What Should I Read Next?

Ep 511: Ask Anne Anything — 10 Year Anniversary Edition

Release Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Anne Bogel
Co-Host: Will Bogle
Overview:
In this special anniversary episode, Anne Bogel and her husband/executive producer Will answer a wide-ranging series of listener-submitted questions from their Patreon community. Celebrating 10 years of What Should I Read Next?, Anne reflects on the show's origins, offers insights into her reading life and work, and shares both practical details and meaningful highlights from a decade of podcasting. The tone is warm, candid, and playfully bookish, giving listeners a live, behind-the-scenes feel.

Main Themes and Highlights

1. Podcast & Book Club Origin Story

Timestamp: [07:10]

• Susan from Tampa asks about the podcast's beginnings and its format (three books you love, one you don't, one recently read).
• Anne created the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog in 2011, unexpectedly gravitating towards writing about books because she “quickly kind of stumbled into the discovery of how books are a way into really meaningful and also just really fun conversations” ([13:03]).
• The iconic podcast format emerged from a 2014 blog post inviting readers to list three books they loved, one they didn’t, and their recent read for personalized recs.
• The book club started in 2016, first as a summer experiment, but “by the end of summer... we knew that we wanted to continue” ([10:47]).

Notable Quote:

“I asked, I explained what I just told you and said, readers, I have an idea and I want to take it out for a spin. How about you? In comments, tell me three books you love, one you don't, and the last book you've read, and I'll recommend three books you may enjoy reading next...” — Anne ([09:32])

2. Anne’s Path to Recommending Books

Timestamp: [11:53]

• Nancy from Marblehead, MA, wonders if Anne was always “the person people ask for a recommendation.”
• Anne says she wasn’t always the go-to person, but was always eager for those conversations. The blog started simply as a creative outlet; book talk was a surprise development.
• Community and connections arose organically:

  “I was flabbergasted to discover that blogging was a community. I had no idea, but that was the path towards talking about books in detail and regularly.” — Anne ([13:03])

3. From Blog to Business: Growth & Team

Timestamp: [15:34]

• Jamie from Whidbey Island asks how Anne scaled to a business and began hiring staff.
• Initially, Anne’s only goal was to cover “the Diet Coke, fancy pens, and overdue library fines” ([17:29]).
• Will was always the “tech lead,” helping Anne behind the scenes.
• First regular team members were added in 2015; significant growth occurred in 2016 when podcast, book club, and first book contract all launched.
• Will went full-time in 2017 as the podcast brought in enough ad revenue.

Notable Moment:

“He came on full time when the podcast had taken off enough that we were generating ad revenue, so it wasn't quite as terrifying to give up his health insurance.” — Anne ([20:12])

4. Favorite Episodes & Superlatives

Timestamp: [21:43]

• Stephanie from Flower Mound, TX asks for Anne’s favorite episode from the past 10 years.
• Will reminisces about early favorite episodes (#94 with Esther from Read it & Eat, #99 with pencil expert Carolyn Weaver).
• Anne highlights Episode 168 (Tara Nichols: “A Century of Good Books in a Single Year”) and its influence on listeners:

  “Tara talked about how a very specific reading challenge changed her life. And something I’ve heard from a lot of you…are you listened to that episode and it changed the way you thought about your reading.” ([24:42])

5. The Work of Reading: Joys, Challenges, & Burnout

Timestamp: [26:39]

• Gina from SoCal asks if Anne ever gets sick of reading.
• Anne clarifies she doesn’t, but at times feels weary of required or work-related reading. She appreciates being able to tweak her approach to regain enjoyment.

  “I don't get sick of reading, but sometimes I do grow weary of the way I feel like my work requires to read in the moment…” ([27:11])

• If feeling burnout, she shifts event formats or her reading approach.

6. Finding “Under the Radar” Book Recommendations

Timestamp: [29:08]

• Liv from outside Toronto wonders where Anne finds unique or lesser-known books.
• Anne relies on indie booksellers, newsletters, browsing platforms like Edelweiss, and recommendations from her team, family, and even authors during sound checks.
• Will notes the value of big, eclectic used book sales.

7. Dealing with Advance Copies (ARCs)

Timestamp: [32:34]

• Anne receives fewer physical ARCs than before (COVID changed this)—now about 5 per week unsolicited, 30–50 digital pitches weekly.
• Only reads about 10% of what’s sent.

  “Sometimes I get emails that say, hey, do you want the new Ann Patchett? And I’m like, yes, absolutely. Thank you.” ([34:57])

8. Surprising Favorites & Reading Outside Her Comfort Zone

Timestamp: [35:47]

• Anne is intentional about reading books outside her usual interests for the podcast.
• Surprising favorites:
  • Painting Time by Mylist de Kerangal
  • Crooks by Lou Bernie
  • “Basically 80% of the nature writing I’ve ever read. I consistently end up loving that genre.” ([35:47])

9. Home Library: Managing Overflow

Timestamp: [36:29]

• Anne and Will discuss strategies for keeping their book collection “mildly under control.”
• Regular culling, shelving in zones, passing books on to friends, and resisting building more shelves.
• Relatable, humble admission:

  “They are not in control at the moment, but I don’t think they’re completely out of hand.” — Anne ([36:54])

10. Auto-Read/Completist Authors

Timestamp: [39:17]

• Auto-reads include: Tayari Jones, Ann Patchett, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Emily St. John Mandel, Peter Heller, and Maylis de Kerangal.
• Admits she is not a full completist for most, especially if early works haven’t appealed or aren’t translated.

11. Taste Evolution Over 10 Years

Timestamp: [40:23]

• Anne’s reading life shifted: More literary fiction, more openness to trying new genres, higher standards for writing and structure, and greater appreciation for unique storytelling forms.

  “Now I either want to read a familiar story in a way that makes me see the ideas fresh… I think maybe my standards are higher, but at the same time I’m more willing than ever to just try a book and see where it takes me.” ([40:48])

12. Working as a Couple

Timestamp: [44:48]

• Yvette from Mexico City asks about working together as spouses.
• Anne and Will value quality time, sought professional and peer counsel before making the change, and established boundaries/rules (e.g., physical workspace separation, regular “coffee date” work check-ins).

  “Working together is hard in practical ways I did not at all anticipate…like when there’s a death in the family, it takes both of us offline, and that’s hard to really impact our team like that.” — Anne ([47:02])

13. Behind the Scenes: Reading Pace & Habits

Listener Questions: [51:26]

• Books read per year: 200 minimum, up to 300 ([51:30])

• Reading spots: The couch, yellow Instagram chair, treadmill, the car (while waiting), and always in bed at night ([52:03])
• Beverage of choice: Coffee or herbal tea, often having multiple drinks at hand ([53:04])

  “A beverage means business.” — Anne ([54:43])

14. Proud Moments from 10 Years

Timestamp: [54:56]

• Anne is most proud of the community of passionate readers formed through the podcast and surrounding spaces, as well as her team’s resilience and commitment to shared values despite industry volatility.

  “Far and away, more than anything else, the community we've created around books and reading in our spaces… I feel like we all love books a little more than is generally believed to be normal or reasonable.” ([54:56])

• Will adds pride in creative independence and friendships formed over the years.

Notable Quotes

• “I found really quickly that…books are such a springboard to talk about personal, deeply personal and also deeply universal themes that fascinate me and that are just so great to talk about.” — Anne ([07:20])

• “I joke that I read for a living, but I really don’t. I write about books and I talk about books for a living, and the reading is something I get to, slash, have to do along the way.” — Anne ([27:11])

• “If I'm feeling kind of sick of the kind of reading I feel like I'm obligated to do, I feel really fortunate that I'm able to change that.” — Anne ([28:17])

• “A beverage means business.” — Anne ([54:43])

• “Far and away, more than anything else, the community we've created around books and reading in our spaces… I feel like we all love books a little more than is generally believed to be normal or reasonable.” — Anne ([54:56])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [07:10] — Podcast and book club origin story
• [11:53] — Anne’s path to book recommending
• [15:34] — From blog to business; hiring the team
• [21:43] — Favorite episodes
• [27:11] — Reading burnout and recovery
• [29:08] — Where to find under-the-radar book recs
• [32:34] — ARCs: How many, and what happens to them
• [35:47] — Surprising favorite reads
• [36:29] — Home library: managing book overflow
• [39:17] — Auto-read authors
• [40:23] — How Anne's reading has changed
• [44:48] — Working together as a couple
• [51:26] — Rapid-fire live audience questions (reading pace, habits, beverages)
• [54:56] — What Anne is proudest of after ten years

Final Thoughts

This special episode provides a heartfelt look into the origins, growth, and everyday workings of What Should I Read Next? Anne and Will’s banter, candor, and clear affection for their listeners make for an engaging listen that doubles as a masterclass in indie podcasting longevity and readerly community-building.