The Book Case

Latest Episodes:

John Boyne Revisits The Past Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

You may have noticed that most weeks in our ‘rapid fire’ questions to featured authors, we ask if they have a favorite author. Little secret: Sometimes we are looking for ideas. A few weeks ago, John Irving told us he would read anything John Boyne has written just because Boyne wrote it. So we got busy reading John Boyne. It turns out he has a new book released just this past November, All the Broken Places, that is a continuation of sorts of a book released many years ago that was made into a terrific movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, that we both saw and admired. All the Broken Places centers around a now 91 year old woman who deals with the shame she feels knowing her father was commandant of Auschwitz, having tried to hide her past for decades. How that haunts her makes for an engrossing read. Thank you to John!

Our book store this week is Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Books Mentioned in the Podcast:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
All the Broken Places by John Boyne
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
The Absolutist by John Boyne
My Brother’s Name is Jessica by John Boyne
A History of Loneliness by John Boyne
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne
The Boy At The Top Of The Mountain by John Boyne
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne
The Echo Chamber by John Boyne
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
Snow by John Banville
The Singularities by John Banville
The Sea by John Banville
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Clay’s Quilt by Silas House
Southernmost by Silas House
Lark Ascending by Silas House
Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond
The Date from Hell by Gwenda Bond
Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany

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David Sedaris is Back in the Book Case Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

This week it is David Sedaris part two - or David Sedaris redux. We loved our conversation with him and as we said last week, were we to limit the conversation to just one podcast, we’d have to cut out some of the good stuff. This week David talks about his empathy for those who come to hear him speak or who ask him to sign a book, his love for reading appearances, how he tries out new material on audiences, and how those audiences don’t seem to remember any of what he read. Listen to the end for a funny anecdote.

Our bookstore this week is Arundel Books in Seattle - the store David said was his favorite ‘indie’ in the U-S.

Books Mentioned in the Podcast:

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
Calypso by David Sedaris
Barrel Fever by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020) by David Sedaris
SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris
Theft by Finding: Diaries (1997-2002) by David Sedaris
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Naked by David Sedaris
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
The Collected Short Stories of Tobias Wolff by Tobias Wolff
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Pulp by Charles Bukowski
Babel by R.F. Kuang
Freshwater for Flowers by Valerie Perrin
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

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David Sedaris Journals Gold Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

David Sedaris is our guest this week and next. Our conversation with him was so delightful and insightful that we could find no way to edit our conversation to just one podcast without leaving out too much of the “good stuff’. David is unique. He writes marvelous essays of observation about modern life drawing much of his material from audiences who come to listen to him read and with whom he spends considerable time interacting. He writes about serious family issues he’s encountered with great humor. He writes about playing a Christmas elf at Macy’s, and how can that fail to draw a chuckle? “Happy-Go-Lucky” is his latest collection of essays. But there are many. We loved everything of his we read. You will too.

Books mentioned in this podcast:

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
Calypso by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020) by David Sedaris
SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris
Theft by Finding: Diaries (1997-2002) by David Sedaris
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Naked by David Sedaris
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Barrel Fever by David Sedaris
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

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Esmeralda Santiago Dreams Her Reality Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

It might seem a bit presumptuous to write a three volume autobiography about the first 29 years of your life, wouldn’t you think? But Esmerelda Santiago lived an almost unbelievable first thirty years and writes in such a personal fashion, that reading her story makes you feel as if you’re in the company of a good friend speaking just to you. The first volume, When I was Puerto Rican tells the story of growing up in abject poverty in Puerto Rico with no expectations of anything more. The second volume, Almost a Woman tells of her coming to the United States terrified about what life would be like and through the most improbable of circumstances finding herself in an esteemed school for the performing arts though speaking almost no English. The third volume, The Turkish Lover finds Esmerelda realizing she is a whole lot smarter than the man in her life - applying to Harvard and graduating Magna Cum Laude! How is that for 29 years? If you’re intimidated by three short volumes, just try the first volume and see if you don’t want to go on. And if you’d like to be charmed, listen to Esmerelda’s conversation with us.

Books Mentioned in the Podcast:

When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago
The Turkish Lover by Esmeralda Santiago
Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago
América's Dream by Esmeralda Santiago
The Iliad by Homer
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk
Free Puerto Rico by Pedro Albizu Campos

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The Holiday Gift Guide Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

After you’ve bought Sister Sally the alpaca sweater, brother Billy his baseball bat, Mom her mixer and Dad his golf ball retriever, what small presents should you add? A book, of course! Everyone appreciates the thought that goes into giving just the right book. So have no fear, Kate and Charlie are here with what will be our annual “just the right book for everyone’s End-of-year book list.” If you can't find it here, you can’t find it anywhere. Mitchell Kaplan of Florida’s "Books and Books" gives us fiction selections. Bradley Graham of Washington’s "Politics and Prose" on non-fiction, Celia Sack of San Francisco’s "Omnivore Bookstore" on cookbooks, Justin Colussi-Estes of Decatur, Georgia’s 'Little Shop of Stores' on young adult books broken down by age groups, Otto Penzler from New York City’s The Mysterious Bookstore” on mysteries. And best for last, Kate and Charlie ourselves on coffee table books. Why us? Well, we each occasionally drink coffee and we each have a living room table. Oh yeah, and we didn’t want to feel left out. Enjoy! And if you want to give US a present, rate us and write a comment where you get your podcasts. We read ‘em. Happy Holidays listeners! We love you all! We love you all!Non-Fiction: (Bradley Graham)

Books mentioned in this podcast:

Non-Fiction: (Bradley Graham)

Lost and Found: A Memoir by Kathryn Schulz
Path Lit By Lightening: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss
The Great Air Race: Glory, Tragedy and the Dawn of American Aviation by John Lancaster
Waging a Good War: A Military History of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968 by Thomas E. Ricks
Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America by Dahlia Lithwick

Mysteries: (Otto Penzler)

Desert Star by Michael Connelly
A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead
The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries Edited by Martin Edwards
The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

Coffee Table Books: (Us)

Football: Designing the Beautiful Game by James Bird, Sam Handy, Jacques Herzog, Thomas Turner, Eleanor Watson
The Philosophy of Modern Song by Bob Dylan
African Art Now by Osei Bonsu
The Space Shuttle: A Mission-by-Mission Celebration of NASA’s Extraordinary Spaceflight Program by Roland Miller
Cookbooks: (Celia Sack)
Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, Sarah Leung
What’s for Dessert by Claire Saffitz
BUDMO! Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen by Anna Voloshyna
Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook by Illyanna Maisonet
The Bartender’s Guide to the World: Cocktails and Stories from 75 Places by Lauren Mote

Children’s Books: (Justin Colussi-Estes)

Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett
The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back by Jonathan Stutzman
Everything in Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging by Pauline David-Sax
A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga
Thirteen Witches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
The Sea of Always (Thirteen Witches Book 2) by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
The Star that Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson
Shuna’s Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

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Barbara Kingsolver Grapples with American Poverty Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

The book is Demon Copperhead , the author is Barbara Kingsolver. That should be enough said. If you read it and don’t come away thinking it is the best book you’ve read this year, it will be among the best. Her book is a prodigious feat on many levels. It is beautifully written. It gives you a sense of a part of America often ignored. It has wonderful characters. It is funny, and she writes it as a parallel to David Copperfield , Charles Dickens' most personal novel. She’s a great writer and a great talker. Give a listen.

Our bookstore this week is Rainy Day Books in Kansas City, where the state line runs right through the center of town.

Books mentioned in this podcast:

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

King Lear by Shakespeare

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

Middlemarch by George Eliot

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

84 Chairing Cross by Road Helene Hanff

Double Agent by Tom Bradby

A Single Spy by William Christie

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

The River of Gods by John Speke

River of Doubt Candice Millard

Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Recieving by Angela Santomero

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Nelson DeMille Keeps His Readers Guessing Dec 01, 2022

Show notes

Nelson DeMille - to meet him you’d think of him as the prototypical grandfatherly guy, mild-of-manner with a gentle soul. And you’d be right. It would be most unlikely that you’d also spot him as a guy who has written dozens of murder mysteries, spy novels and thrillers that have gained him a devoted audience. He has devised lots of ways to bump off his characters. You must watch out for those grandfatherly types. With 23 books in circulation and over 50 million sold, DeMille still debuts on the bestseller list with each release, and his latest, The Maze, was no exception. The bookstore this week is also an American institution: The Faulkner House Bookstore in New Orleans. The store sells all kinds of books in a space that also happens to be a Faulkner landmark.

Books mentioned in this podcast:

The Maze by Nelson DeMille
The Gate House by Nelson DeMille
The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille
The Panther by Nelson DeMille
The General’s Daughter by Nelson DeMille
The Charm School by Nelson DeMille
The Quest by Nelson DeMille
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille
Plum Island by Nelson DeMille
The Lion’s Game by Nelson DeMille
The Lion by Nelson DeMille
The Deserter by Nelson and Alex DeMille
Radiant Angel by Nelson DeMille
Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille
The Sniper by Nelson DeMille
The Hammer of God by Nelson DeMille
Spencerville by Nelson DeMille
Cathedral by Nelson DeMille
By the Rivers of Babylon by Nelson DeMille
The Cuban Affair by Nelson DeMille
Mayday by Nelson DeMille and Thomas Block
Superfudge by Judy Blume
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Absalom, Absalom! By William Faulkner
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Some Go Home by Odie Lindsey
Welcome to our Senses by Odie Lindsey
Collected Stories by William Faulkner

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Kate and Charlie Talk Turkey Nov 24, 2022

Show notes

Let’s do the math. A human’s average life span: 80 years. Years after Similac and Gerbers: say 75 years. At approximately 1000 meals per year, that’s a lifetime of 75,000 meals. What if you had a different recipe for every one of those 75,000 meals? Celia Sack does. She is one of the owners of Omnivore Books in San Francisco. They sell nothing but cookbooks and books about food and drink. You don’t go into her store asking, “What should I be reading?” but instead, “What should I be cooking or baking?" We ‘drop’ this podcast on Thanksgiving Day when everyone is thinking about food. Celia thinks about it every day. And, of course, we’re all thinking about things to be thankful for, including our listeners. We’re thankful for our chance to talk with Celia. She is a delight.

Books mentioned in this podcast:

Small Victories by Julia Turshen
Kitchen Simple: Essential Recipes for Everyday Cooking by James Peterson
The Nutmeg Trail: Recipes and Stories Along the Ancient Spice Routines by Eleanor Ford
The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert
The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy
Mourad: New Moroccan by Mourad Lahlou
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle
The Way to Cook by Julia Child
Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking by Julia Child
The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes and Stories of My Life by Pat Conroy
The Escoffier Cookbook: and Guide to the Fine Art of Cookery for Connoisseurs, Chefs, Epicures by Auguste Escoffier
Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman
Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes by Alison Roman
The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rogers

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Kate Goes to The Brooklyn Book Festival Nov 17, 2022

Show notes

This week on the Book Case we have two more authors from the Brooklyn Book Festival. You can find Angeline Boulley's The Firekeeper's Daughter on the YA shelves of your local library or bookstore, but the book transcends the genre. She'll talk about how she approaches world-building and gives us a sneak preview of her highly-anticipated new novel coming out next spring. Kate also catches up with Book Case favorite Sidik Fofana and sits down with Jory Southurst, the manager of the bookstore at the Center for Fiction. This episode was recorded at The Center for Fiction. It's a beautiful part of the Brooklyn literary community with classes and events. Their bookstore shouldn't be missed!

Books mentioned in this podcast;

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana
Crazy Horse’s Girlfriend by Erika T. Wurth
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Murder on the Red River by Marcie R. Rendon
The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Babel by R.F. Kuang
A Little Life Hanya Yanagihara
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
Greenland by David Santos Donaldson
A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera
The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

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Cleyvis Natera Finds Joy Unexpectedly Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

Cleyvis Natera took 15 years to write Neruda on the Park, and you can see why when you read the novel. There many pieces of the book that speak to Natera's life: navigating America with and on behalf of her parents, seeing gentrification slowly creep into the neighborhoods she has loved, the flawed and complex relationships between generations of women within one community. Kate had a chance to sit down with Cleyvis at the recent Brooklyn Book Festival and they talked about how Cleyvis' growth and maturity contributed to the growth and maturity of her novel. We then talk to Book Ends and Beginnings in Evanston, Illinois, a book lovers bookstore in a great college town.

Books mentioned in this podcast: