Chapters

Our guest this episode is Dominique Taylor. Dominique is the creator of The Storyscape, a platform that creates media around literature. On this episode, we discuss: the Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, Goosebumps, American Girl, John Grisham, The Color Purple, Black Beauty, Harry Potter, The Known World, Maya Angelou, The Skin I’m In, The Master Butchers Singing Club, Lincoln in the Bardo, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, and Smoketown. We also discuss her great work with the Storyscape and Booktuber culture. Visit us at www.chapterspod.com if you’d like to share your story on Chapters.

On today’s show, we talk to Jacquline Suskin, a writer and performance poet based in Los Angeles. She is the author of two books, the latest entitled Go Ahead & Like It available from Ten Speed Press. Known for her multidisciplinary work with a project she calls Poem Store, Suskin composes improvisational poetry for patrons who choose both a topic and a price in exchange for a unique verse. On today’s episode we talk about the ways John Steinbeck’s work have inspired her as a writer, the power of poetry in her own life as a reader, and the ways her work has inspired readers for whom she’s written poems. To share your story on chapters, visit www.chapterspod.com

Join us on our latest episode where we meet guest Marisa Hicking. Marisa is the Teen Librarian at Avon Free Public Library in Avon, Connecticut. On this episode we talk loving horse books, sci-fi, fantasy, linking our memories of books to the places we read them, the path to becoming a librarian, and more. Check out our website www.chapterspod.com if you would like to share your story on Chapters. ]]>

On this episode with guest Eddie Guimont, we talk Carl Sagan, Calvin and Hobbes, Sci-Fi, all things Star Wars novels, and much more. If you want to share your story on chapters, visit us at www.chapterspod.com

On this episode, we meet Catherine Hammer, a librarian currently living in Florida where she works for the Broward County Library System. Before changing careers, she worked as a performer and musical director for regional and touring theater companies across the United States. On this episode we talk Christian fiction, the difference between good and bad Christian romances, books parents didn’t want you to read growing up (hint: Sweet Valley High), dancer biographies, reading books set in places you happen to be traveling, and much more. To share your story on Chapters, visit us online at www.chapterspod.com

On today’s episode of Chapters we meet someone for whom the phase “this book saved my life” is literally true. On November 20, 2014, Jason Derfuss, then a senior at Florida State University, had just checked out a few books at Strozier Library when he heard a gunshot behind him. Turning and seeing a gunman shoot another student, he ran for his life. Later, he opened his backpack and saw that the books he’d checked out caught a bullet meant for him. On this episode, Jason shares this story, and the story of his life through the books that have meant the most to him. We talk Harry Potter, The Scarlett Letter, 1984, and more. We also talk about the challenges of reading and writing when those very acts are wrapped up in a traumatic event. To share your story on chapters, visit us at www.chapterspod.com

After Trump took office one year ago today, Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts set out to create an event that would allow readers to gather in community over a shared love of reading. The resulting event, an overnight readathon on October 7, 2017, drew several readers who brought with them books suited for a marathon read. Some brought several books with them, and bought more after browsing the shelves of the store. We attended the event and interviewed some of the participants on their idea of a book meant to be read in one sitting. Thanks to the organizers and readers who shared their stories with us on this special episode. To share your story on Chapters, visit our website, www.chapterspod.com To visit Porter Square Books online, check out their website: http://www.portersquarebooks.com/

On our first episode of 2018, we mark the birthday of Elvis Presley with the story of his life as a reader. Fans may know Elvis from his music, movies, iconic fashion, or even from his famous home, Graceland. What can we learn about Elvis from considering his life as a reader? Elvis read voraciously, and travelled with suitcases full of books when he toured. In this episode, we’ll hear from his spiritual advisor, Larry Geller, and learn about the role books played in Elvis’ spiritual life. Elvis wanted to know why he’d been chosen to live such a singular life, and turned to books for answers. This was not a search without challenges, however. We’ll hear about an alleged book burning at Graceland, ordered by Elvis’ manager to put an end to Elvis’ spiritual quest, and Geller’s influence. His search for meaning and for answers continued until his untimely death, however. Though he kept no diary, some measure of his life as a reader remains scribbled in the notes he left in the margins of his books. To see some of Elvis’ marginalia, check out Larry Geller’s book, The Leaves of Elvis’ Garden: http://amzn.to/2m7v2XX To tell you story on Chapters, visit our website: www.chapterspod.com

Here are some of our favorite stories from the last year. Thank you to everyone who shared their story with us! If you want to share your story on Chapters, find us at www.chapterspod.com ]]>

Jolenta Greenberg is a New York-based comedian. She’s a Moth StorySLAM winner and a sometime contributor for NY Public Radio and BBC Radio. Currently, she is co-host (along with Kristen Meinzer) of the Panoply podcast, By The Book. By The Book, is a podcast reality show meets book club - where Greenberg and Meinzer live by different self help books to see if any actually work. It was a pleasure to learn about the books that helped shape her life, whether it was Katherine Hepburn’s memoirs, plays like Angels in America, or the self-help books she reads with Kristen Meinzer on By the Book. This is Jolenta’s story. Today’s podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/Chapters. There you’ll find over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.