The Book Swap Podcast

Bookstore Discoveries From Japan

After a three-week journey through Japan, Cassandra returns with a suitcase full of book recommendations and a deeper appreciation for Japanese storytelling. The books grapple with themes from high stakes competitions and childhood friendships to memory, impermanence, and the search for meaning. Along the way, they share hidden gems discovered at Tokyo's famous Daikanyama T-Site bookstore and dive into the cozy "healing fiction" genre that has captivated readers around the world. From Riku Onda's Honey Bees and Distant Thunder to Yoko Ogawa's Mina's Matchbox, she and Liza explore themes of memory, friendship, competition, impermanence, and meaning while introducing listeners to Japan's beloved tradition of healing fiction. Whether you're planning a trip to Japan or simply looking for your next great read, this episode is packed with recommendations and literary adventures. Other books mentioned in the episode include: Wind up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami A Wild Sheep Chase also by Haruki Murakami Convenience Store Wiman by Sayaka Murata Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata Sweet Been Paste by Durian Sukegawa What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida Days At The Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa The Tatami Galaxy by Tomihiko Mormi Dead-end Memories by Banana Yoshimoto Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto and Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri

War, What Is It Good For?

This week on Book Swap, Liza and Cassandra dive into two unforgettable novels about war, memory, and survival. They discuss Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s The Painter of Battles, a haunting philosophical novel about a retired war photographer confronted by a man whose life was changed by one of his images, and A Summer Without Dawn by Agop J. Hacikyan and Jean-Yves Soucy, an epic story set during the Armenian genocide about a father searching for his lost family. Along the way, they talk about what makes war fiction so powerful, how readers navigate emotionally difficult books, and why stories about conflict can still feel essential. Plus, they shout out other unforgettable reads including All the Light We Cannot See, The Book Thief, A Long Way Gone, The Sympathizer, and more.

What to Read This Summer

Summer reading season is officially here, and Liza and Cassandra are diving into the books they can’t wait to spend the season with. The books speak to a range of summer moods from a glamorous modern-day Gatsby romp to sweeping novels about societies on the brink of collapse. They talk through what actually makes a great summer read and recommend everything from underrated hidden gems to (yes we’ll do it this one time!) big best sellers. They’re also joined by friend and fellow book lover Pinar Gurler from the Cosmopolitan Club library committee to swap recommendations, compare reading moods, and build the ultimate summer reading list for every kind of reader.

Unpredictable Love Stories

On this week’s episode of The Book Swap, Cassandra and Liza dive into romantic novels that are heartfelt without becoming saccharine sweet or predictable, centering their conversation on Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán Hession. They explore why this quiet Irish novel about friendship, grief, routine, and tentative romance became such an unexpected favorite. Plus: B-side recommendations for readers craving romance with a little more complexity and realism.

Writing Your Way Into the World

This week on The Book Swap Podcast, Liza Hamm and Cassandra Berger dive into the the intoxicating, messy, deeply ambitious world of writers for this episode on books about writers. The deep-five is Three Martini Lunch by Suzanne Rendell, set in late-1950s New York publishing culture, the novel follows aspiring authors, editors, and dreamers chasing literary success while navigating class, race, ambition, reinvention, and the seductive mythology of “the writer’s life.” Along the way, the hosts unpack the sacrifices people make for art, the blurry line between inspiration and exploitation, and why stories about writers continue to fascinate readers. Plus: recommendations including The House of Doors and reflections on the glamorous, chaotic years when people are still inventing themselves.