Readers, listeners, and friends, we have a big milestone rapidly approaching here at Modern Mrs Darcy and What Should I Read Next HQ: next Tuesday we’ll hit “publish” on our 400th episode! I announced our first episode right here, and in it I share how instrumental this blog was in the podcast’s creation: What Should I Read Next evolved out of the literary matchmaking series that used to run here on Modern Mrs Darcy.
What Should I Read Next is a top-rated literary podcast that takes a personalized approach to the reading life as we seek to help readers find bookish delight beyond the bestseller list. The show is built on the idea that reading is personal: we don’t all love the same books! In all these years, the foundational format and structure of our approach hasn’t changed: in most episodes, a guest tells me three books they love, one book they don’t, and what they’re reading now, and I recommend three titles they should read next.
Now, nearly eight years later, we’ve shared literally thousands of book recommendations and countless hours of book talk with all kinds of readers. Our guests are always people who love to read. The majority of our guests are “regular” readers, as our listeners have come to call them. These readers aren’t literary professionals or well-known in the reading world; they visit the show to learn more about themselves and their reading life, and they do that by getting into the nitty-gritty of what they love (and don’t) with me, knowing our audience will get to listen in to the whole conversation when it airs.
But sometimes our guests are authors who write the books we love to read; sometimes they’re even the authors of your very favorite books! They come on to talk about their process, to give us a glimpse of their own reading lives, and to lend their expertise as they help me recommend books on a certain topic or theme to our listeners.
As our 400th episode approaches, we thought this would be a fun time to gather some of our favorite fiction and nonfiction authors who have lent their voices to What Should I Read Next over the years. 400 episodes is a whole lot of episodes; this is by no means a complete list of our guest authors. But it nicely represents the wide variety of authors and books we’ve featured over the years here on the show.
10 fiction authors who appeared on the What Should I Read Next podcast
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The Lost Book of the Grail
This literary mystery invites readers to tag along on a scavenger hunt to chase down an ancient relic. Arthur is a staid and steady—perhaps a trifle boring?—old-school Brit; Bethany is a techie American who's come to his English library to digitize his beloved ancient manuscripts. Arthur's smitten, yet quite concerned—will she interfere with his personal quest for the Grail? Books, romance, and literary high jinx—what's not to love? This book is perfect for readers who love a page-turning puzzle, minus the murder and violence of many crime-driven mysteries. I couldn't put it down because I was equally delighted with the literary references and wanting to know what would happen next. Audiobook fans: I’m a sucker for a British accent, and Charles Armstrong’s here is impeccable. I did an event with Charlie at Bookmarks NC in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and our conversation was so great, we had to share it with everyone in WSIRN Episode 208: The underappreciated art of literary forgery. More info →
We Were the Lucky Ones
When Georgia Hunter started getting curious about her family history, a few questions put to the right relatives uncovered something she didn’t expect: a sweeping multi-generational drama just begging to be written down—and so she did. Told over the span of six years, the story follows the Jewish Kurc family as they face exile, escape death, and struggle to survive during WWII. While the war scatters the siblings across the globe, they never give up the hope of one day being reunited. To hear more about Hunter's writing experience, listen to WSIRN Episode 157: The stories behind the stories we love to read. More info →
Big Summer
I found this book to be a delightful, engrossing, just-the-right-amount-of-zany surprise. Our heroine is Daphne Berg, a popular plus-size fashion influencer. Daphne's hard-earned equilibrium is rattled when her old frenemy Drue surfaces after a 7-year absence, begging Daphne to lend her platform and presence to Drue's high-society wedding to a reality tv star. Daphne's instincts say no, but she’s never been able to resist her charming friend. Soon enough, she's at a million-dollar affair on Cape Cod, learning the troubled bride she's attending engineered the whole event with social media in mind—right down to the brand sponsorships Drue sold for big bucks. And that's when things really take a turn for the worse. A fun and fresh tale of female friendship, family secrets, influencer culture, and love. I talked with Weiner about her writing and research process plus all things summer reading in WSIRN Episode 234: The recipe for a delicious summer read. More info →
We Are Not Like Them
In this collaboration between Summer Reading Guide author Jo Piazza (The Knockoff) and veteran book editor and Cup of Jo columnist Christine Pride, a longtime friendship between a white woman and a Black Journalist is threatened by tragedy. While the inciting incident in this timely read is a police shooting, the real anchor of the story is the strong female friendship between two well-developed characters. Listen to WSIRN Episode 302: Books you can believe in to hear Jo and Christine talk more about cowriting this book and their own reading lives. More info →
Book Lovers
This Ephron-inspired love story is a heartwarming love letter to readers, and a moving exploration of family, ambition, love, and belonging. Successful literary agent Nora Stephens’s colleagues call her the Shark, but Nora doesn’t care. She's (mostly) at peace with who she is, plus she’s proud of fighting for her clients—even if that same fierceness has always spelled disaster for her love life. When her beloved sister Libby persuades her to take a sisters’ trip to the too-cute-to-be-real hamlet of Sunshine Falls, Nora is gobsmacked to encounter her professional nemesis Charlie Lastra, a famously grumpy and inconveniently handsome editor. Soon the sparks are flying—and Nora has to keep reminding herself she hates his guts, lest she succumb to their undeniable chemistry. (Open door.) Listen to WSIRN Episode 332: Beach Reads for Book Lovers to hear about Henry’s writing process and her fabulous book recommendations. More info →
Thank You for Listening
Two audiobook narrators find love in this meta take on contemporary publishing—and of course we get into allll the details in this episode. Romance enthusiasts always roll their eyes when critical readers mock the “predictability” of the genre. In her long-anticipated sophomore novel, Whelan has a ball skewering the tired objections of romance skeptics as she takes us deep into the world of the field she knows so well. Actress-turned-narrator Sewanee is still recovering from a terrible accident that scarred her inside and out when she’s cast alongside the sexy and secretive Brock McKnight in a coveted project. Whelan clearly enjoys playing with the genre’s familiar tropes—snowed in, just one night, mistaken identity. With wittily named chapter titles (don’t miss them!) and great supporting characters, this romance shows our heroine forgiving herself and finding true love. (Open door.) Don’t miss my conversation with Julia Whelan in WSIRN Episode 340: The secret life of an audiobook narrator about the ins and outs of audiobook narration and how that inspired her book. More info →
The Last Last-Day-Of-Summer: A Legendary Alston Boys Adventure
Meet 11-year-old cousins Otto and Sheed, local sleuths who come to the rescue of their Virginia town time and again. Summer is starting to wind down—and the specter of the first day of school looms—when Mr. Flux uses his magic camera to freeze time. It’s one thing to wish summer would last longer, it’s quite another when time stands still and no one in town can move. You won’t be able to stop yourself from rooting for the Legendary Alston Boys as they use their wits and enlist the help of their rivals in order to save their town once more. If you enjoy this book, check out the rest of the trilogy! Listen to Lamar Giles discuss his work on What Should I Read Next Episode 186: Finding the book that feels like it was written just for you. More info →
The Violin Conspiracy
This fine arts thriller begins with a bang: Ray McMillian may be the most talented young musician in the world. Two weeks before the most important competition of his life, he opens his violin case after getting off a flight and discovers his $10 million dollar Stradivarius is gone—replaced by a white Chuck Taylor and a ransom note. I was hooked! Slocumb then takes us back in time to show us how Ray, a young Black man from North Carolina who doesn't have the family wealth or privilege so many of his classical music peers do, fell in love with both music and his great-great grandfather's fiddle, and came to devote his life to winning the Tschaikovsky Competition—and how he came to own a $10 million Strad! We also experience many painful and heart-pounding instances of the racism Ray experiences as a Black man moving through a space that's predominantly white—and how his Blackness is used against him by those who wish to claim his violin as their own. I loved this, and JD Jackson's narration was the icing on the cake. We shared our MMD Book Club conversation with the author in WSIRN Episode 366: Great books spur great conversations. More info →
Still Life (Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries, No. 1)
Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache mystery series has garnered many dedicated fans over the course of eighteen novels (and counting). The first installment introduces Gamache as he investigates a murder in the small town of Three Pines, Quebec. Three Pines is the kind of place where people don’t even lock their doors, but serene small town life is disrupted when a beloved local woman is found in the woods with an arrow shot through her heart. The locals believe it must be a hunting accident, but the police inspector senses something is off. The story is constructed as a classic whodunit but it feels like anything but, with its deliberate pacing, dry wit, and lyrical writing. Readers, take note: these mysteries are meant to be read in order. I had the great pleasure of talking to Louise Penny in WSIRN Episode 357: Welcome to Three Pines. More info →
Flora & Ulysses
It's hard to go wrong with any Kate DiCamillo book; this Newbery Award winner is a good place to start. Flora is a girl addicted to the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!; Ulysses is the squirrel who needs saving. Endearing, insightful, and laugh-out-loud funny. Don't miss WSIRN Episode 213: Art, fear, and discovering great books, with the delightful DiCamillo herself. More info →
10 nonfiction authors who appeared on the What Should I Read Next podcast
The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too)
You know I love a good personality book, right? Rubin is best known for her work researching habits and happiness, which you may have read all about in books like The Happiness Project and Better Than Before. In the course of that research, she noticed that different people had drastically different responses to the question "How do I respond to expectations?" She compiled what she learned about how people fit into one of Four Tendencies based on how they respond to inner and outer expectations. (Upholder, right here, but you may be a Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel). Gretchen Rubin has appeared on WSIRN twice: Episode 52: There's nothing better than a great book and Episode 102: A new way to think about fictional characters. More info →
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
Reading 1000 books may sound daunting at first, but Mustich’s enthusiasm for every title in this volume is contagious. This fun doorstop of a collection (and I say "doorstop" with affection) includes titles I expected (all six Austen novels) and titles I didn't (Make Way for Ducklings, Into Thin Air, The Hunt for Red October). The book also includes numerous shorter reading lists, thorough indexes, and a checklist so you can see how many on the list you have read. Jim joined us on WSIRN Episode 165: 1000 Books to read before you die, where he gave ME three book recommendations. He returned in Episode 313: Books that stand the test of time to discuss the struggle of choosing what to read next when we’re faced with the challenge of so many books and so little time. More info →
I Miss You When I Blink: Essays
In her entertaining essay collection, Philpott shares real, relatable stories that feel highly personal yet manage to encompass the universal experience of managing a life that, at times, grows unwieldy. The situations she writes of will be familiar to many readers; after all, we’ve lived them ourselves. But she articulates her own experience in a way that makes you see it again, for the first time—and for that, I am grateful. Funny and poignant, smart and witty. Mary Laura Philpott talked about her favorite memoirs and what it's like to work at Parnassus Books in Nashville in WSIRN Episode 195: Wanted: book enthusiast at large. More info →
Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation
I’m just a touch old to fall under Petersen’s definition of the millennial generation, yet I found myself nodding along to every chapter as Petersen explained how my and my peers’ personal life experience slot neatly into cultural and economic trends. Her biggest topics are our childhoods, our college experience and the implicit (and explicit) promises it had for our future, and why work is so awful for so many these days—all set against the backdrop of the economic realities of the last 40 years in the United States. I closed this book feeling understood, and like I better understand the world I’m living in. Petersen notes that she completed her final edits on this book while COVID-19 was just beginning its spread, and I appreciated her thoughts on how the pandemic subtly shifts the lens through which readers will engage with the ideas presented here. Petersen shared advice and hope for readers who feel stuck in burnout in WSIRN Episode 284: I need an irresistible read this summer. More info →
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
This utterly delightful graphic memoir is the story of Knisley's coming of age in the kitchen, surrounded by good food and people who love it, and love her. I don't read many graphic memoirs, but this one feels as though it was tailor-made for me, combining so many elements I love: a family story, cooking and craft, New York City, finding your way, and good food. Because we've visited some of the places that appear in the book, my whole family enjoyed passing this around the dining room table, enjoying the stories together. Knisley shared her enthusiasm for comics, graphic novels, and what those terms even mean in WSIRN Episode 270: When you NEED a season of low-stress reading. More info →
Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.
Wise, warm, and relatable, this is the perfect read for anyone interested in exploring how to use their words to deepen their relationships. I read it fast because I wanted to read the story of it, but the themes and questions have lingered. I still think regularly of Laura's stories about her family, and the message she once received about a certain blue car. Laura Tremaine is great about helping people reflect about what they want from their life, as you’ll see in WSIRN Episode 265: 10 questions to ask yourself about your reading life. More info →
Congratulations, The Best Is Over!: Essays
If I wasn’t already an R. Eric Thomas fan for life, this collection would have clinched it: I’m not sure I have words for what it meant to me. In his sophomore book of essays, the Here for It author tells hilarious, moving, and deeply insightful tales of love, adult friendship, family, and marriage, and also therapy, Zoom funerals, working alone, COVID isolation, middle age, and his home city of Baltimore. There’s no weak link in this collection: every story feels immediate, intimate, and real. I’ve thought of “Break Room Cake Communion” and “Jericho” nearly every day since reading them. I can’t stop talking about this book. It was a joy to talk with Eric in WSIRN Episode 392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs. More info →
Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters
In a niche already overflowing with guidance, Laura Vanderkam stands out as one of the field's most astute writers. She continues to offer surprising and valuable insights about making the most of our precious and limited time. I've greatly benefited from Laura's work over the years, and I’m so excited to implement the simple and practical nine-point framework she presents here. To hear more about Vanderkam’s framework for this book, listen to WSIRN Episode 359: Making big reading goals a reality. More info →
Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time
If you’ve been a blog reader for a while, you may know that my particular nerdy niche is urban planning. I love reading about how seemingly simple infrastructure like sidewalks, city parks, and even intersections affect our daily lives in big ways. This is one of my go-to urban planning recommendations. Speck is a bit of a contrarian: at its heart, the book isn't about walking at all. Instead, he aims to show how we can deliberately plan urban spaces to be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting. At a deeper level, this book reveals how our spaces shape our behavior, whether or not we're aware of it. Pragmatic, relevant, and completely fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Jeff in WSIRN Episode 372: Books that change the way you see your city and the world. More info →
The End of Your Life Book Club
When the author’s mother begins treatment for pancreatic cancer, they start a two-person book club so they’ll have something to discuss while they’re in the hospital waiting room. They've always enjoyed talking about books together and this gives them a chance to read as many of the books they've been meaning to read as they can. They have meaningful conversations as they learn more about each other through the lens of books and reading. Schwalbe shared about why he believes if we all asked the question “what are you reading” more often, it could change the world in WSIRN Episode 184: You’ll never conquer your TBR—and that’s a good thingMore info →
Do you have a favorite author appearance on WSIRN? Please tell us all about it in the comments section!
P.S. 15 of the most recommended books from 200 episodes of What Should I Read Next?
6 comments
I’ve read quite a few of these titles thanks to the podcast or book club. So many good ones. I can’t imagine my reading life without Louise Penny, but I have to say I think my favorite is 1000 Books to Read before You Die. Anytime I am about to embark on a selection I think is probably covered, I love to see what he has to say about it. And I really love coming back to check it off in the back!
I love this book list. I’m hoping it will move some of these titles to the top of my TBR. And I especially love your book in the feature pic! I took a page folding class at my local library earlier this year. I just finished one of a bride and groom for a wedding gift.
Take My Hand & the Million dollar boy should be on this list too
The two episodes with Jim Mustich & “A Thousand Books to Read Before You Die” – what a total pleasure to listen to that discussion! Some of the best books I’ve read have come from that book & interview. “The Ride of Her Life” is one of them, would never have heard of it if not for this book. Thanks so much for having a podcast that is fun, but a cut above in quality!
My favorite episode was with Kathleen Grissom, author of The Kitchen House. I often give it a relisten.
I just happened upon “The Favor” by Adele Griffin in my local library.
Subject is female friendship, surrogacy, vintage clothing set in New York City. I loved it! Engaging, clever and interesting twists…
I hope you read it!!!