What Should I Read Next?

By Anne Bogel | Wondery

Arts

What's What Should I Read Next? about?

What Should I Read Next? is the show for every reader who has ever finished a book and faced the problem of not knowing what to read next. Each week, Anne Bogel, of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, interviews a reader about the books they love, the books they hate, and the books they're reading now. Then, she makes recommendations about what to read next. The real purpose of the show is to help YOU find your next read. To learn more or apply to be on the show visit whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.

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Ep 398: A reading life that...

09.19.2023

After a satisfying summer of reading the twisty thrillers and entertaining books she really enjoys when the temperatures rise, Melanie Steimle is ready to discover some transitional books for the fall reading season. Melanie lives in Utah, where she enjoys ...

What Should I Read Next? episodes:

09.19.2023 Ep 398: A reading life that shifts with the seasons After a satisfying summer of reading the twisty thrillers and entertaining books she really enjoys when the temperatures rise, Melanie Steimle is ready to discover some transitional books for the fall reading season. Melanie lives in Utah, where she enjoys ...
09.12.2023 Ep 397: The ingredients for a favorite read Today's conversation will whet your appetite for a good read, as Anne talks cookbooks and culinary reading with cookbook author and book lover Bri McKoy. In today's show, Anne and Bri talk about the art of reading and writing cookbooks ...
09.05.2023 Ep 396: Dear Book Therapist + how bestseller lists are compiled (and why it matters) You're invited to experience a taste of our Patreon community! For today's episode, we've selected two recent bonus episodes that our patrons especially enjoyed, and bundled them together for you to hear. Our bonus episodes come in a variety of ...
08.29.2023 Ep 395: A little touch of magic never hurts Today's guest grew up with a deep love for science fiction and fantasy. While his reading tastes have broadened as an adult, he's still drawn to stories that come with a bit of magic. Sai Sion recently moved from New ...
08.22.2023 Ep 394: Our team's best books of summer In what's become a bit of a tradition, members of our team are pairing up on today's episode to share the summer reads we've loved this year and talk about what summer reading means to each of us. From the ...
08.15.2023 Ep 393: What makes you a "real" reader? Today Anne is joined in conversation with Shana Ferguson, a NYC-based stage manager with a particularly bookish concern: she doesn't often feel like a "real" reader. Of course, we think any kind of reader is a "real" reader, so Anne ...
08.08.2023 Ep 392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs Memoir is a well-loved genre for so many readers, and today Anne is joined by R. Eric Thomas to talk about the wise, sobering, hilarious, and heartbreaking sketches in his own works, as well as some of the memoirs they ...
08.01.2023 Ep 391: Habits of a happy reader For many guests, picking three favorite reads is a struggle, but today's guest Annie McCloskey has a unique way of tracking her all-time favorites. Between her beloved book clubs and her well-stocked home library, Annie is quite happy with her ...
07.25.2023 Ep 390: Audiobooks for the longest flight of your life Today's guest has a big move on the horizon and is eager to find books that will ease that transition. Nadia Sussman has always lived in New Zealand, but this summer she's moving to Michigan to pursue a master's degree. ...
07.18.2023 Ep 389: Anne and Will’s European reading adventures A long-delayed family trip to Europe doubles as an opportunity to explore the literary landscape of three incredible destinations. Today, Anne and Will are here to tell you all about it. Anne, Will, and their kids recently returned from their ...
07.11.2023 Ep 388: Books that take you off the beaten path If you've ever felt the weight of a to-be-read list, today's conversation may be just the permission slip your reading life needs. Today Anne's chatting with Chicago-based Daniel Evola. Daniel was an early reader who got a head start on ...
07.04.2023 Ep 387: Books that feel like a vacation for your brain Striking that perfect balance between "serious literature" and light reading can be tricky, and today Anne's talking all about it with guest Jake Sloofman. Jake, an arborist living in Brooklyn, NY, has big reading goals, but sometimes he feels stuck ...
06.27.2023 Ep 386: Your ticket to unexplored genres Diving into an unfamiliar genre is a great way to expand your reading identity, but it can also feel pretty intimidating. Today, Anne's here to help curious reader Caitlin Moran explore easy entry points for unfamiliar genres. Caitlin lives in ...
06.20.2023 Ep 385: A summer of European reading Today's guest has a standing interest in books that deliver a strong sense of atmosphere, and Anne's got some new recommendations to share. Corin Cook lives and works in Rhode Island, where she makes the most of New England's seasonal ...
06.13.2023 Ep 384: Reading for pleasure, not productivity Today's guest grew up reading fiction for fun, but as she got older, she felt the pressure to read for work and self-improvement. Today, Effie Alofoje-Carr joins Anne to talk about finding her way back to the whimsical reads she ...
06.06.2023 Ep 383: Juicy, big-hearted family novels You may know Anne's favorite novels feature complicated family relationships, and today's guest, author Amy Jo Burns, shares Anne's appreciation for this particular type of story. You may know Amy from her novel Shiner and memoir Cinderland, both of which ...
05.30.2023 Ep 382: How your favorite books become shows and movies If you've ever wondered about the process of adapting books for the screen, you'll want to tune in to today's episode. Joining Anne on the show is Kat Ramsburg, who has what some might call a dream job: she reads ...
05.23.2023 Ep 381: Past and Present Summer Reading Guide favorites Even for dedicated readers, it can be tricky to find the right summer reading formula. Our Summer Reading Guide is here to help, and today Anne is talking all about summer reading with our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community ...
05.16.2023 Ep 380: Behind the Scenes of the Summer Reading Guide Our 12th annual Summer Reading Guide releases this week! We put so much time and effort into this big, big project. This year, we decided it would be fun to bring you along with us for a peek behind the ...
05.09.2023 Ep 379: An "impossible" travel reading project Today's guest loves to travel, and since she hasn't been doing quite as much of that in recent years, she's relied on books to take her to a wide range of destinations. Laurel Korwin is a wife, toddler mom, and ...
05.02.2023 Ep 378: (Mostly) YA books that surprise and stretch me Today's guest Michelle Acierno Loftus loves her work as a veterinary radiologist, but the demanding training that her career required meant that her reading life took a hit. These days, Michelle's found her way back to reading by embracing a ...
04.25.2023 Ep 377: What NOT to read next Today's guest loves collecting books she finds at library sales or used bookstores, and she's ended up with a shelf full of titles that have caught her eye over the years. But Kelsey Gruber has a problem: when she sees ...
04.18.2023 Ep 376: Bookstore confidential If you loved Episode 369: State of the bookstore, you're in luck: we're back today with three more fabulous conversations with independent booksellers across the country. Today Anne is joined to talk all things books and reading with Andrea Griffith, ...
04.11.2023 Ep 375: Short novels that contain whole worlds There’s something particularly enticing about a short book that delivers an incredible reading experience. Today's guest Vanessa A. Bee joins Anne to talk about short books that tell great stories in small packages. Vanessa is an author, mother, wife, and ...
04.04.2023 Ep 374: Gripping, page-turny narrative nonfiction Alberta-based Sarah Bramley knows what she likes when it comes to fiction, but lately she's been more and more intrigued by the nonfiction side of the bookstore. Sarah knows there's a ton of good stuff out there she'll enjoy, but ...
03.28.2023 Ep 373: Intentional steps for unlimited lifelong learning Two sisters with a lifelong love of reading join Anne to talk about the many ways books have framed their lives. Anne first met Laura Gerald-Simms and Ramona Gavin in 2019 at an event at Bookmarks NC, where their passion ...
03.21.2023 Ep 372: Books that change the way you see your city and your world Today's guest Jeff Speck is a familiar name around here! Anne's referred to his book Walkable City in a bunch of past podcast episodes, because it's a great example of how books can invite us to see and understand the ...
03.14.2023 Ep 371: What should Anne read next? Every week, Anne does a little literary matchmaking with one guest, but today we're flipping the mic and helping Anne discover some books she just might love reading next. The last time we asked our listeners what Anne should read ...
03.07.2023 Ep 370: Books so nice you'll want to read them twice With so many books to choose from, committing to re-reading books you've already enjoyed can feel like a particular challenge. Today's guest, Rosalynn Tyo, deeply appreciates re-reading and wants to do more of it, but regularly finds herself distracted by ...
02.28.2023 Ep 369: State of the Bookstore Here at WSIRN HQ, we love a great independent bookstore, and it's always especially fun when an indie bookseller joins Anne to talk books and bookstore business. Today, the book party is bigger than ever: Anne is chatting with three ...
02.21.2023 Ep 368: Learning to trust your reading instincts What's a reader to do with a stack of book recommendations that have left her feeling dissatisfied? Today Anne is talking with Mollie Hedgecock (she/her) and sharing some ideas for how Mollie can discern which recommendations are right for her. ...
02.14.2023 Ep. 367: Books that check all your boxes + what should Anne read next? Today Anne is in conversation with Keren Form, a self-professed nerd, dedicated board gamer and a fan of fast-moving stories with big themes. This episode originally aired back in 2019 as Episode 193, Rolling the dice on your next read, ...
02.07.2023 Ep. 366: Great books spur great conversations When authors and readers come together, it's always a good time, and today's episode is no exception. Today, we're sharing our recent Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club conversation with Brendan Slocumb, who joined us in January to discuss his musical ...
01.31.2023 Ep 365: Pitch perfect endings and laugh-out-loud rom coms Today's guest has a superpower we've never heard before: she can smell a book and know whether it was published in the U.S. or the U.K.! London-based Claire Handscombe (she/her) spent a decade in Washington DC as a bookseller, a ...
01.24.2023 Ep 364: Great books you may have missed in 2022 With so many books to choose from, it's easy to miss out on some stellar titles. Today, Anne is joined by Andrew Limbong (he/him) to talk about some of the best books you may have missed in 2022. When he's ...
01.17.2023 Ep 363: Fast-paced, plot-driven novels to get you reading again What do you do when you're used to reading dozens of books a year, but lately you've barely managed a handful of titles each year? Texas-based pilot and business owner Jada Graff (she/her) is here to get Anne's help in ...
01.10.2023 Ep 362: Our seventh birthday celebration Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden from The Popcast join Anne to celebrate the 7th anniversary of What Should I Read Next! Since Anne started What Should I Read Next back in 2016, she's spoken to so many book lovers, from ...
01.03.2023 Ep 361: Anne's Best Books of 2022 Choosing the best books of a year is always a fun challenge, so today we're flipping the focus and shining a light on Anne's reading life in 2022. In today’s episode, Anne's talking about a selection of the books she ...
12.20.2022 Ep 360: A high-stakes family reading competition When your family has a fierce annual reading competition, it's more important than ever to choose your books wisely! Today's guest, Courtney Haggerty, is here to talk about how her family reads together, and to get a jump-start on her ...
12.13.2022 Ep 359: Making big reading goals a reality A new reading year is right around the corner, and today's episode is full of perspective to help you plan for your best reading year yet. Laura Vanderkam is a WSIRN alum and time management and productivity expert whose newest ...
12.06.2022 Ep 358: Book-to-film adaptations and seasonal reading vibes Readers, we know many of you love to find the perfect books for each season, whether that's a summer beach read or a spooky fall novel. Today's guest is on the hunt for her winter reading vibe, which has eluded ...
11.29.2022 Ep 357: Welcome to Three Pines Anne is talking with beloved author Louise Penny in today's episode! Their conversation explores Penny's Inspector Gamache mystery series, the world of Three Pines, the upcoming television adaptation, and so much more. We know so many of you are avid ...
11.22.2022 Ep 356: Sink into your next cozy read Today's guest loves a good mystery, but could do without the murder, and Anne is here to help! Gina House loves cozy, comforting books that are often set in whimsical places. She's not looking for suffering or struggle between the ...
11.15.2022 Ep 355: Highly giftable picks for your favorite readers If you've got a book-lover on your holiday shopping list, get ready for an episode full of recommendations you can rely on. Every year, Anne and a special guest tackle listener requests for book recommendations, and it's always an episode ...
11.08.2022 Ep 354: Book festivals for beginners When a devoted reader attends her very first literary festival, bookish delight is on the menu! Today Anne is in conversation with Christina McCormick. Christina reached out to us here at What Should I Read Next a few weeks before ...
11.01.2022 Ep 353: Sad Girl Lit Fic and other burnout busters A registered nurse on the night shift is looking for ways to battle burnout and what it's done to her reading life, and Anne is here to help. We know so many of you have been impacted by the stress ...
10.25.2022 Ep 352: Bookish gifts to delight kids and teens Finding the perfect titles for young readers can be tricky, so today we're answering your questions and suggesting books (and bookish gifts) for the kids and teens in your lives! Every year we ask our audience to write in with ...
10.18.2022 Ep 351: Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks! Four dynamic authors gathered to speak on a Book Club Favorites panel last month at the Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors—and Anne was the moderator! Their conversation went in wildly delightful directions, and we're so excited to share it ...
10.11.2022 Ep 350: Book mail keeps us together An octogenarian world traveler and her book-loving daughter join Anne to discuss how reading continues to play a vital role in their relationship. Barbara Costner grew up in World War Two London before traveling and working around the world as ...
10.04.2022 Ep 349: Cancelling Netflix rebooted my reading life As a young reader, today's guest discovered the power of books to make her feel less alone, and she's happy to be back to reading regularly after making some lifestyle changes in the past few years! San Francisco-based Rachel Seidman ...

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