Chatter on Books

Chatter rolls with Torie and COB fave Erica Wright, and Texas rules the show. Erica's busy with a new novel and book of poetry and will be back soon to chat about both. Daylight Savings screwed Micah Williams of Black Pearl Books who was set to nominate their author for "The Pitch," K.D. Blade. No worries — writer and artist K.D. stepped up and shared "Don't Touch My Hair" and her wonderful world of reading, writing, and drawing. Award winning author and teacher April Reynolds zooms in to share "Shape of Dreams, a mesmerizing dive into murder, friendship, and a 1980s community in crisis. Thank goodness Miss Jordan encouraged April's writing!

"A gift." Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. They (finally) break down hockey and romance — and all have their picks for sports romance novels. Shane Mullen of Left Bank Books in St. Louis joins, sharing the store's back story and teasing his picks for "The Pitch." Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling zooms in with "If I Don't Return," his reflections on life lessons shared with his sons. Simultaneously accessible and powerful, "If I Don't Return" offers meaningful advice on facing all of life's challenges. It's about so much more than war.

"Bad ass." Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Torie, and COB fave Louis Bayard. They revel in the Olympics glow and mourn again Washington Post layoffs, the loss of "Book World" in particular. Poet, teacher, and inspired author Rebecca Lehmann zooms in to share "The Beheading Game." Few are brave enough to tackle the well-trod ground of Anne Boleyn, the first of Henry the Eighth's six wives to lose her head. Lehmann does so with imagination, empathy, and provocative thinking. Could not put it down.

"Protest and patriotism" Chatter rolls with David, Torie, and COB fave David Maraniss. In light of Washington Post layoffs David A shares his George Solomon (sports god) story. David M would have given a sneak peek at his next work, the life of Jack Johnson, first Black heavyweight boxing champion. Award winning civil rights historian Matthew Delmont zooms in to share "Until the Last Gun is Silent," his meticulously researched and compellingly written look at Black activism during the Vietnam War. Coretta Scott King and Medal of Honor winner Dwight "Skip" Johnson get their rightful place in history.

"In the DNA." Chatter rolls through snowmageddon with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. Nancy Baenen of Arcadia Books returns to nominate their first author for "The Pitch", James DeVita and his book "Sanctuary," post-apocalyptic yet scarily current. Then Mark Medley zooms in to share "Live to See the Day," his empathetic search to answer the question: what keeps people going against insurmountable odds? Over five years, multiple continents, and hundreds of interviews Mark finds the true meaning of hope against the odds. It's fun, inspirational, and we want to take all of Mark's people to dinner!

"Challenge the status quo." Chatter rolls (fast) into 2026. Torie, Claude, and COB's favorite Mayor Jud Ashman catch up and look ahead to the Gaithersburg Book Festival in May. Elaine Katzenberger of City Lights Booksellers and Publishers introduces Rae Alexandra, first nominee for "The Pitch," the writing contest in which independent book stores nominate an author from their region with a new book out in 2026. Rae's is "Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area," untold stories of ground breaking women in every walk of life that shaped California. Professor and world renowned cartographer William Rankin zooms in to share "Radical Cartography: How Changing Our Maps Can Change Our World." A fascinating and beautiful look at how maps can — and should — shape our perceptions of the world around us. You'll never look at a map the same again.

Steve Israel - "The Einstein Conspiracy" & Steve Vogel - "A Task Force Called Faith: The Untold Story of the U.S. Army Soldiers Who Fought for Survival at Chosin Reservoir — and Honor Back Home" Chatter rolls into the holidays with Claude, David, Torie, and icon James Grady. They pre-sneak Jim's book out in 2026 and rave about two COB alums, Charlotte Wood and Tevi Troy. Both make major "best of 25" lists. Then it's time for the two Steves. First up is Steve Israel, former Congressman and current author and owner of Theodore's Books. His latest, "The Einstein Conspiracy" is a page turning take based on actual events that pit FBI agents against undercover Nazi operatives. Second Steve up is Steve Vogel, COB alum and author this time of "A Task Force Called Faith," as ever with Vogel, meticulously researched and beautifully written. "Task Force" tells the true and tragic story of Army soldiers who fought in the toughest battle of the Korean War and then decades restoring their rightful place in history.

Group Therapy Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. Torie pitches Rob Dundon's wonderful cause in honor of his mother Cathy (go to: alt.org/goto/CathysLegacy/2025. The gang makes holiday gift recommendations. Scientist in Residence at the School of Art Institute in Chicago Eugenia Cheng zooms in to share "Unequal — The Math of When Things Do and Don't Add Up," It's about so much more than numbers and certainty. It's about nuance and perspective and understanding.

"Unfinished Business" Chatter rolls live in an undisclosed secure location in the DMV with Claude, David, Torie, and Renaissance man Rodney. It's "boy time" as Rodney extols the virtues of his men's book club. Charter member Thomas Dann joins to share "Midnight in Memphis," a mystery set in 1950s Memphis. A Southern noir "Midnight" is a nuanced look at race, political turmoil, and relationships in both. As Scott Turow put it, Dann uncovers the "enticing, sometimes lurid, mysteries that always seemed to lurk beneath the surface of the old south."

"More than football." Chatter goes live at Caddies on Cordell, the DMV's premier sports bar, with Claude, David, Torie, S.L. Price and DeMaurice Smith, longtime head of the National Football League Players Association. They break down the latest sports gambling scandal (nobody's shocked and all are worried about the impact). Smith shares "Turf Wars," the ultimate insiders look at the biggest battles between football owners and players.