Episode 262 - Q2 Readalong: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Book Cougars Episode 262
Emily Fine & Chris Wolak
Book Cougars Episode 262

Episode 262 Show Notes

– Currently Reading –
Land – Maggie O’Farrell (EF) (audiobook)
11/22/63 – Stephen King (CW)
Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution – Denise Kiernan (CW)(EF)

– Just Read –
Swimming Studies – Leanne Shapton (EF)
Emily bakes with olive oil on Ingredient One
Twilight Sleep – Edith Wharton (CW)
Foe – Iain Reid (EF)
Sizzle & Drizzle: Over 100 Essential Bakes, Recipes and Tips – Nancy Birtwhistle (EF)
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe – Fannie Flagg (CW)(EF)
Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block – Jesse Q. Sutanto (EF)

– Biblio Adventures –
Chris attended the 2026 BIO Conference in New York City. She got the opportunity to tour The Century Association. Highlights included seeing Natalie Dykstra, Sara Catterall, Janice Nimura, and Bill Goldstein – all of whom have been featured via Author Spotlights on the podcast, meeting Diane Diekman author of Randy Travis: Storms of Life, a  conversation between Brenda Wineapple, Ron Chernow and moderator Brian Kerrigan, and attending the announcement of the Plutarch award winner – Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife by Francesca Wade.  

Emily had her buddy read of The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler with Russell from Ink and Paper Blog. She watched the movie based on the novel.

Chris renewed her New York Public Library card. She was excited to find a copy of Twilight Sleep by Edith Wharton that had friendlier font size.

Chris and Emily attended an event at RJ Julia Booksellers with Amy Bloom talking about her new mystery novel Blunt Instrument. Amy was featured in an Author Spotlight on Episode 153.

We had a great time talking with listeners on our Zoom conversation about the Q2 readalong Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, and the movie based on the novel.

Chris watched the movie Project Hail Mary based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir.

Chris attended a virtual event via the National Willa Cather Center featuring Rebecca Romney discussing “Willa Cather, the Archival Chain, and the Making of a Literary Legacy.” The video is available for a short time here.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
July 22, Chris and Emily are registered for an event at The Mystic Seaport featuring Christopher Shaw: “Robert Shaw: The Misunderstood Genius behind JAWS.” You can register for the event here. Learn more about Christopher’s book, Robert Shaw: An Actor’s Life on the set of JAWS and Beyond.

Emily is planning a Couch Biblio Adventure to watch the movie Foe based on the novel of the same name by Iain Reid.

– Upcoming Reads –
Jaws – Peter Benchley (EF)
The Butterfly Lampshade – Aimee Bender (EF)
Hunger and Thirst – Claire Fuller (CW)(EF)
“The Summer People” in the collection Dark Tales – Shirley Jackson (CW)
Cause of Death: Scarpetta #7 – Patricia Cornwell (CW)
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – Seth Grahame-Smith (CW)
If you’re interested in joining Chris for a buddy read and movie watch send an email.

– Also Mentioned –
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Also by Jesse Q. Sutanto: The Vera Wong series and the Dial A for Aunties series
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje and the movie based on the novel
The Martian by Andy Weir
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (translated by Ebbe Segerberg) and the movie based on the novel

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!

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Episode 261 - Still in the Grip of Frankenstein, and Now Gyllenhaal's The Bride!

Book Cougars Episode 261
Emily Fine & Chris Wolak
Book Cougars Episode 261

Episode 261 Show Notes

Emily read the poem “The Art of Disappearing” by Naomi Shihab Nye from the collection Words Under the Words.

Two upcoming page-to-screen adaptations:
1. Anna Pigeon based on the series by Nevada Barr that starts with Track of the Cat.
2. East of Eden based on John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name.

– Currently Reading –
Foe – Iain Reid (EF)
Twilight Sleep – Edith Wharton (CW)
Three Bags Full – Leonie Swann, translated by Anthea Bell (EF)(audiobook)
Table Four at the River Cafe: Conversations about Food and Life – Ruthie Rogers (EF)
interview with Ruthie Rogers on Radio Cherry Bombe

– Just Read –
Five – Ilona Bannister (EF)(audiobook)
From Potters Field: Scarpetta #6 – Patricia Cornwell (CW)
The Accidental Tourist – Anne Tyler (EF)

– Episode Sponsor –
The Soft Underbelly by Carlisle Richardson

– Biblio Adventures –
Chris saw the Devil Wears Prada 2 inspired by the novels by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada, Revenge Wears Prada, and When Life Gives You Lululemons.

Emily watched Remarkably Bright Creatures on Netflix based on the novel of the same name by Shelby Van Pelt.

Chris and John met to discuss From Potters Field: Scarpetta #6 by Patricia Cornwell.

Chris and Emily both watched The Bride! directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.

The Patreon reading salon conversation focused on reading plans for Sue Jackson’s Big Book Summer Reading Challenge. Learn more about the challenge on her blog and her BookTube channel.

Watch this video to see our big book plans. Emily forgot to mention Land by Maggie O’Farrell and The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw publishing on September 29, and she plans to start with Beartown trilogy by Fredrik Backman. Chris will be starting with 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Chris forgot Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Frasier, This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis and Clark by Craig Fehrman, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton: A Revolutionary Life by Ellen Carol DuBois.

Emily enjoyed the conversation between Marisa Helff and Chloe Dalton, author of Raising Hare.

– Upcoming Jaunts –
Emily will be going to see The Sheep Detectives on the big screen, based on the novel Three Bags Full and The Accidental Tourist based on the novel of the same name.

Our Zoom conversation about Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg.

Chris is doing a buddy read of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. They will also discuss the movie, the Zoom conversation will be on June 27. Send an email if you are interested in joining the conversation.

June 7 at 11:00, Chris and Emily are registered to see Amy Bloom in conversation about her novel Blunt Instrument at RJ Julia Booksellers. Register here.  

Upcoming Patreon Reading Salons: (learn more about becoming a Patreon member)
June 28, topic will be books we think we “should’ read.
July 26, topic will be award winners.

– Upcoming Reads –
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe – Fannie Flagg (CW)
Beartown – Fredrik Backman (EF)
Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution – Denise Kiernan (EF)
Cause of Death: Scarpetta #7 – Patricia Cornwell (CW)

– Out Now –
Hunger and Thirst by Claire Fuller

– Also Mentioned –
The movie Foe
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Cal Newport
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
The novel Where the Crawdads Sing and the movie
Patricia Cornwell’s Andy Brazil series
A Feminist Theory of Refusal by Bonnie Honig
The novel The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante and the movie
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
Drafting the Past podcast
Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote by Craig Fehrman
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Story Magazine

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!