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Revisiting our summer reading goals

Suzanne Perez
/
KMUW

The heat may be persisting, but still, summer is coming to an end. In this episode of Books & Whatnot Suzanne Perez and Beth Golay give us an update on their summer reading goals — some of which were met on their reading retreat.

Books & Whatnot is produced by KMUW and is part of the NPR Podcast Network.

Books (and whatnot) discussed in this episode:

  • Wonder Travels by Josh Barkan
  • Mexico: Stories by Josh Barkan
  • Blind Speed by Josh Barkan
  • The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
  • Circe by Madeline Miller
  • Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
  • Wicked by Gregory Maguire
  • Dayswork by Chris Bachelder & Jennifer Habel
  • The Throwback Special by Chris Bachelder
  • Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau
  • Dear Committee Members by Julie Shumacher
  • The Shakespeare Requirement by Julie Schumacher
  • The English Experience by Julie Schumacher
  • My Name Is Iris by Brando Skyhorse 
  • The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 
  • The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
  • Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
  • Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
  • Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder 
  • Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
  • These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
  • Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
  • Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
  • The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
  • The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett
  • Run by Ann Patchett
  • Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
  • Taft by Ann Patchett
  • Book of Delights by Ross Gay
  • Inciting Joy by Ross Gay
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Beth Golay is KMUW's Director of Marketing and Digital Content. She is the host of the KMUW podcast Marginalia, co-host with Suzanne Perez of the Books & Whatnot podcast, creator of the podcast You're Saying It Wrong, creator of KMUW's daily news podcast Wichita's Early Edition, and NPR StoryLab Workshop team member on the award-winning podcast My Fellow Kansans.
Suzanne Perez is KMUW's News Director, overseeing our staff of reporters and hosting our weekly feature program, The Range. She previously covered education for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. Before moving to public radio in 2021, Suzanne worked more than 30 years at The Wichita Eagle, where she reported on schools and a variety of other topics.