Bookreporter Talks To

Bookreporter celebrated its 24th anniversary yesterday! To mark the occasion, we invited nine of our longtime reviewers to share their favorite summer books. They each engaged in a lively dialogue with Carol as they talked at length about what they took away from each book. Our reviewers hail from across the country. They are so much of the heart and soul of Bookreporter, and we were excited to introduce them to our readers. Below is a list of the titles that each of them spoke about. * titles are reviewed on Bookreporter.

Eileen Zimmerman Nicol
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue *
The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver *
Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing by Allison Winn Scotch

Harvey Freedenberg
The Index of Self-Destructive Acts by Christopher Beha *
Mill Town: Reckoning with What Remains by Kerri Arsenault
Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague by Maggie O’Farrell *

Katherine B. Weissman
Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague by Maggie O’Farrell *
All Adults Here by Emma Straub *

Ray Palen
Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks *
Malorie: A Bird Box Novel by Josh Malerman *
The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

Sarah Rachel Egelman
These Women by Ivy Pochoda *
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones *
Sisters by Daisy Johnson *

Norah Piehl
The Mall by Megan McCafferty
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

Ron Kaplan
The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek *
24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid by Willie Mays and John Shea *
Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask by Jon Pessah *

Stuart Shiffman
The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife by Brad Balukjian
The Beginning or the End: How Hollywood – and America – Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb by Greg Mitchell
The Last Trial by Scott Turow *

Joe Hartlaub
The Bones of Wolfe: A Border Noir by James Carlos Blake *
More Better Deals by Joe R. Lansdale *
A Private Cathedral: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke *

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Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of ORPHAN TRAIN and A PIECE OF THE WORLD, joins Carol to discuss her latest novel, THE EXILES, which is set in Australia in the early 19th century when the country was known for being a penal colony.

Three young women are brought together to tell this story. When Evangeline, a young governess in London, is discovered to be pregnant, she's first sent to a notorious prison, and then to a fourteen-year sentence in Australia. On the ship sailing to this remote land, she meets Hazel, who is sentenced for stealing a silver spoon. The third woman, Mathinna, is native to Tasmania and is seen as a pet project for a wealthy couple. The novel’s structure gives light to multiple perspectives and brings this piece of history to readers who may know little about it.

They discuss the challenges in researching this part of history and Christina’s extensive reading and travel for this book. Carol brings up one of the most interesting turns she's seen in a novel, which they will discuss in very guarded terms to not give anything away. The book is multi-layered and their conversation about it gives it even more dimension for readers as they hear about the inspiration that led to the writing of it.

Books discussed in this episode:

THE EXILES by Christina Baker Kline 

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This week, Carol talks to Fiona Davis, who returns for a second "Bookreporter Talks To" interview discussing her latest book, The Lions of Fifth Avenue. As with her other four books, Fiona focuses on a landmark building in New York City. This time it's a building I'm sure we'd all love to spend years roaming around, the New York Public Library. She was drawn to set a book there after she learned a family lived in a seven-room apartment in the library during its early years.

Once again she is writing in two time frames, beginning in 1913, when her character Laura Lyons and her family live in the library's apartment. Fiona weaves Laura's story in with that of her granddaughter, Sadie Donovan, who has assumed a role as the curator the library in 1993. As famous and rare manuscripts disappear, Sadie uncovers what may be the biggest tragedy in the history of the library.

Fiona shares the long history of the library along with details most New Yorkers haven't even heard about, as well as a few secrets she wasn't able to add into the book. She’s included some vintage photos in the video interview, so podcast listeners should tune in their as well.

Books discussed in this episode:

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

See our first video with Fiona here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ccKdaPl_fs

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Finola Austin joins Carol to talk about her debut historical fiction novel, Bronte's Mistress.

Set in 1843, it’s the story of Lydia Robinson, who is best known for her secret affair with Branwell Bronte, the brother of the famous Bronte sisters. Here, Finola looks at the complex character of Lydia, a woman who is trapped in Victorian era social mores.

Finola discusses her research via books and scholarly writing and her travels to delve more deeply into the lives of her characters, everything from discovering second-hand books of forgotten documents to snippets that bring life to Lydia, Branwell, and the other family members. The book is sharp and the discussion about it with Finola is enlightening.

Books discussed in this episode:

Bronte's Mistress by Finola Austin

If you are a book group interested in meeting with the author, follow the link below for contact information.
www.FinolaAustin.com

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Alice Feeney joins us for a "Bookreporter Talks To" interview where we discuss her latest thriller His & Hers, which like her debut novel, Sometimes I Lie, is a Bookreporter Bets On selection.
His & Hers has dueling multiple narrators, who tell unexpected sides of the same story in a murder case where the suspect could be any number of people. Anna Andrews, a television correspondent and Jack Harper, the detective assigned to the case, are early suspects in the very case they're trying to cover and investigate. But then there’s an anonymous narrator, who turns the story around yet again. Is this Anna, Jack, or someone else? With chilling twists and turns on every page, this is a book where you'll always be wondering who's lying. Because someone surely is.
Alice and Carol discuss the many layers in the book, first with the characters on the surface, and then the many ways Alice was able to convey their inner shadows. Alice is an astute outliner, and it shows in the brilliantly constructed plot that has readers guessing at every turn. Carol asks, then, how Alice's process allowed her to make such compelling narrators and cast of unforgettable characters. They also discuss how her experiences at the BBC shaped her inspiration and research for Anna’s character. And for humor, they talk about Alice’s Kit Kat habit.

Give Me a Break 1988

Books discussed in this episode:

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

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Jill McCorkle joins “Bookreporter Talks To” to discuss her latest novel, Hieroglyphics. The idea for the novel came from two actual events. The first was the 1942 Cocoanut Grove Fire in Boston, and the second was a train wreck in Rennert, North Carolina. Both of those got Jill thinking about the families of those who passed away and what the impact of those accidents were on people’s lives. The story explores this through the lens of a retired married couple, Lil and Frank, who each experienced a loss in those accidents. Now living in North Carolina, Lil is creating a history of their lives to leave behind for their children, while Frank goes back to the house he grew up in to search for some history he might have left behind. There are many secrets that have been hidden for both of them. Layer in a young single mom raising her son in Frank’s old house, and readers will have an even bigger story woven for them. Carol talks about the careful way you'll want to read Jill’s books so you don't miss small but meaningful details, and Jill shares a surprise she layered in for readers of her 2013 book, Life After Life.

Books discussed in this episode:

Hieroglyphics by Jill McCorkle

Life After Life by Jill McCorkle

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Rachel Beanland joins Carol Fitzgerald for “Bookreporter Talks To” to discuss her debut novel, Florence Adler Swims Forever, which was inspired by a secret kept by Rachel’s own family. The book takes place over the summer of 1934. As it opens, Florence is training to swim the English Channel and her family is rallying behind her. Fate steps in the way and suddenly the family is thrown in a different direction, which will test them all. The book is an uplifting story of hope, solidarity and resilience. Rachel shares more about her personal story and how she chose to write the book from the point of view of seven characters; Carol guessed which character was her favorite to write. She also discusses the challenge of bringing Florence to life in just a few pages.

Books discussed in this episode:

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

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Bruce Holsinger talks to Carol about his novel, The Gifted School, which is now out in paperback. It was a Bookreporter Bets On selection when it pubbed in hardcover last year.

The Gifted School follows a close-knit community of friends and their parents as applications open for entry into a school for gifted students. These parents -- though meaning well -- go to overwhelming competitive lengths to prove their children are brilliant and talented, and that brings a ripple effect that could damage their friendships, marriages, and careers. Briskly told and with definite tones of satire, this novel looks at what it means to be gifted --- and what people do to get there.

With more and more university scandals known best as “Operation Varsity Blues” reverberating, it is very timely(this book came out just after that scandal unfolded). It’s also something to ponder as parents do remote learning. Is it tougher to teach a gifted and talented curriculum? Their conversation explores the wider problems that lead to parents pushing their children, students dealing with the overwhelming pressure of proving themselves, and how this stressful approach to school combined with modern technology of phones affects learning. Carol also talks about what her own book group discussed after reading the book.

Book discussed in this episode:

The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger

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Stephanie Scott is a Singaporean-British writer who was born and raised in South East Asia. She joins Carol to discuss her debut novel, What's Left of Me is Yours.
Set in modern-day Tokyo, the novel follows the story of an agent who is hired to seduce Sato's wife and give him advantage in his divorce; this tradition is called “wakaresaseya” (literally “breaker-upper”). Sato's wife, Rina, and this agent, Kaitaro, end up in a relationship that is much deeper than the one he was hired for. Kaitaro makes choices that will destroy Rina's family and which sow seeds of uncertainty that will impact Rina's daughter, Sumiko. As a young woman, Sumiko, is left to unravel the mysteries that ruined her mother’s life. Stephanie Scott portrays this family dilemma with brilliance and grace, opening up questions of possession, divorce, love, and lawmaking that causes ripples over generations.
Carol and Stephanie discuss Stephanie’s intense research into the cultural nuances and legal system of Japan, and Stephanie opens up about how her education in literature evolved into her desire to tell this story, which had its roots in a real-life crime. With an exploration of a culture many Americans may be unfamiliar with and a deeper look at her character's lives, this is an interview -- and a book -- that you don't want to miss.

Books discussed in this episode:

What's Left of Me is Yours by Stephanie Scott

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Julie Clark's new novel, The Last Flight, has what it takes to be the thriller of Summer 2020. In this interview Julie talks with Carol about the logistics of constructing this setup for a thriller, especially of the decisions that kept this story as feasible as possible. Carol asks about the nature of each character's past and, without spoiling anything, she opens conversation about how secrets are so successfully revealed over the course of this story. With so many mysteries at play, Julie explains how she planned both plot and character to make this such a riveting read. In The Last Flight, two women switch places to get a chance at a new life. Claire, who married into a political dynasty that she wants out of, meets Eva in an airport bar. On a whim, the two decide to trade tickets and board the other’s flight. But one of the planes goes down, and suddenly Claire realizes this is her chance to disappear and start a new life. But soon she learns that not only is she running from her old identity, as she learns that Eva had secrets of her own that could put her at risk.

Books discussed in this episode:

The Last Flight by Julie Clark

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