What Should I Read Next?

Anne Bogel

What Should I Read Next? is the show for every reader who has ever finished a book and faced the problem of not knowing what to read next. Each week, Anne Bogel, of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, interviews a reader about the books they love, the books they hate, and the books they're reading now. Then, she makes recommendations about what to read next. The real purpose of the show is to help YOU find your next read. To learn more or apply to be on the show visit whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.

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535 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes535

Newest first

Jan 23, 2018 · 54 min
Ep 115: Books that bridge two worlds
Readers, if you're intrigued by the behind-the-scenes of the publishing industry, this one's for you. In today's new episode I chat with John August, a screenwriter, devoted reader, and author of a brand-new (or soon-to-be) middle grade novel. As of this morning, John also has a brand new podcast out in the world: it’s called LAUNCH, and as someone who loves all the details about how books are born, I can’t wait to listen. This six-episode podcast tracks the launch of John’s novel, Arlo Finch i
Jan 16, 2018 · 1 hr 9 min
Ep 114: Missed bookstore connections
Time FLIES when you're reading a good book... and, turns out, when you're podcasting. Today marks WSIRN's second anniversary! We thought it would be fun to rewind allllll the way back to our VERY FIRST GUEST, ever-colorful personality and the co-host of The Popcast: Jamie Golden. Today you’ll get to hear some secrets about what Anne originally had planned for the show (and which of these plans we threw out the window) a totally true bookshop story about Tom Hanks, a literary pop culture light
Jan 9, 2018 · 33 min
Ep 113: The next best thing to reading: how 14 WSIRN listeners organize their bookshelves
We asked 14 different podcast listeners how they organize their bookshelves … and we're sharing their ideas with you. (Some readers even provided photos of their methods— link below!) Ever-popular genre and color organization came up of course, but we also get to hear about the uniquely-displayed special interest book collections some of you have, including a bookshelf entirely dedicated to one specific period of history, and another home library entirely organized with book-lending in mind. An
Jan 2, 2018 · 53 min
Ep 112: Your best reading year yet
"I want to read more" is a common refrain in January, so here's some good news: today's episode is full of tips and tricks to help you maximize your time and strategize your next best read! If you've been listening to WSIRN for a while, you've heard Anne talk more than once about supply-side vs demand-side readers. The brilliant mind behind that concept is author and podcaster Laura Vanderkam, who you may know from her books 168 Hours, I Know How She Does It, and What the Most Successful People
Dec 26, 2017 · 56 min
Ep 111: A lifetime mother-daughter book club
Today's episode is a cozy family affair! Anne chats with Emily and Daniela Loose, a mother-daughter duo from New Hampshire who have been reading together for Emily’s entire life. Emily went off to college this fall, and they're learning to navigate the pain of waiting way too long to talk to your book buddy about what you’re reading (texting in all caps about a book you just read is TOTALLY acceptable.) Topics this week: books for book people, Swedish children’s books, the pleasures of re-readi
Dec 19, 2017 · 1 hr 3 min
Ep 110: When your life resembles Big Little Lies
It's our first guest from Down Under! Today Anne talks books with Fiona Thoms, a party-planning, paleo cooking, PTA president mum of three kids who lives in Sydney, Australia. You may recognize Fiona’s voice from Episode 62, because she recommends two books to Anne in our special What Should ANNE Read Next episode. Today's topics: the pleasures and perils of the Australian literary life, reading fictional books about real-life travel destinations, how Fiona's life bears an uncanny resemblance t
Dec 12, 2017 · 49 min
Ep 109: Reading slumps are the worst
Today's guest is Annie Spence, author of Dear Fahrenheit 45: Love and Hate in the Stacks, a collection of breakup notes and love letters to books she encounters in her day-to-day as a public librarian. This week Anne learns all about how Annie became a public librarian. They also discuss the difficulty of recommending books when you’re in a HUGE reading slump yourself, bizarre nonfiction, and seasonal reading patterns. Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in
Dec 5, 2017 · 34 min
Ep 108: What Should I Read Next LIVE from Asheville
Anne kicked off her first visit to Malaprop's Bookstore in Asheville, NC in a big way - a WSIRN liveshow! You can read more details about what the show was like in this Modern Mrs. Darcy post. This episode is a fast and furious speed round of literary matchmaking for SEVERAL guests at the live event - get ready to live vicariously through your fellow WSIRN fans (and prepare your Goodreads - your TBR might grow 10 sizes today.) Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discu
Nov 28, 2017 · 50 min
Ep 107: Bookish gifts for everyone on your list
Holland Saltsman from the Novel Neighbor in St Louis joins Anne to talk about their favorite books of the year, supporting local bookstores, and the bookish gifts they can’t wait to give and receive this year. Whether you’re shopping for a book lover, making your own wish list, or want to indulge in a whole bunch of readerly enthusiasm, this episode will be a treat. Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles and bookish gifts discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment
Nov 21, 2017 · 32 min
Ep 106: The anatomy of an excellent reading experience
Shannon Navin is a Columbus mom and technology professional who came to Anne with a specific request: to recommend great books that Shannon and her ten-year-old son can enjoy TOGETHER. Anne and Shannon discuss the magic of bonding over books with children, what you need to have a great reading experience at any age, and what it looks like to establish your own reading life. Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed in this episode, and leave us a comment to let us
Nov 14, 2017 · 1 hr 1 min
Ep 105: Reading makes the whole day better
Today Anne chats with Rider Strong, a director & screenwriter (you might know him from Boy Meets World) who spends free time reuniting with readerly college friends on his books and reading podcast Literary Disco. As a busy dad, Rider says his reading life “needs work”, and the books he wants to read have multiplied from a single shelf to an entire room. Today Rider and Anne discuss being baffled by YA, the making of a bookish best friend, good TV vs. good books, & much more. Click ove
Nov 7, 2017 · 46 min
Ep 104: Books that don't hold anything back
Alexandra Rodriguez is an English teacher and grad student in the Indianapolis area whose reading life underwent a big change a few years ago. Today, Anne explores how reading 150 books in a year represented a silver lining for Alexandra during a really difficult time, and how a nudge from an old boss pointed her to take her literary life in a new direction. Also discussed: Diverse Books Club, books that make you laugh and cry almost at the same time, light-hearted books that carry meaningful
Oct 31, 2017 · 48 min
Ep 103: Accidental book theft & other bookworm crimes
Today Anne chats with Katherine Riling, a mom, math teacher, and new Alaska resident whose go-to genre is historical fiction — but she doesn’t want to read it ALL the time. Katherine's three favorites are seasonally appropriate, and have something strangely specific in common… Also discussed: libraries vs. used bookstores, copycat books that miss the mark, the perfect climate for curling up with a thick book, & more. Click over to the podcast website for the full list of titles discussed i
Oct 24, 2017 · 51 min
Ep 102: A new way to think about fictional characters
Anne is joined by a familiar voice -- Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project and, most recently, The Four Tendencies, a new personality framework in which she investigates how different people—or in today’s case, fictional characters—respond to internal and external expectations. Gretchen visited the show last Fall in Episode 52 for KidWeek, as a VORACIOUS reader of children’s literature. But today Anne and Gretchen broadening her horizons to talk about books for all ages -- and books w
Oct 17, 2017 · 1 hr 8 min
Ep 101: What Anne wishes she'd known (100 episodes later)
Anne and WSIRN's producer Brenna Frederick take a look back at memorable moments from the first 100 episodes of What Should I Read Next. From behind-the-scenes moments to reading-saved-my-life emails, memorable two-star reviews, bloopers, frequently asked questions, and what Anne wishes she handled differently in the first one hundred episodes. PLUS they give a sneak peek at what lies in WSIRN's future. Readers, thanks for joining us on this amazing ride, and for reminding us today and every Tu
Oct 10, 2017 · 57 min
Ep 100: When everyone loves that book but you
This week Anne chatts with Keith Watts, a Seattle resident who credits Star Wars with making him a reader, and Top Gun for making him a history major. Keith and Anne discuss what it’s like to grow up in a house full of books as a kid, and how he later had to assume responsibility for shaping his own reading life as an adult. Today we get into how and why Keith's preferred reading format has changed with his stage of life, and why he passionately believes one of the most popular books of the las
Oct 3, 2017 · 1 hr
Ep 99: Nobody hates a beautiful book (or a handwritten letter)
Today's guest, Caroline Weaver, is known as The Pencil Lady, because by day she owns and operates CW Pencil Enterprise, a shop dedicated exclusively to pencils and pencil-related goods in Manhattan’s lower east side. Caroline loves contemporary literary fiction, books that pack an emotional punch, and that special moment when a book can make her feel something she can’t describe. She and Anne discuss her very personal strategy for finding books perfect for HER, as well as some surprising book-
Sep 26, 2017 · 54 min
Ep 98: Loving that literary lifestyle
This week Anne chats with Rikki and Michaela, two Seattle area friends and serious book lovers who knew each other for YEARS before they discovered they shared a love of reading. In today’s episode Anne, Rikki, and Michaela discuss what it means to live a literary lifestyle, why they believe in reading with the seasons, and how scary it can be to recommend your favorite book to your best friend. They also explore how they create meaningful, interactive experiences to bring favorite books to li
Sep 19, 2017 · 25 min
Ep 97: How a book REALLY gets made, from idea to the bookstore shelves
Today Anne takes you behind the scenes of how her book Reading People came into being. Guided by questions from newsletter subscribers, we're delving into the intricacies of how the book was made, from working with agents and editors, to how the book got matched up with a publisher, to how the cover was designed. Anne also gets personal with an exploration of her writing habits, what she learned along the way, and even where the initial idea came from. Get your copy now at your local indie, Bar
Sep 15, 2017 · 36 min
Ep 96: Listen to Anne read Chapter 1 of her new book Reading People!
We’re in serious countdown mode: Anne's book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything comes out on Tuesday, September 19. This is the story of how Anne's long journey digging into 7 popular personality frameworks changed her life for the better, and how you can put those frameworks to work for yourself to make real, lasting change in your life, in your work, and in your relationships. Anne had the privilege of narrating the audio version of Readin

What Should I Read Next?

Ep 115: Books that bridge two worlds

Ep 114: Missed bookstore connections

Ep 113: The next best thing to reading: how 14 WSIRN listeners organize their bookshelves

Ep 112: Your best reading year yet

Ep 111: A lifetime mother-daughter book club

Ep 110: When your life resembles Big Little Lies

Ep 109: Reading slumps are the worst

Ep 108: What Should I Read Next LIVE from Asheville

Ep 107: Bookish gifts for everyone on your list

Ep 106: The anatomy of an excellent reading experience

Ep 105: Reading makes the whole day better

Ep 104: Books that don't hold anything back

Ep 103: Accidental book theft & other bookworm crimes

Ep 102: A new way to think about fictional characters

Ep 101: What Anne wishes she'd known (100 episodes later)

Ep 100: When everyone loves that book but you

Ep 99: Nobody hates a beautiful book (or a handwritten letter)

Ep 98: Loving that literary lifestyle

Ep 97: How a book REALLY gets made, from idea to the bookstore shelves

Ep 96: Listen to Anne read Chapter 1 of her new book Reading People!