Summer may be winding down, but there’s still time to soak up the last of the season with some great reads and podcasts. As we gear up for the final stretch before Labor Day, the D+P team wanted to share some of the books and podcasts that have kept us inspired during these warm, sunny days.
As a group, the D+P team has been reading Writing Tools (10th Anniversary Edition): 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark. Guided by our Chief Content Officer Kevin Shinkle, we’ve engaged in thoughtful discussions on practical strategies for enhancing our writing – from crafting concise and impactful sentences to effectively using adverbs and adjectives.
GRACE HANLON’S PICKS
The Guest by Emma Cline: A page-turning summer read. I love Cline’s prose, which turns this stressful ride into a fun adventure.
Ride by Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone: If Inside Out 2 was filmed inside my head.
SUE HAMILTON’S PICKS
There’s a nature theme to two of the books on my summer reading list.
Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman: This book details author Sara Dykman’s roundtrip ride following the monarch migration, a 10,201-mile journey through three countries – Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe by Jane Goodall: This book is set on the shores of Africa’s Lake Tanganyika.
So, in addition to nature, there’s a travel theme to this summer’s reading, too.
CHRISTINE REIMERT’S PICKS
Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline: Loved her ChickWit column in The Philadelphia Inquirer for years (and miss it now)! Rediscovered her not for her popular legal thrillers, but for two historical fiction novels, both set in Italy. Her first one was Eternal (2021), which is an epic saga, beautifully written, of family, friends and love at the beginning of World War II. I just read her second one, Loyalty, which depicts the rise of the Mafia in Sicily. Both are great reads!
GERALD NELSON’S PICK
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby: Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. I enjoyed this book because it hooked me with its fast pacing, storytelling twist and two complex, tough, deep main characters. It also has relevant themes today.
EMMA MCCLAIN’S PICKS
Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap: As someone who grew up with little financial education, this book laid the groundwork for my understanding of personal finance. The author, Tori Dunlap, has a deep understanding of the unique obstacles that women face on their journey to financial freedom, which she uses as a framework for the book. Tori outlines a comprehensive guide to making your money work harder for you, covering everything from the basics of understanding your relationship and emotions around money to building a financial game plan, managing debt, investing and planning for retirement. The book also includes journal prompts and interviews with experts on various financial topics.
For those who prefer listening to podcasts, Tori hosts a podcast called Financial Feminist, which covers all the topics in the book and expands on many of them through guest interviews.
KEVIN SHINKLE’S PICKS
Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson: Larson is one of our best writers of narrative history, and this dramatic and intimate tale of the events leading to Fort Sumter adds to his reputation.
The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day and the Birth of the American Superpower by Michel Paradis: Eisenhower and D-Day are well-trod topics, but by zeroing in on the intricacies of the first six months of 1944 the author provides a compelling character-driven narrative about executive decision making amid the greatest of pressures.
The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie: This classic book chronicles and intertwines the often troubled, but always inspiring, lives of four American Catholic writers: Dorothy Day; Thomas Merton, Flannery O’Connor and Walker Percy, who sought to make sense of post-World War II life through the lens of their deep faith.
MEG SHAFFER’S PICKS
The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas: Growing up, fantasy was always my favorite genre, so it’s been a joy to rediscover it as an adult—especially with an author who lives right here in Philly. I did a tandem read for books five and six, which was a new and exciting experience. In a tandem read, you alternate between two books in the series that take place simultaneously with different characters in different parts of the world, creating a single, intertwined narrative. Fans of the series developed this approach to provide a clearer timeline and improve the pacing, and I found it incredibly rewarding and fun.
Sad to Savage, a podcast by Shelby Sacco: Shelby Sacco is someone I have followed on social media for the past few years, and her content has always resonated with me. Her podcast focuses on teaching habits that improve both your physical and mental health. Her approach and advice is refreshingly honest and relatable, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to find balance in the chaos of early adulthood.
ALYSSA ZINAR’S PICKS
Funny Story by Emily Henry: I’m a big fan of all of Emily Henry’s books, so when she released Funny Story in April, I knew I had to read it. I tend to favor fiction and quintessential Beach Read(s), a product Emily Henry consistently delivers. If you’re looking for a quick, non-traditional love story, look no further than Funny Story.
Land of the Giants: The Disney Dilemma, a podcast from Vulture and Vox: I’ve always been interested in the business side of entertainment, so learning more about one of the giants, Disney, was an easy choice for me. The podcast will dissect how Disney became the big business we know it as today, and how it is faring and changing in the digital age of cord cutting. This is the podcast’s eighth season. It chronicled other companies such as Meta, Amazon, Netflix in its previous seasons.
JAY DEVINE’S PICKS
James by Percival Everett: In terms of books, I really like James by Percival Everett. It is a very creative retelling of the Huck Finn story from his friend, Jim’s perspective.
50X on Spotify: One podcast that I have started to listen to is 50X on Spotify. It tells some very interesting stories about how executives grew their companies and investments.
The Pun Also Rises by John Pollack: Sue was so nice to give me a copy of this book. If you’re a word nerd, the book delves into the history of the pun and how it has influenced language as we know it today. Give it a read!
LIZZY LOMAX’S PICKS
How Should a Person Be? by Sheila Heti: I recommend to anyone grappling with identity. It explores a complex female friendship between two artists with differing creative styles. Heti’s writing is filled with witty lines and philosophical musings that tackle the age-old question of how one should live.
Philosophize This!, hosted by Stephen West: This podcast is an excellent introduction for anyone interested in exploring philosophical theories and ideas. West presents complex concepts in a digestible manner, making it accessible for newcomers.
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