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Drinks in the Library: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Gigi Howard
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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- 5 days ago30 min
The Veronica Speedwell Series by Deanna Raybourn with Carmela Dutra
Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series follows a fiercely independent Victorian lepidopterist who finds herself entangled in murder, mystery, and adventure in 19th-century England. Alongside her enigmatic partner, natural historian Stoker, Veronica uses her sharp wit, scientific knowledge, and unconventional methods to solve dangerous crimes.Carmela Dutra is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. She is the author of the Food Truck Mysteries, including A Murder Most Fowl and Hot Wings and Homicide. Her series has been praised by Kirkus Reviews, which called her debut “a serious set of crimes leavened by plenty of amusing moments,” and by Library Journal, which noted that Hot Wings and Homicide “is perfect for foodies.” Criminal Element highlighted the “juicy reasoning behind the sabotage that was almost as shocking as the murder itself,” and New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams described the books as “the perfect escapist read, brimming with banter and an extra helping of fun.” Carmela has also been featured in CrimeReads Magazine.A lover of humor, quirky characters, and all things geeky, Carmela spends her days sketching, sipping far too much coffee, and over-cuddling her allergy-inducing cats and dog. She lives with her husband and two dinosaur-obsessed sons, drawing inspiration from rainy afternoons, bustling farmers’ markets, and the unexpected moments that make life memorable.Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff.Our drink this week was a Whiskey Sour, Whiskey is a favorite of Carmela’s and Veronica, and the little kick reflects Veronica’s spicy nature.Whiskey SourIngredients2 oz bourbon or whiskey3/4 oz fresh lemon juice3/4 oz simple syrupIceOptional: 1 egg whiteLemon slice or cocktail cherry for garnishDirectionsAdd whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. If using egg white, add it and shake without ice first.Add ice and shake vigorously until chilled.Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.• 4. Garnish with a lemon slice or cocktail cherry.
- 1 weeks ago35 min
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams with Lauren Comito
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 offers an explosive, first-hand look at the internal culture and decision-making practices at the highest levels of the tech giant.Lauren Comito is a cape wearing, sword swinging, activist librarian in NYC. Lauren is currently the Neighborhood Library Supervisor at the LeonardBranch of the Brooklyn Public Library and Executive Director of Urban Librarians Unite. She is committed to creating space for communities to connect and grow, whether in her neighborhood or among library workers.I will be with Lauren in person on October 15 for the Urban Librarians Unite Romantasy gala in Brooklyn NY! Get your tickets now for a night celebrating libraries, librarians, and the important work that we do!Our drink for this episode was an Old Fashioned, as Lauren said when we were planning: The book is one of those nightmare bureaucracy memoirs where you probably need a damn drink but don't want to drink it too fast? Well said. Cheers!Old-FashionedIngredients2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey1 sugar cube (or 1/4 oz simple syrup)2–3 dashes Angostura bitters1 teaspoon water (if using a sugar cube)IceOrange peel and cocktail cherry for garnishDirectionsPlace the sugar cube, bitters, and water in an Old-Fashioned glass. Muddle until the sugar dissolves. If using simple syrup, stir with the bitters instead.Add the whiskey and stir to combine.Add a large ice cube and stir until chilled.Express the orange peel over the glass, then garnish with the peel and a cocktail cherry.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
- 1 weeks ago43 min
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow with Phil Hilliker
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 "whuffie". The protagonist, a centenarian named Jules, lives his dream managing classic attractions at Walt Disney World. When a rival faction stages a hostile takeover and figuratively and literally "kills" his project by modernizing the Hall of Presidents, Jules goes to war to protect the park's traditional artistic purityPhillip Hilliker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. He has contributed to role-playing games such as Shadowrun and White Wolf’s World of Darkness, written voiceover scripts for too many whiteboard explanatory videos. He is a current board member of James River Writers and has served as their membership coordinator as well. Currently he’s employed by a puzzle company to draw primarily sports-centric projects. You can find him on social media: @philhillikerOur drink this week is a Piña Colada, which as you’ll hear ties back a bit to the Magic Kingdom!Piña ColadaIngredients2 oz white rum2 oz pineapple juice2 oz cream of coconut1 cup icePineapple wedge and maraschino cherry, for garnishDirectionsAdd rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and ice to a blender.Blend until smooth and creamy.Pour into a chilled glass.Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
- 2 weeks ago42 min
Old Man's War by John Scalzi with Donna Barba Higuera
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. Recruited into an interstellar war, Perry discovers that the universe is far more dangerous and morally complicated than he expected. Blending sharp humor, military science fiction, and big questions about aging, identity, and sacrifice, the novel offers a fast-paced and thought-provoking adventure.Donna Barba Higuera is an award-winning author who masterfully blends folklore with her lived experiences to create captivating stories for young readers. Growing up in the dust-filled oil fields of Central California, she spent her life weaving tales that sparked her imagination.Now residing in the Pacific Northwest with her family and a lively menagerie of pets, Donna is the acclaimed author of picture books like El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! and The Yellow Handkerchief. Her middle-grade novels have garnered significant recognition: Lupe Wong Won't Dance received the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor, while her second novel, The Last Cuentista, was awarded both the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. The Last Cuentista was also named a Best Book of the Year by The Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME. Her newest book Xolo reimagines the Aztec myth of the origin of man-and man's best friend. Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff.Man of War CocktailIngredients1½ oz bourbon½ oz orange liqueur½ oz sweet vermouth½ oz fresh lemon juiceOrange twist, for garnishDirectionsAdd bourbon, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.Shake well.Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. • 4. Garnish with an orange twist.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
- 3 weeks ago46 min
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster with Rebecca N. Thompson, MD
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 splendid illustrations, the wit, wisdom, and wordplay of Norton Juster's offbeat fantasy are as beguiling as ever. For Milo, everything's a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he's got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Rebecca N. Thompson, MD, MSc, is a family medicine and public health physician from Portland, Oregon, who specializes in women's and children's health. Throughout her career, she has sought opportunities to use written and spoken words to help build community and to make complex medical topics more accessible and more engaging for a wide range of audiences. Her critically acclaimed book, Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love (HarperCollins 2025), is the result of her decade-long collaboration with a remarkable group of women to share their most intimate true stories about personal relationships, professional identities, and health and healing across generations. Dr. Thompson trained at Harvard, Stanford, and Oregon Health & Science University and is always learning from her most influential teachers—her patients, colleagues, family, and friends. In her free time, she enjoys wandering through green spaces, reading in cozy nooks, playing unreasonably complicated board games, repurposing found objects, and accompanying her husband and children on all-weather adventures near and far.Our drink this week is a Capri Sun, always a good time and a great pairing for a classic children’s book.On Wednesday October 14th I will be MCing the Urban Librarians Unite Gala in Brooklyn NY, if you are in that area and would like to spend the night celebrating an organization that supports libraries, grab a ticket and join us! More info here: https://urbanlibrariansunite.org/romantasy-gala-2026/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
- Sep 1, 202651 min
A Life in Men by Gina Frangello with Kathleen Schmidt
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 Nix, her charismatic, free-spirit best friend, and the rift that ultimately divided them forever. Both intimate and emotionally honest, this book is a powerful novel about love, identity, grief, and the people who change us forever.As the Founder and CEO of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen is a well-respected voice in book publishing with in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter. Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities. Her fast-growing Substack newsletter, Publishing Confidential, shares her wealth of inside knowledge that she hopes will help demystify the book industry. She recently announced a book deal, expanding on her knowledge and experience in the publishing industry, it will be coming out in 2027. Married with two children, she resides in New Jersey.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
- Aug 25, 202636 min
The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill with Meg Medina
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 kindhearted ogress for their misfortunes instead of the corrupt mayor who caused them. When a group of resourceful orphans discovers the truth, they join forces with the ogress to expose deception, restore compassion, and rebuild their fractured community. Blending fantasy with timely themes of kindness, courage, and the power of stories, the novel is a moving celebration of empathy and collective action.Meg Medina served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Her most recent middle-grade novel and first fantasy, Graciela in the Abyss, was a 2026 ALSC Notable Children’s Book and a CCBC Choices 2026 selection. Illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso, the novel was also awarded the prestigious 2026 Hamilton King Award by the Society of Illustrators. She is also the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, a 2018 Kirkus Prize finalist, and is followed by two more acclaimed books about the Suárez family: Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool. Her young adult novels include Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, which won the 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award, and was published in 2023 as a graphic novel illustrated by Mel Valentine Vargas; Burn Baby Burn, which was long-listed for the National Book Award; and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind. She is also the author of picture books No More Señora Mimí / No más Señora Mimí, Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away / Evelyn del Rey se muda, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez, Jumpstart’s 2020 Read for the Record selection; Mango, Abuela, and Me, illustrated by Angela Dominguez, which was a Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book; and Tía Isa Wants a Car, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz, which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award; and biographies for young readers She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor and She Persisted: Pura Belpré, the latter with Marilisa Jiménez García. Meg Medina’s work examines how cultures intersect through the eyes of young people. She brings audiences stories that speak to both what is unique in Latino culture and qualities that are universal. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia.To celebrate Meg’s Cuban roots, our drink pairing for this was a Cuba Libre:Cuba LibreIngredients2 oz white rum4 to 6 oz cola1/2 oz fresh lime juice (about half a lime)IceLime wedge, for garnishDirectionsFill a tall glass with ice.Pour in the rum and fresh lime juice.Top with cola and stir gently. • 4. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
- Aug 18, 202650 min
Missing You, Metropolis by Gary Jackson with Martheaus Perkins
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, grief, and belonging. Through inventive, emotionally resonant poems, Jackson reimagines iconic characters and fictional worlds as lenses for examining real-life experiences and the complexities of growing up Black in America.Martheaus Perkins is a teacher, editor, and hot sauce enthusiast based in Washington, D.C. He is the recipient of the Robert Creeley Memorial Award, the Voices President's Award, the GMU Rinehart Fiction Award, and the Robert Raymond Scholarship. His debut poetry collection, The Grace of Black Mothers, was published by Trio House Press in 2025.We sipped iced tea (Gold Peak), which was a drink Martheaus often enjoyed with his grandmother. This episode was recorded at Richmond Poetry Fest 2026. Special thanks to Rosa Castellano for bringing us together and helping us coordinate recording at the event!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/drinks-in-the-library/donations
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About Drinks in the Library
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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