Episode 217 - Author Spotlight with James R. Benn

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Author James R. Benn

Episode 217 Show Notes

– Currently Reading –
A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens (CW)
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Bookseller’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend – Rebecca Romney (CW)
Listen to our conversation with Rebecca Romney on Episode 207.
That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in American – Amanda Jones (CW) (audiobook)
The Mighty Red – Louise Erdrich (EF) release date 10/1/2024

– Just Read –
Envy – Sandra Brown (CW)(EF) (audiobook)
The Most – Jessica Anthony (EF)
The Gathering – C.J. Tudor (CW)
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver (EF) (audiobook)
Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story – Lynn Ames (CW)

Emily read two short stories:
“The Miracle Years of Little Fork” by Rebecca Makkai from the collection Music for Wartime and published in Summer 2015 Ploughshares literary magazine. “Why Were They Throwing Bricks?” by Jenny Zhang from the collection Sour Heart and published in Spring 2017 n+1 literary magazine.

– Biblio Adventure –
Chris and Laura continue to rewatch the Harry Potter movies.

Emily had two couch biblio adventures, Slow Horses season four based on the book Spook Street by Mick Herron and she finished Presumed Innocent based on the novel by Scott Turow.

Emily visited the New Canaan Public Library.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
Chris and Emily will be attending portions of the Windham Campbell festival. The Lydia Davis lecture “Why I Write” is available to watch here.  

Chris and Emily are going on a joint jaunt to Chester, CT for the grand opening of Montgomery & Taggert, Connecticut’s first Romance Bookstore!

On October 9th Chris and Emily are heading to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.

– Upcoming Reads –
Murder in the Smithsonian – Margaret Truman (CW)(EF)
Swan Song – Elin Hildebrand (EF)
Classic’s Club is doing a “sync read” of all of Jane Austen’s novels. Learn more here.

– Upcoming Reads –
Death at the Sign of the Rook: A Jackson Brodie Book – Kate Atkinson
So Thirsty – Rachel Harrison
If Anything Happens to Me – Luanne Rice

– Author Spotlight James R. Benn –
We talk with James R. Benn about his new novel The Phantom Patrol
Learn more about James and his book tour here.

– Also Mentioned –
Download the Romance Bingo Card!
Author Marcie Rendon
Author Cal Newport
Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony
James by Percival Everett
The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Broadstairs in Kent
McNally Jackson booksellers
The New Yorker Magazine
Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust [check out #ProustPilotProject and ]
Why I Write by George Orwell
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Author David Niven
Author J.D. Salinger; The Stranger short story and Catcher in the Rye
Author Jean Conan Doyle
Author Philip Kerr
Author Ian Fleming

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Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link and use promo code: bookcougars
Shop on Bookshop.org – support the Book Cougars and independent bookstores!

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Episode 216 - Guest Spotlight with Michael Kelleher, Director of the Windham Campbell Prizes

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Michael Kelleher, Director of the Windham Campbell Prizes

Episode 216 Show Notes

– Currently Reading –
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh – Claudia Gray (CW)
Envy – Sandra Brown (EF) (audiobook)
The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading – James Patterson and Matt Eversmann (CW)

– Just Read –
Envy – Sandra Brown (CW)
Just for the Summer – Abby Jimenez (EF) (audiobook)
The Truth’s We Hold: An American Story – Kamala Harris (CW) (audiobook)
Big – Vashti Harrison (EF)

Chris and Emily did a buddy read of the short story “Double Birthday” by Willa Cather from the collection The Best American Short Stories of the Century edited by John Updike.

You can read Chris’s blog post here.

Emily also read “Disaster Stamps of Pluto” by Louise Erdrich from the collection The Best American Mystery Stories 2005 edited by Joyce Carol Oates and Otto Penzler.

Mrs. Saint and the Defectives – Julie Lawson Timmer (EF)

– Episode Sponsor –
Deadly Ripples by Penny Goetjen publishes on 9/17/2024.
Learn more about and follow Penny’s book tour here.

– Big Book Summer Reading Challenge Reflection –
Emily read:
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark
The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames
The Awakening by Nora Roberts

Chris read:
The Awakening by Nora Roberts
Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places by Claire Kann
The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames
Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition by the American Psychological Association
MLA Handbook, 9th edition by The Modern Language Association of America

Chris wrote a blog post about her Big Book Summer Challenge 2024 plans.

Watch our BookTube video about our Big Book Summer Hopefuls.

– Biblio Adventure –
Chris had a lunch date with Kate at Knot Norm’s in Norwalk, CT to talk about their Moby Dick buddy read.

Emily watched the film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat based on the novel by Edward Kelsey Moore via Hulu.

Chris and Laura are enjoying rewatching the Harry Potter movies; helping Chris get reacquainted with the stories.

Chris is on the search for the episode and book The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
Chris is planning a trip to the Sterling Library at Yale to see the exhibit Whaling Logbooks: Records of a Maritime Industry. She is also studying the new tri-fold pamphlet in preparation for the upcoming Guilford, CT library book sale from September 27-29th.

Emily is signed up to attend "Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: Examining the Truths and Fictions we Tell Ourselves with Lori Gottlieb"! via the North Haven Memorial Library on October 22 at 2pm (ET). Register here.

We will be in conversation with James R. Benn about his new novel The Phantom Patrol, on Thursday, September 19th, at 6 pm (ET)! Bank Square Books is hosting the event, and because they are in the middle of a move, it will be held at the gorgeous Mystic Noank Library in Mystic, CT. The event is free, register here to save your spot.

– Upcoming Reads –
The Most – Jessica Anthony (EF)
The Mesmerist – Caroline Woods (EF)
The Mighty Red – Louise Erdrich (EF) release date 10/1/2024
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall – Anne Bronte (CW)
Old New York – Edith Wharton (CW)
Silas Marner – George Elliot (CW)
The Turn of the Screw – Charles Dickens (CW)
The Red and the Black - Stendhal (CW)
A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens (CW)
Armadale – Wilkie Collins (CW)
Swann’s Way – Marcel Proust (CW) [check out #ProustPilotProject]
Murder in the Smithsonian – Margaret Truman (CW)(EF)

– Guest Spotlight: Michael Kelleher with the Windham Campbell Literary Awards –
Learn more about the Windham Campbell Prizes.
The 2024 Festival takes place from September 17-20. You can find the schedule here. 
You can follow the awards on Instagram and YouTube

– 3rd Quarter Readalong –
Envy by Sandra Brown.
Please join the online conversation via the Goodreads discussion thread.
The Zoom readalong discussion will take place on Sunday, September 15th at 7:00 pm (ET). Please send an email if you would like to join.

Download the Romance Bingo Card!

– Also Mentioned –
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Also by Abby Jimenez: Part of Your World and Yours Truly
Hot Air by Marcy Dermansky release date 3/18/2025
Also by Willa Cather: One of Ours and The Song of the Lark
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA for the exhibit Draw Me Ishmael: The Book Arts of Moby Dick running through January 4, 2026
The Supremes Sing The Happy Heartache Blues by Edward Kelsey Moore
The Lunar Housewife by Caroline Woods
Books and Things host of Victober 2024
Also by Wilkie Collins: The Moonstone and The Woman in White
Murder in the CIA by Margaret Truman
The Book Barn in Niantic, CT
Babel Literary Series

Help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:
Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link and use promo code: bookcougars
Shop on Bookshop.org – support the Book Cougars and independent bookstores!

If you’d like to help financially support the Book Cougars, please consider becoming a Patreon member. If you would prefer to donate directly, email for instructions.

Join our Goodreads Group!

Check out our BookTube Channel and be sure to subscribe!

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Episode 214 - Biblio Adventure Extravaganza

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Book Cougars Episode 214

Episode 214 Show Notes

August 17th is Bookstore Romance Day! Check your local bookstore to see if they have any special events planned.

– Currently Reading –
So Thirsty – Rachel Harrison (CW) release date 9/10/2024
Mary Queen of Scots – Antonia Fraser (CW)
One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter: Essays – Scaachi Koul (EF)

– Just Read –
The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey (EF)(audiobook)
How to End a Love Story – Yulin Kuang (CW)(audiobook)
Yulin was featured in an Author Spotlight on Episode 205.
Within Arm’s Reach – Ann Napolitano (audiobook)
Moby Dick – Herman Melville (CW)

Emily read two short stories by Alice Hoffman:
The Bookstore Sisters and The Bookstore Wedding

The Rose Arbor – Rhys Bowen (CW)
Chris requested this book via BookBrowse. Listen to our conversation with the Founder & Publisher, Davina Morgan-Witts on Episode 193.
The Whale: A Love Story – Mark Beauregard (CW)

– Biblio Adventure –
Chris went on a fantastic biblio adventure accompanied by Colleen. They stopped at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, the Emily Dickinson Museum, The Evergreens, Amherst Books, and the Yiddish Book Center.

Books Chris purchased:
The Letters of Emily Dickinson edited by Cristanne Miller and Domhall Mitchell
Emily Dickinson Poem’s: As She Preserved Them edited by Cristanne Miller
Margaret Fuller and Her Circles edited by Brigitte Bailey, Katheryn P. Viens, and Conrad Edick Wright
Bram Stoker: A Biography of the Author of “Dracula” by Barbara Belford
Myself with Others: Selected Essays by Carlos Fuentes
Nasty Women Poets: An Unapologetic Anthology of Subversive Verse edited by Grace Bauer and Julie Kane
Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books by Aaron Lansky
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

Emily went to Horizon Books in Traverse City, MI and purchased The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon and the most recent issue of Oh Reader magazine.

Emily has been enjoying the little free libraries sprinkled throughout neighborhoods in Traverse City, MI and she has been spending time at the Traverse City Library.

Chris participated in the Mystic Seaport Museum’s annual Moby Dick marathon.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
Emily plans to shop at the Friends of the Library Book Sale at Peninsula Community Library in Traverse City, MI.

On August 24th Peter Heller will be in Traverse City to chat about his new book Burn. He will be in conversation with Doug Stanton, the author of In Harm’s Way and 12 Strong.

Chris is heading to Chicago where she might find some bookish mischief.

– Upcoming Reads –
The Dragon From Chicago: The Untold Story of an American Reporter in Nazi Germany – Pamela D. Toler (CW)
American Scary: A History of Horror, from Salem to Stephen King and Beyond - Jeremy Dauber (CW) release date 10/1/2024
Hot Air – Marcy Dermansky (EF) release date 3/18/2025
Envy – Sandra Brown (CW)(EF)

– 3rd Quarter Readalong –
Envy by Sandra Brown.
Please join the online conversation via the Goodreads discussion thread.
The Zoom readalong discussion will take place on Sunday, September 15th at 7:00 pm (ET). Please send an email if you would like to join.

Download the Romance Bingo Card!

– Also Mentioned –
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
Also by Ann Napolitano: Hello Beautiful, A Good Hard Look, and Dear Edward
Author Caroline Leavitt
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson
Author Nathaniel Hawthorne
Poet Sandra Yannone
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
New Bedford Whaling Museum

Help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:
Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link and use promo code: bookcougars
Shop on Bookshop.org – support the Book Cougars and independent bookstores!

If you’d like to help financially support the Book Cougars, please consider becoming a Patreon member. If you would prefer to donate directly, email for instructions.

Join our Goodreads Group!

Check out our BookTube Channel and be sure to subscribe!

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter. 

Episode 213 - "I'll Have What You're Reading" with Booktuber Shawn Breathes Books

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Book Cougars Episode 213

Episode 213 Show Notes

– Currently Reading –
The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey (EF)(audiobook)
Mary Queen of Scots – Antonia Fraser (CW)

– Just Read –
Fellowship Point – Alice Elliott Dark (CW)(EF)(audiobook)
This was a buddy read, if you’re interested in reading along join the Goodreads discussion thread.
Emily read three short stories:
“Janus” by Ann Beattie and “In the Gloaming” by Alice Elliott Dark both from the collection The Best American Short Stories of the Century edited by John Updike and Katrina Kenison.
“A Blind Man Could See How Much I Love You” by Amy Bloom from the collection A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories.

Chris read two short stories:
“Uncle Valentine” by Willa Cather from the collection Uncle Valentine and Other Stories: Willa Cather’s Uncollected Short Fiction, 1915-1929, edited by Bernice Slote. You can learn more about the Willa Cather short story project here.
“The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier from the collection The Birds and Other Stories [This collection was first published in the UK in 1952 with the title, The Apple Tree: A Short Novel and Several Long Stories] 

– Episode Sponsor –
I Left My Hormones in Another World by Angela Wicke
You can read the first chapter of the book here.

– Biblio Adventure –
Chris and Emily went on a joint jaunt to Long Island, NY. You can watch a video recap of the day. They ate lunch at Armin & Judy, visited the Barnes and Noble in Bridgehampton, John Steinbeck Waterfront Park in Sag Harbor, Sag Harbor Books, Black Cat Books on Shelter Island, and Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport.

Emily had a Couch Biblio Adventure, thanks to listener Kathy who told us about a conversation with Percival Everett, Cord Jefferson, and Jelani Cobb via City Arts & Lectures.

Chris visited the East Lyme Public Library where she purchased the first season of the television series China Beach which reminded her that she hopes to read Kristin Hannah’s novel The Women.

Chris checked off another box on her Romance Bingo Card by watching the movie Letters to Juliet based on the novel Letters to Juliet: Celebrating Shakespeare's Greatest Heroine, the Magical City of Verona, and the Power of Love by Lise Friedman and Ceil Friedman.

While in NYC Chris had a great book haul at the McNally Jackson bookstore at Rockefeller Center where she purchased a copy of Valentino and Sagittarius by Natalie Ginzburg.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
Emily is on the hunt for a copy of The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon in Traverse City, MI. There are two lovely independent bookstores to choose from on the same block, Brilliant Books and Horizon Books.

Emily plans to watch the video recap of Juliet Grames in conversation with Sarah Weinman featuring the book launch of The Lost Boys of Santa Chionia via Books are Magic bookstore. 

Chris is heading to the Mystic Seaport Museum to participate in the Moby Dick marathon.

– Upcoming Reads –
Margaret Fuller: Collected Writings – edited by Brigitte Bailey, Noelle Baker, and Megan Marshall (CW)
The Grey Wolf – Louise Penny (CW) release date 10/29/24
The Phantom Patrol – James Benn (CW)(EF)
Chris and Emily will be in conversation with James at the Mystic-Noank library on September 19th at 6:00. You can register for the event here.

– 3rd Quarter Readalong –
Envy by Sandra Brown.
Please join the online conversation via the Goodreads discussion thread.
The Zoom readalong discussion will take place on Sunday, September 15th at 7:00 pm (ET). Please send an email if you would like to join.

– Out Now –
Bear – Julia Phillips
A Novel Summer – Jamie Brenner
The Goodbye Process – Mary Jones

– “I’ll Have What You’re Reading” with Booktuber Shawn Breathes Books –
BookTuber Shawn Breathes Books joins us to celebrate Jenny Colvin and “I’ll Have What You’re Reading,” the memorial buddy read we jointly hosted. Subscribe to Shawn’s BookTube channel here. Join the I’ll Have What You’re Reading Goodreads thread.
Watch our discussion of the memorial readalong on Shawn’s channel.

Jenny’s two blogs: Reading Envy &Jenny Bakes

“Sweetgrass is Around Her” by Salli M. Kawennotakie Benedict from the collection When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry edited by Joy Harjo.

Shawn read Music & Silence by Rose Tremain.
Emily read This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel.
Chris read Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean by Jonathan White.

Listen to Jenny Colvin read the poem “My Religion is the Sea” by Adebe DeRango-Adem.

Chris and Emily read the short story “Train” by Alice Munro. Soon after an essay was published by Alice’s daughter Andrea Robin Skinner revealing sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather. We discuss how it has impacted us as readers. You can watch Shawn’s video where he shares his reaction.

– Also Mentioned –
Mary, Queen of Scots starring Vanessa Redgrave
Camelot starring Vanessa Redgrave
In the Gloaming starring Glenn Close
The Birds directed by Alfred Hitchcock
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price
The Omega Man starring Charleton Heston
I Am Legend starring Will Smith
The Last Man by Mary Shelley
Also by Daphne du Maurier: Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel
John Steinbeck Books: Travels with Charley, The Grapes of Wrath, and In Dubious Battle
Cape Henlopen ferry
Author James Benn
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Litsy
The Gustav Sonata by Rose Tremain
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer

Help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:
Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link and use promo code: bookcougars
Shop on Bookshop.org – support the Book Cougars and independent bookstores!

If you’d like to help financially support the Book Cougars, please consider becoming a Patreon member. If you would prefer to donate directly, email for instructions.

Join our Goodreads Group!

Check out our BookTube Channel and be sure to subscribe!

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Episode 211 - Deep Dive Into Summer Reading

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Episode 211 Show Notes

– Currently Reading –  
Instructions for a Heatwave – Maggie O’ Farrell (EF)
The Women’s Room – Marilyn French (CW)
Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story – Rachel Louise Martin (EF) (audiobook)
Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean – Jonathan White (CW)(audiobook)
Jenny Colvin’s Tides YouTube playlist.

– Just Read –
Pearce Oysters – Joselyn Takacs (EF)
The Guncle – Steven Rowley (CW)
Arsenic and Adobo – Mia P. Manansala (EF)
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition by the American Psychological Association (CW)
MLA Handbook, 9th edition by The Modern Language Association of America (CW)
Love and Hot Chicken: A Delicious Southern Novel – Mary Liza Hartong (EF)
Dive! The Story of Breathing Underwater – Chris Gall (CW)

Emily read two short stories:
“Idle Hands” from the collection Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima
“Why Won’t You Die?” from the collection Someplace Generous: An Inclusive Romance Anthology edited by Elaina Ellis and Amber Flame. (audiobook)

Chris read a short story for the Willa Cather short story project, “Her Boss” from the collection Uncle Valentine and Other Stories: Willa Cather’s Uncollected Short Fiction, 1915-1929 edited by Bernice Slote. Learn more about the project here.

The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Romance – Robin Bradford (CW)(EF)

– Biblio Adventures –
Chris and Emily went on a joint jaunt to the Lyme Arts Association where they enjoyed the Young Artists Exhibition: Hope is the Thing with Feathers featuring kids ages 5-18 reacting to Emily Dickinson’s poem. Then they had lunch at Haring’s on the shoreline in Noank, found a little free library at Noank Park, and then took a browse at Bank Square Books in Mystic.

Emily went to RJ Julia’s Booksellers in Madiosn, CT to see Ann Leary talk about her new essay collection I’ve Tried Being Nice. Read her Modern Love Piece in the NY Times.

Chris attended a virtual panel discussion of New Seeds of Contemplation by the North Central Connecticut Chapter of The International Thomas Merton Society.

Emily found a new little free library built into a tree stump.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
On July 17at 6:30 pm (ET), J. Courtney Sullivan will be in conversation with Amy Bloom about her new novel The Cliffs at RJ Julia Booksellers.

July 10-14 Chris will be attending a portion of the Annual Gathering of the Thoreau Society. 

– Upcoming Reads –
Fellowship Point – Alice Elliot Dark (CW)(EF)
Join the buddy read conversation on Goodreads.
The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us – Rachelle Bergstein (CW) release date 7/16/2024
The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia – Juliet Grames (EF)

– 3rd Quarter Readalong –
Envy by Sandra Brown is the book we have chosen for third quarter in a our year of reading Romance. Have you downloaded the Romance Bingo Card?

Join the online conversation on Goodreads.

– Also Mentioned –
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’ Farrell
Old Crimes: And Other Stories by Jill McCorkle|
That Old Ace in the Hole by Annie Proulx
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Silas Mariner by George Eliot
The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Woman in the Nineteenth Century by Margaret Fuller
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
Pride & Preston Lin by Christina Hwang Dudley
Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton

Help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:
Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link and use promo code: bookcougars
Shop on Bookshop.org – support the Book Cougars and independent bookstores!

If you’d like to help financially support the Book Cougars, please consider becoming a Patreon member. If you would prefer to donate directly, email for instructions.
Join our Goodreads Group!
Check out our BookTube Channel and be sure to subscribe!
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.