Episode 100: Our Namesake! Connie Willis’s BELLWETHER with @papersquared, @twobossydames, and @aswatki1

Can you believe there have been a hundred episodes of Bellwether Friends? Well, there haven’t. THIS is the one hundredth episode! Carolyn, Margaret, Sophie, and Ally joined us to discuss our inspiration and beloved novel Bellwether, by our beloved and inspiring Connie Willis, complete with all the digressions you’ve come to love over our past 99 episodes, readalikes, and other suggestions!

Links
Connie Willis

Bellwether
Audiobook (read by Kate Reading)
YouTube: Technique Critique by Wired
Charles Entertainment Cheese
L.O.L. Surprise! dolls
Owlcrate Jr
Connie Willis on library weeding
Jo Walton on Bellwether
Young Miles by Lois McMaster Bujold
To Say Nothing of the Dog on Episode 31
Cory Doctorow on Bellwether

Exhibit A: Alene’s Bellwether tattoo

Read-/Listen-/Watchalikes
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
The Office
Level Up by Cathy Yardley
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Desk Set
Intermediate Thermodynamics by Susannah Nix
His Girl Friday
Working Girl
Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

Each chapter begins with the description of a fad, such as the HULA HOOP

Musical Obsessions
Carolyn: A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (album) by The 1975, “Love Somebody Like You” by Joan
Ally: “Free Man in Paris” by Joni Mitchell
Margaret: “The Heartache Can Wait” by Brandi Carlile
Sophie: “Precious Lord Take My Hand/You’ve Got A Friend” by Aretha Franklin [mention: “Wonder Woman” by Kacey Musgraves]
Anna: “Somebody to Love” by Queen (or George Michael) [or Glee]
Alene: “When Can I See You Again” by Owl City from Wreck-It Ralph

Obsessions
Carolyn: family karaoke night
Ally: Amelia Bloomer Project committee reading
Margaret: NPR and Boston Globe Best Books coverage: The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding, Odd One Out by Nic Stone, Check Please by Ngozi Ukazu, The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang [mention: Fence by C. S. Pacat]
Sophie: Bodyguard (more in Two Bossy Dames)
Anna: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart (there’s no sex in space!)
Alene: Not Your Sidekick and Not Your Villain by C. B. Lee

@aswatki1, @papersquared, @mrsfridaynext, @twobossydames, @atvpodcast, @sophiebiblio

Pop Culture Happy Hour on The Favourite

Episode 99: Best of 2018

In this episode, we look back over a year of movies, television, music, experiences, and books. We did the same for 2017 in Episode 77, 2016 in Episode 53, and 2015 in Episode 27.

Links

Movies

Black Panther
Crazy Rich Asians
Ocean’s 8
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
The Spy Who Dumped Me
Love, Simon
Insidious: The Last Key

A Simple Favor
The Meg (Episode 94)
Skyscraper
Looking forward to: Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Autostraddle review), The Favourite, The Wife, Mary Queen of Scots, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Mary Poppins Returns

Television

Killing Eve
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

One Day at at Time (Season 2)
The Good Place (Episode 85)

FBI
Black Lightning
A Very English Scandal
Doctor Who

Jesus Christ Superstar Live
Nanette
Looking forward to: Pose, Insecure, Vida, Howards End, Killing Eve, The Good Place, One Day at at Time, Trinkets

Music
“Party for One” by Carly Rae Jepsen
“Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande

“Pynk” by Janelle Monae
“The Hamilton Polka” by Weird Al Yankovic
Crazy Rich Asians motion picture soundtrack
Looking forward to: “Fake Love” by BTS, “Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae, “Curious” by Hayley Kiyoko, “I Like It” by Cardi B, “Love It If We Made It” by The 1975, Golden Hour (album) by Kacey Musgraves, Mitski, Christine and the Queens, boygenius, Carly Rae Jepsen

Experiences

Hamilton (and other live performances)
Royal Weddings
Seattle
Walker’s Shortbread

Books
#libfaves18
Broken Ice by Matt Goldman
Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken? by Kelly Jones
My Life as a Goddess by Guy Branum
Looking forward to: The Shallows by Matt Goldman
Thundercluck by Paul Tillery IV and Meg Wittwer

The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta
The Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao
Spellswept by Stephanie Burgis
The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
The Neighbor by Gerri Hill
Intercepted by Alexa Martin
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Zero Sum Game by S. L. Huang
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
Treason of Hawks by Lila Bowen


Looking forward to: The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory, The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole, The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi, Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee, Jade War by Fonda Lee, The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker, A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian, The Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty, The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey, Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
Book Riot: 51 New Romance Novels Scheduled for 2019

Musical Obsessions
Anna: Spotify 2018 playlist, “Whistle” by Flo Rida
Alene: “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John

Obsessions
Anna: Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Alene: Inclusivity

Episode 92: We Need Inclusive Romance!

In this episode, jumping off our presentation at the Massachusetts Library Association conference in May, we discuss inclusive romance novels we’ve read and are looking forward to reading. The official genre of Bellwether Friends is Historical Romance. This episode is brought to you by Fake Dating with a side of Getting It Out Of Our System.

Links
LA Review of Books: Romance, Compassion, and Inclusivity (Or: How Romance Will Save the World)
Why We Need Asexual Romances
Reading romance as an asexual & aromantic person

Courtney Milan Cyclone series
Sherry Thomas
Jeannie Lin
Alyssa Cole An Extraordinary Union, A Princess in Theory, A Duke by Default
Jasmine Guillory The Wedding Date, The Proposal

Helen Hoang The Kiss Quotient, The Bride Test
Jackie Lau Grumpy Fake Boyfriend (May 2018), Mr. Hotshot CEO
Alisha Rai Forbidden Hearts series
Camille Perri When Katie Met Cassidy (June 2018)

[LESBIAN ROMANCE SIDEBAR]
Bold Strokes Books, Bella Books

BookRiot: Native American Romance Novels by Native Authors
V. S. Nelson
Evangeline Parsons Yazzie
Laura Brown Signs of Attraction
Margaret Locke The Demon Duke
Amanda Quick Deception
Julia Quinn To Sir Phillip, With Love
Karin Kallmaker
Claire O’Dell A Study in Honor

Jamie Wesley Slamdunked by Love
Cathy Yardley Level Up, One True Pairing
Sonali Dev A Bollywood Affair, The Bollywood Bride, A Change of Heart
Alexis Hall How to Bang a Billionaire, How to Blow it With a Billionaire, Glitterland, Looking for Group
Mia Sosa Acting on Impulse
Ruby Lang Acute Reactions
The Ripped Bodice: The State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report
Jeevani Charika A Royal Wedding
Alexis Daria Take the Lead
Pema Donyo Revolutionary Hearts
Talia Hibbert A Girl Like Her
Priscilla Oliveras His Perfect Partner
Cat Sebastian
KJ Charles

E. E. Ottoman
J. K. Pendragon
Damon Suede
Yolanda Wallace Tailor Made
Rebekah Weatherspoon So Sweet

K. M. Jackson Insert Groom Here
Beverly Jenkins (we totally forgot to talk about her but she should be on this list)

WOC in Romance
Read Harder: Romance Novels By or About a Person of Color
Romance Novels in Color
A List of the Best Contemporary Romance Books Featuring Women of Color
Diverse Romance
The New York Times: In Love With Romance Novels, But Not Their Lack of Diversity
The New York Times: The Changing Face of Romance Novels

Obsessions
Alene and Anna: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before; Crazy Rich Asians

Musical Obsessions
Alene: “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Cheryl K feat. Awkwafina from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack
“Material Girl (200 du)” by Sally Yeh from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Kina Grannis from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack
(Bustle article)
Anna: “Yellow” by Katherine Ho from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack (LA Times story)

 

Episode 80: Things We Just Don’t Get with @anniecardi

“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
~Jo Godwin

…and a moderately good librarian podcast should aspire to the same!

In this episode, we brought in author and podcaster Annie Cardi (@anniecardi) discuss things everyone likes that we don’t. Yes, it was covered in Episode 9, but that was back in December 2014, so here’s an update!

Links
Joanna Newsom
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen (twitter thread of Bruce and Clarence kissing)
Grunge
Experience Music Project (now the Museum of Pop Culture)

Sorting
Passive Aggressive Planmaking “I don’t know, what do you want to do?”
Karaoke
Brandy’s
Starting the week on Sunday (ISO 8601 decrees the week starts on Monday!)
Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese
S’mores

Walking barefoot in grass
Changing display names on Twitter
Christmas Cards
This Is Us
Call the Midwife
My So-Called Life
Reality TV
Broad City
Bridget Jones
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Literary Fiction
Buying Books (estimating shelf capacity)

Bananas
Video Games (Lego Lord of the Rings, King’s Quest VI)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (read by Jim Dale)
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Sarah MacLean
The Cat in the Hat
Roller Coasters

Musical Obsessions
Annie: “Drive It Like You Stole It” from Sing Street motion picture soundtrack
Anna: “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Alene: “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten

Obsessions
Annie: Olympic Figure Skating
Anna: How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall
Alene: Plant Nanny

Bodo The Dog on Instagram
Crossover Appeal (Tumblr)

Episode 75: Book Buzz Fall 2017

We visited New York City to hear from a variety of publishers about their upcoming titles, and we’re here to share some of our favorites, as well as likely candidates for library collections, against a backdrop of rustling paper! (See episodes 48 and 64 for previous Book Buzz content.)

Links
#bookbuzznyc
Workman!
The Pesto Cookbook by Olwen Woodier (April 2018)

Dreadful Young Ladies by Kelly Barnhill (February 2018)
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison (April 2018)
The Opposite of  Hate by Sally Kohn (April 2018)
Penguin Random House!
Sociable by Rebecca Harrington (March 2018)
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig (February 2018)
The Sky is Yours by Chandler Klang Smith (January 2018)
White Houses by Amy Bloom (March 2018)
I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (March 2018)
The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin (January 2018)
Educated by Tara Westover (February 2018)
Ingram!
Insidious Intent by Val McDermid (December 2018)
The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben (out now)
Life’s Too Short To Go So F*ing Slow by Susan Lacke (out now)

Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot (February 2018)
Simon & Schuster!
Make Trouble by Cecile Richards (April 2018)
The Philosopher’s Flight by Tom Miller (February 2018)
Barbary Station by R. E. Stearns (out now)
The Elizas by Sara Shepard (April 2018)
Sterling!

100 Days of Lettering by Jay Roeder (April 2018)
Free Will Explained by Dan Barker (February 2018)
The Good Housekeeping Instant Pot Cookbook (January 2018)
Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book (February 2018)
Homebrew World: Discover the Secrets of the World’s Leading Homebrewers (March 2018)
Macmillan!
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney (March 2018)
The Coincidence Makers by Yoav Blum (March 2018)
When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele (January 2018)
After Anna by Lisa Scottoline (April 2018)
Force of Nature by Jane Harper (February 2018)
W. W. Norton!
Swearing is Good For You by Emma Byrne (January 2018)
Why You Eat What You Eat by Rachel Herz (December 2017)
Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles by Fran Leadon (April 2018)

Searching for the Amazons by John Man (February 2018)
Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan by Ruby Lal (July 2018)
Other Press!
Never Anyone But You by Rupert Thomson (June 2018)
Berlin 1936: Sixteen Days in August by Oliver Hilmes (February 2018)
Sourcebooks!
Furyborn by Claire Legrand (May 2018)

Mister Tender’s Girl by Carter Wilson (February 2018)
Friends and Other Liars by Kaela Coble (February 2018)
Wicked River by Jenny Milchman (May 2018)
New York Review Books!
The Collected Essays of Elizabeth Hardwick (out now)
Basic Black With Pearls by Helen Weinzweig (April 2018)
Chronicle!
The Phantom Atlas: The Greatest Myths, Lies and Blunders on Maps by Edward Brooke-Hitching (April 2018)
Legendary Ladies by Ann Shen (April 2018)
HarperCollins!
The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn (January 2018)
My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (April 2018)
Unmasked by Andrew Lloyd Webber (March 2018)
Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston (May 2018)
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern (February 2018)
Quirk!
Basic Witches by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman (out now)
Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies by A. D. Jameson and Andrew DeGraff (out now)
My Lady’s Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris (April 2018)
Hachette!
Obama: An Intimate Portrait by Pete Souza (out now)

Circe by Madeline Miller (April 2018)
The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson (June 2018)
The Power by Naomi Alderman (out now)
Queen Victoria’s Matchmaking by Deborah Cadbury (out now)
Bloomsbury!
Memento Mori by Ruth Downie (March 2018)
This is How it Ends by Eva Dolan (March 2018)
Grove Atlantic!

Happiness by Aminatta Forna (March 2018)
The Temptation of Forgiveness by Donna Leon (March 2018)
Harlequin!
The Black Painting by Neil Olson (December 2017)
Rosie Colored Glasses by Brianna Wolfson (February 2018)
The One by John Marrs (February 2018)
My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari (January 2018)
Beacon!
ReVisioning American History series
We Wear the Mask: 15 True Stories of Passing in America
Invisible by Michelle Lent Hirsch (February 2018)
Soho!
Death Comes in Through the Kitchen by Teresa Dovalpage (March 2018)
Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson (February 2018)
Rodale!
Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
Seed Starters Handbook
National Geographic!
Eyewitness to World War II (out now)

Musical Obsessions
Anna: “Pocketful of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield
Alene: “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton

Obsessions
Anna: Mystery Mosaics
Alene: Stamping in her bullet journal

 

Episode 68: Sherlockiana with @aswatki1

In this episode, we talk all things Sherlock Holmes with expert readers’ advisor Ally (also of #girlgang fame), running with our collective lady supremacy ideas wherever possible.

Links
Sherlock Holmes
The Sherlock Holmes Museum

Basil Rathbone: The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, etc

Jeremy Brett: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Robert Downey, Jr: Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Benedict Cumberbatch: Sherlock

Jonny Lee Miller: Elementary

Lucy Liu
Encyclopedia Brown
The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas

Alene and Sherry

Russell & Holmes series by Laurie R. King
Holmesiana
Without a Clue
[Harry Palmer films]
Young Sherlock Holmes
Portia Adams Adventures by Angela Misri
On the Case with Holmes and Watson series
An Enola Holmes Mystery series by Nancy Springer
Muppet Sherlock Holmes
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty
Lady Sherlock: Circle of the Smiling Dead by Brooks Arthur Wachtel
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes by Leonard Goldberg
Irene Adler series by Carole Nelson Douglas
The House at Baker Street by Michelle Birkby

#chuckstravaganza

Watson and Holmes: A Study in Black
Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Series by Vicki Delany
Wikipedia: Adaptations of Sherlock Holmes
Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood
Sherry Holmes
221b Baker Street board game
William Gillette [Gillette Castle]
Scott & Bailey
The Adventures of Shirley Holmes
Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
Phryne Fisher Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood
Buzzfeed quiz: Can You Guess Which Sherlock Holmes Said It?

Musical Obsessions
Ally: “Little of Your Love” by Haim
Alene: “Your Disco Needs You” by Kylie Minogue [Pride Classics on Spotify]
Anna: “Sherlock Holmes” by Sparks

Obsessions
Ally: Harry Potter Illustrated Editions
Anna: The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Alene: laundering bed pillows

Episode 65: Fastest and Furiousest with @renatasnacks

We got our favorite movie explicator, Renata, on board to discuss the latest entry in the Fast and the Furious franchise: F8 of the Furious (which is what it should have been called). But first we watched all seven previous movies! Hashtag completist. On the way, we learned some very important lessons about ourselves and about FAMILY. Spoilers abound!

 

Links

The Fast and the Furious

2 Fast 2 Furious

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fast & Furious
Fast 5

Fast & Furious 6

Furious 7


Fate of the Furious

Vulture: How Does Fate of the Furious Stack Up Against the Rest of the Franchise?

The Blues Brothers
Silence of the Lambs
Lynda.com

Cole Hauser v. Tom Berenger
Better Luck Tomorrow

Luke Evans
The Sound of Music
How Did This Get Made (Fate of the Furious, Furious 7, Fast & Furious 6, Fast Five)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (the show where they’re always in an airplane)

Musical Obsessions
Renata: “New Romantics” by Taylor Swift
Alene: “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay
Anna: “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

Obsessions
Renata: Trello (her nail polishes)
Alene: Facial exfoliants (Alba and Pixi), sheet masks from Daiso
Anna: Abhorsen books by Garth Nix

Episode 64: #BookExpo 2017 Book Buzz

In this episode, we tell you about a ton of the books we learned about at BookExpo last week! Prepare to have your TBR grow completely beyond management.

Links:
Library Journal Day of Dialog #ljdod17
#BookExpo

HarperCollins:
The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn (January 2018)
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine (October 2017)
The Great Halifax Explosion by John U. Bacon (November 2017)
We’re Going To Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union (October 2017)

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty (November 2017)
The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean (July 2017)

Hachette:
The Late Show by Michael Connelly (July 2017)
This is What A Librarian Looks Like by Kyle Rice (May 2017)
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie (available now)
The Revolution of Marina M. by Janet Fitch (November 2017)
Code Girls by Liza Mundy (October 2017)
Obama: An Intimate Portrait by Pete Souza (November 2017)
Life is Like a Musical by Tim Federle (October 2017)
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas (January 2018)

Sourcebooks:
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (available now)
Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict (January 2018)

Workman:
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (August 2017)
Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen (October 2017)
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (February 2018)

W. W. Norton:
Morningstar by Ann Hood (August 2017)
The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve by Stephen Greenblatt (September 2017)
Cuz by Danielle Allen (September 2017)
From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty (October 2017)
The Annotated African American Folktales edited by Henry Louis Gates and Maria Tatar (October 2017)

Heating & Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly (October 2017)
The Extra Woman by Joanna Scutts (November 2017)

Simon & Schuster:
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (September 2017)
George & Lizzie by Nancy Pearl (September 2017)
Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perotta (August 2017)

Sterling:
The Gilded Age by Alan Axelrod (November 2017)
A Taste of Italy by Damiano Carrara (October 2017)
Obama by Mark Greenberg (available now)
Michelle Obama by Antonia Felix (available now)

New York Review Books:
In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes (August 2017)

Quirk:

The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird by Kim Smith (August 2017)
Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix (September 2017)

Kensington:
I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott (October 2017) (Two Nerdy History Girls)
A Distant Heart by Sonali Dev (January 2018)

Macmillan:
Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman (August 2017)
I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin (September 2017)
Autonomous by Annalee Newitz (September 2017)
American Drifter by Heather Graham and Chad Michael Murray (November 2017)
Sourdough by Robin Sloan (September 2017)

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani (October 2017)
The Tiger’s Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera (October 2017)

Oni Press:
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill (November 2017)

Harlequin:
House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick (October 2017)

Atlantic Monthly Press:
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt (August 2017)

Theater Communications Group:
Sweat by Lynn Nottage (June 2017)

Bloomsbury:
A World Without “Whom” by Emmy J. Favilla (November 2017)
Hitler in Los Angeles by Steven J. Ross (October 2017)

Random House:
The Address by Fiona Davis (August 2017) [Jack Finney]
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (January 2018)
The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (September 2017)
The Windfall by Diksha Basu (available now)
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak (September 2017)
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (September 2017)
Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford (September 2017)
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent (August 2017)
Tell Me More and Other Important Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey (January 2018)
The American: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice by Khizr Khan

Abrams:
Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! by Mariko Tamaki (October 2017)

Europa Editions:
The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami

Boom! Studios:
Misfit City

Obsession:

Wonder Woman

Musical Obsession:
“Cut to the Feeling” by Carly Rae Jepsen

Episode 61: The Daughter of Time Deep Dive with @twobossydames

We joined forces with Margaret and Sophie of Two Bossy Dames to take a closer look at the 1951 mystery classic The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. Much cleverness, and many readalikes and watchalikes, ensued. PLUS: A Young Olds discussion of Harry Styles and his debut single.

Links
The Two Bossy Dames wall clock
Simini Blocker
Persuasion Deep Dive
Derek Jacobi reads The Daughter of Time
“Decades After Her Death, Mystery Still Surrounds Crime Novelist Josephine Tey” (Vanity Fair)
History in the Archives by Natalie Zemon Davis
Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg

The Lion in Winter
The White Queen
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
“How Can This Be So Gripping? Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time” by Jo Walton
Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
“Five Things We’ve Learned about Richard III Since He Was Found” (CNN)
Richard III by William Shakespeare
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
“Tonypandy” (Wikipedia): “Grant adopts the term “Tonypandy” to describe widely believed historical myths, such as the supposed shootings at the Tonypandy Riots, and believes popular accounts of Richard’s activities to fall into this category.”
Kenyon College
Denison University
Colleges that Change Lives

Reign
Brat Farrar
To Love and Be Wise

Readalikes and Watchalikes
The Hollow Crown (Richard II, Henry IV parts 1 and 2, Henry V)
The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
Hild by Nicola Griffith

The Usual Suspects
The Singing Detective

Lady Jane
Jo Walton’s Small Change series (Farthing, Ha’penny, Half a Crown)
Hamilton: An American Musical
Richard III: The King in the Car Park
Richard III: Martyr or Monster?
The King’s Grave: The Discovery of Richard III’s Lost Burial Place and the Clues it Holds by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones
The Murders of Richard III by Elizabeth Peters
The Wench is Dead by Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse)
To Prove a Villain by Guy Townsend
The Josephine Tey mysteries by Nicola Upson
O’ Artful Death by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Rear Window
Dorothy Dunnett (start with The Game of Kings)
Val McDermid
Tana French

Musical Obsessions
Margaret: “Let’s Get Out of This Country” by Camera Obscura
Anna: “Fall Apart Again” by Brandi Carlile
Alene: “Welcome to New York” off the Greatest City in the World Spotify playlist
Sophie: “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles

Honorable mention musical obsession

Obsessions

Sophie: Harry Styles/One Direction
Margaret: Please Like Me (see also Disappointing Gay Best Friend)

Anna: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
Alene: Fleabag

Episode 56: Romantic Christmas Movies

 

 

We’ve spent our time over the past few months watching loads of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies — ALL FOR YOU.

Links

The Worst Bestsellers: Episode 36–The Mistletoe Promise
The Federalist: Here’s The Hallmark Christmas Movie Party Game You’ve Been Waiting For
The Fandomentals: Top Ten Weirdly Common Hallmark Christmas Movie Tropes
Yahoo! TV: Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas: Eight of Your Favorite Returning Actors Tell All
Elle: We Ranked Every Single Lifetime Christmas Movie (Yes, All 42 of Them)
NPR: 20 Things You Desperately Need To Know About Mariah’s Hallmark Movie,
Does The Hallmark Channel Have Basic Cable’s Most Efficiently Defined Brand?
Buzzfeed: This Is What It’s Like To Watch “Love Actually” For The First Time

A Snow Globe Christmas

The Nine Lives of Christmas

A Royal Christmas
Window Wonderland
A Christmas Melody

Dear Secret Santa
Christmas on the Bayou
Wish Upon a Christmas
The Christmas Gift

Crown for Christmas
Every Christmas Has a Story

Musical Obsessions

Anna: “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Alene: “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince (now on Spotify!)

Obsessions

Anna: Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee and Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
Alene: Half-price chocolate/Cadbury mini eggs

Episode 55: Tarot with @MarianLiberryan

 

For this episode, we brought in small medium at large Kaite Stover (Twitter, Instagram) to tell us all about tarot. By the end, even skeptic Anna was convinced.

Links

Tarot (card meanings)

Decks
Katie’s preferred: Robin Wood
Housewives Tarot:

Tarot of the Witches (James Bond Tarot):

Ghetto Tarot:

Gilded Reverie Lenormand:

Amanda Palmer Tarot
Alice Tarot
Rider-Waite Tarot
Fin de Siecle Kipper
Goddess Knowledge Cards

Books
The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack
The Wishing Garden by Christy Yorke
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann

Etc.
The X-Files: Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose
Xena: Warrior Princess: The Bitter Suite
Live and Let Die

Musical Obsessions
Kaite: “Hymn 101” by Joe Pug
Alene: “Take On Me” by Reel Big Fish
Anna: “Dangerous” by Before You Exit

Obsessions
Kaite: Mirrors
Anna: Riverdale
Alene: By Any Name by Cynthia Voigt

Episode 53: Movie Advisory and Best of 2016

 

In this episode, we talk about movies we’ve seen since our last movie advisory (episode 35), share our picks for best of 2016, and squeal over what we’re looking forward to in 2017.

Links

Movie Advisory
Love and Friendship
Finding Dory
From The Washington Post: How Finding Dory and Finding Nemo Deal Beautifully With Disabilities
The Secret Life of Pets
Trolls
Kubo and the Two Strings

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
From Slate: J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts Flirts With Gay Allegory. Its Sequels Should Go All the Way.
Witch, Please: Roaring Anachronisms and Where To Find Them

Moana
From Bustle: Moana Kicking The Love Interest Storyline To The Curb May Not Be Something To Celebrate

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
Bridget Jones’s Baby
Queen of Katwe

Rogue One
Moonlight
From The Atlantic: Moonlight Is a Film of Uncommon Grace
Fences

Best of 2016

Movies
Deadpool, Finding Dory, Love and Friendship, Moana, Moonlight, Trolls, Ghostbusters

Books
#libfaves16
American Housewife by Helen Ellis
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Behind the Throne/After the Crown by KB Wagers
Hold Me by Courtney Milan
A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson

Television
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Conviction, The Crown, Steven Universe, Supergirl Pending: Stranger Things, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Music
Soundtracks: Moana, Trolls, Hamilton, Hamilton Mixtape
Love You To Death by Tegan and Sara
Musical Obsessions Playlist

Other
Tater Tot Casserole (or this recipe)
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel
Styling/Volumizing Powder

In Memoriam

Looking Forward to in 2017

Movies
Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Ghost in the Shell, Murder on the Orient Express, Hidden Figures, Fate of the Furious, Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Despicable Me 3, Pitch Perfect 3, Beauty and the Beast, It, Baywatch, Power Rangers, Wonder Woman, Fifty Shades Darker, Before I Fall, Annihilation, Star Wars Episode 8
From E!: Movie Preview 2017: 84 Films You Should Know About in the New Year

Music
Spirit from Depeche Mode
Katy Perry, Michelle Branch, Kelly Clarkson, Fergie, Icona Pop, Lorde, Taylor Swift
From Billboard: 2017 Music Preview: 40 Most Anticipated Albums

Books
Illuminae Files #3 by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Thorn of Emberlain by Scott Lynch
Buried Heart by Kate Elliott (Court of Fives #3)
Martians Abroad by Carrie Vaughn
#fridayreads
Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman
Avon romance authors: Sarah Maclean, Julia Quinn, Elizabeth Boyle, Tessa Dare
From The Millions: Most Anticipated: The Great 2017 Book Preview

Television
Star Trek Discovery, Emerald City, American Gods, Twin Peaks, Riverdale
From A.V. Club: The A.V. Club Tells You What to Watch in 2017

Musical Obsessions
Alene: Club Tropicana by Wham! UK (La Isla Bonita by Madonna)
Anna: Careless Whisper by Wham!, Freedom! ’90 by George Michael

Obsessions
Alene: Pusheen
Anna: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Episode 52: Fandom Nail Polish

 

At the intersection of pop culture and fingernails, it’s fandom nail polish! We brought in polish expert Angie and nail wrap aficionado Renata (of Worst Bestsellers fame) to help Anna make sense of it all. Plus: Nail Polish Advisory!

Links

Glossary!

Darling Diva
NerdLacquer
Dollish Polish (clearance bin)
Literary Lacquers
Excelsior
Jamberry nail wraps
Water slide nail decals
Espionage nail wraps
Fanchromatic Nails
ILNP
ALIQUID Lacquer
A-England (US stockist)
LLarowe

OPI Jasper Jade

Nail Advisory

For Anna:
NerdLacquer: Cthulhu, The Quantum Bluniverse
Literary Lacquers: teal, Mr. Darcy
ALIQUID Lacquer: Austentatious collection
piCture pOlish: Kryptonite

For Alene:
Hare Polish: For Margot Tenenbaum, The Knockouts of the Double R
Excelsior: T’challa, Danvers
Orly: Mirrorball

For Renata:
OPI: Spoken from the Heart (Hello Kitty Collection)
Excelsior: Barton
NerdLacquer: Eight Gates LE
Darling Diva: BSC collection (I Gave Her Darkness, Sleep Now, Pupok)
Delush Polish: Dames of Thrones collection
Cadillacquer: Dexter collection
A-England: Russian Soul, Ballerina, The Mythicals collections

100 coats of polish

Seche Restore

Best Names:

Buzzfeed: 23 Punniest Nail Polish Color Names Ever
KB Shimmer: Pigment of my Imagination
Julep: Zelda
OPI: Jinx, Silent Mauvie, Life Is a Cabernet
Nicole by OPI: Mer-Maid for Each Other

Musical Obsessions

Renata: “Rainbow High” from Evita (movie)
Angie: Arashi’s Digitalion, Japonism tours
Anna: Steven Universe theme song
Alene: “King Herod’s Song” from Jesus Christ Superstar

Obsessions

Renata: Snail mail
Angie: Skin care (sheet masks)
Anna: Breaking Cat News
Alene: Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman

Worst Bestsellers
Angie on Tumblr and Instagram

Episode 50: Comfort with Carolyn

 

We made it to fifty episodes! In this very special post-election installment of Bellwether Friends, we talked to founding Friend Carolyn about comforting pop culture (and food) to consume when we’re trying to recharge our batteries.

Via Two Bossy Dames,  “A post specifically for white women from a white woman”

Code Switch, “A Muslim and a Mexican Walk into a Bar…”

Still Processing, “The Day After”

Music

Bustle, “52 Songs To Cheer You Up Every Time”

“One Way Road” by John Butler Trio
“My IQ” by Ani DiFranco
“Born Free” by MIA
“Sheep” and”Sitting on a Fence” by The Housemartins
Spotify playlists: 80s Ladies for Margaret
Hamilton Mixtape
Inc.com, “Neuroscience Says Listening to This Song Reduces Anxiety by Up to 65 Percent”
“Borderline (An Ode to Self Care)” by Solange
“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan

“Stop” by Spice Girls
“Hasa Diga Eebowai” from The Book of Mormon
“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten

Television

30 Rock
The Muppet Show
Law and Order
Gilmore Girls
The West Wing
Sports Night
Quantico
Sleepy Hollow Season One
Arrow
The Shannara Chronicles

The Dresden Files
Person of Interest
The Flash
Dateline

Endeavor
Inspector Morse
Grantchester

Movies

Best in Show
Charade
D.E.B.S.
Fire
Saving Face
Pitch Perfect
Love Actually
Shaun of the Dead
The Sure Thing
Hallmark Channel Christmas Movies
Pretty in Pink
Sisters
Kate McKinnon

Books

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Vorkogisan series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Latin@ Rising: An Anthology of Latin@ Science Fiction and Fantasy
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough
The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Phryne Fisher mysteries by Kerry Greenwood, read by Stephanie Daniel
#booksfighthate
@diversebooks

Food

27 Uplifting Foods to Get You Through Uncertain Times
Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake
Dill pickle Halfpops

Other

Coloring
Candletime
Warm Beverages
Crafting

Obsessions

Anna: Lego sets
Alene: Supergirl recaps on Autostraddle

Carolyn: Cider with bourbon

Musical Obsessions

Anna: “They Don’t Know” by Ariana Grande from Trolls
Alene: “Get Back Up Again” by Anna Kendrick from Trolls
Carolyn: “U-Turn” by Tegan and Sara

Episode 47: Audiobooks with @Nerdista

 

 

We talked with our friend Paula (aka @Nerdista) to talk about a variety of hot topics and burning questions related to audiobooks. Anna had some trouble managing with twice the normal number of Alenes.

Links
Bangs
“And the Audie Goes To…” Library Journal article
More from Anna (2010)
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
As Far As Your Brain Is Concerned, Audiobooks Are Not ‘Cheating’ New York Magazine article
13 Audiobooks That Make Every Drive Worth It
36 Best Audiobooks For Your Road Trip

Breakthrough Audiobooks
Alene: Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling read by Jim Dale
Anna: Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich read by Lorelei King (and others)
Paula: Agatha Raisin mysteries by M. C. Beaton read by Penelope Keith

Favorite Narrators
Jim Dale
Bronson Pinchot
George Newbern
Simon Vance: Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson
Kate Reading: Bellwether by Connie Willis
Stephanie Daniel: Phryne Fisher mysteries by Kerry Greenwood
Wil Wheaton: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Redshirts by John Scalzi
Jeremy Irons: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Steven Weber: Myron Bolitar books by Harlan Coben, It by Stephen King
Davina Porter: Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Katherine Kellgren: Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood

Full Cast Productions
Tamora Pierce
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
As You Wish by Cary Elwes

Cary Elwes finds Alene fascinating

Read by the Author
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Krakatoa, The Men Who United the States by Simon Winchester
The Clancys of Queens by Tara Clancy

Best Experience/Recommendations
Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, read by Simon Slater
Temeraire books by Naomi Novik, read by Simon Vance
Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold, read by Grover Gardner
Dublin Murder Squad books by Tana French, read by various
SPQR by Mary Beard, read by Phyllida Nash
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, read by the author
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, read by Dan O’Grady
The Passage by Justin Cronin

Musical Obsessions
Anna: “We Used To Be Friends” by The Dandy Warhols
Paula: “Tilted” by Christine and the Queens
Alene: “#1 Spice” by Young Cardamom & HAB

Obsessions
Paula: My Favorite Murder podcast, Wallander
Anna: Goldie Vance , Crossover Appeal podcast*
Alene: Law & Order mothership , bacon cheeseburgers

*Anna has now listened to all of this, and it’s great!

Episode 46: Take My Wife with @amydieg

In this episode, we discuss Take My Wife (starring Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher) with @amydieg of @jointhegirlgang. The jury is still out as to which of us is butcher.

Links:
Take My Wife
seeso

Cameron Esposito

Rhea Butcher
Food in movies
Same Sex Symbol
Wham Bam Pow
Ricky Carmona
Fu Yuanhui
Ali Wong
Marriage Material
New York’s Funniest

Leslie Jones
Bajillion Dollar Properties

Musical Obsessions:

Anna: Good as Hell by Lizzo
Amy: Prayin’ by Plan B
Alene: Bamboleo by Gypsy Kings

Obsessions:

Alene: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel
Amy: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Anna: Looking for Group by Alexis Hall

Episode 45: Comedy Hour with Shayera Tangri

Shayera Tangri joined us from the other coast to discuss funny books, movies, television, and other humorous pop culture. Much pun was had by all.

Toughest audience ever

Lewis Black

BuzzFeed: 21 Puns
BuzzFeed: Clever Jokes
Punderdome
O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships
A Chocolate Moose for Dinner by Fred Gwynne
Bennet Cerf
Silver Woven in my Hair by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye
Garfield
Ghostbusters

Holtzmann

Funny Movies
Blazing Saddles
Best in Show
Spaceballs
Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Blades of Glory
Semi-Pro

Funny TV Shows
Waiting for God
30 Rock
Scrubs
Parks and Recreation
Black Books
Great British Bake Off
Rupaul’s Drag Race
Suburgatory

Funny Books
Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen by P. G. Wodehouse

Wooster and  Jeeves

Pest Control by Bill Fitzhugh
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (caaaaaake)
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Gail Carriger
Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
Shelly Laurenston/G. A. Aiken

Live Comedy

Eddie Izzard

Two Dope Queens: Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams (PARENTAL ADVISORY: EXPLICIT)
Eddie Murphy: Raw

Funny Twitter
@mysadcat (@cox_tom)
@kenjennings
@sblackmoore
@dog_rates
@darth
@altonbrown
@rstevens
@renatasnacks
Take My Wife @cameronesposito and @rheabutcher
The Bugle

Musical Obsessions
Alene: “Dancing With Myself“by The Donnas
Shayera: “Everlong” by Foo Fighters (also acoustic), “Just Like Fire” by P!nk
Anna: “God is a DJ” by P!nk

Obsessions
Anna: Acorns (the nut. really.)
Shayera: Tsum Tsums
Alene: Fried dough

Episode 44: Star Trek and Bullet Journaling, Oh Myyy!

In this episode we discuss Star Trek (TV and movie iterations) and the organizational tactic/life-wrangling practice known as the bullet journal. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

Links

Star Trek Memory Alpha Wiki
@picardtips
Star Trek Beyond
Eddie Izzard on Star Trek
Star Trek Discovery (coming in 2017)

Janeway and Seven of Nine

Spock

Eight Space Operas Written by Women

Star Trek Official 50th Anniversary Convention

Extra Hot Great’s Star Trek Fantasy Draft

Bullet Journals
Getting Started
Mental Health
Bookish Ideas
Staples Arc/Levenger Circa

Musical Obsessions
Alene: “Rise” by Katy Perry
Anna: “Reaper” by Sia
Mark and Sarah Talk About Songs

Obsessions

Alene: Single Malt Scotch
Anna: The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid (coming November 2016)

Gene Wilder

Silver Streak

 

Episode 43: Olympics Nostalgiafest

Just in time for the Closing Ceremonies, we were joined by Anna’s sister (@semisponge) to discuss Olympics past and present, uniform fashion, rooting hierarchies, and more!

Links
Katarina Witt
Kristi Yamaguchi
Beach Volleyball
@shotdiva
Fiji wins first Olympic gold
Singapore wins first Olympic gold
Puerto Rico wins first Olympic gold
No Olympics GIFs

Oksana Chusovitina
Rowdy Gaines
Manicures
everyone’s an expert
Rugby Sevens
By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions by Richard Cohen
Simone Biles
John Williams

Musical Obsessions
Alene: “Olympic Fanfare” by John Williams
Anna: “Can’t Stop The Feeling” by Justin Timberlake
Kristina: “The World Ender” by Lord Huron

TBR Challenge
Kristina for Anna The Thousand Names by Django Wexler
Alene for anyone Neverhome by Laird Hunt

Playing footsie

Obsessions
Alene: Vacation
Kristina: Dota 2 International
Anna: A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson (October 2016)

Anna was on Worst Bestsellers talking about Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys!

Kristina’s RPG posts their sessions at kilobops.ladderface.net

 

Episode 41: We Love Historical Romance!

For this episode, we talked with Cory Eckert (aka @helenstwin aka Joint Chief of Storytime Underground) for a discussion on historical romance tropes, types, and favorites. We apologize in advance for sound quality issues that we had during recording.

Links

Sarah MacLean’s Recommended List of Romance Novels

Lace by Shirley Conran

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Jane Feather

Georgette Heyer

Patricia Veryan

Kathleen Woodiwiss

Victoria Dahl
Lisa Kleypas
Laura Lee Guhrke
Amanda Quick
Betina Krahn
A Lily Among Thorns by Rose Lerner
Celeste Bradley
Joanna Bourne
Deanna Raybourn‘s Lady Julia Grey mysteries
C. S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries
Sherry Thomas
Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series
Stephanie Laurens’s Cynster series
Lisa Kleypas’s Hathaways series
Loretta Chase‘s Mr. Impossible [and Lord of Scoundrels!]
Mary Balogh‘s Slightly series
Jeannie Lin
Rebekah Weatherspoon
Beverly Jenkins
Yellowthroat by Penny Hayes
Patience and Sarah by Isabel Miller (Alma Routsong)
Pembroke Park by Michelle Martin
Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule
Colleen Gleason‘s Gardella Vampire Hunters series
Jacqueline Carey‘s Kushiel’s Legacy series
Mary Jo Putney
Courtney Milan
Sarah MacLean
Julie Anne Long‘s Pennyroyal Green series
Sophie Barnes
Sophie Jordan
Elizabeth Boyle
Grace Burrowes
Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
Eva Leigh
Megan Frampton
Anna Campbell’s Claiming the Courtesan
Elizabeth Hoyt Maiden Lane series
Sally MacKenzie’s Naked Nobility series
Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

TBR Challenge
Anna:

A Lady Awakened
by Cecilia Grant

Cory:

The Countess Conspiracy
by Courtney Milan

Alene:

Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

Musical Obsessions
Cory: Jbrary, “Sober” by Selena Gomez, “Sober” by Pink
Anna: “Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera
Alene: wrestling with iTunes; “Angeleyes” by ABBA

Obsessions
Cory: Masterchef Australia
Anna: Witch Please podcast
Alene: Buy Nothing

Episode 40: 2 Classic Movies and the TBR Challenge

For this episode, we watched the 1944 classics Arsenic and Old Lace and Gaslight. After a brief digression into the mysterious ways of straight people, we introduced a new segment: The TBR Challenge!

Links

Arsenic and Old Lace

Cary Grant

Celeste Holm/Priscilla Lane
Boris Karloff
Raymond Massey
Peter Lorre
Edward Everett Horton
Proof play/film

Gaslight
Ingrid Bergman
Gaslighting: How-To
Gaslighting: Detection
Angela Lansbury

Irene

Ali Wong: “Baby Cobra”

TBR Challenge

Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton

The Keeper’s Chronicles series by Tanya Huff: (Summon the Keeper, The Second Summoning, Long Hot Summoning)

Musical Obsessions

Anna: “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips

Alene: “If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago

Obsessions

Anna: Behind the Throne by K. B. Wagers

Alene: Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple

 

Episode 39: Persuasion Deep Dive

In this Especially Long Episode, we bring you a discussion of Jane Austen’s best work (come at us), Persuasion, featuring Margaret and Sophie of Two Bossy Dames and Ally of the Girl Gang. The discussion includes some diving into the gay subtext, some trips down memory lane, and some heated pros and cons of different movie adaptations. Plus: readalikes and watchalikes!

Links:
Persuasion‘s cast of characters
Every Jane Austen Novel If They Were Gay and Also Historically Inaccurate from Autostraddle
Personality Quiz: Which Jane Austen Heroine are You?
1995 Persuasion movie trailer
2007 Persuasion movie trailer

Advanced Studies in England
Emotional Labor Thread condensed

Readalikes:
Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion by Regina Jeffers
Frederick Wentworth, Captain series by Susan Kaye
Jane Austen in Scarsdale: or Love, Death, and the SATs by Paula Marantz Cohen
Persuasion, Captain Wentworth, and Cracklin’ Cornbread by Mary Jane Hathaway
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding
The Mr. and Mrs. Darcy series by Carrie Bebris
The Jane Austen Mysteries by Stephanie Barron
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane stories by Dorothy L. Sayers: Strong Poison, Have His Carcase, Gaudy Night, Busman’s Honeymoon
The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin

Watchalikes:
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
The Royal Tenenbaums

Half Agony, Half Hope: a Playlist by @MrsFridayNext

Musical Obsessions:
Ally: “Faint of Heart” by Tegan and Sara
Margaret: “You and I” by Margaret Glaspy
“She Used to be Mine” and “You Matter to Me” from Waitress
Sophie: fleetwood mac’s album tusk, “Sorry” by Beyoncé
Anna: “Alexander Hamilton” from Hamilton
Alene: “L.A. Hallucinations” by Carly Rae Jepsen

Obsessions:
Ally: 2 Dope Queens podcast
Margaret: Playing House TV show
Sophie: Laurinda by Alice Pung (look for it in the US under the title Lucy and Linh; buy Australian at fishpond.com)
Anna: Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix
Alene: Lady Power: Hillary, WNBA, Elizabeth Warren, Rachel Maddow

Episode 36: Fantasy and Book Covers with Robin Bradford

In this episode, we wax nostalgic about fantasy series of yore with Robin Bradford (aka @Tuphlos). Well, Anna and Robin wax while Alene wonders what she’s gotten herself into. Then we talk about what makes a good book cover and what makes a bad one, with a few examples. Feel free to send us your favorite/least favorite book covers on Twitter or Facebook!

Links
David and Leigh Eddings
“Recalling the Late David Eddings, Lord of Creation”
Dragonlance Chronicles
Susan Cooper
Lloyd Alexander
Daniel Jose Older
Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

(gif borrowed from Heroes and Heartbreakers)

“Hardcover to Paperback Makeovers: 6+ Changes to Consider” from Stacked
“Why Do So Many of This Year’s Book Covers Have the Same Design Style?” from Slate
Christina Dodd and the Infamous Three-Armed Cover

Musical Obsessions
Robin: Prince! XM, Hoopla, your local library
Alene: “There is Power in a Union” by Billy Bragg
Anna: “Boyfriend” by Tegan and Sara

Obsessions
Robin: Baseball! White Sox, Mariners
Alene: Crosstalk by Connie Willis
Anna: Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis

Episode 31: To Say Nothing of the Dog and Video Games

In this episode, we are joined by @semisponge (aka Anna’s parents’ other daughter) to discuss To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. Which is a great book! We also dig in to the topic of video games with Kristina’s expert help.

Links
Connie Willis
Hugo Award
Nebula Award

Three Men In A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
Weller Book Works
Book buzzwords
Dan Simmons
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Dragon Age
Atari Pong
Tetris
Super Off Road
Cruis’n World
Ms. Pac-Man

X-Men
Super Mario Land
Diablo
Anti Chamber
Sword of Fargoal

Obsessions
All: Neko Atsume

Anna: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
CTHD: Sword of Destiny

Toca Games

Kristina: Zen Koi

“Buy all the ammo, shoot all the bears”

 Alene: Set, Monkey Wrench

Episode 30: Epistolary Novels with Ally Watkins

Download the episode here.

Dear Listeners,

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a librarian in want of a new book will pounce upon any that promise to be epistolary in nature. Join us for a discussion of epistolary novels with #jointhegirlgang‘s Ally. We promise a very charming discussion!

Yours in admiration,

BF

Links
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia Wrede
Carrie by Stephen King
Chat/Connect/Crash by Nan McCarthy (NOT Lauren Myracle who wrote ttyl etc!)
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari

Freedom & Necessity by Stephen Brust and Emma Bull
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Jolly Postman or Other People’s Letters by Allan Ahlbert
Griffin & Sabine/Sabine’s Notebook/The Golden Mean  by Nick Bantock
The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
@brainpicker/@brainpickings
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (movie)
Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom

Pamela or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger
LibraryReads
The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

You’ve Got Mail/The Shop Around the Corner/In the Good Old Summertime

Musical Obsessions
Ally: Stonewallin’ by Jane Decker (Spotify Discover)
Anna: Formation by Beyonce (lyrics)
Alene: Perfect by One Direction

Obsessions
Ally: Phryne Fisher audiobooks read by Kathleen Wilhoite
Anna: Murder on the Orient Express
Alene: warm socks

Amy, the other half of #jointhegirlgang, was on Episode 22!

Episode 30: Epistolary Novels with Ally Watkins

 

Dear Listeners,

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a librarian in want of a new book will pounce upon any that promise to be epistolary in nature. Join us for a discussion of epistolary novels with #jointhegirlgang‘s Ally. We promise a very charming discussion!

Yours in admiration,

BF

Show notes are here.

Episode 29: From Foreign Shores Show Notes

Download the podcast here.

In this episode, Anna and #NumberOneFan @surlyspice talk about pop culture they’ve encountered from countries that don’t use English as their primary language. Please send us your favorites as well! Tweet at us! Comment on Facebook! Send us one of those old-fashioned email things (bellwetherfriendspodcast [at] gmail)! In the meantime, check out our new playlist on Spotify.

Links

Our benchmark:

Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose
Eurovision
Shakira on the Latin Grammys
“Music Has No Borders” Buzzfeed list
One Hundred Years of Solitude vs. Love in the Time of Cholera
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Lottie and Lisa by Erich Kästner
Candide by Voltaire

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
Wings of Desire

Foreign Film List Challenge

Musical Obsessions
Alene: Natacha Atlas’s covers
Anna: Perfume’s Chocolate Disco

Obsessions
Alene: Golden Globes red carpet, Michelle Obama at SOTU
Anna: The Normal State of Mind by Susmita Bhattacharya, Slash

P.S.

Episode 29: From Foreign Shores

In this episode, Anna and #NumberOneFan @surlyspice talk about pop culture they’ve encountered from countries that don’t use English as their primary language.

Show notes here.

Episode 27: Hamilton and Best of 2015 Show Notes

Download episode here.

After three months away, we are back to discuss Hamilton (one of us is an expert and one is not) and discuss some of our highlights for 2015. And make an important announcement. Thanks to all our fans for your patience and support.

Links
Hamilton: An American Musical
Lin-Manuel Miranda
LMM and This American Life
LMM on Jeopardy!
“Hamilton” is the Very Model of a Modern Fast-Paced Musical
Disney’s Moana
The Wiz Live!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Carol
Magic Mike XXL
Inside Out
Carly Rae Jepsen
Walk the Moon
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Supergirl
The Flash
The Nine Lives of Christmas
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Crosstalk by Connie Willis
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold
Stiletto by Daniel O’Malley
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
Mr. Fahrenheit by T. Michael Martin

Obsessions
Carolyn: Justin Bieber: “What Do You Mean?”

Anna: Adele: “Hello”

The Princess and the Prix by Nell Stark
A Lego Brickumentary

Episode 27: Hamilton and Best of 2015

After three months away, we are back to discuss Hamilton (one of us is an expert and one is not) and discuss some of our highlights for 2015. And make an important announcement. Thanks to all our fans for your patience and support.

Show notes here.

Episode 26: IT and Back To School Show Notes

Download episode here.

We are finally ready to discuss Stephen King’s IT! Or are we? Find out in our latest episode, which features an interview with a very special guest. Also: everyone seems to be going back to school, so we discuss our favorite teachers and favorite (and least favorite) schools. Feel free to share yours in the comments or on Twitter and Facebook.

Crowdsourced Pop Culture Map

Links
Anna on The Worst Bestsellers discussing Grey by E.L. James
New Production of It Will be “Very Scary” and a two-parter???

Tim Curry

List of fictional schools (Wikipedia)

Sunnydale High School (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

West Beverly High School (90210)

Performing Arts High School (Fame; gif probably from movie and Carolyn was obsessed with the show but let’s just ignore that)

Lawndale High School (Daria)

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Harry Potter)

Hillman College (A Different World)

Walden College (Doonesbury)

Kaibara High School (Fruits Basket)

Rancho Carne High School (Bring it On)

Bayside High School (Saved by the Bell)

Degrassi

List of fictional schoolteachers (Wikipedia)

Ms. Frizzle (Magic School Bus)

Sir Myles of Olau (Song of the Lioness)

Miss Switch

Professor X (X-Men)

Ms. Norbury (Mean Girls)

Professor McGonagall (Harry Potter)

Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid)

Yoda (Star Wars)

Back to School

Musical Obsessions
Anna: “Follow Your Arrow” by Kacey Musgraves
Carolyn: “Cheerleader” by Omi

Non-Musical Obsessions
Anna: SPQR by Mary Beard
Again With This–90210 Rewatch Podcast with Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting

Carolyn: Drunk History || Article (ALERT: Carolyn was wrong [SHOCKER]. Cameron Esposito is NOT on the first episode of the new season. Carry on.)

Episode 8 Show Notes: Revisiting and Sequels

In this episode, we dive deeper into the topic of re-reading, re-watching, and otherwise revisiting pop culture, which led naturally into the question of sequels–thanks, @younglibrarian!–only a few of which are more popular than the original properties!

Come and read Stephen King’s It with us!

Links:

It by Stephen King
“A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving” — Gilmore Girls S3 episode 9
Gail Carriger (on Twitter @gailcarriger)
Miracle and Other Christmas Stories and “All Seated on the Ground” by Connie Willis
Superfudge books by Judy Blume
The Princess Bride
Spaceballs
The Godfather
Real Genius
The Care Bears Movie
Grease 2
Avengers & sequel
Iron Man & sequels
Thor: The Dark World
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Star Wars Episode 1 (technically a prequel)
Speed 2
Highlander II: The Quickening
Blues Brothers 2000
Batman & Robin
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Lost Boys: The Thirst
Basic Instinct 2
Teen Wolf Too
American Psycho II: All-American Girl
The Jewel of the Nile
Romancing the Stone
Toy Story 2
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Batman Returns
The Silence of the Lambs
The Book of Sequels by Henry Beard, Christopher Cerf, and Sarah Durkee
Manhunter
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Angel
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Benson
Soap
Hastily googled list of TV spinoffs better than originals
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Clue

Obsessions
Anna:
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Same Sex Symbol comedy album by Cameron Esposito

Carolyn:
The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Fun Sized Episode: Desert Island I Show Notes

We’re popping in this week to talk about our top 3 “desert island” book picks. Links (and spoilers!) below: