Unabridged: A Book Podcast
Unabridged is a bookish podcast hosted by teachers. We release episodes twice a month, including a monthly Book Club episode and other bookish topics full of recommendations for your TBR list. Join us for bookish fun at our website unabridgedpod.com, on social media @unabridgedpod, or via email at unabridgedpod@gmail.com.
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Episodes
Wednesday Jan 15, 2020
Wednesday Jan 15, 2020
In this episode, we're discussing some books we can't wait to read in 2020, including Brigid Kemmerer’s A Heart So Fierce and Broken, Bianca Marais’s Hum If You Don’t Know the Words, and Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years. We also talk about Sarah J. Maas's works and end our episode talking about some of our favorite places to eat.
Ashley’s Picks
Brigid Kemmerer’s A Heart So Fierce and Broken - January 7, 2020
Adib Khorram’s Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Valeria Luiselli’s Lost Children Archive
*Listen to Jen’s comments about this one on our “All About the Journey” episode
Jen's Picks
Bianca Marais’s Hum If You Don’t Know the Words
Sarah J. Maas’s House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City series) - March 3, 2020
Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed’s When Stars Are Scattered - April 14, 2020
*Colby Sharp's tweet
Sara’s Picks
Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years - March 3, 2020
Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Cara Wall’s The Dearly Beloved
Other Mentions
Rebecca Serle’s The Dinner List
Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl
Sarah J. Maas’s Court of Thorns and Roses (book 1 in series) and Throne of Glass (book 1 in series)
Give Me One - Our Favorite Type of Food
Taste of Thai in Harrisonburg
Taj of India in Harrisonburg
Corgan’s Publick House of Harrisonburg
Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.
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Wednesday Jan 08, 2020
Wednesday Jan 08, 2020
In this Unabridged Book Club (#unabridgedpodbookclub) episode, we discuss Mary Beth Keane's Ask Again, Yes, the amazing multigenerational novel examining two families in a planned community. We make connections to Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere, John Boyne’s The Heart's Invisible Furies, and Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, and we thoroughly discuss the intricacies of relationships over time and through generations as they are explored in the novel.
Timeline
Introduction - 00:00 - 01:35
General Discussion - 01:36- 39:48
Our Pairings - 39:50 - 46:15
Classroom Connections - 46:16 - 49:52
Our Pairings
Ashley's pick - Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere
Sara's pick - John Boyne’s The Heart's Invisible Furies
Jen's pick - Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House
Classroom Connections and Other Mentions
Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You
Mira T. Lee's Everything Here Is Beautiful
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
Children's author Kate DiCamillo on the What Should I Read Next? podcast (episode 213)
Give Me One - Favorite Mixed Drink
Sara - Amaretto Sour or Mimosa
Ashley - Negroni
Jen - Margarita
Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.
Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Monday Dec 30, 2019
Monday Dec 30, 2019
The hosts of Unabridged once again gathered to reflect on our year of reading and to choose some of our favorites. While Jen (as is typical) wanted to talk about all the books, Sara and Ashley did a much better job reining it in. Check out the episode to hear us talk about The Song of Achilles, Good Talk, and The Heart's Invisible Furies. We revisit favorites from the podcast and share some of our favorite books for kids.We'd love to know about your favorites of the year! Head over to social media to boost your picks.
Our Individual Awards
Jen
*Best Reinterpretation of a Classic - Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles
*Most Tear-Jerking YA Novel - Adib Khorram’s Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Ashley
*Poignant, Hilarious, and Brilliant Graphic Memoir with a One-of-a-Kind Style - Mira Jacob’s Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
*Gripping Story that’s All about Sports, Except that It’s Really All about Life - Fredrik Backman’s Beartown
Sara
*Best Non-fiction that Reads like a Thriller - Nick Bilton’s American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road
*Best Book of My Year and on My Top 5 of All Time - John Boyne’s The Heart's Invisible Furies
Children's and Young Adult Books
*Ashley - Most Affirming Story about Accepting Oneself - Grace Byers’s I Am Enough, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
*Sara - Best Graphic Novel I Have Read and Also Got to Meet the Author - Jarrett J. Krosoczka's Hey Kiddo
*Jen - Best Series to Re-read - J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
Not My Cup of Tea
*Ashley - Alafair Burke’s The Ex
*Jen - Elizabeth McCracken’s Bowlaway
*Sara - Stephanie Land’s Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive
Favorite Book from the Podcast
*Ashley - Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
*Jen - Ibi Zoboi's Pride
*Sara - Beth Macy's Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America
Give Me One - A Fact People Might Be Surprised to Know about Us
*Jen - studied biology and loves science
*Sara - has an MBA and used to work in banking
*Ashley - was a white water rafting guide
Other Mentions
*Anne Bogel's What Should I Read Next? podcast
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
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Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Monday Dec 23, 2019
Monday Dec 23, 2019
In this special holiday episode, we're wrapping up 2019 with 3 recent favorites. Stay tuned next week for our 2019 Unabridged Awards!How would you wrap up YOUR year? What are some of your 2019 favorites? Let us know on social media!
timeline
Click the episode title to access show notes:
*Introduction (0:00 - 2:01)
*Episode 87, "Get to Know the Hosts" (002:10 - 28:00)
*Episode 86, "Favorite Audiobooks" (28:10 - 50:11)
*Episode 91, "Book and Song Pairings" (50:22 - 72:13)
*Give Me One (72:23 - end)
give me one - favorite pizza topping
*Ashley - Bacon
*Jen - Ham and Pineapple
*Sara - Extra Cheese
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
The Unabridged debate over what makes a holiday movie gets a little contentious as Jen and Sara face off (primarily) about Love Actually. Poor Ashley serves as moderator (sorry, Ashley!).What do YOU think makes a Christmas movie? Does it have to be ABOUT Christmas, or is it enough to be set during the holiday season? Let us know what you think @unabridgedpod!
movie mentions
*Love Actually
*Elf
*Christmas with the Kranks
*Deck the Halls
*Jingle All the Way
*Notting Hill
*The Polar Express
*The Family Stone
*Christmas Shoes
other mentions
*The Popcast
*The Atlantic articles on Love Actually
--> From 2004 - The Movie Review: 'Love Actually'
--> From 2013 - I Will Not Be Ashamed of Loving Love Actually / Love Actually Is the Least Romantic Film of All Time / Love Actually: Still Awful
give me one - a toy you loved when you were a kid
*Jen's pick - Barbies (organized by name and age)
*Sara's pick - Roller Skates
*Ashley's pick - my teddy bear Fuzzy
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Unabridged is back with more unpopular opinions! For our second Unpopular Opinion Alert, we take on Where the Crawdad Sings, Verity, and The Female Persuasion.What books did everyone else love that you . . . well, that you don't? Head over to our social media to share your opinion in a safe space. Move past YOUR trepidation to let us know what you REALLY think. And let us know what you think about our unpopular opinions, too.
works mentioned
*Ashley's Pick - Meg Wolitzer’s The Female Persuasion
*Jen's Pick - Colleen Hoover’s Verity
*Sara's Pick - Delia Owens’s Where the Crawdads Sing
give me one: Instagram accounts to follow
*Sara's pick: NYC Book Girl
*Ashley's pick: We Love Big Books and We Cannot Lie
*Jen's pick: Bookish Ladies Club
--> @reading_mom.me
--> @kb.reads19
--> @jessicasbookjourney
--> @the_reading_bee
--> @bradeighgodfrey
--> @musingwithmeirys
--> @chill_jilland_read
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Friends, for our Unabridged Book Club book this month, we're reading Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb's epistolary novel Last Christmas in Paris. This book, set predominantly during World War I, unveils the relationships of two characters, Evie and Tom, through the letters they write to each other and to friends and family. Through the lens of their very personal letters, readers also gain an understanding of other concerns of the time, including the growing role of women in Great Britain, concerns of journalism in telling the truth and supporting patriotism, mental health of soldiers, and (of course!) finding love and companionship in the midst of war. It's a novel of friendship, of fraternity, and of passion, set over the course of years.Join us on social media this month to share your thoughts about Gaynor and Webb's novel!
timeline
*Introduction and General Discussion: 00:00 - 38:03
*Book Pairings: 38:04 - 43:34
*Classroom Connections: 43:35 - 45:18
*Give Me One: 45:20 - 47:45
book pairings
*Ashley - Ruta Sepetys’s Salt to the Sea
*Jen - Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network
*Sara - Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See
other mentions
*Alice Walker's The Color Purple
*Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's Dangerous Liaisons
*The Hamilton Soundtrack
give me one - musician to try
*Jen's pick - Red Hot Chili Peppers
*Sara's pick - Maroon 5
*Ashley's pick - The Chainsmokers
*Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
*Check out our Merch Store!
*Become a patron on Patreon.
*Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
*Like and follow our Facebook Page.
*Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
*Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
*Check us out on Podbean.
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
The three of us had an amazing conversation with RuthAnn Deveney about ways that everyone can combat human trafficking every day. We discuss Dressember (find Ashley and Sara on social media to support their Dressember campaigns) and about how to talk to kids of all ages about human trafficking and how to make a difference. We also share an array of book recommendations for all ages, including Girl Rising by Tanya Lee Stone, Tell Me by Joan Bauer, and Sold by Patricia McCormick.Starting on December 10, join us on Instagram (@unabridgedpod) for our Dressember Auction--you can win a fabulous prize package and join us in combating human trafficking.
works and authors mentioned
*Joan Bauer's Tell Me
*Tanya Lee Stone's Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time
*Patricia McCormick's Sold
*Dave Eggers's What Can a Citizen Do?
*Innosanto Nagara's A Is for Activist
*Vashti Harrison's Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
*Malala Yousafzai's Malala's Magic Pencil
*Peter H. Reynolds's Say Something
*Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli's Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
*The Doorstone Film Project's "The Candy Shop"
*Aisha Saeed's Amal Unbound
*Shobha Rao's Girls Burn Brighter
*Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis's Slave: My True Story
*Gary Houghan and Victor Boutros's The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence
*Cyntoia Brown Long's Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System
other mentions
*International Justice Mission
*RuthAnn on Instagram - @definitelyRA
*30 for 30 Remix Challenge (3o items of clothing in 30 days)
give me one: magazine picks
*Sara's pick: People
*Ashley's pick: Simplify
*Jen's pick: Real Simple
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
It's that time of year again, friends. You know it: the time of year when we are all about finding the perfect gift for the bookworms in your life. We have a great time in this episode talking about some of our favorite bookish shops and items for all your bookworm gift-giving needs!Listen to find out about book sleeves and headbands and earrings and bookmarks and so much more!
featured businesses
*Lyndsey Draws Co. Etsy Shop and Lyndsey's Instagram
*A Hum for Hope - Discount Code: UNABRIDGED10
*Mountain Thread Company - Discount Code: UNABRIDGED
*Bring Your Own
some bookish items we love
*Treat Yo’ Shelf Subscription from $55 (from The Bookshelf, Thomasville, Georgia)
*Snitch Earrings ($20) (from Artsy Heartsy Boutique - Quilled Literary Creations)
*Full Hearts Collection (from Carrot Top Paper Shop)
a few other mentions
*Book Riot's Book Fetish Newsletter
*Bookish Headband from Fablebands ($10.00)
*Bookshop Bookend from Amazon.com ($9.00)
*Knock, Knock Personal Library Kit from Amazon.com ($13.00)
*Personalized Name Bookmark from kraze4paper ($10.00)
*Custom Picture Bookmark from Sweet Cartolina (from $11.00)
*2018 Bookish Gifts Episode
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store.
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
What do you think of the classics? And, for that matter, how do you define classics? We take on these issues and more in today's episode, discussing the merits of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Zora Neale Hurston, and more.Listen to the episode, and then join us on social media to let us know where YOU think about this debate.
works and authors mentioned
*Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Emma
*Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations
*Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
*Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
*Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
*F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
*John Steinbeck's East of Eden
*Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
*Shakespeare’s Othello, Hamlet
*James Joyce’s Ulysses
*Clive Cussler (check out Pacific Vortex!)
*Samuel Beckett (here's a collection, Three Novels: Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable)
give me one: apps worth trying
*Sara's pick: PicTapGo
*Ashley's pick: Down Dog
*Jen's pick: IMDb
Check out what's coming up next.
want to support unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.