Chapters

On this episode, our guest is Andrew (Andy) McMillan. Andrew is a pastor from Alabama currently living in Portland, Oregon. He is also the brother of our first guest, Jordan McMillan. In our conversation, we talk reading about the civil rights movement while growing up in Alabama, loving the novels of John Grisham, discerning an early vocation as a preacher, reading recommendations inspired by Boy Meets World, and the books that continue to shape his life.

On this episode, we talk to Thomas Lawrence Long, Associate Professor in Nursing at the University of Connecticut where he studies and teaches on medical humanities and health studies, the history of nursing, AIDS and culture, and rhetoric and academic writing. In our conversation, we cover a range of topics reflecting the diversity of Tom’s experiences – from treasured books from childhood, to the queerness of Sherlock Holmes, the gospels and narrative theory, and beyond.You can find Tom on twitter @thelongviewtom.

On our latest episode we welcome guest Erica Leeman, an Arkansas native who moved to Boston to attend library school. A librarian by training, and publisher by trade, she is a lifelong reader turned collector who now owns more than 30 copies of the children’s classic The Little Prince. She describes herself as a former Christian whose earliest memories of books are of Bible stories and a woman who knows who she is but has yet to see herself in the books she reads. To share your story on Chapters, visit us at www.chapterspod.com On instagram and twitter @Chapterspod You can find host Mary Mahoney on twitter @MaryMahoney123 and follow her #bookstagram @booksandsound

On this episode, we mark the passing of Elvis Presley by examining his life as a reader. Elvis notoriously struggled with his intense fame and used books to answer spiritual questions, provide medical knowledge, and a venue for reflection away from fans, family, and friends. Larry Gellar, Elvis’ spiritual advisor, shares the books that helped Elvis on his spiritual quest to understand why God made him “Elvis Presley.” Notably, although Elvis did not leave a diary, he did write in treasured books and we talk about his responses to his reading. Mary and producer Taylor discuss what Elvis read and why, with diversions into some of Elvis’ music and movies.

On this episode, our guest is Joe Hourihan. Joe is an attorney with four decades of legal experience. He is a native of Hartford, Connecticut where he attended Trinity College and the UCONN school of Law.  Joe describes growing up the child of immigrants in a Catholic household with a mother who hoped he’d become a priest, and shares how reading educated him about his own culture and set him on a different path from his parents. To share your story on Chapters, email us at Chapterspod@gmail.com

On our latest episode, we talk to Chris Bouton. Chris is a historian turned jury researcher who is working on a book about slave violence in antebellum Virginia. On this episode we talk childhood forays into play writing inspired by books, reading about the Civil War, reading on the beach, an influential reading of Moneyball, being an introvert, and more. To share your story on Chapters, email us at Chapterspod@gmail.com

We asked our listeners what kinds of reading experiences helped them to understand their sexuality. In honor of pride month, we’re sharing some of your submissions with a particular focus on one listener’s letter about the role E.E. Cummings’ “Somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond” played in her life. To share what authors/poems/books inspired you, share your story with us on facebook and twitter @chapterspod using the hashtag #chapterspride. ]]>

On this episode, we’re going to enter the vault with historian Matt Guariglia and examine FBI files – files created by the FBI to monitor suspicious – and as we’ll hear, even patriotic Americans and other persons of interest. On this episode we’ll hear why Rod Serling of the Twilight Zone was of interest to the FBI, what’s in Debbie Reynolds’ file, learn about an offer Walt Disney made to the FBI, and more.]]>

Today we talk to Katie, who along with co-host Kimberly hosts the A Date with Dateline Podcast, a comedy podcast that recaps episodes of Dateline. For anyone interested in true crime, this episode is for you. Katie shares a personal story of her sister’s brush with serial killer Rex Krebbs, and her own turn to criminal profiling books and true crime as a way to deal with it. On this episode we also discuss: Nancy drew, Kurt Vonnegut, The Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris, Red Dragon, Stephen King, Christopher Pike, R.L. Stein, Madame Bovary, Harry Potter, Gone Girl, and the Girl on the Train. To share your story on Chapters, visit our website: www.chapterspod.com

Our guest this episode is Dominique Taylor. Dominique is the creator of The Storyscape, a platform that creates media around literature. On this episode, we discuss: the Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, Goosebumps, American Girl, John Grisham, The Color Purple, Black Beauty, Harry Potter, The Known World, Maya Angelou, The Skin I’m In, The Master Butchers Singing Club, Lincoln in the Bardo, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, and Smoketown. We also discuss her great work with the Storyscape and Booktuber culture. Visit us at www.chapterspod.com if you’d like to share your story on Chapters.

On today’s show, we talk to Jacquline Suskin, a writer and performance poet based in Los Angeles. She is the author of two books, the latest entitled Go Ahead & Like It available from Ten Speed Press. Known for her multidisciplinary work with a project she calls Poem Store, Suskin composes improvisational poetry for patrons who choose both a topic and a price in exchange for a unique verse. On today’s episode we talk about the ways John Steinbeck’s work have inspired her as a writer, the power of poetry in her own life as a reader, and the ways her work has inspired readers for whom she’s written poems. To share your story on chapters, visit www.chapterspod.com

Join us on our latest episode where we meet guest Marisa Hicking. Marisa is the Teen Librarian at Avon Free Public Library in Avon, Connecticut. On this episode we talk loving horse books, sci-fi, fantasy, linking our memories of books to the places we read them, the path to becoming a librarian, and more. Check out our website www.chapterspod.com if you would like to share your story on Chapters. ]]>

On this episode with guest Eddie Guimont, we talk Carl Sagan, Calvin and Hobbes, Sci-Fi, all things Star Wars novels, and much more. If you want to share your story on chapters, visit us at www.chapterspod.com

On this episode, we meet Catherine Hammer, a librarian currently living in Florida where she works for the Broward County Library System. Before changing careers, she worked as a performer and musical director for regional and touring theater companies across the United States. On this episode we talk Christian fiction, the difference between good and bad Christian romances, books parents didn’t want you to read growing up (hint: Sweet Valley High), dancer biographies, reading books set in places you happen to be traveling, and much more. To share your story on Chapters, visit us online at www.chapterspod.com

On today’s episode of Chapters we meet someone for whom the phase “this book saved my life” is literally true. On November 20, 2014, Jason Derfuss, then a senior at Florida State University, had just checked out a few books at Strozier Library when he heard a gunshot behind him. Turning and seeing a gunman shoot another student, he ran for his life. Later, he opened his backpack and saw that the books he’d checked out caught a bullet meant for him. On this episode, Jason shares this story, and the story of his life through the books that have meant the most to him. We talk Harry Potter, The Scarlett Letter, 1984, and more. We also talk about the challenges of reading and writing when those very acts are wrapped up in a traumatic event. To share your story on chapters, visit us at www.chapterspod.com

After Trump took office one year ago today, Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts set out to create an event that would allow readers to gather in community over a shared love of reading. The resulting event, an overnight readathon on October 7, 2017, drew several readers who brought with them books suited for a marathon read. Some brought several books with them, and bought more after browsing the shelves of the store. We attended the event and interviewed some of the participants on their idea of a book meant to be read in one sitting. Thanks to the organizers and readers who shared their stories with us on this special episode. To share your story on Chapters, visit our website, www.chapterspod.com To visit Porter Square Books online, check out their website: http://www.portersquarebooks.com/

On our first episode of 2018, we mark the birthday of Elvis Presley with the story of his life as a reader. Fans may know Elvis from his music, movies, iconic fashion, or even from his famous home, Graceland. What can we learn about Elvis from considering his life as a reader? Elvis read voraciously, and travelled with suitcases full of books when he toured. In this episode, we’ll hear from his spiritual advisor, Larry Geller, and learn about the role books played in Elvis’ spiritual life. Elvis wanted to know why he’d been chosen to live such a singular life, and turned to books for answers. This was not a search without challenges, however. We’ll hear about an alleged book burning at Graceland, ordered by Elvis’ manager to put an end to Elvis’ spiritual quest, and Geller’s influence. His search for meaning and for answers continued until his untimely death, however. Though he kept no diary, some measure of his life as a reader remains scribbled in the notes he left in the margins of his books. To see some of Elvis’ marginalia, check out Larry Geller’s book, The Leaves of Elvis’ Garden: http://amzn.to/2m7v2XX To tell you story on Chapters, visit our website: www.chapterspod.com

Here are some of our favorite stories from the last year. Thank you to everyone who shared their story with us! If you want to share your story on Chapters, find us at www.chapterspod.com ]]>

Jolenta Greenberg is a New York-based comedian. She’s a Moth StorySLAM winner and a sometime contributor for NY Public Radio and BBC Radio. Currently, she is co-host (along with Kristen Meinzer) of the Panoply podcast, By The Book. By The Book, is a podcast reality show meets book club - where Greenberg and Meinzer live by different self help books to see if any actually work. It was a pleasure to learn about the books that helped shape her life, whether it was Katherine Hepburn’s memoirs, plays like Angels in America, or the self-help books she reads with Kristen Meinzer on By the Book. This is Jolenta’s story. Today’s podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/Chapters. There you’ll find over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.