Ep 434 - How to Find the Perfect Writing Style for Your Brain

Summary

Reading Glasses – Episode 434

How to Find the Perfect Writing Style for Your Brain
Hosts: Brea Grant & Mallory O’Meara
Date: October 23, 2025

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Quick Overview

In this episode, Brea and Mallory dive deep into the mysterious “click” that occurs when an author’s writing style perfectly aligns with a reader’s brain. They respond to a listener who finds that cadence and rhythm—not just content or genre—can make or break their reading experience. The hosts share thoughts on defining this phenomenon, how to identify and pursue books that “click,” and even try to name the feeling. As always, they solve listener dilemmas and recommend novels centered on the topic of banned books (distinct from simply recommending banned books).

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Current Reads & Bookish Banter

[00:34-06:00]

• Brea’s Read: Sister Aimee: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson
  • Reads for a two-person “book club” with her mom; toggling between audiobook and print.
  • Finds the charismatic historical figure fascinating, discussing her Echo Park legacy, scandals (disappearance, possible hypocrisy), and impact on LA’s religious culture.
  • Memorable Quote:
    “Now knowing this story, it’s so fascinating. This woman lived a wild life. It’s been great for my two-person book club.” – Brea [01:19]
• Mallory’s Read: Final Shady Hollow cozy mystery, Mockingbird Court by Juno Black
  • Laments the end of a beloved series, praises its seasonal, sensory writing and characters.
  • Memorable Quote:
    “This is one of my favorite series... got me back into series.” – Mallory [05:27]

2. Listener Feedback: Relay Reading & Classic Kidlit

[06:00-10:28]

• Relay Reading (Kate):
  • Suggests a method to avoid reading slumps: at 75% of a book, start the next one until you’re “hooked”, then finish the first and roll right into the next.
  • Hosts find it “complicated but interesting” – Bria [07:11].
• Boxcar Children—Still Relevant:
  • Library worker writes in to confirm classic series (Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew) with new covers remain popular.
  • Nostalgia for hiding “drinks in a cool stream to chill them down.” – Mallory [08:06]
  • Memorable Quote:
    “Not a dated reference. Wow. People are still reading about those kids living in the boxcar.” – Mallory [08:06]
• Wheelhouse Share (Hollis):
  • Grateful for the show’s impact on their own and their family’s reading, including setting up audiobooks for their blind grandmother.
  • Hollis’ Wheelhouse: “morally gray protagonist, sad villains, queer romance... vampires, yearning, religious symbolism, cyberpunk, enemies to lovers, found family...” [10:03]

3. Main Topic: Writing Style “Click”—The Book pH

[13:12-26:18]

What Is This “Click”?

• Listener Email (Alicia): Identifies the phenomenon where the “cadence” of writing matches the cadence of her thoughts, resulting in effortless immersion (“not thinking about every single sentence”).
  • It’s not about bad writing or pacing or genre—it’s about language rhythm syncing with the reader’s brain.
  • Memorable Quote (Alicia):
    “It’s about getting on the right wavelength to find flow when reading... so if I could figure out how to harness this....” – [13:12]
• Host Reflections:
  • Brea identifies with the issue, stating she “gravitates toward choppier, shorter sentences” and that her own writing and thinking style influences what clicks. [15:17]
  • Mallory calls this “the white whale of reading”—the elusive match in writing rhythm and reader brain chemistry. [15:51]
  • Both agree: This phenomenon transcends “wheelhouse” or “doorway” concepts.

How Universal Is This? Visualization Spectrum

• Discuss aphantasia—a spectrum for visualizing mental images while reading.
  • Mallory easily imagines photorealistic 3D objects in her mind: “I can pick perfectly... look at it from all angles.” [17:00]
  • Brea: sees flat, 2D, often cartoony images. [17:14]
  • Quote:
    “Inside of Bria’s brain is like Richard Scarry... driving around a large apple truck.” – Mallory [17:34]

Can You Search For/Find That “Book pH”?

• Not quantifiable or easily searchable—akin to personal chemistry in friendships or dating, a mysterious “alchemy”.
  • “It’s like why you become friends with one person and not another... just the specific alchemy of your brain.” – Mallory [19:19]
• Sometimes, reading books from a particular language or translator helps.
  • Brea: Japanese book translations often “click” due to their cadence, separate from genre or topic. [18:09]
• Practical Tips:
  • Take note of titles/authors or translation styles that “click” and seek more in that vein.
  • Word-of-mouth & Reviewer-match: Find trusted sources with similar taste (Mallory: Liberty Hardy at Book Riot).
  • Recognize the sensation early to DNF (do not finish) quickly, optimizing reading happiness.

Naming the Sensation: "Book pH"

• Mallory suggests “Book pH” as the best metaphor for personal resonance with an author’s style.
  • “It is the doggy door on the door of language... I’ve been saying book pH.” – Mallory [24:56, 25:19]
  • Also proposed: Book alchemy, book chemistry.
• Encourages listeners to share alternative names for this sensation.

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Memorable Quotes

• “This is the white whale of reading—picture me with a peg leg and an eye patch at the prow of a ship.” – Mallory [15:51]
• “Some people just have the same pH as you... You don’t have to adjust.” – Mallory [19:46]
• “It is the doggy door on the door of language... Book pH.” – Mallory & Brea [24:54–25:21]
• “When you do find this, it is the greatest—this hits like a Mack truck...” – Mallory [25:22]

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Key Timestamps

• [00:34–06:00] – What Are You Reading?
• [06:00–10:28] – Listener Feedback (relay reading, Boxcar Children’s enduring appeal)
• [13:12–26:00] – Main Topic: Writing styles that match your brain, “Book pH”, and how (or if) to seek them out
• [17:00–17:40] – Apple test and mental imagery (aphantasia spectrum)
• [24:36–26:00] – Naming the concept; consensus on “Book pH”
• [28:30–33:15] – Bookish Problem: How to read in public with background noise
• [33:15–34:53] – Recommendation Request: Novels about book banning

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Solving Bookish Problems

Reading in Public with Noise

[28:30–31:09]

• Complaint: Reading in public foiled by ambient music/noise; noise-cancelling headphones help, but don’t erase all distractions.
• Tips:
  • Try earplugs or combine with headphones.
  • Seek out quieter parks, libraries, or coffee shops—sometimes research helps more than gadgets.
  • Mallory: “I hate noise canceling headphones... makes me feel like I’m underwater.” [31:30]
  • Brea will experiment further to see how well Apple noise-cancelling headphones work.

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Book Recommendations: Novels About Book Banning

[33:15–34:53]

• Brea: Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
  • Dystopian Western novella with anti-censorship “librarians,” secret distribution of forbidden materials. “Super gay, super fun.” [33:24]
• Mallory: The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson
  • Contemporary novel set in a repressively “historic” bookstore where protagonist rebels by running a secret book club for modern literature.
• Honorable mentions: Attack of the Black Rectangles (previously recommended), Banned Books Club (graphic novel), Ban This Book (middle grade).

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Conclusion

This episode leaves listeners with a new vocabulary for that elusive harmony found between reader and writing: “Book pH.” The hosts encourage readers to note their personal book clicks, seek out like-minded recommendations, and embrace the alchemy of reading. Plus, they tackle practical issues (public reading) and the ongoing battle for literary freedom (banned books).

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Final Thoughts

The episode is warm, relatable, and as always filled with humor and empathy for all kinds of readers. It’s especially useful for anyone searching for their next favorite author—or simply the perfect next “click.” As Mallory puts it:
“This is the kind of indefinable, difficult to describe quality that makes reading so great.” [25:22]

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to Reading Glasses, a show about book culture and literary life designed to help you read better. I'm author and book devourer Mallory o'. Meara.

[B]

And I'm Bria Grant, filmmaker and e reader. This episode we're discussing how specific writing styles can make or break a book and what you can do about it. Plus, we solve a problem about reading in public and recommend novels about banned books. Not banned books, but novels about banned books, which is different. Although we will recommend some banned books if you want them.

[A]

But first, Bria, what are you reading?

[B]

I am reading and listening to. I'm toggling back and forth my two person book club book with my mom, which is Sister center, the Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Amy Simple McPherson. It is read narrated by Carmen Chantel, I think is how you say her name. And this lady was wild.

[A]

Yeah, I know, I know. She really.

[B]

Yeah, I know you're doing research on her too. But essentially she was a woman who was a preacher in Los Angeles. She started as in the Pentecostal world, but then moved into kind of making her own brand of religion called Four Square, I believe is what it was called.

[A]

Still is, actually.

[B]

I live in Echo Park. She has a temple still here that has like her name on it.

[A]

The Angelus Temple.

[B]

Yeah. She became so successful in traveling around, speaking that she was able to like build this temple, which is sort of unheard of for a woman preacher. And then there starts to be scandal. At one point, she just disappears from the beach one day and they can't find her. And a month later they find her wandering through the desert in Mexico and she says she was kidnapped and that's where I am right now. And I mean, she just is like, it's, it's wild. And the way she speaks is very interesting. She's convinced everyone is out to get her at this point. Anyway, it's such an interesting book at this woman. I've walked by this temple a hundred million times because I've lived in Echo park for so long and I never really knew where it came from or what it was. And like now knowing this story, it's so fascinating. This woman lived a wild life. It's been great for my two person book club. My mom finished the book like immediately. So I just keep calling her and being like, I think she didn't really get kidnapped and like, you know, coming up with my theories. But yeah, it's been really fun.

[A]

Also, I will say sort of a spoiler for so I have an upcoming project with Longtime friend of our show, Ross Blotcher. And we were doing research into this, and I will say Ross took me to church for the first. I had never been to church before. We went to. That was the church we went to because we were researching her and Ross one day, one morning was like, we should go. We should go to the fourth. We should go for a service. And on the way there, I was like, ross, you know, I've never been to church before. Right. He was, like, so excited to take me to church. It was really. It was not what I thought it was. It was really interesting. But, yeah, she is. I mean, she's one really interesting case because she was really good for the city. Like, and. But she. And she also did, like, a. A lot of, like, big firsts for women, but then she also did some other stuff, so.

[B]

But also, like, super conservative and that thing of, like, women's places in the home. Except for me. Me, I'm on the pulpit and I. So except for me.

[A]

I wrote about her in Girly Drinks because she was, like, very, very, like, big supporter of dry politicians, was very pro Prohibition, very anti alcohol. And then she was caught in Cuba drinking at a bar, and the bartender made up this, like, fake cocktail for her that was like, half an ounce of hypocrisy and one ounce of, like, you know, he was. Because she.

[B]

I haven't gotten that far yet.

[A]

Constantly telling people that drinking was bad, but then would go out of the country where it was legal to drink and, like, go to bars.

[C]

So.

[B]

Wow. Wow. Yeah. I mean, she definitely is, like, breaking a lot of her own rules. Even this early in the book where. Or this early in her career where. Obviously, it's huge that this woman preacher.

[A]

Yeah, she was the first started this. First woman to ever own a Christian radio station, I think.

[B]

Yeah. Yep. Yeah. She started with, like, essentially, like, a little flyer. And then. Yeah. She saw the radio and was like, you know, I think this radio thing is going to be big. And she started a radio station, ended up in a rivalry with another radio guy. Anyway, fascinating woman. I'm really enjoying enjoying the book. What do you mean?

[A]

Oh, my God, I am so excited and so heartbroken because I'm reading the final Shady Hollow book by Juno Black. It's Mockingbird Court because it's the last book. I don't want to say too much. If you want to start the series, this is a series that you can read out of order. You can read them on their own, but there are certain. I mean, obviously the characters carry over These are cozy mysteries and there's a murder that our intrepid reporter Vera Vixen is trying to solve where in which she might be involved. Involved. And there's a, an annoying character that was introduced earlier in the series and people think he did it and, but he claims he's, he's innocent. So there's a lot of fun stuff going on. But the thing that's I'm most excited about is the fact that so all of the Shady Hollow books are very seasonal and they're very sensual. They're really like there's a spring book, there's a summer book, there's a winter book. This book all takes place during the harvest festival, so it could not be more perfect. Perfect for October. I just, I love this series so much. This is one of my favorite series, is one of the series that got me back into series. I love all these characters. I love this location. I will be rereading this the series at some point. So I am heartbroken to see it and I'm very excited to see what these two authors that combined into Juno Black are going to do next. And yeah, I just, I am. This is like a delicious. We've been reading a lot of stuff for both of our shows, so I've been holding off and waiting. I, you know, just got it in the mail earlier this week and I was like, all right, I'm done with all of my required reading. I get this magical treat, which is Mockingbird Court by Juno Black.

[B]

And I am reading Sister center, the Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Amy Simple McFerson by Claire Hoffman.

[A]

So we want to take a moment to share some listener feedback. Kate wrote in to say hi Bri and Mallory. At the beginning of the year, I was deep into book influencer content. So many of them swore that mood reading should be conquered by removing decision fatigue. Fatigue. Just use a picker wheel and let it choose your next read. I wanted so badly to believe that, but for me it just didn't work. I've always been a one book at a time physical reader, so stick with me here. I finally figured out how to eliminate mood reading slumps and I want to shout it from the rooftops. I call it relay reading. Here's how it works. Read as usual, but when you're about 75% of the way through your current book or right before the big climax, pause, pick up your next book and start reading it until you're hooked. Then go back, finish your current read and roll right into the new one without missing a Beat, rinse and repeat. It completely eliminates that stop start feeling and the emotional hangover that can come from finishing a great book. Sure, sometimes I still take a day or two to reflect, but this method keeps my momentum going and makes me excited for what's next. I really hope this helps others avoid the dreaded reading slump and honorary Sarah Kate, Bria, I got a wow, you're sled whistling potential.

[B]

So complicated. But I like the idea. Yeah, I like it, I like it.

[A]

I feel like.

[B]

Because basically you want to return to the other.

[A]

Yeah, you're already in it.

[B]

Kate wrote in and said. Hey there, Brianne Mallory, first, thank you for your excellent podcast and for adding to my ever growing tbr. Thanks to y', all. I'll never run out of books to pick from when I'm ready for my next read. I just wanted to let y' all know, as a person who works at a public library, there's no need to come up with more updated references for kids books, as Boxcar Children remains very popular. This is because we referenced them. We were like, oh my God, that can't be what people are talking about anymore.

[A]

HLBB and I were looking at this the other day. They have new covers and stuff.

[B]

That's great. Kids are reading both the graphic novel adaptations and the original novels. We have dozens of each because they're always getting circulated. While Dogman and Wings of Fire are flying off our shelves, so are the tried and true kids books like Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew. Thanks again for creating one of my top five podcasts. Oh, that's great.

[A]

Wow. I love this.

[B]

Fantastic. We know Boxcar Children. Not. Not a dated reference.

[A]

Not a dated reference. Wow. People are still reading about those kids living in the boxcar, hiding drinks and in a cool stream to chill them down. And they, oh my God, I still love. God, I love those books. I remember I used to carry. I had like a little box and I would. I had all of the like. As I read them, they would each go in that box and it was like my little treasure trove of all my Boxcar Kids. I'm glad. I'm glad they hold up. All right, then Hollis writes in to say hello, Artsy Bria and Jock Mallory. I also, I just want to say, after years and years of talking about hockey and powerlifting and protein on this show, I'm very glad that finally I'm being recognized as the jock that I am.

[B]

Mallory brought me protein to my house. That's how much of a jock she is. She walked in and said, here, this is good protein. You can mix it in water. No, you won't ever taste it. And I'm like, I guess this is what I'm doing now. But this is how much of a jock she is. She literally brought brought powdered protein to me.

[A]

As a protein, I watch a lot of sports. So I'm happy that I am finally. I mean I am very gothi and I'm People have been calling me a goth for a very long time, but I'm finally happy. I'm very happy to finally be recognized as the as the meathead that I am. All right, Hollis says. I just wanted to write in and say thank you. Listening to your podcast has not only rekindled my love of reading, but it also inspired me to start writing again. And that joy extended to my friends and family. My friend and my co worker both read over a hundred books last year after I introduced them to audience audiobooks and encourage them that the format is inconsequential. Reading is reading. My mom and sister started reading again because I talked about your show and how much I love Libby. We even set up our blind Grandma with a Libby account on an iPad and introduced her to audiobooks. She used to read all the time when she could see and now she's back to finishing three to five books a week. All that to say thank you for making the podcast. I'm proud to be a glasser. This is a glasser family. I love this. Oh my God I love this so much. You want to read Hollis's wheelhouse.

[B]

Morally gray protagonist, but bad but sad villains. Queer romance, sad dads, pirates, nautical fantasy, dystopian society, social commentary blatantly hidden in the narrative. Vampires. Yearning, just yearning. Religious symbolism, dark rainy atmosphere, cyber cyberpunk, virtual reality and video games woven into society. Unique magical systems, enemies to lovers, found family and queer main characters.

[A]

Sounds like a glasser to me. So you can email us at reading glasses podcast gmail.com if you want a list of all the books we talk about on the show delivered to your inbox every month. You can sign up for our newsletter. There's a link the show notes and before we talk about writing styles, we're going to take a quick break.

[B]

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[C]

If you want to know what's going on in the world of movies, you should be listening to Maximum Film so we can tell you all about it. Okay, but what if you already know what's going on in the world of movies? What if you're kind of obsessed, obsessed with movies? Like maybe you have a problem. Well, then you should definitely be listening to Maximum Film because we too have that problem. And it's important you know you're not alone. We're talking indies. You'll want to seek out blockbusters and blockbusting wannabes, classics we can't get enough of. I'm comedian and writer Kevin Avery. I'm film critic Alonzo Duraldi. I'm festival programmer and producer Drea Clark. Together we're Maximum Film Smart about movies in Hollywood. So you don't have to be. But if you already are, that's also great. And hey, we see you new episodes Every week on MaximumFun.org.

[A]

This week we're talking about the specific way an author writes that either clicks with your brain or doesn't. Is it voice? Is it writing style? Is it some undefinable magic? We are getting into it and hopefully finding a name for it. Today's episode was inspired by Alicia, who wrote in to say hi Mallory and Bria. I found another factor that shapes my enjoyment of a book even more than a wheelhouse or a doorway. I'm hoping you can help me to better define it and figure out how to search for books better. So what I'm talking about is what I can best describe as the cadence of the writing and how well it matches the natural cadence of my thinking or talking, or at least how well I can find a rhythm to read at so it feels natural and like I'm not having to think about every single sentence. I first started to notice this when I was reading highly rated books in my wheelhouse with my doorway, but felt this grating sensation where I just couldn't get into the flow of the writing. I would find myself tripping over the sentences, having to go back to reread a sentence several times to process it. It would just feel clunky and unnatural, like the rhythm of the sentences were not matching the speed my brain was wanting to go. I almost always experienced this at the start of a new book as I'm getting used to how the author writes. But with books that I end up liking, my thought processing eventually syncs up with the writing. So I'm not even thinking about individual words or sentences, just imagining the scene in real time. To be clear, I'm not talking about bad writing. It's not about the pacing of the book. It's also not about needing the flowery language of literary fiction or having trouble following dialogue because of a dialect or accent. It's about the writing flowing in a way that makes sense in my brain and and it can happen with many different writing styles. It's about getting on the right wavelength to find flow when reading. Is this making any sense to you? Is this a thing either of you have experienced? I find the vast majority of the books that I don't finish are because of this. So if I could figure out how to harness this to help me find books I'm more likely to enjoy and avoid books I won't enjoy, I would be ever so happy. But I have no idea where to start with this. Maybe it's so specific that it's not useful at all. Thoughts, ideas and Suggestions Bria, do you experience this? Do you know what this Glasser is talking about?

[B]

Yes, I do. And it is really hard to define. I. I identify with this for sure. I think we both do. I find that I am drawn and this is not always, but there is something about the cadence. When something is shorter and choppier writing style like that writing style as opposed to like beautifully long, imaginative sentences. I think this has to do with the way I write and the way I speak and the way I communicate, just like Alicia said. I think that that's what it is. I think that's pretty spot on. That's an insightful way to look at it. What about you?

[A]

Are you.

[B]

Oh, are you having this absolute lutely.

[A]

This is. As far as I am concerned, this is the white whale of reading. Picture me with a peg leg and an eye patch at the prow of a ship. Like, this is. This is what we're all looking for. It's one of the things, maybe honestly the only thing that all of my favorite authors have in common. I do want to start out by saying that I am the same as Alicia. When a book clicks in my brain, it's just like a film reel getting loaded on a projector. Like I just kind of watch it. I'm not super aware of the sensation of reading, but I think it's important to point out that not all readers are like this. Some people have various levels of what's called aphantasia. It's the inability to voluntarily visualize mental images. It's the picture an apple test. When you pick, you ask someone to picture an apple and some people can't. Some people picture like a 2D drawing of an apple. Some people just see a. Like can perfectly visualize and look at from 360° a photorealistic apple in their brain. Everyone is on a scale of it. So I would love to hear from glassers who don't experience reading like I do. And there's. But for me, yes, I understand absolutely completely.

[B]

What is the apple that you see? What, what apple do you see?

[A]

I mean, I, I can, in my mind, if someone says picture an apple and I can pick perfectly picture like a like of image of a hand holding an apple. I can look at it from all angles. I can see it moving around. What about you, when you say picture an apple?

[B]

I Picture A flat 2D apple.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

But if you. Yeah, if you. Yeah, I just. It is a. Like, it's an additional step to go move it around or see like a 3D version.

[A]

Oh, for me it is the first thing like.

[B]

And I never. And a lot of times I'm picturing like a cartoony version of something which is very weird.

[A]

Inside of Maria's brain is like Richard scary there. Bria's driving around a large apple truck through her brain.

[B]

Roger Rabbit world. Yeah. But I can, I Can picture it. Just curious what you see.

[A]

So, Bria, is this something that Glassers can look for?

[B]

I don't think specifically, unfortunately. I think you can find authors that write the way that you like and keep reading those books because they're probably going to stay in that similar style. I was thinking about how we're both reading the new Rachel Harrison book and, like, her style is, like, similar in every book. I never feel like I'm reading somebody else's.

[A]

I can. I could pick out a Rachel Harrison book even if her name wasn't on the COVID Yeah.

[B]

So, you know, you're seeing, you're reading, you're going to be drawn to these particular styles. You should stick with those authors. I also will say, I think this is, for me, one of the reasons I've drawn to Japanese translated books because the way they're written is a cadence that I really like. Like something about the way the lang. That language particularly translates to English. It also, I'm sure, has to do with the translators themselves. Someone could maybe, if you speak both languages, could let me know. But I find these books put me at ease because of the way the language reads. It's very like, it hits my brain in a way where it just, like, makes the most sense. Like, it's like, yes, this is the way I understand language. For me, finding those books and learning that which has only been in the last couple years, that, like, I read one and I was like, oh, wait, this was such an easy read. And so, like, it flowed so well. And I found that with each one I pick up, I have a similar sensation. So knowing that is super helpful that this one type of book will usually, not always. I mean, it's going to depend on your translator, but will fall into that category for me. But that's so specific to me. What about you? Do you think you can find what you're looking for?

[A]

I. I don't think this is. This is a searchable thing. It's just. It's not a quantifiable thing.

[B]

Oh, searchable? I don't think so.

[A]

No, it's like. It's like why you become friends with one person and not another. Even if you have tons of things in common with that second person. It's like. It's just the specific alchemy of your brain. This is why dating apps are hard, because someone can be perfect for you on paper, and then you get to the bar and you want to run screaming. I refer to this as the ph of people in things. Like, you know, when you Get a fish from the store and you bring it home in its little bag. And it takes a while for that fish to adjust to the specific ph of the water in your tank.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Some people just have the same ph as you. And you don't have to adjust the same thing with books. Like, remember a while ago when your husband asked if me and my friend Chelsea are from the same place because we talk the exact same way.

[B]

You do have the same. You literally, you could put. You guys. Y' all could be in a room and we could record both of you, and I think we wouldn't know who.

[A]

Was talking, which is so funny because I'm talking about my. My very good friend Chelsea. Chelsea is from the Pacific Northwest. We have grew up extremely differently from each other. We have different tastes and things, but, like, we just immediately. We've been friends for a really long time. We just immediately become. We just get along.

[B]

You have the same cadence. And I don't know why, but yeah, I mean, it was so weird because I noticed that before and then John met her and was like, why does that woman talk? Like. And I was like, I've noticed that too, but I thought it was just me anyway.

[A]

And I. And. But there's also. You and I have both had the experience. I mean, it's you. You meet someone that you think that you should have chemistry with. Pick up a book that's like. I remember once I picked up a book, it was like a werewolf and haunted house thing. And it just, like, wasn't for me. Like, it's just.

[B]

Can you name a book that did do this for you? Is there, like, what is your Japanese translated book like? Because for me, it was like reading Convenience Store Woman. I was like, oh, okay, this is a book. I should seek more things out like this. And then I started looking in Japanese mysteries and things like that. And it just really. All of the books just, like, hit.

[A]

For me, I think. I mean, there's a lot of weird fiction that does this for me because a lot of my favorite authors are like, Helen Olayemi, Kelly Link. Like, it's a lot of, like, just we. I. Surreal, straight, like, stuff like that just clicks into my brain. To be fair, there's also other authors that write surreal stuff that isn't for me. But both those authors, like, again, it's just the first page is just like loading a film reel into the projector for me. And everything that they write is. Is like that, even if I don't. That's what's interesting is even If I don't, like, care for the book itself as much like they're writing, just kind of. It's the. It's the same PH as my brain is. I don't.

[B]

Like.

[A]

That's the way I always describe it.

[B]

So I thought you put the fish in the bag because of the temperature.

[A]

It's a ph. I think it's both. That's why I always describe to people, like, people I'm very close with. I just have the same PH as. Like, there's something about our brains that are just the same or very compatible. All right, so if this is not a searchable thing, Bria, how do we find books like these? Is there. Is it even worth searching?

[B]

I think you mark down the books that do this and make sure you're aware of it. So for me, that was like reading those few. Those few translated books and going, oh, like, this is. It has nothing to do with what it's about. It has nothing to do with the author. Maybe it has to do with the translator, but I haven't found that. So, like, I mean, there's like, marking those down. Like, what are the commonalities? And keeping that going, because I don't think you're gonna be able to do just, like, a search for, like, books with language. Like, I mean, you might. Someone may specialize. Someone must specialize in that. In language. Like. Right, sure.

[A]

But it's not language art. It's not even white language. So that's, like. It's not the words. It's not even just. Yeah, it's not just the words you're choosing. It's also this. Your sentence structure, your sentence length. How? Like. Like, it's. It's so specific that it's like, why one thing smells good to another person. Like, it's just how your brain works, I think.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Well, what. How do you think people should find?

[A]

I mean, I. I think your. Your tip is great. Is like, really the main thing is being aware. Like, you just gotta keep on reading. And once you recognize that. That what. That's what this is. Like, that's something. It's something that I. And I didn't think about it in terms like this, like, Alicia did. And I'm glad that they. That Alicia wrote in so we can kind of have this as part of our vocabulary. But it's something that I realized. I'm like, oh, even if I like this thing, there's just something about the writing that doesn't click for me. And for me, the magic overlap is when A book is plot heavy and has. That I'm interested in, and the ph of the author's writing, like, clicks into my brain and like, then we're off to the races, baby. So. Because once you can recognize what it is, you can tell almost immediately if a book is not for you and should be dumped, then you can move on, which is another chance to find a book that clicks. You follow writers that you really like. Something that also helps too, is that you and I know each other and our reading preferences so well that I can usually pick out a book that you're gonna like and same vice versa. So if you. If, like, there's a reviewer that ends up liking a lot of the same books that you like. I know. I always like seeing what books Liberty Hardy, friend of the show, is reading at Book Riot, because Liberty and I have very similar taste in books. Like, that's. You can kind of. Of kind of. What's the word I'm looking for? You can sort of outsource some of this by finding other people that had similar taste in books to you and see what they're reading. But I mean, the most important thing, I think, again, is to be aware of it and to mark it down. So most important part of this episode, which we love to do here on reading glasses, what should we call this?

[B]

Bria, you have better ideas than me, because I was like, I think this is part language doorway. It's like a different doorway.

[A]

It's like a little tiny, weird door off to the side, like a little mouse door.

[B]

I think it. It's akin to language doorway because it is language.

[A]

I think it's like a sub door. It's a window. It's a sub. It's like a. It's a window.

[B]

Like, if you go doggy door, below.

[A]

It is the doggy door on the door of language. That is a hundred percent what this is. Yeah, I mean, I've been saying book ph. You could also like book alchemy. Book chemistry. Like, that's what it feels like. It's just like. It's like, you know how when you buy a perfume, like, perfumes smell different on everybody based on their different body chemistry. Like, that's kind of what this is. So I think it's just like, yeah, book.

[B]

Okay. I like. I like book ph.

[A]

Book ph.

[B]

Book ph is nice.

[A]

Yeah, because that's. I mean, that's just what it feels like to me. Folks, please write in if you have other ideas. But this is. What's funny is that this is the kind of like indefinable, difficult to describe quality that makes reading so great is because when you do find this, it is the greatest. This hits like a Mack truck when you find an author that just like instantly clicks with your brain. I mean, that's how I felt. Like all of my favorite favorite stuff as King was who is another surreal. Maybe my favorites are like weird women. That's what clicks into my brain as King. Helen oh Yemi. Yeah. Kelly Ling Patricia Lockwood. Weird, surreal stuff just clicks into my brain in a way that I can't. It's hard to describe. But folks, yeah, please, if you have ideas for names for this, please write in. We'd love to hear them. Before we solve a bookish problem about reading in public, we're going to take a quick break Week.

[B]

Reading Glasses is brought to you in part this week by Ingram Spark. You have a story. Share it with the world. Ingram Spark can help you reach millions of readers worldwide with powerful tools for independent authors. They can help with every step of the publishing process, from formatting physical books and ebooks to selling using their large network to help you get your book into retailers. World look, publishing is not easy. We talk about it on the show all the time. We talk about how hard it is to be a writer. We talk about how the publishing industry has changed. And one thing that has really changed a lot in the publishing industry is publishing yourself and being involved in every part of publishing. You want those tools. You want a way to publish your own work and you have a story to tell. Look, hey, maybe it's about to be November. You're about to do NaNoWriMo. You want to publish that. This is a great place to look into ingramspark. They provide all sorts of useful resources to help you navigate the publishing industry and to help writers who are looking to self publish their books. So get started for free at ingramspark.com learnmore that's I n g r a m spark.com learnmore.

[D]

Moving is the worst. Yeah, but it's exciting too. Our new Max Fun HQ office in downtown LA is actually going to fit all of us in it. And the new studio is going to be so nice. Plus we'll have space for hangouts and events. Yeah, you're right. It's going to be worth it. But boy, is it expensive. Maybe we can get some help.

[C]

Hmm.

[D]

Hey cool listener. If you want to get fun stuff and help us move, go to maximumfun.org where you can get vintage merch or buy naming rights to stuff around the office. If you help us move by buying something. We'll invite you over for pizza and beer at Our new place, maximumfun.org movingday.

[A]

Time to solve a bookish problem from one of our listeners. Chelsea writes in to say hi, Brian Mallory, thanks for creating a book lovers oasis and thanks for taking questions and being easily accessible to your listeners. This is so fun. My question is, I love reading but prefer to read in public places because although an introvert, I enjoy being in the presence of others even if I don't want to interact with them. It's like wanting to go to the people zoo. You just want to look at them. The problem is noise. Many coffee shops play music and so do obnoxious people who blast their stereo in the park with no regard for others. Peace. Like when we tried to do our live reading party this year and there was a yoga group playing music extremely loudly the entire time. Very annoying. What I thought the solution would be is to wear noise canceling headphones. I bought a pair with good reviews on Amazon, but I could still hear my cat meowing, so I didn't even bother taking them for a spin around town. Do you have any recommendations for an affordable brand? Is it worth the money to buy the ones from apple that cost 550? Do you have any other ideas or solutions? How do you deal with this issue? Bria, what do you think?

[B]

I mean, I rarely read in public for this reason. I just, I can't concentrate. It's just. It just. I. It is. I'm too distracted. I'm too easily. I'm distracted by like anything happening in my own house, much less like in public. So I would say if you can find a quiet space, that's going to be the best move. A library, a park that doesn't have booming music, something like that. I do have the AirPods. I'm wearing them right now that cancel noise. And they do, they do work. But like, I think you have to put something in them.

[A]

Cotton.

[B]

I can try these out. No, like you have to put like a noise or a song or something because like I wear them at the gym. But if I'm just wearing them with noise canceling, I still can hear the music bumping at the gym. I don't think it cancels out things with silence. But maybe we should test this out, Mallory, because I'm not totally sure.

[A]

Well, the funny thing is I don't hear super well, so I have this built in naturally. Baby.

[B]

Yeah, there you go. Maybe that's why I like reading in public. Like, maybe that's why. But what about just plain old fashioned earplugs?

[A]

Honestly? Could be like, yeah, like the kind that you wear at a concert to just like deafen the noise.

[B]

Deafen the noise. If that, that could help. I, I listen, I don't know how just easily distracted Chelsea is. That would not work for me. I would be too distracted. That's why I cannot work in a coffee shop. But maybe just trying ear plugs with and you could even get like some headphones to go over them or something like that. Like that might help. But I'll test out these expensive because I have the expensive AirPods.

[A]

Yeah, try them.

[B]

And I never put on the noise canceling thing because I want to know what's going on around me. Yeah, but I, but I, I, it does work if you have like music in there. If you played, were willing to play like your own music and sit in a coffee shop with the noise canceling on it would a hundred percent block out all the noise. What do you suggest?

[A]

Okay, first off, I would still give, I, I would say to Chelsea, give those headphones a go. Because it might feel different when you're in public and there's like a lot of other lot of noise happening as opposed to just your loud cat, which I say next to my very loud cat. I can't offer recommendation for noise canceling headphones because I hate them. They make me, there's something about it that makes me feel like I'm underwater.

[B]

That that is what they sound like though.

[A]

Like it makes me feel like I'm losing it. Like I, I have headphones that I use for the gym and I immediately turn off the noise canceling. I do not like it at all. So my recommendation is a headphoneless one. Since I do not like losing situational awareness in public. I don't even like wearing headphones in my own house. I agree. Find the right place. Library. Obvious choice. But like there are a lot of coffee shops that have more quiet ambience that like they don't play music. Find maybe an unpopular park. I think that you just got to do some research to find a place that isn't going to be super loud. There's a park near my house that I talk about all the time. No one's ever there. I've been to. There's a coffee shop that I, that I've read at in Los Feliz where, where I used to live that just like is always almost completely silent. There's no music. But so I think honestly might even be worth a search of like looking for quiet public spaces in your area. But I think so I think some research could help you find a place that is not going to be super loud. I also, I know how frustrating it is when you go to a bar or something and it's wicked loud. Or you go to a coffee shop and they're blasting music. I think you just find it a different place. Do some research for this. So if you want us to solve your reader problem, you can send it to reading glasses podcast gmail.com and Chelsea, let us know what you end up doing. Now let's answer a recommendation request from Danielle, who says hello to my favorite book people. I am a teacher glasser studying to be a librarian glasser and I want to read more books about book banning and book censorship. I don't mean ban books, but rather books where the topic is book banning. I have read the YA novel this Book Won't Burn and the graphic novel Banned Books Club. I'm in the middle of the middle grade novel Ban this Book. And I have Lula Dean's little library of banned books on my holds list. I'm open to reading books for any audience in both fiction and non fiction. Thank you so much for your help. Help. Bria, what do you think?

[B]

Danielle, you're reading so many books. I mean, you've covered a lot of them right there. But I'm gonna go with Upright Women Woman by Sarah G. We haven't brought.

[A]

Out this wreck in a while.

[B]

We have it and it's a dystopian western, which is wild. It's about librarians who distribute approved materials to rural settlements. Then you find out it's actually a front for an anti censorship group and they're distributing all sorts of stuff. It's not just approved materials. And it's like super gay. It's really fun. It's a novella. It may be really. It sounds kind of different than the ones that you're reading, but has like this censorship, this anti censorship element to it. What do you got?

[A]

So I've recommended Attack of the Black Rectangles so many times. So I'm picking up.

[B]

No, that's great.

[A]

I'm gonna pick one I haven't talked about in a while. It's the ban Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson. It's about this woman. She's traveling to the small town to help her best friend run the struggling bookstore. Only when she gets there, she realizes that the reason the store is floundering is that there's this local historical society for the the preservation of history in the town, AKA the history of the guy who founded it. They won't allow any books to be sold that weren't in print when the town's founder was alive. So it's only old books, which means the book selection is not very diverse. And she realizes that this is why no one wants to read in this town and no one's buying books. So she decides to rebel and start a book club reading modern books and accidentally uncovers some small town secrets in the process. It's really fun, it's, it's light, but it also does a really good job at showing like the ripple effects on how banning books affects an entire community and you know, the people of, of the town. So I really enjoyed it and I think this would be a good one. It is called the Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson and I'm.

[B]

Saying Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey.

[A]

So if you want us to answer your recommendation requests and a reading glasses podcastmail.com as always want to thank the wonderful mods who run our Discord server and our Facebook group. Remember, you can buy reading glasses, totes and shirts and stickers over at our Void Merch store. There's a link in the show notes Folks, we're still trying to get thousand reviews on Apple Podcasts. We know, we know there's people who are listening to this right now on Apple Podcasts that have not given us a five star rating or a nice little review. We'll love you forever if you do. It's really great for us. It really helps the show and we will. Once we get to 2000 we'll drop that silly AMA episode and you can find out which is Bria Grant's least favorite toe. You can email us at reading glasses podcast gmail.com find us on Instagram at Reading Glasses Podcast. Thanks for listening and thanks for reading.

[B]

Thanks for reading.

[A]

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