On the occasion of the publication of his new novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, James McBride comes on to talk about his life as a reader, what books can do, and what writing means to him.
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Discussed in this episode:
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Beverly Cleary
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Power Broker by Robert Caro
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The Reading Life of James McBride

BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O'Neal explores the wide bookish world. Interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more, featuring people who know and love books.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

Books

In this episode, Jeff talks with Rachel Khong about her new novel, Real Americans. 
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Connection, The Alchemy of Happiness, and Office Parties with Rachel Khong, author of REAL AMERICANS

40 years ago, Sandra Cisneros published what would become a contemporary classic: The House on Mango Street. To mark the occasion, Everyman's Library has released a new edition. The introduction to that edition was written by Professor John Philip Santos, a fellow writer and long-time friend of Cisneros. He joins me on this episode to talk about the origin, meaning, and legacy of this modern masterpiece.

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Discussed in this episode:
The House on Mango Street (Everyman's Library) by Sandra Cisneros, introduction by John Philip Santos
Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation by John Philip Santos
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THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET at 40

Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Anita de Monte Laughs Last, joins Jeff to debut two new First Edition segments: Anatomy of a Scene and Hardest/Easiest. In the first segment, they each pick a scene to dissect from Anita de Monte Laughs Last. In the second, Gonzalez talks about what part of the book was the easiest to write....and which was the hardest.
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Discussed in this episode:
Anita de Monte Laughs Last
The First Edition Newsletter
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Anatomy of a Scene and Hardest/Easiest with Xochitl Gonzalez

Jason Snell of sixcolors.com, and ereader connoisseur, joins Jeff to talk about the state of ereaders, what makes a good ereader, a couple of interesting, oddball new devices, and more. 
Check out sixcolors.com and The Incomparable.
Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!
Discussed in this episode:
Two e-readers that made me reconsider why I use e-readers by Jason Snell
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The State of Ereaders

Joshua Bodwell of Godine & Black Sparrow Press talks to Jeff about a book they both love, The Orchard by Adele Crockett Robertson, and the process of reissuing it as part of Godine's Nonpareil series.
It's happening, readers — we're bringing paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you're on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations, or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. The holidays are here, and we've got three different levels for gifting to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.
Discussed in this episode:
The Orchard by Adele Crockett Robertson
Godine's Nonpareil Series
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For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack.
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The Reading Life of James McBride

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