Well-Read

By Ann Cox and Halle CarlsonArts Books Leisure Hobbies

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Well-Read episodes

May 19, 2017Well-Read Episode #50 - Summer Reading Preview
We’ve reached our 50 episode milestone! We’ll share some behind the scenes info about the podcast, and give you a preview of what you’ll be reading this summer. The episode finishes with what we’re reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Ann’s picks:
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (releases June 6)
– Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie
– Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie
– Anthony Horowitz books
– Foyle’s War (TV)
– Midsomer Murders (TV)
You’ll Never Know, Dear by Hallie Ephron (releases June 6)
People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder (releases June 6)
The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden (releases June 13)
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay (releases July 11)
Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (releases July 11)
– Lucky Peach (magazine)
The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker (releases August 1)
– Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt (releases August 1)
Halle’s picks:
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (releases June 6)
– The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
– Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (releases June 13)
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay (releases June 13)
– Roxane Gay books
– Bad Feminist: Essays by Roxane Gay
The Windfall by Diksha Bazu (releases June 27)
– The Wangs vs. the World by Jade Chang
Morningstar: Growing Up with Books by Ann Hood (releases August 1)
– The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood
How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry (releases August 15)
– Book Depository
– Jenny Colgan books
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (releases August 22)
– The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
– Choose Your Own Adventure series
The Burning Girl by Claire Messud (releases August 29)
– The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: A Castle in England by Jamie Rhodes (releases August 15)
– March series by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
– Audubon: On the Wings of the World by Fabien Grolleau and Jérémie Royer
Halle: The Breakdown by B.A. Paris (releases July 18)
– Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
49 min
May 05, 2017Well-Read Episode #49 - Epistolary Novels
We’re diving into epistolary novels, one of our favorite book formats (and, it turns out, are more than just a book of letters!). As always, we’ll end with what we’re reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Goodreads
Ann’s picks:
Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable by Mark Dunn
Sorcery & Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
– Patricia C. Wrede books
– Caroline Stevermer books
– Jane Austen books
– Cecelia and Kate series by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
– Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence by Nick Bantock
– Griffin & Sabine series by Nick Bantock
– Morning Star series by Nick Bantock
– The Pharos Gate: Griffin & Sabine’s Lost Correspondence by Nick Bantock
– Nick Bantock books
Halle’s picks:
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
– Rainbow Rowell books
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
– We Need to Talk About Kevin (film)
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
– Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel
– Arrival (film)
– 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: The Quick by Lauren Owen
– The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Halle: The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
37 min
April 21, 2017Well-Read Episode #48 - Wartime Stories
This week, we'll visit stories that touch on the experience of war, whether on the front lines or at home. As always, we'll end with what we're reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness
Ann's picks:
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
- Cold Mountain (film)
- The Odyssey by Homer
- National Book Award
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
- Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
- Jacqueline Winspear books
The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro
Halle's picks:
Fives and Twenty-Fives by Michael Pitre
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (film)
- Redeployment by Phil Klay
- Serial: Season 2 (podcast)
- The Hurt Locker (film)
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
North and South trilogy by John Jakes
- North and South by John Jakes
- Love and War by John Jakes
- Heaven and Hell by John Jakes
- North and South (TV)
- The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
What We're Reading This Week:
Ann: The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
- LaRose by Louise Erdrich
- The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Halle: Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
43 min
April 07, 2017Well-Read Episode #47 - Books for Men
While we 100% believe that everyone should read whatever they want, experience has shown us that lots of guys gravitate toward certain kinds of reads. Listen for our ideas for books for men, and we’ll close with what we’re reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
The New York Times Best Sellers
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Ann’s picks:
The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke
– Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke
– James Lee Burke books
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
– National Book Award
– James McBride books
Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
– Pirates of the Caribbean series (film)
– Carl Hiaasen articles at the Miami Herald
– Jimmy Buffet albums and books
– The Big Lebowski (film)
– Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen
– Episode 32 – Fall 2016 Book Preview
Halle’s picks:
Doc by Mary Doria Russell
– Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell
– Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
– The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
– Tombstone (film)
The Quiet Game by Greg Iles
– John Grisham books
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
– Inspector Alan Grant series by Josephine Tey
– Josephine Tey books
– Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
– Richard III by William Shakespeare
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
– Bossypants by Tina Fey
– Yes Please by Amy Poehler
– The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
39 min
March 24, 2017Well-Read Episode #46 - Mystery Deep Dive
This week, we'll tell you everything you need to know about the vast and wonderful mystery genre! As always, we'll close with what we're reading.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
History of the genre:
"The Murders at the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Agatha Christie books
Dorothy L. Sayers books
Dashiell Hammett books
Raymond Chandler books
Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
Hardy Boys series by Franklin W. Dixon
James Patterson books
Cozies:
Masterpiece Mystery! (TV)
Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie
Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie
Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers
Ngaio Marsh books
Josephine Tey books
Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny
A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series by Diane Mott Davidson
Laura Childs books
A Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs
Mrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae Brown
The Cat Who... series by Lillian Jackson Braun
Goodreads
Police Procedurals:
Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell
Leaphorn & Chee series by Tony Hillerman
Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French
Rachel Getty & Esa Khattak series by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Among the Ruins by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Hardboiled:
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
Philip Marlowe series by Raymond Chandler
Easy Rawlins series by Walter Mosley
Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke
Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly
V.I. Warsawski series by Sara Paretsky
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Softboiled:
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton
Literary:
Tana French books
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Episode 16 - Favorite Reads of 2015
My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
Orhan Pamuk books
Ripper by Isabel Allende
Suspense and Thriller:
Clive Cussler books
Alex Cross series by James Patterson
Michael Connelly books
Harlan Coben books
Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben
Mary Higgins Clark books
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Big Little Lies (TV)
Crossover Genres:
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen
The Agency series by Y.S. Lee
Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson
Anne Perry books
An Aunt Dimity Mystery series by Nancy Atherton
Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Dirk Gently series by Douglas Adams
Peter Grant/Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Nora Roberts books
J.D. Robb books
Julie Garwood books
Linda Howard books
Resources:
Stop, You're Killing Me!
Cozy Mystery List
What We're Reading This Week:
Ann: Dorie's Cookies by Dorie Greenspan
- Rachael Ray books
- America's Test Kitchen books
- America's Test Kitchen (TV)
- Alton Brown books
- Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
- Nigella Lawson books
- Dorie Greenspan books
- Dorie Greenspan on NPR
- Dorie Greenspan in the Washington Post
- Ina Garten books
Halle: The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henríquez
- Episode 44 - Spring 2017 Book Preview
47 min
March 10, 2017Well-Read Episode #45 - The Return of Out of Our Comfort Zones
We’ve revisited one of our favorite past episodes with some new “out of our comfort zone” titles. As always, we’ll close with what we’re reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Episode 18 – Out of Our Comfort Zones
Sarah MacLean books
Eloisa James books
Love By Numbers series by Sarah MacLean
Ann’s picks:
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
– Dorothea Benton Frank books
– Debbie Macomber books
– We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Wool by Hugh Howey
– The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
– Divergent by Veronica Roth
– Silo series by Hugh Howey
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
– Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
– Jennifer Crusie books
Halle’s picks:
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
– Dava Sobel books
– The Illustrated Longitude by Dava Sobel
– The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis
– Nina Borg series by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis
– Hoopla (available via Beaufort County Library)
View with a Grain of Sand: Selected Poems by Wislawa Szymborska
– Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge group on Goodreads
– Pablo Neruda books
– Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
– The Rain in Portugal: Poems by Billy Collins
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
– Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
– Episode 23 – Award Winners
– National Book Award
– Jacqueline Woodson books
Halle: Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
– Beverly Jenkins books
– Old West series by Beverly Jenkins
– Book Riot’s Reading Lives episode with Beverly Jenkins
54 min
February 24, 2017Well-Read Episode #44 - Spring 2017 Book Preview
Despite some sound quality issues (sorry!), we’re back from our hiatus and ready to tell you what you’ll be reading this spring! As always, we’ll end with what we’re reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Ann’s picks:
White Tears by Hari Kunzru (releases March 14, 2017)
The Gargoyle Hunters by John Freeman Gill (releases March 21, 2017)
American War by Omar El Akkad (releases April 4, 2017)
The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova (releases April 11, 2017)
– The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
– Episode 8 – Back to School
– The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
If We Were Villains by M.L.Rio (releases April 11, 2017)
– The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Witchfinder’s Sister by Beth Underdown (releases April 25, 2017)
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (releases May 9, 2017)
York: The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby (releases May 16, 2017)
– Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
– York series by Laura Ruby
– The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Halle’s picks:
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (releases March 7, 2017)
– Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul (releases March 7, 2017)
– Lindy West books
– Roxane Gay books
– Jenny Lawson books
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (releases March 7, 2017)
The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck (releases March 28, 2017)
– The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
– Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
– The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn (releases May 2, 2017)
– Jane Austen books
– Lost in Austen (TV)
Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan (releases May 9, 2017)
– Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
– Commencements by J. Courtney Sullivan
– The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (releases May 16, 2017)
– The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
– Episode 4 – Young Adult Books for Adults
– George R.R. Martin books
– A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: I See You by Clare Mackintosh
– Tana French books
– I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Halle: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (releases April 11, 2017)
39 min
January 13, 2017 Hiatus
Due to some unexpected events, the Well-Read podcast is going to be taking a brief hiatus. We will be back soon with more book recommendations for you!
1 min
January 06, 2017Well-Read Episode #43 - 2017 Reading Resolutions
The year has flown by! It’s time to revisit our reading resolutions of 2016, and make some new plans for the coming year. And we’ll close with what we’re reading this week.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Episode 17 – 2016 Reading Resolutions
Goodreads Reading Challenge
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge
Sarah MacLean books
Celeste Ng books
Daniel José Older books
Around the Year in 52 Books
Modern Mrs. Darcy
What Should I Read Next (podcast)
Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge
Litsy
#LitsyAtoZ Challenge
Eurovision
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Neopolitan Novels series by Elena Ferrante
“The Subtle Genius of Elena Ferrante’s Bad Book Covers” (The Atlantic article by Emily Harnett
“Elena Ferrante: An Answer?” (The New York Review of Books article by Claudio Gatti)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace (TV)
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French
In the Woods by Tana French
Three Pines (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache) series by Louise Penny
Still Life by Louise Penny
The Magicians series by Lev Grossman
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
“Damn, You’re Not Reading Any Books by White Men This Year? That’s So Freakin Brave and Cool” (Jezebel article by Jia Tolentino)
Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: Sex Object by Jessica Valenti
– The Guardian
– Jessica Valenti books
– The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
Halle: Leave Me by Gayle Forman
– Gayle Forman books
44 min
December 23, 2016Well-Read Episode #42 - Favorite Books of 2016
It’s time for our year-end favorites list! Find out what books we enjoyed the most this year. As always, we’ll end with what we’re reading this week.

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Episode 16 – Favorite Reads of 2015
Goodreads
Ann’s Favorites of 2016:
In the Woods by Tana French
– Episode 29 – Tackling Our TBRs
– Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
– We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
People Who Knew Me by Kim Hooper
– Episode 31 – Books about the Lowcountry
Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
– Episode 37 – What to Read Next
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
– Episode 38 – Horror for the Brave and the Scaredy Cats
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
– Episode 41 – Holiday Book Buying Guide
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
– Episode 23 – Award Winners
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn
– Detective Emmanuel Cooper series by Malla Nunn
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
– Still Life by Louise Penny
– Episode 18 – Out of Our Comfort Zones
– Sarah MacLean books
Halle’s Favorites of 2016:
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
– Episode 17 – Reading Resolutions for 2016
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
– Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
– The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
– Curtis Sittenfeld books
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
– Episode 29 – Tackling Our TBRs
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
– Taylor Jenkins Reid books
– Jojo Moyes books
– Liane Moriarty books
The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes
Anything For You by Kristan Higgins
– Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins
– On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins (releases January 31, 2017)
March: Book One by John Lewis
– March series by John Lewis
The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
In the Country by Mia Alvar
– Episode 26 – Short Stories
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodie Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
– The Princess Bride (film)
– As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: A Rumpole Christmas by John Mortimer
– Rumpole of the Bailey (TV)
Halle: The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
– John Green books
1 hr 6 min

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As librarians, books are kind of our thing. Listen in as we talk about what we're reading, make book recommendations, and all sorts of book-related fun.