From The Front Porch

Hi, this is Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf and host of From the Front Porch. Since 2014, From the Front Porch has been a bookish podcast for readers of all stripes. While we’re always about books, some episodes have guests, some are full of great book recommendations, and some have hot takes. Other episodes include silly moments, as well as serious book-reading therapy. But in every episode we dive into the world of books, old and new, helping you find your next book and a readerly community. Join us every Thursday on From the Front Porch, your new podcast home for all your literary needs.  

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s all about books and basketball! Annie is joined by her husband and friend, Jordan, to set different books head to head and debate their merits in this beloved yearly tradition. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins Book of Goose by Yiyun Lee Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan You Are My Sunshine by Sean Dietrich The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser New Girl in Little Cove by Damhnait Monaghan A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher Liturgies for Hope by Audrey Elledge and Elizabeth Moore A Curious Faith by Lore Ferguson Wilbert The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd The Appeal by Janice Hallett Book Lovers by Emily Henry The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean This week, Annie is reading Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. Jordan is reading Shakespeare in a Divided America by

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie is chatting with her mom, Susie, about books for readers with PG-13 tastes. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Small World by Laura Zigman Go as A River by Shelley Read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren How It Went by Wendell Berry The Portrait by Emilia Kelly . You Are My Sunshine by Sean Dietrich Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen When in Rome by Liam Callanan   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 at @bookshelftville, 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 here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s another episode of From The Bookshelf Files! In this new episode series, Annie and The Bookshelf’s Community Manager Felicia Dilbert talk about the ups and downs of owning and running a small business. Today, it’s all about small business woes and wins! If you have a business-related question you’d like Annie and Felicia to explore in a future episode of From The Bookshelf Files, please email Felicia here. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Good to Great by Jim Collins Beautiful Healing by Felicia Dilbert Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith 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 at @bookshelftville, 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 here. Special thanks to Dylan and

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s another New Release Rundown! Annie and Olivia are sharing March releases they’re excited about to help you build your TBR. Don’t forget, if you purchase or preorder any of the books they talk about, you can enter the code NEWRELEASEPLEASE at checkout for 10% off your order. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Annie's picks: Farewell Tour by Stephanie Clifford (March 7) Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson (March 7) What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez (March 7)  Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal (March 7) Women are the Fiercest Creatures by Andrea Dunlop (March 7) When in Rome by Liam Callanan (March 14) Olivia's picks: The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell (March 7) My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron (March 7) The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner (March 7) Link + Hud by Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey (March 7) Leeva At Last by Sara Pennypacker (March 7) Bea and the New Deal Horse by L M Elliott (March 28) From the Front Porch is a

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie recaps the books she read and loved in February. As always, we’re offering a Reading Recap Bundle, which features Annie’s three favorite books she read this past month. You can get the books mentioned in this episode on our website (type Episode 413 into the search bar to easily find the books mentioned in this episode). The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel Now You See Us by Balli Jaur Kaswal Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess Orphaned Believers by Sara Billups Black Ball by Theresa Runstedtler Little Women by Louisa May Alcott February Reading Recap Bundle This week, Annie is reading The House Is On Fire by Rachel Beanland. 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 at @bookshelftville, 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

This week on From the Front Porch, it's an episode of Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley, formerly known as Kids' Table! It's the same banter and book talk you love with a fresh new name. Annie is joined by friend, cousin, and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock, to chat about what they’re reading – but also what they’re watching, listening to, and buying. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Annie is reading: The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal (releases 3/7) Orphaned Believer by Sara Billups (paperback) The 1619 Project created by Nikole Hannah-Jones Ashley is reading: The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane B.F.F. by Christie Tate She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick (out in hardcover now, paperback releases 4/4/23) Annie watching: Poker Face Shrinking Tár A Man Called Otto Ashley is watching: The Menu Annie is listening to: Mo News podcast The Big Picture podcast Let’s Read the Gospels podcast Ashle

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s another New Release Rundown! Annie, Olivia, and Erin are sharing February releases they’re excited about to help you build your TBR. Don’t forget, if you purchase or preorder any of the books they talk about, you can enter the code NEWRELEASEPLEASE at checkout for 10 percent off your order. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Annie's picks: Stealing by Margaret Verble Maame by Jessica George B.F.F.: A Memoir of Friendship Lost & Found by Christie Tate My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin (Releases Feb 14) Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head (Releases Feb 28) Erin's picks: Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane (Releases Feb 14) I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (Releases Feb 21) The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill (Releases Feb 28) Enchantment by Katherine May (Releases Feb 28) Olivia's picks: The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln Cold People by Tom Rob Smith

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie recaps the books she read and loved in January. As always, we’re offering a Reading Recap Bundle, which features Annie’s three favorite books she read this past month. You can get the books mentioned in this episode on our brand-new website: January Reading Recap Bundle ($74): Decent People by De’Shawn Charles Winslow Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey Graceland, At Last by Margaret Renkl Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (releases 4-4-23) Decent People by De’Shawn Charles Winslow Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey Graceland, At Last by Margaret Renkl Spare by Prince Harry Games and Rituals by Katherine Heiny (releases 4-18-23) What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez (releases 3-7-23) My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin (releases 2-14-23) 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 at @bookshelftville, and all th

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie is joined by Hunter McLendon (@shelfbyshelf) to chat about their 2023 reading resolutions! We’re thrilled that you can now shop for the books mentioned in this episode on our brand-new website: Annie's reading resolutions last year: Recitatif by Toni Morrison Beloved by Toni Morrison Sula by Toni Morrison Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Annie's resolutions this year: Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry Standing by Words by Wendell Berry (unavailable to order) Bleak House by Charles Dickens 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 at @bookshelftville, 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 here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s time for another Literary Therapy session! Our literary Frasier Crane, Annie, is back to answer more of your reading questions and dilemmas. If you have a question you would like Annie to answer in a future episode, you can leave us a voicemail here. Our new website will be live on Friday, January 20! You can purchase books mentioned in today’s episode in the store or on our website starting January 20: Heating & Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly (unavailable to order) 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff But You Did Not Come Back by Marceline Loridan-Ivens (unavailable order) Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (unavailable to order) Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Brainwaite Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb (unavailable to order) Glitter & Glue by Kelly Corrigan (unavailable to order) My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout One More Thing by BJ Novak (unavailable to o

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie tells you all about her favorite books ever! Don’t forget to join our bookish Patreon community and get your copy of Bleak House if you’d like to join our Conquer a Classic Book Club this year. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee The Mothers by Brit Bennett The Road by Cormac McCarthy Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner Little Women by Louisa May Alcott An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (unavailable to order) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 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 at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased

This week on From the Front Porch, The Bookshelf staff share their favorite books of 2022! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Art & Faith by Makoto Fujimura The Stories We Tell by Joanna Gaines (Libro.fm) Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka 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 at @bookshelftville, 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 here. 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

Merry Christmas, friends! On today’s bonus episode, Annie reads the New York Sun reporter Francis P. Church’s timeless 1897 response to eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon’s question: “Is there a Santa Claus?” Read the letter and learn about its history here. We wish you and yours a peaceful and joyful holiday! Thank you for listening. 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 at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  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.  If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s wee

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter (@shelfbyshelf) discuss their top five favorite books of 2022! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Annie's Top Five: The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford Hunter's Top Five: The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka Trust by Hernan Diaz The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid Just by Looking at Him by Ryan O'Connell Other favorites: The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela Paul by Daisy Lafarge Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh Clean Air by Sarah Blake From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The B

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie is joined by friend, cousin and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock. Annie and Ashley share what they’re reading, watching, listening to and buying. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Annie’s holiday reading: Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston Ashley’s holiday reading: Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid Other books mentioned in this episode: Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks (releases 1/10/23) Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham Annie’s holiday watching: Home Alone The Family Stone White Christmas Miracle on 34th Street #Xmas (Clare Bowen and Brant Daugherty) Ashley’s holiday watching: White Christmas Miracle on 34th Street Elf It’s a Wonderful Life Annie’s holiday listening: My First Popsicle edited by Zosia Mamet Taste by Stanley Tucci Juliet and Amanda’s gift guide Ashley’s buying: Zabar’s From the F

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s time for another Literary Therapy session! Our literary Frasier Crane, Annie, is back to answer more of your reading questions and dilemmas. If you have a question you would like Annie to answer in a future episode, you can leave us a voicemail here. Get your copies of the books mentioned in this episode from The Bookshelf: Little Women Book Club Flight by Lynn Steger Strong Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak (currently unavailable to order) The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews Voracious! by Cara Nicoletti (currently unavailable to order) My First Popsicle edited by Zosia Mamet The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen Winter Solstice by Rosmunde Pilcher An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (currently unavailable to order) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva (currently unavailable to order) Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Wintering by Katherine May Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley Little Women (painted edition) by Louisa May

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie recaps the books she read and loved in November. As always, we’re offering a Reading Recap Bundle, which features Annie’s three favorite books she read this month. Get your November Reading Recap Bundle or your favorites of Annie’s November reads on our website: November Reading Recap Bundle (includes The Road, Have I Told You This Already?, and Holiday Romance) Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson The Road by Cormac McCarthy Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry The Family Game by Catherine Steadman The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Maame by Jessica George (releases 1/31/23) 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 at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, ww

Happy Thanksgiving! We’re so grateful for you. To thank you for listening, we have a special episode for you this week: a recording of our live show from our August Reader Retreat! In this episode, Annie, Ashley, and Hunter pair books with their favorite celebrity couples and chat about what they were reading, watching, and listening to this past summer. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements The First Wives Club by Olivia Goldsmith The Bodyguard by Katherine Center Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan My Eyes are Up Here by Laura Zimmermann (currently unavailable to order) Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff Matrix by Lauren Groff Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield The Work Wife by Alison Hart A Burning by Megha Majumdar The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Hooked

It’s time for another installment of Backlist Book Club! This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter Mclendon (@shelfbyshelf) are talking about The Road by Cormac McCarthy. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: The Road by Cormac McCarthy Less by Andrew Sean Greer Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard Beloved by Toni Morrison Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Clean Air by Sarah Blake The Revivalists by Christopher Hood Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Room by Emma Donoghue The End We Start From by Megan Hunter (this book is permanently backordered) 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 at @bookshelftville, 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 here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studi