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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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- Today47 min
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi with Deanna Allbrittin
Transcendent Kingdom is a 2020 novel by Yaa Gyasi that follows Gifty, a Ghanaian-American neuroscience PhD candidate at Stanford, as she studies addiction and depression in mice while grappling with her family's history of trauma, addiction, and faith. The story explores the tension between science and religion, memory, and the search for meaning after her brother's opioid overdose and her mother's severe depression, all while reflecting on her upbringing in Alabama. Deanna Allbrittin is the main evening anchor and Development and Engagement Manager at WRIC - 8News. That means she leads station community engagement initiatives and special projects, while mentoring early-career journalists in investigative and community-centered reporting. In addition to wearing all those hats, Deanna has earned regional Murrow, Emmy and Associated Press awards. You may have also seen her moderating nationally televised debates for Virginia's closely watched U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races.Also, Deanna hosts the podcast All About Books which is a video podcast AND we recorded this episode, so head over there if you want to see the episode as we recorded it here at my home studio in Richmond! Thank you also to videographer Nikita for help make that happen!Sobolo Tea Recipe - Sobolo is a traditional Hibiscus tea served at Ghanaian parties and picnics. Deanna was kind enough to make and share it for us to sip during the episode. Incredible! This is her modified recipe, originally from Black FoodieSoboloIngredients1 Pineapple 2 Large thumbs of ginger, peeled (about 1/3 cup) 15 Grains of selim 7 African nutmeg 2 1/2 tbsp Cloves 1 tbsp Black peppercorn 1 tsp Grains of paradise 1 cup Dates, pitted 16 cups Water 2 cups Hisbiscus flowers, dried (sorrel) Sugar, to taste White vinegar 2 Cinnamon sticksDIRECTIONS (Adapted)1: Clean the pineapple by soaking in a water and vinegar solution for 10-15 minutes. Lightly brush with a produce brush to fully clean extra dirt from the skin.2: While the pineapple is soaking, soak the dates in warm water then drain when nice and soft.3: Pluck several leaves from the pineapple crown and peel the pineapple. Cut it into 2-inch chunks, making sure that the core is removed.4: In a blender, blend the pineapple fruit with the ginger and dates till smooth.5: In a pot, add the pineapple leaves, skin, blended mixture, and spices with 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Do not cover the pot otherwise it will splash. 6: Once the water has come to a boil, add the hibiscus leaves/sorrel and bring the heat down to allow the mixture to steep at a rolling boil.7: Let the mixture steep for 30-45 minutes, then turn the stove to simmer.8: Add sugar to taste. I added ~ 1 cup of brown sugar, a quarter of a cup at a time until it was just slightly less sweet than I wanted. Allow it to continue to simmer for 5-10 additional minutes, then turn the stove off.9: Let the mixture cool till the drink is room temperature. Then, strain the sobolo with a fine mesh strainer, pour it into a bottle and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy it!
- 1 weeks ago37 min
1984 by George Orwell with Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association 2026
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on PatreonSet in a totalitarian superstate, George Orwell's 1984 follows Winston Smith, an official tasked with rewriting history to align with state propaganda. Driven by a desperate yearning for truth and individuality, Winston rebels against the regime by keeping a forbidden diary and pursuing a secret love affair. Ultimately, he is captured by the Thought Police, subjected to brutal psychological torture, and brainwashed into unquestioning submission.My guest this week is the 2025-26 President of the American Library Association, Sam Helmick! They work as a Community and Access Services Coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library. Sam has served as a member of the ALA Executive Board and as president of the Iowa Library Association. They previously served as chair-elect of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table and chair of the Iowa Governor’s Commission of Libraries. They have served on many committees within the American Library Association and have held leadership roles at multiple levels. Sam is a 2016 Emerging Leader, as well as an author, consultant, and instructor in social media marketing and graphic design.Sam and I had this conversation over a Smokey Whiskey, which felt like some of the moments in the book, held in smokey bars and back rooms. My exact recommendation is the Bourbon & Spire Oak and Eden, forever one of my favorites!
- 2 weeks ago49 min
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman with Laura McAsh
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on PatreonSet in a world where every person’s soul exists outside their body in the form of an animal companion called a dæmon, The Golden Compass follows a brave young girl named Lyra Belacqua as she uncovers a sinister plot involving kidnapped children. Lyra journeys from the halls of Jordan College to the frozen Arctic in search of answers to her questions about power, knowledge, and free will.Laura McAsh a writer of whimsical worlds and a creator of quirky characters. A library clerk by day, Laura is a neurodivergent nerd passionate about diversity, inclusion, and representation. Beginning her undergrad at the University of Guelph, she completed her Bachelor of General Studies (Arts and Sciences Designation) with distinction at Athabasca University. A collector of hobbies and interests, she is a lover of all animals and is always down for grabbing nachos with friends or snuggling with her cat, Dinosaur. Don’t miss her debut novel Alison’s Adventures in Time!Our drink this week is a Hungarian Wine, a reference to a scene in the story where Lord Asriel, Lyra’s uncle is almost poisoned with Hungarian white wine. You can pick any brand you like, I went with Kiwi Cuvee Pinot Grigio.
- 3 weeks ago40 min
The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams with Rhonda McKnight
To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on PatreonIn Nikesha Elise Williams’ The Seven Daughters of Dupree, it's 1995, and fourteen-year-old Tati is determined to uncover the identity of her father. But her mother, Nadia, keeps her secrets close, while her grandmother Gladys remains silent about the family's past, including why she left Land's End, Alabama, in 1953. As Tati’s search deepens, she uncovers a legacy of family secrets, where every generation of Dupree women has posed more questions than answers.GuestEven as she pursued degrees in Textile Technology, Organizational Leadership and finally, Adult Education, Rhonda McKnight’s love for books and desire to write stories was always in the back of her mind. She loves reading and writing stories that touch the heart of women through complex plots and interesting characters in crisis. She writes from the comfort of her South Carolina home. Don’t miss her latest books of women’s fiction Bitter & Sweet, and Writer in Residence, which you can pre-order now and will be published on September 8, 2026! You can find Rhonda on Instagram & Threads @AuthorRhondaMcKnight.Southern Peach Sweet TeaIngredients4 black tea bags4 cups water3 ripe peaches, sliced1/2 to 3/4 cup sugarIceFresh peach slices for garnish (optional)DirectionsBring 4 cups of water to a boil Turn off the heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags.Add the sliced peaches and sugar to the hot tea. Stir until the sugar dissolves.Let the peaches sit in the tea for about 20 minutes so the flavor comes through.Pour the tea through a strainer into a large pitcher or bowl and allow to cool.Fill mason jars with ice and pour in the peach sweet tea.Garnish with fresh peach slices if you like, and serve cold.
- 4 weeks ago47 min
How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong with Selene Castrovilla
In How to Save Your Own Life, Erica Jong follows novelist Isadora Wing as she grapples with fame, aging, marriage, and the search for personal freedom after the success of her earlier books. Blending sharp humor with emotional honesty, the novel explores identity, desire, and self-reinvention in the face of midlife uncertainty.Award-winning author and creator Selene Castrovilla explores the courage, conscience, and reinvention that shape both nations and ourselves. She has written historical books for children including George Washington's Spectacular Spectacles: the glasses that saved America.She has a book for adults called Love the Ones Your With under the pen name SJ Perrault which will be coming out later this year. She also hosts a podcast Life in Jest with her best friend Pascale, which will feature me in an upcoming episode, I’m so excited! You can find out more at her website https://selenecastrovilla.com/ and also under her SJ Perrault name on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/s.j.perraultauthorTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@s.j.perraultauthorSupport Drinks In The Library by following on Patreon, for just $5 a month you will get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and support my work and the podcast!Our drink this week needs no explanation:The Life Saver Cocktail Ingredients3 oz dry champagne½ oz triple secSqueeze of fresh lemon juiceDirectionsPour the triple sec and fresh lemon juice into a champagne flute.Top slowly with chilled dry champagne.Give it a gentle stir and serve immediately.
- May 12, 202645 min
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah with Kara Infante
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah follows two sisters in Nazi-occupied France as they navigate love, loss, resistance, and survival during World War II. Through their very different paths, the novel explores the courage of ordinary women and the sacrifices made in the face of war.My guest this week is Kara Infante, a mom, wife and host of the Bookish Flights Podcast At Bookish Flights, Kara Infante and her guests tell their stories through the books they love. Each episode features a book flight - three thoughtfully paired books connected by a theme, topic, or genre. Think of it like a wine flight…but for books. Kara and I are both on each other’s shows this week, so head over there to hear me talk about 3 books I love by Xochitl GonzalezDrink Options:Lyre’s Classico NA Sparkling WineLavender French 75Ingredients1 ½ oz Empress gin ¾ oz fresh lemon juice½ oz lavender simple syrup3 oz chilled champagne or proseccoIceOptional garnish:Lemon twistDried culinary lavenderDirectionsAdd gin, lemon juice, and lavender simple syrup to cocktail shaker with ice.Shake well until chilled.Strain into a champagne flute or coupe.Top with sparkling wineGarnish with a lemon twist or a pinch of dried lavender. In this episodeBookish Flight Episode with Kristin HannahBooks by Tracy LangeThe Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna JohnstonThe Road to Tender Hearts by Annie HartnettThe Vanishing Half by Britt BennettBooks by Kate QuinnBooks by Marie Benedict
- May 5, 2026
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens with Francine Prose
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens follows Pip, an orphan who rises from humble beginnings after receiving a mysterious fortune, believing it will transform him into a gentleman worthy of love. As he navigates London society, Pip becomes entangled with the eccentric Miss Havisham and her cold ward Estella, while slowly uncovering the true source of his wealth. Francine Prose is the author of twenty-two works of fiction, including The Vixen, Mister Monkey, the New York Times bestseller Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, A Changed Man, and Blue Angel, a finalist for the National Book Award. Her nonfiction includes the modern classic Reading Like a Writer and the acclaimed memoir 1974: A Personal History. A former president of PEN America and a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, she is widely regarded as one of our most insightful and versatile contemporary writers. Her latest book, Five Weeks in the Country explores a fascinating moment which Francine describes as this: “In 1857, Hans Christian Andersen visited Charles Dickens, his wife and nine children in the British countryside for five comically and heartbreakingly awkward weeks. Telling their story seemed like the perfect way to talk about writing, love, marriage, children and two brilliant authors: a public figure in crisis and a houseguest, more at home in his fairy tales than in life, who overstays his welcome.”Valentine’s Claret Punch is our drink pairing, and is what Dickens and Anderson were drinking the night they met and led to the misunderstanding that led Anderson to believe he should visit the Dickens family for an extended stay!In this EpisodeGreat Expectations - John Mills FilmGreat Expectations - 1998 Version
- Apr 28, 2026
Sole Survivor by Derek Hansen with Heather Morris
In Sole Survivor by Derek Hansen, Rosie Trethewey leaves her unhappy city life after inheriting a remote shack on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island, hoping for a fresh start. There, she meets two isolated and troubled neighbors, Red O’Hara, a traumatized former prisoner of war, and Angus McLeod, a bitter retired policeman, whose lives she gradually changes. As outside forces threaten their island home, the three form an unlikely bond and learn to heal from the pain of their pasts.My guest this week is author Heather Morris. In 2003, Heather met Lale Sokolov, whose story inspired The Tattooist of Auschwitz, now one of the 21st century’s bestselling books and adapted in 2024 as a widely acclaimed Stan Original Series. It was followed by Cilka’s Journey and Three Sisters, completing the Tattooist trilogy.Her first contemporary novel, The Wish, was inspired by her years working in a public hospital, alongside families facing the toughest of times with love and courage. The Wish’s US publication date is May 5, 2026. Her upcoming novel, The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse, releases in October 2026, and tells the story of French Resistance fighter Andrée Levallois, who risked her life to protect one of her students during the war. Heather’s books have sold over 19 million copies worldwide.The drink this week is one Heather enjoys on vacation, and I enjoy most days: Chardonnay! I have to note that since Heather is in Australia and I am in the US, during the actual recording of this she was enjoying her morning coffee while I sipped a cold glass of wine.In this EpisodeBooks by Heather MorrisPākehā population New ZealandMāori PeopleCrowded House BandNeil Finn
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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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