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 198 || In the Kitchen
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! (Thagsgibbon, if you’re in the know.) Chris and Annie are enjoying the holiday by talking about some excellent new…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 197 || The Newsroom
The world is a very confusing place even in the most stable of times, and everyday people depend on journalists and other writers to figure out and lend some…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 196 || Great American Read: Revisited
Thanks to the efforts of PBS, we now have a definitive list of America's favorite books. Annie and Chris are now recapping and providing their commentary on…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 195 || October Reading Recap
Okay, everybody. Spooky season is over, so Annie and Chris and back to walk you through what they read this month. Annie read: + The Winters by Lisa Gabriele +…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 194 || Halloween Seasonal Reads
Okay, so sometimes scheduling things weeks in advance is hard, and it turns out it's NOT the week of Halloween, but Annie and Chris have a great list of books…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 193 || Underappreciated
It's award season, and some of our absolute favorites got robbed. As much as we are Professional Book People™️, we're not professional critics--and we're the…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 192 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 15
Annie is joined by frequent guest Hunter to chat about listener-favorite Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. What are your thoughts on this suspense classic? It's so…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 191 || Books for Binge-Watchers
In addition to being Professional Book People™️, Annie and Chris are also avid TV watchers. Take that as you will. This week, book recommendations based on new…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 190 || September Reading Recap
It's time for our regular jaunt through the books we finished this month. Join us for the recap! Also, and very importantly: teenage penguins. + Bitter Orange…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 189 || Fall Literary Lineup
Annie hosted Books and Brunch event in the shop last week and previewed some of her favorite coming releases of the fall season. This week, we're giving you an…
- From the Front Porch
Bonus Episode || Georgia Hunter
In preparation for Thomasville's annual One Book festival, Annie sat down with New York Times bestselling author Georgia Hunter, the great mind behind We Were…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 188 || Does What the Author Thinks Actually Matter?
When authors endlessly tweet about what was actually happening in the background of a given book, or, worse, release a sequel or companion text, does that…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 187 || PG Lit
As with salsa, some readers prefer their literature mild. And that's okay! Although Annie and Chris often prefer some darkness in their books, they recognize…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 186 || August Reading Recap
School's back in session and Annie's door is swollen shut, so you know it's almost September. (Don't worry. We set an alarm to wake up Green Day.) Here at the…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 185 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 14
Annie, Emily, and Hunter discuss one of the hottest literary books of 2018: Tommy Orange's There, There. It's a difficult, sometimes harrowing read of…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 184 || Curriculum
Since this was Annie's show last week, it's only fair that Chris gets a turn, too! He's thoughtfully prepared four sets of discussion-based course curriculum…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 183 || Owner of the Bookshelf
We asked, and it seems like a lot of people want to know: Who is Annie B. Jones? This week, Chris sits down with Annie to talk about how she came to be owner…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 182 || July Reading Recap
At the end of every month, Annie and Chris sit down to talk about the books they read, and listener, it's the end of the month. Annie accidentally read to sort…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 181 || Baby Got Backlist
We talk a lot about brand new books on the show, but we thought it might be time to talk about some of our favorites from the "backlist." They're not new, but…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 180 || How to Love Your Indie from Afar, or Shelf Subscription Insider, Vol. 2
One of the most exciting options the Bookshelf offers is the Shelf Subscription, a book-a-month club featuring newly released hardcovers from your favorite…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 179 || Beautiful Downtown Thomasville, Georgia
We're taking a quick break from books this week to talk about the small businesses on our street as we take you on a tour of our slice of life in the South…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 178 || June Reading Recap
It's the end of the month, and we made it--along with some thoughts and feelings about cover songs and Canadian ice dancers. Chris and Annie talk through the…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 177 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 13
Sorry for the delay! This week, Emily and Hunter are back for Love It or Loathe It to talk with Annie about Kevin Kwon's Crazy Rich Asians. If you would like…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 176 || Summer Literary Lineup
It's time for our seasonal look at what's on the horizon in Book World! These are Chris and Annie's picks for summer 2018. Also, not every novel whose title is…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 175 || Live with Anne Bogel
This week, we have a very special live show with friend of the show Anne Bogel, host of What Should I Read Next? By the way! Our next Love It or Loathe It (in…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 174 || The Great American Read
PBS has recently released a two-part special called The Great American Read, hosted by Meredith Vieira and filled with interviews and sound bites from…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 173 || May Reading Recap
As the old and definitely very common saying goes, May is the December of the spring, and with that in mind, it's time for our regular recap of the books Chris…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 172 || Mockingbird
Annie puts her journalism degree to use as she and Chris conduct a deep dive into the complicated legal and literary legacy of Harper Lee and Monroeville, AL…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 171 || Southern Literary Trail
Want to take a book-themed summer road trip and see where some of your favorite Southern authors lived and breathed? Well then we have the show for you. This…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 170 || Children‘s Book Week
We missed Children's Book Week last week because our Reading Recap real estate is very valuable, but we want to take this opportunity to tell you about some of…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 169 || April Reading Recap
April showers bring Mayflowers, but what do Mayflowers bring? Well, that's complicated, but what Annie and Chris bring to the table is a new recap of what they…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 168 || Missed Opportunities
Have you ever finished a book and thought, "...Really?" This week on the show, Chris and Annie talk you through the [mostly good] books they've read with…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 167 || Bookshelf Reading Challenge 2018
It's time to forge ahead into the wild unknown. Are you ready to earn 20% off a Bookshelf purchase? Follow along with Chris and Annie as they explain the terms…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 166 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 12
Annie sits down for our bi-monthly show-within-a-show with frequent guests Emily and Hunter. This month, one of President Obama's favorite books of 2017, The…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 165 || March Reading Recap
It's April, which means it's time to talk about what Chris and Annie were able to read in March. Follow along as we give our reviews! And hey, so sorry about…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 164 || How Do You Read?
Do you have a favorite chair for reading? Maybe a front porch swing or a cozy bay window? A hammock, perhaps? This week, Annie and Chris talk about reading…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 163 || Spring Literary Lineup
Spring is in the air, which means pollen is in our sinuses, but Chris and Annie are here for your curated and almost week-by-week guide through some of this…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 162 || March Madness 2018
Annie sits down for her husband Jordan for their annual March Madness episode, a long-standing FTFP tradition. This episode is sponsored by the Thomasville…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 161 || Shelf Subscription Insider
You've heard us talk about Shelf Subscriptions before, but it occurred to us that many of our listeners may not know exactly what it is we're talking about…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 160 || February Reading Recap
February flew by, but Annie and Chris read some great books along the way. Follow along as they recap what they read. Also, ice dancing. Annie read: +…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 159 || Red Carpet Books
It's that time of year again. Chris and Annie are here to talk about the Academy's If you liked Lady Bird, we recommend: + Dumplin' by Julie Murphy + Where'd…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 158 || Love is in the Air
In the spirit of St. Valentine and Fabio, Annie and Chris are talking about romance in literature--the kind we like, the kind we don't, and why it seems like…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 157 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 11
It's the latest installment of our show within a show, Love It or Loathe It, in which frequent contributors Emily and Hunter discuss a contentious book with…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 156 || January Reading Recap
It's our first monthly reading recap of 2018, and it's relatively light--in a good way! Follow along as Annie and Chris work their way through what they read…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 155 || Time‘s Up
There's a lot happening in the news lately, and it's hard to know where to turn sometimes when it seems like everyone has hard opinions and no one wants to…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 154 || New Year, New You?
It's a new year and we've got our resolutions ready, but what about all those books that are supposed to help us sort ourselves out? This week, Annie and Chris…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 153 || Reading Resolutions, Vol. 4
It's a new year, so Chris and Annie are back to discuss their reading plans for 2018. Spoiler: We're not doing quantitative tracking. Also, what is the natural…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 152 || Live with Jamie Golden
Annie sits down with Jamie Golden, cohost of The Popcast, in front of a LIVE audience to talk about books and pop culture. Learn more about The Popcast here…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 151 || Best Books of 2017
It's our last episode of 2017, so it's time for a SUPER-SIZED reading recap. Chris and Annie walk you through their favorite books of 2017, and here they are!…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 150 || Mailbag, Vol. 3
Thank you for getting us to 150 episodes! This week, Annie and Chris answer YOUR questions. One popular question was, "Where does Annie get her own book…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 149 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 10
It's the latest installment of our show within a show, Love It or Loathe It, in which Annie, Emily, and Hunter discuss a contentious book in a book club-style…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 148 || November Reading Recap
The holiday season is upon us, which means it's time for us to recap what we read in the month of November. Give thanks! Also, Universal, please consider…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 147 || The New Childhood Classics
'Tis the season to start thinking about children's books! What will you buy this year for the young reader in your life? Chris and Annie have some suggestions…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 146 || Food for Thought
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we're coming to you a couple days early! Spend time with us, and then spend time with your loved ones. Best of both…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 145 || New Books for Old Souls
Sometimes we talk about old books like they're sacred and have nothing to do with what we're reading day to day, but new books and old books both speak to us…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 144 || October Reading Recap
It's a week later than usual, but it's a brand new month, which means it's time for a reading recap, our monthly feature in which Annie and Chris briefly…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 143 || Short Form
Why do so many readers seem to be afraid of short stories? Annie and Chris chat with author and professor CJ Hauser about how short stories are different from…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 142 || A Good Scare
'Tis the season for ~spooky scary~ reads, so Chris and Annie are back to talk about suspense, horror, and why we sometimes need a good scare. Also, WHAT is the…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 141 || What Should I Listen To Next?
Let's face it: when you read a lot, it can be a strain on the eyes. And you can't multitask with a book in your hands. And reading while driving will get you…
- From the Front Porch
Episode 140 || A Day in the Life
We get lots of emails about what it is we actually do all day. Who are we, exactly, and what does a day in the life of our independent bookstore look like?…