The To Read List Podcast
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
The Second Annual Bookend Awards!
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The To Read List crew reflects back on 2020, a year that was certainly... a year. We go through our reading stats, award best book and cutest protagon...
I, Difficult
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I, ROBOT by Isaac Asimov & DIFFICULT WOMEN by Roxane Gay. On this week's episode, Toby gets acquainted with one of the seminal works of one of his fav...
Thunderwood
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson & LAKEWOOD by Megan Giddings. To celebrate our 50th episode (!), Andrew and the guys go full dad-mode and fanboy over Eri...
The Julia We Became
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin & JULIE AND JULIA by Julie Powell. On the pod this week we break down fantasy heavyweight N.K. Jemisin's THE CITY W...
Ghost Luster
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
GHOST by Jason Reynolds & LUSTER by Raven Leilani. This week, Andrew reviews Raven Leilani's fresh and visceral LUSTER while Bailey dives into middle-...
Piranesi Extravaganza!
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
PIRANESI by Susanna Clarke. Susanna Clarke is back with a brand-new world for us to explore! After wowing Bailey and Toby with her debut novel (follow...
The Tales Of Mole
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE ADRIAN MOLE DIARIES by Sue Townsend & TALES by Amiri Baraka. In this week's episode, the crew takes on two firebrands from different sides of the ...
My Sister, the Witch
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER by Oyinkan Braithwaite & WITCHES ABROAD by Terry Pratchett. This week Toby fantasysplains the Discworld series to a skept...
Wolf is for Witching
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel & WHITE IS FOR WITCHING by Helen Oyeyemi. Bailey and Dillon are back and ready to dig deep into English history! First, And...
A Brief History of Seven Trees
26 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE BARON IN THE TREES by Italo Calvino & A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS by Marlon James. This week we dive into THE BARON IN THE TREES by Italo Ca...
The Proposal Girls
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE PROPOSAL by Jasmine Guillory & THE GIRLS by Emma Cline. This week we're joined by Gillian Durkee (our theme composer and Andrew's fiancée) as we ...
The Immortal Underground
29 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead & THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin. The week we have special guest host Camille Knox on to discuss the ...
Trust My Mind
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
TRUST EXERCISE by Susan Choi & MIND OF MY MIND by Octavia E. Butler. This week Talia Bolnick of The Hatchery Press joins us as we review TRUST EXERCIS...
Wild is the What
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
WILD SEED by Octavia E. Butler & WHAT IS THE WHAT by Dave Eggers. In the first podcast of Bailey and Dillon's parental leave, Toby and Andrew discuss ...
Minisode: Pride Picks!
24 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, in honor of Pride Month, the crew recommends some favorite LGBTQIA+ authors, characters, and books. From classics like GIOVANNI'S ROOM to n...
Learning Teeth
17 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
SHARP TEETH by Toby Barlow & LEARNING TO SING by Clay Aiken and Allison Glock. This week we discuss our two most obscure books yet - American Idol run...
Minisode: Summer Reading
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's minisode, we talk about our experiences with summer reading, from elementary school to now. You'll never guess who participated in a li...
Circeducated
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
CIRCE by Madeline Miller & EDUCATED by Tara Westover. This week, all three of us read CIRCE and EDUCATED so that we're ready to discuss why the books ...
Minisode: Bookish Baby Shower
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by Bailey and Dillon's virtual baby shower, we send gifts to some of our favorite literary parents to celebrate the births of their soon-to-b...
I Know This Lot Is 49
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE CRYING OF LOT 49 by Thomas Pynchon & I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb. This week, Toby does his best to dissect the fever dream that is THE ...
Minisode: Are You a Plot Device?
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic has caused us to reconsider our place in the world. For example, Bailey, Toby, and Andrew have been wondering if they could really be cha...
Everything I Never Told Rebecca
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU by Celeste Ng & REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier. This week, Andrew tackles Amazon's Best Book of 2014, EVERYTHING I NEVER TOL...
Minisode: Author Quarantine House Party!
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In response to this poll from Literary Hub, the gang debates which authors they'd want in their quarantine crew. There's a dud in every house, but at...
Daisy Jones & The Cat
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
CAT'S EYE by Margaret Atwood & DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid. In this episode, Toby breaks down the unexpectedly realistic plot of Marg...
Minisode: Villains!
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this minisode, the gang goes through their top three villains, in order of least to most vile. You'll never guess who's Toby's number one pick....
Old Man Redwall
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Ernest Hemingway & REDWALL by Brian Jacques. Andrew takes us on the saddest fishing trip of all time in THE OLD MAN AND THE...
The To Puzz List
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate our 600th episode, Bailey, Toby, and Andrew share their latest puzzling experiences and play "Puzzle Piece or Thing in My Apartment." ...
Evvie Drake Starts Middlemarch
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot & EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes. In this week's episode, Toby travels to the 19th century with MIDDLEMARCH, whil...
Minisode: Un-Put-Downable Books
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While we're all cooped up at home, you may be looking for your next favorite read. If so, please enjoy our list of top un-put-downable books! That is,...
The Cold Sympathizer
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THE SYMPATHIZER by Viet Thanh Nguyen & COLD MOUNTAIN by Charles Frazier. This week, we discuss two beloved titles— bestselling historical romance CO...
Minisode: Dillon Publishing, Inc.
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dillon leads the cohosts in an Apples to Apples-style game where they retitle classic books through anonymous pitches. The results are priceless. (Not...
A Year in Pachinko
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee & A YEAR IN THE MERDE by Stephen Clarke & A YEAR IN PROVENCE by Peter Mayle & ENCORE PROVENCE by Peter Mayle. Why would you no...
Minisode: Love Stories
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Valentine's Day, we write stories about literary characters who should totally smooch. Bailey takes it very seriously—the boys less so. ...
Robinson Crusoe vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
ROBINSON CRUSOE by Daniel Defoe & SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli. While Bailey tries to get through a reading slump, Toby goes...
Minisode: Top Animals in Literature
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this minisode, we share our top three animals from literature, with no basic choices allowed! How many REDWALL characters will Toby pick? You'll ha...
One Flew Over the Brave New World
29 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST by Ken Kesey & BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley. We discuss two very different books that both happen to be about rebe...
Minisode: Reading Resolutions
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this minisode, we share our reading resolutions for the new year. Some of our goals are conventional… and some of them are decidedly not. Enjoy!
The Count of This One Summer
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
THIS ONE SUMMER by Jillian & Mariko Tamaki & THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas. While Bailey tackles the longest book on her shelf, Andrew ...
Minisode: Outlander Rocks, a.k.a., Top Fictional Worlds
08 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, we share the top three fictional settings we'd travel via a rock-shaped portal. You know, like in OUTLANDER. Don't think about ...
The First Annual Bookend Awards!
01 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We celebrate our first anniversary by reflecting on the books we've read this year. Who read the most pages? Who added more books than they read? Who ...
Ready Player Lincoln
25 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders & READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline. Happy Holidays from the To Read List! To celebrate, we review two beloved ...
Bonus: The LITTLE WOMEN Spectacular!
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. *NOTE: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS.* In this very special episode, Bailey invites four of her favorite ladies to...
Just Outlander Kids
11 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon & JUST KIDS by Patti Smith. With only a few hours of sleep, Andrew reviews his longest book yet—OUTLANDER! His verdict m...
Minisode: Apocalypse Necessities
04 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the launch of Elaine's Cooking for the Soul, a post-apocalyptic cooking podcast, we talk with creator Alli Schleisman about the tools fro...
East of Normal
27 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck & NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney. The crew digs into two beloved books, one a classic, one a new release. Toby discusses...
Minisode: Goodreads' Never-Ending Book Quiz!
20 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the annual Goodreads Choice Awards, we compete in Goodreads' Never-Ending Book Quiz! The trivia questions are based on the books we've re...
The Fault in My Year of Rest and Relaxation
13 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green & MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION by Ottessa Moshfegh. This week, we dig deep into two recent bestsellers: THE FAU...
Minisode: #LiterarySquad
06 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Taylor Swift, we choose the literary characters we wish were part of our best friend "squads." Unsurpris...
The Great and Secret Dracula
30 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
DRACULA by Bram Stoker & THE GREAT AND SECRET SHOW by Clive Barker. Spoooooky Halloween! We discuss two scary novels—THE GREAT AND SECRET SHOW by Cl...
Minisode: Spoooooky Stories
23 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To get you in the Halloween spirit, we talk about three spooky stories: "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury, "House of Puppets" by Junji Ito, and "The Cask of...
Death with Casual Interruptions
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
THE CASUAL VACANCY by J.K. Rowling & DEATH WITH INTERRUPTIONS by Jose Saramago. We dig deep into lesser-known works by two of our favorite authors. An...
Minisode: Required Reading
09 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We share the books we had to read for school that we ended up loving. It's the best kind of fun—mandatory! Plus, we discuss the Untitled Goose Game,...
Alias V
02 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
ALIAS GRACE by Margaret Atwood & V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore. In this new episode, we cover our first graphic novel—V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore! A...
Minisode: The Strand Quiz
25 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you want to work at the mecca for all bibliophiles—Strand Books in New York City—you must pass a book quiz. In this minisode, HR rep Dillon adm...
Cloudypants
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey & CLOUD ATLAS by David Mitchell. Bailey questions whether CLOUD ATLAS is gimmicky, genius, or gimmicky genius. Meanwhile, Andre...
Minisode: Red, White & Royal Review!
11 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston. In this bonus episode, Bailey reviews the book of the summer: RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston! ...
The Red Eye of the World
04 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant & THE EYE OF THE WORLD by Robert Jordan. Toby reviews a book he found on the side of the road—THE EYE OF THE WORLD by ...
Minisode: "Siri, Who Won the Triwizard Tournament?"
28 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this minisode, Andrew and Dillon compete in Harry Potter trivia. Who's the muggle and who's the auror? The answer may not surprise you.
The Wilder Bird Chronicle
21 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
WILDER GIRLS by Rory Power & THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE by Haruki Murakami. In this very special episode, we interview Rory Power, author of the unset...
Bonus: Meet the Hosts!
14 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus minisode, we take a break from reviewing/reading books to introduce ourselves. Which host is a Slytherin? Which one of us had a Greek my...
Willful Teeth
07 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
WILLFUL CREATURES by Aimee Bender & WHITE TEETH by Zadie Smith. Sometimes books make you feel dumb. While Bailey struggles to love WHITE TEETH by Zadi...
Freedom City with Camille Knox & Charlie Sanders
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
FREEDOM by Jonathan Franzen. On this very special episode, Camille Knox and Charlie Sanders (of Weird City, Key & Peele, and the #SOLA Podcast) stop b...
Station Confidential
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL by Anthony Bourdain & STATION ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel. In episode 14, we review STATION ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel—...
The Fellowship of the Sadie
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING by J.R.R. Tolkien & SADIE by Courtney Summers. It may be hard to believe, but fantasy-lover Toby has never read THE FELLOWS...
Exit Karenina
12 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid & ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy. We discuss ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy, considered by many to be the best novel of all time...
The Radium Is Illuminated
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
THE RADIUM GIRLS by Kate Moore & EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by Jonathan Safran Foer. In this very special episode, Andrew joins Bailey and Toby in the ...
Wicked Night Lights
15 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS by Buzz Bissinger & WICKED by Gregory Maguire. We talk about the source material behind two of our favorite shows: FRIDAY NIGHT LI...
Do Androids Dream of Electric Blindness?
01 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
BLINDNESS by Jose Saramago & DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? by Philip K. Dick. In episode nine, the hosts guess the plot of OUTLANDER, debate th...
Giovanni's Room Is Also A Star
17 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
GIOVANNI'S ROOM by James Baldwin & THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon. While reviewing GIOVANNI'S ROOM and THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, we discuss the b...
1984 with Talia Bolnick
03 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
1984 by George Orwell. In this special guest episode, we discuss 1984 with Talia Bolnick of the Hatchery Press! Talia tells us all about the best work...
The Hunchback of Notre-Blonde
20 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
BLONDE by Joyce Carol Oates & THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME by Victor Hugo. In episode six, we tackle two big books that had big impacts on us: BLONDE a...
We Have Always Let the Great World Spin
06 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann & WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson. Bailey, Toby, and Andrew talk about interconnected s...
Jonathan Bones & Mr Writing Down
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
WRITING DOWN THE BONES by Natalie Goldberg & JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL by Susanna Clarke. While breaking down Natalie Goldberg's WRITING DOWN THE ...
Catch 22 Wolves
06 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller & HISTORY OF WOLVES by Emily Fridlund. After confessing the new books we've added to our shelves, we discuss CATCH-22, HISTO...
A Moveable Tree Grows in Brooklyn
23 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith & A MOVEABLE FEAST by Ernest Hemingway. Bailey attempts a Hemingway impression, Andrew reminisces about the wo...
Welcome to The To Read List
01 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bailey, Toby, and Andrew discuss the inspiration for the podcast. Then they go through their To Read Lists, pointing out the books they're most excite...