You've heard about SGN with John Krasinski (the new COVID-19-inspired positive news channel on YouTube), but how about some of the many great podcasts out there? There are plenty to choose from and the great thing about podcasts is that you can listen right way (between books, of course)—and if you've got a favourite author or tv show, or a type of book that you love, chances are there is a perfect podcast out there for you, too. I've curated a brief list of ideas to start with, but I'd love to hear from you with your own thoughts and suggestions!
You can write to me at vmurgante@essa.library.on.ca
For now, here are some book and podcast pairings that go together better than a glass of shiraz and a nice, well-aged Abbaye de Belloc.
Pairing One: "Think Happy, Get Happy"
"A man is what he thinks about all day long."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Or as Gretchen Rubin would put it, "You're not happy unless you think you're happy."
So if you liked these books...
...you might like the author's podcast, Happier:
Happier is hosted by sensational sisters Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft. The show recently won the prestigious Webby People’s Voice Award for “excellence on the internet”, so it's worth giving a listen! My personal favourite episodes are the mini-podcasts called (appropriately) A Little Happier. In them, Gretchen usually shares a brief story or some fascinating insight (check out the Michael Jordan episode, the Must Read episode, or any of the A Little Happier episodes to see what I mean). Gretchen loves her research and is probably the most well-read person I know of, so if you listen to the podcast or follow her blog, you're sure to find some great book suggestions as well.
Pairing Two: The Office Lover's Special
“There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that kind of the point?”
– Pam Beesly (Season 9, Finale)
"I saw Wedding Crashers accidentally. I bought a ticket for Grizzly Man and went into the wrong theater. After an hour, I figured I was in the wrong theater, but I kept waiting. Cause that’s the thing about bear attacks… they come when you least expect it."
– Dwight Shrute (Season 3, Episode 15)
If you liked the show, you might like these books:
I was sorely tempted to include the book, Somehow I Manage by Michael G. Scott ("over 1 billion sold!"), but as it isn't a real book and there were so many wonderful (and real) books to choose from, I resisted. If I could recommend two especially, they would be The Actor's Life by Jenna Fischer and One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B. J. Novak; Fischer's book is packed with surprising stories and insight, and Novak's is a study in excellence in short story composition.
And if you liked any of these, then you might just love Office Ladies, hosted by cast-members (and best friends) Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.
In each episode of Office Ladies, Fisher and Kinsey tackle one episode of The Office (in chronological order, starting with Season 1, Episode 1) and give you the behind-the-scenes, hilarious scoop. Expect plenty of comical tangents, fascinating stories, special guests, and tantalizing trivia.
I loved (for example) learning about the acting direction that B. J. Novak wrote for John Krasinski in Season 1, Episode 2 (Diversity Day). It's the part where Pam falls asleep on Jim's shoulder in the meeting room. He's had a horrible day, he's lost a quarter of his annual commission (thanks to Dwight) but this one small thing (Pam falling asleep on his shoulder) makes all the rest of it fade into insignificance. In the script, Krasinski was directed by Novak to react as though a butterfly had landed on his shoulder. I loved that.
Many fans of The Office may have already been privy, but I was delighted to learn that many of the on-screen characters are writers for the show first and foremost: like Kelly Kapoor, Toby Flenderson, and Ryan Howard (known in the real world as Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, and B. J. Novak. Talk about talent!
Pairing Three: "For the History Buff"
"Read no history--nothing but biography, for that is life without theory."
— Benjamin Disraeli
If you liked these books...
...then you will probably like the podcast that Rocca's book was originally based on:
I've always liked to learn about history through biographies, and have particularly loved reading about Julia Child, I. King Jordan, and Martin Luther King Jr. in my bookish travels. After all, what is history (distinguished from natural history) if not the story of humans and their lives: what they built, what they did, and what they said, or wrote, or changed? If you're interested in people and if you're interested in history, Mobituaries may be the podcast to try!
Pairing Four: Bibliophile Suprême
I admit it. I love books about books. I also get a kick out of them, in a strange sort of way–like how my brother once lost a pair of dress shoes inside of a pair of my dad's old boots, or like drinking a glass of water in the bathtub. And if these next books suit your fancy...
...then you might like The Librarian Is In—a podcast coming to us directly from the New York Public Library.
Listening in is a great way to find out about up-and-coming books, plus the hosts are real-life librarians; what could be better? So, if you love books (and books about books), why not give The Librarian Is In a listen and see what you think?
And if you have any suggestions for podcasts to try, send me a message and I'll share your suggestions here! You can reach me at vmurgante@essa.library.on.ca (just so you don't have to scroll all the way to the top again).
Wishing everyone happy intellectual travels and happy listening!
— Victoria Murgante
Comentarios