Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books joins me for a special Superlatives episode where we are answering from the fourth bucket of questions submitted for the Ask Me Anything episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live. We give you a little taste of the bonus Monthly Superlative episodes Catherine and I often do for the Patreon community. This format is a favorite of mine, allowing for a bit more candor and a lot of fun. Today we tackle questions about our all-time favorite books, re-reads, auto-buy authors, favorite audiobooks, and more! 

This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

Announcement

• If you like this episode, consider joining the Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus Monthly Superlative podcast episode series! In these episodes, I feature a continued discussion with every big show episode guest from the current month where they answer 5 bookish “superlative” questions. One of my favorite things I hear from patrons about this series is how much they love listening to the same guests from the big show, but with a laid-back and relaxed vibe. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here!

Highlights

• Behind-the-scenes info on the Monthly Superlative podcast episode series for patrons.
• Our all-time favorite books
• Our auto-buy authors
• How Catherine and Sarah feel about re-reading
• Books from Sarah’s and Catherine’s childhoods
• Immediate bookish turn-offs
• What Catherine and Sarah find in a book that makes it easy to read

Superlatives

ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOKS [03:15]

Catherine: 

• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles | Amazon | Bookshop.org [04:01]
• Skeltons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian | Amazon | Bookshop.org [05:27]
• Sophie’s Choice by William Styron | Amazon | Bookshop.org [06:32]

Sarah:

• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne | Amazon | Bookshop.org [07:33]
• The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [08:15]
• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed | Amazon | Bookshop.org [09:10]

AUTO-BUY AUTHORS  [09:59]

Catherine: 

• Anna Quindlen [10:13]
• Alice Hoffman [10:23]
• Kevin Kwan [10:39]

Sarah:

• Ann Patchett [12:12]
• Tayari Jones [12:14]
• Meg Wolitzer [12:58]
• Megan Abbott [13:13]
• Brit Bennett [13:34]

FAVORITE AUDIOBOOKS  [14:03]

Catherine: 

• Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [14:31]
• Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:04]
• A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm  [15:08]

Sarah:

• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:40]
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [15:48]
• The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [17:12]

FIRST BOOK THAT SPARKED YOUR JOY OF READING  [18:09]

Catherine: 

• Laurie and Company by Eleanor Frances Lattimore (currently out of print) [18:21]

Sarah:

• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:16]
• The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:38]
• Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:45]
• Jaws by Peter Benchley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:00]

ALL ABOUT RE-READING  [21:23]

Catherine: 

• Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:45]
• The Longings of Women by Marge Piercy | Amazon [24:05]

Sarah:

• The Great Santini by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:39]
• The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:41]
• The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:44] & [26:07]
• I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:00]
• From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:15]

SIGNIFICANT / IMPACTFUL BOOKS  [28:00]

Catherine: 

• Inventing the Rest of Our Lives by Suzanne Braun Levine | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:25]
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:04]

Sarah:

• The Mindbody Prescription by John E. Sarno, M.D. | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:20]
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:00]
• Fear Less by Dr. Pippa Grange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:00]

BOOKS THAT MADE YOU FEEL SEEN  [33:47]

Catherine: 

• Forty Rooms by Olga Grushin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:56]

Sarah:

• Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:41]

SARAH’S FAVORITE LITERARY MYSTERIES & SLOW-BURN SUSPENSE  [36:48]

Literary Mysteries: [37:14]

• When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• The Witch Elm by Tana French | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Miracle Creek by Angie Kim | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• The Current by Tim Johnston | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Long Bright River by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Mystic River by Dennis Lehane | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• The Cutting Season by Attica Locke | Amazon | Bookshop.org

Slow-Burn Suspense: [35:41]

• The Push by Ashley Audrain | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Megan Abbott books
• The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• Based on a True Story by Delphine De Vigan | Amazon | Bookshop.org
• The Dinner by Herman Koch | Amazon | Bookshop.org

FAVORITE SPORTS FICTION  [38:44]

Catherine: 

• The Falconer by Dana Czapnik | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:50]

Sarah:

• Beartown by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:42]
• Trophy Son by Douglas Brunt | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:51]

FAVORITE BOOKS IN LEAST FAVORITE GENRE  [41:55]

Catherine (Horror): 

• The Road by Cormac McCarthy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:45]

Sarah (Horror & Romance):

• Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:31]
• One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:06]
• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:09]
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:13]
• American Royals by Katharine McGee | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:17]
• The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:29]

IMMEDIATE TURN-OFFS  [46:14]

WHAT MAKES A BOOK EASY TO READ  [49:34]

SENIOR MAIN CHARACTERS  [51:44]

Catherine: 

• Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:16]
• Margreete’s Harbor by Eleanor Morse | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:19]
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:23]

Sarah:

• Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:36]
• Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:06]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian [06:17] 
• The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian [06:20]
• The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy [08:29]
• Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan [10:39]
• A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne [11:38]
• A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne [11:54]
• Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones [12:44]
• An American Marriage by Tayari Jones [12:46]
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer [13:00]
• The Wife by Meg Wolitzer [13:02]
• The Mothers by Brit Bennett [13:50]
• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [13:53]
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown [19:44]
• The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard [27:24]
• South of Broad by Pat Conroy [27:43]
• Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan [36:37]
• The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe [40:13]
• You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott [41:11]
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding [43:52]
• Vladimir by Julia May Jonas [47:34]
• Honor by Thrity Umrigar [51:22]

Other Links

• Glennon Doyle’s podcast: We Can Do Hard Things [16:15]

About Catherine Gilmore

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.

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In two weeks, on March 23, Barbara Feinman Todd, author of Pretend I’m Not Here, will be on the podcast for a behind-the-scenes chat about ghostwriting.

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