From The Front Porch

Snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of tea, because this episode, Annie and Katie talk about married-lady crushes, poetry before bedtime, and turning off the TV. Summer might be for easy, breezy beach books, but fall is all about slower-paced fiction and re-reading the classics. Here are Annie's fall reading recommendations: - The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant (releases December 15) -  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott - Habits of the House by Faye Weldon - Anything by Kate Morton - Dinner: A Love Story by - I Am Pilgrim by Scott - Anything by Tana French And Katie's: - My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard - The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak - Happy City by Charles Montgomery - A Path Appears by Nicholas Kristof - This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral by Mark Leibovich - The Gorgeous Nothings by Emily Dickinson - This Day by Wendell Berry Looking for more seasonal reads? Check out Anne Bogel's blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, where she

In this episode, Annie and her attorney husband Jordan discuss the ramifications of wrongful convictions, a topic central to the plot of Picking Cotton, this year's One Book selection for Thomas County. For the uninitiated, One Book programs celebrate literacy by encouraging entire communities to read the same book; this month, Thomas County is reading the bestselling memoir Picking Cotton. Later in this episode, Katie and Annie list their top One Book suggestions for your community (and for future Thomas County One Book programs) -- it's a more difficult decision than you might think! And, for some extra credit: - A New York Times article earlier this summer mentioned the increasing "nosiness" behind jury questionnaires; would you be chosen for a jury? Take the quiz to find out. (Spoiler alert: Annie didn't make the cut.) - Follow along as our small town celebrates literacy and Picking Cotton. Maybe there's a One Book program in your city! Check the Library of Congress' listing here. - In town and want to

The podcast is back this month after a brief summer hiatus, and Annie and Katie are talking about their favorite books on education. They're covering Montessori schools and the importance of playing outside, plus how big a role technology plays in today's classrooms. And, this month, Annie's introducing shownotes -- a rundown of everything discussed in this episode. Books on education you need to add to your list: - Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner - Whatever It Takes by Paul Tough - The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer - How Children Succeed by Paul Tough - The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley What you need to watch: The Up Series, a BBC documentary that follows a group of children from the age of seven until present day. "Give me a child when he is seven, and I will show you the man." Katie's intrigued by Bill Gates' Big History Project, which aims to give students of all ages an over-arching picture of our world's history. Check it out here. Turns out intellect is only a small pa

Annie sat down with author CJ Hauser to discuss the ups and downs of living in a small town and what it means to be a "from away" (read: someone not from here. Yes, this is an actual, popular phrase). CJ's new novel -- titled, appropriately, The From-Aways -- was one of Annie's favorites of the summer, and CJ's stories of small town life will feel all-too-familiar to fellow small town dwellers. Also mentioned in this podcast? Gilmore Girls, Jan Karon and Mitford, and why your 20s are harder than you thought they'd be.

In Part Two of the eating local podcast, Katie and Annie discuss how to properly read a cookbook. Plus, Annie tells about some of her favorite food memoirs. 

Jodi gives Annie the scoop on which Georgia farms will let you spend the night and how to shop at a Farmer's Market. From pig farms and corn mazes to tractor pulls and pumpkin patches, Jodi will give you the 411 on Georgia agri-tourism. 

  Discussion of Arianna Huffington's new book Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder.  Katie and Annie chat about how to apply Huffington's principles to their small-town, southern lives-- including what Annie's husband Jordan is doing in the backseat of his car over his lunchbreak and how to cut your carrots in peace. Plus, Annie reveals her graduation and summer picks from Ban'do to Adulting.