Best Wachman Podcasts (2025)

After a year-and-a-half of talking books, reading, and writing, I've made the decision to move on from Broken Spine Social Club. This is a farewell to the project, but not to all of you! I'll be back right here October 1st with a new, evolved way for us to stay in conversation. Thank you for listening - and chat soon <3…

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The Sunflower Boys with Author Sam Wachman 54:50

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4M ago54:50

54:50

Sam Wachman's debut novel is the powerhouse coming-of-age story of Artem, a 12-year-old boy navigating his sexuality and survival against the backdrop of the Russo-Ukranian War. Wachman's novel hits close to home. An English teacher and volunteer for Ukranian refugees, Wachman's love of his second homeplace infuses his story with deep emotion, comp…

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Woman with Eyes Closed with Author Rue Matthiessen 53:56

5M ago53:56

53:56

What’s better than a good thriller? A good thriller spanning the Hamptons, Amsterdam, and London putting a critical eye to the art world. That’s precisely what’s in store for readers of author Rue Matthiessen’s debut novel, Woman with Eyes Closed. Rue and I chat though her writing process, interest in visual arts, and world-building in the place sh…

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Midsummer Rising: Atomic Habits by James Clear 48:42

5M ago48:42

48:42

We couldn’t have covered a self-development month without talking about James Clear’s cult classic - Atomic Habits. This step-by-step manual for instituting good habits (and cutting bad ones) is said to be life changing…but is Clear’s framework really so different from some woo-woo alternatives? MIDSUMMER RISE TOGETHER ON: INSTAGRAM: https://www.in…

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Midsummer Rising: The Artist’s Way with Fluently Forward 1:01:01

6M ago1:01:01

1:01:01

The Artist’s Way is the beloved workbook by creative Julia Cameron, who believes that via a simple morning journal practice, you can reignite your creativity and achieve your dreams within 12 weeks. Friend and friend of the pod Shannon (aka Fluently Forward) joins us today to talk about her recent Artist’s Way undertaking, plus our thoughts on the …

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Midsummer Rising: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr Joe Dispenza 54:19

6M ago54:19

54:19

WE’RE BACK..and bringing you a Broken Spine Social Club Month of Woo: Midsummer Rising. Over the month of July, we’re optimizing, actualizing, manifesting, and coming together with curiosity as we cover 4 weeks of spirituality / self-development in books. Today’s episode: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza. The world can be wh…

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The Alternative to Goodreads: Bookworm App Founder Amelia Goodman 50:04

7M ago50:04

50:04

There’s no doubt that readers love talking shop (i.e. books) with other readers. But where and how do you cultivate that community, without the Amazon-ownership, plus an early-internet, Neopets-inspired aesthetic? Bookworm. Bookworm is the brainchild of Amelia Goodman, a place to track your reading, find new book recommendations, and meet and conne…

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Women, Feeling: The World of Weird Girl Literature, a Genre Deep Dive 40:15

8M ago40:15

40:15

For the girls who wear vintage nightgowns, endure eternal existential dread, and are a little bit feral - there is Weird Girl Lit, the genre of unhinged women feeling feelings that has taken over literary fiction. Today we dive deep into these narratives and explore their history and why they’re so popular today. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.co…

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Girls with Long Shadows with Debut Author Tennessee Hill 51:14

8M ago51:14

51:14

Tennessee Hill’s debut novel “Girls with Long Shadows” is the story of the 19-year-old Binderup triplets - Baby A, Baby B, and Baby C - but so much more: a haunting and beautifully written narrative on fear, siblinghood, and our very human need to be seen. Today, Tennessee and I sit down to discuss just that, along with her writing process, the las…

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Literary Fan Casting with Zara de Groot 58:29

8M ago58:29

58:29

Book-to-film adaptations are the original “expectation vs. reality.” Sometimes our favorite character is portrayed exactly like we’d imaged in our mind…and other times…not. Today, I sit down with fan-casting extraordinaire and hilarious friend Zara to go through our best loved movie versions, plus try our hand at casting (or recasting) some of our …

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Q1 Recap: Books, Movies, and General Stuff 41:06

9M ago41:06

41:06

Thanks for joining me on a very special solo ep covering and reviewing the (very few) books I read — or, wished I hadn’t read — in Q1 of 2025. Plus a few reflections on DNFing, reading, learning, culture and how I’m staying sane in times of chaos. Enjoy! Books mentioned: Long Island by Colm Toibin The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova Perfume: The Sto…

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Inner Child Book Club with @k8tsreads 58:52

9M ago58:52

58:52

Read this? Read that! Inner Child Edition. Today, Kate of @k8sreads and I pair our favorite children’s books with their adult literary equivalent, as well as go deep on our best loved girlhood stories and the romance plots that took precedent over any kind of meaningful social narrative and critique in teen fiction. KATE’s INSTAGRAM: https://www.in…

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Books for Your Spiritual Awakening with @SpiritualitywithSam 1:06:21

9M ago1:06:21

1:06:21

There's no better practice for honing your intuition than "getting your hands dirty", says Sam, psychic, reader, friend. Still, if you're looking to expand your consciousness, clear your shadows, or are just curious to learn more about the world of the mystical, my favorite guide to the spirit realm Spirituality with Sam joins us with her top book …

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The Best Irish Books to Read for St. Paddy’s Day (That Aren’t Sally Rooney) 35:28

10M ago35:28

35:28

In honor of St. Patrick and the Land of Saints & Scholars, let’s put down the “Normal People” this year and read one of these incredible - but highly underrated - Irish literature greats. We cover my 5-star reads out of Ireland, the books and Irish authors I always recommend - plus, enjoy the world’s most Spark Notesiest overview of Irish literary …

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Fantasy 101 with @kassbookreviews 53:00

10M ago53:00

53:00

Thanks to the likes of BookTok and Sarah J. Maas, there’s never been a better time to be a fantasy reader. However, if you were an avid reader of Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia as a kid and aren’t sure where to start with tapping into the fantasy world, the endless series and expansive world building can be daunting. Enter, my friend, @kassbo…

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Literary Smash-or-Pass with @slaggybookclub 48:44

10M ago48:44

48:44

It begins with eye-catching hot pink cover art. When Cameron aka @slaggybookclub first encountered Ottessa Moshfegh’s ‘My Year of Rest and Relaxation’, the weird girl lit fic book was just the beginning. Now, Cameron is one of BookTok’s central creators on literary fiction. On today’s episode, Cameron chats with me about creating litfic bookish con…

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Books, Movies, Media, Oh My! Cultural Exploration with @druzyveins 54:23

10M ago54:23

54:23

Need the kind of friend who is always going to bat 100 for movie / book / TV show reccs? You need Tori aka @druzyveins. Tori is a cultural connoisseur for the new millennium and a true master of media. Today, Tori and I sit down to discuss what art is in the scope of short-form and social media, as well as give you some actionable tips when it come…

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Literary Heartache: The Trysts, Triangles, and Tragedies of Literary Couples 34:34

11M ago34:34

34:34

It could be said that all writing has to do with matters of the heart, and that is certainly the case for three of literary history’s best known creative couples: Truman Capote and Perry Smith, Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, and Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Today, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we’ll explore the trysts, triangles, and tragedi…

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The Lamb with Debut Author Lucy Rose 51:59

11M ago51:59

51:59

There’s no doubt about the appetite readers have for narratives exploring the messy, courageous, and devouring experience of woman-and-girlhood, and author Lucy Rose serves it up on a plate in her debut novel, The Lamb. Today, we sit down and get to the meat (no pun intended) of what it takes to capture the plurality of feminine experience through …

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Episode 27: Seasonal Living, Seasonal Reading, Winter 2025 Edition 50:39

11M ago50:39

50:39

In the dark depths of bitter late January, we’re all ready to break out the Birkenstock Arizonas and stretch out in the sun. But what if embracing the winter blues is the happiest, healthiest choice for a more grounded, enjoyable cold snap? Taking a page (literally) from Aldo Leopold, today I recommend my favorite seasonal eats, wears, and practice…

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Episode 26: Best Books of 2024 38:21

12M ago38:21

38:21

With 38 books bagged, which were my favorite reads of 2024? I take you through the top 5 books I read this past year, figuring out what my literary theme of 2024 was (hint: nature. A lot of nature.), as well as diving into a few of my not-so-favorite books I managed to get through before year-end! SHOP BOOKS OF THE POD:https://bookshop.org/lists/bo…

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Episode 25: Priest with FluentlyForward 1:07:37

1y ago1:07:37

1:07:37

Oh Father! Shannon of FluentlyForward and I go deep - no pun intended - on Sierra Simone’s ‘Priest’, the spicy story of Father Tyler Bell, a man of the cloth who ditches his when the beautiful Poppy Danforth joins his small town Kansas parish. What makes spicy writing spicy, when is it *not* spicy, and special feature Sin-O-Meter ranking your fave …

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Episode 24: Into the Wild with My Book Friend Lucy 54:43

1y ago54:43

54:43

In 1990, Emory graduate Chris McCandless donated his life savings and took off to wander the American West. In 1992, McCandless's remains were found in the back of a bus in the Alaskan bush. The seminal “Into the Wild,” by investigative journalist, climber, and outdoorsman Jon Krakauer attempts to uncover not *what* happened to the off-grid adventu…

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Episode 23: A Very Very Very Dark Matter with My Work Wife Clíona 1:03:21

1y ago1:03:21

1:03:21

You may know him from the Oscars circuit for films such as “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri” or “The Banshees of Inishierin”. But my work wife Cliona knows him (albeit, slightly mistakenly) as “that local fella” who wrote the plays her Grannie and Aunt took her to in Galway. Today we are talking Hans Christen Andersen, colonialism, and Pho…

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Episode 22: A Sand County Almanac with My Nature Friend Alyssa 57:28

1y ago57:28

57:28

Calm and calamity meet when my nature friend Alyssa Armbruster joins the podcast to discuss her favorite read, 1949’s ‘A Sand County Almanac’ by naturalist and conservationist, Aldo Leopold. Alyssa and I chat about how to define nature in a contemporary context, how to live seasonally, and the steps we can all take to live Leopold’s ‘Land Ethic’. S…

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My Election Day Anxiety Protocol: A BSSC SPECIAL REPORT 39:55

1y ago39:55

39:55

In this red, white, and blue mini-sode, I cover my top anxiety-relief tips and tricks as the most stressful day of the calendar year approaches: Election Day. Morning to night, I share the practices, tools, and tips that help me bring calm into my life each day, in hopes this Election Day won’t be a panic-inducing, blue-light addled mess for you, d…

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Episode 21: A Gothic Literature Deep Dive 39:00

1y ago39:00

39:00

Welcome to an extra special, totally terrifying, spooktacular episode of BROKEN SPINE SOCIAL CLUB: A GOTHIC LITERATURE DEEP DIVE. Today we take a look at all things ghastly, ghoulish, and Gothic as we dive deep into this infamous literary genre. From Gothic literary history to themes and tropes, book recommendations and more, you’re in for a blood-…

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Episode 20: Creating Reading Communities IRL with Denver Book Swap Society Founder Nicole Wiebe 45:12

1y ago45:12

45:12

In 2022, newly minted reader Nicole Wiebe founded Denver Book Swap Society with one goal in mind: keep reading affordable and sustainable. In the 2 years since Denver Book Swap Society’s launch, the group has spawned endless chapters, events, friendships, and book clubs across multiple cities and states - and today, we sit to chat with Nicole on he…

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Episode 19: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue with Human Design Coach, Courtney Carteret 59:28

1y ago59:28

59:28

If everyone you met forgot you as soon as you left their sight…how would you define yourself? V.E. Schwab’s 300-year-old protagonist Addie LaRue explores this very question when she sells her soul to the dark — and Human Design coach Courtney Carteret and I do as well, as we sit down to chat about the 2020 magic realism powerhouse along with a dive…

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Episode 18: Sunk Without a Sound with My Adventure Friend Bridgette 1:06:51

1y ago1:06:51

1:06:51

In 1928, an adventurous couple rafting the Colorado through the Grand Canyon go missing. In 2024, two girls who like beers, bikes, and The Clique books sit down to discuss what may or may not have happened, according to river historian Brad Dimock in his 2001 “Sunk Without a Sound: The Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde". SHOP …

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Episode 17: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld 48:51

1y ago48:51

48:51

Throw back to the best years of your life…or the most anxiety inducing, most self conscious, just generally worst years if you happen to be Lee Fiora of Curtis Sittenfeld’s “Prep”, a boarding-school classic exploring the world of the East Coast elite through the eyes of a Midwestern scholarship student. It’s the last of the Broken Spine Social Club…

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Episode 16: Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers 46:32

1+ y ago46:32

46:32

Episode 15: Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers We’re back on campus with our second installment of the Broken Spine Social Club podcast Campus Novel series. Today, we discuss Richard Power’s 1995 ‘Galatea 2.2’, an eerily prescient psuedo-autobiographical novel about learning, human connection and of course, artificial intelligence. What is consciousness…

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Episode 15: Stoner by John Williams 45:25

1+ y ago45:25

45:25

It’s back to school season and in honor of little nerds who grow up to host book-related podcasts, we’re doing a 3-part deep-dive on the campus novel. First up is “Stoner” by John Williams, the genre-defining novel about quiet farm-boy-turned-English-lit-professor in this cult classic about love, literature, and the worth of a life lived in solitud…

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Episode 14: Storm of Steel with My Friend Salv 1:05:33

1+ y ago1:05:33

1:05:33

Who knew a direct translation trench warfare WWI memoir could be so fascinating? Certainly anyone who knows anything about WWI, including my friend Salv. In this episode, we chat about the complicated Ernst Junger and his seminal WWI masterpiece “Storm of Steel”, including what the trenches were really like, what heroism is, and asking ourselves: h…

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Episode 13: The Clan of the Cave Bear with My Sister Moselle 55:58

1+ y ago55:58

55:58

“Girl Dinner” gets a whole new meaning in Jean M. Auel’s 1980 “Clan of the Cave Bear”, where my lil’ sister Moselle and I serve up tasty morsels such as what makes a GOOD villain, Mary-Sue-isms, and a Neanderthal delicacy: ptarmigan stuffed with its own eggs. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/brokenspinesc/…

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Episode 12: Less Than Zero with My Cousin Friend Jona 1:00:51

1+ y ago1:00:51

1:00:51

EPISODE 12: Less Than Zero with My Cousin Friend, Jona My cousin-friend (and former pod co-host!) Jona and I dive into the wild world of Brett Easton Ellis to discuss his debut novel, Less Than Zero. A fascinating and disturbing look at the world of the 1980's LA elite, Less Than Zero is equal parts literary masterpiece and chaos-riddled teen drama…

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Episode 11: Night Watch with My Boss Cathal 1:04:41

1+ y ago1:04:41

1:04:41

Time travel, fantasy, and humor combine when my former boss (and friend) Cathal and I sit down to fish for a brand sponsorship from Mythology Whiskey. Oh yeah, we also discuss Terry Pratchett’s powerhouse fantasy-cop satire, “Night Watch”, the 29th installment of the beloved Discworld series. We chat moral v. legal justice, the role of parody in ge…