Dr. Teresa Starrett, Dr. David Smith, Diane Boeglin Mayes, and Smokey Joe Mayes start with a discussion of one book...then follow the discussion wherever it goes!
A dive into the archives* turned up this classic episode in which Diane, Teresa, David, and Joe chat about light summer reads!
* It wasn't really in the archives. Joe just dropped the ball and hadn't gotten this episode done yet.
The Four Friends discuss the North Texas State Fair parade, magnets and non-metallic appliances (and trucks), a spoiler about Capt. Andrew Luck, and, of course, boring campaign-y things.
Big shout-out from David and Teresa to BCI Plumbing, Heating & Air (https://www.bcimechanical.com/). These professionals in Denton kept Teresa and David from melting in the Texas heat.
The group also bade farewell to the godmother of childhood literacy, the legendary Dolly Parton. Sleep easy, Queen.
And here's the link to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (https://imaginationlibrary.com/).
Here are this episode's reads:
Teresa: And Then There Was You (https://bookshop.org/p/books/and-then-there-was-you-sophie-cousens/079cd362b827681b) by Sophie Cousens
Joe: Mad Mabel (https://bookshop.org/p/books/mad-mabel-a-novel-sally-hepworth/185634013e864e22?ean=9781250284549&bkshp-astro=t) by Sally Hepworth
David: Sleigh Spells: A Christmas Paranormal Cozy Mystery (https://bookshop.org/p/books/sleigh-spells-a-christmas-paranormal-cozy-mystery/13f0bb1a255d3a6a?ean=9798561945052&bkshp-astro=t) by Bella Falls
Diane: The Correspondent (https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-correspondent-a-novel-virginia-evans/87852b9a3587f7c2?ean=9780593798430&bkshp-astro=t) by Virginia Evans
Please note that the links above are to the books on Bookshop.org (Bookshop.org). When you order, you can select your favorite Independent Bookstore and they will receive a portion of the proceeds.
Support Bookshop.org and support your local Indie Bookstore!
Finally, submit your ideas for the new podcast name to PatchouliPodcast@gmail.com (PatchouliPodcast@gmail.com)!
12 Aug 2026
E28: All Books are Travel Books
Diane, Teresa, David, and Joe put on their traveling hats and set out on the road to great books!
The group travels from Puerto Rico to London to Rhode Island and places between and beyond, determining what constitutes a "travel book."
Spoiler alert: Any book is a travel book if you dive into it deeply enough.
Take a journey with us through these great reads!
The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson
The Valencia Ex Pat Club by June Patrick
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Spectre of Hawthorne Manor: A Homefront Sleuths Mystery by Anna Elliot
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
My Ántonia by Willa Cather
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
The Stand and The Gunslinger by Stephen King
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Travel Hacks by Keith Bradford
I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel
Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
15 Jul 2026
E27: Bios and Memoirs and Autos, Oh My!
The Chickens are back!Diane, Teresa, David, and Joe dive into books about people -- memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies. What makes a good one, the differences between the genres, why Christina Applegate so angry, and why Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired to develop Hamilton. Bonus! Joe explains why Kate McKinnon is the SNL GOAT!Join the Friends as they deep dive into the social context surrounding some of their favorite memoirs, autobiographies, and bios.
Diane: Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Teresa: You With the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate
David: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Joe: The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson by Jeff Pearlman
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