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1 Shuai Wang’s Journey from China to Charleston 38:30
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Chef Shuai Wang was the runner-up on the 22nd season of Bravo’s Top Chef and is the force behind two standout restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina—Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ—where he brings together the flavors of his childhood in Beijing and the spirit of the South in some pretty unforgettable ways. He grew up just a short walk from Tiananmen Square, in a tiny home with no electricity or running water, where his grandmother often cooked over charcoal. Later, in Queens, New York, his mom taught herself to cook—her first dishes were a little salty, but they were always made with love. And somewhere along the way, Shuai learned that cooking wasn’t just about food—it was about taking care of people. After years working in New York kitchens, he made his way to Charleston and started building something that feels entirely his own. Today, we’re talking about how all those experiences come together on the plate, the family stories behind his cooking, and what it’s been like to share that journey on national TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
What Should I Read Next?
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Content provided by Anne Bogel. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Anne Bogel or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
What Should I Read Next? is the show for every reader who has ever finished a book and faced the problem of not knowing what to read next. Each week, Anne Bogel, of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, interviews a reader about the books they love, the books they hate, and the books they're reading now. Then, she makes recommendations about what to read next. The real purpose of the show is to help YOU find your next read. To learn more or apply to be on the show visit whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
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Content provided by Anne Bogel. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Anne Bogel or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
What Should I Read Next? is the show for every reader who has ever finished a book and faced the problem of not knowing what to read next. Each week, Anne Bogel, of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, interviews a reader about the books they love, the books they hate, and the books they're reading now. Then, she makes recommendations about what to read next. The real purpose of the show is to help YOU find your next read. To learn more or apply to be on the show visit whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com.
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What Should I Read Next?


A midyear reading check-in has become a small tradition around here, and today Anne is welcoming team member Shannan Malone back to the podcast. Today, you'll hear Anne and Shannan dive into the history of this practice before exploring how this year’s been going so far, what they're each excited about, and what’s working (and not working) in each of their reading lives. With so many books to choose from, and so much going on in all of our busy lives, a midyear check-in is a useful tool to make any adjustments or recalibrations to ensure you’re getting exactly what you want from your reading life, whether that’s escape, education, pure enjoyment, or all of the above. Find the links and resources mentioned today along with the list of titles discussed at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/485. If you haven’t yet ordered your Summer Reading Guide—either the digital version (plus the replay of our Unboxing party)—or the printed version—there’s still plenty of summer reading season ahead. Grab your copy at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 484: A summer to slow down and sink into what you love 49:11
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Today's guest is looking for ways to slow down and sink into what she loves most as she plans her summer of reading. Chelsea Siler is an early childhood special education teacher in Tacoma, Washington. She's often found reading to be a source of joy, escape, and growth, and she'd like these positive experiences to be reflected in her reading selections this summer. Chelsea's always searching for immersive, character-driven stories she will not want to put down. Anne can't wait to share ideas and hear more about Chelsea's plans for a summer of slowly savoring what she reads next. Find the list of titles discussed in today's episode on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/484 . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 483: Help me find my new go-to summer author! 1:05:42
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We often discuss auto-buy authors and completist authors around here, and today's guest is a completist on a mission to discover her new favorite summer author. Stephanie Edwards-Gass is a seventh-grade English teacher and an Elin Hilderbrand completist. For years, she's turned to Hilderbrand's novels for summer reading satisfaction. She's read (and reread) every book in Hilderbrand's catalog, but now that there aren't any new Nantucket books to look forward to, Stephanie's on the hunt for a new go-to summer author that scratches the same itch. She's looking for stories with complex characters, a strong sense of place, lots of juicy details, and often salacious scandals. Stephanie's already done a lot of legwork here and has a really good idea of what has and hasn't worked for her so far. Today she and Anne talk about which author (or authors) might fill this gap in Stephanie's summer reading plan. See the long list of titles mentioned today and leave your suggestions for Stephanie at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/483 . Thanks to all of you who have joined us lately in our Patreon community: we could not make this show without you. If you haven't joined us yet, it's an easy way to show your support for our show and financially support the work we're doing. When you sign up, you get immediate access to the 2025 Summer Reading Guide, our unboxing video, and bonus episodes like the books Anne read and really loved but didn't include in the Guide, and of course all of our archives and the new bonus episodes we're creating this summer. To sign up and get started, go to patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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We always love reading on a theme, and today's guest would love to see her real-life love of the ocean mirrored in the pages of her books. Noelle Leong is a science and medicine-focused librarian at a small liberal arts college. She especially loves her work for the opportunities it provides her to join the students on trails and visiting tidepools. So it’s perhaps unsurprising she’d love Anne's help finding books about the ocean, whether that means pop science, books where the ocean is the setting, or even a character—she’s up for anything. While this isn’t an exclusively summery theme, so many readers associate the ocean with summer vacations and family trips, so it feels like just the right time to dive in and find titles that will appeal to Noelle’s reading wishes right now. Find the list of titles mentioned today and share your ocean reading recommendations by leaving a comment on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/482 For more summer reading fun, join us in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. We had a blast at our Summer Reading Guide Unboxing party, and next week, we’re hosting Summer Reading Guide author Kevin Wilson for our June live author talk. Book Club is a great place to gather with fellow readers and talk all about this summer’s most discussable books. Join the fun at modernmrsdarcy.com/club Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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Nonfiction books often change the way that readers see the world, and today's guest Evan Carlson is on the hunt for fiction that packs the same punch as the nonfiction works he loves. Evan's joining Anne from Chicago, where he lives and works as an actor and poet. He's found that reading poetry and nonfiction helps him challenge his ways of thinking, and he really enjoys this experience. While Evan has read fiction that's worked for him before, too often it leaves him feeling bored. Evan's confident he's just not finding the right fiction picks, and today he and Anne talk about what he's really looking for and how he might find the titles that will excite and engage him. Find the list of titles mentioned today and share your recommendations for Evan on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/481 . Stock up on our new summer merch, including new stickers, tees, hats, and more in our online shop . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 480: Branching out with escapist, emotionally resonant novels 58:23
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Feeling more confident about finding the right reads is a common bookish goal. In today's conversation, Anne welcomes Tynisha Coleman to the show to talk about her current reading goals. Tynisha is a leadership development coach, university lecturer, and sci-fi and fantasy lover from New Jersey. She doesn't shy away from books that tackle tough plot points, which often feature in the emotionally resonant books she loves. But she does expect these trickier developments to serve a sense of purpose to the plot, and she'd like to avoid reading experiences that send her into the depths of despair. Right now, Tynisha is looking for titles that offer a sense of escapism, both in her current preferred genres, and while also keeping open to other works she'll enjoy. Anne has a bunch of ideas to share. Find the list of titles mentioned in today's episode at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/480 . We kicked off summer reading season with our 14th annual Summer Reading Guide and Live Unboxing just a few weeks ago. If you missed the launch, you can still get your copy of the digital Guide and the video replay from our Unboxing party by visiting modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 479: Balancing backlist with shiny new releases 1:12:38
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Every year we get some variation of this question: how can a reader like today’s guest, Elise Brancheau, balance all the shiny new books of summer with the backlist titles that are already patiently waiting on her to-be-read list? Elise is a New Jersey-based professional classical singer who describes herself as a huge reading-planning nerd. We know Elise is in good company here! But with all of the summer reading titles coming her way, Elise is wondering how she can unapologetically embrace old and new possibilities to read right now. Anne always loves to talk about this particular reading dilemma, so today she and Elise explore how a reader who loves to plan can also incorporate shiny new summer releases into her reading rhythms without throwing those carefully laid plans way off course. Find the titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/479 . If you haven't ordered your Summer Reading Guide yet, there's still plenty of time. It's a great way to add to your summer reading list while tangibly supporting our show. Snag your copy at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 478: A snippet from the 2025 Summer Reading Guide 10:33
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We're taking you behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide and sharing an excerpt from our live Unboxing party. Our 2025 Guide includes 35 books across a range of genres which we've grouped into six categories. Today you'll hear Anne's commentary of three books from the first category, Family Sagas. Our Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing are designed to give you an idea of what your own reading experience might be like with each book so you can then decide if that's a reading experience that you want to have. This year's Guide is 40 packed pages, and we've built in fun features like more of summer's most anticipated new releases, tons of backlist titles that play into our road trip theme, our ever-loved Awesome On Audio selections for both new releases and backlist books, and more. We hosted our Live Unboxing party last week, which has been a tradition around here since 2019. When you opt in for the Summer Reading Guide experience by joining one of our membership communities or purchasing a la carte, our Unboxing replay is available for you to access anytime on your schedule. We hope this little preview gives you a taste of what our Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing is like. Find the links and titles mentioned in today's episode on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/478 And if you missed our 2025 Summer Reading Guide when it released last week, it's not too late to get your copy of the digital guide and access the recording of our live Unboxing party. Get all of the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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We're kicking off Summer Reading Season with our fourteenth annual Summer Reading Guide, coming this Thursday! Today on the podcast Anne is joined by a special guest who is particularly well qualified to go behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide with her: Will Bogel! Many of you consider Anne's husband Will to be your book twin, and today they're diving into the project and pleasure that is creating the Summer Reading Guide each year. We hope you'll enjoy this peek behind the scenes and that it whets your appetite for this year's Unboxing parties, too. Find the links and titles mentioned today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/477 . There's still time to join one of our membership communities or purchase your a la carte ticket for Thursday's Unboxing party, which includes a digital copy of the 2025 Summer Reading Guide. Get all of the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 476: Offbeat, intricately plotted books for an ambitious reading project 1:13:42
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Reading projects take all shapes and sizes, and today's guest has set a goal to read all the Women's Prize for Fiction shortlists and winners. Today, Anne is talking books with Kathryn, who lives on the island of Okinawa, Japan, with her military husband and energetic golden retriever. Kathryn works for a nonprofit and spends her leisure time reading, knitting, or walking on the beach close to their home. Since Kathryn's project is an ambitious one, she's come up with a strategy of reading one year at a time, though not necessarily in chronological order. Today she and Anne talk about which years or titles she may want to bump to the top of her read-next list. They also touch on reading project fatigue and ways Kathryn can truly enjoy the process of reaching her reading goal. Find the list of titles mentioned today and share your reading and project recommendations for Kathryn by leaving a comment over at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/476 . Our 2025 Summer Reading Guide is nearly here: we'll be gathering on May 15th for our live unboxing party. Get your RSVP and digital guide by joining our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club or Patreon community, or purchase an a la carte ticket. Join us to kick of summer reading season: get the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 475: Help for a fiction lover who wants to read more nonfiction 48:59
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Today's guest is an avid reader, retired social worker, and What Should I Read Next? completist who lives in New Jersey. Jill Jaclin has a reading conundrum: she really wants to read more nonfiction, but she's struggled to find a way to incorporate it into her reading life. As she told Anne, she also knows that there are nonfiction books out there that will educate her if only she would take the time to read them. In fact, she's got a whole bookshelf full of books that she's acquired but hasn't touched. Today, Anne helps Jill explore her unread shelf and offers ideas to refine her reading balance in the future. Find the full list of titles discussed today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/475 . We're just a few weeks away from releasing our 2025 Summer Reading Guide. If you're a part of our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club or Patreon communities, the digital Guide and unboxing party are included in your membership. We're also offering our popular a la carte tickets again for 2025. Find all of the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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Readers, if you are feeling burned out right now, you are not alone. In our team meeting last week, we talked about the fact that things are hard right now. That's why this feels like a great time to revisit a favorite past episode from another time not so long ago when we were also feeling burned out. Today we're sharing Anne's May 2021 conversation with journalist Anne Helen Petersen, which originally aired back then as Episode 284. Anne Helen writes the weekly email newsletter Culture Study and she knows a lot about burnout because she literally wrote a book about it: Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation . In today's episode, Anne Helen shares her personal experience with reading during a grueling season, advice and hope for readers who feel stuck in burnout, and a handful of backlist favorites from her own bookshelves. No matter how your reading life has evolved over the last few years, or even if it hasn't, we think you'll find comfort and insight in today's episode. Find the full list of titles mentioned today at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/474 . We've been working hard behind the scenes to prepare your 2025 Summer Reading Guide! This year will be our 14th annual Summer Reading Guide, and we kick off the celebration with our live unboxing before continuing with all sorts of bonus reading adventures in Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and in our Patreon community. Order your Summer Reading Guide at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 473: Refining an out-of-date TBR system 1:00:46
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When the world feels heavy, many of us look to books for distraction, inspiration, or reassurance. Today's guest has a unique spin on what she's seeking and would love Anne's help in figuring out how the types of reads she wants right now fit into her existing to-be-read (TBR) system. Émilie Weidl lives in Wales, where she's taken a year off before starting her PhD. When she's not reading or volunteering, you'll likely find her out for a walk or a hike, exploring the beautiful country around her. Émilie has always had a good grasp on her reading tastes, but lately she's found that the historical fiction she's always loved isn't working well for her. She's also having a hard time reading nonfiction because the topics she's been drawn to in the past feel harrowing right now. Plus, she's found that the TBR management system she's relied on for ages isn't work as well as it used to. Émilie's looking for absolutely gut-wrenching books that will distract her from her real-world worries, and a system that will help her tee up books she'll really enjoy reading right now. Anne has ideas for Émilie, as you'll hear today. Suggest gut-wrenching reads you think Émilie might enjoy and see the full list of titles discussed today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/473 . We always have exciting things on the horizon in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club , and right now is no exception. Next week, we're going to learn all about Commonplace Books: what they are, and how to keep one, also why you might want to. When you join the club, you get immediate access to this class and all of our past events, along with our 2025 Summer Reading Guide which is coming out in May. Join us for a month or longer and experience the reading buffet book club has to offer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 472: Literary + Genre = match made in heaven 56:55
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Finding highly discussable books for book clubs often feels like a full-time job, especially if you're a member of multiple long-standing book clubs like today's guest, Lara. Today, Lara joins Anne to talk about her constant search for fiction that explores the human condition in all its messy glory. She loves these sorts of books because they give her so much to talk about with her fellow readers. Recently, Lara was listening to an episode of our podcast when she heard Anne mention her appreciation for books that are literary AND, as in literary novels that also bring in strong genre elements like romance or adventure or mystery. Lara's reaction was, Oh, me too. In their conversation today, she and Anne talk more about books that are literary AND, and Anne recommends specific titles Lara may want to add to her TBR. Find the full list of those titles and other links from today's show at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/472 . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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1 Ep 471: Don't let perfectionism ruin your reading life 1:07:42
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Over the past few years, today's guest has been on a journey of self-discovery. Florida reader Casey has been working on coming to terms with her perfectionism and along the way, she's been noticing what it means for her reading life. Casey's noticed she tends to save highly anticipated books for later: some uncertain time down the road when circumstances make the timing at long last completely perfect to pick up that book she's really been wanting to read. But Casey knows firsthand that our time is limited, and it is a certainty she'll run out of time to read everything she wants to. So, how to decide what should she read right now, and how can she prompt herself to actually read those books? Today, she and Anne explore these readerly struggles, with special emphasis on finding backlist titles that are a little bit weird, a little bit whimsical, and that just might take Casey by surprise. Find the list of titles mentioned today and leave your suggestions for Casey over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/471 . Many of Patreon Community members enjoy the flexibility of Patreon, which lets them tune in to Bonus Episodes and other features on their own schedule. When you join us on Patreon, you'll get our weekly bonuses right in your podcast feed just like our Tuesday morning episodes, and all our live events are recorded so you can take part on your schedule. Patreon is also a tangible way to support everything we do here at What Should I Read Next?. Find out more and join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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