Professional Book Nerds

The OverDrive staff librarians come from a wide range of backgrounds and two of our librarians -- Liz and Rachel K. -- come from music library backgrounds. So we decided to use their collective knowledge and reading backgrounds to discuss musical memoirs and rock biographies!   Books Mentioned In this Episode Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen Everyone Loves You When You're Dead by Neil Strauss Tom Waits on Tom Waits edited by Paul Maher Just Kids by Patti Smith M-Train by Patti Smith Girl in a band by Kim Gordon Porcelain by Moby Rat Girl by Kristin Hersh Out of the Vinyl Deeps by Non Willis Arnowitz Words Without Music by Philip Glass Eminent Hipsters by Donald Fagen Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins Substance by Peter Hook Unknown Pleasures by Peter Hook Autobiography by Morrissey Spider from Mars by Woody Woodmansey On Bowie by Rob Sheffield Love is a Mixed Tape by Rob Sheffield Turn Around Bright Eyes by Rob Sheffield The Show I'll Never Forget by Sean Manning Piec

On this episode, Adam chats with lawyer turned author Marie Benedict about her latest novel, The Other Einstein. This historical fiction title is rooted in facts (and science!) and is the story of Albert Einstein’s first wife who was also heavily involved in the scientific community. Adam even manages to surprise Marie with some information about her main character that she didn’t know (which he was quite pleased with himself about…). Marie discussed her writing process, how she transitioned to being a full time writer and then they get sidetracked for a bit discussing Broadway shows and Hamilton (not surprising)   Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com   Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com  Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libra

Episode Overview September 25 - October 1st marks Banned Books Week and as a library company full of librarian employees, OverDrive feels very strongly about the importance of reading banned and challenged books. Adam and Jill decided to talk to some of their OverDrive colleagues to find out what they'll be reading for Banned Books Week and to also find out why they celebrate the freedom to read. Email us at feedback@overdrive.com and share your favorite Banned Book!   Titles Mentioned In This Episode Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Fun Home by Alison Bechdel His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman The Satanic Versus by Salman Rushdie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonngegut Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 1984 by George Orwell The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood The Awakening by Ka

We're 50! Well, we're 50 episodes old anyway. In today's very round numbered episode we sat down (virtually) with debut author Cuyler Overholt to talk about her thrillng novel, A deadly Affection, her award-winning debut, is the first installment in the Dr. Genevieve Summerford historical mystery series. They discuss Cuyler's journey from lawyer to writer and what inspires her stories as well as why she loves the idea of New York City at the turn of the century.  Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wai

Episode Overview: Friday September 16, 2016 is Read an eBook Day! As the leading app for eBooks available through libraries, we love celebrating this day of #eBookLove. For this week's episode, Adam and Jill decided to poll previous Professional Book Nerd guests to find out what they'll be reading on the day!    The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict The Witches Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett Mo'Meta Blues by Questlove Plaid & Plagiarism by Molly MacRae In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware Vicious by V.E. Schwab News of the World by Paulette Giles Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Po

In today's episode, Adam chats with author Kate Elliott, who has written 25 novels. She is currently working on her first Young Adult titles with the Court of Fives trilogy. The second Court of Fives title, Poisoned Blade, comes out this fall. Kate and Adam spent a lot of time discussing Fantasy world building and the how Kate's fascination with maps plays into the worlds she creates for her stories. They also dive into the books Kate enjoyed growing up that inspired the works she now creates and they even explore some wonderful facts about Hawaii, where Kate lives, and how she spends her free time there.     Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public librarie

Episode Overview Happy Friday! In today's episode, Jill and Adam hang out in their soon-to-be awesome recording studio and chat. They start by sharing some recent listener emails. They also share some big news about upcoming podcast interviews and give a brief teaser about the upcoming Big Library Read event which starts up in October.    We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, translated by Natasha Randall The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin Hollywood Said No by David Cross and Bob Odenkirk Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt Attempting Normal by Marc Maron Kasher in the Rye by Moshe Kasher The Widow's House by Carol Goodman The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman Troublemaker by Leah Remini Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany Whistling Past the Graveyard by Jonathan Maberry Running with a Police Escort by Jill Grunenwald Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams by Alan Cumming The Nix by Nathan Hill Ca

Episode Overview Adam sits down with Lisa Fenn, ESPN producer and author of the new book CARRY ON which examines the unexpected relationship between two disabled wrestlers living in inner city Cleveland. One of those wrestlers, Leroy Sutton, joins Adam and Lisa as they discuss the book and this incredible story of carrying on under extraordinary circumstances.    Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. For more great reads, find OverDrive on Facebook and Twitter. Learn more about your a

On today's episode, Jill is joined by newcomer Kristi as they discuss some of their favorite nonfiction titles. They dive into some fascinating conversations about travel, science and much more while also providing some helpful "introductory" titles for people looking to get into nonfiction books for the first time. All titles discussed can be sampled and borrowed by clicking on them in the list below. Nonfiction Reads   Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon   This is Not My Life by Diane Schoemperlen   Dreamland by Sam Quinones   Cracking the Cube by Ian Scheffler   The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz   A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson   In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson   At Home by Bill Bryson   Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon   The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson   Thunderstruck by Erik Larson   Dead Wake by Erik Larson   The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir   The Gene by Siddhartha Mu

In our last interview from the American Library Association meetings in Orlando, Adam sits down with debut author, Chelsea Sedoti, author of The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett. Adam and Chelsea discuss a shared love of the Midwest before diving into Chelsea's creative process, her experience with book signings and the Young Adult community as a whole and how she likes to spend her time when she's not writing. She also confesses her love of Sweet Valley High and the books of Christopher Pike.  Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books

Well hello there! Today we have a big ol' list of book recommendations for fans of Young Adult and New Adult titles. Adam is joined by his good friends (and avid readers) Christina, Andrea and Sydney who share their recent reads and chat about the mass appeal of Young Adult and New Adult titles. You can find every title they mention below or by visiting https://www.overdrive.com/collections/9320/the-professional-book-nerds-podcast-reading-list. Reading Recommendations: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno   A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray   The Man in the High Castle   American Girls by Alison Umminger   The Here and Now by Ann Brashares   Rebel Magisters by Shanna Swendson   Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto   Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott   A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro   Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers   The Paper Princess by M. C. Beaton   The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich   Pivot Point by Kasie West   Lion Heart by A. C. Gau

We've all heard stories -- real and fictional -- about women kidnapped and held captive for years but what happens after they escape? That's the question Hollie Overton sets out to answer in her book Baby Doll. For her book, Hollie used her real-life experience as a twin and she also talks to Adam about her experiences as a television writer!    Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. For more great reads, find OverDrive on Facebook and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me

Today we have two newcomers to the podcast in Sydney and Tiffany who join Adam to chat about what else...books of course! They offer up the books they're excited about and their favorite recent reads. Both Sydney and Tiffany are former teachers so they dive into the books their kids really enjoyed and they even provide their "desert island" recommendations. Strangely neither of them picked a survival book...   Reading Recommendations    Carry On by Rainbow Rowell   Get in Trouble by Kelly Link   Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo   All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr   In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware   The Collectors by Phillip Pullman   Attachments by Rainbow Rowell   Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte   And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich   Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher   Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton   Dark Matter by Blake Crouch   We Are Unprepared by Meg Little Reilly   The Trespasser by Tana French   Lightless by C. A. Higgin

We've got Olympic Fever and the only prescription is an interview with the resplendent Megan Abbott! In addition to being a former Librarian and a true champion of libraries, Megan Abbott's most recent book, You Will Know Me, is a suspenseful thriller about a talented gymnastics team with a dark secret. Whether you're a fan of Megan's previous books, mysteries or Olympic sports (we happen to be all 3) you're going to love both this conversation and You Will Know Me!   Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can'

Everyone loves to laugh, right? You totally do. So in this episode Adam is joined by Melissa to discuss their favorite comedic audiobooks. They begin with their all time favorites before moving on to the audiobooks their excited to listen to in the near future. They end the episode with a conversation about the audiobooks they wish existed. There are a lot of them... You can borrow and sample every book discussed (well, the real ones) at https://www.overdrive.com/explore.  Comedic Audiobooks sure to make you laugh   Why Not Me? By Mindy Kaling   Billy Crystal - Still Foolin' Em   Is Everyone Hanging out without me? By Mindy Kaling   Bossypants by Tina Fey   Food by Jim Gaffigan   Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris   Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage. by Rob Delaney   Almost Interesting by David Spade   Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson   You'll Grow Out of it by Jessi Klein   Kanye West Owes Me $300 by Jensen

In this episode Jill returns for our intro with Adam! The actual episode is an interview with Duane Swierczynski, author of the crime novel, Revolver, which is about the murder of two cops and their family efforts to solve the mystery. The story is told over three timelines and the generations of the families living during those times as they struggle to come to grips with what really happened. Duane also shared where his inspiration comes from as well as the different processes he goes through when writing novels compared to writing comics, which he is also well known for.  Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best

In today's episode Jill chats with Christina and Sarah about why they all love Dystopian books and what makes these titles so enchanting. They also discuss the idea of Utopias and if they can exist without dystopias being a part of the world. Naturally, they also have loads of book recommendations as well. Be sure to check out overdrive.com for a complete Professional Book Nerds reading list to sample and borrow all the titles they discussed!  Reading Recommendations: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge   Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott   A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess   The Road by Cormac McCarthy   The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood   Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro   Children of Men by P.D. James   Matched by Allie Condie   The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey   Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen   The Selection by Kiera Cass   The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson   Prince of Thornes by Mark Lawrence   Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwoo

On the 36th episode of the pod, Adam chats with debut author, Nathan Hill. The Nix, which comes out August 30th, explores the resilience of love and home, especially in times of radical change. Nathan shares his love of libraries and choose your own adventure books and also discusses how a book can provide a different outcome for every reader depending on how you go into the story. Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. For more great reads, find OverDrive on Facebook and Twitter. Learn

In today's episode Emma, Meghan and Kristin return to share the latest books they've been reading and listening to in the Mystery genre. Back by popular demand, they also provide a pretty amazing list of punny-named cozy mysteries that you're going to love. You can find links to sample and borrow all the books discussed from your library below or by visiting our Professional Book Nerds reading list. Murder & Mystery Book Recommendations:   Melancholy Accidents by Peter Manseau   Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica   You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott   Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris   In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware   A Killer Crop by Sheila Connolly   Wytches by Scott Snyder   Bram Stoker's Dracula adopted by Michael Burgan   We could be Beautiful by Swan Huntley   Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye   The Vegetarian by Han Kang   The Girls by Emma Cline   Dark Matter by Blake Crouch   Upcoming Books we can't wait for   The Trespasser by Tana French   T

In our 34th episode Adam interviewed Zoraida Cordova in Orlando where she was promoting her upcoming Young Adult Fantasy title, Labyrinth Lost. Zoraida shared her inspirations for this book as well as her love of mermaids and a fun story about how she learned to speak English. She also spoke about the importance of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and offered some great diverse book recommendations. Zoraida's reading recommendations: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton   The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi   The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore   Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes   Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com    Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks ava