Shows / Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller
Looking for your next great read? Ask a bookseller! Join us to check in with independent bookstores across the U.S. to find out what books they’re excited about right now. One book, two minutes, every week. From the long-running series on MPR News, hosted by Emily Bright. Whether you read to escape, feel connected, seek self-improvement, or just discover something new, there is a book here for you.
Episodes
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A summer thriller debut by a Twin Cities author
Jennifer Jubenville of the Bookstore at Fitger’s in Duluth says there’s nothing like a good thriller for a summer read, and she recommends checking out Joshua…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: a sci-fi romance that steers clear of gender
Brooklyn Lindsey of Crash Books in Lakeland, Florida calls “This is How You Lose the Time War” a time-traveling love letter. The novel by Amal El-Mohtar and…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: Groundhog’s Day meets freshman year of college
Jenny Chou of Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee, Wis., recommends the new YA novel “See You Yesterday” by Rachel Lynn Solomon, which came out May 17.Barrett…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: "Brown Girls" is a poetic chorus of voices
Mika Tuzon of Scrawl Books in Reston, Virginia recommends the novel “Brown Girls” by Daphne Palasi Andreades. Tuzon says two aspects of this debut novel made…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Vigil Harbor'
Alden Graves of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., recommends "Vigil Harbor," a new novel by National Book Award winner Julia Glass.The…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Ogress and the Orphans' leaves you filled with hope
Saturday, April 30, was National Independent Bookstore Day. Many bookstores across the state and the country offered events or specials in-person or online…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Verifiers'
How do you make sure the person you met through a matchmaking app is who they say they are? In Jane Pek's novel "The Verifiers," you'd hire an amateur…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Lessons in Chemistry'
Emily Crowe of "An Unlikely Story" in Plainville, Massachusetts was excited to recommend the novel "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. The novel by the…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Island Queen' celebrates an ambitious Black woman entrepreneur from history
If you like the energy and ambition of the musical "Hamilton," Lelia Nebeker of One More Page Books in Arlington, Va., recommends you check out the novel…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'American War,' set in the future, reflects aspects of today
Sometimes setting a novel in a different time or place gives an author permission to reflect our contemporary world in a new way. That’s the case for…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'One for the Blackbird and One for the Crow'
We're continuing our Women's History Month theme on "Ask a Bookseller." This week, Jessica Bohnsack of Sheridan Stationery Books and Gallery in Sheridan, Wyo…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek'
Have you ever had a book call to you from the shelf? Emily Peterson of Page 42 Bookstore in Spokane, Wash., says she kept being drawn to the novel "The Book…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Civilizations' imagines a Europe colonized by Incas and Aztecs
Sarah Brown of Zenith Bookstore in Duluth has a revisionist history to recommend. "Civilizations: a Novel," by Laurent Binet, asks: What if colonizers had…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Unfamiliar Fishes' is delightful and informative
If you’re a history lover with a desire to escape the Minnesota winter weather, Pat Banning of Bookends in Kailua, Hawaii, has a recommendation for you…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 2020 captured in words and images
Jason Reynolds is the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and Donna Garban of Little City Books in Hoboken, N.J., says she knows to order…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'See Me in the Wonder' is an affirmation of life after loss
Kathy Gray is the primary bookbuyer for Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minn., and she recommends a picture book by a Midwest artist who walked into her store one day…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A new exploration of America's last slave ship and its legacy
Jake Reiss of The Alabama Booksmith near Birmingham, Ala., is looking forward to the publication of a nonfiction book on Jan. 25 that he says is sure to spark…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: Loved the movie? Try reading 'Dune'
Isaac Frankel of Peregrine Book Company in Prescott, Ariz., has fond memories of picking his father's copy of Frank Herbert's sci-fi novel "Dune" off the shelf…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: What does it mean to leave a mark on the world?
Freya Shrestha of Old Harbor Books in Sitka, Alaska, can’t forget a novel called “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.” The book by V. E. Schwab is set in…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Student: Book series elementary school kids love
Usually every week for Ask a Bookseller, I check in with indie booksellers all over the country for recommendations. But this week, we’re changing it up with…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: What does it mean to be a monster?
Emil Ferris's graphic novel "My Favorite Thing is Monsters" made a splash when came out in 2017, and it's still Richard Johnston's favorite title to…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Tiny Americans' follows one family over 40 years
"I always recommend this book as — if you are from or are aware of dysfunctional families, you will connect with this book."That's the recommendation of Bob…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: ‘I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness’
Stef Schmidt of Water Street Books in Exeter, N.H., recommends a novel whose title is sure to draw some curious attention on the shelves. It's called “I Love…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A unique murder mystery
Leading up to Halloween, Jordyn Stocks of Piragis Northwoods Company in Ely, Minn., recommended the mystery novel “The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A climate-change driven YA sci-fi
Lauren Abesames of Wind City Books in Casper, Wyo., loves young adult fiction, and first on her list of recent books to recommend was “The Ones We’re Meant to…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: Crime-solving, ghost-hunting pet capers
This week’s recommendation for kid readers has a “Secret Life of Pets” vibe, and it comes from Angela Whited of Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul. Whited…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A picture book for when it’s hard to get the words out
All September, Ask a Bookseller will be featuring recommendations for kids and teens. First up: Harriett Logan of Loganberry Books in Cleveland, Ohio…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller re-sings the tales of Ovid from the women’s points of view
Autumn Siders of The Country Bookseller in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, recommends a re-telling of Ovid’s collection of ancient myths “Metamorphoses,” told by the…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Hola Papi' offers comical memoir in essays
Katharine Otis of House of Books in Kent, Conn., recommends the comical memoir-in-essays “Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Skunk and Badger'
Linda Crowder of Russell Specialty Books and Gifts in Russell, Kan., recommends the kids’ chapter book “Skunk and Badger,” written by Amy Timberlake and…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' is a feel-good read
Jolie Hughes of Morgan Hill Bookstore in New London, N.H. has a recommendation for people who want a summer read that leaves them feeling good. She points them…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Netanyahus'
Hal Hlavinka of Community Bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y., says he's been telling everyone about a new novel by Joshua Cohen, out Tuesday: "The Netanyahus: An…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a bookseller: 'Honey Girl,' a charming story about finding the love you deserve
Lauren Nopenz Fairley has seen a surging interest in romance novels during the pandemic at her bookstore, The Curious Iguana, in Frederick, Md. She said her…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Bubblegum' offers a 'wonderous slog'
Bookseller Dan Carlisle was intrigued the moment he unpacked the box containing new copies of Adam Levin's novel "Bubblegum." The cover was colored and, more…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A novel celebrating everyday beauty
Stephanie Hochschild of The Book Stall in Winnetka, Illinois, knows the book that she is recommending sounds quiet and simple, but that doesn’t mean it should…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a bookseller recommends very short stories — all about ghosts
Lia Lent of WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, Ark., recommended “The Ghost Variations,” a flash fiction collection by Kevin Brockmeier.All the stories involve…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: Read this 'totally gripping' novel set in Nazi-occupied Norway
This week’s Ask a Bookseller pick is a historical novel set during World War II in Nazi-occupied Norway. The novel is “White Shadow” by Roy Jacobsen…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Solutions and Other Problems’
This week, Ask a Bookseller called closer to home, with a recommendation from Charlie Aldrich of Buffalo Books & Coffee in Buffalo, Minn. He recommended…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A mystery without the procedure in 'Picnic in the Ruins'
Dana Welshans of Snowbound Books in Marquette, Mich., found herself surprised and delighted by the thriller “Picnic in the Ruins” by Todd Robert Petersen. She…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Witches Steeped in Gold' is a Jamaican-inspired YA fantasy
Kalima Desuze of Café con Libros in Brooklyn, N.Y., was a self-described nonfiction reader until 2020, when she fell in love with the imaginative…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Copenhagen Trilogy' introduces Danish poet Tove Ditlevsen to English readers
We couldn't let April pass by without some focus on poetry, and this week’s recommendation checks both the poetry and memoir boxes. Deborah Reed of Cloud and…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: Part memoir, part home redecorating saga
The book Sandy Koropp of Prairie Path Books in Wheaton, Ill., is "crazy about right now" is part memoir, part home redecorating saga. Its descriptive title…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a bookseller: A picture book about recognizing value where others don’t
Zsamé Morgan travels across Minneapolis and St. Paul with her bookmobile, Babycake’s Book Stack. She was excited to spread the word about the picture book…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Milk Fed,' a novel about self-discovery — and frozen yogurt
This week’s recommendation comes from Montpelier, Vt., where Claire Benedict is co-owner of Bear Pond Books. Benedict says she devoured the novel “Milk Fed” by…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Saint X' is not your typical thriller
Maya Aurichio of Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colo., recommends "Saint X" by Alexis Schaitkin. Aurichio read the book when it came out in 2020 and said its…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A northern Minn. author explores the aftermath of a shooting
Sally Wizik Wills of Beagle and Wolf Books and Bindery in Park Rapids, Minn., recommends a new book by a local author this week: Doug Mayfield’s “The Saint…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a bookseller: 'The Magical Language of Others' gives a compassionate look at mother-daughter relationships
Amanda Toronto of Word Bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y., says she can’t stop thinking about a memoir she read recently: “The Magical Language of Others” by poet and…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: A master class on writing, reading — and life
Cat Bock of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tenn., recommended a brand-new work of literary criticism by George Saunders with a tempting subtitle indeed: “A Swim…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Gods of the Upper Air'
Joy Vogelgesang of Kona Stories in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, recommended the nonfiction read "Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: Let’s talk about money
Chuck Neal of Chapters Bookstore in Miami, Okla., recommended a nonfiction title on a ubiquitous topic this week: “Money: the True Story of a Made-up Thing,”…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Fresh Water for Flowers'
Maureen Palmer of Redbery Books in Cable, Wis., recommends the novel “Fresh Water for Flowers” by Valérie Perrin, translated from French by Hildegarde Serle…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Mercy Falls'
Often Ask a Bookseller is a place to discover brand new books for your must-read list, but sometimes booksellers get excited about sharing an old favorite…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Most Spectacular Mistake'
Bookseller Sarah Rafael Garcia of LibroMobile in Santa Ana California recommended a poetry collection this week: “The Most Spectacular Mistake” by Anatalia…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'A heaping helping of joy'
Dionne Sims, owner of the new pop-up store Black Garnet Books in Minneapolis, recommended a book that’s been bringing her joy lately: "#Very Fat #Very Brave: a…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Yes, we know Halloween was last week, but vampires are an any-time-of-year kind of story, right? Especially for a suspense thriller described as “Steel…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a bookseller, Halloween edition: An apocalyptic read keeps you asking 'what else could happen?'
This Halloween, Gretchen West of Valley Bookseller in Stillwater, Minn., recommends the novel “Leave the World Behind” by Rumaan Alam, which came out earlier…
- Ask a Bookseller
'Piranesi,' a perfect fall read leading up to Halloween
Chloe Deblois of Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop in Damariscotta, Maine, recommended the novel “Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke, the bestselling author of…
- Ask a Bookseller
A bookseller recommends 'The City in the Middle of the Night'
Bookseller Julie Goodrich of Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa, recommends a character-driven science fiction novel: “The City in the Middle of the Night”…
- Ask a Bookseller
Ask a Bookseller: 'Sharks in the Time of Saviors'
Bookseller Christine Reed of Basically Books in Hilo, Hawaii recommends a debut novel by Kawai Strong Washburn called “Sharks in the Time of Saviors.” Washburn…
- Ask a Bookseller
'Vote for Our Future' answers kids' questions about elections
Ask a Bookseller wraps up its monthlong focus on books for young readers with a recommendation for a picture book that teaches kids about elections. Bookseller…