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Books with Betsy

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Books with Betsy
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117 episodes

  • Books with Betsy

    Episode 117 - Go Read Wright Thompson with Dan Santaromita

    03/08/2026 | 51 mins.
    On this episode, Dan Santaromita, sports journalist with the Athletic, talks about his love for autobiographies, how reading for work affects recreational reading, and his birthday tradition centered on his ideal reading scenario. We also talk about his favorite writer, Wright Thompson. 

     

    Books mentioned in this episode: 

     

    What Betsy’s reading: 

    The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie 

    The Names by Florence Knapp 

    John of John by Douglas Stuart 

     

    Books Highlighted by Dan: 

    Open by Andre Agassi 

    I Think Therefore I Play by Andrea Pirlo

    The 100-Yard Journey by Gary Pinkel 

    The Miracle of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinniss

    Wright Thompson’s Caitlyn Clark Profile 

    The Cost of These Dreams by Wright Thompson 

    The Barn by Wright Thompson

    Football Against the Enemy by Simon Kuper

     

    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

    Other books mentioned in this episode:

    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 

    Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis 

    Acid for the Children by Flea

    Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

    Pappyland by Wright Thompson 

    The Miracle of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinniss

    The Messi Effect by Paul Tenorio 

    One Jump at a Time by Nathan Chen 

    The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey & Pete Carroll 

    Alex Ferguson by Sir Alex Ferguson

    Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

    Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier 

    Good Game, No Rematch by Mike Drucker 

    Among the Thugs by Bill Buford 

    Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell 

    Moneyball by Michael Lewis 

    London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe 

    Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe 

    Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
  • Books with Betsy

    Episode 116 - The Canadian Train with Sam Ali

    27/07/2026 | 43 mins.
    On this episode, Sam Ali, @readwithsama on instagram, talks about how she is developing a love of reading in her daughter, recommends some amazing Canadian books, and we gush about our shared love of awards. We talk about how it can be hard to be readers with wide interests when you have so many great books available to you!

     

    Sam on Instagram 

     

    Books mentioned in this episode: 

     

    What Betsy’s reading: 

    The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey 

    The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward

     

    Books Highlighted by Sam: 

    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 

    Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 

    We Measure the Earth with our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama

    Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy 

    Astra by Cedar Bowers

    A History of Burning by Janika Oza

    The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah

    Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

    Almond by Won-pyung Sohn

     

    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

    Other books mentioned in this episode:

    Salt Houses by Hala Alyan 

    The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan 

    Whistler by Ann Patchett 

    Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin 

    Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

    Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy 

    Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy 

    A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 

    Pick a Color by Souvankham Thammavongsa 

    How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
  • Books with Betsy

    Episode 115 - HopLit with David Nilsen and Emily Swank

    20/07/2026 | 1h 16 mins.
    On this episode, David Nilsen & Emily Swank, hosts of the HopLit podcast, talk about their work combining their love for beer and books. We also talk a lot about awards, get a little spicy making a literary and beer comparison, and they share some great reading habits you might connect with! 

     

    HopLit Podcast 

    David Nilsen Beer

    Bean to Barstool

    Final Gravity, a Beer Zine 

    David on Instagram 

    Emily on Instagram 

     

    Books mentioned in this episode: 

     

    What Betsy’s reading: 

    Land by Maggie O’Farrell 

    All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

     

    Books Highlighted by Emily: 

    Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 

    American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis 

    Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

    Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

    The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy

    The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

    Adjustment Day by Chuck Palahniuk  

    One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad 

     

    Books Highlighted by David:

    Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

    Watership Down by Richard Adams 

    Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

    The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 

    The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden 

    The Summer is Ended and We are Not Yet Saved by Joey Comeau

    They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib 

     

    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

    Other books mentioned in this episode:

    The Copywriter by Daniel Poppick 

    Dracula by Bram Stoker

    Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo 

    Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

    Somebody is Walking on Your Grave by Mariana Enriquez

    The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones 

    Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry 

    Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z. Danielewski 

    The Odyssey by Homer 

    Angel Down by Daniel Kraus 

    A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

    Less by Andrew Sean Greer 

    Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips 

    Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur 

    The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich 

    The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 

    Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
  • Books with Betsy

    Episode 114 - Never Know Too Many Things with Tatiana

    13/07/2026 | 45 mins.
    On this episode, Tatiana, a recent graduate, talks about how she’s renewing her love of reading after finishing school, her blog focusing on making scientific research accessible, and the ways that books have met her in exactly the right time. 

     

    Tatiana’s Blog 

    Tatiana on Instagram 

     

    Books mentioned in this episode: 

     

    What Betsy’s reading: 

    The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig 

    Super Castle Fun Park by Daniel Zomparelli

     

    Books Highlighted by Tatiana:

    Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

    Butter by Asako Yuzuki 

    The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King 

    Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

     

    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

    Other books mentioned in this episode:

    The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner 

    Pet Sematary by Stephen King
  • Books with Betsy

    Episode 113 - The Lit Wagon with Kate Sutton

    06/07/2026 | 44 mins.
    On this episode, Kate Sutton, owner of the Lit Wagon in the Chicago area, talks about how she brings books to people all over the city, how her work as a therapist influences her book choices, and the kinds of emotional wreckage she expects from a read. She also gives tips on how to be a good customer of the Lit Wagon! 

     

    Follow the Lit Wagon

     

    Books mentioned in this episode: 

     

    What Betsy’s reading: 

    Kingfisher by Rozie Kelly 

     

    Books Highlighted by Kate:

    The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

    The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin 

    A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 

    All Fours by Mrianda July 

    Fractured by C.S. Dodds

    Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy 

    Birdie and Harlow by Taylor Wolfe

    The Best Dog in the World by Alice Hoffman 

    Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin 

    Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

    What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey & Bruce Perry 

    The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff 

    Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green 

    While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger

     

    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.  

    Other books mentioned in this episode:

    The Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed

    The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

    The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney 

    Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
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About Books with Betsy
Books with Betsy is a podcast that celebrates the reading life of all readers. Each week, Betsy interviews a different person about their reading life. Listen for book recommendations, reading tips, and to join in the joy that reading brings. And remember, anyone who reads is a reader.
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