Totally Booked with Zibby

Donna Hay is the ubiquitous cookbook author and lifestyle brand. Her latest cookbook, Sunshine, Lemons, and Sea Salt, will join the others on my shelf. Hear from Donna in Australia as she discusses her home, her approach to life, her family, and more. Don’t miss her new Disney+ show Coastal Celebrations.Adeena Sussman moved to Israel with her husband (hear how they met) and fell in love with the cuisine. Learn about her latest book which just hit the NYT bestseller list, Zariz, and how even you can cook with less than 10 ingredients. Plus we discuss what it’s like to be a Jewish author now.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Deepika Chopra teaches us the difference between optimism and positivity, shares her own child’s medical struggles and how she gets through, discusses pregnancy issues, and helps us find the strength we need. If you’ve ever asked, “Why is this happening to us,” then listen in. Dr. Chopra’s book, The Power of Real Optimism, is incredibly helpful. Journalist Stacey Lindsay tackles what it’s like being in our forties (I only have a few months left - gah!) by asking many women, “How are you feeling about this age?” She parses through expectations versus reality, thoughts on aging and beauty, and shares her own feelings about her family and how that shaped her own experience in Being 40: The Decade of Letting Go — and Embracing Who We Are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristy Woodson Harvey spotlights NICU nurses, sports coaches, and a small town in her annual summer novel, this time Summer State of Mind. If you’ve ever wondered “how something like this could happen in a town like theirs,” Kristy will pull back the curtain. But don’t worry: as Kristy says, “There are some secrets that come to light through the course of (the book), but you know, it's me, and I love a happy ending.” Hear how Kristy learned everything she needed to on the tennis court, how decisions aren’t black and white, and how this book stretched her talent. Mikki Brammer’s novel Good Joy, Bad Joy is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick — and it’s clear why. By delving into the lives of two elderly women, Joy and Hazel— who truly don’t see themselves that way — Mikki paints a delicate portrait of female friendship, the secrets we keep, and how we cope when a loved one falls ill. Plus it’s a little devious. The real question, according to Mikki? “What is a life well lived and have I lived it fully?” Dive in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pam Sherman took her superpower of inspiring others in acting, speaking, and work to write a helpful handbook to put your best foot forward. As Pam says, "You want to be who you are, wherever you are, in order to ignite your audience.” As a board member of Jewish Women International, Pam supports women, inspires leadership and shows what it takes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your grandmother got pregnant? That’s the premise behind Laurie Frankel’s witty, escapist narrative about an older woman who takes up with her retirement community next-door neighbor and unexpectedly gets more than she bargained for — much to the dismay of her adult children. We spoke about her complete rewrite of the book ("I do not believe a single sentence remains . . . I opened a new document and wrote it completely from scratch . . .”), aging, family, life, and more. As Laurie says, "You don’t have to give up at a certain age.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I remember reading The Help in 2009 when it came out and absolutely loving it! Back then I was a stay-at-home mom of twins under age two. To think that by the time they graduated high school I’d be interviewing the author is insane; I wouldn’t have believed it. The Calamity Club is set in Mississippi in 1933 and spins an immersive tale about strong women who have to get through the Great Depression. It’s about a wealthy family’s fall from grace, a child’s never-ending resilience, loss, betrayal, family, hard work, and, ultimately, love. Kathryn and I spoke about it all including her own daughter’s influence on the characters. At the end of our interview, she said, "You are probably the best reader I've ever talked to.” Wow! Key quotes:"How do we get through our darkest times without humor?”"As a writer, it is our job to truly imagine what it feels like to stand in someone else’s shoes." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Tara Narula gives us a specific recipe in The Healing Power of Resilience: A New Prescription for Health and Well-Being, while editor Jenny Bartoy collects stories of others, like her, who have cut off contact with toxic people, sometimes even parents, in No Contact: Writing on Estrangement. Taken together, these two conversations arm us with the tools to get through challenges that might just be out of our control. How we respond to them isn’t. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica George takes on female friendship in her sophomore novel Love by the Book, which follows her hit Maame, which we also talked about on the podcast, as does Geneen Roth in her latest book Love, Finally: Untangling the Knot Between Mothers, Daughters, and Food. One woman made a huge difference in Geneen’s healing. (This book is for anyone who has ever been on a diet.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marisa Renee Lee shares her battle with long Covid on top of her other excruciating losses in Waiting for Dawn: Living with Uncertainty. We spoke at Totally Booked: Live at the Whitby Hotel, where she delighted the crowd with her big laughs, delightful personality, and optimism in the face of devastating circumstances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the immense honor of interviewing Rachel Goldberg-Polin about her book When We See You Again. Rachel, USA Today's Woman of the Year and one of the TIME 100, is the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin who was kidnapped on October 7th and later executed by Hamas. Her book is raw, beautiful, and important. A meditation on grief, love, and how to get through. Please listen. We spoke in front of 1,200 people thanks to the generosity of UJA-NYC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, Sally Hepworth and I spoke about her new novel, Mad Mabel, which features an older, quirky protagonist whose neighbor dies in the opening, and the young friend who comes along. But we also spoke about Sally’s recent divorce and how she has been getting through that. Sally is such a good storyteller that anything out of her mouth is captivating. No wonder her latest book is a Book of the Month Club pick. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been a fan of actress and bestselling author Annabelle Gurwitch since I first read You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up. I’ve interviewed her on my podcast about her last book You’re Leaving When? and then got lucky enough to publish her new book, The End of My Life is Killing Me through Zibby Publishing — which has now been on the USA Today bestseller list for two weeks! You might have seen Annabelle lately because she has been all over the media with shout-outs from and interviews with Bill Maher, Drew Barrymore, Terry Gross at NPR, and Jenna Fischer. The book is hilarious and heartbreaking, fast-paced, thought-provoking, and a must-read. Hear from Annabelle and me at Totally Booked: Live in New York.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear from two amazing women authors who have survived loss and learned to live with it by finding humor in the darkest times. Screenwriter Angela Nissel writes about the loss of her mother — who had been caught up in a deceptive relationship — in Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom is Dead. Content creator Leslie Harter-Berg shares how she survived the sudden loss of her 30-year-old husband while on vacation post-Disneyland with their family and small children in You’re So Strong. The two of them are funny, sensitive souls who should really be friends. Taken together, these two conversations highlight how writing is healing, how humor is necessary, and how we can get through the hardest things life throws our way.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actress Gina Gershon takes us through the unexpected, entertaining steps to becoming a star and the attitude it takes to do so in her memoir Alphapussy: How I Survived the Valley and Learned to Love My Boobs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I touched base with Little Free Library CEO Daniel Gumnit about how to promote literacy, why stories are best when shared, and exactly how to bring a Little Free Library to your “neck of the woods.” Learn more here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling memoirist Wade Rouse shares about his first novel, That’s What Friends Are For, inspired by “The Golden Girls.” In crafting humorous story lines about four gay friends in later life, Wade explores complex issues ranging from prejudice and discrimination to loyalty and love. We spoke about the book live at Zibby’s Bookshop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder of Nowhere Bookshop is anywhere but nowhere. She’s a guru. Jenny Lawson has written book after book about her mental health, obstacles, tips and tricks, using her sense of humor and relatable voice. How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay is my favorite of all her books to date. I dog-earred so many pages with actual, actionable advice. Plus I love following her on social (thebloggess). Let me know if this book makes you feel better. I know I did. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina Geist, bestselling children’s book author and brand guru, wrote Before You Fly Away: Life Lessons from Home, a beautifully illustrated gift book. It’s chockfull of short thoughts and sayings that Christina put together to help her kids out in the world. But really, it’s going to help all our kids. And, perhaps, us, too. Stay tuned on my Instagram for a giveaway this week!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australian author Emma Grey’s The Last Love Note kicked off Emma’s journey with our publishing house. I read the PDF on a flight when her agent pitched it for my podcast — and fell in love. We acquired the U.S. rights and published it to much acclaim including as picks of Book of the Month Club and Target Book Club. Then came Pictures of You, an intense story about coercive control, which was also a breakout hit. Emma’s third U.S. novel Start at the End comes out today! It’s about love, loyalty, second chances, artistic ambition, family and what ifs. Join Emma on tour and learn more here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Survive in the Woods by Kat Rosenfield is truly hard to put down. Three friends go in the woods where two of them plot against the third in a love triangle that shape shifts. Kat and I spoke about the book and then moved on to how she finds personal essays performative. (I mentioned that I write them!) Thoughts on our discussion? If you like the idea of hiking (even without moving from the couch), this is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Join Blair Glaser as she journeys into herself and goes from NYC and LA to a special yoga retreat in This Incredible Longing: How I Found My Self in a Near-Cult Experience. (Shout out to Isabelle Fisher Krishana, her cousin.) If you’ve ever felt lost, start here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Literary ingenue J.R. Thornton takes us into the posh world of Harvard College from dorm rooms and classrooms to parties and more when an outsider gets pulled into the ultra-elite establishment by his roommate Lucien and has to decide whether to live by his moral code or go along with the plot.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First, get the context for today’s political climate with Yardena Schwartz, Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Then hear from Jonathan Harounoff in Unveiled: Inside Iran’s #WomenLifeFreedom Revolt. I guarantee you’ll feel more educated on current events after doing so.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I loved interviewing Allegra Goodman several times on my show for her novels Sam and Isola. Her latest book This is Not About Us was a Zibby’s Book Club pick in March! Instead of a new interview between us, I’m releasing a fabulous conversation we hosted at Zibby’s Bookshop between her and bestselling author Nikki Erlick, The Measure. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who doesn’t know legendary actress Tovah Feldshuh?! (If you don’t, now you will!) Tovah, the subject of an upcoming documentary which just premiered at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center, is an all-time Broadway and screen great. She’s currently starring at Adam Brody’s mother Bina in Nobody Wants This. I interviewed Tovah for the second time as part of Totally Booked: Live in New York where she received a standing ovation.Last night in Los Angeles, Tovah joined my mother, Kyle, and me for dinner and opening night of the stage performance of my book On Being Jewish Now and she will star in my brother Teddy’s upcoming film Tuner. She calls herself our family’s babysitter. We just adore her. Hear our conversation and learn more about her memoir Lilyville: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I’ve Played. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I spoke to Matti Friedman right before the war with Iran began. He remarked that he and his family couldn’t make any plans as they waited to see what would happen. I’ve been thinking of him as Israelis rush to shelters as Iran retaliates. In his book, Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe, we go back to an earlier war. Matti, through extensive research, recreates the mission of select airmen and women who fight for freedom, explaining how and why certain streets in Israel are named after these heroes. In writing about them, he has become a hero in his own right.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve gone through a multi-year slime phase in our house, much to the dismay of our kitchen table. When we discovered there was basically an amusement park for slime called Sloomoo Institute, the kids were hooked! It’s an immersive experience, birthday party venue, and sensory sensation with make-your-own-slime, get slimed walls, walk barefoot in smooth sand, and other tactile experiences. Now bestselling author Melissa De La Cruz and Mike Johnston have turned founders Karen Robinovitz and Sara Schiller’s destination into a graphic novel Sloomoo: Making Friends. (Karen and Sara united after both of them had been felled by unspeakable losses and found joy through playing with slime.) They’ll be at Zibby’s Bookshop this Sunday (me too!) from 10 am - 11 am and will be hosting a kids’ experience. Listen to the episode and come by!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I like to think of Marie Benedict as my midlife history professor; every novel she writes teaches me more about periods of time I thought I understood. In Daughter of Egypt, Marie transports us to post-WWI England and Egypt through the eyes of a young woman who is more interested in archeology than cotillion. I interviewed Marie as part of Totally Booked: Live in Palm Beach. Prepare to be transported.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you remember The Book Thief? It came out twenty years ago and was a massive bestseller. It was just re-released as a 20th anniversary edition and oh my gosh, it’s gorgeous. I re-read the book to prepare for my interview with Markus and highly encourage you to do so, too — or read it for the first time if you missed it. Spectacular. It’s a story about a young, book-loving, non-Jewish girl in Nazi Germany, her family’s relationship with the man they hid, her own family’s struggle, and a town reeling from the war. I’m not doing it justice. It’s so good, a coming-of-age in wartime. Also? Incredibly creative. Hear from Markus Zusak about how he wrote the book only he could write.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling author Allison Pataki introduces us to yet another powerful woman forgotten in history in her latest historical novel, It Girl. Evelyn Talbot shot onto the scene in the early 20th century and rose to prominence (think: Kardashian). But her relationships with men destroyed her career and her life. Read Allison’s reimagined ending for this star.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Platzer’s novel The Optimists was just reviewed in the New York Times Book Review. I interviewed him live at the Whitby about his beloved teacher, who fell victim to a stroke and whom he visited for years afterwards, how Sarah Jessica Parker interviewed him at a recent event, and the power of loyalty. It also features a love story gone wrong about teens and a star student’s descent. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want to travel to the Southwest? I Am Agatha by debut author Nancy Foley takes us there. Inspired by her grandmother’s past, Nancy wrote a story about two elderly ladies and their antics. It’s as much about the land as the people. Here’s to pursuing writing dreams until they come true. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Table 4 at The River Cafe, restaurant owner Ruthie Rogers shares conversations with her high-profile podcast guests including Paul McCartney, David Beckham, and Martha Stewart. Learn more about them through the relationships to food. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what a fictitious book club would look like in Anna Quindlen’s mind? Enter More Than Enough, her latest powerhouse of a novel which centers on what happens to the members of a book club including DNA-based identity disruptions, illness, infertility, and more — with a dose of alpaca. Read to find out. We recorded our episode live at The Whitby Hotel. Watch it on my TV show “Totally Booked” on the JBS network when it comes out. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We published this “Thelma and Louise” meets “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” tale about a midlife recently catfished and humiliated woman and the young journalist determined to get revenge on her behalf. Travel all over Europe with them as they track down the con man who did this. Alexandra Potter is a massive bestselling author in the U.K. whose last novel was adapted into the TV show, “Not Dead Yet” on ABC. Check out So, I Met This Guy. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re in the mood to commiserate with a couple of close friends about the indignities of aging, love in midlife, life at Princeton in the 90s, how to get in shape for running, and more, this is the book for you. Hear from the leading Black and Jewish co-author team Alli Frank and Asha Youmans who call themselves “the Will and Grace of race” in Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Mark Oppenheimer’s new biography about Judy Blume, he reveals a number of surprising things, so much that I kept leaning over to my kids as I read going, “Did you know…” What the former “Unorthodox” podcast host really did was paint a portrait of one of the consummate literary leading ladies of our time. A must devour. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aren’t teachers the best? When I found out that Ani Katz (“Miss Katz”), my kids’ former teacher, wrote another novel, Haven, I had to invite her on the podcast and to our Totally Booked: Live show. Hear from her about the teaching life, the pitfalls of writing fiction, and so much more. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You might know Deborah Goodrich Royce for the amazing summer author series she hosts at the hotel she co-owns with her husband the Ocean House in Watch Hill, R.I. (If you haven’t been, you must.) Or maybe it’s for her previous novels, Finding Mrs. Ford, Ruby Falls, or Reef Road. Perhaps it’s for her soap opera days, or from co-chairing the New York Public Library’s annual spring luncheon, or maybe just from listening to her on my podcast the last few years. We discussed her new book Best Boy, the authors-supporting-authors life and more. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I interviewed the one and only Joan Lunden live in front of an audience for this very special discussion about her career as a longtime GMA anchor, her women’s health advocacy, the loss of her father at a young age, her marriage and second marriage, and so much more. What a thrill! Check out her latest memoir Joan: Life Beyond the Script. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trying something new here! I interviewed three women authors on the same day whose novels took me through the full spectrum of motherhood — so I wanted you all to have the same experience. We start with Angela Brown’s Ways to Find Yourself in which Grace Whittaker meets younger versions of herself as she mourns her mother’s loss while attempting to get pregnant. We then move on to British “it girl” Saba Sams’s Gunk which really throws you into the birth and baby experience. And then we fast forward to empty nesting in Lindsey Goldstein’s Gap Year in which a middle-aged mom takes off on an adventure after being left by her husband. Would love your input on this new episode format. I had fun doing it! Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Focus Features was kind enough to offer me the chance to host a screening of the new film “Midwinter Break,” which many of you in my community attended! Based on the novel Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty, which was edited by podcast guest and author Jill Bialosky, the film “Midwinter Break” paints an intimate portrait of a marriage in its later years. Director Polly Findlay and I discussed the adaptation, how to depict intimate relationships, and the power of stories in all mediums. Watch the movie trailer here. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I loved these poems by Jessica Urlichs so much that I ended up reading some to my son. Somehow, they take the unwieldy, much-discussed experience of motherhood and reframe it, distill it, and make it relatable in a new way. Isn’t it wild how effective great poetry can be? We discussed all of it and made each other cry. Check out her collection We Bloom Because of You.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mimi Nichter was an American teenager returning from a summer in Israel on September 6th, 1970 when the plane she was on was hijacked. She was then taken hostage. Until recently, she’d never shared what happened. With the release of her memoir, Hostage: A Memoir of Terrorism, Trauma, and Resilience, she sets the stage for how what happened to her has echoes in the news literally today. I’m embarrassed to say I’d never heard about this flight hijacking. Now I can’t forget it. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congratulations to author Zeeva Bukai for winning a National Jewish Book Award from the Jewish Book Council for her novel The Anatomy of Exile. On our episode, we spoke about her new book, The World Between, which is a slim, powerful narrative about a woman who travels to Tel Aviv to the home where she first started her marriage and revisits later in her life. It’s about mental health, the after-effects of World War II, recovery, mistakes, lost love, shame, survival, and healing. It’s really short and definitely worth reading: immersive, thought-provoking, soulful. I can’t stop thinking about it — and was thrilled to hear she won the award! Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m hooked. Somehow, I’d never read Elizabeth Day’s books until her latest, One of Us, a smart look at relationships, cancel culture, and more. I enjoyed her writing so much that I ordered her backlist. Elizabeth hosts the popular podcast “How to Fail.” In this book, she absolutely hasn’t. We connected as writers named Elizabeth who started podcasts on a whim post-divorce and grew a following. It was a really fun conversation. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who knew?!! Well, apparently, senior correspondent for CBS News Norah O’Donnell did. In her book, We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America, the stories of many unknown — and some well-known — are brought to the surface. The story of the U.S. is reshaped through what she uncovered. Written with Kate Andersen Brower, who joined us for the episode, Norah and WE THE WOMEN will change the way you think about the past — and the future. P.S. Norah is good friends with my college fave, Sarah (Ogilvie) Saint-Amand. Hi Sarah!Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Charleen Hurtubise paints a picture of a woman reinvented. We meet Saoirse on an airplane, faking her identity with a friend’s passport, on her way to start over entirely overseas. Why? You’ll find out. Art plays a central role in Saoirse’s new life — and in her unraveling. Does her husband know? You’ll find out. (Note: We had some technical issues during this episode, but we’ve edited them so you’ll never know. It is a bit shorter than usual as a result.)Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes you just click with someone. By the end of my in-person interview with Israeli poet Rachel Tzvia Back, we were hugging — having laughed, cried, and truly connected in just 30 minutes. Why? Because she’s awesome, yes, but also because her memoir, The Dark-Robed Mother, is so intimate, vulnerable, and beautiful that it would endear her to anyone. It’s funny and hopeful, dark and poignant. It also portrays what happens to those who love you when you go through something no one can fix. This is why I do my podcast. For moments like this. I hope you’ll listen.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.