Books, Beach, & Beyond - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Books, Beach, & Beyond — Arts
Books, Beach, & Beyond

Join Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 30 titles and the “Queen of the Beach Reads,” and Tim Ehrenberg, creator of the popular Tim Talks Books, as they talk shop and host spirited discussions with special guests from bestselling and internationally recognized authors, to publishing industry insiders, to local island legends who feature prominently in Hilderbrand’s prolific Nantucket stories. From what it’s like to take a book to the screen to the intricacies and intimate details of an author’s writing process, Hilderbrand and Ehrenberg take listeners on an exciting (and amusing) journey each episode, bringing books to life in a brand-new way in this podcast presented by N Magazine. A special thank you to our Season 2 Premier Sponsors: Nantucket Book Partners, Book of the Month, The Nantucket Hotel, Cartolina, and Triple Eight Distillery.

Interested in advertising in Books, Beach, & Beyond? Email advertising@n-magazine.com to learn more!

Copyright: © 2025 Books, Beach, & Beyond

Latest Episodes:

James and Susan Patterson Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

James and Susan Patterson are the co-authors of The Mother Daughter Book Club recently on shelves this summer. James Patterson is one of the most popular storytellers of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross and has co authored #1 bestselling novels withBill Clinton and Dolly Parton.

Susan Solie Patterson has a Bachelor of Science/Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she was also an All-American swimmer. She is the author of Big Words for Little Geniuses, a New York Times bestseller. The four discuss book clubs, Wisconsin and the states where we are all from, and how both Jim and Sue got their start writing. We dig into the books, food, characters, and story and inspiration behind The Mother Daughter Book Club and their process for writing it together. It's as if Jim, Sue, Elin and Tim have their own book club together in this penultimate episode of Season 4!

Thank you to our Episode Sponsor:

Wawa

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

James and Sue Patterson Reading List

The Mother Daughter Book Club
Things I Wish I Told My Mother
Big Words for Little Geniuses
The Most Dangerous Games with Mr Beast

What Else are we Reading in this Episode

The Guest by Emma Cline
The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand
Lady Chattery’s Lover by Oliver Mellors
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Whistler by Ann Patchett
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Alice Hoffman Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the Practical Magic series. We start this episode talking about beginnings and our favorite first pages of books. The three discuss how Alice got her start as a writer, the magic in Alice’s novels and the magic of books, moving in and living with school roommates, her new novel Witches of Cambridge, Anne Frank, her Best Dog in the World anthology and our love of our dogs, the Practical Magic movie and the upcoming sequel, supporting breast cancer research, and so much more! Alice wrote one of the greatest quotes, “Books may well be the only true magic.” and this episode has a magical feeling to it with some fall autumn vibes.

Thank you to our Episode Sponsor:

Book of the Month

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Alice Hoffman Reading List

The Witches of Cambridge
Illumination Night
When We Flew Away
The Best Dog in the World
Practical Magic
The Probable Future
The Museum of Extraordinary Things

What Else Are We Reading in this Episode

Plot Twist by Harlan Cohen
Franny and Zooey by J D Salinger
It by Stephen King
Ray Bradbury books
Elizabeth Strout books
Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Harlan Coben Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Harlan Coben joins Books, Beach, & Beyond this week for such an entertaining conversation about reading and writing. Harlan is a #1 best-selling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers, and one of Tim's auto-buy authors. His thirty-eight suspense novels are published in forty six languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries. Your hosts talk with him about his new memoir Plot Twist along with topics like point of view, Harlan’s take on research, favorite endings in books and penning great plot twists, writing with Reese Witherspoon, and all his book to screen adaptations. The episode is filled with incredible writing tips and takeaways from a singular writing life.

Thank you to our Episode Sponsor:

Nantucket Book Partners

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Harlan Coben Reading List

Plot Twist
Tell No One
The Innocent
I Will Find You
Gone Before Goodbye
The Woods
The Stranger
Lazarus

What else are we reading in this episode?
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
White Fur by Jardine Libaire
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
Michael Connelly books
Phillip Roth books
Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott
The Color of Light by William Goldman

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Anna Quindlen Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Please welcome to the podcast one of Elin's very favorite writers (and now Tim’s), - Anna Quindlen! Anna is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Rise and Shine, the #1 bestselling memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her new novel More Than Enough was released in February 2026. The three dive into how Anna got her start writing, how reading and writing fulfills someone differently, weaving backstory into narrative, and how to engage fully in our daily lives. Anna discusses her new novel More Than Enough; her characters, the multiple storylines, and the book’s themes and literary references. The episode ends with Anna explaining how she infuses the lessons she writes about in her nonfiction into her fiction and the three give us a terrific speed round with some great reading recommendations!

Thank you to our Episode Sponsor:

Nantucket Meat & Fish

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Books Mentioned in this Episode

Object Lessons by Anna Quindlen
One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
Black & Blue by Anna Quindlen
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Correspondent by Virgina Evans
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
The Accidental Tourist by Ann Tyler
Still Life with Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlen
More than Enough by Anna Quindlen
A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
Away by Amy Bloom
The Savage Noble Death by Babs Dionne by Ron Currie Jr.
She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper
A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

Who Else Are We Talking About

Susan Isaacs
Scott Turow
Richard Russo
Irma Baumbach
Laurie Colwin
Ann Tyler
Herman Melville
Edith Wharton
Alice McDermott
Amy Bloom
Don DeLillo
Phillip Roth
Stephen King

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Mary Kay Andrews Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

They say “Summer begins with MKA” and we are thrilled to welcome New York Times best-selling author Mary Kay Andrews this summer to Books, Beach, & Beyond. Mary Kay Andrews is the author of thirty-three novels and a cookbook. In June, St. Martin’s Press published her 34th novel Road Trip. Your hosts and Mary Kay talk about how publishing has changed since her first book in 1992 and how writing for a newspaper helped in writing her novels. Then they dig into Road Trip with a “road trip” inspired speed round (favorite "road trip song", "favorite road trip snack") and background on her research trip to Ireland for the new book. The three end the episode with some bad irish accents and talking all about “Friends and Fiction” and the vibrant show and community that she built along with four other best-selling authors.

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Books Mentioned in This Episode

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Every Crooked Nanny by Mary Kay Andrews
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
To Live and Die in Dixie by Mary Kay Andrews
Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews
Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
The Searcher by Tana French
Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan

Who else are we talking about this episode?

Tim Winton
Karin Slaughter
Agatha Christie
Michael Connelly
Elinor Lipman
Anna Quindlen
Harlan Coben

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Jennifer Garner Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the podcast Jennifer Garner, actor and entrepreneur and star of The Five-Star Weekend, the 8 episode series from Peacock adapted from the novel by your co-host Elin Hilderbrand. They start by asking Jen what she read as a child, if she approaches roles differently if the original content is a book, and they dig into a bunch of Jen’s other screen adaptations. Then they chat all about The Five-Star Weekend, the character of Hollis, pretend cooking shows and favorite summer recipes, the friendship and camaraderie of the cast and the characters, and so much more. Settle in for a five-star conversation and then head over to Peacock and binge the show of the summer!

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

What are we reading in this episode?

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
Roots by Alex Haley
Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer
Partita by Barbara Kingsolver
The Foster’s Market by Sara Foster
Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garden
Barefoot at Home by Ina Garten
Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garden

Who else are we reading?

Ann Patchett
Laura Dave
David Sedaris
Abraham Verghese
Barbara Kingsolver

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Tayari Jones Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

This special episode of Books, Beach, & Beyond was recorded LIVE at the 15th annual Nantucket Book Festival on June 13, 2026. Tim sits Tayari Jones down to talk about one of the best-selling novels of the year so far - KIN. Tayari and Tim talk about Tayari’s origin story, choosing point of view, mothers and daughters, writing historical fiction, her tour for Kin, and much more. Thank you to Nantucket Community Television for the live audio recording of this conversation.

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Belle Burden Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

This special episode of Books, Beach, & Beyond was recorded LIVE at the 15th annual Nantucket Book Festival on June 12, 2026. Elin sits Belle Burden down to talk about one of the best-selling memoirs of the year so far - “Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage.” Elin designed the conversation to be split between before the book, about the book, and after the book came out. Belle tells us of her writing and reading life, her past, her marriage, being on Oprah’s podcast, and Hollywood plans for the screen adaptation. Thank you to Nantucket Community Television for the live audio recording of this conversation.

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

Nantucket Hotel
Hill House Home - 20% off first order of $150 or more with code ACK20

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Carley Fortune Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Carley Fortune is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After, One Golden Summer, This Summer Will Be Different, Meet Me at the Lake, and new on shelves this year, the #1 New York Times bestseller - Our Perfect Storm. Carley, Elin, and Tim start talking about the romance genre and its respect in the industry, Carley’s life as a journalist before turning into a novelist, and how she got her start. They chat about literary tropes, first person point of view, writing believable sex scenes, her Canadian settings, Tofino and Barry’s Bay, her newest novel Our Perfect Storm, and her screen adaptation Every Year After based on her book Every Summer After.

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Carley Fortune Reading List

Every Summer After
One Golden Summer
This Summer Will Be Different
Meet Me at the Lake
Our Perfect Storm

What else are we reading in this episode?

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montgomery
Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden
Fifty Shades of Grey E. L. James
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Ann Patchett & Emma Straub Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Elin Hilderbrand and Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books are back for Season 4 of Books, Beach, & Beyond! The two co-hosts update listeners on their years so far and then introduce returning guests Ann Patchett and Emma Straub, both bookstore owners (Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN, and Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, NY), and both with new books this year. The four talk about bookstores from childhood, what it’s like owning a bookstore, and their favorite books of 2026 so far. They dive into the research for Emma’s new novel published this April, American Fantasy and discuss the themes of Ann’s newest on shelves this week, Whistler. The episode ends with a bunch of book recommendations for you to check out. This is an entertaining conversation between four readers and friends to kick off your summer reading. A readers’ dream!

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors:

Books Mentioned in this episode

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
American Fantasy by Emma Straub
Whistler by Ann Patchett
This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage
John of John by Douglas Stuart
Kin by Tayari Jones
The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffmann
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash
Sophie Standing There by Meg Mason
Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead
Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Ply by Hernan Diaz

Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes.
And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond
Happy Reading!

Related Podcasts