Ep 457: Immersive audiobooks for cozy reading anywhere

We love a summer reading project of any style, and when Anne read the submission from today's guest and her quest for what she is calling a short summer of reading, she wanted to talk about it on the show. Emily Henderson is a mom of four, writer, and runner with a passion for home design, and she loves a project. While Emily came to reading later in life, she's found through trial and error what really works for her, and these days that's often books in an audio format. This summer, though, Emily would love to prioritize daily reading on the page. She's looking for short reading experiences that will not only get her reading more in print, but also serve as a satisfying substitute for social media that she wants to spend less time on. Emily is looking for short stories, essay collections, memoirs and essays, and micro histories that deliver the quick bite-sized reading experience she is hoping to log every day of summer break. And she'd especially appreciate stories that leave her breathless or make her think about them long after she finishes. Anne has ideas she can't wait to share. Find the list of titles mentioned and leave your suggestions for Emily on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/529. Our 2026 MMD Summer Reading Guide, the 15th edition, is available now. Buy your 38-page Summer Reading Guide PDF digital copy at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop, and you'll also get access to the Unboxing event recording. This is also the second year we are offering a beautifully printed edition of the Guide, which you'll also find at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. At this time, we are only able to ship to U.S. addresses. Chapters: 04:05 Meet Emily 13:24 Emily’s short summer reading project 20:36 The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck 24:01 The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green 27:28 This is a Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 30:58 Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert 39:35 Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman 43:08 So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan 45:53 World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 48:12 Small Town Girls by Jayne Anne Phillips 53:51 What will Emily read next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year we remind readers that our Summer Reading Guide isn't a list of books you should read, it's a list of books you could read. Today's guest knows that reading is personal, and that's why she's here to get Anne's help figuring out which titles from the 2026 Guide she should prioritize.  Ashley Cornelius lives in Santa Barbara with her family, where she's a high school science teacher. Ashley reached out to tell us about the books she's loved and one she didn't from past Summer Reading Guides, and wondered if Anne could help her select books from this year's Guide that might fit her desired summer vibe. Today, Anne is helping one particular reader decide what to read next. But more than that, she's walking you through the thought process of considering what to read next in light of what you already know about your reading life. Find the list of titles discussed today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/528. Chapters: 02:58 Meet Ashley 07:13 What brings Ashley to What Should I Read Next? 12:44 The River by Peter Heller 16:27 The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty 19:57 The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 22:34 The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd 38:35 Fair Chase by Travis Mulhauser 43:54 Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel 50:39 Country People by Daniel Mason 55:29 What will Ashley read next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's book lover is seeking a literary doorway into the creative world of art and museums. Kristine Parsons doesn't have an art background. She works as a county road commission manager in Michigan, yet she is fascinated by art and museums, and finds herself drawn to immersive and engaging stories that incorporate one or both elements into the story. Kristine loves to travel and visit museums in person, but her day-to-day life between work and two active pre-teens means that in this season, these visits are more likely to occur on the page. Today, Kristine and Anne explore stories featuring art and the creative process. If Anne has recommendations that are actually set in museums, well, so much the better. We'd love to hear your ideas for Kristine, too: please tell us by leaving a comment on our show notes page, where you'll also find the list of titles mentioned today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/527. We're so happy to announce that our long-awaited MMD sorority style sweatshirt is available for pre-order. A mid-weight Comfort Colors crew, choose from two shades: a soft blue called blue jean and a soft red called crimson. Both feature an MMD applique in deep navy. These are cute and comfortable, and our team is excited to wear them on cool summer nights and into the colder months of the year. We also have a new hat style and other restocked favorites: find everything at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. Chapters: 03:43 Meet Kristine 09:06 What brings Kristine to What Should I Read Next? 14:31 The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai 17:55 The Unseen World by Liz Moore 21:47 Heart the Lover by Lily King 24:47 A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst 31:14 The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews 36:52 Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel 43:07 Dear Monica Lewinsky by Julia Langbein 48:08 What will Kristine read next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Anne is sharing an excerpt from our 2026 Summer Reading Guide Live Unboxing. To mark our 15th Guide, we’re inviting you to listen in as she tells you all about this year's Minimalist Picks. During our Summer Reading Guide Unboxing, Anne goes through every book and tells you why out of the hundreds of books she considered for the Guide that year, these are the ones she landed on. What makes them interesting, what is each story like, what kinds of readers might they appeal to? In today’s excerpt, we're sharing what Anne had to say about the six titles in this year’s Minimalist Guide. We hope this gives you an exciting preview of our 15th Summer Reading Guide. For the list of titles mentioned today and more, visit our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/526. This year's complete Guide includes 35 new-for-2026 releases, our popular “For fans of” backlist recommendations, Awesome on Audio picks, reading retreat best practices from our team, and a splashy anniversary feature looking back on 15 years of the SRG. If you’ve not yet gotten your Guide, you can do that now or anytime with instant digital delivery. Your a la carte purchase or membership also grants you access to our video Unboxing of the entire Guide. We’re also offering a professionally printed guide, delivered straight to your mailbox in the U.S. These are shipping now: visit our shop at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop to order yours. That's where you'll also find retreat-worthy merch, like our cozy new sorority sweatshirt, a brand new hat that I hope brings a smile to your face, restocked book darts, stickers, totes, and more more. Chapters 03:05 What’s in the 2026 Summer Reading Guide? 04:52 The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh 07:23 Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan 9:48 Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy 12:10 Land by Maggie O’Farrell 13:54 The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders 15:38 Whistler by Ann Patchett 17:58 How to get the complete 2026 Summer Reading Guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am delighted to welcome our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club Community Manager, Ginger Horton, back to the show to talk about this year's 15th annual Summer Reading Guide and dive into all things summer reading. Ginger has been collaborating on the Guide for many years now, and she played an integral role in selecting our 2026 reading retreat theme. As you'll hear today, she's also the reason we started hosting our annual Unboxing live events. We're going to get into that in detail. Ginger is also a co-discoverer with readers, though, because just a few hours before we recorded, she saw the first draft of this year's Summer Reading Guide. She and I talk about what we love most about this year's Guide and how you can make sure you get a copy. We hope you'll enjoy this conversation and it sparks your excitement for this week's release of our 15th annual Guide. Find the list of titles mentioned today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/525. If you are already a member of our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club or our What Should I Read Next? Patreon communities, or you purchased your à la carte ticket, you are all set to get the Guide on Thursday and attend Thursday's Unboxing events at either 1:00 PM or 8:00 PM. And if neither time works for you, never fear: we'll have the recording available not too long after the events. During the Unboxing, Anne goes through all the titles in the Guide one by one, sharing more about why she chose each title, what the reading experience is like, and what kind of reader may most enjoy each book. Find out all the details you need to know at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Chapters: 02:27 What to expect at the Summer Reading Guide Unboxing Event 26:09 Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan 26:54 Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy 28:36 The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders 41:40 How to get the Summer Reading Guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices