A book for every podcast

Everybody loves a good podcast, and we are no exception (did you know our Dunlop Art Gallery even has its own podcast called YQR Art Speak?).  And everyone loves a good book, so we thought we would pair the two and create a list of books to read similar to or based on popular podcasts.

Let’s get started…

Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast investigates events in our past through a modern lens to see if something was overlooked or misunderstood.  If you are a fan of reviewing history from our present , try Salt: A World History where Mark Kurlansky writes about this simple substance that shaped human society in far-reaching and unexpected ways.

In their By The Book podcast, Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer pick different self-help books and follow their rules to the letter. Much of the joy of this podcast comes from listening to them interact with their partners, who are inevitably affected by their new lifestyle rules. In The Year of Living Biblically, author A.J. Jacobs attempts to follow the rules of the Bible as literally as possible for one year, much to the chagrin of his partner and sometimes with hilarious results.

Karina Longworth’s You Must Remember This podcast is essential podcast listening where the love of history and the love of movies collide. Each episode is a deep dive into lost secrets or forgotten history of Hollywood’s first century. Guest stars spark lively discussions and debates. If this sounds appealing to you, we recommend The Lady from the Black Lagoon. Milicent Patrick designed the famous Universal monster Creature from the Black Lagoon, but few people have ever heard of her. When a jealous male colleague takes the credit, her career is derailed erasing her from history. Until now. You don’t want to miss this true-life detective story that is a celebration of a forgotten feminist trailblazer, and a condemnation of a Hollywood culture that still resonates today. 

There are a ton of dedicated true crime podcasts out there, but one long-running favorite is the award-winning Casefile from Australia. Its anonymous host delves into both solved and cold cases from around the world, proving repeatedly that truth is scarier than fiction. The late Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a must-read for any true crime fan. It unfolds like the best of a police procedural with all the markers of a gripping horror suspense novel. What really distinguishes this book from the pack is it’s just as strong covering the Golden State Killer’s compulsions as it is revealing the author’s own obsessive search to unmask him. McNamara’s ability to candidly share her own doubts and fears as she explores such dark avenues through many sleepless nights adds a layer of intimacy to what is an already intense reading experience. This book is also now an HBO docuseries.

Fated Mates is a romance podcast hosted by author Sarah MacLean and romance reviewer Jen Prokop. The two discuss specific romance novels in depth and look deeper into popular romance tropes.  The podcast feels like being part of a fun conversation between friends along with a plethora of reading recommendations. This book pairs well with the book Attachments by Rainbow Rowell because, just like the success of Fated Mates relies on great romance and great banter between friends, Attachments is a love story between Lincoln and Beth that never could have happened without the strong female friendship (and hilarious work emails) between Beth and Jennifer to anchor the story.

For more help finding your next read, be sure to check out our booklists on Overdrive/Libby. 

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