Wolfe Prize), When These Mountains Burn (winner of the 2020 Dashiell Hammett Award), The Line That Held Us (winner of the 2018 Southern Book Prize), The Weight of This World, and Where All Light Tends to Go (Edgar finalist for Best First Novel). His stories and creative nonfiction have appeared in publications including Garden & Gun, The New York Times Magazine, and TIME. He is also the author of the memoir Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey and a coeditor of Gather at the River: Twenty-Five Authors on Fishing.

Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you'd like to keep the conversation going, you're invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on September 24th at 8 PM ET, where we'll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%.

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2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

Those We Thought We Knew by David Joy

Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy

Sundays With Writers

Larry Brown

Daniel Woodrell

Ron Rash

Harry Crews

S.A. Cosby

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

When These Mountains Burn by David Joy

Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

Sylva, NC Monument

David Joy speaks to Jackson County Commissioners

Alexander Stephens

Marie Cochran

Crystal Wilkinson

Megan Abbott

Laura Lippman

Ace Atkins

Quinn Colson series

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John Searles joins Book Gang to dish on his new novel Single Girls, inspired by Helen Gurley Brown and the women who transformed Cosmopolitan magazine.

We welcome John Searles to Book Gang for a heartfelt conversation about his historical fiction novel, Single Girls—a story inspired by Helen Gurley Brown and the trailblazing women behind Cosmopolitan. Drawing on his years as an editor at Cosmo and his deep admiration for Helen, he brings readers behind the scenes of the magazine’s revolutionary 1960s makeover. Together, we explore the mix of nostalgia, ambition, and feminist history that animates this witty, unconventional story of women’s work and self-discovery.

Single Girls follows Helen Gurley Brown as she assembles a team of unforgettable women to take on a skeptical publishing world, reshaping Cosmo and, in the process, the lives of millions of single women. Through playful structure, shifting points of view, and the signature Cosmo quizzes and glossaries, John immerses readers in the vibrant, sometimes chaotic world of magazine publishing and female empowerment.

In this lively episode, we discuss:

📚 Crafting a Cosmo Experience for a Reader: John shares his experience researching the magazine’s archives, his friendships with real Cosmo editors, and how he crafted a chorus of voices that reflect the era’s joys and challenges. We explore the artistic risks of blending fiction with real-life history, from composite characters to playful narrative forms.

📚 Capturing Helen Gurley Brown’s Legacy: We take a deep look at Helen’s remarkable transformation from a humble, often difficult upbringing—marked by her father’s tragic elevator accident and a mother who constantly criticized her—to becoming a glamorous, influential figure in women’s media. John shares personal anecdotes from his friendship with Helen, exploring how her drive for self-improvement and her resilience in the face of grief and adversity shaped her voice and vision.

📚 The Memorable Audiobook Experience: We explore the creation of the Single Girls audiobook, narrated by Oscar- and Tony-nominated actress Amy Ryan. John shares how their personal connection led to her involvement and describes what it was like to hear his words performed by such a talented storyteller. We discuss the special magic that a gifted narrator can bring to a book, especially one as lively and character-driven as Single Girls.

FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 13 Books About Magazines to Light Up Your Analog Heart— This curated list dives into the page-turning, messy, and fascinating world of magazines, both real and fictional. Patrons will receive a printable book list and an exclusive spoiler-filled episode with John Searles.

Meet John Searles

John Searles is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of four novels. His books have been published in over a dozen languages and named “Best of the Year” by The Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, and more. A frequent contributor to The New York Times and The Washington Post, John spent two decades as a top editor at Cosmopolitan, first hired by Helen Gurley Brown herself. “Single Girls” is his latest novel—a witty, moving tribute to ambition, resilience, and the legacy of women’s magazines. Today's featured novel is available on store shelves now.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: MEET THE FALL SEASON GUESTS (15 NEW AUTHORS COMING TO BOOK GANG)

JOIN THE  CLASSICS CLUB FOR THE JANE EYRE READALONG: Guidance on Choosing Your Reading Format 

FREE FALL READING GUIDE: 32 Brilliant Books by Diverse Voices: Your Fall 2026 Reading Guide

FREE BOOK LIST: 13 Books About Magazines to Light Up Your Analog Heart

Single Girls by John Searles

The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe

The Group by Mary McCarthy

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

Morris Wilkins, Who Lured Honeymooners to Poconos, Dies at 90 (GIFTED)

Francesco Scavullo

Brooke Shields doll

Isola by Allegra Goodman

Ann Hood

Not Pretty Enough by Gerri Hirshey

Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown

Natural Blonde by Liz Smith

Elaine Stritch

Amy Du Bois Barnett Book Gang Episode

Amy Ryan

Strange But True by John Searles

Strange But True

Liberty Leading the People painting by Eugéne Delacroix

Library Journal Review

Helen Gurley Brown Foundation

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Author Hafeez Lakhani joins Book Gang to discuss Abundance, a moving novel about an Indian-American Muslim family chasing the complexities of the American dream.

I’m delighted to welcome Hafeez Lakhani to Book Gang for a heartfelt conversation about his debut novel, Abundance. Hafeez brings generosity and deep personal insight as he shares the family stories, cultural touchstones, and creative leaps behind this moving portrait of an Indian-American Muslim family. Together, we explore how the concept of naseeb—destiny—shapes both his own life and the emotional heart of the novel.

Abundance follows Sakeena, a Miami Dunkin’ owner facing a life-or-death decision, and her family as they navigate her agency and the messy realities of chasing the American dream. Through richly drawn characters and intimate moments, Hafeez invites us to consider what we control, what we inherit, and how generations care for one another.

In this week’s warm episode, we discuss:

📚 Breaking the Rules on the Page: Hafeez reflects on the twelve-year journey of writing Abundance, and how his decision to forgo quotation marks and italics was both a deeply considered artistic risk and a way to honor the story’s voice. He shares why he wanted readers to feel swept up in the flow of family conversation and culture, and how this choice invites us into the heart of his characters’ lives.

📚 A Mother’s Illness, a Family’s Story: Hafeez Lakhani opens up about how his own mother’s health crisis—and her powerful belief in naseeb (destiny)—became the spark for Abundance. He shares the emotional journey of witnessing his family’s spectrum of reactions, the year spent caring for his mother, and how those experiences shaped the novel’s heart.

📚 Caregiving’s Tender Full Circle: The conversation turns deeply personal as Hafeez discusses the bittersweet privilege of caring for aging parents. We discuss the novel’s more intimate scenes of bathing, feeding, and comforting mothers, the vulnerability and privilege of these moments, and what it means to return the love that once shaped you.

BONUS BOOK LIST: We are celebrating diverse voices this week with my new FREE 2026 Fall Reading Guide. Dig into this book list with 32 Brilliant Books by Diverse Voices: Your Fall 2026 Reading Guide.Patrons can download a printable checklist for their library and access a bonus episode with Hafeez Lakhani.

Meet Hafeez Lakhani

Hafeez Lakhani was born in Hyderabad, India and raised in suburban South Florida. His fiction and essays have appeared in Crazyhorse, Exposition Review, Salt Hill, Tikkun, The Cortland Review, and The Southern Review, and have garnered fellowships from PEN America and The Center for Fiction. He was twice recognized with a Notable Essay in Best American Essays and twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Abundance is his debut novel and a People Magazine Most Anticipated Book of 2026.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: MEET THE FALL SEASON GUESTS (15 NEW AUTHORS COMING TO BOOK GANG)

FREE FALL READING GUIDE: 32 Brilliant Books by Diverse Voices: Your Fall 2026 Reading Guide

Summer Wrapped : Behind-the-Scenes with the Book Gang Team

2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Abundance by Hafeez Lakhani

Counterpoint Press

The Lilac People by Milo Todd

Panera Sip Club

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg

Shawn K. Jain

Good People by Patmeena Sabit

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Go behind the scenes with Amy Allen Clark and Symbol as they reveal the untold stories, challenges, and triumphs of producing this year’s Book Gang summer season.

This week, we’re opening the curtain on our very first Summer Wrapped: Behind the Scenes episode! Amy and Symbol sit down for a candid, honest conversation about how the Book Gang team built this year’s summer reading season that included eighteen incredible voices.

You’ll hear about the careful curation process for selecting each title (and guest!), the unexpected technical hurdles and logistics that go into every episode, and the real-life stories you never hear on-mic—from heartwarming guest moments to personal challenges and family curveballs. We also recap each of our summer author guests, highlighting what made their conversations special and our favorite listener feedback that brought us so much joy.

What’s Inside This Summer Wrapped Episode:

📚 Curating the Summer Season: Amy shares how the summer reading guide comes together, from screening dozens of advance copies and weighing reader feedback to mapping out a lineup that balances debuts, backlist gems, and under-the-radar voices. She discusses the existential question of whether summer guides are still needed, the realities of book content overwhelm, and how the team ultimately crafts a list that feels both meaningful and manageable for listeners.

📚 Behind-the-Scenes Minutiae That Might Surprise You: Amy and Symbol pull back the curtain on all the surprising details that made each of the eighteen summer episodes possible. They describe the reality of wrangling unpredictable author tech setups, coordinating with publicists and publishing teams (sometimes through a maze of emails), and building a signature pitch for each of their guests (which Amy practices in some unusual locations) that drives book sales for their featured authors. You’ll find out how her media training guides conversations through a warm, unscripted approach that helps every guest shine on their show day.

📚 A Guest-by-Guest Recap: The team goes through a detailed celebration of every summer guest, spotlighting what made each author and conversation special. Amy and Symbol highlight their most memorable moments, hilarious bloopers, emotional breakthroughs fostered through these stories, and the unique novels that shaped this year's Book Gang community. We indulge in the listener reactions, behind-the-scenes surprises, and favorite off-mic stories that were unforgettable for our team. You can experience an audio surprise Symbol made for Amy that has never been aired before.

BONUS BOOK LIST: Patrons will receive a printable featuring the next fifteen voices coming to Book Gang this fall—a sneak peek at the authors and books that will shape our upcoming season (COMING SOON). Join us behind the paywall for this exclusive preview and help keep independent podcasting alive!

Meet the Book Gang Team

Amy Allen Clark is the host of the Book Gang podcast and founder of MomAdvice.com. Symbol is Book Gang’s behind-the-scenes editor, sound designer, and show notes maestro, dedicated to making each episode shine. Together, they work to curate, produce, and share the best in bookish conversation. Thank you, patrons! You make our work here possible!

SUPPORT OUR SHOW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779

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2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah

Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise

Single Girls by John Searles

With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick

Today Show segment

Famous Men by Julie Buntin

The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman

Scandalous Women by Gill Paul

A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna

American Fever by Dur e Aziz Amna

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild

What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

Sundays with Writers - Laurie Frankel

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

Land by Maggie O’Farrell

Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker

The Sign for Home by Blair Fell

Harvesting Rosewater by Paria Hassouri

The Two Wills by Blair Fell

Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell

Kia’s Asian Booklist

Skin Contact by Elisa Faison

Book Lounge by Libby Podcast

Now That We Think About It podcast

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin

Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin

If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett

Living Single

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J Chung

Lady X by Molly Fader

The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader

Little Movements by Laura Morrow

Amy’s IG Summer stack book photo

The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai

The Half Life by Rachel Beanland

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

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Author Rachel Beanland discusses The Half Life on Book Gang—a juicy Italian-set novel exploring early marriage and finding oneself in the 1970s.

I’m thrilled to welcome Rachel Beanland to Book Gang for an intimate conversation about her newest novel, The Half Life. Rachel brings her trademark honesty and warmth as she shares the personal stories and creative risks behind this lush Mediterranean tale. Together, we dive into her childhood memories, the challenges of writing from a single perspective, and the complex blend of history and self-discovery that makes this novel so unforgettable.

The Half Life follows Eileen, a young newlywed,  who moves to the remote Italian island of La Maddalena in the 1970s after marrying a Navy officer. As Eileen  adjusts to the insular world of military life abroad, she finds herself navigating cultural divides, the expectations of marriage, and an unexpected awakening. Against the lush Italian landscape and under the shadow of Cold War politics, Eileen’s journey becomes one of self-discovery and new identity in a place where the past and present collide.

In this week’s absorbing episode, we discuss:

📚 Writing from Personal History: Rachel shares how returning to La Maddalena, Italy, where she lived as a child, inspired the setting and emotional core of The Half Life. Her visit brought up powerful feelings, especially as she witnessed the American military presence and reflected on memories of her father.

📚 Point of View & Character Voice: For the first time, Rachel wrote a novel entirely from a single, first-person perspective. She discusses the unique challenges and rewards of embodying Eileen’s voice—a young woman navigating grief and self-discovery—and how her background influenced her approach to creating authentic, intimate narration.

📚 American Exceptionalism & Environmental Reckoning: Rachel and Amy dive into how The Half Life confronts the myth of American exceptionalism through the eyes of Eileen, a young military wife navigating the realities of living abroad. They discuss the hidden environmental costs of Cold War military bases, the erasure of American presence from the Sardinian landscape, and how these forces shape Eileen’s awakening to her own agency and the complex legacy she inherits.

BONUS BOOK LIST: Take 10 Unexpected Italian Escapes in your book stack this month. You can browse this list for free. Patrons receive a printable version and a bonus spoiler chat with Rachel as a thank you. us behind the paywall for a printable book list and a bonus spoiler episode with Rachel Beanland!

Meet Rachel Beanland

Rachel Beanland is the author of the novels, The House Is On Fire, Florence Adler Swims Forever, and The Half Life. Beanland attended the University of South Carolina and earned her MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has taught at the College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Richmond. Beanland lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her family. The Half Life is available on store shelves now.

NEW BOOK LIST:  10 Unexpected Italian Escapes  (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK)

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice

2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The Half Life by Rachel Beanland

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

Christina Baker Kline - The Foursome podcast

A Crash Course in Gothic Fiction with Erin Crosby Eckstine

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Thao Thai returns to Book Gang with The Seekers of Deer Creek—a lush, moving novel about sisters, art, and the inherited secrets that bind and break families.

I’m delighted to welcome Thao Thai back to Book Gang as she takes us behind the scenes of The Seekers of Deer Creek. Thao’s work is immersive, atmospheric, and deeply tender, and her newest novel is a testament to the power of art and family history.

Today, we explore Thao’s writing process, the evolution from Banyan Moon to this new work, and her approach to language, research, and the changing landscape of literary fiction.

The Seekers of Deer Creek tells the story of two estranged sisters, Calla and Vivi, reunited by their father's passing and an inheritance that could reshape their futures. Their journey is sparked by a mysterious sketch and a journal entry, launching them into a search for family truth that spans Wisconsin, France, and Vietnam.

Thao unpacks generational secrets, Vietnamese artistic legacy, and the longing to be seen and understood—inviting us to revisit the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to live.

In this week’s fascinating episode, we discuss:

📚 The Writing Journey: Thao reveals how her creative process transformed from debut to sophomore novel—the struggles, surprises, and the freedom she found when she stopped chasing trends and let the story lead her. We talk about patience, perseverance, and learning to trust your instincts (and your editors) when the book wants to become something new.

📚 Art, Inheritance & Storytelling: Discover how emotion and ancestral secrets shape Thao’s fiction, the inspiration behind her art-infused storytelling, and why she believes every object and artifact in a novel must earn its place on the page. We also explore Vietnamese history, generational longing, and the power of art to connect us across time and place.

📚 Restoration & Sisterhood: Step into the delicate, invisible work of art conservation and the equally complex labor of repairing a sister bond. Thao shares why she resists easy villains, how she crafts flawed but deeply lovable characters, and what it means to find beauty in the light that relationship 'lace' lets through.

BONUS BOOK LIST: My Top Books of the Year (So Far) – I’m sharing the fifteen books that have wowed me after reading sixty-eight titles through June! Patrons receive a printable list and a sneak peek at two book club picks for our 2027 book club year. Join us behind the paywall for a printable book list and a bonus spoiler episode with Thao Thao! 

Meet Thao Thai

Thao Thai is the author of Banyan Moon, the July 2023 Read with Jenna title, Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, and Book of the Month selection. Banyan Moon was also selected by booksellers as an IndieNext pick and longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. She was the recipient of the 2024 Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Excellence Award, and her work has been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, WIRED, Elle, Lit Hub, and other publications. She lives in central Ohio with her husband and daughter. The Seekers of Deer Creek publishes August 4th.

NEW BOOK LIST: My Top Books of 2026 (So Far) Book List (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK)

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice

2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

The Half Life by Rachel Beanland

People Magazine: I Was Raised as an Only Child and Discovered I Had a Sister When I Was 22 

The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai

The Best Debut Novels of 2023 podcast with Thao Thai

Madonna’s Met outfit

Dorothea Tanning

Composition With Figures on a Terrace

Banyan Moon by Thao Thai

Read with Jenna

Service95 Book Club (Dua’s Monthly Reads)

Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen

Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Claire Keegan

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Sweet Valley High

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

Quyen Ngo

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Amy DuBois Barnett draws on her editorial career for If I Ruled the World—a vibrant novel of magazine publishing, ambition, and reinvention in 1990s media.

I’m honored to warmly welcome Amy DuBois Barnett to Book Gang as she shares the story behind her debut novel, If I Ruled the World. Drawing on her groundbreaking career in magazine publishing, Amy brings us a vibrant, sometimes gritty, and always honest exploration of ambition, identity, and reinvention in 1990s print media.

Today we explore Amy’s decades-in-the-making fiction journey, what inspired her to finally tell this story, and how her editorial background influenced her process as a novelist.

If I Ruled the World follows Nikki, a thirty-something woman navigating the cutthroat world of late-90s print media after bravely reporting a powerful colleague’s misconduct. As she hustles to revive a struggling hip hop magazine, Nikki’s journey is marked by career chaos, personal missteps, and a search for her true voice amid shifting alliances and expectations.

With wit and candor, Amy unpacks the complexities of identity, representation, and legacy as she crafts a story that is both an insider’s look at magazine publishing and a deeply personal tale of transformation.

In this week’s fascinating episode, we discuss:

📚 The Writing Journey: Amy shares how she made history as the first Black woman to helm a major mainstream U.S. magazine and how decades in editorial shaped her fiction. We discuss why writing this debut novel in her fifties was the perfect moment,  and celebrating that long-awaited “yes.”

📚 Representation & Identity: We talk about Amy’s trailblazing career and how this experience shaped her leadership, and what she borrowed from her own life to bring Nikki’s biggest triumphs and trials to life in this story.

📚 Building a Magazine: Step inside the electric world of 1990s magazine publishing—where iconic covers were gambles, backstage drama was real, and Nikki’s story was born from Amy’s lived experience. Amy shares a high-stakes celebrity cover story that blurred the lines between art and life, plus her perspective on the reckoning in hip hop she witnessed firsthand in this #metoo moment.

FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 13 Books About Magazines to Light Up Your Analog Heart— This curated list dives into the page-turning, messy, and fascinating world of magazines, both real and fictional. Patrons will receive a printable book list and an exclusive spoiler-filled episode with Amy DuBois Barnett!

Meet Amy DuBois Barnett

Amy DuBois Barnett is an award-winning media executive and author who earned national acclaim as editor in chief of Honey, Ebony, and Teen People—where she made history as the first Black woman to helm a major mainstream U.S. magazine—and as deputy editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar. She has held senior leadership roles at Paramount, Hearst, Disney, Time Inc., and several independently owned brands. Barnett has a BA from Brown University and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. She resides in Los Angeles. If I Ruled the World is her debut novel and is available on store shelves now.

NEW BOOK LIST: 13 Books About Magazines to Light Up Your Analog Heart (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK)

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice

2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung

Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast)

If I Ruled the World Playlist

If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

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Amy Chozick discusses her debut, With Friends Like You—a twisty thriller set in New York that explores friendship, motherhood, and reinvention.

Editor’s Note: Today’s episode is marked as explicit.

We’re kicking off a truly special Book Gang episode with Amy Chozick, who brings both warmth and wit to the conversation around her fiction debut thriller, With Friends Like You. This intimate story is set in New York City’s hidden corners—a story of friendship, motherhood, and the reinvention that comes after everything changes.

Today we explore Amy’s transition from political reporting to penning a propulsive, confessional thriller about the high-wire act of modern motherhood and the secrets that shape our closest friendships.

In With Friends Like You, Emily is still reeling from a harrowing birth experience and struggling to find solid ground as a new mother in Manhattan. Missing the woman she was before, she is drawn into a search for her enigmatic former roommate, Daisy. When Daisy reappears with plans for an exclusive wellness center, old wounds are reopened, and the cracks in their friendship threaten to unravel Emily’s fragile world. Together, they create a space for New York moms—complete with IV vitamin infusions, nap rooms, and communal childcare—as they navigate secrets, betrayals, and the longing for connection.

With raw honesty and a fiercely contemporary lens, Amy unpacks her real-life inspiration, the transition from journalism to fiction, and the emotional terrain of motherhood, friendship, and ambition.

In this juicy conversation, we discuss:

📚 The Writing Journey: Amy shares how the Hollywood Writers Strike became an unusual catalyst for finding the time and headspace to write fiction. We discuss the questions that drove her from political reporting to fiction, the early premise, her path from outline to final draft, and what it’s like to land her first fiction book deal.

📚 Reporting as Inspiration: Amy discloses how many of her journalistic pieces ended up becoming important elements in her story, from the high-rise setting to reporting on Stormy Daniels, which gave her a firsthand look at secrets, power, and reinvention that now pulse through the novel.

📚 New Motherhood and Pelvic Floor Therapy: We delve into the realities of new motherhood and the absence of villages and third space for mothers, why pelvic floor therapy is a crucially under-discussed part of postpartum recovery, and how Amy’s fiction sheds light on the emotional and physical challenges faced by new mothers—topics that deserve more open conversation in both literature and life.

BONUS BOOK LIST: My Top Books of the Year (So Far) – I’m sharing the fifteen books that have wowed me after reading sixty-eight titles through June! Patrons receive a printable list and a sneak peek at two book club picks for our 2027 book club year.

Meet Amy Chozick

Amy Chozick is a bestselling author, screenwriter, and award-winning journalist who has covered the biggest stories in politics, business, and media for The New York Times. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Chasing Hillary, which was adapted into the HBO Max series The Girls on the Bus. Her writing has appeared in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and more. Amy is currently adapting With Friends Like You into a major motion picture with Fifth Season and Academy Award-winning producer Brad Weston. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

NEW BOOK LIST: My Top Books of 2026 (So Far) Book List (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK)

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice

2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung

Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast)

With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick

This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley

David Carr

Chasing Hillary by Amy Chozick

The Girls on the Bus

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Towers of Secrecy

Rosemary’s Baby

Somewhere

The Big, Controversial Business of The Wing, Explained

Panera Sips Club

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Pagebound

How the Pagebound App Reinvents Social Reading (Podcast)

Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.

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Molly Fader joins us to discuss Lady X, her soapy and subversive 1970s historical novel blending female-driven mystery, revenge, and legacy.

This week on Book Gang, I’m thrilled to welcome returning guest Molly Fader, an acclaimed voice in historical fiction and romance, for a deep-dive conversation about her latest soapy novel, Lady X. It blends the revenge vibes of The Change with the emotional punch of Husbands & Lovers.

Readers meet Margot, whose husband’s humiliating scandal sends her back to her childhood home just as her mother’s memory fades. An attic discovery—a photo linking her mother to the infamous 1970s vigilante group Lady X—launches Margot and her daughter into a cross-generational mystery that’s as much about rage and legacy as it is about revenge.

With wicked graffiti, oodles of secrets, and a freshly fierce examination of what women inherit when they stop apologizing, we unbox Molly’s real-life inspiration, reading life, and the demands of a mixed-media reading experience.

In this thought-provoking conversation, we discuss:

📚 Inspiration & Crafting Mythic Narratives: Molly discusses the mythic question at the heart of Lady X: What if the woman your family dismissed was once the most feared vigilante in New York? She shares how the story’s seeds were planted, the journey from idea to page, and the creative decisions behind her use of mixed media—such as newspaper clippings—to build a larger-than-life legend.

📚  Why the 1970s Was the Perfect Era: Molly reflects on the research behind her 1970s timeline, the echoes of contemporary issues, and the need for solidarity when systems fail to protect women. We gossip about what other books have gotten right or wrong about capturing this era, and the current publishing trends exploring it.

📚  Revenge, Righteous Anger, and Nuance: We explore how Lady X balances the satisfaction of revenge fiction with the nuanced portrayal of both women and men, the real-life heroes who inspired the story, and the conversations Molly hopes book clubs will have about the ongoing fight for women’s voices.

BONUS BOOK LIST: 12 “Good For Her” Books- Admittedly, this is a subgenre of my own creation, as we celebrate stories where women unapologetically take up space, seize their power, and, when necessary, deliver a well-deserved comeuppance. A variety pack of fun is available to browse for free today. Patrons will receive a printable book list and a bonus spoiler conversation with Molly today.

Meet Molly Fader

Molly Fader is the author of The McAvoy Sisters Book of Secrets, The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season and The Sunshine Girls. The Sunshine Girls is one of Library Reads and Amazon Editor's Ten Best Books of December. Under the name Molly O'Keefe she is the award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Lady X hits store shelves on July 14th and is available to pre-order now.

NEW BOOK LIST: 12 “Good For Her” Books- Flip some tables with me through these stories that center female revenge, joy, and autonomy in one delicious stack (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK)

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779

SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice

2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung

Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast)

The Change by Kirsten Miller

Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams

Lady X by Molly Fader

The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader

The Magic of Old Hollywood Books with Molly Fader (Book Gang Podcast)

Day Drinking with Authors

Joshilyn Jackson, Missing Sisters & The Meadowlyn

Day Drinking with Joshilyn Jackson

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

Vigilante Shit

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawn Walton

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Helen Laser

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Bad Sisters by Rebecca Chance

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai

One’s Company by Ashley Hutson

Inside One’s Company: Obsession, Isolation and Talking with Ashley Hutson (Podcast)

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Half Life by Rachel Beanland

A Hymn to Life by Giséle Pelicot

AOC

Tarana Burke

Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.

Join the Book Gang Patreon

Connect with Molly Fader on Instagram or Her Website

Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice

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