Podcast Junkie: So Many Damn Books

Podcast Junkie is a bi-monthly podcast highlight by Brooklyn writer, scholar, and creative, Brittany Bellinger. Check back here every two weeks for a new Podcast to help you through the work day or power you through that workout. Join me as we dive into the world of culture, entertainment, politics, and more through our headphones.

There is no such thing as having too many books. Or is there? As an avid reader, I am constantly being asked to recommend books for others to read. It is usually paired with a story about how overwhelming it is to get back into reading as an adult. Learning how to navigate the shelves at Greenlight Bookstore is hard when you’re not sure what you’re looking for or if the book is even any good. Most of the time, it’s just easier to buy a magazine and go home.

Luckily, you’re not the only person to ever have that problem. Co-hosts, Christopher Hermelin and Drew Broussard, might have the answers for you. So Many Damn Books is a great podcast for the bibliophile and the lover of a good drink. I would love to say that I stumbled across this podcast because I know how to find all the hidden gems of the internet but that would not be true. Christopher is actually one of our members here at Brooklyn Creative League. He is a literary agent at Fischer Harbage who drops in to collect the newest reads from some pretty well-known authors. We generally chat about all things books and writing related. In one of our many conversations over book covers and the like, he mentioned this pretty cool podcast that he does with Drew that I should check out.

I decided to look it up and I was not disappointed! I started with episode #46 which featured the well-known Chef Evan Hanczor of Brooklyn’s hip eatery Egg. At Egg, they host meals based on a particular book of the month and they create dishes to accompany various passages and themes within the book. Evan spoke about the food he created to emphasize the important characters or moments from the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. The interview paired two of my favorite things together: books and delicious food. It is the coolest way, I’ve heard of, to experience literature.

So Many Damn Books is not just a cool platform to highlight authors and other literary geniuses’ but it also gives you drink recipes, local bookstores to support, and plenty of book recommendations. Whether you are someone who adores books like myself or someone who is interested in getting back into reading this is the perfect podcast to listen to. Chris and Drew bring you into the Damn Library bi-weekly and show you around.