Shows / From the Front Porch
From the Front Porch
Welcome to From the Front Porch, a weekly conversational podcast on books, small business, and life in the South, produced by The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia.
Episodes
- From the Front Porch
Episode 256 || January Reading Recap
On this week’s episode of From the Front Porch, Annie recaps all the books she read in January. These can be ordered or pre-ordered through The Bookshelf…
- From the Front Porch
255 || We‘re Still Not Over Little Women
Happy New Year! We are so excited to bring you the first episode of 2020! Annie and Hunter Mclendon, a regular From the Front Porch contributor and…
- From the Front Porch
254 || Favorite Books of 2019
In our final episode of 2019 (and the decade as a whole!), Annie and Bookshelf staffers Olivia and Lucy sit down to talk through their favorite titles of the…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 253 || Seasonal Reads: Christmas
In our final Seasonal Reads of 2019, Chris and Annie run through some reads (and movies) for the Christmas season and chat about the Christian season of…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 252 || November Reading Recap
A new month means a new look at what books Annie and Chris were able to read in the last one. And folks, it was pretty light. Annie read: + Fleishman is in…
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Episode 251 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 6: Born a Crime
Hunter joins Annie once again for the fifth installment of Backlist Book Club. On the docket this week: Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. Follow Hunter and his own…
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Episode 250 || Mailbag, Vol. 6
On this milestone episode of From the Front Porch, Annie and Chris answer YOUR questions--from what we're getting our parents for Christmas to what to read…
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Episode 249 || Who Are We Really?
Chris and Annie take a personal deep-dive into a few literary characters they may or may not resemble, and what that ultimately means to them. You can read CJ…
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Episode 248 || Seasonal Reads: Feast
We’re moving some things around in our traditional Thanksgiving-season episode calendar to bring our our food and cookbook episode at the BEGINNING of the…
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Episode 247 || October Reading Recap
Happy Halloween! Spooky Season will soon be over, but Chris and Annie are here to walk you through what they read in October. You can find all of the following…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 246 || Seasonal Reads: Spooky Season
It's officially Spooky Season, if you can believe it, and Annie and Chris sound absolutely manic this week as they record their third episode in a row to bring…
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Episode 245 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 5: East of Eden
Hunter joins Annie once again for the fifth installment of Backlist Book Club. On the docket this week: John Steinbeck's East of Eden. Follow Hunter and his…
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Episode 244 || ”Faith” Books, Whatever That Means
Since talking about censorship wasn't hard enough, we've taken it upon ourselves--at listener behest--to talk about one of the hardest, most personal things…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 243 || September Reading Recap
Somebody wake up Green Day because September is over, and we’re back with our customary reading recap. You can find all of the following books for sale (or…
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Episode 242 || Banned Books Week
Challenges and censorship are hard things to discuss! But we're going to try. The American Library Association's discussion of 2018's most challenged books is…
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Episode 241 || Seasonal Reads: Falling into Fall
In anticipation of next week's seasonal Literary Lunch, we're talking about some of Annie's favorite "fall books" and letting you in on a quick preview of…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 240 || Book-TV-Movie
The fall season means new TV, and Annie came prepared this week with a series of curated media samplers just for you. Also, Chris and Annie have some cultural…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 239 || August Reading Recap
Another calendar page has come and gone. Join us for a good, old-fashioned chat about the books we read in August. Annie read: + The Duchess of Bloomsbury…
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Episode 238 || We‘re Stressed Out!
Annie and Chris are back together, but y'all, it's a stressful season. And we know we always say that! Join us for a discussion of some of the particular…
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Episode 237 || Live with Mary Laura Philpott
As part of The Bookshelf's July 2019 Reader Retreat, Chris and Annie had the pleasure of sitting down for a live podcast recording with Mary Laura Philpott…
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Episode 236 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 4
Annie and frequent guest contributor Hunter keep the Backlist Book Club feature rolling with a discussion of Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The…
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Episode 235 || Seasonal Reads: Back to School!
On this edition of Seasonal Reads, we're taking you back to school! Or celebrating the fact that your kids are back in school and you might be feeling some…
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Episode 234 || July Reading Recap
July was a very busy month here at The Bookshelf, and while our combined list is somewhat small, it allowed us to have a deeper conversation about what we…
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Episode 233 || Family of Origin
Chris and Annie are joined by longtime friend of the show CJ Hauser to talk about her new novel, Family of Origin, available now from Doubleday. They discuss…
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Episode 232 || Imagining the Perfect Book
Last month, Chris and Annie were challenged to think of a book that doesn't exist (yet) that they would love to see written. This episode is a very silly…
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Bonus Episode || Allen Cheney
In this special bonus episode of From the Front Porch, Annie sits down with Allen Cheney, co-author of the new book Crescendo, a story of Thomasville. Allen…
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Episode 231 || June Reading Recap
Annie and Chris are traveling through time to bring you a list and discussion of the books they read in June. You can find all of the following books for sale…
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Episode 230 || Seasonal Reads: America
As the heat settles and the mosquitos start biting and we all converge in the back of a pickup truck in an antique store parking lot to watch the fireworks, we…
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Episode 229 || Reader Retreat Live!
In this very special episode, Chris and Annie were finally able to sit down together for their first ever tandem live show! The occasion was the very first…
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Episode 228 || #TackleSomeTomes
Listen. We've all seen the summer reading guides. We here at FtFP have even given you one. Beach, breezy, light, and fun. But what if I told you there was…
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Episode 227 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 3
Join Annie and frequent contributors Hunter and Emily for a discussion of Zora Neale Hurston’s classic Their Eyes Were Watching God. Thanks, as always, to…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 226 || Seasonal Reads: Summer
Suuummertiiiiiime, and the front doors are swoooollen. Join Chris and Annie for a preview of the summer's hottest releases and a look back to some of our…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 225 || May Reading Recap
May came and went like a bullet train, but Annie and Chris are here to talk about what they read this month and/or are still reading. You can find all of the…
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Episode 224 || Quick Reads
Sometimes you need to build some momentum between your hefty tomes, and sometimes you're sitting in an airport and just want a book you can finish before the…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 223 || Our Favorite Classics
We consulted with the rest of the Bookshelf staff and rounded up a list of our favorite "classic" books--whatever that means. Olivia + Jane Eyre by Charlotte…
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Episode 222 || Seasonal Reads: Wedding Season
It's wedding season, y'all, and Annie and Chris are here to guide you through the most relevant reads of the season. You can find all of the following books…
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Episode 221 || April Reading Recap
The changing of the calendar page signals that Annie and Chris are back, as they are every month, to talk about what they read in April! You can find all of…
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Episode 220 || Indie Bookstore Day 2019
This Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day, so Annie and Chris are here to talk about WHY independent bookstores matter and to bring you a list of some of…
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Episode 219 || Stuck in Your Head
In honor of National Poetry Month, Chris and Annie are back to talk about their favorite poems, collections, and the words they've gotten stuck in their heads…
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Episode 218 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 2
Your favorite long-distance book club is back as Annie and frequent contributor Hunter discuss Mary Karr's celebrated memoir, The Liar's Club. You can find all…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 217 || Seasonal Reads: April Foolery
We all need a laugh now and then, and when better than prank season? Learn more about Thomasville's Rose Show and Festival here. You can find all of the…
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Episode 216 || March Reading Recap
Here at the end of our pollen-covered month, it's time to discuss what we were able read between, y'know, everything else. You can find all of the following…
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Episode 215 || Spring Literary Lineup
Spring is officially springing, so Chris and Annie are back to tell you what books to look out for in this new green season. You can find all of the following…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 214 || March Madness 2019
It's March, and everything's gone MAD! Annie is joined by her husband, Jordan, for their annual adventure through book brackets and The Bookshelf's recent…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 213 || Seasonal Reads: Spring Break
I don't know what it's like where you live, but we're in the middle of a cold snap, and it doesn't feel much like spring break. Join us this week on a new…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 212 || February Reading Recap
February is the shortest month of the year, and it really felt like it this time around! Join Annie and Chris as they discuss what they were able to read this…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 211 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 1
Annie is joined once again by frequent contributors Hunter McLendon and Emily McKenna for the first installment in our new series, Backlist Book Club. Up first…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 210 || Oscar Season Reading Recs
Book-to-Movie Nominations + Boy Erased by Garrard Conley + Beautiful Boy by David Sheff + First Man by James R. Hansen + Can You Ever Forgive Me? by Lee Israel…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 209 || Seasonal Reads: Romance
Love is in the air, which is how you know it's time for Chris and Annie to jump into February's edition of Seasonal Reads. Also, a brief history of the term…
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Bonus Episode || Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth A. Silvers
In this very special bonus episode of From the Front Porch, Annie interviews Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth A. Silvers, the ladies behind the hit Pantsuit…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 208 || January Reading Recap
On this, the 87th day of January, Chris and Annie attempt to distract you from the polar vortex with a hopefully delightful chat about the books they finished…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 207 || KonMari and the ”30 Books” Rule
There's been some hubbub in the online book world about something Marie Kondo may or may not have said about how many books you should keep in your home. This…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 206 || Seasonal Reads: Fresh Start
Believe it or not, we're only two weeks into the new year. It's a time when many of us make new resolutions and restart aspects of our lives with fresh eyes…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 205 || Reading Resolutions, Vol. 5
Happy New Year! For real this time. This week, Annie and Chris talk about what worked and what didn't in 2018 and about setting their reading goals and…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 204 || Leftovers, or Mailbag, Vol. 5
Happy New Year! For auld lang syne, Annie and Chris sat down to answer some leftover listener questions from our recent 200th episode. Thanks, as always, to…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 203 || Best Books of 2018
We made it! Thanks for everything you've given us, 2018, but we're moving on. Before we do, though, we've compiled our own end-of-year list to share with our…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 202 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 16
Annie is joined once again by frequent guest contributors Hunter and Emily to discuss Puddin' by Julie Murphy. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strangers for the…
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Episode 201 || Live with Knox McCoy
Annie sits down with Knox McCoy, co-host of The Popcast and author of The Wondering Years, in front of a LIVE audience to talk about books, faith, and pop…
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Episode 200 || Mailbag, Vol. 4
We did it. The big one. Here we are at our 200th episode, and we've only got YOU to thank. This week, Annie and Chris answer your questions, some about…
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Episode 199 || November Reading Recap
Thanksgiving is over, so it's the holiday season (the holiday season) and time to recap the books Annie read in November! + The Dreamers by Karen Thompson…