Books On The Go

A special episode!  Kate Slotover from the Book Club Review Podcast joins Anna to discuss what makes a good book club book and our top recommendations.  We tried to keep it to three each, and failed.  Our best book club books are: STONE YARD DEVOTIONAL by Charlotte Wood ALL FOURS by Miranda July JAMES by Percival Everett WIFEDOM by Anna Funder FRUIT OF THE DEAD by Rachel Lyon HOW I WON A NOBEL PRIZE by Julius Taranto THE GARDEN AGAINST TIME by Oliva Laing THE VASTER WILDS by Lauren Groff THIS HOUSE OF GRIEF by Helen Garner MONSTERS: WHAT DO WE DO WITH GREAT ART BY BAD PEOPLE? by Claire Dederer JUST KIDS by Patti Smith WEST by Carys Davies Coming up: INTERMEZZO by Sally Rooney Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and @bookclubreviewpodcast Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Booker Prize Longlist. Our book of the week is WOO WOO by Ella Baxter. The latest novel from the award-winning author of New Animal, this tells the story of Sabine, an artist about to open her exhibition.  She faces the pressure of the show and the terror of being stalked.  Both disturbing and funny, Baxter's writing is strong, visceral and on point. We loved this one! Coming up: James by Percival Everett Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the Booker Prize 2024 Longlist. Our book of the week is THE ALTERNATIVES by Caoilinn Hughes.  We loved this Irish novel about four eccentric sisters each grappling with their dysfunctional family in different ways. Gripping, humane and funny, we highly recommend this one. Coming up: WOO WOO by Ella Baxter. Follow us: Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @mr_annie   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz  

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Women's Prize winners. We reveal our best books of 2024 so far.   Our favourite reads are: THE ALTERNATIVES by Caoilinn Hughes HOME READING SERVICE by Fabio Morábito translated by Curtis Bauer NOT THE END OF THE WORLD by Hannah Ritchie THUNDERHEAD by Miranda Darling REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong THE SQUARE OF SEVENS by Laura Shepherd-Robinson Follow us! Instagram: @mr_annie and @abailliekaras Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz      

A special episode!  Anna chats with author Kemper Donovan about his new crime novel THE BUSY BODY, the first in the Ghostwriter series. A contemporary murder mystery told in the spirit of the Golden Age by the host of the All About Agatha podcast, THE BUSY BODY has been described as Veep meets Agatha Christie and a 'witty and highly entertaining mystery' (Sophie Hannah). Dorothy Gibson, failed presidential candidate aka That Woman, invites her ghostwriter to Maine to pen her memoir, but the dream assignment comes unstuck when a woman is murdered next door. We loved this one and can't wait for the next in the series, LOOSE LIPS!   Kemper recommends the work of Agatha Christie and Tana French and the podcasts The Swinging Christies and Shedunnit. Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and @allaboutagatha Facebook: Books On The Go and All About Agatha X: Kemper Donovan Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Credits:  Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz    

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Stella Prize winner and the Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist. Our book of the week is Thunderhead by Miranda Darling. A black comedy, set in suburbia, about one woman's struggle to be free, it has been described as a 'feminist triumph and homage to Virginia Woolf' (Australian Book Review).  We love a short novel and this is a gem. Coming up: The Busy Body with author Kemper Donovan. Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie find some book recommendations to read along with Taylor Swift's new album The Tortured Poets Department. Our book of the week is Question 7 by Richard Flanagan.  This memoir encompasses H. G. Wells, nuclear physics and the atomic bomb and ends in Tasmania, Australia. Memories, encounters and fictional vignettes are woven together into a beautiful tapestry that show how words don't suffice.  The title references Chekhov and gives a hint of the absurd. Much to discuss! Coming up: Thunderhead by Miranda Darling. Follow us! Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Facebook: Books On The Go Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz  

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Stella Prize shortlist. Our book of the week is Butter by Asako Yuzuki translated by Polly Barton. Described as 'a novel of food and murder' this follows Riko, a journalist, who investigates serial killer Manako Kajii.  Kajii allegedly seduced rich men with her cooking before killing them, and she encourages Riko to cook and appreciate food.  Inspired by a true story, this has been a cult Japanese best-seller.  Coming up: Question 7 by Richard Flanagan. Follow us! Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie Facebook: Books On The Go Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Stella Prize Shortlist.  We reveal our favourite recent crime reads.  Our recommendations are: The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins by Kristina Perez Death of a Lesser God by Vaseem Khan The Sleeping Nymph by Ilaria Tutti translated by Ekin Oklap To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey The Fugitives by Jamal Mahjoub Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan   Coming up: Question 7 by Richard Flanagan   Follow us!   Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Facebook: Books On The Go Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz  

A special episode: we chat with author Jenny Hollander about her debut crime novel EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD. Charlie Colbert is an editor at a major magazine and engaged to a publishing heir.  But she witnessed a tragedy at her elite journalism school and lied to the police 9 years ago.  Now a classmate is making a film about the events, which threatens the life Charlie has built.  This is a gripping, twisty thriller described as 'a delicious crime debut' (Red) and 'knife-sharp' (Woman's Own) and is a USA Today Bestseller. Jenny recommends the authors Lisa Jewel, Sarah Sheppard, Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth and the podcast Unreal. Coming up: our crime reading recommendations. Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and @jennyhollander Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction longlist, including Anna Funder's Wifedom. Our book of the week is THE VULNERABLES by Sigrid Nunez. This is the third in a loose trilogy after THE FRIEND and WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH. A writer, a college drop-out and a talking parrot share an apartment in New York during the Covid pandemic.  This is subtler than the first two books but we loved the mix of story and Nunez's reflections on life and writing.   Coming up: our Crime reading recommendations. Follow us! Facebook: Books On The Go Email: booksonthegopodcast @ gmail.com Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

It's the Shawn and Anna Book Club! Our first book is Home Reading Service by Fabio Morábito translated by Curtis Bauer. Eduardo is sentenced to a year of community service reading aloud to the elderly and disabled.  Set in Mexico, this novel is witty and poignant.  It even inspired us to discuss poetry!  And the fine line between whacky and eccentric. Also mentioned: Shawn's Bite Sized Book Chat with Stu aka Winston's Dad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubR7KrANvE&t=40s  Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai translated by Polly Barton Book Club Review Podcast Follow us! Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @abailliekaras and @shawnthebookmaniac Youtube: Anna Baillie-Karas and Shawn the Book Maniac Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie reveal our book recommendations for the holiday season. Our favourite holiday reads this year are: THE CLUB by Ellery Lloyd NOW YOU SEE US by Balli Kaur Jaswal WEST HEART KILL by Dann McDorman FLIGHT by Lynn Steger Strong THE LIBRARIANIST by Patrick deWitt ROMANTIC COMEDY by Curtis Sittenfeld Follow us! Email: booksonthegopodcast @ gmail.com Facebook: Books On The Go Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @ mr_annie Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the Booker Prize 2023 winner, PROPHET SONG by Paul Lynch. We reveal the best books we read in 2023.  In no particular order, they are: Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren translated by Agnes Broomé Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison The Fraud by Zadie Smith The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor Loot by Tania James Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden Middlemarch by George Eliot Coming up: our Holiday Reading recommendations Follow us! Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @ mr_annie Email: booksonthegopodcast @ gmail.com Facebook: Books On The Go

Anna and Annie discuss authors' concerns about Spotify streaming books and highlights from the 2024 Adelaide Writers Week lineup. Our book of the week is Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren translated by Agnes Broomé. Sandgren has been described as "Sweden's Sally Rooney" (The Times).  Collected Works is a thought-provoking, intellectual novel set in Gothenburg.  At the heart of it is the mystery of the disappearance of Martin's wife, Cecilia.  Anna loved it but Annie would have preferred more Cecilia and less Martin! Follow us Email: booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @ mr_annie Facebook: Books On The Go   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz