← From the Front Porch
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Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. Sometimes the past is like that. 18 years can be forever, and it can also be no time at all. Meg Mitchell Moore down with the Shipmans I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week I'm chatting about summary off the shelf topics with my cousin Ashley Sherlock. If you're craving more from the Front Porch or if you want to listen to episodes ad free, join us on Patreon. And this year, listener favorite Hunter McLendon and I are sharing our monthly recaps of our Conquering of the Complete Stories by Flannery o'.
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Connor.
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Episodes air on the last Friday of each month and it's never too late to start reading or listening or to cajole your friends and family into joining us too. To join patreon, just visit patreon.com from the FrontPorch. There are three tiers available. The $5 a month tier will give you access to those Conquer A Classic episodes, including the back catalog of Conquer A Classic episod and our monthly Porch Visit Q and a sessions. Our $20 a month tier will give you ad free episodes of from the Front Porch, plus a deep dive into some of Flannery o' Connor's other works. We hope you'll join us there. Remember, it's patreon.com from the front Porch. Now back to the show. Welcome back Ashley.
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C
Thank you so much. Glad to be here.
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A
It is time to go off the shelf for this recurring episode series that we do together today. We are talking about books, yes, but we're also talking articles, TV shows, pop culture, and what we are looking forward to this summer. Ashley is a former Bookshelf staffer and my literal family member and friend. I'm so glad you're here. You're about to enter your favorite season. How are you feeling?
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C
I'm going to be honest with you, today is a day I am not to be truffled with and it does feel like the day is truffling with me. However, it is 88 degrees where I live and that helps a lot.
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A
That's funny. It's pretty much that same temperature. It's a beautiful day, which is helpful because generally my mood is also not fantastic today. So this will be a fun vibe. How are you hopeful about the summer? Do you have any fun summer plans on the books? Whatcha doing?
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C
I'm very hopeful about the summer spending. We're Recording this pre Memorial Day. So I will be spending Memorial Day weekend at the beach where you live, or in Florida. North Carolina Beach. And after that, I'm heading to New York City just for the fun of it. Oh, fun.
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A
We're going Friday.
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C
Are you serious?
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Yeah.
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That's where we're spending Memorial Day. I mean, we'll be flying back by the time it's Monday. We're leaving this Friday and coming home Monday.
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Dang it. I get there Tuesday.
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A
Oh, that's funny. You'll be there at the same time as Kendall.
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C
Really?
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A
Kendall from the bookshelf should be there. I think all next week.
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C
The other people are going to be there, too. This is like the time I hope other people I know are going to be there, and I hope other people that I don't know are not going to be there. You know what I mean?
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A
I don't. I didn't know if you were referencing people you actually know or Sutton Foster.
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C
Foster and Taylor Swift are both there when I'm there.
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That's what I didn't know if you
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were talking about, but it probably is. That's what I was getting at. Since everybody that I know is also going to be New York. In New York, that probably also means everyone else is going to be in New York, too.
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I feel safe talking about that. Kendall, I'm so sorry to out you, but I do feel safe because by the time this comes out into the world, y' all will all be long back home. You'll all be back.
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That's my.
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That's my main plan.
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But then I'll go. I'll go back home for a while, back home to Tallahassee. I'm also very excited about that.
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Yes, That'll be nice. Yeah. We're going to New York for a couple of days, and then we've got Market in June, which is messing with my brain a little bit. That is normally a July trip, and it is kind of throwing a kink in some of my June plans. And then I've got a couple. I'm gonna be. Actually, I should announce this here. I will be at Snail on the Wall Books in Huntsville, Alabama, at the end of June. So I'll be there for an author event, and then Texas for the 4th to visit friends. And then, I don't know. Jordan might have some travels, but I kind of hope July. Since Market is now in June, maybe July can be my, I don't know, quiet month. June feels a little. Everybody keeps talking about May, and me, too. I keep talking about May. Being over because it's chaotic. But June is not honestly looking that much better.
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C
So, I mean, it's all. It feels like it's all going to be kind of nuts, but please put me on your July schedule.
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Oh, yes. That's when you will be here.
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But speaking of market being in June, it's not in July because of the World Cup, Correct.
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Correct.
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Do you have a soccer team besides America? Yes. Such as Man City or Barcelona?
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No. Do they compete in the world? I thought everybody's country competes in the World Cup.
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Not how this works.
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Well, it is, but Man City is
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like part of England, which is part of the world.
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Yeah, but I. I thought the World cup is like the. I thought the World cup was like the Olympics of soccer.
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Okay, well, that was really just my segue asking if you had a soccer team. Just soccer in general.
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Just soccer in general. Okay, I see. I see somebody. So outside of who will I be rooting for? The fourth for the world.
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Right, right. I see.
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No, I don't. To answer your question, no.
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Okay. Well, I'm. I'm getting. I'm becoming surrounded by people who do enjoy watching soccer. And since we were so involved in fantasy football at the beginning of the year, we do March Madness. I already enjoy baseball. Soccer, I have. I did not enjoy playing as a child, but I would like to know something about. And I would like to have a team to play. So I'm.
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Are you on the hunt?
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Yeah, I'm in the market for a soccer team open to.
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Does Charlotte have one?
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Yes. And actually there's a Florida team. Couldn't tell you who they are, but there's a Florida team coming to play in Charlotte on Halloween this year. So that could be.
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Oh, that's fun.
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A fun game.
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Yeah. You should root for the team nearest you. Like, we. I think I feel like we have friends who root for the Atlanta team. There's like a Nashville team I see people posting about all the time. So you should pick one that you could actually go watch their games. Because I do think. Well, I don't know. But to me, I prefer watching baseball in person than I do on tv.
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And soccer feels like it.
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Yeah. Soccer, I think I might feel similarly about. But I don't know. But it would be fun while you live up there to like have a team close to you.
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Soccer while a low scoring game. I thought you would feel similarly to basketball since. Oh, I might get in trouble for saying this, but soccer just feels like basketball. But with your feet. It's just a lot of running Back and forth.
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It is.
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There's a lot more scoring in basketball.
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I know that's the difference.
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Basketball, definitely. And I, you know, I grew up watching basketball. Like, I find basketball a very easy sport to watch. I think soccer is a great laundry doing sport to watch. Like, it's good to have on in the background while you're like, you know, you strike me as somebody who would cook while, like if you could watch TV in the background while you cook or something like that. Just because soccer lasts a long time and is low scoring. But I, I think the World cup will help you get into it.
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I.
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This was years ago, but like when I worked at Holy Comforter one summer, that was a World cup summer.
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And like I forgot about that.
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Yeah, there was like a group of call. I was in high school. School. It was either in high school or middle school. And there were like these college kids who were super into the World cup. So then all of us younger than them got into it. And so I think it would be a good time to get into soccer is what I'm saying. Like you would feel like part of the group, which I enjoy. That's what, that's one of the reasons I like sports.
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Yeah. So I would recommend.
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But what's the Charlotte's team name?
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Do you know who, what, what sport is the Panthers? Is that football?
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Football. American Football. Yes.
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And I don't know. Yeah.
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Well, you should go to a game. That would be fun. I would think.
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Yeah, maybe I will. It's the, it's the years of sports in my world.
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Yes, you are. That has been dying. My dad and I were cracking up because you. I think for the first time, I mean, forget League of Her Own, that's kind of separate. But we were on a family group text and it wasn't just the master. Oh, the derby. Out of nowhere you texted about the derby. And I was like, Ashley's housemates must love sports because all of a sudden she is texting about the masters, the derby. And never in your 30 years have I ever seen you express a modicum of interest even for like as a kid. Like the pretty horsies. Like I've never heard you care about those things.
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The pretty horsies.
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You know, like as a kid, like were you part. Like I went through a horse girl phase? For sure. The saddle club. Yeah.
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Yes. I was a first wannabe. No. So like it's more now, like I just want to be a more well rounded person. And it's not that I don't like, I mean, I don't love watching sports. It's not how I would prefer to spend my time. Like, I don't want to go to a college football game on a Saturday. But I like. I like knowing what's going on and I like.
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It's probably helpful. Yeah, it's probably helpful when you move somewhere. I would think, like an easy, basic way for sure.
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Pl. And this year, like, I. I mean, social media helps. Like, I found out, you know, the backstories about these. About so happy. And then Great white who got scratched.
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Yeah, that's what was hilarious. Was Ashley all of a sudden talking about horses scratching. And it was like, what is going. I felt like I was in an alternate universe. I was like, what is happening?
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I just. The whole. My whole goal is to just know enough to be able to converse. I don't want to. A super fan look.
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And I don't. I don't know very many. To be clear. Everybody throws like a derby party. I don't know anybody that like, follows horse racing beyond, what do they call it, like the Triple Crown or whatever. Like, I just don't. I don't know a ton of people who are like, yes, I follow horse racing diligence. I mean, there probably are in Thomasville. Let's be real. But like, most people I don't think are like, yes, I'm an avid horse racing fan. I think they're like, yes, I watched the Kentucky Derby because it's a cultural. Like the World Cup. It's a cultural moment.
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Yeah.
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Just.
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It's something we're doing.
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Yeah. I just want to keep up. Want to be able to hang out and know what I'm. Know what I'm listening to other people talk about.
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Yeah, no, I get that. Okay. That was Sports Corner with Annie and Ashley. I'm sure the people. That is exactly why they're here. That's what they're here. That's the content. That's the content they're here for. Okay, so we're going to talk about reading, watching, listening, buying. That's what we're going to do. I am going to run down a couple books I've been reading that I think would be of especial interest to you. The first is one I believe I texted you about, which is a book called Anywhere Else by Rachel Knox. It's a collection of essays. Did you buy it?
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Oh, yeah.
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Have you gotten it yet? Did you buy it locally up there?
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Bought it at the bookshelf. Keela sent it to me along with my paperback copy of Ordinary Time. I'VE read one chapter so far.
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That's okay. One chapter of the Florida book or Ordinary Time?
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The Florida book. I've already read Ordinary Time more than once, so.
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No, the Florida. Do you like it so far?
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I do. The first chapter was kind of a doozy. I can't even remember. First chapter is at least one of the reasons why there's a trigger warning in the beginning of the book. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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She writes about Florida really well. And then she also, like, there's, I believe, a chapter on the opioid epidemic. But she's looking at it through the lens, of course, of Florida, but also of her high school classmate and kind of the way their lives have intersected over the years. There's a chapter maybe about climate change or the natural world, but it incorporates the X Files. So she. I feel like she and I are probably close in age, so I think it'll especially be appealing to maybe a millennial reader. But any native Floridian who is sick of Florida or gets kind of grouchy about Florida being the butt of people's jokes, I think will appreciate it. But I also just think she's a really great writer. And there were lots of paragraphs that I underlined, and I was like, oh, my gosh, this is so good. So I'm glad. I think you will really like it. I sent a page, I think, to. And then I sent it to my brother because I think Chet would really like it as well. Okay. And then I wanted to tell you about two summer books which are probably already on your radar, but I think you might like them. I do not know how they are in audiobook format. One is down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore. And it is like your stereotypical beach read. It's set on the coast of New England, New Hampshire, I believe, to be exact. And it's like three sisters, very stereotypical, eldest, middle and younger. And they go back to their family beach house the week after July 4th. So it'd be fun to read after July 4th, because it's like one day of that week and they're back for, like, their family beach trip, and their dad lets them know he's selling the beach house. And so it's them kind of coming to terms with the death of their mom, the selling of the family home, and kind of all their memories. And then they each are bringing their own kind of drama to the table. It felt like it could be really cheesy, but I loved it. I thought the characters were really, really well drawn and the sister aspect of it was really lovely. So that one is fantastic. And then I want you to read because I want to know your thoughts so it's less like a full throttled endorsement and more. Please read this and report back what you think. And that is the Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson. Did you read Pineapple Street?
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C
Pineapple street by Jenny Jackson? I don't think so. I'm getting this name mixed up with that author that came to the bookshelf one time.
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Jocelyn Jackson.
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Yep.
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Okay, so this is Pineapple street was like dysfunctional, rich New York family stuff. This is set in a fictional Greenhead, Massachusetts. But immediately I was like, wait a minute. And sure enough it is supposed to be Ipswich. So because you have been there, I think it will especially be interesting to you. Like I. I immediately googled cause I was like greenhead and Green Head is not a real place, but it is based on Ipswich. So all of that felt very familiar. It's about a woman named Caroline who moves to the area to write a book and she winds up kind of falling in love with this guy and then his group of friends. And Erin is reading this right now and she is loving it. I hated all of these people so viscerally. And Aaron loves, She's like, oh, they're just complicated. And I can tell that either I was just in a grouchy headspace or I mean I do have things that once people are done, I will tell you why I did not like them or the decisions that they made. But it's very readable. Like you will want to finish it, but it's about this kind of incestuous group of friends where like they date each other and if you've ever been the outside person looking in on like a group of friends who are very close knit and you're kind of the outlier, I think this will resonate. The story is told from all of their different perspectives. So you don't just get the outsider's perspective, you also get the inside insider's perspective. But there were just a couple moments where I was like, how old are these people supposed to be? Because they just felt some of their decisions. I just was like, what is this? Seems like something you do in your early 20s. Like it feels like we've aged out of this, but maybe I'm dumb and maybe we haven't aged out of it. But I thought the writing was great and the setting is wonderful. But I really want you to read it so that I can tell you I need to talk about these people. So I'm waiting for Aaron to finish too. But I think because you also have been to Ipswich, you would really like it.
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C
Can you add these? Plugging myself for another summer reading list. Can you add these to my personalized summer reading list that I.
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A
Yes, I just finished my summer reading list, so I'm working on yours and our mom's next.
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C
Fantastic. Okay. I've actually read a lot in the past few months. Well, a lot for me. But I'm. So I'm just gonna like go down my list. There are a couple of things that I want to talk to you about. And really only one of these books did I actually love.
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A
Okay.
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C
Okay. I read Brawler by Lauren Groff.
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Okay.
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What'd you think?
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I haven't read it yet, so I listen to it as I do. So the only physical books that I'm reading right now are Flannery o' Connor Short Stories and Anywhere Else by Rachel Knox. And then another book that I'm reading for a training. Everything else is audiobook. However, I don't believe short stories are great in audiobook format. I'm learning.
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I think they're hard. Yeah.
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Because I also read Fat Swimming, which that's short stories too, right? If not, I don't know.
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I haven't read that one.
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If not, I'm dumb and very confused because the first one started off with a girl named Alice and then I never saw Alice again after the first.
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Okay, well, that's normal. You're right. I'm sure that's an indicator.
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I. I read it. Didn't do any research. Brawler was good. I feel not the same way about Brawler and Fat Swim, but kind of probably just because of the way that I consumed them.
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Yep.
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But big fan of Warren Groff. Always. I read Theo of Golden Again. Audio. Worth it.
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E
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C
I can see why it's popular. Has your mom read it? She would love it.
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A
Yeah, she read it. She liked it? Yeah, she liked it a lot, I don't think, but I'd even think she wasn't as enamored. She did like it, but I think she reads a lot. And so she was like, yeah, this was really good. And then I think she moved on and read the next thing. Whereas I think a lot of people like they are. They love it so much.
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C
It has, it has stuck with a lot of people. I will say I went to a local art museum, the Weatherspoon Art Museum of Art or something like that. Weatherspoon something here in town and they had one piece where somebody gave a dollar bill to nine different people and took a picture like of the dollar bill in each person's hand. And then so that was like framed in one picture and then in the next frame over it was the same people. And like what had happened to the dollar bill in this certain amount of time? And it also had like what these people did. So like unhoused barista businessman and the unhoused persons got stolen. Somebody else folded it into something like origami and then other people it had a picture of what they spent it on, which I just thought was, oh, interesting. Maybe a third of them kept the dollar because it was special. You know, they thought it was cute, but most of them spent it on something and that reminded me of thee of golden.
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A
What a cool concept.
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C
Anyway, other things I've read the in between by Hadley Vlahos. It's about she's A nurse. Did I tell you about this already? She's a nurse in Florida who was. She worked in end of life care hospice, essentially.
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A
You did talk about this because Jordan is into this.
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Like I'm into this too.
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Yeah, Jordan is into this stuff.
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C
This one left a mark on me, especially with my experience, like with all of my. Both of our grandparents are no longer with us, but it was just about. It's the in between. So, like what happens like when you're not fully alive but also not fully passed away yet. Fascinating.
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So non fiction, because she worked in that field.
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C
Okay. It's literally just stories about her patients and how she saw them pass on.
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A
Interesting.
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C
Yeah. From like a. Not woo woo, but not completely. Like some spiritual but not religious perspective, if that makes sense. That one left a mark on me. I also read Ken by Tayari Jones. I liked it. I liked it a lot.
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A
I think he read my favorites of
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C
the year and then the last two I wanted to talk about. The one that I loved is Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. Have you heard? Have you read that?
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A
Yes. I love that book. It's so good.
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C
So good.
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A
It's so good.
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C
It's my. Probably my favorite book of the year so far because, I mean, I'm talking about it now, but I thought about it for weeks upon weeks after reading it. And then lastly, I don't think you finished this one, but it's yesteryear.
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A
Oh, I finished it.
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C
Did you? I did.
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A
I finished it. I read it. I read it last September, I think, or October. And so I did hear. I do not know if this is true, but I did hear that it changed from the arc, which rarely happens. And so I want to know if that's true or not.
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C
I don't.
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A
Because, you know, frequently an arc, you know, will change, like spelling errors or punctuation. But like once an arc has been printed, it's not really time for a whole book revamp. You know what I mean?
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C
Right. You don't edit the story.
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A
Right. But somebody told me it is different and I would be curious how.
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C
What did you think of that book, Wild Ride? But I've. It could be true to an extent.
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I thought it was fine. I thought. I'm fascinated by what takes the world by storm. It feels a little crawdadsy to me where I'm like, huh, okay, all right. I don't know. I made it my book club book for June because I think it will be fantastic to discuss in a group of people. But I think I was Fully invested. And I will be very clear. I finished it very quickly. It was a book that, like, I flew through.
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D
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G
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- [25:09]
A
But the back half was challenging to me. I felt a little bit like she had a great idea, and then she was like, I'm not quite sure how to wrap this up.
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C
So how do we land this plane?
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A
Yeah, that's what it felt like a little bit to me. I think other critiques I've read have been more thoughtful than my own. I think mine was just like, I read it in September or October. The Edelweiss catalog said, best book of 2026. And so I went in with that level of, oh, okay. And I think when you go in with that level of expectation, it's very hard for a book to meet that level. And so I did not agree with that. Marketing.
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C
I don't agree with that either.
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A
It was.
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C
It was my book club book this past month, but I. I missed. I didn't go, oh, I was gonna
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ask how the discussion went, because I bet that would be fascinating.
- [26:02]
C
I missed it, but I just know they were talking about it in the text thread and they were all like, I can't to talk about this. And everybody was just, like, clutching their pearls, holding onto their hats.
- [26:11]
A
I think a lot of people it was fascinating because my dad, while we were at the beach, was like, hey, have you heard of this book called Yesteryear? Because he'd seen, I think, the author interviewed in the New York Times. So we were talking about it because the premise is fantastic and relatively clever, kind of original. I mean, I feel like we've seen some stuff like that before, but I'm not. Yeah, I'm just not sure she stuck the landing. And then in. I think some other critiques I have read have been just about. They wished she had leaned into making Natalie, the main character, a little bit more nuanced, particularly as it related to her religiosity. And I think the quote that she has given a couple of times is, oh, I specifically was vague about that because conservative Judaism, conservative Christianity, Mormonism, they're all the same. Like, that was kind of her quote. And it's like, oh, that. I mean, there are similarities, but those are also very different world religions.
- [27:06]
B
Yes.
- [27:07]
A
I mean, I think I see where she. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. I think I see what she's trying to say. But I've read a few critiques that maybe critique harder than I would have on that. I just struggled to believe some of the back half.
- [27:24]
C
I think back half was tough. I have a hard time and I tend to stay away from stories that have to do with Super 2026 type subjects like influencer social media and stuff, because I'm just like, yes, first of all, it'll change tomorrow. And second, I just haven't seen it done well very often.
- [27:45]
A
Yes. And we're getting a lot of trad wife books. Everybody, like, they're coming. They're. And I don't think they've all been
- [27:52]
C
great, but this one, I mean, there was the. I don't know why. The only other one I can think of is called R Stop, which I read in 2020, because somebody bought it for me. I don't even remember who wrote it. It has a yellow cover with pink writing.
- [28:05]
A
I've got it. Laura Williams, I think is her name.
- [28:08]
C
I got that one, of course. But in terms of influencer writing, I appreciate it. Like, it was. I was interested and I. In a. In a place where I am not normally interested, I think you can tell
- [28:23]
A
when someone has a disdain for their characters instead of a curiosity about their characters. And sometimes I couldn't quite tell where she landed.
- [28:34]
C
Sure.
- [28:35]
A
Which is fine. I mean, I think it depends on what kind of book you want to write. Like, I think she probably was writing, you Know, a satire. And so maybe it's okay to treat your characters with a little bit of side eye or disdain. I don't know.
- [28:48]
C
Do we know anything about this author? Like, does she have any connection to influencer or tradwife life?
- [28:54]
A
So she's a podcaster, which I did not know. I didn't know anything about her until I had read it. And then I think I posted it to my Annie's Five Star Reads and somebody was like, oh, she did a critique of Ballerina Farms. And that whole sentence, I was not familiar. I was like, what? Like. But then I did a deep dive. And so I think she had critiqued or maybe when she encountered this trad wife culture. I think this is when maybe she developed the idea to write the book. So that's the only connection, I think. Except maybe maybe she has podcasted about it. Yeah, I think it'll get people talking, which I love. I mean, it's good for books and good for people who sell books, so I'll take it. But I wish you'd gone to your book club because I would love to listen. And some women in my book club I already know loved this book, so I think it'll be interesting to discuss. I did not fall in the Lovett category, but did I read it quickly? Yes, yes, absolutely. Was it a quick, compelling read? The first half, Especially to me.
- [29:59]
C
I'm in agreement, I think.
- [30:01]
A
Yeah. Okay. Any other readings?
- [30:04]
C
That's it for now.
- [30:05]
A
That was a lot. Good job.
- [30:06]
C
Thank you.
- [30:07]
A
That's a lot of reading you've done. Okay. As far as watching, we went down. Speaking of kind of like a deep dive. We watched the Dark wizard on hbo, which is this documentary series about a BASE jumper and free solo climber. We thought it was really well done. And then I read like a book about cave diving. Then we watched another BASE jumping documentary on Disney. We went down a little rabbit trail. But I do think the Dark wizard is worth a watch. But really, I want to know, are you watching Slash, have you watched Off Campus?
- [30:43]
C
Wait, what is off campus?
- [30:46]
A
It is this hockey show on Amazon. Okay. I think you will. I assume it's going to scratch the heated rivalry itch for a lot of people. I am on episode 6 as of this recording. I will be honest, I started it because I kept seeing our friend Kimberly Post about it and how she wanted to be watching it. And so I was like, well, let me get on that. And so I started watching it while I was cleaning the house. And at first. Cause I was like half watching it. And I was like, man, there is so much music. And it felt like one of the. It felt like Dawson's Creek or you know that spring break episode of Gilmore Girls where there's like a band and it just felt so music heavy that I was like, does anything ever happen to these people? I felt like an old lady. I was like, where's the plot? But it does get there. And the characters have chemistry. I see why people are vibing with this show. I think it'll become another. I don't think it will quite hit the popularity of heated rivalry, but I think it'll be like summer I turned pretty status. That's what I think. It's about a hockey player guy and of course he needs to pass his grades or something. And then the girl is gonna lose her scholarship if she doesn't stop writing classical music and write a pop song. The, you know, you know the kind of show I'm describing. But it's. It's based on a show and people. I mean, it's based on a book. People are gonna be offended at my description. I didn't mean it was very enjoyable. I'm on episode six. I'm having a good time. But I think the underlying premise, Summer adventures are better with Minky Couture. From road trips to ball games, beach nights to backyard movies, Minky has you covered. Don't miss the Everywear blanket. Water resistant, ultra soft and made for life on the go. Wherever summer takes you, bring comfort along. MinkyCouture.com the original best blanket ever.
- [32:52]
G
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- [33:48]
A
Is not really the point is what I'm trying to say the point is the chemistry between those two characters and lots of fun side characters. Like, there's a great best friend character. The hockey team is really fun. I am so sorry that I'm not gonna know his name. But you watched the Pit, right?
- [34:04]
C
Not yet.
- [34:06]
A
You didn't watch the Pit?
- [34:07]
B
No.
- [34:08]
A
Okay, never mind.
- [34:09]
C
The human body is a disgusting place.
- [34:12]
A
Nevermind then. But there's an actor from the Pit who plays a pretty prominent role in a Thanksgiving episode of this show. Why this show released now, I have no idea. It is like we have given up seasonality to our television because Jordan and I just finished Rooster, which is excellent. Very. I say it's excellent. It's good. It's fun. It's not. I think there are some meandering plot points, but there was like a Christmas episode and it's April, and I was like, what are we doing? Can we just. I miss caring about seasons. Like, it feels like we've let climate change go so far as to affect our television.
- [34:49]
C
And why would you say that? That's terrible.
- [34:53]
A
It feels true. Like, heated rivalry. Very much feels like they're on a college campus. There was just a Thanksgiving episode and I'm watching it in May. Why, guys? What have we done wrong anyway?
- [35:03]
C
Because we don't want to wait until Thanksgiving to watch.
- [35:06]
A
I think that's what it is. I think that's what it is. It sucks, but go watch it. I think the Bookshelf staff is very invested. I'm pretty sure Kendall and Keela both have gone down this rabbit hole. Rabbit trail, whatever the phrase is. I like it. It's cute.
- [35:19]
C
Okay. Off campus. I've heard. I've heard of it. I need to. I need a new show.
- [35:23]
A
Can I just say the other thing? The main girl's hair is the Rachel. And I guess we're just going full in. I guess we're just going all in because it is so very clearly like a top. Like Bob and then feathered Audi. It is so the Rachel.
- [35:40]
C
But is it Modern Day? Like 2020?
- [35:42]
A
Yeah, man. Yeah. I think we're. That's what I mean. I think it's here.
- [35:45]
C
It's.
- [35:46]
A
Put your overalls on your Doc Martens and feather out your. I don't know, your hair. I think we're doing it. I think we're going all in.
- [35:53]
C
That's a whole other conversation I'm not ready to have. Okay. I'm not actually watching that much these days. I can't even remember if I finished company retreat.
- [36:06]
A
I did not I mean, I. We didn't even start it.
- [36:09]
C
It was a cringe fest. Like, I think there were funny parts, but I think the overall vibe felt like Scott's tots.
- [36:18]
A
Oh, no
- [36:21]
D
good.
- [36:22]
C
I think it was a good show, but more cringe than funny.
- [36:26]
A
Okay.
- [36:26]
C
And then I also have not finished Love Story.
- [36:29]
A
I didn't finish it either. I think. I think once I knew how. I mean, I already know how it ends. And so I'm like, why do I. Why do I. I don't need that episode. I think I'm fine. I really. I lived that episode.
- [36:40]
C
Did I live that episode when you were six? Okay. I do. Okay. I've enjoyed Love Story. I have problems with both of the main actors. Okay. The way I don't know either of their names, but the way JFK Jr says Carolyn. Normally, I love a New England accent, my favorite accent, but the way he goes. Carolyn drives me up the wall. Can't stand it. My least favorite part about him. And then Carolyn needs a hair mask, and I believe that's just because of her character touching it. Her character needs a hair mask. Like, you got to tame that frizz. Trim those dead ends. But also, I need her to stop biting her lip. She bites her lip so much that I made a drink.
- [37:34]
A
Now I won't be able to.
- [37:35]
C
And I finished my drink. It is so annoying to me. And I don't know if she needed direction, if she was given direction to bite her lip or if that is. Carolyn actually did.
- [37:50]
A
Right.
- [37:51]
C
Right.
- [37:51]
A
Did Carolyn Bessette bite her lip? I don't know.
- [37:53]
C
Matter. No matter which of those it was. I hate it, too.
- [37:57]
A
Too much for you?
- [37:58]
C
Too much for me. Stop biting the lip.
- [38:01]
A
Are those the reasons you did not continue with the show?
- [38:05]
C
No, the reasons I haven't continued are just because I have not sat down to.
- [38:10]
A
You've been reading a lot of books and watching a lot of sports. That's what it sounds like to me.
- [38:14]
C
Exactly. And the third thing I'll tell you about, which I think I probably have already said on this podcast, but I wanted to have something besides a show, so I'm watching my shark swim Shady on the app.
- [38:27]
A
Fun.
- [38:28]
C
He. You buy a bracelet for like, $15, and then you get to track an endangered species for as long as their little pinger is attached to their body. And mine has been.
- [38:39]
A
That's pretty cool.
- [38:40]
C
Two years at least. She swims back and forth between Florida and North Carolina, which I think is so cute. And I did not do on purpose. You don't get to Pick who the animal is. You can pick the species. You could. I bought my mom a sea turtle.
- [38:54]
A
Oh, that's fun.
- [38:56]
C
You can get a manatee.
- [38:58]
A
Maybe I should get a manatee. I did just finish. I don't know. Do you like Carly Fortune, the rom com writer? Have you read her?
- [39:06]
C
Yes, I have. What does she write?
- [39:08]
A
She did one on Prince Edward island, one Golden Summer. Something. Okay, so she has a new book called Our Perfect Storm. I could give or take. However, there is a whale plot line that I think you would be very interested in. And there is a whale. Then at the end, in the author's note, there's this. I do think Carly Fortune writes places really well. And she was writing about Tofino, which is an island, I think off the coast of British Columbia. And she was talking about these whales called right whales. I had not heard of these. And so how they are endangered. And she. Anyway, I think you would find that part really interesting.
- [39:44]
C
Put it on my reading list. My summer reading list.
- [39:46]
A
Yeah, I'll add it. I'll add it. Okay. I am listening to an audiobook called the Foursome, and this is by Christina Baker Klein, and it's about Chang and English, the twins who were connected like in the 1800s and they married two sisters from North Carolina. And this I had no idea. I knew about Chang and Ang, but I did not know about their marriages. And so this is a book told from the perspective of one of the wives fiction. But I think Christina Baker Klein maybe can trace her ancestry through those women. And it's a great audiobook. Listen. And I'm really liking it. I think it's so fascinating. So anyway, I'm listening to that and then I tell you what, I can't stop listening to the Mumford and Sons album and I can't stop listening to the Noah Khan album. And I think Olivia Rodrigo is about to have an album that I'm sure I will become temporarily obsessed with. But as of this recording, it is not yet out. So it's Noah Khan in Mumford and Sons for me right now.
- [40:50]
C
Well, Porchlight by Noah Kahn was on my list. And while the first four songs of Prize Fighter by Mumford and Sons were my favorites initially, I have now become obsessed with Begin Again.
- [41:04]
A
So good.
- [41:05]
C
And then I'll also add I'm less obsessed with this song, but it's more just like a fun little thing to have on. It's called Sleepyhead by Young and Sick. And I found it because of the Artemis 2 Morning. Wake up.
- [41:18]
A
Oh, fun, fun, fun. Mumford and Sons. I feel like really part of it is when the first half of an album, upon your first listen is so good, you just wind up. You're only in the car so much. Do you know what I mean? So unless you're starting in the middle, you just hear those same four over and over again. But I also have made my way now to the back half of the album and I like the song Stay. I really like it. What's very fun is Isaac loves Mumford and Sons. Like if he is upset after swim lessons or something, I just turn on Prize Fighter and he calms down.
- [41:51]
C
Does he have a big song?
- [41:53]
A
I mean, he likes those firsts. He. I mean, he likes the first. I'm telling. I don't want to jinx it because I do. I feel, I do feel superstitious. But like, if he is upset if I start playing the first song on the album, he will calm down.
- [42:06]
C
That is crazy. What if he grows up to play the banjo or something?
- [42:10]
A
I'd love it. I'd love it as long as he's not annoying about it. I'd love it as long as he's a competent banjo player.
- [42:18]
C
Sure.
- [42:20]
A
Who doesn't like, pull it out at parties, like Andy Bernard or something?
- [42:24]
C
Him to pull it out at parties?
- [42:27]
A
Only if asked. He'll pull it out of asked, but not, not unprompted.
- [42:31]
C
He'll be able to read a room.
- [42:33]
A
Yeah, that's what we want. That's what we want out of him. What am I buying right now? House stuff. I'm just trying to make this house a home. When you have lived in an old house for more than five years, I have decided you either need to move or you're going to have to do some stuff. And we're not moving because we can't. So we are doing stuff. And we're finishing the fence in our backyard. I bought a kitchen island. Jordan and I put together. Some of it's cosmetic, like, yeah, I need a new rug. And some of it is, oh, this defense is falling apart. We've got to replace it. Oh, no, our grass is dead. We have to sod. Like, it's just a lot of grown up stuff that I know will be worth it. But it is not my favorite way to spend exorbitant amounts of money. And I don't know if you've heard, but like, supplies are really expensive right now. I don't know if that's made its way.
- [43:29]
C
I almost wrote down gas. Yeah, that's what I'm spending my money on is gas.
- [43:35]
A
I. I drive the world's tiniest little Subaru. I don't even forester. That's what I drive. I don't know. Is that too much information? Will someone steal my identity now? I'm not sure. I drive a Subaru Forester and it cost me $60 to fill up with gas the other day. And I was like this. I'm. Guys, we can't. What are we doing?
- [43:57]
C
It's so bad. I. I just. I hate that I am this way. But every time I spend money on gas, I'm like, I could have bo all of you know this, this and this for the same amount of money and been 10 refreshers.
- [44:09]
A
10 Duncan refreshers.
- [44:11]
C
I work from home and I spent $55 on gas.
- [44:16]
A
Yeah, it's just a bummer. And it is a bummer this time of year. Like we're talking about going to Texas for July 4, and it's either right at this moment, a $500 plane ticket per person to go to Dallas. No offense to Dallas, but no. Or it's a 13 hour drive with a baby and probably 500 worth of gas. I'm gonna be real with you by the. There's no good way those are gonna look comparable.
- [44:42]
C
Somebody's gonna invent teleportation. And maybe that'll cost $5. But yeah. I'm not even gonna tell you how much I spent on my one way tick. Not one way. My no stop flight to LaGuardia from Greenboro. It's embarrassing. I should not have spent that much money. But I did want to tell you. I'm buying cotton candy grapes.
- [45:02]
A
Oh, you're back on that train.
- [45:04]
C
Oh, cotton frozen cotton candy grapes forever.
- [45:07]
A
Your summer treat.
- [45:08]
E
Forever.
- [45:10]
C
Also, I have not been drinking enough water these days. So I have bought cucumbers and lemons to put in the water. But also I'm putting in regular water. Coconut water.
- [45:20]
A
Okay.
- [45:21]
C
Electrolytes. And coconut water by itself is gross, but cut with regular water and cucumbers and lemons. Doable. And then I just wanted to plug that. I have been buying softball equipment that I can talk about. It's less about the buying of the equipment and more about what the buying of the equipment has allowed me to do. 2025 was the year of fantasy football. 2026 was the year of my parks and rec softball team.
- [45:48]
A
That's so fun.
- [45:49]
C
Highlight of the year. The season is over. We celebrated last night. I have a bobblehead.
- [45:56]
A
Love it.
- [45:57]
C
That says coach.
- [45:58]
A
It's so good.
- [45:59]
C
I started this team and I'm look, you don't have to start a softball team, but mahjong. Buy the mahjong or whatever, the pickleball.
- [46:07]
A
Yeah, do something.
- [46:08]
C
Do something. Do something on a team with people. It's so fun.
- [46:11]
A
Yeah, do something with people. Two introverts are even telling you it's fun. You can do it.
- [46:15]
C
Worth it.
- [46:17]
A
Okay, this has been delightful. Happy summer, everybody. Thank you, Ashley, for being here. I will see you. I'll see you in real life soon, but I'll see you on the podcast this fall.
- [46:25]
C
See you when I see it. Nice knowing you. Somebody's done recording
- [46:35]
A
this week. I'm reading Fair Ones by Lydia Millette. Ashley, what are you reading?
- [46:39]
C
I'm reading Anywhere Else by Rachel Knox Foreign.
- [46:48]
A
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 @bookshelf tville and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, bookshelf thomasville.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 Kami Tidwell, Beth Linda, Lee Drost, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Farrell, Jean Queens, Jamie Treadwell, Joseph Shorter iv, Martha Linares, Nicole, Marcy,
- [47:42]
C
Wendy Jenkins, and Kimberly.
- [47:45]
A
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 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 front Porch. We're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.
- [48:46]
B
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F
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D
Yo TMac, what's your Wingstop Mount Rushmore flavor lineup, cuz? Oh, that's easy. I got lemon pepper, mango, habanero, garlic parm and hot honey. No notes. What about you man? Next question. Join Club Wingstop today. Members eat first and earn points on every wing. Let's go.