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

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]

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens with Francine Prose

Great Expectations [https://bookshop.org/p/books/great-expectations-charles-dickens/c38909a6c67c2c52?ean=9780141439563&next=t] 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 [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/five-weeks-in-the-country-francine-prose?variant=44044841680930] 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 [https://oldlineplate.com/valentines-claret-punch/?doing_wp_cron=1777831504.6655199527740478515625] 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 Episode Great Expectations [http://imdb.com/title/tt0038574/] - John Mills Film Great Expectations [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119223/]-  1998 Version