From the Front Porch
Episodes
272 || Casting Call
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
NOTE: There’s a small audio glitch in today’s episode, and you may hear it pop up when Annie's speaks. It’s not you; it’s us, and it should b...
271 || The One with the Pandemic
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Annie and cousin, friend, and former Bookshelf staffer Ashley Sherlock share their thoughts on quarantine reading. What is one supposed to read durin...
270 || Building a Personal Library
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Annie is joined today by my friend Hunter McLendon to talk all about personal libraries. What books do we buy, which do we borrow? What titles stay o...
269 || April Reading Recap
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Annie recaps the eleven books she read during the month of April, all of which can be purchased on The Bookshelf’s website: Friends a...
268 || Baby Got Books
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Annie chats with Bookshelf staffer Lucy all about her favorite baby books and books for mom and moms-to-be, including: Great with Child H...
267 || Recommended Royal Reads
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week on From the Front Porch, host and owner of The Bookshelf, Annie Jones, has a special guest joining her to tackle an important listener ques...
266 || Literary Therapy, Vol. 2
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, it’s time for another round of Literary Therapy. If you’re new here, Literary Therapy is a recurring episode series in which Annie plays t...
265 || Bookish Bingo
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Annie and Olivia sat down in the middle of the chaos to talk about The Bookshelf’s reading challenge (of sorts!) for 2020. We covered all sorts of ...
264 || March Reading Recap
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Annie recaps all the books she read in March. The books mentioned in today’s episode are available at The Bookshelf: Most Likely by Sarah...
263 || March Madness, Indeed
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Annie is joined this week by her husband, friend, audiobook listener, and fellow basketball enthusiast Jordan Jones. The NCAA tournament may have bee...
262 || Playlist Meets Booklist: Spring
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Annie is joined by Robbie Hopkins, a former literature teacher, avid reader, and frequent Bookshelf customer. Today, the two are previewing some spri...
261 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 7: March
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week Annie and guest, Hunter McLendon of @shelfbyshelf, bring you the first Backlist Book Club of 2020. The discussion revolves around Geraldine...
260 || February Reading Recap
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week Annie recaps the books she read in February, all of which can be purchased on our website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com: My Eyes Are Up He...
259 || Literary Therapy, Vol. 1
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Annie is diving into listeners’ bookish dilemmas with some literary therapy. Topics include romance novels, tackling nonfiction, genre shame...
BONUS: Winter Institute 2020
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
SURPRISE! We know it’s Tuesday, but we thought you’d enjoy this bonus episode of FTFP, where Annie and Olivia debrief about Winter Institute, an ...
258 || To All the Boys in Books I‘ve Loved Before
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Annie and her two special guests — Ashley Sherlock, cousin, friend, and former Bookshelf social media guru, and Hunt...
257 || Books and the 2020 Oscars
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Annie and fellow book club member and Oscar enthusiast, Callie Sewell, deep dive the 2020 Academy Awards and what it means for our reading lives. Th...
Episode 256 || January Reading Recap
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 Boo...
255 || We‘re Still Not Over Little Women
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 bo...
254 || Favorite Books of 2019
19 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 253 || Seasonal Reads: Christmas
12 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 252 || November Reading Recap
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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: + Fleishma...
Episode 251 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 6: Born a Crime
28 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 250 || Mailbag, Vol. 6
21 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 249 || Who Are We Really?
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ca...
Episode 248 || Seasonal Reads: Feast
07 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We’re moving some things around in our traditional Thanksgiving-season episode calendar to bring our our food and cookbook episode at the BEGINNING ...
Episode 247 || October Reading Recap
31 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 246 || Seasonal Reads: Spooky Season
24 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 245 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 5: East of Eden
17 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 244 || ”Faith” Books, Whatever That Means
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 243 || September Reading Recap
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 242 || Banned Books Week
26 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Challenges and censorship are hard things to discuss! But we're going to try. The American Library Association's discussion of 2018's most challeng...
Episode 241 || Seasonal Reads: Falling into Fall
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 previe...
Episode 240 || Book-TV-Movie
12 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 239 || August Reading Recap
05 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 Bloo...
Episode 238 || We‘re Stressed Out!
29 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 particu...
Episode 237 || Live with Mary Laura Philpott
22 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 Phi...
Episode 236 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 4
15 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Annie and frequent guest contributor Hunter keep the Backlist Book Club feature rolling with a discussion of Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning nove...
Episode 235 || Seasonal Reads: Back to School!
08 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 234 || July Reading Recap
01 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 wha...
Episode 233 || Family of Origin
25 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 232 || Imagining the Perfect Book
18 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 si...
Bonus Episode || Allen Cheney
16 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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....
Episode 231 || June Reading Recap
11 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 boo...
Episode 230 || Seasonal Reads: America
04 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 fire...
Episode 229 || Reader Retreat Live!
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 228 || #TackleSomeTomes
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 227 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 3
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join Annie and frequent contributors Hunter and Emily for a discussion of Zora Neale Hurston’s classic Their Eyes Were Watching God. Thanks, as alw...
Episode 226 || Seasonal Reads: Summer
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 225 || May Reading Recap
30 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 al...
Episode 224 || Quick Reads
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 bef...
Episode 223 || Our Favorite Classics
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 222 || Seasonal Reads: Wedding Season
09 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 followin...
Episode 221 || April Reading Recap
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 220 || Indie Bookstore Day 2019
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 som...
Episode 219 || Stuck in Your Head
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 the...
Episode 218 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 2
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 217 || Seasonal Reads: April Foolery
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 216 || March Reading Recap
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 fo...
Episode 215 || Spring Literary Lineup
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 214 || March Madness 2019
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 re...
Episode 213 || Seasonal Reads: Spring Break
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 212 || February Reading Recap
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 r...
Episode 211 || Backlist Book Club, Vol. 1
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Annie is joined once again by frequent contributors Hunter McLendon and Emily McKenna for the first installment in our new series, Backlist Book Club....
Episode 210 || Oscar Season Reading Recs
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Book-to-Movie Nominations + Boy Erased by Garrard Conley + Beautiful Boy by David Sheff + First Man by James R. Hansen + Can You Ever Forgive M...
Episode 209 || Seasonal Reads: Romance
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Bonus Episode || Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth A. Silvers
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 Pant...
Episode 208 || January Reading Recap
31 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 207 || KonMari and the ”30 Books” Rule
24 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ho...
Episode 206 || Seasonal Reads: Fresh Start
17 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 fres...
Episode 205 || Reading Resolutions, Vol. 5
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 an...
Episode 204 || Leftovers, or Mailbag, Vol. 5
03 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Episode 203 || Best Books of 2018
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 w...
Episode 202 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 16
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Annie is joined once again by frequent guest contributors Hunter and Emily to discuss Puddin' by Julie Murphy. Thanks, as always, to Forlorn Strange...
Episode 201 || Live with Knox McCoy
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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, a...
Episode 200 || Mailbag, Vol. 4
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 abou...
Episode 199 || November Reading Recap
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 Th...
Episode 198 || In the Kitchen
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! (Thagsgibbon, if you’re in the know.) Chris and Annie are enjoying the holiday by talking about some excellent new co...
Episode 197 || The Newsroom
15 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 le...
Episode 196 || Great American Read: Revisited
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 comment...
Episode 195 || October Reading Recap
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 Li...
Episode 194 || Halloween Seasonal Reads
25 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 193 || Underappreciated
18 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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--a...
Episode 192 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 15
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 191 || Books for Binge-Watchers
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In addition to being Professional Book People™️, Annie and Chris are also avid TV watchers. Take that as you will. This week, book recommendations...
Episode 190 || September Reading Recap
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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. + Bi...
Episode 189 || Fall Literary Lineup
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 givi...
Bonus Episode || Georgia Hunter
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In preparation for Thomasville's annual One Book festival, Annie sat down with New York Times bestselling author Georgia Hunter, the great mind behind...
Episode 188 || Does What the Author Thinks Actually Matter?
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 187 || PG Lit
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 re...
Episode 186 || August Reading Recap
30 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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.) Her...
Episode 185 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 14
23 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Episode 184 || Curriculum
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 cur...
Episode 183 || Owner of the Bookshelf
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 182 || July Reading Recap
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 rea...
Episode 181 || Baby Got Backlist
26 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 180 || How to Love Your Indie from Afar, or Shelf Subscription Insider, Vol. 2
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most exciting options the Bookshelf offers is the Shelf Subscription, a book-a-month club featuring newly released hardcovers from your fav...
Episode 179 || Beautiful Downtown Thomasville, Georgia
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 178 || June Reading Recap
05 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 thro...
Episode 177 || Love It or Loathe It, Vol. 13
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...