Podcast Summary: What Should I Read Next? – Ep 470: Revisiting Childhood Favorites for a Nostalgic Reading Project

Release Date: March 18, 2025
Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Sarah Swarbrick

Introduction

In Episode 470 of What Should I Read Next?, host Anne Bogel welcomes Sarah Swarbrick from the outskirts of Sydney, Australia. Sarah shares her unique reading project centered around revisiting beloved childhood books and pairing them with contemporary releases to create meaningful literary dialogues.

Guest Background and Reading Journey

Sarah Swarbrick opens up about her life, residing in a peaceful area near Sydney's Blue Mountains with her two adult children. Her reading journey took a transformative turn during her nearly decade-long role as a full-time carer for a family member, which led her to escape into romance novels. However, as her circumstances changed, Sarah sought a more intentional and thoughtful approach to reading.

"For several years with my husband's job, the four of us went to live first in Norway for three years and then we moved to the US to New Jersey for two years. So that was very interesting." [06:34]

Sarah was inspired by Alberto Manguel’s My Reading Year to embark on a challenge: rereading her favorite childhood books and pairing each with a newer release that resonates on deeper thematic levels.

Revisiting Childhood Favorites

Sarah begins her challenge with Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, a book she received at age five. She notes the understated yet profound themes of friendship that echo throughout her reading life.

"The stories are quite short, obviously, because they're for children... It was just a beautiful way to kind of escape and go back to Hundred Acre Wood." [17:25]

Paired with The Beauty of Everyday Things by Yan Engy, Sarah explores the concept that beauty lies in functionality and thoughtful design. This pairing allows her to perceive Winnie the Pooh through a more analytical and appreciative lens.

"Reading these two together made me realize that I need to slow down and read them thoughtfully... because the reason I've picked them, the reason I've carried them around the world is because they did matter to me." [21:37]

Her third favorite is Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay, representing her enduring love for fantasy. Although challenging to pair due to its depth and immersive world-building, Sarah remains enthusiastic about incorporating it into her year-long project.

Exploring What Doesn’t Work

Sarah candidly discusses her attempt to read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which she ultimately found unmanageable due to its intense and somber themes.

"It was a book I very nearly didn't finish, and I only did because I needed to see if it had a happy ending, which kind of doesn't." [00:00]

Anne empathetically acknowledges Sarah’s experience, emphasizing the importance of choosing books that resonate personally.

Current Readings and Pairings

For February, Sarah dove into The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood and paired it with Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, a Star Wars universe book. Though the pairing was ambitious, Sarah valued the contrasting genres and the insight it offered into the evolution of book styles.

"They are absolutely nothing alike. One is contemporary romance, the other is very much a Star Wars book." [27:49]

Sarah continues her challenge with plans to read classics like Jane Eyre, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, each paired with contemporary works that explore similar themes of friendship, place, and personal growth.

Anne’s Recommendations

Anne Bogel provides Sarah with a curated list of book pairings to enhance her reading project:

1. Helen Hampf’s The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street paired with Christopher Isherwood’s 84 Charing Cross Road

   • 84 Charing Cross Road explores the friendship formed through letters between a New Yorker and a British bookseller, paralleling Hampf’s depiction of enduring friendships.

2. Kim Fae’s Love and Saffron and Kate and Frida**

   • Both novels are epistolary, detailing the blossoming friendships through letter exchanges, akin to 84 Charing Cross Road.

3. Roland Allen’s The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper

   • A nonfiction exploration of notebooks as tools for creativity, complementing Sarah’s focus on thoughtful reading.

4. Tiffany D. Jackson’s Let Me Hear a Rhyme as a pairing suggestion for The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

   • This contemporary YA novel delves into themes of friendship, loss, and ambition, resonating with the emotional depth of The Outsiders.

5. Barbara Kingsolver’s Prodigal Summer paired with Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden

   • Prodigal Summer offers a modern exploration of human connections and natural beauty, reflecting the transformative journey in The Secret Garden.

Selecting the Right Pairings

Sarah grapples with choosing the perfect pairings from Anne’s suggestions, contemplating books like Kiley Reid’s Come and Get It and Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down which, while not direct matches, offer thematic depth and contemporary relevance.

"I have no idea. They all sound like they would work so well for my challenge and I'm just wondering if I read them all, really." [47:46]

Anne encourages Sarah to embrace the exploratory nature of her project, emphasizing that the aim is to foster thoughtful connections between diverse narratives.

Focusing on Themes and Personal Connection

A recurring theme in Sarah’s project is the importance of place and friendship. Whether revisiting the magical landscapes of Winnie the Pooh or the transformative settings in The Secret Garden and Prodigal Summer, Sarah seeks to understand how these environments and relationships have shaped her perspective as a reader.

"I just want to think about it... what I'm doing this year is thinking about the books and looking at the ways in which they speak to each other." [20:34]

Conclusion and Future Outlook

As the conversation wraps up, Sarah expresses her eagerness to delve into the recommended pairings and how they will enrich her reading challenge. Anne remains enthused about Sarah’s journey, highlighting the value of such personalized reading projects in deepening one’s literary appreciation.

"I enjoyed it... it's always good to talk about books." [54:43]

Sarah plans to begin with Love and Saffron and The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, anticipating the profound insights they will bring to her 53rd year of reading.

Key Takeaways

• Intentional Reading: Sarah’s project underscores the importance of reading with purpose, revisiting formative books while exploring new ones to create meaningful literary dialogues.

• Thematic Pairings: Pairing books with complementary themes allows for deeper reflection and understanding of recurring motifs such as friendship, place, and personal growth.

• Balancing Genres: Incorporating both fiction and nonfiction ensures a well-rounded reading experience, catering to varying interests and intellectual pursuits.

Notable Quotes

• "The stories are quite short, obviously, because they're for children... It was just a beautiful way to kind of escape and go back to Hundred Acre Wood." — Sarah Swarbrick [17:25]

• "It was a book I very nearly didn't finish, and I only did because I needed to see if it had a happy ending, which kind of doesn't." — Sarah Swarbrick [00:00]

• "Reading these two together made me realize that I need to slow down and read them thoughtfully... because the reason I've picked them, the reason I've carried them around the world is because they did matter to me." — Sarah Swarbrick [21:37]

• "I have no idea. They all sound like they would work so well for my challenge and I'm just wondering if I read them all, really." — Sarah Swarbrick [47:46]

Final Thoughts

Sarah Swarbrick’s nostalgic reading project serves as an inspiring example of how revisiting childhood favorites paired with contemporary literature can enrich one’s reading life. Anne Bogel’s thoughtful recommendations provide a roadmap for other readers seeking similar literary adventures.

Happy reading!