Episode · The Book Review · 2026-08-21
Books mentioned on Why We Can’t Resist a Great Bookstore
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Delicate Edible Birds
Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff is a powerful and evocative short story collection that showcases the author's trademark lyrical prose and deep emotional insight.
Discussed“For me, I got a recommendation of what became one of my favorite all-time books, and that is Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff, from a bookseller.”
Where to get it
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Book Lovers
Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a delightful contemporary romance novel that cleverly subverts genre tropes while celebrating the unique magic of independent bookstores and small-town dynamics.
Recommended“So we've talked about the romance of bookstores, so I'm going to start with a romance novel, which is one of my all-time favorites, and that is Book Lovers by Emily Henry.”
Where to get it
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Monogamy
Monogamy by Sue Miller is a contemporary novel that explores the complex emotional terrain of marriage, grief, family dynamics, and the reverberations of a sudden loss.
Recommended“And that is Monogamy by Sue Miller. Have you read this?”
Where to get it
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Time was soft there
Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer is an engaging biographical memoir that chronicles the author's transformative experiences living and working at one of the world's most famous literary institutions.
Recommended“this book is called Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer, and it is about the time that he spent at one of my favorite bookstores in the entire world, which is Shakespeare and Company in Paris.”
Where to get it
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A Marvellous Light
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske is an enchanting historical fantasy novel that combines a richly detailed Edwardian setting with secret magical societies and a captivating romantic plot.
Recommended“And so, the last one I'm going to talk about is A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (5) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Oh, there's the Lord of the Rings. Coming to a bookstore is like, "Oh, my friends. There's the Lord of the Rings. There's Stephen King."”
“There's the Lord of the Rings. There's Stephen King."”
“Kathleen as a bookseller really knew every person who came into the store, the kind of person who would sell you Anne of Green Gables or Little Women and sell it to you with a box of Kleenex”
“Kathleen as a bookseller really knew every person who came into the store, the kind of person who would sell you Anne of Green Gables or Little Women and sell it to you with a box of Kleenex”
“It's for if you love books like Normal People or anything by Sally Rooney, you're going to love this book.”