In this episode, Anna Deem, a high school English teacher in Chicago, and I discuss how seasons of life change our reading habits, her love of poetry, and our definitive shared overrated book. We also discuss the influence of the Beat generation on her writing and end with some excellent recommendations for books she enjoys with her 4-year-old daughter. 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

Dune by Frank Herbert 

The Nix by Nathan Hill 

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Books Highlighted by Anna: 

The Stranger by Albert Camus

Native Son by Richard Wright 

The Crown Ain’t Worth Much by Hanif Abdurraqib 

Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs, Jr. 

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 

Just Kids: An Autobiography by Patti Smith 

Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamann 

Howl by Alan Ginsberg 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

Fast Times and Ridgemont High by Cameron Crowe (out of print) 

The Nineties: A Book by Chuck Klosterman 

Junky by William S. Burroughs 

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

Promises of Gold by José Olivarez 

The Breakbeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop edited by Kevin Coval, Quraysh Ali Lansana, and Nate Marshall 

Selected Poems of Anne Sexton by Anne Sexton 

The Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath 

Very Good Hats by Emma Straub and Blanca Gómez 

Dress-Up Day by Blanca Gómez 

Taylor Swift: A Little Golden Book Biography by Wendy Loggia and Elisa Chavarri

On this episode, Mo Smith, the person I know who reads the most, and we discuss her experiences as a very early reader in school, a book habit that stuns me a little, and she gets to gush about her amazing backyard pool at her home in Las Vegas. 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

Dune by Frank Herbert 

The Only One Left by Riley Sager 

Books Highlighted by Mo: 

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy 

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough 

On the Clock: What Low-Wage Word Did to Me and How it Drives America Insane by Emily Guendelsberger 

Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery #1) by Mia P. Manansala 

Not My Father’s Son: A Memoir by Alan Cumming

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series #1) by Michael Connelly 

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez 

Verity by Colleen Hoover 

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah 

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah 

Beartown by Fredrik Backman 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 

On this episode, Sarah Sabet and I discuss Scandi-Crime, how her book club fell in love with Lynn Painter, and we have an extended conversation about a fantastic organization that, unfortunately, neither of us have had a chance to connect with: @readandrunchicago on Instagram!

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 

The Resort by Sarah Ochs

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer 

Dune by Frank Herbert 

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio 

Books Highlighted by Sarah: 

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The China Garden by Liz Berry 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris 

The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Devil’s Trill: A Daniel Jacobus Mystery by Gerald Elias 

The Art of Gathering: How we Meet and Why it Matters by Priya Parker 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun 

I’m Traveling Alone by Samuel Bjork 

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne 

Becoming by Michelle Obama 

Atonement by Ian McEwan 

Faust by J.W. Von Goethe 

Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon 

The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe 

Gaybash by David Jay Collins

On this episode, Francesca Musumeci and I discuss the wealth of indie bookstores we have in Chicago, how school can make reading less fun, and why it’s important to read what you like. She also tells some pretty great stories about her years working at Half-Price Books, including a hilarious mystery request from a customer that she manages to solve. 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

His Name is George Floyd by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 

Victim by Andrew Boryga

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 

Books Highlighted by Francesca: 

Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

World War Z by Max Brooks

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

Verity by Colleen Hoover

The Push by Ashley Audrain 

Columbine by Dave Cullen

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

The Once and Future King by T.H. White 

The Iliad by Homer

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

The Mothers by Brit Bennett 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid 

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix 

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix 

Marlena by Julie Buntin 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway 

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

High on Arrival by MacKenzie Phillips 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille 

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder 

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan 

The Body of Evidence Series by Christopher Golden 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 

Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman 

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

On this episode, Erin Jacobo and I discuss a lot of really juicy thrillers, her love of a heart wrenching story, and why romance just doesn’t work for us. She also tells some great stories about her family and their connection with reading, and we learn how much she has influenced my reading life! 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

His Name is George Floyd by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra 

Books Highlighted by Erin: 

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanaugh 

We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Searle 

Winter Street by Elin Hildebrand 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris 

The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos 

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder 

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares 

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech 

The Pact by Jodi Picoult 

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult 

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 

Final Girls by Riley Sager 

Erasure by Percival Everett 

In Five Years by Rebecca Searle 

28 Summers by Elin Hildebrand 

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

A Safe Place to Have Bad Feelings with Tim Mueller

Episode 3

On this episode, Tim Mueller and I discuss his passion for collecting books, comics, and other physical media; the magic and abundance of a used bookstore; and how the darkest kinds of books can develop the most empathy. Also, Tim recommends a host of underlooked books that you probably haven’t heard of (I sure hadn’t!). 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

Ghosts in the Schoolyard by Eve L. Ewing 

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra 

Victim by Andrew Boryga

Books Highlighted by Tim: 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 

Docile by K.M. Szpara 

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

The Cook by Harry Kressing

Strange Angel by George Pendle 

The Mirage by Zay N. Smith and Pamela Zekman (out of print)

The Monster Show by David J. Skal 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein 

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 

Books by Stephen King: 

• It 

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix 

Portnoy’s Complaint by Phillip Roth 

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele 

Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick 

High Rise by J.G. Ballard 

Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 

Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin 

Deliverance by James Dickey 

The Beauty of Escaping into a Book with Carolyn Latshaw

Episode 2

On this episode, Carolyn Latshaw and I discuss her love of classics, select ones at least, the joy and difficulty of getting absolutely swept up into a book, and a slew of great book recommendations that are a little unusual! Listen for a huge revelation on Carolyn’s part about one of her favorite books. 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor 

Punk Rock Karaoke by Biana Xunise

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman

Books Highlighted by Carolyn: 

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 

The Aeneid by Virgil 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

Watership Down by Richard Adams 

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller 

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa 

Elektra by Sophocles 

Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand 

Achilles by Elizabeth Cook 

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

The Babysitters Club by Ann M. Martin 

Ducktales by Janette Oke (out of print) 

California Diaries by Ann M. Martin (out of print) 

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach 

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 

Gods and Generals: A Novel of the Civil War by Jeff Shaara 

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata 

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger 

The Odyssey by Homer 

The Iliad by Homer 

Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant 

Lord of the Flies by William Golding 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Revolutionary Suicide by Huey P. Newton

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcom X and Alex Haley 

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain 

Bathing in Darkness with Sam Wilmes 

Episode 1 

On this episode, Sam Wilmes and I discuss reading dark books including Stephen King, horror, and dark literary fiction. We find her book ick, a new-to-me source of books, and books that connect anxiety and depression and humor. 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

What Betsy’s reading: 

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 

A Better World by Sarah Langan 

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman

Books Highlighted by Sam: 

The Shining by Stephen King 

It by Stephen King 

Please Kill Me by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne 

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III 

Know My Name by Chanel Miller 

Other Books Mentioned in the Episode:

All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

By Kristen Hannah: 

• The Nightingale 

By Chuck Klosterman 

• The Nineties: A Book 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

We are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler 

I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn 

The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 

Townie by Andre Dubus III 

The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III 

By Hunter S. Thompson 

• The Rum Diary 

By Samantha Irby 

• We are Never Meeting in Real Life 

Broken (in the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson 

I’m Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi 

Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess by Luvvie Ajayi Jones

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss 

Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity by Dan Berger