Episode 535 || What Would Susie Read
This week on From the Front Porch, Annie is chatting with her mom, Susie, about books for readers with PG-13 tastes. You get 10% off the Susie-approved reads mentioned in this episode when you use code SHOPMOMSELECTS at checkout online and in-store!
To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 535), or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app:
Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Moms on Call: Basic Baby Care by Laura Hunter and Jennifer Walker (unavailable to order)
Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter
Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan
Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story by Terri-Lynne DeFino
From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found below.
Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
This week, Annie is reading It's A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan. Susie is reading Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano.
If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.
We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.
Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.
Transcript:
[squeaky porch swing] Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. [music plays out]
“Most of us live less theatrically, but remain the survivors of a peculiar and inward time.” This feels like the truest thing I have ever read. I guess there’s no bottom to a person, but I feel you have left fewer stones unturned than anyone else who’s ever passed through, and it’s taken me some time to recognize how knowing you has been like coming in from the cold, lonely road to find a warm fire and a table laid, so thank you for that, Theodore.” ― Virginia Evans, The Correspondent
[as music fades out] I’m Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week, I’m back talking to my mom (a beloved guest) about books for readers with PG-13 tastes. Before we get started, a thank you to everyone who’s been leaving reviews for From the Front Porch. iTunes reviews and ratings are how new listeners can best find out about From the Front Porch and — as a result — find out about our indie bookstore, too. Here’s a recent review from Amy:
Sweet time, every time! I've been listening to Annie and friends for quite a while now. And every episode brings me joy and of course, great book recs! I live in Pittsburgh but hope one day to get down to The Bookstore in Thomasville GA! Thanks again for brightening my day!
Amy this brings me a lot of joy. And I’m so glad to know that we have listeners in Pittsburgh who love From the Front Porch. Thank you for leaving a review. If you haven’t left a review, all you have to do is open up the Podcast App on your phone, look for From the Front Porch, scroll down until you see ‘Write a Review’ and tell us what you think. Your reviews help us spread the word about not only the podcast, but about our small brick-and-mortar business, too. Now, back to the show. Hi, mom!
Susie Jones [00:02:23] Hi, Annie Sue.
Annie Jones [00:02:24] Welcome back.
Susie Jones [00:02:25] It's good to be here.
Annie Jones [00:02:26] If you are a new listener From the Front Porch, you might not realize that Shop Mom Susie, who you may occasionally see on the Instagram or referenced when we're talking about bookstore windows and displays, Shop Mom Susie is my actual mom. I think sometimes there is some confusion about that. Nancy at The Bookshelf is a delightful bookseller. She is not my mom. She is not Shop Mom. Shop Mom is my mom. And every so often she comes here on From the Front Porch to talk about books that I think we just need to say redemptive reads. I feel like that's a good way to put it. We used to say for more sensitive readers, and I still think that's true, books that don't have a ton of sex, drugs, violence, whatever, language. But every so often you dabble.
Susie Jones [00:03:16] Yeah. Sometimes you get hooked in and you don't know you've dabbled in the dark side.
Annie Jones [00:03:22] So PG-13 is actually probably the most accurate and generous maybe descriptor. But if you like what you hear today, you should know that Mom, you've made quite a few appearances now. And so we've got them linked in the show notes, but episode 398, 416, 433, 447, 468, 485 and 520. Again, those are all linked. You can hear my mom talk about all kinds of books if you go deep into the archives of the From the Front Porch episodes. So today mom is back. She was last with us in March. You've read quite a few books.
Susie Jones [00:04:04] I have, and they're great.
Annie Jones [00:04:06] Good.
Susie Jones [00:04:06] They're all going to be great for people who like to read like I do.
Annie Jones [00:04:11] Okay. Well, kick us off. What you got?
Susie Jones [00:04:12] Alright, well, the first one might not be for just everybody because C.S. Lewis is not for everybody. But now that I don't do a Shelf Subscription every other month, I've really been going through a stack of books at home. They have just been I bought them and I never got around to them.
Annie Jones [00:04:33] Your unread library if you will.
Susie Jones [00:04:33] Yes. My TBR.
Annie Jones [00:04:35] Yeah, your TBR.
Susie Jones [00:04:36] So this is Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis, and I wanted to read a book by C.S. Lewis. And so this one is kind of memoir-esque, I guess, because it's really his tale of his education, his schooling, you learn a little bit about his parents, and then he drifts into atheism. And then it's his coming back out of atheism in his conversion to Christianity. So it's a lot in a little book.
Annie Jones [00:05:11] Yeah, he packs a punch in a few pages.
Susie Jones [00:05:11] He does. I was going to say C.S. Lewis is not one to read fast, but it was just something that I had on hand and I really wanted to do it and I'm proud that I did it.
Annie Jones [00:05:23] I'm proud of you, too. I have not read this one actually.
Susie Jones [00:05:26] It was very good.
Annie Jones [00:05:26] And I do think I would like it. And I also do like the idea of pulling out books that you've bought but haven't read just visually help. I haven't done that, but I do have in my room right now a stack of books that I've most recently bought and I'm not shelving them. I'm going to just try to make my way through them this summer. And so I like the ideas of visually knowing, okay, these are what I'm going to get to as time permits. Because Dad and I talked about this a couple of weeks ago on a different episode of From the Front Porch, but Shelf Subscriptions have changed. You were every other month with Nancy, but only having to pick a book every few months meant that you could go maybe back in the back list or something and read something you might not otherwise have had time for.
Susie Jones [00:06:17] Yes. At first I was worried about it because I thought I won't read as much.
Annie Jones [00:06:22] It was nice to have some homework, probably.
Susie Jones [00:06:23] It was. It sorts of forced me to stop because you know I'm up and doing things and so it makes me stop and do my homework. But it's all good for me. I like to be kind of forced to sit down and read a good book. And so I was a little bit worried about that, but I got a really big stack here today. And some of them were inspired, I'll tell about that as we get down the stack. But some of them were old. Some of them I had to go back to my-- they weren't even just on a pile in my bedroom, they were literally reshelved because I had them for so long, I'm like, this is ridiculous. I'll put them on the Bookshelf. And so I had go back and start looking, I went, oh, I didn't read that. Or I haven't read that. Anyway, I think I've got a really good selection today and this was my kickoff to get me-- well actually, I'm going to be honest, this was one that I wanted to read but I'm like I'm reading this first because if I don't, I won't. Do you ever have books like that?
Annie Jones [00:07:22] Yeah, well, because as you mentioned, C.S. Lewis is not something you read, he's not someone you read quickly.
Susie Jones [00:07:28] Or for fun.
Annie Jones [00:07:30] Right. I think I would call that a work of theology, even though it's a memoir, he is writing, you're probably underlining, you're processing. If you're like me, you are reading one sentence three times to make sure you get it. So I think that that was probably a good idea to just kick off with that. Anything else would be easy.
Susie Jones [00:07:50] I know. And then you'll see what I went to after it. Because it's a little bit heavier, it's just time in World War I. It's all the things that sort of shook him.
Annie Jones [00:08:01] Does he talk about his brother?
Susie Jones [00:08:02] A little bit, yes. But not as much as in another book I've read about him. But yes, always his brother is there, I think, because they are very close. So anyway, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis.
Annie Jones [00:08:16] Alright, and then you followed it up with?
Susie Jones [00:08:19] And then I followed it up with somebody find me some Kristy Woodson Harvey, because I need something a little bit lighter.
Annie Jones [00:08:27] I'm glad you're talking about her. I feel like she should get a little more praise, I think.
Susie Jones [00:08:31] I think so too, especially for people who like to read like me. And I've gone back and tried to find other books by her, and I don't know what year this was written, but I don't think this is one of her newest.
Annie Jones [00:08:44] It's not.
Susie Jones [00:08:44] So I went back and found whatever you had in the store. So this is The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey. This is a perfect read for coming up the season we're in, perfect beach read. It's about a summer camp that three best friends went to when they were six years old. One of the girl's aunts runs it. And so her mother had died and these best friends went every summer together. And then the camp was about to go under. Her aunt was about to lose the camp. So it's about how these girls come together and revitalize the camp and do a big campaign to try to get more people coming. Because when the pandemic hit, nobody went to camp. And so this is kind of current in that way because even though it's fiction, I imagine this really happened with summer camps. And so it's about these girls working together in their adult lives. And then it follows them through to having their own children. And so it is very wonderful.
Annie Jones [00:10:02] That's fun. Maybe people who love the Parent Trap. I love the Parent Trap.
Susie Jones [00:10:05] I know there's a little drama along the way. Not everything's peachy keen and easy for the girls. I really loved it.
Annie Jones [00:10:15] Great summer book.
Susie Jones [00:10:16] It really is. It's a great summer book and it's a great reminder of being a kid again and going to places like a summer camp and sleeping on the bunks. Because you and I love summer camp so much.
Annie Jones [00:10:28] I was about to say, we don't love that.
Susie Jones [00:10:29] You don't love the idea?
Annie Jones [00:10:30] I was about to say I love the idea of it. I feel like I could run a camp.
Susie Jones [00:10:35] Especially if it's in the Northeast.
Annie Jones [00:10:37] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:10:37] Maybe I could.
Annie Jones [00:10:38] Yeah, I think that's the thing. Well, I won't speak for you, but you definitely sent me one year to….
Susie Jones [00:10:44] I was a cook that year.
Annie Jones [00:10:48] Yeah, you and dad were cooks. Central Florida Bible Camp, was that what it was?
Susie Jones [00:10:53] I think so.
Annie Jones [00:10:54] Well, it was hot. It was miserable. Also, I don't know if you've ever been on the podcast when I've shared my opinions about summer camp, but I think they are one step removed from a cult. But at the same time, The Parent Trap is one of my favorite movies.
Susie Jones [00:11:09] I love The Parent Trap.
Annie Jones [00:11:09] And so, you're exactly right, I love the idea of camp.
Susie Jones [00:11:14] And it's original for me. P.S. Just FYI.
Annie Jones [00:11:17] You like the Hayley Mills version?
Susie Jones [00:11:19] Absolutely.
Annie Jones [00:11:20] I love the Hayley Mills version, but I do think it's one of those things that whatever you encounter-- Lindsay Lohan was my age.
Susie Jones [00:11:26] But you know why I loved the original is Maurene.
Annie Jones [00:11:29] Yes, Maurene is the mom.
Susie Jones [00:11:31] Yes. I love her.
Annie Jones [00:11:33] So I really enjoyed this book and people who love summer camps and send their kids to summer camp will really like it. And again I love reading about it. I just don't want to live it.
Susie Jones [00:11:42] Well, I breezed right through this and I think I'm happy to recommend it to anybody that wants an easy read to kick off their summer.
Annie Jones [00:11:50] Blurbed by Emily Henry, which is cool.
Susie Jones [00:11:53] That's right.
Annie Jones [00:11:53] That probably was a big deal.
Susie Jones [00:11:55] Okay, now here's my next book. It's entitled Zero to Six Months Moms on Call: Basic Baby Care. Now does anyone out there know why I'm reading this? And this is a book by Laura Hunter and Jennifer Walker, they're nurses. And I did a little Googling because you didn't want to be overwhelmed. And I wanted to have a little refresher because I got my little grandbaby in Chattanooga, but I just wanted a little refresher for me.
Annie Jones [00:12:31] For a local grandbaby. I have to laugh because Mom and Jordan, while I was-- no, I was done writing the book, while I was promoting and publishing a book into the world, Mom and Jordan have done most of the reading. Now, I have read Emily Oster's book, Expecting Better, though I have not read Cribsheet.
Susie Jones [00:12:55] That was your homework and this one was mine.
Annie Jones [00:12:58] I know. Jordan's reading Cribsheet.
Susie Jones [00:12:59] I'll get with Jordan.
Annie Jones [00:13:00] And he's telling me things that I need to know. But truly, I know that I know I would, but I just love learning from you and Jordan.
Susie Jones [00:13:12] Very nicely put. Well, here's a fun back story about this. This is an excellent book. And I do have a lot of underlines, because I'm especially interested in those first two weeks because I wasn't with Oliver his first two weeks.
Annie Jones [00:13:27] And we're recording this early because of baby.
Susie Jones [00:13:30] That's right.
Annie Jones [00:13:31] And what I have heard almost universally, because everyone will tell you, the first two weeks are very hard.
Susie Jones [00:13:38] Right, and I just wanted a little refresher course so that I can be a good grand mommy and a good mom still. So anyway, can I tell this? At your book launch, I met two lovely ladies.
Annie Jones [00:13:53] I'm going to shout them out, Karen and Stephanie.
Susie Jones [00:13:55] Okay, I couldn't remember their names, so thank you. On their way out the door, they are actually friends of Jordan's, and so we were chatting and I had absolutely no idea but I must have either mentioned this book, or one of them mentioned it and I was like, oh, that's the book I'm reading. And this truly is, I'm not just saying it, this is an excellent, easy, step-by-step kind of...
Annie Jones [00:14:22] What I will say about Moms on Call, which I have not yet read myself, so it should be interesting, but when I first started as a bookseller at The Bookshelf, I don't know when this was originally published, like the first edition, there were years in which that was all anybody wanted to buy, was Moms on Call. And at the time, I do not know if this is still true, but you could only buy it through their website. So it sticks out to me because it was not a book I could order as a bookseller and we got asked about it all the time. So I do think it's really a popular go-to.
Susie Jones [00:14:56] It is, and it should because it's very easy--
Annie Jones [00:15:00] I do like the size. I didn't realize it was so thin. I could do that.
Susie Jones [00:15:03] And this is zero to six months. Oh, okay. And then they have another one. And they have a podcast. And then, they have, which I found out, from her-- so long story short. Well, no.
Annie Jones [00:15:14] Kind of.
Susie Jones [00:15:14] But the ladies I met, I forgot which one it is, but one of them is her sister.
Annie Jones [00:15:19] Stephanie. Yeah, I totally think you can tell. They look alike to me.
Susie Jones [00:15:22] And so I felt like all of a sudden like a fangirl for her because she was telling me all about you can get consultations, Annie.
Annie Jones [00:15:34] I do love a consult.
Susie Jones [00:15:35] Yes, they're available to talk to you. That's amazing.
Annie Jones [00:15:40] I will say I do think this is shorter than I thought. So maybe I could do this.
Susie Jones [00:15:45] Well, my last baby book was Raising Babies of the 80s but guess what babies are still babies.
Annie Jones [00:15:53] I did take classes.
Susie Jones [00:15:54] And I'm very, very proud of you for doing that.
Annie Jones [00:15:56] I did take classes just in case anybody's like, well, what did you do, Annie?
Susie Jones [00:16:01] Well, I'm nerdy this way anyway.
Annie Jones [00:16:04] Yes. And you have always been this way.
Susie Jones [00:16:07] Yes.
Annie Jones [00:16:08] And, listen, you would think I would be.
Susie Jones [00:16:11] I know. I'm really-- you have time.
Annie Jones [00:16:13] That is part of it. Well, if Jordan were here, I think he would say Myers-Briggs.
Susie Jones [00:16:19] Probably.
Annie Jones [00:16:21] You being an S and me being an N.
Susie Jones [00:16:24] But you want information.
Annie Jones [00:16:26] Yeah, I do want information.
Susie Jones [00:16:27] But I love putting the notebooks together.
Annie Jones [00:16:29] Listen, this was very funny. So, again, when you hear this episode, the baby should be here, but we are recording this episode before the baby is here. So we were at a class, it was a diapering and swaddling class. We also learned bathing techniques. So, anyway, this was a class we went to at the hospital and the lady who was teaching the class, the instructor said you might find it really helpful to keep a piece of paper by the changing table, because you need to make sure they're having-- and now I'm not going to remember it, but it's like six wet diapers, four poopy diapers or something like that. It's something like 10 diapers a day, something like. Please don't quote me on that. I did write it down. But Jordan and I looked at each other, and I was like luckily mom has printed out checklists on a clipboard next to our changing table so that will be easy for us. And Jordan was like, great. So it's very funny. And then when I went in, we were fixing up the changing table and I went and I saw the clipboard with the daily log and it already has a lapin attached. So, anyway, it was very funny. So mom has got us set up with binders and checklists. And I am genuinely grateful. I think I do feel a little bad that I have not-- I thought I would read more than I have.
Susie Jones [00:17:52] Well, look, this is broken down so easily that you can even look at it what do I do if? And there it is.
Annie Jones [00:17:58] It's like a guide.
Susie Jones [00:17:59] Exactly. This is a great book. And look, over one million copies sold. So hello.
Annie Jones [00:18:04] Yeah, the numbers don't lie. Mom's On Call.
Susie Jones [00:18:05] So if anybody's out there or grannies want to get a book.
Annie Jones [00:18:10] Yeah, if you want to get a leg up, if you want to be a grandma like Susie, and you should.
Susie Jones [00:18:17] Okay. Next up is releasing this month. But when people hear this it will be released.
Annie Jones [00:18:23] It'll be out already?
Susie Jones [00:18:24] Yes. And this is why I actually read this first I think.
Annie Jones [00:18:28] Okay. This is Kristy Woodson Harvey's newest one.
Susie Jones [00:18:32] Yes, Beach House Rules.
Annie Jones [00:18:34] It just came out.
Susie Jones [00:18:35] So again, this released in the end of May. Again, this is the perfect take it to the beach with you. It is at the beach. It is in a beach setting.
Annie Jones [00:18:45] Okay, and I do like to read when it is beachy. I like beachy books. I do.
Susie Jones [00:18:51] I do too. And, look, we're hot here already.
Annie Jones [00:18:55] Yes, it's miserable already.
Susie Jones [00:18:55] It's hot and it's time to go to the beach. So this is a book about a group of women that they call it the-- I knew I'd forget it when I sat down. A mommune. So it's these women that are either divorced or there's three or maybe four women, but It's been different women can come in and live in this beautiful beach house while they get back on their feet. So it's about a woman whose husband gets in trouble. He gets in troubles and he's falsely accused, but he's in jail. And so, she has been very wealthy and now has absolutely nothing. And so these are women who come to this house and this lady that owns this house kind of finds women that she--
Annie Jones [00:19:44] Who qualify.
Susie Jones [00:19:45] Yes, and of course, they're in a very small beach community, so everybody knew of the big bad stuff her husband had done. And so she brought her daughter and they go live at this mommune until they can get back on their feet. And that's what this book is all about. All the different backgrounds, what led all the women to come together. It's very beautiful setting.
Annie Jones [00:20:08] That's a unique play on the traditional beach house story.
Susie Jones [00:20:14] It is. Because we're talking about culty earlier. That's what people think. And every woman has a story, too. So you're going to learn all these women's stories as to what brought them together. And then they're all kind of raising their kids together. So it's really--
Annie Jones [00:20:29] Like a village.
Susie Jones [00:20:30] Yes, it's very different. And the cover's pretty. I think everybody will love this for a good beach read for 2025.
Annie Jones [00:20:39] Yeah, good summery book.
Susie Jones [00:20:41] Brand new. Hot off the press.
Annie Jones [00:20:43] Hot off the press.
Susie Jones [00:20:44] Okay, next was a gift from you.
Annie Jones [00:20:47] That's right, because I do like to think I know what kind of books my parents like.
Susie Jones [00:20:52] Okay, this might go down as one of my favorite books.
Annie Jones [00:20:56] I knew it.
Susie Jones [00:20:57] The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. So let's talk about this one together.
Annie Jones [00:21:02] Okay, so I will tell you why I picked it for you, first of all. So I saw this book-- I think I started seeing it last winter when bookstagrammers had gotten advanced reader copies, what have you. We did not get one at The Bookshelf. Out of sight, out of mind. We just didn't get one. And then as I was preparing for spring Literary Lunch, I knew this was coming out. I saw it was blurbed by Anne Patchett. I kept reading reviews and I was like, okay, this sounds really good. I'm going to put it on my guide. And I downloaded it to my Kindle because that was the only way I could read it. It's an epistolary novel, so it's told through letters. And for some reason I was like I don't want read that on my Kindle. I want to read that in a book format. So I kept putting it off. And I say all that to say then Meg from Meg's Reading Room, and then Ashley who owns St. Joe's Story Collective out in Missouri, they both messaged me individually. And they were like I really think you'd like this book. And I thought, well, it keeps showing up. So I finally read it digitally. I read it on my Kindle and I loved it. I devoured it.
Susie Jones [00:22:13] Me too.
Annie Jones [00:22:13] I immediately was like five stars. This is amazing. And I truly immediately thought you're going to love this. Mom is going to love this. And so then when I went on book tour, I bought two copies, one for myself because it's the kind of book I wanted on my shelf, and I bought you one. And even the cover I was like mom is going to love this.
Susie Jones [00:22:34] I love the cover; I read it in 24 hours.
Annie Jones [00:22:37] Okay, which is amazing.
Susie Jones [00:22:38] I could not put it down. And I have not read a book like this before where it's literally all letter writing.
Annie Jones [00:22:45] All letters and all emails. I'm going to let you borrow a book of mine that I think you're going to like called 84 Charing Cross Roads.
Susie Jones [00:22:50] I did read that a long time, but I forgot.
Annie Jones [00:22:52] That's an epistolary novel.
Susie Jones [00:22:53] You told me I'd love it and I did. That was a long time ago, though. I've forgotten about that. I wonder if I have a copy of that. If I don't, I should.
Annie Jones [00:23:03] You should. And it's a fun one to revisit because it's short.
Susie Jones [00:23:07] Yeah. Okay, so on my list. But, anyway, this is literally her letter. She's very intelligent. She's a big lawyer who when her partner, I guess, he was, became judge, she followed him and gave up--
Annie Jones [00:23:26] Gave up being a lawyer.
Susie Jones [00:23:27] Yes. Well, she's a lawyer, but she gave up moving on to become his clerk.
Annie Jones [00:23:32] That's what I mean. She's definitely still a lawyer, I guess, but clerking for somebody is very different from being in your own practice.
Susie Jones [00:23:38] Yes, so she kind of went backwards.
Annie Jones [00:23:39] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:23:41] Because they were just such a dynamic duo, and he's gone, and she's writing these letters.
Annie Jones [00:23:48] Yeah, and it's our only way we get to know her.
Susie Jones [00:23:51] Yes, and you do get to know her.
Annie Jones [00:23:53] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:23:54] And what's so funny is, of course, I got into this because I did this as a teenager. She wrote movie stars and talked to them about their movies.
Annie Jones [00:24:05] Yeah. That was one of my favorite surprises in the book. It was a surprise to me, this book has been out a couple months, so I think it's okay to say, but she writes authors.
Susie Jones [00:24:17] Yes.
Annie Jones [00:24:17] And so there are some really lovely literary moments because she, as a young adult, a kid, and then later adult, is writing these authors she admires, and sometimes they write her back.
Susie Jones [00:24:29] And they write her back, which is amazing. And she's doing it in her later years where she has had this huge career. She's very looked up to. So this isn't some little housewife that writes Steven Spielberg. I mean, this is a very intelligent woman who sits down and writes her letters. And she mentors a young child.
Annie Jones [00:24:57] She almost reminded me of Nina, because of how Nina writes cards, but like somebody who has wrapped up a career. And she always wrote letters, like some of the letters we get are from the past, but this is something she is doing especially in retirement. And when we meet Sybil, that's the character, she also has this diagnosis where she's not sure how much longer she's going to have her site. And so that plays a part as well.
Susie Jones [00:25:28] Yes. So she's writing as many letters and she writes everybody. And so this young boy that she's sort of mentoring, which is another judge or lawyer's son, who's probably a little bit different, and she mentors him and writes him. And I love it because he also writes back.
Annie Jones [00:25:47] Yeah, he writes her back. And that's what's so great. So in 84 Charing Cross Road, it's pretty much two people exchanging letters. Francis and Bernard is one of my favorite books, and it's basically two characters exchanging letters. What's fun about this and a little bit different, I think, is it's Sybil writing a neighbor, a best friend, sibling, this little boy she's mentoring, or this young boy she mentoring. Authors. So you get a real full picture of who Sibyl is because of all the different types of people she's writing. I'd reread this. I liked it so much.
Susie Jones [00:26:25] I was just going to say that I would reread this. And when I finished it, I did not want it to end. I wanted more letters. I wanted the idea of me writing letters. And I think I told you, I said, "I think I'm going to start writing my grandsons."
Annie Jones [00:26:39] That's a great idea!
Susie Jones [00:26:40] I think I'm going to write letters to my grandsons.
Annie Jones [00:26:43] Yes, you should.
Susie Jones [00:26:44] And then you can either store them because she has lots of letters. Or you can burn them and I will never know.
Annie Jones [00:26:51] Well, somebody asked me recently maybe it was on book tour, it was at the Greenville event and somebody's question-- I was talking about all my journals I had found, all my journals and diaries. This lady asked, she's probably your age and she may be younger, but she was there with her daughter, and she said, "Did you keep them or are you going to burn them?" Like, do you want your children to one day read your journals? And I was like I really hadn't thought too much about it. I said some of them were really entertaining. And so my childhood ones, I think are hilarious. Now, interestingly, my college journals and diaries, I don't like reading because I think those years were harder than I remember.
Susie Jones [00:27:37] Right. And you were figuring things out.
Annie Jones [00:27:37] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:27:38] And that's harder than being a little girl writing that so-and-so wasn't nice to me today.
Annie Jones [00:27:44] That's right. That to me was funny, and I feel very far removed from my eight-year-old self, so I thought it was hilarious. But college and clearly grappling with faith, clearly grappling with dating seriously for the first time ever, and grappling with being at a college where I didn't always fit, and I look back relatively fondly on my college years, but then I read these journal entries and I'm like that was harder than I remember.
Susie Jones [00:28:13] That's right, because you write what's hard. You're not necessarily writing everything fun. You're living the fun. You're writing the angst.
Annie Jones [00:28:22] Yeah. So, anyway, I didn't know how to answer her, but I thought it was funny that then I had seen on Instagram this woman who is probably 40, and she went out to her back deck, lit a fire, went through all of her journals. She kept like a few pages, almost like Marie Kondoed, like kept a few tickets, stubs, things like that, and then she got a bottle of wine and just started burning all of hers.
Susie Jones [00:28:49] I burned mine.
Annie Jones [00:28:49] You burned yours?
Susie Jones [00:28:50] I burned mine. You know what? This is so funny. You know I write scripture every day.
Annie Jones [00:28:55] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:28:56] I have lots of little notebooks filled with scripture. You and Chet can go through that one day and see if I probably wrote the whole Bible. But I'm like, okay, this is something I'd like my children to see that their mother wrote scripture every day. So I've saved all those, but my journals and prayer journals and all that kind of stuff, I ripped them up and burned them.
Annie Jones [00:29:19] Did you? When did you do that?
Susie Jones [00:29:22] Only last summer. And it was very hard.
Annie Jones [00:29:28] Fascinating. Did you get a bottle of wine to help you.
Susie Jones [00:29:31] I probably should have. But I may have saved a couple and then I went back and I was like once you start getting rid of them, you're like, no, I don't need any of them.
Annie Jones [00:29:39] That is fascinating.
Susie Jones [00:29:40] I'm in a totally new place. I'm in such a different place, it's almost like you feeling about looking at your college. I look back, I'm like, oh, that was painful. And so I'm like I don't want to be reminded of the pain anymore.
Annie Jones [00:29:54] Yes. Well, that's what I think this Instagram person said. And it was just a fascinating conversation.
Susie Jones [00:30:00] So when you see 500 little Rifle journal filled with Bible verses--
Annie Jones [00:30:05] I guess I should be grateful. But that's all I have to go through.
Susie Jones [00:30:09] Yeah, you won't even have to [inaudible] nothing personal. Somebody else wrote that.
Annie Jones [00:30:13] I think that's really fun and really interesting. I did not know that you had burned them because it made me think. I wondered, well, would I want my kid to read these? I don't know. The other idea I had the other day, and I don't know if The Correspondent reminded me of this or if I read this somewhere, if somebody I follow does this, but somebody, maybe you know who, they opened up an email account for their little one. And then they as the mom, almost like instead of keeping a baby book or something, just wrote emails. And then the baby-- I mean, obviously not the baby but when the baby is all grown up, he or she can access the email account. And it's like just little stories from, I forget...
Susie Jones [00:31:00] It's almost like keeping a little journal.
Annie Jones [00:31:02] I forget who this was, but I thought that's a genius idea.
Susie Jones [00:31:05] I love it. But I actually really love the art of writing, of handwriting.
Annie Jones [00:31:11] You especially do.
Susie Jones [00:31:11] Now, my mother had the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen.
Annie Jones [00:31:14] She did have really good handwriting.
Susie Jones [00:31:15] It almost looked like calligraphy. But I just like the physical-- I like my fun pens.
Annie Jones [00:31:21] I was going to say you love a notebook. You love a pen.
Susie Jones [00:31:23] I love Rifle journals, the little thin ones. Love them that come in a three-pack and are sold at The Bookshelf in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia.
Annie Jones [00:31:32] I'm sure you can buy those online.
Susie Jones [00:31:34] You can. So, anyway, when I read this, it inspired me because I thought, I'm going to write for my grandchildren.
Annie Jones [00:31:41] That's so fun. I love that.
Susie Jones [00:31:42] I do, too.
Annie Jones [00:31:42] I'm glad you liked that book. I'm happy that was a hit.
Susie Jones [00:31:45] I loved it. So this is one that I also bought and didn't get around to yet, but it is by Georgia Hunter and you know we love her.
Annie Jones [00:31:54] We love here.
Susie Jones [00:31:55] She came to one book for We Are the Lucky Ones. I love to read about World War II. And so this is another one.
Annie Jones [00:32:04] She spent a long time on this, too.
Susie Jones [00:32:06] Look, It's been a long between books.
Annie Jones [00:32:07] It has. She's a research queen.
Susie Jones [00:32:09] And because when you read her, you know why.
Annie Jones [00:32:11] Yeah.
Susie Jones [00:32:12] Because she goes and she researches.
Annie Jones [00:32:14] Yes, she travels.
Susie Jones [00:32:15] And she takes her mom.
Annie Jones [00:32:17] Yes, which I think is cool.
Susie Jones [00:32:18] And she brought her mom that night at one book. So I'll never forget meeting her. I thought she was the most delightful.
Annie Jones [00:32:25] She was.
Susie Jones [00:32:26] And her mother. They were so down to earth. I have chill bumps. So I don't know if she listens, but hi Georgia, if you do. And if you don't, someone should tell you about this podcast. Now, look, I have not felt great as you have.
Annie Jones [00:32:41] Right, well that's part of the reason you've read so much.
Susie Jones [00:32:42] So I have just read a ton of books because this is a big book.
Annie Jones [00:32:47] That is a Big Book. I have put off reading it because it is big. Maybe I'll keep your copy to read.
Susie Jones [00:32:53] It's so good, and it's set in Italy. And so it's about World War II. So it is about this Jewish community that we've all read about many, many times. But I have to tell you that I don't know if anybody's better at capturing it than her. She's just very good. And you know how I love Patti Callahan-Henry?
Annie Jones [00:33:19] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:33:20] And I think she is also one of those research-y-- you feel like you are there.
Annie Jones [00:33:25] Yes, they have done a lot of work.
Susie Jones [00:33:27] So this is about some girlfriends in college. And then a war is brewing across the-- well, not the country lines. They haven't come into Italy yet, but it's coming. But they also have Mussolini.
Annie Jones [00:33:39] Yes, they have their own issues to deal with.
Susie Jones [00:33:42] Yeah, it's hard times. So this is just about these two girls. One of them is more activist than the other, and she's an excellent forger, and so she is doing all of that under the behind the scenes. And her friend Lily is not, but her best friend is very much. And her best friends husband also they're working to help people escape. Well, the friend's husband is in Greece. And so he gets worried about his parents. He leaves, and that leaves his wife with their child. And so she gets hurt and she sends Lily who is not the adventurer, she is not an activist, she sends Lily with her child and says, run. I mean, they have posed as nuns. Really, the church in these books it's amazing. The refuge and the danger that churches put themselves in. This is an excellent book.
Annie Jones [00:34:52] I think I would like to read it. I like Georgia Hunter. I loved her when she came for one book. I fought for We Were the Lucky Ones to be our One Book Selection. Now, growing up, I loved World War II fiction. In adulthood, I think, I got a little fatigued. And it makes a lot of sense why we get so many books about it. But I think maybe I just got overwhelmed by how many there were. But I do like Georgia Hunter and I think she does a good job.
Susie Jones [00:35:19] I do, too. And I set this aside because it was so big. Let me see how many pages it has for y'all out there that might be nervous about that too.
Annie Jones [00:35:27] Yes.
Susie Jones [00:35:28] It is 407 pages, but I read it in like two days.
Annie Jones [00:35:35] Okay, it's called One Good Thing.
Susie Jones [00:35:37] One Good Thing. Yes, thank you, I forgot to say the title. Excellent book. Okay, and now speaking of my other favorite- and she truly is, and now that I've met her and her son, she really is one of my favorites, Patti Callahan Henry. She came to The Bookshelf.
Annie Jones [00:35:55] Yes, she did. We have been wanting her to come for years.
Susie Jones [00:35:58] What a darling delight.
Annie Jones [00:36:00] Yeah, she was fantastic. I will never get over her telling so much about the research, the idea behind her book, without a stitch of note.
Susie Jones [00:36:10] Nothing.
Annie Jones [00:36:11] Not a single note.
Susie Jones [00:36:12] She had nothing. She was just sitting around if we'd all had coffee and she was sitting it'd had been like sitting around.
Annie Jones [00:36:16] No iPad, no legal pad, nothing. No phone.
Susie Jones [00:36:20] And such a little darling to meet. Just a cheerleader for you, the store. She's wonderful. So while I was meeting her and waiting for the crowd to dissipate, I went and picked up one of her other books that y'all were carrying called Surviving Savannah. Well, you know Savannah's one of dad and my favorite places to visit.
Annie Jones [00:36:44] Yes, we love it too.
Susie Jones [00:36:45] And so we've been there several times and love it, but this is about a sunken ship, almost like the Southern Titanic. It was a luxury little river boat that was going to take people from blistering Savannah, Charleston, up to Baltimore. And so this would be wealthy people going to escape the summer heat and it sunk. And so now in this book, it has been found. And so the star of this story is a historian and she teaches at SCAD. But she's also a researcher and she puts together museum exhibits. So she becomes part of this. It's about her best friend who died, which left her boyfriend-- I don't know if they ever got married. So the ship sunk. It was a luxury ship in 1838. And it's discovered. And let me tell you, I think she just is also so grand at researching. And if you've been to Savannah, then you will recognize. I want to go back and look at all these statues that were about people from that shipwreck and I didn't know it, but I know right where she's talking about. It's known for its massive number of parks and squares. And so everything, I felt like I was there.
Annie Jones [00:38:25] Wonderful.
Susie Jones [00:38:26] I felt I was walking around because I have been there.
Annie Jones [00:38:29] Yeah, you could probably picture it.
Susie Jones [00:38:31] Probably four or five times dad and I have been there, and I could picture it. So it's a little suspenseful.
Annie Jones [00:38:37] So it goes back and forth between 1838, does it?
Susie Jones [00:38:42] Yes.
Annie Jones [00:38:42] Okay, and then the more modern...
Susie Jones [00:38:44] Yeah. So you're talking about slavery. It's fascinating. And also not a little skinny book, so another 400 page book.
Annie Jones [00:38:53] Yeah, look at you.
Susie Jones [00:38:54] And I also couldn't put it down. So while I wasn't feeling good, so all I could do was sit in a chair and--
Annie Jones [00:38:59] I know. You and I are so different. When I don't feel good, it's just TV.
Susie Jones [00:39:03] You know what, Aunt Lisa's got it now. And I'm like I've read five books and these are not little bitty books. These are not golden books, these are big books. And she's like I've been through three whole series. She was watching TV and I was reading. And I'm real glad I did.
Annie Jones [00:39:22] Okay, I'm very curious about this next one.
Susie Jones [00:39:24] Okay, this is an old one.
Annie Jones [00:39:26] I recognize it.
Susie Jones [00:39:27] I bought this, gee Annie, how long ago? Maybe two years ago?
Annie Jones [00:39:33] I'll look and see when it was published.
Susie Jones [00:39:37] Okay. Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story.
Annie Jones [00:39:39] I just remember loving the cover. You're right, two years ago, 2023.
Susie Jones [00:39:43] The cover's beautiful. Terri-Lynn DeFino. Okay, and it's touted as if you love My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which hello everybody, I love my Big Fat Greek Wedding. And it's one of those movies that if I'm feeling a little down in the dumpsies or whatever, it's one of them. But it's one of my go-to movies that I like to put in, and I love it. I can do some quotes and things and some accents, but we won't go there. Jordan and I actually quote my Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Annie Jones [00:40:15] You and Jordan, there's some overlap.
Susie Jones [00:40:17] Yes. I want to tell you that it's okay, but it's not My Gig Fat Greek Wedding.
Annie Jones [00:40:24] Well, do you remember a couple years ago when you and I both read When in Rome?
Susie Jones [00:40:31] Yes. It's also a beautiful book.
Annie Jones [00:40:32] Gosh, the cover was so great. And the story sounded so good and it was fine.
Susie Jones [00:40:37] So slow.
Annie Jones [00:40:38] Yeah, it was fine.
Susie Jones [00:40:40] This is okay. Look, for my PG friends, I wouldn't recommend it because it's got a lot of language in it.
Annie Jones [00:40:47] Okay. Well, those Italians.
Susie Jones [00:40:50] Yeah, you could get definitions of Italian curse words.
Annie Jones [00:40:53] Perfect.
Susie Jones [00:40:54] But I was determined. I was homesick. I had no more books to read.
Annie Jones [00:41:00] You were picking off your TBRs one by one.
Susie Jones [00:41:02] And I went to my bookcase and I'm like, what have I got that I haven't read? And I found this one. I went, "Why didn't I read that? That's so beautiful." And then I opened it up and I went, "Oh, I started this before." And I knew I couldn't tell about it too much because it had language and stuff. It's not My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It is about an Italian family. It's funny. Varina Palladino, it's really all about her kids. To me, it's more about all about her kids, which definitely is about her then, and her mom lives with her, and her granddaughter and her mother, who is 90-something, get to finagling together and try to find her a husband. Or at least a boyfriend.
Annie Jones [00:41:52] Okay. Hence the My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Susie Jones [00:41:53] And so they try to fix her up, but instead, the grandmother gets fixed up in her 90s. So it's a cute story, but it's just okay to me.
Annie Jones [00:42:06] Well, and also you got to be thinking too, we talk about this on the podcast all the time, the rhythm of our reading. And if you're coming off a couple of five-star books, good luck.
Susie Jones [00:42:16] Which I just did.
Annie Jones [00:42:17] Like, that's what we say, gosh, like, my personal example is from years ago. I read Station Eleven, which is like one of my favorite now probably books of all time. Then I followed it up with a book called The Royal We, which everyone loves. It's supposed to be like fiction, Kate and Will falling in love. And I hated it. And no one hates that book. Let me be very clear. Everyone loves that book, but I look back and I wonder, did I hate it?
Susie Jones [00:42:43] That's why.
Annie Jones [00:42:44] Truthfully, this book really might not have been for you, but it certainly wasn't aided by the fact that you had finished what looks to be--
Susie Jones [00:42:52] Two historical fiction.
Annie Jones [00:42:54] Yeah, and at least three four or five star books.
Susie Jones [00:42:58] Yes, exactly.
Annie Jones [00:42:59] They can't all be five stars, guys.
Susie Jones [00:43:02] But I would have said those last two and The Correspondent I'm giving it five stars yes and I'd give this three.
Annie Jones [00:43:09] Yes, and I think that happens.
Susie Jones [00:43:11] And that's okay because it's just a story.
Annie Jones [00:43:14] Well, that's what I was going to say. Again, we talk about this on the podcast. We talk about our reading rhythms. Also, not everything has to be five stars. It's fine.
Susie Jones [00:43:21] No. But I did read the whole thing, finished. And that is, again, not a little book.
Annie Jones [00:43:26] That's not a little book.
Susie Jones [00:43:27] It is also 391. Let's give me those pages. Linda you know adds up all her pages she's read for the year. I tried that last year and I couldn't keep up so I'm like fine.
Annie Jones [00:43:41] No, I can't. I don't know how she does that.
Susie Jones [00:43:43] Well, you can throw in a couple of books dad probably talked about that we read for Lent. We read Pause.
Annie Jones [00:43:48] He didn't talk about all of them.
Susie Jones [00:43:50] I read Pause for Lent. It was a study of the Psalms. So I read that. That was just a little book, I didn't bring that with me today, but I've also read that. And so I thought, listen, for people who like to read like me, I think I just gave you a bunch of good summer reads.
Annie Jones [00:44:08] Yeah. I think so, too. That was a good list. If you are curious about the books my mom Susie reads and loves, there are a couple of ways for you to shop her selections through The Bookshelf. So first of all, you can become a shelf subscriber through our Shelf Subscription program. We talked about this earlier. That program has changed a little bit, but we think for the better, where we now offer a revolving Shelf Subscription. You get choices picked by Shop Mom, Shop Dad, book seller Nancy, and online sales manager, Erin. So they kind of rotate. We talked about that on my dad's episode a couple of weeks ago. So this is a great option, especially if you're an eclectic reader. If you want just more of Susie, well, we've made that possible too. So all of today's books are on our store website. You can shop through today's episode number, just like always. Today it's 535. But mom also has her very own page with so many books she loves, backlist and frontlist. So you can shop that through the direct link in our show notes or by visiting bookshelfthomasville.com. You click featured at the top of the page and then choose Susie Reads. You can get 10% off her choices with the code SHOPMOMSELECTS. Thanks, Mom.
Susie Jones [00:45:22] Well, you're welcome.
Annie Jones [00:45:26] This week, I'm reading It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan. Mom, what are you reading?
Susie Jones [00:45:31] Another backlist book that I found on my bookcase called Hello Beautiful by Anne Napolitano.
[00:45:32] Annie Jones: From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website: bookshelfthomasville.com
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found at:
Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of From the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
Our Executive Producers of today’s episode are…
Cammy Tidwell, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Ferrell, Gene Queens, Beth, Jammie Treadwell…
Executive Producers (Read Their Own Names): Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins
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