The Book Case

Latest Episodes:

Dwayne Betts Is Proof That A Book Can Change Your Life Oct 24, 2024

Show notes

Reginald Dwayne Betts is on a mission is to put a curated library in the cell block of every prison in America. A survivor of the system himself, he has obtained a college degree, a law degree from Yale, and a MacArthur Genius grant. Looking to bring hope to America’s most hopeless places, Bates has founded Freedom Reads, an organization that brings free curated library collections to every prison system that agrees to it. His partner in the endeavor, Debbie Leff, also talks to us about what inspired her about this tremendous organization. No one better personifies the power of reading to change a life, so join us for what we believe is an important discussion about the vitality of libraries and the power of books to heal.

Books mentioned in this week’s podcast:

The Circumference of a Prison by Reginald Dwayne Betts

Doggerel by Reginald Dwayne Betts

Felon: Poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts

Redaction by Reginald Dwayne Betts

Bastards of the Reagan Era by Reginald Dwayne Betts

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Paula Hawkins is a Mystery Master Oct 17, 2024

Show notes

Paula Hawkins is a master of the mystery, and her new one, The Blue Hour, has one of the best opens and closes to a mystery we have ever read. An author who knows mood and atmosphere, this book will keep you turning the pages long after you told yourself to go to bed. Our bookstore this week is a revisit with one of our favorites, Beacon Hill Books. Join us!

Books mentioned in this week’s podcast:

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

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Richard Osman Begins a New Series Oct 10, 2024

Show notes

Richard Osman has one of the most successful literary mystery series of all time: The Thursday Murder Club (just finished filming as a major motion picture too). So why start a new series and why do we love it so much? First, we will read anything this man writes, including his address book, but second, because it’s good, AND funny. We ask Richard what inspired him, why he was crazy enough to start a new series and how. Our bookstore this week is Collected Works in Santa Fe. Join us!

Books mentioned in this week's episode:

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman

The Man who Died Twice by Richard Osman

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

Fade Away by Harlan Coben

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

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Wright Thompson Investigates His Home State Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

This week's book case: Emmitt Till’s murder has been a seminal moment in American history ever since it occurred in 1955. Wright Thompson’s new book “The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi” looks at the horror through a whole new prism. Thompson loves his native land of Mississippi but is haunted by the barn where Emmitt Till was murdered. Why is it that we still know so little about one of the ugliest chapters in the history of American race relations? Tune in and find out.

Books mentioned in this week’s podcast:

The Barn: The Secret History of A Murder in Mississippi by Wright Thompson

Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon and the Things that Last by Wright Thompson

The Cost of These Dreams: Sports Stories and Other Serious Business by Wright Thompson

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Katherine Rundell Believes in Children’s Lit Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

The United Kingdom has given us some amazing children’s authors: C.S. Lewis, Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter...and may we add Katherine Rundell. Her newest, Impossible Creatures, is a sensation in Britain, and was declared an instant classic even before its U.S. release. It delivers all the magic promised in the fantastical title. Tune in to our conversation with this fascinating Renaissance literature and Dunne scholar as we talk to her about what’s so addicting about writing for middle schoolers, and where we can find the magical lands she creates.

Books mentioned in this week’s episode:

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
The Explorer by Katherine Rundell
The Girl Savage by Katherine Rundell
The Zebra’s Great Escape by Katherine Rundell
Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Dunne by Katherine Rundell
The Golden Mole: And Other Living Treasure by Katherine Rundell
Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

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Elizabeth Strout Unites Beloved Characters Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

If you aren’t an Elizabeth Strout fan yet, Tell me Everything, her newest novel, is going to wow you. If you are already devoted fans, like we are, then you are in for a real treat. In Tell Me Everything, she brings together two beloved characters: Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge. The results are truly magical. Our bookstore this week is Snowbound Books in Marquette, Michigan.

Books mentioned in this week's episode:

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
Oh William! By Elizabeth Strout
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

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Spoken Word Poets Write Their Catharsis Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

This is a special episode dedicated the art of spoken word poetry. One of our listeners wrote to us mentioning the name of Rudy Francisco and from there we fell down the rabbit hole of spoken word and slam poetry. We talk to Rudy and two other greats of the art, Bianca Phipps and Neil Hilborn. They are going to perform one work each and we will round it out with a conversation with Sam Van Cook. Sam is a founder of Button Poetry that represents and publishes so many of these great artists. Trust us, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Books mentioned in this week's episode:

Helium by Rudy Francisco
Excuse Me While I Kiss the Sky by Rudy Francisco
Crown Noble by Bianca Phipps
The Future by Neil Hilborn
About Time by Neil Hilborn
Mill, Railways and General Castings by Sam Van Cook

Watch their poems online:

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Dr. Fei-Fei Li Explains AI Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

Dr. Fei-Fei Li is one of the most important scientists of our time. Her book, The Worlds I See, chronicles her pioneering efforts in Artificial Intelligence. Does AI scare you? Us too. But read this book and listen to this episode. The book is not just the compelling story of Dr. Li herself, who immigrated as a girl speaking no English but who understands physics like Michael Jordan plays basketball. She is now a worldwide authority on AI and its development. Second, if you are scared of AI, this book explains it and the issues surrounding it both with beauty and with hope. She believes AI is the next step in our evolution, but that it MUST be rooted in humanity. What does that mean? Tune in and find out.

Books mentioned in this week's episode:

The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI by Dr. Fei-Fei Li
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

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Jodi Picoult Envisions A Woman Behind Shakespeare's Work Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

Have you ever heard the rumor that Shakespeare didn’t write his own plays? So had we, but By Any Other Name, the new novel by Jodi Picoult, may make the best case for it we have ever read. This novel puts forth a theory that Emilia Bassano wrote at least some of them, and she is an unforgettable character. This book succeeds on so many levels — a polemic, a great piece of feminist AND historical fiction, AND it’s a page turner. This is the book Jodi says she was born to write…and we think it’s her best to date.

Books mentioned in this week's episode:

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Mermaid by Jodi Picoult
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
The Pact by Jodi Picoult
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Where There’s Smoke by Jodi Picoult
Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks
Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie

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Emily Nussbaum Explains Why We Should Take Reality TV Seriously Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Love it or hate it, the genre of “reality tv” has now shaped American history. That means no matter how you feel about it, you cannot ignore it. Enter Cue the Sun!, the most comprehensive, thoughtful and well written book about the history and development of the genre we have come across. We talk to the book’s author, Emily Nussbaum about how the genre has come to take up so much space in American pop culture and what that means for our country as a whole. We also talk to Ferguson Books' owner Dane Ferguson about how his shop serves rural communities in the upper midwest. You don’t want to miss it.

Books mentioned in this week's episode: