How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong with Selene Castrovilla

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 Patreon [http://Patreon.com/DrinksintheLibrary] Set in a totalitarian superstate, George Orwell's 1984 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/1984-george-orwell/bc4868f7a40152ea?ean=9781328869333&next=t]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 [https://www.ala.org/], Sam Helmick! They work as a Community and Access Services Coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library. Sam [https://www.ala.org/aboutala/presidents-page]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 [https://oakandeden.com/products/bourbon-spire], forever one of my favorites!

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 Patreon [http://Patreon.com/DrinksintheLibrary] Set 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 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/his-dark-materials-the-golden-compass-book-1-philip-pullman/d7352c61b0fcd324?ean=9780440418320&next=t]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 [https://lmcash22.wixsite.com/literarylemur]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 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/alison-s-adventures-in-time-laura-mcash/5068f55ec2f56af6?ean=9781965422113&next=t]! 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 [https://www.totalwine.com/wine/white-wine/pinot-grigiopinot-gris/kiwi-cuvee-pinot-grigio/p/108813750?srsltid=AfmBOoob4c5D4GB-RG6c675krHvSgj5GhA-DnrjI5S1NIj9qUVGVsHQm].

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 Patreon [http://Patreon.com/DrinksintheLibrary] In Nikesha Elise Williams’ The Seven Daughters of Dupree, [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-seven-daughters-of-dupree-a-novel-nikesha-elise-williams/48a0f1ea84714eb3?ean=9781668051948&next=t] 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. Guest Even as she pursued degrees in Textile Technology, Organizational Leadership and finally, Adult Education, Rhonda McKnight [http://RhondaMcKnight.com]’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 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/bitter-and-sweet-rhonda-mcknight/71279c9f29d96024?ean=9780840706577&next=t], and Writer in Residence, which you can pre-order now [https://books2read.com/u/491LVX]and will be published on September 8, 2026! You can find Rhonda on Instagram & Threads @AuthorRhondaMcKnight. Southern Peach Sweet Tea Ingredients * 4 black tea bags * 4 cups water * 3 ripe peaches, sliced * 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar * Ice * Fresh peach slices for garnish (optional) Directions 1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil  2. Turn off the heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags. 3. Add the sliced peaches and sugar to the hot tea. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 4. Let the peaches sit in the tea for about 20 minutes so the flavor comes through. 5. Pour the tea through a strainer into a large pitcher or bowl and allow to cool. 6. Fill mason jars with ice and pour in the peach sweet tea. 7. Garnish with fresh peach slices if you like, and serve cold.

How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong with Selene Castrovilla

In How to Save Your Own Life [https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-save-your-own-life-erica-jong/fc378b62ba7817d9?ean=9781585424993&next=t], 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 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/george-washington-s-spectacular-spectacles-the-glasses-that-saved-america-selene-castrovilla/81e3c1b3cc3e8f85?ean=9781662680434&next=t].She has a book for adults called Love the Ones Your With [https://www.lovetheoneswomensfiction.com/] under the pen name SJ Perrault which will be coming out later this year. She also hosts a podcast Life in Jest [https://selenecastrovilla.com/podcast%3A-life-in-jest-1]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/ [https://selenecastrovilla.com/] and also under her SJ Perrault name on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/s.j.perraultauthor [https://www.instagram.com/s.j.perraultauthor] TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@s.j.perraultauthor Support Drinks In The Library by following on Patreon [https://patreon.com/DrinksInTheLibrary?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink], 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 Ingredients * 3 oz dry champagne * ½ oz triple sec * Squeeze of fresh lemon juice Directions 1. Pour the triple sec and fresh lemon juice into a champagne flute. 2. Top slowly with chilled dry champagne. 3. Give it a gentle stir and serve immediately.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah with Kara Infante

The Nightingale [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-nightingale-a-novel-kristin-hannah/f3b7fef8e667edad?ean=9781250080400&next=t] 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 [https://www.bookishflights.com/podcast] At Bookish Flights [https://www.bookishflights.com/], 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 Gonzalez [https://www.bookishflights.com/podcast/episode215] Drink Options: Lyre’s Classico NA Sparkling Wine [https://lyres.com/products/classico-case-of-24?tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=23702588052&tw_kwdid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23702590458&gbraid=0AAAABDAQ3PCRqPrEzRHSESwP2o7SnippI&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2YDQBhD_ARIsAE1qeSet-dmcKutOvtbQeOqrDdpbyCMEqO4guAriyDIm8zQ1NfIDBTGb7A4aAnRKEALw_wcB] Lavender French 75 Ingredients * 1 ½ oz Empress gin  * ¾ oz fresh lemon juice * ½ oz lavender simple syrup * 3 oz chilled champagne or prosecco * Ice Optional garnish: * Lemon twist * Dried culinary lavender Directions 1. Add gin, lemon juice, and lavender simple syrup to cocktail shaker with ice. 2. Shake well until chilled. 3. Strain into a champagne flute or coupe. 4. Top with sparkling wine 5. Garnish with a lemon twist or a pinch of dried lavender.  In this episode Bookish Flight Episode [https://www.bookishflights.com/podcast/episode65] with Kristin Hannah Books by Tracy Lange [https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=tracy+lange] The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-borrowed-life-of-frederick-fife-a-novel-anna-johnston/65647f91f6b1ba7b?ean=9780063397309&next=t]by Anna  Johnston The Road to Tender Hearts [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-road-to-tender-hearts-annie-hartnett/b817c97e9a7047a4?ean=9780593873441&next=t] by Annie Hartnett The Vanishing Half [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-vanishing-half-a-gma-book-club-pick-a-novel-brit-bennett/216921d46a917406?ean=9780525536963&next=t]by Britt Bennett Books by Kate Quinn [https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Kate+quinn] Books by Marie Benedict [https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=marie+Benedict]