A LITTLE TOO QUIET: THE FERNDALE LIBRARY PODCAST

Not Built In A Day by Emma Southon

Dr. Emma Southon is the acclaimed author of A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which we covered in a recent episode. This week, we're discussing her new book (out June 30): Not Built In A Day - a groundbreaking history of Ancient Rome that explores how the empire was built, fueled, and shaped by its enslaved people.

With humor, wit, and expertise, Emma Southon invites us into the absurdity of Roman life and completely upends our idea of the Roman empire. https://www.emmasouthon.com/ 

Amanda Uhle - Destroy This House

Amanda Uhle is Executive Director and Publisher of McSweeney’s, known for its award-winning quarterly literary journal, humor website and eclectic book publishing program. For more than 11 years, Uhle was executive director of 826michigan, a nonprofit tutoring and writing center for school-aged students in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti. Uhle is deeply involved with numerous youth writing organizations. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Politico Magazine, Newsweek, ThinkProgress, Oprah Daily, The Boston Globe, Delacorte Review, and elsewhere.

Her memoir, Destroy This House, is published by Simon & Schuster/Summit Books, and is our primary focus of discussion on this episode!

More info: https://www.amandauhle.com/ 

Concerning A.I. - A Librarian's Overview

One of the most important roles librarians serve is strengthening and supporting information literacy. Included in that, especially in our current moment, is broadening and deepening our understanding of Artificial Intelligence. Tune in for an overview from one of our librarians, including recommendations for how to interpret and handle instances of misinformation and even alternatives when it comes to how you search and seek knowledge out there on the internet wilderness.

You can also dive in to some further readings, below: 

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/opinion-ai-is-destroying-our-planet-we-must-act

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212827124001173

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381278855_ChatGPT_is_bullshit

https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/state_level_library_patron_privacy_laws_ai

 

Rebecca Podos and Jamie Pacton: Homegrown Magic

Emma and Jeff are chatting with authors Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos, looking ahead to the next installment in the Homegrown Magic series: a cozy, queer adult romantic fantasy series, with Homeward for a Spell due out in mid August! The series blends wholesome cottagecore vibes with rich worldbuilding and high-stakes family drama! Plus, we talk a lot about The Fast & The Furious, D&D, Ren Faires, and more! 

Gabriella Gamez - Second First Dates

Gabriella Gamez is a Mexican American author living in South Texas. She writes about incredibly messy, well-meaning women trying their best and accidentally falling in love. Her latest, 'Second First Dates,' is out at the end of July! And Gabby has a history with our cohost Emma, so we start off with a charming bit of anecdotes that led to their friendship! 

Kayla Rae Whitaker - Returns and Exhcanges

A sweeping novel of one Kentucky family’s rise and fall throughout the 1980s—a tragicomic tour de force about love and marriage, parents and children, and the perils of mixing family with business, from the acclaimed author of The Animators  https://kaylaraewhitaker.com/returns-and-exchanges/