Best Wsirn Podcasts (2025)

1
Ep 479: Balancing backlist with shiny new releases 1:12:38

5d ago1:12:38

1:12:38

Every year we get some variation of this question: how can a reader like today’s guest, Elise Brancheau, balance all the shiny new books of summer with the backlist titles that are already patiently waiting on her to-be-read list? Elise is a New Jersey-based professional classical singer who describes herself as a huge reading-planning nerd. We kno…

1
Ep 478: A snippet from the 2025 Summer Reading Guide 10:33

12d ago10:33

10:33

We're taking you behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide and sharing an excerpt from our live Unboxing party. Our 2025 Guide includes 35 books across a range of genres which we've grouped into six categories. Today you'll hear Anne's commentary of three books from the first category, Family Sagas. Our Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing ar…

1
Ep 477: A summer reading road trip 59:40

19d ago59:40

59:40

We're kicking off Summer Reading Season with our fourteenth annual Summer Reading Guide, coming this Thursday! Today on the podcast Anne is joined by a special guest who is particularly well qualified to go behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide with her: Will Bogel! Many of you consider Anne's husband Will to be your book twin, and tod…

1
Ep 476: Offbeat, intricately plotted books for an ambitious reading project 1:13:42

26d ago1:13:42

1:13:42

Reading projects take all shapes and sizes, and today's guest has set a goal to read all the Women's Prize for Fiction shortlists and winners. Today, Anne is talking books with Kathryn, who lives on the island of Okinawa, Japan, with her military husband and energetic golden retriever. Kathryn works for a nonprofit and spends her leisure time readi…

1
Ep 475: Help for a fiction lover who wants to read more nonfiction 48:59

1M ago48:59

48:59

Today's guest is an avid reader, retired social worker, and What Should I Read Next? completist who lives in New Jersey. Jill Jaclin has a reading conundrum: she really wants to read more nonfiction, but she's struggled to find a way to incorporate it into her reading life. As she told Anne, she also knows that there are nonfiction books out there …

1
Ep 474: Burnout and the reading life 51:22

1M ago51:22

51:22

Readers, if you are feeling burned out right now, you are not alone. In our team meeting last week, we talked about the fact that things are hard right now. That's why this feels like a great time to revisit a favorite past episode from another time not so long ago when we were also feeling burned out. Today we're sharing Anne's May 2021 conversati…

1
Ep 473: Refining an out-of-date TBR system 1:00:46

2M ago1:00:46

1:00:46

When the world feels heavy, many of us look to books for distraction, inspiration, or reassurance. Today's guest has a unique spin on what she's seeking and would love Anne's help in figuring out how the types of reads she wants right now fit into her existing to-be-read (TBR) system. Émilie Weidl lives in Wales, where she's taken a year off before…

1
Ep 472: Literary + Genre = match made in heaven 56:55

2M ago56:55

56:55

Finding highly discussable books for book clubs often feels like a full-time job, especially if you're a member of multiple long-standing book clubs like today's guest, Lara. Today, Lara joins Anne to talk about her constant search for fiction that explores the human condition in all its messy glory. She loves these sorts of books because they give…

1
Ep 471: Don't let perfectionism ruin your reading life 1:07:42

2M ago1:07:42

1:07:42

Over the past few years, today's guest has been on a journey of self-discovery. Florida reader Casey has been working on coming to terms with her perfectionism and along the way, she's been noticing what it means for her reading life. Casey's noticed she tends to save highly anticipated books for later: some uncertain time down the road when circum…

1
Ep 470: Revisiting childhood favorites for a nostalgic reading project 57:30

3M ago57:30

57:30

Re-reading is a practice fits into every reader's life in a different way, and today's guest has embarked on a unique reading challenge that brings a fresh perspective to her re-reading. Sarah Swarbrick joins Anne today from the outskirts of Sydney, Australia, to talk about the special project she's crafted in advance of her 53rd birthday. With her…

1
Ep 469: Book Club is for discussing, discovering, and dissenting 1:08:29

3M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

Readers, we often receive questions from you about our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and what actually goes on in our online reading community, and today's guest is here to help Anne take you behind the scenes! You may already know Ginger Horton, our MMD Book Club Community Manager, from her prior appearances here on the podcast or because you interac…

1
Ep 468: Books for an adventure out West 1:00:54

3M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Today's guest is a mood reader who often finds herself falling down a reading rabbit hole. Madelyn Kresinske is an elementary school librarian, wife, and mom who reads widely from middle-grade and picture books to romance, family dramas, and more. Madelyn doesn't hate her pattern of falling into sometimes a rut, sometimes she actually quite enjoys …

1
Ep 467: I love literary fiction... don't I? 1:05:45

3M ago1:05:45

1:05:45

Today's guest has a common readerly dilemma: what to do when reading tastes change? In her submission to join Anne on the show, Philadelphia dweller and avid book thrifter Phoebe Mellinger shared that she'd had pretty consistent reading tastes for her whole life, until last year when she noticed that her taste suddenly and vastly changed. Her go-to…

1
Ep 466: New stamps for your literary passport 1:05:08

3M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

Today's guests excel in pairing the perfect read with worldwide destinations: joining Anne today are her friends, fellow book lovers, and podcasters Mel Joulwan and Dave Humphreys. You may know them as the literary minds behind Strong Sense of Place. They've also been guests on our show a handful of times across the years. Today, Mel and Dave are b…

1
Ep 465: What's saving your reading life? 46:57

4M ago46:57

46:57

Every year on the Modern Mrs Darcy blog, Anne shares a post about what's saving her life right now, and today she's joined by team member Shannan Malone to talk about what's saving their reading lives lately. Shannan is our What Should I Read Next Patreon community manager, and also our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club co-host. Today, she and Anne explor…

1
Ep 464: Travel-minded books for a fantastic European adventure 55:30

4M ago55:30

55:30

Today's guest has a bookish birthday trip in the works. When Barbara Andrade DuBransky told us about her tradition of taking big trips with her best friend to mark big life milestones, Anne knew she wanted to talk about Barbara's upcoming European trip. Barbara and her friend are passionate readers who rely on their libraries to help them plan and …

1
Ep 463: Remarkable stories that demand to be told 1:03:53

4M ago1:03:53

1:03:53

Readers, today we're thrilled to share a delightful conversation with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, authors of The Personal Librarian. This conversation originally took place over in our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community, where Marie and Victoria joined Anne, our MMD Book Club Community Manager Ginger Horton, our MMD Book Club …

1
Ep 462: LISTEN: Spring Book Preview excerpt 14:35

4M ago14:35

14:35

We hosted our Spring Book Preview last week, and if you missed out on that event you're in luck: today we're sharing an excerpt to whet your spring reading appetite! In this sneak peek at our Spring Book Preview live event, you'll hear Anne tell you about 3 of the 35 titles included in the preview. Spring Book Preview is one of our marquee events t…

1
Ep 461: Backlist books that make your brain fizz 52:24

5M ago52:24

52:24

Many of the readers we talk to tune into the seasons to inspire their next read, and today's guest has a twist on the usual seasonal reading dilemma: Nell Cavallo is joining Anne today from midsummer in Sydney, Australia. When Nell sent in her guest submission for the show, she told us that as a southern hemisphere reader, winter meant reading the …

1
Ep 460: Anne's best books of 2024 1:01:32

5M ago1:01:32

1:01:32

We're kicking off 2025 with a special episode: today Anne is joined by her husband Will Bogel to discuss Anne's best books of the past year. Every week here on the show, we take a personal approach to the reading life, really digging into what readers love, what they don't, and why. Our conversations are about individual readers and their individua…

1
Ep 459: Reading for quality over quantity 53:30

6M ago53:30

53:30

Today's guest is feeling stuck between quality and quantity in her reading life. With all of the end-of-year reading reflections happening lately, Anne is here to help if you're also facing this situation. Caroline Hines lives on a Christmas tree farm, which is not really related to today's book-talk, but feels like the perfect setting for our fina…

1
Ep 458: Live from Nashville: good conversation about creativity and community with readers and writers 1:10:48

6M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

When Anne was invited to speak at WriterFest, a creative gathering for aspiring writers, published authors, screenwriters, poets, and songwriters in Nashville, we couldn't wait to share that conversation with all of you. Today we're sharing Anne's conversation with WriterFest co-founder Ami McConnell. From books and reading to the common themes the…

1
Ep 457: Immersive audiobooks for cozy reading anywhere 59:04

6M ago59:04

59:04

Cozy reading season is nearly here in the northern hemisphere, and today's guest wrote in with a unique question: how can she create a cozy reading experience when she's nearly always listening to audiobooks on the go? Lauren Worley is joining Anne today from Virginia. Lauren's work keeps her in the car and on the road quite a bit, so Lauren’s full…

1
Ep 456: Timeless meets timely: Anne diagnoses why Ginger loves New England books 1:13:16

6M ago1:13:16

1:13:16

Diagnosing readerly dilemmas is one of our favorite things to do around here, and today Anne is helping Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club Community Manager Ginger Horton figure out the answer to a reading question that's been plaguing her. Ginger recently came to Anne with a conundrum: she loves books set in New England, but not every book set in New Engl…

1
Ep 455: Elif Shafak on the resilience of literature 54:42

6M ago54:42

54:42

Today's guest is the beloved author, Elif Shafak, whose latest title was a 2024 Summer Reading Guide pick. Elif's works are so particular and set very much in a specific time and place, yet they also feel so inclusive. Elif's stories explore universal themes like home and belonging, exile and displacement. She also leverages her Turkish heritage an…

1
Ep 454: Holiday gift recommendations from our team 52:06

7M ago52:06

52:06

Our annual gift recommendation episode is here! Today, Anne is joined by members of the Modern Mrs Darcy team to respond to your requests for gift-giving ideas for the readers in your life. Thanks to all of our listeners who sent in their questions: we loved sharing our best recommendations for the readers you love. Whether you hear your request in…

1
Ep 453: How to host a cozy reader retreat 41:06

7M ago41:06

41:06

When today's guest, Dana Reams, told us about the cozy reader's gathering she intends to hold later this month, our team instantly wanted to RSVP "yes." Since we can't all gather at Dana's house this season, we thought we'd do the next best thing and have her on the podcast. Today, Anne is chatting with Dana about her delightful concept for this ga…

1
Ep 452: Get a little taste of a lot of good stuff 1:00:17

7M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

We've been wanting to talk short stories for awhile here on the podcast. When today's guest wrote in with a readerly conundrum on just this topic, it was the perfect opportunity to explore this literary topic in conversation. Jessica Crockett is joining Anne today from Chicago, where she works as a French-to-English patent translator. When she's no…

1
Ep 451: Digging into Nikki May's delicious Mansfield Park reimagining 54:32

7M ago54:32

54:32

Today we are thrilled to welcome Nikki May to the show. Her new book This Motherless Land is a reimagining of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. Anne was especially intrigued by this because Mansfield Park is the novel of Jane Austen's that seems most overlooked when it comes to retellings. Today, Anne has questions, and Nikki May has answers. Among som…

1
Ep 450: Asheville on our minds + my favorite NC authors 56:27

8M ago56:27

56:27

Readers, like so many of you, we have such fondness for Asheville and the Blue Ridge mountain region, which is desperately hurting in the wake of Hurricane Helene. We’ve been thinking constantly of those affected, both in Asheville and now in Florida in the aftermath of Milton. While it feels like nothing we can do can touch the enormity of what is…

1
Ep 449: Haunting (but not horrifying) page-turners 1:03:23

8M ago1:03:23

1:03:23

Ontario reader Emma Sweeney wants to explore books that incorporate elements from the horror genre. She's not interested in books that give her nightmares, but she's found that these stories often prompt reflective and meaningful reading experiences. Today, she and Anne talk about finding titles that include horror elements without being truly horr…

1
Ep 448: Recommend me a thriller, but make it literary 59:13

8M ago59:13

59:13

This fall, we were excited to hear from you about the books that haunt you. and today's guest sent in a submission that caught everyone on our team's eye. We loved her interpretation of this theme. Today, Megan Reilly is joining Anne to talk about the books that linger in your brain for years. Megan is a professional theater designer and a college …

1
LISTEN: Fall Book Preview excerpt 18:14

8M ago18:14

18:14

Last week we hosted our sixth annual Fall Book Preview, and today we're sharing a taste of that event with you. In today's mini-episode, you'll hear Anne talk about three book of the 35 books in this year's preview. Fall Book Preview is one of our marquee annual events that we host for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and Patreon Community members. O…

1
Ep 447: How to fix a chronic three-star situation 1:04:41

9M ago1:04:41

1:04:41

Our reading community truly spans the globe: today Anne is in conversation with Evie, who is joining us from northern Greece. Evie grew up in Boston and after visiting family in Greece over the years, she moved back herself last year. These days she enjoys the slow pace of life and social culture in her Greek community. Today, Evie would love help …

1
Ep 446: How to balance print books with screen reading 1:16:27

9M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

If you love a good campus novel for fall, you'll love today's conversation between Anne and academic dean Karen Gold. Karen works at the oldest independent boarding school in the country, where she teaches a course on campus novels. That's not all Karen reads, though: she's especially fond of novels that span generations and highlight both the mund…

1
Ep 445: Startlingly beautiful sentences and perfect last lines 1:13:18

9M ago1:13:18

1:13:18

Get your to-be-read lists ready because today's episode is packed full of recommended titles. In today's show, Anne is hosting Hunter, a fan of literary fiction who lives in Philadelphia with his husband and their dog. Anne and Hunter talk about his years-long project to read National Book Award longlisted titles, which also leads into conversation…

1
Ep 444: Our team's best books of summer 1:12:24

9M ago1:12:24

1:12:24

Today we're back with the 2024 installment of our popular summer reading roundup, where members of our team pair up to talk about their favorite summer reads. You'll hear our team in conversation today, exploring our summer reading experiences and the titles we can't stop talking about. Around here we talk books all year round, but episodes like th…

1
Ep 443: Backlist picks for immediate library hold gratification 1:00:14

10M ago1:00:14

1:00:14

A limited reading selection often leads to delightful serendipity, and today Anne's chatting with a guest who has had just that experience. Rachel Elaine Martens and her family recently lived in Budapest for a year. During this time, Rachel Elaine had access to her U.S. library's virtual collection, but she also made use of a small shelf of left-be…

1
Ep 442: Your TBR is not a to-do list 54:21

10M ago54:21

54:21

Readers, we have celebrated birthday milestones here on the podcast before, and today Anne is talking with a guest who designed the ultimate book party for her recent 50th birthday. Kelly Davis lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she works for her alma mater and enjoys caring for her garden and listening to audiobooks. For Kelly's recent…

1
Ep 441: Lucy Foley talks secrets, lies, murder, and mystery writing 55:08

10M ago55:08

55:08

Today we're excited to share Anne's recent conversation with author Lucy Foley, from a live event hosted by Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky. In today's show, Anne and Lucy kick things off by discussing Lucy's new revenge thriller The Midnight Feast and the real-life places and trips that inspired its atmospheric setting. Lucy also sh…

1
Ep 440: Anne's midyear reading check-in 54:49

10M ago54:49

54:49

With the year just over half way through, Anne is stepping back to see how her reading year is going. Today, she and Shannan Malone are doing a little midyear check-in to see how this year has been going so far reading-wise, and what they are most excited about in the coming months. They consider whether they're actually reading what they want to b…

1
Ep 439: How many book clubs is too many book clubs? 57:07

10M ago57:07

57:07

In today's episode from the WSIRN vault, Anne is sharing her very first podcast conversation with Brigid Misselhorn. Like so many of our guests, Brigid came to the show through our WSIRN guest submission form. But these days she works on our team as our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. This is fitting, because as you’ll hear in today’s episod…

1
Ep 438: Life is short & my TBR is way too long 50:34

11M ago50:34

50:34

Today we're excited to continue our mid-summer series featuring our team members! Learning more about our team members and who shares your tastes may help you identify some good books in a way that might not land on your radar otherwise. We hope you love this conversation. Anne is revisiting her very first conversation with Alabama reader Shannan M…

1
Ep 437: An epic birthday bookstore roadtrip 52:26

11M ago52:26

52:26

Welcome back to our July series brought to you by the What Should I Read Next? time machine. This month, we're going back in our archives to share episodes with four of our team members. When these episodes were originally recorded, no one involved had any idea that these readers would be on our team eventually, so it's especially fun to re-listen …

1
Ep 436: The reality of bookworm problems 36:42

11M ago36:42

36:42

Today we are kicking off a summer series from the What Should I Read Next? archives: we're sharing the first episodes and sometimes the very first conversations Anne had with readers that are now members of our team. Many of you know our team members by name, and you have a good sense of their reading tastes, too. But we also know that many of you …

1
Ep 435: A deep dive through a massive TBR 59:15

12M ago59:15

59:15

Today's guest is a native Parisian who is planning a road trip this summer to the northern Alps of Italy to escape the Summer Olympics. Corinne Yan is here today to get Anne's help in discovering great audiobooks to pair with this long drive. But before diving into recommendations, Anne and Corinne chat about Corinne's dreamy book job: she works as…

1
Ep 434: Hospitable books with a strong sense of welcome 48:17

12M ago48:17

48:17

Reading offers a wide range of vicarious experiences, and today's guest is looking for books that make her feel warmly welcome. Adrianne Carnes is a bookseller and marketing director for a local independent bookstore in Texas, where she loves to create an inviting space for the readers who frequent her shop. Adrianne's interest in hospitality start…

1
Ep 433: I'm not afraid of a fifty-hour audiobook 53:36

12M ago53:36

53:36

Audiobook lovers, today's conversation will help you make the most of your audiobook credits, whether you love short or long listens. Stephanie Van Parys is a devoted gardener in Decatur, Georgia, where she loves to pair audiobooks with working in the dirt. Since she discovered this way of merging her two passions back in 2020, she's never looked b…

1
Ep 432: Live from Word of South: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida! 49:42

1y ago49:42

49:42

Joining Anne today in a live conversation from the recent Word of South festival is listener favorite Lauren Groff! This conversation happened in the midst of a big moment for Lauren: she was recently recognized on the Time 100 list, and her new bookstore, The Lynx, just opened in Gainesville, Florida. Lauren and Anne talk about what led Lauren to …

1
Ep 431: Live from The Bookshelf: Let's talk summer books! 33:14

1y ago33:14

33:14

Join us today for the second in a series of three live events! While Anne was on the road recently, she had the opportunity to stop by fantastic independent bookstore The Bookshelf, in Thomasville, Georgia, for the first time since 2018. During this live event, Anne spoke with host and owner Annie B. Jones about summer reading alongside a crowd of …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Wsirn Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen