We love and hate Agatha Christie. Liz Clarke gives David Aldridge tips on covering NASCAR and talks One Helluva Ride - her deep look into where racing was and where it's going. And the gang predicts who will write the best Jeffrey Epstein book.

From classics to cosmonauts to missing in action.  Michael’s stuck on the 9th tee so Liz Clarke fills in. The gang hates Handmaid’s  Tale and questions the sequel. Jeanne rises above with classic best sellers.  Novelist Zach Powers wants to talk Soviets and space and life and his book First Cosmic Velocity but phones fail, so he’ll come back another day. And David crushes celebrities read classics!

Jeanne, David, Michael and Torie discussed Tom Brady's parenting decisions, played true or false and featured Ron Charles, Book Critic of the Washington Post. Deserted Island this week posed the questions "What books are in your guest room?"

Torie has random thoughts and questions. Michael Sands does CW wine and cheese in person.  Jeanne, Marc and Michael mostly trash NYT “best” memoirs. And Professor Michael Croley covers golf, teaching and the displaced lives in his book Any Other Place: Stories.

Jeanne, David, Jamie McIntyre (filling in for Michael and Marc) and Torie spoke with Angie Kim, author Miracle Creek. With the Fourth of July right around the corner, for Deserted Island the crew suggested their favorite patriotic books.

Chatter on Books turns 30! On this episode the gang (minus Michael) give some book club therapy to a men's book club. Then they welcome in their guest authors : Susan Swain and Brian Lamb to discuss the book the out together with C-Span and a host of historians, "The Presidents" which ranks all the Presidents (except for President Trump, since he is still in the middle of his term of office). Then they close things out with some book recommendations for expecting parents!

On today's episode (minus David) the gang talk about the great things going on at Calvert Woodley Liquors (and La Cheeserie!), plus Jeanne gives her book report on "Goldfinch". Then they welcome in Lelia Nebeker and Amanda Quain from the independent bookstore "One More Page Books" in Arlington VA, to talk about their love books and what goes on at their store - and they play the "Newlyread Game" with the gang to see how much they know about each other's reading habits, and they finish off with the Deserted Island by talking about books that are too smart for them!

On today's episode, the gang talk about Art and whether it should be for one person or the whole world, and the influence of technology on books and whether it has been a good thing, and they get an update on Jeanne's book report on "Goldfinch". Then they welcome in author Jon Ward to talk about his book "Camelot's End" which is about the battle between Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1980, and they close out with what "hot"books they read as kids!

On today's show, Jeanne gives an update on her book report, and they all give thoughts on summer reading - what to read and how to read it. Then they welcome in Pulitzer Prize winning author David Maraniss to discuss his latest book "A Good American Family : The Red Scare and My Father", and they close out by talking about what books would make great wedding gifts!