TNBC's 2026 Summer Reading List

Book Club: Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward

Buy/Borrow/Steal our July Book Club Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bookshop.org/p/books/detransition-baby-a-novel-torrey-peters/ad13b5570c0d2abd?ean=9780593133385&next=t&aid=4223&listref=2026-books-tuesday-night-book-club]Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson [https://bookshop.org/p/books/train-dreams-a-novella-denis-johnson/ca6ed8e1cc252c88?ean=9781250007650&next=t&aid=4223&listref=2026-books-tuesday-night-book-club]. In this episode, Tava, Brett, and Alex discuss their June book club book, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. This beautiful book details the life of a family living in Mississippi in August, 2005 in the lead-up to Hurricane Katrina. Listen at they discuss the imagery, character building, and the real-world context of this hot and sweaty novel.  Check Out: To Read: The People in the Trees, by Hanya Yanagihara  Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tnbcpod/]for additional content! Intro Music: evandean.wav by madmerv -- https://freesound.org/s/690635/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Books We Love: A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara

Buy/Borrow/Steal our June Book Club Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward  [https://bookshop.org/p/books/detransition-baby-a-novel-torrey-peters/ad13b5570c0d2abd?ean=9780593133385&next=t&aid=4223&listref=2026-books-tuesday-night-book-club] In this episode, Alex takes Brett and Tava through the life and career of Ms. Hanya Yanagihara, the author of the acclaimed book, A Little Life. Also, a update on dogs and some reminiscing about eighth grade graduation. Trigger Warning: There is gulping in this episode! Check Out To Read: America the Beautiful? by Blythe Roberson To Do: Get Weeding Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tnbcpod/]for additional content! Intro Music: evandean.wav by madmerv -- https://freesound.org/s/690635/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

TNBC's 2026 Summer Reading List

Buy/Borrow/Steal our June Book Club Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward  [https://bookshop.org/p/books/salvage-the-bones-a-novel-jesmyn-ward/a40b01e43b111000?ean=9781608196265&next=t&aid=4223&listref=2026-books-tuesday-night-book-club] Somehow, Tava, Brett, and Alex manage to keep it together long enough to go through their 2026 Summer Reading Lists. Along the way, they discuss men's hearing, Alex's pool woes, famous photographs of famine-torn countries, and much more. Alex's Picks Project Hail Mary, GIRLS: Generation Z, and the Commodification of Everything, by Freya India Dune Messiah, by Frank Herbert Tava's Picks Lit & Cherry, by Mary Karr Ann Patchett Mary Oliver Brett's Picks The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust Check Out: To Read: Homesick Nomad, by Brianna Madia To Read: Empire of Pain, by Patrick Radden Keefe To Watch: Letterman on Colbert Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tnbcpod/]for additional content! Intro Music: evandean.wav by madmerv -- https://freesound.org/s/690635/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Brianna (Bufton) Pegolo

Buy/Borrow/Steal our June Book Club Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward. [https://bookshop.org/p/books/salvage-the-bones-a-novel-jesmyn-ward/a40b01e43b111000?ean=9781608196265&next=t&aid=4223&listref=2026-books-tuesday-night-book-club] In this episode, Brett’s cousin Brianna joins the pod to defend Connecticut, discuss her very impressive literary organizational skills, and spar with Alex about Frieda McFadden. The group also discusses dogs, the wonder of our local libraries, Brianna's favorite TNBC book club book, and (of course) growing up in Clinton. Check Out: To Read: ‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/04/new-orleans-sea-levels-relocation-climate-crisis] (The Guardian) To Do: Visit a national park [https://www.nps.gov/index.htm] near you! To Watch: Shrinking [https://tv.apple.com/us/show/shrinking/umc.cmc.apzybj6eqf6pzccd97kev7bs] (Apple TV) To Watch: You [https://www.netflix.com/title/80211991] (Netflix) Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tnbcpod/]for additional content! Intro Music: evandean.wav by madmerv -- https://freesound.org/s/690635/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Book Club: The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

Buy/Borrow/Steal our June Book Club Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward [https://bookshop.org/p/books/detransition-baby-a-novel-torrey-peters/ad13b5570c0d2abd?ean=9780593133385&next=t&aid=4223&listref=2026-books-tuesday-night-book-club] Things get dark as Tava, Brett, and Alex turn to the post-apocalyptic world of The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. But is the ending actually too hopeful? In addition to floating their theories, discussing McCarthy's style, and talking about the main character's morality (or lack thereof), Brett and Tava talk about their trip to California, Alex reveals her all-time top songs on Spotify, and spiders make an appearance. Check Out: To Listen: Bleachers (the band) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2eam0iDomRHGBypaDQLwWI?si=9qPEqDUSQyiqNZNBQpG7kg] To Watch: Jury Duty [https://www.amazon.com/Jury-Duty-Season-1/dp/B0B8JM2BBS] To Revel in the Nostalgia: Spotify Party of the Years Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tnbcpod/]for additional content! Intro Music: evandean.wav by madmerv -- https://freesound.org/s/690635/ -- License: Attribution 4.0