New year, same nerdy readers. We’re talking about what we learned about our reading lives last year, and what we’re planning for 2021. Plus, we share which books are on our priority TBR lists. We’re still adjusting to a new recording space set-up since Curtis got back from deployment, so bear with us as we calibrate some background noise.

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Curtis:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff

Alone at Dawn by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz

Three Ring Circus by Jeff Pearlman

Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson 

Grant by Ron Chernow

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Name of the Wind (anniversary edition) by Patrick Rothfuss

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K Jemisin

Chelsey: 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Euphoria by Lily King

The Pleasing Hour by Lily King

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

The Fire This Time edited by Jesmyn Ward 

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Recommendations of the week:

Curtis - Ted Lasso

Chelsey - Bridgerton

Curtis is back! Today we’re sharing our favorite books of 2020, plus an overview of how the circumstances of this year affected our reading lives. How would you describe your reading life this year?

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Find Chelsey’s year-end lists: @chelseyreads

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Curtis:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder

The Only Plane In The Sky by Garrett M. Graff

Alone At Dawn by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

Chelsey: 

A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Beach Read by Emily Henry

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Here for It by R. Eric Thomas

The Undocumented Americans by Carla Cornejo Villavicencio

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Recommendations of the week:

The Queen's Gambit on Netflix // Book version

The Flight Attendant on HBO Max // Book version

Today we’re talking about BIG books. Books that are 500 pages or more. We’ll share which tomes are on our TBR lists and which ones we’ve read and loved. 

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

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Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: https://libro.fm/redeem/hrsr

Or give the gift of audiobooks: https://libro.fm/gift?cmp=hrsr

Curtis:

Three Ring Circus by Jeff Pearlman

Gunslinger by Jeff Pearlman

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (1,008 pages)

Executive Orders by Tom Clancy (1,376 pages)

Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer (1,312 pages)

The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin 

The Stand by Stephen King (uncut version = 1,152 pages)

Grant by Ron Chernow (1,104 pages)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (1,024 pages)

Chelsey: 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Emma by Jane Austen

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

These Truths by Jill Lepore

The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton

Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

Recs of the week:

Curtis - Nick Offerman Yule Log ASMR

Chelsey - Home Cooking podcast

Today, we’re recommending books to our listeners based on requests they submitted a few weeks ago. Curtis LOVES recording these episodes. We’re ready to fill your TBR and perhaps your shopping cart with books.

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

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Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hereadsheread/

Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: https://libro.fm/redeem/hrsr

Or give the gift of audiobooks: https://libro.fm/gift?cmp=hrsr

Sarah:

Beneath A Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

The Alice Network or The Huntress by Kate Quinn

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makai

The Road by Cormac McCarthy 

The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach

Katie:

The Poet X or Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

Billy Collins

Langston Hughes

Nikki Giovanni

What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer

Christine:

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar

Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires by Shomari Wills

Stealing the General: The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor by Russell S. Bonds

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley

Be Free Or Die by Cate Lineberry

Joslyn:

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin 

The Dry by Jane Harper

Claire:

Penguin Vitae series or Penguin Clothbound Classics

Scribe by Alyson Hagy

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Sabrina & Corina by Kali Farjado-Anstine

Carly:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller

Emma:

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (Century trilogy)

Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (First Law trilogy)

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan

Beneath A Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

Today we’re reflecting on two years of buddy reading: why we read together, how we read together, and the books we’ve enjoyed discussing. This episode is a great place to get gift recommendations for the reader in your life, ideas for your book club, or titles to start a buddy read of your own. 

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

Subscribe to our newsletter: hereadsheread.substack.com

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hereadsheread/

Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: https://libro.fm/redeem/hrsr

Or give the gift of audiobooks: https://libro.fm/gift?cmp=hrsr

The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Two years of buddy reads

Ep 7: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Ep 11: You Learn by Living by Eleanor Roosevelt

Ep 15: Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

Ep 20: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Ep 24: If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

Ep 28: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Ep 30: The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson

Ep 32: The River by Peter Heller

Ep 34: Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

Ep 36: Montana 1948 by Larry Watson

Ep 38: Recursion by Blake Crouch

Ep 40: Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Ep 42: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

Ep 46: Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

Ep 50: The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

Ep 57: The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

Ep 61: A Quiet Life in the Country by T.E. Kinsey

Today, we’re discussing A Quiet Life in the Country, a Lady Hardcastle Mystery by T.E. Kinsey. 

We’re also talking about the benefits of audiobooks, our favorite ways to buddy read, and cozy mystery recommendations for fall and winter audiobook listening. 

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

Subscribe to our newsletter: hereadsheread.substack.com

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hereadsheread/

Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: https://libro.fm/redeem/hrsr

Or give the gift of audiobooks: https://libro.fm/gift?cmp=hrsr

Books mentioned:

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

A Brush with Death by Ali Carter

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell mysteries) by Deanna Raybourn

Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer

The Camel Club by David Baldacci

Today we’re talking about doom scrolling and sharing plenty of book recs (nonfiction, rom coms, mysteries, and more) that will keep you turning the pages instead of scrolling on your phone. 

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

Subscribe to our newsletter: hereadsheread.substack.com

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hereadsheread/

Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: https://libro.fm/redeem/hrsr

Or give the gift of audiobooks: https://libro.fm/gift?cmp=hrsr

Books mentioned:

• A Deeper Darkness by JT Ellison

• Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

• The Watchman by Robert Crais

• Watchmen (graphic novel)
• One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

• The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

• Here for It by R. Eric Thomas
• MBS by Ben Hubbard
• Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest

Also mentioned:

The 355 trailer

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

Doom scrolling definition

Pantsuit Politics podcast

What Should I Read Next Episode 164

Curtis has often mentioned his love of award-winning books, so today we’re taking a deep dive into our reading logs and TBR lists to recommend award-nominated or award-winning books. In today’s episode, we’re discussing various literary awards, sharing some of our favorite award-winning books, and taking a look at some of this year’s big nominations. 

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

Subscribe to our newsletter: hereadsheread.substack.com

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hereadsheread/

Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: libro.fm/membership/new

Books mentioned:

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

The River by Peter Heller

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by P.W. Singer

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier 

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward 

Vanity Fair Article “On Witness and Respair”

Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll 

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds 

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

Circe by Madeline Miller

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X by Les Payne and Tamara Payne

Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America by W. Caleb McDaniel

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Madalorian Season 2 trailer

The Clone Wars trailer

The Great British Baking Show S8

Welcome to He Read She Read, a bi-weekly podcast where a couple of married bookworms with very different reading tastes discuss books and the reading life. 

Today we’re recommending four books from our shelves to each other. If your reading tastes match up with either of ours, you’re in for a To Be Read treat. Every other month, we also share a book club-style discussion on one book we both read. On October 27th, we’ll be talking about A Quiet Life in the Country, a Lady Hardcastle Mystery by T.E. Kinsey. We recommend listening to that one on audio if you’re reading along with us

To find a list of every title we mention in today’s episode, go to hereadsheread.org/podcast for show notes. 

Subscribe to our newsletter: hereadsheread.substack.com

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/hereadsheread/

Get two audiobooks for the price of one w/code HRSR: libro.fm/membership/new

Show Notes

• Michael J. Sullivan

Alone At Dawn by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

The Outpost by Jake Tapper 

The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien

• Novel Pairings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

• The “comeuppance” incident
• How to pronounce “foray”

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander 

The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

Educated by Tara Westover

• Captain Fantastic

The Return by Hisham Matar

Tell My Sons by Mark Weber

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga

The Thrilling Adventure Hour by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker

• The Thrilling Adventure Hour Podcast

The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan 

Theft of Swords by Michael J Sullivan

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

• Jack Ryan Season 2 on Amazon 
• The Duchess on Netflix

Today we’re discussing The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin. Listeners, we’ll warn you before talking about any major spoilers—but we do highly recommend reading this page-turning sci-fi/fantasy novel! If this is your first time listening to one of our buddy read episodes, welcome to the nerdiest part of our podcast. Buddy reading is something we started doing to connect with each other after Curtis’ last deployment, and we’ve gotten a lot out of it. We read the same book (not at the same time, unless it’s an audiobook on a road trip), and then we talk about it here on the podcast. Do you have a buddy read recommendation for us? Send us an email at [email protected].

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Notes:

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Get Out movie on Amazon Prime

Lovecraft Country on HBO

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory

In today’s episode, Curtis and Chelsey are sharing recommendations in their mutual favorite genre: memoir. Despite the fact that we both love this genre, our tastes vary wildly. We like to think that’s why you stick around here, listeners. So expect a wide range of memoirs today as we share three favorites and three to-be-read titles. 

PS: You’ll hear our podcast mascot, Penny breathing and whining on the track. She says hello, pay attention to me please. Enjoy the puppy ambience. 

Books mentioned in this episode:

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger

The Institute by Stephen King

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Curtis favorites:

One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara 

Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf

Chelsey Favorites:

Here for It by R. Eric Thomas 

End of the Rope: Mountains, Marriage, and Motherhood by Jan Redford

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi 

Curtis TBR:

Faith of my Fathers by John McCain

Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance

Between the World and Me by Ta Nehesi Coates

You Can't Make This Up by Al Michaels 

Chelsey TBR:

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby 

Good Talk by Mira Jacobs 

The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power

How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones

Buddy read:

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin