From The Front Porch

Annie and Jordan talk about their favorite books from childhood and the impact those characters have had on their adult lives, ranging from The Boxcar Children's Henry to Hermione Granger. (Plus, join Annie and find out what your favorite American Girl doll says about you now.) 

Annie chats with Florida State University entrepreneur-in-residence Christine Nieves; the two discuss porch swings and creativity, the importance of connection, and life in the new South (hint: it's a lot of storytelling and hard work). Christine also lists her favorite spots in Tallahassee and Thomasville: Quarter Moon Imports, Black Dog, Ripe City Urban Farm, Railroad Square, Fermentation Lounge, Grasslands Brewery, Jonah's, and Sweet Grass Dairy.  Follow Christine on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Rate and review From the Front Porch on iTunes here. 

Ever wonder what it's like to be a bookseller? Annie chats with new Bookshelf staffer and PhD student Chris Jensen. Their conversation covers everything from MBTI results to Wendell Berry, plus they show their love for their neighbors on Broad Street: Sweet Grass Dairy and Grassroots Coffee. 

Annie recaps the books she read in July, including KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST and GO SET A WATCHMAN. (Want more GO SET A WATCHMAN discussion? Check out Episode 14, here.)  Rank and review us on iTunes!

Learn about Florida's coastal islands as Annie interviews author and naturalist Sue Cerulean. Sue's newest book, COMING TO PASS, both inspires and informs readers about Florida's coast. In this episode, Annie and Sue discuss what makes this region of the country unique and where to go adventuring (including Birdsong Nature Center, Leon Sinks, Wakulla Springs, St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, and the Ochlocknee River State Park), plus Sue shares some her favorite writers and books, like Janisse Ray's ECOLOGY OF A CRACKER CHILDHOOD. 

Annie and Katie discuss the importance of establishing a reading rhythm and debate reading in bed, plus reference book blogger Modern Mrs. Darcy and this fantastic podcast episode by NPR podcast Note to Self. Katie shares her favorite poetry book for young kids, Lullaby and Kisses Sweet, and Annie raves about Kitchens of the Great Midwest.      Follow The Bookshelf on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Annie lists the books she read in June, including The Rocks by Peter Nichols, The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. (This episode also includes references to the Emily books by L.M. Montgomery and The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. 

Annie and Katie discuss the events in Charleston and books about race in America; start with Shauna Niequist's original question on Instagram, then read Annie's blog post for a suggested book list. Want to dig even further? Try following the #CharlestonSyllabus hashtag for more recommendations.  Review the podcast on iTunes here.

Annie and her husband Jordan discuss extroversion, introversion, and the influence of Susan Cain (and her book Quiet) on our daily lives. This episode have you curious for more? Find out your MBTI results and whether you're a Highly Sensitive Person, plus check out one of Annie's favorite podcasts, The Popcast (hosted by an excellent introvert and extrovert pairing) and Cain's famous TED talk. You can also join Cain's "Quiet Revolution" here.  -- Rank and review the podcast on iTunes. 

Annie and Katie talk about the Fifty Shades of Grey books and why they're so popular (maybe because we're repressed?), plus they tackle their own literary guilty pleasures, including chicklit and self-help books.  Love what you hear? Rate us on iTunes, and vote for The Bookshelf as we try to win a Main Street grant! You can vote here. 

Annie reviews the books she read in May, including Mamrie Hart's You Deserve a Drink and Erik Larson's Dead Wake. Don't forget to rank and review the podcast on iTunes here.

Annie chats with husband and frequent podcast contributor Jordan about audiobooks: he loves them, but she's not a fan. Where do you stand? (Some of Jordan's favorites, in case you're curious: Defending Jacob, The Dinner, and Lord of the Rings.) Annie would rather listen to podcasts; some of her favorites: Lit Up, Books on the Nightstand, This American Life, Gilmore Guys, Around the Table, and The Popcast.

Annie and Katie chat about narrative nonfiction, the ones we love and the ones we hate, including The Lemon Tree, author Erik Larson, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Wild Swans, the American Girl books, and the books we're reading right now.

Annie reviews the books she read in April, including A Little Life (reviewed by Books on the Nightstand here) and Emma, part of The Austen Project. Rachel Held Evans' Washington Post article is here.

Annie chats with author and entrepreneur Carrie Rollwagen in this 45-minute interview episode. They chat about local shopping and eating, Leslie Knope, and Amazon versus the indie. (You can follow Carrie on Instagram or Twitter.)

Annie reviews the books she read in March, including Gretchen Rubin's Better Than Before (recapped in its own podcast episode here) and Hey Natalie Jean.

Annie and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra CEO Amanda Stringer chat Tallahassee's first-ever Word of South festival (Ann Patchett, Tony Hale, Julia Reed, J.K. Simmons, and more!), the beauty of Cascades Park, and why Tallahassee might be a new Southern travel destination.

Annie and Katie discuss habit tendencies, the power of Gretchen Rubin, activity trackers, and goal-setting worksheets.

Annie and Jordan tackle literary bracketology, BOOK MADNESS 2015, and John Green.

Annie and author/journalist Jodi Helmer discuss pining for publication in the New York Times, marathon-running nuns, Farm Fresh Georgia, and why writing groups are so important.