Shows / Shoulda Books
Episodes
- Shoulda Books
43. does CARRIE hold up?
It's the spookiest month yet for the Shoulda Book Club as we dive into the book that launched Stephen King's career, CARRIE. Check out the Patreon version to…
- Shoulda Books
42. life is hard, have fun anyway (A Gentleman in Moscow + MORE)
Boozing in Brooklyn™️ continues with writer and creator Marston Quinn. We discuss facing our mortality, learning to cook, and living life to the fullest even…
- Shoulda Books
41. DRINKING GAME: the Guardian's 100 best novels of all time
Earlier this year, The Guardian published a (non-definitive) list of the 100 best novels of all time. Today, my friend Danny Laplaza joins me as we try to…
- Shoulda Books
40. "Sense and Sensibility" in the age of AI slop
Sense and Sensibility is over 200 years old. But it speaks to the current moment in ways both obvious and surprising. In this episode, I explore some of the…
- Shoulda Books
39. talking Zadie Smith, Raymond Chandler, and Peter Sellers with Below the Fray
Blake Lefray (from the excellent YouTube channel Below the Fray) joins the show to chat about Dr. Strangelove, mass market paperbacks, suburban feuds, and…
- Shoulda Books
38. Christian fiction was...strange
today, I'm revisiting some of the Christian fiction that shaped both me and some of the listeners. if you grew up going to youth group and checking Plugged In…
- Shoulda Books
37. I read my former boss's spicy book (STRANGE BEDFELLOWS)
author and screenwriter (and my former boss on many a set) Amanda Mortlock joins the show to talk about her steamy new novel Strange Bedfellows, the tropes she…
- Shoulda Books
36. trust me, BELOVED is worth the effort
today I'm talking about the most challenging book I've read so far in 2026, Toni Morrison's Beloved. for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the…
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35. no country for old podcasters
filmmaker Jason Nguyen talks mythology, Cormac McCarthy, and the…interesting place where he loves to read most. follow Jason on Instagram…
- Shoulda Books
34. reacting to your hot book takes w/ Will Witwer
Will Witwer returns to answer listener questions, respond to hot book takes, and rant/rave in general about our "twist-based" society. follow Will on Instagram…
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33. The Odyssey and the End of Reading
Today, I'm examining Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey, comparing it to the film, and taking a look at the relevance of oral storytelling in a world…
- Shoulda Books
32. turns out nature's pretty great (Mary Oliver, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, and MORE)
Author (and former literary agent for the Try Guys) Jessica M. Felleman stops by the Boston Bureau to discuss Mary Oliver, solarpunk, local poetry, staying ON…
- Shoulda Books
31. going underground w/ author Luke Goebel (Kill D*ck)
Luke Goebel (Kill Dick, the films Causeway and Eileen) shares 3 books that influenced his writing, and he almost shares his phone number, too. Kill Dick is…
- Shoulda Books
30. what I've read so far this year (YESTERYEAR, LOST LAMBS, more)
Today, I'm going over the 16 books I've read so far in 2026, and I'm sharing some of the ways I've found more time for reading. To learn how you can help fight…
- Shoulda Books
29. how STONER changed Sarah Bonsignore's life
Sarah Bonsignore joins the pod to discuss airport mystery authors, zipless f*cks, the magic of bugs, and more. Follow Sarah on Instagram…
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28. does PACHINKO just state the obvious?
We finish out Modern Spring (in the middle of summer) with Min Jin Lee's Pachinko. There's a lot to love about this book…but is it really worth reading? for…
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27. doommaxxing with Kirsten King (author of "A Good Person")
Kirsten King, author of the deliciously unhinged novel "A Good Person", stops by to discuss Eve Babitz, John Waters, and prepping for the apocalypse. For the…
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26. Dungeon Crawler Carl might get you reading again (w/ Ryan W. Garcia)
Ryan W. Garcia (Try Guys, Big Nate, Krapopolis) graciously allows me to record in the lovely studio for his podcast Big Theatre Kid Energy. We discuss leveling…
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25. horror screenwriter Zachary Donohue (PASSENGER) talks time loops and Kurt Cobain
Zachary Donohue is the co-writer of the horror film Passenger, in theaters now. He shares 3 books that shaped him and his career, even though none of them are…
- Shoulda Books
24. Why was The Kite Runner so popular?
Khaled Hosseini's debut novel The Kite Runner has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 2003. What made it achieve such a stratospheric level of…
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23. Rainie Toll finds the link between The Giver and The Catcher in the Rye
Rainie Toll explains why "The Giver" and "The Catcher in the Rye" are more similar than you might think. We also talk about mushrooms, OCD, John Green, and why…
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22. talking about God with Jimmy Wong
Jimmy Wong (Game Knights, the Command Zone, Try Guys, Video Game High School) shares the 3 books he thinks you should read. We end up discussing how he…
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PATREON UNLOCK: "The Outsiders" film is mid (w/ Cailyn Hoertz)
Enjoy this bonus episode from the Shoulda Books Patreon. Every month, we compare a film to the book it was adapted from. Sign up today to unlock more episodes…
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21. Annie Rauwerda (Depths of Wikipedia) loves The Power Broker (and MORE)
Annie Rauwerda, the mind behind one of my favorite Instagram accounts (Depths of Wikipedia, go check it out) joins me to share way more than 3 books you should…
- Shoulda Books
20. "Never Let Me Go" is frustrating...but is that the point?
I unpack Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 classic "Never Let Me Go". I dive into some of the questions that philosophers have asked for millennia, vent some of my…
- Shoulda Books
19. too much trauma dumping? ("I'm Glad My Mom Died" + MORE)
Stephen LaConte is the managing editor of Clickhole and the author of the advice column Stephen, Please. He's also the boyfriend of hyper-realistic cake…
- Shoulda Books
18. these books can help you find meaning ("When Breath Becomes Air" + MORE)
Sam Bakas (editor, The Try Guys) returns to discuss 3 books that helped him find meaning in a cold, indifferent universe. follow Sam on YouTube…
Shoulda Books17. did "Left Behind" traumatize you, too?
The Left Behind series traumatized me as a tween, and I know I'm not the only one. Join me for a loose, rambling episode exploring this cursed series and how…
Shoulda Books16. your friends are right about The Artist's Way
Merle Shane O'Neal shares 2 books that mean a great deal to me, and one that I know absolutely nothing about. So it goes. follow Merle on Instagram…
Shoulda Books15 - "The Outsiders" launched the YA genre
this week, we're rumbling through S.E. Hinton's 1967 classic The Outsiders, the book that apparently taught the publishing industry that teenagers read books…
Shoulda Books14. do you really want to live forever? (Ash Perez on "Tuck Everlasting" + MORE)
Ash Perez discusses 3 books that bring together comedy and heartbreak, and that balance nostalgia with hope for the future. pre-order Ash's delightful new…
Shoulda Books13. showing generosity to your characters (w/ Andrew Martin)
Author Andrew Martin shares the three books he thinks everyone should read. His fantastic new novel Down Time is available everywhere now, via Farrar, Straus…
Shoulda Books12. the interior made exterior w/ Scott Broker (author of "The Disappointment")
Scott Broker, whose excellent new novel The Disappointment is out now, stops by to talk James Baldwin, Greek myths, desire, grief, and more. check out Scott's…
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11. getting too h*rny at Thoreau camp (w/ Jonny Cakes)
The inimitable Jonny Cakes talks about 3 books and whatnot, sure, but MOST IMPORTANTLY he reads his diary from a Walden-style English class/camp. And…
- Shoulda Books
10. is Jane Eyre the original rom-com?
I hold down the fort on my lonesome this month to talk through a classic that I ended up enjoying much more than I thought I would. JUSTICE FOR BERTHA. for the…
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9. why do some (GOOD) ideas not stick? ("There Is No Antimemetics Division" + more)
Emilie Friedlander (writer and co-host of The Culture Journalist podcast) shares 3 books that shaped her thinking on music, culture, and, well, THINKING…
- Shoulda Books
8. what makes a book "fun"? (Cloud Atlas + more)
Will Witwer shares 3 books that have me questioning just what HE means when he says a book is "fun" follow Will on Instagram…
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BONUS - "Wuthering Heights" (2026) is NOT an adaptation (PATREON PREVIEW)
at least the scenery looked nice (at times). Joyce Louis-Jean stops by to discuss the absolute trainwreck that is Emerald Fennell's "Wuthering Heights". to…
- Shoulda Books
7. channel your anger with these books (The Art of War + more)
MJ Smith shares 3 books that helped her deal with rage. Just don't ever call a Cheeto a chip in front of her. follow MJ on Instagram…
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6. these nonfiction books will make you cry ("Tuesdays with Morrie" + MORE)
Jack McGill (The Try Guys) shares 3 nonfiction books that might just make you rethink everything. follow Jack on YouTube…
Shoulda Books5. we're kind of IN "The House of the Spirits"
I sit down with editor and YouTuber Sam Bakas to discuss a book that could NOT be more relevant to today…Isabel Allende's "The House of the Spirits". follow…
- Shoulda Books
4. choosing better stories (w/ Tori Dunlap | Her First $100K)
Tori Dunlap (founder and CEO of Her First 100k) shares 3 books that shaped her thinking on love, loss, and the meaning of life. follow Her First $100K on…
- Shoulda Books
3. nerding out on trees, media theory, and John Steinbeck (w/ Thomas Flight)
YouTube film essayist Thomas Flight shares 3 books that changed the way he sees the world. follow Thomas on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasFlight sign…
- Shoulda Books
2. it's all about the yearning (w/ Cailyn Hoertz)
Cailyn Hoertz (The Try Guys) shares 3 books that cover Greek mythology, hangover mac & cheese, a love triangle where it's impossible to choose sides, and more…
- Shoulda Books
1. read these books to stay more present (w/ Miles Bonsignore)
Miles Bonsignore joins me for the first weekly episode of Shoulda Books to share the three books he thinks everyone should read. new episodes every Thursday…
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iii. ranking what I read in 2025
the year is almost over, so you know what that means...that's right, I'm making a dang tier list of all the things I read in the dumpster fire that was 2025…
- Shoulda Books
ii. what we're reading in the new year
the people have spoken. find out which 3 books we're reading January - March of next year! if you want to watch this episode, you can check it out the YouTube…
Shoulda Booksi. Preface
Welcome to the next chapter of Shoulda Books. Some things are changing. Some things are staying the same. Kinda like life, I guess? This mini-episode gives an…