Drinks in the library, the only library where drinks aren’t just allowed, they are required! Each episode librarian Gigi Howard interviews a guest about their favorite book and we pair it with a drink for you to make at home or share with your next book club meet-up!
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Sep 29, 2026 · 30:56
Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series follows a fiercely independent Victorian lepidopterist who finds herself entangled in murder, mystery, and adventure in 19th-century…
Sep 27, 2026 · 35:51
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism is a 2025 memoir by Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook. This book…
Sep 22, 2026 · 43:29
Cory Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a sci-fi novel set in a post-scarcity future where death is curable and social status is run by a reputation metric called…
Sep 15, 2026 · 42:57
Old Man's War by John Scalzi follows 75-year-old John Perry, who joins the Colonial Defense Forces in exchange for a chance to explore the stars and a new, younger body.…
Sep 8, 2026 · 46:27
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is a book in which generations of readers have journeyed with Milo to the Lands Beyond in this beloved classic. Enriched by Jules Feiffer's…
Sep 1, 2026 · 51:29
What if every relationship you've ever had left behind a version of yourself? In A Life in Men by Gina Frangello, Mary's life is forever shaped by her complicated friendship with…
Aug 25, 2026 · 36:42
In The Ogress and the Orphans , Kelly Barnhill tells the story of the struggling town of Stone-in-the-Glen, where fear and misinformation lead the townspeople to blame a…
Aug 18, 2026 · 50:53
Missing You, Metropolis by Gary Jackson is a poetry collection that blends superheroes, comic book mythology, pop culture, and personal memory to explore identity, race, love,…
Aug 11, 2026 · 38:51
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a satirical allegorical novel about a group of farm animals who overthrow their human owner in hopes of creating a society based on equality and…
Aug 4, 2026 · 48:20
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is about an 86-year-old Portuguese widower who arrives in a small Southern town in Georgia. He spends his year there buying local pencil portraits…
Jul 28, 2026 · 41:18
The Burning Girls by CJ Tudor is a folk horror and mystery novel about Reverend Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter, Flo, who move to a remote English village seeking a fresh…
Jul 21, 2026 · 34:46
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical narrative that chronicles the Great Migration, the decades-long exodus of nearly six million…
Jul 14, 2026 · 35:17
The Half Life by Rachel Beanland is a novel set on a remote Italian island, about a navy wife’s reckoning with power, love, and the price of staying silent in the Atomic Age. I…
Jul 7, 2026 · 35:16
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on Patreon The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien is a timeless adventure…
Jun 30, 2026 · 50:46
Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the…
Jun 23, 2026 · 31:11
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on Patreon Hannah Coulter is Wendell Berry's seventh novel and his first to…
Jun 16, 2026 · 47:45
Transcendent Kingdom is a 2020 novel by Yaa Gyasi that follows Gifty, a Ghanaian-American neuroscience PhD candidate at Stanford, as she studies addiction and depression in mice…
Jun 9, 2026 · 37:27
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on Patreon Set in a totalitarian superstate, George Orwell's 1984 follows…
Jun 2, 2026 · 49:41
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on Patreon Set in a world where every person’s soul exists outside their…
May 26, 2026 · 40:03
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on Patreon In Nikesha Elise Williams’ The Seven Daughters of Dupree, it's…
May 19, 2026 · 47:06
In How to Save Your Own Life , Erica Jong follows novelist Isadora Wing as she grapples with fame, aging, marriage, and the search for personal freedom after the success of her…
May 12, 2026 · 45:04
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah follows two sisters in Nazi-occupied France as they navigate love, loss, resistance, and survival during World War II. Through their very…
May 5, 2026 · 31:27
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens follows Pip, an orphan who rises from humble beginnings after receiving a mysterious fortune, believing it will transform him into a…
Apr 28, 2026 · 51:50
In Sole Survivor by Derek Hansen, Rosie Trethewey leaves her unhappy city life after inheriting a remote shack on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island, hoping for a fresh start.…
Apr 21, 2026 · 38:54
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck is a surreal love story about newlyweds Wren and Lewis, whose marriage is upended when Lewis is diagnosed with a rare condition that will slowly…
Apr 14, 2026 · 44:58
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger is a techno-thriller and family drama about the moral fallout of a fatal crash involving an autonomous minivan. The novel follows the Cassidy-Shaw…
Apr 7, 2026 · 43:26
We All Want Impossible Things is a tender, darkly funny novel about friendship, grief, and letting go. It follows Ash as she supports her best friend Edi through the final stages…
Mar 31, 2026 · 34:59
Nature's Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy argues that everyday homeowners can play a critical role in reversing biodiversity loss by transforming their yards into thriving…
Mar 24, 2026 · 32:13
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez follows sisters Patria, Minerva, María Teresa, and Dedé Mirabal as they defy the brutal regime of Rafael Trujillo. It’s a powerful…
Mar 17, 2026 · 1:00:27
Gone by Michael Grant is a gripping dystopian novel in which everyone over the age of fifteen suddenly disappears from a small California town, leaving the kids to survive on…
Mar 10, 2026 · 41:24
On Beauty by Zadie Smith follows two feuding families—the liberal Belseys and the conservative Kippses—whose lives collide in a New England university town, exploring themes of…
Mar 3, 2026 · 35:31
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica is a dystopian horror novel where a virus makes all animal meat poisonous, leading to the legalization and industrialization of human…
Feb 24, 2026 · 37:18
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a sharp, witty exploration of love, class, and social expectation in Regency-era England, centered on the spirited Elizabeth Bennet and the…
Feb 21, 2026 · 46:05
2 Years of Drinks in the Library gets a special episode! Carrie Pruett, who did the DITL Wuthering Heights Book episode with me, and I discussed the Wuthering Heights Film by…
Feb 17, 2026 · 38:05
This week’s book is The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow , the story of three sisters in 1893: Juiper, Agnes and Beatrice who are hunted by forces who will not suffer a…
Feb 10, 2026 · 58:42
Hi Librarian Nation! This week we are discussing Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, the now-ubiquitous tale of Bella Swan and the vampire who just can’t quit her, Edward Cullen. This…
Feb 3, 2026 · 41:53
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl is a whimsical children’s novel about Charlie Bucket, a kind, poor boy who wins a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the mysterious Willy…
Jan 27, 2026 · 37:09
This week’s book is Libby Lost & Found, by Stephanie Booth, about Libby Weeks, the reclusive author of the hit fantasy series “ The Falling Children” , who faces a crisis when…
Jan 20, 2026 · 59:50
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger revolves around identical twins, Elspeth and Edie, who have a deep but complicated bond that is tested when Elspeth, a reclusive woman…
Jan 13, 2026 · 55:05
Our book this week is An Object of Beauty, a novel released in 2010 by Steve Martin, chronicles the journey of the driven and charming Lacey Yeager as she navigates the New York…
Jan 6, 2026 · 34:24
Happy New Year Libration Nation! We are kicking off the year with Heartbeat by Terreece M. Clarke, a romance suspense novel in which Mike and Maya find love in the midst of…
Dec 16, 2025 · 55:54
Hello Libration Nation! This week I am joined by Nick George, a poet and educator, to discuss This Is The Honey an anthology of poems edited by Kwame Alexander. We talked about…
Dec 9, 2025 · 56:50
Hello libration nation! This week's book is The Gunslinger by Stephen King a dark twisted fantasy novel and the first book in King’s The Dark Tower series. It follows the journey…
Dec 2, 2025 · 45:13
This week’s book is Kindred by Octavia Butler, a time-traveling story about Dana, who goes back in time to ensure the survival of her ancestors: an enslaved woman named Alice and…
Nov 25, 2025 · 43:43
Happy Thanksgiving! I’m taking the week to relax with family. Please enjoy the re-airing of this recording, which originally aired December 17, 2024. Hello Libration Nation! This…
Nov 18, 2025 · 51:16
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary is a charming romantic comedy about two strangers, Tiffy and Leon, who share a London flat but have never met, communicating only through notes. As…
Nov 11, 2025 · 49:54
The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano follows a witty, overworked single mom and novelist who accidentally becomes entangled in real-life crime while trying to meet her…
Nov 4, 2025 · 37:16
I’m so excited to share the audio from my very first live recording, held on October 28 at M.M.LaFleur Georgetown . I had the pleasure of interviewing Ally Kirkpatrick, owner of…
Oct 28, 2025 · 45:49
Carrie by Stephen King tells the story of a shy, bullied teenager who endures relentless cruelty at school and terrifying abuse at home from her fanatically religious mother.…
Oct 21, 2025 · 57:51
Hello, Libration Nation! This week, I'm doing something a bit different and sharing 15 books that I loved in 2025! This format is a departure from the regular show, but I wanted…
Oct 14, 2025 · 48:55
In Surrender by Bono, the iconic frontman of U2, shares a deeply personal memoir that explores his life’s journey through music, activism, and spirituality. With candid…
Oct 7, 2025 · 47:12
In Solito , a memoir by poet Javier Zamora recounts his harrowing and heartfelt journey as a nine-year-old traveling alone from El Salvador to the United States to reunite with…
Sep 30, 2025 · 41:29
Welcome back to Drinks in the Library! Today, we're exploring the delightful and charming world of Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. This romantic comedy takes us on a…
Sep 23, 2025 · 43:41
Hello Libration Nation! Our book this week is Catwings a whimsical and heartwarming tale by beloved author Ursula K. Le Guin. The story follows four ordinary kittens born with an…
Sep 16, 2025 · 50:40
Welcome back Libration Nation! Today, I’m excited to share one of my recent favorites: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. This delightful tale is a blend of humor,…
Sep 9, 2025 · 51:47
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh tells the poignant story of Victoria Jones, a young woman who uses the Victorian tradition of flower symbolism to communicate her…
Sep 2, 2025 · 52:27
Hello Libration Nation! This week, we are diving into the captivating world of "The Murderbot Diaries," a remarkable series by Martha Wells. Follow the journey of an anxious,…
Aug 26, 2025 · 39:38
We are going back in time and discussing Amatory Fiction in the 18th century novel Fantomina by Eliza Haywood. This incredible story explores the complexities of identity and…
Aug 19, 2025 · 42:04
We are going down the rabbit hole this week folks! Join us as we dive into the whimsical world of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a timeless tale that explores…
Aug 12, 2025 · 53:50
It’s Christmas in July! This week we are visiting the world of Narnia , where it is always Winter but never Christmas, at least until the Pevensie children get involved. This…
Aug 5, 2025 · 46:24
Hello Libration Nation! This week we are discussing The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. This newly released middle-grade book features Clare, an undead fox who…
Jul 29, 2025 · 52:55
If you have listened to the podcast for awhile, you have probably heard me reference the book Here For it: Or, How To Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas. It is a…
Jul 22, 2025 · 46:51
Please enjoy the re-airing of this episode which was originally released July 9, 2024. There is no getting around this: I was THRILLED when Lisa agreed to come on the podcast.…
Jul 15, 2025 · 38:44
This is such a special episode because, for the first time ever, I’m interviewing an author about their book, because it’s one of my favorite books! Gingko Season by Naomi Xu…
Jul 8, 2025 · 58:46
Note: This episode was originally published April 2, 2024, I’ll be back with new content next week, enjoy! Did you read the Anne of Green Gables series as a young girl and then…
Jul 1, 2025 · 32:10
Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz is a memoir about her decade-long entrapment in a manipulative Christian cult during her time on One Tree Hill . The book details how the…
Jun 24, 2025 · 33:06
The song “Welcome to New York” has been in my head all week preparing for this episode on the book Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise , a witty and…
Jun 17, 2025 · 37:24
In The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari , Robin Sharma tells the story of a high-powered lawyer who trades his fast-paced life for spiritual enlightenment in the Himalayas. This modern…
Jun 10, 2025 · 46:39
This week, we're diving into Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel—a hauntingly beautiful novel that blends post-apocalyptic survival with the enduring power of art, memory,…
Jun 3, 2025 · 44:20
Happy Pride Month Libration Nation! This week’s episode is so special and fun, with returning guest Rachel Yorkshire! Rachel is bringing us a wealth of books with LGBTQ stories…
May 27, 2025 · 57:09
This week’s episode is about one of my personal favorite books, Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe, and I’m j oined by returning guest and longtime friend (and librarian)…
May 20, 2025 · 39:46
Welcome back to another episode of Drinks at the Library, the podcast where we pair the perfect drink with the perfect book. Today, we're diving into a love story that bends time…
May 13, 2025 · 45:19
In A Psalm for the Wild-Built ,Becky Chambers invites readers into a serene, post-collapse world where a wandering tea monk named Dex crosses paths with a curious robot, sparking…
May 6, 2025 · 41:38
This week, we’re off to the deceptively cozy village of St. Mary Mead, where gossip flows freely and murder is just around the hedgerow. Join us as Miss Marple makes her…
Apr 29, 2025 · 42:37
Welcome to this week’s episode of Drinks in the Library! Today we’re exploring Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher , a darkly whimsical tale of a shy princess who undertakes an…
Apr 22, 2025 · 47:06
Hello Libration Nation, this week we are discussing The Women by Kristin Hannah. The Women is a powerful, heart-wrenching novel that follows a young nurse, Frankie McGrath, as…
Apr 15, 2025 · 50:15
Hello Libration Nation! This week we are discussing Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins. This is a love story… kind of. It’s about a princess, an outlaw, a lot of…
Apr 8, 2025 · 40:19
Hi Libration Nation! I am coming to you this National Library week with a delightful book Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, which offers a whimsical, yet dark exploration…
Apr 1, 2025 · 44:21
Hello Libration Nation!, I am so excited for you to hear this week’s episode. Our book is Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden…
Mar 25, 2025 · 42:16
Hello Libration Nation! I’m thrilled to welcome Sarah Glenn Marsh to this week's episode as we uncover the wonders of "The Last Ranger" by Peter Heller. A thrilling exploration…
Mar 18, 2025 · 42:15
Hello, Libration Nation! 📚✨ This week, we’re diving into Parable of the Sower by the legendary Octavia Butler. If you haven’t read it yet, get ready—it’s a powerful,…
Mar 11, 2025 · 42:50
Hello, Libration Nation! 📚✨ This week, we're diving into Be Ready When the Luck Happens by none other than Ina Garten. And joining me is the fabulous Mair Downing! Our drink…
Mar 4, 2025 · 47:08
Our book this week is the classic love, revenge, and ghost story, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, and my guest this week is Carrie Pruett. Carrie is a power user of the…
Feb 25, 2025 · 38:42
Raise your wands Libration Nation! This week’s book is Carry On by Rainbow Rowell a magical mages story about Simon Snow, the worst chosen one ever according to his roommate and…
Feb 20, 2025 · 56:28
Happy One Year Anniversary, Libration Nation! 🥳 One year ago, February 20, 2024 the very first episode of Drinks of the Library came into this world. I have so many thoughts on…
Feb 18, 2025 · 32:11
This week’s episode covers the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan, a police procedural in a small town in Pennsylvania, and my guest this week is Kristin Miller. Kristin…
Feb 11, 2025 · 35:07
When I was a baby librarian there was not a book requested more than The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and all the books that came after it in the series. I was so excited…
Feb 4, 2025 · 40:23
This week we are discussing The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and take life to the next level level by Gay Hendricks. This book encourages readers to go beyond their…
Jan 28, 2025 · 55:46
I’m so excited to bring you something a little different—not a book, but a genre that’s new to me: FanFiction. Specifically, Dramione Fanfiction , which features stories pairing…
Jan 21, 2025 · 42:46
Today we’re stepping into the surreal, tragic, and darkly comedic world of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five —a story about war, time travel, and what it means to say, 'So it…
Jan 15, 2025 · 37:15
Artist and author Julia Marshel is someone who sees the world through a lens of wonder and joy. From a young age, Julia discovered that if you look closely, the world reveals an…
Dec 31, 2024 · 43:41
Hello Libration Nation! This week’s book is Daring Greatly by Dr. Brené Brown, and I’m talking about it with my fellow librarian and library advocacy rockstar - Sonya Durney!…
Dec 17, 2024 · 43:17
Hello Libration Nation! This week we are discussing the classic series Animorphs by K.A. Applegate. Animorphs is a collection of 54 middle-grade books in which five young adults…
Dec 3, 2024 · 42:52
Hello Libration Nation! In this week’s episode I’m chatting with David Crowley, nonprofit leader and podcaster, about The Good Life : Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific…
Nov 26, 2024 · 57:06
Listener update: I am taking a short pause over the holidays from all the editing and content creation that goes into this podcast. I have plenty of recordings completed that I…
Nov 19, 2024 · 41:24
Hello Libration Nation! This week, we're diving into a beautifully heartwarming poetry collection, Dog Songs by the illustrious Mary Oliver. Joining me is the wonderful Amanda…
Nov 12, 2024 · 47:24
Welcome back Libration Nation! This week, we're delving into a classic piece of Southern writing with The Prince of Tides by the remarkable Pat Conroy. My guest this week is the…
Nov 5, 2024 · 36:52
Hello, Libration Nation! This week, we're diving into the vibrant world of "Paper Girls," an imaginative comic series by Brian K. Vaughn with artwork by Cliff Chiang. This…
Oct 29, 2024 · 43:57
It's Spooky Season Libration Nation! In this spine-tingling episode, I'm joined by Grace Todd, fellow Richmond podcast host of the " Didn't Read It " podcast, to delve into…
Oct 22, 2024 · 30:20
Hello Libration Nation! In this podcast episode, I'm excited to discuss The Rose Code by Kate Quinn with my cousin Christine O'Brien—a nurse, wife, fur-mom, and avid reader.…
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