On this episode of The Desk Set, we’re talking about two 10 to Try categories that have more overlap than you might think: Read a Banned (or Challenged) Book and Read a Young Adult Book. We chat with young adult author/superstar Marissa Meyer about her new series, Renegades, the power of fairytale retellings, and which Sailor Scout she wants to be. Then, we talk about banned books, including the most banned books of 2017, and why comic books and graphic novels so often top the list of most banned books. Did you know you can check out digital comics, including some of frequently banned and challenged titles, from the library via hoopla? Plus we share our top picks for under-appreciated young adult books to try when you’ve finished all the best sellers.

Young Adult Friction

In this episode of The Desk Set, we’re thinking internationally! For 10 to Try categories Read a Book in Translation and Read a Book Set in a Place You’ve Never Been, we’ll talk to two amazing guests. We chat with Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone. We also talk to Megan McDowell, who was recently nominated for a Man Booker International Prize for her heart-stopping translation of Samanta Schweblin’s Fever Dream. Then, hear about our favorite books set in places you might not have been, learn how to get a personalized list of picks by using BookMatch, and develop your world language skills with Mango. Plus, we explore the unique challenge of translating the magical world of Harry Potter for a global audience.

Harry Potter and the Books in Translation

On this episode of The Desk Set, we’re talking about two 10 to Try categories: Books Made into a Movie or TV Show and Books With Titles Longer than 4 Words. Author Matt Ruff joins us to talk about his book Lovecraft Country. Inspired by mid-century African-American travel guides as well as classic sci-fi and horror, the book is being adapted in a miniseries for HBO. Then, we talk about book-to-screen adaptations: the ones we love, the ones we hate, and the ones we can't wait to see. Kim Fu, author of The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore visits us in the studio to talk about her book, why children make interesting characters, and the difference between writing poetry and prose. Plus, we recommend movies to watch on the library's new streaming service Kanopy and a few more books with very long titles.

Is the book always better than the movie?

A bookish podcast for reading broadly, brought to you by the King County Library System

The Desk Set

Popular tracks