With Dimity hard at work on the Another Mother Runner duo’s third book, Sarah is joined by Ellison Weist, her occasional running partner and self-proclaimed, “book bully,” for the second-annual summer reading podcast. Sarah and Ellison reminisce about how books brought them together, then they move onto recommendations for big, engrossing books to soak up this summer. The Portland runners rave about The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and encourage listeners to read Tom Perrotta’s The Leftovers before tuning into the new HBO series. Sarah shares Dimity’s two most recent reads, including one that could be a mother runner motto: Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time.
All but one of the featured books are available on Audible.com. For a free download of your choice, go to www.audiblepodcast.com/mother. And all the recommended books are here on Amazon.
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Healthy, schmealthy: Sarah (left) and Ellison post-podcast after enjoying tasty pork sandwiches at Lardo.
Oooo! I can’t wait to listen. Running and listening to (or in this case “about”) books are at the top of my Best-Combinations-Ever-List. Tied with peanut butter and bananas. No, no, actually peanut butter and chocolate. Make that pb, banana, aaaand chocolate.
all fall down by jennifer weiner.
Hi Sarah and Dimity,
As a longtime podcast listener, I wanted to weigh in and say that this podcast didn’t grab me like all the previous ones. I stopped listening halfway through. I was impressed by Ellison’s sophisticated, articulate commentary on books, so props to her for pinch-hitting. But I missed the usual back-and-forth between the two of you, and I lost interest in a podcast that had very little to do with running.
Thanks for taking time to give us your feedback, Sara: good to know. As always, we appreciate all comments and taking the time and effort to let us know what works and what doesn’t. Thanks for listening–Dimity
You have to add Resolve by JJ Hensley to your summer reading list (and maybe put him on as a podcast guest!) The book is set during the Pittsburgh Marathon and the story unfolds mile by mile. It was the best book I read in 2013.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568981.J_J_Hensley
I loved this episode! Thanks for all the great book recommendations and commentary.
I really liked this podcast and as a big nonfiction reader it gave me some ideas of where to find worthwhile fiction. Are you planning to list all the books?
Glad you enjoyed the podcast, Gwen! and here’s a link to Amazon that Sarah set up with all of the books we talked about.
http://astore.amazon.com/summer2014readingpodcast-20
Thank you! That’s what I get for reading the post hastily while at the library. I see that she put that in at the end. :)
Don’t forget Margaret Atwood’s oryx and crake trilogy – a little odd at first but I got hooked and am sad to be finished. Anyone else read these three?
I tried to read the “The Goldfinch”. I got 2/3 of the way done and quit. I got bored with it. I am going to try your other books. Thanks for entertainment on my AM runs….naked bike rides???? Gross and chafe!
I so enjoyed listening to this podcast! Like Dimity, I am a nonfiction reader, but Ellison and Sarah may just have convinced me to read a few of their highlighted selections! Ellison was a natural on air and did a great job “filling in” for Dimity!
LOL – thanks Jessica! My only complaint about your comment is now I’m jonesing for a Peanut Butter Cup….!
This one is one my list. I’ve heard it’s her best in a while. My favs are still her first two so fingers crossed I’ll enjoy this one. Thanks Julie!
Mea culpa, Sara. I understand your concerns and must take the brunt of it. Sarah encouraged me to chat more about running as we were headed to the studio but my bibliomania got the best of me. If I ever get a do-over, we’ll sprinkle more running tales in with the books. Hope you’ll enjoy the upcoming podcasts featuring the dynamic duo of Dimity and SBS.
High praise! and I thank you, Stacy. I love NF as well and hope you’ve read or are planning on reading Gail Caldwell’s new memoir, NEW LIFE, NO INSTRUCTIONS. Dimity and I both loved her second one, LET’S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME.
Let me know what you’ve enjoyed reading lately, Heidi, and I’ll try to think of some tailor-made recommendations. Add “crash” to the Naked Bike Ride and think about THOSE injuries!
Atwood’s trilogy is on my list, Julie. I’m a fan of her older stuff (Loved ALIAS GRACE) but your being “hooked” intrigues me. Hope you have a line of her upcoming story collection, due out in September: STONE MATTRESSES; NINE TALES.
Glad you enjoyed, Sheila! Hope you can find at least one great read in the bunch.
Ohhh, RESOLVE looks like a winner. I’m a sucker for books about running so this goes on the TBR list. Thank you, Christi!
I loved the summer reading podcast! I missed Dimity, but it was still great. I’m looking in to the suggested books amd have a hilarious non-fiction recommendation: I See You Made an Effort by Annabelle Gurwitch. Hilarious anecdotes on aging and life. Quick, laugh-out-loud reading.
Regarding The Goldfinch–I have such mixed feelings! I liked it a lot, but I kept wishing for better choices by so many characters. I really need a book group for discussion!
Thanks for an always entertaining podcast!
Just listened to the podcast on my run this morning. Really enjoyed the reviews and made a note to add a few to my list of books to read. And I was that listener who was yelling out the answer to the fuzzy edge of the paper – the deckle edge. I work in paper manufacturing, so I better know that one!
Do you have a list of all the books you talked about on the podcast? I can’t remember the titles of the books and I’m interested in some of them. Thank you!
There’s a link to them in Amazon above, Jo…sorry; I’m not on the post now, but you can see the full roster in the post above.
Just finally got to this ep and really enjoyed it, especially as a life-long avid reader. Nice spin on the idea after last year’s ep. I’ve been so on the fence about The Goldfinch, but may finally tip over now. I wholeheartedly back your recommendation of Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life. Fantastic writing, characters, story, plot idea. Thanks Ellison, for your contribution to the podcast.