On episode 163, I speak with Brian Platzer author of The Optimists. We discuss many things including who influenced the creation of his protagonist and whether or not optimism can be taught.

This episode is sponsored by Fangs of Fate by Rebecca Parcha. Click here to listen to the audiobook.

Sheila Yasmin Marikar , author of Incidentals recommends With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick.

Rebecca Lehmann, author of The Beheading Game recommends The Unveiling by Quan Barry

Click here to enter the The Beheading Game book giveaway, which closes on April 30th.

Book Recommendations:

Hard Feelings – Daniel Smith

The Lamb – Lucy Rose

Maud Martha – Gwendolyn Brooks (a novella) add to list to give to mom

The Patientce Stone – Atiq Rahimi

Never Let Me Go – Ishiguro

Brian Platzer on instagram.

Brian Platzer's Websitehttps://www.brianplatzer.com

Take my Gelli Printing Class in Los Angeles

The International Booker Prize Shortlist:

The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran - Shida Bazyar

She Who Remains - Rene Karabash

The Director - Daniel Kehlmann

On Earth As It Ss Beneath - Ana Paula Maia

The Witch - Marie NDiaye

Taiwan Travelogue - Shuang-zi Yang

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

On episode 162, I'm visited by biographer Mark Oppenheimer, author of Judy Blume: A Life.

We discuss our favorite Judy Blume books, Blume's captivating draw as an author and we share some favorite book recommendations.

This episode is sponsored by Fangs of Fate by Rebecca Parcha. Click here to listen to the audiobook.

Books Recommended:

The Director by Daniel Kehlmann translated

Cursed Bread by Sophie McKintosh

Air Guitar: Essays on Art and Democracy by Dave Hickey

The Optimists by Brian Platzer

Lake Effect: A Memoir by Rich Cohen

Find Mark Oppenheimer on Substack

I'm giving away a month-long giveaway to my online book club in April where we will be reading Lauren Groff's Brawler. Click here to enter.

I will be returning to the Culver City Book Festival on Sunday March 29th from 10 - 5 pm. I’ll be signing books, selling upcycled journals made out of books, selling original art and Books Are My People coffee mugs and stickers, which you can always purchase here. Come say hi if you’re in the area!

Purchase Books Are My People swag here.

Charlotte Woods The Natural Way of THings Giveaway linkup open closes 3/31. I will contact a winner on April 1st. This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only. Thank you to Riverhead Books for sponsoring this giveaway.

Click here to enter.

Registration for my gelli printing class in Santa Monica is open. If you happen to be local, please join me for a four-week beginning gelli printing class at the Brentwood Art Center in Santa Monica! Click here for more information. We will have so much fun exploring printmaking and maybe even side chatting about books.

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

On episode 161 this week I'm visited by Booker Prize shortlist nominee, Charlotte Wood. We talk about internalized misogyny, systems of oppression, what it’s like to be a Booker Award finalist and Wood's reissue of her 2015 novel, The Natural Way of Things.

Books Recommended:

So Long, See You Tomorrow, William Maxwell

The Old Fire by Elisa Shua Disapin translated by Aneesa Abbas Higgins

Delirious by Damian Wilkins

How to Commit A Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigley

Attention: Writing on Life, Art and the World by Anne Einreight out April 8th

Guest Author:

Lies We Tell About the Stars by Susie Nadler

Find Charlotte on Social Media:

Charlottewoodwriter on Instagram

Substack: substraction

Have an easy knitting project for me to try? Email me at booksaremypwople@gmail.com

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

This week, on episode 160 of Books Are My People, I speak with Lillian Li author of Bad Asians. We talk about identity, the perils of the internet, and the aftermath of the 2008 recession.

Shownotes:

How to Commit A Post Colonial Murder by Nina McConigley

Vigil by George Saunders

Nice Places by Vincent Chu

Pedro the Vast by Simón Lopez Trujillo translated by Sophie Hughes

House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

Find Lillian Lee on Social Media @zillianzee

See my two new Works of Art at Red bluff Gallery

Wuthering Heights Giveaway

Enter to Win A Free month on Books Are My People

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

It's a bit of a longer episode today but I couldn’t tear myself away from my new Bay Area Crafty friends: Monica and Cortney from the fantastic podcast Craft Cook Read Repeat.

These joyful makers will inspire creativity and curiosity in the kitchen, on the needles on the nightstand and more. And, one of them answers the age-old question "Are Sophie scarves a project for beginning knitters?"

Plus, they share some of their favorite book recommendations.

And we get three bonus guest author recommendations this week:

Christina Hammonds Reed, author of The Johnson Four recommends American Nightmare by Kelly McWilliams.

Rebecca Fallon, author of Family Drama recommends Almost Life by Kiran Mlgood Hargrave.

Eleanor Shearer, author of Fireflies in Winter recommends Barkskins by Annie Proulx.

WIN A FREE MONTH AND READ AND WATCH WUTHERING HEIGHTS WITH US on my Books Are My People bookclub on Substack.

Books Discussed:

On the Calculation of Volume – Solvej Balle

A Sociopath’s Guide to A Successful Marriage – by M. K. Oliver

The Light Pirate - Lily Brooks-Dalton

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi translated by David Boyd and Lucy North

Bog Queen - Anna North

Where to find Cortney and Monica on Social Media:

IG @craftcookreadrepeat

Podcast Website

IG @cortneysf

Other Things Mentioned:

Char Hamilton's amazing art classes!

Ravelrly

Imagined Landscapes gnomes

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

Yup, I finally read part of a romance novel and watched two romance shows. Who am I in 2026?

In episode #158 I announce some new forthcoming screen adaptations, we get a guest author book recommendation from Nalini Singh, author of Such A Perfect Family and I recommend five books to add to your TBR.

Join me on Substack.

Books Recommended:

Such a Perfect Family Nalini Singh

The Midnight Taxi - Yosha Gunasakera

The Irish Goodbye - Heather Aimee O’Neill

The Infamous Gilberts - Anjela Tomaski

Only Son – Kevin Moffett

Is This A Cry For Help? – Emily Austin

The Housemaid - Freida McFadden

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

This week on episode #157, I speak with one of my favorite authors, the delightful Sara Levine, author of The Hitch, out tomorrow. I talk about some of my New Year’s resolutions, the amazing new skill I taught my dog and winter break travel plans gone wrong. We also get a guest author recommendation from Mark Medley author of Live to see the Day.

PODCAST NOTES:

The Hitch by Sara Levine

Treasure Island by Sara Levine

War with the Newts – Karel Capek

Heart The Lover by Lily King

Nature Poem by Tommy Pico

Often I am Happy by Jens Christian Grondhal

Is Mother Dead by Vigdis Hjorth

Instagram @hitchface

Substack

Sara Levine’s website

Live to see the Day by Mark Medley

Joyride by Susan Orlean

Saturday Night by Susan Orlean

Read The Empusium with me on Substack

Listen to Episode #3 of Books Are My People, where my dad and I talk about Sara Levine’s Treasure Island!!! (It was only my third episode, so please forgive any sound editing issues!)

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

This week, I go back in time to 2012 to share some of my favorite reads as well as discuss other, notable reads from that year.

We have a special guest author recommendation from Emily Wiberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka authors of Seeing Other People .

Happy New Year, everyone!

Shownotes:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane

Every Day by David Levethan

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

The Round House by Loise Erdrich

Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carole Rifka Brunt

Links to Books Are My People mugs

Link to my Chair Art

Link to Empusium Read Along

Link to National Book Award winners

Support the show

Get your Books Are My People merch here!
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!