"This whole notion that learning needs to be difficult to be effective is just wrong. I always used to say a laughing child is a learning child— science proves it now." Gregg Behr, co-author of When You Wonder, You're Learning, and Joan Koenig, author of The Musical Child, come together to talk to Zibby about the importance of emphasizing wonder and creativity in young kids' lives. The three all share ideas about how to make imagination a daily habit in the classroom and at home, which of Mister Rogers' lessons are still essential to teach young children today, and why it is so important that your kids see you express joy.
Fredrik Backman, ANXIOUS PEOPLE
"People affect each other in ways you're not aware of and in ways that you're not expecting." Fredrik Backman, the bestselling author of Beartown and A Man Called Ove, joins Zibby to discuss his latest novel, Anxious People, the #1 bestseller which is now out in paperback. The two talk about the lifelong effects of losing loved ones to suicide, as well as why Fredrik prefers to work through the tragic death of his friend in his comedic books instead of his dramatic stories. They also connect over their shared belief that parenthood is often a thankless job.
Sophie Brickman, BABY, UNPLUGGED
Journalist Sophie Brickman joined Zibby to discuss her first book, Baby, Unplugged, and the way childcare technology can make parents more anxious than at ease. Sophie shares how her husband's love of technology led to them test out a variety of child-centered gadgets, and which among them were actually worth it. Sophie also tells Zibby about how her experience as a line cook in New York City led to her career in journalism and what inspired her to make the shift from food writing to researching parenthood.
Dr. Samantha Boardman, EVERYDAY VITALITY
"The most vital things we do —the best antidote to stress— are actually doing things for someone else." Psychiatrist Samantha Boardman, MD, joins Zibby to talk about the patient who inspired her to pursue positive psychology and the lessons she learned on that journey, which culminated in her new book, Everyday Vitality. Samantha shares the easiest ways we can all start reviving our own vitality (hint: we can't do it alone) and tells Zibby about the ways she has applied her practice in her own life, proving positive growth and change are possible for everyone.
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN
Zibby was joined by the authors of The Personal Librarian, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, for an Instagram Live to talk about their GMA Book Club pick. Marie and Victoria share the story of how they met each other, why they're more like soulmates than collaborators, and how the social movements during the last year served to strengthen both their story and their interracial friendship. The pair also discuss how their trust in one another allowed them to weave an emotional and intricate historical fiction about Belle da Costa Greene, and where their partnership is taking them next.
Tracy Swinton Bailey, PhD, FOREVER FREE
"I realized that being a good reader and helping other people read well is a political act. You take a stand in society when you decide to chase after that." Along with instilling a lifelong love of reading, Tracy Swinton Bailey's father taught her how powerful literacy could be, which inspired her to start the literacy nonprofit Freedom Readers in 2010. Tracy talked with Zibby about her memoir, Forever Free, the incredible results Freedom Readers has produced, and how the group plans to grow in a post-pandemic world. Listeners can get involved at freedomreaders.org.
Martha Beck, THE WAY OF INTEGRITY
Life coach and longtime columnist at O, the Oprah Magazine Martha Beck joins Zibby to discuss her latest book, The Way of Integrity, and how the root of all psychological suffering is a loss of structural integrity in our lives. Martha shares her personal story of losing and learning to regain her own integrity, as well as a handful of self-help steps readers can use to rebuild themselves and achieve the lives they were meant to live..
Sari Botton, Carolita Johnson, and Rosie Schaap, GOODBYE TO ALL THAT (Revised Edition)
Zibby is joined by Sari Botton, the editor of Goodbye to All That, and two of the authors who contributed essays to the revised anthology, Carolita Johnson and Rosie Schaap. The four women discuss the role New York City has played in each of their lives, as well as how it has changed since the re-release was planned back in 2019. The interview, like the book, was full of nostalgia, reflections, and love for the iconic city.
Calvin Baker, A MORE PERFECT REUNION
"Systemic racism is not something that we made once and we're still under the weight of. It's something we recreate every day." Novelist and professor Calvin Baker joins Zibby to discuss his first nonfiction book, A More Perfect Reunion, and how the historical reckoning that inspired each of his novels helped him put it together. They discuss the myths of race in American society as well as what Calvin sees as the path away from it.
Kelly Williams Brown, EASY CRAFTS FOR THE INSANE
Although Kelly Williams Brown coined the term "adulting" with her first book nearly ten years ago, she realized soon after that she had a lot more to learn from life. After what can be described as a very bad two years, Kelly found that crafts helped her visualize her potential and start putting her life back together each day. Her new memoir, Easy Crafts for the Insane, sheds a light on common struggles humans face but lack the language to discuss, as well as some fun crafts that readers can try themselves. Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books has teamed up with Katie Couric Media and Random House to give away 100 copies of Sarah Sentilles’ book, Stranger Care! Enter the giveaway by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3jdKctA
Jamie Brenner, BLUSH
"Your wine can never escape its place of origin. As people, neither can we. We can reinvent ourselves over and over again, but we can never change where we began." Zibby and Jamie Brenner reconnected for a special BookHampton event celebrating Jamie's latest novel, Blush. The two talked about the research Jamie conducted before setting her story at a Long Island winery, the benefits and detriments of writing books for specific demographics, and the inspiration she took from the dishy female writers of the 1980s. Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books has teamed up with Katie Couric Media and Random House to give away 100 copies of Sarah Sentilles’s book, Stranger Care! Enter the giveaway by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3jdKctA
Peter Brown, FRED GETS DRESSED
When author and illustrator Peter Brown was younger, his mother found him trying on her makeup. He recalls that she reacted with a smile and helped him apply it properly, like an artist would. Peter explains to Zibby how he used this moment as inspiration for his latest picture book, Fred Gets Dressed, why he loves creating both picture and chapter books, and his advice to encourage creative children.
Quinta Brunson, SHE MEMES WELL
"I didn't want to be preachy. I wanted to be me, who is not perfect and a friend, and give that out into the world." Writer and producer Quinta Brunson wanted the essays in her new book, She Memes Well, to display her personal growth parallel to the development of the Internet where she first began her career in comedy. She talks with Zibby about how writing the book allowed her to explore her relationships with her mother and what thinking critically about the Internet made her realize about life offline.
Judy Batalion, THE LIGHT OF DAYS UJA EVENT
Chris Bohjalian, HOUR OF THE WITCH
Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever, WORLD TRAVEL: AN IRREVERANT GUIDE
"I was left with an outline and a mission and the question of, 'Do I continue with this thing?' What does it mean to write a book with somebody who was so well-known and so beloved and who is no longer here?" Zibby is joined by Laurie Woolever, assistant to the late Anthony Bourdain and co-writer of their new atlas guide, World Travel. Laurie talks with Zibby about what the world was like in Bourdain's orbit, how their guide manages to capture all of his irreverence, and the mark he's left behind on the global culinary community.
Daniel James Brown, FACING THE MOUNTAIN
Zibby is joined by narrative nonfiction author Daniel James Brown to talk about his latest book which has already hit the New York Times bestseller list, Facing the Mountain, which looks at the story of a Japanese-American combat unit fighting at the height of World War II. Daniel shares how his wife helped him conduct over five years of research for the book, what he uncovered when studying first-hand accounts of life in Japanese incarceration camps, and why it was just as important to feature the soldiers' stories as well as those of their families back home.
Jessica Anya Blau, MARY JANE
Jessica Anya Blau joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel, Mary Jane, which was written in part over FaceTime with friends during the pandemic. The two talked about Jessica's journey to becoming a writer, the ways in which her own adolescence figured into motherhood, and how dancing around her empty kitchen to the biggest hits of 1975 helped her write the book.
Brooke Baldwin, HUDDLE: HOW WOMEN UNLOCK THEIR COLLECTIVE POWER
Former CNN anchor and journalist Brooke Baldwin joins Zibby to talk about how essential it is for women to cultivate their communities —or huddles— wherever they may exist. From workout classes to work friends, Brooke shares stories from successful women as well as from her own life to encourage and inspire readers to focus on lifting one another up.
Jessica Bacal, THE REJECTION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
“If you never get rejected, then it means you’re never trying anything that really pushes you in a way that you’ll grow.” Zibby is joined by Jessica Bacal, author of The Rejection That Changed My Life: 25+ Powerful Women on Being Let Down, Turning It Around, and Burning It Up at Work, as well as two of the book’s contributors, Chelsea Kline and Polly Rodriguez. The four talk about what they’ve learned from their individual rejections and offer tips on how we can all begin to approach rejection as a necessary step for growth.