Episode 572 || What Would Susie Read?

Summary

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Podcast Summary: From the Front Porch

Episode 572 – What Would Susie Read?
Release Date: March 12, 2026
Host: Annie Jones
Guest: Suzy (Annie’s mom)

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Episode Overview

This episode, titled "What Would Susie Read?", brings Annie Jones and her mom, Suzy, together for a book lovers’ deep dive. With a special focus on “books for readers with PG-13 tastes” and “redemptive storylines,” Suzy returns after a long hiatus to share her recent reads, favorite book club picks, and recommendations for fellow thoughtful, comfort-seeking readers. The episode brims with warm mother-daughter banter, reflections on family and reading styles, and plenty of bookish enthusiasm. Annie and Suzy’s recommendations are particularly geared toward those who value stories with less graphic content and an uplifting or redemptive arc.

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Key Discussion Points & Book Recommendations

1. Defining “Suzy Books” (01:52–03:18)

• Annie and Suzy joke about Suzy’s PG-13 book preference, clarifying:
  • Not strictly "PG" or "books for sensitive readers" (too limiting), but stories with “redemptive” arcs and lower levels of violence, sex, and graphic content.
  • Suzy: “Books with redemptive storylines, books for those with PG-13 tastes who maybe are paying attention to, I don’t know, violence, gore, language, sex, etc.” (02:46)

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2. Book-By-Book Discussions

a. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (03:39–05:45)

• A deeply felt, complex family drama described as “dark and gritty,” compared loosely to Little Women and praised for its emotional resonance.
• Annie: “I don’t necessarily remember character names or, like, I don’t know the scandal you’re talking about, but I remember how that book made me feel.” (04:39)
• Suzy notes it’s more "Annie’s style" (dysfunctional families) than her usual pick.

b. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff (05:45–07:38)

• Sequel to 84, Charing Cross Road, recounting Hanff’s London adventures. Suzy loves Hanff’s ability to transport readers through evocative writing and calls it “rereadable comfort.”
• Annie: “They are so short that you kind of are sad when they’re over.” (06:59)
• Strong recommendation for fans of epistolary nonfiction and literary travel.

c. The Chancellor’s Mansion by Kristin Hannah (07:43–11:12)

• Memoir about renovating a historic home with connections to the Underground Railroad. Suzy laments the misleading, “reality show”-esque cover, but highly recommends the book for its blend of family, history, and mystery.
• Suzy: “It’s a great story...especially if you like HGTV and you like watching people because you’re going through her renovations with her.” (09:34)
• Annie and Suzy discuss the impact of covers on book choices and marketing.

d. A Change of Habit (11:14–11:52)

• Both Annie and Suzy found this memoir only “fine”—not as revelatory about convent life as they’d hoped.

e. Awake by Jen Hatmaker (12:00–14:40)

• Memoir chronicling Hatmaker’s divorce and journey through evangelical “purity culture.”
• Suzy lauds Jen’s “painstakingly nice” and “intentional” writing.
• Memorable segment: “She really made it...the book didn’t feel, like, voyeuristic or gossipy... It’s really more her investigating herself.” (13:33–13:48)
• The audiobook, with segments narrated by Jen’s family, is highly praised for its emotional resonance.

f. A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (15:03–18:46)

• Middle-grade novel set during WWII: three orphans seeking a new family during the London evacuations, with a key role for a kind librarian.
• Suzy: “It’s awesome and it’s great. It’s a happy ending.” (17:45)
• Suzy thanks author Emily/Emilia Kelly for the recommendation, calling it “a great book for anyone who loves historical stories.”

g. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles (18:48–20:34)

• WWII-set novel centered on the American Library in Paris and the efforts to save books from Nazi destruction.
• Suzy: “It was one of my favorite books...courageous people to keep writing alive.” (20:23)

h. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (20:57–21:56)

• British “feel-good” romance about a woman starting a bookstore. Praised for its clean language, charming setting, and brisk pacing.

i. The Women of Platform 2 (22:09–24:29)

• Story of 20th-century women’s friendship and resilience set in Dublin. Themes of abusive marriage, found family, and women supporting each other.
• Suzy: “Inside wins in the end. So redemptive.” (24:01–24:05)

j. Family of Spies by Jody Ewing (24:37–27:27)

• True story: a woman uncovers her family’s ties to Nazi Germany and espionage—previously hidden from her. Suzy is riveted.
• Suzy: “To tell the story is brave because...people still have real strong feelings.” (27:02)

k. Something to Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg (27:48–29:46)

• Short story collection from the beloved Southern author, ideal for “pick up and put down” reading sessions.
• The hosts discuss the trend of “connected short story collections” and shifting reader attention spans.

l. The Force of a Story (A Port William novel) by Wendell Berry (29:47–32:22)

• Suzy extols Berry’s patient, environmental, and family-centered writing: “If you want to slow down, read Wendell Berry.”
• Discusses need to “get into the flow” of Berry’s prose and the value of reflection on rural life.

m. Mitford Books (esp. My Beloved) by Jan Karon (33:20–36:13)

• Suzy’s long-standing favorite series—she recounts collecting all in hardback and being “taught to love reading” by Karon’s work.
• The latest (My Beloved) is described as heartwarming, family-focused, and brimming with small-town charm.

n. Theo of Golden by Alan Levi (36:21–40:34)

• Southern-set indie (now traditionally published) novel about a mysterious newcomer who gifts portraits to the people of Golden, Georgia, subtly changing the community.
• “It’s tragic. It’s great. It’s tragic. And then at the end, the mystery is solved.” (37:59)
• Highly recommended for fans of The Correspondent and those who enjoy slow, redemptive, Southern fiction.

o. The Sisters of Book Row by Rachael Linden (41:06–44:41)

• March shelf subscription pick! Historical fiction about three sisters running a Manhattan bookshop in 1915, with threads of rare book restoration, activism, and mystery.
• Touches on book banning and the Comstock Laws; strong sense of setting and women’s issues.
• Note: “Those books look exactly the same”—amusing confusion with similar covers. (41:27–41:46)

p. 100 Rules for Living to 100 by Dick Van Dyke (44:45–46:23)

• Optimistic, anecdotal collection by entertainer Dick Van Dyke.
• Suzy: “If you want to...he is amazing...and he’s just such an optimist.” (45:05)
• Noted for its warmth and the life lessons from a long career.

q. More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen (46:31–49:37)

• Deeply moving novel about friendship, book clubs, IVF, and family secrets revealed through an ancestry kit.
• Suzy is effusive: “Oh my word...I will buy that book in hardback... I liked it so much.” (47:50–49:59)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People won’t remember what you said or what you did, but how you made them feel. That’s what I feel about books.” – Annie (04:39)
• “You can reread...Oh gosh, life is so heavy. I want to go back and read this.” – Suzy, on epistolary comfort reads (07:23)
• “She was painstakingly nice in this book...and I really respect her for that.” – Suzy on Jen Hatmaker’s Awake (12:09–12:24)
• “If you want to slow down, read Wendell Berry… That’s why I love him.” – Suzy (29:57)
• “She’s the one who taught me to sit and love to read.” – Suzy, about Jan Karon (34:39)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:52 – Suzy Re-Introduction & Book Tastes
• 03:39 – Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
• 05:45 – The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
• 07:43 – The Chancellor’s Mansion
• 12:00 – Awake by Jen Hatmaker
• 15:03 – A Place to Hang the Moon
• 18:48 – The Paris Library
• 20:57 – The Bookshop on the Corner
• 22:09 – The Women of Platform 2
• 24:37 – Family of Spies
• 27:48 – Something to Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg
• 29:47 – Wendell Berry Discussion
• 33:20 – The Mitford Series by Jan Karon
• 36:21 – Theo of Golden
• 41:06 – Sisters of Book Row
• 44:45 – 100 Rules for Living to 100 by Dick Van Dyke
• 46:31 – More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen

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Tone & Takeaways

Throughout, the episode maintains its signature warmth, humor, and Southern charm, with Annie and Suzy's genuine affection and good-natured joking keeping listeners engaged. The recommendations offer a mix of historical, literary, and comfort reads—all grounded in kindness, redemption, and an aversion to gratuitous graphic content.

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For More “Suzy Reads”

• Visit the Bookshelf Thomasville website to browse all Suzy’s picks.
• Use code shopmomselects for 10% off Suzy’s recommendations (51:22)
• Join the rotating Shelf Subscription to get her favorites mailed to you.

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This episode is essential listening for anyone seeking substantive but comforting reads, book talk with heart, and inspiration for the next pick on a PG-13 TBR list.

Transcript

[Annie Jones]

Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business and life in the South. Sadness can make us bitter or wise. We get to choose. Alan Levi Theo of Golden I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. And this week I'm finally back talking to my mom, a beloved guest about books for readers with PG 13 tastes. Do you love listening to from the Front Porch? Every week, spread the word by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. 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. Here's a recent review from Brandi, my favorite comfort podcast. Our lives are complicated and hard enough and there is always so much chaotic energy around us. I am grateful for a comforting podcast that never fails to wrap its arms around me like a warm hug. This podcast is perfect for those that enjoy a calm, comforting listening experience while also gaining a mile long TBR list 5 stars. Thank you Brandi for truly understanding the purpose of our show. We're thankful to all the listeners who left kind words and thoughtful reviews for from the Front Porch. We're so grateful anytime you share the show with your friends. Thank you for spreading the word about our podcast and our indie bookstore too. Hi Mom.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Hi Annie.

[Annie Jones]

Welcome back.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's so good to be back.

[Annie Jones]

It's been a long time.

[Suzy (Mom)]

There's been a book and a baby. Just nothing much. A grandmamy and so just a lot going on. Yeah.

[Annie Jones]

The last time you were on. So we're on episode 572. That's today's episode. The last time you were on was 5:35.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Wow.

[Annie Jones]

So you've probably read a lot of books.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I did read a lot of books.

[Annie Jones]

So if you are a new listener to from the Front Porch mom comes on the show. I do think this year you're coming two or three times. I think I've already got. I've got you on the books, but she comes on board to talk. We have determined it's not pg. That's really not fair. And also that's just difficult. That would have to be a kid's book, really, but PG13 or books? I think we decided redemptive stories.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

I think you did not like the phrase books for sensitive readers.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I know. Because I think that's even more limiting.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. And I don't think it's always true for you.

[Suzy (Mom)]

No.

[Annie Jones]

So anyway, books with redemptive storylines, books for those with PG 13 tastes who maybe are paying attention to, I don't know, violence, gore, language, sex, etc. So we have had mom on for episodes 3984-164334-47468, 485, 520 and 535. You can find that full list in the show notes with links to those episodes if you want to go listen to some backlist episodes. You're basically a pro.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, it's been a while, so we'll see.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, so why don't you talk to us about some books? Go ahead and get started.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay. Well, actually, it's been so long that I was worried I had forgotten.

[Annie Jones]

Well, there's quite a list here.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So the first one I want to talk about is a U book.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, recommended by me.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, perhaps, but it's a U ish book.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's called hello beautiful.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yes. By Anne Napolitano.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Napolitano, who wrote Dear Edward.

[Annie Jones]

Which you liked.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Which I love. This is dark and gritty.

[Annie Jones]

Is it?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes, it is gritty. Don't you remember the scandal? And they say it's kind of like the March sisters.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. Which I thought was interesting.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And I did too, because I'm not as a little woman aficionado as you are.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But I did love the book. And so this was an Oprah's book club back in 2023.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I know. And I just saw it on your shelf. So this is actually my copy.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. I loved that book.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I knew you would.

[Annie Jones]

And it's got like a basketball element.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I know. I didn't see how you can remember. And I was like, wait, what was that? I loved that. What was that about?

[Annie Jones]

Well, this is what I say did. Remember how we had a minister who used to say, people won't remember what you said or what you did, but how you made them feel.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

That's what I feel about books. I don't necessarily remember character names or like, I don't know the scandal you're talking about, but I remember how that book made me feel.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I loved was a great. Such a well written, very well written. And so I wanted to mention it even though it had been a long time.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Because I just thought, well, first of all, I didn't know you had read it until I just got here today and saw it and saw it on your shelf. But I thought, oh, this is an Annie book. I'll have to tell her. It's. It's kind of not actually a meish book. In the sense that it's all this happy. It's hard.

[Annie Jones]

You're right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yeah.

[Annie Jones]

But it does. Well, you know.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Complex family.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And that's what you love. And I'm like.

[Annie Jones]

I love little bits of. Little bit of dysfunction.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. And I love Little House on the Prairie. Everyone loves each other.

[Annie Jones]

And maybe, we don't know, there might have been some dysfunction hidden under there.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, probably.

[Annie Jones]

But I see what you're saying. Hello, beautiful. Definitely had complicated relationships. But I'm glad you read it and you liked her previous book a lot. So.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So I'm glad I read it, too. Next on my list. I don't have it because you lent it to me. So you help me out with this. But it's the Duchess of Bloomberg Street.

[Annie Jones]

Oh. Did you bring it back for me?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I already gave it back. I don't have it.

[Annie Jones]

Are you sure?

[Suzy (Mom)]

And I. I'm sure. And I loved it because she wrote 84 Charing Crossroads. Crossroads. And then this is a story about her actually getting to go.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. To London, which she kept talking about in that first book in those letters, but she never did.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And then, you know. Was it Frank? I don't.

[Annie Jones]

I don't remember his name, but he.

[Suzy (Mom)]

He died. But she goes anyway.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And she meets up with some of his family, and she goes to all the. You go to.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Now you've been. But I haven't.

[Annie Jones]

But you got to through her.

[Suzy (Mom)]

If you. That's what I loved about that book. I felt like that's kind of how Patti Callahan makes me feel. Patti Callahan.

[Annie Jones]

Sometimes she just goes by, but Henry.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Sometimes I don't know. But anyway, her writing takes me to the place she's writing.

[Annie Jones]

And now we know it's because she does so much research. I had no idea.

[Suzy (Mom)]

She's amazing. But anyway, I loved, loved, loved that book. And it's short.

[Annie Jones]

I was about to say these books are. So. If you've never read 84 Cherry Crossroads, you must. But they are so short that you kind of are sad when they're over. You could keep reading. And they're epistolary non fiction. These are true. These are real letters that Helene Hamp wrote.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

The first book is her correspondence with a bookseller.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think I'm gonna have to buy these books.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, you should own them. For sure.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think they're the kind that you could actually just.

[Annie Jones]

You could reread.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, gosh. Life is so heavy. I want to go back and read this.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. Or just read a letter or two.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And no wonder. I love the Correspondent.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

No wonder I loved that, because that reminds me. Anyway, it's a great, great Suzy book. People will love it.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. So good.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So the next on my list was a shelf subscription.

[Annie Jones]

Oh.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So I hope people going into my bag now.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah, she's got. She's got a bag with her books. Maybe you'll be able to hear. We don't know.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So this was called the Chancellor's Mansion.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, I'm so glad you talked about this, because this cover's awful.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, I was really disappointed.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I mean, the book is. Listen, it's a beautiful. And they're a beautiful family. They're very pretty people. It's beautiful. But to me, the COVID doesn't tell what the book is truly about.

[Annie Jones]

That's what I mean. The COVID almost makes it look like they're a reality show family.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Exactly.

[Annie Jones]

And I don't think that they are.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I was kind of hoping they would change. Now I only have the arc for this, and I was hoping they were going to change the COVID and when it came in, they didn't.

[Annie Jones]

I hope they'll change. Maybe they'll change it for the paperback. I bet it'll come out in the paperback.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Some people won't go for it because they'll think that. They'll think it's a story. And certainly it talks about her family, but mostly it's about the Reno of this very old home that was actually used in the Underground Railroad.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, cool.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so. And her. It's a. It's a great story. I really loved it. I hope if people got it for their shelf subscription, that they loved it. It's a very. She does goes into great depth over her renovation and the history that they found in the house. And there's a mystery involved.

[Annie Jones]

Where does it set? Do you remember?

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's in New York.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, okay. Fascinating. I remember seeing this and thought it would be interesting.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's really good. But the COVID makes you think it might not be what it really is.

[Annie Jones]

Well, yeah. And they are a beautiful family, but it just makes you think it's like a Kardashian story.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. They're so pretty, right?

[Annie Jones]

They're very pretty, but it's really. Would you compare it to house lessons?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I really. That's what I think I put in my blurb. If you liked house lessons, you'd probably like this. They're different, but I think this is a great book if you. Especially if you like HGTV and you like watching people because you're going through her renovations with her and is she, like, an interior? I don't think she was. I think it's just her. Again, my memory might be off, but I think it's just that she got this home and she's good at what she does. Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. Well, I'll be interested to see if they change the paperback, But I remember. Cause for you and dad, what I typically do is give you a stack of books that I think you're gonna like for possible shelf subscriptions, and then you guys read and make your choices. And when I put that one in your stack, I wondered if it would be good.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And I truly almost didn't pick it because of the COVID And then I didn't have a lot of choices that month. And then I just picked it up. I went, let me just see. And I went, oh, my goodness, I love this book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. Which I think a cover really does. It is proof that people do. I mean, I do, too.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I totally judge the COVID I do, too.

[Annie Jones]

And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But it means a publisher's job is so important because I think that book could reach more readers.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Because I'll be honest. Like it again, it just looked like a reality show family. Whereas then when you start digging, it's a home renovation book. You know, it's nonfiction, it's memoir, but it's also history about New York City.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And, yeah, it was incredible. I really liked it, so I hope it did well.

[Annie Jones]

So that's the Chancellor's mansion.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. I didn't bring with me. A change of habit.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. I didn't finish that book.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, I didn't bring it, but it's okay.

[Annie Jones]

It's not in my bag of tricks.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be.

[Annie Jones]

Agreed.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so it didn't delve into some of what I hoped it would be about the kind of life that you might live if you left your life and became a nun. Right. I kind of wanted more about that. Yeah. So I didn't bring that book with me. But it's a. It's a fine book. It's fine.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, I'd agree.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay. So my next book on the list is Jen Hatmaker's memoir, Awake.

[Annie Jones]

All right. What'd you think?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, I thought it was well written. I thought. Now, I've had. I've read a lot of her books.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But I thought she was painstakingly nice in this book.

[Annie Jones]

She was very careful.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I thought she was very, very intentional about. And I really respect her. I Did, too. Because of that.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But it's. It's something else.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so I.

[Annie Jones]

This is her memoir. Yes. About the. The loss of her marriage. Exactly. More. I mean, she also, though, talks a lot about her evangelical upbringing.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes, she does. And why that played.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Is so much. Marrying very young.

[Annie Jones]

Yep.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And purity culture and. And the changes that they have both gone through together. Through that. Coming out of that. And then they split up. I mean, it was super sad.

[Annie Jones]

I mean, the book opens. I mean, it's shocking. Except we all kind of knew. But I think the detail, like, if we had. Because I had followed Jen Hatmaker for years, so I knew she got divorced, but then to find out, oh, her husband was like, voice memoing or talking on the phone in the bed. Right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

To his sister while she woke up.

[Annie Jones]

Right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

To him texting or talking wild.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think it was talking to his new girlfriend. And so. But she was all throughout the book, she. Even though it was terrible, she wasn't like she could have been.

[Annie Jones]

Right. And she really made it. I think I said.

[Suzy (Mom)]

When I was madder than maybe she

[Annie Jones]

was, but I think she probably was mad. Yes. But I was pleased to see that the book didn't feel, like, voyeuristic or gossipy.

[Suzy (Mom)]

No, it doesn't.

[Annie Jones]

It's really more hurt. Investigating herself.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Which is impressive.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Her family, the way they route just is. So, I don't know, just makes you feel good that there's family out there to pick you up when you're in pieces.

[Annie Jones]

Did you know? So she narrates the audiobook, and in the book there are, like, texts from her dad, and he reads them on the audiobook. And my friends who've listened to the audiobook say it's very touching.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, my gosh.

[Annie Jones]

Because his voice will come in and, like, read his texts.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Because they are very close family.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Before this.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And they're very territorial. In Texas, baby. Mess with Texas. And so they're very tight. But I come from a tight.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Big family.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so that also resonated with me. I thought it was very well written.

[Annie Jones]

I think it is. I think it's her best written book, actually.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think it is, too, because it's so. I mean, she really opens her life, and that's hard to do these days. So I thought it was very good.

[Annie Jones]

I liked that one, too.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay. The next one on my list. I'm tickled about this one because I read the book called the Portrait that was sent to me.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

As a gift from the author, which was so kind. And her name is Emily, but she goes by, I would think, Emilia.

[Annie Jones]

Amelia. Do you think it's Amelia Kelly?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Let's say Amelia. Amelia sounds pretty, but it's with an E. Yeah. Okay. What a delight this. She is a delight. You should read her book, the Portrait, if you haven't. And I've talked about it. You did before. She's just a kind person.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. This was so lovely.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It was lovely. And so this book, A Place to Hang the Moon, was sent to me by her. To the store?

[Annie Jones]

Yes, she mailed it to the store.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And she wrote me a little note on here, which just gave me all the little goosebumps.

[Annie Jones]

She kept the note, Emily. She kept it.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I kept the note in my book because it means so much to me. And she said, here's a great book with no agenda on my part because I didn't write it. So. I love World War II books.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I love how people survived.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I love how they came through it. And this is a book about some three kids who lived with their not so grandmotherly grandmother.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Their parents have died. She is raising them now. I wouldn't call her very nurturing, but she was raising them so they wouldn't be orphaned. And she dies.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, no.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And now they are truly orphan. And, you know, During World War II, there was this time, I think they called it the Pied Piper. It was the kids who all had to leave London.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And go out into the cuz, away

[Annie Jones]

from, like, the bombings.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And they had to go out and about, like, if you watch All Creatures Great and Small, places like that.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Which P.S. best television. PBS. The best. So these children decide, and they're. The lawyer for the grandmother is like, go. This is your only hope.

[Annie Jones]

Go.

[Suzy (Mom)]

You've got to just go. And don't tell that she has died.

[Annie Jones]

I see.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Because if they're orphaned, that would be different.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So they go and they put them in different homes. This is what happens. I've read other books where they do this. They put them in homes where they're supposed to be taken care of, but typically they are put in homes where they need babysitters, farm hands, and they are not treated very nicely. They're put to work, and they were treated horribly.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But they found the library and this sweet librarian whose husband is off fighting, but I think we come to find out that he was German and she has no children.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so she just favors these children when they come in. She doesn't know they're orphans. They tell where they're Living. But she can tell they're not being treated kindly. She knows they're not. And so she does little things to help them and take care of them. And I'm not going to tell the whole story, but it's awesome and it's great. It's a happy ending.

[Annie Jones]

That's good to know because I own this book.

[Suzy (Mom)]

You do?

[Annie Jones]

Yes, I do.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, this. I love this book.

[Annie Jones]

Somebody recommended it to me. Now I'm looking around my bookshelves, wondering where it is. But I bought this book because somebody online raved about it. And I was like, oh, it's got a beautiful cover.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, it's a beautiful. I wish you hardback.

[Annie Jones]

Well, if I find my hardback, I'll give it to you because I have it somewhere.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, great. Yeah, I loved it. I think anybody who loves historical stories like this will love it. And thank you, Emily. I hope you're listening today. Thank you. And keep sending books my way because I've loved everything, your book and this book. So thank you so much.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, so that was a place to hang the moon.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And then the next book I have on my list is the Paris Library. You know, I've read several by her. Janet Skelsley and Charles.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. I don't remember her.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, I've read. It's based on a true story. What were the other books I read by her wrong?

[Annie Jones]

Wait, so you haven't read books by her before?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, not this other book that's listed on the back. Let me say this. I have read books like this.

[Annie Jones]

Listen, it's fair. She's facing the. We joke at the bookshelf. We're just. We just have a picture of her back. She's looking off into the distance. You have definitely read other books like this, but just maybe not anything by this author.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But they were, again, wartime.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Books. And this is about a library that they try to save in Paris, and it's about rescuing books. And it's just a fast. If you're a book lover, you would love this book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, it's about the American Library in Paris, which would. I think that would be fascinating.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. And so it's all about how she curates and puts together these little temporary little libraries so people can have any books because they're all being destroyed.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so.

[Annie Jones]

And jokes about the COVID aside, it was a New York Times bestseller, a Washington Post bestseller, an international bestseller. I mean, it's.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It was one of my favorite books.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I loved it. Again, wish it's so pretty. I wish it was in Hardback. But did I read that book anyway, trust me, it's a good book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And if you like again, World War II and you like about books and based on a true story about how they kept these books from being completely destroyed. Read it. Okay. So courageous.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

There were so many courageous people to keep writing alive.

[Annie Jones]

Courageous, average people, which I do really like.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Me too. So let me see. The bookshop on the corner is my next book.

[Annie Jones]

Another book about books.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. This is Jenny Colgan.

[Annie Jones]

You have read her book and did

[Suzy (Mom)]

I read this at Christmas. Okay. This is just a great easy read. It's about finding a person and about having her bookstore. Okay.

[Annie Jones]

So I think good little romance, but pretty clean. I think they're very pg.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes, very. I love her books. I whiz through them. They're so wonderful. And I also love where they're. Where they take place because it's usually in these quaint streets of England.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. I think she's a UK author. Yeah. She lives in London and Scotland.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. So this book was very good and I really highly recommend anything by her.

[Annie Jones]

Actually, I think we did well with that book because it's about a bookstore and kind of picking books for the right person.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. Yeah, it was very good. Okay, what's next on my list? Okay. The Women of Platform 2. This is 1. I can't remember if this was one of my shelf subscriptions.

[Annie Jones]

No. Because the next one was.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay, so I don't think shelf subscriptions as much anymore.

[Annie Jones]

That's right. You're back to your quarterly ish instead of monthly or bimonthly.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yeah, maybe just quarterly. Yes. So I kind of get mixed up now because you still give me a stack of arc. I do can read. So that was what this was. It said in Dublin, she's married to a doctor who has a great reputation. Well, he is not a nice person.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, no.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, he's not a nice person.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, I see. So he has a great reputation, but actually a terrible person.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, he's abusive. So terrible. And so she try. They're trying to have a family and she can't have a child. And he just abuses her more and more verbally. And she becomes close friends with someone who has three children and they kind of keep an eye on her and take her in. Now it's fun if you got to read this book because she ultimately, WSECU

[WSECU Representative]

isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're a Forbes best in state five years running.

[Annie Jones]

Why?

[WSECU Representative]

Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned cooperative. We love Washington as much as you do. From the the Olympic mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu.org today to learn more. Washington let's credit union.

[Annie Jones]

Most people would rather remove a nest of irate hornets than search for auto and home insurance. That's why the zebra searches for you.

[The Zebra Representative]

Comparing over 100 insurance companies to find

[Annie Jones]

savings no one else can compare. Today@the zebra.com I think I'll wait.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Inside wins in the end.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. So redemptive.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Exactly. So she. You're going to find out that what she thinks she's always wanted. She comes across with this group of women and it's a. Is it a true story? No, it's not a true story. But it's a great story about women's strength and coming together and taking care of each other.

[Annie Jones]

Female friendship.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It is. It's great. I loved it.

[Annie Jones]

It's got a really pretty cover, actually.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It does. And I bet that came out in hardback.

[Annie Jones]

And so that was the women on platform two.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. Now Family of Spies was that was

[Annie Jones]

your shelf subscription for December, I believe.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. And it's based on a true story.

[Annie Jones]

This is a true story.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's a true story.

[Annie Jones]

This is nonfiction.

[Suzy (Mom)]

She's written this book about her family that she had no idea.

[Annie Jones]

This was fascinating. We sold a lot of these for your shelf subscription. And a lot of. And I think Aaron read it and loved it.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Christine Kuhn or something. Anyway. Wow. She. Some reporter calls her up one day and says, I would like to talk about your parents and their role in Nazi Germany. And she's like, crank call. Got the wrong person. Doesn't even respond. Doesn't even respond. And then they call again and she's like, what in the world? So she starts doing her own research because her dad cannot talk about the past.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

He just can't talk about it. And it's because his family helped the Nazis. Oh, wow. And got moved all from Germany to Hawaii. They were there for Pearl Harbor. Okay. It's bad. It's. It's shocking.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Also it was shocking that I didn't realize the. So the. So the Germans were working with the Japanese. And her aunt and her grandfather were very deeply involved with. And I think her grandmother too with helping the Nazis. And her uncle was in the Nazi army.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, wow. And she had no idea.

[Suzy (Mom)]

No. And she's Tried to go back and meet with people, meet with the aunt. And most people were just like, leave it, leave it. But she kept digging. And this is a great book. It's a shocking book.

[Annie Jones]

I don't think I knew what it was about. That is shocking.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's very shocking that you can be her. So she asked her 70 year old father what possibly could have happened. He couldn't. He did not want to talk about it. So she just kept digging. And I mean, she did a lot of research.

[Annie Jones]

Well, and that's. It's impressive because it's not too thick of a book.

[Suzy (Mom)]

No, it's not.

[Annie Jones]

But.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yeah, but an enormous amount of research. And to tell the story. Right.

[Annie Jones]

I had no idea that's what it was about.

[Suzy (Mom)]

To tell the story is brave because look how long ago that was. And people still have real strong.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, of course.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And she is sharing that. Yikes. This was my.

[Annie Jones]

The role her family played.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. Wow. And I didn't even. I didn't even realize that detailed. Of working behind the scenes between Germans and the Japanese. It was very good.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I hope people really liked it.

[Annie Jones]

Dad would also have liked that. Did he read it?

[Suzy (Mom)]

As a matter of fact, this was in his group to read. He picked a different book and I was like, where'd that come from? Let me have that. And then I loved it. I couldn't put it down. It was really well written and very good. Okay, so we'll talk real quickly about Fanny Flagg.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

If you just want a little book where you can just pick up and read a story, that's the book for you. It's just tiny little unrelated.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, so it's a short story collection.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Occasionally there might be a book. It's called Something to Look Forward to. And I read it at night when I was busy, just like a little. And I didn't have anything else going. So I would just like read a story or two.

[Annie Jones]

That's nice.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Nothing earth shattering. Just a easy peasy book to read.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. I've been speculating on recent episodes from the front porch because I have read probably in the last two months. So just since January, I think I've read four connected short story collections. So they're novels, but they're being told in short story format. And I do wonder, I mean, those have always existed, but I do wonder if we're gonna see more of that as our attention spans wane.

[Suzy (Mom)]

That's what that is.

[Annie Jones]

Don't you think?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yeah, that makes perfectly sense.

[Annie Jones]

I think we're seeing a lot more of that.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's sad.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah. But I mean, the short story format is amazing. I'm in awe of short story writers and there have always been short stories, of course. But I do feel like I personally, as a bookseller, have seen an uptick in the number. And I do just wonder if it's because. Oh, we can't handle. And me neither. Like long chapters or.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I got her book simply because I'm taking care of the baby. I'm busy. And so I'm like, I just need a little something I can pick up and put down.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But I don't want it to replace. I can't shut the book.

[Annie Jones]

Right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I can't stop reading. It's so good.

[Annie Jones]

There's a place for them, for sure.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Exactly. And I think also, Annie, it's not just our attention span, it's our world.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's a.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. So many things vying for our attention.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. And so you sit down and you're like, you just need. So these were just feel good. Yeah. Little stories. And some of them connected and most of them didn't.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And then that leads me to Mars Catlett, the Force of a story by Wendell Berry. Okay, okay. Now if you want to slow down.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Read Wendell Berry.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

That's why I love him. And I was thinking this morning, well, who's going to do that for us? Who's going to do this for us? Who subtly reminds us of the natural actually how it's happening to our environment, to farming, to the land, to the family farm? Who's going to tell us about this anymore? Who's going to remind us?

[Annie Jones]

That's a good question.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Because we need to be reminded. This is where most everybody comes from. Almost everybody came from some sort of family farm or I'll just say a lot of us.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And they're. They've died off and. And he has just brought us through with his stories, these family stories, but always reminding us of an environmental impact and that impact on the structure of a family. And so this is a short book, but it's a slow book. Cause you don't read Wendell Berry fast. He writes in a way that you need to sit with it and get into his flow of his life.

[Annie Jones]

I think that's why I've had a hard time, as I think in my pre bookshelf life, I would have loved reading him. And I have had a hard time. I think it's why I gravitate towards his poetry because I started Hannah Coulter and loved it. But I was like, I'VE got to be able to read this and nothing else instead of, you know, reading 12 books last month. Or like if you read Wendell Berry

[Suzy (Mom)]

for you, because this is one. You pour yourself a cup of hot tea, you sit on the porch swing and you sit with it.

[Annie Jones]

Right. And I don't even know.

[Suzy (Mom)]

You have to get into the flow of his language.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, you do.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so I wonder how Chet, if he's listening to this. I wonder. He's the one that I think introduced us for sure to Wendell Berry. Yep. And then. And I wonder if he's still reading.

[Annie Jones]

Right. In his current life stage.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. With kids and a job and working and.

[Annie Jones]

Or if because he's read him before, can he just go back and revisit.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Right.

[Annie Jones]

But I do.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It strikes me as you would be out in your truck, right. In the mountains, mountain guiding.

[Annie Jones]

Right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And you were by yourself in the campfire and you could sit and read Wendell Berry, which is what he. How he probably discovered him.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And so. But I have a whole collection and this one's short. It is short.

[Annie Jones]

But do you have to read. It's a Port William novel.

[Suzy (Mom)]

No, you don't have to.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Actually, none of it. I've read them so out of order, but all the people are still all the people. And so they all reconnect. But you don't have to read it in any sort of order or anything.

[Annie Jones]

I've always asked Chet this, but where do you think, if you were new to Windleberry, where would you start?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, now I'd have to look at. I started with this Day, his poetry book. And then I think I started with. It was either. I'd have to see a list. It was one of the characters.

[Annie Jones]

Was it Jabra Crow or.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think it was Hannah Coulter.

[Annie Jones]

I think Chet told us to start with Hannah Coulter.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And then I moved to Jaber Crow. Okay. And then I think literally all my. We just cleaned out our bookcases and donated 50 something books. And so. But all my Wendellberrys. And guess where your book is.

[Annie Jones]

Where?

[Suzy (Mom)]

With Wendell Berry's book.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, thank you.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And Jan Karen, right there. Yes. The favorite shelves.

[Annie Jones]

What a great shelf.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It is a great shelf.

[Annie Jones]

Thank you.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So that brings me to my next book.

[Annie Jones]

All right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And you know, if you know me at all, you know that Jan Karen is the woman who taught me to love reading.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

At the beach. I got the book at home at Mitford because of the COVID And guess what I've done.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah. Tell guess what's fun.

[Suzy (Mom)]

A lot of those Books in the early years were paperback for me. Well, I love her so much. I truly just love her. I think she's a wonderful person and I love her writing. And I love Mitford. And so I went into the archives, into used bookstores, and now I have them all in hardback.

[Annie Jones]

Fun. That's really fun.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And I remove the covers. Cause you know, I do that. And then. So they're all just beautiful. On a whole shelf. They take up a whole shelf.

[Annie Jones]

Because there's a lot of them now.

[Suzy (Mom)]

There are a lot of them. And when you get hardbacks.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, they're bigger.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So I don't know if I donated my very first one this last time or not. Maybe I finally did, but I couldn't because it was the paperback. I took to the beach. I was 40, had a lot of memories. I thought, I need to read. And so look at everybody sitting at the beach, reading. And all I could do is a Country Living magazine because I was too antsy. And so now she's the one who taught me to sit and love to read.

[Annie Jones]

That's so fun.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So this one is called My Beloved. It is a big book. It's one of her bigger novels. And she is delightful. She just brings all the characters of Mitford back to life again. You pick right back up into their lives. Father Tim has asked her what she wants for Christmas. They don't need anything. They don't want anything. They're older, they've got everything. And she says, write me a letter. Well, he writes her a mushy, squishy love letter. Because he's very poetic and he's very into poetry. And so he writes her this beautiful letter, puts it in a book that he's bought for and leaves it out. And Puny the maid comes in and picks it up accidentally. Or one of her boys. And it goes into her book, her bag, and she takes it home and says, what have I do with this? And then it gets left somewhere else.

[Annie Jones]

I see.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Then somebody else picks it up and he picks it up and leaves it at some lady's house accidentally. And. Or it's the wrong book. And she thinks he's written this love letter. She reads it and just. She's French and she's just thinking, who would write such an intimate letter? And blah, blah, blah. So it just goes, follows that.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, that's fun.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It was very cute. I loved it. I actually started it at the end of last year. But then I made myself quit reading it. Cause I didn't want to finish it because that's how much I love it. And then so I picked it up at the beginning of the year and I'm going to finish it.

[Annie Jones]

And so you loved it?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, loved it. And anybody who loves Jan Karen is going to love that book. Okay.

[Annie Jones]

All right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Couple more good ones here.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And my bag will be empty. Theo of Golden.

[Annie Jones]

All right, talk to me about this, because this is so. This is a bestseller at the bookshelf. It was independently published. Simon and Schuster. Oh, yeah. And then at the end of last year, Simon and Schuster picked it up and he's. Who knows for how much money? I don't know. And so they. Now it is a traditionally published book by Simon and Schuster.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Is it hardback?

[Annie Jones]

Nope. They released it in a paperback original. And he's from Columbus, Georgia.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I know.

[Annie Jones]

We are trying to get him at the bookshelf. Oh, I wish I could.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I loved this book.

[Annie Jones]

I think he is a. I want to say he's a caregiver. And so I think that's what I'm to understand. So getting away from Columbus is difficult. But anyway, I mean, this is all any local person can talk about.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, because it's Southern. Yes, it's very Southern. And it's about a man named Theo. And you don't know very much about him. He is a mystery.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

He comes into this small town, Golden. He comes into this very small town, and he wants. He just starts kind of. It's not. It's not really snooping or anything. He's just curious. And he starts. And you don't really understand why or. Or anything. So he's just going through the town, getting to know people, and finally wants to put down a little bit of roots. Not permanent roots, but he tells people, I'm just going to be here a short while. I want. And so he goes into this coffee shop and there are portraits hanging and there's portraits of all the people. And so he's curious about them. So he buys the portrait.

[Annie Jones]

Oh.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And then he gifts it to the person who was painted.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

So now he makes. Then he meets the artist. Okay. And now some people don't want their portrait.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Some people are like, I don't know why he painted me.

[Annie Jones]

What's that doing?

[Suzy (Mom)]

But so he meets people in the park, on this bench.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

At the fountain. And he starts meeting people and giving back the portraits to the rightful owners. And so now he's. And nobody knows anything about him. Just Theo. Hey, Theo.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, interesting.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And they are very accepting. And he is. He rents a little place above Is he a lawyer? I think he's a lawyer. He rents his little apartment that he has. And it's great. It's tragic. It's great. It's tragic. And then at the end, the mystery is solved. And you will know. I'm not telling you well, because you have to read it, but I. After I read the Correspondent, I thought, what am I gonna like? And you must have recommended this.

[Annie Jones]

This is typically what we're giving to people after the correspondence.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And I wouldn't say that it's like the Correspondent, but I would say that if you liked the Correspondent, you probably will like this book. But I think if you had to rank them, I'm just gonna be real. You could still say the Correspondent was your fave. But I didn't want this to end. And then I was bummed when it ended.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, so here's my question for you. You know me. This is what I do to Hunter sometimes, only in a very different way. So Hunter sometimes reads things that I probably wouldn't read, but I'll say, well, is that. Would I like that? And Hunter will tell me, honestly, yeah, you should read this. You'll really like this. So knowing what I like to read, is this too feel good for me?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, it might be too slow and it might be. I mean, there's some drama and stuff within this book, and there's a twist. I loved it. Couldn't put it down.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I wish you would take the time to read it. Yeah, but will you?

[Annie Jones]

Well, I don't know. It's one of those books we talk about at the store where once it starts selling itself.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Right.

[Annie Jones]

It's like, okay, that's no longer a priority to me because I don't need to sell it.

[Suzy (Mom)]

It's already selling, which is a bummer for you.

[Annie Jones]

It is. But I. But if my book club were to read it or something like that, I would read it.

[Suzy (Mom)]

You won't love it like you did the correspondence, but you'll probably go through it way faster than me. You know how I do? Well, I mean, there's a whole movie going on in my head. I have put in people characters with, you know, so that's. That's me. But I loved it. And I think people who like what I read will love it.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

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[Annie Jones]

All right, what next?

[Suzy (Mom)]

All right, this is my last one I'm going to talk about today. Nope. I've got two more. This is called the Sisters of Book Row.

[Annie Jones]

Now, this cover, no wonder you're confused. Mom, this looks just like. I mean, I. Almost identical to the Jenny Colgan book. That is nuts. Those books look like. No wonder you're sitting here, like, now. Wait a minute.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, my God.

[Annie Jones]

Because they are.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Literally. Someone could take a picture.

[Annie Jones]

Will take a picture and post on Instagram. That is nuts.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Take a picture.

[Annie Jones]

Those books look exactly the same. Like, down to the scallop yellow.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. Wow.

[Annie Jones]

Public. Listen, a publisher knows a publisher's like, what could. What'll Susie.

[Suzy (Mom)]

What'll Susie like?

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. Here, this is what she'll like. Okay, so tell us how the Sisters of Book Row is different from.

[Suzy (Mom)]

This is a historical novel.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And it's set in 1915. And you. I think you would like this because this is set in Manhattan.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, well, I do like Book Row.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And evidently there. There were several.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. The book district, remember?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. Yeah. And so that's where they are. They have. They didn't. None of them wanted this job. But the parents are gone. The sister. You know, the sister that makes everything happen. Annie. She is the Apple Bomb Sisters. And they have this Arcadia Rare bookshop. And it's the only home they've ever known. They live above it. So Olivia is the oldest, and she is. She restores rare.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, sure.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

She's an antique book dealer.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Exactly.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Daphne's the middle sister. She oversees the retail shop. And then Celia, the youngest, she dusts and catalogs things. But she really doesn't. She wants to do something different. But they all know that this is what they have to do. Now, look, women owning a store, hey, that's not typical 1915. But they're highly respected. That's a very tight circle of bookstore owners. But they have a mystery left out there. Their front door.

[Annie Jones]

And

[Suzy (Mom)]

they don't know really what's going on. But Celia, who. You wouldn't think. But she gets involved with women's rights issues that are going on in 1915. So she's going to book club. Quote, air quotes only. Really? It's an activist club. And you have to keep it. I mean, very, very secret. There's a lot going on in this book.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think it's. When does it come out? Did it already come out?

[Annie Jones]

Comes out in March.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, in March. Yep. Okay. I won't tell too much more about it, but people will love this book.

[Annie Jones]

It's gonna come out as a paperback original in March. It is about the com. I am curious about this. It's about the Comstock Laws, which threatened banning. It's about book banning. That's interesting.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I think you would love this book. And he just goes around and just starts tearing up places. Print shops.

[Annie Jones]

I see.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And he has these goons that work for him. These terrible, mean people that work for him. So the police doesn't even know how to handle it. But ultimately, this surprise that's left outside their door turns into opening up another can of worms and.

[Annie Jones]

All right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I won't tell too much about it now because I realize it's about to release.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

But I do think people will love it.

[Annie Jones]

All right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Based on a true story.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. That looks good.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay.

[Annie Jones]

All right. You've got two more listed here.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay. I didn't bring it with me. The 100 rules for living to 100.

[Annie Jones]

This is Dick Van Dyke. Did you like it?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I did. It was very. It's just a sweet. Again, short stories.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Just little standalone almost little stories of his life.

[Annie Jones]

All right.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And his career.

[Annie Jones]

I mean, I like him.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, I do, too. And he's just such an optimist.

[Annie Jones]

Well, maybe that's why he lives so long.

[Suzy (Mom)]

If you want to. And he. It is amazing. He is amazing.

[Annie Jones]

And what he's seen. I mean, think about. If you're 100, think about how many changes you've lived through history.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Everybody that were his friends, they're gone. You know what I found fascinating that would relate this to modern right now? He was very sincere. Best friends with Carl Reiner.

[Annie Jones]

Aw.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And Rob Reiner, as we know, that just happened. This was at the end of last year, first of this year, late December, I think. Okay. He sounds exactly like his daddy.

[Annie Jones]

Oh.

[Suzy (Mom)]

The. The way people talk about Rob Reiner sounds exactly the way people talk about Carl Reiner. They stood up for what they believed in, but they stood for the people that worked with them. And they. And he was his. One of his very dearest friends. They spent a lot of time together over the years. The Dick Van Dyke show didn't really last very long.

[Annie Jones]

Right. When you look back and that.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And I loved that show.

[Annie Jones]

We did, too.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I love Reruns of that show. But I didn't realize it just so short lived and humor dancing and just having an optimistic attitude. I think people would really love it.

[Annie Jones]

Has Nina read it?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I gave it to her. That's why I don't have it. That's why I don't have it with me.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. And then last but not least.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Which one?

[Annie Jones]

More than enough.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Did not bring that with me.

[Annie Jones]

That's okay. It's the Anna Quindlen. What are you looking at me for? Why are you looking at me like that? You loved this book. I finished it.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I know I have it. I don't even have it at my home.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, you do. Yes, you do. It was an arc.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh. I've given it to Nina.

[Annie Jones]

But this is Anna Quindlen and the woman and her best friend, Sarah. I read this book. Oh, my gosh. I read this book. Aaron read this book. We both loved it. And they're in a book club together. Mom is looking at me like she doesn't know what I talk about. Her first name. Polly. Is it? Polly and Sarah. And anyway, they're in a book club together and the main character wants to have kids but hasn't been able to. Do you not know anything about this? Where are your notes?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I don't forget.

[Annie Jones]

Where are your detailed notes?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I starred this book because I didn't have time.

[Annie Jones]

But you loved this one. You finished it and you were like, this was one of the best books I've ever read.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, my word. And now I gave it to Nina.

[Annie Jones]

Would you recognize the COVID Excuse me while I Google. Oh, my gosh. Look.

[Suzy (Mom)]

This is why people like Susie reads. Oh, I did love that book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. Like, I knew you were gonna talk about this one. It comes out the end of February, so it came. By the time people listen to this, it'll already be out. Yeah. Polly, she's a high school English teacher. She is friends with winter book club. She's struggling with ivf. Then she gets an ancestry kit.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, my goodness. Yes. Oh, my goodness. Her girlfriends, as a joke, give her an ancestry kit.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And then she discovers she's got some family out there. Yeah.

[Annie Jones]

That she doesn't know.

[Suzy (Mom)]

That she doesn't know. It's so good. I gave it to Nina. And that's why I forgot all about it. I just forgot.

[Annie Jones]

Nina is my other. Nina is my aunt.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes. That's my sister. Who reads like thousands and thousands of pages a year.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. She keeps track of her page count. It's wonderful.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And she reads like 70 books.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. Or Way more pages than I do.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Huge books. So I. Yes, I'm. I'm sorry, everyone, but yes, that. Oh, my goodness. I want. I will buy that book in hardback.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, that will come out in hardback,

[Suzy (Mom)]

and I will buy that book. It was so good.

[Annie Jones]

When. Okay, I'm so sorry. Spoilers may abound Here. When is your shelf subscription selection? What are you reading for March or April?

[Suzy (Mom)]

Let me see this one.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, that's the one you picked.

[Suzy (Mom)]

This is what April.

[Annie Jones]

Are you May.

[Suzy (Mom)]

I'm May. Dad's April.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, well, we might have to talk about that. That's a paperback. We have some things to discuss off air. This is an unscripted podcast, in case you didn't know, in case it wasn't obvious. Okay, we're gonna talk about that off air.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Okay.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. But that was a lot of books, Mom. For real.

[Suzy (Mom)]

And that's not even all of them. It's just one. And then I asterisk the ones to talk about. And that's why when you said more than enough, I'm like, what are you doing?

[Annie Jones]

Well, I'm sorry, but you talked about the sisters of Book Row extensively, and it did not have an asterisk by it.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Oh, that's true. See, I don't have more than enough with me because I've lent it out.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, you gave it to Nina. That's okay. Now you know what that book is.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Yes, I'm buying it. I'm buying it in hardback, everybody. I liked it so much.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, so those are some books that mom read and loved. There are a couple of ways that you can follow along with other Suzy books. If you're curious about the books my mom, Suzy reads and loves, here are how you can shop with her selections. First of all, as we have discussed and as we will keep discussing off air, you can become a shelf subscriber through our monthly shelf subscription program. Each month, staffers pick their favorite books of the month, and our revolving shelf subscription features rotating choices from Shop Mom, Shop Dad, Nancy, and Olivia. It's a great option for the eclectic reader. And so if you want more Suzy, that's one way to get some of her selections. If you don't, you know, need a shelf subscription service, we get that. So if you want more Suzy selections and just want to buy the book she talks about, all of today's books are on the store website. You can shop through today's episode number. That's five. 72 plus. Mom has her very own page on the bookshelf's website with so many books she loves, including backlist titles that she's talked about on previous episodes. So you can shop that through the link in our show notes or by visiting bookshelf thomasville.com, clicking featured and then choosing Suzy Reads. You can also. And this is fun. Cause this is a way to track who buys Suzy books. You can use the 10% off code shopmomselects to buy her books and get 10% off. So it's a discount code. You get 10% off her choices. I know. You're basically an influencer. Well, you should put this on your Instagram so you get 10% off her choices. Use the code shopmomselects. It also helps us know if we, like, owe Mom a commission or something.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Well, listen, I just solved the mystery.

[Annie Jones]

Okay?

[Suzy (Mom)]

This is my shelf subscription. It's March.

[Annie Jones]

Okay?

[Suzy (Mom)]

I'm March. And y'. All the. The sisters of book Row.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Is my shelf subscription. Go sign up for it.

[Annie Jones]

There you go. There you go. So that's why she loved that book and wanted to talk about it today. Okay, thank you guys so much for listening. Thank you, mom, for being here.

[Suzy (Mom)]

Are you sure? Yes. Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Thank you for being here. From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production 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, bookshelf thomasville.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, Beth Martha, Linda, Lee Drost, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Farrell, Jean Queens, Jamie Treadwell, Joseph Shorter iv, Nicole, Marcy, Wendy Jenkins, and Kimberly. Thank you all for your support of from the Front Porch. If you'd like to support from the Front Porch, please leave a review on Access 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. We're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

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[Annie Jones]

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