What Should I Read Next?
Episode 514: Seeking Heartwarming, Oh-So-Discussable Reads
Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Madeline Janney
Date: February 17, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode centers on finding heartwarming, discussable books for a unique mother-daughter book club in New Orleans. Anne Bogel interviews Madeline Janney, a speech therapist and seasoned book club member, who is starting a two-person book club with her mother—pairing their monthly reads with meals at local restaurants. Anne and Madeline delve into personal reading tastes, discuss overlap and differences, and develop a book list and light conversation structure for their new club, paying special attention to books with a New Orleans tie.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Getting to Know Madeline Janney (05:44–10:42)
- Madeline is a New Orleans native, living in the CBD near the French Quarter. She works as an early intervention speech therapist and is deeply involved in her local community through yoga, pickleball, and Mardi Gras (member of the "Crew of Dolly," a group supporting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library).
- She highlights New Orleans’ unique cultural importance and her love for food, architecture, and the vibrant local scene.
- Memorable quote:
“One thing New Orleans people love is New Orleans.”
—Madeline (18:00)
2. Reading Life and Philosophy (12:23–15:32)
- Madeline treats reading as both solitary and increasingly communal via multiple book clubs and shared activities.
- She’s a self-proclaimed library power user, often reserving anticipated titles.
- She enjoys contemporary romance (rom-coms) but dabbles in nonfiction, leaning toward social justice and professional interest topics.
3. Mother-Daughter Book Club Vision (15:49–19:23)
- Madeline and her mother have divergent tastes: Mom prefers true crime and nonfiction; Madeline leans fiction and lighter genres.
- Their aim: monthly lunches discussing a shared book—ideally with a New Orleans or Louisiana connection.
4. Reading Taste Breakdown: Three Books Loved, One Book Not Liked (23:15–34:38)
Books Madeline Loved:
- Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
Heartwarming, character-driven, with flawed but lovable people; took a chance on an unusual plot and was rewarded.“Despite a maybe funny or unusual plot, the feeling I get when reading it is what I look for, which is just lovable characters, flawed characters, and heartwarming moments.” (25:12)
- Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
Classic rom-com vibes, likable messy characters, older protagonists, real-life relatability.“I really like reading about older protagonists...there’s a different element when the character is in her 30s or 40s.” (26:40)
- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
More literary—unique narrative voice from a child, ultimately heartwarming, tried it because of hype.“It does cover some tough topics, [but] still ultimately so heartwarming and just unique with the voice.” (28:06)
Book Did Not Love:
- Writers & Lovers by Lily King (Madeline misquotes title as "Heart the Lover")
Found the characters pretentious and unrelatable, didn’t enjoy confusion and self-reflective tone.“I really enjoy reading books where the characters and the writing are very unpretentious...the way it was written, and the personality of the characters was not for me.” (30:20)
5. Recent Reads and Recurring Themes (36:03–37:35)
- The Correspondent—epistolary novel, heartwarming.
- Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman—rom-com similar to Monaghan, refreshing that it’s by a male author.
- The Ruby Vaughn Series by Jess Armstrong—cozy historical gothic mystery with a spunky protagonist.
6. Restaurant Recommendations (38:14–40:15)
- Madeline shares a mix of classic and eclectic New Orleans restaurants for literary travelers:
- Classics: Antoine's, Galatoire’s
- Quirky: Taco Tastic
- Beautiful Spaces: Columns Hotel
- To Try: Akamaya, Dakar, St. Clair, Mosquito Supper Club
7. Book Club Conversation Starters & Structure (40:24–48:36)
- Focus on characters, plot, ending, and especially authenticity regarding New Orleans setting.
- Discuss how books “make you feel,” what surprised you, character relatability, and believability of endings.
- Anne suggests questions to naturally guide deeper, meaningful, but still casual conversations:
- What expectations did you have and what did you find?
- First impressions? Most/least believable characters?
- How realistic was the setting?
- How did the book make you feel?
- What was surprising or memorable?
- Did the ending feel right or true?
Book Recommendations for the Mother-Daughter Book Club
1. The Yellow House by Sarah Broom
[51:18–52:46]
Powerful memoir about family, place, and underrepresented parts of New Orleans. Madeline has read it and appreciates its depiction of the city’s lesser-discussed challenges; might reread with her mother.
2. How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
[53:02–55:15]
Journey through historical sites that shaped American understanding of slavery, including the Whitney Plantation near New Orleans; blends memoir, history, and travel.
“Clint Smith, I will follow you anywhere and listen to you tell me about anything…this is just absolutely fascinating and so much to talk about.” —Anne (54:54)
3. My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg
[55:27–58:28]
Essay collection about Southern life—funny, poignant, and filled with New Orleans food and culture. Rick Bragg’s dog memoir, The Speckled Beauty, is also briefly suggested.
“I want to listen to Rick Bragg tell me about fishing and football…Let’s please go get a cup of coffee and a cocktail and keep telling me stories…” —Anne (57:23)
4. November Road by Lou Berney
[58:38–62:11]
Noir thriller (fiction), organized crime with a conscience, set partially in New Orleans post-JFK assassination. Road trip, love story, and redemption theme. Fast-paced; darker but not grisly.
“This is one of those books in which you find yourself rooting for the bad guy because you can see the good guy within…” —Anne (60:41)
5. Additional Mentions
- Perse Oysters by unknown author — oyster-farming family on the bayou.
- The Pelican Brief by John Grisham — legal thriller, some New Orleans setting.
- Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende — historical fiction bridging Haiti and New Orleans.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On why book clubs are valuable:
“…the point of your mother-daughter book club isn’t to analyze the text but to give you a jumping off point to talk about aspects of your lives and, you know, things that bring you entertainment and insight that you wouldn’t talk about without the book there in front of you.”
—Anne (47:42) -
On reading about New Orleans:
“Sometimes people get New Orleans very right, but sometimes they get it very wrong. So…we love to talk about, like, ‘that neighborhood isn’t next to that one…’”
—Madeline (41:36)
Main Recommendations — Final List (62:11–64:06)
Madeline’s Pick to Try Next:
- November Road by Lou Berney — both Madeline and her mother are excited; hits both their interest areas—crime, history, New Orleans, and literary overlap.
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Introduction & Madeline’s Background: 05:44–10:42
- Reading Life, Genre Preferences: 12:23–15:32
- Mother-Daughter Book Club Vision: 15:49–19:23
- Books Loved & Not Loved: 23:15–34:38
- Recent Reads: 36:03–37:35
- Restaurant Recs: 38:14–40:15
- Book Club Conversation Structure: 40:24–48:36
- Book Recs & New Orleans Connections: 50:37–62:11
- Club Pick & Wrap-Up: 63:16–64:06
Tone
The conversation is enthusiastic, warm, deeply bookish, and rooted in place—open and genuine in exploring reading preferences and overlaps. Both Anne and Madeline maintain a conversational, encouraging, and curious tone throughout.
For Listeners & Readers
If you haven’t listened yet, this episode will especially appeal to:
- Those interested in book club dynamics and light discussion structures.
- Fans of New Orleans and books with a sense of place.
- Readers seeking heartwarming, discussable books with real-life, relatable characters.
Memorable Sign-Off:
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” —Reiner Maria Rilke
Happy reading!