Episode 533 || Shop Dad Recommends

Summary

From the Front Porch: Episode 533 || Shop Dad Recommends

From the Front Porch is a weekly conversational podcast produced by The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. Hosted by Annie Jones, this episode features a special guest appearance by Chris Butterworth's literal father, affectionately known as "Shop Dad." In Episode 533, released on June 12, 2025, Annie and Shop Dad delve into a curated list of book recommendations tailored for dads and father figures, offering a blend of fiction, nonfiction, historical accounts, and personal memoirs.

---

1. Introduction to the Episode

Annie Jones welcomes listeners and introduces Shop Dad as a long-time participant in The Bookshelf's shelf subscription program. She emphasizes the importance of listener reviews and transitions into the main discussion focused on Shop Dad's favorite reads and recommendations suitable for Father's Day gifts.

---

2. Evolution of the Shelf Subscription Program

Chris Butterworth explains recent changes to The Bookshelf’s shelf subscription program:

"We've changed that at the Bookshelf this year. Now we have what is called our revolving shelf subscription, where you pick a book, mom picks a book. Nancy, Erin, and you guys rotate."
(03:17)

This modification aims to accommodate both local and long-distance customers, ensuring a diverse selection without overburdening participants.

Shop Dad reflects on his experience:

"I'm able to pick some of my own preferences in reading. So I've kind of enjoyed being off of the monthly assignment list."
(04:29)

This flexibility allows Shop Dad to explore a wider array of genres and topics, enhancing his reading experience.

---

3. Book Recommendations

a. The Instrumentalists by Harriet Constable

Shop Dad introduces this debut novel inspired by real events in 18th-century Italy, focusing on Anna Maria, a child prodigy in classical music navigating life in an orphanage.

"She ultimately finds out from whom she came and that her ambitions can be as devastating as they can be rewarding."
(08:17)

The book delves into themes of jealousy, mentorship, and the challenges of maintaining one's place in a prestigious orchestra.

b. The Garden Against Time by Olivia Lange

This nonfiction work chronicles Lange's restoration of an English garden, intertwining personal narratives with historical insights into British gardening traditions.

"As I read in this book, the more engaged I became. And when I finished, I was really longing for more."
(13:15)

Shop Dad appreciates the book's exploration of garden maintenance, historical controversies, and the lifecycle of gardens, making it a perfect summertime read.

c. Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor

A mystery novel set in 1965 Vermont, it follows State Police Officer Franklin Warren investigating the murder of a local farmer while grappling with his own personal grief.

"It's not just maybe your run of the mill whodunnit. Instead, it's also dealing with small town life."
(17:23)

The book is praised for its intricate plot and emotional depth, making it suitable for fans of character-driven mysteries.

d. Bandit Heaven by Tom Clavin

A nonfiction account of late 19th-century bandits and cattle rustlers in the American West, featuring figures like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

"This would be a very good dad's book. Dad's Day gift."
(21:15)

Shop Dad recommends it for its detailed exploration of outlaw hideouts and the impact of technological advancements like the telegraph on law enforcement.

e. The Lynx Land by Michael Bamberger

A 30th-anniversary edition recounting Bamberger's year-long honeymoon in Scotland, funded by his work as a caddy on the professional golf tour.

"The layouts are different. They're very much coastal type courses."
(31:45)

The book appeals to golf enthusiasts and those interested in travel narratives and historical descriptions of Scottish golf courses.

f. John Lewis by David Greenberg

A biography detailing the life of Congressman John Lewis, highlighting his role in the Civil Rights Movement and his enduring legacy.

"His tagline or the thing that he said was like, get into good trouble."
(35:13)

Shop Dad underscores the book’s significance in understanding contemporary civil rights struggles and Lewis's personal sacrifices.

g. The Barn by Wright Thompson

This nonfiction work explores the infamous Emmett Till murder site in the Mississippi Delta, intertwining local history with personal discovery.

"There was so much deception and lying that kept the perpetrators from being caught."
(38:44)

The book is commended for its thorough investigation and poignant portrayal of racial tensions in the American South.

h. Munich by David Peace

A novel reimagining the 1958 Munich air disaster that claimed the lives of several Manchester United football team members.

"This was a very, very good reading."
(43:24)

Shop Dad draws parallels between the fictional tragedy in the book and the real-life Marshall University plane crash, highlighting the emotional resonance of sports disasters.

i. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Though not detailed extensively in the transcript, Shop Dad briefly mentions this beloved novel known for its heartwarming narrative and relatable protagonist.

"This is going to read this one. I like Fredrik Backman a lot."
(45:16)

j. Making of Manhattan by Russell Shorto

A historical account of how Manhattan was developed, offering readers an in-depth look into the urban transformation of one of the world's most iconic cities.

---

4. Personal Reflections and Anecdotes

Throughout the episode, Shop Dad shares personal stories that connect him to the books he recommends. For instance, he reminisces about his childhood accordion lessons, highlighting his eclectic taste in music and literature.

"I was a child, basically. But, yeah, the thing in central Florida when I was growing up was to play the accordion."
(09:44)

He also discusses the emotional impact of reading about the Civil Rights Movement and how it parallels his upbringing in the South.

---

5. Highlighting Shop Dad’s Own Book: Ordinary Time

In a heartfelt moment, Shop Dad introduces his own book, Ordinary Time, which delves into his spiritual journey and family experiences. He expresses gratitude for the support from his family and listeners.

"Lib, and I both shed tears reading some of it... I'm very proud that you were able to get that first book done."
(24:33)

The book has achieved notable success, being ranked in the top 10 of Harper One's new releases, reflecting its positive reception.

---

6. Enhancing Community Engagement

Annie and Shop Dad encourage listeners to engage with The Bookshelf’s offerings, particularly the revolving shelf subscription program, which features selections from various staff members. They highlight the convenience of purchasing books online and the personalized touch of having multiple curators contribute to the selection.

"Your reads have their own home. Bookshelfthomasville.com forward/collections. Shop dad reads."
(46:37)

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7. Conclusion and Call to Action

The episode concludes with final book recommendations and a reminder for listeners to visit The Bookshelf’s website for more information. Annie emphasizes the value of leaving reviews and supporting the podcast through Patreon, fostering a sense of community among book enthusiasts.

---

Notable Quotes

• Shop Dad on The Instrumentalists:
  "What goes around comes around. Anna Maria ultimately finds out from whom she came."
  (08:17)

• Shop Dad on Agony Hill:
  "Alice always felt slightly uncomfortable at these recitations of the successes of people's offspring."
  (18:09)

• Chris Butterworth on Personal Experience:
  "I have a distinct memory of you reading that book. It doesn't surprise me that you picked it up, but it is hefty."
  (32:39)

• Shop Dad on Munich:
  "This disaster is perhaps the most tragic single blow British sport has ever suffered."
  (43:56)

---

Final Thoughts

Episode 533 of From the Front Porch offers a rich tapestry of book recommendations intertwined with personal narratives and historical insights. Shop Dad's diverse selections provide something for every reader, particularly those seeking meaningful and thought-provoking reads for Father's Day. The episode underscores the importance of community, shared experiences, and the enduring love of books in fostering connections.

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For more information and to explore the books discussed in this episode, visit The Bookshelf’s website at bookshelfthomasville.com. Follow them on Instagram at @bookshelftville for daily updates and join their shelf subscription program for curated reading experiences.

Transcript

[Annie Jones]

Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South.

[Chris Butterworth]

Everything has changed in the past few weeks. The way the girls look at her in the corridor. Now she is wearing the black cotton smock with long sleeves and a square neck, the one that signals that she is a member of the fille, as if she is a king, as if she is something to be admired, as if she is someone at all. Harriet Constable the Instrumentalist Annie I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week I'm chatting with Shop Dad, Literal dad Chris, about his favorite reads and books for your own dads and dad figures. Before we get started, a thank you to everyone who's left reviews for from the Front Porch. Itunes, reviews and ratings are how new listeners can best find out about from the Front Porch and as a result, learn about our indie bookstore too. Here's a recent review Love the podcast and want to road trip to your store? Your podcast has become an auto listen for me. I'm a librarian in Rochester, New York and I love hearing your suggestions and reviews. I enjoyed the recent episode with your dad and have added several of his picks to my TBR list. I lead a book discussion here at the library, purchase adult fiction, and have a library podcast. The Bookshelf team is an inspiration to me. I hope I can take a Southern road trip and visit Thomasville. Being a displaced Southerner, your podcast feels like home. Thank you so very much. If you have not left a review, we would love for you to. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone. Look for from the Front Porch, scroll down until you see, Write a review and then tell us what you think. Your reviews help us spread the word about not only our podcast, but about our brick and mortar business too. Now back to the show. Shop dad, if you've heard that term on this show or in our store, is actually my literal dad, Chris Butterworth. And for the last couple of years, actually last few years, he's been picking books as part of our shelf subscription program. He appeared on the podcast last year in honor of Father's Day. So this year we're continuing the tradition in case you need recommended reads for your own dad. Welcome back to the show.

[Shop Dad]

Good morning. Thank you.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay, so the last time you were here we were talking about shelf subscriptions. There was a Shop dad subscription. We've changed that at the Bookshelf this year. Now we have what is called our revolving shelf subscription, where you pick a book, mom picks a book. Nancy, Erin, and you guys rotate. And I want to know. Well, first of all, you were part of the reason behind that change.

[Shop Dad]

I was? Why?

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, yeah, why do you think?

[Shop Dad]

You're looking at me strangely?

[Chris Butterworth]

With reproach.

[Shop Dad]

With reproach.

[Chris Butterworth]

Because you expressed that you missed getting to read for fun.

[Shop Dad]

Oh, yes, I recall. So you changed all that just for me?

[Chris Butterworth]

Well, that wasn't the only reason. We also wanted to give long distance customers love Aaron. Aaron is their bookseller, essentially. And so we wanted to give Aaron a chance to. To pick shelf subscription selections. But Erin is the mom of four. She is busy. And so we were trying to figure out how can she get added to the mix without having to pick a book every month. Picking a book every month is hard. And Olivia and I, it makes sense. We're 40 hour a week staffers. She's the operations manager, I'm the owner. But for everybody else, it is a big commitment.

[Shop Dad]

Right. And. And I do feel like I'm enjoying some other choices more. I'm able to pick some of my own preferences in reading. So I've kind of enjoyed being off of the monthly assignment list.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. Now it's more like quarterly, and that feels doable. So are you reading a mix of old and new? Are you reading from your shelf at home? How are you pick without me to guide you? How are you picking books for yourself?

[Shop Dad]

I'm lost. Just totally lost. I have no idea where I'm going to go. No, I think as we go through this list for this recording, that we'll find that I'm picking new releases. I'm picking ones that have been out for a while. I'm picking biographies, nonfiction, fiction. My preferences are kind of all over the board, but yeah, I'm going to be showing that I'm reading a wide variety of things.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, I think sometimes that's what. When I got to go on the book tour this spring and I got to go to these different bookstores, one of the things I enjoyed was. It's rare now for me to. And this is gonna. I don't want this to sound arrogant, but I spend so much time around books that it's rare to stumble upon one I haven't heard of or haven't seen or haven't sold. And so it was fun to go to bookstores and find things that I just wanted to read that had nothing to do with the podcast or shelf subscriptions or. Anyway, so I understand that. Okay, so you read pretty eclectically. You read fiction you read nonfiction. So where do you want to start? What book do you want to talk about first?

[Shop Dad]

Well, why don't we start off with the one that you quoted from?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes, because that was an interesting quote. The Instrumentalists.

[Shop Dad]

Yes.

[Chris Butterworth]

I do just wanna say that both of my parents come to these shows to record with. They are the most prepared guests that I ever host. They come here with their literal stack of books. They bring the books as if this is a visual show.

[Shop Dad]

Well, I was gonna hold the book.

[Chris Butterworth]

Up for our viewers, for our YouTube followers.

[Shop Dad]

And so I'm holding it up right now.

[Chris Butterworth]

If only you could see it. It actually has a great cover.

[Shop Dad]

It does.

[Chris Butterworth]

This was a shelf subscription book, wasn't it?

[Shop Dad]

It was a shelf subscription for September of last year.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. All right. So talk about the instrumentalists.

[Shop Dad]

Well, this is the debut novel by an award winning journalist, Harriet Constable. And if it were up to me, this would be a hit for everybody. I'm no keen critic, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read. My Men's Shelf subscribers might have wondered why I would choose such a book.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, men are sometimes weird about reading women. I don't know what that's about.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah, I don't know either. I had a little hard time settling on it, as a matter of fact.

[Chris Butterworth]

You felt devotion to your male followers.

[Shop Dad]

But our male followers and anybody else that was on my list would encounter the protagonist in this story by the name of Anna Maria. And I hope they would enjoy the story of a young girl coming of age in an orphanage and that this orphan is a child prodigy in classical music.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

And playing the violin it's based upon. This story is based upon real people and real events of the 18th century. I think that everybody would find this story fascinating. And people, since this came out in September of last year, probably people who are listening to this have read it, and I hope they found it fascinating and intriguing.

[Chris Butterworth]

I bet some people haven't. I don't know that that's a book that got a ton of buzz. I can't remember now, and I wonder. It might be coming out in paperback soon too.

[Shop Dad]

One of the things that I thought about when I was doing my write up for this shelf subscription book is the quote, what goes around comes around. And you'll find this to be the case with Anna Maria, who ultimately finds out from whom she came. She's in an orphanage. She ultimately finds out from whom she came and that her ambitions can be as devastating as they can be rewarding. Because she eventually becomes the head, the lead musician in this orchestra that's famously part of this orphanage.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, okay.

[Shop Dad]

Which is real.

[Chris Butterworth]

Which was based in real. Okay.

[Shop Dad]

In Italy. But it became. As she accepted that role, she found out that it was much more challenging and she would encounter jealousies from all around her, as well as the person whose place she took her mentor.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, interesting.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah. So it is a really good, good book. Describes the realities inside of an orphanage.

[Chris Butterworth]

And it's set in Italy, I guess. Do you realize you read a lot of books about music? Because think about Brendan Slocum, violin conspiracy. Is that right?

[Shop Dad]

Yep.

[Chris Butterworth]

And you read a lot of historical fiction.

[Shop Dad]

Well, as an accomplished accordionist.

[Chris Butterworth]

That'Ll be a fun surprise for people.

[Shop Dad]

I say that tongue in cheek. But I did take eight years of.

[Chris Butterworth]

Accordion, which is a. Listen, that is a long time.

[Shop Dad]

That was a. And it was a long time ago. I was a child, basically. But, yeah, the thing in central Florida when I was growing up was to play the accordion.

[Chris Butterworth]

Was it really. Was that really a thing or was it just a youth thing?

[Shop Dad]

Well, there was at least 25 of us in all of central Florida that was. Played the accordion out of this one school of music.

[Chris Butterworth]

Now you're all scattered across the country, years of accordion under your belt, playing.

[Shop Dad]

The polkas everywhere we go.

[Chris Butterworth]

Like John Candy in Home Alone or something. Okay, next up. What do you want to talk about next?

[Shop Dad]

Well, let's talk about the Garden Against Time.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. I did help pick this book for you, the Garden Against Time.

[Shop Dad]

Did you really?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, because. Yes. If it's a shelf subscription, who do you think narrowed those down for you?

[Shop Dad]

Sorry. That's right.

[Chris Butterworth]

Who do you think helped? But I was curious about this book because then last year, do you remember this? When we went to Europe, we found the UK version, like the UK cover of this book.

[Shop Dad]

Oh, did you?

[Chris Butterworth]

And we took a picture because the UK covers are often different from the US covers. But this. Look at you. Another lady author.

[Shop Dad]

I was gonna say I'm showing my feminine side.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, I guess.

[Shop Dad]

How do they say that? How do they say that?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. You're so feminist. Yeah.

[Shop Dad]

Anyway, this was a book by Olivia Lange. It was my July of last year shelf subscription. I thought I had some other choices to choose from at that time, but I settled on this one. I thought I was going to go with John Boyne's all the Broken Places, or your Presence is mandatory by Sasha Vasavuk, but I settled on this one because I'm an avicenterian gardener.

[Chris Butterworth]

What is that, pray tell, what is that?

[Shop Dad]

It means beginning.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, okay.

[Shop Dad]

But really, I'M a bit more than a beginner gardener since I am a septuagenarian as well.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes. Look at you. Did you use a thesaurus for all these big words?

[Shop Dad]

I've been doing my own landscaping gardening all of my adult life.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. I would not call you a beginning gardener. Not at all. Now I think you're a hobbyist. Like, it's not like you're a professional, but I definitely think you're more than a beginner. So was this book really about gardening?

[Shop Dad]

Yeah. I took the chance on this that people would like to read about Lange's restoration of an English garden whose roots go back several decades. And along the way she provides insight into some fascinating history about British gardens and some of the interesting characters that were the design architects of well known gardeners in gardens in previous centuries. She even addresses controversy of the gardens of the aristocracies built on the backs of the excluded. And she guides the reader to an understanding of the necessary stages in the life of gardens. So the further I read in this book, the more engaged I became. And when I finished, I was really longing for more.

[Chris Butterworth]

First of all, I love the COVID both the US one and the UK one. And it sounds good and a little bit different from.

[Shop Dad]

Very different from what I usually would read as a nonfiction.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes.

[Shop Dad]

So I was glad I chose this.

[Chris Butterworth]

I'm glad you did too. Something a little unique and would probably make a good summertime read. Because now in the South, I do feel like our gardens are dying in.

[Shop Dad]

The south in the summertime. We are just struggling to keep them alive.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. But if you wish you were going somewhere this summer, which I kind of do, I'm missing that. I'm not traveling like we normally do in the summer. This book sounds like it could transport you to the British gardens, where you might not get to go in real life, but you can go travel through books.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah. Because she describes not only her own garden in this apparently very historic cottage or home that she and her husband bought. And so they were transforming, reviving, if you will, the gardens. Apparently British homes, especially those that are of any size, have large courtyards and they're beautiful.

[Chris Butterworth]

The yards, they're a little. Well, I don't know. Tallahassee has some very natural looking yards, but Great Britain, I do think is known for its gardens. They're beautiful, like English Cottage G. There lots of bright flowers.

[Shop Dad]

And I think when we as Americans look on those gardens too, I haven't done so in person, but through pictures and things, sometimes your first impression is, oh, there's no organization to that.

[Chris Butterworth]

Right.

[Shop Dad]

Americans like.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes.

[Shop Dad]

You know, here it is. Here's this spot for this spot for this. So when you talk about wanting to build an English garden here, you've got to let your mind wander a little bit.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. I think that it would be a fun book to read this time of year. Okay, what's next?

[Shop Dad]

Let's talk about Agony Hill.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

By Sarah Stewart Taylor.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. Agony Hill. That sounds a little dark.

[Shop Dad]

Matter of fact, when I read this for show subscription, I'm not sure how long it had been since I had read a mystery novel for the shelf subscription. But I'm happy to recommend this one because she sets this novel where she resides in Vermont.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, love that. Love New England.

[Shop Dad]

The year is 1965. She has combined events in the United States and in Vermont with her narrative. That makes for interesting reading since I was a teenager during that time. The death in this novel, the death of an eccentric farmer, husband and father must be investigated by a Boston State police officer whose name is Franklin Warren in the book. And he has relocated to Bethany, Vermont, after the tragic murder of his own wife. So he's kind of rebuilding his career. He's kind of settling for something that should be a little bit less stressful, I would think.

[Chris Butterworth]

After Boston. Yeah.

[Shop Dad]

Kind of a rural country setting. He finds rural Vermont to his liking, but he has difficult moments, still grieving from his loss. The author sets the plot very carefully and intriguingly, pairing interesting side stories with some of Bethany's residents with the murder investigation. So she takes you on this journey through this murder investigation with this police officer's grief, also part of the story, and his interaction with townspeople that helps him in some cases recover, but in some cases also presents challenges to his grief story.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. Okay, so it's not just maybe your run of the mill whodunnit.

[Shop Dad]

Right.

[Chris Butterworth]

Instead, it's also dealing with small town life, maybe.

[Shop Dad]

Exactly. But the murder that's trying to be solved takes some very interesting twists. And as it comes out on the other side, it ends up. You end up being very surprised at how this turned out.

[Chris Butterworth]

And I do recall, I remember this book. It's a great length. It's not too long. To me, it was like a. I don't know, it looked like a tight 200, 250.

[Shop Dad]

Right, right. It's not a Don Quixote.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. Yeah. So it felt like, again, because we're talking about this episode's coming out this summer, like a good summer book. If you're looking for a beachside mystery, maybe. And Maybe a new novelist for some folks.

[Shop Dad]

Can I read from a quote?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Shop Dad]

Alice always felt slightly uncomfortable at these recitations of the successes of people's offspring. It seemed to her that the reciter's pride was based entirely on the genetic connection they had with the child. She supposed people felt responsible for their children's accomplishments, though in her experience, they rarely claimed their children's failures.

[Chris Butterworth]

Do you claim my failures?

[Shop Dad]

Do you have any?

[Chris Butterworth]

Wow, that's a great answer. But, yes, I do. Okay, next up. All of these have been shelf subscription selections so far.

[Shop Dad]

They have so far. So the next one will be Bandit Heaven by Tom Clavin.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. I don't remember this one at all.

[Shop Dad]

This was a good book. I really enjoyed this.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, I do remember this cover. Okay.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah, it probably is. You know, I thought that maybe my readers at the time, My shelf subscriptions followers were ready for something lighter when I recommended this in November of last year. This Bandit Heaven is a nonfiction account of the events and real bandits and cattle rustlers of the late 19th century and their western hideouts, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

And that movie about them came out. I was just probably coming out of teenage.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

At times, the reader will wonder how those thieves were so successful as. Because this book describes all their blunders and missteps that could have resulted in capture, but instead, escape and riches were often the result. Eventually, technology is what ended the era with the telegraph and soon to follow the telephone, because then the law enforcement could communicate with each other.

[Chris Butterworth]

Right. You do forget about that.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah. And before that, you know, they were just round up a posse and they'd go after them.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. Like in Lonesome Dove.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah. So oftentimes these bandits, they would get away with it, but the book is as much about their hideouts as it was about the people.

[Chris Butterworth]

So. The places.

[Shop Dad]

The places. And it was quite interesting. But you can see the transition in this from when telegraph was invented and how that really help law enforcement gain, eventually the upper hand.

[Chris Butterworth]

Isn't it funny to watch, even sometimes when we watch true crime documentaries or we read. We might read books set in the 70s or 80s. And then you start to watch how DNA changes or how the institution of the FBI changes things. Because you're right. Because of improved communication or improved technology, databases, things that we take for granted now.

[Shop Dad]

Yes. And some of the things that mom and I watch, we watch British crime dramas, but they're old and so they're. Before DNA. You want to say, well, just.

[Chris Butterworth]

Just test that stuff. Just test that blood. This sounds like what I would call your stereotypical Father's Day book. Like meaning when we at the bookshelf, people come in the week of Father's Day and it's like they have this crazed look in their eye. Desperation. What can I buy my dad? What will my dad like? I think this sounds like a great dad book.

[Shop Dad]

This would be a very good dad's book. Dad's Day gift. As would some of those that we discussed a year ago. Like the bullet swallower would be another one. Cheneville would be another one that would be very good for Dad's Day. But this is more recent and it is a real good read.

[Chris Butterworth]

Hi friends. Hey guys, it's Annie. If you're looking for the perfect companion to our show, check out the Webby Award winning daily podcast Totally Booked with Zibby. It's hosted by my friend and fellow independent bookstore owner Zibby Owens, who's been dubbed New York City's most powerful book fluencer by Vulture. Every weekday on Totally Booked, Zibby sits down with the best and buzziest authors to share work that is truly worth your time. If you're looking for a place to start, I recently stopped by to discuss my new book, Ordinary Time. And I had an amazing time discussing small town life and lit. So follow Totally Booked with Zibby on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now.

[N/A]

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[Shop Dad]

What about Ordinary Time?

[Chris Butterworth]

Listen, I didn't see that on your list, and I wondered.

[Shop Dad]

I thought, you know what? I better slip Ordinary Time in there. I've read it and it was really good.

[Chris Butterworth]

Where did it rank amongst your. Amongst this list. I don't even see it named, but.

[Shop Dad]

I didn't think I was supposed to talk about that.

[Chris Butterworth]

Mom did.

[Shop Dad]

Did she?

[Chris Butterworth]

She did.

[Shop Dad]

Wait a minute. She's after me.

[Chris Butterworth]

She. This was earlier she. When she came on the show in March.

[Shop Dad]

Okay.

[Chris Butterworth]

She loved Ordinary Time.

[Shop Dad]

Okay. Well, I'm slipping it in and very proud of you for it.

[Chris Butterworth]

Thank you. You're gonna claim my accomplishment.

[Shop Dad]

That's right.

[Chris Butterworth]

As your own.

[Shop Dad]

Good reference. Back to the previous quote.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah.

[Shop Dad]

Mom and I both shed tears reading some of it. Certainly laughed in many parts of it, and just so proud that you were able to get that first book done.

[Chris Butterworth]

What was one of your favorite chapters? Did you have any that you really liked?

[Shop Dad]

Unfortunately, there wasn't one completely about me.

[Chris Butterworth]

Next time.

[Shop Dad]

But I think that the essays that recounted, and I think there was more than one of them that recounted the spiritual journey were of particular interest and particularly moving since I think mom and I have made some similar journeys. But the way you describe yours would certainly might be different from the way we describe ours. But they still link up.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes, those were the ones. Somebody asked at one of the bookstore events how family responded to. And I said, one of those faith chapters I sent to you and mom in advance. I did not do that with very many of the essays, but one of them I did. And it wasn't like I was asking for permission, although maybe I was, but I really mostly wanted to know, is this accurate? Do you like. I think I sent it to you guys and I sent it to our really good friends because I knew they would have a similar perspective because they're about our age. And then I wondered, you know, does this feel accurate to y' all? Is this true? It's my perspective, but I wanted it to be as true as possible.

[Shop Dad]

And our response was. We felt like that it was.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes. Yeah. Which I was grateful for.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah.

[Chris Butterworth]

Well, thanks for reading it. I have a copy here for you, actually, because I signed a copy to Mom.

[Shop Dad]

I wondered where mine was.

[Chris Butterworth]

Listen, it's because Mom's name was on the pre order slip. So I thought, well, dad didn't do this. Mom did.

[Shop Dad]

Well, you're right. But I thought she always ordered for me.

[Chris Butterworth]

Well, now we know.

[Shop Dad]

But nonetheless, I do want you to know that I'm going to probably purchase five to 10 copies. Because I want to have some, you.

[Chris Butterworth]

Know, put them in the trunk of.

[Shop Dad]

Your car that I can just pass out to whomever I want to.

[Chris Butterworth]

It reminds me of.

[Shop Dad]

I'm glad my phone number's not out there.

[Chris Butterworth]

That Dad's dad, Papa B is what I called him. But he wrote a book called Back Roads to a Better Life. It was his autobiography, his memoir. And he self published it, Independently published it. And like many local authors I think you and I have interacted with, he kept boxes in his trunk and would pass them out, but he'd also try to sell them. It wasn't like he was just giving them away for free. Sometimes he would. But you can do that for ordinary time.

[Shop Dad]

Looking forward to doing that. I have some people on my list that I think I would just want to give. And then if somebody else were to come up to me and say, hey, where can I get a copy?

[Chris Butterworth]

I can say, oh, well, I've got one. Boy, have I got something for you.

[Shop Dad]

And I can mark it up whatever amount I want to.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, sure. Yeah, upcharge that.

[Shop Dad]

And then I also can say, I think it's safe to say now that we know that it is in the top 10 of the publisher's new releases.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes. That was really exciting. Yeah, that felt like a big deal. Once your book is out there, at least my experience has been, you don't hear much unless it becomes a New York Times bestseller, which it did not. That doesn't mean it won't ever, but probably not. I wrote an essay about that this week, actually, because you dream that it could. But that's a tough designation to get. So anyway, you don't hear a ton from the publisher once it's out into the world, but I did hear that it was in the top 10 of Harper one's. Yeah. Titles, which is exciting. All right. What else have you been reading besides your daughter's work?

[Shop Dad]

Well, why don't we go to something that wasn't on a shelf?

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

Subscription to the Lynx Land is the name of the book.

[Chris Butterworth]

Did I give this to you? Nope.

[Shop Dad]

Nope. I don't think so.

[Chris Butterworth]

Bought it yourself?

[Shop Dad]

I did buy it myself. I don't know, maybe you told me about this. This is an old book.

[Chris Butterworth]

You told me about it. We stocked it because of you.

[Shop Dad]

Okay.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah.

[Shop Dad]

Like this particular one is a 30th anniversary edition. It's been out there a long time. I did not know about it.

[Chris Butterworth]

I think your golf buddies told you about it. I thought so.

[Shop Dad]

I think I told them about it.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, Maybe so.

[Shop Dad]

But anyway, it's a great read. Nonfiction. It is about a golfer who played collegiately here in the United States, I think at one of the Ivy League schools. Michael Bamberger is the author and he was a very good golfer in his own right, but he didn't make it to the professional level. When he and his wife got married, they decided that they were going to spend their honeymoon, a 12 month honeymoon.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, okay.

[Shop Dad]

In, I guess, the Ivy League Scotland.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

And they were going to fund this by him being a caddy on a professional tour and in Europe.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. All right.

[Shop Dad]

And so he became a caddy. And the stories that he tells about now, this also took place, what, 25 years ago. I don't know how long it took for him to write this book, but this is the 30th anniversary edition of it.

[Chris Butterworth]

So this is from really probably more like 40 years or 35 years ago if he. In order to write and publish it.

[Shop Dad]

So, you know, 1980s, so. So he hooked up with a professional golfer. It's just. It's just funny. It's very interesting, the fact that this professional tour in Europe at the time wasn't that lucrative. And of course, he would just get paid off of what his pro that he worked for made. And sometimes that wasn't very much. They traveled about in caddy buses.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

All the caddies just went from tournament to tournament in their.

[Chris Butterworth]

Did his wife join him on those?

[Shop Dad]

She met him up in different places. She settled in some place and got a job.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

But for the early part of it, yeah, she would just tag along.

[Chris Butterworth]

So I might not be super intrigued by the golfing aspect, but the travel log. Ireland. Scotland. I'd be interested in that.

[Shop Dad]

And a description of the courses. That's where the birthplace of golf is in Scotland. And so the description of the courses, how the courses came about to be cut out of wilderness areas and how they maintain them to be what is described as links. Courses are different from courses that originated here.

[Chris Butterworth]

Interesting.

[Shop Dad]

The layouts are different. They're very much coastal type courses. Being a golfer, it was very, very interesting read to me.

[Chris Butterworth]

Sounds like another good Father's Day book.

[Shop Dad]

Indeed. Especially if they're a golfer. To the Lynx Land by Michael Bamberger.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay, what else you got?

[Shop Dad]

Let's go to a biography that I read is.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay, did I do this one as.

[Shop Dad]

Part of a shelf subscription?

[Chris Butterworth]

You did do it as a shelf subscription because poor Aaron and Keila had to package this puppy up and poor Bookshelf had to pay for the shipping.

[Shop Dad]

I did Think about that when I chose it. But I said, I got to read this book about John Lewis, a biography by David Greenberg.

[Chris Butterworth]

And what'd you think? This is the kind of book. I'll say this. Growing up. Do you know what book I forever associate with you reading?

[Shop Dad]

Growing Up?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes, growing up. I have a distinct memory, like if Mom's book was the family manager, that's the book I remember mom reading. There is a book that I remember you reading.

[Shop Dad]

Was it a biography of Ronald Reagan?

[Chris Butterworth]

Nope.

[Shop Dad]

Older.

[Chris Butterworth]

It was a biography, but not of Reagan.

[Shop Dad]

What was it?

[Chris Butterworth]

Truman.

[Shop Dad]

Oh, the Truman biography, I think.

[Chris Butterworth]

By David McCullough.

[Shop Dad]

By David McCullough, yes.

[Chris Butterworth]

I have a very vivid memory of you reading that book. Because it was so big. This is the kind of book that I. It doesn't surprise me that you picked it up, but it is hefty.

[Shop Dad]

I imagine it did cost a little bit to ship.

[Chris Butterworth]

It wasn't cheap. People really got their money's worth that month.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah, a great book. And the life of John Lewis is filled with such challenge and such tragedy. He was personally attacked on many occasions and arrested many, many, many times. Of course, he became a congressman from Georgia. And the description of the fight for civil rights was taking place at the time that I was growing up. I'm ashamed to say that I did not know much about. Of the history of the things that were going on in big and small towns throughout the south, even though I lived in the South.

[Chris Butterworth]

So he was part of that Selma march.

[Shop Dad]

That's right.

[Chris Butterworth]

Is the image I have of him as a young man.

[Shop Dad]

The Pettus Bridge. Yes, he was part of that. And they were beaten by state troopers as they came across that bridge and, you know, trumped up charges like assembling without a permit and things like that. But when they were actually just trying.

[Chris Butterworth]

To be able to vote, what always. And I'm glad you said you came of age during that time. One of the things when mom and I talk about some books that she's read about that history or that I've read about that history, it's just not that long ago. It's really not. And so it is striking and to read details, because we might have a few images from news reports or from videos we've seen, but to dive deep into somebody like John Lewis, what was his. I think his tagline or the thing that he said was like, get into good trouble. I feel like as a congressman, maybe.

[Shop Dad]

That was, let's get into good trouble.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes.

[Shop Dad]

That became part of the mantra of that group of people. That were close to Martin Luther King Jr. Just sacrificing everything for civil rights.

[Chris Butterworth]

I'm glad you read that one. I think it made a lot of best of lists for the end of the year. Cause I think it came out toward the end of the year last year anyway. It was a New York Times bestseller. And that would also be a good Father's Day present.

[Shop Dad]

Yes.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, look, I'm on a roll. You are. Thank you so much.

[Shop Dad]

Go to the bookshelf and get your Father's Day present.

[Chris Butterworth]

That's right. We've got you covered. All right, what's next on your list?

[Shop Dad]

Well, another book that I read that was not on my shelf subscription is the nonfiction entitled the Barn.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes.

[Shop Dad]

By Wright Thompson. Another book that is closely related to civil rights time. And this is where Emmett Till was murdered. And the book is about that barn where it took place. And the author grew up in that area and was very familiar with it, but he, too, even though he was raised in that area, he had no clue about this whole story.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, I read this. I loved it. I think I read it. You read it? Nina read it. I remember reading it and thinking that it would be a chore, not in a bat. I think it's important to read books sometimes that feel like a chore. That's okay. Sometimes books are supposed to be hard and hard for you to grapple with or read through. But actually, this book, it's so much about the history of the Mississippi Delta that at first I thought, I'm going to be bored. I actually wasn't bored. I was very invested. Wright Thompson is a. I did not know this, but he's a sports writer for espn. His last book was Pappyland, which is about Pappy Van Winkle or whatever. What is that called? Pappy? It's some kind of alcohol. Some kind of liquor. I thought whiskey.

[Shop Dad]

Not sure about that.

[Chris Butterworth]

I think so. But anyway, Jordan would like that book. You probably would, too, but. So that's what I knew him from, was from those things. From Pappyland. Pappyland was a bookshelf bestseller one year. But anyway, this book really is all about local history of Mississippi. And I think Wright Thompson, as a white man, kind of realizing that he didn't know things he should know, he should know.

[Shop Dad]

Mom gave me this book for my birthday in October. And thanks for reminding me. Because the history of the Mississippi Delta, he spends quite a bit of time talking about that.

[Chris Butterworth]

He does.

[Shop Dad]

And how that history kind of impacted the region.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes. And that's the thing, is you Feel a little bit. And I talked to Nina about this too. At first, you're a little bit bogged down by the history of the Delta. You're a little bit like, why does this matter? But as any southerner knows, what happens in the land and on the land makes a deep and lasting impact. And so all of the history, you totally see why names matter, why last names are matter anyway, and why then the. Some of Emmett Till's murderers, you know, were kept secret. And anyway, it's a really good book.

[Shop Dad]

Just so much deception and lying.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes.

[Shop Dad]

That kept the perpetrators from.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. Protected them. I loved this book.

[Shop Dad]

I mean, I should ask your aunt what she thought about it, because I remember that she read it, and I would like to. To know what her perspective was.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. That's why I do love when we as a family pass around a book. We did that with the barn a little bit. I think we did it with the women. I don't know if you. Did you read the women about the Vietnam?

[Shop Dad]

No.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. That was me, Nina and Mom.

[Shop Dad]

Mom read that. Yes.

[Chris Butterworth]

It's fun for me because I get Yalls perspective. You know, Nina and mom lived through Vietnam. I mean, you did too, but, like, you live through the civil rights movement, so it's just interesting to get Yalls perspective.

[Shop Dad]

Very sobering book.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes, agreed. Well written. Thought it was great. All right, next up, let's talk about the Munich again.

[Shop Dad]

I'm holding it up for the viewers. This was a great book. It is a novel, a fiction, but it's also based upon true events. This is about the football team in England.

[Chris Butterworth]

So soccer.

[Shop Dad]

So it'll be soccer.

[Chris Butterworth]

Did you hear my disdain? I didn't mean for it to sound so disdainful. So soccer.

[Shop Dad]

Yeah, this was a good book because when I read the promo quote on the back cover of the book, it said, from the acclaimed author a novel of tragedy and renewal about one of the greatest disasters in the history of sports.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, wow.

[Shop Dad]

So I was hooked on that. And so after I got into the first few pages and understood that this novel was the author's reimagining of the 1958 plane crash in Munich, Germany, which took the lives of several. Many of the members of the Manchester United football team. Soccer team. So I. Then I realized, of course, I was embarking on a. An event that I had no knowledge of. But the fact that it was a huge tragedy and affected fans and people all over England reminded me of the sports tragedy that I was very familiar with. And that was the plane crash involving the Marshall.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, yes.

[Shop Dad]

University football team in 1960, even 1970, and which I was a student at Florida State University at the time, and I was part of the basketball team at Florida State. And we took a road trip to play a game at Marshall University. It was actually a holiday tournament and we had to fly into the Same Airport in 1970 where that plane crash occurred. Oh, and interestingly, as you have referenced in your own book, every flight that leaves Tallahassee, Florida lands someplace else before you can get to your final destination.

[Chris Butterworth]

Correct.

[Shop Dad]

So we went from Tallahassee to Atlanta and then we had to board a two engine prop plane in Atlanta to fly into Huntington, West Virginia.

[Chris Butterworth]

Wow. Because I guess it's even smaller than Tallahassee and it's surrounded by mountains.

[Shop Dad]

And we flew into that airport at night. And so all of us on board, of course, knew.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, I bet that was scary.

[Shop Dad]

Actually two years later.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah. You know, so that this book kind of then reminded. Because even though you weren't familiar with this at all, I think we all have stories like that.

[Shop Dad]

Right. So anyway, that's what this book is about. And David Peace, the author, kind of reimagines this event. And so what he does is he kind of expands on what families, what the teammates that didn't lose their lives, some of the teammates who were told they weren't going to make this trip.

[Chris Butterworth]

You can imagine the guilt.

[Shop Dad]

The guilt. And he oftentimes throughout the book will write in the vernacular. He'll try to tell. He'll try to show you what the vernacular was of how they talked. And you got to really, really, at first, you have to really pay attention. But this was a really, really good reading.

[Chris Butterworth]

Well, I'm looking at it because, because like I said, you and mom bring your books with you. And we, you guys have adopted my tearing.

[Shop Dad]

Yep, Page tearing. I was so afraid to do that.

[Chris Butterworth]

You know, people really hate me for that. They really do. They. It gets a lot of pushback on the Internet, but my whole family has adopted it. And this is full of tears.

[Shop Dad]

It's a. It's easier than underlining. Yes, but. And then you can also. You don't. You can.

[Chris Butterworth]

Well, you can find it then. Yes.

[Shop Dad]

So anyway, I want to quote from this.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay.

[Shop Dad]

Manchester, from the moment the news came through, was a city in mourning. Newspapers sold out as fast as they could be printed. It was as though every family in a city of three quarter of a million people had suffered a personal loss. And so indeed they had. At Old Trafford, the saddest football ground in the world. The Flag flew at half mast. And on hundreds of other football grounds, other flags were being dipped in. Simple. For this disaster is perhaps the most tragic single blow British sport has ever suffered.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, that's really good writing. Yeah, I'm intrigued by that one myself actually. I didn't know that's what it was about. Is it dumb that I thought it was a World War II book because it was called Munich? I thought it was a German book.

[Shop Dad]

You can be forgiven.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay, thanks. Okay. What do you got over there?

[Shop Dad]

Why don't we talk about. Just mention this.

[Chris Butterworth]

Yes, we'll mention what you just most recently finished. Because I think now it'll be okay because it's your. You were the picker for June's revolving shelf subscription.

[Shop Dad]

Yes.

[Chris Butterworth]

What'd you pick?

[Shop Dad]

My June selection, my friends. Frederick Bachman or Backman.

[Chris Butterworth]

And you'd never read him before?

[Shop Dad]

I had not.

[Chris Butterworth]

What a delight.

[Shop Dad]

Apparently he's very, very well known author.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh yeah.

[Shop Dad]

I didn't know about him.

[Chris Butterworth]

You know well. Cause I told you so. He wrote one of his most famous books is A Man Called Ove. You would know it as A Man called Otto. Yes, yes. And so because that was like the Tom Hanks movie, you would love his other books.

[Shop Dad]

And I won't hold this cover up for anybody to see because the final cover is yet to be revealed.

[Chris Butterworth]

That's right. All he's got is his pitiful looking arc.

[Shop Dad]

I don't know how much you want to say about this, but this is a. This was a fantastic book.

[Chris Butterworth]

I'm gonna read this one. I like Fredrik Backman a lot. I actually have one on my shelf. You should borrow of his about a hockey team. But I'm excited to read that book. That was your shelf subscription that should be going out. May already be in people's hands by the time they get this.

[Shop Dad]

Indeed.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. Anything else or do you think we're good?

[Shop Dad]

Let me just recommend the Making of Manhattan.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. Yes.

[Shop Dad]

There's a history of how Manhattan came to be.

[Chris Butterworth]

Oh, taking man. Wait, what is it called? Taking Manhattan.

[Shop Dad]

Yes.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. Yeah. That's another good one.

[Shop Dad]

Russell Shorto.

[Chris Butterworth]

Okay. All of these books will be listed in the show notes per usual. If you're interested in these selections and more. We actually have two ways for you to read more like shop. Dad, first of all, did you know this? You have your own page on the Bookshelf website.

[Shop Dad]

No. Really?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah.

[Shop Dad]

Do I need to autograph it?

[Chris Butterworth]

Yeah, that'd be great. Digitally. His reads have their own home. Bookshelfthomasville.com, forward/collections. Shop dad reads. That's a mouthful. So you can really just go to bookshelfthomasal.com and click Featured and then you'll see that Shop dad has his own page where the books he loves are always listed. You can also purchase the revolving shelf subscription and you'll get selections not only from Shop dad, but Shop mom, bookseller Nancy and online sales manager Aaron. It has been a hit this year. You're signing more cards than ever. Yes, I have, yeah, which is really fun. So it is great for the adventurous or eclectic reader. If you're listening to this, I think you could be sold on any of those books for your dad or for the dad figures in your life. But if you want to get him a shelf subscription, I think that makes a great gift. You can visit bookshelfthomasill.com and click shelf Subscriptions at the top of the page.

[Shop Dad]

And thanks for adjusting your shelf subscriptions to my need to read more what.

[Chris Butterworth]

I want to read to your whims and fancies. You're welcome. This week I'm reading We Loved to Run by Stephanie Rince dad, what are you reading?

[Shop Dad]

I am reading the man no one Believed by Joshua Sharp.

[Annie Jones]

From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow the Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram ookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through Our store website, bookshelfthomasville.com A full transcript of today's podcast episode can be found at. From the frontporchpodcast.com Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of from the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. Our executive producers of today's episode are Cami Tidwell, Jamie Treadwell, Linda Lee Drost Jean Queens Martha Stephanie Dean Beth Ashley Farrell Amanda Wickham Nicole Marcy Wendy Jenkins thank you all for your support of.

[Chris Butterworth]

From the Front Porch.

[Annie Jones]

If you'd like to support from the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and helps us reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone, look for from the Front Porch, scroll down until you see, write a review and tell us what you think. Or if you're so inclined, support us. Over on Patreon, where we have three levels of support, each level has an amazing number of benefits like bonus content, access to live events, discounts and giveaways. Just go to patreon.com from the FrontPorch. We're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.