Totally Booked with Zibby

Latest Episodes:

David Damrosch, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BOOKS Mar 13, 2022

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Literary historian David Damrosch joins Zibby to discuss his latest book, Around the World in 80 Books, which grew out of a blog he started during the pandemic. The two talk about the thought that went into selecting the eighty books from around the world, David's thoughts on reading translated works, and how he grew more comfortable sharing parts of his personal story, which made the book "a kind of a memoir of a life of reading." David shares some of these personal anecdotes with Zibby, including his connection to Madeleine L'Engle.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/37bmTg5

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vTwbIb

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Paul Bloom, THE SWEET SPOT: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning Mar 12, 2022

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Zibby is joined by psychologist and professor at the University of Toronto Paul Bloom to talk about his latest book, The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning. Paul explains the science behind why we often put ourselves in situations that are difficult and what happens when that decision backfires as well as how we feel when we achieve the result we were striving for. He also tells Zibby about how he originally got into psychology, his thoughts on how the field has evolved over time, and what project he is working on next.

Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MBidAs

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/376ViN6

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Albert Samaha, CONCEPCION: An Immigrant Family's Fortunes Mar 11, 2022

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"To me, this book, in a lot of ways, the core intellectual arc of the book is this journey of me figuring out what it means to be American." Zibby is joined by investigative journalist and editor at BuzzFeed News Albert Samahato talk about his new memoir, Concepcion, which is a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Albert and Zibby talk about the ways in which the shape of the narrative changed over the five years it took to write it, which moments in recent history have had the greatest effect on Albert's family, and how he determined which memories made it into the book.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/35KUk91

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/37hH3Fr

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Jacquelyn Mitchard, THE GOOD SON: A Novel Mar 10, 2022

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel, The Good Son, and the brief interaction at a writer's conference that inspired it. The two talk about the unreasoning love parents have for their children, what Jacquelyn's experience was like raising nine kids, and the project she is working on next. Jacquelyn also shares what the experience was like being chosen as Oprah's first book club pick, from almost missing the opportunity when she didn't believe Oprah was really calling her to what it was like to be a part of a massive literary phenomenon.

Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sWGNEd

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3tMgCPN

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Clothilde Ewing, STELLA KEEPS THE SUN UP Mar 09, 2022

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Zibby is joined by Clothilde Ewig to talk about her very first picture book, Stella Keeps the Sun Up, which is out this week from Denene Millner Books. Clothilde shares how an op-ed from Denene was what originally inspired her to begin writing and how her own childrens' sleep habits helped her shape the story. Clothilde also tells Zibby about her time working as a producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show as well as what she is working on now, both for her second picture book and as Vice President of Strategic Communications at The Chicago Community Trust.

Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34pOV6J

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/35Hmqlp

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Brad Meltzer, THE LIGHTENING ROD: A Zig & Nola Novel Mar 08, 2022

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New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer returns to talk with Zibby his latest thriller, The Lightning Rod, which was inspired by a real figure hired by the United States Army to paint disasters as they occur. Brad shares how influential his mother and the loss of his parents have been on all of his novels, which real-life spy tricks he has included in his projects that have impressed his kids, and what his experience was like reading to former President George H. W. Bush just before he passed away.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/3pKlq7b

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/35HIKvc

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Lisa Barr, WOMAN ON FIRE: A Novel Mar 07, 2022

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Award-winning journalist and author Lisa Barr returns to talk with Zibby about her latest novel, Woman on Fire, which is one of this month's Barnes and Noble picks and has just been optioned by Sharon Stone. The two discuss which life experiences Lisa lent to her protagonist, how she managed to fully flesh out every character in her expansive cast, and why her family's Holocaust story continues to inspire her to write books about the era. Lisa also shares the real historical moments she wove into the plot, proving that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CiJwe7

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/349uyue

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Nick Hornby, JUST LIKE YOU: A Novel Mar 06, 2022

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Nick Hornby, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of High Fidelity, About a Boy, and Fever Pitch, joins Zibby to discuss his latest novel, Just Like You. The two talk about why his writing is so easily adapted for the screen, the occupational hazards that come with being a writer, and the inadvertent effects parenting can have on kids — both fictional and real. Nick also shares the encounter he observed that lay the groundwork for this story and which political events finally inspired him to write the book.

Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35l0w7H

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3KdjqvY

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Nikki May, WAHALA: A Novel Mar 05, 2022

Show notes

Zibby is joined by author Nikki May to discuss her debut novel, Wahala, which many are calling "Sex and the City with a killer twist." Nikki shares the meal with friends that inspired her to write this story, how she mapped out her four main characters' personalities on a spreadsheet that ended up being taller than her, and why she wants all of her novels to feature mixed-race characters with true-to-life experiences. Nikki and Zibby also talk about the upcoming BBC adaptation of the novel and what role Nikki is happily playing in that development.

Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MjFG90

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/36YLzbN

Subscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.

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Fiona Davis, THE MAGNOLIA PALACE: A Novel Mar 04, 2022

Show notes

Zibby is once again joined by New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis to talk about her latest novel, The Magnolia Palace, which takes place in New York's famed Frick Collection. The two talk about what inspired Fiona to tell a fictionalized version of the Frick's story, how she managed to write so vividly about the museum during the early days of the pandemic while in lockdown, and the multiple projects she's working on next. Fiona also shares why she decided to talk publicly about her Parkinson's disease and how it may fit into one of her upcoming books.

Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hyI4e1

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Mhxmqx

Subscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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