What Should I Read Next? – Ep 502: Choosing Book Gifts Your Friends Will Love
Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Meredith Amity
Date: November 11, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Anne Bogel welcomes guest Meredith Amity, a wedding photographer and book club leader from Tucson, Arizona. Instead of seeking recommendations for herself, Meredith comes to the show looking for expert guidance on selecting meaningful bookish gifts for her book club friends and discusses the art of literary gift-giving. Together, they dive into Meredith’s reading life, her intentional approach to community-building through books, and share tailored recommendations for her diverse group of club members. This is a practical, heartwarming episode for anyone hoping to give the perfect book gift (or select backlist titles for a book club) this season.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Meet Meredith – Building Community Through Books
- Background: Meredith, in her 30s, is a photographer living in Tucson, Arizona, who describes herself as community-oriented and deeply reliant on reading for both relaxation and integration with her artistic passions.
- Book Club Origins: Started her book club in February 2022—initially as a birthday gift to a friend who “kept encouraging me to start a book club for her birthday and I was like, okay.” (00:00, 25:57)
- Approach: Designed her club with intentionality, encouraging regular participation and "depth-filled conversations," aiming for "good, deep community" among readers (28:00-30:30).
2. Stories, Reading Preferences, and Book Club Dynamics
- Meredith’s Reading Journey: She shares her evolution from a childhood bookworm to a college student whose reading waned, then reignited in adulthood by "Shadow of the Wind" and the Modern Mrs Darcy community (10:41).
- Book Club Magic: The club keeps about 10 members, some recruited online and even a few of Meredith's previous photography clients. Their conversations strive for vulnerability and true connection.
- Intentional Selection Process: Meredith seeks discussable books, giving the example of "The Measure" by Nikki Ehrlich: “Would you want to know how long your life is? How would you live your life?” (30:41)
- Memorable Meetings: The club’s December meeting features a white elephant book exchange and, this year, Meredith wants to personally gift each member a book tailored to their taste (33:18).
3. The Philosophy of Bookish Gift Giving
- Why Give Books?: “Giving books is my love language because I think about the things that they like, the interests that they have that are unique, or the issues that they’re super passionate about.” (34:35)
- Meredith emphasizes thoughtful giving—picking books her friends will connect with, rather than simply pushing her personal favorites.
4. Book Recommendations: Literary Matchmaking for Three Club Members
Anne and Meredith conduct a mini-literary matchmaking session for three specific book club friends, based on their past favorites and dislikes.
Literary Matchmaking: Book Gift Recommendations for Club Members
Lucy
- Tastes: Loves high fantasy, diverse perspectives, and strong prose; enjoyed the Assassin’s Apprentice series (Robin Hobb), Hamnet (Maggie O’Farrell), Betty (Tiffany McDaniel); disliked meandering or repetitive books.
- Anne’s Suggestions:
- Miller's Valley (Anna Quindlen) — “A coming of age in rural Pennsylvania, perfect for fans of character-driven stories.” (45:00)
- Shiner (Amy Jo Burns) — “Another great Appalachian, character-driven story.” (46:00)
- How High We Go in the Dark (Sequoia Nagamatsu) — “Beautifully written literary science fiction... interconnected, evocatively detailing how humans cope with grief and survival.” (46:35)
- The Priory of the Orange Tree (Samantha Shannon) — “Intersecting epic fantasy... drama, intrigue, and fascinating world-building.” (46:50)
Steph
- Tastes: Prefers beautiful and intentional writing where “every word has meaning”; loves emotionally resonant, character-driven fiction—Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghey), Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver), and thoughtful memoirs.
- Anne’s Suggestions:
- Clear (Karis Davies) — “Short, evocative, stirring... unlikely connections between two men in 1840s Scotland.” (51:18)
- Silver Sparrow (Tayari Jones) — “Absorbing, well-crafted, with unexpected narrative turns; a perennial recommendation for vivid storytelling.” (52:00)
- Tell Me More (Kelly Corrigan) — “Memoir about deep friendship and communication—gets real deep, real fast, like conversation with a really smart friend.” (53:20)
- Quotable Moment: “If you’re going to kill a character, kill a character.” – Steph, as summarized by Meredith (50:05)
Vicki
- Tastes: Enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, and romance; seeks strong women characters and avoids books that feature betrayal in female friendships or mislead about them.
- Anne’s Suggestions:
- Wayward (Amelia Hart) — “Three women linked over five centuries, themes of resilience, nature, and a touch of magic.” (56:44)
- The Road to Tender Hearts (Annie Hartnett) — “Takes tragedy and infuses it with whimsy and humor: Orphaned kids, a magical cat, and a wild, hope-filled road trip.” (58:00)
- The Bandit Queens (Parini Shroff) — “Sharp, funny, tackles hard topics with humor about women in an Indian village.” (60:00)
- The Change (Kirsten Miller) — Noted as a club favorite in the same vein (61:12)
- Quotable Moment: “I know she does not enjoy a poor portrayal of female friendship... so if there’s betrayal, don’t set me up to believe this is a beautiful depiction!” (56:18)
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- “The gift that keeps on giving.” — Anne Bogle, on Meredith starting the book club for her friend (00:24, 27:41)
- “Giving books is my love language.” — Meredith (34:35)
- “If you’re going to kill a character, kill a character.” — Meredith, paraphrasing Steph’s approach to book plot (50:05)
- “Stories in all the mediums. Yeah. Which is actually media, right? ... But that sounds weird.” — Anne & Meredith, on grammatical stickler moments (12:47)
- “It was a silly little thing, but just a really fun way to start what’s become this really beautiful bookish community.” — Meredith, on her book club origins (27:42)
- “Let me hopefully show you and make you feel seen and known, because I’m giving you a book that I think you will actually like—as opposed to just a book that I like.” — Meredith (35:15)
Notable Timestamps: Important Segments
- 00:00, 27:41 — Book club origins, ‘the gift that keeps on giving’
- 07:43-10:53 — Meredith’s background and journey with reading
- 12:47-16:19 — Meredith’s three favorite books and why
- 21:18 — A book that didn’t work: "James" by Percival Everett, and how background/context affects enjoyment
- 25:57-30:30 — The intentional creation and culture of Meredith’s book club
- 30:41 — What makes for a discussable book
- 33:18-36:07 — The December book gifting tradition explained and the power of personalized book gifts
- 40:53-61:24 — Literary matchmaking session for Lucy, Steph, and Vicki
- 62:00 — Meredith’s gratitude, episode wrap-up
Episode Tone and Style
Anne and Meredith’s conversation is friendly, warm, and delightfully nerdy about books. There’s a spirit of generosity, intentionality, and deep thought behind gift-giving and book club cultivation. The episode blends practical advice with the joy of literary connection, making it accessible and inspiring—whether for book club leaders, gifters, or bookish friends seeking new reading adventures.
Takeaways for Listeners
- Thoughtful gifting is about deeply knowing the recipient’s tastes, beyond just sharing a personal favorite.
- Book clubs thrive on intentionality, vulnerability, and discussable selections.
- Tailor recommendations by listening carefully to what sparks joy, connection, and conversation for friends.
- Sometimes, gifting a book is as much about sharing love and understanding as it is about sharing a story.
For full book lists and links, check the show notes at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.