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Totally Booked with Zibby

For nearly a decade, Totally Booked with Zibby has been one of publishing’s premier podcasts and a regular stop on book tours for today’s biggest authors. Hosted by bestselling author, bookstore owner, and publisher Zibby Owens, the show has featured more than 2,000 conversations with bestselling authors, actors, athletes, chefs, musicians, and entrepreneurs.

Known for her warmth, empathy, and genuine curiosity, Zibby has a gift for asking the questions that lead to unforgettable conversations. What begins with the book leads to talks about creativity, ambition, love, loss, family, resilience, and reinvention. With thousands of episodes and dozens of industry honors, Totally Booked with Zibby reminds us all that talking about books is really talking about life.

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

Copyright: © Copyright 2018 All rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Rebecca Wolf, ALIVE AND BEATING Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

Zibby welcomes author Rebecca Wolf to discuss her debut novel, ALIVE AND BEATING. Inspired by the true story of Rebecca’s close friend, who was killed in a 1995 suicide bombing in Israel, the novel imagines the lives of the six people who will receive organ transplants from the victim. Rebecca shares how she wove together multiple perspectives to honor her friend’s legacy, the diversity of Jerusalem, and our shared humanity. She also reflects on the challenges of writing such a personal story, the research that went into capturing medical and cultural details, and how the book became both a tribute and a cathartic process.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4fTn137

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Rachel Cockerell, MELTING POINT: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

Zibby chats with author Rachel Cockerell about her dazzling, eclectic, genre-bending new book, MELTING POINT: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land. Blending family memoir with forgotten chapters of Jewish history, Rachel uncovers the extraordinary life of her great-grandfather, the early debates within Zionism, and the little-known Galveston Plan to resettle Jewish immigrants in Texas. She explains her innovative method of weaving together primary sources to create a vivid, novel-like narrative, and reflects on themes of assimilation, identity, and historical memory.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4lAp4ub

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Marian Thurm, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU THIS Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

Novelist and short story writer Marian Thurm joins Zibby to discuss I DON’T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU THIS, a touching and quirkily humorous book about a family court judge navigating complex cases in the courtroom and the heartbreaking decline of her brilliant husband. Marian shares the deeply personal inspiration for the book, including her parents’ struggles with dementia, and opens up about the two decades it took to bring this novel to life. She also reflects on her early career, her first publication in The New Yorker, and the surprising role persistence, luck, and motherhood have played in shaping her journey.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/45AXw1K

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Dr. Vonda Wright, UNBREAKABLE: A Woman's Guide to Aging with Power Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

Zibby chats with renowned orthopedic surgeon and longevity specialist, Dr. Vonda Wright, about her groundbreaking new book, UNBREAKABLE: A Woman’s Guide to Aging with Power. Dr. Wright shares her journey from working in sports medicine to becoming a leading advocate for women’s health, challenging the myth that aging means inevitable decline. She explains why women’s bodies age differently, how simple daily habits like walking and lifting can transform long-term health, and why mindset and self-worth are key to lasting change. Together, they discuss the empowering message behind Unbreakable: that women can remain strong, joyful, and resilient at every age.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4fGXo5u

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Ilana Kurshan, CHILDREN OF THE BOOK: A Memoir of Reading Together Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Zibby interviews award-winning author Ilana Kurshan about her luminous, heartfelt new book, CHILDREN OF THE BOOK: A Memoir of Reading Together. Ilana shares how reading aloud to her five children—from GOODNIGHT MOON to CHARLOTTE’S WEB—became deeply intertwined with her lifelong practice of reading from the Torah. She reflects on how books create a common family language, forge intimacy, and shift in meaning as we revisit them through different stages of life. She also opens up about raising her children in Jerusalem, the role of literature in calming fears, and how parenthood itself can feel like a sacred journey mirrored in biblical stories.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4oS9Kfx

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Lauren Grodstein, A DOG IN GEORGIA Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Author Lauren Grodstein returns to the podcast to discuss her heartwarming, emotionally attuned, and intricately crafted new novel, A DOG IN GEORGIA. What begins as the story of a middle-aged woman impulsively traveling to the country of Georgia to help find a lost dog turns into a deeper exploration of marriage, midlife, identity, and the search for meaning. Lauren shares her love of animals, how her time in Georgia shaped the novel, and the ways humor, food, and even politics weave through the book. She and Zibby also dive into big questions about purpose, freedom, and what it means to live a meaningful life—while laughing about midlife chaos, martinis, and the irresistible pull of dog videos.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4mQna9V

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Valerie Gilpeer and Emily Grodin, I HAVE BEEN BURIED UNDER YEARS OF DUST: A Memoir of Autism and Hope Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

Zibby is joined by Valerie Gilpeer and Emily Grodin, co-authors of I HAVE BEEN BURIED UNDER YEARS OF DUST, an evocative and affecting memoir by a mother and her autistic daughter who’d long been unable to communicate—until a miraculous breakthrough revealed a young woman with a rich and creative interior life. Valerie shares the extraordinary moment with Emily, after 25 years of struggling to communicate, typed her first words—unlocking a lifetime of thoughts and poetry. Together, they discuss the power of alternative communication technologies and the impact of finally finding Emily’s voice.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3UFwTnt

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Kimberly Brooks, 10 THINGS EVERY JEW SHOULD KNOW BEFORE THEY GO TO COLLEGE Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

Artist Kimberly Brooks joins Zibby to discuss 10 THINGS EVERY JEW SHOULD KNOW BEFORE THEY GO TO COLLEGE, a book she illustrated alongside co-authors Emily Schrader and Blake Flayton. Kimberly shares what inspired her to create a clear, accessible guide for students navigating antisemitism and distorted narratives on campus. She and Zibby discuss the importance of arming the next generation with facts, the role of Jewish education, and why this book feels like both a shield and a toolkit at such a critical time.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Uz5OlS

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Sasha Salzmann, GLORIOUS PEOPLE Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

Zibby speaks with playwright and author Sasha Salzmann about GLORIOUS PEOPLE, a remarkable, astute, and deeply empathic novel exploring the disintegration of the Soviet Union, told through mothers and daughters. Sasha shares how dinner table conversations with their mother’s friends inspired the book, what they discovered about motherhood, birth stories, and hidden family histories, and why they believe mothers are the unsung protagonists of political and cultural history. They also touch on their experience living as a Jewish writer in Germany, the role of friendship across communities, and how they choose between writing plays, novels, and essays.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/45AfMsc

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

Giri Nathan, CHANGEOVER: A Young Rivalry and a New Era of Men's Tennis Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Zibby interviews “the best tennis writer in America,” Giri Nathan, about THE CHANGEOVER, a gripping, scintillating account of the pivotal generational shift happening in men’s tennis. Giri shares his experience following rising stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner during the season that saw them split the four major titles, offering fans a rare inside look at their growth, challenges, and personalities. He also discusses the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era and the pressures of fame on young athletes, and then shares how he balances reporting with new parenthood and what it’s like to cover the game he loves.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4fDPJoC

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

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

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