Join us as we jump into another discussion about books and culture, with Vanessa Phelan, Sarah Tapp and Sasha Kehoe.

Hello and welcome to book show #2 with Vanessa Phelan and Sarah Tapp. This week Sasha Kehoe also joins us and we begin with a reflection of some of the news stories of the week.

As we move to books, I start with a little quiz of words relating to books and book lovers. Are you a ‘librocubicularist’ for instance? (Someone who loves to read in bed).

Now onto books with my ‘book bosomed’ friends (carrying a book at all times) and, as with our first episode, we manage to talk about a lot of books, but we also move onto art in places, and podcast recommendations.

Here are some of the books we talk about:


Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

On Earth we’re briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

The Wife’s Tale by Aida Edemariam

This is what is Sounds Like - What the music you love says about you by Susan Rogers

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

Oh my God what a complete Aisling by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne

The Women by Kristin Hannah

You are Here by David Nicholls

Funny Story by Emily Henry

One Day by David Nicholls

Book Lovers Emily Henry

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout


Do let us know what books you enjoy and if there are any in particular from this list that stand out to you.

Additionally, we will throw in some podcasts and other cultural references from time to time.


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