Goodbye Big Book Summer, Hello Shorty September!

Episode 268 Show Notes

NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
250 West Main Street, Suite 304
Branford, CT 06405

Sharon sent us a copy of her page-to-screen Bingo Card. She has achieved several Bingo’s on her card. Here are some of her books/adaptations:
Death Comes for Pemberley by P.D. James, with an adaptation on PBS
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson, and the film adaptation
A Low Country Heart by Pat Conroy that mentions Fannie Flagg

– Big Book Summer Reading update –
Emily read:
American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee release date 9/29/2026
Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier with illustrations AJ Dungo
The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman release date 9/8/2026
Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution by Denise Kiernan
Land by Maggie O’Farrell

Chris read:
Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier with illustrations AJ Dungo
All We Hide by Robyn Gigl
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution by Denise Kiernan
Point of Origin: Scarpetta #9 by Patricia Cornwell
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
Roots by Alex Haley
American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee release date 9/29/2026

– Currently Reading –
This Explains Everything: A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Navigating Adult ADHD – Dr. Kieran Kennedy (CW)(audiobook)
The Practice of Not Reacting: Zen Wisdom for a Happy Life – Ryushun Kusanagi, translated by Haydn Trowell (EF)
Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football – Rich Cohen (CW)
The Pirate Queen – Ariel Lawhon (EF) release date 9/8/2026
American Hagwon – Min Jin Lee (EF) release date 9/29/2026

– Just Read –
American Hagwon – Min Jin Lee (EF) release date 9/29/2026
Very Good Hats – Emma Straub, illustrated by Blanca Gómez (EF)
Point of Origin: Scarpetta #9 – Patricia Cornwell (CW)
“Don’t Look Now” from the collection After Midnight – Daphne du Maurier (EF)

– Biblio Adventures –
Chris met Our Mystery Man John Valeri to continue their buddy read discussion of Point of Origin: Scarpetta #9 by Patricia Cornwell.

Chris and Emily hosted the August Reading Salon where the discussion topic was three books you would take with you if stuck on a desert island. Emily’s three books: You Could Make this Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith, The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman, and Larousse Gastronomique. Chris chose: The Power Broker by Robert Caro, annotated versions of Dracula by Bram Stoker, and One of Ours by Willa Cather. Send us an email to let us know your three desert island books.

Emily watched the new PBS documentary Mary Oliver: Saved By the Beauty of the World.
Ruth Franklin’s article in the New Yorker “What Mary Oliver Critics Don’t Understand.”

– Upcoming Jaunts –
On September 17th, Chris registered for a virtual event via the The National Willa Cather Center with Richard Norton Smith discussing My Mortal Enemy. The event is free, but registration is required.

Emily plans to watch the 1973 film Don’t Look Now based on the short story by Daphne du Maurier.

The 2026 Maine Lit Fest runs from September 30 through October 9th. Emily has purchased tickets to see Min Jin Lee in conversation with Richard Russo on October 3rd, this is a ticketed event.

The 2026 Cape Cod Book Festival runs from October 24-25 is the Cape Cod Literary Festival. Tickets are available here.

– Upcoming Reads for Shorty September–
Zorrie – Laird Hunt (EF)
Kitchen – Banana Yoshimoto (EF)
Morning Star: Growing Up with Books – Ann Hood (EF)
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader – Anne Fadiman (EF)
Heart Berries – Terese Marie Mailhot (EF)
Tokyo Ueno Station – Miri Yu, translated by Morgan Giles (EF)
Consider the Oyster – M.F.K. Fisher (EF)
When the Emperor was Divine – Julie Otsuka (EF)
My Mortal Enemy – Willa Cather (CW)
Murder at the Tavern: A Guilford Mystery – Juliana Harris (CW)
(Don’t) Call Mum – Matt Wesolowski (CW)
The Night Library of Sternendach: A Vampire Opera in Verse – Jessica Lévai (CW)
Gibbons or One Bloody Thing After Another – James Morrison (CW)
Cinder House – Freya Marske (CW)

– Q4 Readalong –
Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko and the film adaptation.

The Zoom conversation will take place on December 6th at 7pm (ET). Send us an email if you would like to join us. You can join the online conversation anytime via the Goodreads discussion thread.

– Also Mentioned –
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
The Rush: California Gold, the Civil War, and the Making of the Modern World by Nathaniel Philbrick
Also by Julie Otsuka: The Buddha in the Attic and The Swimmers
Shawn Breathes Books Booktube channel

Help support the Book Cougars via our affiliates:
Libro.fm audiobook platform: Follow this link and use promo code: bookcougars

Help support the Book Cougars by becoming a Patreon member.
If you would prefer to donate directly, email for instructions.
Sponsor an episode of the podcast or the newsletter.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Join our Goodreads Group!

Check out our BookTube Channel and be sure to subscribe!