Currently Reading – Season 8, Episode 12

Reading Mishaps + Travels and Book Buying
Hosts: Meredith Monday Schwartz & Kaytee Cobb
Date: October 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This engaging episode explores the humorous pitfalls of reading mishaps and offers a wealth of insights for the bookish traveler on buying books while on the road. Meredith and Kaytee reflect on book confusion blunders, the joys and logistics of bookstore visits during travels, and share both personal and poignant moments regarding how life and reading intersect. A rich trove of book recommendations, travel tips, and heartfelt dialogue await.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Bookish Moments of the Week: Reading Mishaps

[01:25–07:19]

• Kaytee’s Confession:
  Kaytee confesses to inadvertently reading a sequel from the wrong "black mermaid" series, mixing up the authors Natasha Bowen ("Soul of the Deep") and Gabby Burton ("Sing Me to Sleep"):

  • "I got about 75% of the way through this book, and I realized I still haven't made the connections to the plot and characters of the first book...this was the second book in a series, but not the series I read." – Kaytee [03:04]
  • Takeaway: Even seasoned readers make mistakes, and it's OK to laugh at ourselves.

• Meredith’s Technology Mishap:

  • Listening to "City of Ghosts" (V.E. Schwab) on Spotify, Meredith discovers—midway—that she's hearing the book in shuffled order due to Spotify treating it as an "album" and shuffling the tracks.
  • "It was shuffling...so like, I could get enough into it that I didn't really notice until all of a sudden I was somewhere completely different in the book. It was very unsettling." – Meredith [05:26]

• Shared Reflections:
  These stories lead to a larger reflection on the potential pitfalls of digital reading and listening, and the general theme: Listen and read responsibly.

Current Reads

[07:51–38:33]

Kaytee’s Picks:

1. A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett [07:51]

   • Victorian era, secret society of female scientists, romance and espionage. Smart, driven women navigate society’s expectations.
   • "These women are smart and driven and science minded...this one was funny and sweet." – Kaytee [10:06]

2. Raceless by Georgina Lawton [16:59]

   • A memoir about racial identity, family secrets, and the author’s journey to find her place as a Black woman raised in a white family.
   • "Georgina decides to flee England and starts living in black communities all around the world...she intersperses those personal experiences with interviews with psychologists and sociologists." – Kaytee [18:05]

3. The In Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill [29:01]

   • A light, hopeful novel about a trans man returning to his hometown, time travel elements, and healing relationships.
   • "He’s floundering a bit in the beginning...but these are some roadblocks that he’s hit along the way." – Kaytee [30:35]

Meredith’s Picks:

1. The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline [11:16]

   • Psychological thriller set between Philadelphia and Tuscany, blending mystery, grief, and Italian atmosphere.
   • "Scottoline doesn't just tell you about Tuscany. She's putting you there. You can practically taste the ribollita and feel the warm Italian sun on your face." – Meredith [15:35]

2. The Places That Scare You by Pema Chödrön [20:03]

   • Buddhist-guided nonfiction about softening into discomfort and embracing moments of fear as invitations to compassion.
   • "If you need concrete action steps and quick fixes, this book might frustrate you...But if you find yourself forced to sit with discomfort...this book just might change how you move through the world." – Meredith [23:39]

3. Royal Gambit by Daniel O’Malley [31:47]

   • A romp through a supernatural British agency, witty and inventive, featuring a protagonist who can shatter bones and is embroiled with the royal family.
   • "Every single paragraph had me hooked…That’s what Daniel O’Malley delivers here." – Meredith [32:53]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Listen responsibly. Read responsibly. We don't know what's going on." – Kaytee [07:14]

• "Our reading affects our life, and our life affects our reading. This book came alongside me..." – Meredith [28:05], reflecting on how books like "The Places That Scare You" have been lifelines in tough marital times.

• "Sometimes marriages need to end, and sometimes there's enough to save, and every relationship is different. But middle marriage is hard." – Meredith [26:34]

• "If you knock a book over, you have to buy it. That's the bookish energy trying to find you, tapping you on the shoulder." – Meredith [55:32]

Deep Dive: Buying Books While Traveling

Tips, Tricks, and Reflections [38:33–58:56]

Research & Planning:

• Use platforms like TikTok for bookstore recommendations in the area.
• Leverage indie bookstore lists for road trips; use Google Maps to create shared itineraries – helps visualize bookstore density and cluster visits.

Space & Book Transport:

• Overseas: Shipping books home is increasingly costly; checking an extra bag is often cheaper ("book mule" strategy—enlist traveling companions' luggage capacity!).
  • "It was so much cheaper for me to check an extra bag...than it ever would have been [to ship]..." – Meredith [45:25]
• Road trips: Books still consume surprising amounts of space; creative packing (Jenga with books/clothes, use of coolers, seat spaces) is key.

Book Selection Strategy:

• Prioritize unique finds:
  • Local authors, special editions, UK covers, signed copies, discoverability (books not available at home).
• Balance special purchases with practicalities (paperbacks over hardcovers for space/weight).
• Commune with books in-store—read, touch, get a vibe, discuss with fellow browsers.
  • "I turn into a different beast entirely...I will shuffle them through my hands...get a vibe check on it..." – Kaytee [52:54]

Memorabilia & Memories:

• Request store bookmarks for every book—keeps the memory of the trip alive.
• Post-its inside books recording purchase date and store.
  • "Put a Post-it that says the month and year...try to make a note about the store." – Meredith [56:01]

Rules:

• Set personal limits (e.g., no more tote bags, opt for paperbacks).
  • "Tote bags are a problem that I have..." – Meredith [57:43]

Notable Bookstores Referenced

• Topping & Co. (Edinburgh): Beloved for its shelving, ambiance, and ladders.
• Cecil Court & Waterstones (London): Bookstore-rich area highlighted in travel planning.

Emotional & Real Conversation

• Both hosts share candidly about marital struggles, emphasizing the reality of "middle marriage" and the value of reading as comfort and self-reflection [25:31–28:54].
  • "You never know what people are going through...Middle marriage is hard. It's hard." – Meredith [25:32]
  • "Even now, on the other side of the entire process...I'm still so grateful for what came of that long relationship..." – Kaytee [26:34]

The Fountain: Bookish Wishes

[59:25–61:39]

• Kaytee’s Wish: For a weather-based excuse note to allow a guilt-free reading day at home.

  • "I’d like to open my weather app and have it just write me an excuse note...Katie is required to sit on the couch with a hot beverage all day long." – Kaytee [59:25]

• Meredith’s Wish: For listeners to prioritize visiting a bookstore they've never been to before, near or far, to rediscover book discovery magic.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:25] – Kaytee’s true confession (series mishap).
• [03:28] – Meredith’s audiobook shuffle debacle.
• [07:51] – Current reads: A Lady's Formula for Love.
• [11:16] – The Unraveling of Julia.
• [16:59] – Raceless.
• [20:03] – The Places That Scare You and discussion of marital challenges.
• [29:01] – The In Between Bookstore.
• [31:47] – Royal Gambit.
• [38:33] – Deep Dive: Buying books when traveling.
• [45:21] – Strategies for shipping / transporting books.
• [50:31] – Deciding what to buy while traveling.
• [53:44] – Bookstore vibes and interacting with books in person.
• [56:01] – How to remember the origin of travel book buys.
• [57:43] – Merchandise and rule setting (tote bags).
• [59:25] – Wishes at the Fountain.

Final Thoughts

This episode is an affectionate ode to both the perils and pleasures of the reading life, as well as the rituals and logistics of book buying as part of travel. Laughter, vulnerability, and plenty of actionable advice await listeners—alongside a cascade of book recommendations for every taste.

Happy Reading!