Chatter on Books

By Torie ClarkeSociety & Culture Arts Books

Chatter on Books episodes

November 04 Andrew Sean Greer "Villa Coco" and Buzz Bissinger "The Mosquito Bowl"
"All Pulitzers all the time" Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Torie, and COB fave Mike Croley. Pulitzer Prize winner Buzz Bissinger (aka Harry and COB alum) zooms in to talk about his book "The Mosquito Bowl," inspiration for Peter Berg's new movie. Another Pulitzer Prize winner (and also a COB alum) Andrew Sean Greer joins to share "Villa Coco." With his signature humor and disarming life outlook, Greer captures the heart of Italy and makes one think about life, love, and the complexities of life.
53 min
October 20 David Kennerly "In the Room: 60 Years on the Front Lines of History"
Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Torie, and Lorraine Voles. They bemoan (again) the Washington Commanders (the curse continues). Book bans are on the rise (sigh). The jury's out on Barnes & Noble acquisitions. Pulitzer Prize winning photographer David Kennerly zooms in to share "In the Room: 60 Years on the Front Lines of History." A true magnum opus, the book covers Kennerly's stunning career that captured many of the country's most consequential moments in history. David was everywhere.
1 hr 1 min
October 08 John U. Bacon - "The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
Chatter rolls with Kevin Stanfield, David, Jamie, and Torie. The jury is out on AI, but Torie is confident the Commanders are cursed. Trouble in Dollywood. Bigger trouble in Ukraine whose literary culture is being wiped out. Best selling author John U. Bacon zooms in to share "The Gales of November." His deep research and brilliant storytelling combine to keep you enthralled from prologue to final page. Bacon has produced the definitive account of the storm, ship, and 29 sailors at the center of the haunting maritime disaster. It's terrific!
53 min
September 15 Camille Acker "A Very Special Episode"
Chatter rolls into fall with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. They pay respects to Dolly, the great one and reflect on the 9/11 25th anniversary. "The Pitch" is down to three finalists — Chantel Acevedo and "Cages," Melissa Faliveno and "Hemlock," and Tom Lin and "Babylon, South Dakota." Prolific writer, Fulbright scholar, and DMV native Camille Acker zooms in to share "A Very Special Episode." It's about Black TV (sort of) and a lot about family, race, class, and identity. And it totally surprises — in a good way.
48 min
August 05 Thomas Mallon — "A Book of One's Own — People and Their Diaries" and "The Very Heart of It - New York Diaries, 1983-1994"
Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Torie, and COB fave Louis Bayard. They cover dance clubs, Pale Blue Eye(s) and Commaders fans. They marvel at Iowa City, home to everyone who's writing a book. Literary legend (and Lou's pal) Thomas Mallon zooms in to share two books from his exceptional and large collection of work — "A Book of One's Own" and "The Very Heart of It." The first captures the hearts and souls of diverse people and places in time. "The Very Heart of It" vividly portrays the terror of the AIDS epidemic and the vibrant cultural scene of 1980s New York. Mallon's a legend and a true writer's writer.
55 min
July 21 Emma Styles "The Shark"
"Agency" Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. They're sad the World Cup is done and doubt the US Mens team will be in the final four any time soon. Jamie introduces another new independent bookstore, The Brady Readery in Laytonsville, MD. Veteran and woman owned, the hope is it becomes a community hub. Author Emma Styles Zooms in from the UK to share her latest, "The Shark." Against a fierce Australian backdrop, two girls — unlikely allies — kidnap a suspected serial murderer. Bracingly written, "The Shark" underscores the fine line between hunter and hunted.
46 min
July 07 Isaac Fitzgerald "American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed"
"Walking away from loneliness and toward community." Chatter rolls with Claude, David, and Torie. They break down the country's 250th, World Cup drama and James Grady's continued roll. Best selling author, tattoo expert, and Today Show fave Isaac Fitzgerald zooms in to share "American Rambler." Following in the footsteps of the real Johnny Appleseed, Fitzgerald's journey shows the power of walking, reflection, and community. Plus he's a hell of a fun guy.
45 min
June 23 Bruce Feiler "A Time to Gather: How ritual created the world and how it can save us"
"Remember we are we's not I's." Chatter rolls with Claude, David, and Torie. They break down the World Cup and the Williams sisters owning Wimbledon. Maggie Robe of Flyleaf Books joins to nominate Melissa Faliveno and her book "Hemlock". Can't say it any better than the book jacket: "A Woman haunted by a dark inheritance returns to the woods where her mother vanished, in this queer gothic novel — a butch black swan." Writer, speaker, father, traveler, one time clown Bruce Feiler joins in to share "A Time to Gather." Crossing six continents and 16 countries, Bruce chronicles the history of rituals (think before organized religion), demonstrates their powerful impact and shares ways to incorporate them into meaningful lives.
1 hr
June 03 Erica Wright "Museum of Unusual Occurrence"
"Why is it always Florida?" Chatter rolls into June with Lauren at the wheel, David in NBA land, and Torie assisted by Lu Lu. Gayle from Wonderland Books nominates their DMV author, Jeffrey Katz. His 2026 book "Unsettled Ground" is a deeply personal examination of Germany's attempts to confront and meaningfully address the Holocaust. COB alumni and fave Erica Wright zooms in to share her latest novel, The Museum of Unusual Occurrence, the first in the new Psychic City Mystery Series. Family, friendships, and murder in a town that's a true original. Erica's also got A Buyer's Guide to the Afterlife coming out soon, demonstrating her serious poetry chops on the beauty and fragility of the ecosystem. Erica does not sleep.
42 min
May 19 James Grady "Shadows on Sidewalks"
"Black leather jacket." Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Torie, and icon James Grady. David did indeed cry at his son's graduation, and Torie lived Book Fair-palooza in Gaithersburg and Oyster Bay. Miami literary legend Mitchell Kaplan of Books & Books joined in to nominate Chantel Acevedo for "The Pitch." Her new book "Cages" is out in June. Crossing Cuba, London, and Miami, it reveals themes of love, exile, and identity. Jim shares back stories about Robert Redford and the incentive to write his latest, "Shadows on Sidewalks." As Bob Dylan said, " sex and politics and murder is the way to go if you want to get people's attention." Grady will get lots of attention with "Shadows," yet another reason The Washington Post compared his writing to George Orwell and Bob Dylan.
49 min

About Chatter on Books

From the publisher's feed

Chatter On Books is a weekly podcast hosted by Torie Clarke, with co-hosts Claude Jennings and David Aldridge, plus a rotating crew of writers, journalists, and the occasional welcome surprise.