Johnathan Aaron Baker and Brandon Presley discuss the works and life of Ernest Hemingway. In conjunction with the release of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's documentary "Hemingway" airing on PBS.

#025 Hemingway

In this episode we talk "Pandemic Reads" with Stacy Clopton and Marley Hoggatt. Is reading more or less popular during a time of tragedy? And what are good re-reads during a time of uncertainty? 

Books discussed this episode: One to Watch, The House in the Cerulean Sea and more.

#026 The No Good Very Bad Year

In this episode we discuss Queer Literature with our guest Lytton St. Stephen. 

Books discussed include: The Price of Salt, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Well of Loneliness and more.

#029 Queer Lit

In this episode, guests Monica Hart and Ruth Landelius discuss their love of cookbooks! What makes a cookbook great? Who are their favorite cooks/authors? And how did Ruth leaving French onion soup on her back porch kick off her cooking career? All of this and more on this episode!

#030 Whatcha Got Cookin?

In this episode our guests Ande Parlow and Richard McGowan discuss YA Novels.

Books discussed include: Layoverland, Stamped, Clap When You Land, The Patron Saints of Nothing, Dig, Class Act and more!

#031 Gen Z To The Rescue

In this episode local author Ryan McSwain discusses his writing process, his inspiration for writing, and if there will be a sequel to his novel 'Four Color Bleed'.

Off The Page: Ryan McSwain

What makes a book a bestseller? Why are certain books overlooked? In this episode we discuss what books should have been bigger and why they weren’t. 

Guests: Stacy Clopton and Amanda Barrera.

#032 Underrated Books

Parelleling Panhandle PBS’s new series on exploring “The Little Things” we can do to improve our mental health. 

Guests: Cindi Wynia, Karen Welch

#033 Mental Health

The Black experience through fiction and non-fiction books.

Guests: Delores Thompson, RJ Soleyjacks, Stacy Clopton

#034 Black Lit

#035 Doin' Knit Yourself

Escaping into page-turners with a dark side. 

Guests: Stevi Breshears, Bridget Hefner

#036 Psycho Thriller, qu'est-ce que c'est?

Exploring family history and Amarillo Public Library’s extensive genealogy resources. 

Guests: Cindy Wallace, Natalie Barrett

#037 I Dream of Genealogy

Paralleling the Amarillo Public Library’s 2022 exhibit, “Americans and the Holocaust,” and Panhandle PBS’s premiere of the new film by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick & Sarah Botstein, “The U.S. and the Holocaust.”       

Guests: Cynthia Hunt, Melody Boren

#038 The Holocaust

"Texas Monthly" writer, Skip Hollandsworth, discusses his book "The Midnight Assassin" and his podcast "Tom Brown's Body" with host Amy Hart.

Off The Page: Skip Hollandsworth

Discussion of books on the list for The Great American Read, as well as books commonly remembered from childhood Summer Reading lists. 

Warning: May Contain Spoilers

#001 Summer Reading Lists

Our latest installment of Check Me Out: a podcast for book lovers features three special guests (a professor, an artist, and a licensed counsellor) who discuss books on an emotional scale. Books discussed from The Great American Read List include: Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby, Gone with the Wind, The Help, To Kill a Mockingbird, Siddhartha, Where the Red Fern Grows.

#002 You'll Need Therapy

Our newest episode discusses books left off of PBS's Great American Read list — most notably, graphic novels. 

Warning: May Contain Spoilers

#003 Where is The Love?

Our newest episode discusses the more polarizing picks for PBS's Great American Read list — notably, Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey.

Warning: May Contain Spoilers

#004 The Defenders

Panhandle PBS' Chip Chandler sits down with TGAR panel member and former Teacher of the Year Shanna Peeples. They discuss the selection process for The Great American Read, teaching, and Shanna's favorite novels.

Books discussed include: The Chronicles of Narnia, Cirque du Freak, Pippi Longstocking, Hansel and Gretel, The Lorax, graphic novels, Lonesome Dove and more!

#005 The Peeples' Choice

English scholars Jonathan Baker and Chris Hudson discuss books that fall under the "cult" category, from Moby Dick to Harry Potter, on the Great American Read book list. 

Warning: May Contain Spoilers

#006 Drink The Kool-aid

Hilary Hulsey sits down with young readers, Haven and Olivia, to discuss some of the YA novels on the Great American Read list. 

Books discussed include: The Giver, The Outsiders, Harry Potter, Looking for Alaska, and more!

#007 The Kids Are Alright

In this episode, a group of area teachers, librarians, and book-lovers discuss books series on PBS' The Great American Read list. Books included in this podcast: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Foundation, Flowers in the Attic, Chronicles of Narnia.

#008 Long-Term Relationships

Is the book always better? Our guests this week, Jonathan Baker, Chip Chandler, and Hilary Hulsey discuss some of the books adapted to film on The Great American Read list.

Books discussed: The Godfather, Gone Girl, Harry Potter, Dune, Lord of the Rings

#009 The Book Is Always Better

The spookier side of PBS' The Great American Read. This week's guests Sadie Newsome, Brian Frank, and Karly McCutchan discuss some of their favorite books from the list that make their spines tingle.

Books discussed: 1984, The Stand, The Giver and more!

#010 Scary Monsters And Super Creeps

In this episode, we will discuss the winner of The Great American Read, and The Great Panhandle Read. Plus, we'll have a behind-the-scenes look at this season of Check Me Out.

#011 - And The Winners Are...

In this episode we talk to Mary Badham, who played Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird! We discuss her love of education, her memories of shooting the film, and The Great American Read winning book!

#012 Scout's Honor

Season 2 Preview of Check Me Out: A Podcast For Book Lovers.

CMO Season 2 Preview

Season 2 Preview of Check Me Out: A Podcast For Book Lovers

CMO Season 2 Preview #2

This episode spotlights true crime non-fiction books. Macey Gibaszek, Rachael Young, and Amy Hart discuss the fascination with murders, serial killers, and forensic investigation. 

Books discussed: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Dead Men Do Tell Tales by Dr. William Maples

#014 Juries, Killers, and Thieves

CMO rocks out with the greatest rock biographies. Brian Frank, Johnny Black, and Amy Hart discuss their fascination with the salacious details of their favorite rockers lives. 

Books discussed: Life by Keith Richards, Kicking and Dreaming by Ann and Nancy Wilson, Does This Noise In My Head Bother You? By Steven Tyler

#016 The Story Remains the Same

Take a trip back to your childhood where Nancy Drew and the Box Car Children reign supreme! Our guests, Melody Boren, Jill Gibson, and Hilary Hulsey discuss the appeal of children’s mystery novels. 

Books discussed: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Holes by Louis Sachar

#018 Magical Mystery Tour

#019 Bad Romance

Richard McGowan and Ande Parlow return to discuss the tropes and characteristics of fantasy novels. Where do you draw the line between Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Comics?

Books discussed: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Wheel of Time series by James Oliver Rigney Jr., The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

#020 Is This Just Fantasy

In this episode we find out why libraries categorize by genre not the author. Guests Sadie Newsom, Jill Gibson, and Melody Boren discuss Roald Dahl’s famous children’s novels and his adult themed works of fiction. 

Books discussed: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, My Uncle Oswald

#022 The Dahl People

CMO favorites Johnathan Aaron Baker and Chris Hudson are back! In this episode they discuss Urbanism, Suburbanism, and Ruralism in works of fiction.

Books discussed: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The City in History by Lewis Mumford, The Swimmer by John Cheever, How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis

#023 The Town And The City

In our first Minisode guests Chris Hudson and Emily Gilbert discuss Latin American Literature.

Minisode: Latin American Literature with Chris Hudson

Check Me Out: A Podcast for Book Lovers is a production of Panhandle PBS and Amarillo College's FM90 in Amarillo, TX. Originated in conjunction with PBS' The Great American Read, episodes feature authors, teachers, librarians, and experts.

Season 3 of Check Me Out is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Check Me Out: A Podcast for Book Lovers

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